News (and Events)
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Egerton Churchyard
Can the other G7 churches pass on their experiences of churchyard management please?
- Do you have volunteer mowers?
- Do you pay for mowing or strimming?
- Do you leave wildlife areas?
- How is this received among the congregation?
All contributions, to Linde, welcome.
The Diocese of Canterbury e-bulletin
“The e-bulletin aims to provide information to connect and resource all those involved in Anglican churches and related organisations across the Diocese.”
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New Arrangements
Because circumstances have changed somewhat, recently we discussed how we might improve the way we work as a team of ministers across our group of parishes.
After a long discussion, we decided to focus our ministry as follows:
- Charing: Richard King, working with Richard Webb and Alan Duncan
- Charing Heath: Richard Webb, working with Richard King and Alan Duncan
- Egerton: Lindsay Hammond, working with Sally Womersley
- Hothfield: Lindsay Hammond, working with Sally Womersley
- Little Chart: Philip Cox
- Pluckley: Philip Cox, working with Lindsay Hammond
- Westwell: Lindsay Hammond, working with Sally Womersley
Lindsay, of course, is priest in charge of G7, and Richard K is also Diocesan Missioner. The six ministers will remain a team, continuing to work across the group. So you will see each one of us from time to time.
We believe that this will be the best way to maintain the group ethos, yet still allow us to maintain pastoral contact with the people of the G7 parishes, and work with the members of our congregations to develop the worship and mission of the churches in G7.
Thank you for all your encouragement and support. Please pray for us all.
Green Seven
In G7 we have a small but enthusiastic Green Group, who have passed on the following information. Did you know that, from Ashford Borough, tins go to Tenterden for initial processing and then to British Steel; paper goes to Aylesford for newsprint and other paper products; glass goes to Dagenham for initial processing and then to a Yorkshire glass factory (with surplus green glass being used on the roads)? Recycling produces valuable materials and revenue (apparently Egerton receives about £3,000 per year for collected material), reduces landfill, incineration, and pollution, and saves finite resources. If you want to know more about the Green Group, then please contact Peta Maidment.
GIFT — Girls In Fellowship Together
GIFT is the new name for our ladies-only Christian group. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month in different venues around the G7 parishes and a friendlier bunch it would be hard to find. Each meeting begins at 7.45pm and concludes with Compline at 9.30pm. For further information please contact Dawn Stamper.
G7Teen
…is the name of our new Christian–based youth group for 11—14 year olds. G7Teen meets every Sunday in term-time 6.30—8pm in Charing Barn. On the last Sunday of the month we go on an outing. The group is open to anyone from the Parishes of Westwell, Charing, Charing Heath, Little Chart, Hothfield, Egerton and Pluckley. For more information please get in touch with Mim Oliver.
Gluten Free Wafers
We now have gluten free wafers available at services of Holy Communion and The Eucharist. Please would you let the minister know before the service if you would like a gluten free wafer.
Bible Reading
If we’re honest, we’re probably not as good as we should be at reading the Bible, to help we have added a page — Reading the Bible — that contains further information and will take you directly to the websites of The Bible Reading Fellowship, Scripture Union and the Bible Society.
G7 DVD (only a few left!)
Have you got your copy of the G7 DVD yet? The DVD features our seven villages and churches. If you’ve recently moved in to one of our villages, then this would be a good way of getting to know the area. Or you might simply want to buy one as a keepsake. The DVD retails at £8, and you can get hold of your copy by ringing Lindsay (712576), Sally (756224), or by calling in to Hothfield Village Shop or the butchers at Pluckley. (Click picture below to see low resolution trailer.)
Charing Heath’s Weekly Prayer Time
We meet on Wednesdays at 7 – 8pm in the Church to pray for the work of the Church, the world and the sick and ourselves.
Do come and join us for this quiet and reflective time with God.
What’s On — Forthcoming Events
Training Courses for Parish Officers 2010
These workshops aim to help Churchwardens, PCC Secretaries and PCC Treasurers learn more about their roles and legal responsibilities. They also give an opportunity to meet fellow Parish Officers from around the Diocese and to share ideas and experience.
Cost: £8 (including buffet lunch or supper) unless indicated.
Venue: Diocesan House, Lady Wootton's Green, Canterbury Kent CT1 1NQ (unless other specified)
- PCC Treasurers Training - Saturday 4 September, 9.30am - 1.00pm
- PCC Secretaries Training - Tuesday 7 September, 5.30pm - 9.30pm
- Introductory Training for Churchwardens - Saturday 9 October, 9.30am - 1.00pm
- Finance Surgery - Tuesday 9 November, 7.00pm - 9.00pm venue to be notified - Cost: FREE
- Finance Surgery - Wednesday 17 November, 7.00pm - 9.00pm venue to be notified - Cost: FREE
Contact Rose Dale at:
Diocesan House, Lady Woottons Green, Canterbury CT1 1NQ
Email: courses@diocant.org
tel: 01227 459401 or online:
www.canterburydiocese.org/booking/parishofficerstraining.htm
Hothfield Coffee Morning
The monthly free coffee and cake (and company too) will next be served in Hothfield Village Hall on Tuesday 7th September between 10.30am and 11.30am. Why not pop along?
The Friends of Kent Churches Sponsored Ride and Stride
Saturday 11th September 2010
- Raise money for your church or chapel
- Get sponsored and visit as many churches as possible on the day by bike (or walking)
- All denominations welcome
- £2.2 million raised in Kent so far
To find out more about please visit www.friendsofkentchurches.co.uk/bike_ride.php
St Margaret’s Church, Hothfield will be open from 10am to 5pm to welcome you. We will be offering drinks and cakes to all the cyclists, and cakes and drinks for sale to anyone who would like to visit our beautiful 13th century church and see the recent changes.
Pluckley Meeting Place
…next opens on Tuesday 14th September between 10am and noon. Everyone is very welcome, so call in at Pluckley Church and enjoy a cup of coffee and homemade biscuits and cakes for just 50p!
Charing Churchwomen’s Guild
The members of Charing Churchwomen’s Guild extend a warm welcome to all the women of the G7 parishes. They meet on the third Wednesday of every month at 2pm in Charing Church Barn. For more information, contact Shirley Duncan on 01233 712632. The next meeting will be on Wednesday 15th September — when there will be a talk about Donkeys Abroad.
Bishop’s Day for Laity
The Bishop in Canterbury
The Right Reverend Trevor Willmott, Bishop of Dover
The Bishop's Office, Old Palace, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2EE
Telephone: +44 (0) 1227 459382. Fax: 784985
Email: trevor.willmott@bishcant.org
Diocesan website: www.canterburydiocese.org
Dear Colleagues
I am much looking forward to the time which we will be able to spend together at St Paul’s Maidstone on Saturday 18 September. The theme of our day together will be building communities.
As we seek to grow the Church in Christ’s name, the relationships which we develop within the wider community become evermore important. Robert Warren in his work on ‘Growing Healthy Churches’, rightly remarks that each of us already knows that person who, with encouragement, might become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Our responsibility and work is to open up a conversation such that that person might experience something of the Christian life, which will open up the way of discipleship. The reality is that each of us gifted by God has a part to play in this vital work. September 18th will give us, I hope, an opportunity to get to know each other better and to release those gifts in each other which are, if you like, God’s energy for the work he entrusts to us to do in his name. I hope therefore that the day will have much fun in it as well, of course, as some determined work!
Please put the date in your diary and more importantly perhaps encourage others to come with you. When St Paul speaks of the church as being the body of Christ, he is speaking directly to us in the diocese and to each community which Sunday by Sunday, week by week, seeks to bear witness to the wider world of God’s love for us all.
Details of the day and an online booking form can be found on our website at: www.canterburydiocese.org/bishopsdayforlaity
With my prayers and best wishes
+Trevor
Holy Land Pilgrimage
Alan Wait is leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from 28th September to 7th October. If you are interested in this pilgrimage and would like to know more please contact Alan on 01233 820529 (pamalanwait@hotmail.co.uk).
Coffee at The Wheel Inn, Westwell
Coffee at The Wheel Inn will next be served on Friday 1st October from 10.30am until 11.45am. Absolutely everyone is welcome. The more the merrier! Before coffee, there will be a short service of Holy Communion in Westwell Church at 10am, for those who would like to come.
Friends of St Margaret’s Church, Hothfield — Harvest Supper
The Harvest Supper will take place in Hothfield Village Hall on Saturday 2nd October, at 7pm. Tickets to be sold at the Hothfield Post Office: £6 for Adults, £3 for children under 10.
For further information, please phone Pat Warren 01233 612265 or Sue Patten 01233 620880
G7 Evensong at Hothfield
Our first-Sunday G7 Evensong in October will be at Hothfield, at 6pm on Sunday 3rd October, neatly coinciding with Harvest Festival. Evensong is a lovely way to end an autumn Sunday, so come along.
Harvest Services
The dates and times of our Harvest services are as follows:
- Charing: Sunday 3rd October at 10.30am
- Charing Heath: Sunday 3rd October at 9.30am
- Egerton: Sunday 10th October at 11am
- Hothfield: Sunday 3rd October at 6pm
- Pluckley: Sunday 10th October at 11am
- Westwell: Sunday 3rd October at 11am
Monday Evening Group
The next meeting of the Monday Evening Group will be the 4th October, at 7.30pm at Westwell Vicarage. The subject of the meeting will be The First Three Gospels. All welcome, but it would be helpful to know if you are coming, so please contact Lindsay.
Charing Heath Holy Communion and Coffee
The next of these monthly services will be on Wednesday 6th October at 10.30am in the church followed by coffee in the Red Lion at 11am. Come to both or just to communion or just to coffee. All welcome.
Ashford Quaker Open Day
Ashford Quakers extend a warm welcome to an open day to be held at Friends House, Albert Road, Ashford on Saturday 9th October from 10am to 4pm.
Features include an exhibition, a Fair Trade stall and free refreshments will be served. There will be books for sale and leaflets available. Members will welcome visitors and will be pleased to answer questions. The open day is not aimed at converting people.
There is wheelchair access and limited parking will be available for the elderly and disabled.
For further information please contact Kay Schlapp — 01233 645 279
Week of Accompanied Prayer
We have very kindly been invited to join the parishioners of Smeeth Church in their Week of Accompanied Prayer, from the 10th — 16th October. A Week of Accompanied Prayer is an opportunity to recharge your spiritual batteries by meeting daily with a prayer guide. The cost will be about £25. If you would like to find out more about a Week of Accompanied Prayer, then do get in touch with Lindsay. If you would like to book a place in October, then please contact The Reverend Sheila Cox on 01233 501193.
Messy Church
Messy Church is coming to Hothfield this autumn, starting on Sunday 24th October (3.30pm - 5pm) in Bluebells Sure Start Children’s Centre.
Messy Church will be a once a month time when families can come together to have fun, to make things, enjoy a Sunday afternoon tea and celebrate God. So why not come along and see what it’s like?
For more information, contact Sue Starkings tel: 01233 643497 or email: starkisa@lsbu.ac.uk
Bishop Trevor to G7
Good news! Bishop Trevor will be our celebrant and preacher at the G7 Eucharist on Sunday 31st October (All Saints Sunday) at Pluckley at 9.30am.
Commemoration of the Faithful Departed
Our annual services for the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed will be held on Sunday 31st October, at Charing, Charing Heath, Egerton, Hothfield and Pluckley at 4pm, and at Westwell at 6pm. At these services we shall remember all those of our parishes who have died during the past two years, together with others whose remembrance has been requested.
Friends of St Margaret’s Church, Hothfield — Curry and Quiz Night
A Curry and Quiz Night will be held in Hothfield Village Hall on Saturday, 13th November, at 7pm. The delicious curry will be cooked by Bina Patel, bring your own drinks and glasses. Cost £10 per head. Book tables of six early to avoid disappointment. Tickets to be sold at the Hothfield Post Office.
For further information, please phone Pat Warren 01233 612265 or Sue Patten 01233 620880
Remembrance Sunday
This year we mark Remembrance Sunday on the 14th November. There will be services of remembrance in all our churches on that day, at 10.45am (but at 9.30am at Little Chart).
Friends of St Margaret’s Church, Hothfield — Christmas Concert
A Christmas Concert will be held in St Margaret’s Church, Hothfield, on Saturday 11th December at 7.30pm. The Concert will be performed by the Cantores Dominicae Choir, tickets £10 to include mulled wine and minced pies. Tickets to be sold at the Hothfield Post Office.
For further information, please phone Pat Warren 01233 612265 or Sue Patten 01233 620880