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Website last updated on 2nd Sept 2009. |
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Our Minister
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Telephone Number: 01252 544823
Email: linda.phillips@theinvernet.co.uk
Linda writes (taken from our September 2009 newsletter) ...
Dear Friends,
I find it hard to believe that a year has gone by since I wrote my first letter to you all at Sandhurst & Yateley. The time has shot by, mainly perhaps because of me being out of action for a while after my shoulder operation, and then tied up with Circuit matters during the Superintendent’s sabbatical. As a result I feel as though I have only really been with you for 6 months rather than a year. However, the next year promises to be a bit more “ordinary” in the sense of the amount of time I will be able to spend with you, and at the same time a very important year, with big decisions to make about the future work and mission of our church, and plenty of activities planned.
Most of your will be aware that during the past year we have been exploring the possibility of a very exciting project, with a proposal that in co-operation with the Baptist Church we move to a new shared church building in the centre of Sandhurst, near the Town Council offices. So far we have had two meetings with the Council and other interested parties, and there is a third planned for 22nd September, when we will start to bring together more ideas about the shape of this project, and seek approval for a proper feasibility study. At our Church Council on the 16th September we will be seeking your ideas about this project.
In recent months a working party has also been drawing together plans and equipment for the use of multi-media in worship. When up and running this will enable us to not only project the words of hymns, but also to show film clips and use other visual aids during a service. We hope to launch this at our service on 20th September. It’s all happening in September!
Thirdly, for a recent trial period we have stopped having evening services, except for sharing in the monthly ecumenical service at the Coffee Spot. Letters have now gone out to everyone seeking your opinion on this, and asking if people are in favour of re-starting evening services, either in the same format as before, or in a different pattern. I hope you have taken the trouble to respond to this letter, as this is an important decision for us to make. We do not have limitless resources, either in this church or the Circuit as a whole, and we have to make a decision as to how best to make use of them, and whether that ‘best use’ involves holding evening services for the small number of people who have been attending up till recently, or putting our efforts into some other work.
And there’s more - a team of folk are working on an invitation to be sent out to those who have attended worship here in the past, but for one reason or another no longer do so, to join us on the 27th September for “Back to Church Sunday”. This is a nationally organised occasion, shared by all denominations, as a way of reaching out to those who have drifted away from their local church in recent years, and offering them an invitation to return on a specific day, with a promise of a warm welcome. Look out for further details on how you can help with this occasion.
And last but no means least, there’s Harvest to look forward to, with Harvest Supper and excellent entertainment by the Seasonal Singers, a joint group from Cove, S & Y and other churches, on the Saturday evening - get your tickets now! - and All Age Worship on the Sunday morning.
As you can see there’s a lot happening (hope I haven’t forgotten anything!), and no doubt there is more information elsewhere in the Newsletter. I hope you will want to be involved in the events, and will also support them through your prayers, as we seek to build up our church, and reach out to the local Community in the name of Jesus – which is of course the reason why we’re here at all!
I’m writing now on the eve of my summer holiday, but I look forward to seeing you all again in September, when I hope we will all have been refreshed by the summer break.
With Christian greetings,
Linda