Newsletter - Holy Trinity Brussels
Transcription
Newsletter - Holy Trinity Brussels
Holy Trinity Brussels March 15th 2015 Lent 4 Newsletter Today’s Services: 9.00 Holy Communion: John Wilkinson 10.30 Holy Communion with Baptism and Confirmation: Bishop Robert Innes 14.00 No service 19.00 Chris Martin Sunday School Theme: Jesus challenges us. March Mission Focus: Rewari International Our Readings this Week Numbers 21:4-9 The desert journey was greatly prolonged because Israel would not enter the Promised Land from Kadesh. Now the Israelites are grumbling about God’s miraculous provision for them, the food. Their ungratefulness leads them to suffer a plague of snakes. But they are rescued from the plague by the grace of God. Looking on the bronze serpent lifted up before them, they remember God’s love for them and are saved. Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Time and again Israel have found themselves in trouble, in the desert, in places of darkness, sick, exposed to the wild elements. The cause of these troubles was invariably their own folly. Yet their experience has always been that, when they cried to God, he transformed the situation by sending his word of power. They have reason for praise. Ephesians 2:1-10 We must not forget the difference between where we are thanks to Christ Jesus and where we would have been on our own. By following our own desires we were dead, cut off from God. But because of his loving mercy, shown to us in Christ Jesus, we are saved, lifted up to sit with Christ in the heavenly places. All we have to do to lay hold of this gracious salvation is to accept it in faith. John 3:14-21 When Jesus speaks of being “lifted up”, his words speak both of his being exalted as king and lifted up on the cross. They point both to his glory and to the lengths to which God is willing to go, so great is his love for us. They confront us with a choice. Looking on the cross, do we respond to the exalted Saviour of the World, or do we ignore him? Our response is a choice between darkness and light and it judges us. Pointers for Prayer The choices are set before us, lifted on high so that we cannot miss them. What do we choose? Pray that all those in trouble through their own folly may find and accept the love of Christ; Give thanks to God that at the root of our existence is his inextinguishable love for us. At tonight’s 7 pm service Chris Martin continues our study series on Ephesians with ‘Well armed’, drawing on Ephesians 6:10-18 Our Life Together Welcome to Holy Trinity. Coffee and tea are served downstairs after the 10.30 service, the bar is also open. Do come down and join us for this time of fellowship, and introduce yourself if you are new to or visiting Brussels. At today’s 10.30 service we welcome (back) our Bishop, the Rt Revd. Dr Robert Innes as he presides at a service of baptism and confirmation. Please keep the candidates in your prayers as they take this important step in their lives of faith. Please pray too for Heather Roy and Arttu Mäkipää who will be licensed as Readers. At this service there will be a special collection for the Bishop’s Lent Appeal which is for “Hestia”, (meaning “Home”) a hostel for unaccompanied minor refugees in Athens. More information is available on the diocesan website: http://europe.anglican.org/news/news Heather and Arttu would like to thank all the church community for their support and encouragement during their training as lay readers and invite you to join them for a drink in the hall after the service to celebrate this special day, before the Bring and Share lunch. Congratulations to Floris and Ruth Faber, who were professed into the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis (TSSF) yesterday in Chelmsford. Please pray for them in this new step in the Christian discipleship. This Afternoon, ‘Together in Peace’ - a March for Peace. Do think about joining our bishop and other communities, of faith and of laïcité, organized by the St Egidio Community. Beginning at the ‘megaphone’, avenue Stalingrad, near the Gare du Midi at 14h, (gathering at 13h30) and finishing at around 16h at the Gare Centrale. Sunday School. The topic of the month for March is “Jesus challenges us.” This week the Bible passage is Matthew 25: 14-30. Throughout Lent the 12.30 Holy Communion service each Wednesday will be followed by a bread and soup lunch (a small donation is requested). As we prepare for Easter why not pause to join us for this hour of prayer, calm and fellowship? The booklet of Lenten Meditations is available at the back of the church. You can also read the daily meditations on either of the church Facebook pages - Holy Trinity Brussels 7pm Community and Holy Trinity Brussels and an exciting new option is a gsm app for both android and iPhone. More details are on the website. Jane and David Brown would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to contribute a meditation. La Foresta. Please sign up as soon as possible if you want to join us at the church weekend away. We need at least 100 people to break even, and we are now half way there. During this interregnum period, your support for such weekends is even more important. So whether you're a regular, or especially someone new or who hasn't been for a while please don't forget to sign up! Chris Martin’s departure after Easter. This time he really is going back to Edinburgh and leaving Holy Trinity! If you would like to show your appreciation for all the pastoral care and humorous comments that Chris has given to the HTB over the last 18 months and to Susie, for doing without him for so long, please send your contribution to IBAN: BE14 3100 3441 5383 BIC: BBRUBEBB marked (‘gift for Chris & Susie’) so that we can buy them a really good present. Prayer meetings for the interregnum, and for the appointment of a new Senior Chaplain for our church. The last of these meetings will take place in Church House Conference Room tomorrow, Monday 16th March from18.30 – 19.00. Please note that there will no longer be a meeting on 19th March. Everyone welcome. Do contact Sue Bird (0476 410 875) for further information. Our Mission Focus this month is Rewari International, working in North India among some of the poorest and most despised people of that region. Next Sunday, March 22nd, John Mead, the representative of the Rewari project here in Belgium, will come to speak briefly to us at the 10.30 service and will be happy to chat with you afterwards. Don't forget to look at the photos in the entrance and pick up a leaflet, in French or English, to find out more about this work that Holy Trinity have supported over the last 4 years, or check out the website www.rewari-international.org. Please continue to pray for Christians in India where the Hindu government is actively persecuting all those of other faiths. Easter Lilies. As in previous years, the flower team invites you to give Easter lilies in memory of departed loved ones. Each lily costs €2 and envelopes are available at the back of the church. Please put the name(s) of those you wish to commemorate on the envelope and the corresponding amount of money inside and return to the basket. Sunday April 26th around 12:00 Holy Trinity has its Annual General Meeting. You are eligible to vote at the AGM if you are registered on the Electoral Roll. If you haven’t registered yet, please ask for a form from the Welcome table, fill it in and put it in the pigeon hole of Paulina. Or send her a message and she will send the form via E-mail to fill in at leisure: [email protected] We have received a number of kind offers of accommodation for an ordinand hoping to come to Brussels for medical treatment in the summer. However, since the clinic is in Neder-Over-Heembeek, in northwest Brussels, with relatively poor public transport links, it would be very helpful if someone living a little closer could accommodate him as he needs to attend the clinic daily. The clinic is served by STIB buses 47, 53 and 57 and De Lijn 820. If you could help please contact John Wilkinson or Chris Martin via the church office. The Prayer Chain welcomes requests for prayer for any situation with complete confidentiality to Ilka Tank: [email protected] Tel 02 675 52 10 or to Anne Fieldsend 02 735 1997. Vacancy: Anglican Religious Education has two vacancies in secondary school teaching : two hours in Brussels-Laken and two hours in Antwerp-Kapellen. Information www.anglicaneducation.org Contact: [email protected] Edith Cavell Commemoration This year we commemorate Edith Cavell and the Belgian Edith Cavell Commemoration Group (BECCG) is organizing a series of events together with the Commune of Uccle and Cinematek. We would like to know of members of Holy Trinity who might be interested to receive direct information and who might be interested in getting involved on the practical side with one or two events. A web site has been created and will be available soon in French and Dutch www.edith-cavell-belgium.eu/ Please contact Birte Day for further information : [email protected] Do you fancy a holiday in the South of France and pay your rent to the Church House Redevelopment Project? Sue Bird has a villa in the foothills of the Pyrenees, not far from Med and mountains, 5 bedrooms, private swimming pool, for all year-round holidays. Sign up quickly though as July and August are nearly full! If you are interested, please contact Sue on 0476-410-875 or [email protected] The Wider Church FCJ Centre of Spirituality, 211 Ave. Winston Churchill, 1180, Brussels, announces the following events: Wednesday 25 March 19.30-21.00 Upper Room Scripture Prayer Group. Saturday 28 March 10.00-12.30 Lenten Retreat. The Mess’AJE Adult Faith Formation Programme continues. For other events and further information, visit www.fcjcentre.be or email [email protected], (GSM 0477 734551). Address: The Pro-Cathedral of Holy Trinity Rue Capitaine Crespel 29, B-1050 Brussels Website: http://www.holytrinity.be Phone: 02/511.71.83 Email: [email protected] Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9a.m. – 12 p.m. Tuesday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Newsletter items: to [email protected] by 9 a.m. Tuesday Associate Chaplains: Canon John Wilkinson and Canon Prof. Jack McDonald Assistant Chaplain: The Revd Chris Martin Lay Minister: David Fieldsend Pastoral Assistant: Mrs Janet Sayers Outreach Worker: Jeremy Heuslein Lay Assistant: Naomi Brown Gift account for pledges and donations to Holy Trinity Brussels is: IBAN: BE14 3100 3441 5383 BIC: BBRUBEBB Contributions to Church House Redevelopment Fund is: IBAN: BE39 3104 5510 7619 BIC: BBRUBEBB