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Dear La Côte Church family and friends,
Candlemas marks the end of the church’s season of celebration that began at Christmas and has continued through the Sundays of Epiphany-tide.
At next Sunday’s service, we will be celebrating Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The gospel of Luke records how the infant Jesus was recognized as the “light of the people of Israel.”
In past decades and centuries, Candlemas was traditionally the day when all the candles to be used in the Church and in people’s homes for the coming year were brought out to be blessed.
And in France, Candlemas is known as La Chandeleur, the day when people traditionally make and eat lots of crêpes! It is said that Pope Gelasius 1 (492-496) came up with the idea of organising candlelight processions through Rome (hence the name Candlemas), and he also decided to provide pancakes to the pilgrims who came to Rome to celebrate this religious event.
Another origin story says that the tradition of La Chandeleur started because it was a good way of using up the extra wheat before a harvest. Symbolically, a round crêpe looks like a sun, a reminder of the days starting to get longer after the winter solstice. People would eat their crêpes during La Chandeleur, in their houses well lit with candles.
If you would like to try making crêpes for La Chandeleur, try out this recipe”: https://job-in-france.babylangues.com/french-cuisine/crepes-for-la-chandeleur/
But more importantly, do join us this Sunday at 16h00 in Gingins for our All-Age Candlemas service with Holy Communion, complete with candles, where we will take the time to celebrate and reflect on the recognition, by Simeon and Anna, of the infant Christ, who fulfilled God’s promise to be our Saviour and Redeemer.
Betty Talbot
Important – Renewal of the Electoral Roll happening now!
Every six years, all churches and chaplaincies in the Church of England have to renew their Electoral Rolls. This means throwing the old one away and starting again!
2025 is one of those years, so even if you are on the Electoral Roll at the moment, you need to fill in a new form if you want to be on the Roll after 8 March 2025.
To find out about the electoral roll and its purpose in our church life – CLICK HERE
If you would like to be on the Electoral Roll, click HERE.
Worship this weekend
Sunday 2 February - Candlemas
8.45 Crassier - Said Eucharist
16.00 Gingins - All-Age Holy Communion
Worship coming up
Sunday 9 February - Safeguarding Sunday
10.00 Divonne - Morning Prayer with Sunday Club
16.00 Gingins - Evening Prayer
PLEASE NOTE - If you are unable to attend one of our main services but would like Holy Communion or private prayer in person, please contact Carolyn Cooke.
For any prayer requests for yourself or others, please contact Peta Tracey who will share in confidence with our Tuesday prayer group where we pray for the needs of our world and community.
Coming up this week
Morning Prayer
Monday to Friday at 7.30 and Saturday at 8.30 - online
Here is the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84315258948?pwd=WWZaMTRzZEpnNHV3ekZYRFRUYU96Zz09
Meeting ID: 843 1525 8948 - Passcode: 82966
Please note that, as an exception, there will be no Morning Prayer on Sat. 1 Feb.
It just so happens that almost all the 'regulars' are away and so the decision was taken to cancel it just for this date.
Please let us all pray for each other, wherever we are and in whatever circumstances, as well as for the needs of the world.
We will be travelling as of 1 Feb. and look forward to joining you on 6 Feb.
Take care, God bless and a bientot -
Peta & John xx
A prayer of Julian of Norwich
In you, Father all-mighty, we have our preservation and our bliss.
In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving.
You are our mother, brother, and Saviour.
In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvellous and plenteous grace.
You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us.
You are our maker, our lover, our keeper.
Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well, and all shall be well,
and all manner of things shall be well. Amen
Tuesday Prayer Group - 4 February
Please note our next meeting will take place on Zoom: Tue. 4 Feb. 09.30-10.30
If you would like to join the meeting, here is the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84315258948?pwd=WWZaMTRzZEpnNHV3ekZYRFRUYU96Zz09
Meeting ID: 843 1525 8948 - Passcode: 82966
The Northumbria Community order of service, which we often use as a framework for our prayers, is available on the day at: https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/morning-prayer/
Please contact the Prayer Group by email with any prayer requests in confidence: peta.tracey@lacotechurch.ch
Window on Wednesday - 5 February
Wesdnesday 9.30-11.30 - Gingins Parish Room
All are welcome to join us fortnightly on Wednesday mornings, as we share our faith and lives together along with coffee & pastries!
If you would like to join us, please contact Diantha Terry and/or Kate Shepherd.
Next dates for our meetings are February 5th & 19th - March 5th & 19th - April 2nd, 16th & 30th - May 14th & 28th - June 11th & 25th.
A La Côte playgroup in Divonne
We are looking at setting up a La Côte playgroup for children aged 0-4, which would meet in Divonne once a week in term time. For further information please contact Alison Ball (playgroup@lacotechurch.ch)
Save the Date: La Côte Church Quiet Day
"God moves first"
A day for quiet reflection and encounter as we prepare our hearts for the Lenten season
Saturday, March 8, Burtigny, Vaud
To register, click here.
Here is an update from the …
La Côte Church Social Action Group
The Social Action Group makes recommendations to the Church Council about how to allocate charitable giving. The criteria we apply include:
- Support to relatively small community service organisations so that the church’s modest gifts have proportionally greater impact
- Support to local institutions as well as international ones
- Support to institutions with whom we can have a direct contact
We seek to raise funds for and awareness within the church and wider community about the organisations we support. Here is a list of the organisations supported in 2024, with weblinks, if you would like to learn more about them.
Caroline Allsopp, Liz Bramley, Scott Campbell, Carolyn Cooke, Kate Shepherd, Chris Talbot
Recent Happenings at La Côte !
If you would like to have a look at some photographs of recent happenings at La Côte Church please go to our website https://www.lacotechurch.ch/recent-happening/
Rotas in ChurchSuite
Dear church members and volunteers,
ChurchSuite is beginning to work more smoothly, thank you to everyone for your patience and commitment.
One step that would be very helpful for Anne is that you add in your unavailabilites. Click HERE for how to do this or contact Anne.
It is very important that you check ChurchSuite on a regular basis to view when you are next serving. For further information, click HERE.
LOST & FOUND
An ear-ring for pierced ears was found in Gingins church on 19 February.
If you have recently lost one please get in touch with Liz Bramley.
Happening elsewhere
Ignatian Way Retreat
March 1st, 2025
For more information, click here
Conference and Display of 16th Century Books
Tudor England and the Antwerp Book
Trade: From Tyndale to Plantin
The keynote speakers are world-renowned Reformation scholars including Prof. Diarmaid MacCulloch and Prof. Andrew Pettegree.
Antwerp (BE), Tuesday 8 – Friday 11 July 2025
For more information, click here.
The Lost Food Project (combatting food waste)
Members of la Côte Church are taking part in a food bank in Nyon. Click HERE for more information. If would like to supplement our food supplies, please bring rice or pulses to our Sunday services. Thank you very much.
Work with those seeking refugee status
Mentoring opportunities and Accommodation: Please speak to Diantha Terry with any thoughts you have.
Do you have jobs that need doing? Please contact Diantha Terry.
From your safeguarding team
Your safeguarding team promotes and works towards keeping our church a safe place where our congregation can feel secure and cared for.
Safeguarding is an integral part of the wellbeing of our Church community.
We are here not only to work with you through the formalities of short training or administrative safeguarding checks but to support you in strict confidentiality if concerns relative to abuse arise.
You can count on our understanding and goodwill in all things safeguarding.
Ever Guttierez, Cate Bichara and Liz Martinez
Contact email: Safeguarding@lacotechurch.ch
 Pledging and Giving online and in person
Many thanks as ever for your giving to the life of our church and thus to our mission and service within and well beyond our community.
Pledging gives stability to the church finances and ensures that budgets can be planned realistically. So however large or however small your commitment, please consider pledging. Contact our pledge administrator, Mark Warren (mark.warren@yahoo.fr) for further details.
If you are at church without any cash but would like to give to the collection there is a solution: we have a bank or credit card reader at church to contribute to the collection using your card.
Here are the bank details for our church:
IBAN CH42 0022 8228 5504 9740 H
Holder The La Côte Anglican Church Development Association, 1267 Coinsins
BIC UBSWCHZH80A
You can also do so by scanning the QR code below
You may also like to remember La Côte Anglican Church in your will.
Merci beaucoup, thank you very much!
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