Annual General Meeting
Our AGM was held on Tuesday 5th March in Christ Church, Portsdown.
The preceding service was led and the meeting chaired by the Revd Andy Wilson. The minutes of the last AGM were read, approved and signed as correct and committee members voted in. We have 27 members of which 5 are indoor members.
As no-one volunteered to become our new branch leader we will continue to be run by committee.
The meeting concluded with a prayer, which was followed by tea and cakes. MU Cards, including Easter cards were available to purchase.
Lady Day, 25th March
The theme for Lady Day held at All Saints Catherington, was “Transformation”.
The Annunciation, also known as Lady Day is celebrated by Christians around the world as the day when the Angel Gabriel visited Mary to tell her she had been chosen by God to be the mother of his son, Jesus Christ. A day that transformed her life and was to bring her joy and grief.
It was a beautiful service of hymns and prayers with readings from Isaiah, Galatians and Luke and a short reflection led by Revd Anne Gothard. A retiring collection raised £106.30 for AFIA.
April meeting
Sixteen ladies were present at our April meeting. Ros led us in a Taizé afternoon with taped music and singing, including the Taizé chants “Watch and Pray”, “Jesus Remember Me” and “O Lord, hear my Prayer, when I call answer me”.
May meeting
Our speaker this month was Kevin from the Blue Lamp Trust who spoke about security, fire safety and cybercrime. The Blue Lamp Trust is a non-profit charity which gives assistance and advice to vulnerable and elderly people in the community.
It was established 25 years ago. Their highly vetted personnel will visit your home, make a survey and advise on appropriate security and safety items, most of which the charity will supply and fit for free (or for a donation). They can fit door and window locks, spy holes, window alarms, door chains, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms etc. They will also fit “Ring” door bells and a better quality keysafe (which cannot be easily wrenched off the wall) but as these are expensive items they need to make a charge for them.
Also they have trained volunteers who can advise on cybercrime and how to avoid becoming a victim of it.
For further details call 03007770157.
Summer tea party
Our Summer tea party is always very popular and this year’s (on Tuesday 4th June) was no exception.
With over 60 guests including friends from other branches and local churches the tea ladies were kept really busy – making over 100 cups of tea and coffee!
We had a plentiful supply of sandwiches, scones, cakes and nibbles brought in by Christ Church MU members, a bring and buy stall, Mothers’ Union cards, a large raffle and the usual table quiz.
Our raffle raised £162 for AFIA.
