Our partnership with Ahrensfelde Church in Germany began in 1987 when Rev. Loudon Blair

was introduced to Pastor Bruno Schottstadt of Marzhan Nord Church and made aware that Pastor Peter Johann of Ahrensfelde Church was interested in contact with a church in Scotland.

 

This contact was made and the partnerships established. Early large group visits were made by road and sea (coach and ferry). Galston later took a more convenient option and travelled by air.

 

On other occasions families from the two towns have exchanged visits and enjoyed holidays in Scotland and in Germany. Many lasting friendships have been forged over the years.

 

The most recent large group visit was in 2017 when 19 members from Galston attended the Kirchenstag being held in Berlin and Wittenberg. And visits have been made to Ahrensfelde in January for the annual Burns Supper, the first of which was held in 2014.

 

A planned visit in October 2020 by a group from Ahrensfelde was cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic but a group from Galston made a four-day visit to Ahrensfelde in August 2022 for the retiral of Pastor Martina Sieder.