Update for Monday, November 27th
Dear Church family and friends,
While it is a shame that there isn’t a link to the recording of Sunday’s sermon this week, it just makes more space for us to keep you informed on everything else that’s going on at IBC Giessen.
This week in Church…
Young Adult Bible Study will be meeting in their smaller groups dotted around Giessen on Tuesday evening. Each group is a little different, but all study the same thing at the same time – 7pm. If you’d like more information as to what they’re looking at and where, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.
The second to last session in our Mid-Week Bible Study on prayer takes place this Wednesday at 7pm. Not a problem if you’ve not been able to make it until now – everyone is welcome to join in. All you need is your Bible, you, and the link to the Zoom meeting. Simply e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org for the last item in that list.
Although it’s not held at the FTH, there will still be a Worship Night going on in Giessen on Friday 1st. Held in conjunction with IBC Giessen, the EFG (Baptisten) in Marburgerstrasse will be having an evening of song, prayer and praise starting at 7:30pm.
On Sunday we finally get to light the first candle on the Advent Wreath. Let’s start the countdown to Christmas together at 11am in the FTH. Don’t worry if you’re not able to get there, it will be livestreamed! You can get a link to the livestream by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org.
December is just around the corner…
We’ve already mentioned the Worship Night – which was the first event scheduled for December in the IBC calendar – but there’s more to come!
The ladies can look forward to brunch together on Saturday 9th December at 10am. The student kitchen gets decked out in festive decorations and the spread of food is always so mouth-watering… There’s been a sign-up sheet at the back of Church for a couple of weeks now; if you are a woman and keep on forgetting to put your name down, or have spontaneously decided that you’d like to attend, then just drop an e-mail to office@ibc-giessen.org.
The day after will be a Sunday, and it’s a date that the children should remember. On the 10th December, it won’t just be the performance of the Nativity, but also the day they’re all invited to a Birthday Party for Jesus. Lots of fun, songs, games, crafts and stories!
The week after all that – on the 17th December – the Christmas Choir will be performing. This is always a highlight of Christmas at IBC. It’s a performance of several different songs threaded together by a story, and it takes place in the regular service, which is then followed by an extended time of fellowship with Christmas snacks and goodies. If you’d like to bake a cake, or prepare some simple snacks that don’t need to be re-heated, you are more than welcome to do so!
You might have noticed that it has started snowing. There’s no doubt that it looks pretty, but it also presents challenges. As people take longer journeys in the next weeks, we can pray that their travels aren’t disrupted by the weather. Similarly, we can pray for all those who commute in some way or another to work or school, that the way may be safe and that they can reach their destination. We should also not forget those who have to make the outdoors their home, or at least their resting place. As the winter nights draw in may they be offered, and feel able to accept, help.
Lastly, of course, we need to keep places in which conflict or political unrest in our prayers.
Have a blessed week!
Update for Monday, November 22nd
Dear Church family and friends,
Who likes to be called crazy? No-one. But some of the things that we do may seem crazy to others, as Johannes observed at the very beginning of his sermon on Sunday. To find out where he went with that thought, you can listen again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpNqs8Do7M
This week in Church…
Young Adult Bible Study will be meeting in their smaller groups dotted around Giessen on Tuesday evening. Each group is a little different, but all study the same thing at the same time – 7pm. If you’d like more information as to what they’re looking at and where, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.
On Wednesday evening our Mid-Week Bible Study on prayer continues. They too meet at 7pm, but hold their session via Zoom. For a link to the meeting, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org.
On Saturday (25th), the men will be meeting for their last breakfast of the year. It was wrongly announced in Sunday’s service that the last meeting had been and gone: just as a reminder, the Men’s Breakfast takes place every 4th Saturday of the month at 9:30am. So, that’s this coming Saturday! Gentlemen, please write to office@ibc-giesssen.org if you wish to attend, and tell us what you’ll be bringing with you!
Sunday, however, is the last Sunday before the Advent season starts! Daniel will be bringing us God’s Word during our service at 11am. If you can’t make it, then you are more than welcome to join in online. Our livestream can be accessed via a link, which you can get by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org.
Housekeeping…
In a change to prior advertisement, the Worship Night that was due to take place at the FTH on 1st December has now been re-located to, and is in collaboration with, the EFG in Marburgerstrasse. Starting at 7:30pm, you can expect an evening of sung worship, prayer and praise.
As Pastor Buddy and Kathy enjoy Thanksgiving, we continue to pray for them and their family – as well as their safe return to us soon. We pray to for all those who are visiting families in the upcoming weeks, whether those visits are close to Giessen or further away. Family is family, and they can be both difficult and wonderful simultaneously.
Have a blessed week!
Update for Monday, November 13th
Dear Church family and friends,
With the weather the way that it is, you’d be excused for wanting to get cosy and hide indoors. We have the perfect thing to do while you’re sheltering from the cold and the rain – listening to the sermon that Kennedy gave on Sunday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeDKvMCbaes
This week in Church…
Young Adult Bible Study will be meeting in their smaller groups dotted around Giessen on Tuesday evening. Each group is a little different, but all study the same thing at the same time – 7pm. If you’d like more information as to what they’re looking at and where, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.
On Wednesday evening our Mid-Week Bible Study on prayer continues. They too meet at 7pm, but hold their session via Zoom.
Sunday’s sermon will be delivered by Pastor Johannes, who will be continuing his Philippians series. Our service starts at 11am at the FTH, but if you can’t make it, you are more than welcome to watch along on the livestream.
For links to the livestreams or online meetings, please e-mail office@ibc-giessen.org
Housekeeping…
We’d like to remind you that there are a couple of performances that will be happening at the IBC Giessen this advent season. Both the Children’s Nativity and the Christmas Cantata have started rehearsing at 10am – an hour before Sunday service begins – and we are really looking forward to seeing and hearing the results. If you’d like to get involved with either of these, then please get in touch with office@ibc-giessen.org. The Christmas Cantata (choir) is open to everyone, whereas the Nativity is for children over the age of 4.
During the week, as you come to the Lord in private times of prayer, don’t forget to keep lifting up Israel and Ukraine to the Throne of Grace. The news may look bleak – on so many topics, not just those relating to conflict – but He longs to hear from us. He knows us and everything we are going through, but He wills us to make the connection with Him.
Have a blessed week!
Update for Monday, November 6th
Dear Church family and friends,
Yesterday’s Pot-Luck was, as always, a joy. Lots of food, lots of people, and lots of reasons to be thankful! We would like to thank everyone who brought a dish, but we are particularly grateful for all those who helped put the buffet together, as well as those who stuck around for the big clear-up!
While we can’t re-create the tasty food for you in this announcement if were not able to attend, we can offer you a recording of the sermon instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfphmm5XP7g
This week in Church…
Young Adult Bible Study will be holding their monthly Big YABS meeting. On Tuesday evening at 7pm all the smaller groups of YABS will meet together for a larger meeting at the FTH Student Kitchen. There they will have a time of study, prayer, food and fellowship. It’s the perfect time to introduce yourself if you’ve been thinking about joining YABS. For more information, please write to yabs@ibc-giessen.org.
On Wednesday evening our Mid-Week Bible Study on prayer continues. They too meet at 7pm, but hold their session via Zoom. You can be part of the group by clicking this link by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org and asking for a link to the meeting.
The King‘s Daughters group are planning a hike this coming Saturday (11th). If you are a lady and would like to join, please be at the FTH by 1pm. There, the group will re-organise itself so as to take fewer cars up toward Kloster Schiffenberg where the hike, pray and study time will take place. Don’t forget to wrap up warm, bring some rain resistant clothes and bring a thermos cup with you! For more information, please write to office@ibc-giessen.org.
Then it’s Sunday again, with our regular service at 11am. Kennedy will be looking how beneficial and essential God’s Word is to our lives, using Psalm 1 as his basis. If you cannot make it to the FTH in time, then you are more than welcome to join our livestream – just write to office@ibc-giessen.org for a link.
Getting prepared…
We’d like to remind you that there are a couple of performances that will be happening at the IBC Giessen this advent season. Both the Children’s Nativity and the Christmas Cantata have started rehearsing at 10am – an hour before Sunday service begins – and we are really looking forward to seeing and hearing the results. If you’d like to get involved with either of these, then please get in touch with office@ibc-giessen.org. The Christmas Cantata (choir) is open to everyone, whereas the Nativity is for children over the age of 4.
In some cultures, November is a month of remembrance. Keeping in mind all those who have sacrificed themselves for our freedom. In other cultures, this month is one where we are urged to be thankful for all that we have. Perhaps the two concepts are closer to one another than we think. We can be thankful for those who put their lives on the line for our safety. We can live in gratitude that we can have life’s necessities because there is peace. Similarly, we should continue to pray for places where those things are not currently part of day-to-day life.
Have a blessed week!
Update for Friday, November 3rd
Dear Church family and friends,
Remember, remember the 5th of November…
… because that’s when our Pot-Luck is – and it’s only a couple of days away!
We look forward to this time of food and fellowship after the service, and we’d love to see a full room on Sunday. So come along, there’s room for everyone and plenty of plates to go round!
If you’d like to bring something to share, then please remember that there is limited oven space for re-heating. Regardless of what you bring – or if you bring nothing – please could you register with us by writing to office@ibc-giessen.org. That way we can set a place just for you!
See you on Sunday!