Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
I would like to start my first ‘Weekly Message’ of the New Year, by thanking everyone who sent name and name Christmas cards, both physical and electronic, along with a number of gifts. It has also been very nice to receive several replies to my Christmas Message, from former congregation members now returned to their home countries, saying how much they like continuing receiving my regular ‘Weekly’, keeping them up-to-date with what is happening at St. Clement’s. With these came also many expressions of appreciation for the time they were part of our worshipping community in Prague.
A number of people also expressed their thanks for being able to listen to past sermons online at http://susanaj10.sg-host.com//sermons/ This service should be resumed early next week with a recording of my sermon this coming Sunday. I’m sorry that there are no recordings from the Christmas & New Year Sundays because of our technical wizard David Hellam, being away with his family in the UK. Now if there is a volunteer happy to be trained by David to cover for him? ;-) please speak with me or David.
And finally, before looking ahead to this coming Sunday, thank you to everyone who helped maintain our services over the Christmas & New Year period when so many regulars were away. Likewise, thank you to those regulars who were still in Prague, who brought their visiting relatives and friends along with them on Christmas Day. It was a delight to be introduced to numerous parents, brothers, sisters and the like, who together contributed to a congregation of over one hundred that morning.
Now, looking ahead, today is the Feast of Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the wise men to the infant Jesus. It marks the beginning of the Epiphany season when we think about the way Jesus was ‘made manifest’ or ‘shown forth’, first of all at his baptism.
Sunday 8th January at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist celebrating the Baptism of Christ
Our Old Testament reading is the first of the ‘Servant Songs‘, from the prophetic writings of Isaiah – Isaiah 42. 1-9. Our second reading, Acts 10. 34-43, recounts Peter’s address to a group assembled in the home of Cornelius. Our Gospel reading will be the account of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, as recorded in Matthew 3. 13-17. Parallel Children’s Ministry resumes this Sunday and following worship, there should be Coffee Hour in the hall on the third floor of Klimentská 18, providing we have a volunteer(s) to run it!
After Coffee Hour, snow permitting, I shall then be off down the D1, for our regular monthly service in Brno.
Sunday 8th January at 17.00 – Holy Communion celebrating the Baptism of Christ
The service will take place in our regular Brno venue – ‘The Upper Room’, corner of Jezuitská and Mozartova, Brno.
Three other things for this week
Tuesday evening study group – I’m planning on re-start this on Tuesday 24th January. I would welcome suggestions as to what we might study together over five Tuesday evenings, before the beginning of Lent – a particular topic or Biblical book?
Our regular St Clement’s organist, has recorded a brand new CD of him playing the organ at the Tyn Church, overlooking Old Town Square. Copies are on sale for CZK 300 at the back of the Church or directly from Michal himself at Coffee Hour.
Šťastný Nový Rok! – Happy New Year!
Ricky
