Churches Together in Sheppey

CTIS Meeting 06/02/2024

1. Welcome and opening Prayer: Matt Spocchia read out Titus 3:4-8 and reflected on that.

2:Apologies for absence: Liz Johnstone, Paul Murray, Lynn Clifton, Trevor Jones, Romana Squires from Queenborough.

3: Approval of Minutes of the last Meeting: They were approved.

4: Matters Arising from AGM Minutes: No matters arising.

5: Finances: i) Accounts for 2024 £150 x 2 one for Bunny Bank and the Carols at the Clocktower sent to the band.

£238.20 left in the account after that.

ii) Subscriptions for 2024 We decided to change the Subscription to £30 a year which everyone agreed to. Subs are due now. We decided to pay the band £100 for Bunny Bank and £100 for Carols at the Clocktower this year.

6:  News and Reports from churches/Affiliated Organisations:

Affiliated Organisations:

Foodbank:  Mark has been unwell. The Foodbank is still running. He was not at the meeting.

Family Trust: The camp is half booked for children and leaders for August. They need cooks and helpers all over the camp. 9-12 years old children. From Sunday 28th July to 2nd August and 4th August to 9th August. Children can only come for one week. They need leaders aged 16+ as long as they go to church regularly. £185 before 18th February and £200 afterwards. They have a Preparation and Training Day on 6th July for it.  They are launching an Easter Puppet Show which they are doing in the schools that they visit.

Oasis Academy: Paul was unable to attend due to a hospital appointment on the 6th. The Academy awaits the next steps in the takeover by Leigh Academies and East Kent Colleges but the final go ahead from the DfE is needed.There is concern about the future for staff and their jobs. Paul hopes this will soon be resolved.

The Dementia Cafe is still going on. They did a big Christmas Cafe for 130 guests at the school which included choirs from Queenborough and Halfway Primary Schools with their own singers and dancers. They delivered over 300 Christmas presents to care homes. Since the start of 2024 they have done a coffee morning with the Royal British Legion  and last Sunday they did a lunch to support the Salvation Army Warm Spaces. They have an Easter Cafe on Wednesday 27th March but are open to support whenever they can. They do not charge for what they do and never have. Paul gives a huge thank you to all our sponsors. Any questions or comments please feel free to email them to him. Next Tuesday February 13th he is having eye surgery so may not reply straight away.

Sheppey Support Bus: Run by Oasis Charity. Whatever happens to the school Steve Chalke wants to continue input through Maddy.

Warm Spaces:  They are still offering warm spaces at Salvation Army at Sheerness.

Princess Project: On Tuesday they have a mum’s group and children are welcome. It gives the mums connection and support. Get in touch with Helen for volunteering.

They have baby clothes, prams and baby things for people who are having babies and can’t afford to buy them.

The Befriending Service for mums on the Island  who need extra support  is available.

News from the churches

Family Church, Sheerness: Matt said that  20-30 people coming on Sunday. They are sharing Jesus.

Waterfront Room: Friday morning  to have tea and make friends.  Tuesday: Princess Project.

Salvation Army: Still running warm spaces on Wednesday and Sunday.

Hope Street, Sheerness:  Blue Tree Social Club on Tuesday at 10am. Heart Felt Group 12am: art group. Renew: Friday 2pm, do crafts and chat and prayer if people are willing. Their church office was decorated for free by Build Yourself Up. Tim asked what Build Yourself Up is and Lynne said that it’s a program with Southern Housing for 17-28 year olds and the course is 6 weeks long and they do theory 2 days a week and then do practical projects like painting and decorating.  They do it for free and they are always looking for places to do. The paint was provided to them free. Lynne said if you need any painting or decorating done at your church  to contact them. They are holding the Dementia meetings weekly now due to the situation at Blackburn Lodge. Last few months has been a slow closure and now it’s a fast closure. She said that the meeting at 5pm was not well attended for dementia sufferers carers as 5pm is a bad time fro them to meet as dementia is affected by the daylight going at 5pm. Age UK lost some funding and is in a dicey situation in Sheerness. Veronika said that Bridge House opposite Tesco has 20 people who each have  room each. They are closing it by the end of March because of funding. There are half the people there.

Queenborough, Holy Trinity: Open all day every day. 2nd Saturday of every month coffee morning 10am-12pm

Roman Catholic Church Minster: Communion classes going on and starting confirmation group soon.

7 Review of Past Events-planning forthcoming events:

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: It was good. 30 people attended.

Advent service: Wasn’t well attended. Maybe do it at 3pm next year when it’s light?

World Day of Prayer: Friday 1st March At Hope Street, Sheerness 11am and 7pm at Bethel, Minster.  Planning Meeting for it on Monday 12th February Salvation Army Hall 2pm. Everyone welcome to come. Olive has the posters. Posters will be given on Monday.

Bunny Bank: held at Minster Abbey outside at 11am. Ayotunde from New Covenant church will be doing the preaching. Tim will organise it this year. Hope Street hold an event for those that cannot go to Bunny Bank at 11am the same day. Catholic church has the crosses. Nobody from the prison will come this year. Carry cross from Eastchurch. If anyone can carry from west end of Island please let Tim know.

Pentecost: Sunday 19th May. Unsure of what church to hold it. Bethel was suggested and then Sheppey Evangelical Church. Tim will ask Sheppey Evangelical Church in Leysdown.

8. Date of next meeting: Thursday 13th June 2024 7.30pm Minster Abbey.

9. Any Other Business: 15-17th March Lynne at Hope Street is going for Selection so pray that all goes well.

Churches Together in Sheppey (CTiS) is an umbrella group for all the Christian churches on the Isle of Sheppey off the north Kent coast in the Thames Estuary.

On this home page are events happening in the next month or so - all planned forthcoming events are on the diary below.

There is also a list of the all the Christian churches on Sheppey with their website links, and a map to locate them.

To contact CTiS please email ctisheppey@gmail.com.

Or go to Facebook https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/1568507763476902/