Wednesday 18 May 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope to see many of you this coming Sunday, 22nd May. We will be offering Junior Church and creche. If you can't join us in person you will be able to find the text of the service online here: Service Resources at St Ursula's Church, Berne. There will also be an audio recording of the sermon taken during the service and put on the website afterwards here: https://www.stursula.ch/Sermons/index.

Coffee
We are glad to be offering coffee again after our Sunday services. Many thanks to those who have volunteered to join the team to set up and clear up. We would still welcome more volunteers. If you would like to help, please sign your name for a particular Sunday on the sheet in the hall, or let the office know.

Ascension Day
There will be a Eucharist at 10am on 26th May to celebrate the Ascension of Christ. The Ascension marks the end of the physical appearances of the Risen Jesus to his disciples and his return to his Father in glory. It also marks the beginning of the task given to the church to bear witness to the Crucified and Risen Lord in this world. Do come along to the service if you can.

Pentecost
We will celebrate Pentecost on Sunday 5th June. This will be a big celebration so please do come along. After the service, Dr Manoj Kurian from the World Council of Churches will give a presentation on the joys and struggles of the world wide church. During the presentation (about 30 minutes), there will be some supervised activities for the children outside church . We will then have an international lunch (hopefully outside). You are encouraged (if possible) to bring a dish from your own country, to dress in national dress, and to share a cultural activity (a song or dance etc) if you would like to!

We need helpers to set the tables and serve food. Please sign up on the list in church, or let Lynn Morgan know if you would like to help.

This occasion will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our cultural diversity, yet our oneness in Christ.

If you have not been to church for some time, why not come and join us at Pentecost?

Wine at Communion
As you are aware, during Covid times we have not been able to offer the wine at the Eucharist. The Anglican Church does not permit the use of individual cups and it has been inadvisable to offer the common cup while the risks of infection and serious illness have been high. Bishop Robert, the Bishop of the Diocese in Europe, has recently encouraged all chaplaincies to once again offer the common cup at the Eucharist since the risk of serious illness from Covid is now reduced. We will therefore resume giving out the wine at communion from Pentecost, Sunday 5th June.

Please note there will be no pressure on anyone to receive the wine. I know that many people will want to continue to be cautious. Please also note that, under Anglican guidelines, intinction ('dipping' the wafer into the wine) is not permitted. This is because research has shown this is the most likely way of spreading infection as fingers often go into the wine!

Our Vision of Hope
The focus of our service last Sunday was on the vision of the new heavens and new earth in the book of Revelation. We continue with this theme this coming Sunday. Last week in my sermon I included a few words from Julian of Norwich, a remarkable woman who lived a life of solitary prayer in 14th century Norwich, but whose book Revelations of Divine Love continues to inspire many Christians today. I leave you with a short passage from her book which recognizes the inevitability of grief and tears in our present life (despite God's presence with us) but which looks ahead to the fulfilment of all our hopes when we see God face to face.

'The more clearly the soul sees God's blessed face by grace and love, the more it longs to see it in its fullness. Notwithstanding that our Lord God lives in us, and is here with us; notwithstanding that he clasps and enfolds us in his tender love, never to leave us; notwithstanding that he is nearer to us than tongue and heart can think or tell, the fact remains that we shall never cease from sighs, complaints or tears - or longing - till we see clearly his blessed face. In that precious, blessed sight, no grief can live, no blessing fail.'

With love in Christ,
Helen