 A mosaic of the Transfiguration
6th century Basilica of Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna
Dear La Côte Church family and friends,
Our Sunday reading recalls Jesus’ Transfiguration. This event can feel so extraordinary that it is difficult to fathom. We may be tempted to ask, “So what?” that Jesus and a few disciples had this mystical experience far away in time and space. However, as I have contemplated Luke’s depiction of the transfiguration (Luke 9.28-43) and sought to step into the story, I have gradually found myself moving from spectator to participant. Jesus’ transfiguration invites us to move from observers peering through a window, to participants, stepping through a gateway to change.
The 6th century mosaic shown above portrays Jesus transfigured in the shape of cross, thus holding together the glory of transfiguration on a mountain with the glory of his suffering love at his “departure”. Malcolm Guite has crafted a poem, told in the voice of one of the disciples who had witnessed the transfiguration, now standing near Jesus on the mount of Golgotha. Looking back, the disciple still remembers “the Love that shone out from a human face.” He asserts: “This darkened scar cannot eclipse that glimpse of how things really are.” The Transfiguration of Jesus, a vision of unveiled glory, will strengthen his disciples then and now, to follow him on his way to the cross.
For that one moment, ‘in and out of time’,
On that one mountain where all moments meet,
The daily veil that covers the sublime
In darkling glass fell dazzled at his feet.
There were no angels full of eyes and wings
Just living glory full of truth and grace.
The Love that dances at the heart of things
Shone out upon us from a human face
And to that light the light in us leaped up,
We felt it quicken somewhere deep within,
A sudden blaze of long-extinguished hope
Trembled and tingled through the tender skin.
Nor can this blackened sky, this darkened scar
Eclipse that glimpse of how things really are.
Malcolm Guite, Sounding the Seasons, 2012
Loving God, help us to fix our gaze on you as we embark on our Lenten journeys.
Help us, by your Spirit, to glimpse how things really are.
Help us to keep the glory of mountain top experiences together with the glory of your suffering love in our struggles. Amen
Carolyn Cooke
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 March - Transfiguration Sunday
Live RTS programme
10.00 Gingins (please arrive at the latest 9.45)
Followed by a Said Eucharist after the radio service
There will be no afternoon service in Gingins
Worship coming up
Wednesday 5 March - Ash Wednesday
19.00 Gingins - Holy Communion - an opportunity to begin Lent together
Sunday 9 March - First Sunday in Lent
10.00 Divonne - Morning Prayer with Sunday Club
16.00 Gingins - Infant Baptism Service
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.
Sunday Club - Urgent Need for Volunteers
Our Sunday Club is in urgent need of volunteer leaders and helpers to continue our classes and other activities for young people.
If you are interested in assisting, in giving your time and talents to this precious and vital ministry, please contact Betty at betty.talbot@lacotechurch.ch.
Give your used eyeglasses a second life!
We are happy to announce that we are organizing another collection during Lent and Easter and should be grateful for any contributions.
Click here for more information.
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
Tuesday Prayer Group - 4 March
09.15-10.30, chez J&P Tracey, 1267 Coinsins.
Come at 09.15 for a coffee before we start at 09.30 for an hour, following the Northumbria Community Morning Prayer and inserting our prayer concerns and those for whom we have been asked to pray in confidence.
You are most welcome to join us regularly or occasionally.
Please contact Peta for more details peta.tracey@lacotechurch.ch
Window on Wednesday - 5 March
9.30-11.30 - Gingins Parish Room
This term our resource is "Practicing the Way" written by John Mark Comer, "Be with Jesus. Become Like Him. Do as he did".
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 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)
Our Lenten Journey
Ash Wednesday
5 March at 19.00 in Gingins
La Côte Church Quiet Day
Saturday 8 March
 "We are delighted that Chuck Wilson will be leading our Quiet Day. He is trained in contemplative prayer and Spiritual Accompaniment. He regularly works alongside Louise Burrows and Betty Talbot, through whom Chuck and his wife Julia were introduced to La Côte church which they subsequently joined last year. Originally from Canada, they have been in Switzerland since 2016 and reside in Versoix. Professionally Chuck spent 30 years working in the environmental field, mostly in the field of climate change, before recently shifting to focus more on prayer and retreat work".
For more information, click here
Please register with anne.detreverret@lacotechurch.ch
Lenten Study Groups
This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Nicene Creed. Much of the global church is using this anniversary as an opportunity to breathe new life into the words of a creed which unites us. As Nicaea is in Iznik, in modern-day Turkey and therefore in our diocese in Europe, we have a unique and special reason to celebrate.
The aim of the course is to help us see afresh the faith which holds us together. Everyone is welcome, from complete beginners wondering about the Christian faith, to those with years of Christian practice.
There are two options for joining a study group locally:
- A Lenten Lunch and Study group on Fridays in Divonne during Lent
- An on-line Lenten study group on Tuesday evenings during Lent
See below for further details.
 Zoom link https://eu01web.zoom.us/j/63669247164?pwd=qJ3OkRbXTRL1Sbf3585UMXcBns8xgN.1 - Meeting ID: 636 6924 7164 - Passcode: 401406
Please register with anne.detreverret@lacotechurch.ch
 For more information and register, please contact betty.talbot@lacotechurch.ch
Save the date!
La Côte Church Annual General Meeting in Divonne
Sunday 23 March
after the 10.00 service of Holy Communion
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.
Happening elsewhere
Ignatian Way Retreat
1 March
For more information, click here
World Day of Prayer
7 March at 19.00
La Fraternelle Nyon
For more information, click here
Conference and Display of 16th Century Books
Tudor England and the Antwerp Book Trade:
From Tyndale to Plantin
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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