April Newsletter
April 25th 2024
Dear Friends
How are you? My last letter contained information about the various services and events from Mothering Sunday through to Easter Sunday.
We thank God for the opportunities which we had to engage with one another and the local community during this precious time of year.
Thank you to everyone for your team work and participation in all that we were able to offer during that time as we proclaimed our faith that Jesus Christ is Lord. Mothering Sunday, the Puppet time in March, the Easter egg hunt and fellowship over tea and coffee on Easter Saturday all provided opportunities taken up by people beyond the immediate church family to taste and see who we are at Gillingham United Reformed Church and why we are Gillingham United Reformed Church.
The corporate witness in Gillingham High Street with other churches in North Gillingham on Good Friday was well received and which included the distribution of palm crosses to the people gathered that morning.
On Easter Sunday it was our privilege to welcome Rehman Chishti MP to morning worship. The photograph below taken on the forecourt of the church reminds us of our service that morning – we owe a particular thank you to everyone who brought flowers to go on the cross and to those who did great work in putting the flowers on it. Singing ‘Thine be the glory’ with the cross at the centre of our gathering on the forecourt provided a focal point for that particular occasion but also an encouragement to us as a local church family to witness to the community at all times.
Easter Sunday 2024
Our outreach continues as we seek to go on owning our mission statement demonstrating love in action locally and way beyond.
It is surprising how much litter can be collected in less than an hour as demonstrated again on our most recent litter pick last Sunday. Those of us who participated in the Big Plastic Count last month realised the amount of plastic passing through the doors of our homes in just one week. The Count in which many people took part across the country emphasised the need for national reduction in the production and use of plastic.
The pencil cases among many other donations recently collected here for Starfish Malawi are now well on their way in the system to get them to people who need them so much. As we continue to pray for Starfish and particularly at this moment for Chris, Peter, Yuri and Emmanuel, the UK team representing Starfish on their busy 16 day schedule in Malawi, you may like to see something of their programme over this time by looking at the daily videos being produced. Google Starfish Malawi and you will be able to access them.
A big thank you to Fiona who organised the coffee morning yesterday in support of Embrace the Middle East for Gaza. Thank you to everyone who made cakes, who came to the event and to others who although not able to come along have made a donation. As I write this, the amount raised in cash yesterday morning was £203-31. We will of course let you know the final total as we are aware that some on line donations have also been made.
A few reminders and dates. It is our monthly Christian puppet time tomorrow afternoon, 26th April at 4.30 pm for accompanied children. Puppets for the following three months will be on Fridays 31st May, 28th June,
26th July at 4.30 pm. Church Meeting is on Sunday 12th May following morning worship and 12th May marks the beginning of Christian Aid Week. Our next bring and share lunch follows morning worship on Sunday 19th May which is Pentecost. Worship that morning will be led by John Ellis, Joint Leader, Kent and East Sussex Synod Area. We look forward to welcoming John here again.
Friends as we journey on may you continue to know the peace and presence of the Lord.
God bless you all
Pam