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| The Friends of Kent Churches 60th Birthday Celebrations | ||||||
| A wonderful celebration took place on Thursday 8th October 2009 at Nettlestead. Events began with a service of thanksgiving for the Diamond Jubilee in the Church of St Mary the Virgin. This beautiful church is a good example of the Kentish Churches that the Friends was founded to help. The preacher at the service was the Rt Rev Dr Michael Turnbull, the President of the Friends. |  |
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The theme of his address was from Haggai 2 The glory of this latter house shall surpass the glory of the former He said, “The best days of the Friends of Kent Churches are not in our history but now and in the future. We are not picklers of the past but prophets who encourage the present day churches to transform the great heritage we have into buildings which can be enhanced by their greater use. They can become meeting places of all the people of the communities we serve and thus become the temple where the divine touches the human”. |
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After the service, eighty members of the Friends and their guests enjoyed drinks in beautiful autumn sunshine on the terrace of Nettlestead Place before lunch in the historic undercroft. |
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The Chairman of the Friends, Jennifer Raikes, introduced Michael Hoare, the Chairman of the National Churches Trust who spoke about the work of the NCT. |
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Michael Hoare, |
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Bishop Turnbull paid tribute to the leadership of Jennifer Raikes who has served the Friends “with clarity and charm” for more than thirty years. Jennifer is stepping down as Chairman and she is shown here with her gift from the committee. |
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Mary Gibbins, seen here with Jennifer Raikes, takes over as Chairman in January 2010. |
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| Thanks were given to Mr and Mrs Roy Tucker for their kind permission to use Nettlestead Place. Mrs Marguerite Allen, Treasurer, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin for the generous donations to the church. | ||||||
Page last updated 20th November 2009
Charity Number 207021
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