Schloss Mittersill :: About Us

A Brief History of Schloss Mittersill

2006-02-16T12:08:52Z

The first castle on the Schloss’ present site was built around 1150 by the Grafen von Lechsgemünd family, nobles from Bavaria who were the feudal lords of the Pinzgau, the valley and region in which Mittersill is situated.

The Pinzgau came into the possession of the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg in 1228. (As the name implies, the Prince-Archbishop was both head of state and head of the church.) Until 1803, when the church lost secular power, the archbishops appointed a “Protector of the Pinzgau” to act as governor and judge for the region. During the “Austrian Period” (1816-1849), the Protector continued to live at the Schloss. From 1849 to 1881 the Schloss served as an “Imperial and Royal District Court”.

Unfortunately, nothing of the original buildings can now be seen. In 1526, during a peasants’ revolt, the Schloss was pillaged and set on fire. The enraged Archbishop, Matthäus Lang, quickly quelled the uprising by sending in his soldiers. The peasants were forced to rebuild the Schloss and the town of Mittersill was obliged to raise the necessary money. It was fortified against possible further attack and a well was sunk in the courtyard. The date of the rebuilding, 1528, can be seen etched over the archway of the main gate. The Schloss chapel was rebuilt in 1533. This date, along with the archbishop’s coat of arms, can be seen on the chapel ceiling.

In 1881, the Schloss was auctioned by the State and subsequently passed through the hands of several private owners. In 1936, a titled entrepreneur purchased the property for what became the Schloss Mittersill International Sport and Shooting Club. Members of this club included royalty, industrialists and film stars. The second significant fire in the history of the castle occurred in July of 1938. Apparently caused by lightning, it seriously damaged much of the interior. Restoration and renovation began at that time, but was not fully completed until after World War II.

In the mid 1960’s, the Sport and Shooting Club decided to sell the Schloss. Through the father of one of the Club members, this was brought to the attention of C. Stacey Woods, who was at that time General Secretary of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). In 1967, Schloss Mittersill was purchased by means of several generous donations, in order to be used as a centre for Christian student conferences by IFES and other Christian groups. Mr. Woods gave direction to the extensive renovations carried out after the acquisition and organised the initial conferences and seminar programmes. He also established an international and independent Board of Directors. This Board, in modified form, still oversees the facility and its ministries today.

The history of Schloss Mittersill over the centuries has been shaped by the rise and fall of political powers and the general currents of change within society. It is our belief that these developments were, and are, not random, nor simply the result of human endeavour; rather, it is God who stands behind and acts within the historical process to bring about his will and purposes.

Community

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Community is a word with many shades of meaning. At Schloss Mittersill, we use the word to describe how we are organised, and the relational values of our ministry. We are convinced that each of us is created by God to love and serve him as individuals, but also as members of the body of faith.

The resident community at Schloss Mittersill is made up of the 50-60 men, women, and children who are living either in the castle, on the grounds, or in the town. We have all made a covenant before God to conduct ourselves according to certain principles, which address such things as our relationship to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—our service in his work, our ways of relating to one another, our outreach to others, and the work we do.

We meet daily for a common meal, devotions, and prayer—and weekly for worship, Bible teaching, and various social events. From time to time we participate in days of prayer and fasting, and individual and group retreats. The celebration of our Lord’s Supper—Holy Communion—is central in our life of devotion. Our commitment to live together in peace extends to the larger Christian family, and we enjoy good relationships with other Christian denominations and groups in our town, the country of Austria, and around the world.

Because we are an open fellowship, we consider those who once lived with us, those who stay here for shorter periods, and those who assume other responsibilities—such as Board members, financial supporters, students taking modular courses, houseparty guests, sabbatical guests, and other visitors—to also be part of our community. Although their commitments to the community are different from those who actually live and work here, our intention is to be continually drawing people in, by encouraging relationships that are mutually supportive and that bring us all to a deeper understanding of Christ’s claim on our lives, both individually and corporately.

Castle Tour

2006-02-17T07:29:47Z

Coming Soon!

Contact

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Schloss Mittersill
A-5730 Mittersill
Austria

Tel: +43 (0) 6562 4523
Fax: +43 (0) 6562 4523 50
e-mail: Info@SchlossMittersill.org

In the USA:
P.O. Box 9338
Chico, CA 95927-9338

In Canada:
380-233 1st St. W.
North Vancouver BC V7M 1B3

Directions

2006-02-17T07:31:56Z

BY ROAD - We are roughly two hours by car from Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Munich (map). Busses also run regularly — schedules may be found at www.postbus.at.

BY AIR - The nearest international airports are Salzburg and Munich. Both have good connections to public transportation. Visit the airport websites for transit information: Munich: www.Munich-Airport.de/en Salzburg: engl.Salzburg-Airport.com

BY RAIL - The nearest main railway stations are Kitzbühel (Bahnhof, not Hannenkamm) and Zell am See, with connections by bus or commuter train to Mittersill. Please note: The last bus from Kitzbühel to Mittersill departs at 17.10 Mon -Fri, 19.20 Sun & Holidays, 16.15 Sat; The last bus from Zell am See departs 20.55. Train schedules may be found at www.oebb.at.

Supporting Schloss Mittersill

2006-02-20T13:34:01Z

If you share our vision of Christian renaissance in Europe, there are a number of ways you can be part of our work:

Pray for us. We are called to connect and equip people, challenging them to be risk-takers for the cause of the Kingdom of God, transforming their cultures and vocations. Transformation like this can only happen when God's Spirit is at work. We need men and women who will commit to praying for what goes on at Schloss Mittersill, and for tansformation in Europe.

Visit us. Be part of things by attending an event, bringing a group for a conference or retreat, or simply coming for rest and inspiration.

Share your resources. Giving scholarships to deserving students, maintaining this ancient building, developing new programmes – it all takes money. While the revenue from regular conferences covers part of our daily operating costs, we rely on the generosity of our friends and supporters for the rest.

Would you like to sponsor a student to attend a course that will challenge the way they approach life and work? Courses cost €450 plus accommodation, but some who would benefit greatly are still not able to afford these rates.

The prudence and generosity of our founders has given us a beautiful castle, debt-free. But a medieval building generates one challenge after another, and when we take on major projects–such as updating the plumbing infrastructure, refurbishing guest rooms and public spaces, or repairing the fabric of the building–we must raise funds over-and-above what is normally budgeted for maintenance.

E-mail info@schlossmittersill.org if you would like to become part of our mission, and we will make sure that you receive regular information about our programmes, and are kept informed of community news. You can also sign up here to receive regular e-mail updates.

There are various procedures for giving, depending on the country you live in:

In the United States:
Tax-deductible contributions may be sent to:
Schloss Mittersill
P. O. Box 9338
Chico, CA 95927-9338

In Canada:
Canadian supportors may give online by clicking here, or may send tax-deductible contributions to:
Schloss Mittersill Canada
380 - 233 West 1st St.
North Vancouver, B.C.
V7M 1B3

In the UK:
cheques and remittances should be made payable to IFES TRUST (with a note that the donation is for Schloss Mittersill). UK Taxpayers should inform IFES that they are eligible for Gift Aid.
Schloss Mittersill
c/o IFES
321 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7JZ

In Europe: Bank transfers may be sent to:
Schloss Mittersill
Raiffeisenkasse, Mittersill
IBAN: AT06 3503 9000 0004 2010,
SWIFT code: RVSAAT2S039

Newsletter Archive

2006-06-07T10:16:50Z

Do you need to catch up on what's been going on at Schloss Mittersill? Have you missed an issue of Schloss Views? Print off a copy and pour yourself a cup of coffee. All files are in PDF format.

Schloss Views - Autumn 2006
Features: Becoming Renaissance People; Q & A with Andrzej Turkanik.

Schloss Views - Spring/Summer 2006
Features: Networks that Transform; A Year in Retrospect.

Schloss Views - Winter 2005/06
Features: Challenge & Growth; A Dream Revisited.

Schloss Views - Autumn 2005
Features: The Stamp Man; Flooding in Mittersill.

Schloss Views - Spring/Summer 2005
Features: Mission: Europe; We Need Your Prayer.

Annual Report / Fact Sheet 2004

Schloss Views - Winter 2004
Features: A Moving Ship.

Our Vision & Mission

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Instigating Christian renaissance in Europe.

Mission
Schloss Mittersill is an international community strategically equipping men and women to be agents of transformation, bringing Christian faith into their vocations and cultures.

Core Values:
Truth—teaching and teachable, open, seeking meaning and relevance. 2 Timothy 2:2
Worship—intentional and pervasive—becoming ‘living sacrifices’. Romans 12:1-2
Wholeness—balanced, integrated faith—saturating all areas of life. Deuteronomy 6:5
Grace—welcoming, listening, a place of hope, joy, and healing. Psalm 133:1

Ongoing Strategies

Together seek an answer to the question of what is needed to bring about a Christian renaissance in Europe, by…

…Identifying and encouraging a Christian avant garde—culturally informed individuals active in the arts, education, business, politics, etc.—inspired and equipped to challenge society in light of the values of the Kingdom of God. We place special emphasis on young career people and postgraduate students in Europe.

…Offering a postgraduate degree track—to both resident and non-resident students—that would provide a holistic understanding of biblical-theological and cultural issues, through coursework and original research in an intellectually and culturally stimulating environment.

…Enabling the equipping of individuals through vocational mentoring, relational discipleship, and spiritual apprenticeships.

…Serving as an interdisciplinary ‘think tank’, developing ideas and advice on theological and cultural issues for the benefit of the Christian community, and supplying the programme’s ideological framework.

…Creating events that bring Christians together within affinity groups—including symposiums, conferences, festivals, and concerts—building networks of Christians concerned with transforming specific areas of culture.

…Creating events that bring Christians together across affinity groups—including houseparties, courses, and retreats—to encourage a holistic understanding of faith, and to build relationships between people engaged in different areas of culture.

…Providing space for people to address these questions more fully by staying for longer periods of time as writers in residence, artists in residence, scholars in residence, etc.