Belgium-Switzerland meeting
In Alsace, the editorial team of the Vie Montante brochure has accomplished its mission
Once upon a time there were four Swiss and four Belgians who, every year, met for a few days since 2002. In 2019, April 4-10. What are they doing together? Visit the most beautiful square in the world or the Atomium, climb to the top of the Matterhorn by gondola? No, they are working on the year brochure common to the teams of both countries.
In 2019, a great novelty: it was in Alsace, halfway between our respective countries, that our Belgian-Swiss team met, always composed of two spiritual advisers (priests), a pastor and five laymen. The place chosen by our Swiss friends is Reutenbourg, about thirty km north-west of Strasbourg, at the Foyer Notre-Dame de Reinacker where we took full advantage of the hospitality of the Franciscan nuns who welcomed us.
Developing a common work under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is the purpose of our stay. The chosen theme was "Face of God." We have divided into six chapters what we thought were some facets of God's face, leaving it to our teams, of course, to discover others. To fully imbue ourselves with this Rediscovered God in both the Old and New Testaments is the mission we entrust to our teams. We will in turn be able to reflect his face in our encounters and testimonies. We have provided our best care for this work.
To achieve this result, everyone left his "ego" in the locker room. Mutual respect is the basis of a good exchange. At the end of our brainstorming, we offer to others the biblical texts, meditations and prayers we have chosen. Often, they receive unanimity from the participants but sometimes there is disagreement and we vote.
Thus, day by day, thanks to the skill and competence of Christian, our computer specialist, the final texts are projected, reread, modified and finally recorded in a definitive way. When we left, the brochure was ready to go to the printer. On the way back we stopped a few kilometers from Reutenbourg, to visit the magnificent roman-style church of Marmoutier.
The new brochure "Face of God"
On August 26, Members of Vie Montante Belge Francophone were invited to discover the new brochure that will guide the meetings throughout 2019-2020.
The theme chosen "Face of God." We started with a flower created by Agnes- our Swiss friend- whose petals reveal God in different ways, different colors.
We then declined in six chapters these faces of God: God source, God light, God mercy, God liberating, God breath, to end with the God of the Covenant.
Sylviane Sbille Hancq
National President of Vie Montante Belge Francophone