The Messenger, April 2003, Issue 604

We would like to thank everyone for the good reviews for last month's Messenger.

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We apologise for the change in format as last month’s Messenger gave our computer a nervous breakdown and is now in hospital so we have had to use his baby brother to produce this month’s news, hopefully, all will be back to normal for next month.

John’s Ramblings

Dear Friends

Greetings, once more, in the name of Jesus.

This month will see us celebrating Easter. I guess that many folk find this time of our Church year difficult, not least because of the agony and anguish of the Cross. It is amazing, given the selfishness that is so prevalent in the world today, that Jesus was prepared to die for You and Me! I pray that you and all who join us over this season will really reflect deeply on the message that Easter brings with it. As is becoming our practise, I will put the Wooden Cross on the Church door on Good Friday to remind people passing by of just what they owe Jesus. Then, on Easter Day, when you come to worship, please bring a bloom to put in the Cross, thus out of desolation will come new life!

Please make the date of 6 April a MUST in your diary. I will put full details of the event later in this newsletter but, suffice it to say that we shall be signing the Declaration Of Intent that has been much in our words and thoughts recently. I really am excited, but not naïve! I do realise that there are many bridges to cross, but if we listen to God, I am sure that we will all do His will! The future certainly looks to be challenging all of us from London Road, St. Columba and Tower. The question is are we going to meet that challenge?

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

I am yours because I am His - John.

Family News

Birthdays Congratulations Go to Mrs. Doris Greenfield who is 91 on 5 April. Mr. Leslie Tutthill who is 90 on 21 April. Mr. Colin Thompson who will be 54 on 17 April.

Joyce Norman is feeling much better after her latest episode of M.S. Alan and Joyce would like to thank everyone who prayed for her at this time and wish to be remembered to all at London Road.

Edith Hadden - A former Mayor of Dover, and mother of Colin Hadden, died on the 13 March. Edith was a very special lady who was prepared to go the extra mile, not only for her own family, but also for the people of Dover who she served. Please keep Colin and all the family in your prayers at this time.

Winnie Seelly - On 20 March Winnie from Tower was also promoted to glory. Winnie, and her sister Edith, were literally towers at Tower! We owe a great debt to both of them. Please keep Edith and the rest of the family in your prayers at this time.

Joyce Stacey - Is still in bed 11, Ramsey Ward at Buckland Hospital.

We keep Margaret Craven, Eve Dewhurst, Sadie Gledhill, Mollie Hodgson, Kath Hopper, 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 that are unwell in their own homes, or in residential homes, especially thinking of Margery Bones, Vera Coombes, Mary Page, Edie Seelly, John Bates, Colin Thompson at this time.

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

Circuit News

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Bash and Barn Dance - This proved to be a most enjoyable evening with people present from each of our three major Churches as well as a number from the parish Church in River. There were pancakes a plenty with ample supplies of orange and lemon as topping. Friends were quick to join in the dance and a jolly atmosphere was present throughout the evening. There seemed to be a desire for it to continue when the end came.

The result of the evening was that £102 was paid into Network Funds for the benefit of the World Church. Thanks are extended to all who helped to make it such a pleasant and fruitful occasion.

Thank you

Nancy Sheasby - Circuit Treasurer

CHRISTIAN AID WEEK AND WALK

11 - 17 May is Christian Aid Week. 11 May is Christian Aid Sunday and there will be a collection on that day. There will be house to house collections in Dover throughout the week. Any volunteers please contact Linda before 1 May.

Other events include the following - St. Martin’s Tea, 2.30 - 4.15 p.m. on Tuesday

13 May. Crosslinks Coffee Morning, 10am - 12 noon on Thursday 15 May. River Hunger Lunch at 12 noon on Saturday 17 May at River Methodist Church. The walk is on Saturday 10 May and I have forms already. If you can’t walk, please sponsor someone who is walking. The theme this year is ‘You can help change the World’

Linda Hayward

Tower News

SUNDAY SCHOOL - meets every Sunday morning at 11am and a warm welcome waits for any children who wish to join us.

THE WOMEN’S LEAGUE - meets every Monday at 2.30pm. The programme is:- 7 John Lines; 14 Easter Service with Mrs. Sue Brockman; 21 Bank Holiday - NO MEETING; 28 Mrs. Vera Donne.

The Fellowship meets on Tuesday 13 May at 7.15pm. All who wish to join us are very welcome.

London Road News

Christmas Quiz

Last Month we reported that Phyl Gay’s quiz raised £65 because a donation of £10 was lost in the post, I am glad to report that Phyl received another cheque to replace the lost one, we are very grateful to the person’s generosity and the final total is now £75.

Easter Flowers

Donations towards the cost of flowers to decorate the Church for Easter Day will be gratefully received by Majorie Chivers or Evelyn Tutthill. Help is needed to decorate the Church on Easter Saturday morning from ten o’clock.

ALSO help to distribute flowers on Monday morning from 10.30 a.m. This is an important service which we know is appreciated by our friends who are ill or housebound, so please will pastoral visitors who have anyone in their class who would appreciate flowers at this time collect them from the Church.

Wesley Guild

Don’t forget, Tuesday evenings at 7.30 p.m.

1 Music - Cantate 8 Cultural - Mrs K. Howell. 15 HOLY WEEK 22 Music - Graham and the Music Group 29 Social - Table Games

Bible Study

For the period of Lent the Wednesday Group are looking at the series ‘New World, Old World Old Faith’ and will be meeting on the 2, 16 and 23 April. ALL are welcome. The Saturday group meet next on the 26 April, again ALL are very welcome.

Women’s Own

The Women’s Own meets every Monday afternoon at 3 p.m., the programme is :-

7 Members’ Afternoon; 14 Easter Carols; 21 No Meeting; 28 Mrs Sue Brockman,

Sorry Again!

Due to another commitment, I cannot make the mid-week Holy Communion on the 9 April. Can I please encourage folk to attend the Maundy Thursday service at London Road at 7.30pm instead?

John Lines

‘A gift of Grace’

Please make a note in your diaries of the above event at Rochester Cathedral on Saturday 21 June 2003 between 2.30pm and 3.30pm. This is to celebrate the Tercentenary of John Wesley’s birth and our Chairman, the Rev. Harvey Richardson, will lead the Service. The preacher will be the Rev. Martin Turner the Minister at Westminster Central Hall. Hopefully there will be an exhibition of John Wesley’s life and work in the crypt of the Cathedral for folk to look at. There is also the chance that there will be District Choir, for which there will be a rehearsal from 1 to 2pm.

Rotas

Mini Bus

6 Colin Hadden; 13 Graham Tutthill; 20 David Galley; 27 Shirley Carr.

Women’s Own Mini Bus

7 Ruth Edwards and Brian Jacobs; 14 Colin Hadden and Valerie Bowes; 21 No Meeting (Easter Monday); 28 Peter Hogg and Ken Vincent.

Flowers - London Road

6 Mrs J. Wood; 13 Miss M. Scrivener; 20 Easter - Mrs S. Brockman; 27 Mrs E. Tutthill.

Forthcoming Events

St. Richard of Chichester - There is to be an ecumenical celebration of the 750 anniversary of the death of St. Richard of Chichester on Thursday 3 April at 10am at the Maison Dieu. All are invited to this service which will be followed by a procession of the Icon of St. Richard to the Market Square. More details on Church notice boards.

Combined Service - Sunday 6 April at London Road.

ADVANCE DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday 2 10.00am Lent Group

Sunday 6 2.30pm Signing of Declaration of Intent.

Wednesday 16 10.00am Lent Group

Thursday 17 7.30pm Maundy Thursday Service at London Road

Friday 18 GOOD FRIDAY Procession of Witness

EASTER DAY Sunday 20 5.45am Sunrise Service St. Martin's

8.00am Holy Communion

11.00am UNITED WORSHIP

Saturday 26 10.00am Bible Study

Prayer Page

Prayer Times.

1) Please remember all who are involved in the conflict in Iraq, not least the children and the old. Please also keep in your prayers the families of our service folk at this time.

2) Remember the refugees, especially those in our area, plus those who will become refugees because of the current conflict.

3) Remember those who mourn, especially the Hadden and Seelly families.

4) Pray for our coming together, especially for April 6!

Mary Reeves

Mary will be known by some of our older members of our Church. She died on 7 March aged 87 years. We remember Ray, Marion, Janet, Gillian and their families in our prayers.

Ken Ruffell

We were all sorry to learn of the death of Ken in February at the age of 89. Ken's wife Barbara has been a member of our Church for many years and Ken sometimes worshipped with us at London Road before they moved North to Yorkshire a few years ago. Their daughter, Christine, grew up here and was much involved in the life of the Church. Ken had a long and distinguished career as a teacher at Dover Boys Grammar School and hundreds of boys benefited from his teaching and example. He was also a keen supporter of Christian Aid and a member of ‘Dover Players’. John Booth was among those who attended a thanksgiving service. We send our love to Barbara. Christine and other members of the family. They have expressed their gratitude to everyone for their kind thoughts, prayers and messages of support during this time.

Olive Rolfe who attended our Church when she was younger has also died, she was a cousin of Ruby Nye, and we were sorry to hear of the death of Norman Stanley who also attended our Church in the past, together with his brother and parents. We send our sympathy to his widow Cynthia and other members of the family.

St. Columba Page

SPARE A PRAYER By Eve Dewhurst

"All creatures great and small………… The Lord God Made Them All”

After you have prayed for the world and it’s people, would you pray with me for Gods Dumb Creatures? Those which HE also made of loved at the point of creation. Those which he sent for our pleasure, to love and cherish. Pray for those behind ‘closed’ doors who never see the light; For those beaten and humiliated ; Those hunted and torn apart for the pleasure of man. Those carrying heavy burdens in the heat of the sun; For lovely birds, who fly with the pure ecstasy of freedom, Are shot out of the sky. And those who are, now this month, to be clubbed and skinned before their mother’s eyes. Pray that all people will become gentle like “Jesus” and be merciful to all. “We ask a heart of Compassion” - ‘gentle hands’ and kindly words”

We thank Eve very much for her poem, but what about the rest of you?

Please let us know what is going on in YOUR Church.

For instance, are you holding a coffee morning, any special events, Wedding Anniversaries or birthdays?

Very Late News

MAD REVUE

Can you hear the music?

This was the story of six mice who live in an attic, all of them had their own dreams and expectations of life. From Housemouse (Doris Friend) finding her lost love to Gigglemouse (Christine Dunstone) who just wanted to dance all night, all of these dreams were just that until they heard the piper playing his special tune, the only mouse who didn’t hear the music was Tattymouse (Rene Small) who is completely deaf. When they all hear the music Fussmouse (Lynda Paramor) really lives up to her name, fussy by name, fussy by nature. When the music plays each mouse hears a different tune and one by one the mice disappear. The first to go, quite early on, was Housemouse followed by Gigglemouse. Eldermouse (Jos Grey) decided to go and rescue them, the speech she gave to the other mice why she should go and save them would have made Winston Churchill proud, mind you, that had no affect on Pricklemouse (Tamzin Dunstone) she told her a few home truths, like, “it will be the last thing you will do!” When there were only three mice left in the attic the music played again, this time, Pricklemouse was not immune to the tune, her dream was longing to be a famous ‘STAR’. All she wanted was applause, applause and more applause, not forgetting her flowers and giving autographs, so, that left two mice in the attic. Fussmouse and Tattymouse started talking but not listening to what each other were saying, all Fussmouse wanted to do was to have a good nights sleep and not to worry about all the other mice, once again, the music played and she went off stage whilst sleep walking. That left just Tattymouse, who because she was deaf didn’t hear anything, she had to stay in the attic to tell the next generation of mice about the Piper and his hypnotic tune.

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