#SUNDAY SERVICE - Auditoire Calvin

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The Auditoire de Calvin

Auditoire de Calvin

Sunday 3rd November 2019

11.00am


Note the orange windows which depicts
the teaching 
Alas it was an opportunity to worship at the the Auditoire de Calvin, a service conducted by the Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian church. Passed by this church during our orientation week visit to Geneva and heard about this place as where Jean Calvin had preached and taught. This is the church in which Jean Calvin preached and lectured during the reformation.
The window painted in blues depicts the
preaching
This service was a well planned service with prayers and readings and songs and the sermon connected with each other. It was a joy to sing known the hymns Immortal invisible God only wise and Brother, sister, let me serve you and newly learned hymns, Praise I will praise you Lord, too. 

 The service began with a call to worship and the first hymn followed by an opening prayer.
Lord,
how can we hope to contain you with our words?
How can we imagine that we might define you with our creeds?
Forgive us the folly of our arrogance that dares to try to box you in
with our dogmas, our descriptions, our certainties.
You always transcend our best efforts:
you remain mystery; and indefinable.

Yet, just as we must speak of love
Just as we must declare love
we must sing and speak and think about you.

so, thank you for the poets and the hymn-writers
who wrestle with words, and struggle with ideas
and sweat to find ways to help us sing your praises,
to focus on your truth
reinforcing the reality that is your nature
pushing out the boundaries of our thought
till we begin to come close to the edges of who you are
Immortal, invisible, God only wise
in light in accessible hid from our yes.
Yet closer than a breath we breathe
and full of love.
This prayer was summed up in the prayer of our Lord. Readings were from Isaiah 1:10-18 and Luke 19:1-10. The sermon was the Gospel reading about Zacchaeus the tree climbing tax collectors encounter with Jesus. The people who are excluded, the reasons that label and exclude people. Zacchaeus risks his reputation to see Jesus. But the risk, is it actually taken by Jesus of Zacchaeus? If you get along with those who are outside you should be ready to take the flak. Standing on their side is a risk. Can be despised. Jesus doesn't condemn Zacchaeus. We have to learn from him. How much is the church willing to get involved in the life of such people. Move from what is nice and good to the risk. Zacchaeus' life receives a newness.

Communion was brought to the pew by lay persons. The minister played the role of a servant refilling the chalices. Thought it was a very good gesture. The service ended with the Hymn "Jesus Christ" is waiting sung to the tune of a Christmas carol.

Something I have noted in all the churches in Switzerland was, how warm and welcoming they have been. Here there were quite a few who took time to speak to us and share some details of the life of the church. Another aspect is the prelude and postlude to the service. Very interesting. 

Enjoyed a very meaningful service.

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