English Reformed Church, Amsterdam

March 2010

Wednesday, March 3rd:
- Lent Study Course.
Friday, March 5th:
- Saint Piran's Day.
  - Piran is regarded as the patron saint of Cornwall and tin miners. He was born in Ireland. The Cornish flag may have been inspired by the legend that Piran discovered the process for smelting tin: black rock with a white cross of pure metal.
- Women's World Day of Prayer.
  - This dates from 1887 and is celebrated on the First Friday of March.
Sunday, March 7th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
Monday, March 8th:
- Consistory meeting
Wednesday, March 10th:
- Lent Study Course.
Sunday, March 14th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Mothering Sunday.
  - Mothering Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Not the same as Mothers' Day in the USA.
Wednesday, March 17th:
- Saint Patrick's Day.
  - Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.
- Lent Study Course.
Friday, March 19th:
- Saint Joseph.
  - Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Sunday, March 21st:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- AGM.
Wednesday, March 24th:
- Lent Study Course.
Thursday, March 25th:
- Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  - Marks the angel Gabriel's message to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the incarnation of Christ It also celebrates the incarnation itself as the date falls 9 months before Christmas.
Saturday, March 27th:
- Lazarus Saturday (O)

NB: Daylight Saving Time starts in the night from Saturday, March 27th to Sunday, March 28th. - The clocks are actually set forward on Sunday morning at 02.00 a.m. to 03.00 a.m., making the night one hour shorter.

Sunday, March 28th - Saturday, April 3rd (Monday, March 28th - Sunday, April 4th):
- Holy Week.
Sunday, March 28th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday.
  - The sixth and Last Sunday of Lent. Marks the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and the start of Holy Week. Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a donkey. He was greeted by people putting palm branches on his path John 12:13: So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord - the King of Israel!" See also Mark 11:1-11.
- European Summer Time begins (clocks go forward) at 01:00 GMT
Wednesday, March 31st:
- DMB hires the church on Wednesday in Holy Week for an evening service.

April 2010

Thursday, April 1st:
- Maundy Thursday.
  - Celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service. Service at 8:00 p.m., door open at 7.30 p.m.
  - Christians remember Maundy Thursday as the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist or Holy Communion. Jesus' love is demonstrated both in his example of servanthood, the washing of the disciples feet, and in the gift of himself in Holy Communion. Judas betrays Jesus. Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the Mount of Olives.
Friday, April 2nd:
- Good Friday.
  - Service at 7.30 p.m.
  - Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. It commemorates the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. Jesus is crucified at about noon (the 6th hour).
Saturday, 3rd April:
- Holy Saturday.
Sunday, April 4th - Sunday, May 23rd:
- The Season of Easter.
Sunday, April 4th:
- Easter Sunday.
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service.
- The resurrection of our Lord.
  - Celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ - his return from death after the Crucifixion. Most years Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on a different date.
- Easter/Pascha (O)
Sunday, April 11th:
- Divine Mercy Sunday.
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Monday, April 12th:
- Consistory meeting.
Sunday, April 18th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Friday, April 23th:
- Saint George's Day.
  - Saint George is the patron saint of England.
Sunday, April 25th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Saint Mark.
  - Apostle and Evangelist.
Friday, April 30th:
- Saint James the Great Day (O).

May 2010

Sunday, May 2nd:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service.
Monday, May 3rd:
- Saint Philip the Apostle.
- Saint James The Lesser.
Thursday, May 6th:
- National Day of Prayer (USA).
Sunday, May 9th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Rogation Sunday.
Monday, May 10th:
- Consistory meeting.
Thursday, May 13th:
- Ascension Day.
  - Ascension of Jesus. Ascension Day marks the Last earthly appearance of Christ after his resurrection. Christians believe Christ ascended into heaven. It is celebrated 40 days after Easter.
Sunday, May 16th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Ascension Day (Catholic Church in England and Wales).
  - Ascension Day is normally celebrated 40 days after Easter. The Catholic Church in England and Wales celebrates it on the following Sunday instead.
Sunday, May 23rd:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Pentecost Sunday - Whitsun.
  - The seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the "Feast of weeks" or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). See Acts 2:1-21, Romans 8:22-27.
Monday, May 24th - Saturday, November 27th:
- Ordinary Time - Season After Pentecost.
Sunday, May 28th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Trinity Sunday.
  - The First Sunday after Pentecost Christians meditate on the nature of God as "Three in one".
- All Saints' Day (O).
  - This day honours all saints, known and unknown, of the Christian church. Western churches celebrate All Saints Day on November 1.

June 2010

Thursday, June 3rd:
- Corpus Christi.
  - Roman Catholic festival celebrating the "real presence of Christ in the Eucharist". The festival falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
Sunday, June 6th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service.
- Corpus Christi (Catholic Church in England and Wales).
  - Corpus Christi falls on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. The Catholic Church in England and Wales celebrates it on the following Sunday instead.
Wednesday, June 9th:
- Saint Columba of Iona.
Friday, June 11th:
- Sacred Heart of Jesus (C).
Saturday, June 12th:
- Consistory Retreat (tbc).
Sunday, June 13th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Monday, June 14th:
- Consistory meeting.
Saturday June 19th:
- New Church Day (Swedenborgian Christians).
Sunday, June 20th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Thursday, June 24th:
- Saint John the Baptist.
Sunday, June 27th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Monday, June 28th:
- Saints Peter and Paul.
  - Observed by Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran churches. One of the oldest saints' days.
Tuesday, June 29th:
- Saint Peter's Day - Feast Day of Sts Peter and Paul (C).

July 2010

Sunday, July 4th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service.
Sunday, Jule 11th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Saint Benedict Day
Monday, July 12th:
- Consistory meeting.
Thursday, July 15th:
- Saint Swithin's Day.
  - Swithin (or Swithun) was a Saxon bishop in the 9th century. Legend has it that the weather on his Feast day, 15 July, will determine the weather for the next 40 days.
- Saint Vladimir the Great Day (O)
Sunday, Jule 18th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Sunday, Jule 25th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Saint James the Great Day.

August 2010

Sunday, August 1st:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service.
- Fast in Honor of Holy Mother of Lord Jesus begins (O)
- Lammas
Friday, August 6th:
- Transfiguration of the Lord (O).
  - Orthodox Christian Feast commemorating the sudden emanation of radiance from the person of Jesus that occurred on the mountain..
Sunday, August 8th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Sunday, August 15th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (C).
  - A largely Roman Catholic festival celebrating their belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into heaven.
- Dormition of the Theotokos (O).
  - An Orthodox festival that commemorates the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ's mother. Dormition means "falling asleep"..
Sunday, August 22nd:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
Tuesday, August 24th:
- Saint Batholomew Day.
Sunday, August 29th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service.
- Beheading of Saint John the Baptist.

September 2010

Wednesday, September 1st:
- Ecclesiastical Year begins (O).
Sunday, September 5th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
Monday, September 6th:
- Consistory meeting.
Wednesday, September 8th:
- Nativity of the Theotokos (O) - Nativity, Birthday or Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
  - Celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus.
Sunday, September 12th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Tuesday, September 14th:
- Holy Cross Day - Elevation of the Life Giving Cross (O).
Sunday, September 19th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Saturday, September 25th:
- Preparations for Harvest Thanksgiving
Sunday, September 26th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - Harvest Thanksgiving - order of service
Wednesday, September 29th:
- Michaelmas / Saint Michael's Day / Michael and All Angels.
  - A Feast day in honour of the archangel Michael. Michael is one of only two angels mentioned by name in the Bible (the other being Gabriel).

October 2010

Sunday, October 3rd:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
Monday, October 4th:
- Saint Francis Day.
- Blessing of the Animals
- Consistory meeting
Wednesday, October 6th:
- Holy Apostle Saint Thomas Day (O).
Sunday, October 10th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Monday, October 11th:
- Thanksgiving (Canada)
Wednesday, October 13th:
- Saint Edward's Day.
  - Edward the Confessor was King of England 1042 - 1066. He built Westminster Abbey where there is a shrine to him - and where the saint is also celebrated on January 5 each year, the anniversary of his death.
Sunday, October 17th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Monday, October 18th:
- Saint Luke.
  - Apostle and Evangelist.
Sunday, October 24th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
Thursday, October 28th:
- Milvian Bridge Day.

NB: Daylight Saving Time ends in the night from Saturday, October 30th to Sunday, October 31st. The clocks are actually set back on Sunday morning at 03.00 a.m. to 02.00 a.m., making the night one hour longer.

Sunday, October 31st:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Reformation Day / Reformation Sunday.
- Hallowe'en / All Hallows' Eve.
  - The night before All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day). Its origins date back over 2000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It was celebrated as a Christian festival by the 8th Century.
- All Saints' Day (C England and Wales).
  - The Catholic Church in England and Wales moves this festival to the nearest Sunday if it falls on a Saturday or Monday.
- European Summer Time ends (clocks go backward) at 01:00 GMT

November 2010

Monday, November 1st:
- All Saints' Day / Hallowmas / All Hallows' Day.
  - In honour of all saints, known and unknown. Orthodox churches celebrate it on the First Sunday after Pentecost.
- Consistory meeting.
Tuesday, November 2nd:
- All Souls' Day.
  - An opportunity to commemorate the faithful departed. Remember and pray for the souls of people who are in Purgatory.
Sunday, November 7th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
Thurday, November 11th:
- Armistice Day.
  - Marks the end of the First World War on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. At 11.00 on this day people in the UK pause for 2 minutes of silence to remember those who gave their lives in past conflicts.
Sunday, November 14th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Remembrance Sunday.
  - The second Sunday of November is marked by ceremonies at war memorials and cenotaphs to remember those who gave their lives in conflicts.
Monday, November 15th - Friday, December 24th:
- Winter Lent / Nativity Fast (O).
Sunday, November 21st:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Christ the King Sunday.
Thursday, November 25th:
- Thanksgiving (USA).
  - A day of thanks to God by the Pilgrims for a plentiful harvest in 1621. Their First winter had been very difficult and took many lives. With the help of local Indians they were able to plant crops that yielded a harvest that would get them through the winter.
Sunday, November 28 - Friday, December 24th:
- Season of Advent.
  - Looking forward to the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ.
Sunday, November 28th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Advent Sunday / First Sunday of Advent.
  - The beginning of the ecclesiastical year on the Sunday closest to November 30th. Advent is the season before Christmas - In Western Christendom, four Sundays are included. In Eastern Christendom, the season is longer and begins in the middle of November.
Tuesday, November 30th:
- Saint Andrew's Day.
  - Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, Greece and Russia. The flag of Scotland is the Cross of Saint Andrew. Saint Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was originally a fisherman and became the First Apostle.

December 2010

Sunday, December 5th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Second Sunday of Advent.
- Saint Nicholas Eve
Monday, December 6th:
- Saint Nicholas Day.
- Consistory meeting.
Wednesday, December 8th:
- Feast of the Immaculate Conception / Immaculate Conception of Mary.
  - Celebrated by Roman Catholics who remember Mary's conception as being without sin, therefore, immaculate.
- Decoration of the church for Christmas.
Saturday, December 11th:
- Children's Christmas Party, in the Church Hall, 2.30 p.m..
Sunday, December 12th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service - order of service
- Third Sunday of Advent.
- Advent Fast Begins (O).
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (C).
Monday, December 13th:
- Saint Lucy's Day.
  - Saint Lucy's Day or the Feast of Saint Lucy is marked by Catholics and Orthodox Christians and also celebrated by members of the Lutheran Church.
Tuesday, December 14th:
- Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight.
  - 8.30 p.m.
Thursday, December 16th - Saturday, December 25th:
- Las Posadas Navideñas (Hispanic Christian).
Saturday, December 18th:
- United Carol service.
  - 3.30 p.m.
Sunday, December 19th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Fourth Sunday of Advent.
Tuesday, December 21st:
- Saint Thomas the Apostle Day (C).
- Yule.
Friday, December 24th:
- Christmas Eve service - order of service
  - 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 25th:
- Christmas Day Family Service - order of service
  - 10.30 a.m.
- Christmas / Christmas Day / Feast of the Nativity.
  - The day when Western Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, December 26th:
- Sunday Morning Worship Service with celebration of the Lord's Supper - order of service
- Feast of the Holy Family (C).
- Saint Stephen's Day
  - Saint Stephen, the First Christian martyr, is celebrated on this day by Roman Catholics. The day is also called the Feast of Stephen.
- Boxing Day.
  - The day after Christmas Day. A secular festival.
Monday, December 27th:
- Saint John.
  - Apostle and Evangelist.
Tuesday, December 28th:
- Holy Innocents.
Friday, December 31st:
- New Year's Eve.
  - No worship service.
- Watch Night.
  - worship service held on New Year's Eve (NB: no worship service in the ERC).

(C = Catholic - O = Orthodox)

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02-03-2010