Newsletter No. 6 March 2012 TO ALL ANGLOPHONES LIVING IN OR VISITING CHAMONIX. Welcome to our sixth newsletter specifically for you. We are the little church opposite the Chamonix station and would like to let you know what is going on for the community in conjunction with us. You are very welcome – whatever your belief – to join in any of the offered activities or simply to contact the team here if we can be of help to you in any way. We look forward to serving you whilst you are here in Chamonix. A Message for Easter from Isabelle Pierron, the Pasteur….. In the Bible, there is no Greek word (original language) for resurrection. It is a Latin word. In Greek the resurrection uses the verb that means to WAKE UP. After the crucifixion on the cross, caused by human pride and blindness, God woke Jesus up from his death. This signifies the victory of life and love over the powers of death, humiliation and harm. Easter is the last word in creative power of made real by God. God still makes that love possible in each of our lives. Paul writes in Colossians 1 vs. 19-20, For it was by

God's own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God. Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven. The full power of God’s love comes to us in Christ. This is the heart of our faith. But what do we do about it? How can we feel the reality of this divine gesture in our daily lives in Chamonix in 2012?

Let us be real, our faith is useless if we do not believe Jesus was raised from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15 vs. 17. How do we real-ise this in our day-to-day lives? We need to live out the gospel; this will bring us closer to those who are lonely, homeless and poor, to those people who need help to live in dignity. The Gospel pulls no punches; those who follow Christ need to accompany those damaged by the forces of evil in our world. Forces like selfishness, deceit, humiliation, rejection and exclusion. In our society that is dominated by money and thoughtless consumption, there are many who are left behind. It is time for us too to WAKE UP. We have to take time to live in a considered way. If living the gospel out in our lives brings Gods’ transforming love to us then why would we not try it? One way of confessing our faith in action is to say out loud, yes; it is possible to live together, to welcome others, to share, to make room for others. Since Jesus was raised from the dead, the doors of the tomb are also open for us to share in a new way of living. May you receive this Easter the amazing richness of God’s love in your life so that it transforms us into visible effective signposts of love for our neighbour for the glory of God on earth.

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What do you think? ‘’The present moment is always full of infinite treasures, it contains far more than you have the capacity to hold. Faith is the measure; what you find in the present moment will be according to the measure of your faith’’ Would you like to WAKE UP & increase your amount of faith?

Mums (Dads, au pairs, grandparents) & Tots Group Restarts on 1st March 2012 at 10am till noon in the Presbytery at the church. All Welcome – even without a tot! For information call Barbara Falkiner 0623047810 Kids Club For younger children 6-8 18h-19h30 First Friday of each month starting 2th March Youth Church For teens 12-15 (College) First Sunday evening of every month, a youth service in French animated by young people from a church in Switzerland. Aimed at the college aged teens. KT for the same age: 28 April 2012 10am with Lunch till 14h English Bible Studies First Friday of every month Starting 2nd March 9h30 Les Bossons, Chamonix 0623047810 for information English Church Services 1st Sunday of the month 10h30 – 4th March, 1st April, 6th May 2nd, 4th, 5th Sunday evenings at 18h, informal friendly meetings. (France service on 3rd Sunday morning to which all are invited) All our activities are open to anyone – regardless of faith or lack thereof. We are available for questions and discussion if there is something you would like to discuss. Please feel free to call us on the numbers’ given on the opposite page

CAN YOU WAKE YOURSELF UP TO HELP?!?! The little church is grateful for the volunteers who faithfully help at the Epicerie Sociale – if you have time to give we can always use more volunteers. The parish has one Pasteur. It stretches from Bonneville to Vallorcine. If you would like to share in the work of visiting lonely older people – a good chance to practice your French and make a big difference in a lonely life, please contact Isabelle or Barbara. ****8888****

There is an Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting in English every Tuesday at 19h, in the Presbytery. Please look on AA International Website for further details, or contact Isabelle Pierron. Are you worried? Do you need help? Would you like to pray with, or be prayed for by others? Call Barbara Falkiner on 0962542562, Isabelle Pierron on 0450558560 Eglise réformée de France, Pasteur Isabelle Pierron Téléphone 04 50 55 85 60 – 06 13 05 04 43 24, Passage du Temple, Chamonix, 74400 For information on baptisms, marriage, blessings and funerals.