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2003
at The Beacon Church and Christian
Centre |
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The year 2003 was a very important one for The Beacon Church
and Christian Centre - it was the year it was formed! Special
services were held in September to celebrate our coming together.
Many of our meetings and activities were concerned with bringing
our three churches together, and on Sunday, 21 September we
held our first General Church Meeting to make some important
appointments and decisions about our future.
Flowers from our Harvest Festival went to those who are ill
or house-bound, and the gifts of fruit and vegetables brought
by members of our Junior Church were taken to those living at
the St. Martin's Emmaus community in Dover.
We held our Junior Church Prizegiving on Sunday 16 November
when our service was conducted by the Rev. Michael Walling.
The prizes were presented by Joy Philpott who has been involved
in youth work at the United Reformed Church, and now The Beacon
Church, for many years.
On Sunday, 30 November, we held our Toy Service
when the children and young people from the Junior Church brought
toys, books and games they no longer needed so that they could
be sent to less fortunate children. This year, the gifts were
handed over to British Humanitarian Aid who took them to children
in Ukraine.
On each Sunday of Advent we lit candles on our Advent Ring in
church, leading up to the lighting of the central candle - representing
the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World - on Christmas Day
itself.
On Sunday 21 December, we held a Family Service in the morning
when members of our Junior Church took part. In the evening,
our church was packed for our Candlelight Carol Service
which was a really good service, with some excellent singing.
It was the first time that the Beacon Singers had really taken
part in a service.
We held our Christmas Day service on Christmas
morning when we took time out from all the other celebrations
to remember the real reason for Christmas.
On Christmas Day and Boxing Day, our church hall was used to
provide meals and activities for homeless people in the area.
This was organised by Christians from many Dover churches.
Some church family news. Evelyn and Leslie Tutthill - two of
our longest-serving members at London Road - celebrated their
65th wedding anniversary and their 90th birthdays.
Other notable birthday celebrations included Margaret Haynes
(92), Evelyn Fuller (99), Sonny Mills (94), and Gwen Bates (96).
We remember some of our members and friends who died during
the year, including:
Doris Barker, a talented musician and a very
special mum, whoshared her gifts and talents around Dover and
London Road church for many years, especially her music. She
had been a piano teacher and an organist.
Alan Sugden, who was described as "a dynamo
for the Lord", and did so many things around Dover and
the churches, always using his musical gifts and talents. A
proud Yorkshire man, he was always ready to make suggestions
and to share his faith. In everything he did, Alan sought to
think of others before himself.
Vi Mills, who died soon after her 90th birthday,
her son-in-law Peter Fish, who was a Professor
at the University of Wales in Bangor, Olive Morris,
our oldest member, who was 99, Margaret McKenzie
and Olive Hudson.
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