Methodist & United Reformed Churches Together

203 Main Road, Dovercourt, Essex, CO12 3PH

www.dovercent.btck.co.uk & find us on Facebook

Sunday Services

1st Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship, with Junior

Church, (Refreshments afterwards)

2nd Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship & Holy

Communion, with Junior Church (Refreshments

afterwards)

3rd Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship, with

Junior Church (Refreshments afterwards)

4th Sunday: 9.00am Holy Communion, 10.45am

Morning Worship, with Junior Church (Refreshments

afterwards)

5th Sunday: 10.45am Morning Worship/Family

Service, with Junior Church (Refreshments afterwards)

Church Activities

Messy Church—Every 3rd Tuesday of the Month,

4.30pm. ( next meeting 21st October 2014 )

Pause for Thought—Fridays 9.30—10.00am

Pilots —-Fridays 5:45pm

Coffee Morning—Fridays 10.00am-12.00pm

Pilots—Fridays 5.30-7.00pm (term time only)

Methodist Circuit Minister

United Reformed Church

Minister

Rev. Andrew Bell

Rev. Trevor Hahn

01206 396654

01255483288

Church Secretary: Mrs Iris Hatch 01255 503688

Hiring Officer & Junior

Church Co-ordinator:

Mrs Margaret Smith 01255 504828

Contact Magazine Editor

Closing date for items for the

next issue

Mrs Janet Scott

16th March 2015

01255 506962

scottjanet44@hotmail.com

WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

(Interdenominational)

Friday 6th March 1.30pm at All Saints' Church

Jesus said to them:

Do you know

What I have done to you?

Prepared by Christian women of The Bahamas

Organised by representatives from Churches Together.

All are welcome and refreshments will be served

afterwards.

Our next Messy Church will meet on the 17th

March 2015, come and join us.

Margaret.

Pilots will meet on the 6th; 13th; 20th & 27th March 2015.

Margaret Smith

Pilot Captain

As I write, Lent is fast approaching and I am checking the cupboards to make sure we have

enough chocolate sauce for the pancakes on Shrove Tuesday – for the children obviously!!!

Sometimes I wonder if we (or should I say I) have our priorities right.

Lent marks the time of prayer, reflection, repentance of sins and of self denial which leads up to

Holy Week, the Last Supper, Good Friday and Jesus’ death on the cross and ultimately on Easter

Sunday His glorious resurrection when Jesus conquers death enabling us all to be partakers of

eternal life and an unbroken relationship with Jesus.

And the lectionary readings this week (the week before Lent) included the narrative of Jesus’

transfiguration (Mark 9) which I believe marks a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. From this

moment on Jesus turns His face to Jerusalem and the cross, Jesus looks His death squarely in the

face and moves towards it. No doubt Jesus’ transfiguration would have been a great comfort to

Him knowing that He was God’s beloved son, as the voice from the cloud affirmed, and a

confirmation that the road to Jerusalem, no matter how hard, was the road God had called Him

to travel down.

And Lent offers us an opportunity to travel with Jesus. Many travel with Jesus through spending

more time with Him, praying, reading the Bible or fasting and many attend Lent courses, which is

all well and good.

Churches Together in Harwich and Dovercourt are running a series of Lent services this year with

the theme ‘the King and the Kingdom’ for 5 weeks on a Wednesday evening at 7:30pm at various

venues starting on 25th February at the Salvation Army Citadel. We will host a service at

Dovercourt Central on 18th March. I do encourage you all to attend.

But, however each of us mark this season of Lent, I do pray that we do mark it, that we do stop or

change our daily routines to reflect, to remember, what Christ did all those years ago that first

Easter and what He is still doing now in our lives.

And it is right and proper during this season of Lent to kneel, to humble ourselves in penitence,

to ask for forgiveness and perhaps even endure a time of self denial, perhaps even deciding not

to eat certain foods. When at college a few years ago we were asked if any of us were going to

give up certain foods for Lent so the kitchen staff could adjust the quantities of their cooking

accordingly. I presume they were thinking of puddings or chocolate. I jokingly suggested I would

give up salad!! I was gently rebuked that if I was going to give up eating something for Lent I

needed to be eating it before Lent started!! And although for some of us omitting salad from our

diets may well be an appropriate way to help us to reflect, deny ourselves and take up our

crosses, I certainly would not be one of them. Perhaps it would be more appropriate for me to

start eating salad during Lent?

Minister’s letter

But however we reflect, however we deny ourselves let us please remember not to become too

introverted. As the prophet Isaiah (chapter 58) and Jesus (Matthew 6) warn us that when we

pray and fast, it is not about us, we do not humble ourselves, bow down and pray for us to be

seen, for us to elevate our own religious position. It is about us recognising who we truly are,

sinners in need of a Saviour, we are poor in spirit. But because Jesus denied Himself, humbled

Himself, became obedient, even obedient to death on a cross, we all can receive eternal life. For

those of us who have already accepted this free gift of salvation, we are no longer sinners, but

saints, holy ones, we are no longer poor in spirit because we have God’s Holy Spirit, the spirit of

Jesus, living inside of us. And as we reflect, pray, repent, humble ourselves, kneel, and bow our

heads as we recognise that we only have this position in Christ because Christ first chose us

through His grace and mercy, and we have done nothing to deserve this free gift of salvation,

grace and mercy, let us also this Lent stand and lift up our heads, let us walk with heads held high

and see what is going on around us that perhaps giving up salad for Lent is not only what the Lord

requires but as the prophet Isaiah exhorts us to (chapter 58) we should also see and notice the

injustice, the yoke of oppression, the hungry, the poor, the homeless and naked who are around

us in our towns and communities and do something about it. So maybe as well as just fasting this

Lent, perhaps we could ‘share our bread with the hungry’ and ‘satisfy the needs of the afflicted’

perhaps we can raise our eyes to see the need of those around us and do something about it.

Perhaps then, as Isaiah prophecies the light of Christ within us will dawn and the glory of the Lord

will be revealed not only in our lives but in our communities too.

With every blessing.

Trevor

Churches together Lenten Services 2015

The overall theme: The King and the Kingdom

All services start at 7:30 pm

Lent Two Wednesday 4th March, “Victory through the cross”

The King’s Way Community Church Upper Dovercourt

Lent Three Wednesday 11th March, “Suffering”.

Upper Dovercourt Methodist Church

Lent Four Wednesday 18th March, “Transfiguration,”

Dovercourt Central Church

Lent Five Wednesday 25th March, “Conflict”

St Michaels Church Ramsey

My Lord there are many times of darkness in my life.

There seem to be many patches of shadows that too easily cloud the sunlight of your presence.

Lord, why does it seem this way?

Why do I walk down a busy street—and suddenly feel so alone?

Why do I awake to a new day—only to discover that it’s just another Monday morning;

With no sign of the promised joy of your salvation?

Oh, I know there are the good times:

The times of friendship and laughter;

The times of peace and solitude.

But they are the minutes, rather than the hours or days.

They are fleeting—while darkness lingers.

Am I too blind to see your love?

Do I rush around too much to appreciate your tranquillity?

How can I reach out and feel the warmth of your presence -

When life seems ice cold, and the day is darker than the night?

My child do you not understand?

The world will never know my joy and peace,

And those moments of pleasure that you have yet tasted

Are only fleeting in comparison with the promise I hold in my hand for you.

Remember, my child, not to run from one quick pleasure to another

For often these gifts are not from me—just a sweet substitute.

Take the time, my child, to sit and wait for a full measure of my joy -

Which does not come from the world’s pleasure -

But only from a deep sense of my spirit at work in you .

And often that work must begin through the darkness -

For it is often in the dark that you begin to seek the light and recognise it.

Darkness and light

A Word about William

William Row Pryke was born on the 30th August 1931, the youngest of 10 children, to

Stanley and Alice Pryke. He spent his early life in Stowupland, going to school there, and in the

war collecting waste paper and aluminium for the spitfires, and I’m sure his efforts shortened

the war considerably. Later he continued collecting waste paper to raise money to build the

village hall in Stowupland; a building which is still standing.

Reluctantly, in November 1950, due to her failing health, his mother agreed that Billy could leave

Stowupland and go and live at Turner Village, Colchester, where he had many jobs including

working in the laundry and mending shoes. The story goes that one day someone upset Billy so

that when he repaired his shoes he put a rubber heal on one and a metal one on the other.

Billy then moved to Brunswich House Mistley where, under the wing of Mr Bill King, he worked

on the gardens, and by Billy’s own admission he was the chief gardener. I remember going to the

fete at Brunwick House when Billy produced a cup for winning the best bird in a cage

competition. As it turned out he had borrowed the bird and the cage, and his was the only entry.

While at Mistley he was befriended by Rev Tony Smith and his wife Mary and he very often

spoke of his fond memories of being with them in their homes, churches, and with their dogs.

He kept in touch with Mary right up to his passing.

Billy then moved to Springbank in Tendring and later to Harwich and Dovercourt, finally living in

Abbot Road with Pat; a place that he certainly called home. He was very happy there and well

looked after by his carers. A highlight of this time was in August 2011 when he had a wonderful

80th birthday party. He enjoyed going to the club and attending services in the churches in

Dovercourt, and collecting for Children in Need.

We will all have our own memories of Billy and I hope we can share a few from time to time.

One that stands out for me in about Billy, who loved walking, and would walk to Flatford. One

afternoon we went to meet him there. Arriving first, we noticed Billy walking up the footpath,

but before he saw us he helped an elderly man push his wife, who was in a wheelchair, up a

steep incline and over a footbridge. That was typical of Billy – always wanting to help others.

So thank you Billy for your love, friendship, joy of life, sense of humour and for letting us share

your life. I was with his brother Reg at his bedside on 13th January when with great dignity, and

very peacefully, he left this life and entered the room that Jesus promised us all (John ch 14),

and I’m sure he is now reunited with his parents and all his family who have gone ahead already.

Billy has left our sight now, but he will be in our hearts and memories until we join with him in

that glorious kingdom.

Pampered Chef Evening

Tuesday 31st. March 7.30pm.

We are organising another evening this year,

Kayla and Bethany will be doing the cooking.

This will be a fun evening where guests will watch a cooking

demonstration show and learn time-saving cooking techniques and sample great-

tasting, easy-to-prepare recipes — all in a relaxed atmosphere with good friends, plenty

of laughter and lots of fun!

We are selling tickets for this evening at £3.00 per head and each ticket number will be

entered into the raffle.

Tickets available from Marga- ret

or Hazel.

if you are not able to attend

orders can be placed in advance

of the evening. Come along and

have some fun – it was a great

evening in 2014 and we hope this

will be as successful.

March Birthdays

3rd Elaine Rumsby

4th Vicky Manhood

14th Janet Casey

15th Ron Pomroy

18th Gary Sysling

19th Pat Eastwood

20th Alyssa Rossen

24th Colin Knight

25th Brenda Case

27th Claire Rumsby

28th Rebecca Bertram

30th Paul Eastwood

Church Lunch

Sunday 8th March 2015:

names to Margaret or Hazel

March 2015 Sun 1st Sunday Morning Worship

Led by Mr Nick Scott

10:45am

Fri 6th Pause for thought

Coffee Morning

9:30– 10am

10am-12pm

Sun 8th Sunday Morning Worship

Led by Rev. Trevor Hahn

With Communion

Followed by a Church Lunch ( please book your place with

Margaret Smith)

10:45am

Fri 13th Pause for thought

Coffee Morning

9:30 –10am

10am-12pm

Sun 15th Sunday Morning Worship (Mothering Sunday)

Led by Mrs Ann Beeton

10:45am

Fri 20th Pause for thought

Coffee Morning

9:30 –10am

10am-12pm

Sun 22nd Communion Service - Rev. Eva Walker

Morning Worship Led by The Fellowship team

9:00am

10:45am

Fri 27th Pause for thought

Coffee Morning

9:30 –10am

10am-12pm

Fri 27th Prayer, Praise, Worship and Bible study

Led by Rev. Trevor Hahn

7:30pm

Sun 29th Sunday Morning Worship

Led by Rev. Colin Knight All age worship

10:45am

Thurs

2nd April

Maundy Thursday service

Led By Rev. Trevor Hahn

6pm

Sun 5th

April

Easter Breakfast

Easter Sunday Service led By Rev. Trevor Hahn

9am

10:35am

Sun 12th

April

Sunday Morning Worship with Communion

Led by Rev. John Alison

10:45am

Keep up to date with what’s on

Just search for

https://www.facebook.com/

DovercourtCentralChurch