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: membership@holytrinity.be
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: asjailka@gmail.com 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: education@anglican.be
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 : education@anglican.be
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 suebird121059@gmail.com
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 fcj@fcjcentre.be, (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: admin@holytrinity.be
Office hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9a.m. – 12 p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Newsletter items: to admin@holytrinity.be 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