Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
I must start my Weekly Message with a very important reminder. This coming Saturday night, all across Europe, the clocks go FORWARD by one hour. This means that in Prague, we move from Central European Time (CET), to Central European Summer Time (CEST). Please ensure that you change all your clocks, watches, phones and other electronic devices, on Saturday evening, so you arrive at Church on time & not one hour later!
Sunday 30th March 2014 at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Fourth Sunday of Lent
Our Gospel reading once more comes from the Gospel of John rather than the Gospel of Matthew. This coming Sunday we hear the story of the blind man who was healed by Jesus on the Sabbath and the interesting discussion with the Pharisees that followed, as recorded in John 9. 1-41. The supporting readings are 1 Samuel 16. 1-13 and the familiar words of Psalm 23. There will be parallel Children’s Ministry and Coffee Hour will follow the service.
Tuesday 1st April 18.30-20.00 in the small meeting room on the first floor of Klimentská 18
Our Lent Course ‘Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts’ continues with our fourth of five sessions, led by Rev’d Dr Karen Moritz. Even if you’ve missed the first three, you are still welcome to join us this coming Tuesday. As we normally do on Tuesday evenings, we shall end our session by saying Evening Prayer together. A reminder that if the ground floor door of Klimentská 18 is locked, press the bell marked Kancelář & we’ll buzz you in!
Friday 4th April at 17.00 in Katedrální chrám sv. Vavřince/The Old Catholic Cathedral of St. Laurence
We have an invitation from Bishop Dušan to attend their Friday evening Eucharist as they have a visiting English school choir singing at the service. As a result, part of the service, including the sermon, will be in English. The choir come from ‘St. John’s School‘ in England but I have yet to find out which ‘St. John’s School’ Apparently this school have an exchange scheme with a Czech gymnasium which how they’ve ended up singing at the Old Catholic Cathedral. I intend to be there & I do hope others from the St. Clement’s congregation will also attend, especially if you enjoy English choral music.
Peter Morpuss is running in the Prague Half Marathon on Saturday 5th April……..
……….. and is looking for people to sponsor him and raise money for St. Clement’s. There is a form on the noticeboard at the back of Church, where you can sign up to support Peter. If by any chance you cannot be in Church this Sunday to sign the sponsorship form, just reply to this email & I’ll happily add you to the list by proxy! It would also be great if members of the congregation would also turn out on Saturday 5th April and cheer on Peter as he runs, as Sybille & I intend to do.
A repeat of an important reminder about our Annual Church Meeting.
Annual Church Meeting – Sunday 13th April 2014
A reminder that our Annual Church Meeting (ACM) will now take place on Sunday 13th April following worship. Please make sure this is in your diaries and plan to be there! As many of you will already be aware, the finances of the Chaplaincy are in a fairly critical state and we need to input of as many Church members as possible as we seek a positive way forward.
At the ACM, two Churchwardens, two Archdeaconry Synod reps, together with up to nine ordinary Church Council members, will be elected. In order to vote or to stand for election, your need to be a member of our Church Electoral Roll (CER). The current CER is displayed on the noticeboard at the back of the Church.
Please also start giving serious consideration as to who you want to serve as office holders and Church Council members in the coming year. A form for nominations is on the noticeboard at the back of Church and it was good to already have two names written on it last Sunday. Nominations need a proposer, seconder & the consent of the nominee and all three need to be members of the Church Electoral Roll. In particular, we need someone elected as a Church Council member, who would be willing to become Church Treasurer, as Gordon wishes to step down from that role having held it with distinction for the past three years. As I’ve previously said, I would much prefer to have volunteers rather than pressed men or women :-)
Finally for this week, I’m currently suffering with a sore throat & other flu-like symptoms so I may croak & not sing so loudly on Sunday So do make sure you are there to give God the praise & worship which is rightfully his!
Best wishes
Ricky
