The Church on the Hill - let your light shine!

On Saturday, 5th December 2009, in the Church of Sacre-Coeur, Montmartre, Paris, our Vicar lit a candle and said a prayer for the people of Bircle parish. The tiny flame burned for a short while before it flickered and went out, but his prayer remains.

At night, Paris is known as “The City of Lights” and, like our church here in Bircle, the Church on top of the highest hill in Paris just around the corner from the Moulin Rouge and the red light district, shines as a beacon of religious faith and constant prayer in the darkness that surrounds it, and we hope and pray that the light in both Churches will not be extinguished.

The Vicar brought another larger candle back with him (see our website photos page) and he lit it at the end of his sermon on Sunday, 13th December, 2009 as he said the following prayers from the Paris church and from our own Prayer Book.... 

“Lord, may the candle which I burn, be a light,

  so that you may enlighten me in my difficulties and in my 

  decisions.

  May it be fire, so that you can burn in me all selfishness, pride and   

  impurity.

  May it be a flame, so that you may warm up my heart.

  I cannot stay for long in your church.

  By lighting this candle, it is a part of my self which I wish to give to

  you.

  Help me to continue my prayer throughout all my daily activities

                                                                                            ....Amen.”  

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, 

  and glorify your Father in Heaven....Amen."