Wednesday 27 November 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I hope you are keeping warm in this very cold weather. The snow hit us just as we were preparing for the Christmas Bazaar. But despite the severe weather we had a good number of people coming along and everyone enjoyed it.
I want to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to all those who worked so very hard to organise and run this event.

Advent
This coming Sunday, 1st December, is Advent Sunday. Please do join us as we mark the beginning of this important season of light and hope for us and for our world. During this season we prepare for Christmas as we remember Christ's first coming among us as a tiny, vulnerable baby, but we also look ahead with hopeful expectation to his second coming. This will be the theme of our service on Sunday.

Teens Group Event, Friday 6th December
The teenager group are meeting in the Upper Hall at 17.30 on Friday 6th for games and cookie decorating. A short informal service of carols and readings will follow at 18.30, and pizza at 19.00. The teenager group invite parents and others to join them for the service and pizza. I attach a flyer.

Children Preparing to Receive Communion
Please do pray for our children preparing to receive communion: Erik, Frederik, Leo, Charles, Jemimah, Purity and Emily. The children will receive communion for the first time on Sunday, 8th December, at a special All Age Eucharist.

Nativity Play
Our Nativity Play will be on Sunday 15th December. Any children who would like to get involved, including any grandchildren, please do let Tricia know by this Saturday.

Carol Services

• Heiliggeist Carol Service, 19.30, Thursday 12th December (at the Heiliggeistkirche, Bern). A service of readings, carols and prayers. The Berner Motettenchor choir will also be singing.
• Thun Carol Service, 19.00, Tuesday 17th December (at Chapelle Romande, Frutigenstrasse 22, Thun)

Do come along to either or both of these services and bring your friends!

Prayer

I leave you with the wonderful Advent collect:

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
  to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen

With love in Christ,
Helen