Wednesday 1 September 2021

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is good to be back in Berne after our time away in the UK. We had a wonderful time and were able to enjoy some good walks up the fells and around the lakes near Keswick as well as seeing family and friends after such a long time. The journeys and practicalities all went surprisingly smoothly. Thank you again to Adèle, Archana, James and all those who kept things going here in Bern while we were away.

Today, 1st September, is Creation Day when we enter Creationtide which lasts until 4th October. During this time we will be giving thanks for the wonders of God's creation and also reflecting on how we can take better care of it.

This evening there is a special ecumenical service, 18.30 at St Peter and St Paul, with the theme Das lebensspendende Wasser unserer Aare. All are welcome.

This Sunday, 5th September, is Creation Sunday. The liturgy, hymns, readings and sermon will all mark this theme. I hope to see many of you there. Don't forget to book your seat. If you are unable to make the service, you can follow it online at Service Resources at St Ursula's Church, Berne, We are all very thankful to Hector, Martin and Art for making this possible.

We will all be aware of the severe and changing weather patterns in many parts of the world in recent times. This summer there have been disastrous floods in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland and destructive fires in Greece, Italy and France. The effects of climate change in other parts of the world are even more serious. How can we best respond to this crisis?

Talk on Climate Change
After the service on Sunday 12th September, 11.30am, there will be a talk given by Dominic Roser, a member of our congregation who also works with the organisation Effective Altruism for Christians. The title of the talk is Separating the Chaff from the Wheat - How Can I Really Protect My Neighbour From Climate Change? It will focus on practical steps that each of us can take and how these relate to a Christian vision of the environment. There will be opportunity for questions afterwards. Please do come along.

Autumn Sale
This Saturday, 4th September is our Autumn Sale. A very big thank you to all those who have worked so hard organising the orders and the books, baking and cooking. Many of you will have ordered what you want and be picking it up on Saturday. Why not have a look at the book stall and food stall and have a cup of tea while you are picking up your order? There will be a small scale physical event on Saturday, 10am - 2.30pm: the grill will be open outside, tea and cakes will be available, the book stall will be open in the lower hall, and the food stall will be open in the upper hall. Numbers will be limited and masks must be worn indoors.

Welcoming Children Back to Church
We are delighted that Junior Church and crèche will start up again on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. Our first week back will be Sunday 19th September. The service will be followed by an event in the garden especially for families and children with food and a pine cone hunt.

We would love to be able to offer Junior Church and crèche every Sunday but at the moment we do not have enough teachers. If you would like to find out more about serving the church in this way please do speak to me or to Ruby Wildhaber. Of course, children are welcome every Sunday even when there is no Junior Church or crèche.

Being Nourished by God's Word

'Every day look at the way you are living
in the light of God's Word.
Let it warm you when you are cold,
encourage you when you are disappointed.
You must not only be a hearer of the Word-
you must also bring it to fulfilment.
Happy are you if you meditate upon it daily in your heart:
you will be like a tree by the running water,
whose branches will stay fresh and green,
and they will keep bringing forth new fruit.'

Rule for a New Brother

With love in Christ,
Helen