Rivertown United Reformed Church

Garden City URC has decided to close after many decades of witness in the Garden City and Queensferry area. There is much to celebrate in the work the fellowship have achieved over the years and the service they have provided to the community. Now the time has come to open a new chapter and unite with Rivertown URC in Shotton. Both congregations agreed to this at their respective church meetings and we are now all looking forward to a faith life together for more decades to come.

A special 'uniting' service is to be held on Sunday 17th September.

In the coming weeks we will start a programme of sharing our stories during Sunday worship. Initially we will invite those who are bold enough to start us off and we hope this will encourage others to share their stories later on in the series. We will assess how this goes and then look for other ways we can encourage each other through sharing our faith journeys.

Over recent months Rivertown has reviewed and discussed the Vision4life booklet "Praying our Days" and will start a four week reflection on the material this Sunday (18th July) and another three Sundays over July and August, each based on one of the four sections. This week we will look at 'Praying Together'. From the earliest days Christians have prayed together and we can read about these times in the Bible. We will share stories of praying together and think about how we would like to continue in the future, here in Rivertown. We have the opportunity to talk about our own experiences of prayer and discuss how we can continue our prayer life, considering how we can pray for our church leadership, our future, our witness and worship.

Why do people pray together? What makes us glad or wary of talking about prayer.

25th April

Over the coming weeks Rivertown fellowship will be asked to 'pos' their BIG QUESTION. What is it that puzzles them along their faith journey? What question remains unanswered or appears to be unsolvable?

Some of the questions will be incorporated into a Sunday service as we, together, explore what the answers might be - or maybe raise even more questions!

Several people from Rivertown attended an excellent evening at Dyserth to better understand the Vision4life process. On 30th January a number of us met at the Manse to consider some ideas emerging:

1. Using the NIBBLES at worship as a run up to the full Launch of V4Life
2. Having a Grand Event 4 times a year
3. A regular Tea Event

Although this report illustrates our current ‘thinking’ it will be further discussed by the Elders later in February.

On October 13th at 7.30 at Rivertown Church. The start of a six week programme to discuss the world we all want and discover how the Bible can help.

On Saturday 4th October we enjoyed a celebration to mark the calling of Rev. Colin Foreman to the Deeside Pastorate. The service was well attended and well received by all. Our time together included the necessary formalities but the overall feeling was of a special time together in the presence of God.

Our thanks go out to all those people who traveled far and wide to be with us and to be share Colin and his family's special day. People came from his recent pastorate in Milford Haven and others from past days at Rivertown. We were also pleased to see representatives of local and national government supporting us at this time.

Despite the difficulties caused by the roof work and scaffolding we managed to move from the induction service to a time to sharing and refreshments with relative ease!

Thank you to the people who presided, those who shared worship with us and a special thanks to those who took part.

The induction of Rev. Colin Foreman into the Deeside Pastorate (Garden City URC, Rivertown URC and Northop Hall PCW) will take place at Rivertown URC Chester Road West Shotton Flintshire on Saturday 4th October at 3pm.

DIRECTIONS

From M56 Manchester/M6

Follow M56 to the end then bear left onto the A5117 following signs for North Wales. There are currently extensive road works along this route. Follow temporary signs to North Wales until you join the A550. Soon after crossing over the River Dee take the next exit, sign posted Connah’s Quay. At roundabout take last exit right. Bear left through the traffic lights (do not turn left into ASDA) along Chester Road West for about ¾ mile. You will pass Deeside Leisure Centre on your right. Go through a set of traffic lights, passing Pizza Hut and B&Q on your right, then an ESSO garage and the St Ethelwold Parish Church on your left.

20th September

It is some months since we posted any news under this item - this is becaus we 'pressed the pause button' but now we are very keen to seek God's will for Rivertown and discover what it is we will do next. Part of this work is to conduct a local survey to determine:

• what the local people want from their community
• what Rivertown can offer in terms of resource
• what others' in the community can offer to meet needs

All this will help us determine how Rivertown can help meet community needs. At the same time we will pray for God's will for it is then we know progress will be made in faith. Subject to both answer to prayer and community needs we may progress to our next vision - to open up the front of the building, making it into a welcoming place and coffee area. Also, we may be looking at enhancing our worship area to make it a more comfortable place for worship and more flexible for other uses.

Over the past few months we have focused on the 1st element of the Vision 4 Life process - the Bible - and held a number of 'conversations', following the material provided. In all over 30 of members and friends took part and some common themes surfaced - most notably 'I do not know the Bible enough'. Two special services were held - one to share the feedback and reinforce the Bible's place in our faith; the second to offer our commitment to the the 1st stage of the process which will start in Advent 2008. Rivertown has committed to Vision 4 Life and are looking forward to the times of exploration which lies ahead.

Reverend Colin Foreman has accepted the call to ministry in the Deeside group of which Rivertown is part with Garden City and Northop Hall PCW. Colin and his family will be moving into the Manse in mid-September and his induction will be Saturday 4th October.

We rejoice and are delighted to know that God has included a minister in our plans. We look forward to growing together.