Football takes Stalham Baptists’ message to Germany 

A football from Stalham Baptist Church, whose team plays in the Norfolk Christian Football League, has found its way across the North Sea to a small island off the German coast

 
Josh Holebon, manager of Stalham Baptist Church football club recently received an unexpected email from Germany.
 
“My name is Thomas, I live in the south of Germany near the city of Freiburg.

Some weeks ago, we went to the small Island Baltrum in the Northern Sea, Germany. On a sunny day, as we walked along the dunes, I found a football with the inscription  “STALHAM BAPTIST”. 

The football was wet and heavy. I asked myself where this ball was coming from, and later I researched and found you in the internet.

Had this football found the long way over the ocean from Great Britain to Baltrum, Germany? A distance of 250 Miles! Very interesting.

Finally, I gave the ball to some children who played in the sand on the beach and they were happy about their new friend.

That´s a little story I wanted to tell you and maybe you know the answer.”
 
David Child, one of the leaders at Stalham Baptist, said: 'A big thank you to Thomas  (pictured) for tracking us down. Perhaps Josh and the SBC team has found a unique way of spreading the name of Stalham Baptist Church to the world! Who needs a message in a bottle when you can use the world’s favourite game?'
 
Baltrum is a barrier island off the coast of East Frisia, in Germany, and is a municipality in the district of Aurich, Lower Saxony. Baltrum is the smallest island in a chain of the seven inhabited East Frisian Islands.

This story has now been followed up by the BBC, Sky Sports and the Eastern Daily Press.
 

This article first appeared on Network Norfolk and is republished with permission