Newsletter

Central Church Newsletter
August 2026

With the school summer holidays in full swing now many families will be struggling to feed their kids while they are at home all day.  The food banks have reported increased need but fewer donations so maybe we at Central, who already give regularly to the food bank, can increase our donations over the summer holidays to help those most in need and make a small difference.  After all, every little helps!

Linda and Malcolm Johnson

THE UPS AND DOWNS OF LIFE

Dear Friends,

This summer has been filled with amazing sport. Football, cricket, tennis, golf, Formula One and the Commonwealth Games … and that’s just the start of it! Sport is interesting because it is always a tantalising mix of glorious successes and agonising failures. That is precisely why sport is so good for us, because it reflects the nature of life. No one enjoys a life of constant success or has to suffer a life of continual failure.  It’s a mixture.

Since normal life consists of ups and downs we all need to know how to cope with them. The apostle Paul has some interesting things to say to us about this. In Philippians 4 he wrote: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Paul found contentment not because of his circumstances but through his relationship with Christ. He was continually facing huge challenges, desperate disappointments and even physical persecution. Indeed, when he wrote the letter to the Philippians he was in prison! So, we do well to listen well to his words. I encourage you to make sure that you maintain a daily relationship with Christ. Don’t let a day go by without spending at least some time in prayer and I encourage you to look for something each day which will nourish and strengthen your Christian life.

In the Lord’s prayer we pray “Give us today our daily bread”. It is really important for us to worship together Sunday by Sunday, but there is a big gap between one Sunday and the next. We all need spiritual food each day to keep us going, in just the same way as we need physical food. Some of you make use of the daily bible reflections which I writein Voice of Hope but there are a huge number of other options available. What matters is that we are finding something that will nourish and strengthen us and lead us closer to God.

The outcome for Paul was contentment. And surely that’s exactly what we all want. I am well aware of the challenges that so many of us face – medically, financially and in our families. Those ups and downs will stay with us but amidst it all God offers us his strength so that we can find continual contentment.

May God bless and strengthen you.

Yours ever, in Christ

Revd Jonathan Edwards
Transitional Minister

Sunday services at 10.30 a.m.

  • 2nd August: Revd Jonathan Edwards (Holy Communion) followed by Church Meeting
  • 9th August: Songs of Praise (Choice of hymns by Wednesday 5th August to Chris Durant please)
  • 16th August: Revd Jonathan Edwards ( Holy Communion)
  • 23rd August: Mr Geoff Rhodes 
  • 30th August: Revd Jonathan Edwards

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 3rd August:         Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Thursday 6th August:        Bible Study, 2.30 p.m.
  • Monday 10th August:       Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Tuesday 11th August:       Bible Study, 7.30 p.m. at Barbara’s
  • Monday 17th August:       Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Thursday 20th August:      Bible Study, 2.30 p.m. 
  • Monday 24th August:       Community Cafe, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  • Tuesday 25th August:       Bible Study, 7.30 p.m. at Barbara’s
  • Monday 31st August:        BANK HOLIDAY, Community Cafe closed

Sponsored Trike Ride

Congratulations to Judith who completed 5 laps of the track and raised £1200 on 26th July to support the disabled cycling at Moredon Sports Hub. 

Advance Notices

  1. On 9th September, we will be hosting the Welcome Service for our Deacon, Tessa Bennett, at 7 p.m.  There will be a Bring and Share supper to follow and we will be very grateful if our members and friends could provide savoury finger foods.  As Tessa will also be working alongside Bath Road Methodist  Church, we have asked them to supply cakes.
  2. Harvest.  Our Harvest Service this year will be held on Sunday 20th September.  Items suitable for use by Big Breakfast and Alternative Angels will be greatly appreciated.  Any items they are unable to use, will be given to the Swindon Food Collective.  There will also be envelopes available for monetary donations which will go to URC Commitment to Life.

Advice to gardeners

The easiest way to tell the difference between young plants and weeds is to pull up everything.  If they come up again, they’re weeds!

Funny Christian jokes

  1. How does Moses make his coffee? Hebrews it.
  2. How long did Caine dislike his brother? As long as he was Abel
  3. Why didn’t Noah go fishing? He only had two worms
  4. What is the best way to study the Bible? You Luke into it.
  5. What did God do to cure Moses’ headache? He gave him two tablets.
  6. What time of day was Adam created? A little before Eve.
  7. What type of lights did Noah have on the Ark? Floodlights
  8. Why is Samson considered the best comedian in the Bible? He brought the house down.
  9. What is the dentist’s favourite hymn?  “Crown Him with many Crowns”
  10. Why is David considered the best babysitter in the Bible? He rocked Goliath to sleep.

Deadline for September Newsletter – Tuesday 25th August 2026.