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| March of Witness, Good Friday 2008 |
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| About Us |
Welcome!
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CCT is a Forum in which Christian churches in the Chippenham area work together, offering mutual support, worship and prayer.
We exist to promote contact and fellowship between the churches, while recognising that each seeks to worship the risen Christ in its own distinct way, and to provide a united platform to address christian concerns in society.
Our objectives are |
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| to encourage churches to meet together and communicate with each other |
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| to ensure the people and officials of Chippenham are fully informed about the size and significance of the christian voice in Chippenham |
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| to represent those views frequently by letter, through the media and whatever other means of communication are appropriate |
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to speak on behalf of the churches of Chippenham on all matters of Christian concern.
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| | How we work
The following statement differs from the existing understanding of CCT's role. Acceptance will be proposed at the 2008 AGM on 2nd October.
All affiliated churches are expected to send delegates to the regular Forum, which meets three times a year. Here, decisions are made concerning the work of CCT, news is shared about the life of individual churches, and talks are given about areas of christian concern. Delegates are asked to give feedback to their churches. A small executive committee is charged with carrying out the wishes of the Forum and taking any action deemed necessary to promote the objectives in accordance with the wishes of the affiliated churches. News and information is available on this web site. Plans are being explored to resurrect a regular paper newsheet to complement the web site for the sake of many people who are still not ready to deal with electronic means of communication.
TOGETHER
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| we witness to the importance of Easter by processing up the High Street every Good Friday |
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| we spend time during Lent, learning and discussing a wide range of topics |
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| we share Christmas services during the Nativity season |
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| we support local christian organisations and committees in their work of meeting the needs of the world, eg Christian Aid and the local Open Doorway Project |
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churches support each other in their special projects of witness
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| | We are a member of Wiltshire Churches Together
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| Jack Hoskens writes. |
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On 2nd November, 1943, representatives of eight Chippenham churches met to form the Chippenham Council of Christian Churches, thereafter usually referred to as "the Four Cs". From the first, their meetings were the focus for a great variety of shared activities including running exhibitions, courses, even an ecumenical Sunday School. They either formed, or were represented on, a number of committees involved in community work, especially for young people and the elderly.
Over the years the number of churches grew to as many as sixteen. Their vision and range of action also grew. Quite early on they talked about the possibility of a town-wide person-to-person visitation though this only took place in the 1970s. An early vision of an alcohol-free "pub" or bar for teenagers took even longer to come to realisation, when the "Underground" opened in the 1990s.
After 54 years as "the 4 Cs", following the lead of Churches Together in England, it was decided in 1997 to re-form as Chippenham Churches Together, reflecting the aspiration of the churches to "own" their movement towards greater unity rather than "leaving it to the Council representatives".
CCT general meetings are known as Forums to which all are invited. The Executive Committee provides leadership, monitors progress on projects, and its officers are answerable to Forum. Close contact is maintained with the Ministers' Meeting (successor to the Fraternal) which comprises the leaders of the churches.
CCT becomes visible to the general public at Christmas time with carols, etc. in the High Street, on Good Friday when they hold a March of Witness, and on Pentecost Sunday when a celebration is held, normally in John Coles Park. A recent event, attended by some two thousand people, was an open-air celebration service in Monkton Park at the close of the North Wilts. Festival.
It is hoped that this Web Site will be used to inform about the future programme, not only of CCT itself, but of individual member churches, and to demonstrate the happy spirit of co-operation that exists between churches of very different traditions and denominations. |
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| The First 60 Years |
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| Jack Hosken, who, with his energy, persuasiveness, good humour and gentle nature has been a significant driving force behind CCT, and who for many years served as CCT secretary, has also written a fuller version of the history of CCT. |
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