Churches for Tunbridge Wells E-News January 2017

CfTW January 2017 e-news

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Happy New Year! Welcome to the January 2017 edition of CfTW e-news. Please pass this information on to those in your congregation or network.
This month we:

Sadly, say goodbye to Gerald & Pat Hovenden from Christ Church, S’boro. Gerald is retiring at the end of January (see January Dates for his farewell service). They have both been a great blessing and will be hugely missed. (You may remember that Pat directed our ‘Hopes and Dreams’ production at the Victoria Hall way back in 2000.) Thank you both for your faithful service to God’s Kingdom in Southborough and Tunbridge Wells.
Welcome Helen Warmington as the new minister of the TW United Reformed Church with Vale Royal Methodist Church. See January dates for her induction service.
Pray for the TW Churches Winter Shelter which opens on Monday 2 January and will run until Sunday 5 March. Pray especially for Wendy and Jayne as they oversee the Shelter along with all our Team Leaders and volunteers. Pray too, that guests would find peace and hospitality along with help and hope for moving on in life.

Please note that the deadline for getting information to me for the February 2017 e-letter is Monday 16 January.

January Dates:

Saturdays 7, 14, 21, 28 January: ‘Fight Club’ - Men’s Prayer Group, 8-9am at The Gatehouse (formerly Calvary Church) in the Market Square. Men from all churches are welcome to come and pray for one another and for the transformation of our town. This group meets every Saturday from 8-9am.
Tuesdays 10, 17, 24, 31 January: Lunchtime services at TW United Reformed Church, 12.15-12.45pm. The theme for January is ‘The Light of Jesus.’
Thursday 12 January: Schools Work Training Event. A training opportunity hosted by Crossteach for Christians working in their local schools as visitors, 9.30am-3.30pm at Highgate Road Chapel, Chetwynd Road, London, NW5 1BU. Cost is £25 and includes refreshments but not lunch. For more information or to register email admin@crossteach.com
Fridays 13 & 27 January: Youth Leader Prayer Meetings, 9am at TWYFC and Life & Soul Offices, 28 Church Road.
Saturday 14 January: An open invitation to the Induction of Rev. Helen Warmington to the Ministry of the Tunbridge Wells Group of URCs with VR Methodists, 3pm at Tunbridge Wells URC.
Sunday 15 January: UNITE Youth Service, 7-9pm at TWCF, Hanover Road. Also on 19 Feb, 19 March.
Tuesday 17 January: Alpha Course begins at Christ Church, High Street; 7.30pm. Includes coffee and dessert. Meets weekly for 7 weeks.
Wednesday 18 January: Prayer Meeting for the Persecuted Church, 11.30am–12.30pm at St Augustine’s Church, Crescent Road, TW. This is an ecumenical prayer group which meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Also Wednesday 15 Feb & 15 March.
Friday 20 January: Central Burn at TW Gatehouse (formerly Calvary Church), 8pm–2am: a time of worship and prayer. The Burn will also take place on 17 Feb & 17 March.
Tuesday 24 January: Parent Toddler Group Together Meeting, 1-2pm at St John’s Church.
Saturday 28 January: Love Your Neighbour Event at TW Town Hall; 1.30-3.00pm.
Sunday 29 January: Farewell for Gerald & Pat Hovenden - Revd. Gerald Hovenden has served as Rector of the Southborough Team of Churches (St Peter, Christ Church, St Matthew High Brooms and St Lawrence Bidborough), for the last eighteen years. He and his wife, Pat, who has been an invaluable part of what has been a joint ministry, are retiring at the end of January and will be moving to York. A final ‘farewell service’ is to be held at Christ Church at 10.00am, followed by refreshments, cake etc. Anyone who has known Gerald and/or Pat over the years is very welcome to attend.

Local Mission Focus:

BURRSWOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING

At Burrswood Health and Wellbeing we transform lives through whole person care. As an organisation founded on Christian principles with the desire to keep the love of Christ at the heart of all we do, we believe in a truly holistic approach. We provide services and activities that relate to all aspects of a person’s life: body, mind and spirit. Burrswood is recognised as a safe space where people sense the presence of God and find recovery, reconciliation and renewal.
We offer a range of professional health & social care services and wellbeing activities, including nursing and personal care, physiotherapy, counselling, occupational therapy, creative activities, spiritual direction, healing services, training, residential courses, day courses and events. All located in stunning grounds in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Groombridge on the Kent/Sussex border. www.burrswood.org.uk

Your Help is requested…

‘Love Your Neighbour’

is an event taking place on Saturday 28 January, 1.30-3.00pm at the Tunbridge Wells Town Hall. The aim is to build greater community cohesion by inviting people of different ethnicity, nationality and religion to gather together outside the Town Hall with home-made cardboard signs with the words ‘Love your neighbour’ written in their native language. This is a joint initiative between Churches for Tunbridge Wells and the local mosque. Please promote this in and through your church networks and especially encourage people of different nationalities within your fellowship to join in this event. There will be a time to exchange our signs and mingle with others. For more information please contact Cliff at cllyallen@aol.com

Courses, Conferences & Trips

Alpha Course begins on Tuesday 17 January, 7.30pm at Christ Church, High Street. For more information or to register, please ring 01892 522323 or email secretary.christchurch@gmail.com
West Kent DEBT ADVICE: You are invited to come along one Thursday evening to see what we do and be reassured that you do not have to be a numbers genius to provide much-needed help to an ever-growing section of our community. We are greatly in need of volunteers, and you can offer as little as one evening or morning a month and still make a big difference. Please call Mick O'Driscoll on 01892 537301 if you would like to come and see us.
Holy Land Trip: Jim & Parvin Stewart are leading another trip to the Holy Land in September. Do take a look at the brochure if you would like to join them (http://www.stjamestw.co.uk/holyland.htm), and feel free to email Jim if you have any questions: JPStewart4@gmail.com.

Job Opportunities

The Tonbridge Children’s Workshop has an Administrative Post Available. The role will include making bookings with schools and churches; email and letter communications; managing invoices in and out; creating records of work/banking/minutes. The ideal candidate shall be able to work flexibly with a small creative team, have a passion for good organisation systems, and experience with Microsoft Office programmes. 5 hours per week, term time only, salary negotiable. Please submit your CV to highhopes@childrensworkshop.org.uk Call 07725 561154 for inquiries. Deadline for applicants is 9 January 2017.

West Kent YMCA is looking for full time and part time youth workers. Please visit www.westkentymca.org.uk for more details of each post or email info@westkentymca.org.uk or ring 01892 542209.

Save the Date...

Sunday 5 February 2017: Church @ Prayer: 6.30-8pm at TW Christian Fellowship. This is a chance to gather together as Churches across the town as we gather to pray for needs in our town, nation and world.
Saturday 25 February: TW Youth For Christ Barn Dance, 7.30pm. Venue to be confirmed.
Sunday 5 March: TW Churches Winter Shelter Closing Service. Time and Venue to be confirmed.
Wednesday 5–Friday 7 April: The NOISE – Youth Social Action Project at St Philip’s.
Sunday 23–Friday 28 April 2017: Week of Prayer for Tunbridge Wells.

Sound Desk Available – Christ Church, High Street is getting rid of a Spirit 8, 24 channel sound desk (width 42 inches, length 26 inches) and would like to give it away to anyone who is interested. If that’s you, contact Jack Beattie at worship.christchurchtw@gmail.com

Office Space Available - A local Christian organisation will have some shared office space available at very reasonable rates in central Tunbridge Wells. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Tony on tonyjoyce55@gmail.com.

We have a Rex - Rotary DX 2330 Copy Printer going free to anyone who could make use of it. In working order. If folk want to see what it's like, this is the link to the manual. Contact Sue Shrubb, Parish Administrator, Christ Church, Southborough
01892 513680 - Office hours Monday, Thursday & Friday 9am-1pm.