With the Weber family on vacation, it was a quiet three weeks at the Latin school. Still, there was always somebody around: Charles and Connie Cortright visited from Latvia, a couple from Denmark and one from Germany stayed for a few nights, and a visitor who needed a place for the night while on a bike tour all the way to Vienna enjoyed her stay so much that she decided to spend an extra night! It truly felt like summer: The weather was hot, the pace was leisurely, and there was time for walks and to get coffee or to chat with everyone who stayed.
On Sundays, Dr. Cortright filled in and led the Sunday morning services, thrilled to preach right across from St. Mary’s, while the organ, I’m certain, enjoyed that someone as skilled as Connie Cortright played it.
During the week, I´ve been giving German lessons next to the chapel. For now, our Iranian friend who also attends services on Sundays has been coming, but hopefully soon, others from Bulgaria will join regularly as well. We have been having fun learning the difference between “Ich bin gut” (I’m a morally good person) and “Mir geht es gut” (I’m doing well) as well as the names of Bible characters in German.
While I have really enjoyed getting to welcome the few guests who have stayed over the summer, chatting with the repairman who fixed the TV in one of the rooms and who grew up next door to the Old Latin School, and talking with the tourists that stop in to look at the chapel and read about the history of Lutheranism on the banners throughout the building, I am so glad Wilhelm and Angelika are back.
Wilhelm started work right away with an early morning appointment with the city the day after returning from Greece. He is just the person for this place: So knowledgeable, so laid-back, so open to all kinds of people, so accommodating, able to change the service from German to English on the spot depending on who shows up, and so well-liked by people all around him. It was fun to fill in for a few weeks but walking through the doors that are open all day to the familiar sight of him sitting in the bookstore, inviting everyone in with a big smile, is much better!
Vivian Kleeblatt from Lutherstadt Wittenberg, 24th August 2020
Wilhelm's space 