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JULY 2002

Dear Friends,

This should be my last letter – no prizes for guessing the author-in-waiting. The countdown is almost complete and we are ready for lift off.

Thank you for all your help, advice, patience and prayers without which the past 12 months may have been arduous; instead of which, the time has almost flown as together, we have gone through just more than a year.

We can look back over the past months and say with Samuel “Ebenezer” – “Thus far the Lord has helped us” (1Sam. 7:12) in all the day-to-day affairs, regular and annual events/services, culminating in the recent Bible Week. Now we look forward to the induction on 25th July – more details elsewhere, and beyond that day to the exciting and challenging future that lies before us. But what is ahead I wonder? We don’t know, but of this I am sure if we keep looking back and not forwards we shall never know.

The writer to the Hebrews exhorts us to be people who – to use an ‘in’ word, are focussed (Heb.12:2) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus”. We were reminded from Rev. 1 recently, that the Lord is at the very centre of the Church and knows all its activities – Paul reminds us that in everything Jesus Christ must have the pre-eminence and the praise and glory; far above and beyond tradition, office, buildings and liturgy. The Lord has led and helped us thus far, and as we keep looking to Him for the future, and keep Him pre-eminently central in all our endeavours, He will continue to bless us.

We have an exciting future ahead – let us press forward together, eyes fixed on Jesus the Author and Perfector of our faith.

Pray much for Robert and Barbara, Rachael and Sarah as they settle into the Vicarage, the community, new schools and new friends and may God bless them abundantly.

Peter Reed

Jesus said: “ I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. John 14:6-7

JUNE SERMON TAPES
All tapes of the sermons preached on Sunday mornings and evenings in June are available on request from Elizabeth and Nigel Hadley (Tel: 831067) as usual. Tapes are now £1 each.

INDUCTION OF REVEREND ROBERT BASHFORD

Reverend Robert Bashford will be inducted at St James on 25th July at 7.30pm by the Bishop of Dover, Rt Rev. Steven Venner. It will be the first opportunity for the congregation to meet him, his wife Barbara and their daughters, Rachel and Sarah,

There will be members of his present congregation at Clapham, Bedfordshire, friends of the Bashfords, visiting clergy and other dignitaries, so it would be good to have a good number of our own congregation as well.

THANK YOU
A BIG thank you to all at St James for their kind cards, messages and gifts of help and most importantly, the prayers which got me through some very bad times due to the death of my only son, Leon. Thank you so much. Steve Todd

We would like to thank everyone at St James for the very kind cards, good wishes and flowers we received for our Golden Wedding Anniversary last month.
It was very kind of you all and very much appreciated.
Ken and Pat Taft

WEBB IVORY
Phil Johnson will be giving up the sale of Webb Ivory Cards after the Christmas Orders. As it is a good source of income it would be a pity to lose it. Is there someone out there willing to take on this job. If so, see Phil so that you can work together until the end of the year to find out what it entails.
Phil Johnson

ST JAMES GIFT DAY
Once again the opportunity arises to show, in a practical way, our thanks to God for His goodness and bounty. St James Gift Day will be held on Sunday 28th July. Special envelopes will be available in church in the weeks immediately before that date. Please give generously. If you are a taxpayer and have not yet indicated your willingness to have your donation made under Gift Aid would you please consider doing so. In that way the Church would benefit from the notional tax you have suffered on the donation, rather than the Revenue. And to those of you whose donations are made under Gift aid, please ensure that you give your name or envelope number on the Gift Day envelope. Stan Clark

Notes of the meeting of 2002/03 PCC of St James Church, Westgate and Garlinge held on 7th May 2002 at the Church Centre.
(Note: Info in printed magazine only)

ST JAMES CHURCH PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM

To those of you who are relatively new to St James, I thought I would give you an insight on the background to this technical asset to our Church Ministry.

Around 40 years ago, we had no Audio System, so we had to rely on the incumbent having a voice loud enough to penetrate the rear pews from the pulpit! A young man in our choir (yes, we did have a choir then!) using a couple of old loudspeakers and the audio system from a 16mm cine projector and one small microphone instigated our first “system”.

Spurred on by this technical innovation, we improved on this by installing a new system with six loudspeakers and a 100 watt amplifier which was mounted on a shelf fixed to the wall near the door to the Choir Vestry. We also scraped the bottom of the (financial) barrel, to add a couple more microphones to the system. For this we had to apply to Canterbury for “A Faculty”, or in simple terms, planning permission, to install it.

Although a great improvement on the original system, it did have its limitations; apart from not being able to see the microphone positions from behind a pillar near the North wall, it had a tendency to pick up spurious Radio signals from Radio 4, usually during the 8o’clock Holy Communion Service!

Also at this time, to record the Sermon, we had to rely on a small cassette recorder, balance precariously on the edge of the pulpit, which the Vicar had to switch on at the beginning of the sermon, remembering to switch if off again at the end of the sermon!

When Howard Garston Smith arrived on the scene, we did a full appraisal of the existing system, realising that it had too many shortcomings to stand further investment and in the future ministry of St James so we set about redesigning it. We decided to put our ideas to the PCC to seek approval of our plans.

This was agreed, and we set about ripping out all the old system, apart from the existing loudspeakers, and to relocate the operator position in a new console built by Cyril Crook (a former joiner), in its present position under the West window by the Font.

To relocate the new microphone cables entailed crawling under the suspended floor over a mountain of old brick rubble from the West wall to the East window, towing cables and a lead lamp, and in the process, discovering a leaking hot water pipe, but that’s another story!

A radio microphone was donated to add to the versatility of the system which is frequently used by our preachers, for weddings, baptisms and children’s services. (An additional one would come in useful for special services!)

In addition to this microphone, we have six other microphones dotted around in strategic positions to give us a wider coverage.

To allow for expansion, we installed a 12 channel mixing desk, although we currently only use 7 channels. We also installed a more powerful 500-watt power amplifier to drive the loudspeakers with ample capacity to add more, if needed.

We also have a twin deck cassette recorder to record the sermon or anything else for that matter. This can also be used to play back music (such as bells etc) for weddings and other functions. Although not installed in the console, we also have a high-speed cassette copier that will record on both sides of a 90-minute tape in about 5 minutes!

Since installing this PA system around 1995, we have installed a “loop amplifier” which allows those who are hard of hearing with their hearing aids switched to the “T” position to hear a “still small voice” in their ear, without any external noise distractions.

I personally believe that we have the best PA system that I have ever heard in any Church or Cathedral, for that matter, it is both clear and responsive, but like all systems, the output relies on good signal input. Those speakers with powerful voices can get away with being a couple of feet from the microphones, but not so for children or softly spoken adults who need to be no more than six inches away for the operator to receive a usable signal. So I would ask anyone who sees such a speaker near them who has a problem to adjust the microphone for them, as if the operator attempts to increase the volume from the control console, it will only result in microphone feedback and a piercing squeal!

Another important consideration is that unless the microphone receives a decent signal those people relying on the loop system will hear nothing as they only receive the sound that actually goes through the system. I speak as a hearing aid user myself! I must admit to getting a little hot under the collar with those speakers who sometimes push the microphone away, saying “I don’t need this thing”, when a lot of trouble and expense has been invested so that people can hear clearly! (This doesn’t happen at St James of course!)

Should anyone have any queries about our PA system, or if any responsible person would like to be an audio operator, Nigel Hadley or myself would be only too happy to help.

Don Horn

SATURDAY SHOP

The takings for the Saturday Shop in June totalled £113.95 and we continue to thank God for His continued goodness to us and we thank all those who helped in any way.

SUMMER FETE
There is still time to remind you of our Summer Fete being held on Saturday 6th July at St James Church Hall, Garlinge from 10.30am.

With many of our regular stall holders committed elsewhere this year, the need for helpers is greater than normal, so if you can help please let us know. In addition our plea for handicraft, books, cakes, toiletries, toys, bric-a-brac, garden produce, groceries, jewellery and full bottles for the Bottle Stall (being run by Anne Clark and Barbara Bennett) remains open. Jubilee hats optional.
Teresa and Wally Merry
Tel: 833128

FRIENDSHIP CLUB
The Friendship Club will end their programme for 2001/02 with a Garden Party on 15th July at 2.30pm in the Church Centre and Grounds.

PARENT & TODDLERS

The last meeting of the Parent & Toddlers for this term will be held on 11th July when, once again, Teddy Bears will be entertained at their annual picnic. All children under school age are welcome provided they are accompanied by a parent, grandparent or child minder etc. Please bring your own teddy.

The Parent & Toddler group will resume their meetings on 11th September 2002.

HOW TO GET ALONG AT THE OFFICE
If it rings, put it on hold;
If it clanks, call the repairman;
If it whistles, ignore it;
If it’s a friend, take a break;
If it’s a boss, look busy;
If it talks, take notes;
If it’s hand-written, type it;
If it’s typed, copy it;
If it’s copied, file it;
If it’s Friday, forget it!

DAILY BIBLE READINGS BY BISHOP J C RYLE
Luke 22:24-30 “Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel”.”
Suggested further reading: John 13:1-17

The sin before us is a very old one. Ambition, self-esteem and self-conceit lie deep at the bottom of all men’s hearts and often in the hearts where they are least expected. Thousands fancy that they are humble, who cannot bear to see an equal more favoured and honoured than themselves. Few indeed can be found who rejoice heartily in a neighbour’s promotion over their own heads. The quantity of envy and jealousy in the world is a glaring proof of the prevalence of pride. Men would not envy a brother’s advancement if they had not a secret thought that their own merit was greater than his.

Let us live on our guard against this sore disease if we make any profession of serving Christ. The harm that is done to the church of Christ is far beyond calculation. Let us learn to take pleasure in the prosperity of others and be content with the lowest place for ourselves. The rule given to the Philippians should be often before our eyes (Phil.2:3), as should the example of John the Baptist (John 3:30).

Our Lord tells His disciples that the worldly standard of greatness was the exercise of lordship and authority (v25). But He gives them a definition quite different (v26) and an example to follow (v27).

Usefulness in the church and the world, a humble readiness to do anything and put our hands to any good work, a cheerful willingness to fill any post, however unpleasant, if we can only promote holiness and happiness in the world, these are the true tests of Christian greatness. The hero in Christ’s army is not the man who has rank, title, dignity, chariots, horsemen and fifty men to run before him, but the man who is kind to all, tender to all, thoughtful for all, with a hand to help all and a heart to feel for all. It is the man who spends and is spent to make the vice and misery of the world less, to bind up the broken-hearted, to befriend the friendless, to cheer the sorrowful, to enlighten the ignorant and to raise the poor. He who ministers to the needs of a sin-burdened world is greater than all who have learning or gifts or money.

For meditation: Are you willing to be a nobody for Christ’s sake?
Printed by kind permission of Evangelical Press.

We look forward to another Bible Week at St James’ Church in June next year. We are grateful and give thanks to all those who made the event successful this year.

Meanwhile, we ask God to work in our hearts, minds and souls to enable us to do His will at all times.
Pat Bailey



BIBLICAL REFUSALS

Some people in the Bible refused to obey commands, some good and some bad. Can you match the ‘refusal’ to the person?

1. He refused to sell his vineyard to the king? Daniel
2. He refused to leave Elijah Ruth
3. He refused to eat the king’s food Peter
4. He refused to bow to Haman Naboth
5. He refused to let his younger daughter marry before big sister Elisha
6. He refused to let the people go Laben
7. He refused to let the angel go before blessing him Paul
8. He refused to take a young man who deserted with him a second time Mordecai
9. He refused to eat anything common or unclean Pharaoh
10. She refused to return to her place of birth Jacob


What a comforter in Jesus,
Every moment of the day,
In us, with us, through us, by us,
Helping us in what we pray,
In us while to Him we call,
With us when we trip and fall,
Through us as we speak to others,
By us as the devil smothers,
Seeking to bring in discord,
WHAT A SAVIOUR, WHAT A LORD

THE GARLINGE JUBILEE STREET PARTY

Dominic and I went to the Garlinge Jubilee Street Party. We thought the tables were set out well and the food was very tasty. The entertainment was good. There were clowns, dancing, pass the parcel and lots of other things, but Dominic liked the bouncy castle the best.

The people from St James Church helped give out the food and look after the children at the food tables. One good part was when the balloons were let loose, the sky was very colourful! The weather was very good on the day, it was sunny and overcast, and we were so pleased it didn’t rain!
Robbie & Dominic Hadley

SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL – Praise the Lord for Thanet Bible Week

It was a great privilege to have the opportunity to listen to two fine speakers at four evening sessions and two lunchtime seminars. One felt a deep thrill on night one to be in a completely full church with representatives from many churches in Thanet and people who had travelled from further afield. How gratifying that so many people want to hear and explore the Word of God. His Holy Spirit was there.

Phillip Hacking used 1 Peter 1:1-11 with “Hope” as the theme, for his two instructive and thought provoking sessions – both of which were tinged with humour. His seminar topic was “Holiness” - “a fading glory in today’s world”.

Then we were jolted and stirred by two passionate addresses from Gwynn Williams – he used Corinthians and spoke about the trials, tribulations and depressions which afflict us all (and the church) in everyday life. More importantly he emphatically illustrated how by relying on God for help these problems can be lightened or lifted. His seminar was entitled “Obedience to the Will of God” – and he gave us five useful markers.

Coffee was available at every session and provided the opportunity for chat and fellowship. Hymns were sung with gusto and prayers received with fervour.

During these few days those present were:-
* Reminded of the Word and awakened to Great Truths
* Moved to deep thought
* Challenged about actions and encouraged to do better
* Inspired by quotations and shaken out of apathy

MANY LEARNED MUCH

JULY DIARY

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