Dear Friends
We celebrate Father’s Day on 20th June and I wish all fathers a happy day and best wishes to you from the Church family. We think also of our own Father in Heaven.
Attached is the plan for July for the Felixstowe Mission Area Churches. Please note these dates and the churches at which services will be held each week. Sunday 25th July will be my last services before I retire. And a reminder of the remaining June dates.
- Sunday June 13th Trimley Methodist 11am. Kirton 4pm.
- Sunday June 20th Seaton Road 9.45am Kirton 4pm.
- Sunday June 27th Trinity Methodist 11am Kirton 4pm.
I’d like to thank all those who donated money to the churches (and it’s still coming in) following my run on Wesley Day, 24th May, which saw me jogging from Trinity Manse to Seven Hills and back, which was the first time I have jogged a half-marathon distance. I ached a bit the next day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This will be my last newsletter and Nigel and I both wish to thank you all for the love, care and kindness you have shown to us over the past seven years. We have loved living here in Felixstowe and will miss all of you so much. We wish you every blessing with the “Vision 2021 Programme” and feel that so many of you have worked so hard on this and in all sorts of other areas including Mission Evangelism, pastoral care and social outreach, that it will be a great success. I am grateful to our retired Minsters in the Felixstowe Mission area and also all the lay folk who have been engaging in a number of meetings concerning forward planning. Thank you to all the stewards who week by week do so much behind the scenes and those who continue to offer Bible Study, by Zoom and hopefully soon, in person and much needed pastoral support to others. I wish to assure you of our continued thoughts and prayers as you start a new phase in your Methodist life.
I know that the new “Environmental Emergency” group has inspired both our Superintendent Minister, Derek Grimshaw and our District Chair, Julian Pursehouse. I was glad both these Ministers were able to join our Zoom meeting back in May where some of your thoughtful and prayerful forward planning was made most apparent. Please note the special “environmental” service on 11th July at Kirton.
Dawn Bone our lay employee will continue to work in the Felixstowe Mission. Many thanks to all who have supported Dawn in her ministry. I know that she is hoping to get involved with the new project at Kirton Chapel Garden beginning on 22nd June. Dawn’s Brownie Pack will resume again in September as will the pack based at Trimley Methodist, where it has been a joy to have Messy Brownies on a number of occasions. We wish you every blessing with your ongoing work.
It has been a particular joy taking a very active role in Churches Together in Felixstowe and being involved in Lent and Advent Ecumenical Bible studies. I had hoped that our two weekly After School Clubs would have resumed before I move on, but due to continued restrictions, this has not been possible. However, thanks to the Rev’d Jo Jacob’s and the team, a number of Zoom assemblies have taken place with both Fairfield and Colnies School, in which I have participated and so been able to see the children.
I have also had regular contact with Felixstowe Academy in the form of a weekly prayer meeting, which prior to the pandemic met at the School every Thursday at 8am but is now held via Zoom. A small group from Circuit meet each Tuesday evening on Zoom at 7pm for Prayer and mutual support. This group will continue and is open to all. Likewise, the Thursday Zoom Fellowship.
I do hope that you will find the Godly Play Classroom set up at the back of Kirton Methodist Chapel, a good resource to aid you all in Worship. I encourage you to use it.
May God Bless you and keep you all. Stay Safe
Love from Diane and Nigel