Swiss Church News Swiss Church in London Eglise Suisse de Londres Spring 2019 Schweizerkirche in London Chiesa Svizzera a Londra Baselgia Svizra a Londra Dear reader, of our society and carry us through good and bad times whatever political turmoil society as It has been a turbulent start to the New Year. As a whole is facing. Church communities present Brexit unfolds, not only Parliament but society as an opportunity to meet people whose paths a whole becomes more divided over the issue. we might otherwise never cross and therefore The way ahead is unclear and brings a lot of challenge us to be more understanding and insecurity. There is a good chance that a solution tolerant of each other. In a society where will not be found for many years to come. Yet generations are often separated, they are places what I find most difficult about Brexit is that it where young and old come together and learn completely overshadows other burning issues from each other’s experiences. The Swiss Church that need to be urgently addressed but have community has a special place in many people’s simply no space amidst the self-inflicted chaos. hearts and our many skills and personalities make Child poverty is on the rise, the health system this place thrive and prosper. is on the brink of collapse and more people than ever before are affected temporarily or I am delighted to be back to serve as your long term by homelessness or precarious living Minister and to put my energy into growing the and working situations. On my way to the Swiss Swiss Church further. There are some changes Church I pass under the train bridge at Finsbury ahead and some exciting projects coming up. I Park station to get on the tube. Over the past hope to see you at one of our events or church years the underpass has become a village for services soon! people with no permanent accommodation who From 25 February to 8 March, Luca Boetschi will have built cardboard houses and bed stations. do an internship at the Swiss Church. Luca is Some of these houses even have doors and book from Basel and is on a gap year after his ‘Matura’ walls and coat hooks. I notice that I am getting (A-Levels). From 22-29 April, theology student worriyngly used to this sight. I am turning a blind Anna Lerch and Lisa Di Andrare will also be on eye to the social issues on my doorstep as I an internship at the Church. find myself watching the Brexit drama unfold on primetime television instead. It is so easy to give We are looking forward to welcoming them in in to the temptation. I believe however that it is our team! our duty as a church community to turn our eyes I would also like to make you to the challenges of our days that go unseen, to aware that the position of Office remind each other of this responsibility. and Lettings Administrator (4 days/ I would like to thank everyone who has helped week) is vacant and that we welcome to keep the church ministry going during my applications to fill this important front Editorial .p1 maternity leave. A special thank has to go to of house role. Please contact the Meret and Daniel who have given a part of their church office for more information. sabbaticals to look after the congregation and The full job description can be found Latest News .p2 helped out in many ways; and of course to the on our website. whole team and all the volunteers. The baptism Art Programme .p3 I wish you all a blessed 2019! of our son Yuvi Mark on 21 October 2018 Noah’s Ark .p4 was a highlight for our little family, and we are grateful that Yuvi can grow up in such a caring Yours, Community .p6 church community. To be part of a community gives us a sense of belonging. Communities – - Rev. Carla Maurer Announcements religious as well as secular – are the foundation & Events .p7 Latest news – I would also like to thank Yvon in advance From the Consistoire for this, it’s much appreciated! After Hermann Aebischer’s move from London to Paris, the By Nat Breitenstein new Consul General from the Swiss Embassy, - Venue Manager by Peter Stäuber Manuela Ferrari, has joined the Consistoire - - President welcome! It is difficult not FROM THE FROM VENUE to think about the tumultuous situation After our fantastic Last year was the first in which the Swiss we find ourselves in events during the Church had to stand on its own two feet here in Britain at the Christmas season, the financially. We’ve managed to do that thanks to moment. We are on more prosaic part of the fantastic work of our Venue Management the precipice of great winter – and the long wait for spring – is well team, as well as the generous donations that change, but what this underway. But we have another exciting year we’ve received, both from Switzerland and change will be no one ahead of us with many events and community from the UK. I’d like to thank everybody for knows. gatherings. their support and hope that the coming year will be a successful as the last. Not being able to predict outcomes is nothing There have been a few changes in the new, how we deal with it can be though if we Consistoire in recent months. Nathalie With best wishes, ask ourselves, as well as encourage others, to Chalmers has stepped down as Company Peter look inwards questioning; where did we make Secretary. She took up that role soon after mistakes, how can we learn from them, what joining us in 2017, and I would like to thank Peter Staeuber’s recently published book and how can we change in order to grow in her very much for all the work that she has ‘Sackgasse Brexit: Reportagen aus einem the future. Most importantly we need to think done, not least the organisation of last year’s gespaltenen Land’ can now be ordered online, or about how we can adapt, let go of old ways, AGM. Yvon Tse has kindly offered to act as you can contact Peter directly for more details: perhaps even cross some red lines and take Company Secretary on a temporary basis, [email protected] action. No small feat for anyone. until we have found a permanent replacement And yet we do this constantly in our day-to- day lives, whether in outright negotiations or on some peripheral level; when dealing with Edith Crack herself and so was able to attend services and a problem at work, with a family situation or events at the Swiss Church. Edith became a a disagreement with a friend. Assessing needs – A tribute member of the Consistoire in 1972 and was with flexibility and adaptability is always 1 December 1919 – elected president in 1980. She was president 22 November 2018 for 20 years until May 2000, when she stood at the chore of human relations and social down age 81. harmony. Edith Hartmann was born in Basel in 1919. Edith’s greater involvement with the Swiss For me, this is key to my job here. Being able She was the youngest of Church coincided with the time that her to manage the ‘who, what, when, where and three children. husband started working abroad. The plus how’ of all the myriad users of this beautiful side was that Edith was able to take extended In 1938, having gained a Diploma from the space, and balance out their needs and various holidays visiting the foreign countries where commercial school - the Handelsschule - Ken worked. The downside was that they grew demands, that may on occasion hold potential Edith, age 19, started work at the Union Bank apart in his long absences abroad and in 1992 conflicts takes a fair amount of effort. of Switzerland. She enjoyed her job and its they divorced after 45 years of marriage and Although I, of course, don’t always get this responsibilities and remembered the years Edith, moved into her house in Oakfield Road. right. My aim is to enable as many as possible with happiness despite her brother’s death in to ‘co-habit’ here in harmony, adhering to the the war in 1942, and the death of her father in Edith continued to travel into her 80s including Swiss Church in London’s mission to be an 1944 in 1944, aged 65 of course to the USA to visit Fred & his family. open, creative and accessible space. Edith was a regular attendee at the annual The summer of 1947 Edith, her sister Erika Swiss Abroad meetings. and their mother went to San Remo in north- Great change may be coming but if we all west Italy, near the French border. Ken - a Edith had lived a long and full life. She very focus on the efforts we make daily, the small very English Englishman - had also ventured much valued and enjoyed the “café und changes we have to make within ourselves this abroad to San Remo and managed to charm kuchen” visits of her Swiss church friends. may make the bigger changes less daunting Edith. They married in July 1948 in the Minster Edith’s house in north London was the family and easier to navigate successfully. in Basel and then moved to Highgate, North hub where all her children, grand-children and London. The shock of coming to live in a great-grandchildren came together.