Churches Together in Windsor: Newsletter: Autumn 2018
Message from the Chair
‘What does the Lord require of you?’
Welcome to the latest CTW newsletter. We hope you find it informative and helpful in letting you know about the various joint initiatives that Christians and churches across Windsor are working on together in the coming months.
In recent years, Christians around the world have increasingly worked together to encourage deeper Christian commitment to the poor, and to challenge world leaders to act with justice. Many have worked together under a global coalition, the ‘Micah Challenge’, inspired by these words from the prophet Micah: – ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ (Micah 6:8)
As Christians in Windsor continue to work together to transform lives in our town, both through existing initiatives and through exploring potential new ones (see, for example, news about a possible Night Shelter under consideration), it is vital that all three aspects of Micah’s challenge are in place. It is not enough just to act justly and love mercy. If we are to truly transform people’s lives, God calls us to walk humbly with him as well. In other words, our acts of love and mercy need to take place in the context of prayer and worship, both individually and collectively, in order to be an effective sign of God’s love to our neighbours.
As you can see from some of the events shown in this newsletter, Christmas will once again approach more quickly than we expect. That season reminds us that Jesus Christ came into our world as ‘Immanuel – God with us’… to make it possible for us to walk with God as we go through life throughout the year.
As you and your church endeavour to ‘walk humbly with God’, may you discover the acts of justice and mercy to which he is calling you to devote your energies, in order to make a real difference to people in Windsor.
Rev Matthew Scott
Chair, Churches Together in Windsor
News
Good Friday Witness was held on Friday 30th March at 12 noon by the Post Office on Peascod St – this was a very important opportunity for all Christians to witness to our faith together.
“Thy Kingdom Come” initiative: Jesus invites all his followers to pray in His name to the Father confidently and expectantly. In the power of the Holy Spirit we pray together as one family. All Christians share this gift of the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done’ we long for Christ’s transforming love to bring hope and joy to all. Earlier this year many of the churches in England took up the invitation of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to set aside the days leading up to Pentecost Sunday to pray for the renewing and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to make Christ real in our midst, for the flourishing of all. The purpose was “to encourage our brothers and sisters in churches of all traditions to partner in praying ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ in the days leading up to Pentecost. Our “Thy Kingdom Come” time in Windsor started with the Women’s World Day of Prayer service (postponed form usual data in March due to bad weather) at 7pm on Friday 11th May at Dedworth Green Baptist Church and concluded with a Taize service on 20th May. In future years we will continue to focus on the week leading up to Pentecost for our Christian Unity prayers and services, and we are hoping to conclude the week in 2019 with an open-air service.
“For your diary”:
Christian Aid Autumn Action in Windsor!
The Windsor Christian Aid Group are holding a range of events this Autumn to support the work of Christian Aid. Christian Aid is the official relief and development agency of 41 British and Irish churches, and works to support sustainable development, end poverty and provide disaster relief in 45 countries. The Windsor group is made up of a handful of volunteers representing the different churches in Windsor. Please consider coming along and taking part? We are always looking for more members of the group, or people who would like to volunteer to help us.
This Autumn Christian Aid has a matching grant from the EU which means that money raised during their Harvest Appeal will be multiplied x 5 and go so much further. So we want to raise as much as we can! For information on any of these events or our activities, please contact [email protected] for more information, or to find out how to get involved.
Ceidlidh Dance
Friday 21 September 7.30 pm at Gardeners Hall, 213 St Leonard’s Road, Windsor, SL4 3DR.
Tickets £7, plus bring a plate of finger food to share. Glass of wine included, bar open.
Proceeds to Christian Aid.
Taize Service, celebrating creation and harvest and all God’s goodness to us
Sunday 30 September, 5.00 pm, St Agnes Foundation Music and Faith Centre, St Leonard’s Road, Windsor
Refreshments to follow, in aid of Christian Aid
Peascod Street Collection
Saturday 24 November, 10.00 am – 2.00 pm, come and give out balloons or hold a bucket in Peascod Street.
Coffee morning and refreshments available at Christ Church URC Church, William Street, Windsor, all morning.
Christian Aid Advent Hope Service
Sunday 9 December, 5.00 pm, Windsor Baptist Church, Victoria Street, Windsor SL4 1EH
Refreshments to follow.
An opportunity to gather with Christians from all around Windsor to celebrate Advent, listen to readings, reflections and songs for the season and find out more about Christian Aid’s work. This year hosted kindly by Windsor Baptist Church.
We believe in life before death!
Windsor Homeless Night Shelter Pilot Project
In response to seeing an increasing number of rough sleepers in the Windsor area, an idea is proposed to open church buildings in the Windsor area to accommodate rough sleepers for a pilot period of 4 weeks during the harshest winter weather, starting on 21 January 2019. The objectives are:
- To provide a safe and warm overnight place of rest to rough sleepers over the harshest winter weather period.
- To provide a hot meal in the evening and a simple breakfast in the morning.
- To provide a listening ear and friendship to those who would like to enter into conversation with volunteers.
- To assist in helping rough sleepers improve their long term life situation in view of their physical needs.
Please watch out for further information in the coming weeks, and would you please pray for God’s leading and provision as the practicalities of this project are explored.
Anyone interested in becoming involved in this project, please contact Emilie Chana at: [email protected]
Dedworth Green Baptist Church holds a fortnightly Games afternoon between 2.00 – 4.00pm on Saturday afternoons. Games suitable for all generations from table tennis, snooker, skittles, a variety of board games etc. – details can be found on our website www.dgbc.org.uk
Also the local Carers Support Group meets at Dedworth Green Baptist Church on the 2nd Monday of the month 10.30am – 12.00 noon. We are supported by Signal and representatives from Signal attend the sessions. The group is open to anyone who is in a caring role.
The ‘Illuminate’ initiative is being organised by Christian Connections in Schools (CCiS) in several schools in Slough and Windsor for 8th – 13th October. This involves a band of Christian rappers called LZ7 coming into local schools including Windsor Girls school. They ask what are the issues you are dealing with? (e.g. drugs, gangs, suicide, self-image) – and help students to think through such issues (pointing towards Gospel). The week ends with a concert.
The Churches Together in Windsor Annual Assembly will be held on Thursday 22nd November at 7.30 for 7.45pm at the Methodist Church, Alma Rd, Windsor, SL4 3HH.
Carols on the Hill will take place on Friday 14th December at 6pm by Queen Victoria’s statue in front of Windsor Castle.