Dear People & Friends of St. Clement’s,
I hope that all of you who have been in Prague this past week, have enjoyed the snow we’ve had, though it is melting in the bright sunshine, as I write. Although the forecast does promise that it will be a few degrees warmer this coming Sunday than it was last Sunday, I do encourage you to wrap up well for Church, wearing several layers, as the Church heating system is fairly limited.
Sunday 10th January at 11.00 – Sung Eucharist for the First Sunday of Epiphany celebrating the Baptism of Christ
As I explained when preaching last Sunday, ‘Epiphany’ means ‘manifestation’ or ‘showing forth’. So having reflected last Sunday, on Jesus being ‘made manifest’ to the Wise Men, representing the Gentiles, this coming Sunday we shall hear about him being ‘made manifest’ at his baptism – the beginning of his public ministry. Our Old Testament reading will be Isaiah 43. 1-7, followed by saying Psalm 29, responsively. Our Gospel reading will be St Luke’s account of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist – Luke 3. 15-17 & 21-22.
This Sunday, parallel Children’s Ministry resumes, and following worship, there will be Coffee Hour in the hall on the third floor of Klimentská 18. Following Coffee Hour, your Church Council will be meeting.
Tuesday 12th January – 18.30-20.00 in the small meeting room on the first floor of Klimentská 18.
Our regular Tuesday evening meetings for Study and Fellowship resume, looking at St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Picking up from where we reached when we last met at the end of November 2015, we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 7. 25-40. As we normally do, the last 15-20 minutes will be spent saying Evening Prayer together. If the outside door of Klimentská 18 is locked, please press the bell marked Kancelář & you’ll be buzzed in!
These studies in I Corinthians, will continue on the following three Tuesday evenings – 19th & 26th January & 2nd February. Then, because Easter Day is very early this year, the following week, Lent begins, with Ash Wednesday, 10th February. There will be a Eucharist, with the (voluntary) imposition of ashes that evening, starting at 19.00. Then on the following five Tuesday evenings – 16th & 23rd February; 1st, 8th & 15th March, there will be a Lent Course. More details about that in a future ‘Weekly Message’ – watch this space!
I am sorry to sound like a broken record…….
…….. but I am still looking for a volunteer to be the new Rota Organiser. I &/or Tasci will happily explain what is involved. It isn’t that difficult – you just need to be reasonably computer literate and sort out people’s responses regarding availability for the different tasks each week.
And a reminder again of what we collect at the back of the Church
- Used postage stamps. All used postage stamps, except British ones bearing only the Queen’s head. Leave the stamp on the envelope but cut around it leaving approx 5mm paper border. Then place them in the envelope pinned to our noticeboard at the back of the Church. The sale of these used stamps supports the work of the Intercontinental Church Society, who in turn, support us.
- Tinned food and warm winter clothing, for both men & women, supporting the work of the Salvation Army with the homeless in Prague. The red wheelie bin for clothing is currently full to overflowing! Thank you! The contents will be collected next Tuesday – Petr Janousek from the Salvation Army was having a well-deserved holiday this week so couldn’t come to do so earlier. But there is still plenty of room in the other bin for tinned food. Let’s here some loud clonks before worship begins on Sunday!
Best wishes
Ricky