BEXLEY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH
HURST ROAD BEXLEY
WINTER JANUARY 2012
Minister:
Tel. Home: e-mail:
Church Address:
Church Website:
Church Secretary:
Rev. John Cook
0208303 7814
Bexley United Reformed Church 500 Hurst Road, Bexley, Kent DA53JN
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Kathy Shaw Tel: 01322 557656
e-mail:
Church Treasurer:
Hall Letting Officer:
Junior Church Leader:
Peter Roberts
Sylvia Poulten
Tony Ball
Tel: 01322 559803
Tel: 01322 521649
Tel: 020 8303 0851
Editing, Printing and collating:
Ann Markey Tel: 020 83042659
e-mail:
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Deadline for the next Newsletter will be Sunday, 220dJanuary 2012
NO: 111
Services for January 2012
Sunday 1st January
Sunday 8th January Sunday 15th January
Sunday 22ndJanuary Sunday 29th January
Sunday 22nd January
10.30am Preacher: Revd. John Cook
Covenant Service Induction of Elders Communion
10.30am Preacher: Stephen Fellingham
10.30am Preacher: Revd. John Cook
Holy Communion*
lO.30am Preacher: Jenny Sheehan
10.30am Preacher: Graham Needs
Leprosy Sunday
3.00pm Baldwyns Park Baptist Church
United Service for Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Message from the Treasurer
If you pay Income Tax this church is able to reclaim this on any gift/donation made to the church. There are Gift Aid envelopes at the back of the church or if you prefer to make a regular contribution it is just a matter of completing a declaration form available from Peter Roberts, our Treasurer. Thank you for helping us in this way.
*Donations to the communion fund may be made in the box at the back of the church. Communion takes place on the third Sunday morning.
Duty ElderJanuary / 1 st / Kathy / 22nd / Philip
8th / Mavis / 29th / Ann
15th / Jean
Flowers
January / 1 st / Mavis / 22nd / Jean Blackwood
8th / 29th
15th / Lila
Pause for Thought
January / 1 st / Geoff / 22nd / Peter L.
8th / Ann / 29th / Joyce
15th / Patricia
Elders Meetings 3rd January
7thFebruary
Ch urch Meetings
Activities of the Church
Every Monday 10.00am to 11.00am in the hall. Gentle exercises
for the over 50s. Numbers limited, names required.
2.00pm - 4.00pm Cream Teas, tea and biscuits, toasted teacakes and a chat with friends every Monday afternoon in the back of the church.
Every Monday evening from 7.3Opm onwards Badminton Club
meets in the Church Hall.
2ndTuesday of the month Tea Dance at the Church Hall - the
next dance is on 10thJanuary at
2.00pm - 4.00pm. Do come along and enjoy yourself. You do not have to have a partner, you do not have to dance, just come and enjoy the music, the company and the tea. All Welcome.
Every Wednesday Morning "Meeting Place" 10.00am at St. John Fisher.
Open for coffees and lunches. This is a United Churches event.
Bible Study Bible Study discussions are held at 2.30pm -
3.30pm. Further information from Mavis Wilson.
Every Thursday
Every Friday
1st Saturday each Month
Sunday Mornings
Craft Afternoon
10.00am to 11.00am in the Hall.
Gentle exercises for the over 50s.
10am-12.30pm Coffee Bar in the Ruxley Room.
10.00am Coffee and cakes sale in the Church Hall. Next Coffee and Cake Sale will be on Saturday 7thJanuary
10.05am. Prayer Group in Side Classroom. All welcome. Please give prayer requests to Mavis Wilson or Diana Rose.
The Craft and Friendship Group of ladies takes place on the third Thursday of each month at Mavis' house - next meeting Thursday 19thJanuary at 2.00pm
"Geoff's Quotes"
There's nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to fmd the ways in which you yourself have altered. Nelson Mandela
Family News - We should continue to remember in our prayers John and Mary Everest, Haydn Poulten, Margot Nicholls, Angela Davis.
Best birthday wishes to our young people with birthdays in January:
2ndRaymond Pang 10th Janice Pang
27th Luke Denyer
Church/Regeneration Events - For your diary
Saturday 14th January 9.30am - 1.00pm Table Sale
Saturday 28th January 7.00pm Social £7.00 with buffet
Sunday 29thJanuary 3.00pm Concert - John Bowerman Friends
Please support as many events as you can this year not only will you be made welcome you will enjoy yourself and meet new people. You will also be helping the church to raise funds to build a closer relationship with people in Bexley so that they too can enjoy the facilities we are able to offer and find a welcome and friendship.
BEXLEY URC CHURCH HALL
First Saturday each month 10.00am -11.15am
In Church Hall
COFFEE AND HOME MADE CAKES
A warm welcome awaits you
Greetings cards
Drop in and see us
You may not be aware that there are a variety of greetings cards (including Christmas cards) for sale in the Church. They range from 50p - £1.50 each and all monies raised will be donated to charity, being split between Demelza House and Bexley Mencap. Last year we raised £600 and we are hoping to meet, or surpass, this total this year.
If you would like to have a look at the cards please see Sandie Lewis, Helen North or Suzanne Foster.
Suzanne Foster
BEXLEY URC CHURCH HALL RUXLEY ROOM
Junction Bexley High Street and Hurst Road
Available for Weddings, Dances, Socials and Private Parties.
Facilities include a Stage and a Fitted Kitchen. Reasonable rates include Heating and Lighting.
Inquiries to: Mrs Poulten
Garden Snippets
Vulnerable crocus
Tel: 01322 521649
The hard winter we experienced last year, followed by the very dry spring, will have had an effect on the crocuses planted last year in the lawns in front of the Ruxley Room and at the side of the Church. Instead of an increase in the number of flowers to be expected, it is more likely we will get less! Nevertheless the need to avoid walking on them as they start into growth from about Christmas is still there. So please, if walking on either of the lawns, keep to an 18 inch (45 cm) strip around the edge.
Shrubs available
Work continues with the planting of shrubs in the borders along the side of the drive, around the two lawns, and in front of the Church. The choice of species is restricted to those of sizes suitable for the space they will occupy, and are mainly evergreen and with attractive flowers. Progress depends on finding the particular plants required and the funds available. So far two members have volunteered to pay for shrubs in memory of relatives. It may be that other members and friends of the Church might like to do the same, or even cover the cost of a shrub as a contribution to this aspect of our regeneration project.
Future snippets
These will include how the outbreak of the dreaded honey fungus is being tackled and a preview of the floral display being planned for next summer.
David Nicolle
Christmas Offertories
Christingle Service for The Children's Society amounted to £159 which the church rounded up to £160.
Carol Service and Christmas Day for Christian Aid amounted to £197.35 which the church have rounded up to £200.
NEWS OF THE FELLOWSHIP
We heard on Sunday 6 November that John and Ann Cook will be leaving Geddes Place and Bexley URCs at the end of January for John to become the Minister of a Joint Pastorate of St Andrew's and Holymoorside United Reformed Churches in Chesterfield. We shall miss them, but, of course, we wish them well in their new environment.
'~;iij~"i .
Holymoorside URC, near Chesterfield
St Andrew's URC, Chesterfield
These are the two churches where John will take up the Pastorate on 3 March. The Manse is part of the St Andrew's complex in Newbold Road, and is just visible behind the church in the left hand photo. The Holymoorside Church is on Cotton Mill Hill. John and Ann will share in the fellowship of both churches.
John's Induction will take place on Saturday 3rd March at 2.00pm. This will take place at St Andrew's United Reformed Church - the full address is 187 Newbold Road, Chesterfield, S41 7BE. The Presiding Minister will be Revd Peter Meek, the East Midlands Moderator.
Creche and Junior Sunday School Rota
Please change with someone I(you cannot attend on the date allocate
Junior Church Creche
No rota - Bank Holiday Debbie
Jean
Suzanne
Edward
January 15t8th
15th
22nd
29th
Joyce Sylvia Janet Jackie
January
Commitment for life is about fullness of life for all people
Commitment for life is about helping this become a reality for all God's people Commitment for life is about commitment to generous and just stewardship Commitment for life is about commitment of time fullness of life for all people
Chosen for Life – Material for Worship1996 ©RevdJohn Hetherington1
Thoughtfulness
The year is past; what did we give?
What did you gain, and what regret?
Was it a year you'd like to live Right through again, or just forget?
Were there mistakes? Did you cause pain?
Withhold your love from someone dear?
Did all your efforts seem in vain And every hope turn into fear? Remember you can start anew, Resolve to live a better way, Forget past errors, sadness, too.
Tomorrow is another day!
Joyce Frances Carpenter
(Taken from The Friendship Book 1988)