Messenger April May 2020

It's now almost four years since we first
experienced The Turning outreach. A
group from Melksham were asked by
the leaders of the churches to go to
Reading to find out what was happening
there and report back. Their remit was
to see if it was something that God was wanting for Melksham.
What we saw there was amazing; people in the streets responding to the simple
message that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives. So, two
years ago many of the Melksham churches agreed to be part of a countywide
outreach that saw hundreds responding to the message of the gospel. For some,
that simple encounter has changed their lives. For many who went out on the
streets, sharing the love of God there has significantly changed their lives too.
People who were once shy about sharing their faith have become emboldened,
not just on a Saturday morning once a month, but in everyday settings, to share
the message of the love of God and the hope that is in Jesus Christ. Many have
discovered that people are eager to hear the message of the gospel and to
experience God's love and touch. The Turning aims to equip the church to do
what it has been called to do - preach the gospel and make Disciples.
Because of the Corona Virus the Turning outreach has been cancelled for
the the next 12 weeks.
If you would like any further information:
Call 01225 707387 or email johnfirth14@gmail.com
Facebook @GoodNewsChurchMelksham
SOARING COSTS AND CHANGING TASTES IN FUNERALS
Never mind living, soon it will be too expensive to die! The cost of funerals has
reached record highs, with families now spending an average of £9,493 on a
funeral. That is an increase of more than three per cent in just the past year.
Only if you are really strict, and shop around, can you still find a very basic
funeral for just under £4,500.
But it seems that more and more of us want extras. And they can be quirky!
Seven out of ten funeral directors have reported requests ranging from a Disneythemed
service, to an all-pink wedding-style ceremony. They have been asked to
release balloons at the end of the service, or even doves. As for appropriate
music, whereas once ‘Abide with Me’ was the favourite, these days it can be
‘Another One Bites the Dust’ by Queen.
Nowadays you needn’t rely on the hearse; use a motorcycle and sidecar instead.
Or, most spectacular of all, you can even choose to place the ashes of your loved
one into a large firework, and blast them off, high up into the sky!
The research was carried out by the Competition and Markets Author.
22 MESSENGER APRIL MAY 2020