Remembrance Sunday- 3 Before Advent

Introduction by Linda Grieve, Church Warden

We have just entered a second lockdown which sadly means that our church and

buildings are closed again for regular use. However, we are using the church to

record our services which will then be put online for everyone to watch. In

response to the Archbishop’s appeal to make Thursday a day of prayer, we are also

opening the church every Thursday for private prayer during lockdown starting

from the 12th November. This will be from 12:00noon until 1:00pm and will not be

led, so you are free to come and go as you like. While attending, both outside and

inside the building, please adhere to the usual Covid guidelines of social

distancing, wearing a mask (unless exempt for medical reasons) and sanitising your

hands.

Last Monday our Church Council met and some of the things we discussed were the

finances of the church, the possibilities of live streaming and ways in which we can

improve our Church council. The minutes of the meeting will be available in a few

week’s time.

Becky, our Administrator, is on leave for two weeks and so will be not be

responding to emails and telephone calls. In case of emergency please contact

Peter Edwards or myself.

Please do join our Tearfund quiz this Saturday if you are able. I’m sure it will be a

good evening.

Many people are feeling anxious and afraid at this time. Please let us support one

another with love and compassion and above all share the hope we have in our

Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Take care and stay safe.

!!!! SAVE THE DATE !!!!

SATURDAY 14 NOVEMBER 7.30pm

Come join with thousands of others for a fun-filled,

brain-teasing, all-age Quiz online.

Please register at nancybenham@aol.com by 12 November for the

Zoom link to take part and for more information about the event.

Donations for Tearfund supported projects in Malawi.

Thanks for Pants!

Many thanks for all your generous donations to the Rainbow Centre. The pants,

knickers, socks and wipes that you have kindly donated are helping to ensure the

dignity of those without a roof over their heads.

Praying/Interceding for our World by Robert Grieve

Last Sunday, when I preached on Genesis 18, about Abraham pleading to God to

save Sodom and Gomorrah, I tried to focus on God being in full control of our (His)

World that appears to be spiralling out of control- hence the pictures of ‘He’s got

the whole world in His hands.’

Had there been more time, I wanted to share from Romans 8 : 26-27.

Here Paul talks about our ‘weaknesses’ and that we sometimes don’t really know

how to pray for some dire situations or for modern day ‘Sodoms’ One of God’s

gifts of the Holy Spirit is to help us to pray effectively. The Holy

Spirit intercedes for the intercessors. We can feel overwhelmed by all that is

going on (Coronavirus...suffering...wars climate change...corruption etc). It’s all

too big for us and what can we do anyway??

That is when the Holy Spirit takes over and holds us up, safe in His hands. We

groan and sigh at the latest news of man’s inhumanity to man and God groans and

sighs with us. I am sure that expressions too deep for words will include praying in

tongues (a Heavenly language that God does understand and graciously gives to

some people). Only God fully knows the full picture. He searches our hearts and

minds and conveys His will. Some anguished prayers of ours may be without

words, but God understands and wants to grant us His peace.

When we cry ‘What is the world coming to?!’ Then let us say ‘But look what is

coming into the world.’ What a Friend we have in Jesus!

Foodbank

The foodbank are currently in need of the items listed in the picture below for

Christmas time. The deadline for these donations is 11th December. Donations will

go towards Christmas food parcels. Here is an opportunity to spread some much

needed Christmas cheer!

Donation points can be found on the Shepway Foodbank website

www.shepway.foodbank.org.uk Items can also be deposited directly at the

warehouse- please ring Jon Booth the Warehouse Coordinator on 07813726498 for

opening times.

Financial donations can also be made via the website.

The foodbank already has an ample supply of mince pies and Christmas puddings.

Unfortunately, they are unable to take donations of toys and clothes as they do not

have the facilities to store these types of items. Many thanks.

Would you like to take a Pew?

A church pew similar to this one is looking for a good

home.

A contribution to St John’s would be greatly

appreciated.

The dimensions are: Length 2.66 m, Height 0.92m,

Depth 0.52m

Please contact Linda Grieve if you are interested

and you can have a look once lockdown is over.

Open Doors

Open Doors is an international ministry serving persecuted Christians and churches

worldwide. They supply Bibles, leadership training, literacy programmes,

livelihood support and advocacy services. They also seek to mobilise the church in

the UK and Ireland to serve Christians living under religious persecution.

The worldwide church is alive, active, growing and God’s light in the

darkness…however many of our brothers and sisters are also being persecuted.

Open Doors helps us to stand in solidarity with our church family, knowing that ‘if

one part suffers, every part suffers with it’ 1 Corinthians 12:26.

For resources to remember our persecuted family this Christmas please go to

https://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/finding-family/

Support for Martina in Nigeria. Letters sent from Open Doors supporters have

comforted and encouraged a Nigerian lady called Martina following the death of

her husband. Reverend Joseph Kura was killed by suspected Fulani militants on his

farm in 2016.

The letters are just one of many ways that Open Doors has stood with Martina and

her seven children – including the provision of a new home, which the family

moved into during the summer.

Just days after the tragic killing of her husband by Fulani militants, Martina was

sitting with her seven children on the floor. Present with them was Hanna, an

Open Doors partner whose name has been changed for security reasons. Before

meeting the family, she asked God to make her visit fruitful and encouraging.

‘With every visit to deliver more letters of encouragement, and now with this

dedication of her home, I can testify that God hears His children’s prayers and

answers it in His perfect time,’ Hanna explained.

Today, four years on from her husband’s death, Martina’s face is a picture of

answered prayer. Your prayers, letters and cards of encouragement and financial

support have made this possible. It has brought fresh hope, not just to Martina

and her family, but to a whole community of believers.

Since the death of her husband, Martina has lived in limbo with no place to call

home. ‘We had a house in Kaduna, but during one of the attacks the house was

burnt down. That was the only place we had to call a home, but the Fulani

destroyed it,’

On a visit last year, Hanna brought the family a bagful of colourful letters and

cards – much to Martina’s surprise. ‘And you have come with more letters for me!

…These letters encouraged me to know that I am not alone. Anytime I am sad, or

my heart is heavy, I pick up the letters and start reading and feel comforted.

There are times I feel as if all my pain has disappeared. Indeed, the letters are a

healing balm to me. I just want to say thank you to all who wrote these letters to

me. May God continue to use you to heal others.”

Would you like to send a letter, drawing or card? The campaign for Martina has

now closed. However, there are plenty of other opportunities for you to send

personal encouragement to persecuted Christians.

You are also invited to a unique prayer event on Sunday 15th November for

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This will include a

focus on Nigeria. Please go to https://www.opendoorsuk.org/ for more

information. Thank you.

Poetry Advent Calendar

I am setting myself the challenge of sending out a poem every day during Advent,

that is from Advent Sunday November 29th to Christmas Day.

Some will be ones I have written in previous years as far back as the 1980/90s but I

hope a good number will be new and topical, responding to the news of the day,

and they will be a mixture of serious and amusing.

If you would like to receive these, please let me have your email address so I can

make a group email list.

There will be no charge, but you might like to put a small amount towards a

charity of your choice for each poem you receive, a bit like sponsoring me to

complete my challenge.

(I will continue to send out the occasional ‘special’ via Becky Yan, so you won’t

miss out if you don’t want a poem every day.)

Looking forward to hearing from you! Marjory Francis

New GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Lead

We now have a new GDPR lead- Deborah Bates. Many thanks to Deborah for kindly

taking on this role and a huge thank you to Ruth Jones who has carried this mantle

so well for many years and who contributed much time and expertise to this.

Some of you may be wondering what GDPR means?

It is basically a way of ensuring that the data we hold here at St John’s is held

securely for the correct period of time, that we contact you with appropriate

permission and that we maintain individual confidentiality as per legal

requirements. These requirements have changed over the years.

Please go to http://www.ico.org.uk for more information…