Home | Services | Calendar | Magazine | Media | History | Diocese | Links | Clubs
Home | Services | Calendar | Magazine
| Media | History
| Diocese | Links | Clubs
"News & Activities" Online.
(Note: For Services and other information see dedicated pages elsewhere on website)
AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2008 MAGAZINE
Dear Friends
From 22nd to 29th
June this year a significant conference took place in Jerusalem
with the title GAFCON (standing for the Global Anglican Future
Conference). The title is not overstating the reality, as
Anglicans from around the world have been involved. There were
1148 lay and clergy participants, including 291 bishops
representing millions of faithful Anglican Christians.
The reason for the conference is the crisis that has arisen
within the Anglican Communion over recent years. This crisis was
precipitated in 2003 when, in the USA, a bishop living in a
homosexual relationship was consecrated. The Anglican Church in
Canada authorized the blessing of same-sex unions. Despite calls
on those responsible for these decisions and actions to repent,
the hierarchy of those churches have persistently refused to back
down. Instead, they have even taken legal action against orthodox
congregations and their clergy who have distanced themselves from
the unbiblical stance of their bishops. The Primate of the
Anglican Church in the USA has also expressed doubts about Jesus
being the only way of salvation.
What has caused further confusion and dismay in the Anglican
Communion is the fact that – without any change of heart or
mind by the hierarchy of the North American churches – they
have nevertheless been invited to attend the Lambeth Conference
taking place in July this year at Kent University. Many of the
bishops attending GAFCON have declined their invitation to attend
the Lambeth Conference, as they feel that to do so would be to
appear to condone the unbiblical actions of those North American
churches.
Some people will consider it sad that there should be such a
public disagreement within the Anglican Communion, and sections
of the press have sought to report it in a negative light. But
with such disarray in the worldwide church and the failure of the
Anglican Communion to exercise discipline in the face of such
blatant heresy, the only way forward possible has been a coming
together of orthodox leaders to express their solidarity on the
basis of the Bible.
In the declaration published at the end of the GAFCON Conference,
it is stated:
“Our fellowship is not breaking away from the Anglican
Communion. We, together with many other faithful Anglicans
throughout the world, believe the doctrinal foundation of
Anglicanism … “We intend to remain faithful to this
standard, and we call on others in the Communion to reaffirm and
return to it.”
We at St James’ should applaud all that GAFCON stands for
and give our support to it.
With warm Christian greetings,
Yours,
Robert Bashford
FROM THE CHURCH REGISTERS
Service of Blessing: Stephen and Carole Fennell
We extend our prayers and sympathy to the relatives and
friends of those committed to God’s care:
Funerals:
30th May Gerry Green, aged 81 years
1st July Anita Blackett-Jones, 95 years
7th July Mary Sinclair, aged 79 years
8th July Ellen Bell, aged 79 years
JUNE/JULY SERMON CDs
All CDs of the sermons preached on Sunday mornings and evenings
in June and July 2008 are available on request from Elizabeth and
Nigel Hadley (Tel: 831067) as usual. If you have requested a CD
please collect from the back of Church the following Sunday. CDs
£1 each.
SERMONS IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
Sunday 3rd August 8.00am “Jesus before Pilate” (John 18.28-40)
10.30am “Nowhere to run” (Jonah 1)
6.30pm “Interior decorating” (1 Kings 7)
Sunday 10th August 8.00am “Jesus delivered to be
crucified”
(John 19.1-16)
10.30am “No place to hide” (Jonah 2)
6.30pm “God and his people” (1 Kings 8)
Sunday 17th August 8.00am “The Crucifixion” (John 19.17-30)
10.30am “No time to hide” (Jonah 3)
6.30pm “Surveying the work” (1 Kings 9)
Sunday 24th August 8.00am “Jesus’ burial” (John 19.31-42)
10.30am “No right time to sulk” (Jonah 4)
6.30pm “A light to the nations” (1 Kings 10)
Sunday 31st August 8.00am To be announced
10.30am “A new start” (Ezekiel 36.22-38)
6.30pm “A sad end” (1 Kings 11)
Sunday 7th Sept. 8.00am “The Resurrection” (John 20.1-10)
10.30am “The Son of God” (Lk.4.1-13)
6.30pm “False teaching” (1 Tim.1.1.1-11)
Sunday 14th Sept. 8.00am “Jesus appears to Mary
Magdalene”
(John 20.11-18)
10.30am “The local boy” (Lk.4.14-30)
6.30pm “Faithful service” (1 Tim.1.12-20)
Sunday 21st Sept. 8.00am “The harvest of our lives” (Gal.5.16-25)
10.30am “Thinking and thanking” (Harvest
Family Service)
6.30pm “Harvest thanksgiving”
Sunday 28th Sept. 8.00am “Jesus appears to his
disciples”
(John 20.19-23)
10.30am “The Holy One” (Lk.4.31-44)
6.30pm “Faithful praying” (1 Tim.2.1-7)
THANK YOU
I wish to thank everyone at St James’ for all their prayers,
support, help and friendship which my family and I have received
from you during these last few weeks.
Gerry really enjoyed coming to this Church, and the many friends
we have here have made this sad time easier for me to bear.
Anne Green
STRAWBERRY FAIR
With heavy rain at the start of the day, it turned into a lovely
afternoon!
Thanks to all the different age groups at Church with making a
variety of cards, jam, bread, marmalade, cakes and posters. Now
all we needed was someone to come along to sell, buy, play games,
eat Strawberry Teas – which is what you all did!
With this team work it was possible to raise £461 for the Spire
Fund. Well done to you all!
Marion Myers
FOR SALE IN AID OF SPIRE FUND
Wooden bird feeder table. Height 5ft. £15. Please telephone
221999 if you are interested.
Lesley Mayes
A CELTIC PRAYER
Deep peace of the running waves to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air toyou.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you.
MISSIONS
PAGE - Bill and Pat Turner serving the Lord with Global Outreach
Mission.
Dear Friends at St James, a big thank you for having a heart for
Missions, and Robert has asked me to do a bit on Global Outreach
Mission!
Global Outreach Mission was founded in 1943 and is an inter-denominational
foreign missionary organisation. It was founded by James
Stewart, a Scottish evangelist, as the European Evangelistic
Crusade. It is dedicated to carrying out the great commission,
and has nearly 500 missionaries, serving the Lord in over 50
countries. Each Missionary under God is free to follow His
leading in determining methods of Ministry. The headquarters of
the International work is in Buffalo, New York State, USA.
The work is very diverse with many outreaches and encouraging the
local church. It has a radio work in France called the "Voice
of The Gospel" and hundreds of letters come in each week
requesting help and Bible Studies, and is beamed into Africa, as
well as other French-speaking countries. We also have a radio
work called the Canadian Gospel Hour in Canada and French-speaking
Quebec.
One of the great wings of the mission is called Global Medical
Ministries, and we have two hospitals in the Congo, and amazing
work is done by the medical team and also in South America.
Please join with us in prayer, as we always need staff, and also
a real need for dentists, as well as nurses and doctors!
Bill and Pat Turner, as all missionaries, have to raise their
support, as Global Workers. Bill and Pat are part of Global
Outreach UK and work with a number of staff around the UK. We
work in Evangelism, Bible Teaching, youth work, camps and many
other visitation and counselling ministries. Bill travels to
Holland to help with street evangelism, and this year will be in
Switzerland, France, USA and Canada, as well as working with many
local Churches and denominations in the UK!
Please pray for us as we try to encourage local churches and
reach out with the Gospel. Pat and I take this opportunity of
thanking you for sending an annual gift and only eternity will
reveal the blessing through your giving!
God richly bless you in all your endeavours for the Gospel: Yours
in His Grip and by His Grace:
Bill and Pat Turner
HIT THE
DELETE BUTTON
‘Forgiving one another .. as God ... has forgiven you’
Eph.4:32 NLT
Imagine living in a society where thieves wear a ball and chain.
Imagine being identified only by your past. ‘They probably
deserved it,’ you say. Really? Jesus said if you look at a
member of the opposite sex with lust, you’ve committed
adultery in your heart (Matt.5:28). Ouch! Then He went on to say
that the standard of judgement you impose on others, is the
standard by which you’ll be judged (Matt.7:1-2). Can you
live with that? God’s not soft on sin. His love won’t
let you off. ‘The Lord disciplines those he loves’ (Heb.12:6NIV),
but His love won’t let you go. ‘Nothing can separate us
from the love of God’ (Rom.8:38-39).
We’re not too familiar with balls and chains, but we are
with computers. When someone hurts or upsets us, God says,
‘Forgive, and hit the delete button’ otherwise
you’ll be corrupted with a virus that controls the way you
think, act and talk. Worst of all, it’ll keep you chained to
the memories. ‘But forgiving is hard,’ you say. Sure;
that’s why Jesus said, ‘Pray for those who mistreat
you’ (Matt.5:44). Forgiving someone begins with praying for
them. ‘But I need to try and understand why they did it.’
Smart people do stupid stuff. Good people do bad stuff. And
misguided people don’t know what they’re doing.
That’s why Jesus prayed, ‘Father, forgive them; for
they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34). You may understand
someday, or you may never understand. Either way, for your own
sake, forgive, hit the delete button and move on!
Reprinted by kind permission of UCB
WHAT LOVE MEANS TO 4-8 YEAR OLDS
‘Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.’
Terri – age 4
‘Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she
takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is ok.
Danny – age 7
‘If you want to learn to love better, you should start with
a friend who you hate’ Nikka – age 6
‘Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who
are still friends even after they know each other so well.’
Tommy - age 6
Abridged
Minutes of the meeting of the 2008/09 PCC of St James’
Church, Westgate and Garlinge held on Tuesday 13th May 2008 at
the Church Centre (Note: Available in printed
version of the magazine only - Web Ed)
ANY QUESTIONS?
“How can I make my prayer life stronger? When I pray,
I find my thoughts wandering terribly. I have a busy and
demanding schedule each day, and at the end of the day I have run
out of steam to be able to pray with any concentration.”
If any of us feels like that, we are in very good company. I have
never met a Christian who claimed to be a graduate in the school
of prayer – or at least if I have, such people don’t
seem to be all that mature in their faith. Provided we keep on as
learners, we can truly expect to make progress. How is prayer in
a busy life achieved – especially in view of the apostle
Paul’s words that we should “pray constantly” (1
Thessalonians 5.7)?
1. There is the need for a design. God’s first rule seemed
to be “order” in the creation of the world. The fact is
that untidiness and muddles are going to cascade into our days in
any case. We can’t avoid that. But it’s as well if the
day can at least start with a plan and design. I have no way of
knowing when you get up, or the procedure you make use of for
getting up! Try and make it as pleasant and calm as possible.
Perhaps a radio/alarm would help – being able to wake
yourself up to music or news. And then structure in that time
with God, and even though you may be a night owl and feel
terrible in the morning – let there be a devotional start to
the day. Design it into your programme, even if for only ten
minutes.
2. There is the need for a reservoir. The Baptist preacher
Alexander Maclaren once said: “It is not dropping down to
your knees for two minutes in a morning before you hurry out to
business, and scrambling over a formal petition; or praying after
you have gone to bed at night and perhaps falling asleep before
you get to ‘Amen’ … It is not faint and feeble
desire, but one presented with continuity which is patient
persistence.”
Unless we pray at regular set times, we shall find we
haven’t the confidence to bring the crisis moments to the
Lord with any conviction. So prayer is a developing way of life;
it’s a relationship with God. We would like to think that we
could take some “pill”, and prayer would come alive.
But no – work at it steadily, and it will begin to glow with
reality.
3. There is the need for an outlet. The relationship with God in
the Christian life needs to be taken out into our day, into our
work. How is this done? Why, through prayer. If your life is
business, and nothing else, your spirit will become stifled in
the end. Take a Bible sentence out into your day, every day, and
let it mould your thoughts towards work and towards God. Little
and often. It’s not a technique. It’s not a pill.
It’s relationship. Hopefully, there will be more on this
question in the next issue.
Robert Bashford
HARVEST SUPPER QUIZ EVENING
This year’s Harvest Supper will take place on Saturday 27th
September at 6.30 pm in the Old School Hall. It will take the
form of a Quiz Evening for all ages. What we have in mind is an
event for all the family – the questions will be appropriate
for the youngest as well as the oldest (and everybody else in
between). Tickets will be available in due course - £3 for
adults, £1.50 for under 12s. Please book the date in your diary
now and plan to join us.
Robert Bashford
CHRISTIANITY EXPLORED
In the autumn we are planning a new course of “Christianity
Explored”. This 7-part course, which originated at All Souls
Church in London, is a most helpful way of investigating the
Christian faith or of brushing up on the basics. The course is
based on Mark’s Gospel and helps us focus in a fresh and
stimulating way on who Jesus is and what he has done – and
on why all this is so important. Each session consists of a video
and discussion.
The first session will probably be towards the end of September
on a Friday evening from 7.30 to 9.00 pm in the Church Centre.
Each evening will begin with coffee (or tea) and cake – so
that is an added reason for coming along! The course will
continue on the following Friday evenings.
As the invitation leaflet says, “You don’t need to know
anything about the Bible. You won’t be asked to read out
aloud, pray or sing. You can ask any questions you want.”
If you are interested and want to find out more, or you want to
enrol, please get in touch with me (832380).
Robert Bashford
Have you
lost it?
A number of items have been left behind at church in the past
year or so.
If you think that any of the following could belong to you,
please have a
word with one of the Churchwardens.
Lady’s hat, brown
Woollen gloves, black
Woollen glove, black (single)
Woollen gloves, brown
Scarf, black
Scarf, brown
Leather gloves, beige
Hard spectacle cases, brown (2)
Kangaroo key ring
Pair of gold-rimmed spectacles
Man’s sock, black (1) - Really?
Plastic rulers (2)
Pair of folding spectacles, in case
Small toy car, green
Clip-on sunglasses (2 pairs)
Plastic scissors (1 pair)
Photograph of little boy wearing boxing gloves - Aah!
‘Invaders’ instructions leaflet
Please hurry, to claim anything that is yours. Any items not
claimed within the next 3 months will be disposed of.
Jutta Moon
The
Friendship Club Outing
This year we had a beautiful day for our outing to The
Salutations at Sandwich. We met at the church and boarded two
coaches which took us the scenic way to the quay where we walked
a little way to the attractive gardens.
Edward Lutyens was the designer of the classical house and he and
Gertrude Jekyll worked together on planning the gardens. We
walked and sat in comfort as the sunshine and lack of a wind made
our visit a pleasure, and when we were thirsty, made our way to
the Gate House for tea and delicious home-made cakes. After
almost twenty-five years of neglect the present owners have made
a great success in the recovery of such a large area.
The Salutations is a joy to visit and well worth a second trip as
the gardens are open every day except Sunday during the summer
season.
We must thank Jutta and Neil for their care in arranging this
happy occasion, and we now look forward to a fine day for the
July Garden Party.
Barbara Bennett
Anita
Blackett-Jones
Anita died on June 20th at the age of ninety-five years. She will
be missed, as she was a Stirling character in her day.
Anita and her mother moved back to Thanet in 1960 (she had been
at school in Broadstairs in her youth). On returning here she was
appointed domestic science teacher at King Ethelbert’s
School. I soon became friendly with them both as Anita and her
mother helped me with the annual collection for Christian Aid.
Anita soon put her cooking skills to good use by taking on the
cake stall in the summer and at Christmas, raising a good amount
for the church funds. In those days we depended much more on the
bazaars!
After Miss Morris gave up as leader of The Friendship Club Anita
took it over, always providing an interesting programme,
including an outing and a Christmas Carol Party with a good tea
and crackers to follow.
At harvest time Anita joined in the decoration of the church and
the distributing of the flowers and goods to ill or lonely people.
In church Anita delighted herself and us by reading the lesson
once a month – her clear voice and good diction was a
benefit to us all.
For the last three years Anita has been in residential homes. A
group of friends have visited her from time to time. In her
obituary her cousin summed up her span by writing: “A long
life well spent”. I feel that was so true about a kind and
helpful lady.
Barbara Bennett
FAITH UNLOCKERED
In 1983 my eldest daughter, Andrea, then fourteen and a half, was
rushed into hospital with meningococolia septicaemia. Although my
husband and I had attended Sunday School ourselves as youngsters,
we were not a Christian family. However, both my daughters went
to a Baptist Church Sunday School where they had a Bible study.
My daughter was put into a side room at the hospital and given a
50-50 chance of survival. I remember thinking there must be a God
or why should I have just started going to Morning Service. For
the first few days she didn’t speak much but just slept and
we stayed with her day and night.
As she began to recover she asked me to read to her from the
Bible, something I had never thought of taking to the hospital.
We found a Gideon Bible in the locker and although I was not well
up on the books of the Bible I was able to read to her from the
Psalms.
Psalm 25 really took hold of me and I used to read it at home
after visiting her. I then used this Psalm as my prayer to God
and became a Christian. My daughter has made a full recovery and
both my daughters became Christians just after me.
I will always be grateful to the Gideons for that Bible in the
bedside locker and the way God used it to transform my life.
Ann J.
Reprinted by kind permission of the Gideons
WHY BOTHER WITH CHURCH?
‘Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and
good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together
...’ Hebrews 10:24-25
Winston Churchill once said that he related to the church rather
like a flying buttress: he supported it from the outside. (A
flying buttress is an external support that reinforces the walls
of old cathedrals.) I tried that strategy for a while, after
coming to believe Christian doctrine sincerely and committing
myself to God.
I am not alone. Fewer people attend church on Sunday than claim
to follow Christ. Some feel burned by a former experience. Other
simply ‘get nothing out of church.’ So why bother?
Today I could hardly imagine life without church. Church has
filled a need for me that can’t be met in any other way. An
early church leader wrote. ‘The virtuous soul that is alone
... is like the burning coal that is alone. It will grow colder
rather than hotter.’
Christianity is not purely intellectual faith. It can be lived
only in a community. At a deep level, I sense that the church
contains something I desperately need. Whenever I abandoned
church for a time, I found that I was the one who suffered. My
faith faded, and a crusty shell of lovelessness grew over me
again. I grew colder rather than hotter.
And so, my journeys away from the church always circled back to
the church.
Philip Yancy.
Comment:
The church is not a select circle for a few, but a spiritual
centre open to all.
From Pam Toogood’s daily Bible reading notes
SPIRE APPEAL?
One Sunday the vicar told his congregation that he had good news
and bad news. He told them the bad news that the church urgently
needed money to repair the spire. The congregation groaned. He
cut them short by telling them the good news – there was
enough money to cover the repairs. The congregation breathed a
sigh of relief. “The final piece of bad news,” said the
vicar, “is that the money is still in your pockets.”
LESSONS MY
MOTHER TAUGHT ME
My mother taught me IRONY.
“Keep crying and I’ll give you something to cry about.”
My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
“Shut your mouth and eat your supper.”
My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
“Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!”
My mother taught me about STAMINA.
“You’ll sit there until all that spinach is gone.”
My mother taught me about WEATHER.
“This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.”
My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
“If I told you once, I’ve told you a million times.
Don’t exaggerate!”
My mother taught me about CIRCLE OF LIFE.
“I brought you into this world and I can take you out.”
My mother taught me about BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION.
“Stop acting like your father!”
My mother taught me about ENVY.
“There are millions of less fortunate children in this world
who don’t have wonderful parents like you do.”
My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
“Just wait until we get home.”
My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
“You are going to get it when we get home!”
My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
“If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they are going
to freeze that way.”
My mother taught me ESP.
“Put your sweater one, don’t you think I know when you
are cold?”
My mother taught me HUMOUR.
“When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t coming
running to me.”
My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
“If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never
grow up.”
My mother taught me GENETICS.
“You’re just like your father.”
My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
“Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a
barn?”
My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
“One day you’ll have kids and I hope they turn out just
like you!”
My mother taught me about PAIN.
“This is going to hurt me, more then it hurts you!”
From Phil Johnson
THE BEATITUDES
7: Happy
are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God, Matthew
5:9
To get us going
Almost at the end of the ‘beautiful attitudes’ we find
ourselves on familiar ground. Everyone who reads this column will
be aware of the violent antagonism which continues to rage in
every area of human society – and our need of peacemakers.
On the international scene, Palestinian fights Palestinian in
bloody street battles in the Gaza strip, hundreds continue to die
as the result of sectarian violence in Iraq, and casualties
steadily mount on both sides as Allied troops attempt to defeat
the Taliban forces in Afghanistan.
As I write, on British streets – and not only in our major
cities – a number of young men dying as the result of knife
attacks grows alarmingly, and continues to make headline news.
Our homes and families do not escape, as broken relationships
between parents, and parents and children reach epidemic
proportions. A daily television programme, illustrates in
horrible detail, the depths of anger and anguish that couples and
family members experience when love and trust fail.
We may say that conflict and tension pervades every area where
humans are found, whether living, working, relaxing or even
worshipping together! Fallen human nature makes this inevitable.
Pride, ambition, self-centredness, anger and greed are guaranteed
to infiltrate every human activity sooner or later.
Divine grief
How this must grieve the heart of God! His entire creation –
material and human – was designed to exist in harmony. But
pride and rebellion ruined it all – and we are left with an
ailing planet and a disunited humanity. Separated from God and
each other, life is possible only because of powerful moral
barriers and the threat of the law.
Our greatest need
One of the great needs of our age is for peacemakers to intercede
and attempt to reconcile those who are separated by suspicion,
anger and hatred. We need to appreciate more than we do the
efforts of diplomats, industrial mediators, family support groups
and marriage counsellors who attempt to bring a solution to
troubled relationships.
It must be said that such efforts to unite warring factions
frequently prove to be costly. There is rarely any thanks for the
negotiator, in fact, abuse and rejection are far more likely. Yet
Jesus said, ‘Happy are the peacemakers’. Yes, happy
because loving and caring, and wanting to bring peace to troubled
relationships brings the happiness of God’s approval. After
all, it was the work Jesus came into the world to do!
Divine remedy
The coming of Jesus Christ into the world was God’s master
plan by which he was to reconcile all things to himself. The
apostle Paul explained how when writing to Christians in Colosse:
‘by making peace by the blood of (Christ’s) cross’.*
There was a very high price to pay for reconciling the world to
himself.
God the Father, gave up his much-loved Son, and laid upon him the
guilt of the entire world, when he died on the cross. In dying,
Jesus took on himself the sin which separates us from God, and
which makes us his enemies. With sin removed, we can become the
friends of God by trusting in the Lord Jesus for ourselves.
For Jesus Christ, the cost was to be reckoned in leaving his
heavenly home, accepting the limitations of being human, living a
life of humility on earth, and experiencing rejection, injustice
and shame, in becoming a willing sacrifice for our sins. His
death achieved reconciliation between God and we rebellious
humans.
No wonder Jesus said, ‘Happy are the peacemakers, for they
will be called sons of God’. After all, this is what he did
for us, and we walk in his steps when we imitate his work in
making peace in our own relationships.
A Bible verse to encourage:
‘In Christ Jesus you who were once far away have been
brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our
peace...’ Ephesians 2:13-14
Michael
Toogood
*From the Bible: Colossians 1:20; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18,19
KIDS IN CHURCH ... 3 year old Reese: “Our
father, who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen.”
PRAYER OF
ST. FRANCIS
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, let there be pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not seek so much to be consoled,
as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
For in giving we receive, in pardoning we are pardoned,
and in dying we are born to eternal life.
CHURCH MAGAZINE COVERS
Once again, we are indebted to Simon Young of Broad Oak Printers,
Canterbury for donating over a year’s supply of covers for
the Church magazine. Simon can be contacted on 01227 767856.
This obviously helps to a large extent in keeping down magazine
costs as well as promoting the magazine via the varied choice of
colours in which the covers are supplied. Our sincere thanks once
again.
Ed.
KIDS ...?
A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5 and Ryan 3.
The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake.
Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. ‘If
Jesus was sitting here, He would say, ‘Let my brother have
the first pancake, I can wait.’ Kevin turned to his younger
brother and said, ‘Ryan, you be Jesus!’
“ONE MAN AND HIS DOG”
A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying
the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him had been
dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one
side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a
long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the
sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the
arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to
the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the
gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out ‘Excuse me, where
are we?’
‘This is Heaven, sir,’ the man answered, ‘Wow!
Would you happen to have some water?’ the man asked.
‘Of course, sir. Come right in, and I’ll have some ice
water brought right up.’ The man gestured, and the gate
began to open.
‘Can my friend,’ gesturing toward his dog, ‘come
in to?’ the traveller asked. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but
we don’t accept pets.’
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and
continued the way he had been going with his dog. After another
long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt
road leading through a farm gate that looked as it if it had
never been closed. There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a
tree and reading a book ...
‘Excuse me!’ he called to the man. ‘Do you have
any water?’ ‘Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there,
come on in.’
‘How about my friend here?’ the traveller gestured to
the dog. ‘There should be a bowl by the pump.’
They went through the gate, and sure enough there was an old
fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveller filled
the water bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some
to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man
who was standing by the tree. ‘What do you call this place?’
the traveller asked.
‘This is Heaven,’ he answered. ‘Well, that’s
confusing,’ the traveller said. ‘The man down the read
said that was Heaven, too.’
‘Oh you mean the place where the gold street and pearly
gates? Nope. That’s hell.’
‘Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like
that?’
‘No, we’re just happy that they screen out the folks
who would leave their best friends behind.’
SATURDAY SHOP
The receipts for the Saturday ship in June were £185.57 and £130.00
in July.
We are thankful to all who support the shop in giving, preparing
and staffing the various tables and, of course, to all our
customers.
Please note that the next Saturday Shop will be held at the Old
School Hall, Garlinge on 9th August from 10.00am.
Take this opportunity to beat inflation by buying at really
affordable prices! Come and see for yourself – the proof of
the pudding etc.
PSALM 23
The Lord is my shepherd
That’s relationship!
I shall not want
That’s supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
That’s rest!
He leadeth me beside still waters
That’s refreshment!
He restoreth my soul
That’s healing!
He leadeth me in paths of righteousness
That’s guidance!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of death
That’s challenge!
I will fear no evil
That’s assurance!
Thy rod and staff they comfort me
That’s shelter!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine
enemies
That’s hope!
Thou anointest my head with oil
That’s consecration!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of
my life
That’s blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
That’s security!
Forever
That’s eternity!
Amen (so be it).
DEADLINE DATE:
Please may all articles for the October/November magazine be with
the Editor by Sunday 21st September 2008. Thank you.
JESUS SAID: “But in those days, following
that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not
give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the
heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time men will see the Son
of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will
send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from
the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: As soon as its twigs get
tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
Even so, when you see these things happening , you know that it
is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation
will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass
away” (Mark 13:24-31)
GOD’S VOICE MAIL
We have all learned to live with ‘voice mail’ as a
necessary part of modern life. But have you ever wondered:
‘What if God decided to install voice mail?’ Imagine
praying and hearing this:
Thank you for calling ‘My Father’s House.’ Please
select one of the following options:
Press 1 for requests;
Press 2 for thanksgiving;
Press 3 for complaints;
Press 4 for any other enquiries.
BASED ON 1 SAMUEL 15:22
Obedience is such a simple rule,
But oft we fail, and find so soon,
That difficulties then arise,
But Jesus’ faithfulness and care,
To his wayward children comes,
And looking to him so we find,
The blessing then that we receive
Unmerited, but by his grace alone,
The blood he shed on Calvary, does all our sins atone.
He witnesses within our hearts,
And gently leads us on his path,
If we just quietly, and looking unto Him,
Tread soft and careful on the way,
His peace he brings into our lives,
And though we meet with problems as we go,
By sheltering within His loving arms,
His strength abides in us so deep and pure,
And gives us joy of which we can be sure.
AUGUST
DIARY
Fri 1st 7.30 pm Ministry Team,
Sat 2nd 8.00 am Garlinge Prayer Meeting, Old School Hall
Sunday 3rd 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service with the Lord’s Supper
6.30 pm Evening Service
Wed 6th 8.00 pm Prayer Meeting, Church Centre
Sat 9th 10.00 am Saturday Shop, Old School Hall
Sunday 10th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service
Tues 12th 12.00 noon Garlinge Lunch, Old School Hall
Wed 13th 8.00 pm Prayer Meeting, Church Centre
Sunday 17th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service with the Lord’s Supper
Wed 20th 8.00 pm Prayer Meeting, Church Centre
Sunday 24th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service
Wed 27th 8.00 pm Prayer Meeting, Church Centre
Sunday 31st 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service
SEPTEMBER DIARY
Tues 2nd )
Wed 3rd ) Home Bible Study Groups (whatever date and
Thurs 4th ) time have been arranged for your Group)
Thurs 4th 10.15 am Parents and Toddlers, Church Centre
2.00 pm Dandelyon Patchers, Church Centre
Sat 6th 8.00 am Garlinge Prayer Meeting, Old School Hall
Sunday 7th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service with the Lord’s Supper
6.30 pm Evening Service
Mon 8th 10.00 am Living Stones Bible Study Group, Church Centre
Tues 9th 7.30 pm PCC, Church Centre
Wed 10th 8.00 pm Focus on Prayer, Church Centre
Thurs 11th 10.15 am Parents and Toddlers, Church Centre
Sat 13th 10.00 am Saturday Shop, Old School Hall
Sunday 14th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service
Mon 15th 2.30 pm Friendship Club: “Send a Cow” (Chris
and Sue
Elliott), Church Centre
Tues 16th 12.00noon Garlinge Lunch, Old School Hall
Wed 17th 8.00 pm Bible Study, Church Centre
Thurs 18th 10.15 a.m. Parents and Toddlers, Church Centre
2.00 pm Dandelyon Patchers, Church Centre
Sunday 21st 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Harvest Family Service
6.30 pm Evening Service with the Lord’s Supper
Wed 24th 8.00 pm Focus on Prayer, Church Centre
Thurs 25th 10.15 am Parents and Toddlers, Church Centre
Sat 27th 6.30 pm Harvest Supper Quiz Evening, Old School Hall
Sunday 28th 8.00 am The Lord’s Supper
10.30 am Morning Service
6.30 pm Evening Service
Click HERE to return to "News & Activity" Index Page