Nick Humphreys, who grew up in Monaco and was an active member of our Sunday Club throughout his childhood here, returned to Saint Paul's on the First Sunday in Lent, 14 February, to present the congregation with his plans for a very special "gap year".

For many young people, a gap year (a year out of school, usually between secondary school and college) is little more than an excuse to travel the world, gather experiences, and spend a lot of time partying.

Nick Humphreys has a very different idea about his own gap year opportunity. Recruited by the highly rated and respected charity "Project Trust" last September, Nick will spend a full year (2016-17) making an important contribution as a volunteer primary school teacher working with the children in the small Anglican village of Chenapowu in a rain forest in Guyana.  Click here to read more about Nick's gap year project with the charity Project Trust.

Aron Messiah, the architect of many important buildings along the Riviera completed Saint Paul's Church in 1924, a building which be began designing nearly a decade before. On Thursday 25 February at 18:30 a public lecture will be offered to present the life and work of this important Riviera architect.

Mr Daniel Jessula, great-grandson of the architect, and Dr Judit Kiraly, Riviera historian, will co-present this public lecture on the life and work of Aron Messiah who was the builder for many of the great Riviera figures of the early 20th century, including The Belgian King Leopold, Baronne Ephrussi de Rothschild, and James Gordon Bennet. Among his many accomplishments: the villa La Léopolda, the gardens of Villa Ephrussi, the pavilions of the Hotel Eden Roch, the Anglican churches in Beaulieu-sur-mer and Monaco, and the Vicarage and Library at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Nice.

This public lecture will be given primarily in English and will include opportunity for questions and discussion. A reception will follow the lecture in the Saint Paul's Church Library.

Once again this year, Holy Trinity Church in Nice is organising a Lenten Retreat for the Anglican Churches on the Riviera. The retreat takes place at Notre Dame de Laghet.

Bishop Stephen Platten