Estonia is calling you!

The Diocese of Rochester has a friendship link with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia, who are very keen to develop this relationship with parish churches in Rochester. You are very warmly invited to all the events outlined below. There is a church hostel in the centre of the historic part of Tallinn, where we are able to stay during our visits.

The following is a list of events both in Estonia and Rochester:

  1. 2013 October 8-13th, visit to Rochester Diocese of Professor Randar Tasmuth, who teaches at the Theological Institute in Tallinn and is an authority of the Gospel of John.
  1. 2014, January 21-22 Estonian clergy conference at their ‘Centre Park,’ beside the frozen Baltic sea. Church leaders from Rochester Diocese warmly invited!
  1. 2014, early July. The ‘Song Festival’. Following a tradition that dates back to 1869, about 150,000 people will gather in Tallinn for 3-4 days. This is a national event! It is too late for any choirs from England to register for this, but we are invited!
  1. Overseas links Celebration 2014, to take place in our Diocese to celebrate our links with Estonia. Service to take place on October 5: date to be confirmed.
  1. 2015, early July – a ‘Sacred Hymn Festival’ in Tartu.
  1. 2017, May 31st. 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation and 100thAnniversary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Estonia.
  1. 2018, February 24th. Centenary of the founding of the Republic of Estonia.
  1. 2018, December 12th, 100th Anniversary of British Naval victory over Russians to liberate the Estonian nation. Ideal for a Chatham parish, with the Naval history and connections! The Estonians are deeply grateful to the Royal Navy. This is evidenced by a memorial to them in Tallinn.

I do hope that some of you will take up this wonderful opportunity to link up with our brothers and sisters in Christ in Estonia, to be enriched by their worship and singing, as well as to share in the pain they still feel from the years of Soviet occupation.

For further information please contact me on

Canon David Kitley, Bishop’s Adviser for Overseas Links (01732 452112)

Or our Overseas Links coordinator, Mike Fawcett on