Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
Thank you to everybody who came to worship last Sunday morning, to mark the beginning of the season of Advent. We had the nice problem of running out of copies of the Weekly Bulletin & having to ask people to share, because of the size of the congregation. We also made a joyful noise with our singing! Let’s have more of the same this coming Sunday.
Sunday 6th December at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Second Sunday of Advent
Our Old Testament reading will be Malachi 3. 1-4 where God, speaking through the prophet declares, ‘See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me’. Rather than a Psalm, we will have a canticle, the Song of Zechariah from Luke 1. 68-79, usually better known by the opening word in Latin, Benedictus. Our Gospel reading will be Luke 3. 1-6, which tells of the beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist, the one who prepared the way for the coming of Jesus. Whilst I will be your celebrant, the preacher will be my good friend & ministerial colleague Rev’d Dr Karen Moritz. There will be parallel Children’s Ministry and following worship, Coffee Hour in the hall on the third floor of Klimentská 18.
Following Coffee Hour, I will be off to the Frauenkirche in Dresden, for the monthly English-language Anglican Service for which I take full responsibility from the beginning of 2016. Within the service, there is to be a formal handover to me from Rev’d Dr Irene Ahrens, all in the presence of our Diocesan Bishop Rt Rev’d Dr Robert Innes, who will be the preacher at the service. Therefore, as I explained in last week’s ‘Weekly Message’ and last Sunday morning, Jack Noonan and Gordon Truefitt will be off to Brno.
Sunday 6th December at 17.00 – A Service of Lessons and Carols – ‘The Upper Room’, corner of Jezuitská and Mozartova, Brno.
The Brno Carol Service will be led by Jack Noonan and Gordon Truefitt is going to act as his chauffeur If you would also be interested in travelling down to Brno & supporting Jack & the Brno congregation, then please get in touch with Gordon 606 190 604 gordontruefitt(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk
Friday 11th December at 17.00 – Christmas Carols
As we have done the last three years, we are again hosting a Christmas Carol singalong, raising funds for the work of UNICEF. Full details can be found here
Sunday 13th December at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Third Sunday of Advent
Our Gospel reading will follow on directly from the previous Sunday – John 3. 7-18, with more about the preaching and teaching of John the Baptist.
Then in the evening, there will be our traditional Carol Service.
Sunday 13th December at 18.00 – A Service of Lessons and Carols
Please do pass this on to your friends and invite them to come with you to the service.
Three quick things to finish with this week
- My sermon from last Sunday is now available here , if you missed it or would like to listen to it once again.
- In that sermon, I challenged everyone to read the whole of the Gospel of Luke – one chapter a day – during Advent. I started reading on Tuesday and reached the end of chapter three today. Have you taken up the challenge?
- Please continue to bring to Church on Sunday, tinned food and warm winter clothing for both men & women, (which includes practical things like underwear & socks), to support the work of the Salvation Army with the homeless in Prague. Place all your donations in the respective red wheelie bins at the back of the Church.
Best wishes
Ricky