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NEWS ARCHIVE
2007 |
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On 23rd December, we were
pleased to welcome to our pulpit Rev John Hellyer, the
current Chair of the Methodist Church, South East
District. Having no "regular" home church whilst in this
post, John travels to preach in all corners of the
District, and is just as happy to preach to a small
congregation as to any. That's lucky ... 'cause
otherwise we would have had to rope in a few
unsuspecting passers by. Incidentally, John is the one
at the back with the dog-collar. |
| 19th December 2007. We were all
saddenned today to learn of the death of Robert Lindon,
a good friend of Pett Methodist Chapel. Previously a
regular helper in our Junior Church, Robert was a
gentleman through and through, and a shining example of
humility to all. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jane
and the family at this time. |
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A stunning collection of black
& white photos was on display in the church hall on
Saturday 15th December. The work of professional
photographer, the late Eric Phoenix, this collection
came into the possession of Ken and Wendy following the
recent death of Eric's widow, Margaret.
Being too large a collection for
display in their home, and far too good to throw away,
Ken and Wendy decided that the collection should be sold
in aid of the chapel renovation fund.
(Updated July 2009) The prints
have now all been sold, but if you are interested, you
can click here to
see waht you missed. |
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We nearly ran out of seats
(well, hay-bales) on 15th December when over 80 people
braved a cold night for our "Carols In The Barn" event.
 Once again, Tim and Anne
converted one half of a barn into a make-shift chapel,
where hay-bales served as pews. Meanwhile, a bemused
"choir" of cattle occupied the other half of the barn,
joining in with the singing whenever they knew the words
(they did particularly well during the  second verse of Away In
A Manger).
Of course, the purpose of this
extra-ordinary gathering was to celebrate the true
meaning of Christmas, while spreading a little festive
cheer by supporting the work of Farm Africa.
Thanks, as always, to Tim and
Anne for their hospitality, and to Rachel and Clarence
who play the parts of Mary and Joseph (with just a
little help from Wendy and Lesley). |
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Work has commenced on the
creation of a new feature at Pett. The area of
grass in front of the chapel is being transformed into
a "Peace Garden" for the benefit of the local
community.
One of the first elements to be
created is a "labyrinth" of stepping stones set
into the grass. Unlike a maze, the labyrinth has one
route leading to the centre and out. The design is based
around a cross, and it is intended to represent the
journey that we take through life as Christians.
 Next to this we have
planted two mature bushes, a lavender and
rosemary, both of which are known for their medicinal
benefits, and their relaxing and healing perfume.
In due course, we intend to add
quiet seating area, screened by an arbour, where local
people will be able to sit in contemplation or
prayer.
This garden was designed for us
by Hebe and Alice Wilcock, and much of the hard labour
is being provided by the young  people from
Fairlight's Activate youth club. Incidentally, we must
also say "thank you" to the members of the Pett
Gardening Club who, at their own expense, have recently
planted 100 daffodil bulbs in our front bank, which
should provide an absolute riot of colour come the
Spring. |
|
 The Director
of Christian Aid, Dr. Daleep Mukarji was the guest
speaker at a special service held at St. Andrew's
Church, Fairlight, on Sunday 30th September. Dr. Mukarji
spoke eloquently and passionately about the work of
Christian Aid, and praised the work done by local
representatives in Pett, Guestling and Fairlight,
emphasising the value, not only of fund-raising, but
also of prayer, and support on campaigning issues.
The focus of Christian Aid has always
been the relief of people around the world who are
living in poverty, but the organisation recognises that
the root causes of poverty often lie in decisions
taken by governments, and that major issues such as
global warming have the most damaging effects on the
poorest and most vulnerable.
Dr. Mukarji expanded further on
the subject after lunch at Pett Village Hall, and
expertly fielded a number of questions on subjects such
as the dangers of becoming too political, and the
measures taken by Christian Aid to minimise the impact
of corruption (a problem which he pointed out is not
confined to third world countries).
Audiences at both venues were
much impressed by Dr. Mukarji's message, including his
challenge to "Live more simply, so that others may
simply live". |
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 Our "Narnia" weekend (Sept 1-2) was
a great success, and much enjoyed by a sizeable group of
children.
Following a
fun-packed afternoon of activities, we watched the
Disney film "The Chronicles of Narnia" (The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe), and it was great to see the
kids making themselves so much at home in the chapel.
Good, too, to see a few parents joining us for the film
... not sure who enjoyed it most! |
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 I'm
pleased to report that Wendy Hatch
has returned safely following her 3 week visit to the
Mashudu Project in South Africa. Click on the picture
for a full account of her adventures.
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Sunday 8th July was lovely and
sunny ... a perfect day for an outdoor service. We met
with friends from the Anglican Church and members of the
Pett Level Rescue Boat Association for our annual Sea
Sunday service. The service concluded with a blessing of
the boat.
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A small selection of pictures
from our hugely successful Art & Flower Exhibition
in May 2007
  
  
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