The Christmas Party was the last event of 2007 for members of Danbury Meeting Point. Wives and ladies from the Danbury ladies' group were also invited to the party.

The afternoon started with a selection of crooner's songs by Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Abba and others sung by entertainer David Padwick, who was thanked by our chairman David Whiteing.

A superb Christmas tea then followed.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday January 9, at 2pm, when Pip Wright will give us a talk entitled I Read It in the Local Rag.

A full programme of meetings has been arranged for the second Wednesday of each month for 2008. More information about Meeting Point, Danbury's Retired Gentlemen's Club, is available from David Whiteing by e-mailing DJWhiteing@aol.com or calling 225379. Monthly newsletters are sent out by paper and by e-mail, so please ask if you wish to be included.

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH

Glyn Davies welcomed Graham and Sue Marriott from the Meadgate Church in Great Baddow to our church last Sunday to lead worship. Sue started by lighting three candles, it being the third Sunday in Advent and she told us it was nice to remember the real meaning of Christmas.

Sue said that it was good to be back in Danbury once again. Our first hymn was Come Thou Long Expected Jesus and Sue read Bible passages from Isaiah and Matthew telling of the messenger John the Baptist.

Graham played us a recording from the Messiah called Every Valley Shall Be Exalted, and then commented what a gift music is from God.

In his talk, Graham said that he had recently been re-licensed as a lay reader in the Church of England and as such, his sermon will have three points.

Sue displayed the letter A for Advent, and Graham told us this was to remember the four weeks that give us time to work up to the time of the birth of Jesus. Then Sue displayed the letter S, for the second coming, and Graham said we must not forget to remember that Jesus will be coming again.

The last letter was K for Kingdom and Graham told us that Jesus was always talking about the kingdom.

He concluded that we should ask Jesus to come to us in a fresh way and to continue to build his kingdom within us. Graham then sang a song with his guitar called Shalom, which means peace, and said we must ask God to bring more peace into our lives.

We finished the service by singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Fellowship followed in the church hall with tea and coffee prepared by Barbara Ozwell.

Next Sunday we shall hold our carol service at 9.45am, led by the elders with participation from church members. On Christmas Day our minister, the Rev Jon Sermon, will lead a family Christmas service at the slightly later time of 10am. On the Sunday after Christmas, December 30, we shall worship at our sister church at Howe Green at 11am, when Mollie Laver will preach.