As some of you may be aware, this church like many in the New Forest, is seeking to appoint a new Pastor. A such a time we remember the debt of gratitude we owe to those who have served us in the past, and this has been further brought home to us by the recent death in Devon of Mr. Roy Challacombe who was our Pastor for eight years.

Roy came to us after spending many years as a missionary, with his wife Evelyn, in the Upper Amazon in Brazil. Before that he served in the Royal Navy during WW2, being torpedoed on two occasions.

It was on one of those occasions, while in the water, that he came to a deep faith in God, and dedicated his life to Christian service. On leaving Marchwood, Roy and Evelyn, served several churches in the UK, particularly in New Town situations.

At the age of 84, Roy was still active at a church in Ivybridge, and served his fellow survivors from the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle as their honorary chaplain. We, for our part, count it a privilege to have known such a man as our Pastor and our friend.

Now, the Church Roy served, seeks to continue to meet the needs of bodies, souls and minds through the living out of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with a whole range of weekly activities designed to cater for all age groups. While alongside these regular activities, there are special events relating to the seasons of the year.

Thus we can look back to Spring recalling the joy of Easter 2006 and to that super meal provided by the young people to coincide with Mother’s Day. Although in the past, they can each set a principle for day by day living.

Summer, as far as this church is concerned, is always synonymous with a keenly fought sporting event and a much enjoyed social evening. The sporting event is the annual rounders match, children v parents, and this will be held on Friday, June 16th, while the social event, the Summer barbecue, is scheduled for Saturday July 15th.

Another new venture, where we are working with the Hythe based organisation, “Families Matter” is a six week Positive Parenting course based at the church in Long Lane, to be held on Tuesday from 10am to 11.30 commencing on June 6th.

If you wish to know more about the Gospel Church or any of its activities, please give me a call on 023 8086 4076.

Roland Drake