Newsletter

Central Church Newsletter
September 2025

If there is one thing we can’t complain about it is our summer this year, It may have been a little too hot for some but we are sure you will all agree it is lovely to see the sunshine. Unfortunately, the weather is the least of the worries for those caught up in war and displacement the world over. For these people each day is a fight for survival and as the world is becoming more fractured and less tolerant we probably need to take some time to ask ourselves ‘Are we are doing enough?’ A small gesture can go a long way to making someone feel welcome. It costs us nothing to be KIND.

Linda and Malcolm Johnson

LORD TEACH US TO PRAY

Dear Friends,

On one occasion the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Presumably they all knew quite a lot about prayer but they knew they had more to learn. They had probably all been regular at synagogue services throughout their lives and had occasionally had the privilege of worshipping at the great Temple in Jerusalem. Prayer wasn’t a new concept for them, but they wanted to know more.

I wonder what prayer means to you. Whatever your answer I feel sure that you, just like the disciples, feel that you have more to learn. I certainly do. Jesus’ response to the disciples was to give them the Lord’s Prayer. It’s an amazing prayer because it is not only very short but embraces all the main themes of prayer – praise, worship, intercession and confession. It is good for us to make frequent use of the prayer but we can also learn a great deal from other prayers.

Recently I shared the Prayer of Sir Francis Drake in one of my sermons. It’s an amazing prayer and I am sure that it will challenge you and encourage you in your prayer life. So here it is:-

The Prayer of Francis Drake

Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

As we step into the autumn let’s commit ourselves to growing in our prayer lives. We all have more growing to do!

God bless you and encourage you,
Yours ever, in Christ

Revd Jonathan Edwards
Transitional Minister

Sunday services at 10.30 a.m.

  • 7 September:          Deacon Stephen Roe 
  • 14 September:        Revd Jonathan Edwards (Harvest Festival)
  • 21 September:        Revd Marcus Torchon (Holy Communion) Marcus is Chair of the Bristol Methodist District
  • 28 September:        Revd Jonathan Edwards (Holy Communion followed by Church Meeting)

Dates for your diary, held at the Pilgrim Centre unless stated otherwise. (Please phone Jonathan on 07876 234264 if you need Barbara’s address.)

  • Monday 1 September:    Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
  • Monday 8 September:    Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
  • Thursday 11 September: Bible Study, 2.30 p.m. / Executive Meeting, 6.30 p.m.
  • Monday 15 September: Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
  • Tuesday 16 September : Bible Study, 7.30 p.m. at Barbara’s
  • Monday 22 September: Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
  • Thursday 25 September: Bible Study, 2.30 p.m.
  • Monday 29 September:  Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. 
  • Tuesday 30 September:   Bible Study, 7.30 p.m. at Barbara’s

PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO BIBLE STUDY ON TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER

Harvest

Our Harvest Service will be held on 14 September and will be followed by a ‘Bring and Share’ lunch.  Monetary donations will be given to URC Commitment for Life and we have a preacher coming to talk about this in one of our November services.  Food donations will go to Alternative Angels so the following would be appreciated: tinned vegetables, tinned soup, hot dog sausages, sandwich fillings, crisps, tea, coffee, drinking chocolate, sugar, canned drinks, fresh fruit.  Thank you in advance

Gorse Hill Baptist Church

An induction service will be held for Revd Mick Uffindell on Saturday 6th September at 2 p.m.  If you would like to attend, please let Chris know so that she can notify the secretary for catering purposes.

Highworth United Reformed Church

Highworth URC will be holding a Thanksgiving Service on 28th September to celebrate 200 years of the church. The service will commence at 10.45am and they will be pleased to welcome visitors though we appreciate that our own service will be held at the same time!  Revd Robert Jordan will lead the service.  If you would like to join with Highworth for this celebration please speak to Chris before 15th September so that she can inform the church.

Thought for the day – FAITH is like Wi-Fi, it’s invisible but it has the power to connect you to what you need.

Deadline for October Newsletter – Tuesday 30th September 2025 newsletter – Tuesday 26th August 2025.