Category Archives: News

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That Spring feeling in September

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The Rentrée this year felt a bit like the end of a long winter’s hibernation; a great surge of energy and joy at seeing faces long missed and resuming some of our most cherished customs.

Our Reader David Cowley, whose guitar-playing in particular we had missed while he was recuperating from a major operation, was back in church again to accompany Sunday’s All Age Worship.

David Cowley playing during Communion

We were able to welcome the children and their teachers back to a new Sunday School year, and celebrated that with a blessing of the school bags.

Children and Sunday School teachers are   blessed

And not to forget the Coffee after Church – again, a custom long and sorely missed.  For the first time since Covid restrictions were imposed we were able to meet together in the Centre Mounier for coffee and a chance to catch up with old friends and get to know visitors and new members of the church.  Out of “hibernation” came Frederick William-Smith, at 92 the oldest member of St. Alban’s – and so we were able to celebrate the Rentrée of two former invalids as well!

Frederick with wife Maryline and David      Cowley

Faith in a Conflicted World

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Archbishop Justin Welby

Faith in a Conflicted World is a 5-part mini-film series from Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  He believes that reconciliation is the call on every human being.  To reconcile means to become friendly with someone after estrangement,  to settle a quarrel or difference. It also can mean making two apparently conflicting things compatible or consistent with each other.  Justin Welby’s programme is called “Difference” and is about building bridges in a time when opinions and politics are becoming more and more polarised.

This is a good video to watch to find out more:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piNdJ9PKzLE

St. Alban’s has set up an online discussion group to watch the five-part mini-film series together and then reflect upon each film’s implications for ourselves and our church life.  The next sessions are on

Sunday 27th June, 19.00h    Disagreeing Well

We can have good relationships even when we disagree – in fact, relationships are strengthened when we are able to negotiate conflict well.

  Wednesday 30th June, 19.00h

Sunday 4th July, 19.00h

All are welcome to join; to receive the appropriate Zoom link please contact Fr. Mark Barwick, email  anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com

On Youtube one can also watch the recordings of a webinar series called Difference which is part of the programme of  Faith in a Conflicted World: here is the introductory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1hai2ZLtm4

 

Ascension Day L’Ascension

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Thursday 13 May is Ascension!  It is not just a day off work – it is a major feast of the Church, when Christians celebrate Christ’s entrance into glory to be forever with the Father. At that time, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem and to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit that the Father had promised. The period between the Ascension and Pentecost has long been an occasion for Christians to pray especially for the fresh outpouring of the Spirit in their day.
L’Ascension – jeudi le 13 mai – n’est pas seulement un jour férié – c’est une fête majeure de l’Eglise, où les chrétiens célèbrent l’entrée du Christ dans la gloire pour être pour toujours avec le Père. A ce moment, il a dit à ses disciples de rester à Jérusalem et d’attendre le don du Saint-Esprit que le Père avait promis. Depuis très longtemps, la période entre l’Ascension et la Pentecôte est une occasion pour l’Eglise de prier spécialement pour le renouvellement de l’Esprit à leur époque.
Join us on Zoom for Morning Prayer at 10h30 on Thursday. To receive the link contact Mark at:
anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com.

Rejoignez-nous jeudi sur Zoom pour l’office de la prière du matin à 10.30h. Pour le link contactez Mark sur:

anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Pentecost La Pentecôte

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We are encouraged to wear RED on the Day of Pentecost – this year the 23rd of May – to symbolise the joy and fire of the Holy Spirit. Choral music from various countries represented at St Alban’s
will be offered in the service that day.

Nous portons le ROUGE le jour de la Pentecôte – cette année le 23 mai – pour symboliser la joie et le feu du Saint-Esprit. La musique chorale de divers pays représentés à St Alban’s sera offerte pendant le service ce jour-là.

 

Outlook: St. Alban’s in 2021.

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At St. Alban’s Annual General Meeting, held as an online Zoom meeting on Sunday 21 March, our priest Mark Barwick presented his report on the life of the church in 2020. As well as mentioning the activities that did actually take place in spite of Covid restrictions, and reminding us of all those that didn’t, he outlined some specific areas on which he thought St. Alban’s should concentrate in the coming year:

– Post-Covid (?) Rebuilding and Spiritual Development

  • –  Areas of Diocesan concern:
  •  – the Environment, piloted by St Alban’s Environmental Committee;
  •  – Living in Love and Faith, concerning matters of human sexuality, relationships and identity;
  •  – Diversity and Race.
  •  – Stewardship and Sustainability Review.
  • Read Mark’s report here to find out more.

Holy Week

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Welcome to Holy Week

Even if thus far your Lenten journey has been – ah-hem – somewhat spotty, you can make this week a good and holy preparation for the great feast of Easter. Regrettably, this year many of our usual Holy Week gatherings have been moved online. However, this need not prevent us from entering into the heart of this season, which is the principal commemoration of the Christian Year.

We are encouraged to set aside some time each day for prayer and Bible reading. Some of us may prefer to find a quiet corner in our homes or outside in a park for time to be alone with God. Others will join us online for brief or longer periods, as they wish.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 19h30, you can join us for

20 Minutes with Christ:

We will begin with the Collect for Holy Week, then read the Gospel of the day:

for Monday – John 12.1-11

for Tuesday – John 12.20-36

for Wednesday – John 13.21-32

… followed by a few minutes of reflection on the Gospel and ending with the Lord’s Prayer.

Contact anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com for link to Zoom.

Maundy Thursday at 19h30

The service begins with the traditional prayers, readings and meditations

for the night before Jesus died, lasting about one hour.

It will be followed by an online prayer vigil for those who wish to join for as much or as little as they like, with brief prayers and readings at the hour and the half-hour until 22h30.

Contact anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com for link to Zoom.

Good Friday 12h30-13h30

A solemn service remembering the sufferings and death of our Lord

Contact anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com for link to Zoom.

Note that Good Friday is observed as a day for fasting. This often takes the form of abstinence from meat, alcohol or other pleasure while giving greater attention to prayer for all or part of the day.

Easter Sunday 4 April 10h30
9h40 BCP Communion Service
10h30 Festal Holy Eucharist at the Dominicans’ Chapel

Bienvenue à la Semaine sainte

Même si jusqu’ici votre trajet de Carême a été – eh ben – quelque peu irrégulier, vous pouvez faire de cette semaine une bonne et sainte préparation pour la grande fête de Pâques. Malheureusement, cette année plusieurs de nos offices habituels pour la Semaine Sainte seront en ligne. Cependant, cela ne doit pas nous empêcher d’entrer au cœur de cette saison, qui est la principale commémoration de l’Année chrétienne.

Nous sommes encouragés à mettre à part du temps chaque jour pour la prière et la lecture de la Bible. Certains d’entre nous préféreront peut-être trouver un coin tranquille à la maison ou à l’extérieur dans un parc afin de consacrer ces moments d’être seuls avec Dieu. D’autres nous rejoindront en ligne pour des périodes brèves ou plus longues, comme ils le souhaitent.

Lundi, mardi et mercredi à 19h30, vous pouvez nous rejoindre pour

20 Minutes avec le Christ :

Nous commençons par la Collecte pour la Semaine Sainte, puis la lecture l’Évangile du jour

pour lundi – Jean 12.1-11

pour mardi – Jean 12.20-36

pour mercredi – Jean 13.21-32

… suivi de quelques minutes de réflexion sur l’Évangile et se terminant par la Prière du Seigneur.

Contactez anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com pour le lien de Zoom.

Jeudi saint à 19h30

L’office commence par les prières traditionnelles, les lectures et les méditations pour la nuit avant la mort de Jésus. Il durera environ une heure et sera suivi d’une veillée de prière en ligne pour ceux qui souhaitent, pour autant ou aussi peu qu’ils le peuvent, avec de brèves prières et des lectures sur les heures et les demi-heures jusqu’à 22h30.

Contactez anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com pour le lien de Zoom.

Vendredi saint 12h30-13h30

Un office solennel en souvenir des souffrances et de la mort de notre Seigneur.

Contactez anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com pour le lien de Zoom.

Notez que le Vendredi Saint est observé comme un jour de jeûne. Cela prend souvent la forme de l’abstinence de viande, d’alcool ou d’autres plaisirs tout en accordant une plus grande attention à la prière pendant toute ou une partie de la journée.

Dimanche de Pâques 4 avril 10h30

 9h40  Sainte Communion BCP

10h30 Sainte Eucharistie à la Chapelle des Dominicains

Annual General Meeting 21 March

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Our online skills are going to be tested on Sunday, 21 March at 14.30h, when we gather behind our computer screens for this year’s Annual General Meeting.  However, in view of all the online meetings this church has held in the last year – from Sunday services via church council meetings to prayer and study gatherings – it is really only a small step further to invite all church members to participate in our General Meeting.  This is when we elect our churchwardens and council members, look back at the events of the past year and forward to the path ahead.

Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to take part in these Zoom meetings, either because the internet connection is bad or because the devices (and possibly self-confidence) are lacking. So if this is the case for you, please don’t feel you cannot take part at all.  Contact fr. Mark (07 71 13 38 83) or one of the churchwardens,  Pauline Dif (06 76 80 30) or Anny Samuels (06 67 57 20 56), to arrange for you to join a small gathering of virtual participants, ensuring proper social distancing and safe health measures.

Lent Study Course: Pathways to Prayer

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We have entered the Season of Lent.

Lent is about getting out of ourselves and into the heart of Christ. We seek to be conformed to his image, loving as he loves and sharing in his dying and rising.

We pray. We fast. We give to the poor. Not out of guilt or as a programme for self-improvement. It is a way to follow the Christ and to live in union with him, who emptied himself and gave himself for the life of the world.

Nous sommes entrés dans le Carême.   C’est la saison pour sortir de nous-mêmes et pour entrer plus profondément dans le cœur du Christ. Nous cherchons à nous conformer à son image, à aimer comme il aime et à participer à sa mort et sa résurrection.

Nous prions. Nous jeûnons. Nous faisons l’aumône.  Pas par culpabilité ou comme programme de développement personnel. C’est une manière de suivre le Christ et de vivre en union avec lui, qui s’est vidé et s’est donné pour la vie du monde.

Study Course: Pathways to Prayer

An online exploration of the spiritual life over five Thursdays in Lent, beginning February 25 and ending on March 25.  Drawn from Scripture, spiritual writers and luminaries throughout the ages.  For beginners, practitioners and seekers of all sorts. Study guides will be provided for each session.

February 25    In praise of doubt

Have you ever considered that doubt can be a pathway to prayer? Maybe you’ve always thought that a strong faith was a necessary pre-condition to prayer… and somehow the presence of doubt disqualifies you from praying well. Join us on Thursday – and think again.

March 4           Running on empty

March  11        Praying with your eyes open

March 18        Finding your heart

March 25        Whistling in the dark?

To take part, please contact Fr. Mark Barwick (email to: anglican.chaplaincy.strasbourg@gmail.com) to receive the Zoom link.

Christian Unity in practice

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As the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity drew to an end on Sunday 25th February, we welcomed two representatives from neighbourhood churches to our service of worship:

Wendy Pradeis of Saint Matthieu (Protestant) – Strasbourg Port du Rhin.

A l’occasion de la Semaine de prière pour l’unité des chrétiens, nous avons eu la joie d’accueillir deux représentantes d’églises du quartier : Wendy Pradeis de la paroisse protestante de St Matthieu et Geneviève Gaudeul de la communauté catholique de Christ Ressuscité.

Geneviève Gaudeul from Christ Ressuscité (Catholic) parish.