Month: April 2020

#stayconnected: Do you have a favourite spot for praying?

Posted on by Yotin

We were told already when we were kids: You can pray anywhere. And at the same time people have their favourite spot and also their favourite time to spend some moments in prayer. 

When I had a phase where the Daily Office was very important to me I had of course a corner in my bedroom with a candle and an icon. That was my spot for Morning and Evening Prayer. Setting apart a time and a place helped me stay in a healthy rhythm. Now I am rather unstructured. I have suggested reading (or praying or singing) through the psalms. And honestly these days I would just read them lying in bed before sleep. That’s my time and place. And that’s it at the moment. 

What about you? Do you have a favourite spot for prayer? Is it at your kitchen table? Is it somewhere in a park? Or do you have a little corner for a candle, or a cross, an icon or some other symbols? Easiest way would be to send in a picture. We’d collect and share them next week!

Yotin Tiewtrakul, Choirmaster

Corona Hardship Fund Appeal

Posted on by Dorothee Möller

Dear Website Visitor

We are aware of a number in our community who are experiencing extreme financial hardship at this time. We are appealing to those who can, to make a special donation to the church account so that some financial support for the purchase of basic necessities can be provided.

Donations made to the church account marked ‘Spende – Hardship Fund’ will be used to provide provisions for those in very urgent need.

For anyone who donates regularly to the church, this amount will be added to the annual donation  for the annual tax (Spende) certificate. For others, a Spende certificate can be provided for amounts >€100 if name and address is provided.

Questions about this appeal can be sent to covid@anglican-church-hamburg.de.

Thank you for your generosity.

The Wardens and Council of St Thomas à Becket Church

#stayconnected: Read (say, sing) through the psalms in a month

Posted on by Yotin

An invitation by our choirmaster Yotin Tiewtrakul to join our Zoom Evening Prayer (every Saturday at 7pm), and a suggestion to read (or say or sing!) through the Psalms from 1 to 150 in a month:

Psalms in a month according to the Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer divides the psalms into sections for the thirty days of the month. So for example for Day 1 the appointed psalms are Psalms 1-5 for Morning Prayer and Psalms 6-8 for Evening Prayer.

  • Day 1: Psalms 1-5 / Psalms 6-8
  • Day 2: Psalms 9-11 / Psalms 12-14
  • Day 3: Psalms 15-17 / Psalm 18
  • Day 4: Psalms 19-21 / Psalms 22-23
  • Day 5: Psalms 24-26 / Psalms 27-29
  • Day 6: Psalms 30-31 / Psalms 32-34
  • Day 7: Psalms 35-36 / Psalm 37
  • Day 8: Psalms 38-40 / Psalms 41-43
  • Day 9: Psalms 44-46 / Psalms 47-49
  • Day 10: Psalms 50-52 / Psalms 53-55
  • Day 11: Psalms 56-58 / Psalms 59-61
  • Day 12: Psalms 62-64 / Psalms 65-67
  • Day 13: Psalm 68 / Psalms 69-70
  • Day 14: Psalms 71-72 / Psalms 73-74 
  • Day 15: Psalms 75-77 / Psalm 78
  • Day 16: Psalms 79-81 / Psalms 82-85 
  • Day 17: Psalms 86-88 / Psalm 89
  • Day 18: Psalms 90-92 / Psalms 93-94 
  • Day 19: Psalms 95-97 / Psalms 98-101
  • Day 20: Psalms 102-103 / Psalm 104
  • Day 21: Psalm 105 / Psalm 106
  • Day 22: Psalm 107 / Psalms 108-109
  • Day 23: Psalms 110-113 / Psalms 114-115
  • Day 24: Psalms 116-118 / Psalm 119 (verses 1-32)
  • Day 25: Psalm 119 (verses 33-72) / Psalm 119 (verses 73-104)
  • Day 26: Psalm 119 (verses 105-144) / Psalm 119 (verses 145-176)
  • Day 27: Psalms 120-125 / Psalms 126-131
  • Day 28: Psalms 132-135 / Psalms 136-138
  • Day 29: Psalms 139-141 / Psalms 142-143
  • Day 30: Psalms 144-146 / Psalms 147-150

Maybe you’d like to just jump in and follow this ancient practice? If you just pick one time during the day to read (or say or sing) the appointed psalms you can of course do Psalms 1-8 on the first day etc. What to do when a month has 31 days? How about reciting one or two of your favourites? Those which really spoke to you?

#stayconnected: Pray with your hands with Pastorin Anne Smets

Posted on by Yotin

“Opening my ears / I listen with my heat / waiting for God”

You know by now that the choir is meeting Saturdays 7pm on Zoom to say Evening Prayer (everyone’s welcome!). We figured in the first sessions that it’s rather difficult to sing together. So I asked Pastorin Anne Smets, who is a good friend of the choir and also a member of the Anglican Consort, to teach us a “Gebärdengebet”, a prayer with your hands. We have been starting our evening prayers with this simple prayer ever since. And at the Dawn Service on Easter Sunday morning we had it after the readings of the vigil instead of the responsorial psalms. Maybe it can also become a simple prayer for you when you wake up or in the moments before you’re about to call loved ones?—Yotin Tiewtrakul, Choirmaster

#stayconnected: An Easter poem by John William Holway

Posted on by Yotin

John William Holway reached out to us to share a poem he wrote:

EASTER 2017

Come shout all you people, of every nation and creed.
For HE is risen, HE is risen indeed!
The tomb is empty the stone was rolled away.
This is the miracle of Easter Day.
Our Saviour came for us to save.
HE has conquered death and defeated the grave.
And BY his death He has made us new.
With God there is nothing that you cannot do.

For when we die to our selves and give our lives to HIM.
A brand new life we can begin.
HE will guide us and keep us every step of the day.
We need just to stop, to ask HIM and pray.

Our Father in Heaven has INDEED set us free,
this is the miracle of Easter you see.

GOD says Heed my words, store them in your heart.
Come back to me and make a new start.
Stand up from your misery. Die to sin.
A whole new life with ME begin.
Let me open your eyes, you’ve dwelled too long in the dark.
Feel the JOY of MY presence, a bright divine spark.

At the end of the tunnel. There is indeed a bright light.
At the end of darkness I will overcome the night.
Let me fill your body, Let me restore your soul.
The power of my love will make you WHOLE.

Are you tired and weary? Come away with me.
Together we will change your history.
The blood of my Son wipes away your loss.
That’s why He came and died on the cross.

The door is open. Come back to me.
That is the mystery of Easter you see.

Once you were lost, down and forlorn,
but now you’ve come home. You have been reborn.
My child I love you. I am so proud of you.
I am always with you, whatever you do.

Just a prayer away, call often my name.
When you walk with me you are never the same.

Walk in the Spirit. Walk in my Love.
I am God. I am here. Not far above.
Every day is brand new. Each day with me you can start.
Let me into your life. Let me fill your heart.

Come shout all you people of every creed.
Friends HE is risen, HE is risen indeed.

Amen