Chaplaincy News - January 2022

Happy New Year

to you all.

TAKE TEN with LYNNE

 How are you feeling as we enter this new

 year? Excitement and anticipation or apprehension, maybe even a little fear? Whether you're on the mountain top or in the depth of the valley - the year ahead holds both promise and possibility.

View video:  https://youtu.be/OufUdzrpYIk

Our World Cafe will re-start on January 12th, 2022

ROCK MEMORIAL

Have you visited our Rock Memorial? It’s located between the stairwells, opposite the Student Hub. Do please go take a look and pay your respects.

It's not too late ... if you would like to add to this memorial, in respect of someone loved and lost over the past two years, please contact the Medway Campus Chaplain directly. We have plenty of rocks and paint left over.

For more images visit our Blog:   https://medwaystudents.blogspot.com/2021/11/rock-painting-for-remembering.html

WHAT’S ON DIARY DATES

Jan 6^th

TABLEtalk: (via Zoom)

Jan 6^th 

Chaplaincy Pop-Up

Drill Hall Library  10am-2pm

Jan 12^th

World Café re-starts

Blake building 12-2pm

every Wednesday

Jan 13^th

Chaplaincy Pop-Up

Drill Hall Library  10am-2pm

Jan 21^st  

Ten Pin Bowling Night (tbc)

Email the Campus Chaplain for further information or to sign up for any of these events. Follow Medway Campus Chaplaincy on Facebook to keep up with events and news.

Happy New Year!!!

Take Ten - New Year, New Adventures

View video:

Take Ten - New Year, New Adventures

How are you feeling as we enter this new year? Excitement and anticipation or apprehension, maybe even a little fear? Whether you're on the mountain top or in the depth of the valley - the year ahead holds both promise and possibility.

Thought for the week ...

Thought for the week ...

Thought for the week ...

Thought for the week ...

Chaplaincy News - December 2021

              May I begin this news-sheet by wishing you all a very

                                  HAPPY CHRISTMAS

For weeks now our High Streets have been busy and the shops have been filled with all manner of Christmas paraphernalia. A plethora of popular Christmas tunes have been blaring out wherever you go, Whilst I have to confess that I do like a good sing-a-long whilst I'm shopping, there is so much on show that has very little to do with the true meaning and essence of Christmas.

For example, Germany is credited with introducing the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century, Christmas cards only date back to the 1840s, and it was Henry VIII who made turkey popular as the traditional Christmas meal.

Whilst the music and food and present-giving make Christmas fun for family and friends. much of the true meaning of the season has, sadly, been left by the wayside. Christmas in its truest meaning is quite simply about the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. As a Christian, this season points me towards Easter and all that Jesus' life, death and resurrection means for each and every one of us.

No one knows the real birth date of Jesus and there are many theories why this date was chosen as Christmas Day. The very first record of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th is from the year 336, when Constantine was emperor of Rome. However, once again, it is not the significance of the date that counts, but the truth behind the person of Jesus Christ.

So, again, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed, happy and safe Christmas season.

ROCK PAINTING for REMEMBERING

We have reached the formal end of our season of Rock Painting for Remembering, taking time to honour those we have loved and lost. 

However, if you still wish to paint a rock in someone's memory, please contact the Campus Chaplain at: medwaycampuschaplain@gre.ac.uk

Our 50+ memorial stones will be in place, opposite the Student Hub from early this month.

For more photos, see our blog entry from November 30th 2021.

Happy Hanukkah to all our Jewish Staff and Students

WHAT’S ON DIARY DATES

Dec 2^nd

TABLEtalk: International Night (Zoom)

Dec 4^th

Dickens Christmas Festival, Rochester

Dec 7^th

Christmas Angel Making

Drill Hall Library  11am-2pm

Dec 9^th

TABLEtalk: Short Film  (Zoom)

Dec 12^th

Empty Chair Service   3pm

St Mark’s Church, Gillingham

Dec 16^th

TABLEtalk: Christmas  (Zoom)

 Email Medway Campus Chaplain for further information or to sign up for any of these events.

Thought for the week ...

Rock Painting for Remembering

Cast your mind back to April 2020 ... 

If you are an international student, I'm not sure what was happening in your country but, here in the UK, we had been in lockdown for almost a month.  Knowing that this was going to be a difficult season we were already considering how we might mark the challenges and loss that so many people were suffering.  

Little did we realise that it would be close to two years before we could do anything meaningful. 

Finally, throughout October & November 2021, we have held a series of Rock Painting for Remembering sessions. A time for students and staff alike, to honour those they have loved and lost or simply to record something they have learned through this time. 

It was also an opportunity to say THANK YOU to all those who served on the frontline, providing support and healthcare to so many in need.

I'm so grateful for all who took part in this venture and I hope you enjoyed your creative and honouring moment 😊  

My thanks also go to each of the universities, SU and the Drill Hall Library for providing places for us to hold these sessions.

Photos of our final memorial site will appear on our

Medway Campus Chaplaincy Facebook page

and here on our Blog very soon.