A warm welcome to all today Join us after the service for coffee and drinks in the side aisle. You are most welcome to stay around and talk. If you are new please make yourself known especially to the clergy; we would be grateful if you would fill in a yellow card at the Welcome Table.

Today we are pleased to welcome Bishop John Taylor to preside at our confirmation service at 10.30. Within our service we have three candidates who will be baptised, two candidates will be received into the Communion of the Church of England and a total of 17 candidates will be confirmed. Please remember in your prayers the confirmation candidates From Holy Trinity Xavier Bascho-George, Briony Cox, Anna Craig, Pernia Roy, Kate Rundell, Obinna Ubah, Daniel Mbinda, Ann Milton Jean Sebudoli, Eric Sibomana, Jessica Mutaharugamba, Josephine Peprah, Léve Gustave Ngabonziza, Fabrice Ndayishimiye: Leuven Jan Nobel, SHAPE (Mons) Analise Adams, Alison Small; Justine Mugeni who will be baptized, and David Saunders who will be received into the communion of the Church of England.

Many thanks to all – and specially to Pam Clements who organised and conducted it -who contributed to the concert on Friday evening when the cantata St Nicolas was performed. Profits from the concert are going to the Centenary Renovation Project.

Our thanks go to Richard Craddock for renewing our website. It is on the old domain name (see the back of the Newsletter). Please send us your comments – this Newsletter will be posted on it each week. We want this to be as comprehensive as possible, so if you have any photographs, or if you feel inspired to write any articles, please do send them in.

Next week, don’t forget the Carol Service starts at 19.30. Do take cards away with you today to give to friends. Remember that this year unfortunately we cannot allow candles to be held by people in seats on in pews. We are very grateful to Richard and Sally Langrish’s home group for decorating the church with candles and to Peter White for the lighting.

Nigel is very grateful to all those who have sent or brought good wishes and prayed for him during his recent operation. Recovery has been very swift and he returned home from hospital last Wednesday. Peter Walley

TODAY

At 10.30 there is a Confirmation Service. Please see above for details.

At 14.00 during Communion, Isaac Mensah, Assistant Chaplain, will speak.

At 19.00 there is a Communion Service at which Sheila Cuthbertson will speak about Alternatives – the Brussels-based pregnancy counseling service.

COMING SOON . . .

Ecumenical Prayer for anniversary of the World Declaration of Human Rights, organized by Ecumenism and Peace with Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture – today in crypt of l’Eglise Royale Ste Marie, Place de la Reine (at end of Rue Royale) trams 92, 93 and 94. See notice in porch.

Renewal of Marriage Vows Those who would like to renew their Marriage Vows can do so on Monday 9 December at a special service here at 20.00. Bishop John Taylor, Assistant Bishop in Europe, will preside.

The Christian Work Seekers and Facilitators Group’s next Networking Meeting will be on Tuesday 10 December, 20.00 – 22.00 in Church House. Peter Hindle, Reader at HTB and Director at Proctor & Gamble, will speak on Discrimination, the Christian Response. His talk will deal with all forms of discrimination and their impact on the life of the work seeker and the employed. Visitors are welcome.

More information from Mary Sampson: 02/346 91 08 (mm_sampson@hotmail.com) or Jayne Hill (Jayne.Hill@consilium.eu.int)

Prayer and fellowship on Wednesday afternoons.  Mary and Mary-Jo have restarted a prayer/fellowship meeting on Wednesday afternoons at 5 Av. du Derby, (parallel with Av Franklin Roosevelt, and on tram-route 93 and 94).  Ring doorbell labelled Nimmons.   We invite you to join us anytime, and especially during Advent, The meeting starts at 13.15 with soup and drinks (provided) and sandwiches (bring your own), and ends at 15.30.  Our aim is to pray for all the ministries of Holy Trinity, especially the youth and children's ministry.  During Advent we plan to take as a starting-point four visions of Christ from the Book of Revelation. Any questions ring 02/640 50 18.

The next Missions Prayer evening will be held on Wednesday 11 December from 20.00 to 21.30.  This time we will meet at the YWAM cafeteria, Avenue des Celtes 17, right by Metro Merode.  All welcome.

On 15 December after the 10.30 service we will be holding a festive Bun Sunday with mince pies and a selection of other Christmas goodies for sale. Please support us so we can help smaller charities. Any offers of baked goods gratefully accepted. Ann Freeman (02/252 39 80).

15 December at 19.30 is our traditional Carol Service. There will be candles in the church, but because of the flammable chairs please do not bring candles yourself. Please bring electric torches. Because the hall is closed there will be no mince pies and mulled wine this year.

The Alpha Course will start again in January, hosted by Filip Ameloot’s homegroup – more details coming soon. For more information contact alpharocket@hotmail.com

Ladies Retreat 2003 This event organised by Annick Yiend, Sarah Williams and Helen Walley will be taking place again next year at Le Cenacle (Communauté du Chemin Neuf) in La Hulpe from Friday 31 January at 17.00 until Saturday 1 February at 17.00. Our speaker will be Annie Hughes from Harbourne in Birmingham, UK.  She has a particular strength in pastoral care, prayer ministry and counselling, has 3 boys (19, 21 and 23), works part-time as Lay Chaplain to a local doctor's surgery and the rest of her time in the church where her husband is a vicar. She has led retreats for women in her diocese and one in the Ukraine in October. I have no doubts that we will be blessed by God through Annie's ministry, so do book.  Booking forms are available this week, and bookings will be taken on a first come first served basis operating a waiting list.  More info from Helen Walley 02/354 59 85 or helen.walley@belgacom.net

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

Don't miss next Sunday morning 15 December in Church House.  All sorts of partying and Christmassy stuff will be going on for all the groups. 

Sundays during Christmas holidays 22 December and 5 January. The normal teaching programme will be suspended, but different, slightly shorter activities will be provided.  Crèche as usual. On 29 December, normally a very quiet Sunday, the Crèche Room will be available for parents, and it is possible that a video may be shown there. 

INFORMATION

Pledging 2003 We are very grateful to all those who have returned a completed form indicated their pledge for supporting Holy Trinity in 2003. Any others who still wish to make a pledge, and have not yet done so, are encouraged to return a form before the end of the year.  The church depends on regular giving from its members, and pledging is vital in helping us to plan ahead.

December Mission Focus is Alternatives, centre d'aide pour femmes enceintes (crisis pregnancy centre) situated by Merode Metro, Brussels.  The loose plate collections from the 9.00, 14.00 and 19.00 services today as well as the 10.30 service on 15 December will go to Alternatives.  (Alternatives is a ministry of Youth With A Mission, YWAM.)

Christmas Day celebrations Are you going to be alone on Christmas day and would you like to spend that day with some other people from the church fellowship?  Then please let us know.  Do you have room at your home for another or others on Christmas day? Could you please let us know and we will endeavour to link people up.
Please contact Helen Walley   Pastoral co-ordinator on 02/354 59 85. Also the 14.00 congregation will be planning a lunch on Christmas day, off the church premises this year. Please watch this space for more details.

If you know of anyone who would like Home Communion at Christmas please contact the Church Office.

CHS Calendars will be available at the Church from this Sunday - €10 each   All proceeds to Community Help Service non-profit organisation - working for the English-speaking community in Belgium and running a 24 hour helpline. 

Toilets A toilet is now available outside in the courtyard by Church House. Other toilets are in Church House.

New daytime homegroup with crèche Would you like to make it to a homegroup
but can't, because the timing has not been right for you?  Well here is another option... From Tuesday 10 December we are starting a new morning group.  It is for anyone who finds this a good time, and we are offering a crèche (a small charge
will be made). There will be opportunity for study, prayer and fellowship. We plan to meet Tuesdays 9.30 -11.00 at the home of Ilka Tank, 439 Chaussée de la Hulpe, 1170 Watermael Boitfort. On that first day Helen Walley will lead an Advent meditation in music, word and prayer, in preparation for Christmas. We will then continue after the new year. If you are interested or want to ask any questions, then please contact Ilka Tank (02/675 52 10) or Helen Walley (02/354 59 85). We both have answer phones for you to leave a message, if necessary.  All are welcome.

Please note that there will be no car park either at 23.30 Service on Christmas Eve or for the Christmas Day Service at 10.30.

Items for the Newsletter Please send these by 9.00 on Tuesdays by e-mail to David.Iliff@Pandora.be or to the Church Office.

 

Holy Trinity Brussels – Newsletter Supplement – 8 December 2002

 

 

Centenary Renovation Project

THE STORY CONTINUES . . .

 

Royal Approval Delayed

A visit to the Justice Ministry was expected to find our CRP contract approval for the way forward. However, ‘Yes, our contact was quite pleased with our paperwork: no, there will be no Royal Approval until all 19 communes have approved our 2003 budget’. Sadly, despite prior assurances of Royal Approval, we will have to wait. The earliest that we can now expect that approval is February. This means that we are unable to sign a contract with Compté until February – real work may be farther off. However, the intended Compté manager has inspected the project site, with his electrician and some other major sub-contractors. Our architect, Richard Craddock, and M. Compté had agreed on a February start, dependent on quick promulgation of Royal Approval. We do not now know when we might expect the final Regional approval (called an Arret Royale).

 

Water Problem Repaired

By circumstance, the plumber hired to cut the water supply to the lower toilets completed his work on the same day as the Compté visit and water has been turned back on in the rear toilets and vestries. The plumber restated his judgement that we would have had a major leak in 2003 - without our CRP action. A change in the local building code now precludes that problem recurring, and new pipes will re-supply the refurbished toilets.

 

New Telephones

You may have noticed an interruption in our telephone service. We have to cut power to the Hall, from time-to-time and this affected our telephone exchange located in the Hall. We have moved that to Church House, updated it to digital technology, obtained new phones, and freed future, cleaning-storage space.

 

Garbage Change

Our previous garbage storage site was under the church entry. We cleared out that area, which had been filled with garbage, during the last self-help workday. The contractor will pull down those side-entrance stairs, when he begins to work. That cave area must be kept clean, before he starts to work, as he will seal the space. All services are asked to ensure that garbage is now stored behind the garden door.

 

Website Updated

Many thanks to all who helped update our website. We now have a much revised website, which has been re-worked with much new data. This will provide a basis for our newly hired administrator (who will begin in January) to keep current. She will enter bulletin notes, council minutes, project updates, prayer group notices, and similar data. We invite you to have a look at www.holytrinitybrussels.com and give us your comments please.

 

Self-Help Schedule

Many thanks to those who have come out and helped; we now begin a different phase of work. The work is planned on Saturdays, from 8 AM, to give you the afternoon free.

·                                  On 14 December we will need help in the Hall. We must remove the dangerous light fixtures and cart them out. We will also lay down protective flooring, which will remain until we contract the floor repair and cleaning.

·                                  On 4 January we will begin the task of preparing the walls for painting. In the Hall, this will mean removing each strip of wood to be painted in turn, and then left for contractor reinstallation. (Please wear old clothes.)

·                                  We will continue weekly from 4 January as we start painting preparation.