We are a vibrant international Anglican Church in Bordeaux. A multi-national congregation of all ages with an active Sunday School and Teen Group. Welcome!
Thursday, 18th April at 18:00 – Maundy Thursday Holy Communion led by the Rev’d Charlotte Sullivan at Église Saint-Pierre, Place Saint-Pierre, 33000 BORDEAUX ( map )
Friday 19th April at 19:30 – Good Friday Vigil led by Rev’d Charlotte Sullivan at FLOIRAC
Sunday 21st April at 7:00 – Easter Morning Sunrise Service – Ecumenical Service with our Roman Catholic and at Protestant Brothers and Sisters at Temple du Ha, 32 rue du Cdt Arnould, 33000 BORDEAUX ( map )
Sunday, 21st April at 10.30 – Easter Anglican Holy Communion led by Rev’d Charlotte Sulliva at Église Saint-Pierre, Place Saint-Pierre, 33000 BORDEAUX ( map )
ALL ARE WELCOME !
Services following Holy Week at Chapel of Le Bon Pasteur, rue de L’Ecole Normale 33200 BORDEAUX( Map ) ( Directions )
Sunday, April 28th 10.30 – All Age Worship led by Revd. Charlotte Sullivan
Sunday, 5th May 10.30 – Morning Worship led by Christine Rychlewski
Sunday, 12th May 10.30 – Family Communion led by Revd Charlotte Sullivan
Sunday, 19th May 10.30 – Family Communion led by Revd Charlotte Sullivan
We had a glorious Ordination Service last Saturday in Bordeaux when Charlotte Sullivan was ordained by the Rt. Revd. Robert Innes. Charlotte will now be resident in Bordeaux as part of the Chaplaincy of Aquitaine Ministry Team.
Below is an excerpt from Bishop Robert’s blog:
An ordination is always a special event. For the weekend of 17th/18th March, Helen and I took the train to Bordeaux for the ordination of Charlotte Sullivan on the Saturday and a confirmation service in Bertric-Burée on the Sunday. We travelled on one of the new Euroduplex ‘InOui’ branded trains that cover the 528km between Paris and Bordeaux in just two hours, and the train arrived on time, to the minute.
A further half hour train ride to Libourne, then an hour in the car took us to the peaceful Abbaye de l’Echourgnac convent where Charlotte had been on her pre-ordination retreat in the company of our Advisor on Women’s Ministry, Carolyn Cook
After an overnight stay with Chaplain Tony and Ingrid Lomas, we drove on the Saturday morning for nearly two hours through the beautiful wine-making area of St. Emilion to the worship centre in Bordeaux. Aquitaine includes 14 Anglican worship centres. Charlotte is to be based in Bordeaux itself, which is a major city and rather different in character from the smaller towns and villages in which the other worship centres are located.
The ordination service opened with a confident rendition of ‘My Jesus, My Saviour’ by the children’s choir. The music for the rest of the service was supported by a very good adult choir. Amongst other items, they sang John Ireland’s ‘Greater Love’, an anthem which sets out the message of the gospel as clearly and powerfully as any other English-language music I know, and finished with a spirited rendition of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
Charlotte’s ordination as a priest is a cause of huge thanksgiving for the Aquitaine chaplaincy, where she is much loved and respected. She was supported by family and friends and many chaplaincy members in a full church.
Later in the service we commissioned Tony Lomas as Area Dean. He will look after the clergy and congregations of South Western France. Distances are big in this part of the diocese, and I hope Tony will be able to support and encourage fellow clergy working in isolated circumstances.
Supplementary Postscript from Bishop Robert
Aficionados of Anglican Canon Law will be aware that Ordinations may only be conducted on certain major feast days. It may be wondered whether March 17th, the Feast of St. Patrick, has sufficient weight to count as a proper major feast. In the event, St. Patrick’s Day coincided with the last game in the Rugby Six Nations, in which Ireland decisively beat England to take the Grand Slam. Bordeaux being a keen rugby city, the anxious would have been left in no doubt that St. Patrick’s Day 2018 in Bordeaux was a major feast !
Sunday – Holy Communion Service
The Revd Richard Bromley, Mission Director of ICS, led our Sunday Worship Service and concluded his sermon with some exciting words:
Allow me to say three things to you in conclusion.
I believe this is your time, Now the hour has come…
This Bordeaux church is at pivotal moment. With Charlotte, this is not about business as usual with a new priest. This is about so much more as we adventure forward.
Secondly, I pray this church continues to develop as a community of welcome. To be a community where the invitation is open. Making space for people to belong. Christ will draw all people…
Finally I want to say. It is time to dare greatly.
Daring greatly: About vulnerability. About risk. About stepping out when everything in you screams no. Refusing to play safebecause it is the safe thing to do. About remembering what it is that Christ has called you to.
As Jesus put it… About dying to self. About wheat falling in the ground, but life comes.
I finish with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of USA.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the person who points out how others stumble, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends themselves in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if they fail, at least fail while daring greatly, so that their place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
A photo album of the ordination service and reception afterwards is available here
Ecumenical Corner. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2018
On the theme: ‘Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power‘ (Exodus 15, 6), prepared by the Christian churches in the Caribbean.
On the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”, children accompanied by their parents from the Bordeaux Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church of Gradignan visited together the Greek Orthodox Church of Bordeaux.
There were only 40 seats available for 60 Anglicans and Catholics, associated with the Orthodox community there. Most of us stood during the one hour service, but we were honoured by their warm welcome. Parts of the Service were in French so we could follow a little bit. After the service, although Father Theodore Papanicolaou had to visit each one of his parishioners on the occasion of Epiphany, he spent lots of time with us to explain the icons and orthodoxy.
After, it was great to have a bring and share aperitif and fellowship between the Orthodox, Catholics and Anglicans. ‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!‘; (Ps 133.1). AMEN!
On Saturday 1 July the Revd Nicolas Razafindratsima was ordained to the priesthood in St George’s Paris. It was a jubilant celebration, reflecting also the multicultural nature of St George’s and indeed our diocese.
Fr Nicolas is originally from Madagascar. There is a large number of Malagasy (or Malgache in French) Anglicans in St George’s and the ordination rite was printed in both English and Malgache, and the hymns, even the ancient Veni Creator Spiritus, sung in both languages – sometimes in vigorous competition!
The ordination liturgy is not one that is frequently seen in our churches.
People often say to me following the service that there are two moments that particularly strike them.
The first is the ordinand lying prostrate before the altar while the Veni Creator Spiritus is sung followed by the chanting of the litany by the Deacon. Prostration is an ancient biblical sign of humility (cf Deuteronomy 8.18) and vividly signifies that the ordinand is completely dependent upon God. All those of us in Holy Orders need to recall daily that our ordination is not about power and status, but is a ministry rooted in humility and servanthood, utterly reliant on God’s grace.
The second is when the bishop lays on hands to call down the Holy Spirit on the ordinand for the office and work of a priest, with the other attending priests laying on hands at the same time, thus symbolising the oneness of the priestly ministry they share which comes from Christ our Great High Priest.
Many of the parishioners lined up after the ordination mass both go greet Fr Nicolas, and to receive his blessing as a new priest.
At the champagne reception following the service a special ecumenical greeting was delivered by Pasteur Jean Andriamarohasina Ravalitera, who is the President of the Malagasy Protestant Church in France.
You are cordially invited on Saturday June 10th at 17.00 to a Concert of English Sacred Music, by the Bordeaux Anglican Church Choir, at the Eglise Notre-Dame de Royan.
Director of Music Richard Hunt and the Choir have prepared a nice mixture of classic and modern sacred music for the pleasure of all, and in a fabulous setting.
The Eglise Notre Dame de Royan, inaugurated in 1958, was built after the World War II bombardments of the city of Royan and is considered a ‘chef d’œuvre’ of modern architecture, inspired by the esthetics of huge gothic cathedrals.
For Wine & Words on Friday, we shall be joining our Catholic and Protestant brothers and sisters at St Augustin church for a picnic supper and Taizé prayer service, followed by bring-and-share desserts and soft drinks.
Come at 19.00 and bring a simple picnic or arrive just in time for the prayer service at 20.30 with a dessert to share afterwards.
The organizers recommend coming by Tram A (St Augustin stop), as there is a neighbourhood festival going on and parking will be complicated.
Eglise St Pierre, Place Saint-Pierre, Bordeaux (nearest tram stop: Place de la Bourse on line C) at 20.00: Service “En route pour l’unité” (On the way to unity)
Saturday 21 January – Belloc
Abbaye de Belloc at 14.30 Dr. Jean-Claude ANTAKLI, from Aleppo, Syria, will talk about the situation of Christians in that country.
Sunday 22 January – Gradignan
At 10.30 a SPECIAL SERVICE at Eglise St Pierre, 112 Cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan (please arrive early): We are all invited to join the Comunauté Paroissiale de Gradignan for an ecumenical service, including hymns in English and songs by the Kid’s Choir.
Please contact Stephen Razafindratsima if you intend to come so he can give numbers to Père Kinta
Sunday 22 January – L’Assomption Bordeaux
At 10.30, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service at the Chapelle de l’Assomption, based on material prepared by Christians in Germany to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s “95 theses”, which launched the Reformation movement.
For an activity during the seervice, we need 12 (empty) cardboard wine boxes – the kind that pack 6 bottles in 2 layers, laying flat – so if you can bring any, they will be most welcome.
Wednesday 25 January – Martillac
At 20.30, the Groupe Œcuménique Bordeaux-Sud is organising a service at Domaine de la Solitude, 29 route de la Solitude à Martillac.
Service on Sunday 22nd January at L’Assomption and also a Special Service in Gradignan
We are having our normal Sunday Service at L’Assomption on Sunday 22nd January starting at 10:30. The Service will be led by Christine Rychlewski.
Christine asks if you would bring some empty cardboard wine boxes. Not ‘bag in box’ but those that were originally used to contain bottles!
Eglise St Pierre
In parallel, our congregation is invited by the Communauté Paroissale de Gradignan to worship with them at the Eglise de Saint Pierre, 112 Cours du Général de Gaulle, 33170 Gradignan at 10.00 for 10.30 on Sunday 22rd January. This follows a visit by their Sunday School to one of our services last year.
Reverend David Kirby is participating in the leadership of the Service. English hymns are included and our Kids’ Choir will be singing.
This is a wonderful ecumenical occasion and as many as possible of our congregation are encouraged to attend. Please let Stephen Razafindratsima know if you would like to come so that he can convey numbers to Père Kinta.
The two Services are held at the same time and you will be made most welcome at whichever Service you would like to attend.
We are all aware and shocked at the terrible news from Nice.
If you have relatives, friends, family members or people that you know who have been affected in any way by this tragedy then please let Peter (Revd Peter Jordan) and Barbara know the details so that they may be included in prayers at our Service on Sunday.
Also, if you know the names of any who have been killed or injured then please give us their names as well so that they may too be remembered in our prayers on Sunday.
Please send the names by phone or email to Peter and Barbara at the Presbytery and please do not forget to include your name in the message:
Worship leader: Christine Rychlewski with the choir, congregation and friends from our French partners (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant) in the Groupe Oecuménique (Ecumenical Group) Bordeaux Centre
Please come and join us, you will be made most welcome
