Remembering Peter Mensah

As we continue to celebrate the season that marks the birth of our Lord Jesus, we also remember the life of one of his faithful servants, Peter Mensah, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 60. Many of you remember Peter as a kind and enthusiastic member of the church who would take time to chat after services and make everyone feel welcome. He served faithfully as a churchwarden, a long-time member of church council, an assistant, and in many other roles. His rich, unforgettable voice will be missed by all who had the chance to hear it. The funeral will take place in Jaunciema kapi on Tuesday at 11.00, and his family has said that everyone is welcome. If you would like to leave his family a message of condolence, you can do so at this website here.

Prayer box and Prayer Team

Although the passing of Peter is a time of great sadness for us at St. Saviour’s we have a few reasons for joy as well. Last week we officially started the work of our WhatsApp prayer team, which everyone (not just in Latvia) is welcome to join using this signup form or by contacting churchwarden Joe. This WhatsApp group is a place to share joys and concerns with others so we know who to keep in our prayers. Submissions to our new “prayer box” (both virtually using this form here and using paper forms in the church) will be prayed for by our team. If you are looking to participate in the ministry and fellowship of the church in a new way, this might be just for you!

Virtual orders of service

As you might have seen last weekend, we have begun to try to cut down our environmental footprint by making our weekly orders of service available online by scanning a QR code at the back of the church each week or via this hyperlink. Although a number of paper copies will still be available for those who are unable to use their phones, we strongly suggest trying to use the digital version as much as possible so that we can be better stewards of God’s beautiful Earth in 2023!

Sunday Worship: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

This Sunday, our weekly worship service with communion will be lead by our former chaplain, Bishop Emerita Jana Jeruma-Grinberga, as we participate in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Please join us in person or online via Facebook Live for this very special chance to be in solidarity with churches throughout the world!

Confirmation classes

Are you looking for a new way to engage with faith in a deeper way? Chaplain Elīza is currently in the process of organizing a confirmation class that would begin sometime in the end of winter or early spring. If you are interested, please let her know!

Medical face masks mandatory as of the 25th of January

Please keep in mind that the Latvian government has decided to make medical face masks or respirators mandatory for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people indoors, and that cloth masks will no longer be allowed to use. If you do not have access to one but would like to attend service in person, please let us know and so we can assist you!

Events honoring Desmond Tutu

Last Tuesday, the Latvian language event “DzĪvot ar Prieku: Desmonds Tutu” took place at St. Saviour’s. After saying prayers that were written by Tutu himself, Chaplain Elīza lead a discussion that included our assistant chaplain Valdis Teraudkalns, our former chaplain Juris Cālītis, and Margarita Putniņa, the translator of a book based on a dialog between Tutu and the Dalai Lama. An English language version of the discussion will also take place during Sunday Worship on the 30th of January. For those of you who understand Latvian, you can watch the video of the event above.

Sunday Worship: The Second Sunday After The Epiphany

The joyful story about the wedding in Cana shows the overflowing of God’s grace embodied in Jesus; it also prefigures a liberation and a new life to come. It is a sign pointing to something else: to the fulfilment of Jesus’ ministry and the pouring out of his life on the cross. This adds a new dimension to joy, for as Desmond Tutu (whom we will celebrate on Tuesday) said: “Our greatest joy is when we seek to do good for others.”

To hear Chalpain Elīza’s full sermon, make sure to join us tomorrow either in person or online on Facebook live!

18th of January Latvian Language Event to Honour Desmond Tutu

On the 18th of January at 18.00 we will be holding a Latvian language memorial event honouring Desmond Tutu called Dzīvot ar prieku: Desmonds Tutu. We will say prayers together that were written by Tutu himself, followed by a discussion which will be led by Chaplain Elīza and include our assistant chaplain Valdis Teraudkalns, our former chaplain Juris Cālītis, and Margarita Putniņa, the translator of a book based on a dialog between Tutu and the Dalai Lama. An English language version of the discussion will also take place during Sunday Worship on the 30th of January.