Wednesday 28 December 2022

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It was very good to see many of you as well as lots of visitors at our various Christmas services. I hope all of you have been able to enjoy the Christmas celebrations whether here in Bern or away with family and friends.

We continue in this Christmas season. Please do come along on Sunday 1st January, and do pray for James as he preaches that day. There will be no Junior Church of creche this Sunday but toys will be available in the Upper Hall for parents who need to take their children out.

On Sunday 8th January, there will be a special service as we celebrate Epiphany when we remember the Magi coming with their lavish gifts to worship the Christ child. This service will be an All Age Eucharist.

Work with Refugees in Calais
After the service on 8th January, we are hoping that our son, Simon Marshall, will give a short illustrated talk about the charity he works with in Calais, seeking to help refugees. All are welcome

As we think about refugees in Calais and many other parts of the world, it is good to be reminded of the darker side of the Christmas story, that Jesus and his family were themselves refugees who had to flee the violence of Herod.

Refugee
We think of him as safe beneath the steeple,
Or cosy in a crib beside the font,
But he is with a million displaced people
On the long road of weariness and want.
For even as we sing our final carol
His family is up and on that road,
Fleeing the wrath of someone else's quarrel,
Glancing behind and shouldering their load.
Whilst Herod rages still from his dark tower,
Christ clings to Mary, fingers tightly curled,
The lambs are slaughtered by the men of power,
And death squads spread their curse across the world.
But every Herod dies, and comes alone
To stand before the Lamb upon the throne.
(Malcolm Guite)

I hope that you will have a happy new year and know the grace and light of Christ throughout the year ahead.

With love in Christ,
Helen