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The Mothers’ Union (MU) Global Day on Saturday 27th November is part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence from 25th November to 10th December.

Bexhill District Mothers’ Union members would welcome Church Members, Clergy and friends for our silent protest outside All Saints’ Church, Grange Road, assembling outside from 12.45pm. Our Service will begin outside with a 3 minute silence at 1.03pm, around the Church, then we will move inside for the rest of the Service.

Refreshments will be served afterwards in our hall. We want to raise awareness that it is unacceptable for 1 in 3 women around the world to be suffering from violence and abuse. Purple scarves, if owned, are to be worn. For more information and to notify MU of attendance, please ring/text Kathryn on 07932720747.

Ellel – Glyndley Manor Courses

We have a new weekend course titled ‘Healing for Women’ commencing on the 19-21^st November, Do you long for God’s healing touch? Do you know how precious you are in His sight? Perhaps you’re already on a path into maturity and wholeness and just want more?! In these days there’s many pressures on women, juggling family & work life, being single or married and then there’s extra issues with relationship breakdowns or pain from the past. Jesus wants to rescue us from any harm and move us into the fullness of life! The sensitive and practical teaching on this weekend looks at areas of Identity, Sexuality, Emotions, Hormones and Stress. There will be opportunity for fellowship, rest and for those who would like it, personal prayer ministry. Come on this course and discover God’s healing for you and let Him show you how valuable you truly are!

To find out more details please follow the link: https://ellel.org/uk/events/2021/11/healing-for-women

Freedom from Rejection, our last Free Teaching Day of the year which will be held on the 27^th of November it will include looking at how being rejected can have a massive impact on our lives and those who struggle with rejection know that it affects the way we think and feel, the way we see ourselves, and the way we interact with others. It steals our ability to freely love life, to love ourselves and to love others as we fear further rejection and build protections around our hearts. Ultimately it can create a deeply held belief that there is something wrong with us, that we don’t belong, and this also affects our ability to fully receive and embrace the love and acceptance that God has for us. Join us for this one-day course to discover how God can bring healing to the roots of rejection and enable you to walk with joy and confidence – loving God, loving yourself and loving others.

Booking is essential for this course and lunch is available for £6 pp to find out more details please follow the link: https://ellel.org/uk/events/2021/03/free-teaching-day-freedom-from-rejection

“Computers for Charities is offering a certificated Level 2 standard. Computer refurbishment training course at its Eastbourne workshop. Aimed at local people seeking to reskill.

The course contains 10 sessions, 2 sessions per week, lasting 5 weeks. Spaces are limited. Deadline for applications 30^th November 2021.  For more information, including application form. Email: admin@computersforcharities.org or Tel: 01323 848588. The first course is without charge. Disability access is limited, however no age limit”

The Rotary Club of Eastbourne ‘Alone at Christmas’ event is open to persons who live alone and will be alone on Christmas Day 2021.

Guests must live within the boundaries of the Borough of Eastbourne, Willingdon and Polegate. Persons outside this area can attend but they must make their own way to and from the venue.

If you are or know of such a person, please let us have their contact details. Or, if you wish to apply as a volunteer driver or helper on the day, we would be pleased to hear from you.

There is no charge for the event. We provide transport (starting from 12 noon) to and from Our Lady of Ransom Church Hall and at 1.00pm serve Christmas lunch with all the trimmings; entertainment during the afternoon followed by tea and Christmas Cake. We take guests home from about 3:30pm.

Each potential guest is telephoned to arrange an appointment and visited personally in their home by a Rotarian to check their ‘Alone’ status and mobility required by our Safety Risk Assessment. If they walk with a stick or wheeled aid, that is fine, but we are unable to manage wheelchairs or fixed Zimmer frames.

We generally serve around 100 guests on Christmas Day.

If you are or know of persons fitting our criteria, we would be pleased to add them to our list. We commence vetting in early November.

With their express consent, please provide the following information for each prospective guest.

• Full name
• Address
• Postcode (essential for our minibus route planning)
• Telephone number.

Guests: Please send this information by email if you have it or by telephone to our guest coordinator; Rotarian Dennis Thompson. Email: aloneguest01@gmail.com  Phone: 01323 749329

Volunteers: If you wish to be considered as a driver or helper on Christmas Day between 12 Noon and 5pm, please forward your details by email to our Volunteers Coordinator; Rotarian Nicola Williams. Email nicolamw@btinternet.com or Phone: 07766 798773.

Other enquiries? Chairman and Event Manager, Bob Hamblyn Email: rehamblyn@outlook.com or phone 07788 438952

Sleeping Bags

In recent weeks Eastbourne Street Pastors have exhausted their supplies of sleeping bags – they are given out to rough-sleepers who have may have had theirs removed or taken or they have just to too wet to use.

If you have any sleeping bags you don’t need anymore Eastbourne Street Pastors would like them. They don’t need to be new, just clean and in reasonable condition, if you can help please email eastbourne@streetpastors.org.uk or pass them on to any Street Pastors you know.

Additional Team Needed

Eastbourne Street Pastors have been asked to provide additional help on the Streets in Eastbourne Town Centre and need more team members.

We are not Superheroes- just ordinary members of churches – Caring, Listening and Helping ANY one – without discrimination or judgement. Extensive training is given and the commitment is to do one night every 4 weeks.   You can be part of the team going out on the streets or be part of the team praying for them.

Come out with us as an observer to see if this is for you?  Please feel to pass this on to anyone else you think could help.

eastbourne@streetpastors.org.uk

Eastbourne Foodbank is recruiting for the following roles.

Senior Debt Advisor

Organising, Local Mobilisation & Communications Manager

Advice Centre Administrator

The link to get all the info packs & application forms is : https://eastbourne.foodbank.org.uk/current-staff-vacancies/

Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne COP26 March and Rally on Saturday 6th November alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum. Some will  use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.

Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day. The march will assemble from 12 midday at Bankers Corner and walk to the Wish Tower Slopes for a rally at 2pm.

This November, the UK will host the UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. Governments of practically every country will come together to make plans for tackling the climate crisis. Decisions made will affect us all – especially those living in poverty who bear the brunt of the climate emergency. Through prayer and action, we can all play our part in making this a significant milestone as we tackle climate change together.

Whether or not you’re in Glasgow during COP26, there are plenty of ways you and your church can get involved. Go to this TearFund page, which will be updated regularly with new events and prayer resources to help you take action.

COP26 is a key focus of Tearfund’s Reboot campaign, aimed at seeing a breakthrough in the climate crisis.

Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne March and Rally alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum. Among those participating are Gather Collective, an Eastbourne community church. Their Gather Community Garden will be among the stall holders. Dave Roberts, part of their leadership team is urging people to participate and to use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.

Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day

In the recent Church of England elections to the General Synod, five of the candidates elected for the next five-year term 2021-2026 were from Eastbourne. These include Canon Andrew Cornes – elected to the House of Clergy, and Mrs Catherine Butcher, Dr Simon Eyre, Mrs Tina Nay and Mr Jacob Vince, elected to the House of Laity.

The General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England.

Other members elected from Chichester Diocese include Canon Archie Coates, Revd Arwen Folkes, Ven Luke Irvine-Capel and Revd Martin Poole elected to the House of Clergy, and Mr Martin Auton-Lloyd, Mrs Camilla Foottit, Mrs Mary Nagel and Mr Bradley Smith elected to the House of Laity.

A new phase of ministry in Devonshire Ward: 

The trustees of Eastbourne Christian Resources CIO (ECR) and  Kingdom Way Trust (KWT) are very pleased to announce a new era in  the use of 91-93 Seaside Road. They have agreed upon a plan to  ensure that the furtherance of the Christian Gospel and advancement  of the Christian faith in the Devonshire Ward of Eastbourne continues  into the future. 

Since 1949 there has been a Christian Resource Centre operating from 91-93 Seaside. The  sale of Christian Books, Bibles and other resources flourished through many turbulent  times. However in recent years it has become increasingly more difficult to sustain a retail  operation.

Along with much of the ‘High Street’ the Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre has been  significantly impacted by the change to ‘online’ shopping and diminishing footfall into the  shop. The repeated lockdowns in 2020 disrupted trading and brought into focus the  concerns the ECR trustees had about continuing retail operations.

It was clear that the charity could not continue to sustain the trading losses incurred by the  bookshop in the last few years, and so it was with some sadness that the Trustees agreed  to cease trading operations at the end of January 2022.

The issue for the ECR trustees, having taken this decision, was what to do with the  freehold property which the charity owned, and from which the bookshop operated.

Around this time KWT indicated that they were looking for a suitable premises as a  weekend drop-in venue for homeless and vulnerable people in the town. In addition, KWT  needed additional space for private appointments; collaborative work with other  agencies; support and recovery groups; Alpha Courses; a meeting place and hub for the  benefit of those they work with.

The trustees of both charities recently met to explore a way forward, which would be in  line with the aims and objectives of both charities. The board of KWT trustees indicated  that the building would indeed be suitable for the projects they had in mind. The board of
ECR trustees determined that the vision of KWT would ensure a continuing Christian  presence in this area of the town and agreed in principle to pass the freehold of the  property onto KWT, subject to Charity Commission approval.

Bob Clark, Chair of the ECR Trustees said;

“We are excited to be able to ‘hand on the baton’ to Kingdom Way Trust, in the progression  of Christian ministry from the Christian Resource Centre premises, after so many fruitful  years. Their vision for building God’s Kingdom is the same as ours – one life at a time”. 

David Barratt, Chair of KWT Trustees commented;

“We would like to express our deep gratitude for this wonderful gesture. This exciting  opportunity has been presented to us through the “gifting” of the Seaside premises to  KWT, for the furtherance of Christian charitable work in our Town. We are truly humbled by  this. All involved at KWT share the same desire as the ECR trustees to see people restored,  renewed and transformed. The strategic proximity of the building, to many of those we  seek to help, means that lives will continue to be impacted and changed through these  premises which have been part of the work of God in the town for over 70 years”. 

The two groups of trustees will now work together to ensure a smooth and speedy  transfer to allow KWT to begin the new phase of Christian ministry at 91-93 Seaside  sometime in 2022.

The Eastbourne Christian Resource Centre will continue retail operations through  the Christmas period and into January before finally closing its doors on 31st January 2022. 

18.10.21