Underriver Newssheet FEBRUARY 2018 The Church of St Margaret, Underriver Vicar: Rev Serena Willoughby St Lawrence Vicarage, Stone Street, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0LQ Telephone: 01732 761766 Email: [email protected] Church Calendar FEBRUARY 4 2nd Sunday before Lent Green 11:15 All-age Family Service Reading: Luke 2:22-40 11 Sunday next before Lent Green 8:00 Holy Communion (CW) Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 & Mark 9:2-9 11:15 Matins(BCP) Readings: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 & Mark 9:2-9 14 ASH WEDNESDAY Purple 10:00 Ash Wednesday Holy Communion Readings: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 & Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 18 1st Sunday of Lent Purple 11:15 Short Family Communion Readings: Genesis 9:8-17 & Mark 1:9-15 25 2nd Sunday of Lent Purple 11:15 Parish Communion Reading: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 & Mark 8:31-end 4 March 3rd Sunday of Lent Purple 11:15 All-age Family Service Readings: John 2:13-22 Key: BCP = Book of Common Prayer - a service using traditional (17th C) language and form; CW = Common Worship - a service using contemporary (21st C) language and form St Margaret’s Church Website St Margaret’s now has its own website. To keep up to date about services and events please see www.stmargaretsunderriver.org.uk 2 FROM THE VICAR Hello everyone, As we begin February, the New Year’s resolutions can seem a long time ago now can’t they, how are you all getting on with keeping them? I’ve done so well that I’ve had to searched for spirituality, (a deeper replace my now famous white relationship with God and therefore trainers, well in all honesty it wasn’t a renewed understanding of oneself) the many miles I was running in in all religions. However he was at them but more like a close times been quite negative about the encounter with a puddle outside St depth of spirituality within the Lawrence’s at the beginning of Christian Church. Maybe that’s the January! impression the Church gives I guess it’s really a case of thinking sometimes but the reality is very that every day is a fresh start and different. In my experience in Parish even if we haven’t kept our new life and as a Chaplain in schools it’s year’s resolutions then we always different too. People of all ages have the opportunity of a fresh start. across the country and world are Certainly the Christian faith experiencing God is such a new and teaches this, Jesus tells us that when exciting way and many people are we believe in Him then we are a new really deepening their relationships creation, the old has gone and the with God as they see that what the new has come. It’s also, unlike our secular world has to offer isn’t new year’s resolutions, not scratching that itch or meeting them something we do in our own at that deepest place. strength. We are given a gift, the I also see and hear that in the Holy Spirit, God’s spirit which lives in conversations ’I ve been having with us enabling us to be the people God you all as I get to know you across created us to be, albeit a process, it both villages I serve. means we are not doing all this in As we go into Lent a wonderful our own strength. time of reflection and contemplation There was a programme on TV a before Easter can I encourage you to couple of years ago which followed a take time to see what more God has Church of England Vicar as he (Continued on page 4) 3 (Continued from page 3) for you, it is never-ending. His Pudding and Penance! relationship is for all of us and as Do join us for a Lent course Christmas has shown us, he is a God “Finding a voice” based on the film of surprises, an exciting and The King’s Speech challenging God. At St Margaret’s and St Lawrence’s Wednesday evenings from there are opportunities to seek out February 21st this great God who seeks you and as 7.30pm at The Vicarage we lead up to Easter we just how much He does that. Please come and explore. More details to follow, or call All my love, Serena 761766 or Gretel 761534 Serena x CHURCH NEWS generous donation, which was grate- Sevenoaks Foodbank fully received by all our recipient fami- Underriver people are generous lies. We would like to especially thank supporters of our local food bank Jill Scott for the kind donation of so Loaves and Fishes. Just before Christ- many lovely Christmas cakes. We wish mas Janet Rucker received a lovely you all a happy Christmas and a Happy card from the trustees showing a pen- New Year.” cil and watercolour sketch of a Japa- Andrea Pierce nese witch hazel by the very well- known Scots artist Charles Rennie St Margaret’s Appeal Mackintosh. A big thank you to all those who “Thank you so much for delivering have generously given to St Margaret’s all the Christmas donations to our following our appeal. An encouraging foodbank from St Margaret’s Church, total has been received so far. A fuller Underriver. Please pass on our sincere report will follow later. thanks to the congregation for such a 4 Save the Date! St. Lawrence Church and School celebrates 150 years Please join us for a weekend of celebration Friday evening – Sunday midday 15 – 17th June 2018 Details to follow. Prayer Times for the benefice • Friday 9th Feb at 2.00pm - The Vicarage • Tuesday 20th Feb at 2.00pm - The White House • Weds 7th March 2.00pm - 50 the Crescent • Thursday 22nd March at 2.00pm - Grenadier, Riding Lane The size of our congregations By Dr Peter Brierley The size of a congregation is significant in a number of ways. Larger church- es, for example, have more resources, both in people and (usually) finance, to undertake more activities. It is surprising, though, just how many smaller churches have numerous activities being undertaken frequently by a dedicated army of often older people, faithfully labouring behind the scenes. The number of congregations in England which are comprised of under 50 people is about half, or 54%. In the Church of England, about five per cent of these ‘under 50’ churches number only seven people, and about 25 per cent of these churches number 15 people. Turning to the larger churches, across the 0.5% of largest churches, the attendance is 700 (excluding the six churches with attendance in four figures, two of which are in central London [HTB and All Souls]). Across the largest 5% the average congregation is 150, and across the largest 25% it is 60. Across the whole country and across all denominations the median size of congregation is 44 people; which means that is there are almost 20,000 church- es with fewer than that on a Sunday, while 20,000 have more. In America, the size issue takes totally different dimensions, since there are probably about 1,500 “mega-churches”, those with more than 2,000 on a Sun- day. There are probably a further 15,000 what they call “medium-sized” churches, that is, with between 500 and 2,000 attenders, with something like 325,000 churches catering for 34 million churchgoers. 5 Underriver Village Association Chairman: Miles Hayward Annual Membership £10 per household - To join contact [email protected] Pilates Classes BOOT CAMP Mondays 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm Fast paced circuit based workout Tuesdays 9:25 am Every Tuesday 7.30pm Contact: Zoe George 07950 494 335 Contact: Chris - Email: [email protected] email: [email protected] or call 07796 www.zoegeorgepilates.com 693756 Cookies Kitchen The Band Jam Children's cookery classes held during Runs a three day courses in Underriver during school holidays & at weekends. school holidays for young singers and For further information - musicians aged between 8-14 years old. For further information - email: [email protected] or call email: [email protected]. 07786 271227 Telephone: 07786 166009 Dates for your diaries: • Monday February 19th Ladies Choir • Monday February 26th Ladies Choir • Saturday March 3rd UVA Quiz Night • Saturday 24th March Hort Soc Spring Show • Saturday 5th May Hort Soc Plant Sale at Absaloms • Friday May 11th UVA Golf Day • Saturday 21st July Hort Soc Summer Show • 25th October Hort Soc AGM and Supper - 7.30pm 6 Underriver Village Christmas Dinner On a chilly Friday evening in December 54 villagers sat down to a delicious meal at The White Rock. It was a fantastic opportunity for us all to get together and enjoy catching up with old friends and make acquaintances with our new- est neighbours. The food and service were exceptional thanks to Frank and his staff who looked after us admirably. During the evening we held a raffle and I am delighted to tell you that we raised £300 towards Sevenoaks First Respond- ers. Thank you for all your raffle contributions and for helping us to raise a good amount for a very worthwhile charity. Belinda Goodwin Unsung Heroes ! I would like to personally thank all the newssheet distributors who come rain or shine happily deliver your newssheet through your letterbox for me. Namely Mary Owlett, Louise Hayward, Sophie Honnywill, Jill Scott, Brenda Leafe, Arthur Rucker, Christopher Hurrion, Jennifer Fair, Kit Thornton, Ted Mills, Libby Payne, Robert Talbot, Sarah Rook, Ruth Hawker, Angela Ridge and Karen Hambilton.