CARING FOR CHRISTMAS AT ASHFORD

Its easy to tell people the Good News at Christmas..... Jesus Christ is here.....but how do we show it. Many of us do that in many ways, but the Christian Church has an amazing, dare we say, God Given opportunity, to do it year after year. Do we make the most of it? Many do, and its exciting to hear how more and more we are trying as Christians not to waste an opportunities that are ours. At Ashford SACC, we too take this very seriously, and want to not only tell people that Jesus Christ is here but show it. The Caring for Christmas Campaign has been run in partnership with the Kentish Express for three years now, and again this year has been run throughout the borough of Ashford. This has enabled us to appeal for food, toys and volunteer help with our Christmas Day activities. Many schools, organisations and some churches, as well as individuals, have taken on board this opportunity and we have again been inundated with toys and food that has enabled us to provide over 300 parcels - but that means that well more than 300 people have benefited! Envoy Val Barkley oversights this side of the appeal, and has worked hard with her small team of people who have been out and about delivering parcels to many. Some have come as referrels, while others are people we have discovered need to hear and see that Jesus Christ is here. The Gift of His Love continues to impact other peoples lives.

Part of the Caring for Christmas Campaign is our provisions on Christmas Day to be ONE BIG FAMILY for people throughout the Borough. This year again we were blessed to use the local school which we use for worship, and it enabled us to welcome about 200 people through our doors on Christmas Day - some volunteers, some attending the Carol Service held in the morning, and others our guests for the whole day. The morning Carol Service enabled us to ask the question What makes a Happy Christmas? and we used carols and Scripture to help show us that above all its allowing Christ to be born in us, for us to then experience more of His gifts of Forgiveness, Healing, Peace and more.... It was a great opportunity. We then enjoyed refreshments, Christmas Dinner, Entertainment, Food, Tea, Parcels and Presents and much more. We are grateful to so many people who worked so hard to make this possible, and those who worked before hand organising lists of people, sending out confirmation to our guests, organising the volunteer team, organising the drivers, packing parcels, and of course seeing through the day itself. We were also so thrilled that the Mayor of Ashford requested to come and she shared some of the day with her husband, John, with us. The day flowed through very quickly, and the majority seemed to really enjoy their time with us. Some have already contacted us to tell us the day was really an experience of a Happy Christmas, and someone said the warmth and love really made them experience what Christmas is really all about!

It has been a great experience not just to tell the people of Ashford that JESUS CHRIST IS HERE, but to show it. Faith without deeds is dead - and we are seeking to live that out more and more throughout this coming year as we look at Living by Faith. We thank sincerely our leaders - Carl, Val, Elsie, Lyn, Frances, Sara, Clare, Rhianydd, Kevin, Caroline - for all they have given to this year and their commitment to the ongoing mission and ministry of this church. We pray again that throughout this year we will be able to share our faith and show the impact our faith has had on us as we share it with the people of this town.