Dear Friends,
From this, my final reflection, I want to express my sincere gratitude to each and every one of you, for your contributions and devotion to the ministry of this place and beyond. Our vision, mission and ministry here would not have been noticeable if we hadn’t worked together and even most importantly prayed together. So to God be the glory, great things He has done!
Membership:
Our total membership as at the beginning of May 2016 was 117 however as we are all aware that Diane has moved away from the area, she requested a transfer of her membership on the 8th of May, and I wrote to her new minister to transfer her membership on 18th May 2016. This brings down our membership to 116.
As mentioned at the last church council in March, members whom we removed their names from our membership list for the reason of not seen them for years, not heard in spite of following up and others who had moved out of the area/country. It has been mentioned that they will always be welcome to be reinstated when they are ready to come back. This exercise has given us a very clear idea of our total membership.
The above number takes into account the confirmation of Hilarion Badoo, Kamaljit Sokhi, Christiana Untalan and Jeslyn Adjei-Kyem as well as the transfer and acknowledgement of membership of Zeny and Rodolfo Untalan; John and Zendy Untalan-Flores; Seth Badoo; Calvin St. Clair Archibald; Leslie Adlam; Michael Nee Quaye; Tina Crosby and Edwin Wiafe – all on Sunday 13th December 2016.
Baptism:
We were so joyful with Kam at her baptism service on the 13th September 2015.
Marriage:
We give God thanks for bringing together in Holy Matrimony Tinashe Tandayi and Nasha Mereka on 19th March 2016 (The new Mr & Mrs Tandayi Jnr.) We continue to pray God’s blessing upon them.
Death:
We give praise to God for not losing any of our members to death in the year under review however we acknowledge the fact that some of our members have lost members of their family; flagged their anniversary and we share their grief. May they rest in peace and in the bosom of our dear Lord, Jesus Christ.
And so finally I share in the words of the hymn writer Sydney Carter (1915) in my reflection of ministry that is about to end in Hounslow and what is about to begin in Stoneleigh/Ewell:
“One more step along the world I go; one more step along the world I go; from the old things to the new; keep me travelling along with you: And it’s from the old I travel to the new; keep me travelling along with you. Give me courage when the world is rough; keep me loving though the world is tough; leap and sing in all I do; keep me travelling along with you.”
Every Blessing,
Rev Emma Aikins