St Johns Newsletter Issue2

8/20/2019 St Johns Newsletter Issue2

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Welcome

St John’s ChurchFelbridge

Welcome to the second edition of our magazine. Onceagain you will nd stories and articles from “disciples-in-the-making” as we seek to live our lives with God and forGod – and to be honest, quite often getting it all wrong! Butwe hope you will nd here something that is of interest toyou and may encourage you about how God is at work inpeople’s lives today.

In this issue, there’s a particular focus on suffering. Of coursewe all know in our experience that the world is not as wewant it to be, it is not as it should be… and it is not how Godcreated it to be either.

But there is hope in the message of Christianity, the messageof God sending his Son into our world, that God’s plan andpurpose is to put things right in an extraordinary way.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, there will be nomore death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).

Until then we live in a world where suffering will be all too

familiar, whether we are Christians or not. How can we getthrough difcult times? Where can we nd strength? DoesGod even care? And is he able to use even the bad things inour lives for good? You’ll nd inside a few stories from a fewpeople who are discovering a few of the answers.

MARK FRANCIS (vicar)


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A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A MINISTRY APPRENTICE Abby Benjamin is our Ministry Apprentice at St. John’s.

HI ABBY. THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO BE QUIZZED

ABOUT A FEW THINGS.

Hello! Firstly, I would just like to say a huge thank you for all the

love and support I have received since joining St. John’s. You have

all been so kind and welcoming and it already feels like I have

been here my whole life! In reality I have only been here 6 months

but wow, the time has own by.

WHICH PART OF THE COUNTRY HAVE YOU SWAPPED FOR

SUNNY FELBRIDGE?

I am from Christchurch, near Bournemouth (much sunnier!). I lived

with my parents and 4 older sisters, who I am extremely close to.

Two of my sisters, Emma and Katie, now live in London, whichis lovely because it means they are only a half-hour train ride

away. One of my sisters, Amy, is married and has a two year son,

who we all absolutely adore! And my other sister, Rachel, lives

at home. I spent the last three years at Royal Holloway University

in Egham, reading History, which I really enjoyed. I grew up in a

Christian home, but it was during my time at university that my faith

developed and grew.

WHAT DO YOU GET UP TO EACH WEEK?

Okay, here goes...

MONDAY

Morning: Preparation time for groups I’ll be leading during the

week.

Afternoon: Part of my training includes studying for a Certicate

in Theology with the Moore College Course so I do some of my

work and reading for this (oh, and of course, once a month it’s

Connections, our group for seniors at church!).

TUESDAY

The other part of my training is at the SGP Ministry Training

Course which is on Tuesdays in Hayward’s Heath along with

others working for churches in the South-East. In the evening I’m

part of the Home Group that meets at Tom and Abbie’s house.

WEDNESDAY Morning: I go to the Women’s Bible Study Group to run the

crèche so that the mums with young children can concentrate on

the Bible Study.

Afternoon: More Moore College course studying...

Then of course it’s Prayer on Wednesday once a month in the

church.

THURSDAY

I begin the day in the Church Ofce getting for XTB club

(Explore The Bible) at Felbridge Primary School (or sometimes

helping Mark take an assembly at the school, which has included

popping out of a big Bible, dressed up as characters, such as

Abraham and King David!).XTB club at lunchtime, playing games, singing songs, making

posters and learning Bible stories.

After this, I have my one-to-one with Sarah, and then probably

preparation for the Sunday children’s groups.

FRIDAY

Morning: Church staff meeting, or nal preparations for Youth

Group in the evening.

Afternoon: More Moore College studying...

And then Youth Group in the evening. We have a meal together,

a Bible study and play some games (usually Killer Uno!).

SATURDAY

Day off – I usually see my sisters, or my boyfriend, James, or

university friends.

SUNDAY

Sunday Services, morning and evening – you’ll probably nd

me in Out of the World or The Rock or sometimes leading theprayers or doing one of the readings in the services.

YOU HAVE MENTIONED THE MOORE COLLEGE AND SGP

TRAINING – WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF

YOUR THEOLOGY TRAINING SO FAR?

I rI really enjoyed studying Mark’s Gospel with Moore College.

It was written for a Gentile audience and is a very interactive

narrative that draws the reader in. It has two main sections: the rst

focussing on ‘Who is Jesus?’ and the second looking into ‘What

did Jesus come to do?’ and ‘What does it mean to follow Him?’

These sections are linked by Peter’s confession, in Mark 8:29, which

answers the question of the rst section and leads the reader to

ponder the questions of the second section.

One of my favourite weeks at the SGP training course was at the

British Museum. We had a guided tour looking at various different

exhibits, all of which were related to the history recorded in the

Bible. Being a recent history graduate this was the best trip I could

ask for, and it showed how historically accurate the Bible is – so

accurate that even the British Museum use Bible references in

some of their explanation plaques!

This term I am studying the rst books of the Bible and Doctrine, in

particular looking at what the Bible teaches us about God, as well

as Exodus in details and Old Testament Narrative.

JUST A FEW FINAL QUESTIONS FOR YOU IF THAT’S OKAY...

CUSTARD CREAM OR BOURBON?

Bourbon...it’s both chocolate and biscuit.

CYCLING OR WALKING?

Cycling.

TEA OR COFFEE?

Always tea...milk and no sugar (in case you plan to make me one!)

CHICK-FLICK OR HORROR MOVIE?

Well, I probably wouldn’t choose either if action, adventure or

fantasy were on offer. But chick-ick would denitely come before

horror movies.Thank you so much, Abby.

Please do be praying for Abby in her work here with us, and don’t

forget to invite her round for lunch or dinner, or just a cup of tea...

milk no sugar!


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STEPPING INTO CHURCH

Sunday services at 10am and 6pm (and 8am on the 2nd & 4th Sundays)

WHAT WAS IT THAT MADE YOU START COMING TO ST. JOHN’S?

Ben and Delphine: It was the children! They were asking us

all sorts of questions about life and Jesus. We called ourselves“non-practicing Christians” but found it harder and harder to

answer their questions. Coming rst to the Christmas Craft

Afternoon followed by the Christmas Service was a turning point.

And to be perfectly honest, I think we were looking for answers

ourselves but never took the time to nd out!

Valerie: It had been a difcult year. Having recently movedhouse and soon after my husband died very suddenly. Following

this I had several debilitating health issues. My family were

concerned that I was not getting the spiritual care I needed and

I knew I was stagnating, not being challenged in church life and

not growing spiritually. My daughter suggested I tried one of the

Sussex Gospel Partnership churches, the nearest one being St.John’s.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST THING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE?

Ben and Delphine: Most denitely the warm, kind welcomewe’ve received from everyone. It is hard to nd such kindness out

there and the contrast with what we were used to overwhelmed

us. And then there’s the learning, the never-ending learning!

The growth that we have experienced and the excitement

of continuous growth! When you think about this positive

experience you quickly realise that it is God at work and how he

is wonderfully inuencing Christians.

Valerie: I met a kind lady the rst time I came who she sat withme, told me about the service, took me to coffee afterwards and

introduced me to people. I knew that day it was the right place

for me. I appreciated the Bible teaching and the opportunity for

midweek prayer and Bible study as part of a home group, as well

as various social activities. I love seeing the children and young

people and feel part of a real Christian family, with people caring

and supporting each other.

WHAT DID YOU FIND THE HARDEST THING COMING TO THE

CHURCH FOR THE FIRST TIME?

Ben and Delphine: I guess if it wasn’t for the children, wewould still be lost. The hardest thing is making that rst step togo inside the Church. When you have children, you can use them

as an excuse. Maybe the Connections group helps the older

generation to make that step.

Valerie: The thought of change at this time in my life wasdifcult, and having been married for 52 years I couldn’t face

going anywhere new on my own. For months I stayed where I

was until one Sunday morning when praying I felt the Lord was

saying, “Go to St. John’s today.”

Since then I have never looked back and am happy to be with my

new Christian family. My own family were also delighted to seethe change in me. Now I can say once, again, The steadfast love

of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end, they

are new every morning, great is your faithfulness

(Lamentations 3:22-23).

Everyone is welcome at any of ourSunday services.

We often have new people or visitors joining us each week. You

don’t need to believe or know anything, there is no dress code,and no-one will put you on the spot – just come as you are and

we hope you receive a friendly welcome.

If you are coming for the rst time, it may be helpful to have the

following information:

• There is a church car park in The Glebe behind the church

• The toilets are located in the church hall

• Disabled access is via the north door

• Children’s groups (3-14s) and crèche (0-2s) take place in the

church hall during our 10am service – one of our team will be

happy to tell you all about these if your children wish to join

in (but we are also always happy if children would prefer tostay in church for the service).

Walking into a church on aSunday for the rst time can bea daunting experience:

- What will the service be like?- Where will I sit?

- Will anyone talk to me?- Will I know what’s going on?

We caught up with a couple of our newestmembers at St. John’s to nd out abouttheir experience…


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Suffering and

Serious IllnessPeter Davies, a regular speaker at St John’sover many years, spoke on this subject a few years ago.

Here are some of his key points...

My grandson, David, died 10 years ago having been struck

down by an acute and fatal leukemia with no warning. During

his illness and since then, I have found myself struggling with all

sorts of questions. I am convinced it is foolish to pretend to havea complete answer to why God allows these things. It’s equally

wrong to assume we should have the answer.

One of the places I turned to was the book of Job in the Bible. He

suffered far, far more than any of us ever will and he realises by the

end of the book that he has no right to demand an explanation

of God as to why he had been put through so much pain. He

admits, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things far too

wonderful for me to know.”

But God has given some answers. We may not know why one

person is singled out for a disease, but we can know part of the

reason why diseases exist. We can also know how to react in a way

that pleases the Lord. The main problem for many is why would

a God who is good and loving allow suffering? And at times it is

suffering on a vast scale. In a world of pain, whether terrorism or

tidal waves or in one child’s serious illness, where is God? And what

is he up to? The Bible says He has the whole world in His hands.

Sometimes He does perform amazing miracles of mercy. At other

times He seems to be deaf to our cries for help, and He allows us to

be targets for evil people, dangerous viruses, and natural disasters.

Now we may never fully solve this puzzle, not in this world anyway,

but God has given us enough pieces to help us to trust Him even

when we don’t know as much as we would like to know.

Some of you may be living with some personal fear or tragedy

today. What you need right now is not some three part sermon

on why. What you need most is a listening ear, a warm hug or just

someone to sit quietly with you. But, at some point along the way,

you will also need the truth of God’s word to comfort you, and to

help you see your problem from God’s side. But even the Bible

has no complete and knockdown explanation for suffering. And

therefore people tend to think like this: ‘A God who is all-powerful

and loving would surely be able to put a stop to all this suffering.

But because suffering exists, God can’t be all-powerful and loving’.

QED. But that isn’t the only approach. I believe in a God who is all-

powerful and loving. If suffering exists, as indeed it does, God musthave his own good reasons for permitting it. And that’s what this

article tries to explore.

I want to make 5 short statements about the mystery of serious

illness. These are my own views from studying the Bible and from

events in my own life and in my family.

1. All sickness is primarily of the devil and due to sin. What I

mean is Satan is the original and the basic cause of all sin, and

sickness is part of it. Notice I say primarily, not directly. If you are

rushed into hospital tonight it does not mean that you have had asinful weekend, and this is God paying you back. You remember

the mistake the disciples made when they said of the man born

blind: “Lord,” they said to Jesus, “whose sin made him blind – this

man’s or his parents’?” Jesus says it was neither (John 9). The

disciples assumed, and wrongly so, that man’s suffering was due

directly to human sin. Yet if sin had never come into this world

through the treachery of Satan, sickness wouldn’t have come either.

2. God wants his people to be healthy, but he sometimes allows

sickness. His purpose is to make us whole and wholesome

people. But he sometimes permits sickness in our lives.

3. All sickness CAN be cured if God chooses to do so. And God

often does cure, sometimes when every human effort has failed.

4. It is not always God’s will to cure. There are Christian people

who sadly may bully you or rebuke you for not getting well.

‘It’s only because you haven’t got enough faith,’ they say. That

is a terrible thing to say to someone who is suffering. Some

may remember the ne Christian leader, David Watson, who

died of cancer a generation or so ago. Thousands, even tens of

thousands, of Christians were praying for his recovery the world

over. But God did not intervene, the disease took its course,

and David Watson died. And the same thing happened on a far

less public stage to another David, my grandson. It is not alwaysGod’s will to cure.

5. It IS always God’s will that the suffering of a Christian should

glorify his Son. This could come about in the way that suffering

is borne by the sick person or by their family, or it could come

about by an unbeliever being persuaded of the truth of the

gospel. It could restore a back-slider. It could strengthen the

faith of someone who is already a Christian. Whichever way it

happens, Jesus gets the glory. Jesus is often gloried far more

through a person’s illness than he is through perfect health.

Now on the basis of those statements, how should we ourselvesreact to serious illness? It may not yet have come our way. One

day it well might. It may be our own illness, or it may be someone

who is near and dear to us. How should we react so that it may

glorify Christ?

Let me suggest this: God’s purpose in sickness is very often one or


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both of two things: testing and trusting. And I see each of them as

a way in which a Christian can turn sickness to the glory of God.

1. Testing. A testing of our own faith. The Christian who is sufferingshould assume that, even though God can heal, the faith that he

or she is asking for (and therefore the faith he or she will be given

by God) may not be for healing, but may be for patient suffering.

The faith that we get may be for a cure – praise God if it is! But it

may be to endure. The three young men condemned to the ery

furnace in the book of Daniel in the Bible say politely but rmly to

King Nebuchadnezzar, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver

us, but if not (that is to say, if he chooses not to), we will still go on

believing in him” (Daniel 3).

Do I truly believe in the living power of the risen Jesus to cure,

if that is his purpose? Am I also prepared not be healed, shouldGod’s purpose for me not be testing, but instead trusting?

2. Trusting. God sees in his innite wisdom something that we can’t

always see. God sees that some of his children can be trusted with

suffering, and that glory will come in this way. The story of Job is a

prime example, and it’s there in the Bible just for this purpose. We

now know, although Job did not know at the time, that his life was

a test case. He showed that we can still trust God and keep our

integrity even when life utterly falls apart around us. Why? Because

God is always worth trusting. Job did not understand what God

was up to – indeed, he had every reason to think that God was

unfair, cruel, sadistic even. But his trust never falters and he workshis way through those agonising times in a way that will never

be forgotten (thanks to his story being in our Bibles). For God’s

own glory and for the eternal good of some people who are very

special to him, God actually honours them by entrusting them with

suffering. Now I wonder, do you nd that difcult to accept? How

can suffering be an honour? And I think I would myself nd much

more difculty in this if I didn’t have the example of my own father.

My father was a professional cricketer. He played for Glamorgan

for over thirty years before and after the war. He was good enough

to be chosen for England’s tour to India in 1939 but, alas, the ship

had to turn back two days out of Southampton because war was

declared. When his playing days were over, he became a very

good Test Match umpire, but he had to give up umpiring because

of a debilitating disease. He took 12 years to die from it, and in the

end he became completely disabled. I went to see him in our old

home in Wales shortly before he died, and when I got up to leave

that day both of us knew it would be the last time we would be

together, in this world. He could hardly speak, he was so weak, but

he motioned for me to come close to him, and, what he whispered

I recognised as a verse from the Book of Job. It was in Welsh: we

were a Welsh-speaking family and indeed you shall hear it in thelanguage of Heaven. ‘Pe lladdai efe , eto mi a obeithiaf ynddo’ -

‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.’ (Job 13:15). The greatest

sermon I have ever heard! Now, at the time I have to tell you, I was

far from God. I had the sort of job where it was a big temptation to

think only in terms of money and more money and status and that

sort of thing. I was drifting in dangerous waters, and what’s more I

knew it. But those few dying words were enough to bring me back

to my spiritual senses, and but for them, I wouldn’t be here today.

There are people whose suffering is ugly and cruel, but they

can turn it into something that is noble, and as they do so, not

only do they nd the strength for living out their own life, theycan transform other lives as well. I saw it happening in a rather

different way with our young David last year. The boy’s bravery and

resolve had a deep, deep effect on youngsters his own age, and

those same qualities in his parents were an inspiration to so many

people. My point is this: whether or not they realise it, how some

people cope with suffering is a precious and an astounding victory

both for themselves and for the God in whom they trust.

If I’m honest, I have to end on the note I began: In this life there are

bound to be more questions than answers. Any truth of Scripture

that we explore is likely to lead us sooner or later to the boundaries

of the vast secret things that belong to God alone. And sicknessand suffering is one of those topics. Only God knows it all, and

He chooses not to pass on to us everything that He knows. And

even at our very highest spiritual point, we are utterly dependent

on God’s Word and on God’s Spirit for any truth that He wants to

disclose to us. Great indeed is the mystery of Godliness!

A PRAYEROur Father, help us to see that we may need sickness

for the good of the soul, even more than health for the

good of the body. For those of us who are t and well,let us be grateful that our good health is a gift of yours,

and will you forgive us for taking it so often for granted.

Whether in sickness or in health, let a sincere concern

for Your glory be our ultimate motive for living, and may

all the glory be yours. Amen.

1 Walking with God through Pain and

Suffering, Timothy Keller

2 Depression: Looking up from the stubborn

darkness. Edward T Welch

3 A Shelter in the Time of Storm: Fifty-two

meditations on Psalm 27 to instruct and

encourage us to worship God through the ups and

downs of life. Paul David Tripp

4 How Long O Lord: Reections on suffering and

evil. Don Carson

Book recommendations


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ONE JOURNEY I WOULD RATHER NOT REPEAT, BUT IT HAS A HAPPY ENDING!

We all have dreams of

places to go, things to do

in our lifetimes, so it was

with great expectations

that Mike and I set off on

our holiday to Mexico in

October 2013. My dream

had always been to swim

with dolphins ever sinceI was a child. We were

really looking forward to

being so close to these

wonderful creatures

but there was one black

cloud hanging over our

holiday of a lifetime. Only

a few weeks earlier I had

discovered a lump in my breast one Sunday morning. I went

straight to the doctor on Monday. This was the start of a different

journey for Mike and I.

We had a fantastic holiday and tried hard not to think aboutwhat was ahead of us. I underwent several mammograms and

investigative operations over the next few weeks and constantly

told myself that “God was with me.” I was nally told on the

28th December that I had breast cancer and would need a

mastectomy within a month.

It was devastating news! Mike was with me all the way, listening

to the surgeon giving me my options, speaking to the Macmillan

nurse etc. Telling my children was one of the hardest things I had

to do.

It was in the New Year that I really felt my journey to recovery was

going to start. We talked incessantly about our feelings as openly

as we could but there were times for both of us when our tearswould ow alone. As I put away the Christmas decorations and

packed away the wooden Nativity gures I had bought only the

year before I did wonder whether I would be around to get them

out again and enjoy another Christmas.

I was due to have my operation on Tuesday 28th January and

gradually the fear was setting in. I tried hard to conceal it and

put on a brave face, but inside was a different story. I was able to

draw strength from my family and also many friends, particularly

those at St. John’s who I knew were praying for me.

On Sunday 26th January, I experienced something that changed

me. When I went to bed, I lay there staring up at the ceilingwhen I became aware of an unusual glow in the corner of our

bedroom. It was a hue I had never seen before, and thinking that

I must have looked into the light bulb before I put the bedside

lamp out, I shut my eyes for a few minutes. When I opened them

again ve minutes or so later, this glow was still there. I didn’t

know what it was and it wasn’t worrying me so eventually I turned

over so that I couldn’t see it, shut my eyes and went to sleep.

On Monday morning I awoke as normal but with an amazing

feeling of calm – all my fears had gone. How did it come about?

Was I visited by an angel or God himself the night before… I will

never know. What I do know is something happened to me that

night and my fear had gone and was replaced by the strength to

overcome the cancer and get on living my life.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help

in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.

Hebrews 1:14 ...angels are spirits who serve God and are sent to

help those who will receive salvation.

My operation went ahead on the Tuesday and I was discharged

on Friday morning – everything had gone so well. I was warned

that I would probably hit a “brick wall” at some point during my

recuperation and sure enough, it did hit me like a brick on the

Sunday morning. I had been in constant pain, I couldn’t move

without help from Mike and everything seemed beyond me.Yes, I was feeling very sorry for myself and I just wanted to lie

in bed and cry. But at about 10.30am, I had another amazing

experience: it was like a bolt of electricity that shot through my

body. I told myself I had to get up, move around, stop feeling

sorry for myself and deal with it. I knew I was going to have to

rely on Mike to nurse me back to health and I cannot thank him

enough for everything he did for me. I thought again about this

wonderful bolt of energy that had swept over me and I am now

convinced that this was due to the many prayers that were said,

perhaps in church that very morning. I had been told about the

power of prayer and I am convinced this is what I had felt.

I am happy to say I have now made a full recovery and am free tolead a normal life again.

It was thanks to the Consultants, Surgeons, and all the Operating

and Nursing Staff at East Surrey Hospital and the Queen Victoria

Hospital whose expertise has extended my life.

It was my love for Mike and my family and friends and their love

for me that has helped me get through this roller coaster journey.

But perhaps one of the most enlightening things that has

happened to me is that I now know for sure that God is with me

and will be with anyone who truly believes that he is there for

them. This experience has opened up a desire to nally read the

Bible, and to enjoy it, and to begin to understand what it is allabout, rather than leaving it on the shelf gathering dust.

Last summer, I joined an Uncover Group at St John’s. This was

a series of six meetings run by John and Carole Grainger in

their home. We were a small group but through these friendly

discussions we read, discussed and interpreted various bits of

God’s Strength given in SufferingA Calming Experience

Ros Whiteman, a member of St. John’s Church and the Wednesday Watercolours Art Group, tells

her story of God’s strength in suffering


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Luke’s Gospel and applied them to the world as it is today. I am

now able to look at the Bible from a different perspective.

I was able to get out my wooden Nativity gurines again at

Christmas and they will take pride of place on the mantelpiece

this year and, if it is God’s will for my life, for many more years.

Thank you to everyone who has been there for me.

Love, Ros

MIKE, ROS’S HUSBAND, WRITES:I think the worst part of all that has happened to Ros was when

we went to see the surgeon and were told that the lump was

cancerous. All Ros could do was to keep saying that she was so

sorry and kept apologising to me. I told her not to blame herself

and we would get through this together – and no matter what

happened I still loved her.

The day of her operation seemed to go so slowly for me and in

the middle of the day I found time to pray, asking God to keep

Ros safe through the operation. We joke about how this was my

longest day and it was Ros’s shortest. At 6pm my mobile rang and

it was Mr Blackburn, the surgeon, giving me the good news that

everything had gone well. He passed the phone to Ros and we

had a quick and emotional chat.

Ros has written about her recovery and it was very hard work forme being nurse, chef and cleaner, but well worth it for the woman

I love.

Ros has now made a full recovery and I know that her strength

and faith has helped her through.

Strength through prayer and the BibleFollowing the sad death of Linda Barker last year, here is a little

bit of Vic and Linda’s story during the time of her illness.

Everybody’s journey in difcult times is different and how we

embrace and cope with these times is entirely unique.

When Vic and Linda were confronted with Linda’s terminal

diagnosis, their world changed completely.

But the way Linda handled her suffering was an inspiration.

Through the pain and struggles and numerous treatments and

hospital trips, she retained her strength of character. Linda’s faith

in the Lord sustained her to the end through some very difcult

times.

PRAYER

Vic writes: “Linda led me towards the light and persistently

urged us to participate in combined and faithful prayer together.

The outcome of this was profound for us both. Whether you

are single or married, maybe seeking out a prayer partner to

support you during challenging times may be a similar help and

encouragement to you.”

Philippians 4:6-7 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in

everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present

your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends

all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ

Jesus.

THE BIBLE

During the times when Linda was becoming weaker, it was

inspiring to hear how Vic would take the words he had been

reading in the Bible each morning about our loving and strength-

giving God and would share these with his wife. God and his

words in the Bible gave great strength to both Linda in her illness

and to Vic as he lovingly cared for her.

Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a lightto my path.

“I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever

given to man. All the good from the Saviour of the

world is communicated to us through this book.“

Abraham Lincoln (1809-65), sixteenth US President

If you or anyone you know, whether a member of the church

or not, would appreciate a visit from one of our team, please

contact: Mark Francis or Don Ely via our church ofce:

01342 314027, [email protected]

God comforts us all in our troubles, so that we can comfort those in

any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God

(2 Corinthians 1:4).

Whether you are unable to come to church or just going through

difcult times, it can make a real difference to know you are not on

your own.

Our pastoral team is a resource for any who are in need of support

at a particular time in their lives. Those visited may be housebound,

bereaved, unwell or recovering from illness. Our team provide

the opportunity to chat, to listen and to pray, or sometimes to givepractical help such as grocery shopping or arranging lifts.

As Christians, each member of the team knows the comfort that

God has given us at different times in our lives. And it’s a real joy to

be able to share that comfort with others.

THE PASTORAL TEAM


8/8

01342 [email protected]

www.stjohnsfelbridge.com

HAPPY 150TH BIRTHDAY!St. John’s Felbridge celebrates 150 years this year

In 1863, George and Frances Gatty of Felbridge

Place (across the road from St John’s where

Whittington College stands today) decided

that Felbridge needed a parish church of itsown, as the ofcial church for the village was at

Godstone. George was unfortunately unable to

see his idea come to fruition since he died on

19 May 1864, but a year later, Frances gave an

area of land on which to build the new church.

Frances, and her son Dr. Charles Henry Gatty,

completed George’s project and St. John the

Divine, Felbridge, was dedicated on 1 July

1865. The ecclesiastical parish of Felbridge

was secured from small areas of the ve

surrounding parishes in 1866.

Join us to celebrate on the weekend of

4-5th July. More details nearer the time.

“THE BEST FOOD FORMILES AROUND”

Our Church Lunches have become a

highlight at St. John’s. Every month (usually

on the rst Sunday following our All Age

Service) around 80 people aged 0 - 90+sit down to eat together in our church

hall. Roast gammon, chicken wrapped in

bacon, beef and dumplings, lamb tagine,

a selection of pies and roast turkey with all

the trimmings have all been on the menu.

Anyone can come – maybe you would

otherwise be on your own for Sunday lunch,

or you like the community-feel of eating

together, or you’ve simply run out of food

or have no energy to cook. You don’t even

have to come to the service beforehand ifyou don’t want to (although you are very

welcome). Sit down is at 12 o’clock.

Youth Group for 14-18s meets

every other Friday evening for food,Bible discussions and prayer.

email [email protected] if

you would like more details

Documents

St Johns Newsletter Issue2