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This was an interesting week for me. Firstly, we were told that many restrictions have been lifted, or eased, and we are now able to have up to 150 persons in church and have coffee (or tea or juice) after the service again. Weather permitting we shall meet outside the building after the service for some refreshments.
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With very short notice, I was invited to meet with Dr Regina Polak on Wednesday. She is the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office working on tolerance and non-discrimination at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). (Some might remember the ‘Spirit of Helsinki’ which brought European and World leaders together in Finlandia Hall to discuss the mechanisms for maintaining peace in Europe). She wanted to hear from minority faith groups about their experiences.
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On Thursday, I had an opportunity to attend a small gathering at the British Embassy to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. This was probably the last opportunity say thanks and farewells to the Ambassador, Mr Tom Dodd who is returning to London in July. I expressed my thanks to him for his support and co-operation during these years and gave him a St Nicholas candle, asking him to say a prayer for us and for Finland.
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The new British Ambassador to Finland has been announced already. Mrs Theresa Bubbear arrives later this summer. She is currently stationed in Tallinn and knows Finland already as she has worked here before. The Chaplaincy is trying to maintain good relationships with many embassies as this allows us to minister to our members. The Church has a long history with the British Embassy as we are part of The Church of England. we hope to nourish all these relationships and promote the different cultures and nationalities among our church family. I look forward to celebrating with you the cultural richness of our Church – please contact me to further discuss how we might observe different national feasts.
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SERVICES
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All of our Services can be viewed live on Facebook, or you can click this link to
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SUNDAY 20th JUNE - 3rd SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
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10am Sung Eucharist at Mikael Agricola Church followed by coffee in the courtyard
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Thursday Evening Prayer resumes at the end of August
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We need volunteers each week for our Sunday Services. Please sign up here: Sign-up Rotas
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Sunday School & Youth Group
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Summer Minecraft Challenge - to build Mikael Agricola Church! Please send us a photo of your 'build' on the outside and/or the inside and we will publish it in the newsletter! Oskari (age 9) and Eva (age 6) have shared their joint design below...
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Sunday School and Youth Group are on Summer break
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We resume in August in the Church crypt
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Choir
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The choir sings this Sunday and is then on Summer break, returning on August 1st. Thank you to all the singers who have provided such beautiful music and uplifted us in a very challenging time. We look forward to our full choir returning in the Autumn, as and when members feel safe to join.
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Annual Chaplaincy Meeting - Sunday 29th August 2021
If you wish to propose someone for one of the lay roles in our Chaplaincy then now is the time to encourage them before our ACM! You can pick up a form at the back of church or download it from the website and, if the person you wish to stand agrees then you can sign the section which requires them to have a 'Proposer'. The completed forms can be handed back to Rebecca at the entrance, or to the Churchwardens. We have a leaflet coming soon which gives an overview of the lay roles which are so vital to the life of the Chaplaincy!
Please remember that in order to stand for election or to vote at the meeting you need to be on the Electoral Roll. If you added your name to the electoral roll back in 2019 then you don't need to put your name down again until 2025, but if you are unsure or would like to check then please don't hesitate to get in touch with Sarah in the office.
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To be added to the Electoral Roll and/or to stand for one of our lay roles then please fill out the relevant form and return it before the ACM. You can now pick up nomination and electoral roll forms at the back of Church or download them from our website: https://www.anglican.fi/registration-forms/
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Returns Next Week!
Hope you are enjoying your plants and gardens! We are back next week with more helpful tips.
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Iso-mummon mustikkapiirakka!
Thank you to Tino Jayapal for sending us this classic Finnish recipe for the Summer!
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If you have a recipe you would be willing to share then please email it to Sarah at office@anglican.fi.
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For the crust or base
Butter (soft)150g
Sugar 1dl
Vanilla essance 1tsp
Flour 3dl
Egg 1
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For preparing the cream
Egg 1
Vanilla sugar
Kerma viili - 200g
Sugar 1/2 dl (half dl)
Blueberries
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Preheat oven to 175 degree
Mix butter sugar vanilla essence flour and one egg to make a dough
Butter a pan and spread the dough to make a base for the pie.
Beat the following ingredients together: Egg 1, Vanilla sugar, Kerma viili - 200g, Sugar 1/2 dl (half dl)
Pour it into the base. Scatter the blueberries on top.
Bake at 175degrees for around 30mins (depending on the oven)
The side of the crust should be slightly golden and the cream in the middle will be set.
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Philately Goes to Church (Part 2), By David Bullivant
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It must be stressed that to make a killing from collected stamps means a lot of hard graft, following market trends, as one does with stocks and shares. I have handled 'collections' that were simply tipped into the bin, worthless - value may be in the collector's eye, but in reality is not all roses.
Then I met a dealer, one of two in Järvenpää who had shops, and asked him to come and see what we were doing with stamps for the church, and he subsequently visited our home one evening. Inkeri had put out a particularly fine example of a Finnish stamp to 'test' our visitor . . . we explained what we were doing and asked if there was something more we could to do generate more funds, and he offered to sell all our unsold stock via his four times a year international stamp auctions. His commission was very reasonable. He explained how we should package the items into theme lots and different country packs. After coffee Inkeri presented her chosen stamp for appraisal. He looked at it, and said, "That is very bad." Inkeri was astounded and asked what he meant . . . "It's so very good," he said, "that it's PAHA!" Ever after that we always referred to him as 'Mister Paha'! A nicer, more honest man, it would be hard to find.
Later Finland introduced VAT, which was a hefty nail into the coffin of stamp dealers. As 'Mister Paha' explained to us, how can a dealer sell a stamp at a price based on the catalogue, and then add VAT to the purchase price - how was this to work? Many dealerships closed down. 'Mister Paha' closed his shop - cutting out rent, insurance, heating and electrical costs, all of which he had to get back form stamp sales at street level - dealing from home avoided all these profit sapping items, and for many, many years 'Mister Paha' has handled all the material I've sent to him for auctioning.
But, and there's always a but, as the ol' goat said, sadly the hobby has been in decline for many years. Most stamp clubs have no young members, it is a greybeard hobby, and postal authorities have also been very active killing their golden goose by simply over issuing new items. Back in the sixties, Finnish Post, for example, issued two album pages' worth of new stamps annually - collectors could keep up with this, and concentrate on cancellations. Last year the Finnish Post issued over 70 new stamps, even though when you take an item to the post it invariably ends up with a printed-on-the-spot franked label, not a stamp! You have to BEG for a stamp to be affixed, and get some funny looks, too. This means that annually one needs at least a dozen new album pages to handle the over-production of stamps, many of which are issued with peculiar glue that is the devil to get off! Another nail was applied by the Finnish firm that produced new album pages, properly printed with slots for all the previous year's issues, they simply packed up producing pages! This is cause and effect - fewer people collecting, fewer new pages needed, too much bother and little to no financial gain to provide the service - end of story. Yes there are international album makers that continue providing pages for their albums . . . .but it usually means using their catalogue, too.
Interest in collecting stamps falls back on set time scales, or speciality, such as stamps with errors on them - there have been a few in Finland, such as the Zeppelin over Helsinki showing the wrong year, and a more recent issue showing some printed music covering an event depicted on the stamp - under the microscope it can be seen that it's the wrong music!
Most of my incoming stock to handle has come from sources other than from members of our Church, and the same holds true for card recycling raw material. Sadly nearly all of my customers have joined the airmail delivery to the skies, and among our Church goers - no collectors are known to me. I supply a few specialists, and some people still supply me with current stamps to dispose of. Another sadness is that our lovely 'Mister Paha' recently suffered an unfortunate medical catastrophe, so no more auctioneering for him for us.
All this decline in stamp revenue can be seen in the Church accounts over the years - diminishing returns . . . . going, going - gone. Perhaps someone should stand up in Church and remind us that money is being thrown away when stamps hit the waste paper basket - a new start made.
David Bullivant
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COVID guidelines
when coming to worship at St Nicholas
- Before entering the Church, please use the hand disinfectant provided or wash your hands in the bathrooms.
- All those joining in worship (clergy and laity) should wear a face mask to reduce transfer of respiratory droplets into the environment. Those who have a formal part in the liturgy (presiding, preaching, reading, interceding) may remove their face mask when they are actually speaking. Please be careful where masks are placed to avoid cross-contamination. Face masks are available at the entrance.
- The Vergers are here to ensure your safety and those of other members of the congregation by overseeing the seating arrangements and providing guidance during the service. They will ask you for a phone number when you arrive at Church, this is for purely for contact tracing.
- The seating arrangements have been planned to ensure that a two-metre distance is maintained. If you are here with your family or individuals who live with you in the same household, you are welcome to sit together.
- Should you feel the need to cough or sneeze, please use a tissue. Used tissues can be disposed of in the bin at the entrance. It is recommended that each individual or each family carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
- At the Peace, please maintain a safe distance from other members of the congregation. The sign itself can take the form of a wave or smile instead of shaking hands.
- Holy Communion will be administered in the form of the wafer only. The wafer will be administered by the Chaplain and you will be guided at this point in the service by the Vergers. If you wish to receive Holy Communion then please extend your hands, with face covering in place. You may lower or unloop your face mask to consume the consecrated bread and then replace the face mask before moving back to your place in the congregation.
- The Vergers will ensure that safe distancing is maintained when leaving the Church, please wait for their signal that it is safe to leave.
- Contactless giving is available at the entrance/exit. Offerings can also be placed in a basket at the exit when leaving the service.
- Please note that there is no post-service gathering for tea and fellowship in the Crypt.
- Online Sunday School finishes on 30th May and resumes in early August. At this point we are not permitted to hold Sunday School in the crypt.
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Those with symptoms of Covid-19 or other respiratory or flu-like illness, or an elevated temperature, or who are particularly vulnerable to infection should not attend public services, but join our online worship.
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SAVE THE DATE!
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Outdoor Service in Mikael Agricola Courtyard
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Back to School All-Age Service
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Annual Chaplaincy Meeting after the service
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PRAY WITH US
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look on this wounded world
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hold us fast to your promises of peace
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Church of England: Diocese in Europe, Bishop Robert Innes, Bishop David Hamid
Church of Sweden: Diocese of Visby, Bishop Thomas Petersson
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark: Diocese of Copenhagen, Bishop Peter SkovJakobsen
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SUPPORTING US
In these difficult times your continued support is greatly appreciated and if possible we would ask you to consider donating towards our ongoing costs by clicking here to be directed to our easy Donate buttons or by means of a bank transfer using the details below:
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Suomen Anglikaaninen Kirkko (The Anglican Church in Finland)
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IBAN: F173 3131 1000 3282 07
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Father Tuomas Mäkipää (050-3099132)
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[Please use the contact emails provided]
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