15 May
Dear Friends,
A few matters for this week:
1) at our Consistory meeting this week we decided that, all being well and if things continue as they are, we will be opening the church for a limited congregation on Sunday June 20th. At present we can't be sure how big the congregation can be - currently it would be 30 but it might have increased by then, so we will have to monitor the situation. Please note that we will have to return to a booking system as we had before - more details of this will be forthcoming. Opening on June 20th will give three Sundays before I leave and we will arrange the booking system such that hopefully everyone who would like to attend in person during those weeks will get an opportunity to do so.
2) Please remember that there is a Congregational Meeting on Zoom after the service this Sunday. See below in the weekly programme for the link. I do hope that many of you will be able to attend. After many months of our fellowship being disrupted by Covid this will be an important opportunity to reconnect.
3) Please note that next Sunday, May 23rd, we will be hosting the next in our series of Summer Proms - concerts in support of the Mulanje Mission Hospital in Malawi. This will be posted on our website at 13.00 on May 23rd. Further details of the programme for the concert will also be posted nearer the time.
Keep well, and all best wishes to you,
Lance
THIS WEEK:
Sunday, 10.30 hrs:
Morning Worship followed by Congregational Meeting on Zoom.
Live-streamed service. You can access this just before 10.30 am:
· Directly via this link: https://youtu.be/AALo5SSyrtE
· Via our church website: https://www.erc.amsterdam/calendar/worship-service-16-may-2021
Please note that the Zoom link for the Congregational Meeting afterwards is: https://zoom.us/j/91057820518?pwd=QkFJV28rcy9GeDdvNTlZQ0hRSnVOZz09
Our readings for this Sunday, the seventh Sunday of Easter and the Sunday after Ascension Day are Psalm 68:1-6; Ephesians 1:17-23 and Revelation 21:1-5.
Sunday, 21.00 hrs:
Compline (short evening prayers): Join at: https://zoom.us/j/91386497205?pwd=YUN5dnRLOWlybHDSV250aHdJcnhiQT09
Tuesday, 08.45 hrs:
Psalm Reciting (this week Psalms 33-37). We will not meet at the church for this, but you might like to participate from your own home at 8.45 or some other time.
Wednesday, 19.30 hrs:
Zoom Bible study, continuing our studies in the Letter to the Colossians. Join at: https://zoom.us/j/92316847530?pwd=TjdObHBvcmVTRWM4bWprS2QrenBnQT09
Thursday, 21.00hrs:
Compline (short evening prayer): join at: https://zoom.us/j/91386497205?pwd=YUN5dnRLOWlybHDSV250aHdJcnhiQT09
Prayer:
In this time there may be people who feel especially in need of prayer either for themselves or for someone else. In 'normal' times there was a small group of people in the congregation who used to take it in turns on Sundays to be available after the service to pray for anyone in need - so, if you would like prayer or have a particular prayer request please contact Margaret Richards on margaretanne_richards@hotmail.com and she and the others will pray accordingly.
A word about finance….
Please note that in this period when we are not meeting together there is a way of giving to the church on the website, https://www.erc.amsterdam.