February News Letter
February 1st 2024
Dear Friends
My January letter anticipated the adoption of our texts and mission statement for this year. Copies of that which we have adopted were distributed at morning worship on 21st January and are printed above. If any of you have not received the texts and mission statement on card please do ask for one. During our Sunday services in January we have focussed on recognising how and when God calls, on how we respond to God’s call and how we discern what comes from God. Last Sunday morning, together we said our Call to Worship, Psalm 111:10. We read from the New International version of the Bible and then heard the words in the Good News translation at the beginning of the Address, ‘The way to become wise is to honour the Lord; he gives sound judgement to all who obey his commands. He is to be praised for ever.’ As we thought about the reality that we don’t get everything right, we also faced the reality that within our mission statement lies the need to discern every day that which comes from God. Why? Because in rejoicing that God’s dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed, we are called to discern what God is saying to us individually and collectively in 2024. May our discernment demonstrate that through prayer and action Jesus is at the centre.
As part of our love for the world created by God, you might like to register for the Big Plastic Count. Google Big Plastic Count and you will find the necessary information and the opportunity to engage with the count. A little information from the organisers is given below .
In 2022, a quarter of a million people from households, schools, businesses and communities across the country made The Big Plastic Count the biggest ever investigation into UK household plastic waste. By counting your plastic waste for 1 week, you helped us to reveal a shocking truth: that the UK throws away 2 billion pieces of plastic every week, only 12% of which is recycled.
In 2024, governments will be negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty that could finally phase out plastic production for good. And so, we’re doing The Big Plastic Count again – this time we’ll be using the results to convince UK ministers to lead the way at these talks and push for a really strong treaty. It’s a massive opportunity, but we have to act fast…and we need your help!
And whilst on the subject of caring, Church Meeting agreed, if the weather permits, that our next litter pick in the area around the church will be on Sunday, 25th February following morning worship.
As I write this letter the Celebration Launch of the United Reformed Church Kent and East Sussex Synod Area is fast approaching. Please pray for the work of the new Synod area which will support the 38 churches across Kent and the Hastings and Bexhill areas of East Sussex.
Please also pray for the URC Assembly Executive meeting in Derbyshire from 9th to 11th February, for the Synod Together meeting on 9th March, for churches in North Gillingham which include this church, for the work of Churches Together in Medway.
Dates for our diaries in the coming weeks:
Friday 16th February from 4.30 pm to 5.45 pm – our monthly Christian puppet time for accompanied children.
A reminder to those who have booked that we have a group booking to see St Paul’s Drama Group’s production of Beauty and the Beast on Saturday 17th February.
Monday 19th February at 2 pm Monthly praise and prayer.
Every Wednesday at 2 pm Bible study.
Friday 1st March at 2 pm – we are hosting the World Day of Prayer Service.
Sunday 10th March – we look forward to welcoming Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers to our Mothering Sunday service.
Sunday 24th March, Palm Sunday service followed by our AGM.
Maundy Thursday, 28th March. Worship with Holy Communion at 7 pm.
Good Friday, 29th March. Worship at 10 am.
Easter Saturday, 30th March. Coffee morning, Easter egg hunt and craft for accompanied children. Please begin to invite friends and family.
Easter Sunday, 31st March. The service will include thatching the Cross with flowers and singing an Easter hymn on the forecourt of the church.
The production of The Hiding Place scheduled to take place on 25th February at St Augustine’s church has been deferred to a later date.
A big thank you to everyone for your ongoing support of the flower ministry, for the knitting of pencil cases, for the gifts of pencils, pencil sharpeners, short rulers and rubbers for children in Malawi supported by Starfish, for the donations of small Easter eggs for the Easter Egg hunt.
We look forward to hearing from those who went to Youth Assembly last weekend and thank God for all who work so hard within the denomination to enable this annual gathering of young people from across the United Reformed Church.
Friends, as we continue to live in a very troubled world, we are reminded of the Statement of the Nature, Faith and Order of The United Reformed Church, ‘We affirm our intention to go on praying and working, with all our fellow Christians, for the visible unity of the Church in the way Christ chooses so that people and nations may be led to love and serve God and praise him more and more for ever.’ We also heed the words which we will sing during worship this coming Sunday written by Sydney Carter, ‘Give me courage when the world is rough, keep me loving when the world is tough.’
The peace of the Lord be with you all today and always and as we continue to support one another and the wider community as we seek to own the words,
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
Luke 10:27 New International Version
God bless you all
Pam