Wednesday 1 November 2023

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

David and I want to thank you for your prayers and the many kind messages of support after his mother's death. It is a very difficult time for David and all the wider family. David will be heading to the UK later this week to organise the funeral and I will follow some time later for the funeral.

We are also very touched by the very generous birthday gift presented to David last Sunday. We will enjoy that very much. Thank you.

Lectio Divina
A group of us meet every Thursday morning, 10:30-11:15am, via Zoom, to meditate on a short Bible passage and share our reflections. Ask me or the office for the Zoom link.

Mental Health and the Christian Faith
I want to thank the members of our 'panel' for sharing their wisdom and experience at this session last Sunday, and to thank all of you who came along. There was a large number of people present which highlights how big an issue this is for so many people. If you missed the session, you might like to know that there are two cards we produced which are still available in the porch and the hall:
One is an information card with useful phone numbers and websites, and the other is a card called 'Faith in Dark Times' with short Biblical quotations. Please feel free to take these cards for yourself or any family or friends.

All Saints and All Souls
We will mark All Saints and All Souls, this Sunday, 5th November, and during the service we will remember loved ones who have died. If you would like the name of a loved one read out during the service, please do let the office know, by TOMORROW, Thursday 2nd November.

Remembrance Day Ceremony
The annual Remembrance Ceremony will take place at 11am, Saturday 11th November at the Commonwealth War Graves, St Martin's Church, Vevey. This is organised by the British Embassy. Everyone is welcome.

Remembrance Sunday
Our Remembrance Sunday service is 10am, 12th November. During this service, we remember all those who served and died in the First and Second World Wars, and also those who have suffered in other conflicts round the world, and those still suffering and dying in the present, and we pray for peace.

Gaza and Israel: Candlelit Prayer Vigil
I know many of us feel overwhelmed by what is happening in Gaza and Israel and find it hard to know how to respond and how to pray. I want to thank Douglas Pratt for his helpful words last Sunday. I propose a Candlelit Prayer Vigil, to pray for all those affected in this conflict. Although it would be good to do this in person, I know this is difficult for many people. Therefore we will have an Online Prayer Vigil on Wednesday 8th November, 8.45pm. This will begin at 8.45pm, with us all lighting a candle and holding a time of silence, followed by saying Compline (Night Prayer) together at 9pm. This should be finished by 9.15pm. I will send out the Zoom link later. Do please join us.

Poem for All Saints
I end with a poem for All Saints which gives thanks for all the unknown saints and reminds us that we are all called to reflect the light of Christ.

The Gathered Glories
Though Satan breaks our dark glass into shards,
Each shard still shines with Christ's reflected light,
It glances from the eyes, kindles the words
Of all his unknown saints. The dark is bright
With quiet lives and steady lights undimmed,
The witness of the ones we shunned and shamed.
Plain in our sight and far beyond our seeing,
He weaves their threads into the web of being.
They stand beside us even as we grieve,
The lone and left behind whom no one claimed,
Unnumbered multitudes, he lifts above
The shadow of the gibbet and the grave,
To triumph where all saints are known and named;
The gathered glories of his wounded love.
(Malcolm Guite)

With love in Christ,
Helen