June news from Churches Together in Kent

Very different things are being said about our membership of the European Union, even from within Christian circles. As the referrendum draws closer, here are a couple of Christian sites with oposing insights. Christians for Europe & Christians for Britain. Here is also some helpful information from the Joint Public Issues Team (an ecumenical group made up of several denominations). It is a really great resource called "Think, Pray, Vote".

I do hope all the celebrations around the official birthday of Her Majesty the Queen go well. Do send me photos and stories of your celebrations. We pray for fine weather... Pilgrimage for refugees A pilgrimage this year is being held on Saturday 16 July in Hartley, North West Kent DA3 8DW. It is to raise awareness of the plight of refugees. The liturgy is inspired by Pope Francis visit to Lampedusa as we make our own journey through the beautiful Kent countryside.This event is supported by the Kent based refugee action group, 'Seeking Sanctuary'. For more info about the pilgrimage contact the folk at CAFOD.  Focus on Refugees. Thought this one was worth mentioning for a second month... Focus on Refugees is a web-based one-stop source of information covering news, policy, practical action and resources for those in the faith community interested in refugee and asylum issues.  Read more  Our prayers are also with the Canterbury Diocese as their new Refugee Officer, Domenica Pecoraro, starts work.   The Methodist Church in Gravesend is looking to employ a part time youth worker for the Sanctuary Project. Open to folk from any denomination, the post foresees a predominantly chaplaincy role with opportunities at the Night Shelter, Bluewater shopping centre & with Street Pastors. Email simoncurry@fastmail.fm for more info. You'll have to get your skates on though... closing date is 10th June. Next year is the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Will you mark this in your community? Some ideas on how to mark this momentous occassion; The 5 Rs of: Rejoice, Remember, Reforming, Repenting, and Reconciliation. Click here to download the reflection by David Cornick, chair of Churches Together in England.   Churches Together in England has a working group on rural mission. While half of Kent is very urban, the other half is very rural. July 17th is recommended as a Rural Mission Sunday. Click here for more info. Last Friday of April saw 40,000 people gathered for prayer at London’s Excel Centre. The Festival of Life brings together members of Britain’s Redeemed Christian Church of God and is hosted by RCCG’s General Overseer Pastor Adeboye (right). To mark the Queen’s 90th birthday, Pastor Adeboye was presented with a copy of The Servant Queen by the Anglican Bishop of London, Rt Rev Dr Richard Chartres, pictured with Roy Crowne, Rev Yemi Adedeji and Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolf (Church of England Advisor for Mission and Evangelism) from the HOPE Leadership Team and Pastor Agu Irukwu of RCCG’s Jesus House. Pastor Agu told delegates at the 12-hour night of prayer how Jesus House is using the book and encouraged them to do the same in their churches.      Climate Week of Action.  Join us from 8th-16th October in a Week of Action to celebrate the people, places and things we want to protect from climate change. People all over the UK will be organizing events in their local areas to engage their MPs, and we’d love you to be involved.  Sign up to let us know if you’re interested in attending or organising an event. It's all change at the Salvation Army. Do pray for our brothers and sisters as they undergo a major restructuring at regional and national level at the end of June. Pray also for Mark Herbert, the new Divisional Commander, who takes up post at the same time. Our thanks and prayers go to Ray and Angela Irving who stepped into the breach a couple of years ago. We wish a very blessed retirment to them both. A New Framework for Local Unity in Mission. This is an exciting, significant, practical, ecumenical document. It seeks to map what is happening as churches and Christians work ever more closely together at a local level. Vital for Local Churches Together Groups, Single Congregation LEPs, and other creative missional ecumenism. Read it here.

The Church of England has released a prayer for the EU referendum campaign. The prayer is for use by churches and individuals ahead of the vote on June 23. God of truth, give us grace to debate the issues in this referendum with honesty and openness. Give generosity to those who seek to form opinion and discernment to those who vote, that our nation may prosper and that with all the peoples of Europe we may work for peace and the common good; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Chris Ruddle County Ecumenical Officer. 07808 728670 Copyright © 2016 Churches Together in Kent, All rights reserved.