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Courses taking place...
The Recovery Course is a free, 16 session Christian programme for adults based on the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. It provides practical insight and support to help both men and women on the path to freedom from the grip of addiction.
Who is it for? - It is open to anyone struggling with any sort of addiction or any compulsive behaviour, including drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, gambling and self-harming. The Recovery Course is a good starter for those completely new to recovery as well as those who have been in recovery for years, but who would like to take a fresh look at the steps from a Christian perspective.
What happens? Each session includes food, talk and conversation – A typical evening starts at 7pm for food, which is then followed by a 15/20-minute talk and then discussion in single-sex small groups for around an hour.
Each week there is some simple ‘Coursework’ that helps everyone attending to explore each of the 12 steps in a deeper way. Nobody has to do the ‘Coursework’, but those who throw themselves into this are the ones who profit the most. The Coursework is entirely for the benefit of the guests and no one else gets to see it; it is completely private.
When & where: New Life Church, Speldhurst Road, TN4 0JA on Wednesday evenings (starting 30th January 2019) with food served from 7.00pm. www.newlifechurchonline.co.uk/recovery
'Hearing From God' Course
On Saturday 2 February St Stephen’s, Tonbridge will be hosting a team from Soul Survivor for a day of teaching and ministry on hearing God. The event is aimed at adults, although teens are welcome too.
Being able to hear God is not reserved for Christian leaders or 'experts', but is an important part of our relationship with Him. Hearing what He has to say - both to us and to others through us - can completely transform lives.
The Hearing God day will be held in the beautiful setting of St Stephen's Church, Tonbridge and will include biblical teaching and times of ministry.
There is a nominal fee of £3 per person to cover the cost of refreshments during the day. Please bring a packed lunch with you. St Stephen's is five minutes’ walk from Tonbridge train station. If you're driving, Pay and Display parking is available in Waterloo Road Car Park. To book in please visit www.ststephens.org.uk/hearinggod.
Fairtrade Fortnight: 25 February – 10 March
STAND UP CHOCOLATE LOVERS!
FAIRTRADE PUTS THE FOCUS ON COCOA FARMERS
Fairtrade Fortnight is the time of year when we celebrate the people who grow our food, many who live in some of the poorest countries in the world and who are often exploited and badly paid. These farmers produce many foods that we take for granted, such as tea, sugar, coffee and cocoa, but they often can’t afford life’s essentials.
This year marks more than 25 years of Fairtrade in the UK and the beginning of a three-year campaign for a living income for the world’s poorest farmers and workers. Many farmers can’t earn enough money to pay for basic requirements such as housing, food, safe drinking water, medicine and education, things we take for granted.
A living income is a human right and a fundamental goal for Fairtrade and nowhere is this need clearer than in the cocoa industry. In 2016, the crash in world cocoa prices pushed many cocoa farmers deeper into poverty and despite their hard work, there remains a gap between their actual income and what they need to live. In the Cote d’Ivoire, which produces 43% of the world’s cocoa, one in six of the population is employed in the cocoa sector but shockingly 60% of all cocoa farmers live below the poverty, line earning less than 78p a day. These farmers need to earn £1.98 a day in order to achieve a living income.
In cocoa-farming households headed by women, the situation is often worse. Despite the hard work they put in the fields and in the home, they’re often overlooked and under-represented, and usually see even less income than equivalent households headed by men. It is well known that directing more independent income into the hands of women accelerates the development of the whole community, so this year the #She Deserves campaign highlights the importance of supporting these women farmers. For example, #She deserves a roof over her head, #She deserves a doctor, #She deserves a day off.
Whilst almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty many chocolate companies make massive profits. The UK Chocolate industry is worth 4 billion each year but currently only a fraction of cocoa leaving West Africa is certified as Fairtrade.
Currently working with more than 1.6 million farmers and workers across 74 developing countries Fairtrade is the only certifier to provide a safety net of a minimum price against volatile market prices plus the Fairtrade Premium – a resource that goes directly to Fairtrade Farmers to invest in business or community projects of their own choice.
So, this is the perfect time take a stand for the Fairtrade Cocoa farmers and indulge yourself with Fairtrade chocolate treats. Host a coffee morning with your own chocolate cake creations, or hold a ‘bake-off’ competition, support the #She Deserves campaign. Tell your friends why you are buying Fairtrade Chocolate and don’t forget to buy Fairtrade Easter eggs. If your favourite shops don’t sell Fairtrade chocolate, write to them and say why it is important. Together we can fight for living incomes and a fairer world. or more information visit:-
www.fairtrade.org.uk/get%20involved//Current-campaigns/Fairtrade-Fortnight
www.Twfairtrade.org.uk
News from Burrswood...
Volunteers at Burrswood Health and Wellbeing support our staff in a wide variety of roles – from administration and stewarding to flower arranging and gardening. One of the many success stories from 2018 was an undergraduate student who helped us during his summer holiday by not only working in our café but also helped out in our finance department and by giving guests a tour of our grounds by driving one of our buggies. He gained useful skills that will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to his CV when looking for future employment.
Another volunteer had been out of work for a while and wanted to gain skills and confidence to help her return to the workforce. Also, we have many retired volunteers who find a new purpose in life via their roles as well as getting to meet new people.
Volunteering offers something for all ages. If you would like to join our team of volunteers in 2019 then please check our website for details www.burrswood.org.uk We look forward to hearing from you.
Haritha Pattabhi - Volunteering Coordinator, Burrswood Health and Wellbeing
Sunday 27 January: 1.30-4.00pm - Charlie Bell Curiosities. £15 per session to include refreshments. Join Charlie Bell for some light-hearted discussion and creative writing about objects he will bring in from his cabinet of curiosities. Also on the following dates: 24 Mar, 12 May, 16 June, 29 Sep & 17 Nov
Unleash your creativity! Join Nikki Szabo for these creative activities:
Wed 30th Jan, 10am-12pm: £20 - Make your own collection of handmade cards.
Wed 30th Jan, 2pm-4pm: £20 - Make your own beautiful gift tags.
Monday 25 February – Friday 1 March: Icon Painting 5-day Workshop. This five-day workshop will give participants the opportunity to paint a Christmas-themed Byzantine Icon of either the Archangel Gabriel or the Virgin Mary. Past workshop attendees have used these icons either as a unique gift for someone special, or to have photographed and made into their personal Christmas card. Each workshop member will receive all of the materials required to complete a painted and gilded icon in the Byzantine style, this will include, a hand-made Serbian lime wood, gessoed icon panel, gold leaf and genuine medieval pigments. Experienced iconographer Peter Murphy will lead workshop members through a simple-to-follow step by step process, with careful instructions and demonstrations being given at each stage of the process. 10am–4pm, £790 per person includes 5-day course, materials, tuition, accommodation and full board. £470 per person includes 5-day course, materials, tuition, lunch and refreshments.
22 March - Painting with Julie King 2019: Local artist Julie King joins Burrswood once again for another one of a series of days of watercolour painting, lunch and good conversation!
For all of the above, call Reservations on 01892 865988. To find out more or to book your place www.burrswood.org.uk
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New Resource –
GOOD has just released a whole bunch of Easter resources to help churches promote their Easter services and activities at https://good.direct/
As an incentive to order Easter designs early we are giving 10% off everything on our site until February 2019, by simply using this code at checkout: GOODTOGO
Excellent value from a local source. Highly recommended!
Baptistry Pool Offer
Tunbridge Wells Christian Fellowship have an old portable varnished wooden-sided baptistry pool which is looking for a new home. The liner has a small hole and it would not come with any pipe work, pump etc but could be fixed and used again or even used as a pool in someone's garden. If you are interested, please contact helen.nevison@twcf.org
Help Requested
Street Teams need male volunteers on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights. They meet from 8.30pm to 10pm latest at the Town Hall yard car park. If anyone is interested, please ring 07958 653814.
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Future Dates
Friday 1 March 2019: Women’s World Day of Prayer - 10am at the Salvation Army.
Saturday 23 March: Crossteach Quiz Night, St Peter’s Church, Bayhall Road, 7.30-9.30pm. Tickets are £5. Book tickets at tunbridgewells@crossteach.com.
Sunday 24 March – Sunday 31 March – One Week Without: Porchlight is inviting people to ‘put yourself in a homeless person’s shoes’ by going without hot showers, cooked dinners, a warm bed, all social media including your phone for 1 week in order to raise awareness and funds for their ongoing work with the homeless locally and across the county of Kent. For your Free resource pack register at: www.porchlight.org.uk/oneweekwithout or call 01227 813199.
Wednesday 10 - Friday 12 April: The NOISE youth social action project. More information in the March CfTW News.
Friday 19 April – Good Friday Gathering at the Millennium Clock for a short time of worship and prayer; 11.30am
Sunday 28 April – Street Pastor Sunday – Tunbridge Wells Street Pastors are asking local churches to highlight the work of the Street Pastor Ministry on this Sunday – or a Sunday near to it by inviting Street and Prayer Pastors in their congregation to come dressed in uniform, to share an update about the work, to invite others to consider joining this ministry, and to be prayed for by the Church leaders and / or congregation. If your Church does not have anyone involved in the Street Pastor Ministry, we would love to come and talk to you about it on this Sunday, or another Sunday during the year.
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