Dear Friends: December, 2004

We send our warmest greetings from Germany , along with our heartfelt thanks for your support for the work here. We pray for God's continuing guidance and grace, and look forward to our partnership in this ministry with you for the coming year.

Just a couple news highlights: The Colloquium continues to draw good participation. My co-leader, Prof. Lichtenberger, is on sabbatical this semester and not here very much. He asked me to take over the Colloquium. In spite of his absence, we continue to have a good turn-out and good papers.

The English Vesper Service is in transition this semester. Only a couple of our long-time members are still in town. We have a good list of visitors, and a few new ones who are coming regularly, so we are confident the group will rebuild. The Theological German Course did not “make” this semester, but I am meeting once a week with an American doctoral student to read German with him.

Exciting news for the future: After several years of monitoring and a couple years of serious discussions, the EES Executive Committee has decided to remove the “life support” from the little congregation, as of April 30, 2005. The group has not been viable as a congregation for some time. The exciting news is the proactive decision to recruit a team and plant a new church here. That team will also partner with the CMF and Globalscope as they start a campus ministry here, probably starting in 2007. Although many are sad about the demise of the original Gemeinde, the decision to be intentional in planting a new congregation has been well-received by our supporters.

Our family is rejoicing at the news of an addition in the spring. Alisha is expecting our first grandchild for late April. Cherie is with them as I write this, and will return in April to spend the summer helping with the baby, while Alisha continues work on her Master's degree. Marty has moved into a full-time computer tech position at the seminary, and even gave a meditation when the staff was in charge of chapel. Justin is busy with his music in Salzburg , and is currently trying to decide his direction. He really wants to study composition, he says. We shall see how this develops.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas, and a happy New Year!

Love,

Scott & Cherie Caulley