Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
As this is my first ‘Weekly Message’ since Holy Week, I’d first like to thank everybody who helped, and all those who came, to our services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Day. I was particularly pleased that our service on Good Friday, marking the ‘Last Hour on the Cross’, was so well supported and special thanks to Professor Michal Novenko and the ‘Anonym Choir’.
It was also most encouraging to have, on what is proverbially known as ‘Low Sunday’, a congregation of 65 last Sunday morning. My sermon from last Sunday, and the one I preached on Easter Day, are now both uploaded to the Church website where you can listen to them. Just follow this link and click on the one you want.
Now – looking ahead in April……
Synod Meeting of the Old Catholic Church in the Czech Republic
This afternoon, in the company of Churchwarden Stephen Weeks, I shall be driving out to Želiv Monastery in the Vysočina, to spend nearly two days listening to long discussions only in Czech, and helping to elect a new Old Catholic Bishop. Whoever is elected, will succeed Bishop Dušan Hejbal who retires in July. We would value your prayers in helping us to decide how to vote and for the person elected. Under the Covenant between the Anglican Diocese in Europe and the Old Catholic Church in the Czech Republic, whoever Bishop Robert and ICS put forward to be my successor as Chaplain of St. Clement’s, will have to gain the approval of the new Old Catholic Bishop.
We will travel back to Prague on Saturday afternoon, ready for worship the next day.
Sunday 10th April at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Third Sunday of Easter
Our first reading will be Acts 9. 1-20, which tells of the conversion of St. Paul on the road to Damascus. We will also say Psalm 30 responsively. Our Gospel reading will be nearly all of the Epilogue of the Gospel of John – John 21. 1-19. There will be parallel Children’s Ministry but there will NOT be Coffee Hour following worship because…….
Annual Church Meeting (ACM)
Immediately following worship, our ACM will take place. To stand for election and/or to vote at the ACM, you must be one of the 59 people on our Church Electoral Roll (CER), a copy of which is pinned to the noticeboard at the back of the Church. Nominations for election to the Church Council can be made in writing, on the form also pinned to the Church noticeboard. They require a proposer, seconder & the consent of the candidate and must be made in advance of the commencement of the ACM.
At the ACM, the Chaplain, Churchwardens and Church Council Secretary, will report on their activities during the past year and the Church Treasurer will present the 2015 accounts setting out the state of the Church’s finances. It is also the opportunity for any member of the CER, to ask questions about any aspect of Church life at St. Clement’s. If you are a member of the CER, plan to be there!
Saturday 16th April – Mini-Pilgrimage to Sázava – 12.00-17.00 approx.
Spring is here and so we are off again together `Out-of-the-Box`. This time for a 6km downstream stroll through the beautiful Sázava valley to the abbey, church and hermitage of Sv.Prokop – of one of Bohemia`s most significant and beloved saints. Some thoughts about him, and full details, available by emailing gordontruefitt(at)yahoo(dot)co(dot)uk by just putting ‘Mini Pilgrimage’ in the Subject field – No commitment :-)
Sunday 17th April at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the Fourth Sunday of Easter
This Sunday will sadly be the last Sunday that Rev’d Dr Karen Moritz is with us at St. Clement’s before she returns permanently to the USA. Karen will be our preacher at this service. More details in my ‘Weekly Message’ next week.
Then from Monday 18th – Saturday 30th April, I will be away from Prague, first on a week of annual leave, visiting various family members in the UK, and then attending the annual ICS Chaplains Conference which this year is being held at Ashburnham Place Conference Centre, in East Sussex, UK. Therefore on Sunday 24th April, there will be a service of Morning Prayer at which Jack Noonan will be the Leader and Preacher.
Looking forward to seeing many of you at worship on Sunday, and at the Annual Church Meeting!
Best wishes
Ricky
