On Saturday 30th September the councils of St Alban’s (Anglican) and St Pierre-le Jeune (Protestant) churches came together for an annual day of reflection and planning. The day began with the office of Morning Prayer; then each parish met separately in their respective councils. Fellowship around the midday meal followed. In the afternoon, the two councils met jointly to review the activities of the past year and to make plans for the coming year.
In 2022, St Alban’s and St Pierre-le Jeune established a relationship of ‘common life and mission’ under the Reuilly Agreement, signed in 2001 by Anglican and Protestant churches in France. The Agreement envisions closer fellowship in as many areas of Christian life and witness as possible, ’so that all our members together may advance on the way to full visible unity.’
For the last four years, Roman Demptos has been studying Protestant Theology in Strasbourg, and since then has been a regular worshipper at St. Alban’s. He finds the Anglican combination of Protestant thinking and Catholic traditions particularly attractive. “I felt right at home in its rich and traditional liturgy, in its bilingual celebration and in its diverse and welcoming assembly,” he says. He has become more and more involved in the life of St. Alban’s, as an altar server, reading lessons and preaching. After his confirmation in early 2022 he started the discernment programme for the Anglican ministry under the aegis of St. Alban’s chaplain Mark Barwick. This September he moved to the diocese of Durham to start the Ministry Experience Scheme and study at the theological college of Lindisfarne in Newcastle. St. Alban’s Church Council supports him in the testing of his vocation and will continue to do so, should he be recommended for training to the ordained Anglican ministry.
With the rentrée just round the corner the time has come again to bless the school bags of the children and young people in our congregation. This will be part of the monthly All Age Family Service which is held on the first Sunday of the month. The service is shorter and the liturgy simpler than on the other Sundays, and we sing hymns and worship songs from recent years accompanied by two skilled guitarists, David and Chantal. This Sunday all children and young people are encouraged to bring their school bags with them to church (with or without contents!) and receive a special blessing to carry them, their parents and Sunday School teachers through the ups and downs of a school year.
2 years ago the children were a bit shorter and Covid masks still being worn.
The different tongues spoken by members of the St. Alban’s congregation include Urdu, Igbo, Twi, Dutch, German, Flemish, French and English – and plenty of others which aren’t immediately evident. The Sunday School children grow up speaking or hearing other languages around them – and so are appropriate bearers of the Holy Spirit’s flame. Led by Paul and Dan (the latter having been a regular purveyor of Pentecostal flames for the Sunday School as his daughters were growing up) , the Sunday School reenacted the first Pentecost experience with imagination and vigour, and inspired the congregation with hope and joy.
It’s still not too late to contribute to this appeal concerning a Church Extension Opportunity in Rabat, Morocco.
A new congregation is coming together in and around the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Those who’d like to give in support of this new mission effort are invited to use one of the evenlopes at the back of the church,clearly marking your contribution for the Bishop’s Lent Appeal.
La communauté anglicane de Rabat est maitenant au point oú il es temps pour elle de déployer un prêtre résident. Si vous souhaitiez apporter votre soutiien à ce nouvel effort missionaire, vous pouvez utiliser l’une des enveloppes à l’arrière de l’église, indiquant clairement voure contribution au Bishop’s Lent Appeal.
A group from St Alban’s, Saint Pierre-le-Jeune and the Catholic diocese is planning a trip to the Taizé community from 23. to 30. April.
Taizé in Burgundy is a place for spiritual renewal and the affirmation of our common faith in Christ across denominational lines. It also has a distinctive and simple style of music and prayer which includes Bible readings, time for silent reflection and chants.
On 12 March at our usual time of 10.30h there will be a Taizé-style service at the Dominicans, to which we welcome members of the Taizé group from St. Pierre-le-Jeune who will lead us in our worship.
Do join us!
Un groupe de St. Alban, St. Pierre-le-Jeune et des catholiques prévoient de se rendre à la communauté de Taizé du 23 au 30 avril. Taizé est un lieu de renouvellement spirituelle et d’affirmation de notre foi commune en Christ à travers les lignes confessionelles. Elle a également un style simple et distinctif de musique et de prière, avec des lectures bibliques, des temps de réflexion silencieuse et des chants.
Le 12 mars, nous accueillerons les membres du groupe de Taizé de St. Pierre-le-Jeune, qui animeront notre culte aux Dominicains à 10.30h.
Forgiveness Reflections on the art of letting go le Pardon et l’art de lâcher prise
The season of Lent is a good time to reflect on aspects of our Christian life which we often find challenging. Beginning on Sunday 26. Februar we meet every Sunday in Lent after our 10.30h service at the Centre Mounier, 41 rue de l’Université, in the ground-floor meeting room, to think and talk about forgiveness and the art of letting go.
Christians talk a lot about forgiveness. However, genuine forgiveness is not so easy! Letting go of the past and moving beyond anger and resentment can be difficult. In this series of reflections, we will explore stories of the healing power of forgiveness and how it sets us free to become the children of God.
Les chrétiens parlent beaucoup du pardon. Pourtant, la véritable pardon n’est pas si simple ! Lâcher prise du passé et aller au-delà de la colère et du ressentiment peut être difficile. Dans cette série de réflexions, nous allons explorez des récits qui présentent le pouvoir guérissant du pardon et comment il nous rend libres de devenir enfants de Dieu.
Les séances auront lieu toutes les dimanches de Carême à partir du 26 février après le culte de 10.30h dans le Centre Mounier, 41 rue de l’Université, dans la petite salle au rez-de-chausée.
On Sunday 20 November after the service there will be a special General Meeting in the Centre Mounier, in the “salle” on the first floor. All those listed on the Electoral Roll of St. Alban’s are invited to attend and vote upon on a very important issue: to establish a shared ministry agreement between St. Alban’s Church and St. Pierre-le-Jeune Protestant Church in Strasbourg.
The Anglican and Protestant churches in France agreed in the Reuilly Accords to encourage the mutual recognition and shared ministries of our respective communities. As Anglicans we are committed to taking steps toward greater cooperation in as many areas of life and ministry as possible, to advance together to a more visible unity.
The idea of a shared ministry in Strasbourg has been under consideration for the past 5 years. Over the last 18 months St. Alban’s Church Council has discussed at length the possibility of of such a partnership, and there have been many meetings between the pastors and councils of both churches. It is now time to ask the members of St. Alban’s to give its informed consent to continuing the pursuit of this relationship.
This meeting marks a significant change in the life of St. Alban’s. Please come and take part, ask questions and express any hopes and doubts you might have, as we all need to know what this new committment is going to involve.
As from this coming Sunday, 7th August, we will be able to celebrate our Sunday worship back in the church of the Dominican brothers again. Since Whitsun, nearly two months ago, the church has been closed and emptied for restoration and cleaning. Both the Dominicans and Anglicans used the upper room in the Centre Mounier as as provisional chapel. However, last Sunday, 31st July, frère Francois of the Dominicans joined us at the end of our service and announced the good news that from the coming Sunday on we would be able to worship in the church again. He invited us to visit the church after the service to experience it as we would never see it again: completely empty.
A unique view of the Dominicans’ chapel.
It really was a revelation; all the soot and accumulated dinginess of past decades on the stonework has disappeared, the church is much lighter now. The space feels generous and welcoming. It is a remarkable building because it is a prefabricated concrete structure, designed by the architect Alfred-Jacques Nasousky (1864 – 1943) and completed in 1930 for the Dominican community which was re-established in Strasbourg in 1927. Read more http://havraisdire2.canalblog.com/archives/2018/06/03/36441118.html
The organ loft will remain untenanted until Christmas, when – if all goes to plan – the new organ will be installed.
