Reports
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January 2014
'Thank You Evening'
Picture, Helpers Gathered
Every year we try to organise a 'Thank You' event for all the people who volunteer to do things for Dymock Church - from cutting the grass, maintenance, flower arranging, reading lessons, sidespersons, etc, etc. This year it was on Friday 31st January, when amazingly some 60 people gathered in the church to drink wine, eat nibbles and enjoy a short entertainment of light songs provided by some of the volunteers - the church choir. (Return to Top)

Our Rector, Rev'd Tony Lomas, enjoyed the event himself before thanking everyone in a short informal 'speech'. (Return to Top)
Family Service - 'Celebrating Baptism'
Picture, Baptism Round A Font
In our family Service this month we asked if people are baptised for the forgiveness of their sins, why was Jesus baptised if he had no sin? We suggested that baptism is also a sign of initiation, so Jesus was baptised as a commitment at the start of his ministry here on earth, so he was like us in every way. We illustrated this by comparing the promises new scouts and guides make when they're initiated into those organisations. (Return to Top)

Having thought about Jesus' baptism, we thought of our own and renewed the promises made at our baptism. Two of the young people then enjoyed splashing everyone with water from the font using a sprig of Rosemary (the herb of remembrance). The choir sealed the deed with an anthem of blessing and our hymns reflected the idea of offering ourselves in service. (Return to Top)
Men's Breakfast
Picture, The Men at Breakfast
The guest at our Men's Breakfast on January 4th was Andrew Tyrell, the chairman of the local branch of 'The Gideons' - that group of people who place Bibles in hotel rooms, guest houses, schools, prisons, etc. (Return to Top)

After our usual 'Full English' cooked breakfast, Andrew gave us a short presentation about Gideons International, with some interesting statistics, before taking questions. He explained that the Gideons were formed in their modern state in 1949. Since then, they've place 1.76 billion Bibles worldwide in 94 different languages. They work in very many countries but are still banned from some, including China which has one of the biggest growing Christian churches. That works out at around 2.5 bibles per second! (Return to Top)

In questions, he was asked how this is all funded and explained that members of the Gideons pay a regular subscription towards the work as well as receiving support form many churches and generous patrons. All their income goes on new Bibles and not on administration. They accept that today there are many who have little knowledge of Christianity so may not understand the Bible as well as they might have done years ago but there is a list of suggested references in the front of their books giving suitable passages to read for different states of physical and mental being and they have evidence of many who have changed their life as a result of reading one of their Bibles, not least people who were in prison, all of which makes the work worthwhile. (Return to Top)