Town Chaplains in Newbury

Town Chaplains in Newbury.

The project was launched on Thursday 17^th November with the Mayor of Newbury, Jeff Beck cutting a cake and an extensive article in the Newbury Weekly News. The cake was taken around the shops for the shop employees and the public to enjoy.

 

Maree also recorded an interview on Newbury Sound to endorse this new town centre initiative.

The idea behind this initiative is that members of the team are available for both shop workers, market traders and shoppers alike.

“Among you, with you, for you: a caring, listening ear”

So many people carry burdens and worries of different kinds, and by giving them an opportunity for people to share them, it will make a difference to them as individuals and our community.

The team wear blue “Chaplain” gilets to make themselves easily identifiable and initially will be in town on Thursday mornings., though it is hoped it will be increased in the future. Volunteers have come from other Methodist churches in the Circuit and other churches in the town. There will be a second training day on Saturday 10^th March.

If you wish to find out more, please contact Maree for further details. minister@newburymethodistchurch.org.uk

AGM : Tuesday 15th November

CTNA + COINS AGM.  On Tuesday 15th November, 2011, at 7.30pm
at St. Mary’s Church, Shaw-cum-Donnington.
Everyone is welcome to come and see what CTNA (Christians Together in the Newbury Area) and COINS (Christian Outreach in Newbury Schools) have been doing in the last year and to share the excitement of what is hoped to be achieved in the coming year.

Town Chaplains Launch on Thursday

THURSDAY 17TH NOVEMBER

Town Chaplains Launch in Kennet Centre at 10am.

Please support us with your prayers, and your presence for a few minutes -
and enjoy a piece of cake with us.

 

A small team of Christians from local churches will be seen regularly around the Town (identifed by their chaplain gilet )offering a caring, listening ear - a demonstration of the love of Christ to workers and shoppers in our community.

Maree Farrimond

Bus of Hope

  Bus of Hope:-    Fund Raising Events

(1) An Indoor Car Boot and Table Top Sale

          At Newbury College on the 15th October 2011.  Time 11am to 2 PM. Tables £7

          This will include craft and home made items for sale.

          For more information and to book a space, contact Mary Broadhurst on 01635 297042.

(2) Coffee Morning At Newbury Town Hall

            19th November 2011  10am  to 12 o’clock

            Come and see the inside of your Town Hall and have a coffee / Tea and a piece of lovely cake.

            For more information contact Enid Boyce on 01635 41637

(3) Fun Quiz Night

             25th November 2011 at the Kennet Christian Centre (KCC) Time 7.15pm for a sharp start at 7.30pm

             Cost per person £1. Teams to be between 6 to 10 people.  Arrange a team and book a table ASAP space is limited.

             If you cannot raise a team and want to come let us know and we will put you in a team.

             For more information contact Enid Boyce on 01635 41637

Please come and support these projects and bring your friends. We have raised over £9000 and need to raise another £15000 to buy a bus and to fit it out .

Irish Evening

On Friday 14 October there will be a Ceilidh (Irish dancing) to support Shoemakers Christian bookshop, featuring the traditional Irish band Inisheer.

The venue is St George’s Hall and the fun starts at 7:30.

Tickets cost £10 and include supper (homemade soup and ploughman’s).

More information and tickets can be obtained from the organisers or Shoemakers bookshop (tel: 01635 37836)

Steve, Shoemakers, The Arcade, Market Place, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5AD,Tel: 01635 37836, www.christophershoemaker.org.uk

Newbury Joint Churches Alpha Course

Newbury Joint Churches Alpha Course runs on Wednesday evenings, from 28th September to 30th November, meeting at St Nic’s hall starting at 7.30pm.

All churches are welcome to take part in this.

Alpha is an excellent introduction to the Christian faith, and is suitable for enquirers and also for Christians wanting a ‘brush up’.

The evenings will consist of desserts/ cheese and biscuits (full meal on week 1) followed by a talk and discussion groups.

 

Churches can either send one or two leaders with others and have their own church discussion group, or individuals are welcome to come and join one of the other groups for discussion. Phone John Clarke (41075) for more info. Invitaion leaflets are available from St Nicolas Church office.

‘Send a Prayer’ – Connecting People to God

A team of people from 5 churches continue to offer prayer to the community once a month outside St Nicolas Church.

We would appreciate your prayer support.

If you could offer 15 minutes between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm on Saturday 24th September, please contact sendaprayer@ctna.org.uk.

Prayer Breakfasts 2011

  Prayer Breakfasts for the remainder of 2011 will take place as follows:

8th October            Methodist Church Hall.

12th November      Salvation Army – PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE.

10th December      St. Marys, Greenham.

CTNA PRAYER BREAKFASTS, 7.30-9.00am.

Please come and join in prayer for ourselves and for our growing witness in our community.   All are very welcome.

Prayer Breakfasts

These meetings are not just for leaders but for anyone who would like to meet and share with other Christians from around the town and pray together for what’s going on.

All begin at 7.30 am.

Dates for 2010 are:

January 9th – Salvation Army
February 13th – St Nicolas
March 13th – St George’s
April 10th – St Mary’s, Greenham
May 8th – Glendale
June 12th – St Nicolas
July 10th – Newbury Methodist Church
August – no meeting
September 11th – St Mary’s, Greenham
October 9th – Kennet Christian Centre
November 13th – St Mary’s, Shaw
December 11th – Newbury Baptist Church

CTNA Election Hustings – The Questions

Here are the questions which were sent in for yesterday evening’s hustings event (listed in the order in which they were received). Candidates who would like to answer any of the questions we didn’t have time for are welcome to send responses to info@ctna.org.uk

1. I should like to know what the candidates’ response is to the continued detention of the children of Asylum seekers.  I gather that the Lib Dems have pledged to bring this to an end, what are the views of other local candidates? (Isobel Collyer)

2. I would like to ask the candidates if they support all that is written in the Westminster 2010 Declaration (see here for details). If not what parts can they not support? (Peter Boyce)

3. Hannah Cooper is reported as dreading the thought of a Conservative government as they would cut benefits. I’d like to know what Hannah thinks of the fact that the Labour government has turned the welfare system into a lifestyle choice for far too many who have no intention of working. (anonymous)

4. If no single party gets an overall majority, would you see the result as a “hung parliament” or a “balanced parliament”? (Simon Pike)

5. a. The current school fees at Nick Clegg’s old school, Westminster, are £28,000 a year and it is without doubt one of the best in the country. Why was he so adamantly anti Grammar School on the TV Debate when it is the only way that a very bright child from a poor family can get a first class education and not be slowed down by the slower learners in State Schools? b. Would the Chairman please ask members of the audience the following question: Please put your hand up if having won the lottery, you would still send your children to a State School, and not consider a Private School like Nick Clegg or David Cameron went to. (William Austin)

6. In view of the fact that the Nuclear Deterrent has kept the peace in Europe for 65 years does the panel think that Nick Clegg’s plan, not to update Trident, is taking a risk? (William Austin)

7. Nick Clegg’s comment that Brown must be desperate to want to join his party to the Lib Dems can be taken two ways. Which way should we take it? A good idea, or the last straw! (William Austin)

8. What is your view of the EU refusing to acknowledge God in its Lisbon Treaty, and how long do you think it will be before it becomes an offence to publicly acknowledge God in the UK? (anonymous)

9. With the recent cases of a number of Christian guest-house owners, being taken to court over refusing to let rooms to homosexuals, do you think it is right on moral grounds to refuse a service to someone who, in your view, is corrupt? (anonymous)

10. My question would be to Richard Benyon, to ask why he’s so keen for the Government to encourage and promote the export of arms to countries around the world, and why he opposed the closure of DESO (the Defence Export Services Organisation), despite campaigns in favour from human rights organisations and church leaders. The question could be extended to the other candidates by asking them their opinions on the UK’s role in arms trading as well. (Tom Waters)

11. If elected, will they oppose any extension of Sunday trading hours in shops? Will they support a reduction of 24/7 licensing? (James and Carol Cochrane)

12. The BBC receives £3.5 billion each year. In the light of today’s economic climate, the development of broadcasting generally and recent events within the BBC, do the candidates consider this amount of public money can be currently justified and how do the candidates see the future of broadcasting in this country? (Roy Tubb)

13. I wish to put the following question to the candidates this evening. I realise the issue is sensitive, and so I have put alternative questions on the same topic, to be considered in the order given. a. Going to war is a grave matter. We invaded both Iraq and Afghanistan on the basis of claims which were later found to be untrue. If elected to parliament, will you call for a public inquiry into the invasion of Afghanistan? b. Have party candidates received instructions from headquarters: “Don’t mention the war”, in accordance with the CIA report into shoring up Afghan war support in Western Europe, which was recently leaked by wikileaks.org ? c. If after the election you find yourselves in the cabinet, what lessons would you hope to learn, and at whose expense? (Ian Fantom)

14. I would like that the candidates be quizzed on Health Care services in Newbury. I would like to know if they think it is justified that we appear to have fewer services now than we did 20 years ago when Newbury was much smaller. (Nina Flynn)

15. Recognising that there are many church schools serving this area, what is your parties policy on the future support and development of Faith Schools? (Francis Connolly)

16. It would now be easily possible to incorporate a device in all new road vehicles, that automatically constrains them to travel at a speed within the limit in force on the road where the vehicle is, e.g. by means of GPS. If this system was in general use, it would be effective in improving road safety, and also greatly improve fuel consumption of vehicles, thus deceasing their carbon footprint. In order to ensure that this system was installed and used, it would be necessary to pass legislation in parliament (as in the case of seat belts). Would you be in favour of this, and, if not, what are your objections to it? (Alan Booth)