Church of Scotland. Cattle and camels... Pope Benedict created a bit of a stir in the press recently, which is not unusual.

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1 Church of Scotland Newsletter Winter 2012 Cattle and camels... Pope Benedict created a bit of a stir in the press recently, which is not unusual in itself. This time however it was because of comments which he wrote in a new book "The Infancy Narratives - Jesus of Nazareth". Rather than picking up on any of the more profound things he might have had to say, the press focussed on his simple observation that the animals which are often included in nativity scenes are not actually mentioned in the bible. Pope's book on Jesus challenges Christmas traditions proclaimed CNN, while the British Daily Mail simply screamed Killjoy Pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions. Whatever we might think of some of the other statements that come from the Vatican, I'm sure every clergy will sympathise with him on this. For those who lead worship, every Christmas brings a difficult balancing act. On the one hand there is a popular desire for the warm sentimentality of the season, such as that presented by the image of well behaved animals gathering around the sleeping baby Jesus. On the other hand is the desire to present the Christmas story in a way which is both authentic and engaging. Perhaps the real meaning of the story is really too big for us to face up to in its raw form. It could be argued that the introduction of animals and the development of characters for the wise men help us to relate to it more easily. The danger however is that this disneyfication of the Christmas event actually distracts us from the point and the purpose of it. Given that the location of the story continues to be a place of violence and oppression, it seems all the more poignant to claim that God s involvement with the suffering of the world could lead to his coming among us as one who suffers. Making the story too sweet and ignoring the immediate consequences of genocide and enforced exile (as told in Matthew s gospel) hardly do justice to the theological significance of it. So perhaps Calvin had a point when he wanted to ban any celebration of Christmas. His main fear was that people might think that as long as they celebrate the main Christian festivals they were doing enough to please God. Perhaps he also sensed that too much focus on Jesus the baby would distract from the far more significant things about his life which the New Testament tells of. After saying all that it might seem strange to wish you a merry Christmas, but of course I will anyway. For once we get past the many distractions, we are still left with a message about the love of God which can overcome every threat and danger to bring peace and hope. That, I believe, is worth celebrating all year round with or without cattle and camels. Best wishes, Ian Manson Minister: Revd. Ian Manson, 20 Ancienne Route, 1218 Grand Saconnex Tel/Fax Church Office: 6 ch Taverney Tel: cofsg@pingnet.ch geneva.com Church Bank Account: UBS 279-C Events: Wednesday 12 & 19 December: Advent Service at 19:15 Sunday, 9 December: Family Christmas Service at 11:00; Carol Service at 15:00 Tuesday, 25 December: Christmas Day Service at 11:00 followed by lunch at 12:00 in the Salle Thursday, 10 January: Women s Group, Open House at mid-day Saturday, 19 January: next AOAC Concert Tuesday, 29 January: Congregational Committee at 20:00 12 thoughts for Christmas The Greatest Christmas Gift "This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ." Frank McKibben

2 Page 2 Church Life Flowers I would like to say a very big thank you to all who have contributed flowers during this year. Next year s flower rota is standing beneath the notice board in the Salle. I hope you will add your name to it and let me know when you wish to donate some flowers. If you need any help arranging them do not hesitate to contact me. Flowers bring life and colour to the Church as living evidence of the mystery of creation and can be as fundamental to church worship as music. I do hope you will feel called to share in this ministry and contribute flowers on a particular Sunday to remember the passing of a loved one; or on the occasion of a celebration; or for the sheer joy of seeing fresh flowers brightening the Auditoire on a Sunday morning to glorify God... I look forward to hearing from you, Sunday School With many thanks, Janet Askew Sunday School is in full swing and we re gearing up for Christmas. We re having our Christmas Family Service, followed by our potluck Christmas lunch for the Sunday School and crèche families, on 9 December. We will then take a break over the Christmas period, returning again on 6 January We would like to say a special word of thanks to everyone who contributed toys to the Sunday School s toy stall at this year s Saint Andrew s Fair. We received particularly generous donations this year, which helped to almost double the income compared to last year. Many thanks! The Sunday School team, Jenny Rietbergen Women s Group Change of Day Our BIG NEWS for the New Year is that we will now meet on Thursdays in the Open House, contrary to a proposal made in an earlier message. This will usually be on the first Thursday of the month, but exceptionally in January, we shall get together on 10 January. The decision to change the day was because we can no longer afford the increase in rent applicable on Monday, and we have been offered a lunchtime slot on Thursday, which we shall be sharing with the Ecumenical Women's Group. Our lunches will follow the same format as previously, followed by a guest speaker or some other activity. We are pleased to be able to announce that our speaker in January will be our Minister, Ian Manson. As usual we shall be organising Bowling excursions from time to time throughout the year and our activities will also include our always popular annual visit to Champéry in the Spring. Other programme details will be announced later. We wish you all Happy Holidays and look forward to seeing many of you in the New Year. For the Committee, Joyce McNulty Laugh with Immanuel "The implications of the name 'Immanuel' are both comforting and unsettling. Comforting, because He has come to share the danger as well as the drudgery of our everyday lives. He desires to weep with us and to wipe away our tears. And what seems most bizarre, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, longs to share in and to be the source of the laughter and the joy we all too rarely know." Choir A very enjoyable concert was put on by the choir in the summer to raise funds for our mission in Malawi. Soprano, Sarah Phillips, returns home to the USA at Christmas and will be greatly missed. The choir wishes her much success and joy with her future plans. As always, the choir is delighted to have new people join; whether it is for just a couple of weeks, couple of months... Come and meet with us. Lucie Goodman Addendum from the choir: We have really enjoyed and benefited from Lucie's leadership and encouragement this year. We are very happy to have her back after her maternity leave and were overjoyed at the arrival of Gwendoline. And while wishing Sarah well on her departure, we hope she will come back! In the meantime, we are looking for more sopranos... Book Stall Another year has passed and the bookstall has remained a constant source of welcome and fellowship of our church Michael Card

3 Page 3 life. The takings have been fairly consistent this year providing the church funds with an average of 200 CHF per month. We wish to express our thanks to the team: Antonia, Carleen, Claire, Joan, Lily and Paraic. Sadly we must say goodbye to Carleen next February when she returns to her beloved Canada. She will be sorely missed at the bookstall as well as at many other activities in the church but we wish her and David well. Our team always needs new volunteers so if you feel the urge to serve the church in these ways do please speak to either Ritchie or me. Wonderful Impossibilities "When God intends to make something wonderful he begins with a difficulty. When he intends to make something very wonderful, he begins with an impossibility." Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Coggan Belinda and Mak were kind enough to run the card stall at the Church Fair in November and a very pretty stall it was. Thank you to them both. Talking of the Fair, you will have noted that our shelves are largely depleted of books since Paraic sold many of them at the Fair. Thank you, Paraic. If you have any books in good condition that you would like to donate, please bring them to the church any Sunday. They will be gratefully received. At the moment we have, as usual, a selection of Christmas cards and calendars for sale. Please do come and browse you will be assured of a warm welcome at the Bookstall. With good wishes for a happy Christmas season. Ritchie and Mary Free Will Offering Thank you most warmly for all your contributions during 2012 The Free Will Offering scheme makes up for half of the Church s yearly income. At the end of this year however we will be losing several generous contributors. Giving through this scheme helps the Treasurer plan ahead with much greater confidence. Therefore we would like to encourage members of the congregation to join or to continue giving through this scheme. Contributions can be made using the weekly envelopes which are available on request, or by bank transfer. Those who are resident and pay tax in the Canton of Geneva may also want to be aware that financial donations to charitable institutions are tax deductible, including sums paid to the Church of Scotland. Since 2012, tax deduction has also been extended to the federal tax. Want to know more about the planned giving to the church? please contact Freewill Will Offering Treasurer, Jurg Strittmatter. Thank you for sustaining the Church s financial needs in the coming year in a generous committed way. Jurg Strittmatter, , jurgstrittmatter@yahoo.co.uk Caring for One Another Christmas is almost upon us. A happy time of the year for most of us. For some people, however, Christmas can be a difficult time; especially those who feel under special stress at this time of year, whether it's because of all the commercial pressures that we are exposed to ("buy, buy, buy...") or because this season often a time of family reunions brings back sad or painful memories of the past. Those who have experienced bereavement, especially during the past year, often find special anniversaries such as Christmas especially difficult to deal with. At this special time in the Christian year, do take a moment to think of those around us who are less fortunate than ourselves. Keep an eye and an ear open for opportunities to extend a hand of fellowship, to offer a smile and a kind word. Consider opportunities for hospitality not forgetting either that the cold dark nights of winter that come after Christmas can also be a hard time for those who are alone, who lack some of the comforts of life, who would appreciate some additional "warmth" in their lives. We will be organising again this year, on Christmas Day, our traditional reception and lunch in the Salle Théodore de Bèze immediately after the Christmas Day service in the Auditoire, is open to anyone who would like to attend! Please do let one of us know if you would like to take part. And we wish you all a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year! Jim Sharp ( ) and the other CFOA members: Terry Angleys, David Asbury, Janet Askew, Christine Bunn, Jean Murray, Eleanor Strittmatter, Rosaleen Walker, and Rev. Ian Manson.

4 Page 4 Our Church at home The New Organ is (almost) a reality! The AOAC (Association for the new organ of the Auditoire de Calvin) is delighted to announce that, thanks to support from several major Swiss and international foundations, and from many private individuals, the AOAC has now been able to raise most of the funds necessary to construct the instrument, and has concluded a contract with Manufacture d Orgues Bernard Aubertin of Courtefontaine (Jura), France. The new organ should be installed either in late 2013 or early The AOAC was founded in 2008 as an association under Swiss law, separate from all the congregations worshipping in the Auditoire, with the specific aim of seeking and raising funds for a new organ. Its independence was deliberate, so as keep it separate from funding for the three congregations and their projects. However, the principal effort and participation in the Association has been from Church of Scotland members, including Rev. Ian Manson as President. Manufacture d Orgues Bernard Aubertin was chosen after a long process of selection by the AOAC committee because of the quality of its instruments. Dr Aubertin has built organs of all sizes, all over the world, including in King s College, Aberdeen, St. Louis-en l Ìle, Paris, and closer to home in the village of Crozet in the Pays de Gex. He pays special attention to matching the voices of the organ to the building in which it is installed, and that was an important reason for choosing his firm. Anyone who has visited his workshop at Courtefontaine, or who attended the talk that Dr Aubertin gave in the Auditoire in June 2012, will understand his passion and his musical and technical skill. Make Room for More Somehow, not only for Christmas, But all the long year through, The joy that you give to others, Is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing, The poor and lonely and sad, The more of your heart's possessing, Returns to you glad. John Greenleaf Whittie We are very grateful to the Church of Scotland, Geneva, for a generous donation recently agreed by the Congregational Committee, and to all the individual Church members who have so faithfully supported the association over the years. Thank you all for your solidarity, whether as pipe sponsors (nearly 50 of you), participants in our 2012 Ceilidh which raised CHF 6,000, riders in the sponsored bike ride which raised CHF 3,000, supporters of concerts, or anonymous donors. We hope the new instrument will be a joy and a pleasure to all who use the Auditoire and make a real and valued contribution to the worship of the three congregations, and to the musical life of Geneva. We are still short of about CHF 40,000 to pay Swiss TVA on the new instrument and some incidental expenses. So we are continuing our concert programme (see below) and donations are still welcome. Why not sponsor a pipe to celebrate good news, or perhaps in memory of a loved one? If you would like to become a Pipe Sponsor or donate in any other way, please click the Donate button on the Association s website ( deauditoirecalvin/). The many professional and amateur musicians from Geneva and elsewhere, who have given their time and efforts to holding concerts in aid of the new organ, also deserve a big thank you. We shall continue to have a strong musical programme in The next AOAC concert will be on Saturday 19 January, by some highly talented professional musicians who are giving their time freely; Alessandro Urbano, a brilliant young harpsichordist and conductor based at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva, the Spanish counter-tenor Carlos Mena (described as a revelation among the young generation of countertenors ), and the Ensemble L Armonia degli Affetti. This concert should be an exceptional event. Please mark it in your diaries and come! Rebecca Mac- Donald and Peter Tulloch

5 Page 5 Congregational Committee The Congregational Committee has met twice over the past few months: on 18 September and 27 November The main items of interest were: Peace with the Earth : The planning and review of actions in support of the Church's emphasis on this theme involved special sermons, publicity at the Church Fair and the acquisition of resource material for use by members of the Congregation. Constitution and tax exempt status: The revisions to the Church's Constitution that were approved by the Annual Congregational Meeting in June have been accepted by the Geneva Authorities. Now we can announce that contributions to Church funds will remain tax deductible for the next ten years and that, for the first time, this will apply not only to Cantonal tax but also to Federal tax. However, it remains to be seen whether these deductions can be claimed by those resident outside the Canton of Geneva. Church Fair: The meeting in September advised on the plans for the Fair and that on 27 November extended its thanks to all who had made it such a success. New organ for the Auditoire: The Committee was very pleased to learn that sufficient funds had been received to allow a contract to be signed for the construction of the new organ. It was decided that, as the Church would be the principal beneficiary of the organ, it would make a major donation to the cost of the installation of the instrument, anticipating that in due course we may also be faced with increased costs related to its maintenance and insurance. Chairs for the Auditoire: Real progress has been made in selecting new chairs that are to be purchased for the Auditoire. The final decision will be linked to plans for the new organ and a possible repainting of the interior of the Auditoire. Partnership with Ekwendeni: Having reviewed the success of the visit to Geneva of Stalin and Christine, the Committee received proposals for a three-year programme of structured support to our project in Malawi. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:12 Not Alone at All "I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the word seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses." Taylor Caldwell These will be considered in detail when the Committee next meets. The next meeting of the Congregational Committee will be on Tuesday 29 January at 20h00 and, as always, all members of the Congregational are warmly invited to attend Arthur Askew, Secretary True Christian Christmas Christmas isn't showy gifts Or glittering decoration; It's honouring our Saviour, Jesus Christ In humble adoration. It's serving those less fortunate, Meeting their needs before our own; It's making sure at Christmas time That no one is alone. It's taking what we would have spent On things that no one needs, And using it to help someone With service and good deeds. Our Saviour showed us how to live With charity, faith and service. It makes the holidays a joy, More peaceful, and less nervous. So let's remember Christmas is About our Saviour's birth; That's the way to happiness, The way to peace on earth. By Joanna Fuchs

6 Page 6 Members of Our Congregation Congratulations Rosaleen and Robert Walker s grand daughter, Lilia Margaret Walker, baptised on Sunday, 16 September. Saying goodbye Welcome to Gwendoline Honor Kitson Goater born to Lucie and Chris Goodman on 21 October 2012 (Brother Isaac, left, meets his sister for the 1st time) Getting to know young people who come to Geneva for a short spell is one of the thrills of being part of this church. Saying goodbye to them is the downside of that, but it is good to know that we have made a contribution to people s lives, whether or not they ever find their way back to Geneva. Sarah Phillips is a young American lady who has been in Geneva as part of her Masters in Business Administration studies. She leaves us by year end, so I took the chance to ask her some questions before she left. How long have you been with us in? I ve been here since October 2011 Apart from attending worship, what other activities have you taken part in? I ve sung in the church choir, taken part in the Malawi partnership, been involved with the church fair, helped at the Easter breakfast and organised a Thanksgiving dinner. What have you most enjoyed about being part of this congregation? The people I have met and the friends I have made. I ve had amazing opportunities to sing with the choir, and travel to Malawi. It has been great to feel that I have been able to help others, as well as receiving help myself, including help with my study programme. Being here also gave me a sense of familiarity as I grew up in traditional Presbyterian Church. What are you going to do next and what will you take with you from your time here? First complete my studies in the US; the rest is a mystery! I would love to come back to Geneva to start working somewhere, but that depends on the right opportunity opening up. I think I have a stronger (and maybe even renewed) faith, and I certainly have new friendships. I hope to be able to continue a longer term relationship working with the Malawi partnership, and would love to be able to come back and sing with the choir sometimes. Come as a Child "There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child." Erma Bombeck October Can you help? The Presbytery of Europe is the parent body of our congregation, linking all Church of Scotland churches in mainland Europe (& Bermuda and Sri Lanka!). On October 2013, it is meeting in Geneva. This means about 60 visitors looking for accommodation. Yes, they can find hotels, but staying in our homes keeps costs down for the presbytery and also it is a great opportunity for our members to meet ministers and elders from sister congregations. Those who have done so in the past have always found it a fulfilling experience. Since our guests will be meeting all day on Friday and Saturday it is best if they stay not too far out of Geneva with easy access either by public transport or by car if you are prepared to act as chauffeur. If you can offer accommodation please speak to Ian Manson, Alice Tulloch or Mary Couper who can all give you more information. If you want to know more about the presbytery look at their website Alice Tulloch

7 Page 7 This Year s Fair The location was set, stalls ably manned and stocked, and... the visitors happily parted with their hard earned francs! Yes, it was our 2012 Scottish Fair and Ceilidh. What shone through most clearly was the enthusiasm, hard work and dedication to make our Fair a day to be proud of. The fellowship, community spirit and camaraderie was amazing... and we raised 15,475CHF for our Church Funds. So many people to be thanked for all their time and efforts, too many to mention by name, but you know who you are, I want to say a HUGE thank you and well done. The evening Ceilidh was enjoyed by many young and old(er!) dancing the evening away with the Loch Léman Ceilidh Band. A great night which raised over 2,000 CHF. A huge thank you to Peter and Alice Tulloch who once again orchestrated such a successful evening. They are now are taking a step back from their role as organisers, and as such I would like to thank them, on behalf of the Fair, for all their efforts and work that has ensured that each year the ceilidh evening (which they instigated in the first place) is so enjoyable and a great addition to the Fair weekend. All in all, a great time was had by all, and for those of you who donated time, energy, efforts and money, remember, the Fair for 2013 is being held in September. If you would like to make a suggestion for the Fair, or get involved, please get in touch. Lesley Reddy That said, there is still an opportunity to participate in this year s Silent Auction which runs until year-end: a week in a lovely holiday home in the South of France. (see below) Silent Auction A beautiful holiday house for six in the South of France for one week The property sleeps six and is situated in the Domaine Saint-Pierre de Tourtour in the Haut Var, around 5 hours drive from Geneva or 1 hour 25 minutes from Nice. The main accommodation comprises 2 bedrooms, separate, bathroom, kitchen, dining/living room leading onto the terrace and garden. An annexe includes a further bedroom and bathroom. The Domaine set in 180 hectares and at an altitude of 600 metres has a large swimming pool, lake, and tennis courts and is situated 3 kilometres from Tourtour ''village dans le ciel'' ( There is much to explore in this beautiful area including the Gorges du Verdon, Lac de St. Croix, L'Abbaye du Thoronet, and the many hilltop villages. The coast at Sainte Maxime, in the Gulf of Saint Tropez, is just an hour away ( Send your bid in a sealed envelope to: Jurg Strittmatter, 7 Rue du Grand Bay, CH1220 Les Avanchets Closing date ; 30 December 2011 (Minimum bid 400 CHF)

8 Page 8 Our Church Overseas Where Continents meet fellowship... Europe; the Americas; Africa; Asia all were represented at the recent meeting of the Presbytery of Europe. The Church of Scotland s most international body met in Malta that most international of islands and brought together ministers and elders from Europe and well beyond. Just how international was brought home by the Presbytery s 2012 Survey, carried out once every four years on a designated Sunday a snapshot of each congregation. Elder Alice Tulloch, the survey co-ordinator, reported growth in many congregations, and said All our congregations are multinational many with over 20 nationalities, and with Amsterdam topping the bill at 40 She also reported that around 1 in 3 of all worshippers have come within the last three years Our congregations only survive because they continue to attract newcomers. The total number of worshippers recorded across the Presbytery this year was 1,672 and, by coincidence, that is precisely the number of African refugees recorded by the United Nations refugee agency UN- HCR as being resident in special open centres in Malta in August of this year, the last time records were updated. Members of the Presbytery visited one of these open centres to see for themselves some of the work being undertaken by OUT OF AF- RICA INTO MALTA, the mission project started by St. Andrew s Scots Church, Malta, which was last year s Presbytery Project, and is now a Guild Partner Project. Even as Presbytery was meeting, yet another refugee boat arrived in Malta; the 26th this year The Church s World Mission Council Convener, the Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan (photo right), kept the international theme prominent, as he reported on this year s mission focus on China and next year s on Africa. He urged churches within the presbytery, many of which have mission links to Africa, to continue this work. One clear focus for this is the current Presbytery mission project the Vine Trust s Jubilee Project. This is converting a former Royal Navy ship into a floating medical centre which will operate on Lake Victoria, bringing healing to the poorest of the poor in Tanzania. The ship is undergoing conversion in Gibraltar. Guests at this Presbytery meeting included ministers and elders from both Trinidad and the Presbytery of England; part of continuing discussions on how closer co-operation, and mutual support, can be developed. Pleasing in Your Sight So remember while December Brings the only Christmas day, In the year let there be Christmas In the things you do and say. Anonymous And this theme of international and interdenominational fellowship was enhanced when the Archbishop of Malta, Paul Cremona, welcomed the Presbytery to the island. With fellowship goes food; and while the Presbytery enjoyed the hospitality offered by the island that welcomed Paul almost 2,000 years ago when the island s governor also hosted his visitors for three days and nights Mission Convener Rev. Aaron Stevens asked members to think carefully about achieving the right balance between sharing and enjoying food within fellowship. The Presbytery s churches were encouraged to do all they can to help with food sharing initiatives, including food banks, wherever they are. Real food for thought Doug McRoberts, , doug.mcroberts@btinternet.com

9 It seems like Christmas... But most children in rural south-east Nepal have never heard of Christmas Christmas is coming! And Christmas brings such a lovely message of hope and joy. But sadly most of the children in these remoter parts of Nepal have never heard of Christmas... can you imagine? So let us tell you about a little community project that we have just completed that has brought hope and happiness to about 500 children in their schools in several poor communities - (silly adjective!...actually they are all very poor in this part of the world... that s an underlying reason why there is so much leprosy, TB, malnutrition and disease around here). With funds provided by the United Nations Women s Guild in Geneva (UNWG), plus a little extra from our church family, we decided to cover 6 schools that s about 540 children from about 4 to 12 years of age. One or two of the schools are in villages quite close to our Lalgadh Hospital, but others are further and more remote. One school is only accessible by our old Landrover for some parts of the year - the rest of the year only on foot if at all, because when the wet season comes one has to brave wading across the river if it s still shallow enough. There are no bridges... We thought carefully about what goodies would be most meaningful we skipped Christmas pudding (they ve never heard of that), or Eternal Glory There is no improving the future without disturbing the present. sweets (bad for the teeth), or toys (fun but they don t last). Besides the UNWG wanted something educational that would help promote literacy and school attendance - part of the UN s Millenium Development Goals for Catherine Booth What would you have included? Here are the goodies we decided would be best and most enduring within our budget... A new set of school clothes for each child - some kids here only have the one set of clothes which they wear at school and at home. A school bag that would last several years A daily nutritional snack many children come to school without having eaten any breakfast A stationary set for each child - notebooks, coloured pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, rulers etc Some classroom furniture - benches and tables, because at present the younger classes sit on the floor Soap and a face towel And some scholarships for exceptionally needy kids Now these may sound rather boring to you especially for Christmas gifts (doesn t it remind you of when your Aunt Agatha gave you socks, or a handkerchief, or a new saucepan for Christmas)? Not for these kids. For Page 9 them it was like Christmas and birthday rolled together... you can see it on their faces in the photos. Some of these children have never even owned a set of colour pencils, or their own bar of soap and face cloth before. And why ever would Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital want to include this sort of outreach in its mission work and community outreach? Here are some of the 20 or more good reasons in a nutshell we love kids we hate to see children especially the small ones - in the awful need and poverty that breeds illiteracy and reinforces that spiral of continuing poverty, malnutrition, and disease... leprosy thrives in these conditions; illiteracy and non-school attendance rates are high in this region of Nepal and so giving food and clothes and schoolbooks helps tackle these poverty-problems and there is a dramatic leap in school-attendance rates; But underlying all this is Christmas!... Jesus came out of love at Christmas to seek and rescue and save us lost folks... and he sent his followers out to do the same...i.e. to visit the poor and (Continued on page 10)

10 Page 10 needy, restore those with leprosy, to heal the sick... and proclaim the good news of the Gospel. That s how it ties together in our hearts and minds. That s how we think of you too our church family connected with and supporting this mission outreach work with your continuing prayers and support and encouragement. Thank You! Actually when we have to write about the hospital and community programmes concisely, trying not to ramble too much, we put it like this: The mission of the Nepal Leprosy Trust and thus of Lalgadh leprosy Hospital, is To treat, cure, rehabilitate, empower, and restore the health, wellbeing, dignity and rights of leprosyaffected and other marginalised vulnerable people, assisting them to become Amazement & joy... never had a coloured pencil set before... never had presents like these active community members, free from handicap, stigma and discrimination, through the provision of high quality health services and social care, participatory community development, income generation and capacity building programs, advocacy and transforming community education programs. 2. Through both loving compassionate action and words to bring the Gospel to an awfully poor and needy population where Christianity is largely unknown (3% - 5% of the population). And so Lalgadh Leprosy Hospital and Services Centre (LLSC) is now one of the world s busiest leprosy hospitals, managing 7,000 leprosy patients each year, and 56,000 outpatients of all types each year. A Christmas Candle A Christmas candle is a lovely thing; It makes no noise at all, But softly gives itself away; While quite unselfish, it grows small. Eva K. Logue Its Community Programme reaches out across a population of 2.5 million people in the surrounding Districts, establishing and supporting self-care groups for the leprosy-affected, and also providing development and socio-economic support to the most needy, marginalised, malnourished, stigmatized and vulnerable. This includes health-care clinics, literacy for women, house-building, well digging, income-generation training and other development support... and it especially includes children in need, and needy schools... as in this project. So take a look at the conditions... and the happiness... of the schoolchildren in the photographs in this article. It s quite a good indication of the value of this project. At each school, the occasion was a major one for each community, with speakers, local community leaders, local government representatives, other dignitaries, and most of the community turning out for the occasion. It s a project that will make a difference. See what you think. (We ll send a more picturesque version of this by to those who are interested. And hey!... Why not come for a visit and see this wonderful front-line work, both in the hospital and the community?) From one and all of us at Lalgadh Hospital - God bless, and a Happy Christmas! Graeme & Meena Clugston, clugstong@gmail.com Want to contribute? Cultivating Woodlots by ECO-Clubs in Ghana Our congregation is supporting Peace with the Earth, an environmental initiative, with funds raised by selling produce brought to church on Harvest Sunday. Eco-congregations staff, at Church of Scotland Edinburgh, put us in in contact with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) in Ghana. This is the lead organization of RELBONET, Religious Bodies Network on Climate Change, an Inter- Faith Platform advocating for good and friendly Climate Change Policies and take action to restore degraded lands and create community woodlots. (www. relbonet.org). The EPC s Eco-Club Project works with basic school pupils teaching good environmental practices and aiming at behavioural change and better management of the country s natural resources. (Continued on page 11)

11 Page 11 (Continued from page 10) A tree planting project was started this year with two clubs, and two acres each have been planted by Adaklu Waya E.P. Junior High School and by the Peki - Dzake Junior High School in the Volta Region. Buying seeds and seedlings has been a great challenge! Happily the Forestry Services Department donated 2,000 tree seedlings but more are still needed. Seedlings being delivered to Adaklu Waya Junior High School pupils So, we decided to use our Harvest Sunday money to buy more seedlings which means four Eco-Clubs can now be supported, not just two. These Clubs will help restore lands that have been degraded because too many trees were cut down to use for fuel or producing charcoal production or because of over grazing by cattle. Through these Clubs, the young people learn about the effects of climate change and what they can do to make a difference. Thank you to all who supported this project. Nan Braunschweiger Forgiveness Focuses Forward Look not back on yesterday So full of failure and regret; Look ahead and seek God's way-- All sin confessed you must forget. Dennis DeHaan Sunday school children continue to support the Lalgadh Leprosy hospital, here they are preparing for the annual Autumn Lalgadh bake sale Madan Ashrit School girls

12 Page 12 Contact List Brigadoons Betty Morris Bible Reader Coordinator Nicola Hollyman Caring for One Another Jim Sharp Choir Director Lucie Goodman Church Fair Lesley Reddy Church Flowers Janet Askew Congregational Committee Arthur Askew Crèche Kathryn Moreno Cursillo Eleanor Strittmatter Diary Coordinator Carleen Knowlton-Winch Fiction Bookstall Mary Couper Free Will Offering Jurg Strittmatter Fabric Sub-committee Douglas Murray-Jones Mission Projects Eric Gerelle Newsletter Suzanne Murray-Jones Session Clerk Alice Tulloch Sunday Coffee Rota Terry Angleys Sunday School Freda Craeye Treasurer Han Broere Ushers Arthur Griffith Woman s Group Carleen Knowlton-Winch / Christine Bunn / Website Eric Gerelle erg@ibex.ch Carleen.knowlton@rocketmail.com bunnc@bluewin.ch Youth Group Lidian Shark dsharksharks@gmail.com Sukumbasi School Children, Nepal God Will Direct "If this is to be a Happy New Year, a year of usefulness, a year in which we shall live to make this earth better, it is because God will direct our pathway. How important then, to feel our dependence upon Him!" Matthew Simpson If you have any news / articles of interest for the Church of Scotland Geneva newsletter, please do send it to the Editor, who would be happy to include it. Suzanne Murray-Jones, murrayjo@unhcr.org