St Martin's Church Diary

St Martin's Church Website
is being updated at present.

Please bear with us, as the new website is being built. It should be available here during 1st September. In the meantime, you can view some limited content below.

Newsletter, Calendar, Notices etc.

Here is our News for 8th - 28 August 2010 and 29 Aug - 25 September 2010 - both are PDF files - a shade over 100KB.

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either one is a free download

Services and Events at St Martin's

Abundant Life - our Bible Reading Course

2010 Bible Reading Programme (January - March) (PDF a shade over 100KB)
2010 Bible Reading Programme (April - June) (PDF a shade over 100KB)
2010 Bible Reading Programme (July - September) (PDF a shade over 100KB)

**Questions for the current readings**
Abundant Life (week beginning 8 August) Rev 11: 7 The beast from the pit has not yet been introduced, suggesting that some of what follows may not be in a strict time line, but different aspects of the end of time. In v15 fans of Handle's Messiah will recognise part of the Halleluiah Chorus. Try to spot more later this week. Rev 12: Is the woman, Mary, Judah, the Church or another? Rev 13: 666 is thought by many to represent Emperor Nero. Rev 14: 144,000 seems to leave out the gentiles? Rev 15: Do you think these plagues are different from the seals and the trumpets or do they just give more detail? Rev 17 The seven hills seems to readily identify Rome. Abundant Life (week beginning 15 August) Rev 18: 17 Sounds like the sack of Rome in 410 by Goths? Rev 19: Do you recognise the rider from an earlier chapter? Rev 20: Why might the devil be set free after 1,000 years? Rev 21: seems like the sun coming out after the weirdness and chaos of the previous 15 chapters. Why? Rev 22 Compare the river with that described in Ezekiel 47 2 Cor 1: What does Paul mean, Christ is God's ultimate yes? Abundant Life (week beginning 22 August) 2 Cor 2: Think of examples of how people react differently to us depending on how they sense Christ's presence. 2 Cor 3: 14 Paul says we cannot understand scripture unless we believe in Jesus. Do you think that is always true? 2 Cor 4: 4 Satan has blinded people. How can we help them? 2 Cor 5: 15 How sincerely could you say this is true for you? 2 Cor 6: 14 In what circumstances do you think Paul gives this advice, or should we only ever team up with Christians? 2 Cor 8: 1-4 Look at the circumstances and steps that led the churches in Macedonia to be generous. In what ways were they like St Martin's? Who were they giving to? Who do you think we should be giving to? Abundant life (week beginning 29 August) 2 Cor 9: 6-10 Why does willing generosity rate so highly? 2 Cor 10: 17 Try to think of one or two boasts about Jesus. 2 Cor 12: 8 Does this verse explain why some prayers may seem to go unanswered? How would you put it? Col 1: 15-20 If this is an early creed, does it all make sense? Col 2:11-15 The cross and baptism explained?

Prayer Meetings

Prayer Meetings on the fourth Tuesday of each month 7.30 - 8.00 pm, in the prayer room.

Notices

Prayer Walking: we continue to walk a selection of the streets of the parish, each Tuesday evening from 7pm to 7:30, praying for the people who live there. In this way every road gets prayed for once every 10 weeks. The list of streets is on the noticeboard. If you cannot walk with us but are prepared to pray at home, do ask for a copy of the prayer walking rota so you know which streets to pray for and when.

Prayer Meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of each month between 7.30 and 8.00 pm, in the prayer room.

Alpha Starting in late September and running through to November, we plan to run at least one small Alpha. This will take place at the vicarage on Wednesday evenings. If you want to try Alpha, speak to Bob. You could invite a friend by offering to come with them. Each evening starts with a simple meal together, then a short talk followed by time to ask questions, to listen to other people's thought, or to stay quiet - just as you please. There is no charge for Alpha.

Church Barbecue On 15 August there will be a barbecue soon after our Communion Service in the vicarage garden. Bring your own meat (or other items for the BBQ) and drinks (according to taste). Bread, salad and children's drinks will be provided. Do put the date in your diary and take the opportunity to spend time with your church family.

Volunteers Ann's days in the office will reduce from 3 to 1 by the end of August. We are looking for a number of volunteers to regularly cover the office for at least 1 hour a week each. The initial task for volunteers will be to answer telephone and other enquiries, but there will also be a choice of other jobs to be done there. If you think you might be able to help in this way and for further information speak to Martin James.

St Martin's Fun Day Each year we put on our Fun Day as an event for the enjoyment of our local community and to help us to get to know some of them. Financially, we aim to simply 'break even'. It is not a fundraising event. Despite that and with all expenses paid we ended up with a surplus of £568.41. We spent the money on: fabric for curtains for the hall stage; a new Henry vacuum cleaner; some additional fencing items to finish what SC Johnsons did for us; the orange mesh fencing to prevent children from running from the car park into the road on the Fun Day.

PCC At our meeting on Tuesday 20 July we:

listened to any concerns expressed to PCC members about the ideas for insulating the church. We decided to form a small working group to look at this further. Interested? Ask Roger.
started thinking about how to celebrate St Martin's 50th birthday on Easter Day 2012. Memories to share? Speak to Mary.
considered producing DVDs about St Martin's to give away at Christmas in place of Christmas cards. Good with a video camera? Speak to Bob.

Bishop Christopher: has agreed to come to St Martin's on 22 April 2012 to celebrate with us the 50th anniversary of St Martin's Church.

Church calendar: If you missed out on the calendar last week ask Ann for a copy.

St Martin's News: this issue will last until 29 August. After that there will be monthly issues. The News will still be updated weekly on the screen on Sundays and online at www.stmartinolddean.com.

Sponsored Walk: A 15 mile walk along the Blackwater Valley Path on 11 September to raise money to insulate the church. Speak to Bob if you can take part in the walk. We would like everyone to do their bit by taking a sponsor form and asking everyone you know to sponsor us for just £1 each (more if they can afford it). In this way we aim to raise a few thousand pounds.

Skittles evening: Come and have fun together at the Foresters Arms at 7:30pm on Thursday 16 September at a cost of £12 a head. Sign up on the notice board. Friends and family members all welcome.

Maintenance Day: Please give as much time as you can afford on 25 Sept. There is a great deal to be done on the church buildings to finish several projects that we have started and to get the building ready before the winter sets in.

Old Dean Community Day 4 September We need volunteers, probably to help make tea and coffee and to offer leaflets about church activities such a Tuesday Tots and Saturday Café. Speak to Bob if you are available.

The Wey - the diocese's monthly newspaper - is by the door. Please take one to read - it is a way of bringing the diocese together.

Get your views heard. Our P.C.C. meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. If you want to have a wish or a concern aired, please ask any P.C.C member to raise the issue at a meeting. Photos of members and minutes are displayed in the entrance.

The notice board is in the entrance hall. Do check it regularly for information not necessarily advertised in the "Weekly News"