Happy New Year and an invite from Hannah...

Happy New Year! I hope you all had good times this Christmas.

After four weeks in Gambia I was grateful to arrive back in England just hours before the snow disrupted travel – I enjoyed being able to go sledging in Petworth Park for the first time in years! My stay in Gambia went well and it was great to spend time with the team and with friends in the village. I am now making preparations to head back to France mid-January as I explore what life there working with the S immigrant population will look like. Whilst in Gambia I was told about lots more contacts of family members and friends who live in Paris (almost everyone in the village knows of a brother or uncle or grandson or wife's brother or some other relation who is in France!) so I'm looking forward to meeting new people over there, and seeing old faces too.

Before that I am planning on having an evening event here in Tillington to update people on my journey so far and future ideas for work. It's on 7 January at 7pm at Tillington Village Hall. All of you are really welcome. If you are able to come it would be great if you can let me know (if you haven't done so already) so that we have some idea of numbers.

Much love to you all,

Hannah

A little reminder...

Hello dear All,

 

A little reminder that we are together for our “Christmas” family meal on WEDNESDAY 29^th December at the United Reformed Church.  We’re meeting at 6 pm, to enable families to come, and will keep food simple and easy (post-Christmas!).

 

So – the plan is to have jacket potatoes, various fillings, salads and puds.  Naomi and I will provide jacket potatoes, baked beans and cheese.  We’re looking for offers for:

 

• Various fillings (i.e. chilli, curry, or whatever…)
• A couple of mixed green salads
• Several puddings
• Bevvies – wine, lemonade, juice etc.

I realise it’s probably all mad for you this week – but would appreciate it very much if you could let me know what you’re able to contribute. 

 

Also –

 

Kev and Jan will be with us post Christmas for a while, and Kev will be sharing with us on Sunday 9^th Jan, our first gathering for 2011.  Also, we’re planning a joint homechurch group/Source the following Tuesday, 11^th Jan, where Kev’s also going to help us chat round our thoughts and bring some perspectives he’s been thinking through, following Naomi’s excellent “Discussion starter document” . We’ll meet at Keyfox on that Tuesday.

 

Please do pop these dates in your diary!

 

Blessings and peace for Christmas!

 

Sue

Andy doing well...

Dear Family & Friends,

 

Thank you so much for your messages by e-mail and text. It’s been so good to read them after my day at the hospital. Knowing so many people are praying has been invaluable.

Andy is making good progress. He is now on the coronary care ward and being very well cared for. He is doing short walks (with monitors, drips, etc.)and getting stronger every day.

It’s planned that he will be home here for Christmas, providing his heart rhythm can be stabilized. Apparently this is not an uncommon occurrence after emergency surgery.

Today he has seemed much more his normal self and is being very patient.

The different system has been a little confusing at times. We are a bit of a novelty, being English and the people who came on holiday and spent a week in the hospital! They love our “cute” accents and Andy is getting used to being called “honey” and “sweetie”

It’s good to be with Russell & Angie and the girls. I have had transport and meals provided and regular entertainment mainly in the form of ballet shows!

 

We have some anxiety about Andy being home and away from the hospital but we have been given plenty of information. We have our own large room with sofa etc. a little separate from the other bedrooms so will be very suitable. There’s also a long corridor for exercise!

 

Hope you all have a very good Christmas

 

With love

Brenda

Prayers needed

Please pray for Andy and Brenda Taylor. Having faithfully served the Lord in Pulborough for so many years, they are in the process of moving away from the area to Ipswich, but are currently in the States spending Christmas and New Year with their son, Russell and his family. We’ve just received news  that Andy has had a heart attack and has undergone surgery, initially intended to be just fitting a stent, but they discovered he actually required a quadruple bypass operation. 

Your prayers are much appreciated.

Don't forget...

Just a reminder that we are meeting with the United Reformed Church tomorrow - 10:30 at thier place! There'll be fun, carols, prayers and Christmas munchies! Hope to see you there!

In the mean time have a look at this to get you in the Christmas spirit...

Dalesdown Christmas Holiday Camp...

We’re very excited to be able to write and tell you about a special one-day Christmas Holiday Club/Camp being run up at Dalesdown in the week before Christmas.

 

This is a particularly important event because Splash and Children Worldwide are working together to share expertise and, in particular, to encourage more local children (and their families) to come up to Dalesdown for the day and experience what’s on offer through the camps and activities there. We’re hoping that many of these children will come back next summer and take part in the week-long Christian summer camps which Children Worldwide run in August.

 

The December holiday “camp” is for children in school years 3-6 – please pray as the publicity goes into schools that many new children come and that we are able to make good links with their parents and families.

 

If you would be interested in helping on the team for the day, we still have some places left – contact us for more information.  Or if you know of any children who might want to come, then please pass the flyer on.

 

Please also pray for a safe and successful event which brings alive, in a very special way, the real meaning of Christmas for all of the children who attend.

 

Thank you for all of your on-going support and encouragement for all of the work of Splash!

 

Blessings from all of the team

 

Caroline

Splash! for Schools & Communities

c/o Trinity Methodist Church

Thakeham Road

Storrington

West Sussex

RH20 3NG

Tel: 01903 744821

Splash is a Christian charity working with children, young people and families at the heart of the local community.

Web: www.splashschools.org.uk

UK Reg Charity No: 1106290

Links

Helpers Card

Holiday Club Flyer

Latest YAK..

The latest Yak is now online in the 'links' section on the right hand side.

Lovely! :-)

Discussion starter

Some thoughts and questions about the way we meet as a church

At our recent monthly team meetings (John, Sue, Bob, Annie, Rich, Bev, Kate Crawley, Naomi and Jonny) the discussion has often flowed in the direction of the nature of our small group meetings, including Source and Front Room groups.

We felt it was a good time to prompt a wider discussion of how we gather and encourage each other in smaller, more intimate settings and how this also relates to our involvement in our communities, workplaces, homes and other spheres of life.

We felt during our discussions that the two are closely related, not only because we can find the vital support we need in smaller groups to be Jesus to our non-believing friends, but also that we are constantly challenged by the nature of evangelism and essentially how we draw people to a place of following Jesus.

So, there are several discussion starters that we would like to “put out there”.

Click here for Naomi's 'discussion starter' document.