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Dear Friends:

Summer--including Summer Semester--is in full swing. This I know because the paragliders are up on the Oesterberg behind the Institute every weekend. The sheep are also pastured there in temporary pens (an annual event). We have had very warm and humid weather since May, which is a challenge, as there is no air conditioning in our building, or at the University theology dept. (or anywhere else in town that I know of). We have had a couple big storms, with high winds and heavy rains, but have so far escaped damage.

As many of you know, we had to leave abruptly for Cherie's mother's funeral in March. That extended our planned stay in the States longer than we were comfortable with, but there was no other way to do it. As it was, we had a nice trip to New York and to Tennessee, before we wound up the trek in Atlanta for the annual EES board meeting (thanks to Jim and Ellen Evans for their gracious hospitality).

We enjoyed Justin's senior recital, of course, as well as a Maundy Thursday service in which he played solo viola with organ, and one piece with organ and choir. While in New York we celebrated my birthday (April 16) as well as Alisha's (April 15). For the occasion we took son-in-law Marty for his first visit to Niagara Falls. In Tennessee we enjoyed our stay with Alisha and Marty, and we had a nice visit with Earl and Ottie Merle Stuckenbruck, founding missionaries of this work in Tuebingen. We represented the Tuebingen work to two of our supporting churches, as well as in chapel at Emmanuel School of Religion. Many thanks to the faithful supporters there in Johnson City!

Big news out of the Atlanta board meeting was the announcement of Wye Huxford as the new EES Executive Director. Jim Evans, who asked over a year ago to be replaced, remains active with the EES in retirement. We shall miss Jim and Ellen's ministry, but look forward with anticipation to Wye Huxford's tenure. The current EES newsletter has articles about Wye's appointment and Jim's retirement. If you do not receive that newsletter, contact the office directly (Atlanta address below), or let me know.

Back in Tuebingen, we "hit the ground running," as they say. Classes for the semester started the week we got back. Our first Vesper Service was that weekend, and the first graduate Colloquium the next Monday. Even though we felt we were scrambling to catch up, things have been running smoothly.

After a bit of a slow start, the English-language Vesper Service continues to draw between twelve and fifteen each week, not counting special events. Some of our regulars are graduating this semester, so we are hoping to fill in with some new faces. We have a few new attenders this semester, including a pediatrician from Nigeria (working with the Kinderklinik for a year), and a chemist from India who hopes to stay for a few years. A young woman from the Czech Republic is also attending regularly, and there are also a couple new student participants. We plan a "July 4" BBQ on Sunday July 6, though we will be playing down the American Independence Day theme because of the current political climate. There has been an intern here from Puget Sound Christian College, working with Jim Kautt and the Gemeinde (congregation). He will lead the Vesper Service next Sunday evening.

The graduate colloquium has been well-attended this semester. My appreciation and thanks to Prof. Hermann Lichtenberger for sponsoring the colloquium, and for his gracious sharing of leadership with me. We have had some excellent papers to date, and are thankful for those who have participated. We had enough people sign up this time that neither Prof. Lichtenberger nor myself will be presenting this semester. Presenters include Pasi Pohjala (doctoral student from Finland), on vice and virtue in Philo and in Matthew 12; Ben Wold (doctoral student at Durham, UK), on conceptions of woman in 4QInstruction; Timothy Sailors (post-graduate student at Cambridge, UK), on textual variants in the Emmaus pericope (Luke 24); Prof. Bruce Longeneckar (St. Andrews, Scotland), on rhetorical devices in Luke-Acts; Sung Choon Lee (Korean doctoral student in Tuebingen), on righteousness in Matthew 6; and Kunio Nojima (Japanese doctoral student in Tuebingen), on the Adam-Christ antithesis in Romans 5. The colloquium plans an "end of the semester" party at our apartment on July 21, the last week of classes.

We have received good news regarding the contract with the University. According to the University Rektor, the way has been cleared for the Protestant Faculty to sign the contract with the EES. As the EES representative in Tuebingen, I await the invitation from the Protestant Dean to sign the papers. After that, I should find out the particulars about my new status (as "adjunct faculty member"), as well as specific expectations for the theological German course for foreign graduate students, mandated by the contract.

Since returning from the States in May I have resumed discussions with Dr. Otto Betz, retired prof. of theology, over a writing project I am working on. It is a joy to spend time with him and his wife. He remains quite active in his work, though he is physically unable to get out much. For many years Prof. Betz was the sponsor of the graduate colloquium, and he and his wife personally took care of literally hundreds of foreign students over the years.

Recently we have had some work done in the basement of the Institute. The insurance company told us that we must take steps to prevent further flooding, or face cancelation of our coverage. In consultation with contractors, the insurance company, and the city inspectors, we decided to build a low "wall" (a 40-cm high threshhold), to keep out high water. At the same time, the drain in the stairwell out back, as well as the one in the kitchen, were dug up and retrofitted with anti-backflush valves. We also had to have some other drain pipes replaced in the kitchen. The high threshhold and the refurbished drain have already prevented another flooding of the basement (we had a big storm the night after the wall was built, and water was briefly up over the old threshhold). The other pipes which were replaced may have been responsible for a long-standing leak that has kept the basement wall damp on that side of the building. We hope we have solved that problem, too.

When the cleaner quit last winter, Cherie took it over, for five hours a week (she turns in five ours a week, but usually works quite a bit more). The place has never looked so good! She has painted inside, cleaned carpets, scrubbed floors, etc. She is systematically replacing the curtains throughout the building. While the weather is nice she is putting in quite a bit of time in the garden (the yard). Eric, the intern, helped her a couple days, including trimming hedges, and painting over the grafiti on the old garage wall.

Cherie continues with the Tuesday international coffee. Through her contacts there we have made some good friends from Germany, South Africa, the UK, and the US. We have had very enjoyable times with these folks recently, and will miss them. We look forward to next year's group.

Alisha had a good first year at Emmanuel School of Religion. She did well in her grades, and enjoyed tutoring beginning Greek students. She continues working in the library over the summer, and is doing some preliminary work on her thesis. She is putting together a proposal for her internship which she hopes to complete here in Tuebingen, perhaps next summer. Marty continues working on an Institute web site (as soon as I send him the information he requested).

Justin graduated from Eastman School of Music with a Bachelor's of Music, the Performance Certificate (quite a bit of extra work), and with high academic distinction. He spent a week playing at the music festival "June in Buffalo," and a couple weeks at a chamber festival in New Jersey. Tomorrow (Wed., June 25) we pick up him up at the Frankfurt airport. We will take him to Salzburg on Thursday, where he has an audition for admission to a master's level program at the Universitaet Mozarteum. Whatever happens with his audition, he will spend the summer with us in Tuebingen.

Thanks to you all for your interest in our work here, and your faithful support. May God richly bless you.

love,

Scott and Cherie Caulley