Wednesday 14 June 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It was good to see many of you at our Summer Fete last Saturday. I want to say a BIG thank you to all those who worked so hard to organise it and to run it. We raised a good amount of money and it was also a very enjoyable community event.

I do hope that you will be able to come to church on Sunday. We will be running Junior Church and creche as usual. During the service this Sunday, we will be formally admitting our Churchwardens, Sue and Martin. This is an opportunity to pledge our support to Martin and Sue and pray for them. I am very grateful to them for all that they do in the life of the church.

Church Photo
We are hoping to take a new photo of the church family immediately after the service on 2nd July. Everyone who would like to be included in the photo will need to fill in a photo permission form (adults as well as children). If you are happy to have your photo taken in church and have not filled in the form, please do so as soon as possible. There are forms in the porch of the church and in the church hall.

Update from James Morgan
After coffee on 2nd July, James will be giving a brief update about his training for ordained ministry. He will also give out a short written summary of how things are going, with requests for prayer. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. Please do come and support James and pray for him and Lilian.

Children's Activity Day, 'Creation Fun' 26th August
On Saturday, 26th August, we will be running a children's activity day on the theme of creation. This is organised jointly by St Ursula's and the Anglican Chaplaincy in Zurich. It will be held here at St Ursula's, 10.30am - 3pm. We welcome children aged 3-16. Children under 6 will need to have a parent with them.
There are leaflets and registration forms in church, or you can ask for one from the office.
If you would like your child to attend, please complete the form and send it to the office by Sunday 2nd July.

I am sure that many of us are enjoying sunshine at the moment and appreciating the beauty of God's creation. Below is one of my favourite poems by E.E.Cummings (which I have quoted before!) which gives thanks for all that God has made .The poet puts words and phrases in an unusual order to startle us and sharpen our awareness.

As the poem puts it, let us pray that 'the ears of our ears awake and the eyes of our eyes are opened'!

i thank You God for most this amazing

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any - lifted from the no
of all nothing - human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e.cummings

With love in Christ,
Helen