#SUNDAY WORSHIP - Evangelical Lutheran Church

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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 "Gracias, muchas gracias" (Thank you, many thanks) from Costa Rica, which also comes from all what there is to be thankful for the nation of Costa Rica. After that the children moved to a space within the church in the midst of the service and were involved with activities which kept them as part of the service int heir own way.

Since the countries of the ecumenical prayer cycle was the focus, the Gloria which was sung was from Peru. 

The sermon from the readings of the day, Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 and Luke 17:5-10. Using the the cry of Habakkuk "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help?" Rev. Andy Willis, listed a lot of different situation that people go through and would like to be free from. Connecting it with "the righteous will live by their faith" he explained faith, not as something dark but a path that is lit up and is leading us ahead or not as the disciples felt: empty, where they ask Jesus to increase our faith. God answers, but the prophet had to wait for God's response. And the response was as seen in the passage God's vision. So God is working, he is active. And the book of Habakkuk ends saying that even if the fig trees bear no fruit, and the olive crops fail and the fields produce no food, I will still rejoice in the Lord. So we must wait trusting in God.

The sursum coda sung by the choir and 
priest
The offertory was taken by the children. All running around enthusiastic as they are. Very touching. So much of importance attached to what they were doing. The intercessions thought out and touching on the nations that are prayed for during the week. The sursum coda was sung jointly by the priest and the choir and that was in Spanish.  Thereafter the preface was a responsary, followed by the Sanctus another lively version from El Salvador.

The service comes to an end with the blessing and a song. All who are visitors introduce themselves. And all are invited to coffee.

It was nice to see a small discussion group take place. They were discussing a document, a policy statement of  the church. A wonderful way to bring down to the grassroots the decisions of the leadership.

A wonderful morning in the presence of the Lord. 



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