Tuesday 4 June 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It was good to see some of you at the summer fête last Saturday and to welcome many people from our wider community. A HUGE THANK YOU to all those who worked so hard cooking, baking, running the restaurant, book stall, food stall and tombola, and setting up and clearing up.

Mission Sunday, 9th June
This Sunday will be our Mission Sunday when we reflect on the call to share the good news of God's love in Christ in word and deed. We will also be highlighting the charities we support, both in the service and in a slide show during coffee time.
One of the charities we support is the Passantenhilfe which works with the homeless in Bern. It would be great if you could bring donations of non perishable food (tins, pasta, rice, biscuits etc) or toiletries to church on Sunday for us to take to the Passantenhilfe.

The service will be an All Age service and the children will be involved throughout the service, including bringing up donations for the Passantenhilfe.

House Groups
I am delighted that our House Groups are starting this week.
There will be two groups in Bern: one meeting on Tuesday evenings and one on Thursday evenings. The first meeting for the Tuesday group will be 11th June, and the first meeting of the Thursday group will be 6th June. There will also be a group meeting (monthly) in Thun. We do not have a start date for this group yet.
I have already been in touch with those who expressed an interest in joining a group on Tuesday or Thursday evening and have put them in touch with the leaders of the group. If you are new, or haven't expressed an interest before, but would now like to know more about these house groups, please do let me know.

Study Day on 'Cultural Witness', 13-15 June
Details below of a conference, partly in English, presented by the Glaube und Gesellschaft project at the University of Fribourg. Some of you may be interested in this. Speakers include the famous writer Tom Holland (not the actor!) and others.
https://www.unifr.ch/glaubeundgesellschaft/de/veranstaltungen/studientage-2024

African Social Event, Saturday 6th July
We will be holding an African Social Event, Saturday 6th July, 12:00 -15:00.
This will be organised by several members of our congregation from Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. Come and enjoy delicious food and music, and find out about life and faith in these countries. Entrance is free, but donations are welcome.
If you would like to come please let the office know by 30th June.

Malcolm and Maggie Guite
When David and I are away in the summer (22nd July - 5th August), Canon Maggie Guite will be taking the services. While they are here Malcolm Guite (whose poems I often include at the end of my email messages) has offered to do a Songs and Sonnets Evening at St Ursula's, hopefully on Friday 2nd August. I will send out more details about this in due course. I am delighted that Malcolm and Maggie (who are good friends of ours) will be coming to St Ursula's and I have no doubt you will enjoy their time with you and be greatly enriched by all they offer.

I conclude with one of Malcolm's poems, which is one of my favourites.

Joy
How does she come, my joy, when she comes walking
Over the wasteland and the empty waves?
She comes unbidden between sleep and waking,
She comes like winter jasmine on cold graves,
She comes like some swift wind, she fills my sails,
And on we surge, cresting the wine-dark sea,
The fine prow lifting, as my vessel heels,
The tiller tugs and quivers and I'm free
Of all the land's long cares. As that brisk breeze
Sings in the thrill and tremor of taut stays,
So my heart's rigging, tuned and taut as these,
Sings with the wind that freshens into praise.
For when Joy comes, however brief her stay,
She parts my lips and I know how to pray.
(Malcolm Guite)

With love in Christ,
Helen