Dear Friends,

Well, it looks as if you are stuck with me for a time! I have had no offers to take on the role of editor of the ‘Messenger’ for you all. Consequently I shall try my best to provide you with an interesting and topical read each month. Please help with items and thoughts, thanks in advance for anything that you might feel able to provide.

I must admit that I am writing this month’s notes with a degree of excitement! Given my love of meetings (?) some of you will wonder why I am excited, but we have been having some very cordial meetings between St. Columba and London Road. I am hopeful that Tower’s Church Council will agree to enter into the sharing and make it a three-way partnership. There has been so much dispute and upset about the London Road building and its monies, it is good to see something positive coming our way for a change. I truly believe that the Lord has great plans for us, we all need to get aboard and start praying and listening to God at this time. I guess that there will be some dissenting voices, but am hopeful that within the next few months things will happen very swiftly. The three Church Councils are to meet together on the 13 February, but I will try, through the weekly messages or this magazine, to keep everyone up to date with all that is happening. That’s a promise!

Christine joins me in sending our love and thanks to you all.

I am yours because I am His - John.

THANK YOU FROM STEPHANIE PERROW.

I had a lovely letter of thanks from Stephanie to London Road folk for allowing her to use the Church Hall and kitchen areas for the Christmas lunches for the homeless. Apparently, over the two days, they served over one hundred lunches, sadly proving that there is still a need in the Dover area. Hopefully we shall be able to host a similar event at Christmas 2003!

MID-WEEK HOLY COMMUNION AT LONDON ROAD.

Please note that we have had to change this month’s mid-week communion date. Due to the ministerial Synod being on 12 February at Dartford we have re-arranged the communion to Wednesday 5 February. ALL are most welcome.

BIBLE STUDY AT LONDON ROAD.

We are carrying on with our Wednesday and Saturday Bible Study groups in 2003. The next dates are Saturday 22 and Wednesday 26 February. Both are at 10am in the Vestry. ALL are welcome; it is not just a London Road activity! We may have a problem with the Saturday one in March, as 22 is a Circuit Discovery Day and 29 is the District Synod. More details, as it is available.

WESLEY GUILD AT LONDON ROAD.

Don’t forget, Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm Wesley Guild at London Road! Meetings recommence on Tuesday 4th March at 7.30pm YOU owe it to yourself to be there!

Tuesday 4 March: Women’s Network. Tuesday 11 March: Devotional with Revd. John Lines. Tuesday 18 March: Home Missions. Tuesday 25 March: Mr. W. Fraser on Arthritis Care.

Something there for everyone, surely!

DOING ANYTHING SHROVE TUESDAY?

If not, why not get a ticket from Don Beck, or your Church representative, for the Circuit Network Barn Dance and Pancake evening at River? Tickets are £3 and you are assured of a convivial evening. Just think of all the dieting after those delicious pancakes! (4 March is the date!)

TOWER NEWS.

Our Carol Service on the 22 December was well attended and was a great success. We are very grateful to everyone who contributed the mince pies and helped to make a cup of tea for fellowship at the end of the service. On the morning of the day of the service Ken Vincent went down with flu and he was due to play the organ in the evening, panic! We were so pleased that Keith Tutthill came to the rescue. Not only did he play for the service, he also brought his own keyboard with him, which made a wonderful sound and rocked the foundations of the Church. Thank you Keith from all at Tower for setting the Christmas scene so well for us.

TOWER MEETINGS.

The Sunday School meet each Sunday at 11am and a warm welcome awaits any children who wish to join us.

The Women’s League meets each Monday at 2.30pm. The programme for February is: -

3 - Revd. J. Lines. 10 - Mrs. Sue Brockman. 17 - Mrs. Pat Clipsham. 24 - Members' afternoon.

The fellowship meets on Tuesday 18 February at 7.15pm. All who wish to join us are very welcome.

The Church Council will meet on Tuesday 4 February at 7.15pm.

COMING TOGETHER.

I want to think about three main items under this heading this month.

1. NOTE THIS DATE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS!

There will be a meeting of the councils of London Road, St. Columba and Tower on Thursday 13 February at 7.45pm at St. Columba. Please make a special effort to attend if you are a member of any of the above Church Councils. We hope to look towards a sharing agreement.

2. I have still only received three responses with regard to the Anglican Methodist Covenant proposals. Speak now or for ever hold your peace!

3. Sincere thanks to Donald Beck, Graham and Keith Tutthill and Ken Vincent for providing the music at St. Columba while Eve has been out of action.

LYDIA FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL.

The Lydia Fellowship International, is a trans-denominational network of women who meet in small groups to pray as God leads for the church, the nation and the family.

They have declared Saturday 8 February as a time when over the whole nation will be meeting to pray for the nation. They believe that there are many women who are deeply concerned about the nation at this time.

The meetings will be from 10am to 12.30pm and the venues in Kent are: -

Ashford area: Willsborough Baptist Church. Canterbury area: Kendall Hall at St. Mary Bredin, Old Dover Road. Medway area: Emmaus Centre, Chatham. Tonbdridge area: Tonbridge United Reformed Church.

Local representative is Mrs. Janet Rivers if you need further details.

PRAYER TIMES.

1. Please remember the family of Stephen Oake the police officer killed in Manchester, especially thinking of his family and colleagues at this time. We also pray for all who work to safeguard our peace and security.

2. We continue to pray for world leaders, especially thinking of the United Nations operations all around the world.

3. We pray for those nations suffering drought, famine or war.

LONDON ROAD WOMEN’S OWN.

3 February: Scripture Market. Minibus driver: Mrs. Judith Jacobs. Minibus helper: Mr. Brian Jacobs.

10 February: Speaker: Mrs. J. Welch. Minibus driver: Mrs. Ruth Edwards. Minibus helper: Mrs. Valerie Bowes.

17 February: Speaker: Revd. John Lines. Minibus driver: Mr. Colin Hadden. Minibus helper: Mr. Ken Vincent.

24 February: Speaker: Mrs. S. Brockman. Minibus driver: Mr. Peter Hogg. Minibus helper: Mr Brian Jacobs.

SHEPHERDSWELL METHODIST CHURCH.

Some of you may be wondering why Shepherdswell has vanished from our midst! As they are part of John Johnson’s section, it has been decided to put their information into the Magnet at River. This makes sense I feel!

ADVANCE DATES FOR YOUR DIARY.

February.

Tuesday 4 - Tower Church Council. Sunday 9 - Joint worship London Road/St. Columba. Wednesday 12 - District Ministerial Synod. Thursday 13 - Meeting of three Church Councils at St. Columba. Monday 17 - London Road Church Council. Friday 21 - Church Stewards Training, 7.30pm at London Road.

March.

Sunday 2 - Gift Day and Youth Service at London Road. Monday 3 - Circuit Meeting Tuesday 4 - London Road Wesley Guild re-commences at 7.30pm. Sunday 16 - United Service London Road/St. Columba. Sunday 23 - Songs of Praise Rehearsal. Saturday 29 - District Synod. Sunday 30 - Songs of Praise BIG SING.

LONDON ROAD SUNDAY WORSHIP MINIBUS DRIVERS.

Sunday 2 February Mr. David Galley. Sunday 9 February Mrs. Margaret Tutthill. Sunday 16 February Mrs. Shirley Carr. Sunday 23 February Mr. Colin Hadden.

LONDON ROAD FLOWER ROTA.

Sunday 2 February Mrs. J. Goldsack. Sunday 9 February Mrs. D. Hallybone. Sunday 16 February Mrs. R. Wahlers. Sunday 23 February Mrs. P. Galley.

LONDON ROAD GIFT DAY.

March is a busy month this year on the Circuit Plan! So our Gift Day service will be part of the Youth Service on Sunday 2 March, please make sure that you put this into your diaries NOW! Thank you in advance.

SCOTLAND BEATS US TO IT!

I guess that many of us have had our fill of meetings about unity, especially given some of the previous disappointments along this road! However, a recent article in the ‘ Methodist Recorder ’ gives us, perhaps, time to reflect on what we are attempting to do!

In Scotland four Churches, the Church of Scotland which is Presbyterian, the Episcopal Church of Scotland which is Anglican, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church, will be asked in their Synods and other meetings to support proposals from the Scottish Church Initiative for Union.

In many ways their plans are streets ahead of the proposals for the Anglican and Methodist Covenant that we are thinking about. It is the result of seven years of talks, but probably goes back more than that to the Multilateral Church Conversations. Interestingly, they seem to have solved the problems of bishops and gender, which seem to be dogging our thoughts!

The proposals that folk will be looking at have the eventual aim of full visible union, but it is expected that such a union could take up to ten years. If anyone wants to know more, please read the article on pages 1 and 2 of the "Methodist Recorder" for the 16 January 2003.

CHRISTIAN AID DATES.

12 and 13 March Collection at Tesco’s. 26 March Lent Coffee morning at St. Mary’s. 10 May Dover Sponsored walk. 11 to 17 May Christian Aid Week. 17 May Hunger lunch at River Methodist Church.

FAMILY NEWS.

Hilda Driver has moved to St. Lawrence Nursing Home in Folkestone while Margaret McKenzie and Joyce Stacey are still in hospital. Margaret in Cambridge J2 at William Harvey and Joyce in Kent Ward at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Ron Johns is in Kent and Canterbury Hospital and may have to be moved to Kings College in London. Eve Dewhurst and Kath Hopper are now both home and taking things easy after their surgery. Clarice King looks to be making a swift recovery back towards her old self. Jack Ash’s sister, Doris, has died in Edinburgh, our prayers to Jack and family at this time.

We keep Margaret Craven, Sadie Gledhill, Molly Hodgson, Margaret Machin, Betty O’Connell, Hilda Welburn, George Craven, Brian Gammon and Ossie Hodgson in our prayers as they recover from their hospital treatment or illnesses. We continue to pray for all those who are unwell in their own home, or in residential homes, especially thinking of Vera Coombes, Mary Page, Edie and Winnie Seelly, John Bates, Ossie Hodgson and Colin Thompson at this time.

Especially we remember those members of our Church family who are away from Dover, either by way of education or work requirements.

Much love to Olive Morris who celebrates her birthday on the 15 February and to Joyce Stacey who celebrates her's on the 29 February.

MOVING ON.

I was very surprised, a few weeks ago, to be told that the Vicar of Charlton Parish, the Revd. Nick DeKeyser would be moving on. I have shared with him as a governor with Charlton Church of England Primary School since I have been here in Dover. However, the fact is that Nick and his family will be moving February to take up a new living as Rector of the Parish of Stock near Chelmsford in Essex. Although we haven’t shared very much as Churches, I am sure that we all wish them every happiness in their new home. Let’s also keep the Charlton folk in our prayers as they plan for the future.

Any information for the March edition to be sent to messenger@londonroad.ukf.net please