Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
September has arrived and with it, the return to work and school after summer holidays/vacations & visits back to home countries. Fortunately here in Prague, summer weather has also returned after some most inappropriate wet and cold days at the end of August. I look forward to welcoming both returnees, regulars and hopefully new faces, this coming Sunday.
Sunday 7th September at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
The Bible readings set for this Sunday are some powerful words from the prophet Ezekiel as recorded in Ezekiel 33. 7-11, a further reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans – Romans 13. 8-14, and a short passage unique to Matthew’s Gospel – Matthew 18. 15-20. As it is now September, parallel Children’s Ministry will resume this Sunday.
A big ‘Thank you’ to everyone who has stepped up to fill the rota for the Sundays in September & October, in response to Tasci’s email of earlier this week. However, as I had to write last week, if we are going to have Cool Drinks & Light Refreshments following worship this coming Sunday, we still need someone to lay them on! If you can help, please email Tasci tgibson02(at)gmail(dot)com ASAP.
As this coming Sunday is the first Sunday of the month, I shall be travelling down to Brno on Sunday afternoon for our monthly service of Holy Communion with hymns in ‘The Upper Room’, corner of Jezuitská and Mozartova, Brno starting at 17.00.
Tuesday 9th September 18.30-20.00 in the small meeting room on the first floor of Klimentská 18
As I advised in the last couple of Weekly Messages, I’m planning to re-start our midweek meetings for Study and Fellowship next Tuesday. I’m most grateful to three people who responded to my plea for ideas of what we might study. For the first four Tuesdays, I’m taking up one of the ideas which will hopefully, partially incorporate another of the ideas. The third suggestion we may well tackle later this Autumn. And all three people who made suggestions, will shortly get a private response to their respective emails.
What should be the Christian response be to moral/ethical issues facing our world today?
Obviously, in trying to answer the question, we’ll seek to find out what the Bible has to say about each issue and see whether the Old Testament has a different response to the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament.
We’ll start next Tuesday with the prominent current issue of Conflict and Violence, with the situation in Ukraine very much in mind. How should Christians seek to resolve conflicts? Should we be pacifists? Is violence to achieve a ‘good end’ ever justifiable? As previously, we’ll end our session by saying Evening Prayer together.
It would be good to see some new faces, as well as past regular attendees on Tuesday evening. I’m still teasing out the other three topics because of a certain amount of overlap but I’ll publish the complete programme early next week.
Outing on the afternoon of Sunday 28th September
On the afternoon of Sunday 28th September, following our Sung Eucharist with Bishop Robert marking the conclusion of the Eastern Archdeaconry Synod meeting, there will be an outing to visit the most remarkable Church at Slavětín nad Ohří. Full details are here. Whilst the trip is being put on for Synod delegates, it also open to members of the St. Clement’s congregation and I hope that many of you will be interested in joining us for what should be a most fascinating and enjoyable afternoon. The only cost will be the hire of a coach which is currently being organised.
If you are interested in going on the trip, there will be a notice on the noticeboard at the back of Church from this Sunday, where you can sign up. Or alternatively, just drop me a reply to this email.
That’s enough for this week.
Best wishes
Ricky
