8 May
Dear Friends,
in my sermon last Sunday my theme was 'connectedness', taking my cue from a passage in John's Gospel where Jesus speaks of himself as a vine of which we are the branches (a theme I am continuing with this Sunday). I think it was very appropriate that after the service a marvellous online concert in aid of the Mulanje Mission Hospital in Malawi that we had organised was posted on our website. If you haven't seen it you still can and I can't recommend it highly enough. That concert is an expression of our connection to a country far away, with people we do not know, but with whom we are linked as part of one human family and, indeed, one world-wide church. In times like this, of Covid, when our horizons can easily shrink and we become more and more focused on our immediate surroundings it is so important to have those horizons expanded and to remember our connection to people and places far away. This link with the hospital in Malawi is so important to our church: enjoy the concert and make a generous donation!
And a reminder too of our Congregational Meeting that will take place next Sunday, May 16th, after the morning service at 11.45 hrs, and on Zoom. We normally hold an Annual General Meeting around this time but as technically we are not allowed to hold an AGM online this meeting will feature presentations of our church's life and will keep us in touch. Much preparation has gone into this and I do hope that people will log on and join us. Again, more details on the website.
Keep well, and all best wishes to you,
Lance
THIS WEEK:
Sunday, 10.30 hrs: Morning Worship
Live-streamed service. You can access this just before 10.30 am directly via this link: https://youtu.be/nkd61hk6W5w or via this link https://www.erc.amsterdam/calendar/worship-service-9-may-2021. Our readings for this Sunday, the sixth Sunday of Easter, are Genesis 4:1-17 and Exodus 3:1-6, stories about Cain and Moses.
Sunday, 21.00 hrs: Compline (short evening prayers): Join via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/91386497205?pwd=YUN5dnRLOWlybHDSV250aHdJcnhiQT09
Tuesday, 08.45 hrs: Psalm Reciting (this week Psalms 25-32). 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.
Thursday, 21.00hrs: Compline (short evening prayer): Join via Zoom: 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.