Author: Yotin

#stayconnected: Pray with your hands with Pastorin Anne Smets

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“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

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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

Easter Candle and Easter Hymn

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This morning the Easter Candle was also lit in a short Dawn Service in the church with some parishioners getting together via Zoom while our choirmaster joined from the church.

If you’d like to sing along or listen to some Easter hymns here’s “Jesus Christ is risen today”. Stephen Brown director of music at St Catherine’s in Stuttgart put together a “virtual choir” in which our choirmaster was also able to join.

#stayconnected: A message from Judith, a long standing member of our parish

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We received a message last week when we asked how everyone is staying in touch with others. Judith writes:

Telephoning and being able to hear people’s voices feels so very important now. I’m phoning family and friends far and wide, as I expect most of us are doing.  Am in touch with the “card-making” team and other church friends, and nearly every day with R. – she had her 100th last week and had a letter from the Bundespresident.  I’ve also been able to speak to J. several times and yesterday with H. too. 

We were asked about suggestions for staying connected, also spiritually – one of my far away calls last Saturday was to N., an American friend in New Jersey on her birthday.  P. may remember her and her husband F. – they were very regular members of the St Thomas Becket congregation before they went back to the States in 1987.  I mentioned to her that I hadn’t been able to find an actual Diocesan service – though I’d heard and seen Bishop Robert’s video message.  Anyway she guided me to the Canterbury Cathedral website, with morning and evening prayers via YouTube mostly said by the Dean of Canterbury in his garden.  We all have different needs but this very much resonates with me – and there’s the cathedral in the background with spring blossom, magnolia, birds singing and so far blue skies. I also sometimes listen to the BBC Radio 4 Sunday morning service – ca. 10.15 German time – or on catchup I-Player – and last Sunday the sermon was about Oscar Romero, (24th March being the anniversary of his death} and connecting his life and martyrdom with  St. Thomas a Becket and his 850th anniversary this year, with services and events planned in Canterbury Cathedral.  And my other recommendation is BBC Radio 4 Thought for the Day for about 3 minutes either on Catchup, or live sometime between 8.45 and 8.50 German time

With love and very best wishes to you all, and keep safe and well,
Judith 

#stayconnected: Madeleine Herring shares about mindfulness practice

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We asked you how you stay connected and what you are doing to take care of yourself and your loved ones. Here’s what Madeleine Herring has to share:

On Mindfulness – by Madeleine Herring

Following notes might be helpful when you have listened to the talk:

Symptoms one might wish to manage:

  • Constantly feeling anxious and worried;
  • Feeling irritable, agitated and easily annoyed;
  • Argumentative and defensive with friends and family;
  • Restless sleeping;
  • Low levels of energy, often waking up feeling tired;
  • Restless and frenetic mind;
  • Often self-critical and/or critical of others;
  • Feeling flat and uninspired;
  • Having difficulty concentrating;
  • Skin rashes and conditions;
  • Clenching your jaw muscles and grinding your teeth at night;
  • Headaches and migraines.

Resources

David´s 3MM course

Other helpful sites/publications

Saying Compline together on Zoom Saturdays 7pm

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The choir meets on Saturdays 7pm CET via Zoom to say Compline together. If you’d like to join please email me and you will get a link for the Zoom meeting. My email is music@anglican-church-hamburg.de 

Maybe you have other ways of staying in touch? The choir encourages you to find ways which work for you. It may be the good old “prayer chain” using the phone or even sending postcards. Have you developed a little routine to stay connected also in your spiritual life? Have you rediscovered old hobbies? Do you have a new favourite recipe? Dorothee Möller (parish council member and assistant) and I would like to hear from you. We’d like to publish a short post using the hashtag #stayconnected (at least) every Wednesday on the website and on Facebook. Now, over to you!

Yotin Tiewtrakul, Choirmaster

Saying Compline together online via Zoom / Saturdays 7pm

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The choir has met online via Zoom last Saturday to say Compline together. For the time being we like the idea to keep this routine. If you’d like to join the choir in saying Compline together online via Zoom please send me an email and I will send you a link for joining the Zoom meeting. It’s Saturdays at 7pm. My email is music@anglican-church-hamburg.de 

Of course you can also say Compline without joining us via Zoom. We just take the liturgy provided here by the Church of England. 

Yotin Tiewtrakul, Choirmaster