ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns:o><HEAD><TITLE>Goldington Churches Together</TITLE><!-- Creation date: 07/03/2006 --> <META content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv=Content-Type> <STYLE type=text/css>BODY { BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(../graphics/worshipbkground.jpg); MARGIN: 20px 10px 0px 20px; BACKGROUND-REPEAT: repeat; FONT-FAMILY: Times, New, Roman, Verdana, Monotype Corsiva; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #cccccc } A { FONT-FAMILY: } A:link { COLOR: #4000ff; TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:visited { COLOR: #4000ff; TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:hover { COLOR: #ff0000; TEXT-DECORATION: none } A:active { COLOR: #f0f0f0; TEXT-DECORATION: none } H1 { FONT-FAMILY: } H2 { FONT-FAMILY: } H3 { FONT-FAMILY: } H4 { FONT-FAMILY: } H5 { FONT-FAMILY: } H6 { FONT-FAMILY: } </STYLE> <META name=keywords content="Ecuminism, Catholic, Methodist, Anglican"> <META name=title content="Goldington Churches Together"> <META name=author content="John Stronach"> <META name=owner content=Minister> <META name=copyright content="Priory Methodist Church"> <META name=description content="Created by Priory Evangelism Team"> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18943"></HEAD> <BODY>&nbsp; <IMG style="Z-INDEX: 103; POSITION: absolute; WIDTH: 72px; HEIGHT: 93px; TOP: 179px; LEFT: 219px; Design_Time_Lock: True" border=0 src="../graphics/stmaryssymbolgifgif.gif" width=352 height=448> <IMG style="Z-INDEX: 105; POSITION: absolute; WIDTH: 65px; HEIGHT: 97px; TOP: 178px; LEFT: 392px; Design_Time_Lock: True" border=0 src="../graphics/crucifixgif.gif" width=102 height=210> <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=857 height=45 > <TBODY> <TR border="0" > <TD height=41 vAlign=top width=30 border="0" > <P>&nbsp;</P></TD> <TD height=41 vAlign=bottom width=759 align=center border="0" ><P><FONT face="Monotype Corsiva"><FONT size=5><FONT color=#000000 size=6 face=Arial><EM>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT color=#808000><STRONG>GOLDINGTON&nbsp; CHURCHES&nbsp; TOGETHER</STRONG></FONT></EM></FONT> </FONT></FONT></P></TD> <TD height=41 vAlign=top width=1 border="0" > <P><FONT color=#808000 size=5><STRONG><EM></EM></STRONG></FONT>&nbsp;</P></TD> <TD height=41 vAlign=top width=44 border="0" > <P>&nbsp;</P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>&nbsp;<IMG style="WIDTH: 87.22%; HEIGHT: 4px" border=0 src="../graphics/colorfulstonestripe.gif" width="98%" height=4><BR><FONT size=1><BR> <TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=858 height=120 > <TBODY> <TR border="0" > <TD height=116 width=850 border="0" ></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><BR><BR><IMG style="Z-INDEX: 104; POSITION: absolute; WIDTH: 61px; HEIGHT: 98px; TOP: 176px; LEFT: 577px; Design_Time_Lock: True" border=0 src="../graphics/priorycrossnewjgif.gif" width=127 height=203></FONT><BR> <TABLE style="WIDTH: 858px; HEIGHT: 2779px" border=1 cellSpacing=1 borderColor=#d5c531 cellPadding=10 width=858 height=2779> <TBODY> <TR> <TD height=2635 vAlign=top width=891 align=left> <P><FONT size=5 face="Monotype Corsiva"><FONT color=#000080><FONT face=Arial><EM><FONT color=#000000><FONT color=#808000>The three Churches in Goldington of St Mary's (Church of England), Holy Cross (Roman Catholic) and Priory (Methodist) are committed to working together.<BR>In the year 2000 the three Churches made and signed a Covenant Agreement which was an acknowledgement that it is better to work together than apart, and a commitment to do so in the future. <BR></FONT><BR><FONT size=6>The Goldington Ecumenical Agreement</FONT></FONT> <BR><BR></EM></FONT></FONT><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial><EM>Mindful of Christ's prayer:<BR><BR>"May they all be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me", we, the priests, ministers and people of Holy Cross, Priory and St Mary's Churches, who have shared through our ecumenical partnership our Christian life in a variety of ways over recent years, now seek to further God's work in Goldington by a formal commitment to grow together in doing His will. <BR><BR>We accept the authority of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and acknowledge the truths expressed in the historic Creeds.<BR><BR>We proclaim our faith in one God: the Father who created us, the Son who redeems us, and the Holy Spirit who is guiding the Church, the Body of Christ, into all truth. <BR><BR>We acknowledge that within our different traditions there have been and there remain divisions which call for repentance, and we recognise that the disunity of the Church impairs Christian mission. <BR><BR>Whilst desiring to remain faithful to our several traditions, we seek to share more fully with one another the riches of our particular spiritual heritage.<BR><BR>We undertake to review progress annually and to express our achievements and aspirations in an annual united act of worship and rededication.<BR><BR>The GCT Planning group has tended to meet five times per year, generally on a Tuesday in September, November, January, March and June. The regular events of the year which the GCT Planning Group is responsible for organising are: <BR><BR>1. Joint Advertisement of the Christmas Services usually in the form of a joint half-page advertisement in 'The Times and Citizen'. <BR><BR>2. Carol-singing on the forecourt of Goldington Tesco's and the collection of donations of food from the public to be donated to BECHAR (charity for the homeless and rootless). <BR><BR>3. Ecumenical Meal in or near Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January. <BR><BR>4. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: 'Pulpit Exchange' on the Sunday morning, and United Service in the evening with All Bedford Churches Together. <BR><BR>5. Lent Course: held at one of the three churches a following a course selected by the planning group in advance. <BR><BR>6. Away-Day: a joint teach-in on some moral, religious subject of mutual interest, usually held in October. <BR><BR>7. Pentecost - rededication of the signing of the Agreement in 2000: On Pentecost Sunday a United Service takes place at one of the three churches, which will include the following liturgy renewing our commitment to each other: <BR></EM></FONT><BR><FONT face=Arial><EM><FONT color=#ff0000>Reader:</FONT> </EM></FONT><FONT face=Arial><EM><FONT color=#000000>In this year, when we are happy to affirm the decision of our three churches in Goldington Churches Together, to start on the new undertaking described in the Annual Review before us, we, all the members of the three communities gathered here, will formally renew the commitment we made at Pentecost in the year 2000. <BR>As a prelude to this renewal we refresh our memories by listening to the introductory words to that original commitment. They are: <BR></FONT><BR><FONT color=#808000><FONT color=#000000>Mindful of Christ's prayer:</FONT> </FONT><BR>"May they all be one so that the world will believe that you sent me," we, the priests, ministers and people of Holy Cross, Priory and St Mary's Churches, who have shared through our ecumenical partnership our Christian life in a variety of ways over recent years, now seek to further God's work in Goldington by a formal commitment to grow together in doing His will. <BR><BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Celebrant:</FONT> We shall renew our commitment by lending our voices to each of the statements in the agreement. <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Celebrant:</FONT> Do we, the members of the churches in partnership, accept the authority of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and acknowledge the truths expressed in the historic Creeds? Everyone: We do acknowledge them. <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Celebrant:</FONT> Do we proclaim our faith in one God: the Father who created us, the Son who redeems us and the Holy Spirit who is guiding the Church, the Body of Christ, into all truth? <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Everyone:</FONT> We do proclaim it.<BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Celebrant:</FONT> Do we acknowledge that within our different traditions there have been and remain divisions which call for repentance and we recognize that the disunity of the Church impairs Christ's mission? <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Everyone:</FONT> We do acknowledge it. Celebrant: Do we seek, whilst desiring to remain faithful to our several traditions, to share more fully with one another the riches of our particular spiritual heritage? Everyone: We do seek to share. <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Celebrant:</FONT> Do we undertake, on this day next year, in a united act of worship and rededication, to review our progress over the year and to express our achievements and aspirations? <BR><FONT color=#ff0000>Everyone:</FONT> We do undertake this.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</EM></FONT></FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=5> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal align=center><BR>A meeting of the GCT council was held&nbsp;on July 2010&nbsp; and the following <BR>proposals were agreed&nbsp;<BR><BR><BR></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;<FONT color=#0000ff></P></FONT></FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></B> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT color=#0000ff>People<BR><BR></FONT>The Goldington Churches Together Committee met on July 20<SUP>th</SUP> under its new Chairman the <BR>Rev Colin Davey.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>It heard that a new County Ecumenical Development Officer has been <BR>appointed to begin work on October 1st: the Rev Andrew Gale, who is a Baptist Minister with a <BR>three-quarters time post as Chaplain to Oakhill Secure Training Centre, Milton Keynes.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;<BR></SPAN>He served earlier in Burton UponTrent and West Bromwich, where he was involved in both <BR>Churches Together and Inter-Faith Groups.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#0000ff>Principles<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US>Goldington Churches Together is concentrating less on organising  extra events for ourselves <BR>and more on sharing our resources for the churches worship, witness and work together.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#0000ff>Pruning<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US>This means  pruning things like fellowship meals and Pentecost afternoon events, which<BR> have not been well supported recently<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</FONT></o:p></SPAN></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#0000ff>Priorities<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US>It means concentrating on worshipping and studying together: exchanging preachers at <BR>Pentecost and in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity; seeing how we might observe <BR>Holy Week and Remembrance Sunday together; sharing annually in an autumn Away Day<BR> and in Lent and other Courses.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </SPAN>It means greater cooperation and coordination in the way <BR>we carry out Christian Aid Week.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>It means encouraging members of St Mary s, Priory <BR>and Holy Cross to participate in some of the events or activities organized by each of us <BR>rather than duplicating or triplicating things.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp;</SPAN>It means looking together at how we might <BR>serve the needs of the local community, remembering that it is when we do this <BR>together that we also enjoy greater fellowship together.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT face="Times New Roman"><FONT color=#0000ff>Programme<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></I></B></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"><STRONG>&nbsp;</STRONG></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US>The Goldington Churches Together Away Day takes place on Saturday October 9<SUP>th</SUP> at <BR>The Stables Christian Centre, Bolnhurst, when The Rev Peter Burrows, a retired Roman <BR>Catholic Priest, will be our speaker on the theme Jonah,The Reluctant Missionary <BR>(details later).There will also be Carol Singing at Tesco s in December and in January the <BR>All Bedford Churches Together Sunday Evening Service for the Week of Prayer for <BR>Christian </SPAN></I></FONT></o:p></SPAN></I><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><o:p>unity will on&nbsp;January 23rd at the Salvation Army Congress Hall&nbsp;where the preacher<BR> will be the Rev Dr Martin Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church.<BR></o:p></SPAN></I></P> <P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 14pt" lang=EN-US><FONT color=#0000ff><BR>Rev Colin Davey<BR>Chairman GCT<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></I></P><BR><BR> <SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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