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The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Dear Friends of Christ Church,
On Sunday we hear again the words that Jesus spoke to his disciples as he prepared to leave them, in what is called the Farewell Discourse. Jesus had risen from the dead, appeared among them, and now told them he was going away so that he could return to his Father.
It is natural that the disciples felt grief and dismay, for the risen Jesus had been with them for over forty days. They may have thought he was now to be with them in this way for ever. However, Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit, as a Comforter to be with them always. They are not left bereft or alone, but supported and energised to be God's people in the world.
Grief is part of life that we all encounter at one stage or other, some more than others. It comes with the human condition. Jesus teaches his disciples that grief, although inevitable, can with the help of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit, transform us and deepen our human existence. The grief of the disciples is changed into an energy that spurs them on to take the Gospel to the four corners of the world, to share the news that Jesus had risen from the dead and offers the Comforter to all.
May God be with you in every step of life's journey.
With blessing,
Fr John
Prayer
Good Lord,
as the psalmist said, you are close to the broken-hearted
and you rescue those whose spirits are crushed.
Draw near to those who particularly need your presence at this time,
and help those who grieve to know the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Give us the hope of your resurrection,
and the energy to serve each other in your world.
In your risen name we pray, Amen.
This week's service will be led by Revd John Tomlinson. Masks are no longer mandatory, but we encourage all to use the hand wash on entering the church. Volunteers to help organise refreshments after the service are welcome.
You will be able to join us online for this week's Sunday service with this link https://youtu.be/H7dA-jT_7Vw and the order of service can be found here.
Last Sunday's service, the Fifth Sunday of Easter, can be accessed via this link https://youtu.be/BCqHoX_5laY
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three English-speaking churches in Lausanne (Christ Church, the Scots Kirk, and Our Lady of Faith), the Centre provides support for Ukrainian refugees who have recently arrived to Lausanne. The Centre is hosted by the Scots Kirk on Thursday and Sunday afternoons from 2 pm - 5 pm.
