A warm welcome to all today especially if you are a visitor. We trust you enjoy your stay in Brussels and worshipping with us today. Please join us after the morning 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.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make last weeks window dedication service such a success. Our visitors felt very welcomed and there was a real feeling of celebration of God’s goodness and loving faithfulness. On the Monday following, we received a letter from Peter Duplock, who was Chaplain here from 1971 to 1981. He writes “I apologise that age and infirmity make it impossible for me to be present, but I do congratulate you on your wonderful modernisation plans. It will be a wonderful achievement when it is all finished and I am sure we shall all be proud of you for what you have done, yours sincerely, Peter Duplock.”

It is not too late to join our Alpha Course. 22 people enjoyed the introductory session and meal. The first proper session Who is Jesus? is this Thursday. For further details see the notice below.

Nigel Walker, our Chaplain, will be back at work tomorrow – but only on reduced power! He is still finding walking difficult and the strain he is putting on unused muscles is giving him a certain amount of pain. Nigel says, ‘This basically
means that I will have to ease my way gently back and learn the art of
patience in the process!’ Please continue to remember him in your prayers. ‘Open Home, Open Home/Open Bible resumes on Tuesday 21 January at 20.00 in Church House. Others who would like to join are welcome to do so.

                                                                        Peter Walley

TODAY

At 10.30 during Communion Peter Walley, Assistant Chaplain, will speak on ‘The calling of the disciples’.

At 14.00 during Communion Isaac Mensah, Assistant Chaplain, will preach on ‘The purpose of our calling’.

At 19.00 during informal evening praise Colin Jackson will speak on ‘Faithful stewards of God’s creation?’ See the note on A Rocha later in this Newsletter.

 

Today is also Bun Sunday. There will be a selection of baked goodies (sausage rolls, quiches, cakes, brownies, etc.), marmalades, jams & TEAR Craft coffees and teas on sale after the 10.30 service in the side aisle. Would the people who took home mincepies, etc. from December's Bun Sundays in containers (tins, plastic boxes) please return these as soon as possible?

COMING SOON . . .

Alpha This 12 week course on the building blocks of Christianity continues onThursday 23 January starting at 19.00 and finishing at 21.30. A hot meal will be served each week, followed by a short talk, questions and small group discussion. The venue is c/o Carolyn Walker Rue François Debelder 11, 1200 Woluwe St-Lambert, Brussels (very close to metro stop Tomberg). More information from Filip Ameloot at amelootfilip@hotmail.com, 02 644 05 00 (eve). The cost of the meal is €5, the Alpha manual is €2.50. Unemployed and students can come for free; please let one of the Chaplains know if you need a subsidy.

The Christian Centre is organising a Worship Weekend with Bob Fitts on 18 – 19 January. Contact the office for more details.

Week of prayer for Christian unity – 18 to 28 January. There will be a vigil of prayer for unity organized by the Brussels Inter-Church Committee on 23 January, at 20.00, in the Samen-op-Wegkerk, Nouveau Marché aux Grains 8, 1000 Brussels - see the poster in the porch. The Committee also produces a brochure, in French and Dutch. This gives the daily readings proposed by the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council, together with a commentary, and a subject for prayer here in Brussels. The readings and commentaries were prepared, this year, by an ecumenical group in the Argentine. Individuals wishing to pray for unity in their daily prayers during this week will know, if they use these readings, that they will be praying in common with other Christians throughout the world. Copies - price €0.75 - are available from the Welcome Desk at Holy Trinity, or from the ‘Comité Interecclésial de Bruxelles’, 02/218 63 77 or 02/374 50 28, fax 02/375 28 42, phmfchevalierduv@swing.be

The Marriage Course hosted by St Paul’s Tervuren, starts again with a party on Friday 24 January. Leaflets are available from today at the Welcome Table. It is highly challenging and highly recommended! (Speak to Peter or Helen Walley if you want further details).

All Saints Episcopal Church, offers a seminar on ‘Your Personality and Faith’.  An experienced psychologist, Dr. Gilman will explore participants' personalities to find the spirituality that is most meaningful to each participating individual.  25 January from 10.00 – 13.00 at Centre Notre Dame d'Argenteuil, Chaussée de Louvain 563, Ohain.   Contact Revd Kempton D Baldridge. 02/384 35 56 allsaintschurch@aol.com or website http://www.ecusa.anglican.org/europe/waterloo/

An Extraordinary General Meeting will be held in church on Monday 27 January at 19.30. This Sunday and next Sunday you will find a document at the back of the church about the proposed ASBL (Association Sans buts Lucratif) that Council will be proposing to the Extraordinary General Meeting. This document aims to give you some more information on the proposal and help you to think up questions for the EGM! If you would like more information prior to the EGM then please contact Heather Roy or Richard Langrish for more details. The church's Electoral Roll will also be re-opened. A copy of the 2002 list will be posted at the back of the church from today. Could you please check if your name appears on the list, and if not, fill in the enrolment form available on the desk by the main church door. The form should be returned to Kathy Johnson’s pigeonhole or handed to a member of the clergy. Thank you.

Ladies Retreat 31 January – 1 February The retreat is now full. If you would like to join the waiting list as some places may come free nearer the date. Please contact Annick Yiend on 085 844482 in the evening or via e-mail paul.yiend@skynet.be

Prayer Ministry Training Day  Saturday 15 February We are having a training day for all those involved in prayer ministry, at all the services, together with any who were involved on the Acorn listening course last year.  We are asking those who pray regularly at the rail to make this a priority. Anyone else who is interested in coming will be very welcome.  It is so important that we meet regularly to learn together and to encourage one another.  The material we will be using comes from Acorn Christian Healing Trust and is called Growing a Healing Ministry.  Sally Steen and
Helen Walley will be leading the course.  It will be held at Church house,
starting 10.00 for coffee and 10.30 start and finishing 16.30.  Please bring your own lunch. We intend to have another Saturday in April or May to complete the course.  Please Helen know if you would like to come
helen.walley@belgacom.net or 02 354 59 85. Flyers available at the back of church.

NW Europe Archdeaconry Retreats 2003 Two Lenten Retreats will be held in the Netherlands: 4-6 April: Conductor: Rt Rev Dr Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of the Diocese in Europe. 11-13 April: Conductor: The Reverend Jonathan Goodall, Chaplain & Research Assistant to the Diocesan Bishop in Europe. More details at the back of church.

INFORMATION

January Mission Focus is A Rocha. This is a Christian conservation organisation and is one of the missions supported by HTB. For more information check out the website: www.arocha.org The loose plate collections at all 4 services this Sunday will go towards the work of Arocha. Colin Jackson, Director of A Rocha Kenya, will be speaking on Luke 13.18 - 21 at the evening service today.

News from A Rocha Kenya.  One of A Rocha Kenya's main activities is a community conservation programme "ASSETS" which looks to improve the livelihoods of Kenyans living in and around the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, one of the most important forests in Africa for conservation. Only 8% of the children eligable to attend secondary school are able to do so because of the expense of school fees. Without secondary education these children are unlikely to escape from the poverty trap. The programme aims to channel income raised from eco-tourism into a bursary (scholarship) scheme where children can apply to receive support for 50% of their school fees. For more information see: www.assets-kenya.org 

On the afternoon of Sunday 26th January there will be an A Rocha supporters get-together to meet, eat and enjoy a (bracing!) walk together - and there will be an opportunity to learn more about the 13 A Rocha projects around the world. For more information contact Annali:A.Bamber@arocha.org

Children's Wednesday Afternoon Group This group for children's singing/other activities with Biblical themes was started up experimentally in November (4 families so far). We are considering continuing fortnightly in Church House, using songs from a Christian musical. It is aimed at children of Primary School age and younger. If there is any further interest, please contact James Pitts on
02/453 95 63 (best 19.00 – 20.00).

The Living Waters Singers from the 2pm congregation are putting on a contemporary Christian music celebration for Easter here in Holy Trinity. This will take place on the evening of Saturday 12 April, a week before Easter. If you would like to sing in the choir or help with the production of this event, please speak to David Mitchell 02/735 42 14, david.mitchell@mornstar.co.uk

Wanted for the Office – Spare 2003 large write-on desk calendar/wall calendar: Has anyone got a spare write-on desk calendar for 2003 they do not want? Isaac would also like a 2003 wall calendar.

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.