News

Speaking Up For Global Health – Gather Collective to Participate in Local COP26 March & Rally

 

This November, the UK will host the UN climate summit COP26 in Glasgow. Governments of practically every country will come together to make plans for tackling the climate crisis. Decisions made will affect us all – especially those living in poverty who bear the brunt of the climate emergency. Through prayer and action, we can all play our part in making this a significant milestone as we tackle climate change together.

Whether or not you’re in Glasgow during COP26, there are plenty of ways you and your church can get involved. Go to this TearFund page, which will be updated regularly with new events and prayer resources to help you take action.

COP26 is a key focus of Tearfund’s Reboot campaign, aimed at seeing a breakthrough in the climate crisis.

Local churches will be taking part in the Eastbourne March and Rally alongside 28 other groups and organisations from across the political, religious and ideological spectrum.

Among those participating are Gather Collective, an Eastbourne community church. Their Gather Community Garden will be among the stall holders. Dave Roberts, part of our leadership team is urging people to participate and to use the TearFund resources including banners referencing ‘love your global neighbour’ and ‘act justly, love mercy, walk humbly’.

Look out for the bright yellow banners on the day

Delights of The Garden Art Show to be Hosted by Gather Community Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gather Community Garden, an expression of the Gather Collective, an Eastbourne community church, is hosting an art exhibition around the themes of ‘edible’ and ‘the natural enviroment.’ The Delights of the Garden exhibit has been curated by Tempo Arts and Compass Community Arts with input from Amberstone Artists and Blackberry Buzzard. The works will be spread throughout the 7 plot allotment, which is open 6 mornings a week and includes a quiet garden around the theme of Psalm 23.

The 9 day event will launch on Friday 10th of September at 6pm with special guests including MP Caroline Ansell and Deputy Mayor Helen Burton. Refreshments are included.

The exhibition can be viewed from 11am – 4pm on the following days

Friday 10th – Sunday 12th
Friday 17th – Sunday 19th
Friday 24th – Sunday 26th

The Gather Community Garden is part of the Churchdale Allotments, which can be found on the footpath between Churchdale Road and Hammonds Drive. (The path is famous for its chickens – which are part of the Gather Community Garden. Google Maps will take you to the exact place if you search for Gather Community Garden.)

Entrance is Free

Gather Community Garden ‘Open Garden’ on August 28

You are invited to join us at our Gather Community Garden (GCG) Open Garden  taking place between 10.00am and 2.00pm on Saturday 28th August. GCG is a 7 plot partnership with local charity Growing Futures. It is open 6 mornings a week and is also used at other times. As well as growing fruit and vegetables the plot also has a 2 beehives, 21 chickens, 2 toilets, and indoor and outdoor cafe areas. Additionally there is a quiet garden based around the theme of Psalm 23 and a prayer room used for personal and group reflection.

The project will host an art exhibit in September and will be the venue for a Men’s Garden Shed project – also launching in September.

The community garden project is part of the work the Gather Collective chaplaincy team. It reflects our desire to help create community connections for people and be a presence within our communities. It is also underpinned by our belief in creation care and healthy food access.

For users of what3words here is our exact location.                   You can also find a map below – we are on the footpath between Churchdale Road and Hammonds Drive. (Bookers and Wickes)

Gather Collective Live Services Return

The Gather Collective returned to live services in the final week of July. Our meeting venue at the Love All Tennis Studio is a spacious room and we can do some social distancing between families and groups. We can also provide masks and we have hand sanitiser.

Our services start at 10.15am and include a live worship team, participatory prayer and Bible teaching. Following the service we have coffee/tea at the Love All Cafe. A free voucher for the hot drinks is provided to all attending the meeting.

We are exploring what a focus on Jesus, mission, prayer, creation care, justice and community looks like. For more information on our venue please go here

The Prayers of Jesus – The Prayers of Peace

My peace I leave with you was on Jesus lips 3 times in John 20. This is just one of the many times peace and prayer are connected in the life and ministry of Jesus. Peace is rooted in the word Shalom which has multiple layers of meaning including welfare, wholeness and calm and abundance. In this core teaching for us a congregation Dave Roberts notes that the gospel is rooted in the notion of the gospel of peace. Our forgiveness, flowing from Jesus death and resurrection, is the start of our embrace of the Kingdom of God and a belief in the restoration of all things. What do Jesus prayers of peace tell us about mission, prayer, justice and the relational nurture that God desires?

Holy Week – Day 8

Sunday (Matthew 28v1-20)

The Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!

Do you get the impression that Mary Magdalene was awake all night, ready for the first glimmer of evidence that dawn had arrived? Like an athlete in the starting blocks, she was off, probably gathering the other women on the way. They came expecting to embalm a corpse, they found a very alive Jesus, more alive than he had been up till now, because now he was in his heavenly state.  He appears to the disciples in the upper room, to Thomas, to two on the walk to Emmaus, who did not recognise him till he stops with them to eat and blesses the bread. Maybe, as he raised the bread, his sleeve fell back, revealing his scars? Whatever it was, they ran all the way back to Jerusalem in their excitement, all was joy, confusion and bewilderment.

There will be times in our lives when God seems especially near and real, perhaps at special celebrations, at communion. We need to remember these moments, maybe note them in a journal, because there will also be times when God seems distant, difficulties may obscure our spiritual senses.

Whatever today brings or feels like, from the moment Jesus came out of the tomb, the cosmos changed forever. The way to God is open to everyone, sin is dealt with once and for all because:

Jesus is Alive: Selah!

Holy Week – Day 7

Saturday (Luke 23v55-56)

The followers of Jesus were devout Jews and even though it might have been tempting to just go and stay at the tomb, they went home and kept the Passover rest. Many everyday activities like walking long distances, cooking, normal work, were forbidden on this day, like on the normal Sabbath. The intention was not to make life difficult, but to ensure the people rested.

In some churches, on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, a vigil is kept. Churches that have a lamp burning all year, extinguish it on Good Friday. On Saturday the people gather to renew baptismal vows. In some, at midnight the lamp is re-lit and a candle is lit from the lamp, the light is passed round the congregation. Sometimes it is good to give ourselves space for renewing our promises to God and each other, to re-light our individual and collective light and to rest. Many people who are involved in the leading and directing of their congregation have to designate a day of rest, because Sundays are often their most busy day.

Selah: Rest is important, so is taking time to review our lives in the light of Easter. Are you ready for whatever God may be calling you to?