Days of fellowship

We attended the nine o'clock Eucharist at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday and met lots of old friends over coffee and croissants after the service. As the Chaplain was on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, a visiting priest from Basel celebrated. She had been incumbent of an English parish, but when her husband was posted abroad she resigned to become an 'accompanying spouse' and a non-stipendiary priest, as no posts were open to her locally. Nevertheless, a spare cleric, like a retired one is invaluable support to chaplains who do need to get away. After a quiet afternoon, we were taken out to Meyrin for supper with Alec and Ann-Marie, who have celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary since we last saw them. It's almost twenty years since we first dined with them, when we came out to Geneva for interview, and we've been friends ever since.

Sunday afternoon and most of Monday, Manel was busy in the kitchen preparing all sorts of food for her evening guests. I took the opportunity to slip out and return to the Quai Wilson and take photos of the entire Cartooning for Peace exhibition. You'll find the full set of pictures displayed here.

Each year since her husband Prabha's death twelve years ago Manel has invited friends to a house Eucharist with more food and fellowship to follow. Now eleven years after I celebrated the first memorial service, she invited me to offer the Eucharist again, so we could remember him, and on this occasion also our mutual friend Peter. Over twenty people were there - old friends from the UN or with Sri Lankan connections, others were Cursillo or Holy Trinity friends we knew. Among those present were a couple of Buddhists and a Muslim. In every way this gathering was typical of both Manel and Prabha, and the diversity of people they associated with in their lives, both separately and together. The home they made contains many Buddhist and Hindu sacred art works as well as Bibles and Christian books, representing a faith which truly embraces the world of faith. 

An occasion of this kind is rare for me these days, but one I treasure greatly for the wonderful people I have had the privilege of meeting and knowing as a priest. It was a fitting conclusion to our briefer than usual sojourn in the City of Calvin.