Earlier in the year, before the church re-opened, we experienced a very different Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. 

 

During Holy Week, Deacon Michelle Legumi led a short time of prayer each evening, "walking" through some of the incidents that happened in the days leading up to Good Friday. She was using the Contemplative Tradition with readings, prayer, silence and deep listening to God. Our focus was to encounter God in the present moment and to think how we would have felt and what we would have done had we been there with Jesus at the time of his betrayal, trial and crucifixion.

 

Christians Together in Dover leaders provided a ‘Virtual’ Good Friday Walk of Witness this year. There were 10 stops along the route and at each stop a CTiD "Walk and Talk" was given by a local clergy or lay person. Each talked about a different key ‘Easter Voice’ from the Bible. The YouTube video of the walk also contains summary information about the key voluntary social outreach activities of CTiD including the Dover Foodbank, Dover Outreach Centre, Street Pastors, a money budgeting course, port chaplains' work, Songs of Praise in nursing homes, children's activities and holiday club, as well as practical help for vulnerable new mothers with babies.

There was also an Easter Light Party, the Easter story for children told by puppets Rosie and Dexter, plus an activity pack of quizzes and crafts. 

 

One of our members, Glenys Jeff, created an Easter scene in the window of Footprints @ The Beacon at 37 London Road, Dover CT17 0SS. The backdrop to it is pictured (right).

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 26 September was our Harvest Festival and we were pleased to have Mrs Samm Morris leading our worship. We brought gifts of fresh and tinned food which are being shared with Emmaus, Food Bank and the Pantry.

 

On Sunday 10 October we concentrated on Mental Health Sunday and the fact that so many people are now suffering from mental health issues. It is something many of us have experienced for the first time recently, and our Deacon Michelle Legumi encouraged us to be ready to talk to other people about it.

 

Walking with Amal

On Wednesday 20 October a number of our church members were among hundreds of people who gathered at Pencester Gardens to welcome Little Amal, a giant puppet travelling 8,000km in support of refugees.

 

The 3.5 metre-tall living artwork of a young Syrian refugee child has walked across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium before arriving in the UK to focus attention on the urgent needs of young refugees.

 

People had attended workshops to makle 500 star lanterns which accompanied Amal on an extraordinary procession through the town to Dover Castle where a new lighthouse was created.

 

Our thanks to everyone involved.

 

 

 

Aching Arms

 

Valerie Bowes was grateful for all the support for her "Forget me not" tea party in aid of Aching Arms on Saturday 23 October in our church hall.

 

A good number of people turned up to enjoy the tea, try to guess the name of the teddy, estimate how many sweets there were in the jar, and buy items from the other stalls, as well as finding out more about Aching Arms, the baby loss bereavement charity.

 

Thanks to everyone who came along.

 

 

 

Remembrance Sunday

 

We joined with everyone else across the nation in remembering those who gave their lives in the two world wars and other conflicts when we met for worship on Remembrance Sunday.

 

Our service was led by Linda Beverton.

 

One of our members, Glenys Jeff, created this poppy design to lead our thinking on this very special day.

 

 

 

"We will remember them."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative Church

 

Creative Church met in December to explore the message of Good News within the Christmas story.

 

Mr David Legumi, who was news reader for the day, shared some inspirational good news stories from around the world including Amarildo Silva Filho from Brazil. He saw piles of discarded tyres in his neighbourhood and turned the tyres into beds for 6,000 stray cats and dogs!

 

The children loved these stories and it inspired them to tell their own.

 

We then talked about the angels who appeared in the 1st Christmas story and their message of good news. Together we discussed what is good about the Christmas story and how is it good news for us and everyone today.

 

There were lots of answers including from a seven year old who said: "Jesus came into the world to show us love and hope".

 

 

For our craft time we made some wonderful Christmas angels. We had a great time sharing and fun!

 

Why not come and join us at our next Creative Church session on the first Sunday of each month?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas at The Beacon   Pictured (left) is the nativity scene created by Beacon church member Glenys Jeff in the reception area of Footprints. You can see it on the London Road frontage of our premises.                     And below are some photos from the Nativity Play which members of Creative Church performed on Sunday morning.