September 2009 Regular Activities

Sunday 10.30am Morning communion (third Sunday of every month) Gateway www.corringhamevangelical.co.uk 11.00am Morning worship 11.00am TJC (The Junior Church) - younger persons’ groups Kenya—a lesson in 6.00pm Evening communion (first Sunday of every month)

6.30pm Evening worship trust n February 2009 I got on a plane to have a passion to show God’s love to return to Kenya, a country that I their neighbours and children Monday 6.30pm Club 7/12* - ages 7-12, school year 3-7 I visited for the first time back in 2007, (whether their own or orphaned) in 7.45pm YPF (Young People's Fellowship)* - age 12+ and where I met the most incredible, practical, life-changing ways. selfless people and the most adorable

children. In February I began my five month trip Tuesday 7.45pm Bible Study & Meeting by living in a children’s home located When I returned from Kenya in 2007 in the west of the country. It is called the country was preparing for New Hope and is home to around 120 Friday 10.30am Coffee Break* elections and within less than a month children. The home overlooks the the country experienced devastating beautiful Great Rift Valley. During the post-election violence. Many course of my trip I returned to New * These activities do not run during the school holidays or on public holidays. innocent people lost their lives, Hope on many occasions and it children witnessed scenes that no one became my Kenyan home, my family; The following sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were should ever have to experience and I have missed all of the children and announced in church services around the world: so many people had to try to rebuild staff greatly since I have returned to • The Fasting & Prayer Conference • Next Thursday there will be tryouts for their lives and live with so much hurt. the UK. includes meals. the choir. They need all the help • The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks they can get. However, Kenya is an incredible I met a group of lovely Grandmothers on Water.' The sermon tonight: • The Rector will preach his farewell country. Amongst the political unrest, who had been living in ‘houses’ by the 'Searching for Jesus.' message after which the choir will the hurt, the poor and the needy, the railway line and raising their • Ladies, don't forget the rummage sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.' most incredible people can be found, grandchildren with the reoccurring people with such great faith and who sale. It's a chance to get rid of those • Eight new choir robes are currently things not worth keeping around the needed due to the addition of Continued on Page 4 house. Bring your husbands. several new members and to the • The peacemaking meeting deterioration of some older ones. Diary Dates scheduled for today has been • The church will host an evening of cancelled due to a conflict. fine dining, super entertainment and Sat 19 Clue Hunt (3.00pm) • Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not gracious hostility. Sep Harvest tea (5.00pm) pass this way again,' giving obvious • Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - pleasure to the congregation. prayer and medication to follow. Sun 20 Harvest service (11.00am), • For those of you who have children • The ladies of the Church have cast Sep Andrew Harrison(LCM) and don't know it, we have a nursery off clothing of every kind. They may downstairs. be seen in the basement on Friday Sun 18 Church Anniversary (11.00am afternoon. Oct & 6.30pm)

- 8 - - 1 - He then met a Mr William Bridges who Gradually, more chapels sprung up Editor’s Letter Contact Details invited him to hear Robert Aitken, a and were established in the , powerful preacher from the North of Kent and East London and by 1852 a England. Banyard discovered that constitution was established with ear Reader, Address: Bridges and Aitken had something bishops, elders and other helps. The D 45 Fobbing Road, more than he. So, prior to leaving name ‘The Peculiar People’ from 1 I have struggled to write Corringham, Bridges’ home in London he went into Peter 2:9 was decided upon. The term this quarter’s Gateway Stanford-le-Hope, an upstairs room, fell on his knees, and peculiar in this instance means magazine. I have been Essex, there, according to all accounts, was ‘chosen of God’. suffering from a lack of SS17 9BN 'born again'. Banyard returned to inspiration—it could be referred to as a new man and took his The King James version of 1 Peter 2:9 writer’s block. Writing doesn’t come Telephone: place among the Wesleyans. He then says: naturally to me as I am an accountant 01375 642759 commenced meetings in his cottage But ye are a chosen generation, a by profession and therefore I mostly and also in the open air. They then royal priesthood, an holy nation, a work with numbers all day. Website: obtained premises in Union Lane peculiar people; that ye should www.corringhamevangelical.co.uk (Rochford), which had been erected shew forth the praises of him who However, that got me thinking about in 1837 as an old workhouse and it was hath called you out of darkness how we often have to do things that E-mail: here that the Peculiar People's work into his marvellous light; are outside our comfort zones. [email protected] commenced. At the height of the Peculiar’s Christians often find that God chooses Corringham Evangelical Church is part By 1842 the church had moved to popularity there were 43 chapels, all to use people for tasks that they of the Union of Evangelical Churches, better accommodation in a large giving emphasis to fundamental Bible wouldn’t necessarily be the first choice which is associated with the Fellowship house called ‘The Barracks’ and it was teaching, personal testimonies and for. You might ask why He would do of Independent Evangelical Churches here that Banyard was persuaded to divine healing without medical that? (FIEC). call for divine healing on a man ill with intervention. Most of the tuberculosis. The man had been congregations came from farming If you’re doing a job that you don’t convinced that the words of James and labouring communities. They met have all the skills for, or indeed don’t 5:14-15 were for him and that the together for united meetings at want to do, then you might struggle. prayer of faith would heal. central venues, such as , Christians, however, can rely when large numbers joined together completely on God’s strength and James 5:14-15 says: for worship and fellowship. ability to be able to do anything, and Is any one of you sick? He should don’t have to struggle through on their call the elders of the church to On 27th April 1956 Supplemental Deed own. pray over him and anoint him with Poll Number 2 was signed; this was to oil in the name of the Lord. And change the name of ‘The Peculiar Perhaps this quarter’s magazine was a the prayer offered in faith will make People’ to the ‘Union of Evangelical reminder to myself that I’m not super- the sick person well; the Lord will Churches’, as the denomination is now human and that I need to trust in God raise him up. If he has sinned, he known. Divine healing does not now more. Hopefully things will be better The Gateway magazine is published will be forgiven. have such prominence but strict (for me and for you!) in December! quarterly in March, June, September Biblical interpretation still forms the and December. If you have an idea He was healed and after this there main basis of church teaching. Today, Best wishes, for an article you would like to be were many instances of dramatic sixteen churches across the region Dave Partridge (Editor) included then please contact the healing such that the Banyardites remain open within the UEC with some editor outlining your story. The editor gained a reputation for being a having large and others having small reserves the right to edit or not to special people, given special powers numbers in membership. publish any articles received. by God himself.

- 2 - - 7 - A Brief History of the UEC Harvest Festival

orringham Evangelical Church is The Peculiar People were to prove he weekend of On Sunday we invite everyone to C part of the Union of Evangelical that, even in the nineteenth century, T 19th and 20th bring along a food gift to be used to Churches (UEC), a small group of Puritanism and religious controversy September is help others. People often bring tins, churches in the South East of England. were not dead there. when our Church packets, cereals, and other such What follows is a brief history of the will celebrate foodstuffs. We’ve invited Andrew UEC and how it was established, Banyard was frequently drunk, and Harvest this year. Harrison who works for the London City originally as the Peculiar People. after his marriage to Susan Garnish his Mission (LCM), a charity which we habits continued; he was the despair We’re celebrating support, to come down for the day The founder of the Peculiar People, of his wife. At length in his early thirties Harvest by having and to take our services. At the end James Banyard, was a ploughman's he saw the error of his ways—a a Clue Hunt on of the day he will take the food which son born on the 31st January 1800 in sudden change came over him. After Saturday has been offered back to the part of the small market town of Rochford, in visiting a local fair he promised his wife afternoon, followed by a Church tea London where he works and distribute South-East Essex. This part of Essex was that he would attend the local in the evening—coming and enjoying it to the families that he knows given over to agriculture, and was, Wesleyan church on Sunday. This he a meal together. desperately need it. with other parts of the eastern did, and impressed with what he counties, the corn garner of England. heard, he joined the Wesleyan body, The Clue Hunt will begin at 3.00pm If you’d like to come along to just the Its politics were conservative, its soon becoming a zealous local and everyone is welcome to come tea then turn up at 5.00pm on religion earnestly non-conformist, a preacher. At the same time, he and join us. We’ll create teams and Saturday 19th September, in the back bastion of the Puritan cause from turned decisively from alcohol and walk around the local area to answer hall of the Church, or if you’d like to Elizabethan times. became a strict teetotaller. questions relating to the town and its come (and hopefully donate some landmarks—it is not a race! You’re food) to the Harvest service, it will start then more than welcome to stay (or at 11.00am on Sunday 20th just join us) for tea, beginning around September. 5.00pm, when you’ll also have the opportunity to find out who has won.

Church Anniversary

n the 18th October we will be God has done among the people of O celebrating our Church’s 95th the Church, and the people anniversary in the building that we associated with the Church. currently occupy. The Church building has been part of our community since Please join us for tea at 1914, although the Church as a group 4.45pm on the Sunday in of people met before that in a the back hall, different location in old Corringham. followed by a service of Every year we celebrate our birthday thanksgiving in the because it is good to remember the main Church at Location map showing the sixteen remaining UEC churches last year and the great things that 6.30pm.

- 6 - - 3 - Continued from Page 1 who had to leave their village and later return. story that the parents had either died or had abandoned their children in I could spend hours and write many order to find work. New homes were pages about the places that I had the recently built for them and they amazing opportunity to visit, the many proudly moved in in February; ever humorous stories, the places I stayed since they have had smiles on their and the challenging times. I could faces of pure joy! These also write many pages about poverty. Grandmothers (and many others who I But I wanted to share with you some of visited) showed me and challenged the most incredible people I have me about true hospitality. No matter ever met, who I have a great respect how little they had, what their houses for and from whom I’ve learnt so were built from, or without even much. My sole reason for going Cheryl travelled to Kenya with Hand in knowing what they would be eating children were found in a field and wasn’t for a gap year, a long holiday, Hand, a Christian development the next day, they wanted to brought to the home. Finally, Jane a career break or as a personal agency that exists to respond to the welcome people in, drink tea and in became an orphan as a result of HIV; challenge. I had to return to share needs and problems caused by some cases feed us with lots of she has grown up learning that she and spend time with the Kenyan poverty and injustice overseas. You cabbage and rice. has to take medication and knowing people. I have a Hope in Christ and can find out more details about HiH at that she isn’t healthy like the rest of the He has brought me through hard www.hihand.org I also specifically remember three girls, children. times. It was my turn to go and share Susan (15), Esther (13) and Jane (10). with them in their lives, stand by them Susan, along with her sisters, would be Another part of my trip involved a in whatever challenges they faced sent out every night in order to find group of Kenyan farmers and workers. and show them God’s love in men and money. Esther and her sister In March, a team of people from practical ways, however that may be. were victims of the post-election various churches in the UK came to violence, witnessing the destruction of Kenya to help plant aloe vera in their Incredibly though, I came away their home village, their mother being shambas. Three days into our work we challenged and learning more than I killed, fleeing with their Grandmother, discovered that when a Kenyan shouts ever thought possible, including how only for her to die too. The two at you to run then you run as fast as to disguise my serious dislike of tea! you can! A swarm of African bees However poor they may be, whatever turned our day into a terrifying challenges they face, in many ways experience, but the part of the story they really do have so much more… that must be told is that God clearly they choose to turn to God, they ask, protected us, and our Kenyan friends they pray and they earnestly thank showed great bravery. They were the Him for whatever He provides. We We will shortly be launching our 2009 people who saw the danger; they saw old Grandmothers on their knees Operation Christmas Child appeal. were the people who got us out of the crying with thanks. This in turn made During the appeal we collect field, they were the people who took me think that maybe, just maybe, it’s shoeboxes to send to less privileged us to safety and then went back when us here in the West that have got children throughout the world. If you four men couldn’t get to a member of some things a little wrong. We have so are interested in getting involved the team; they were the people who much but where (or perhaps more then please contact the editor who took sheets off their beds, soaked importantly) in whom do we place our will pass your details on to the co- them in water and threw them over us; trust? ordinator of the project. The e-mail and they were the people, after we address to send messages to is had fled and were taken to hospital, Cheryl Vickery [email protected]

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