Wednesday 12 October 2022

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ

It was wonderful to welcome Bishop Gaddie and the team from Uganda for our Harvest Festival last Sunday. If you missed the service and the talk afterwards about the Kigezi Water Project in Uganda which we support, please do ask for further information. We raised nearly 1,000CHF for the project through the auction. Thank you to all of you who brought food and organised the special Harvest Lunch.

I look forward to seeing many of you this coming Sunday. This will be our Pledge Sunday, when we are all invited to review our giving to the church. St Ursula's receives no funding for its ministry and mission from any other source other than members of the congregation. We are very grateful to all those who give generously. It is especially helpful if you can pledge your giving; that is committing to a certain amount per month, or year. This helps us with planning our budget. Please do come along on Sunday as we reflect on Christian giving as a response to all that God has given to us. There will also be opportunity to ask Sue, our Treasurer any questions you might have.

If you cannot come 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.

Exploring the Gospel of Matthew
There will be a zoom study morning on Saturday 15th October organised by Holy Trinity, Geneva, and led by Dr Clare Amos, who is a biblical scholar and Director of Lay Discipleship in the Diocese in Europe. The session will run from 10am - 12.30pm. If you are interested in joining the study morning, please register by Thursday 13th, via admin@holytrinitygeneva.org

James Morgan
Please pray for James as he has now begun his first year of training for ordination, which includes weekly zoom classes and several intensive study weekends in the UK. His first of these study weekends is this coming weekend. Please pray for wisdom and energy for James as he seeks to find the right balance between his new studies, his ongoing teaching work, his service in the church, and his family commitments. He and Lilian value your prayers and support. James will be preaching at St Ursula's on Sunday 23rd October.

Next week, David and I will be away from Tuesday 18th - Saturday 22nd October. We are attending a conference for the Anglican clergy in Switzerland, Tuesday- Thursday, and then having a couple of days' break.

Joy in the Lord even in Hard Times
I hope, like me, you will be both encouraged and challenged by these words:

'Communion with God is something like the weather: There are sunny days, overcast days, storms. But the sky never goes away. While varying conditions will affect our reception of the Spirit, joy depends upon making the most of whatever light there is, even in darkness... Joy is always closer than you think... Every day, every moment, provides possibilities for joy. In no situation is it impossible to turn to the light.'
(Mike Mason)

'Be joyful always, pray at all times, and be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.'
(1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

With love in Christ,
Helen