Update for Sunday, January 31st
A quick REMINDER before we continue with information about this Sunday’s service:
We will be having a Church Business Meeting via Zoom on Sunday 14th February at 2pm. We will not be publishing the link to the meeting online. Instead, we ask you to register if you wish to attend. To register – or to ask any questions about the Meeting – all you need to do is send an e-mail to Pastor Buddy or to meeting@ibc-giessen.org. Everyone is invited, and we would like to see as many of you there as possible so that we can look back on the good that God has done in our Church, as well as look forward to what He has in store for the future.
Sunday’s service will take place at the usual time of 11am in the Sanctuary (where we met last week/prior to the March 2020 lockdown).
Last week a new rule regarding the type of mask worn in public was introduced – please wear a FFP2 or medical mask to the service. There will still be no singing and physical distancing requirements still need to be followed.
In this week’s recorded sermon, Pastor Buddy continues his series on Luke 13. If you are unable to attend Church at this time, we invite you to listen in to what our Pastor has to say:
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Be blessed in this new week – and new month!
Sunday, January 24th
ANNOUNCEMENT
Usually, as a Church we meet together twice a year to reflect on our joint vision, what has happened and what changes need to be made to be a more effective body of Christ in the future. We call this our Business Meeting. During the course of last year, and the spontaneity needed to continue operating under pandemic conditions, the second meeting of the year did not happen. In order to start the year together by focussing on God and his intentions for our Church, the first Business Meeting of 2021 will be going ahead.
Of course, we cannot meet physically as a larger group. That is why we have decided to hold the meeting on Zoom on Sunday 14th February at 2pm.
If you would like to attend the Business Meeting, you are more than welcome. It does not matter whether you have recently joined or have been part of our Church for a while; whether you are a regular attendee or sporadic, or whether you are a member or not.
So that we may send you a link to the Zoom meeting, we do however, require you to register. We will not be publishing the link online. To register, please get in contact with Pastor Buddy or write to meeting@ibc-giessen.org.
If you have any questions about the Business Meeting, or would like to add an item to the agenda, please get in contact with Pastor Buddy or send an email to the above email-address.
We look forward to seeing what God has in store for IBC Gießen!
Be blessed!
Update for Sunday, January 24th
Dear Church family and friends,
On Sunday it will be one month since we celebrated Christmas. Some of you may feel that Christmas seemed a long time ago, others may feel that the time went quickly. Maybe lockdown has influenced how you feel time is moving: you are perhaps busier because of home-schooling; over-run with online lectures or other projects that somehow need completing – or perhaps it’s the opposite: you are just waiting for time to pass and life to return to ‘normal’.
Whatever it is you are experiencing right now, remember that the message of Christmas still applies even now: that there is hope and there is Light. Let’s not shut out His Light in these times.
You may be aware that some changes were made to the restrictions this week. These have a very small impact on our Church services.
We are still able to meet together as a Church – physically distanced and without any singing – and we must still wear masks at all times, but the type of mask is now different. The self-made of “Stoff”-masks are no longer allowed: instead we are to wear FFP2 or medical (surgery/operation) masks. This rule is effective from Saturday 23rd January 2021.
Our Church service this week (Sunday 24th) will take place at 11am at the FTH facilities, in the sanctuary room in the main building. In case you have only recently joined us – or would like to visit for the first time on Sunday – then the directions are simple: head toward the glass fronted building and go straight up the stairs. We look forward to seeing and meeting you!
Pastor Buddy has pre-recorded a sermon for you to listen to if you are unable to make it on Sunday :
Be blessed and stay safe!
Update for Sunday, January 17th
Dear Church family and friends,
For those who have been following our online sermons, there’s something different for you this week: Johannes is preaching!
We said “see you later” to Johannes in October, after he took on the role of Youth Pastor at the Baptistengemeinde Marburgerstrasse – and are very thankful to see him again so soon.
Those who are fit and able to make it to an offline service, are more than welcome to come along to Church at 11am tomorrow, in the FTH facilities.
You will need to wear a mask at all times and, of course, maintain physical distancing.
We look forward to seeing you!
Update for Sunday, January 10th
Dear Church family and friends,
The first full week of 2021 is coming to a close – and for many it has proven to be as stressful and worrying as the year that we’ve just left behind. We hope and pray that you are remaining safe and healthy during this time, and that you have all that you need to be able to see this new lockdown through. If you find yourself in need of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us.
As long as the rules allow, we will continue to meet on Sundays at 11am at the FTH facilities – starting this Sunday, 10th January 2021.
All the seats are already spaced out, all you need to do is turn up wearing a face-mask and keep it on for the duration of the service. Although there will be a band singing and playing worship music, we will not be able to lift our voices with them in praise at this time.
Please ensure that you maintain physical distancing at all times.
Pastor Buddy has already recorded a sermon for those who would like to attend Church, but are unable to because they are sick, have tighter restrictions in their area, or do not feel comfortable with the rules as they are at present. We ask that if that applies to you, that you would stay at home.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, for our first service in this New Year!
Update for Sunday, January 3rd
Dear Church Family and Friends,
Happy New Year!
For some, it brings more insecurity. For others, the New Year is a way of putting the past behind them. Whichever your starting position is, we pray that 2021 is a year where you grow closer and firmer in your relationship with Jesus.
This Sunday (3rd January), Church will be online only. Pastor Buddy has recorded a sermon for us to listen and reflect upon at home, which may be found here:
Our Pastor and his wife have also prepared a communion video, to reflect on the outgoing year and look forward to the New Year in light of God’s promises and goodness. To takes part, you will need to find some juice and bread, and click on this link:
We look forward to seeing you on 10th January at 11am. Until then, be blessed and have a good, healthy start to the New Year!
Update for New Year’s Day, January 1st
Dear Church Family and Friends,
As 2020 turned into 2021, our Pastor, Buddy, and his wife, Kathy, wanted to share a New Year’s greeting with you:
We wish you all a happy New Year!
Older information and online sermons are available here:
Updates from December 2020
Updates from November 2020
Updates from October 2020
Updates from September 2020
Updates from August 2020
Updates from July 2020
Updates from June 2020
Updates from May 2020
Updates from April 2020
Updates from March 2020