Home | Services | Calendar | Magazine | Media | History | Diocese | Links | Clubs

"News & Activity" Online.

(Note: For Services and other information see dedicated pages elsewhere on website)

NOVEMBER 2002

Dear Friends

REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE OF OTHERS - War is a terrible thing, and we all hope and pray that the spectre of war in Iraq will not become a reality in the time ahead. We know, however, that there are times when war is inevitable – the lesser of two evils. As we reflect on the twentieth century, we remember with gratitude those who gave their lives for their country – and for our freedom – in the armed services. Anther Remembrance Day approaches, and we have a special opportunity to remember.

REMEMBER AN EVEN GREATER SACRIFICE - “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:13). Those words are often used at Remembrance Services, but they were spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ concerning Himself. His is the love, greater than which there is none, because He laid down His life for us. Indeed, we were not even His friends but His enemies – “alienated from God and . . . enemies in our minds because of our evil behaviour” (Col 1:21). And yet in this verse Jesus calls us His “friends”, and He died in order to make it possible for us to become His friends, knowing true reconciliation with God.

The story is told of a World War One soldier, injured in battle. The doctor spoke to him in the army hospital: “I’m sorry, soldier, you have lost your leg.” “I didn’t lose it,” the man replied, “I gave it.” Jesus, willingly and deliberately, gave His life for us when He died in our place on the cross.

HOW DO WE REMEMBER JESUS’ DEATH? When we take the bread and drink the wine at the Lord’s Supper, we do so in remembrance of Him, feeding on Him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving. But all our lives – day by day, and moment by moment – should be lived out in thankful remembrance of Christ’s once and for all perfect sacrifice. That really is what “worship” is all about, because “worship” in the Bible is to do with the whole of our lives, not just what we do on Sundays. As Paul puts it: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (Rom 12:1).


With warm Christian greetings,
Yours,
Robert Bashford

JESUS SAID: “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins ....” Mark 2:9-10

FROM THE CHURCH REGISTERS
We extend our prayers and sympathy to the relatives and friends of those committed to God’s care:

Funeral: Ivy Phipps Aged 84 years

Baptism: 20th October Harry William Homewood


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

AN EVENING OF FLOWER ARRANGING

Come and join us for an evening of fun, fellowship and laughter learning the tricks of the trade to make beautiful flower arrangements.

Have a light meal at home before coming along to the Church Centre on Thursday 14th November 2002 at 7pm for dessert and coffee.

Numbers will be limited to 50 so please give your name and collect a list of items required to do the arrangement from Daphne Dickens (831868).

We look forward to seeing you there and having an evening of relaxation and fun together.

DMD

NOVEMBER SERMONS

3 Nov A.M. "Called out of Egypt" (Mt 2:13-23)
P.M. "Jesus Christ - better by far" (Heb 1:1-4 )
10 Nov A.M. Remembrance Sunday Family Service
"Better than angels: a better message" (Heb 1:5-2:4)
17 Nov A.M. "A Voice in the desert" (Mt 3:1-12)
P.M. "Better than angels: a better ministry" (Heb 2:5-18)
24 Nov A.M. "Jesus The Son of God" (Mt 3:13-17)
P.M. "Better than Moses" (Heb 3:1-4:2)

MODERN MARTYR

Early in June this year the ordeal of a twelve-month captivity in the hands of a Filipino rebel organisation (ASG) came to an end for American missionaries Martin and Gracie Burnham. A government patrol ambushed their captors, and in the ensuing fight, Martin was killed and Gracie wounded, but saved from death by her husband’s body falling across and protecting her . . .

On Friday, God answered the prayers of family and friends that Martin and Gracie Burnham would accomplish His purpose for their lives in captivity, and that they would be released from the evil hands of the ASG. In death, Martin is now free, both in body and spirit, and has gone into the presence of his Lord and Saviour. And Gracie is now free to return to her children, family, friends and co-workers.

By God’s amazing grace, Gracie is recovering well from her gunshot wound in her right thigh. She is also doing incredibly well spiritually and emotionally. She shared a little about how God worked miraculously in and through their lives in this past year. She said that Martin was highly respected by everyone among his captors. In the beginning they laughed in unbelief at how he responded to being a captive and their terror, but as time went on they were in awe of his confident faith in the Lord Jesus.

Martin always graciously offered to carry things for the ASG and for the other hostages. Martin was chained to a tree at night by an ASG guard. Every night for the whole year, he would thank the guard who chained him and wished him a good night. Martin showed the love and compassion of Christ throughout this year of terror, to both his captors and other hostages. Martin had lengthy discussions about the claims of Christ with all the ASG guards and hostages. On one occasion he was having a very serious talk with the leader about God’s judgement on sin and one day God would judge his sin. Gracie said she was in the background motioning to Martin to ‘cool it’ but Martin very gently continued to share the truth of Christ with the terrorist leader.

God sustained them through this difficult trial. One day they were very tired from walking all day. They strung up their hammock, sat on it, and began to talk together. Martin said, “It’s been a hard year, but it has also been a very good year”. They began to thank the Lord for everything they could think of. “We thanked the Lord for our hammock, our boots etc. We thanked God for every believer we had ever met, and could remember. God encouraged our hearts with the thoughts that that person, couple, family or church was probably praying for us now.”
The Lord brought Psalm 100:2 to Martin’s mind, which reads, ‘Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing’. Martin said, “We might not leave this jungle alive, but at least we can leave this world serving the Lord with gladness. We can serve him right here where we are, and with gladness!”

The last thing they did before Martin’s death was to pray together, thanking God for his faithfulness, before lying down to sleep. They were awakened by a firefight between the ASG and the Philippine Scout Rangers, and Martin was ushered into the presence of his Lord.

Martin and Gracie’s obedience and perseverance to the Lord’s great commission through this fiery testing of their faith has captured the attention of the world. We thank God for their testimony and anticipate much fruit through their faithfulness.

The horrendous ordeal is over, but there are many new challenges that face Gracie and her children (Jeff, Mindy and Zach) and the rest of the extended family. Please continue to pray for God’s purpose to be fulfilled in and through Gracie’s life. And pray that thousands will hear of the wonderful love of Christ, and experience His saving grace through Gracie’s testimony to God’s faithfulness.

* * *
In reading the above account recently, I was struck by the similarity of Martin’s experience with that of the apostle Paul. Imprisoned, he wrote to the Philippians: “I want you to know, dear brothers, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News, for everyone here, including all the soldiers of the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ ... And because of my imprisonment, many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ .....” Philippians 1:12-14

What a challenge! How well would our Christian faith stand up in such circumstances? And how often do we pray for those who serve Christ in such dangerous places?

Michael Toogood

This article was culled (with kind permission) from the ‘Messenger’ the monthly magazine of Derby Road Baptist Church, Watford.

QUILTING AND HANDICRAFT EXHIBITION
November 2nd and 3rd 2002 at the Old School Hall, Garlinge. Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. The Dandylion Patchers First exhibition. Please come and support them in their efforts to raise money for Cancer Care at QEQM Hospital and Kent Air Ambulance. Many thanks.
DMD

CHRISTMAS EVE
Just a reminder that the proposed Christmas Eve meal, to be hosted and shared by Nick and Louise Spanner, together with Denis and Cilla Floyd for any people from St James or the Garlinge community who may not be planning much of a celebration at this time of the year, will be held in the Old School Hall, Garlinge starting at approximately 6.30pm and will be provided free of charge.

However, for the meal to go ahead, names should be forthcoming as soon as possible so please contact any of the organisers with names of suggested participants or for any more information.

WEBB IVORY
After six years of running Webb Ivory Cards, Phil Johnson has decided to hand over the reins and we are pleased that Miriam Plank and Daphne Dickens have volunteered to take this on between them.

Phil thanks everyone who has supported her whilst running this fund raising project and of course, we return those thanks to Phil for all her hard work and the results she has achieved.

Catalogues should be available for Christmas shortly so please contact Miriam as soon as possible to ensure your orders will be ready before Christmas.


BIBLE SOCIETY
The project of reading all the Psalms in one day to raise money to get the Bible into the troubled Middle East was successful financially.

People went to Margate Baptist Church to read or listen and it was well attended throughout the day. Each participant had to read three allocated Psalms and it was an enjoyable experience. There was a sandwich board outside publicising the event and passers-by called in to have refreshments and a time of peace just by sitting in the church listening to the Scripture being read on a very hot day in August. Thelma Franks

DAILY READINGS BY BISHOP J C RYLE
Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ for the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Suggested further reading: Psalm 37:23-29

Our Lord offers us a gracious promise as a remedy against an anxious spirit. He assures us that if we seek first and foremost to have a place in the kingdom of grace and glory, then everything that we really need in this world will be given to us. It shall be added over and above our heavenly inheritance as all things are worked together for our good and nothing good is withheld (v33; Rom 8:28; Ps84:11).

He seals up His instruction on this subject by laying down one of the wisest maxims (v34). We are not to carry cares before they come. We are to attend to today’s business and leave tomorrow’s anxieties till tomorrow dawns. We may die before tomorrow. We know not what may happen on the morrow. This only we may be assured of, that if tomorrow brings a cross, He who sends it can and will send the grace to bear it.

In all this passage there is a treasury of golden lessons. Let us seek to use them in our daily life. Let us not only read them but turn them to practical account. Let us watch and pray against an anxious and overcareful spirit. It deeply concerns our happiness. Half our miseries are caused by fancying things that we think are coming upon us. Half the things that we expect to come upon us never come at all! Where is our faith? Where is our confidence in our Saviour’s words? We may well feel ashamed of ourselves as we read these verses and then look into our hearts. But this we may be sure of, that David’s words are true: ‘I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread’ (Ps 37:25).

The man who seeks first God’s kingdom shall never lack anything that it for his good. He may not have so much health as some. He may not have so much wealth as some. He may not have a richly spread table or royal dainties, but he shall always have enough (Isa 33:16)
For meditation: While God does not promise to give us everything we want, He does bind Himself to give us everything that is for our good (Matt 7:11). If He gave us everything we wanted, even though it might not be for our good, it would be more an act of judgement than of love (Rom 1:28)

Printed by kind permission of the Evangelical Press

COOKERY CORNER – QUEEN ELIZABTH, THE QUEEN MOTHER’S TEA TIME RECIPE

Pour one breakfast cup boiling water over 8oz chopped dates. Add 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda and let stand whilst the following is mixed:
10oz Self Raising flour, 3oz butter, 8oz sugar, 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, ½ teaspoon salt and 2oz chopped walnuts. Mix all the above ingredients rubbed in together. Add all the above to date mixture – place in 7”-8” lined tin. Bake in a moderate oven on the middle shelf for 45 minutes.
Topping: 5 tablespoons soft brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons cream or top of milk. Mix all together in a saucepan. Boil for 3 minutes, cool then spread on cooled cake. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. At the Queen Mother’s request this recipe cannot be sold, but a piece of cake may be purchased and the recipe given with it.

LOVE IN A BOX

Colin Spicer will be leaving in November for the Ukraine where he will deliver the shoeboxes to an orphanage. So if you have filled a box, could you bring your boxes to Church by the 3rd November. Any queries please contact Marion Myers (834665). Thank you.

MM

TEARFUND

On Monday 4th November a Craft Sale of Christmas goods and cards will be held in the Church Centre from 10am to 12noon. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be available. If you are unable to attend, but would like to support Tearfund, a catalogue for mail orders is available from Ruth Flanders from whom any more information can be obtained.

The sale of the Harvest Festival goods at the Saturday Shop in October raised £49.60 for the Tearfund appeal.

TO OUR ADVERTISERS

You may notice that our advertisers on the covers of this magazine have changed – it is that time of year again. Our advertisers help support this your church magazine, and if we, in turn could support them then the wheel would have gone full circle.

To our advertisers past and present, we thank you and assure you of a warm welcome at any of our services or meetings.
Ed

RULES FOR DAILY LIFE

Think nothing that you would be ashamed to tell to God.
Say nothing you would not like God to hear.
Do nothing you would not like God to see.
If tempted, get away from danger at once, and keep away.
If an evil thought comes to you, throw it out.
Pray for help. Say: “Lord, help me.” “God, help me.”
“O Holy Spirit, strengthen me.”

GRACE BEFORE MEALS
Bless, O Lord, the food we are about to receive,
And make us mindful of the wants of others, for Jesus’
sake. Amen

GRACE AFTER MEALS
For these and all His mercies God’s Holy Name be praised.

From ‘The Door of Heaven’ – for candidates for Confirmation

COLIN AND JANE FIDLER
Colin and Jane recently left us for their new life in South West France in the same manner they conducted their church life, i.e. without any fuss!

However, we cannot let them go without acknowledging the great debt we owe them for their many years of quiet but loyal service to the work of St James.

Colin had been a member of the PCC for many years including a term as Churchwarden. He was very supportive of all that was undertaken at St James and a lot of his work was in the background, unseen and unsung. He was always there to move tables and chairs, help setting up the Saturday Shop, fairs and many other activities connected with Church life.

In all this he was ably supported by Jane who worked equally hard for and at the various fund raising events.

We shall miss them both very much but our loss is the gain of the Anglican community they have joined in their new environment. Please remember them in your prayers.

Ed

SATURDAY SHOP
The Saturday Shop in October raised £146 for Church funds which is a continued sign of God’s blessings to us. Thanks to all concerned in any way. The next Saturday Shop is 9th November 2002 at 10.00am, Old School Hall, Garlinge.

CHRISTMAS FAIR

At the Christmas Fair meeting held in October it was agreed that the Fair should be held as ever at the Old School Hall, Garlinge on Saturday 7th December starting at 10.00am. Entrance will be free, but there will be a charge of £1.50 to visit Santa in his magical grotto. Those of you familiar with this aspect of the fair will know it is worth £1.50 just to look in, let alone see the great man himself and receive a present from him. Those not so familiar will have the opportunity to redress the balance.

The other traditional stalls will be there to enable you to make the most of your preparations for this time of year. However, we do rely heavily on the goodwill of all those connected with St James for supplying the goods for sale.

A reminder from past appeals that special offers of “buy one, get one free” could benefit St James if the free one was donated to the Fair. If you can help then please let us (Teresa and Wally) know. In particular, Anne Clark would like full bottles, for the bottle stall, Pauline Pink items for the foodstall, toiletries to Jo Hurrell, Ruth Carter or Evelyn, craft to Teresa, handicrafts to Daphne Dickens or Margaret Paige, books to Margaret Dawson or Betty Hall, bric-a-brac and toys to Teresa and Wally, jewellery to Anne Clark, cakes to Beryl Bing or Pat Taft. Any other ideas, offers or help, suggestions or goods, please contact either of us on 833128.

In addition, a Christmas Quiz will be available at the back of the Church with all proceeds to the Christmas Fair.

Teresa and Wally Merry

FRIENDS
Friends are like jewels, precious and rare,
Loved and respected and treated with care.
Friends reveal facets in good times and strife,
Compassion, strength, humour, fashioned from life.
Friends sparkle like diamonds, or quietly glow,
Their love and companionship on us bestow.
Friendship’s a jewel of priceless design,
Strong as a rock and constant as time.

NOVEMBER DIARY

Click HERE to return to "News & Activity" Index Page