| Sunday 14th June | The First Sunday after Trinity Dear All Saints Family, When I first came to All Saints, I was introduced to John de Bruin, a South African. John had fought in the Second World War, was captured, imprisoned, escaped, and made his way into Switzerland. There he met Peggy, they were married and John settled in Switzerland. You will appreciate that this is a boiled down version of a much longer and dramatic story. He would become a Church Warden at All Saints, and along with others would steer our church through very difficult times, even times that threatened our closure. His work and the work of those alongside him ensured that we today have a Christian community to which we can belong. I found myself thinking about John as I opened the church this Tuesday past. It was the first time I had open the green doors in twelve weeks. It felt good to unbar the doors and swing them wide open. A number of our church family came to sit, pray, and enjoy the presence of the Lord and the familiarity of a cherished space. We will continue to do this each Tuesday morning (09h30-11h00) and Friday afternoon (14h30-16h00) throughout the month of June. When you do come, you will find that one or two things have changed, reflecting the current social distancing and hygiene rules. You will find disinfectant at the door. Soft furnishings have been removed and every second pew has been roped off. But it’s the same building where generations of faithful Christians have worship over the past 140 years and to which we will be able to return as an entire congregation when the time is right. A Twelve Week Prayer Chain When lockdown began 12 weeks ago, the members of Tuesday Break reopened their Prayer Chain, praying each day at 14h00. The Prayer Chain was started some 30 years ago to hold up the hostages in Lebanon and has been reactivated from time to time over the years. Recently the Tuesday Break members have been joined by many others around the world included friends in Bali, Singapore, Space, France, Poland, and Georgia. Not bad for a small group in Vevey. This week, with things improving, the Tuesday Break Prayer Chain decided to take a pause, at least for the time being, thankful for what the Lord has done. This Sunday You are so welcome to join us for worship online this Sunday. This week, our service will include an interview with Pastor Edrin Williams, pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis. Pastor Edrin spoke to me on Thursday evening and shared something of his experience and that of his congregation following the death of George Floyd. Meeting in Smaller Groups As restrictions continue to be lifted, small groups of the All Saints family are meeting together to share in the online Sunday service. If this is something you are considering and would like some help, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Contact Online You can catch up with this week’s edition of Contact Online (here) which features an interview with Janell and Patrick Rolland. Previous editions are available on our Church Website. Online Alpha Course | Alpha Bitesize A new Alpha Course is starting within the next few weeks. Here’s what you need to know. It’s online. It’s at lunchtimes. It’s happening two times a week (Tuesdays & Fridays). Each session is 60 minutes long. It’s limited to 12 people. To register contact Mark Jones, admin@allsaints.ch. In Him, Clive Contact Online You can catch up with this week’s edition of Contact Online (here) which features an interview with Janell and Patrick Rolland. Previous editions are available on our Church Website. Online Alpha Course | Alpha Bitesize A new Alpha Course is starting within the next few weeks. Here’s what you need to know. It’s online. It’s at lunchtimes. It’s happening two times a week, TBC. Each session is 60 minutes long. It’s limited to 12 people. To register contact Mark Jones, admin@allsaints.ch. Giving A question has arisen regarding giving, particularly for those of us who give primarily during the Offering at our Sunday services. With details available on the church website, you can make a donation at any time. More church news can be found here. Rev. Canon Clive Atkinson All Saints’ Church Avenue de la Prairie, 40 1800 Vevey Office tel: +41 (0) 21 922 94 57 Office hours: 08h30 to 12h30 Mondays 12h00 to 16h00 Tuesdays 08h30 to 12h30 Fridays WEB: http://www.allsaints.ch |
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