Please read on for articles from the Lower Kingswood Evangelical Free Church and the Wisdom of God Church or see the Church Hall report on the Local Amenities page.
Lower Kingswood Evangelical Free Church ---
The
world around us is staggering into Spring. We, and the animals and plants, are
easily confused by mini heat waves in January alternating with sudden cold
snaps. However, animals can anticipate events in the natural world around them
in a way that we humans seem to have lost. One of the peculiar things about the
Tsunami in the Indian Ocean was the way that animals seemed to sense that
something disastrous was approaching. They fled their homes to reach higher
ground, with the result that very few were killed.
As Spring approaches, so does Easter. By the time this is read Easter will be
upon us. It provides the first official break in the calendar, and the most
generous. It gives us a long weekend, offering scope for a real break. However,
Churches mark Easter with a service on Good Friday morning and services on
Easter Sunday. At Christmas we went to Church on a Saturday and at Easter on a
Friday. Why? At Christmas we remembered the coming of Jesus Christ into this
world; at Easter His death and resurrection. By His death and resurrection He
made it possible for us to be freed from relying on what we do and plan for our
security. He does not stop us getting old or ill, nor does He manipulate
financial markets to keep our investments strong and jobs secure. But He can
enable us to live without fear of their collapse.
Before Easter, we celebrate the 82nd Anniversary of the founding of the
Evangelical Church in Smithy Lane on 6th and 19th March. Some people in Lower
Kingswood remember the meetings that led to the Church here being established in
1923. The workers of those early days are with us no more, but the people who
are the Church of today meet to continue the work their vision and commitment
began. This will be an important year, possibly seeing the rebuilding commenced
and perhaps the appointment of a new Pastor.
You are more than welcome to join us at any of our services, but especially at
10:15 am on Easter Sunday morning as we celebrate the completion of the task for
which Jesus Christ came into this world, and the anniversary services on 6th
March which will be taken by our Moderator, Rev Ian Cooper of Tollgate.
In addition, diary dates for the Evangelical Church (apart from the regular
services and meetings) are:
6th March – 82nd Church
Anniversary - Guest Preacher at 10:15 am & 6:30 pm: Rev Ian Cooper of Tollgate
Evangelical Church, Redhill
19th March - Anniversary Event - 6:45pm for 7:00 pm Buffet & Cabaret, with Steve
Piggott of Horsham
25th March - 10:15am Good Friday Service led by Chris Pepper and Paul Burden
27th March - Easter Sunday Services at 10:15 am led by Paul Burden and at 6:30
pm led by Mike Taylor of Fetcham Community Church
Anyone
is welcome to the services on Sundays at 10:15am and 6:30pm.
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VIEW FROM THE VICARAGE
Although there is undoubtedly some natural component to ‘Global Warming’, the
fact that we are pouring millions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the
atmosphere each year does nothing but make a natural warming much worse.
Through tragedy we have recently discovered the vulnerability of our human world
to overwhelming natural forces. Therefore to do nothing will be far, far more
expensive than any cost of resolving the problem.
The Christian gospel warns against the dangers of rampant materialism, you
cannot serve God and mammon, but too often we have ignored its warnings as
irrelevant. Perhaps now is the time to take the Scriptures seriously before it
is too late.
Junior Church continues to meet on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am in the Church, retiring to the Church Hall for their activities. New faces are always welcome.
There will be a spring ground tidy, as many branches have fallen during the winter months. There are no plans for coffee mornings this year.
Thanks go to Sharon Childs for all her creative work with flowers at the Wisdom of God Church. Sadly she feels unable to continue with this work, so help is needed with festivals and weddings. If you would like to have further information on this enjoyable job please see the Village News for further details.
LENT LUNCHES 2005
Frugal Lunches are running throughout Lent and proceeds go towards the Bishop of
Southwark's Lent Appeal helping a number of good causes in this country and
abroad including, this year, The Children’s Trust, Tadworth.
LENT LUNCHES begin at 12:30pm.
Saturday 5th March – hosted by Mary Bush & Judy Parfitt in Church Hall, Buckland
Road, Lower Kingswood
Friday 11th March – hosted by Betty Willcox & Val Bayes in St Andrew's Room
Friday 18th March – hosted by Maggie Kippen, Silverley, Sandy Lane, Kingswood
MOTHERING SUNDAY
6th March: 9:30am at The Wisdom of God and
11:00am at St Andrew’s
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER - Friday 4th
March 2005 at 2:00pm at St John’s Roman Catholic Church, Tadworth. ‘Let Our
Light Shine’ is written by the women of Poland. All welcome. Contact: Stella
Huber 01737-812532.
CABARET AT THE WISDOM
– Saturday 5th March 7.30pm
An evening of music and conversation in café cabaret style. Tickets £5 includes
glass of wine or soft drink and nibbles. Senior citizens and under 14s £2.50.
Further drinks can be purchased.
EASTER SERVICES IN THE PARISH
PALM SUNDAY
20th March: 8:00am Wisdom of God; BCP Holy
Communion; 9:30am Wisdom of God; 11:00am St Andrews; Communion Services with
Passion Gospel; 6:00pm Wisdom of God: Choral Evensong.
HOLY WEEK: Monday 21st March: 8:00pm St.
Andrews: Compline night prayer service; Tuesday 22nd March: 8:00pm Wisdom of
God: Holy Communion; Wednesday 23rd March: 8:00pm St. Andrews: Compline.
MAUNDY THURSDAY
24th March: 8:00pm Wisdom of God: The Last
Supper.
GOOD FRIDAY
25th March: 12:00noon, Wisdom of God - Meditation
at the Foot of the Cross.
SATURDAY OF EASTER
26th March: 8:00pm St. Andrews: Service of Light
and Renewal of Baptism vows.
EASTER SUNDAY
27th March: 8:00am St. Andrews: BCP Holy
Communion; 9.30am Wisdom of God: Holy Communion; 11:00am St. Andrews: Holy
Communion.
PARISH EASTER VESTRY MEETING
and AGM on Tuesday 26th April at 8:00pm in the
Church Hall, Buckland Road, Lower Kingswood. All Welcome.
CHURCHES TOGETHER AT PENTECOST
on Sunday 15th May, 6:30pm, Christ Church, Walton
on the Hill.
SPRING ART WORKSHOPS
Thursday 17th/Friday 18th March - DAVID NAPP Two day Pastel Workshop 10:00am to
3:00pm - cost £36.
Friday 15th April - TIM HARVEY Landscape in “oils” using palette knives 10:00am
to 3:00pm - cost £15.
To reserve a place on any days, please send a cheque made out to Mrs P Corlett,
Withybed, Withybed Corner, Walton on the Hill, KT20 7UH. Telephone: 01737-812381
or e-mail: pennycorlett@firenet.ws
Advance Notice: The Parish Summer Fête will be held in the Vicarage Garden on
Sunday 26th June.
There will be a joint outdoor service at 10:30am with the Fête beginning at
12:00noon. If wet both the service and the Fête will be held in the Church.
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--
The Churches in Kingswood --
From Reverend Garth Barber, Priest in Charge of the churches of St Andrew,
Kingswood and The Wisdom of God, Lower Kingswood
Dear friends,
Light shining in the darkness.
It is now over three years since the “9/11” attack. For a time it seemed the
world might end tomorrow. It then occurred to many that that feeling was typical
of the fear many people in the world live with all the time. The cosiness of our
Western world had been temporarily shattered and reduced to the precariousness
of the ‘Third World’. We had a taste of living in darkness that perhaps had not
fallen on this land since World War 2.
2000 years ago the Jewish people of Jesus’ time lived under a similar fear. They
suffered under the brutal occupation of the Roman army and as Isaiah had
prophesied they were a people “dwelling in a land of deep darkness”.
The Christmas story is not afraid to talk about the dark side of life. We want
it to be all about light and happiness, yet the Bible is more realistic. It
speaks to people going through great trouble as well as those for whom all is
well. However it does more than recognise the darkness in the human experience,
it has a message, a hope, for such times. As Isaiah said long ago, “Those who
walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep
darkness, on them has light shined.”
The light that Isaiah was talking about was God’s light. The Christmas story is
anchored in the oppression, the poverty and the mess of the stable. It was into
such a world that God entrusted His Son, “knowing we would bruise him and smite
him from the Earth”. Christmas is about God’s light overcoming humanity’s
darkness. It is about His light shining into all our lives. For all our hearts
are dark and we ache for God’s light, for God’s peace, for God. We will find Him
in that stable because God has come to us; Jesus is Immanuel ‘God with us’.
I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year! You will be very
welcome at all our services this Christmas time!
God bless and much love.
Further information on all future events can be found on the Church Notice-board, in the monthly Parish Magazine available from the Church and the monthly News-Sheet available in both Churches.
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