Last updated: September 20, 2010

Christmas Theatre Play
Children Christmas theatre play in Strasnice grows to beauty. The deep and interesting text by Tomas Najbrt with catchy "hits" by Filip Klinecky was given an interesting stage arrangement on the new stage. We could follow the travel of three kings: not the travel of the usual legends Kaspar, Melichar, Baltazar (K+M+B+) but Asemrij, Bablim and Dilames (A+B+D+). The well known short turned to a new meaning: no more "Christus mansionem benedicat" = K+M+B+ = Christ blesses the dwelling but "Ad benedictionem Dei" = A+B+D+ = for praising the God. The little evangelic contribution of Strasnice congregation to Christmas message 2008. The theatre play practised the children of Sunday-school together with young congregation members. They played it on Saturday 20th December 2008 in the evangelic congregation in Cesky Brod and on Sunday 21st December in the Strasnice chapel. The text of the play you can download from - Text of the Play – PDF file, on Evangnet you can find 65 selected photos - Photo gallery Christmas Theatre Play 2008 a an audio record Audio - MP3 - (the file has 43 MB).


Advent Sunday Afternoon
The congregation meet on 2nd Advent Sunday, 7th December 2008, was started by the biblical reflection of our vicar Ondrej Macek. The afternoon programme is already for many years prepared by the youth and is more and more rich: "Angel Fairy Tale for Good Night" by the autors L. Dvorakova, V. Mace and Z. Sorm, the youth theatre play " Christmas Day" wrote by Daniel Rehak, Strasnice chamber orchestra played and sang the part of the uncompleted Christmas cantata by Filip Klinecky. The programme of the Advent meet was completed with singing of Christmas songs, accompanied not only by the organ but also by the string chamber trio of the Sunday school children. There was ample refreshment and a tombola for the support of the Diaconia Centre Ratolest too.


Congregation-Weekend in Chotebor
From 10th to 12th October 2008 the Strasnice congregation crowded almost completely the holiday resort in Chotebor and that with all generations and this year with 33 children and students too. Indian summer, play of colours and the sun, a trip from Bilek through the romantic valley of Doubravka or sport games in the resort. Evenings we devoted to singing with guitar, to a usual campfire and narrative about the life in Brazil, prepared by Martin Balcar. The weekend was excellently prepared by Marta Halova and Dalibor, who procured breakfasts, dinners and heating of both buildings too. Our thanks.


Autumn Trip of Sunday-School Children
This year's autumn trip of the Sunday-school children in Suterday, 27th September 2008, we called The Way to Severs. In the morning we visited the Ecotechnical Museum in Prague – Bubenec, where is an old sewage disposal plant, a walk through sewers and a collection of steam machines. Weather was excellent, Indian summer, and in the afternoon, in Stromovka, the children could play a lot of plays, being prepared for them by the Sunday-school teachers.


A Week of Strasnice Youth (Mountains) in Pusta Rybna
The traditional mountains of youth, in the first week in August (from 3rd to 9th August 2008) took place in nice highlands in Pusta Rybna – this year thanks to Pavel Hanych. 18 young people, including this year's confirmands, wandered together through forests an hills, in the evening they set over biblical Decalogue. The dialogues were oft very gutsy, the middle generation maybe will follow up with the same topic. The young people endured patiently the impatient minister, prodding them always into something – one time to the morning getting up, another time to the sermon in a church, to the forest, to Decalogue. Thanks for patience, friends.


Strasnice Youth on Ohre
The river boating belongs to the regular activities, being prepared by our congregation. Its organizer Ben Klinecky changed this year a canoe to a Felicie car, because a broken arm can't hold a paddle, but it can hold a wheel. 13 Strasnice water sportsmen sailed down the river from Cheb to Vojkovice in the week from 27th July to 1st August 2008. Nobody fell away.


The Camp of Strasnice Sunday-School
The Camp of Strasnice Sunday-School took place in Horice in Podkrkonosi in the first week in July (from 29th June to 6th July 2008) in the atelier of the sculptor Ivan Jilemnicky. Inspirational surroundings of sandstone and wood-sculptures served as a stage for Our castle Eliot , which was the name of the camp too. Ben Klinecky and Dan Palenik took care of a lot of adventurous plays and of the children's safety and their spiritual background. Words of thank belong to Jilemnicky's family for lending their atelier. There were 26 children, which is the absolute record.


Weekend Children Camp in Hvozdnice
The topic of this year's already traditional weekend of children in Hvozdnice, from 13th to 15th June 2008, was "Stolen Message". The teachers of the Sunday school prepared, for two groups of children of Valmut order, a programme with many plays, where the recognition sign was the first strophe of a song from our hymnbook.. The weekend's top point was, as usual, a night play with a theatre play and the weekend's camp we closed after the Sunday sermon, prepared by our minister Pavel Klinecky. 100 selected photos, which can be copied, you can find on the Evangnet site - Fotogalerie Hvozdnice 2008.


Bus Congregation-Trip to Regensburg
Regensburg is one of the oldest German town-settlements, founded on the ancient Celtic centre – Radasbona. In the year 845 fourteen Czech lords were here baptised.. The destination of this year's bus-trip - June 7, 2008 - was the visit of the Regensburg historical centre, i.e. the Stone-bridge (1135 – 1146) - the oldest bridge in Germany, then St. Peter's Dome – a cathedral from 13th century, castle Thurn and Taxis with St. Emmeram basilica and many other churches. On our return journey we stopped in Walhalle – a marble temple, a copy of Pantheon, which was built in the year 1842, in the time of Ludwig I Bavarian's rule.


On 1st May in the Czech Paradise
The traditional car trip, on Thursday, 1st May 2008, was again and excellently prepared by Jan Balcar. As usual we were 40. The weather was more favourable than the weather forecast foretold. We began the trip by entering the train to the Borek station. The travel plan led us past the Rokytnice pool and past the pools Hrudka, Vidlak and Vezak up to the Cernoryje hotel. Then through the Cernoryje valley to the Valdstejn castle. We said the trip good-bye by looking from the rock Hlavatice at the Turnov town.


Easter Afternoon
It was the youth who, as usual, prepared the congregation gathering on Palm Sunday. Martin Rehacek opened the Sunday's afternoon on 16th March 2008 with his reflection. Theatre group of children prepared, in comics form, this year's theatre play by V. Neuwirth named "The King and an Curious Beast" based on the story from Midras. Strasnice chamber orchestra prepared a composition from the film "Nightingales in the Cage" - B. Coulais. Tomas Najbrt wrote Easter theatre play for the youth of Strasnice called "Just all of a sudden we are alone?”


January Concerts in Strasnice
This year's concerts went ahead already for the tenth time and first of all were dedicated to organ music. Just 10 years ago we finished the general renovation of our organ. It is thanks to Jiri Bica, excellent organist and organ maker, that the organ turned to one of the best organs in Prague. On 13th January 2008 Michaela Kacerkova performed the works of D.Buxtehude, J.S.Bach and M.Reger. Ester and Ladislav Moravetz prepared the concert on 20th January - J.S.Bach, J.A.Reincken, P.Eben and J.Janca. The thirth concert took place on 27th January, when Martin Moudry performed the works of J.S.Bach, M.Duruflé a M.Reger. A short bible reflection could be heard in the course of each concert.


Opening Krisan Petrescu's Picture Exhibition
On the occasion of picture exhibition opening the author Krisan Petrescu told us about his life in Romania before the year 1990 and now in the Czech Republic. He spoke about his creation, inspiration to it and joy, which the painting brings him. The opening created a part of the regular middle-generation meet on Friday, 18th January 2008. Krisan Petrescu offers more detailed information about the picture gallery on web - www.krisan.cz.


Christmas Theatre - Year-Round Christmas
Christmas lasts only one day – what a pity. And why just on 25th December? Why we don't know anything more exact? That's a pity too. Why Christmas isn't ofter, several times in a year, every month? Because we would be sick of it after a while. And that would be pity. But Christmas is every day, only different and in a different way! And that isn't a pity. And why we have Christmas every day and why it doesn't become ordinary, that was this year's theatre play about, performed by Sunday-school children. The author was Jiri Slouka, music was composed by Filip Klinecky. The theatre play trained the children of Sunday-school together with young congregation members. They played it on Saturday 15th December 2007 in the evangelic congregation in Cesky Brod and on Sunday 16th December in the Strasnice chapel. The chapel was full of participants and their opinion at the end confirmed that they understood well. The text of the play and songs, included score, you can download from - kocna.cz/sbor/div_2007.pdf".


Advent Sunday Afternoon
The Advent meet for all generations was as usual prepared by youth. The congregation meet on 2nd Advent Sunday 9th December 2007 was started by the biblical reflection of Dan Palenik. Daniela Stolarova prepared the children theatre play „Gift of a Young Shepherd“, Strasnice quartet played Slavic dances by Antonin Dvorak and Tomas Najbrt wrote youth theatre play „Merriment and Happiness wishes Herod.“ The programme of the Advent meet was completed with singing of Christmas songs, ample refreshment and a tombola for support of diaconie centre Ratolest.


The visit of the Synodal Senior Joel Ruml
Joel Ruml, the Synodal Senior of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, was the guest of our congregation on the last church year's Sunday, 25th November 2007. In his preaching he emphasized, that it is the open story of our lives with the inducement of God's love, which creates the main theme of the end of the church year. So the „end“ becomes the new beginning and the continuation of promising perspective. There were other themes too, coming up in a lively conversation after the sermon: the role of the church amidst secular society, the life of our church in various regions of our country, the richness of Czech evangelical religiousness, the atmosphere of Czech ecumenism, the relationship with foreign churches and also the question of property injustice redress in the relationship church – state.


Prayer for Home – Ecumenical Pilgrimage on Rip
The Ecumenical Council of Churches in cooperation with other Christian churches in the Czech Republic prepared an ecumenical prayer meeting on the hill Rip, on Sunday 28th October 2007, with the day theme – Prayer for Home. The whole-day project offered a varied cultural and spiritual programme. From 14 to 15:30 hrs. a live TV broadcast ran on CT2 channel. The aim of this action was to unite Christians and Non-Christians under the idea common to all of us - our country as a place, where we live. At the same time the organizers wanted to present churches to television audiences not only as dignified and serious priests and fault-finders, but also as a community that is able to play, sing and enjoy itself.


Children-Trip to Dol u Libcic
For a wonderful trip, on Saturday 20th October 2007, we can thank Daniel Titera, who prepared for us „A Day Full of Bees.“ We arrived to Dol u Libcic with a ferry over Vltava. The children learned there a lot about bees, they saw a queen bee and tasted many sorts of true bee honey. The children with help of various colour strips turned themselves in bees, played a lot of games and of course we grilled us sausages too.


Congregation Weekend in Chotebor
The traditional congregation weekend in Chotebor took place this year too - in the second weekend in October (from 5th to 7th October 2007). On Saturday afternoon we made a trip to „Secska“ dam, to the castle-ruin Oheb and we made a several kilometres long walk through the forest of Highlands. Mushroom pickers found here a rich offer including real ceps, and that all in the forest only several meters off the camp. Evenings were dedicated to singing with guitar, to the usual camp-fire and to discussions e.g. with five students of our congregation on the study at theological college of Charles University.


A Visit from Swedish Kungälv
The Sunday sermon at the beginning of the school year 2nd September 2007 was livened up by the girls of the choir „Sonora“ (choirmaster Lena Brattgard), from the evangelic Lutheran congregation in Kungälv. Our guests sang church music songs in English and Swedish (Ben. Marcello, Charles Knox, J. Willcocks, Nancy Hill Cobb). The sites of the choir can be visited on the address - http://hem3.passagen.se/sonora/.


The Camp of Strasnice Summer-School in Valtinov
This year the camp of Strasnice Summer-School (19.-26.8.2007) took place in Vysocina (Highlands) in the village of Valtinov. Sorgs, the embodied evil, dominated gradually our country and so we had to set out for a journey from our souther situated village up to the North, to the mountains, to an old palace of the emperor Naba and the empress Camina, where we could, according to a legend, find some help. On our travel we had gradually to find seven hidden scepters. 18 children participating in the camp had a good time under the leadership of Ben Klinecky and his 5 assistants.


A Week of Youth in Valtinov
This year's mountains of youth (5.-11.8.2007) weren't mountains in fact. The highest peak of the Czech Canada is only a bit over 600 m and even on it we didn't climb. In spite of that the sport value of the stay was high; 20 km walks ( e.g. catacombs in Slavonice, castle ruin Landstejn etc.) had their sport value. The evenings at Valtinov rectory were filled with the text of prof. Hromadka from the year 1925 „ The Main Protestant Principles“. Young readers had a lively dialogue with this old text.


Strasnice Youth on Luznice River
This year's river boating of youth (29.7-4.8.2007) wasn't river boating at all, because there wasn't water. On walking Luznice river we didn't need any boat, but the more sport and man's tenacity. And so we walked a bit through the river, sometimes we had to laugh at it, another time we whimpered... But we mastered it and at the end we could say, we had a good time. This time it was with a greater group, which was more demanding (the capacity of the river boating was full long time ahead and so when somebody fell away the replacement was found immediately...). Many thanks to Ben, who prepared and managed this affair. We are looking forward to the next year – without any fear about the river boating and only with a bit of fear about water. In any case the next year we are going to paddle a boat on some super river.


Weekend's Children-Camp in Hvozdnice
The topics of this year's traditional weekend of Strasnice Sunday-School (from 8th to 10th June 2007) was the rescue of Alexander Selkirk, the archetype of all robinsons. The leaders – teachers of two boat crews, 15 children altogether - prepared the programme with the series of plays. The hight point of the weekend was a night-play accompanied by a theatre-performance and of course the Sunday-sermon. Everybody could expect, that the children saved their imaginary friend Selkirk. They liked the weekend, which brought a good feeling for all, who had prepared it.


Congregation Trip to Herrnhut
The destination of our this year's bus-trip, on Saturday 2nd June 2007, was Herrnhut, the birth place of the renewed « Bohemian Brethren Church » - Moravian Church. We visited also Zittau, Görlitz, the places connected with the Moravian Church as well as the spa place Oybin. The student of the Charles University Anna Kejrova accompanied us as a guide and her comment clarified us both past and the present of the Moravian Church in Herrnhut.


Confirmation Ceremony
The confirmation ceremony took place in the time of the Pentecostal-Sunday on 27th May 2007. Pentecostal holy days remember us the birth of the church two thousand years ago. On this confirmation ceremony the new congregation members confirmed their childhood-christening. So in our congregation we welcomed six young congregation members and two other who were christened too. The confirmation ceremony was followed by the Eucharist. Ladislav Moravetz, the whole CCB church cantor, prepared the musical accompaniment. The preaching text to download - document Word-RTF.


1st May in the Czech Paradise
The traditional car trip, on Tuesday 1st May 2007, was prepared by Jan Balcar. For this year's trip he chose the place Strelecka Hurka and the west part of the sand-rock-town Prachovske skaly. As usually there were 40 of us. The footpath led past Parez pond and through the tale Laholi to the hotel Skalni Mesto and to the castle Parez. The weather was, as it had been almost always on 1st May, excellent.


Easter Afternoon
Easter congregation meeting, on Palm Sunday, was prepared, as already a tradition is, by the youth of our congregation. This year's meeting 1th April 2007 opened Pavel Hanych by a bible reflection. The Strasnice trio played Trio F major, op.21 by Karl Stamitz. The Easter theater play was written by Tomáš Najbrt and it was entitled “Easter 33”. The text of this play can be downloaded here in the PDF file.


Music concerts in Strasnice
The encounters with music in Strasnice take place in the second part of January – as it has become a tradition. On Sunday 14th January 2007 was heard the music of A.Corelli, J.K.Vanhal, J.S Bach, G.Fauré a G.F.Händel in the interpretation of B.Waldmannova (viola), M.Waldmannova (violoncello), T.Novakova (singing) and L.Parik (organ). The second concert was a pure organ-concert. P.Rajnoha performed the works of J.S.Bach, L.N.Clérambault, C.Franck, M.Duruflé and J.Klicka. The ensemble „Ensemble Guillaume“ under the art-guidance of L.Vendl and P.Budín (bassoon) prepared the concert on 28th January. We heard the compositions of J.D.Zelenka, J.H.Schein, G.P.Telemann, H.Purcell, F.P.Mensi and J.Pachelbel. Short bible-reflections were heard in the course of each concert.


Christmas Theatre – About Sages and People
When the saviour comes everybody is surprised. Most those, who waited him – because the saviour was different. According to man’s meaning, when the saviour comes, the things should begin to occur. Otherwise a man can overlook him. The saviour must be seen he must capture us. Or he is out of luck; he is the second, the fiftieth. Men wait the saviour according to their notions. He came, but only for some eyes, to preserve our freedom. If only there were more such eyes. It is what was the theatre, learned by the children and young members of our congregation, about. It was played on Saturday, 16th December 2006, in the evangelic congregation in Cesky Brod and on Sunday, 17th December 2006, in the Strasnice chapel. A proved author couple wrote the theatre: text and songs by Daniel Rehak, music composed and played Filip Klinecky.


Advent Sunday Afternoon
The Advent afternoon for all generations, on the second Advent Sunday - 10th December 2006 - was prepared again, as already a tradition is, by the congregation children and youth. The children‘s theatre group played the one-act “It is better to live fairly then in a big villa” by Tomas Najbrt. The Strasnice chamber orchestra played two rag times by Scott Joplin. The programme of our traditional advent meeting was supplemented by a biblical reflection by Martin Rehacek, common singing of Christmas songs and a tombola for the Diakonie-Ratolest centre support.


Children’s Autumn Trip – Kite Flying
The autumn trip of Sunday school children took place on Saturday, 4th November 2006. Thanks to a rather bad weather we extempore moved it to Parukarka – Zizkov district. The Kite-flying was a success, the sky was full of colour kites and with children we played a lot of games. It was Martin who enabled us a superb intermezzo with a midday warming up of 13 children and 7 teachers with warm tee, sausage baking and singing with guitar. This all in his flat in Zizkov. Thanks.


Congregation Weekend in Chotebor
The traditional congregation weekend in Chotebor took also this year place in the second weekend in October (from 6th to 8th October 2006). In Saturday afternoon we visited Hradiste by Nasavrky, Krizanov dam and the romantic Peklo (Hell) by Chrudimka. The weather was variable, it was raining on Saturday and that’s why we ended the trip with a visit of a vicarage of our congregation in Hradiste. In Sunday afternoon took place a festive installation of eight ministers – also of Ivo Mares, who in years 2005/2006 served in our congregation as a vicar. That’s why, after returning from Chotebor, we took part in the ceremony in great numbers. Evenings were dedicated to discussions, singing with guitar and to the usual campfire.


V. Kalousova's Inauguration in Hvozdnice
On Sunday, 1st October, the senior of the Prag seniorat Lydie Mamulova installed Vendula Kalusova as the minister at the congregation of our church in Hvozdnice. Children and youth of our congregation visit the congregation in Hvozdnice in the weekends and so it was pleasure for us to participate at this installation celebration. In the Sunday's afternoon visited congregation in Hvozdnice Svata Karasek, who prepared a short concert.


Children’s summer camp in Bily Potok
The last summer week (from 27th August to 2nd September) spent the children of our Sunday-school and from elsewhere too in Bily Potok pod Smrkem, It was there where we, as a rescue team from Europe, had set out for a journey in order to help a village Lambarene from enemies and diseases. Unfortunately one of the curses fell on Bily Potok too and so it was raining practically the whole week. But we were able to cope with both the rain and malignant diseases and were able to return back to Europe (in reality to Prague). We enjoyed singing, plays and other things too. In the camp there were nine children and five leaders. We are looking forward to you the next year too.


A Week at Bily Potok
A week’s coming together (from 6th to 12th August 2006) in the mountains signified two thinks: this year’s oft rains, fogs and foul weather at all. So there were only few mountain-hikes (Smeda – 7th August at 15:00 h – 250 times higher rate of flow 46,7 m3 / sec instead of 0,2 m3 / sec, water-level 176 cm). The second, more interesting thing was our topic – prayer. From root and branch and to the depth. – and with terms, which Protestant doesn’t meet often, as „inner prayer“ or even “the meditation according to Tibetan Buddhism.” The principle point was nothing but intensifying Christian faith and one’s own prayer.


Strasnice-Youth on the Otava
This year’s river-boating (from 30th July to –5th August 2006) was a bit a challenge. We managed it already once before, without our pastor, first of all thanks to Ben, however practically with the old team. This year we were to prove ourselves that we thought it seriously and that we were able to manage it once again even if with another team. Even if shortly before the water-trip it seemed that we would crawl-swim only in a swimwear and belongings we would send by a train or we would have to build a raft… and even if in that time the weather didn’t pamper us, water-sportsmen were no chickens and at the end they managed everything easily. It can be that we were, after a year, a bit tougher or we gave more attention to water we drank and so we didn’t suffer too many looses. And so even if we gave up keeping the old team and went with fairly another team-composition, we could tranquilly declare that water-sport was already and firmly anchored in us and that the youth would go on the water in the future too. Thanks to everybody, who helped where he could and who overcame bad mood and another traps of the nature….and first of all – we went longer way away.


Summer camp in Belec under Oreb
This year’s camp in Belec (from 1st to 14th July 2006)) was dramatic. Four families of warriors had a task to deliver old Christian scrolls to the Roman emperor and bear witness to him too, that Christianity wasn’t dangerous for him but on the contrary. The warriors themselves got to know Christianity in daily praxis better then from some “lectures.” The chief of the camp and his wife arranged the second drama. Just the first day they injured themselves and so they spent the all days of the camp travelling between the hospital and the camp. Limping along and supporting themselves they tried to become at least partners for the lively children. We believe they succeeded.


Cross Belongs to the Chapel
A great oak-cross was placed on the building face of the evangelic chapel in Most on 25th July 2006. In front of the chapel was set up the sandstone sculpture of a goblet. Both artworks come from the atelier of the artist Ivan Jilemnicky. In the festive installation took part a lot of Strasnice congregation members and Ivan Jilemnicky’s friends. Pastor of Strasnice congregation Pavel Klinecky spoke, on the occasion, about the meaning of the cross.


Weekend Camp at Hvozdnice
Weekend camp of Strasnice Sunday school has already become a traditional meeting before school holidays. The theme of the weekend from 16th to 18th June 2006 was “Lambarene – through the black dark and night”. The Sunday-school teachers for two teams prepared the programme, with a lot of games. The weekend in Hvozdnice by Davle was full of games, competitions and the theatre too and was finished by a church service with a sermon by Pavel Klinecky.


Bus trip to Flossenbürg
A bus trip to Bavaria, on Sunday 28. May 2006, had two main destinations. Still in the inland it was the former destination, Benedictine monastery, situated in Kladruby. The second destination was the former Nazi concentration camp in Flossenbürg. The monastery in Kladruby delighted us by its meditative atmosphere, the memorial of the concentration camp to the contrary induces a deep regret over the evil, which man was able to produce. The evangelic priest and theologist Dietrich Bonhoefer was put to death in Flossenbürg on 9. April 1945. Bonhoefer was famous through his concept of the non-religious interpretation of the biblical message.


1st May in the Czech Paradise
Already the traditional car trip, on Monday 1st May 2006, was again a great success. From Mala Skala we went with a train to Dolanky and then we walked along Zrcadlova koza and through the valley of Jizera river. We visited the ruins of the castle Zbiroh, the Cave of Czech Brethren on Kalich and three rock lookouts.


The Easter Afternoon
The get-together on Palm Sunday, 9th April 2006, was prepared by the youth of our congregation, as already a tradition is. Vicar Ivo Mares began the afternoon with a biblical reflection; the Strasnice Trio performed the chamber music „Trifles“ by Antonin Dvorak. The Easter play “The Second Day” wrote this year, for the Strasnice youth, Daniel Rehak.


Music concerts in Strasnice
Sunday afternoon concerts, having taken place in the chapel of our congregation in January 2006, became already a tradition. On Sunday 16th January, the Bethel College University choir (Kansas - www.bethelks.edu) was our guest. The concert was a part of their European tour. The second concert, on 22nd January, was purely dedicated to organ music. Dorothea Fleischmann performed the works of J.S.Bach, M.Kabelac and O.Macha. The Chamber Orchestra Harmonia Delectabilis under the leading of Lukas Vendl performed the concert on 29th January. We listened to the works of J.S.Bach, Ch.Geist, F.I.Tuma a J.Rosenmüller. During the concerts short biblical reflections sounded too.