Name: The Swiss Church in London (Eglise Suisse de Londres – Schweizerkirche in London)
Denomination: Protestant (Reformed Presbyterian)
Address: 79 Endell Street. WC2H 9DY
Telephone: 020 7836 1418
Web Site: http://www.swisschurchlondon.org.uk/
Email: Click Here
Please visit the website for times of meetings and details of other events.
The Swiss Church is a Spiritual Home to the Swiss in the UK.
As a Swiss Church, it is a member of the one universal, apostolic and holy Church of Christ. It’s foundation is the word of God as witnessed in both the Old and the New Testament. The Swiss Church, affiliated to the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches in Berne, adheres to it’s roots in the Swiss Reformation of the 16th century. It strives to proclaim God’s word according to the principles set out by the Reformation, in particular by John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli. In their spirit, the Swiss Church encourages its members to explore actively the Christian truths and to find a personal belief based on reflection and experience. It seeks to further and strengthen Christian love, solidarity, justice and truth. In ecumenical openness, the Swiss Church welcomes Swiss Roman Catholics and Christians of all other denominations.
As a Swiss Church founded by French speaking Swiss in the 18th century and later united with the German speaking congregation, it is a meeting place for all Swiss and friends of Switzerland from all walks of life. The Swiss Church seeks to contribute actively to the social life of the Swiss community in London and promotes cultural and social activities to strengthen friendship and understanding.
As a Swiss Church it believes that both aspects, its being a Church and its being a Swiss institution, are inseparably intertwined and stimulate each other.
Cultural Events at the Swiss Church in London
The Swiss Church in Covent Garden offers within its 19th Century listed building a modern and open space, brought out by the renovations made by the Swiss architects Christ & Gantenbein. Within this space the Church will host a cultural programme reflecting the spirit of the building and its history meeting the needs of various people: not only of the parishioners, but also those of people interested in the culture and art of the city, as well as people working in the area, seeking a place to go between their work place and home. The cultural events of the Swiss Church support this idea and help to invigorate church life as well. The programme consists of two parts: a concert series and visual arts events.
Music at 79 Endell Street
A committee that includes music professionals proposes and selects musicians to perform at the Swiss Church in London. These musicians are either Swiss or perform music by Swiss composers. They are either young promising musicians, demonstrating high motivation and talent, or internationally recognised musicians, known in both Switzerland and in the UK. The content of the concert series ranges from classical recitals to jazz evenings and world music performances.
Art at 79 Endell Street
The Swiss Church organises film screenings, as well as other visual arts events, inviting artists to exhibit, or occasionally to create or curate works specific to the renovated building and it’s spiritual framework.
The central aim of this visual arts programme is to create dialogue and debate around issues of exhibiting and making work within the Church, a sacred space where theology and faith meet contemporary art discourse. This dialogue and debate is further developed through a series of panel discussions and public conversations linked to the specific exhibitions within the church. We believe that the nature of Christ and Gantenbein’s renovations create a unique space for such an interaction to take place.