“Keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” 

Matthew 25 v 13 (NIV)

Thought: Jesus showed the fruit of faithfulness to his friends even when they let Him down badly; He did not give up on them. How are you cultivating the precious fruit of faithfulness in your life? Are you waiting well for Jesus’ return? Are you faithful and prepared? Let’s be ready and let’s be faithful!

The verse of the week is inspired by the teaching the previous Sunday.  If you would like to listen to a recording of the message then head to

https://downsbaptistchurch.org/resources/sermons/

Malcolm commenced a new nine-part teaching series on Sunday, 5th May entitled Jesus and ………… . If you have missed a week, don’t forget you can catch up by heading to our Sermons page at https://downsbaptistchurch.org/sermons/

Thursday Fellowship will be taking a break from its weekly meetings over the summer but do not fear, they are hosting their famous coffee mornings.

11th July – Lesley’s home @ 10.30

25th July – Faith’s home @ 10.30

8th August – Sylvia’s home @ 10.30

22nd August – Venue TBC @ 10.30 

All welcome.  For further details please give Faith a call on 01273 304018

We have received details of an Open Garden charity event on Saturday, 29th June from 10am-12.30pm.

Why not pop along for tea, coffee and cakes! The cost is £3, children free.

As a church we have been supporting local charity Off the Fence for many years. Some of the proceeds from the morning will be donated to Antifreeze, Off the Fence’s work with the homeless in Brighton and Hove.

Our “Encountering God” study group, based around the book of the same name by Joyce Huggett, continues.

This is a wonderful opportunity to explore the joys of an intimate relationship with God. It is insightful and practical and will transform your spiritual walk with God!

The group next meets at 2pm on:-

• Monday 24th June – @ Wendy’s home

Like to know more? Speak to Malcolm

Our friends at Seaford Baptist Church are hosting a Movement in Worship training session on Saturday, 29th June, 10am-12.30pm.

Come and learn how to play the tambourine.  There will also be a free dance session and some teaching on worship.

All welcome – no charge though donations are of course welcome.

For further details contact Jane or Margaret.

Habbakuk Harriers Barn Dance – 6th July

Once again the Habbakuk Harriers will be holding their annual Barn Dance to raise funds for the street children of Molo, Kenya.

Tickets and all info from Roger Sisley – 07590 806682

Thursday Fellowship meets in the Parish Room of the Holy Cross Church, Woodingdean at 2.15pm.

We would love you to join us for fellowship, friendship and fun! For further information head to the following link:- Thursday Fellowship

Our 2018/19 motto:

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

Programme for the Spring session:

18th April – Maundy Thursday – Communion Service

25th April – Wendy Young from Off the Fence

2nd May – No meeting – Polling Day

9th May – Rev Penny Blanch (Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team)

16th May – Major Muriel Calder (Salvation Army)

23rd May – Cynthia Tudor. NB meeting will take place at
37 The Ridgway.

30th May – Emily Kenward (Time To Talk Befriending)

6th June – Jenny Brown

13th June – Canon David Gutsell

20th June – Outing (11am – 3pm) See Faith for details

27th June – End Of Year Service – Malcolm Haines followed by tea

For further details please give Faith a ring on 01273 304018.

The term-time coffee mornings are changing from their usual Tuesday morning slot. For information on venue, day and time please speak to Cassie Reynolds.

A big shout out to our intrepid pastor, Malcolm who completed the Milton Keynes Marathon on Bank Holiday Monday, 6th May in a personal best time of 4 hrs, 11 mins and 50 secs.

Malcolm was raising awareness and funds for Off the Fence’s Antifreeze project tackling homelessness in Brighton and Hove. He has raised over £1000 so far and if you would like to sponsor him, there is still time: Head to –

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MalcolmHaines

Well done Malcolm – a fantastic achievement.

Tearfund Update:   Environmental issues

Tearfund is helping to transform the environment of communities around the world, for example, the slums of Pakistan where communities are literally drowning in waste. Uncollected waste is endangering lives as well as the environment.  Pakistan generates around 20 million tonnes of waste every year, of which only half is collected.  In slum communities the waste is dumped into watercourses or burnt when the volumes are overwhelming.  Communities are battling to survive in ever-growing mounds of waste.  When the heavy rains come the rivers rise at an alarming rate and the floods then sweep the rubbish into people’s homes causing the families to leave.  They are in great danger of drowning while they sleep!  Also, the build-up of waste – plastic and organic – allows rats, snakes etc.  to enter their houses, bringing the threat of disease.

But Tearfund is serving these slum communities with the help of their partner, Pak Mission Society.  Newly established recycling hubs have been set up which are supervised by paid ‘guardians of the environment’.  Rubbish is first collected, then sorted and used for compost or the recyclable material sold on.  Each hub provides employment for 25 people.  By doing this, they reduce the amount of plastics in the oceans, prevent the flooding of watercourses blocked by waste and lower greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of waste.

Tearfund is doing so much through its partner, PMS, to improve the environment, health and wellbeing of the slum communities of Pakistan.

If you would like to support this work and many other schemes around the world to prevent many tonnes of waste entering local rivers, to tackle plastic pollution and to improve the health of families head to www.tearfund.org If you donate via Direct Debit before May 17th, all donations received up to the 17th July will be DOUBLED by the UK government up to a staggering £3million.