WE ARE A
LEARNING COMMUNITY INFLUENCING
THE SPHERES
There is something vibrant and alive about learning alongside others who are looking for God centred solutions for the problems of our day. God has called us to be a place where we learn to allow Him meet us where we are in our story, change us, and then allow that change to overflow and influence the world around us.
As a learning community we hold the tension between the big picture of how God is redeeming the world back to Himself and also the simple application of truth in everyday life. We ask ourselves simple but essentials questions about how to walk out forgiveness and kindness expressed in our communication and relationships as we allow
God draw us to change.
God cares about every area of life. He has things to say about every sphere of authority that touches our lives; Family, Church, Government. And then those areas of life that have such a strong influence on how we live; Arts & Entertainment, Business, Communication, Education and Science & Technology. As the world experiences tremendous change and is looking for answers, we believe from both our story and the bible that God wants to answer those questions. In biblical times Joseph was used by God to feed the nation of Egypt in seven years of drought. There was a combination of divine revelation of future circumstances and a wise solution implemented on a national scale. We believe God isn’t done operating in this way and is inviting us to learn from Him how to engage with today's world.
OUR HISTORY
Dating back to as early as the 12th Century, Burtigny is rich in history and culture. A village of about 400 people, in the French speaking part of Switzerland, it is situated about 25 minutes outside Geneva. Initially part of the grounds of a magnificent estate, the village comprises 568 hectares and is surrounded by a deep, lush forest. Nestled at the foot of the Jura Mountains, with breathtaking views of Lake Geneva and Mt Blanc, it derives its beauty from the purity of untarnished nature.
In the 19th Century, a revival sprang up within Geneva, transforming the protestant church and as a result, dozens of churches were started throughout the nearby cantons (counties). During this time a young pastor in Burtigny, Monsieur Moreillon, had the vision to start an orphanage, modeled after George Muller’s “faith orphanages” in England. Inspired by his emphasis on trusting God for complete provision, Moreillon followed suit and in 1899 he opened La Maison (The House) as a refuge for orphans.
Soon afterwards, however, Moreillon grew ill and had to give La Maison over to a woman from the village named Soeur Cecile. She married Julien Sergy, a farmer and together they labored diligently to ensure that the orphanage was self-sufficient in food. They soon had a fully functioning farm and garden that supplied everything the children needed, from milk to their food. Furthermore, they saw to it that the children received an education by starting their own school within the building.
