Last updated: January 25, 2009
Christmas Performance
This year´s Christmas play – „The Christmas Time Machine“ – was written by Jiří Slouka with music composed by Filip Klinecký. Children and youth spent whole weekend together, and had a general try-out on Saturday forenoon. They performed it in the afternoon of the same day in a renaissance Holy Trinity Church in Český Brod. On the last Advent Sunday, 19th December 2004, they played it in a chapel of the Strašnice congregation.
Sunday Advent Afternoon
The 2nd Advent Sunday afternoon (5th december 2004) was prepared by children and youth again. Children‘s theatre association both with children of Sunday School played a Christmas piece „Dispatcher‘s Christmas Dream of the Train to Bethlehem“ by Pavel Jun, youth performed an one-act piece „Get-together“ by Daniel Řehák, Strašnice Chamber Orchestra played „Canto di Danza“ by Zdeněk Lukáš. The programme of our traditionally meeting in Strašnice was multiplied by biblical relfection, common singing of Christmas Songs and tombola for support of the Diakonie Ratolest centre.
Autumn Children Trip to Závist
On Saturday 23rd September 2004 we visited celtic oppidum – Závist near Zbraslav - with children of Sunday School and our youth. We visited a mini-ZOO in Zbraslav and played a lot of games. For example we were looking for – and we had found – druids, lunched at a campfire, and thanks to the nice autumn day we have spent a beautiful day together.
Congregation weekend in Chotěboř
We spent traditional congragation weekend in 17.-19.9.2004 again in evangelistic centre in Chotěboř. The weather was once again nice this year, almost like in summer. We visited Habry with Jewish cemetery and area of Dobrá Voda with The Well of Žižka Saturday afternoon. The youth of course went in for sports and music. We spent the evenings in talks, singing with the guitar and with common campfire.
Summer children camp in Hořice
This years camp for children (22.-29.8.2004) was in Hořice, where we lived in the atelier of the sculptor Ivan Jilemnický. The statues became part of our fellowship and made inspirative environment for rescuing the Jewish princess Ryba from imprisonment of cruel Nabu Kuduri Usuru. Twenty-six children and six leaders is a lot so we used even the indian tent. Singing, competiting, playing games, cooking and communal reading of bible were enjoyed at the maximum and we look forward that we will go again on the camp.
The youth of Strašnická in the Bílý Potok
Periodical week summer „mountains“ of out youth were again in the Jizerské mountains, 15.-21.8.2004 in August. Presence of 23 people reduced the communication openness when talking about the Lords Prayer a bit, but added on richness of entertainement. Humble but fully sufficient cottage, hills, air and trees, football, softball, bathing in a cold brook, nice weather, fine poeple, guitars, songs – what else do you wish?
Children camp in Běleč nad Orlicí
More than 10 years the Strašnická youth leads with is pastor one of the runs for children in Běleč nad Orlicí. This years camp (10.-19.7.2004) the children experienced a journey back in time for more than 800 years back. In the deep middleage a bell disappeared from a cloister of Syntyché that celebrated the coronation of a king. 40 children were capable of founding the bell, overcome the obstacles and carry it to the cloister in the deep night. As a reward, they could have been present to a coronation; king thanked them and gave a gift to each one of them. Thinking about the Lords prayer was always on the programme(each evening). Adventure, good fellowship and enjoynment – what else do you wish?
Children’s Weekend at Hvozdnice
The weekend of Sunday School from 4th to 6th June 2004 was held at Hvozdnice again. The meeting was full of games and singing, though the weather was unfair this year. The camp play “The Fish and the King” was situated to the time of Jewish exile in Babel and their liberation by Cyrus, the Persian king.
Exhibition of Sculptures by Ivan Jilemnický
The opening of this exhibition was given on 1st June 2004 in the Botanical Garden of Charles University, Prague. Ivo Janoušek opened the exhibition, David Rejchrt presented his poems conducted with his own music.
Coach Trip of the Congregation
We went for a trip on Saturday 29th May 2004, with the visit of Antonín Dvořák’s. museum at Vysoká near Příbram which concluded the park and “The Water Fairy’s Lake” (the site of the world famous opera). We also visited Rožmitál pod Třemšínem, a picturesque town connected with a personality of the old Czech composer Jan Jakub Ryba, then Kasejovice (an interesting small town formerly known for its Jewish community) and the Mining Museum in Příbram Unfortunately, there was not time enough for its full visit.
1st of May in the Czech Paradise
There’s no more to say that this car trip - May 1, 2004 - already with a long tradition and with traditionally nice weather, was successful again. Having visited the Komárov pond and its surroundings, we moved in the afternoon to Hořice town. There was an opening of the sculpture exhibition of Ivan Jilemnický named “The Message of the Old Testament”.
An Uncommon Sunday in the Congregation
Sunday, 25th April 2004, was a non/traditional one for our congregation due to the sermon by Gerd Theißen, a professor of theology at Heidelberg University, Germany (in German, translated to Czech). In the afternoon we met again by the occasion of concert of “Variace” chamber ensemble. The program consisted of works by Josef Suk, Bohuslav Martinů, Viktor Ullmann, Antonín Dvořák and Ottorino Respighi.
The Easter Afternoon
Program of the Palm Sunday afternoon, 4th April 2004, was traditionally prepared by youth. Two students of theology prepared a short and popular biblical study. Strašnice Chamber Orchestra performed the concerto in d minor for two violins and orchestra by Antonio Vivaldi. The theatre act “Passion according to John the Brother” was written by Jiří Slouka again.
Musical meetings
There were three concerts in January 2004 in our congregation, as it already became a tradition: the Strašnice Chamber Orchestra with Henry Purcell, J. S. Bach and Edvard H. Grieg (violin soloist: Magdalena Ericssonová) - January 11., then the guitar and song recital of Slávek Klecandr - January 18., and finally, works for flute and organ or harpsichord by J. S. Bach and Johann Kuhnau, performed by Yoshimi Oshima and Jaroslav Tůma - January 25. Concerts were connected with a short biblical reading.