The Minister's Letter

Dear Friends,

Greetings, once again, in the name of our Lord Jesus.

One of the things that I really enjoy about the ministry is being able to share in marriage preparation. It really is a wonderful time, especially when the couple involved are obviously so much in love and really wanting the ceremony to be something that they will always remember.

Being prepared is very much part of marriage, especially if everything is going to be done properly. Then, much the same can be said about our lives, we need to be prepared. For the first time since I became a minister, I am a District Scout Chaplain. I can not claim to know a great deal about scouting or guiding, my membership was limited to a few months in the Cubs back in the dark ages! One thing that did stick in my mind, however, was their motto: "Be Prepared".

So are we prepared? Are we prepared to share Jesus with those we meet? In a few precious weeks we shall be into Advent and the preparations for Christmas itself. Mind you, I suspect that many of us have started preparing for Christmas, listening carefully for hints for presents for loved ones, buying the odd special item of food or getting Christmas cards sorted out.

Yes, that is one avenue of preparation, but I would like to ask you to think about the real message of Christmas, about a gift that was given to all human beings throughout the ages, JESUS.

When I try to imagine His birth, in the most humble of places, my mind just can not take it in. As much as I try to prepare, Christmas still catches me unawares when I realise just what it means. In our town this year there will be many who don't celebrate, maybe because of their religion or lack of it, or because of their condition.

I want to see now that each of us should be prepared to celebrate Christmas in a different way, by sharing Jesus with all we meet. Now is the time to get prepared - are you ready to start?

Christine joins me in sending our love and best wishes.

I am yours because I am His.

John

Anglican/Methodist Covenant

There are a number of pamphlets about the Covenant at the back of the churches in London Road and Tower Hamlets. There are not enough copies for everyone, so please read a copy and then return it so someone else can be informed. The Circuit meeting has to vote on the matter at its meeting on 3 March 2003, so I hope that our Church Councils will look at the subject after people have prayerfully considered the subject. There is one copy of the book on the Covenant at each church. Apparently there are presently no more copies available

St. Columba

I hope that folk are still enjoying the opportunity to share with our brothers and sisters from St. Columba. I am hopeful that we may be able to do a joint service of some kind at Christmas. Any thoughts anyone? There is a special meeting for delegates from various churches with our District Chairman, the Provincial Moderator of the United Reformed Church South Province and the Bishop of Dover on Monday, 4 November. Sadly this clashes with Tower's Gift Day Concert but I hope that folk will appreciate that this is a very important event in the life of the churches of Dover. Please remember this in your prayers and those who represent the various churches.

Safeguarding

All of us must be aware of the ever-increasing need to ensure that those who work with young people are fit to do so. The Police Act of 1997 included recommendations that a Criminal Records Bureau be set up. This was set up early this year with a similar body for Scotland.

The result is that there is now a requirement that all who work with, or have close contact with, children and young people must apply for a disclosure. This initially will apply to new employed or volunteer workers. Eventually, however, it will apply to existing workers. This facility is also available to those who work with vulnerable adults.

There are to be two levels of disclosure, enhanced and standard. The report cites the following examples for each level.

Enhanced

For those who have regular contact with children and young people, such as:

Children's and youth workers, Junior Church and Sunday School teachers, Leaders of holiday clubs, etc., Officers of youth organisations such as Boys' Brigade, Girls' Brigade, Guides, Scouts, etc., Workers with the under fives, Ministers, Deacons, and Lay workers.

Standard

People preparing refreshments, those serving in tuck-shops, and regular helpers.

Churches have to relate to the Criminal Records Bureau through an umbrella organisation to obtain disclosures, which will be known as the Churches' Agency for Safeguarding. Disclosures will be free for volunteers, but will cost £12 for employees.

I have obviously only been able to give a rough outline of his new safeguarding system, but it is something we need to think about in our Church Councils. Given some of the thoughts I have shared with you all in recent editions of "The Messenger", I hope you will appreciate the need for these new rules and regulations

Bible Study

I am pleased to say that both the Wednesday and Saturday Bible studies are turning into interesting times of discussion when we look at the word of God together. In many ways, these times of study and discussion together, plus our monthly midweek Holy Communion, are powerhouses. Can YOU afford to miss them?

Money or the lack of it!

Both London Road and Tower have to face the fact that we don't generate enough money to pay our way. At London Road, the quinquennial inspection threw up a large number of building problems, some of which we should have never let develop. The result was that we had to spend a lot of money getting our hall and ancillary building back to a good condition. This ignores the state of the worship area, which really does need some action SOON! This really shows how much we need an active property secretary to keep all the tasks in hand. Volunteers please form a very orderly queue!

At Tower, it looks as if we shall have to consider amalgamating with another congregation as we can not afford to carry out essential building repairs which the quinquennial there disclosed. On top of that, we presently do not have enough money to meet the assessment for the year.

To add to all this, our Circuit Treasurer, Alan Hassell, informed the recent Circuit Meeting that the assessment is due to be raised next year by a fairly hefty amount. This brings me to asking ALL of us to look again at our giving to the Church. Are we honouring our commitment to our Lord and His call to follow Him? I leave that to each of you to pray and think about. I am sure that the treasurers at our churches will be more than happy to share with you in this matter.

Following on from this, our London Road Church Council met last Monday and treasurer Keith Tutthill reported on our financial situation. As he explained, we need £500 a week to pay our way, and at the moment our average weekly offering is £250, a shortfall of £250 a week, or £13,000 a year. With an average attendance on Sunday mornings of 40 people, that means each person giving, on average, £12.50 per week. It is recognised that some are able to give more than this, and some are not able to give that much. But, hopefully, it puts the situation in simple terms.

We still have about £2,500 worth of repair and maintenance work needing to be done to the church hall premises within the next year.

We also need to make it clear that none of the money raised for the NEW BUILDING fund has been, or is being, used for any of the repairs.

LONDON ROAD WESLEY GUILD

Please don't forget that the Guild has now started its programme for 2002 to 2003. The Guild is not a cosy little social club for the chosen few, ALL are welcome. Tuesday nights at 7.30pm is when you will find them gathering at London Road with a very varied programme of speakers and other events. If you want to know more, please speak to Sylvia Dolbear, Brian Jacobs or Leslie Tutthill - they will be very happy to give you further details.

SITUATIONS STILL VACANT!

Apart from someone expressing interest in learning more about the Cradle Roll Secretary's work, I have not heard of any volunteers for the jobs listed last month! Can I please stress that we need the following posts filled, hopefully very soon!

LONDON ROAD

Cradle Roll Secretary World Church representative on the Missions Committee Social Responsibility representative Ecumenical Liaison Officer (now there's a grand title!) Secretary to the Management Committee, formerly known as Property Secretary Representative to Circuit Bricks and Mortar Committee Editor of "The Messenger"

TOWER HAMLETS

Representative to Circuit Sharing the Gospel Committee Representative to Circuit Spiritual Maintenance Committee

Please pray about these posts and see whether YOU are the ONE for ANY of them!

POSTSCRIPT

May I suggest that you all try and read the article by Leslie Griffiths, the Minister at Wesley's Chapel, on page 7 of the "Methodist Recorder" for the 17 October 2002. He writes a very straightforward and readable article about the rejection by the Church in Wales of an Ecumenical Bishop. I will copy my page if anyone particularly wants to read it. To me, it says that there is still a great deal of work to be done before we move on the subject of Church unity. I say well done to Leslie for his stimulating thoughts!

CHRISTMAS QUIZ

I was in trouble last Christmas because I failed to produce a quiz to tackle after the Christmas lunch. However, I'm back with another which I will sell, for church funds, on 1 and 8 December at £1 each. It will comprise 50 questions, one for each year of the Queen's reign as it's Golden Jubilee Year. Thank you. Phyl

DISTRICT FESTIVAL

Copies of the syllabus for next year's District Festival are now available from Evelyn Tutthill. Entry forms have to be in by 17 January, the area festival is on 1 March and the finals are at Maidstone on 5 April. As usual, there's a wide range of classes from singing to needlework, piano playing to creative writing, instrumental solo to photography, and much more in between. So have a look at the syllabus as soon as possible, and decide which classes you will be entering.

CENTENARY PENS

Evelyn Tutthill still has some pens for sale to mark the centenary of our church. They are only 50 pence each, with the proceeds going to church funds.

HARVEST GIFTS

You may be interested to know that the produce given at our Harvest Festival last month was taken to the companions at Emmaus, who were very grateful for the gifts, and very pleased that our Junior Church had taken the time and trouble to think about them.

Doris Greenfield and Myra Strewlow wrote from St. Mary's Convent to say "thank you" for the flowers that were sent to them from the Harvest Festival weekend.

"THE MESSENGER"

You will recall that last month I indicated I would be retiring as Editor of this newsletter at the end of this year. A number of copies are sent away by post each month to former London Road folk who now live in other parts of the country. One of the things I want to ensure is that they are kept in contact with events here at London Road, so I would be grateful if they would let me know, as soon as possible, please, if they would still like to receive a letter of some kind with news of what we are doing. If any of them have e-mail addresses so that we can add them to the list of those who receive "The Messenger" in this way, that would be very helpful. Please contact me at graham@tutthill.freeserve.co.uk Graham

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

4 November - Tower Hamlets Gift Day Concert. 4 November - Delegates meeting with denominational leaders. 9 November - Joint Synod at Canterbury. 10 November - Remembrance Sunday. 14 November - Quiet Day at Cautley House. 17 November - 3 p.m. Service of Thanksgiving at St. Theresa's R.C. Church, Ashford, for the Pilgrim's Hospice. The address will be given by the Rt. Rev. Graham Cray, Bishop of Maidstone. 21 November - Christian Aid AGM.

9 December - 6.30 p.m. Scouts Carol Service at London Road. 15 December - 11 a.m. Tower Hamlets congregation will be coming to London Road for the morning service. 6 p.m. London Road Candlelight Carol Service.

7 to 9 February - District Weekend at Herne Bay Court. Cost £80.

Church Family News

We were sorry to hear that Sterling Robbins had suffered a fractured skull in a fall in America. We send our love and best wishes to him, and to Jayne, Sid and Henry.

We congratulate Hilda Welburn on becoming a great-grandmother again, and Shirley Carr on becoming a grandmother again, with the birth of Poppy.

Dr. David Cloke has been presented with his diploma from the Royal College of Surgeons. David, who studied at Newcastle University, received the RCS Membership at a ceremony held at the college in London. He is a senior house officer at Sunderland and is completing his training to become a surgeon.

Ron Sutton and Graham Tutthill were among those who were presented with Community Learning Forum awards at an awards ceremony at Dover Town Hall last month, Ron for his community service helping with the Shaw Trust, and Graham for his reporting of issues connected with the C.L.F.

It was good to see Alan and Steph Warrell at the "Here and Now" musical production at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone last month. They were asking about everyone at London Road, and sent their love and best wishes. We were pleased to see Alan looking very well.

Hilda Driver is in Montgomery Ward at Buckland Hospital, Marilyn Smithard is in King's College Hospital in London and Margaret Craven has had her surgery and is now home. Sadly, Ossie Hodgson is still waiting for surgery. We keep Sadie Gledhill, Molly Hodgson, Margaret Machin, Margaret McKenzie, Betty O'Connell and George Craven in our prayers as they recover from their hospital treatment. We continue to pray for all those who are unwell in their own home, or in

residential homes, especially thinking of Mary Page, Edie and Winnie Seelly, John Bates, Ossie Hodgson and Colin Thompson at this time.

In your personal prayers, please also remember . . . Alan Sugden, Daphne Gretton, Marion Scrivener, Margery Bones, Ruby Nye, Eileen Ward, Gwen Bates, Ruby Wahlers, Rosemary Richards, Sonny and Vi Mills, David Morris, Hilda Welburn, Eileen Smith, May Griffin, Olive Morris, Ron and Irene Sutton, Doris Barker, Eileen Tolhurst, Anne Taylor, Myra Strelow, Doris Greenfield, Wally Watts, Jessie West, Keith Button, Eva Buttifint, Peggy Heritage and May Lancaster;

those away from Dover, including Vron Tutthill, Paul Tutthill, Sarah Atkins, Lisa Speakman, Andrew Booth, Robert Dunstone, Hazel Griffiths, Gordon and Elaine Newton, Sid and Jayne Robbins and Henry and Sterling, Joyce and Alan Norman, Alan and Stephanie Warrell, Malcolm and Jennifer Cleaver, David and Rachel Cloke, Angela and Neil Baker, Andrew and Cath Powell, Edna Tutt, Christina Edge and Reg Payne.

TOWER HAMLETS

Our Sunday School meets each Sunday at 11 a.m. Any children wishing to join us will be made very welcome.

The Women’s League meets on Mondays at 2.30 p.m. and a warm welcome awaits any ladies wishing to join us. The programme for November is 4 – Rev. John Lines; 11 – Scripture Market; 18 – Mrs. Sue Brockman; 25 – Mrs. Vera Don.

The Fellowship will meet on Tuesday 12 November at 7.15 p.m. Anyone wishing to join us will be very welcome.

Today, Sunday 3 November, is Gift Day and the service will be led by Mrs. Sue Brockman.

Tomorrow, Monday 4 November, we invite all our friends and supporters to our Gift Day Concert at 7.30 p.m. The concert will be given by Mr. Alan Sugden. Please come and support us – our funds are very low.

SHEPHERDSWELL

The preacher for the service on Sunday 10 November is the Rev. John Lines.

On 17 November, Village Praise will be conducted by John Bates at 6 p.m.

The coffee morning is at 2 Church Hill from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on 20 November and is in aid of Children's Leukaemia. Everyone is very welcome.

NOVEMBER ROTAS

MINI-BUS: Sunday 3 November – Colin Hadden; 10 – (10 minutes earlier for Remembrance Sunday) Margaret Tutthill; 17 – (30 minutes earlier to attend St. Columba) David Galley; 24 – Shirley Carr; 1 December – Colin Hadden.

FLOWER ROTA: Sunday 3 November – Mrs. Hilda Driver; 10 – Mrs. Lou Young; 17 – St. Columba; 24 – Mrs. Betty O'Connell; 1 December – Mrs. Hilda Welburn.

SERVICES: Sunday 3 November – 11 a.m. Mr. Peter Booth, Family service including Junior Church prizegiving; 6 p.m. Holy Communion with the Rev. John Lines; 10 – at 10.50 a.m. Mrs. Jane Skinner; 17 – 10.30 a.m. at St. Columba, Rev. John Lines, including Holy Communion; 24 – Mr. David Sheasby; 1 December – 11 a.m. Family service with Rev. John Lines; 6 p.m. Rev. John Lines (including Holy Communion).

WOMEN’S OWN: Mondays at 3 p.m. 4 November – Mrs. Pat Clipsham; 11 – Mrs. Wendy Tomlin; 18 – Rev. John Lines; 25 – Sue Brockman.

MINI-BUS DRIVERS FOR WOMEN’S OWN: 4 November – Judith Jacobs and Brian Jacobs; 11 – Peter Hogg and Valerie Bowes; 18 – Ruth Edwards and Ken Vincent; 25 – Colin Hadden and Brian Jacobs; 2 December – Judith Jacobs and Valerie Bowes.

CUBS: Mondays from 6 to 7.30 p.m.

METHODIST AMATEUR DRAMATICS (MAD): Mondays at 7.45 p.m.

GUILD: Tuesdays at 7.30 p.m. 5 November – Social evening, Beetle Drive; 12 – Cultural evening with Mr. George Ruck J.P.; 19 – Devotional evening with Mr. S. Robinson talking on Junk Mail; 26 – Christian Service evening with Mrs. Rosie Barnfather of St. Martin's Emmaus.

MOTHER AND TODDLER GROUP: The group meets every Wednesday at 1.15 p.m.

SOUP AND SANDWICHES: Wednesdays at 6 p.m. 6 November – Louise Gilbert and Lisa Dawn; 13 – Blossom Wright, The Ark; 20 – Brian Wimsett and Ken Hammond; 27 – Linda and Derek Leach; 4 December – Peter Hogg, Nora Watson and Clarice King.

GIRLS’ BRIGADE: Thursday evenings – 6 to 7 p.m. Explorers (aged 5 to 8 years); 6 to 7.30 p.m. Juniors (8 to 11 years); 7.45 to 9 p.m. Seniors and Brigaders (11 to 14 plus).

LADIES KEEP FIT GROUP: Thursdays at 7.15 p.m.

Items for the December edition of "The Messenger" should be sent to messenger@londonroad.ukf.net, please