God's Gift of Peace
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Mpwapwa: A Decade of Links ochesterLink DECEMBER 2015/JANUARY 2016 see pages 6 and 7 for details God’s Gift of Peace Bishop James writes ast Christmas, I reflected on a life of joy and contentment, L‘O little town of Bethlehem’ and Jesus offers us that and urged you to pray for the experience now. ‘Heaven’ is communities of the Holy Land about the full coming of God’s and surrounding nations. And justice and peace, and Jesus sadly this year, I find myself makes real that possibility. repeating that urging – the need for God’s gifts of peace Of course it is true that we do and goodwill in those and other not in this life experience these places is greater than ever. things in full and final form. But our Christian faith is that these But let me add another line gifts of God may begin to be from that carol: ‘So God reality for us and for the world – imparts to human hearts we may have a foretaste, a first the blessings of his heaven.’ instalment. And this comes as At Christmas we celebrate Christ Jesus is ‘born in us today’. and proclaim that in Jesus This Christmas, may God impart everything we think of as afresh to us his wondrous gift ‘heaven’ breaks into our human and the blessings of his heaven. experience. ‘Heaven’ is about the close presence of God, and +James, Bishop of Rochester Jesus offers us the way into knowing that presence in our own lives. ‘Heaven’ is about The Wonder of Christmas By Virginia Corbyn We often hear the question school in Tunbridge Wells people that were important the children have thought ‘Do people today understand said, “At our School, we sing in the story and decided about Christmas, remember what Christmas is really about Jesus’ birth, we act out that the humble shepherds how much children can about?’ If you visit Rochester the story of the Nativity, we reflected our beliefs about continue to teach us. If we Cathedral before 2 February dance as we remember the joy how we should serve God.” think on this, it should come 2016, you will find out that the the shepherds and the kings For St Barnabas in Tunbridge as no surprise to us that Jesus children in our Church schools must have felt when they were Wells, their mobile helped came as a tiny child to teach all around the Diocese know visited by the Angel Gabriel.” them to think more about us everything that we need to exactly what Christmas is all For St John’s Infant School their Christian values and so, know. Wateringbury school about. With a simple plastic in Chatham, they explain by ”Each image on our mobile pupils say this better than I hoop, schools from every part saying, “We realised that every reminds us that, as a school, can, “Making our mobile (A of the Diocese have created a single person on our earth will we continue the tradition of Starry Night) made us think set of twelve Nativity mobiles see the very same stars that making the glory of the Word about Jesus being the light to hang in the Cathedral to the three kings saw no matter made flesh known in our of the world and helping to remind us all what is most where they live or what their parish and community.” us show the right path in our important about Christmas. beliefs are.” At St Nicholas’ own lives.” Infant School in Strood, If you get the opportunity to Explaining their ‘Host of making a giant mobile meant see the Nativity display in the Picture on left taken at heavenly Angels’, St John’s that, “We thought about the Cathedral and read about how Holy Trininty School, Dartford Copy deadline for the February issue of Rochester Link is 4pm on 15 January 2016. Copy to: [email protected] 2 ochester Link Caption Competition What’s on SEVENOAKS WATERINGBURY December 2, 9, 16 and 23 lunchtime recitals. Church 12 and 13 December. Angels and Cribs. 2.30 to 4.30pm of St Luke, Eardley Road, Sevenoaks. 1230. Admission The Church of St John the Baptist, Tonbridge Road, free. Refreshments available from 12 noon (2 Dec Trevor Wateringbury, ME18 5PA. Visit the church to see a Brearley, Organ. display of nativity cribs and angels and enjoy a cup of 9 Dec. Colin Baker Quartet. 16 Dec. New Benedict tea with angel cakes and biscuits. Entrance free. Singers. 23 Dec. Chris Lawton, Organ. ROCHESTER WATERINGBURY 11 and 12 December. Christmas Tree Festival. St Justus, 5 December. Kent Chamber Choir: Music for Advent and Rochester, ME1 2LT. Friday 11 12 noon – 6 pm. Saturday Christmas conducted by Alan Vincent with mezzo-soprano 12 December 10 am – 4 pm. For more information, Tabitha Reynolds, baritone John Harding and organist email [email protected], visit the Geoffrey Lester at the Church of St John the Baptist, website www.christmastreefestivalatstjustus.co.uk Captions to : [email protected] Tonbridge Road, Wateringbury ME18 5PA at 7.30pm. or ring the Rev Helen Burn on 01634 841183 By 31 December 2015 please. A varied evening’s entertainment including gems by John Rutter to mark his 70th birthday year and by the WILMINGTON late Sir David Willcocks, with traditional and less well 12 December. 7:30 pm. St Michael & All Angels’ known carols. Church, Church Hill, Wilmington DA2 7EH. An evening Lucky Dip! Christmas Stocking fillers Tickets at £10 (£5 children/students) available from of silent movies, songs from the shows and carols Ros Diment 01622 813032, Rebecca Moate featuring Bernard Tilley. £10 admission which includes We are giving away a few Your choices are: 07715 399320 and Wateringbury Post Office. wine and cheese Christmas Stocking Fillers. Signed copy of 1. Tickets from [email protected] All you have to do is email ‘Reconciliation’ by the ROCHESTER 01322 288235 or 07946 519061 your name and address with Rt Rev Dr Brian Castle 7 December. Using Social Media. Training session. the name of the item you CD ‘Love can be a Bumpy 2. 7.30 – 9.30 pm at the Diocesan Office, Rochester, ME18 ASH might like to win to: Road’ by Out of the Ashes 6BX. Cost £5. Contact: Sarah Cabella, 01634 560024. 13 December 7.30 pm Kent Chamber Choir. Words and [email protected] The Christmas Poem 3. Explore the benefits and pitfalls of using social media music for Advent and Christmas. Alan Vincent Conductor. Only one item and one application per household please. within your ministry. Examine best practice, guidelines Geoffrey Lester Organ. St Peter and St Paul Church Ash. No cash alternative will be offered. and safe social media practices. TN17 7HD. Tickets £10 (£5 for children and full-time Closing date: 14 December 2015. students) on the door or in advance from Jean Bentley ERITH 01474 872333 or at [email protected]; 11, 12 and 13 December. Erith Christmas Tree Festival, and Rebecca Moate on 07834 600563 or at CONTACT US Christ Church, Victoria Road, Erith, DA8 3AN. [email protected] In aid of Ash Church. News and letters to the Editor: 11 December 12 noon to 6 pm. 12 December 10 am till [email protected] 6 pm. 13 December 12 noon till 5 pm. Admission free 13 December. Sat 1000 to 1600 Sun 1400 to 1600. Telephone: 01634 560000 donations to charity. Christmas Tree Festival. St Peter and St Paul, Ash, TN17 ADVERTISEMENTS 7HD. Entry free. Donations welcome. Vote for your Email: [email protected] ERITH favourite tree. Copy for The Link needs to be typed and submitted by email please. 12 December. 7 pm. Christmas Musical Concert in Christ Images must be submitted as either a TIFF or a JPEG file of 300dpi. Church, Erith surrounded by Christmas trees! Bexleyheath 13 December. Lamberhurst Music Festival. 7.30 pm. (Set your digital camera to the highest quality setting and we will try to do Rock Choir Admission free - donation to charity. Carols by candlelight, sung by The choir of Selwyn the rest for you.) College Cambridge. St Mary, Lamberhurst. Typeset by JPS Designs - [email protected]. 07739 330996. ERITH Contact: www.lamberhurstmusic.co.uk 12 December. Christmas fair. Church hall, Christ Church, or phone 07812 192338 Erith. 10 am till 2 pm. Admission free , ERITH RELAX! WITH UP TO 4 000 USED CARS 13 December. Carols by Christmas tree light. 6.30 pm PRICE CHECKED DAILY, COMPREHENSIVELY LONDON Christ Church, Erith. CHECKED AND GUARANTEED 12 December 7.00pm. Michael Card with guests Celeste, Jeff Taylor, Chenoa Alamu and the St Thomas ROCHESTER on the Bourne Choir. Christmas Concert. Union Chapel, 13 December 12 noon to 4 pm, Craft Boutique, Carol YOU RE SURE TO FIND Compton Terrace, Islington, London, N1 2UN. Service at 6.30pm St Justus, Rochester. Live music ’ Tickets £20. Concessions £15 from:- throughout the weekend, refreshments, all age creative [email protected] 01252 678589 or Christmas session and Sunday Craft Boutique. Admission YOUR PERFECT 07957 302922. www.michaelcard.org.uk free. Donations to Wisdom Hospice. CAR! RAMRYGE ANGELS 10 December to 21 January. Rochester Cathedral. 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