All posts by Matt

200th Anniversary Celebrations

General

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Herstmonceux Free Church there will be a number of events going on throughout the year.

  • Saturday 21st May 7:30pm at Herstmonceux Village Hall
    "Songs From The Shows" Sussex Police Choir, tickets are £5 in aid of St Wilfred’s hospice
  • Saturday 4th June at Herstmonceux Village Hall
    Performance of multimedia musical ‘Yeshua Messiah’ at Herstmonceux Village Hall. Tickets are £5 from the Village Information Centre or Sylvia Catt
  • Saturday 16th July at Herstmonceux Free Church
    Family afternoon at the church with barbecue, entertainment from Fairlight Village Choir and an exhibition of church history
  • Sunday 28th August 10:45am at Herstmonceux Free Church
    Celebration service with communion
  • Monday 29th August at Herstmonceux Free Church
    The Chapel’s 200th Birthday – Chapel open with exhibition
  • Saturday 3rd December 7pm at Herstmonceux Free Church
    Sussex harmony quire – "Carols with a difference"

Some details and timings are still to be confirmed – watch this space!

Miner Routes to a Major Decision

General

From the news recently, 33 people took their normal route to work. The fact that their
workplace was 2,300 feet under the earth was significant; because the roof of the tunnel
fell in and their escape route was blocked.

It was believed that they were lost, but rescuers drilled a six-inch (175mm) hole to them,
and down that narrow route they provided food and water and inflatable beds, Sony
games and first aid kits. Now they need a route out to a safe destination.

So Pastor Carlos Parra had special individual Bibles made – with each man’s name
on and the parts to read marked to suit that person. The Bibles were delivered down the
pipe in a device called a Dove! (After the Flood the Dove brought the sign of new land –
new life). These men had experienced God’s provision in the darkness – two day’s food
had lasted for 17 days, right up to the time of their discovery.

As these entombed men turned to Psalm 40 , they read “I waited patiently for the Lord’s
help and he listened to me and heard my cry. He pulled me out of a dangerous pit… He set me safely on a rock and made me secure.” (Good News Bible).

So how does each one of us find the right path, the right route? You may not be in
a “dangerous pit” but you do know that you are lost. What is the meaning of life? You
turn to Google and the box says Search, but where do you search? There are so many
blind alleys and dead-ends you have encountered in the past.

Maybe it is time to set your Satellite Navigation system to Scolfe’s Restaurant , Boreham
Street, on 23rd September for 7pm (and every Thursday following) and join in our
Alpha discussion group on aspects of the Christian faith.

Alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, is the beginning of the A-road to understanding, to questioning, to finding the right route for your life. It is good to have a meal
with people like yourself. Come and ask. Jesus promises “Search and you will find.” It
is always satisfying to find the right route.

If you want any more information about the free Alpha course you can contact Sylvia on 07909 644762.

Farewell Su

Parish News

FAREWELL TO RECTOR SU MARSHALL

On a Sunday in March 2002 we were delighted to welcome two unexpected guests to our Morning Service – the new Rector Su Marshall and her husband Nigel. Having just moved to the area, Church etiquette would not allow them to visit either of the Parish Churches until she was properly in place, so they came to us. At the end of the meeting we gathered round them and asked God to bless the ministry of ‘Reverend Su’ as we came to call her affectionately, and to bless the family in their new home.

That event heralded an encouraging co-operation between ourselves and All Saints and Saint Mary Magdalene Churches, which has continued over the years. The Reverend Su re-invented the Fifth Sunday in the Month to produce Extra Time, to which our members were invited. We ran joint Holiday Clubs for the children in their Summer school break. We shared Lent meetings to our mutual benefit. And we met at the Reid Hall for yummy lunches.

The last one of those was a farewell lunch to mark Su’s retirement. Among the gifts given to her was a quilt made from squares decorated by various families and groups in the village. The square from the Free Church depicted ‘praying hands’ – a reminder of our on-going prayers for Su, Nigel and their Family as they move on.

REAL POVERTY IS HAVING NO FRIENDS

Real poverty is lack of friendship, according to Brazilian Pastor Claudio
Oliver on his You Tube page. He quotes several Scriptures to support his view, such as: “Two are better than one…if one falls down, his friend can help him up.” (Ecclesiastes ch4 v9+10) “A friend loves at all times…” and “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs ch17v17 and 18v24).

Taking up this theme, our own Pastor Jim Beveridge told those at the May Squeeze of the woman who had no friends (she was alone at the well, the village focal point). Jesus spoke to her, asking for a drink, which was not acceptable in their culture because she was a woman, a stranger, and a foreigner. But this began a conversation which she described to her neighbours as “being told everything I had ever done.” “Could this be the Christ?” she asked them and herself.

Herstmonceux has no well, but it does have those who are in need of friendship. How about finding one or two and bringing them here to be with friends, suggested Pastor Jim.

Spring has Sprung!

General

Sunshine beamed through the windows of the Village Hall, although it was cold outside, and memories of the harsh winter were dimmed. Under the title Spring has Sprung! and only a week before Mother’s Day, the adults at the March 7th Squeeze Breakfast club were busy rolling multi-coloured sheets of paper and binding them in place with florist’s wire. Each roll was then teased out into a giant ‘dahlia’ to be given to those mothers attending the next Sunday. Some of the children had tried this, but found it difficult for little fingers and had graduated to making Mother’s Day cards

Pastor Jim Beveridge took up the theme with his Topical Talk: The Spring weather gives the chance to explore neglected parts of the garden. Venturing across wet grass, the brown stumps of former plants, layers of dead foliage, and frost damage remains. As the debris is cut away and leaves are cleared, we find some nodules, nodules of green. Green shoots, new shoots. Life springs at Springtime.

To achieve new growth in the garden, it is best to cut away the dead and withered remains of leaf and branch. This is a picture from Nature that is helpful to us as we enter a new Season, a new Spring of our lives. Best to cut away the dead works or finished part of our lives, to clear away past debris to allow new life to grow unhindered.

Spring clean the areas of life that are worn and, frankly, past their “sell by date.” Re-energise the run down springs; receive new springs – of living water, of streams of living water of the river of Life. Don’t paddle in the winter shallows – dive into the refreshing, effervescent Spring Waters. Spring into New Life! Spring has Sprung! Have you?

These verses from the Bible (Isaiah ch.43, vv18 and 19) spring to mind., and may help you: “See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and making streams in the wasteland.” Do not paddle – be immersed. And expect the unexpected. Like Jesus making a way where there seemed to be no way. Try saying ‘YES’ instead of “no way.” Amen

Please note: There will be no Squeeze Breakfast Club in April as the first Sunday falls on Easter Day. We shall meet in our own Church at Chapel Row on that date for Easter Worship.