September Newsletter
Dear friends
How are you? We enjoyed celebrating Creation Sunday on 6th September and Harvest on
27th September. Occasions on which to be thankful for God’s Creation and knowing what it is to thank God that he is Lord of the harvest, harvest of people all over the world, including us, when we come to know Jesus.
We were reminded last Sunday that special times in the calendar of the Church prompt us to thank God for special occasions through the year. Advent reminds us about getting ready to welcome God as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas; Lent reminds us how each of us has messed up; Easter reminds us how Jesus chose to die and rise again so that knowing Him, in faith, means everlasting life with Him; Pentecost reminds us that God’s love is poured into our hearts by the power of the Holy Spirit; and Harvest is a time to remember and say thank you to God for giving us an amazingly fruitful world, for the tasty world that God wants us to enjoy and the even greater world that God wants us to enjoy through knowing Jesus. In Psalm 24:1 in the New Living translation of the Bible we read that ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.’
A big thank you to everyone who helped us to celebrate both Creation Sunday and Harvest. Thank you for your participation by sharing items which prompted us to be thankful for creation and thank you to everyone who participated in a variety of ways on Harvest Sunday including your many contributions in support of Medway Foodbank, providing lunch afterwards, setting up and clearing away. As I shared during the Harvest service the story about the potato and the process involved in the potato becoming chips, life is all about being members of Christ’s team here on earth. So thank you for the team work witnessed here and not only on special occasions. May we continue to encourage one another in the many opportunities which we have to realise and share our God given gifts.
Creation Sunday at Gillingham URC 6th September 2026
During the Harvest Sunday worship we launched this year’s Shoebox Appeal in support of Blythswood Care. The detail of all that is involved in enabling the Appeal in this part of the south east is different this year. Locally, we thank Lorna for organising the sponsored knit in support of the appeal. Thank you to the knitters which included a team from here and to the sponsors. Well done to everyone in the teams involved in raising around £1,200. A magnificent sum particularly in today’s climate. Because of revised arrangements this year single items to go in shoeboxes or boxes filled with gifts need to please be brought to the church by 31st October at the latest which means that it might be helpful to work to Sunday 25th October as the deadline. Thank you to everyone who feels able to support the appeal.
We remain very grateful to Fiona, our Eco representative, for her enthusiastic
encouragement to us to do what we can to take care of God’s created world. Those of us at the September Church Meeting received her excellent report then. Below is her contribution for this Newsletter:
The November repair cafe is on Saturday 7 November 10.30 am to 1 pm at Cuxton Library. The next Clothes and Toy Swap is the same date at Gillingham Library 11 am to 3 pm.
Good Money Sunday is this Sunday, 4th October, where we are encouraged to think about whether the banks we use are funding fossil fuels. There is a campaign called The Big Bank Switch which encourages us to use greener banks, more about this at church meeting.
Now some more important dates thus far between now and the end of the year. Please saturate all of these occasions in prayer.
Sunday 4th October We welcome our friend, Chris Knott, to speak during morning worship on behalf of Starfish Malawi. Following the service we will gather in the church garden for the dedication of the bird bath donated by Cherrie and Mike Smith in memory of Simon and the dedication of the bird feeder in memory of Joan Allen.
Wednesday 7th October from 10.30 am to 12 noon. We are grateful to Lorna for
organising a coffee morning in support of Macmillan Cancer. Please come if you are able and perhaps invite a friend to come with you.
Friday 16th October is our next coffee morning in co-operation with Thomas Fowle, Funeral Directors – 10.30 am – in support of Medway Foodbank. Come along for coffee and chat. Voluntary donations. No admission charge.
Sunday 18th October. Church Meeting following morning worship. Please note that this is one week earlier than agreed by Church meeting in September and to which I referred last Sunday. I am grateful to the Elders for agreeing the revised date on behalf of Church Meeting. This remains in accordance with the last Church Meeting’s decision to not hold a meeting on Remembrance Sunday [the natural date for the meeting to be held] and that a meeting later in November would not give sufficient time to talk about Advent and Christmas preparations.
Sunday 1st November All Saints Day. Our service at 11 am will include remembering all whose names are in the Book of Remembrance as well as others.
Sunday 8th November. Remembrance Sunday. Our service will begin at the earlier time of 10.45 am.
Saturday 14th November at 2.30 pm. As I am writing this letter we have been delighted to learn that we can look forward to a concert by Kingfisher Singers here on 14th November and we are grateful. Further details to be announced.
Sunday 29th November. Advent Sunday
Sunday 6th December. Morning worship will include hanging of stars on the Christmas tree in memory of loved ones.
Sunday 6th December at 6 pm. Christmas Connect at KICC.
Sunday 13th December. Morning worship will include the Nativity
Sunday 20th December. Morning worship will include Holy Communion
Sunday 20th December. Our carol service at 6 pm.
Thursday 24th December, Christmas Eve. Service at 4 pm
Friday 25th December, Christmas Day. Service at 10 am
Important occasions in the life of Southern Synod of the URC and also for our prayers.
Saturday 17th October – Synod Together at Burgess Hill URC.
Saturday 31st October at 2 pm at Petts Wood URC. Induction of Revd Paul Robinson as Moderator of Southern Synod. At the moment two of us are going from here. As has been announced several times anyone else is welcome to make arrangements to go – please let me know soon if that includes you.
Saturday November 7th An afternoon for Kent and East Sussex Synod Area church fellowships with The Revd Neil Thorogood, Moderator of General Assembly of the United Reformed Church and an opportunity to meet Revd Paul Robinson, Moderator of Southern Synod. The afternoon will be at Staplehurst URC from 3 pm. I will be representing Gillingham URC but as already mentioned several times anyone else from here is very welcome to go – please let me know if that includes you.
Friends, it does not need me to tell you that we are living in challenging times. May God continue to be able to use us all in a variety of ways to declare that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Every one of us has a part to play in His team on earth. For the sake of the kingdom of God doing nothing is not an option and we are thankful that praying is something we can all do.
Sunflowers from the seeds given to us by Southern Synod and grown by children who meet here in the week.
God bless you all as we journey together.
Pam