New Years Day Sizzle & Saunter *new time!

Hi everyone. It was great to see many of you this morning for our carol & craft get together at the United Reformed Church. Many thanks to Bob, Annie, Jane, Rusty and Brian and everyone who helped organise things.

Our next time together is planned for New Years Day. The plan is to meet at 11am (not 10am as previously stated!) at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre for a delicious fried 'brunch' and then walk it off with a gentle jaunt around the park! Bob is planning to pre-cook some food so we will have a donations pot out to cover costs. If you would like you could bring some fruit juice or nibble of some sort to share. We already have guests coming so feel free to invite friends. See you there!

Jonny

Christmas gathering...

Dear all, we are joining our friends at the United Reformed Church this coming Sunday (Dec 22nd) at 10:30am. We have a fun morning planned. It will be with packed with of carols, Christmas crafts for the kids and plenty of Christmassy refreshments and time to catch up.

It'll be great to be together to share fellowship and friendship so please do invite friends and family.

Don't forget there's also the Kids Club on Saturday. This will be a morning of crafts and games for primary school aged children and will start at 9:30 at St Mary's. Please contact Annie for more details.

See you soon! God bless, Jonny.

Afternoon tea anyone?

Hi all, just a reminder that we have all been invited to Linda's this Sunday at 4pm. Nothing formal just good company and refreshments. All Welcome :-)

On another note, we are planning a New Years day get-together at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre. The plan is to meet at 11am for a delicious fried breakfast and then walk it off with a brisk jaunt around the park! More details to come but put it on the calendar and feel free to invite friends.

See you all soon. Jonny

More than just a breakfast!

“The king said to me ,  “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven…”  Nehemiah 2,4

Nehemiah  has great faith that the affairs of earth are ruled by the God of heaven.  This is the reason behind his willingness to pray at all times, in all challenges his nation faces.

This is still true today, isn't it! We would love for you to join us on Saturday morning to pray, asking the God of heaven to bless and prosper our children.

Join us from 9 am to 10:30 this Saturday, we will be at:
The Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre, Midhurst Rd,
GU28 0E, Petworth
 
With love from all of us at the Splash Office!

Donuts and other stories...

Hi all. It was lovely to see many of you at the youth club this morning. Thank you too all those contributed to the programme of meetings for next year.

Don't forget we have a Church business meeting on Dec 8th and the calendar will be filling up as this is a busy time of year so keep an eye!

Finally some thoughts from Anne...

Sunday there was no bread for communion, and so we used doughnuts!

As it was placed before me the words 'Taste and see that The Lord is good' (Ps.4) came into my mind and I began to think about how sweet, in the best possible way, Jesus is. I popped my portion into my mouth and the sweetness exploded, filling me with joy. So sweet, sweeter even than honeycomb that is His word, which we can eat and be filled. (Ps.19).

As I drove homeward my car radio came on to the pre set programme. They were discussing sugar! I quote ..."The world is getting sweeter" ... I doubt that! I thought but understood the meaning was that we are consuming more sugar than ever before.

However for me, for this one person on this particular Sunday, thanks to the doughnut and what the Holy Spirit can do with the everyday things of life, yes the world had got decidedly sweeter!

Prayer Drive Ebook

Good morning all. Anne has sent me details of a book which she has been able to publish electronically. The small 'Ebook' details her recent travels during which she took time along the way to pray for various issues both local and national.

Following Anne's 'Prayer Drive' last year, for which many in the PCC were praying, she produced a report.  This has now been extended and updated and published as a small EBook entitled Prayer Drive ... One Year On.

 

This is available via the Amazon Kindle page and can be downloaded to Kindles, Pcs, Macs, IPhones,  IPads, and Tablets with the appropriate free Apps.

 

Anne says 'I do regret that Amazon will not allow this to be offered free, so there is a charge of 77p.'

 

This link should take you straight to the required Amazon page, or a search under the Kindle store section of www.amazon.co.uk Prayer Drive will bring it up.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00GBBYZP8

 

See you all next Sunday at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre where Kate will be sharing some thoughts on 'A Worshipping Lifestyle' led by Danni & Caroline.

Tony's Presentation...

Best penny ever spent

All Hallows at Tillington

Hi all. A message from Gerald at Tillington...

YOU WILL VERY PLEASED TO KNOW THAT, AFTER NINE WEEKS , OUR TILLINGTON CHURCH IS RE-OPENING THIS SUNDAY AT 9.30.

Do come & see the newly re-furbished Church, looking lovely, with windows that keep the draught out, and additional heating.

The following Sunday( 3rd at 11.15) we welcome Bishop Martin, our new(ish) Diocesan Bishop, to celebrate the re-opening of All Hallows. Lord & Lady Egremont will also be with us.

Best wishes Gerald

‘made in the image of God’

Dear all, We meet this Sunday at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre at 10:30. This week Ruth will be overseeing the meeting and Tony will be sharing some thoughts on what it is to be ‘made in the image of God’. 

Tony has asked that we come with some thoughts on this and perhaps have a read of the verses he'll be referring to - Genesis 1:26 -27.

See you all  then!

Prayer Space...

Hello all! Firstly thank you to those who have helped in the Prayer Room at the Primary School this week. Naomi says that it has been very popular with the staff and pupils, many of whom have requested that it stay all year round! Parents have also been invited in to have a look and were equally impressed by the creativity and opportunity that it gave for pupils to express their thoughts and emotions.

Also in the news... There is NO Sunday Live worship event this Sunday so we next meet at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre on Sunday 27th. 

Some diary dates...

On the Sunday 3rd November the rescheduled worship event at Henfield (sorry to those who hadn't heard October 6th had been postponed!). Click on their website for full details

http://www.communitychurchhenfield.org/pages/where/map.php 

On Thursday 14th November is Transforming our Communities Together at Windlesham House with Steve Chalke  MBE, UN Advisor, Matt Bird, 10 Downing St Community Advisory Group and Katy Bourne, Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner. This event aims to link churches and community groups with Sussex Police in a growing partnership of co-operation to tackle social issues and reduce crime in our area. If this event interests you please get in touch and I will forward the details

And on Friday 22nd November Petworth Area Churches Together host Jonathan Aitken for their Autumn Lecture entitled From Power to Prison to Peace at St Mary's Church.Click here to view the poster with further details

See you all soon.

News...

Naomi has been working with Petworth Primary School and others from Petworth Area Churches Together to put on a week-long 'Prayer Space' event at the school form 14th  to 19th October.  Children will be invited to make use of interactive prayers tools and activities over the course of the week. Thank you to those who are on the rota to staff this event and for everyone else please pray that it is fun and impactful for the children and staff

If you would like to find out more about the organisation Prayer Spaces in School, who have supported this venture, please click here.

Talking of PACT...

The Autumn Lecture will take place in St. Mary’s, Petworth at 7.30 on Friday 22nd November.  The speaker will be Jonathan Aitken (former Cabinet minister) and his subject will be ‘From Power to Prison to Peace’.  Be sure to put this date in your diary now! All welcome – no charge. Further details Gerald at Geraldgreshamcooke@gmail.com or 01798 342151.

Remember every Friday there is the PACT Coffee Morning at the United Reformed Church in Golden Square, Petworth.

The Food Bank in Chichester has provided some boxes which are kept at Petworth United Reformed Church.  These are for short term emergency relief.  If you know of someone who needs this help ask them to call at the church on a Friday morning and ask for Maureen or Kenneth

Change of plan...

 
We were scheduled to meet for a PCC Tea-time Gathering at Keyfox on Sunday. However we have an exciting change of plan. This Sunday is the Aannual Splash open afternoon. Splash being an inititative we wholehartedly support as a church, we thought make the 'Splash Flash Live' event our activity for this coming Sunday. It's at Pulborough Village Hall from 3:00pm - 5:00pm.

Better late than never!

Hi all, I have finally been able to type up our programme for the Autumn. You can view it by clicking here or in the Links section.

We enjoyed a lovely walk in the park last weekend and only got a little wet! Thanks to Fred for organising us. Next Sunday we are at the youth club for some where we will hear from those who have recently been to Paris to see at first hand the work that Hannah is doing there.

Together again...

Hi all, we are together again this Sunday morning from 10:30 at the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre. Bob will be sharing some thoughts from a recent conference and we will worship together and spend time catching up. Jane and Annie will be having fun with the children too. All welcome. See you there!

Getting Together...

Hi all, Some of you may have noticed that on our calendar we are due to meet at 16 Littlecote this Sunday! So it's a bring and share tea and a time to catch up and be together. We were to be focussing on inspirational books but this has changed to a just an informal get together with some time spent breaking bread and praying. We look forward to seeing you.

On another note, you will find in our links section Hannah's notes from her talk on worship a couple of weeks ago.

Also from October 4th - 6th John will be prayer walking through the Rother Valley. This an event which you can join in with in several different ways. You can click on the poster below to read all the details.

Change to original plan

Hi all, I hope your summers are going well. I need to remind you that our original plan for this Sunday has changed. We were due to meet at the youth club but with many people away we decided to make the party at Chris & Esthers ('Smitherfest') our gathering for this week. Sorry for any confusion!

Jonny

The news...

• This Sunday
• We will meet at the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre this Sunday at the usual time of 10:30. Hannah is going to share some perspectives on 'Worship - lifestyle worship in spirit and truth' and combine it with some prayer for the people she works with. It goes without saying there will be plenty of refreshments and time to catch up.
• Last Sunday(s)
• Thanks to Tony and Ruth for hosting a lovely BBQ last time we met. And going back another week thanks to everyone who spend time preparing and praying for Kids Club. Annie tells me it was another fantastic year with good numbers and a great impact on our community. Whilst we were setting up for Kids Club we also spent time praying for a youth programme I was engaged in at the time. I am happy to report that things were markedly better from the point we prayed and the rest of the programme went from strength to strength. So thank you!
• Autumn programme
• This Sunday we will also begin planning our next set of gatherings so please come with ideas, enthusiasm and your diary!
• Davids Tent
• During our review some of us expressed a desire to devote time to worship through music and prayer. David's Tent which takes place at Wiston Park from 29th August to 1st September is three days of non-stop worship, fellowship, food and fun. There is a charge for attending the whole weekend or for day passes. Have a look at the website for more www.davidstent.net
• Eunice's Garden
• Many thanks for everyone who has helped with our project to transform Eunice's garden over the past few weeks. It's looking great and we're nearly there!
• That's all for now. God bless!

BBQ weather?

Hi all,This Sunday we are invited to Tony and Ruths for a BBQ. Details are as follows;

Springfield House, North Street (Tony and Ruth's!) on the 4^th August is the venue for a BBQ. We have a BBQ which will be ready and warm at 4.00 -  and we will provide some salads and other goodies

So can you please bring your own protein of choice -  meat, fish or whatever  - to consume yourself and/or share.   Also bring some liquid refreshment.  

 

If you are also able to bring a salad or something special to share please contact Ruth to liaise.

 

  AND please confirm if you will be joining us

 

Best wishes

 

Tony and Ruth

Request from Anne

Hello all, Anne has been in touch and asked me to pass on the following request...

"I wonder if anyone has the time to help me? I have begun a draft of an EBook which I hope to publish on Amazon as a free download. This is based on my prayer drive last year. What I need is for another pair(s) of eyes to read through my drafts and criticize. The only thing that is necessary is the ability to receive files through email. Everyone has their own 'take' on what they read so all comments, whether on content, style or grammar, will be very welcome, I am not looking for professional editing! If you are willing to help please email me to let me know. annallfrey@hotmail.com. Blessings ..... Ann"

THANK YOU GROUND FORCE!

 A MASSIVE THANK YOU to all those who have helped this week to get Eunice's garden back under control.

Teamwork on the borders.

 Some of us have been over during the week and some of us spent the afternoon there today.  What a difference a few hours and a group of hard working people makes!  The garden is already looking so much better.

Having a go at "That Tree"

The children did their bit too.

There's still some work to do, such as putting up the shed and gravelling the front garden.  So far however, the garden looks AmAzInG!!!

Sandwiches for tea and a well earned break!

THANKYOU!!!!

What's on This Sunday.....

Hi all!  This Sunday we have a lovely walk planned over at Keyfox farm.  The plan is to meet at Ratford Cottages (opposite Keyfox) at 2.30pm, ready for a fairly easy walk around the farm fields.  We will then have a "Bring and Share" tea together at about 4pm at Chris and Esthers' House, 2 Ratford Cottages.

Please bring with you;

*  Your contrfibution towards the meal.  This will be one of usual salad, bread, quiche affairs, so anything you'd like to bring will be most welcome!  Drinks too!
*  Something to sit on in the garden - a rug or chair.
*  Your own crockery and cutlery and a plastic bag to take them home in.  This will make it a lot easier on our hosts!
* Suitable walking clothes and shoes.

Also, just to clarify....  the first Garden working party at Eunice's House will be NEXT Sunday, the 14th July at 2.30 pm.  This will give us all time to get home, have lunch and change after our morning meeting at the Sylvia Beaufouy.  Please bring any gardening tools you have, as Eunice doesn't have very much!  Once again - thank you on behalf of the Etheridge family for all your help in sorting out the garden - it is a huge blessing!

Gospel Choir this Sunday...

This coming Sunday (Sunday 30th June) we meet at together with All Hallows at 11.15. They are welcoming a Gospel Choir from London. Details from Gerald Below...

THE GOSPEL CHOIR

Jesus House, Brent

with their amazing exuberance & lovely voices

Last time they came we  squeezed 249 people in to the church. Come early this time to get a seat .
Afterwards, with the choir joining us, a Hog Roast will follow in The Old Rectory Garden, with a waiting list for tickets - 345150.

                LET'S FILL THE CHURCH AGAIN!

Music morning...

Dear All

Just a reminder that we are meeting at the SBYC at 10.30am this Sunday. please come ready to share a piece of music prose or art that inspires you and will encourage others. We hope the children will have something they might like to share as well.

Looking forward to seeing you there. Bob

Last Sunday and Next...

Hi all, It was good to be together again last week.

You can see Annie's notes and John Lloyds fantastic 'Rainbows' video below.

Click Here for Annie's Notes

Click on the video below to view



This coming Sunday we meet at Tillington Village Hall for ''Sunday Live' from 4pm. This is a relaxed and informal event comprising of an hour of praise, worship and prayer, some yummy food and drink and good company. All welcome!

This week...

It's Sunday Live this week. 4-6pm at Tillington Village Hall. More details soon!

This Sunday...

Hello PCC

Just a brief reminder that we are meeting at 4pm on Sunday at Keyfox (GU28 9JL). We'll share tea together so please bring a plate of something to share. Drinks will be provided.

Before we have tea, Kate and I are hoping to have a chat with Ruth (Evolve), Danny (Mentoring young people with drug abuse issues) and Jonny (Petworth Youth Provision - SBYC)... Then we'd like it if we could all pray for them, encourage... empower... release gifting/anointing... seek God together for what God is saying 1) to them 2) about the sphere they are influencing.

For the children... you will be given a sheet of paper to draw your school and write down around it the things you find tough about school, the things you love about school and things you would like to see happen in your school.

Followed by tea... See you on Sunday!

Totes Amazeballs! (totally amazing darling!)...

An amazing time this morning. We sang the roof off, prayed our socks off and then planned the next three months of PCC gatherings. Not bad for one morning!

As I said this morning we will produce an all singing all dancing printed programme in due course but I thought it would be good to post details of our next gathering so we're all aware. The rest of the dates and details are on the calendar page (click PCC Calendar - top right) and I will get working on some printed publicity post haste!

We will meet at Keyfox for afternoon tea at 4pm - please bring a plate of food or drink to share. As well as the shlurping and nibbling, John will lead us in a focus on "Church in All of Life" this time looking at those working with young people. See you there!

I'll leave you with Marianna's thought's from this morning. Spot on I thought...

Church is not a place to worry and wonder,
Church is a time of freedom in God.
Church is not a time to push away others,
It is a time to include all that are willing.
Church is not a time to wish away,
It is a time to link each others thoughts over the death of our Christ.
We must join our forces, unite our strength
And realise how to posses never ending love

Dalesdown Camps

There have been running Christian summer camps at Dalesdown for over 20 years, and they're looking forward to another great year of fun, teaching and watching children and young people grow!

With a mixture of dormitory and tented accommodation, Dalesdown Camps are run to the highest standards by a professional and experienced team, offering a great opportunity for children and young people from school years 3 - 13. Full details and application forms are on our website at www.dalesdowncamps.org.uk/camps-2013/.

I love it when a plan comes together...

 

Hi everyone!  Firstly a huge THANK YOU! to everyone who got in touch with ideas, comments and suggestions regarding our current time of review and possible ways forward. We weren't very clear last time we met and many of us left a little confused or frustrated. We met as a leadership team on Friday and talked late into the night formulating a plan to take us beyond this phase. So...

For the next three months (June, July, August) we will meet every week on a Sunday. On the second and fourth Sundays we will meet at 10:30am. The second will always be at the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre and the fourth more flexible. On the Sundays in between (first, third and even fifth) we will meet at 4pm for Sunday tea (how lovely!).  Of course - that doesn't mean we can't meet on any other day of the week too, and some of the ideas put forward may be better suited to another day or time.

So that's the 'when'. What's left is the 'what'. And that's where all those brilliant ideas come in! So please could everyone who has come forward with ideas for gatherings arrive at our next meeting on Sunday 26th having thought about how they could fit in to the new plan.  And, there's still plenty of room for more ideas - for Sundays, or any other day of the week!

So to our next gathering... We will meet at the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre on Sunday 26th May at 10:30am. We will spend some time worshipping, praying and sharing communion, before a brief bit of feedback from our meeting. After this we will share a cuppa and some nibbles whilst also putting some of the brilliant ideas onto the schedule.

Really look forward to seeing you all, Jonny

This years Big Church Day Out...

A message from Tim Jupp of the BigChurchDayOut team.

As this years BigChurchDayOut fast approaches we would love to invite you, your friends and others from your church to join us in praying for the event at Wiston Church on Thursday 23rd May between 7-7.45pm.

It would be great if you could come and help bath the event in prayer as many thousands from across the UK will be packing their bags in readiness for an incredible weekend where they will be expecting to come and meet with God.

As usual, go to the loo before you leave home and hope to see you there! Access will be via the main drive or mouse lane Steyning

Looking forward to seeing you there

Tim Jupp

BigChurchDayOut Team

It's good to talk... no really!

Hi again. Thanks everyone for your thoughts and opinions this morning and for baring with us through this tricky process of reviewing all that we are and do and making plans which truly reflect everything that has been said.

The Team will meet again this Friday so please make the effort to share your thoughts throughout this week.

I have added the two documents which John referred to this morning. They are in the 'Links' section on the right hand side of this web page.

God bless

Jonny

Together again...

Hi everyone,

Just to update you - we are meeting this coming Sunday again at the Sylvia Beaufoy Centre, 10.30 am (Kate's group on set-up).

Following our day with Tim Lovejoy, during our time together we'll look at a "plan" for the next three months and share communion together.

See you then!

Reminder...

Hi all, I hope you're all well and enjoying the recent sunshine!

Kate has asked me to post a reminder about an event at St Mary's coming up this Friday. It looks like a really interesting evening complete with yummy canapes and refreshments. If you are able to contribute to the refreshments please bring a tray of something or a bottle of wine. If not then just your company is just as good!

 PACT - PETWORTH AREA CHURCHES TOGETHER

Working Together in Harmony

3rd SPRING LECTURE

FRIDAY 10 MAY 2013 at 7.30pm

 Elaine Waight

Family Support Team Leader

ON 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FAMILY SUPPORT WORKER 

To take place in

ST. MARY'S CHURCH, PETWORTH

GU28 0AE

FAMILY SUPPORT WORK -

 WORKING INTENSIVELY WITH FAMILIES IN SUSSEX

Ample car parking - Town's Car Park

Canapes & refreshments will be served

All are welcome.

Further information: Gerald  01798 342151

Geraldgreshamcooke@gmail.com

Hi!

It was good to be together for a yummy fry-up this weekend and thanks to those who cooked, served or cleared up. We also spent time praying  for each other and for the Community Garden Project which seems to be on the cusp of big things!

Tony was reminded of some thoughts that he had shared some time back about 'other people's babies'. Being a very efficient university lecturer he had of course typed those thoughts out!. You can see them by clicking here

Also as was mentioned on Sunday the team are meeting soon. If you have any thoughts on our future together then please do get in touch.

Loads of Blessings, Jonny

Fancy a Fry up?

I think we can all agree that our day together nearly two weeks ago was a really important time.  Tim brought some real wisdom to us and left us with a lot to think about!
There was also a general agreement that it was good to spend time together and it would be great to have more time in the future to hear about each other's lives and tell our stories. 

This coming Sunday (28th April), we thought it would be great to get together at the Sylvia Beaufoy for a good old fry up - bacon butties, fresh tea and coffee - the works.  How does that sound?

We didn't get much time to pray for each other during our day together, so let's come with that in mind - ready to put a hand on someone's shoulder and give them a blessing.  We will also be giving some time to hear about and pray for the Community Gardens, which Caroline helps to run.
 
We will be meeting at the normal time of 10.30, upstairs in the coffee bar area.  If you are on set up, please arrive at 10 (no earlier) to help with the food.  Thanks.

See you then!

Last minute cancellation!!!

The talk by Canon White, the Vicar of Bagdad due to take place tonight, has been cancelled as he has had to return home early.

Sunday live is still on this Sunday though, 4-5:30pm at Tillington village hall. See you there.

Church Day this Sunday 10-3!!!

The big day is almost upon us.

That's this Sunday. We're meeting at the Sylvia Beaufoy Youth Centre for our "Day Away".

Start time 10 am (please note the slightly earlier time)

Our guest (and facilitator) is Tim Lovejoy, and Nigel & Emma will be hosting fun & games for our children/young people.

Lunch is provided!

**********

And in other news...

 

I've received last minute news of a lecture by Canon Andrew White (Vicar of Baghdad)
Faith under Fire:
What the Middle East Conflict Has Taught Me About God.
Wednesday 17th April at 6:30pm. (Next Wednesday!)
Chichester Cathedral
Click here for a poster with all the details

Finally...

Judy Howard of St. Mary's Petworth is arranging a collective outing to Wintershall, the lovely estate in stunning countryside near Bramley on Sat. June 29th.

Wintershall is putting on their usual professional standard  play of The Life of Christ  in their grounds, for one week only.

In faith, Judy has booked a 57 Seater coach, and wondered if any member of PACT would like to join in.

Date : Sat. 29th June

Time : 8.30am at St. Mary's ; return there by 5.30pm.

Cost  :Adult Ticket £15 , plus coach  £7    = £22.

         :Child    "      £7.50 , plus £7 coach  = £14.50.

Bring own lunch & sunscreen (!).

Tickets from
Judy Howard on 01798  343220  
or  Andrewandjudyhoward @tiscali.co.uk or Woodlea,Northmead,Petworth GU28 9NJ.

The website is www.wintersall-estate.com
I have been three or four times & it is a remarkable experience.

Please contact Judy to reserve tickets & coach seats. Better still,
please put /post money into Judy's door by May 15th, as Judy has to confirm the booking by then.