Due to inclement weather this evening’s meeting (5 February) has been cancelled. This afternoon’s meeting of the Discipleship Group has also been cancelled as has the Mainly Music Group tomorrow morning. Further announcements will be made here when we receive more information.

Update: We can now confirm that the Monday Lunch will not take place tomorrow and the Hub Cafe will not be open. This includes the Foodbank Drop-in Centre. The Costa Book Club scheduled for Monday evening is also cancelled.

A new group formed from mums who recently attended our Parenting Course. All are welcome so why not contact us. For more information click on the images below to enlarge.

Here’s where we are:

The Parent & Toddler Groups’ combined Christmas Party and Nativity took place in the Hub coffee shop last week.

Is this the baby then?

Any semblance of order is hard to find when children of this age get together to enjoy themselves. But Parent & Toddler Groups leader Verna Smith tries to get across something of the Christmas story to both the children and the mums and dads who come to enjoy the event each year.

Some of the costumes are really good and represent a lot of time in preparation.

The children are reminded that Christmas is Jesus’ birthday

Then Santa arrives.

and distributes presents.

Now let’s get to the serious stuff!

That was good.

We run two Parent & Toddler Groups each week. For more information click here.

Most of the fellowship and relaxation events of our Christmas season are taking place next week.

Monday 12 December – Ladies Fellowship Christmas Meal

Wednesday 14 December – CAMEO Christmas Tea & Carols

Friday 16 December – Toddlers’ Christmas Party

Friday 16 December – Youth Christmas Party

Saturday 17 December – Children’s Pool Party

Enjoy yourselves everyone!

An almost full hall assembled for the celebration of the the life of Rose Reynolds this afternoon (Friday 25 November 2011).

Rose

The service was led by Major Alec Still and included two songs, ‘There is a happy land‘ and ‘The Lord’s my Shepherd‘. Tributes were brought by Frank and Graham Reynolds (for the family), Rusty Adams, (from the Australian family – read by Cyril Adams) and Major Alec Still (on behalf of the corps). Norman Martin read from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Chatham Songsters brought ‘Morning has Broken‘ and a small brass ensemble provided suitable music and accompaniments.

The small chapel at the Crematorium was packed to overflowing, with many people standing, as Major Alec introduced the hymn ‘Thine is the Glory‘ and read from Psalm 16:8-11.

Family and friends entered and left the chapel to the singing of the International Staff Songsters which brought an atmosphere of peace and serenity to the proceedings.

Husband Frank and the whole family wish to express their thanks to everyone for the tremendous love and support shown to them at this difficult time

‘Let his church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting

For the second day running we are able to pass on the thanks of a charity we have supported.

The following letter has been received from Macmillan Cancer Support following the event held last month by the Parent & Toddler Groups.

Dear Mrs Smith,

Thank you so much for all your work in hosting a World’s Biggest Coffee Morning event again this year. As ever, it really was a fantastic effort.

When all the expenses are added up, it costs around £25 for every hour a Macmillan nurse spends with someone living with cancer; offering them medical, practical and emotional support. Your event raised a total of £185 .46, so you can see for yourself what a valuable contribution every penny you raised will make yet again! Please pass on my heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make your event such a success year after year.

With more people looking towards Macmillan for support than ever before, we are hoping this year will be the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning ever. We are still collecting contributions from our hosts, but with fabulous events like yours held up and down the country, this year is sure to be a success.

By hosting events year in, year out, you personally have made a difference to someone living with cancer and their family.

They can’t thank you, but I can. So thank you again for everything you have done for Macmillan Cancer Support. Please take it from me personally that we will never take your efforts for granted. Quite simply, you are one of our most valued supporters and without the contribution of people like you each year; much of our work would simply not be possible. That’s something we will never forget.

I look forward to welcoming you as a host again next year.

Best wishes,

Hannah Redmond

Coffee morning team

At it’s meeting on Monday, the Ladies Fellowship packed 21 shoeboxes for the Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal.

They had great fun with Christmas paper, vital sellotape and presents all packed with loving care and a prayer for their safe receipt into the hands of needy people at Christmas.

Jean’s epilogue was focused on a recipe for Impossible Pie in which nine ingredients are put into a bowl and whirled around, poured into a pie dish, put into the oven for an hour and come out as a three layer pie.    She bought a sample of the pie and likened the whole thing to our lives which can get in a mess and we try and straighten ourselves out.   However, the love of God shines through and can sort us out.

Next month’s meeting is the Christmas dinner which is held, as it has for the last few years, at the Grangemoor Hotel, Maidstone.

It is with great sadness that we bring the news of the Promotion to Glory of Rose Reynolds yesterday evening (14 November).

Rose Reynolds

Rose was a lovely Christian lady who served the Lord with all her strength, working amongst the residents of the Davis Estate where she lived for almost 50 years. We remember in prayer husband Frank, brothers Cyril and Rusty, and all other members of the family both here in the UK and in Australia.

As yet we have no details of the funeral arrangements but we will publish them when known.

This year’s Christmas Carol Concerts will be performed in the Salvation Army hall in Church Street, Chatham, on Saturday 10 December (6pm) and Sunday 11 December (4pm).

The theme of the concerts will be ‘Angels’. Tickets (£5, concessions £4) will be available shortly so watch this space or contact us for further details.

Our own Parent & Toddler Groups‘ contribution to this year’ event was in excess of £185 raised last Friday morning in the ‘Hub’ cafe.

The official date for the event, in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support, was in late September but P & T leader Verna Smith decided to hold the event in the school half term break making it more possible for some of the mums from previous years (with older children) to be present.

Verna (foreground right) in conversation with a mum

Whilst coffee and cakes were enjoyed in the cafe P & T staff members, together with some of the mums entertained the children with play in our secondary hall, much to the delight of all.

Leader Verna and her team are always keen to see new members at the two Parent & Toddler Groups sessions each week. Click on the P & T link for more information or contact us.

Once again the Parent and Toddler Groups are to hold an event in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support in its WBCM project.

This year’s event will be held in our Church Street premises next Friday (28 October) between 10am and 12 noon (during the school half term break). Leader Verna Smith invites all readers within travelling distance to put the date in their diaries so that more money than ever can be raised for this very worthwhile charity.

Verna

Here’s how to find us:

Click on the maps to enlarge

Once again the Parent and Toddler Groups are to hold an event in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support in its WBCM project.

This year’s event will be held in our Church Street premises on Friday 28 October between 10am and 12 noon (during the school half term break). Leader Verna Smith invites all readers within travelling distance to put the date in their diaries so that more money than ever can be raised for this very worthwhile charity.

Verna

Here’s how to find us:

Click on the maps to enlarge

click on image to enlarge

Once again the Parent and Toddler Groups are to hold an event in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support in its WBCM project.

This year’s event will be held in our Church Street premises on Friday 28 October between 10am and 12 noon (during the school half term break). Leader Verna Smith invites all readers within travelling distance to put the date in their diaries so that more money than ever can be raised for this very worthwhile charity.

Verna

Here’s how to find us:

Click on the maps to enlarge