Parish Help
Women’s Christian Fellowship
It is with great sadness that we have decided to stop meeting after about 30 years. We hope someone else may suggest a different way of gathering together and lead a group to discuss Christian topics.
Contact Susan Cash (01732 866218)
Pastoral Care Group
There is a team of people in the village, each of whom has an area of responsibility, and are there to welcome new residents, answer questions, pass on prayer requests to the Vicar and generally be a good neighbour. See below for those in the team and the area they cover. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any help.
Jo Naismith 01732 860148 Goodley Stock Road, Kent Hatch Rd and Smiths Lane
Ros Ellis 01883 723403 Main Road from Hosey Common Rd to New Rd and Church Lane.
Chitra Carver 01732 862657 Main Rd from New Rd to Model Farm, Spout Lane to Grange and Dennettsland Lane
Richard Diggory 01732 446466 Oakdale Lane
Trish Proctor 01732 866219 New Road, Main Rd from Model Farm to Hole Lane
Katy Netherclift 01732 866381 Deanery Road
Jilly Murison 01732 866224 Pootings from Grange Cottage
Mandy and Ian Maple 01732 863144 Marlpit Hill
Michael and Olga Court 01732 866342 Mapleton Road and Puddledock
David Stafford 01732 866327 Dairy Lane
Sheila Stapleton 01732 866288 Froghole Lane
Prayer Group Wednesday 13th September
Trish Proctor
We meet on Wednesday September 13th at 2pm at Woodmote. Please come and join us and share a short time of prayer and peace. We start with a few readings on a theme and then pray for the Church worldwide and particularly our Church during the Interregnum, the needs of the world, of which there are many now, our village community and our families. If anyone has a prayer request, please let me know. We look forward to meeting.
Supporting Tanzania
15 years ago a partnership began between the Dioceses of Rochester and of Mpwapwa in Tanzania. Since then parishes, schools and individuals in Rochester have explored how they can become involved with parishes and schools and other institutions in Mpwapwa, to help, share and learn from one another. They formed The Mpwapwa Partnership Group.
Following the 2015 Lent discussions on Poverty, the PCC decided to support St.Michael’s Church in Kongwa, and then Mkwala School in Kongwa.
We have set up a steering group consisting of Mike Court, June Davies, Jo Banks, David Hodges, Jules and Sue Green, and Ali Cooper to move the project forward. We are hoping that the whole community will get involved in various ways.
The PCC agreed to support the training of Jeremia Isaka at St Philip’s Theological College, which is three miles from Kongwa. We are already supporting the training of Neema Zachary at St Philips.
We think these will be a really worthwhile investments for the future of Christianity in Tanzania.
Crockham Hill School and village have supplied desks, uniforms and a copier for Mkwala School. There was no water supply to the School, and funds have been raised to rebuild the Water Harvesting System, and to sink a borehole to provide a constant supply of water
The chicken project started with 14 women contributing 14 chickens and 20 chickens given by Crockham Hill.
Discussion Group
Ian Maple
For more than thirty years a small group of Crockham Hill residents have been meeting almost every month to discuss both their own faith, and the faiths of other religions. Most people, even if they don’t go to church, recognise that religions underpin social values and global and community conscience. The Discussion Group, to which all newcomers are welcome, provides us with an opportunity to air our thoughts and doubts.
Recently we were joined by two Muslims and a Buddhist to discuss how God/Allah communicates with us all. Our previous topics have included Creation and evolution, what is poverty? The gender of God, music and faith, Jesus the Prophet, how do we know that God exists?
We are seeing an increasing interest in spiritual matters and faith. Every kind of faith gives a sense of personal fulfilment and enables people to live happier lives. If you would like to explore faith in a safe and friendly environment, then do come along!
We try to meet on the second Tuesday in the month. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 12th September at 7.30pm at The Oast House, Mariners. We will start by discussing ‘The just war vs pacifism and peace at any cost’. For more information contact Ian Maple on 863144 or email ianandmandymaple@yahoo.co.uk.
Contact: Jo Banks 01732 860509.
Sunday Club
Sunday Club, for children who are at Nursery or Primary School will take place during the 10.00am service and meet weekly apart from the first Sunday of the month when we will be introducing a Family Service.
The children will go to their activities after the first part of the service and return for a blessing during Communion and share with us at the end of the service what they have been doing.
Registration forms to comply with Diocesan guidelines will be available in church from September.
If any older youngsters would be interested in helping please have a word with me, as we are very aware that their needs need to be thought about too.
Messy Church
We have re-started Messy Church, and we hope to hold this about four or five times a year. You may be wondering what it means to get messy at church!
This is a national movement and it creates church communities that are, well, messy! That means we can get messy with paint and glue and other creative stuff. There will be lots of fun activities for parents/carers and children to do together, which might be art, or games, or drama. and we can explore our wonderfully creative God perhaps through Play-Doh or paint, stories and songs.
There will be time to pray and sing and have a story before everybody shares food. It’s a chance to find out more of God’s stories and grow together as God’s people.
Messy Church doesn’t have to be in a church building. The people, not the building, are what makes the church. Ours will be held in our school hall, thanks to the generosity of the school.
Messy Church is predominantly for children, and you are welcome whether your child is one of 30 in their age group, or the only one. And a good Messy Church will be for you too. The parents and carers aren’t just there to help supervise their children – they’re there to come closer to God and grow in faith. The experience as a family is truly special.
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Edenbridge Foodbank
The Edenbridge Foodbank started last year after Julie Barry’s retirement as Parish Nurse and the God’s Hand foodbank was transformed into a Trussell Trust foodbank.
The Trussell Trust is a nationwide Christian organisation with the aim to stop hunger in the UK. They do this by supporting more than 1200 foodbanks, our Edenbridge Foodbank being one of them.
The foodbank is managed by Dave White, a pastor from Edenbridge, Serena Barker from Four Elms who manages the parcel hand-outs at the Foodbank Centre and Sandra Taekema van Tiggelen from Crockham Hill who organises the food and storage. They are supported by a team of about 15 volunteers who weekly make sure the food is collected, sorted, stocked, packed into parcels and handed out to our clients on Tuesday mornings at Rickards Hall on the High Street.
Clients are referred to us from different directions, like the Citizens Advice Bureau, schools, housing associations etc. People can come to the foodbank to pick up a parcel of non-perishable food as well as fresh bread, fruit and vegetables if available.
Most food is donated by the people of Edenbridge and the surrounding area, often while shopping at Waitrose or at the Eden Emporium gift shop on the High Street. Incidentally we receive donations via Morrisons Oxted. The foodbank volunteers also pick up bread from Tesco on Tuesday morning and buy fruit & vegetables from Waitrose or Tesco if we have gift cards or money given to us as donations. Lots of food also come from collections at Harvest Festival, Christmas or other collection drives.
Nobody who is hungry will leave the Foodbank Centre on Tuesday morning without food. We will help people get a referral for longer help, and we signpost people to agencies who can make life better, such as Crosslight debt advice, Involve Kent or other services.
For more information about our foodbank, please check our website edenbridge.foodbank.org.uk or call Sandra at 07540117511.
Outside Help
Edenbridge Hospital
Holy Trinity’s help to the developing world takes a number of forms. We have participated in Christian Aid Week for many years through a house to house collection carried out by members of our congregation.
his year is over the period 10-16 May. The money raised will go towards helping some of the world’s poorest people. If you wish to donate to this appeal you can either: (a) make it online to Holy Trinity PCC, sort code 40-52-40, account no. 00014196, using the reference of your initial and surname followed by ‘CA’ (e.g. DStafford/CA), or (b) send cash, or a cheque payable to Holy Trinity PCC with ‘Christian Aid' written on the back, to Tony Rogers, our Treasurer. For more information please contact me on 866327.
David Stafford
The Leprosy Mission has been supported by the church for a number of decades, and we continue to have a retiring collection for its work on World Leprosy Day, as well as collecting used stamps in the church, and encouraging people to take boxes for loose change.
We also have a representative on the Edenbridge Fairtrade Group (Edenbridge was the first Fairtrade town in Kent) and Holy Trinity is a Fairtrade organisation.
During the year, as with other churches we take part in various other appeals, such as Poverty and Hope, Royal British Legion, The Brownies, Edenbridge Hospital, Edenbridge Holiday Activity Schemes, and The Children’s Society
The BRIDGES Centre - http://www.bridgescentre.org/ - is a community café that offers an accessible place for people to meet, a listening ear, friendship, rest and refreshment, with particular regard for the needs of parents with young children, the aged, the unemployed and those who are lonely or distressed. The BRIDGES trust was formed in 1993 with the purpose of raising funds to buy the Ebenezer Chapel in Edenbridge High Street. The Centre opened in 1995 and is staffed by volunteers under the supervision of a paid manager, Mary Perrett
It
A note from Mary Perrett, the Manager:
Dear friends in Crockham Hill
THE BRIDGES CENTRE OPEN AGAIN
After the long lockdown, the BRIDGES Centre in Edenbridge High Street is now open for business once more. For the time being it will be serving drinks and refreshments from 10-12.30pm on Mondays to Fridays, but as from 4th June, the Centre will be starting a new and exciting project. Every Friday afternoon from 2pm - 4pm it will become a Place of Welcome; a time when all the community is welcome to join us at the Centre, enjoy refreshments and also learn or share skills. These activities may cover such things as cooking on a budget, going on a health walk or learning crafts. This is a space where people can grow, belong, and be nurtured in the heart of the community.
Why not drop in – for a cuppa, to meet old friends, make new ones and be part of the community. You’ll be more than welcome.
The Bridges Centre
Contact: Sheila Stapleton
(01732 866208)
Click here for link to
Eden Christian Trust website.
Eden Christian Trust -
In partnership with the churches of ECC and the support of West Kent Extra our objectives are to provide support in all areas of youth work, to encourage an understanding of the Christian faith and to provide activities to strengthen communities.
From slow beginnings ECT has become a victim of its own success, developing into a thriving organisation in the community with a full-time salaried Youth Worker, Anthony Shipwright providing the following activities:
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ECTreme Youth Club. Meeting on Fridays the doors are regular shut at 50 members for safety reasons, with an additional 15 young people hoping to get in. Some of you may have seen the ECT float in the bonfire parade with some well-known faces plus youngsters!
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Anthony regularly attends the primary schools in the area (Crockham Hill, Hever, Edenbridge Primary and Four Elms) for films, crafts and discussion. In rotation, Anthony attends the churches in the Trust – Eden Church, St John’s Marsh Green, and Holy Trinity, Crockham Hill and SSPP Edenbridge.
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Anthony runs a House Group on a Sunday with about 8 young people providing discussion on a whole range of subjects, relating them to Christian faith. One-to-One mentoring sessions are run coupled with activities and crafts.
Eden Christian Trust is in great need of volunteers for its Friday night Youth Club. This meets from 7.30-9.30pm every Friday evening during term time at the Old Chapel riverside building in Edenbridge High Street. If you are able to help out by volunteering once a month (or more!) for two hours at a time, please contact Anthony via Ect.youthworker@gmail.com or phone 07738232296 for more information.
All Saints New Cross
We have close links with All Saint’s Church, Newcross, and our relationship goes back many years.
New collection arrangements
· All items will be stored in my storeroom this year as, for logistical reasons, we cannot use the Church
· Please ring me before bringing the gifts so that, for security reasons, they can be placed safely in the storeroom (and not left in the open garage)
· Please keep the new gifts separate from any other donated items
If you would prefer to give a cheque, please make it out to ‘Holy Trinity Church, Crockham Hill’ and pass it to Tony Rogers or to me. Thank you very much for your generosity
June Davies 866350
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR OUR FRIENDS AT NEW CROSS
by 3 DECEMBER
During these difficult times, our friends at New Cross would be very grateful for the donation of Christmas gifts for children and adults in need in their community. They would welcome (unwrapped) children’s toys and warm socks, hats, scarves, gloves, toiletries for the adults. Wrapping paper and sellotape would also be helpful.,
Our friends would also welcome non-perishable festive food, in tins or sealed packets. Collection of non-Christmas items will continue as usual. Please bring the gifts etc. to me and either ‘phone beforehand or ring on my doorbell so they can be placed safely in the storeroom (not left in the open garage).
If you would prefer to give a cheque (no deadline on this), please make it payable to ‘Holy Trinity Church, Crockham Hill’ and pass it to either Tony Rogers or me. Thank you very much for your generosity.
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Contact:
David Hodges - 01732 866233 or
June Davies - 01732 866350
Edenbridge Churches in Covenant
The Edenbridge Churches in Covenant (ECC) comprises Holy Trinity, Crockham Hill, St Peters & St Paul in Edenbridge, the Catholic and Baptists churches, and the URC church at Marsh Green.
The ECC was formed so that all denominations in the Edenbridge area could meet and liaise, holding some joint services, usually extra to their own morning service. The ECC also supports the Eden Christian Trust.