Christmas Celebration

Here are details of our Christmas celebration with our friends at the United Reformed Church. Please feel free to copy and print the above to use as an invite to your friends and family.

From Sunday

Thank you all for your prayers on Sunday. We were reminded again of what a fantastic church family we are part of. You may remember Hannah's poetic contribution which she promised to email. Well sure enough here it is...

I came across this poem by a Quaker poet which has really spoken to me of the importance of living in the here and now - whether it is a time of feast or famine - looking for the goodness of God in every situation:

No longer forward nor behind,
I look in hope or fear;
But grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here.
— John Greenleaf Whittier

Jonny

Update

As promised the latest YAK is now available in the 'Links' section on the right. As usual Linda has worked hard to stuff it full with all of the latest need to know dates and details. Unfortunatly on it's way the the World Wide Web the formatting suffers a little but all the info is still there.

Jonny

Evolve

A youth club for 10 – 13 year olds held at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre on Tuesday evenings.

Following on from what was said at chat’n’chew, may I remind you that as a matter of urgency, you pray that we will receive new staff members for the coming months. Ruth is going into hospital in December, and Emma will be going on maternity leave after Christmas, so we will need at least one female staff member.

Evolve is open from 7.00pm to 8.30pm for the young people, but set up is 6.30pm and pack away is usually finished about 9.00pm.

Please pray into this and let one of us know if you feel God is speaking to you about working with Evolve. The Evolve team are: Simon Jones, Nigel Sneller and Emma Sneller and of course me.

Regards,

Ruth Sneller

Chat & Chew...

or is that Chat 'n' Chew? Who knows. Whatever you want to call it it's happening this Sunday (25th). We'll have our usual morning together then a bring and share (or is that bring 'n' share) lunch while we chat about Church business and share what's going on.

We're taking the somewhat risky decision not to coordinate what everyone brings so just bring what you can to share. See you there!

A reminder of Sunday's prayer event in the heart of the South Downs area.

Wiston Estate Prayer Event - Sunday 11th October

Dear Friends,

This is a reminder of the important prayer event happening this Sunday 11th October 7.30-9pm at St Mary's Church, Wiston Estate for churches across the region, which will be of particular interest to those with a passion for prayer, mission and justice.

Peter Stanley, formerly Director of Stop The Traffik, now advisor for 24-7 Prayer and the government on human trafficking will be speaking at Wiston Church on Prayer & Social Justice. This will be a chance to hear about God's concern for justice issues such as people trafficking and a great opportunity for us to engage practically and unite in prayer.

We will pray into the important international role of Wiston House and Wilton Park (host to many UN conferences) plus get behind the anti-trafficking initiative START FREEDOM in prayer, which launches at the United Nations in New York in just a few days time.

From 9pm we will be praying through the night in hour shifts. If you are able to sign-up for a prayer slot between 9pm-7am please contact Katie asap: tobyandkatiemason@gmail.com You are welcome to pop in anytime through the night but the remaining prayer slots are: 11-12pm, 1-2am, 2-3am, 3-4am and 4-5am. It would be great to fill these before we gather together on Sunday.

Access to Wiston Church is from the A283 between the Washington Roundabout on the A24 and Steyning. Follow the signs for Wiston House. As you approach Wiston House and Church, you will need to press the button at the security gate to gain access. Please note, there are no toilet facilities at the church. Also, so you are aware in advance, we will be taking up an offering on the evening for Stop The Traffik.

Please can we ask you to spread the word and highlight this in your church notice sheets and services this Sunday morning � thank you.

We look forward to seeing those of you that can join us.

Wiston House Of Prayer

Harvest and other matters...

September has given us a little extra summer but now the nights are drawing in and the weather is turning. It's not all bad though. There's Harvest festival, bonfire night, Petworth Fair and of course Noah's Birthday!

This year we have been invited to join the United Reformed Church in celebrating harvest. They have also invited us to join them for lunch. If you are able to come and perhaps can contribute in some way then please call Maureen on 343102.

Last Sunday we were blessed by what Eunice shared at the beginning of the morning and also by what Meg had prepared for us on "Where is god in my Famine"... part of our series on Feasting and Famine. Meg has kindly written up her notes which you can read by clicking here. You can also listen to Meg's talk by selecting it in the "Latest recordings of teaching" list. It will be available until Thursday 22nd October.

Meg also read something by Creath Davis which insightfully shone a spotlight on the differences between acceptance and resignation. Again you can read this by clicking here

Gerald Gresham Cooke from Tillington has been asked by PACT ( Petworth Area Churches Together) to organise a

Walk Thru The Bible event for the Spring of 2010 .

April 20th & MAY 22^nd 2010

He says....

This is to ask you to 'Save the Dates' in your next year diaries:-

Tues April 20 (eve):

TASTER SESSION in Petworth with Cliff Keeys (Founder & Director for 21 years in the UK )

Sat May 22 (day):

NEW TESTAMENT SEMINAR .

For more info of Walk Thru The Bible - please see http://www.bible.org.uk/

In 2005 Petworth hosted a similar event with 41 attending an Old Testament teaching day. This time we are running a New Testament day on the major events in the life of Jesus and the Apostles as well as the geography of the Holy Land . The course also explains the 400 Silent Years & why there are four Gospels. There is no role play, & no volunteers are asked to come to the front.

The Taster is an amusing hour with Cliff Keeys, showing how interesting & informative a day can be.

Over 80,000 in this country have enjoyed the course, and over two million world wide. From Biblical Scholars to beginners - all will appreciate it. In fact, I learnt more in a day's seminar about the bible than I had in 30 years of sermons (don't tell my Vicar !).

Further details will follow, but besides saving the dates, please begin to 'gossip' it around our churches & congregations now.

Regards

Gerald

Together Article John Riddell

Sussex Farmer and Member of the Sussex Church Leaders Group, tells the story of his

COMMITMENT TO THE LAND

Rural people have always been connected to the land in a way that urban people never have. Land was their home, their source of livelihood, their faith and the basis of their security, centred on the home, the church and the local. Today neither the rural people nor the land are what they were a couple of generations ago.

All my working life I was a tenant farmer up to the end of the last century but then, what with the devastating effects of BSE, Foot and Mouth and an increasingly detrimental globalised world market, agriculture no longer provided a living. Like many others the temptation to surrender my tenancy was well nigh irresistible but God clearly spoke to me through several quite independent sources to ‘remain connected to the land’.

At first I thought this meant keeping in contact with those who continued to be involved with the land, which helped but was not enough. Diversification projects and other non-agricultural activities were fine as a way of securing an income and the development of a simple, informal cooperative with other local farmers facing the same problems was a step in the right direction but the nagging thought of being ‘connected to the land’ would not go away.

I needed to do some hard thinking on what it meant and embarking on some theological study opened my mind to new possibilities as I developed my own theology of the land.

I learned how the phrase echoed the Old Testament prophets, but what did they mean by it? Did the Bible offer a sound theology for agriculture? My search for answers reminded me that God created the heavens and the earth that his creation is good and that we human beings are part of it and have some responsibility for it. But then, as a farmer in North West Sussex, I looked at what we and are forbears had done to it. I saw the damage caused by neglect, bad stewardship and agronomic practices, injustice and the displacement of people.

This surely was never what God intended but it did help to explain what Paul meant when he talked about healing and bringing wholeness not only to persons but to the entire created order (Col 1: 19-20). I discovered a gospel which went far beyond personal forgiveness to the transformation of whole communities (2 Cor 5:17). I understood how God’s kingdom cried out not only for a renewed relationship with the Creator, but also for renewed harmony and justice between all peoples and the entire created world order (Isaiah 55:12). This must be what scholars meant when they talked about cosmic redemption. Redemption of the whole created order of which land was a crucial part.

It calls for a transformation from ownership and control by the few to the many, if people who have been divorced from their heritage to the land are to be reconnected with it and saved from an enforced dependence on a supermarket shelf.

The theory was fine. But what was I to do? I went to see my landlord, a peer of the realm. I told him what I had been doing. I shared with him my dreams and hopes and at once he picked up on the idea of a cooperative model for land management. He too wanted to connect more effectively with his tenants and the local community and he insisted that we develop this together without delay. After a couple of meetings in which we discussed these proposals, he wrote personally to members of the local community inviting them to form a Cooperative Forum, to meet quarterly to look at issues relating to the stewardship of the land, just and Godly principles for the land, the people of the land and the local community.

Thus was born the Petworth Stewardship Forum consisting of representatives from the local farm tenants, the estate land agent, the Chairs of the Parish Council, the Community Association, Churches Together, the local Historical Society and a representative of the National Trust.

We have a Mission Statement (‘Working together for the land and its people, towards a just and ethical practice’) and for the last three years have been working to develop relationships between landlord, tenants and the local community, ‘joined-up thinking’ in stewarding the land and local resources, diversification projects which serve the local community, opportunities for people to access land for growing their own food linking local markets with local growers, and appropriate access to, and informed awareness of the countryside.

Progress has not been as swift as we would have wished but the Petworth Stewardship Forum with people from across the spectrum of community life and influence actually sitting around the same table exchanging news and ideas for the benefit of the town and surrounding villages in itself has had enormous value in the community. Projects include Farm Walks, Countryside Days for Schools and (our latest project) linking schools and farms within the local community, with farmers visiting schools and schools visiting farms.

Concerns on our agenda have included the intimidation of the Petworth Park Wall and residual perceptions and attitudes in the community to the Land Enclosures Act and Commoners’ rights, education on modern farming practices, food production, and the country code, and a Community Land Connection, whereby plots of land could be made available, under small business tenancies enabling people to grow produce which could be marketed in a visitor centre/shop or farmers market.

John Riddell

These boots were made for...

ROTHER VALLEY PRAYER WALK

2^ND – 4^TH OCTOBER 2009

This is an open invitation to anyone who is interested in joining Dave Carter in prayer walking either part of, or the entire length of the Rother Valley.

Friday 2^nd October: 9 a.m to 1.30 p.m

A circular walk of approx. 12 miles, tracing the source of the Rother.

Liss -> Hawkley -> Empshott -> Greatham -> Liss

Saturday 3rd October: 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m

Petersfield -> Rogate -> Trotton -> Stedham -> Midhurst. Approx 10 miles

Sunday 4^th October: 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m

Midhurst -> Petworth -> Fittleworth -> Pulborough

Where the Rother joins the Arun. Approx 12 miles

Email d.carter2@btconnect.com for more details

Bits & bobs...

Our most recent get together last Sunday at which we shared breakfast, was both enjoyable and thought provoking. Naomi's talk is now available as a download under 'PCC Talks' (top right). Naomi kicked off our new theme 'Feast & Famine' talking communion in the context of the meal that it was shared in and the need for us to share meals together as church.

Also...

Dalesdown have issued their latest news letter which you can see here

Also...

The Poem ' The guest House' which appeared in the last issue of YAK has got lots of people thinking. John Crocombe emailed me his thoughts which you can view by clicking here.

'Held by love'

Joan's reflections following our morning looking at Zacchaeus;


I would like to share this with you.

I have been reflecting on the story of Zacchaeus, how Jesus saw him and called out to him and spent time with him at his house.
A few years ago God spoke to me through this story and reminded me of a time in my life when I was a child. I had climbed up a tree and got stuck. Stuck with fear. I could not move. I called out and my brother came to my rescue. He climbed up the tree and when he reached me, put his hands on mine, and my feet on his and gently inch by inch he guided me safely down.
In this same way Jesus rescued me. Gradually and gently, bit by bit he guided me through a process of healing, healing my fears, my pride, the issues that clouded my view of him and his of me.
As I reflect I can see his amazing redemptive work through my journey with him. In each letting go I found love, forgiveness, acceptance. In each letting go I found release, purpose and a wonderful sense of belonging to his family. I discovered a God who is always there through difficulty or ease, who teaches and corrects, affirming his love. A God who I can call father.
Jesus' victory over death meant that he came down from his 'tree' into to new life. In the same way Jesus wants this for us, not to be stuck in our old ways but to be turned around and in turn show others the same way.

Autumn plans...

I know it's a little depressing to be thinking of Autumn and Christmas before August is out but as I'm away on my summer hols for the next two weeks, I thought I'd get some info to you regarding our Autumn Sunday plans. In the 'links' section you can view a document called 'PCC Autumn Sundays' which contains an outline of the theme "Feast and Famine", the thoughts behind it and the practicalities of who's doing what.

The table at the bottom of the document is a first draft so apology's if you're down for something that you've not been asked to do!

Happy rest of your summer! Jonny

More to download

Hi all, as promised you'll find a recording of Richards talk on Zacchaeus under 'PCC talks' and his notes (apology's for the formatting) in the 'Links' section further down. Don't forget the recordings of our Sunday morning talks are only available for 2 weeks and then by request to John R only.

We will be meeting over the summer months to plan our themes and programme for
September through to Christmas. If you can contribute in anyway or have some thoughts on our by-weekly gatherings then do get in touch.

Ta ta for now!

God's concern for the poor

Our good friend Paul Sanderson recently spoke at Wiston House during a prayer evening. He shared his thoughts on God's concern for the poor. You can listen to this by clicking on the link on right hand side entitled Paul Sanderson - God's heart for the poor.

“The Guest House” etc

Hi all, you'll see that Sue's 'Mary Magdalene' talk is available for download. Also Sue's notes are on the available under the 'links section also on the right.

Now this, also from Sue...

You may have noticed a poem called “The Guest House” in the latest YAK, which I (Sue R) put in. After a chat with someone who’d read it, and saw it from a different perspective, I thought others might be interested in the context of the poem and why I hoped it might be helpful. Any other comments welcome!

I came across the poem “The Guest House” when on a course for Spiritual Directors in London , in a session on the “Dark Night of the Soul” and depression. It was written by a 13^th Century Sufi mystic, Jellaluddin Rumi. I found its language of openness and realism refreshing – from the perspective of facing whatever comes our way – the “praise in all circumstances” way, rather than trying to ignore, or run away from the “hard” stuff which can enable us to grow. As it says in James 1:2 (The Message)

^“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

Other comments welcome!

Blessings,

Sue

to view the poem click here

The Privilege of Prayer by Billy Graham... via Bob!

I got home from work tonight to find a brown re-used envelope on the door mat. A re-used envelope? It must be uncle Bob! Inside was a response to my request on Sunday for blog items other than dates & info. With it a note that read ' Sorry I couldn't email it to you but these words from Billy Graham on prauer have helped me...' They are indeed really helpful and inspiring so read on...

The Privilege of prayer

Ask and you will receive,
that your joy may be full
John 16:24

What a Privilege is ours: the Privilege of Prayer! Just think of it: You and I have the incredible Privilege of approaching the God of the Universe, "the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy" (Isa 57:15) We can only do this because Jesus Christ has opened the way.

We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving.

We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud.

We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting.

We are to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient.

Pray believing, in the promise of God's Word that "if we ask anything according to His will. He hears us" (1 John 5:14).

Thanks Bob. Great Stuff.

Our Day Away at Dalesdown next Sunday, 21st June.

Hi all, Our Church day at Dalesdown away edges ever closer. Here’s a provisional outline of the day…

10.00 Welcome [Kate?] and a couple of songs with the children [Rich]

10.30 Children leave, we break out the coffee and biscuits and welcome Billy & Caroline Kennedy

11.15 Input from Chris Seaton

12.00 Worship (through song!) [led by Rich and Jonny]

12.30 Lunch and discuss chat & chew agenda [overseen by Kate who has the list of chatters?]

13.30 Break/Family time
14.30 Map our journeys [led by Naomi?]
15.30 Close up [led by Kate?] & clear up [all hands to the pump]
16.00 Go home

Also... as per usual you can download and listen to the latest talk from our Sunday meetings by clicking on the link on the right hand side of this page.

Chat & Chew

Hello dear All

Just clearing up a slight confusion about our next “Chat ‘n Chew”! There was a possibility to have it following our meeting this Sunday (14^th); but it seems more practical to fit in a special Ch ‘n Ch slot at our Day Away together at Dalesdown the following Sunday, 21^st June.

Re the Day Away, Pat has kindly agreed to coordinate contributions for our lunch together at Dalesdown . So please be aware you’ll probably be asked to bring something – spuds, fillings, salad, pud, drinks etc – whatever’s needed. If we all chip in it’ll be simple.

Blessings,

Sue

Latest News...

Due to the success of our first 'Curry-Source' evening we will be having another one! 'Yippee' or even 'yummy' I hear you cry! The date for this is Thursday 2nd of July at the Meghdoot's.

Those of you with a keen eye for the calendar will have also spotted that this Thursday is a Source night too as it is the first Thursday of June (yes it's June already! Where did May go?). So the plan for this Thursday is to meet at the Cricket Lodge entrance to Petworth Park at 7:30 and take a stroll together, weather permitting.

Oops!

Apology's to those 'followers' who receive email updates from the Blog. You would have received a blog entry mistakenly posted here instead of my personal blog - www.jonandnaomiwelch.blogspot.com with me waffling on about children and half term. Not exactly critical church news!

To make up for this error here's a funny rap/poem to make you laugh - which is of course critical church news!

Any thoughts...

The Big Church Day Out has come and gone. The weather was great, Delirious were great and the traffic jams... well anyway I hope you all enjoyed the day. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts and read your comments regarding the event. As a church we have stepped away from our church life being all about meetings and this was the mother of all meetings! So why do we meet, do we need giant gatherings and what was your 'best bit' of the Big Church Day Out?

BCDO

Everyone's looking forward to the Big Church Day Out! Thousands are booked in and the weather's looking good too. Annie has kindly put together some information about the days events. Click here to view. See you there!

Help!

We've been encouraged to keep a written record to document our life's 'journey' over the next few months as our Sunday morning teaching is also looking at the journey's of some who encountered Jesus.

So, does anyone actually keep a journal or diary? I have to confess I'm struggling to get in to a rhythm so what's the secret? What do you write, when & do you ever go back to what you've written. Or maybe you think they're naval gazing and a waste of time.

According to Ron Klug...

'A journal is also a tool for self-discovery, an aid to concentration, a mirror for the soul, a place to generate and capture ideas, a safety valve for the emotions, a training ground for the writer, and a good friend and confidant.'

I'm not quite there yet but I'll keep working on it. This article was helpful

Reach for your diary/PDA/calendar!

* YAK for May and June has arrived. click on the text in the 'links' box to open a copy.

* You can also take a sneak peak at the plans for our Sunday get-togethers until July by clicking on 'PCC Summer Sundays'

* Also you can look at Johns notes from his talk on Peter by clicking on 'Peter's Journey With Jesus'

* Finally some info from John R that didn't quite make it into this edition...

Hi PCCers

A reminder for this Sunday…

After Sunday’s Gathering…we are invited to celebrate and remember the life of Naomi’s Dad, David Etheridge, with a picnic in Petworth Park overlooking the Downs .

Whilst the Thursday Front Room Group is sychronised with YAK, it appears that both the Tuesday FR Groups have somehow got out of synch and are meeting on 5th & 19th May and 2nd, 16th and 30th June.

Joining us for our Day Away at Dalesdown, planned for Sunday 21st June, will be Chris Seaton, one of our trusty friends and adviser and also Billy & Caroline Kennedy who will be reviewing developments in Pioneer http://www.pioneer.org.uk in the context of the way Jesus is currently leading His church in this generation and at this time and what that might mean for us. Do please schedule this into your plans for June.

Also, I’ll be sending out info about the Dalesdown Gala Dinner (Friday 19th June), Fun Day (Saturday 20th 1pm-4pm) and Cricket Match (from 11am). I’ll be asking on Sunday if you might like to play for the Dalesdown 11 in the cricket and whether you might be willing to oversee one of the Fun Day activities for an hour.

The 24/7 Prayer taking place 17th-23rd May at Wiston, preceding the Big Church Day Out on 24th May, is being launched at a gathering in the Church at 7:30pm on Sunday 17th May. PCC are covering the 9 hours from midnight on Monday 18th to 9am on Tuesday 19th. Do sign up for an hour or two of this or any other time slot. I’ll have a sign-up sheet with me this Sunday.

There is then a BCDO Ascension Day prayer evening at Wiston at 7:30pm on Thursday 21st May .

A team will also be serving the local community on Saturday 23rd May, the day before BCDO, in Washington, Wiston and Steyning from 9.30-12.30 along the same lines as HOPE 08. Dan Sneller is involved in the planning for this and will lead the Steyning area team which is great! A team of about 30 is needed (10 in each location). A packed lunch picnic all together in Wiston Park from 12.30-1pm will be followed by providing help to Tim Jupp and the BCDO team with any last minute help they might need on that Saturday afternoon for those that can stay around. To sign up for a prayer slot or serving local communities on 23rd May, please email: tobyandkatiemason@gmail.com

John C has successfully undergone his course of radiotherapy some weeks ago and is feeling better as time goes by, but still suffers with a skin irritation which has developed.

Gwen has yet to decide whether or not she will undergo a course of chemotherapy to treat a carcinoma in the area of her lungs.

There’s also a typo regarding the weekly Liaise clinic which takes place at the Petworth Children & Family Centre (next to the Primary School)

Also… in case you haven’t realised, when you get an email from someone called “R Obrien”, please do open it cos it will, in actual fact, be some headline news from, Linda, our PCC YAK editor. I think she’s aiming to sort it soon! Thanks Linda for this month’s YAK rendition.

Right on our door step!

Have a peek at this video with info on a HUGE event talking place at Wiston House on May 24th

Blog Update

After a few teething problems with our 'downloadable' talks we will now be putting one talk at a a time on the blog to download (see the top of the right hand column). This will be the most recent and will be available until replaced by the next.

If you would like to see the list of talks available by request then click on the link on the right or email me at welchs@btinternet.com stating which of these you would like to listen to. I will then send you a link that should open on your computer for you to listen to. If you would prefer a CD please make this clear in your email.

Sounds great!

More on the Big Day...

The Big Church Day Out doesn't just describe the host of passionate worship leaders, excellent bands and the fun all will be having on May 24th this Spring. It also does a pretty good job of describing the make-up of all those people who are going to be turning up too. Young and old, urban and rural,and every other branch of the family besides... we'll all be there; the Church celebrating together the faith that's bigger than any one of us.

If you want tickets then get in touch with John for some half price bargains!

It is the intension of the organisers that this events is soaked in prayer. If you would like to support this then take not of the following dates:

Easter Monday 13th April 7.30-9pm @ Wiston Church: Launch of 40 days of prayer
An evening to start our 40 days of prayer together and an opportunity to hear more about this and key areas to pray into for Wiston Estate and TheBigChurchDayOut.
Phil Togwell 24-7 Prayer UK Team Leader will be speaking.

Sunday 17th May 7.30-9pm Launch of week of 24-7Prayer @ Wiston Church
For church communities across Sussex to unite in prayer ahead of BigChurchDayOut.

Thursday 21st May 7.30-9pm Ascension Day Prayer Evening @ Wiston Church
A time to mark the end of our 40 days, pray for TheBigChurchDayOut and hear about how to get involved in making a difference in the communities surrounding Wiston House 22-23rd May.

House keeping

Hey people. The following notices were in YAK but here's Jonny with a quick reminder...

* This months hosting team for Sundays is Linda & Simon's
* The Blog calendar is up to date - try clicking on the events.
* Church weekend away at Dalesdown booked for April 16th & 17th 2010!
* Pat & John C needs our prayers as he is beginning 5 weeks of radiotherapy at Portsmouth.
* Gwen is also suffering and needs our prayers as the doctors seek the best drug regime for her.
* Please also remember the Kev & Jan during their year in England and Soni, Brian & Beryl's daughter in-law as she makes her way to England.
* Contributions for the next YAK to Linda by 26th April - lin07@btinternet.com

Food for thought

Every week or so we get a lovely box full of delicious vegetables left on our door step courtesy of 'Riverford'. In amongst the usual parsnips and carrots is newsletter which this week had the following article. The musings of Guy Watson are always interesting but this one caught my eye so I thought I'd share it with you. Let me know your thoughts...

As our chancellor tries, with ever increasing desperation, to jolt us into renewed spending there is a growing revolt against playing our ant-like parts as consumers in keeping the machine rolling. We have woken up; the hypnotic spell of manic greed and envy, followed by dizzy credit-fuelled consumption has been broken. We can do without a lot that stuff.

Amongst the all-pervading gloom of the lst few months I gain some cheer from the number of people who seem to be questionning the assumptions and values that have got us to this point; namely that we must consume more to be happy. These are not hippies, rebels or revolutionaries; just people who have had enough of slaving to keep. I have a suspicion (and a hope) that we will now see many people slow down, savour what they have and take control of their lives. whether it is by making your own jam or compost, by growing your own veg or brewing your own beer, by mending it rather than replacing it, it is all about taking control and not being passive consumers.

See you all on Sunday! TTFN

Listen to this...

You can now download recent teaching from our Sunday morning meetings. Just scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to the section called 'download PCC talks' and click on a link to download the audio files. You'll need broadband as the files are quire large. Enjoy!

It's going to be big!

You may have heard folk talk already about an event coming up called The Big Church Day Out happening just a stones throw from us at Wiston House on May 24th. It's looking like it will be one not to miss.

You can read all the blurb and book tickets at www.bigchurchdayout.co.uk but the basic lowdown is lots of music, lots of people, lots of fun! See you there then!

Goodbye - from Naomi

Dear friends and family,

I am writing to you to give you the news that Dad went to be with his best friend, Jesus on Saturday morning at 9.30. Mum, her Sister, Violet and I were with him, holding his hands and telling him we loved him.

As you may know, Dad had been diagnosed with prostate cancer 7 years ago and until recently had been doing all the things he loved, including seeing 5 grandchildren born. This last week he enjoyed three trips to "see the sea" with Mum and had spent time with all the family.

Dad and Mum requested that there be no funeral. Instead we will be celebrating and remembering his life with a picnic overlooking the Downs sometime in May or June. We will let you know the details as we know them.

In the meantime, thank you all for your love, support and prayers for me and my family and for my precious Dad.

Kind regards

Naomi

Yummy people!

Every now and again the things that are so easily taken for granted are brought to 0ur attention and we remember why we love them so much. It's easy to take each other for granted but today John & Pat cooked some yummy food for us all and I was reminded what a fantastic bunch of people make up our church family.

Acts 4:32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

Update

Here's me with a quick update. Not one of those annoying ones that slows your computer down mind, just a note to say that the calendar is brought up to date and there are two more links to click on. One is a link to my notes for perusal at your leisure and the other a link to the latest YAK packed to bursting with dates, info and some words from Reuben.

If you have any dates, links or anything that maybe of interest please pass them my way. ;-)

2009!

Happy new year one and all!

Firstly a huge thank you to Linda for organising our '12th night meal' and to everyone who cooked or helped in some way. It was great to get together again after the Christmas hols and chat about the coming year.

We our next together on Sunday 11th at the usual place and time. Check the calendar below for more details. We also have a wider team meeting tonight at the Hoe's.

Until next time...