Dear Friends.......

In a normal year, the front of the November issue of The Record would have some representation of red poppies:  great blousy ones growing in a field; paper ones; enamel ones; knitted ones; metal ones spilling out from the Tower of London….  The image is iconic and seasonal, tied closely to Remembrance Sunday which, to quote the Royal British Legion website, is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life.  It is a recognised chance to formally acknowledge the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, and the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.  It is important to remember them, and we will, as a church community, at our Remembrance and Parade Service on 9^th November, as well as on 11^th November itself.

However, this year we at Reigate Park will also spend time this November remembering all those who have shaped Reigate Park Church into the place it is today.  Not just the physical building, but its vision, values and welcoming atmosphere, from the routines we follow to our outreach to the community.

Things have changed over the years, and whilst is important not to dwell in the past, it must be acknowledged that that past has got us where we are today.  So, to those who are no longer with us, and to those who have been here for 50 years, we say thank you; to those who are much more recent, or who feel very new, thank you for joining us.  In the words of a welcome poster of the URC, you’re not late; you’re here exactly when God wanted you to arrive.

Together we will become the past for those looking back in another 50 years!

Taken from the November Issue of The Record