BRIGHTLINGSEA UNITED CHURCH

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE - UPDATE

Physical Attributes

Since the original ‘Vision’ the car park has been totally remade, with small blocks, drains renewed,

wall by the road demolished and post and chains put up instead. Half the front lawn was included

in the car park, with large new gates across the front entrance, thus enabling hearses and wedding

cars to be off the road, and create extra Sunday spaces for drivers with disabled passengers.

(Part of the cost has been met by interest-free loans, some still to be repaid.) We have also

bought a baby grand piano (partly by loan being repaid whenever a concert would have required

the hire of a piano).

Two large display boards have been bought and erected, one on the remaining grass outside

the church and the other in the front garden of the manse, near the primary school crossing point.

A low energy light is now left on in the vestibule full-time, creating a focus and a

welcoming presence. Other physical attributes remain unchanged.

Spiritual Attributes/Outreach

As before, except that the flourishing Tuesday Fellowship had been inadvertently omitted

from the original report, one toddlers’ group (run by outside mothers) has been disbanded

and one Bible Study group has become a social afternoon with prayers, including a monthly

Communion Service, to suit better the housebound 91 year old in whose home it is held.

The 2007 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity’s eight events were notably well-attended

by the United Church congregation, despite the age of many of them.

Comments made from the General Church Meeting in February included: new faces regularly

in church and especially at services at Christmas and on Christmas Day. We are an ageing

congregation so where will we be in ten years? However, we do have newly-retired as well

as much older people coming in so we must go forward in faith. The flower Festival last

summer and concerts are good for bringing in the general public, sowing seeds for the future.

We are extending our programme of inviting high-profile preachers of both denominations

to take services, which are usually made Circuit Services also.

Our pastoral care is rated very highly within the church family and is given by everyone,

not just the Pastoral Visitors. The church has a reputation throughout the town as being

very friendly and welcoming. We now have a second commissioned member of the

Circuit Faith Healing Team.

People on new housing developments are given welcome letters and a Messenger

when this is feasible (the new homes next to the church have

also been visited). Lack of manpower means this is not as fully developed as we would like.

Evidence of Growth

Coffee mornings have been held throughout the winter, averaging two a month, and weekly

 in gardens in the summer, which draw in some guests and a number of very fringe people

and are always happy, sociable events, usually with various items available for sale to swell

church funds. A great variety of people host these, enabling those unable to be very

physically involved to feel they can still contribute. Two new members have been received

recently.

Vision for the next Decade

This remains as before, with the addition of trying to arrange activities for younger people,

such as picnics etc. but these are complicated by Child Protection regulations.

What resources could the Circuit provide you?

As before.