This year’s World Day of Prayer is on Friday 3rd March. There will be a service at St Stephen’s welcoming people from across Canterbury at 11.00am, followed by a soup lunch in the church hall. It would be lovely to have a good number from St Stephen’s joining us if you’re able to.
There will be a special service for Christian Aid week for the whole of the Canterbury community, held at St Stephen’s Church on Sunday 22nd May at 6.00pm.
Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you there.
Svenja Powell writes:
Canterbury Welcomes Refugees is working with Canterbury City Council and other organisations to welcome and support newly arriving refugee families from Afghanistan. It has just been publicised that over 100 refugees will initially be housed in a hotel in Canterbury before being found more permanent accommodation across the country. There will be children of all ages.
We are looking for children’s toys, new or in good condition for children of all ages. These should for obvious reasons not include soldiers, toy guns or any other war related items. As the families do not have much space, please only relatively small toys, including toy cars, Lego, dolls, washed of new cuddly toys etc. Picture books or books with few words/language learning books are also welcome as are writing and arts and crafts materials. Some outdoor toys that can be taken to a park would also be welcome.
Please drop toy donations off from Monday, 23rd August at:
St Mary Bredin Church
59 Nunnery Fields
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 3JN
01227 453777
https://www.smb.org.uk/
Due to other events taking place at SMB, please drop toy donations between 2pm and 4pm at the church office if at all possible. If you have any queries, please contact Svenja via canterburywelcomesrefugees@outlook.com
I would like to thank you all and will keep you posted on other needs as we become aware of them.
On 1st July members of the Canterbury Christian Aid group, from churches all over the city and the surrounding villages, will walk for six hours (10am to 4pm) in the High Street, carrying water cans, in solidarity with all those who walk long distances to collect water. To sponsor this event, please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/canterburychristianaidfundraising
On 27th July three members of the group, John Ward (St Mary Bredin), Lucy Bryan (St Peter’s Methodist Church) and Brian McHenry (St Dunstan’s, St Mildred’s and St Peter’s Canterbury), will walk the Elham Valley Way from Hythe to Canterbury (22.5 miles). To sponsor this event please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ealhamvalleywalk
28th February – 6th March 2020
St Stephen’s Church, Hales Drive, Canterbury, CT2 7AB
Friday 28th February, 7.30pm
Opening Service of Prayer for Christians Together in Canterbury
Three Canterbury People of Prayer:
An opportunity to experience the very different approaches to prayer of three great Christians with links to Canterbury.
Other events during the week:
| Sunday 1st March | 6.00pm–7.00pm | Choral Evensong with Meditation on St David |
| Monday 2nd March | 11.00am–12.30pm | Sacred Dance workshop by Dorothy Jerrome |
| Tuesday 3rd March | 7.30pm–9.00pm | Paying attention to God’s Creation by Rev. Kevin Maddy (first of 5 weekly Lenten sessions on ‘Caring for Creation’) |
| Wednesday 4th March | 7.30pm–9.30pm | Talk on the Langton brothers and Loretta by Mr Ken Moffat, Executive Headteacher of Simon Langton Grammar Schools, followed by Compline, sung by Canterbury Gregorian Society |
| Thursday 5th March | 7.30pm | Sensory meditation using clay led by Sally Musker |
| Friday 6th March | 4.30pm–6.00pm | Teas, sharing of experiences and closing prayer (labyrinth walk if weather permits) |
Monday 2nd – Friday 6th March
St Stephen’s Church will be open daily from 10am to 4pm for anyone to pray however they wish.
| Morning Prayer | 10.00am daily |
| Meditation with music | 3.30pm Monday to Thursday |
| Evening Prayer | 4.00pm Monday to Thursday |
Resources will be available in church for different ways to pray:
| Churchyard Prayer Walk | Leaflets in the porch |
| Praying with the Body | Leaflets in the porch |
| Stations of the Cross | Leaflets in the porch |
| Prayer Pool | Crossing – South Side |
| Praying with Creation | Manwood Chapel |
| Visitation Window Meditation | Manwood Chapel |
| Creative Prayer | North Transept |
| Prayer Cafe | North Transept |
| Lady Loretta’s Life of Prayer | Chancel |
| Praying for the World | Chancel |
All welcome – come through the week as a Lenten retreat at home, or just drop in once and try something new
Ffald y Brenin retreat house in Wales
Ffald y Brenin is a retreat centre in far-flung west Wales. In recent years, the community living, working and praying there have seen hundreds of remarkable miracles, and have learnt what it looks like to bless your local community so powerfully in prayer that the local economy strengthens, society changes and lives are transformed. Roy and Daphne Godwin, who lead the Ffald y Brenin community, have released two books telling the story (“The Grace Outpouring” and “The Way of the Blessing”).
Daphne is bringing a small team to Canterbury next weekend, and there are a couple of ways you can meet them and hear some of their stories:
Half-night of Prayer at the New Life Church Hub, Roper Close, CT2 7EP
7:00pm till midnight Friday 10th Feb (come for any or all of it) – Daphne and her team will share stories of what God has been doing in their communities in Wales, and then they’ll help us pray blessing for Canterbury.
Healing on the Streets, Best Lane
11:30am-1:30pm Saturday 11th – Daphne and the team will be joining the HOTS Team to pray for people in Canterbury city centre.
10:30am Sunday 12th – Daphne will be speaking at Canterbury Vineyard, Canterbury Academy, Knight Avenue, CT2 8QA
For more information, don’t hesitate to contact us:
contact@canterburychristianstogether.org.uk
Lyndall Bywater
Moderator, Christians Together in Canterbury