Dear People & Friends of St. Clements,
Yesterday evening, eleven of us gathered at St. Clement’s to celebrate one of the most neglected Festivals of the Christian Year – Ascension Day. Despite being relatively small in number, we still managed to give good voice to four appropriate Ascensiontide hymns. We were also a microcosm of the somewhat unusual nature of the wider St. Clement’s congregation with more men than women present and six different nationalities represented.
We have therefore entered Ascensiontide, the 10 days leading from Ascension Day through to the great feast of Pentecost, which this year falls on Sunday 27th May. It should a period of expectation and anticipation as we awaiting the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the first disciples and followers of Jesus. During this period, there is always one Sunday, either known as the Seventh Sunday of Easter or more prosaically as the Sunday after Ascension Day. Therefore….
Sunday 20th May at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist
I particularly commend to you the Gospel reading for this Sunday which is John 17. 6-19, part of what is often called Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Do try and read it yourself in advance of coming to worship or, even better, try reading all of the prayer, that is all of John 17. There will be parallel Children’s Ministry and the service will be followed by Coffee Hour.
Tuesday 22nd May; 18.30-20.00 in the small meeting room on the first floor of Klimentská 18
After variations caused by a visiting Australian bishop, a public holiday & then Ascension Day, midweek activities return to Tuesday evening next week. We shall be looking at Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of John.
Pentecost Sunday 27th May
The third most important festival in the Christian Year, after Easter & Christmas, is the Feast of Pentecost, celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the first disciples as recorded in Acts 2. 1-21. Our preacher at our 11.00 Eucharist on Pentecost Sunday will be Rev’d Dr Karen Moritz.
To make the service on Pentecost Sunday both a little different and memorable, please try and help by noting…..
The liturgical colour for Pentecost is RED. Therefore, please come to Church that day wearing something RED!
When the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples, people heard them speak in a whole host of different languages. We would like to re-create that experience by having various members of the congregation speaking in another language other than English. It will be by a brief joyful proclamation of the coming of the Holy Spirit. I reckon we should be able to have at least twenty different languages. Therefore, if you will be here on Sunday 27th May (which I hope you will be!), can speak another language other than English & would be willing to take part, please reply to this email, with a brief note of the language(s) you can speak or speak with me at Church this coming Sunday.
Two other things for this week
Polo Shirts have now been ordered and an initial supply should be with us shortly. The sample shirts will be at the back of Church again this Sunday.
The Wheelie Bin for collecting tinned food to help support the work of the Salvation Army with homeless people in Prague is now back in Church. Basically, any food item in a tin but NOT sauces, pasta, or other dried goods in packets or plastic bottles. In pictures & words on the outside of the bin, there is a clear indication of what is & isn’t required. Why not buy a few extra tins when you are next shopping at your local Billa, Albert or Tesco supermarket & bring them to Church on Sunday & put them in the wheelie bin?
Looking forward to seeing many of you at worship this coming Sunday.
Best wishes
Ricky
