Is anyone interested in the event described below?

click on the image to enlarge

This is an invitation to anyone interested in community engagement – St Matthews Church, Wigmore have arranged for Sir Stephen Bubb (a son of Wigmore) to share in an informal setting about his working life in local & national government, and his faith.

The Medway Foodbank will have a display stand there.

We are pleased to have added a link to the website of the St Helier, Jersey, Corps where Lieutenants Steve & Mel Scoulding, formerly of Chatham, are the officers. Go to Our Links in the sidebar or click here to visit the site.

Mel & Steve

The funeral service for Rose Reynolds will take place at the Salvation Army hall, Church Street, Chatham, ME4 4BT on Friday 25 November at 12noon. This will be followed by the Committal at the Medway Crematorium, Robin Hood Lane, ME5 9QU, at 1.20pm. After the Committal guests are invited to return to the Chatham Salvation Army hall for refreshments.

Mike Rowley writes from his personal experience.

Mike Rowley

As Christmas approaches, Blythswood  Care  is remembered mainly for its  part played in the Shoebox Appeal.  Also well known are the various categories of aid Blythswood sends to Eastern Europe. Part of that aid consists of medical supplies such as hospital beds, bedding and many other items including wheel chairs. All this aid benefits the patients who are hospitalised in one way or another.

Aid to Serbia is the main responsibility for Blythswood Medway and in 2007, Blythswood was alerted to a special need for a wheelchair. A gentleman named Bogoljub  Veselinouic who lives in the remote village of Rudno  3000ft up in a  mountain range in Central Southern Serbia. He  suffered  from  severe  back problems  and was house bound. As a result, he could not get to the hospital for treatment. After receiving the wheelchair, Bogoljub was able to be taken to the hospital for a course of treatment. Over the past four years, Bogoljub has progressed and you will see from the pictures below, he can now walk with the aid of a walking crutch. Surely, this is a great illustration of God answering prayer and inspiring the people to help him regain his independence.

Bobuljub in 2007

In July 2011

In October 2011

Editor’s note: The Salvation Army in Chatham is pleased to acknowledge the work done by Blythswood Care. In the next few weeks the members of the Ladies Fellowship will be sending their contribution to this year’s Shoebox Appeal, local salvationists will be helping with the collection of shoe boxes from all over the South East of England and Blythswood will be making their van available to us in support of our own food and gifts for needy families programme at Christmas time. Contact us for more information.

Every December [usually during the second week] The Salvation Army in Chatham distribute new toys and other gifts to children and families in need over the Christmas period.

Beginning the packing

Various organisations and churches have in the past been kind enough to donate new  toys and gifts to us so that we can pass them on to children and families who we know are particularly in need, and we continue to be extremely grateful to all who donate in this way.

If you, as an individual or church, wish to contribute to this ‘service to the community’  please contact us and we will ensure that suitable arrangements can be made to receive your gifts. Last year we were able to help 200 families including nearly 400 children and we anticipate evn greater need this year.

Sincere thanks to all who can help us in this way.

We have received the sad news of the Promotion to Glory of former Chatham Bandmaster Bill Andrews on 6 September.

Bill Andrews

Bill was Bandmaster here from 1947 to 1965 and is largely credited with resuscitating the corps band after the war years.  He had been ill for a couple of months.  Bill was 94 years of age and always looked back on his time at Chatham with great fondness. We will publish information about the funeral when we receive it.

In this week’s Monday Spot we reported the Promotion to Glory of Lt. Col. Sutton and promised an account of his ‘adventures’. This is a fascinating story and well worth the few minutes required to read it. Click here.

Lt. Col. Sutton

We can now confirm the arrangements for the funeral which will be at 2pm Friday 16 September at the Vinters Park Crematorium, Maidstone. This will be followed by a Service of Thanksgiving at the Salvation Army hall, Union Street, Maidstone and refreshments. Donations, in lieu of flowers, should be made to the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

MEDWAY’S oldest sheltered housing scheme, which was opened by the well-respected British actress Dame Sybil Thorndike, has celebrated its 50th birthday (states the local press).

And among those at the anniversary party of Thorndike House in Palmerston Road, Chatham was Betty Jones, 96, who moved in 23 years ago. Betty is a member of our corps though not able to attend meetings these days.

​Birthday time: Mayor of Medway Councillor Ted Baker celebrates with Thorndike House resident Betty Jones and house staff

Originally opened in 1961, Thorndyke House was completely refurbished, extended to 34 self-contained flats in 1991 and re-opened by Dame Sybil’s son John Casson.

The planned barbecue in the grounds was cancelled because of a torrential downpour, but the food was served in the communal lounge accompanied by live music and a sing-a-long.

Fifty years on and the scheme is a thriving close-knit little community where residents enjoy peace and quiet inside their own homes but also have the peace of mind knowing that others are just a corridor away.

Social committee members Brian and Colleen Jones said: “We moved from our home so that we could have extra security and companionship. We have a good social life here, you only have to look at our notice board to see that there’s always something going on.”

Guests of honour were Medway’s mayor Councillor Ted Baker and his wife Sylvia.

The couple were invited to cut a large birthday cake with long-term resident Mrs Jones.

The 96-year-old said: “You can’t go wrong in sheltered accommodation because you have your own front door and place to live but there are people around if you need them. I have been very happy here and I am delighted to be part of the celebrations and have my photo taken with the mayor.”

Captain Phil Layton, Salvation Army leader at Hythe, has asked us to publicise the visit of the Japan Staff Band at the end of this month.

Japan Staff Band

Captain Layton writes:

In a little under 3 weeks time The Salvation Army will witness a historic event here in the South East of the UK Territory when the Japan Staff Band makes its first ever visit to Europe, and it is our tremendous privilege to host these Salvationist musicians here in Hythe for their first weekend of performances.

Following the devastation caused in Japan by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear radiation in March, our support for our fellow Salvationists at this time has become all the more meaningful.

The Saturday evening concert starts at 7.30pm, using the SAGA Pavilion in nearby Sandgate, CT20 3SE.  This is a beautiful, modern venue in which they will be supported by a selection of songs and a splash of colour from the Shepway Community Gospel Choir.

The Saga Pavilion

Tickets for this event are just £8 for adults and £1 for children. The venue has ample and free on-site parking. To book tickets either email Richard Carroll (richard_h_carroll@yahoo.co.uk) or phone him on 01303 268354, or else visit www.hythesalvationarmy.org.uk/jsb for more detail.

This really is an event that does not come along very often, and we want to use this opportunity to witness, to raise our profile, and to encourage our Salvationist brothers and sisters from Japan.

Today we join millions around the world in offering congratulations to William and Catherine on the ocassion of their marriage at Westminster Abbey in London.

Prince William & Kate Middleton

William and Catherine are names which have special significance for Salvationists. Almost 156 years ago another William and Catherine were married, not on that occasion in the grandeur of Westminster Abbey, but just a short distance across the river Thames in the more humble surroundings of Stockwell Green Congregational Church on 16 June1855. Just 10 years later William and Catherine founded the Christian Mission which soon became The Salvation Army, a movement which has made a huge difference to millions of people in countries all around the world.

William Booth & Catherine Mumford

In a quite different way there is no doubt that William Wales and Kate Middleton will also make a difference to the lives of many millions of people in just as many countries as William Booth and Catherine Mumford. As the royal couple set out on what will undoubtedly be an exciting life together we pray that they will always maintain their vision and that, in so doing, will be a great influence for good in a world which desperately needs encouragement. God blessed William and Catherine over a century ago and we pray God’s blessing on William and Catherine today.

Chatham in New South Wales, Australia, that is.

Capt. Roscoe Holland

We have received the following email from Captain Roscoe Holland, recently appointed to the Taree corps in NSW.

Roscoe writes:

Good afternoon my brothers and sisters in Christ.

My name is Captain Roscoe Holland.  My wife Melanie-Anne and I are currently the Commanding Officers at Taree Corps in New South Wales, Australia.

We have recently set up our web page and I just wanted to let you now that I had checked your page prior to setting ours up as Chatham is where we live… in Australia.  Taree is a fast growing town and a few decades ago Chatham was a small village north of Taree yet with urban sprawl we have become part of the Greater Taree City Council.  The quarters is still in Chatham.

I thought as a bit of fun I would add a link to your webpage so our Corps folk can see what God is doing on the other side of the world and pray for you and your ministry.  I was delighted to read through the stories and testimonies of how God is transforming people and using you to build His Kingdom.  Well done!

It is my prayer that you know God’s love intimately and hear the Holy Spirit guiding you all to wonderful acts in His name.

May God continue to bless you all…

We thank Roscoe for making contact and pray that his ministry, along with Melanie-Anne, will be fruitful for the Kingdom as they spend their time ‘bringing Christ to people and people to Christ’. The community of Christ is surely world wide.

Click here to access the Taree corps website.

Just a reminder to those who might have forgotten. Two important things happen this week end. The clocks go forward one hour tonight (26 March) and you have to complete your census forms based on tomorrow (27 March).

Signs have appeared in Chatham town centre indicating that Union Street will be closed to traffic next Sunday, 23 January. Diversion signs will be in place. This will affect all those who usually access the hall via Union Street and sufficient time should be allowed to negotiate the diversion, however complex it may turn out to be.

As a general guide it would appear that the Rhode Street Car Park (back of Debenhams and the one used by most people especially those with concession badges) will still be accessible from the Clover Street end, which itself should be accessible from the upper part of Military Road (railway station area). Alternatively access should also be available from the Medical Centre tunnel.

As Drew said last Sunday evening, preparation is necessary!

Now take a moment or two to consider……………….

We understand that, for the first time ever, the Christmas tree in the White House was called a “Holiday Tree’ this year. It makes one want to cry!

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday  Morning  Commentary:

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.  I don’t feel threatened.  I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me.  I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in  Malibu  .  If people want a crèche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from, that  America  is an explicitly atheist country.  I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the  America  we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different:  This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her ‘How could God let something like this happen?’ (regarding Hurricane Katrina).  Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response.  She said ‘I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives.  And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out.  How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?’

In light of recent events… terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc.,  I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.  Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school.  The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself.  And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide).  We said an expert should know what he’s talking about.  And we said OK.

Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out.  I think it has a great deal to do with ‘WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.’

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell.  Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.  Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.  Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it… no one will know you did.  But, if you discard this thought process, don’t sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My best regards,  honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein