Church of Scotland, Geneva

 June 9, 2024

June’s visit is at The Church of Scotland in Geneva, Switzerland. Wow! Steve and I were on a Reformation Tour, checking out various historical sites with a group from Urbana Theological Seminary. This church ministers to “English speaking people who wish to worship in the Reformed tradition.” Just before 11 a.m. our group was warmly welcomed along with other worshipers through the Gothic stone arch entrance. The Auditoire de Calvin (reformer John Calvin’s lecture theater) has a high arched ceiling trimmed in stone. The décor is fairly simple, however, as compared to the huge glittering cathedrals we’d been shown.

One hundred or so wooden chairs in two columns pretty well fill the floor space of this historic auditorium. When we arrived, the room was full enough that our group of fifteen had to separate to find seats. The formal order of service was printed in the bulletin: prelude, then introit, then welcome and edict before the call to worship. There followed various readings and prayers. Prayers for others included Ukraine and Gaza. Doxology. Three-fold amen. There was a brief talk for children who were then dismissed to their Sunday School classes. Collection of offerings. Some announcements. All this was interspersed with hymns. We stood up and sat back down five or six times. A musical piece was performed on bassoon, horn, and viola.  

The gist of the story of the Bible, said Minister Laurence Twaddle in his ten-minute message, is God’s passion for relationship with us. A key question from Genesis is “where are you?“ Revelation responds: God’s dwelling place is among his people. This is the aim. God wants to be more to us than creator, designer, law-giver, provider. God wants to be with us. He took the risk of giving humanity freedom, freedom to run far away, to slam the door, even though we’re made in God’s own image. We have been given potential for love and for disaster. God deeply desires our love. “Being with us is so worth the trouble that he goes to the trouble.” Christ went to hell and back. And we, with our heady freedom, with our independence and our stubborn hearts, will we open the door to him? God asks every single one of us, “Where are you?”

I found it really interesting that in this bastion of Calvinism which attests to God’s absolute sovereignty, this message focused on our freedom of choice. Hmm

All were invited to refreshments up a narrow winding stair, but our group decided to move on to our next stop, the far more imposing and grand St Peter’s Cathedral right next door.