The Mission Focus for February is the Karenni People of Burma.  See the note on the back page. Loose plate collections at all services today go to this work.

CHAPLAIN’S NOTES

Welcome We extend a warm welcome today to Archbishop Janis Vanags, the Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. I hope to interview him at the 10.30 service today. He is here for the New Europe Forum sponsored by the European Evangelical Alliance. It is great to have him with us. We have one or two Latvians in our congregation who are most welcome here also.

Prayer Meeting Our Church Prayer meeting is tomorrow night at 20.00 in Church House (finishing 21.30). We shall be praying both for our work and ministry here and for the mission activity we support abroad.

CRP Self Help It is hugely encouraging to see the amount of work that has already been done by the congregation each Saturday morning during the past four weeks. Things are really beginning to come together but help is still needed Saturday by Saturday (08.00 - 13.00). Please continue to give Peter Mackenzie, who has given himself tirelessly, your full support.

Lent (Starts Ash Wednesday, 25 February) Lent will focus this year, following the Christian Impact mission last November, on how Africa and Europe can best help each other. We will have two meetings in March (10 & 31) beginning at 20.00 for coffee and the meeting itself will go from 20.30 - 22.00. Both continents need each other. Here in Europe we need a fresh awakening of the Holy Spirit which, I believe, Africa can help bring to us.

Lent Book John Stott’s book, Why I am a Christian, should be available here next week. We have ordered extra copies for those who did not manage to place an order before.

Bible reading notes Websites bring both Closer to God and Daily Bread daily Bible notes to the web – harnessing technology to deliver God’s Word in a new way (visit www.closertogod.org.uk and www.dailybread.org.uk) to try Bible study on line. Daily Bread is also available to download to Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs).

                                                                        Nigel Walker

 

COMING SOON . . .

Visit of Bristol Cathedral Girls' Choir to Belgium One of the first cathedral girls' choirs in the UK, the Bristol Cathedral Girls' Choir will be touring Belgium from 19 until 22 February, directed by Paul Walton, with organist Mark Lee and Brendan Clover, trumpet: Thursday 19 February at 13.00: Concert in the Cathédrale Saint Michel, Brussels; Friday 20 February  at 20.00: Concert in the Eglise Sainte-Croix (St Kruis), Bruges; Saturday 21 February at 17.00: Mass in the Cathedrale de Notre Dame, Antwerp; Sunday 22 February at 10.30: Mass in Sint-Michielskerk, Ghent; Sunday 22 February at 15.00: Concert in the Sint-Niklaaskerk, Ghent

Borzée – Church weekend away (12 – 14 March) Forms are now at the back of the church and on the church website if you would like to book on line. This year the weekend will be a great mix with guest speakers Max and Sue Sinclair as well as ‘home spun’ events and workshops. It will be fun for all the family! See the leaflet.

Alpha for Youth HTB will be hosting this Alpha course for all young people (not younger than 12 years of age) every Friday evening between 19.30 and 21.30 starting on 19 March in Church House. The Holy Spirit weekend (a vital part of the 12 weeks’ course) will be held in Leuven from 30 April – 2 May. All young people are encouraged to be part of this fun as we explore the meaning of life. Volunteers to help in leading the small groups are also welcome. For details contact Obi on 0496 976 911 or obinosky@yahoo.com

NW Europe Archdeaconry Retreats 2004 Two alternative Lenten retreats will be held in 2004 in Oirschot, Netherlands. (Oirschot lies to the north‑west of Eindhoven). 12 ‑ 14 March: Retreat Conductor: The Revd Graeme Butter, Vicar of Horsley Hill, South Shields, England. Info and applications: Mrs Maryon Jägers, 0031 30 637 1780 or theojagers@planet.nl 26 ‑ 28 March: Retreat Conductor: The Very Revd Kenneth Robinson, Former Dean of Gibraltar. Info and applications: Mrs Ann Turner, 03/440 25 81 or ann@turner.be Accommodation is in comfortable single rooms with hot and cold water. The fee is €80 for full retreat. This includes hire of bed linen and towels.

INFORMATION

The AGM for Holy Trinity will take place in March.  To be entitled to attend/speak/vote, you must be on the electoral roll.  Formal notice of the revision of the roll is on the noticeboard opposite the Welcome desk, together with the current (2003) roll.  If you wish to be added to the roll, enrolment forms are on the welcome desk, with the ushers/clergy and with me.  If you notice any errors please tell me.  Completed forms should be put in my pigeon-hole or the church office letter box.

Ann Milton

Thinking of going to a Christian Conference this summer? Why not join Peter and Helen Walley for 'New Wine A' 31 July to 6 August, in Shepton Mallet (West of England). It is a great week especially for families with children, with lots to do and enjoy. There are a limited number of forms at the back of the church, but if you want to find out more, please speak to them first, or indeed visit the New Wine Website which is www.new-wine.org. More information next week.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s EU office in Brussels is currently taking applications for a part time (2 days a week) administration assistant to start in April 2004.  Sympathy with the aims of CSW critical (please check our website for more information www.csw.org.uk).   Computer literacy a must.  Fluency in written and spoken English essential – French along with any other EU languages would be an advantage.  Please send CVs to csw-eu@village.uunet.be or via post to 57 rue Archimede 57, B-1000, Brussels, or ring 02/742 20 82 for more information.  Deadline for applications: 1 March.

The Prayer Chain welcomes requests for prayer for any situation in complete
confidentiality. Please pass your request to Sue Cox 02/767 29 11 or cottoncox@hotmail.com or to Ann Milton 02/772 47 04.

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