Tuesday 26 March 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope that you will be able to join us for the services during this Holy Week and on Easter Day. The details are below.

Chrism Service for the Archdeaconry
Tomorrow, Wednesday 27th March, 11am, there is a special service at St Ursula's for the Anglican chaplains across Switzerland. We will be renewing our ordination vows with Bishop Michael Langrish (one of the honorary Bishops of the Diocese).
Members of the congregation are welcome to attend, but please let me know if you are coming.

Maundy Thursday (28th March)
We remember the Last Supper Jesus shared with this friends before his death. There will be a Eucharist, 6.30pm, which will include the footwashing.
After the service there will be a time of silent prayer for those who can stay.

Good Friday (29th March)
There are two services to mark this important day:

• Family Service, 10 am: a short service for adults and children to reflect on Jesus' death
• Liturgy of the Cross, 2pm: a service of readings, hymns, canticles, prayers and silence as we reflect on the cross

Morning Prayer Every Day
During this Holy Week, we will continue to meet 8am, online, for Morning Prayer. This will include Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Even if you have not been able to join us before now, you are very welcome.
Ask me if you do not have the link.

Easter Sunday (31st March)
Come and join us for our joyful celebration of Jesus' resurrection. This is such an important day in the life of the church. I urge everyone to attend.
Let's have a really full church as we rejoice together in our Risen Lord.
After the service there will be an Easter egg hunt for the children.

Memorial Service for Dorothy Beriger
This will be on Thursday 25th April, 1.30pm. Many thanks to those of you who have already let the office know that you want to attend.
If you are planning to come, please let the office know: office@stursula.ch
We think there will be a lot of people. We cannot 'book' seats for people but we want to know approximate numbers.

David and I will be away after Easter. The Eucharist on 7th April will be taken by Revd Elizabeth Bussmann, and the All Age Service of the Word on 14th April will be led by James Morgan.

I conclude with two poems, one for Good Friday and one for Easter Sunday.

XI Crucifixion: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
See, as they strip the robe from off his back
And spread his arms and nail them to the cross,
The dark nails pierce him and the sky turns black,
And love is firmly fastened on to loss.
But here a pure change happens. On this tree
Loss becomes gain, death opens into birth.
Here wounding heals and fastening makes free,
Earth breathes in heaven, heaven roots in earth.
And here we see the length, the breadth, the height,
Where love and hatred meet and love stays true,
Where sin meets grace and darkness turns to light,
We see what love can bear and be and do.
And here our Saviour calls us to his side,
His love is free, his arms are open wide.

XV: Easter Dawn
He blesses every love that weeps and grieves
And now he blesses hers who stood and wept
And would not be consoled, or leave her love's
Last touching place, but watched as low light crept
Up from the east. A sound behind her stirs
A scatter of bright birdsong through the air.
She turns, but cannot focus through her tears,
Or recognize the Gardener standing there.
She hardly hears his gentle question, 'Why,
Why are you weeping?' or sees the play of light
That brightens as she chokes out her reply,
'They took my love away, my day is night.'
And then she hears her name, she hears Love say
The Word that turns her night, and ours, to Day.

(Malcolm Guite)

I pray that God's grace will touch you deeply this Holy Week and that you will know the joy of Christ, Crucified and Risen.

With love in Christ,
Helen