Cornerstone No. 186, page 9
La Nuit des Eglises
On 20 May, 28 churches in Lausanne opened their doors to the public from 18h
to midnight, including the Scots Kirk. Around 80 people visited us throughout
the evening. Once again they almost all commented on the “accueil chaleureux”
and the “ouverture d’esprit”.
Sylvia McKillop devised a skit highlighting the roles of some of the great
Reformers in this the 500th year after the Reformation. She stepped into the
shoes of Marie Dentière, a Genevan who played a large part in the closure of
Geneva's convents, and preached with reformers such as John Calvin and
William Farel. In many ways Marie was a woman ahead of her time, stressing
the need for a larger role for women in religious practice. Jean-Noël de Réland
(Jean Calvin) and Geoffrey Peek (John Knox) admirably brought their
personages to life, the latter taking increasing delight in adlibbing as the
evening wore on. Finally, Alice Goodman brought us up to date with her story
of the Scots Kirk in Lausanne, including some local history and pictures of “the
early days”. In one of the four presentations, she was enthusiastically helped
by two young girls who enjoyed playing “spot the difference” between the
church today and in 1912, when it was in the countryside. In the library, the
drinks and snacks, including smoked salmon canapés and shortbread, were
much appreciated. All in all it was a fun evening and another positive
contribution to our outreach efforts.
Lindsay McTeague on behalf of the Outreach Team
Geoffrey Peek in full flood as John Knox!