A Message from Alan Schofield Dear Friends, I hope 2012 has started well for you and that it gets even better! It was good to celebrate Christmas together – it was good to share with friends, puppets and local councillors alike at our candle light service – thank you to everyone who took part. I bring you tidings of great joy – we have called Rev Dick Prior to be our next minister and he has accepted. Dick will be arriving during February, he will be joined by his wife Sue and they will be coming to us from Chatteris. We look forward to working with them both and to learn how Dick believes God is going to lead us forward in God’s work at QP. They will be staying in rented accommodation until the manse is ready for them. Many of you will have met them either when Dick came and preached with a peep or when they spent the weekend with us in January. I hope you appreciated the weekend when Dick came to preach with a view – we tried to give plenty of opportunity for members to meet him and I think it worked well. A big thank you to all who helped with the arrangements. When Dick arrives he will need time to settle in and help determine where his first tasks lie. We must work with him to discern God’s will for Quinton Park. You may recall we had been told that the WREN money was going to be made available to us for the completion of our new hall, kitchen, rooms etc…. Well, the contract arrived on January 14th and by the 22nd several rooms had been plastered and the plaster boarding was being applied in the hall - once again well done and thanks Barry. So a new year, a new minister, a new suite of buildings and so lots of new opportunities. Our Annual General Meeting takes place on March 25th when annual reports and accounts will be adopted. At this meeting we will also hold an election for Deacons. Barry Preston will have completed his first 3 year term, so he is eligible for nomination. Any candidate must receive 4 independent nominations. ASDA have now had their planning application passed and local radio says that they are going to give us £50,000 towards our building project. As we have now got all the money we need to complete phase 1 – i.e. the new hall, if we do receive some money should we put it towards phase 2? We wait and see! Exciting times – please be a part of all we do – if you are not yet a member and want to know more about becoming a member, please speak to me or any Deacon. In His Service, Alan Schofield - Church Secretary