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An insight to the workings and personalities of our church February 2004

Services in February:

BCP – Book of Common Prayer CW – Common Worship

1st February 1030 Holy Communion BCP

Candlemas 1900 Songs of Praise:

8th February 1030 Holy Communion CW

15th February 1030 Holy Communion BCP

1900 Songs of Praise

22nd February 1030 Holy Communion CW

25th February 1030 Ash Wednesday

29th February 1030 Chaplain’s Choice

1900 Songs of Praise

*Sunday School & Youth Group run at the same time as the Sunday Services

Weekly Activities:

1000 Library & Coffee Morning

1100 ‘Slimming Together’

Wednesday 1000 Coffee & Kids

(for ages newborn – 6 yrs)

1100 Follow-up Alpha Course

Thursday 1000 Bible Study - The Book of Acts

PARSON’s PARAGRAPH

Thanks HTC: First a thank-you for those who joined us at the Roman Catholic Cathedral on the evening of 18th January at the invitation of Archbishop John Spiteris, for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I had no warning that I was going to be asked to say a few words, but a letter from the Archbishop to us the following morning expressed his thanks for our attendance and he intends to repeat the event next year…watch this space!

‘Never on a Sunday’: One of our members handed me a clip (on the church notice board) from a recent daily Mail with the above heading. It had the sub head: Church may drop Sabbath day due to lack of interest. When I read behind the soundbite I discovered that it was on the latest Church of England report on changing social patterns and falling Sunday attendances. I’ll try and get a copy when next in England.

To those of us who have eaten, slept, read, and sat through thirty years of synods, reports and conferences there appears little new in the Daily Mail article; but it needs to be taken seriously. I largely trust the Daily Mail reporting and I guess the worry is that to such a newspaper with a vast readership, what it says is too close to the truth for comfort. Is the Church of England in free-fall? Perhaps it might be better if it was. At least we would hit the bottom sooner. The fact is that the C of E has been slipping down the attendance statistics steadily from the end of the First World War. Thirty years ago one wondered if it had bottomed out…..but it was a false dawn. There is still someway to go before we pass through the ‘death and resurrection’ syndrome; but there lies my own optimism. There are too many hopeful signs of new life around in English churches to become despondent…and our history has shown the resilience of the church when it responds to new moves of God.

Meanwhile I believe there is something for us to do in Corfu. It seemed obvious last summer as I watched the visitors pass through HTC that many of our English speaking holiday makers went away encouraged. Even in the ‘one-shot’ ministry to which we are called in the tourist season, there is the capacity to envision and refresh those who are engaged in the weekly slog of their churches back home. We do not need to see the results from our ministry, but I believe, without appearing too naive, that HTC has a real ministry to England…and as we give, so we receive in return.

But for the 100 or so visitor faces that had fellowship with us last summer, there were over 400,000 British passport holders passing through Kerkyra airport, who were just queues at check-in desks………….or were they? That’s what the Daily Mail report is really about.

Meanwhile, Sunday is the Lord’s Day. The Sabbath was always Saturday. That’s why it’s called ‘Savvato’. See you next Sunday!……………………………Clifford.

‘And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children. And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.’

From: The Prophet, Khalil Gibran, submitted by Reina

News & Greetings from Hazel Lawrenson in Liverpool, who has already booked their family holiday here in Corfu in July and we look forward to seeing her at HTC then. Also, Major John Forte who sent us a very nice letter saying how much he enjoys receiving the Pulse and also included a couple of ‘Keep Smiling’ snippets (see below).

Dates for your Diary:

• 11th Feb Trivial Pursuit Evening 7.30 pm

• 14th Feb Valentine’s Supper

• 25th Feb Body Shop Evening 7.30 pm

• From Ash Wednesday (25th Feb) Mini-Meds will take place every Wednesday morning during Lent, time TBA

• 21st March Mothering Sunday

• 28th March (to be confirmed) Sunday School Anniversary

• Next Church Council Meeting: TBA

• 5th March Womens World Day of Prayer 6.30 pm Venue TBA

*Nearly New Sale every 1st Saturday in the Month from 10:00 am until 12 noon. Monies are raised from sales by The Ark, Caritas and for Holy Trinity Church funds

For your Prayers:

• Mila

• Corporate growth and outreach

• Difficult personal relationships

• Christian Unity

• Those suffering in mind, body or spirit

Pause for Thought …

The more you look forward to heaven, the less you’ll desire of earth.

ODB 8.1.04

 Valentine’s Supper

Saturday, 14th February at

Bistro Boileau, Kontokali

3-course meal & 1 glass of wine

Live Music

8.00 for 8.30 20€ per head

(25% to HTC funds) Tickets from Avis

Places limited so book early

‘Drop-in Coffee Mornings’

HTC is open every day but you are particularly welcome to drop in for a coffee on a Thursday morning, particularly if you are shopping in town and feel like a sit down and a chat.

‘Keep Smiling’…

Chatting to my mischievous 5-year old granddaughter, I remarked ‘I hear you are acting in the school play’ . She nodded and I continued with, ‘What part are you playing?’ She replied, ‘I’m an angel.’ To which I gasped ‘What! You an angel?!’ She explained, ‘I’m NOT today, but I AM in the play’. !!

Submitted by Major J K Forte MBE

Items for ‘Pulse’ should be given to Stella & Ron 2661090926 or email stelnron@otenet.gr by the last Wednesday of the month

All enquiries regarding church activities should be directed to the office on 26610 31467 (Mon – Fri 10am – 1pm) e-mail holytrin@otenet.gr www.holytrinitycorfu.org

Out of hours & emergencies ring Clifford’s mobile 6947287816