Wednesday 7 September 2022

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I look forward to seeing many of you in church this coming Sunday. If you cannot come to the service in person on Sunday you can find the readings and hymns for the service here: Service Resources at St Ursula's Church, Berne. The sermon will be recorded and put on the website afterwards, at this same link.

Church Photo
After church this coming Sunday, we will be taking a new updated photo of the congregation to put on the website and on our welcome leaflet. (The photo we have at the moment is rather out of date). If you are happy for your photo to be on the website or welcome leaflet, please do come and join us

Thank you
It was good to see so many people at our Autumn Sale last Saturday. I want to thank all those who worked so hard to make the event so successful. Thank you to all our organisers, to those who worked in the kitchen, the food and cake stalls, and the book stall, and to all those who cooked and baked, set up, and cleared up afterwards. Several people from the wider community said how much they appreciated the event.

Nacht der Forschung, Saturday 10th September
I will send a separate email with some details about this for those who might like to attend.

CREATION SEASON

Berner Nachhaltigkeitstage, Saturday 10th September
You can find more details of this here,

Ecumenical Service for Creationtide: 'High Time for God's Creation-Loving Life'
This will be this Sunday, 11th September at 17.00, at "Träffer", Schosshaldenstrasse 43, 3006 Bern. The service will include a discussion on how we can live 'closer to the earth' when we live in an urban context. The service will be followed by an Apero. Everyone is welcome.

Intergenerational Climate Change Project
After the service on Sunday 18th, Louise Rapaud, a member of our congregation will speak about an intergenerational project she is launching in relation to climate change. The project encourages older generations to apologise to younger members of their families over actions they have taken (or not taken) which have contributed to the environmental crisis. The purpose is to encourage the old and the young to take action together. Please do come along to listen to Louise and join in the reflection and discussion afterwards.

Coffee After Church
We still need more volunteers to set up the coffee and clear up afterwards. If you can join the team let the office know.

Professor John Wyatt
It was a privilege to have Professor John Wyatt as our guest preacher last Sunday and to talk and answer questions after the service. I will be sending out a separate email with the text of his sermon, links to the audios of his sermon and talk, and links to the various resources he mentioned.

Pray for those most affected by climate change
As we give thanks to God for the wonders of creation, let us also remember all those most affected by climate change and the environmental crisis, especially those suffering from drought and famine in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, and those affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan.

Creation Season Prayer

Gracious God,
the whole creation proclaims your marvellous work:
increase in us a capacity to wonder and delight in it,
that heaven's praise may echo in our hearts,
and our lives be spent as good stewards of the earth,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen

With love in Christ,
Helen