Once more we are without a Minister.  We were sorry to see Revd. Tom Bayliss go but wish him well in his future ministry in Devon.
 
Our Interim Moderator this time is Revd. Michael Hopkins of Farnham United Reformed Church.  We hope he will be able to join us at some of our future events.
 
Last Christmas we supported the Charity "Rivers of Living Water". Recently we received a letter telling us how all the money received was used.  Revd. Alan Clarredge, who was Minister of the U.R.C. in Throop, went to Zimbabwe in May of this year, to set up and repair used water purification units in hospitals, clinics and schools.  He also took medicines, children's clothes and toys for an orphanage.

His brief diary of his trip sounds exhausting, with journeys of 170-190 miles between hospitals to install new storage vessels, purification systems for safe drinking water and purified water for dispensaries.  He visited a new area he described as beautiful but where so many people had died of cholera and where the shelves in the shops were empty.  Next year he plans to return to Zimbabwe and take an extra five water purification units and spares costing £6,000.  Revd. Alan Clarredge has recently been told of numerous clinics and small hospitals that have no clean water whatsoever.
 
It is estimated that each time he goes to Zimbabwe to fit new water systems over 800 lives per week are saved!  Revd. Alan Clarredge has retired from Throop Church but will continue his work for this charity, continuing God's work.
 
Our Church members were moved by his letter and decided that our coffee morning  on Saturday 5^th December should be a Christmas Sale with proceeds going to "Rivers of Living Water".

Please support us on 5^th December, donate a gift, come and buy or just have tea or coffee.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Christmas is now really in mind.  On Saturday 7^th November there is the Christmas card sale and for the first time ALL the Traidcraft goods that I have will be at the Village Hall, NOT at the U.R.C coffee morning.

I hope you will find the right presents among those I have chosen, or you might like to order from the catalogue.  There are cat or dog tape measures, just pull their tails.  Not in the catalogue, so very new, are gardeners hand cream and lip salve in three flavours.

Remember that when buying from Traidcraft you are giving the producers and their families a better quality of life.

Wendy would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported Poppy's. Our temporary lease proved shorter than expected. We loved meeting you all and are sorry that this business was so short lived. Thank you to all of you who donated goods for EMEF. We have donated £148.78 to the fund. For any outstanding enquiries please contact me on 07527 583876.