Wednessday 9 February 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This Sunday is our Mission Sunday and our focus is on refugees. I do hope you will come along. There is no need to book for seats for the service as we now have many more chairs in church, and even with keeping a distance between each household there should be plenty of seats for everyone who wants to come. Distribution of communion will need to be done differently, as the rows of chairs are now much closer together. So people will need to come up to receive communion as in the past. This will take a bit of organizing but I will explain it on Sunday. (Anyone who cannot come up to receive and needs communion bringing to them will need to sit on the end of a row.)

If you are not able to attend the service at church, you can listen to it online at https://www.stursula.ch/Services/ Many thanks to Hector, Art and Martin.

Mission Sunday: Interview After Church
After the service on Sunday, Manuel Sager will interview a family from Iran who are refugees here in Switzerland. Please do stay to listen to their experiences, from which I'm sure we'll all have much to learn. We hope this will help us consider what steps we might be able to take as a church to support those in a similar situation.

Lectio Divina
We meet every Thursday, 10.30-11.15am via Zoom, to reflect quietly on a short passage of Scripture and then share our thoughts together. It is a time of spiritual refreshment and encouragement. Why not come and join us? Please let me know if you would like more details.

Litany celebrating Creation
At our online discussion of the Nicene Creed this week, we reflected on God the Creator. Several of you asked for the litany we used in celebration of God's creation. This litany, written by Dave Bookless of the Christian environmental charity, A Rocha, reminds us that Christ is central to creation.

Music in Church: Open Forum
After church on Sunday 20th February, you are invited to an open discussion about music in church and hopes for the future in this area of church life. I will present some important principles and then invite comments. Everyone is welcome.

As we think about the needs of refugees across our world, we might find the following prayers helpful:

Almighty and merciful God,
whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own;
look with mercy on those who today are fleeing from danger,
homeless and hungry.
Bless those who work to bring them relief;
inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts;
and guide the nations of the world towards that day
when all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Loving Father,
open our hearts to migrants and refugees in need,
so that we might see in them
your own migrant Son.
Give us courage to stand up in their defence
against those who would do them harm,
and compassion to serve them in practical ways,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen

Merciful God,
You have compassion on all that you have made
and your whole creation is enfolded in your love:
help us to stand firm in your truth,
to struggle against poverty, support the needy
and share your love with our neighbour;
that we may be instruments of your peace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

With love in Christ,
Helen