Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
Here is my usual guide to the week ahead at St. Clement’s, together with a couple of important news items to which I want to draw your attention.
Sunday 2nd February 2014 at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Presentation of Christ in the Temple
This coming Sunday marks exactly forty days since Christmas Day when we celebrate the events recorded in Luke 2. 22-40, which will obviously be our Gospel Reading. It describes how as the first born son, Jesus was offered back to God by his parents – he was ‘presented in the temple’. There was also an associated but separate ceremony for Mary, who made an offering for her purification following childbirth – hence the festival is sometimes known as the ‘Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary‘. A third popular and much shorter name for this Sunday, is ‘Candlemas‘, because of the tradition of having a candlelit procession, picking up the words found in the ‘Song of Simeon’ or ‘Nunc Dimittis’, describing Jesus as ‘A light to lighten the gentiles’.
We shall explore all of these themes in our worship. There will also be parallel Children’s Ministry and Coffee Hour following the service.
Tuesday 4th February 18.30-20.00 in the small meeting room on the first floor of Klimentská 18
Our regular Tuesday evening Study & Fellowship Meetings continue studying the Letters of John from the New Testament. We had another most enjoyable session last Tuesday. This coming Tuesday, we shall be looking at 1 John 4. 1 – 21. We will finish by saying Evening Prayer together. If the ground floor door of Klimentská 18 is locked, press the bell marked Kancelář & we’ll buzz you in!
Sunday 9th February 2014 at 11.00 in Prague and at 18.00 in Brno
At both services, Jack Noonan will be our preacher. More details in next week’s Weekly Message.
Two important news items
Firstly, a message from the Church Treasurer, Gordon Truefitt. He writes, “I need the users of Stewardship Envelope numbers 12 and 47 to tell me who they are, preferably by email to gordontruefitt(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk , if they would like a Tax letter”. He also say, ” If there is anybody who has donated money to St. Clement`s in 2013, by planned-giving envelope or bank standing order, who has NOT received an email from me about `Tax letters`; please contact me as soon as possible”.
Secondly, later this afternoon, I am meeting František from the Salvation Army at the Church, so he can collect all your donations of warm winter clothing and tinned food, supporting the work of the Salvation Army, with homeless men and women in Prague. Therefore on Sunday, both wheelie bins at the back of Church will be completely empty and ready to receive your new donations!
Finally for this week
Don’t forget to visit our Church website, http://susanaj10.sg-host.com// , which I spend quite some time each week, keeping updated. In particular, there you can listen to all the sermons preached at St. Clement’s during this past month, as well as many more from previous years.
Looking forward to seeing many of you on Sunday morning.
Best wishes
Ricky
