The Church Team
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THE ROCK News From : St Augustine’s Church. At the Heart of the Parish November 2020 PRICE 50p St Augustine’s Parish Church, Rock Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5PW THE CHURCH TEAM The Rev’d Canon Antony Lane St Augustine’s Vicarage, Rock Avenue, Parish Priest: Gillingham ME7 5PW (01634 850288) Nicky Rawlins Curate (07988 366974) Church Wardens: Jenny Coe (322077), Sheila McSherry (786018) Assistant Church Brian Hooper Warden Reader: Marjorie Barry PCC Secretary: Caroline Bubb PCC Treasurer: Martin Harris Parish Office: Christine Warren Chair of Education Nicky Rawlins Committee Chair of Pastoral Position Vacant Committee Chair of Operations Position Vacant Committee: Choir: Position Vacant Music Group: David Hodges Head Server: Andrew Gray (571589) The Recorder of Martin Harris Planned Giving: Bookings Secretary: Tony Felmingham (854477) Editor - Parish News Peter Wareing (353582) Magazine Advertising Susan Gray (571589) Magazine Finance Pam Swift (573646) Bell Ringer Phillip Airey Follow us on Facebook as ‘facebook.com/StAsGillingham/’ And A Church Near You as: ‘www.achurchnearyou.com/church/9893/’ 2 Curate’s Cogitations The last time I wrote this column, we were in the middle of a very hot spell in the summer. Now it is Autumn, with all the beauties and smells of Autumn. It is my favourite season. I just love so many things about it. I love going for walks where there are huge heaps of fallen leaves which - although I am knocking on the door of 60 – I still love to kick about just for the pleasure of the rustle and the smell. I love all the preserving that goes on during Autumn – I’ve already made apple chutney and my husband is currently trying to turn a bumper crop of chilli's into Chilli and Tomato Chutney and he has plans for Chilli Sauce. There are some drawbacks though – I am running out of ideas as to how to stuff marrows! We think a lot about food during this season. Earlier in the month, we celebrated Harvest – a very different Harvest this year, with Covid-19 but we still emphasised supporting our Foodbank – with financial donations as well as actual food. The Foodbank is currently facing a much higher demand on its services and continues to need as much as support as it can get. They accept financial donations as well as food and you can find out the details on their website if you feel called to this. The website address is https://medway.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/ We look forward as well. I don’t know about you but I am also beginning to plan what we will be doing and eating at Christmas. A Christmas Cake will need to be made in November – not an easy task in a house that has one vegan and one wheat intolerant person. I shall be making mincemeat for mince pies and possibly even a Christmas pudding this year. And I haven’t even really got started on the Christmas pressie list!!! With all this going on, it is very easy to forget the stuff in the middle. During November, we celebrate Kingdom Season which commences on All Saints and runs to the last Sunday before Advent. It is a time when we give thanks for the community of faith in which we live, worship and work, and on All Saints, we remember the community of Saints who have gone before us. During Kingdom season, there will, of course, be our annual Remembrance Sunday service on the 8th November although it will be slightly different this year because of the restrictions around Covid-19. The First Sunday of Advent is on the 29th November this year – the beginning of the new church year. Kingdom Season is a time when we have the opportunity to look back on the year that has gone by and think about the year to come. It has been a very difficult year, more so for some than others and I am deeply conscious that there will be those reading this who will have lost people they love. Perhaps that is why Kingdom Season is so important. We can remember and give thanks for those people who we love but no longer are able to see but we are also reminded that God gathers us to himself and that we will not be alone or abandoned. The final Sunday in the Kingdom Season is the Sunday when we remember Christ as King over all, and celebrate that he is Lord and King over all. Frankly, I can’t think of a better way to end the year! God Bless Rev Nicky Rawlins - Curate 3 COUNTYWIDE T. J. 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The installation is made up of 5000 steel leaves with the word HOPE written upon, which will be laid out on the floor, creating a beautiful impression of autumn leaves fallen from the trees. Appearing as though naturally scattered by the wind the leaves symbolise the past, what has transpired, it is currently touring other Cathedrals – and will have been to Exeter, Sheffield and Lichfield. Worth looking out for. It’s not too late to join in with our Christmas wreath display. This year it has a star theme. These can be as easy or as complicated as you like. Do bear in mind they will go up at the beginning of December and be there until Epiphany. The wreath can be star shape or traditional shape with stars attached. If you have any questions about this please contact Sue 01634 571589. Please deliver your wreath to church on 29th November, between 9am and 11.30am or either Wednesday 25th November or Wednesday 2nd December between 9am and 11am. If none of these work contact Sue (details above). Did you know you can donate to Church funds by phone – To help maintain our lovely building for the future – text STAG001 to 70970 to donate £5 The PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST AUGUSTINE GILLINGHAM needs to raise funds for this and for other charitable purposes. *Your donation is to the National Funding Scheme (NFS), operating as DONATE, a charity registered in England and Wales (1149800) and Scotland (SC045106) and indicates a specific campaign. NFS takes a minor share of any Gift Aid (or a maximum of 5% on a donation without Gift Aid) to cover advertising and transaction services. Text charges will be as per your standard network plan. Please see www.easydonate.org for full details. To access our customer support please email us at: [email protected] or call 020 3174 2276 5 A Time to be Silent Quite early in my ministry, when I was Rector of Wateringbury, Teston and West Farleigh, a very dear friend gave me an Australian book of prayers and readings, which I still find most helpful in my prayer life and when I am given the privilege of leading the intercessions within the Eucharist at St Augustine’s church. The book is entitled ‘Gentle Darkness’. I have no idea if it is still in print, (No, but you can get it second hand from Amazon resellers - Author Rowland Croucher, 1994, Publisher Albatross, price £3.28 - Ed) but if you are an intercessor, or just want to deepen your prayer life, it is worth seeking out. Mother Teresa of Calcutta puts it like this: “let us adore Jesus in our hearts, who spent thirty years out of thirty three in silence ; who began His public life by spending forty days in silence; who often retired alone to spend the night on a mountain in silence. He who spoke with authority now spends His earthly life in silence. Let us adore Jesus in the Eucharistic silence.” You may be thankful to know that I am not inviting you, dear reader, to camp out on a mountainside or even on Darland Banks for a night of prayerful solitude (Phew – Ed). Rather, I’m only asking that we follow the example set by Jesus for His first disciples and leave a little space for reflection and personal prayer. Let me leave you with some of the words of one of my favourite hymns, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind (One of my favourites too – Ed): 4 With that deep hush subduing all our words and works that drown the tender whisper of your call, as noiseless let your blessing fall as fell your manna down, as fell your manna down. 5 Drop your still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of your peace, the beauty of your peace. 6 Breathe through the heats of our desire your coolness and your balm; let sense be dumb, let flesh retire, speak through the earthquake, wind and fire, O still small voice of calm, O still small voice of calm! Yours in faith, hope and love, Fr Denys 6 WATLING STREET POST OFFICE & NEWSAGENTS CAR TAX AND COUNCIL TAX PAYMENTS GAS CARDS & ELECTRICITY KEYS CHARGED ALL MOBILE TOP UPS STATIONERY & GREETING CARDS TOBACCO & CIGARETTES NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES DRY CLEANING SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POST OFFICE USE IT OR LOSE IT! 91 WATLING STREET GILLINGHAM ME7 2YX 01634 851626 7 100 Club News and Numbers! The 100 Club continues to bring joy to it's lucky members despite COVID-19 overshadowing the year! Congratulations to all who have won in the October and November draw! Your winnings will be distributed to you.