A Message

Temple de Celigny 13th October 2019 10.00am Welcome Service for the students of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey. Temple de Celigny is build on a a 5th century church. It was burned forty years ago but built up again. It's called Temple instead of church in French to differentiate between the people and the building. The people are the church and the building which is commonly called church is known as Temple. What captures the attention as you enter the church is a beautiful stained glass window. An organ to the right of the church, very hard to say which is front or the rear of the church. The altar area is on the left side and the congregation sit around.  The service was in French with some hymns, readings and a summary of the sermon in English. Some colleagues shared some reflections of  Ecumenism from their parts of the world while some participated in the intercessions. The readings were from Romans 4:23 & 5:5 and John 17:6 - 11 with Ps...

The Evangelical Lutheran Church, Geneva. Evangelical Lutheran Church of Geneva 17th Sunday after Pentecost, 11.00am on 6th October 2019 Another Sunday and another opportunity to attend a worship service, and this time at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Geneva. As ususal the students who signed up just three this time were picked up by Valerie. A small compact homely church in Geneva. Friendly, welcoming and makes you feel at home. Lively, inclusive worship, with an informal atmosphere.  An interaction on the countries of focus The service started with children gathering around a world map and the countries that are prayed for in the ecumenical prayer circle are Children gather at the font explained to the children. There after they are led to the baptism font, and there takes place the thanksgiving for baptism, with the children standing around the font with an adaption from 2 Tim 1:1-14 being read interspersed with prayers and an sung antiphon...

La Cote Anglican Church A service of Evening prayer La Cote Anglican Church 4.00pm on 29.10.2019 The opportunity to participate in an Anglican church evening prayer during my stay at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, Switzerland. Students who signed up were taken for this worship by two members of the church, Peta and John. We we warmly welcomed by the priest Rev. Carolyn Cooke the Chaplain of the parish. A very small cosy little church, where we could see quite a lot of participation from the lay people. Music was led by a two ladies on guitar and flute. And other parts of the service too were led by lay people. Whilst speaking from the text for the day Psalm 146, 1 Timothy 6:16-19, Luke 16:19-31, she spoke about the quality of life that the people enjoy. In the midst of all the prosperity that we have we should not be like the rich man to took no notice of Lazarus at his gate. Often in the pressure to seize all that comes our way many people are tramples and i...

Genesis 1:1-25, Revelations 3:14 – 22, John 1:1-5 The amazon is burning and no one cares, cyclone Idai in the African countries costs so many lives and many damages, the tropical storm Pabuk that hit Thailand costs many damages, the third fire for the season at the ella rock, floods and drought in Sri Lanka has become an annual occurrence.   Each year we see natural disasters increase, and some of these disasters strike the most unexpected places affecting the rich and the poor, humans and animals and bringing on effects that will takes years to heal. We are living in times where awareness on climate change, protecting environment and planting trees are becoming the order of the day. When we look at most of the natural disasters that happen and when we find reasons most often than not the figure points at none other than the very same persons who were chosen with the responsibility of tending and keeping creation. We read in scripture that God creates the earth and all t...

Christ Church Warleigh Thanking God for 140 years “Jesus Christ: the foundation of the church” Reign of Christ Sunday 25 th November 2018 10.OOam At 9.50 the Bishop, Clergy, congregation, altar servers, choir and cross bearer gather at the main gate.  As the bell is rung the Bishop will say…. Gathering We gather from the world and prepare ourselves to focus on God and worship Leader: (T)             The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad; Response:            let the earth be glad; Leader: (E)             The Lord, he is the head of the body, the church Response:         He is the beginning and the first born. Leader: (T)         Let us enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; Respo...