Update for Sunday, January 30th
Dear Church family and friends,
This January went quicker than last January, didn’t it? What a difference a year can make! Twelve months ago we were in lockdown, the children unable to go to school and the majority of those who could do so worked from home. We were able to meet together as a Church though, and the restrictions for our meeting are the same now as they were last year – we have to wear an FFP2 or medical mask and keep physically distant from one another. So some things have changed and some things seem to remain the same…
Our Church service this week will take place at the usual time of 11am, both face-to-face and virtually. To join our livestream, please e-mail Pastor Buddy or office@ibc-giessen.org for a link.
After the service we will be having our Annual Business Meeting. Here we will discuss and pray over the budget as well as the future of our Church. Everyone is invited to attend and listen to what is said, but only members of the Church are eligible to vote. If you are interested in becoming a member, please get in contact with Pastor Buddy.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Update for Wednesday, January 26th
Dear Church family and friends,
On Sunday, our Church membership grew once again – this time we welcomed Andreas and Simone to the group. If you have been to IBC Giessen since the summer you may know Simone as the lady who plays the bass guitar in our worship team. We are so glad to have Andreas and Simone cement their commitment to our Church through their membership.
As members, they may vote in the Business Meeting that will take place this coming Sunday (30th). The meeting will take place face-to-face after our service, and everyone is invited to listen in to what is going. However, only members may take part in any voting. If you would like more information, or would like to see the proposed budget, please write to Pastor Buddy or to office@ibc-giessen.org
Before then, we will have our midweek Bible Study. On Wednesday at 7pm, via Zoom, we shall continue our series on the book of Revelation. It’s not too late to join in! To participate, please write to Pastor Buddy or office@ibc-giessen.org and they will send you a link.
Have a blessed last full week of January!
Update for Sunday, January 23rd
Dear Church family and friends,
It’s only been three weeks, but 2022 has definitely hit the ground running. It somehow feels like the pre-Christmas stress has just continued – maybe, though, with a less festive outcome. Pastor Buddy’s message on forgiveness this Sunday is perhaps timely, then. Not only do we need to be forgiving of others, but also ourselves if we haven’t reached our own goals and ideals.
To listen to this sermon, please join us at 11am on Sunday morning. You can do so by either signing in at the FTH facilities and joining the congregation wearing a mask and maintaining physical distancing; or you can take part via our livestream. Please write to office@ibc-giessen.org for a link if you intend on joining us online.
Next week (30th January) we will be holding our Business Meeting. The invitation to listen in is extended to everyone, but only those who are members of the Church are allowed to vote. If you wish to become a member, would like to view the proposed budget, or have any further questions, please e-mail Pastor Buddy or office@ibc-giessen.org
As winter drags on, and in some places restrictions have been put back into place, the world can seem a little more lonely than usual. If you need help in anyway please don’t be afraid to get in touch. Similarly, if someone has been on your mind recently, or you think someone needs some encouraging, have some courage and take that step and get in contact with them – you never know how much a blessing you could be!
Keep safe – warm! – healthy and blessed this week!
Update for Wednesday, January 19th
Dear Church family and friends,
It’s a mid-week announcement, so that means we are getting back into the swing of things at IBC Giessen!
Our first Wednesday Bible Study of the year will take place this week (19th), where we will pick up where we left off in our study of the Book of Revelation. If you would like to join us, please send an e-mail to Pastor Buddy or office@ibc-giessen.org for a link. We will be meeting via Zoom starting at 7pm.
On Sunday we welcomed Flemming and Martin into our membership. As members of our Church they are eligible to vote during our Business Meeting. This year’s business meeting will take place after the service on the 30th January 2022. Everyone may come and listen to how the Church is doing, and pray for its continued growth, but only members are allowed to take part in any voting. If you would like more information, or would like to see the proposed budget, please e-mail either Pastor Buddy or office@ibc-giessen.org
Lastly, here is the link to Sunday’s sermon in case you missed it, or would like to listen to it again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ6FEMReKq4
We pray that “Blue Monday” wasn’t so bad for you, and that your week is full of God’s blessings!
Update for Sunday, January 16th
Dear Church family and friends,
This Sunday, Pastor Buddy will be continuing his series on the Life of Christ based on the book of Luke. We would love to see you at 11am, either at the FTH facilities or via our livestream.
To attend face-to-face you will need to sign in, wear a mask throughout the entire service and maintain physical distancing. For our livestream, however, you will need to e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org for a link and then mute your microphone when joining.
We are looking forward to seeing you however you choose to join us!
Update for Sunday, January 9th
Dear Church family and friends,
Oh dear. The technology gremlins seem to have returned.
We are very sorry about the issues we were having during this morning’s livestream – we were having a problem with internet connectivity at the FTH, which led to the loss or distortion of sound, as well as inconsistency of the broadcast. We are working on a solution and hope to be back to smooth streaming next week!
One of the notices that you may have missed is that of the Allianz Gebetswoche. IBC Giessen is part of the Evangelische Allianz Giessen group, and during this week they will be holding a series of events as part of their prayer week. While we may not be hosting an event, we do encourage you to take part. For a list of the events, and for more information, please visit www.ev-allianz-giessen.de/allianz-gebetswoche (in German only).
Have a blessed week!
Update for Sunday, January 9th
Dear Church family and friends,
Back to work, back to school – it’s a shame we can’t go back to life before the pandemic! We can, however, take you back to last Sunday’s sermon given by Pastor Buddy, in case you missed it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA0dL-2mY9s
Looking forward to this Sunday, we will be welcoming Daniel L. to the lectern where he will speak on 2 Samuel 6 with a sermon entitled “Amazing Grace: More Sinful, More Loved”. We invite you to join us at 11am either at the FTH facilities, or via our livestream, to hear what he has to say.
For those attending face-to-face, please remember to keep your FFP2 or medical masks on at all times and keep physically distant to one another; if you’d like to be part of our virtual congregation please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org for a link.
We pray that your New Year has started well and that the return to the (home) office and classroom is a successful, smooth transition. Have a blessed week!
Update for Sunday, January 2nd
Dear Church family and friends,
“From a humble stable, to a world of shame,
The friend of sinners, who calls my name
Brought the love of heaven to the hearts of men
And it gave lives hope again.”
When does Christmas end, and what is left over when it closes? There seems to be no one answer to the first of these questions: some believe that Christmas finishes on 6th January (Twelfth Night) when the Wise Men were said to have arrived after following the star; others, however, declare Christmas as “completed” after the second day of Christmas (26th December). Perhaps the latter question can be answered similarly for all – there’s plenty of food still left over! The message of Christmas though, never ends, even at Easter, when we commemorate Christ’s death on the cross. His promised birth at Christmas brings us sinners hope – as does His death and resurrection.
If you are looking to hold on to the feeling of Christmas – or maybe you weren’t in Giessen over the Christmas days and you are curious as to how we celebrated – we can offer you the link to the sermon that Pastor Buddy preached on Christmas Eve (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I74UvCVdFo8), as well as the entirety of the Christmas story which was read on Sunday 26th, in place of a sermon:
The Word Became Flesh – John 1:1-5
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All – Hebrews 10:5-10
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold – Luke 1:5-80
The Birth of Jesus Christ – Matthew 1:18-25
The Birth of Jesus – Luke 2:1-40
The Visit of the Magi – Matthew 2: 1-23
As for this Sunday, the first in the New Year, we will be meeting at 11am. In spite of the change of year, we will still need to keep physically distant, with masks on at all times. We will, however, continue offering a livestream of the service for those who do not feel comfortable wearing a mask for a prolonged period and those who are sick or otherwise unable to attend the service. For a link, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org
We hope that you have had time during this festive season to reflect, take stock and make plans for the year ahead. Just like any other year, we do not know what this year will bring, but we know that God will be right there in the centre. May you remain in Him and His blessings this year!
Older information and online sermons are available here:
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