Wednesday 21 September 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Tomorrow, Thursday 22nd September,there will be a special Commemoration and Thanksgiving Service for the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at St Ursula's at 2pm. We will be joined by Her Excellency Jane Owen, the British Ambassador and representatives from several other Embassies. Everyone is welcome to join us for the service and for refreshments afterwards.

I also hope to see 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.

Assisted Reproductive Technology and the Christian Faith
After the service this Sunday, 25th September, there will be a talk and discussion led by Jorum Kirundi. Jorum works in Reproductive Biology at the University of Bern. I am sure this will be a fascinating discussion and will follow on from some of the questions raised by Professor Wyatt a few weeks ago. Please do join us!

Emergency Appeal for Pakistan
As you will be aware, Pakistan has suffered from some devastating floods in recent weeks and there is now the further threat of water-borne diseases. Let us remember the people of Pakistan in our prayers. We will also be holding a retiring collection this Sunday to raise money to help those affected by this disaster. If you prefer to send money directly, here is the information you need:
Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz: IBAN CH97 0900 0000 3000 9700 0. Please designate this for the Pakistani Floods.

Outreach to Students
We will be holding a special lunch for students on Sunday 2nd October. If you know any students who might be interested to come along to church that day and come to the lunch, please let me know.

Harvest Festival, 9th October
Please do join us for this special Sunday. If you can, please bring fruit and vegetables and other produce to decorate the church and to auction off after the service. The auction will raise money for the Kigezi Water and Sanitation Project we support. We are delighted to welcome Bishop Gaddie Akanjuna from Kigezi who will be our guest preacher and will give a talk about the Water Project after the service. We will also be having a Bring and Share Lunch. Please bring a dish of food to share. We need help setting up tables, serving food, and clearing up. If you are able to help, please let the office know. Thank you.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was widely respected for her commitment and faithful service to her people. She knew that she needed the grace of God to fulfil her tasks. Let us pray for God's grace for ourselves in the duties and challenges of our daily lives.

A Prayer
Give us grace, O Lord, to work while it is day, fulfilling diligently and patiently whatever duty thou appointest us; doing small things in the day of small things, and great labours if thou summon us to any; rising and working, sitting still and suffering, according to thy word. Go with us, and we will go, but if thou go not with us, send us not; go before us, if thou put us forth; let us hear thy voice when we follow. Hear us, we beseech thee, for the glory of they great name.
Amen
(Christina Rossetti)

With love in Christ,
Helen