Greetings to family & friends
On the 1st January at 1.10am I received a call from Seaview Nursing Home to say that Doreen had passed away peacefully in her sleep. Many of you will know that she had suffered with heart failure for many months and had a great desire to be in heaven with her Lord. A memorial service was held at St Ethelburga’s Church 11am on the 11th of February 2025 followed by a committal at Hastings Cemetery and Crematorium at 12.15pm followed by refreshments back at St Ethelburga’s Church at 1pm. A recording of the memorial service is available via YouTube -search for eltham green community church - the funeral of doreen cooke. It includes an excellent eulogy of Doreens Life which Doreen she left for us and was added to by Allan Wood a good friend and member of St Ethleburga’s and was read by Matthew Foy the minister of the church.
Terry was able to share something of this remarkable lady. Frances & I first met Doreen in the summer of 1972 in the hallway of our home in Bromley, Kent. We and our three boys had recently moved into a rented property having sold our house in Crofton Park. We were leading a small church in our home. I had been talking to Alan Stewart, whose wife was a part of our fellowship. Alan was keen to become a Christian and it was my privilege to help him give his life to the Lord. Doreen had recently visited friends in Devon and had been encouraged to contact us. As I walked out into the hallway with Alan, both he and Doreen hugged each other, and we were about to discover that Doreen had been his Sunday school teacher in the local brethren church. Both Alan & Betty & Doreen became foundational members of our rapidly growing church. Doreen gave herself 100% to the work and ministry of the church. Doreen undertook all my correspondence, produced the churches weekly newsletter, our monthly missionary magazine, and collated all the homes a mile circular round our church building so we could call on everyone and share the Lord with them. She was willing to do anything and on one church holiday took one of our 2 hired 16-seater Transit minibuses and drove it through Belgium, Germany and the over the mountains of Switzerland. After 30 years she had to give up driving due to Macular degeneration, but she never stopped serving and supporting us both as a family and as leaders of the church.
Matthew Foy read Doreen eulogy “Doreen May Cooke Born 14th September 1925. Died 1st January 2025. Father Charles Cooke, 1898 to 1965. Mother Ivy Harriett Cooke, nee, Kendrick, 1900 to 1983 Doreen was born at Rushey Green, Catford in the annex to Lewisham Hospital, now a day nursery, she was two months premature and weighed only 4 lb, later went down to 3 1/2 pounds. Her Mother said she looked like a scrawny rabbit and was not expected to live. She did and survived an operation to remove a sist from the glands in her neck when a few months old. Her Siblings were an elder brother, Valentine Alexander who was born 14 February but died a few weeks later. A second brother, Alexander William Cooke, was born on the 28 August 1930, a healthy bouncy baby who in 1999 died suddenly of heart failure. Her first home was 9 Mount Pleasant Road Lewisham SE13 from 1925 to 1931, then in 1931, moved to 129 Southover, Downham, Bromley, Kent where she lived until moving to St Leonards in 2014. Education. In September 1930 went to St. Mary's Church of England School Catford. Doreen says she does not remember much about it, except a large Christmas tree, from which she was given a small stuffed black doll and at school, she was bullied by one of the girls, so mother had to chase her to school with her father's belt in her hand. From 1931 to 1939 moved to Burnt Ash Primary, the Junior and Secondary schools. She says “I have very pleasant memories of school but was reported as being “Too retiring in class” which I believe resulted in not really making the progress I should have done until I was about twelve, and I was too late to pass the grammar school entrance exam. However, in 1931, I passed the entrance exam to the “School of Craft and Industrial Design” and started there in January 1940 where I gained the City and Guilds Preliminary Dress Making Certificate and 2 years later transferred to the Bromley School of Art situated next door but one, and there I stayed for several years and gained the “Board of Education” “Drawing Certificate” after six days of four hour exams. A very worthwhile basic drawing course.
On leaving I had great hopes of joining the WREN’s but all women services were closed at that time so instead of going Into a munitions factory I finished my art course and was sent to two different commercial art studios but this was not my fate, so I gave up thoughts of art for a time and first worked in the office of the Disabled Association in Manchester Square (Behind Selfridges) then a Stationers in Fleet Street till I was made redundant. Remembering that I had enjoyed teaching in a small school at Chelsfield one afternoon a week I applied at Bromley Education Office, who saw my qualifications would not enable me to teach in a state school, but a private school might. I therefore applied to Stratford House, Bickley and was accepted as a junior form mistress being resident Monday to Friday plus two weekends a term. These were probably my happiest teaching years in retrospect. After about seven years, the head encouraged me to take the School Certificate exams and apply to a Teacher Training college which i did. And spent two years at the City of Paul’s Maths Training College, passing with a distinction in art. Although I would have liked to sample another part of the country, my father was a sick man, so I gained a post at Princes Plain Secondary School, Bromley, Where I stayed mainly teaching problem children, which I had a soft spot for. Eventually I left to teach in a school maladjusted children at Moat Bridge School at Eltham with small classes of troubled children. I enjoyed working with these children, until feeling a very definite call from God, I retired early to be available to help in the church. At first my main energies were taken up with a sick mother.
When she died in 1983 I became fully available to help in the church, starting by helping with the missionary magazine, then after a few weeks promoted to editor, various other things developed, making endless lists of names and addresses from the General Role in the library to eventually becoming Terry’s secretary, which I greatly enjoyed, until put out to grass when I was about 69. I was not born into a church going home - the only exception was my great grandmother, who was a very old lady when I met her as a small child but my grandmother told me she was a strict Baptist, so I often wondered if she prayed for me, I seemed to have had an awareness of God because I was very young, under five, I remember having a whitlow on my finger and my grandmother told me, that it would have to be lanced the next day if it hadn't gone down. I remember praying so hard that night, because I didn't like the sound of it being lanced. The next morning it had gone - my prayer was answered, We had a little spare money for outings and holidays. In fact, I only remember a family holiday when we stayed with friends in Battlesbridge in Essex, so when I heard of the annual outings at a local Sunday school, run by the Shaftsbury Society it seemed a good idea. I do not remember how old I was, probably between, 7 to 11. It was there I heard the gospel for the first time, and at the “magic lantern week” night service and clearly remember singing “Into my heart, into my heart, come into my heart, Lord Jesus and really, meaning it, I did not tell anybody, I was too shy, but I knew it was real and I believe God did. However, after a few years, I was tired of going by train to Margate every year and heard of another Sunday School that was available around the corner at Brook Lane Hall who went to a different place every year by coach, so I changed for that noble reason. God had it all in hand, for I was at this bible-based church for the next 34 years. I grew up through the Bible class Girl Covenanters and was baptized on the 12th September having faced the challenge to be fully committed. I eventually became a Sunday school teacher and Sunday School secretary. In the late 1940s, though, being disappointed by a break from a boyfriend, my heart “withdrew” somewhat, and I grew cold although on the whole, kept up appearances outwardly. About 1944, I started going to a Girl Covenanter Camp but during this time, just mentioned, I missed a few years. However, the Camp Commandant wrote and asked me to go as an officer. Very warily, and at the end of the week of challenging talks on Saul & David I came back to the Lord and on my return home, was asked to help with the Senior Girl Covenanters girl class, and eventually became its leader. By the 1960s, I was deeply aware of a hunger for “something more” so when I heard whispers of what God was doing in various denominations in the country, my heart leapt. Everywhere I went I seemed to be haunted by verses on the Holy Spirit, and attended a small meeting to find out more. I received a letter from two separate friends who had been baptized in the Holy Spirit who were speaking in tongues, and my longing increased at camp that year. I talked to these two friends again who kept telling me I had to receive this gift by faith. When on my own, I asked God that I might receive this gift, and he would kindly confirm it to me with the gift of a new tongue. Nothing appeared to happen at that moment, but the next day, while a few of us were praying together in the field, I found myself praying in tongues - How we rejoiced. Of course, receiving the Holy Spirit meant I had to be changed! The assembly at Brook Lane were not in favour of all this, and I found myself gradually feeling alienated.
It was in 1972 I found myself introduced to Terry Watson and his house group. At first, I only attended the meetings on Wednesday evening but by 1973 it was obvious that my real fellowship was with them, and after much heart searching and clear word from the Lord, I left Brook Lane and threw in my lot with this House Fellowship. The love and life I found there was overwhelming, and the next few years was a time of breaking down and rebuilding. I had always found it difficult to believe I was loved by anyone, let alone God, and when that really dawned upon me, it began to change my life. Another big step was the realisation that God did not see me as a utter failure, I realised I was “in Christ” His Beloved, and was hidden in his son, Another great milestone which changed my life was the realisation that it was “a love relationship that God wanted and my daily prayer for many years has been “Dear Father cleanse me deeply in the precious blood of your son. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus come live your life in me to replicate your father’s heart. Make me a blessing to all I meet or speak to on the phone. A verse of one of my favourite hymns is,” I find within me now fruit of thy great grace I did not see it I did not see it come. I saw thy face”. I believe that if we seek to keep that “in love” position, seeking his, his face all the time. He does his lovely work in us.
After 30 years with the Eltham Green Fellowship – I had to give up my car and found it difficult to get there. Sitting in my armchair one Sunday afternoon, I cried out to the Lord, how can I get there now and as clear as anything, the Lord said go back to “Brook Lane” I was deeply shocked, and said, “oh no”, at first and then I quickly repented as I could not say “no to God”, although some were sceptical about this, I just know it was of God. I crept into the service the next Sunday morning I was given such a warm welcome – I just knew. Since that day, I have never doubted that call. I am still in touch with my friends at Eltham I love them dearly but know that I am in the place He wants me to be for the moment. I say that because the older I get, the more exciting life becomes, and he continues to give me new, challenges. My longing is to rightly represent my Lord to the end for his glory. Doreen continued to worship with the folk at Brook Lane Community Church until December 2014 when she moved to live with Terry & Frances. For a time attending Beulah Baptist Church where their niece and her husband were part of the ministry team and then to St Ethelburga’s.
Mathew’s Reflections. I arrived here in St Leonards in September 2019 by which point Doreen was already regularly attending St Ethelburga’s. However, it was not until the summer after the first lockdown in 2020 that Doreen asked me to her house for a cup of tea. I remember going and being quizzed on my Theology. Doreen was keen to make sure I was committed to the biblical evangelical gospel. And I remember at the meeting she said, considering what you have said, I would like to become a church member. Aged 94 she committed to life here at St Ethelburga’s Church. She wanted to be here every Sunday, she joined the band and never failed to make a prayer meeting. She was always the person I knew would be upholding us in prayer as we reached in outreach and evangelism. Every Monday morning, I take an assembly at St Leonards CE Primary and on Tuesday mornings she would let me know she had been praying for me. Doreen knew the goodness and faithfulness of God. She knew all she had in Jesus Christ. She knew where she was going. We thank God for her, her faith and her example. Tribute from Allan Wood We will miss seeing this well-dressed, colour-coordinated lady in a hat, sitting at the front of church assisting the music group keeping rhythm with her tambourine! (When Doreen first arrived at St Eth’s, her appearance, prompted one of the children to ask her if she was the Queen!) We will miss her sense of humour, encouraging support and generous giving. Doreen was passionate about the power of prayer and regularly attended prayer meetings and home group. A retired teacher of art, and an accomplished artist before her sight failed, Doreen also loved poetry and encouraged others by hosting the monthly poetry group.
Terry & Frances share that this year we have been praying much about our involvement with the church at St Matthews since Frances had her last medical crisis. From that time she has had a few outpatient visits to investigate her inability to eat with the conclusion that there are no physical defects. It is her strokes she has suffered that has made it difficult for her to swallow as well as her inability to cook and look after the home as she used to so effectively do. It now all falls to Terry to run the home and garden. We continue to pray for her complete healing.
On the 24th March we had a yearly visit from Dementia Support who oversee Terry’s full time caring role which as mentioned includes everything that goes on inside & outside the house. Frances benefits greatly from the girls from Care at Home who visit each morning to wash, dress her and helpfully look after her daily medication. Terry has been sorting out Doreens possessions which she has collected over the past 99 years of life together with those things she inherited from her parents. All these have been left to Terry & Frances. Terry has now removed most of them from her 3 rooms either to charity, to the dump or into the attic. We have now moved into the main bedroom but needed first to replace the floor in the walk-in wardrobe which would keep everyone awake in the room below. We still have 80 boxes to go through to clear, give away or sell on. After a three-month break following Frances difficulties and Doreens passing Terry is now speaking again on New Life Radio and that together with his involvement with the work in Zimbabwe keeps him regularly involved in the ministry. We also have many visitors, phone calls and pastoral opportunities each week from those we have been involved with over our past 50 years but not many from St Matthews.
On Sundays we log on to All Souls Langham Place or St Helens Bishopsgate and join with them in there Sunday morning worship. This fits in with Frances need to regroup after getting up and allows us to go out every afternoon either to shop, visit, take rubbish to the dump, take things to charity and always have a coffee. Last night she was not well and woke up around 11.30pm for a couple of hours. This morning it took her until about 10.30am to settle.
Regarding our return to full time involvement with St Matthews. At the moment we don't feel part of the church family there. We have always enjoyed our personal time Matthew Foy and Tracey his wife and have been encouraged by his ministry. Terry has been invited to take on a midweek house group but we don't think we could take on anything extra at this time. Looking after Frances is full time. Clearing Doreens possessions and house changes will take many more months. I would like to complete my application to serve the church as a lay person having fulfilled the two safeguarding elements. This is with the hope that God will restore Frances to full health.
We have enjoyed regular contact with our family via Whatsapp and see John & Janna from time to time. Philip & Michelle will be travelling to the UK in July so we shall see something of them then.
Many thanks for your continued interest in our lives and for your regualr support & prayer.
With much love Terry & Frances
New Year Update 2025
We do so appreciate you keeping in touch with us and it was so good to hear from you over the Christmas period. As December is such a hectic time, we have decided again to write a New Year letter which gives us an opportunity to respond to your news and greetings received over Christmas.
The following are some the highlights of our year. We began 2024 with serious health issues for both Frances & Doreen. In one week, we had the emergency services out three times twice for Frances & once for Doreen. Doreen needed the Fire Service to put her in a cocoon to get her down the stairs. Frances managed to see the stroke consultant who confirmed that her strokes are the result of Narrow Vessel disease and will cause ongoing mini strokes and long-term Vascular Dementia.
On the 7th of February she had another stroke and was admitted to the stroke unit at Eastbourne Hospital. As life over the past 6 months has been quite traumatic, we agreed with the family that we would seek further support and took the families advice and arranged for Frances to receive regular visits from Care at Home providing daily help which is proving a blessing. After a serious fall and breaking the top part of her arm Doreen spent 6 weeks in both hospital & rehab before returning home with three carers visiting each day.
In April Frances & I faced what seemed the biggest challenge of our lives. The local doctor seemed to confirm that Frances condition was rapidly deteriorating. For two weeks I was desperate to know what to do. I came down to the lounge to pray. My prayer “Lord I do know what to do. Please help me”. Then the Lord spoke clearly to me “Lay hands on the sick and they will recover. I went upstairs immediately and laid hands-on Frances. It’s been our prayer from that date to seek the Lord to continue to restore the damaged areas and bring about a total healing. We continue to be encouraged with the progress. On the 21st of September we were due to be attending the 60th Wedding Anniversary celebrations of Jim & Margaret and Jim’s 80th birthday, spending a weekend in a Premier Inn and then travel back on the Monday with Philip to spend time with us for a few days. Unfortunately at that time Frances was in hospital but fortunately was discharged in time to be joined on the Friday by Michelle, Ben & Kezia, Malachi & Ezekiel, Jake & Ethan, Andrew & Rebecca and John & Janna and to spend a long weekend with us. Our neighbours across the road kindly provided 6 spare bedrooms and them made available for us to accommodate all our visitors. Unfortunately, Abigail and family were not able to be with us but one joy was that her Dolls House given to her when she was 2, and kept in our home when the family moved to Australia, was taken apart and taken to Australia when Jim & Margaret Bailey flew out to Perth in the middle of November. At 18.2kg it will be travelling business class and provides a challenge but much excitement for our 7-year-old great granddaughter Eva. Thank you, Jim & Margaret. We were also so pleased to see Sienna, Andrew & Rebecca’s daughter for a few days, visiting with a school friend from Helsinki. We were able to take them for a morning to Bodium Castle.
Since March after being in hospital Doreen continued to struggle with her mobility and spent up to the 4th December in her room with three visits from a local care company a day. On that day she moved to a care home in our road but sadly passed away peacefully in her sleep at 1am on the 1st of January 2025. She was 99 in September and I am sure she would have appreciated her telegram from King Charles but has the greater privilege of being in the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
On the 16th of January 2025 I sent the following note out to those in her address book. It maybe that you have not received this. “I am writing to let you know that I had a call from Seaview Nursing Home at 1.10am on the 1st of January 2025 to say that Doreen had passed away peacefully in her sleep. Many of you will know that she had suffered with heart failure for many months and had a great desire to be in heaven with her Lord. Today I have visited the Funeral Directors to confirm arrangements for a funeral to be held at St Ethelburga’s Church, St Saviours Road, St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex TN38 0AS at 11am on the 11th of February 2025 followed by a committal at Hastings Cemetery and Crematorium, The Ridge, Hastings, TN34 2AE at 12.15pm followed by refreshments back at St Ethelburga’s Church at 1pm. We plan to have both services streamed but as yet I have not been able to gather the information needed to pass this on to you. If you wish to have these details sent, can you please email me on the above email address, and I will forward these on when the arrangements have been made. We wish you a very blessed New Year and hope to see some of you in February.
With much love Terry & Frances
Website Update 7th November 2024. Life remains challenging for us. Frances continues to struggle with the effects of her stroke issues. As illustrated in our previous update her swallowing difficulties have continued to create pressure on her living a normal life. Although drinking has become more normal eating has become more of a challenge. Meeting with friends at a restaurant means that we order, if there are 4 of us, 3 meals and four plates.
We have however secured an appointment with the gastric team in early December at our local hospital. Hopefully they may be able to provide more help regarding getting more food into her system to stop the 1kg weight loss per month. Following the number of strokes Frances has suffered over the past few years have damaged areas of the brain which now affect doing many of the normal things of life.
We can report what a wonderful occasion it was to have many of our family visit us in October. Frances was discharged from hospital a couple of days after Philip arrived to spend the week with us but in time for the other 12 of the clan to enjoy the long Watson weekend. Our highlights were Sunday lunch at the Royal Victoria Hotel in St Leonards and spending time with our grandchildren while there parents enjoyed a special meal in Down Town Hastings.
Unfortunately Abigail and family were not able to be with us but one joy is her Dolls House given to her when she was 2, and kept in our home when the famil moved to Australia, has been taken apart and will be taken to Australia when her other grandparents Jim & Margaret Bailey fly out to Perth in about a weeks’ time. At 18.2kg it will be travelling business class and provides a challenge but much excitement for our 7-year-old great granddaughter Eva. Thank you, Jim & Margaret.
We were also so pleased to see Sienna, for a few days, visiting with a school friend from Helsinki. We were able to take them for a morning to Bodium Castle.
Doreen our house guest continues to struggle with her health. She was 99 in September. In January this year she had a fall and broke the top part of her arm and has been confined to her recliner chair since the end of February with 3 visits of carers a day. I am sure she waiting to get her telegram from King Charles.
We do so appreciate your ongoing love and prayers for us as we seek Gods healing.
With much love Terry & Frances
Website update 23rd September 2024
This last week has again been very traumatic. One of the many conditions that Frances has following her strokes is called dysphagia. Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties. Google reminds us that some people with dysphagia have problems swallowing certain foods or liquids, while others can’t swallow at all. This causes coughing or choking when eating or drinking. A sensation that food is stuck in your throat or chest. Persistent drooling of saliva. Over time, dysphagia can also cause weight loss and repeated chest infections. Over the past few months Frances has had increasing difficulty eating and drinking and has lost about 5KG over the past 5 months.
On Wednesday we rang our GP, who arranged a paramedic to call, who arranged that Frances should be taken to hospital. Unfortunately, this took most of the day and the doctor in casualty didn’t get to see her until 11pm that night. He rang me! While in hospital Frances has been rehydrated and is back to drinking although eating has not been easy. Today Monday it has been arranged that she sees the Speech and Language Therapy team. They are responsible for helping people with this condition so hopefully she will be discharged with some helpful advice when I visit later today.
You will note from our previous update that this last weekend we were due to be attending the 60th Wedding Anniversary celebrations of Jim & Margaret and Jim’s 80th birthday. We were planning to spend a weekend in a Premier Inn and then travel back today with Philip to spend time with us for a few days and then on Friday Michelle, Ben & Kezia, Malachi & Ezekiel, Jake & Ethan, Andrew & Rebecca and John & Janna will all spend 4 days with us to celebrate a Watson weekend. Philip is now making his own way here by train. Our neighbour across the road have 6 spare bedrooms and have made them available for us to accommodate all our visitors. We are looking forward to meeting most of our family here although our oldest granddaughter Abigail and her family was not able to come.
We do so appreciate your ongoing love and prayers for us as we seek Gods healing.
With much love Terry & Frances
Website update 4th August 2024
Many thanks for logging onto our website. We plan to update this every three month or if anything important happens. Frances, although being diagnosed with vascular dementia, continues to remain quite settled each day since our last update. Back in March the Lord powerfully intervened during a period of crisis which lasted two months which involved two stays in hospital following several strokes over the past few years and two in two days while on a trip to Australia to celebrate the wedding of Abigail our granddaughter in Australia back in March 2022. You can read about this in the following this news updates.
Since March Frances has had the services of Care at Home who come 9am each morning for half an hour to wash and dress her for the day. This is part of a programme to keep Frances settled. This is arranged through East Sussex Council who bill us monthly.
Doreen who has been living with us since Christmas 2014 has had several difficulties health wise. In January she broke the top part of her arm and was hospitalised for 6 weeks before returning in March. She now has carers three times a day and Terry looks after everything apart from her personal care provided by Blue Bird Care. Over these past few months, she has had great difficulty breathing but refuses to be omitted to hospital even though advised by a recent paramedics visit. Her constant prayer is that the Lord will take her to heaven. The paramedic asked if he could pray for her which he did.
Due to having to care for both Doreen and Frances Terry has limited his travelling but had the opportunity to speak at the morning service at St Matthews Church last Sunday. On the 21st of September we are looking forward to spending a weekend in Eltham to Celebrate the 60th Wedding Anniversary of Jim & Margaret and Jim’s 80th birthday. We shall spend a weekend there and on Monday 23rd Philip will join us for a week and then Michelle, Ben & Kezia, Malachi & Ezekiel, Jake & Ethan, Andrew & Rebecca and John & Janna will all spend 4 days with us to celebrate a Watson weekend.
Our next Radio Sunday night broadcast on New Life Radio is planned for the 8th September at 7.30pm.
Watch this space. With much love, Terry & Frances
Website update Sunday 19th May 2024
You will see from our update which follow this current one that over the past two years life has taken on a dramatic turn for us both. Some years ago Frances had the first of many tia’s or mini strokes which developed more seriously while visiting Australia for the wedding of our granddaughter Abilgail in March 2022 when just before flying home Frances had a further two mini stroke within two days. The second one while in hospital recovering from the previous one.
Fortunately, Philip & Michelle, our son and his family, were able to arrange medical insurance which allowed Frances to stay for three months for a number of hospital visits in Perth including the fitting of a pacemaker and surgery to remove a blockage in her colon. The strokes have continued regularly during these last two years with increasing damage to the brain.
Eventually In January this year it was confirmed that these strokes have resulted in Vascular Dementia the result of narrow vessel disease, a narrowing of the arteries in the brain. This as you can imagine has dramatically changed our lives and the wider opportunity of our ministry. We have had to abandon many opportunities to travel more widely and now work mainly from our home here in East Sussex. The opportunity tonight to share the word on New Life Radio is a great privilege and blessing.
Three weeks ago Frances & I faced the biggest challenge of our lives to date. For two weeks I was desperate to know what to do. The local doctor seemed to confirm that Frances condition was rapidly deteriorating. I came down to my closet (the lounge) to pray. My prayer “Lord I do know what to do. Please help me”. Then the Lord spoke clearly to me “Lay hands on the sick and they will recover. I went upstairs immediately and prayed. Frances has been remarkably better since then.
How deep the healing is we cannot say but God definitely stepped in and we continue to pray that eventually we shall break through. A couple of things have become signposts on the way these last three weeks. Firstly, on Easter Sunday evening it was my privilege to be preaching at Ashburnham Chapel in East Sussex on the title “The Resurrection Life” it is not always easy to share these days with a time limit of 25 minutes but having done my study and prayerful preparation decided to leave my notes behind and with bible take up my subject from memory. At over 80 not always a dependant ally.
During my message a story came to mind I had heard some 50 years ago on a tape by GW North “What makes a man tick” of William Micock dying in hospital of gangrene. It’s a tremendously powerful story which included now on my stories page on New Life Radio website. I have added the following verse to the beginning of the story Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." Mr North after waiting a week before he went spoke the words “Jesus” into the ear of the unconscious dying man. Please listen to it.
The second signpost was when I received in the post a tape of mine recorded on the 4th October 2004 possibly at the Welling Evangelical Church entitled God works through the power of the Holy Spirit which in the introduction includes a statement “If we are to believe the scriptures and take on board what they tells us our lives would be transformed. For example, Jesus said to his disciples “Lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”
We would ask you to continue to pray with us for God’s complete healing.
With much love Terry & Frances.
Update 12th March 2024
Thank you so much for continuing to follow our news. Those of you who keep in touch with us via our website terryandfran.info will remember that we left our New Year update having both caught covid the day after Christmas. Terry tested positive on Tuesday while Frances a couple of days later. We wrote “On Friday 29th December with advice from the local doctors we called the emergency services and then again on the Saturday. They confirmed that Frances' stroke-like symptoms were due to the covid. As I write this letter she still needs to recover. Also, Doreen had a fall the same week and broke the top part of her arm and had a head bleed. She currently is in the acute ward awaiting to see whether she should go into a rehab facility until she is well enough to return home”.
In one week, we had the emergency services out three times twice for Frances & once for Doreen. Doreen needed the Fire Service to put her in a cocoon to get her down the stairs; fortunately the three firemen were burly figures.
We eventually managed to see the stroke consultant in January who confirmed that Frances strokes are the result of Narrow Vessel disease in the brain and will cause ongoing mini strokes and long-term Vascular Dementia. On the 7th February she had another stroke and was admitted to Eastbourne Hospital because it has a stroke unit. As life over the past 6 months has been traumatic, we agreed with the family that we would seek further support but on discharge from Eastbourne decided that perhaps we could continue to manage ourselves. Unfortunately, Frances was readmitted back to Hastings Hospital a couple of days later. This time we decided to take the families advice and arranged for the Urgent Critical Care services to arrange for some care in our home.
This is now working well with Frances having carers each morning to wash and dress her. Another factor in her current settled place is the introduction of a new regime of pills provided by the stroke unit at Eastbourne plus of course the interventions of the Lord.
Family news is that Kezia is due to give birth to her second child next weekend and Philip & Michelle and the family have booked their flights to the UK for the 17th September to visit both ourselves and Jim & Margaret who celebrate their 60 wedding anniversary and Jim’s 80th birthday. They will return at the end of October.
Doreen continues to be in Rye Memorial Hospital which is a rehab hospital connected to the East Sussex Hospital Trust. Her broken arm seems to be healing well but her mobility is not good. It is not certain yet whether she will be mobile enough to return to her flat here in our home. This afternoon we have an Occupational Therapist visiting to look over her accommodation.
Many of you would have known that when we converted the garage into our main bedroom, we did not realise that anyone walking in the room above would make so much noise as to awake any sleeping person below. Three weeks ago, we decided to convert the on-suite to contain a walk-in shower and replace the floor in the main room. We were very surprised to discover the flooring was in fact two boarded floors separated by polystyrene and plasterboard. Needless to say, it has been a mammoth task for our nephew Daryl who has been in charge of the project. As yet not finished. All that remains is a new carpet which Mike Haley has kindly offered to lay for us and gather all the furniture scattered around the house back into the room.
We continue with our involvement at the local church on Sundays and meeting weekly in our home on Tuesday mornings. Terry has just completed chapter 63 of the History of the Ameva Project and has published several new stories which have been recorded via New Life Radio. Terry is also looking forward to speaking on Easter Sunday at Ashburnham Chapel not far from Battle.
With much love Terry & Frances
New Year Letter 2024 We do so appreciate you keeping in touch with us and it was good to hear from you over the Christmas period. As December is such a hectic time, we decided again this year to write a New Year letter which gives us an opportunity to respond to your news and greetings.
2023 was a very eventful year with another great-grand-daughter born to Abigail and Ray on the 20th January at 1.18am Australia time. Eden Margaret Mary Darch was 3.65KG. Kezia & Ben’s Malachi will be 2 on the 10th of January. Their second baby is due in March 2024. One of our challenges is to keep up with the birthdays of our grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jake is 27 on the 13th January. February in the Watson household is known as the month of birthdays. Abigail reaches 32 on the 1st, Benjamin 17 on the 15th, Sienna 18 on the 23rd and Frances will be 81 on the 27th. Philip & Michelle have given Frances an 80th birthday gift of a photo frame that can be added to by any of the family via Wi-Fi. Sorry family only please! Ethan will be 23 on the 23rd March, Oliver will be 23 on the 28th of May. Terry reaches his 81st birthday on the 9th June. Kezia will be 30 on the 11th June, Esther will be 21 on the 18th of June, Chloe 24 on the 22nd of August and Eva 8 on the 18th November. What a wonderful family we have.
Tuesday February 14th was a very challenging day for Frances. Something happened sometime in the early hours, and she woke in a semi-conscious state, she was physically with us but not mentally. It has been diagnosed subsequently that she had suffered another minor stroke, as she has often been unwell first thing in the morning I left calling 111 until midday. We had prayed together and at one point I really sensed the power of God and an assurance that my prayer was answered but as she was still not conscious an ambulance was called, and she was admitted to the local hospital. A very good friend of ours who is part of the Team Leadership in the casualty unit was on duty and was able to help keep an eye on her. When she returned on duty the next morning Frances was back to her normal self. In fact, she has been better with her memory since recovering from her heart stopping incidents in March 2022. Interesting to note the MRI showed no new stroke events.
On the 5th March we had the privilege to attend the wedding of Abigail Valentine to Christopher Macdonald. It was a brilliant occasion a mixture of culture. Scottish with Pipes & Kilts and Zimbabweans with drums and rhythm as Abigail was born and grew up in Zimbabwe until she moved back to the UK in her late teens. We also had the joy of sharing the weekend with Brian & Tegwen in Manchester and speaking at the two Sunday meetings. John & Celia were staying with Paul their son, so we were able to spend some time with them in Derby on our way home. We continue to enjoy fellowship with the folk who meet at St Matthews, a local Anglican church, in St Leonards. The Lord clearly encouraged us to join with them. Since we have joined with them since November 2022 we have been invited to speak at the services and to host a home group. We are also continuing to share the word in some of the fellowship and other local churches.
Doreen who lives in an apartment in our home is doing well although earlier in the year she collapsed in her kitchen, and we heard a big bang. She was unconscious when Terry arrived but soon came to when he suggested calling an ambulance. Fortunately, she had not broken anything, and we so were pleased not to have to go to casualty. We were able to get in our neighbours from next door to help lift her from the floor and put her in her bed. She has safely recovered although she was bruised & shaken for a while. Then in September fell again seriously damaging her hand and ribs. She now has carers visiting morning & evening. She celebrated her 98th Birthday on the 14th of September 2023.
We had a great New Life conference in Shropshire at Quinta in August and met many old friends and enjoyed meetings and fellowship with them. Michelle, Kezia & Malachi travelled from Australia to the UK at the beginning of September and visited us during the month. It was great to spend time with them and our 18-month-old great grandson. Philip and Ben, Kezia’s husband joined the party at the end of September. Unfortunately, Michelle was admitted to hospital with Gallbladder problems which meant they had to cancel a trip to Croatia with Ben & Kezia and a trip to Venice with Andrew & Rebecca.
This year Terry has been recording The History of the Ameva Project from 1981 to date. So far 62 chapters have been added to the website taking the story to September 2023. We are just waiting for sufficient material to make up another chapter. The website includes copies of all the Fellowship Missionary News Digest, Ameva Bible School & Farm News Updates, Reflections from visitors and students from 1981. At the current rate of information collected we are looking at a book, if it was published, with around 70 chapters. It’s a fascinating story and the more Terry digs into it the more it reveals the tremendous work of God undertaken by John & Celia Valentine. We are planning to add Videos taken back as far as 1981 to date and recordings of meetings where John & Celia have spoken of the work. Please take time to look at www.amevaproject.com.
Christmas was a mixed blessing. On the 23rd we met with over 30 of Frances family at the Mountfield Village Hall where Paul Kent Frances oldest sister June’s son lives near. Then the opportunity to have John & Janna and the family down for the traditional Christmas steak on Christmas day. Sadly, after they had left I discovered I had contracted Covid which Frances then caught a couple of days later. On Friday 29th with advice from the local doctors we called the emergency services and then again on the Saturday. They confirmed that Frances stroke like symptoms were due to the covid. As I write this letter she still needs to recover.
We wish you all a very blessed New Year with much love
Terry & Fran
Update November 2023
Thank you for logging on to our website. We are reflecting back 4 months to some of the highlights we have experienced during the Summer & Autumn months.
We had a great New Life conference in Shropshire at Quinta in August and met many old friends and enjoyed meetings and fellowship with them. Michelle, Kezia & Malachi travelled from Australia to the UK at the beginning of September and visited us during the month. It was great to spend time with them and our 18-month-old great grandson Malachi. Philip and Ben, Kezia’s husband joined the trip at the end of September. Unfortunately, Michelle was admitted to hospital with Gallbladder problems for a couple of weeks which meant they had to cancel a trip to Croatia with Ben & Kezia and a trip to Venice meeting up with Andrew & Rebecca from Helsinki. Frances continues to be challenged from the effects of her stroke related issues and struggles in the mornings.
We were due to visit Reading on the 16th to 20th November but feel its right to cancel as last weekend Frances struggled quite seriously. We had planned to say goodbye to Philip & Michelle as they were returning this last Monday 30th October to Australia. Philip was speaking in the church at Eltham and a farewell celebration was planned at John & Janna’s home. Although it was difficult it was great to say goodbye to them and also meet up with many long term friends.
We still are also still seeking to get some resolution to the problems with her Achalasia which is thought to happen when the nerves in the oesophagus become damaged and stop working properly and means that the muscles in the throat do not work. This makes eating difficult. According to Google this can happen because of strokes. We continue to look to the Lord for her total healing.
Terry is doing well with recording the History of the Ameva Project with Mike Coles. Each Monday they spend an hour or so together. This week he recorded Chapter 59 which covers the period between March to September 2022. Over the next few weeks, we shall arrive at the end of Chapter 62 which brings the history to 30th September 2023. These can be listened to by logging on to the Ameva page on our website. We shall continue to add further updates, Ameva weeklies, etc into ½ hour Chapters during the following months. We then have to consider whether we produce a hard copy or maybe put in on kindle. Terry is also recording stories that challenge and inspire available on the New Life Radio website. Please check them out.
We continue to enjoy fellowship with the folk who meet at St Matthews, a local Anglican church, which is in St Leonards. The Lord clearly directed us join with them as they are in our area. We have been meeting with them since November 2022 we have been invited to speak at the services and to host a discipleship group in our home which starts on Tuesday 7th November.
We are also continuing to speak on New Life Radio Sunday evenings. These messages are on our Audio page. Our next message is live on Christmas morning.
Doreen our house guest has had another fall. She collapsed backwards into her shower although she was fully dressed, seriously damaged her hand and cracked or bruised her ribs. The paramedics took over 30 hours to arrive but fortunately the first aid care given by Terry meant she did not need to go into hospital. As a result of this she is now having professional carers morning and evening.
Andrew is arriving on Monday 6th November for a week from Finland.
John & Janna pop down from time to time.
Some good news from Kezia she expecting her second child in March 2024.
Many thanks for continuing to support us in your prayers.
Love Terry & Frances
Previous Updates
Update 1st July 2023 Thank you for logging on to our website. We have found it a very useful means of updating those who inquire about life with the Watsons here in St Leonards on Sea.
Terry reached 80 on the 9th June so now joins Frances at that distinguished age. Terry’s sister passed away on the 2nd of May after being in hospital from before Christmas after falling out of bed and fracturing her spine. She died of an infection in her spine as well as kidney & heart failure issues. But we are so pleased to report that Frances continues to make a good recovery following her last Stroke event on the 14th of February – Valentines Day. It seems that the Lord broke in through prayer during the time she was unconscious and she woke up 24 hours later much better. She’s discovering much more memory and being able to relate past recent events. We still are seeking to get some resolution to the problems with her Achalasia which is thought to happen when the nerves in the oesophagus become damaged and stop working properly and means that the muscles in the throat do not work. This makes eating difficult. According to Google this can happen as a result of strokes. We continue to look to the Lord for her total healing.
Terry is doing well with recording the History of the Ameva Project with Mike Coles on New Life Radio. Each Monday they spend an hour or so together. This week he recorded Chapter 43 which covers the period between January to July 2012. These can be listened to by logging on to the Ameva page on our website. It is planned to have the history completed by the end of the year. Terry is also recording stories that challenge and inspire available of the New Life Radio website. We continue to enjoy fellowship with the folk who meet at St Matthews, a local Anglican church, which is in St Leonards. The Lord clearly encouraged us to join a church in our area. Since we have started meeting with them in November 2022 we have been invited to speak at the services and to host a discipleship group in our home. Both these things will start in September.
We are also continuing to share the word in some of the fellowship churches as well as other local churches. We have recently visited Rora, and this month have been invited to speak at Ashburton Chapel near Battle, Clifton Community Church in Worthing and will be speaking Sunday evening on New Life Radio on the 16th.July. We are looking forward to attending the New Life Conference in Shropshire on the 5th August. Later in August we shall be in Cowbridge near Bridgend with John & Jan Britton.
Doreen our house guest is doing well although a couple of months ago she collapsed in her kitchen and as we live below, we heard a big bang. She was unconscious when Terry arrived but soon came to when he suggested calling an ambulance. Fortunately, she had not broken anything, and we so were pleased not to have to go to casualty. We were able to get in our neighbours from next door to help lift her from the floor and put her in her bed. She has safely recovered although she was bruised & shaken for a while.
Our three boys their and there growing families are all doing well. We are looking forward to seeing Michelle, Kezia & Malachi in September from Australia and later on Philip & Ben in October. Andrew calls over from Finland from time to time and we are able to see John & Janna more often either here or in Eltham. Well, that’s that for now. Many thanks for continuing to support us in your prayers. Love Terry & Frances
Easter Update 2023
Easter Greetings from the Watson’s in St Leonards on Sea. In a couple of weeks we shall be celebrating Easter remembering our Lords death on the cross on Good Friday and the victory of resurrection Sunday. Good is an unusual word to write about such horrific suffering but the original word for good was holy or sacred. Frances & I will be sharing the messages of the cross on Good Friday and Easter Sunday at 7.30pm on New Life Radio. We are enjoying our weekly recording sessions with Mike Coles not only monthly broadcasting a Sunday evening service but also each Monday morning putting on record the History of the Ameva Project. The Ameva Project is a work which began in 1981 and has continued until this day. The story unfolded tell of the lives of John & Celia Valentine, their family, workers from around the world and the many hundreds of people that have been impacted by this work. The accounts are taken from the many Zimbabwe Project Newsletters sent out by John & Celia, Fellowship Missionary Digests produced to keep the Christian Fellowships up to date with missionary news, Ameva Updates, Ameva Weekly’s sent out by email each week and the Reports and Reflections of those who have travelled out to work in the Bible School, Primary School, Secondary School, on the Farm and from Shephen Mbewe whose family grew up there. So far the story has reached 1999 and is documented in the Ameva Project website www.amevaproject.com. We hope to finish recording the chapters by the end of the year. What we do then with the story is not yet determined.
So far 2023 has been a very eventful year with another great-grand-daughter born to Abigail and Ray on the 20th January at 1.18am Australia time. Eden Margaret Mary Darch was 3.65KG. Kezia & Ben’s Malachi was 1 on the 10th of January. Jake was 25 on the 13th January. February in the Watson household is known as the month of birthdays. Abigail reached 30 on the 1st, Benjamin 15 on the 15th, Andrew 54 on the 16th, John 50 and Sienna 16 on the 23rd and Frances 80 on the 27th. Philip & Michelle have given Frances an 80th birthday gift of a photo frame that can be added to by any of the family via Wi-Fi. Sorry family only please! In March we celebrated the first anniversary of Abigail & Ray marriage and reflect back to our visit to the wedding in Perth Australia last year. Ethan celebrated his 22nd birthday on the 23rd March. Finally two other wedding anniversaries John & Janna on the 20th March, 24 years and Philip & Michelle on the 31st March 33 years.
Tuesday February 14th was a very challenging day for Frances. Something happened some time in the early hours, and she woke in a semi-conscious state, she was physically with us but not mentally. It has been diagnosed subsequently that she had suffered another minor stroke, As she has often been unwell first thing in the morning I left calling 111 until midday. We had prayed together and at one point I really sensed the power of God and an assurance that my prayer was answered but as she was still semi-conscious an ambulance was called and she was admitted to the local hospital. A very good friend of ours who is part of the Team Leadership in the casualty unit was on duty and was able to help keep an eye on her. When she returned on duty the next morning Frances was back to her normal self. In fact, she has in fact been better with her memory since recovering from her heart stopping incidents in March last year. Interesting to note the MRI shows no new stroke events.
On the 5th of March we had the privilege to attend the wedding of Abigail Valentine to Christopher Macdonald. It was a brilliant occasion a mixture of culture. Scottish with Pipes & Kilts and Zimbabwean with drums and rhythm as Abigail was born and grew up in Zimbabwe until she moved back to the UK in her late teens. We also had the joy of sharing the weekend with Brian & Tegwen in Manchester and speaking at the two Sunday meetings. John & Celia were staying with Paul their son, so we were able to spend some time with them in Derby on our way home. We continue to enjoy our new links with the local angelical church and with Matthew & Tracey Foy the leaders. Doreen is doing well and joins with the Anglican church at the bottom of our road which is overseen by the same couple.
Many thanks for continuing to support in your prayers. Love Terry & Frances
New Years Update January 8th 2023
We do so appreciate you keeping in touch with us and its good to hear your news over the Christmas period. We decided again this year to write a New Year letter and it gives us an opportunity to respond to your news and greetings. On the 10th of January we received news direct from Kezia, in Australia, that she had given birth to our second great grandchild Malachi David Dawson and we were able to speak with her & Ben from their hospital room. As you may remember Kezia nearly lost her life in June 2014 when a drugged driver speeded into her car and left her with serious brain damage and multiple fractures. That she was able to deliver her baby naturally and quickly which was a medical miracle, and we are so thankful to the Lord. On the 18th of February we flew to Australia to attend the wedding of Abigail who on the 5th of March married Ray Darch. This was a wonderful occasion from the Lord. Eva, Abigail’s daughter now 5 was very excited about all that the future holds for her mum and new Dad.
We were due to fly on the 24th of February after the 50th birthday of our youngest son John but Australia decided to keep their borders closed and all flights to Perth were cancelled and our ticket monies refunded. Then the Western Australia state government decided to open borders again if travellers were prepared to self-isolate for 7 days. We decided to go. Unfortunately, we found this extremely challenging as there were no direct flights to Perth, but we were able to secure two one-way tickets outward via Sydney. We left home on Thursday 17th to travel to London to take our PCR tests in a London hotel to qualify getting on the flight and get to the airport for 7am. We were then delayed by 100-mile hour winds which efected all departures, ours for 6 hours, and arrived in Darwin too late to get to Sydney which meant another stayover in a hotel. The next day we arrived in Sydney too late to get to Perth and another overnight hotel. We eventually arrived 1 day late to start our 7 days isolation in our grandsons flat.
The wedding was a wonderful occasion, and we enjoyed the next couple of weeks visiting our family and many good friends we have in Perth. We had a great time looking after our 5-year-old great granddaughter while mum was on honeymoon and spend some time with Malachi who had reached three months old. Then quite suddenly one Tuesday evening around a bar-be-que Frances collapsed and was taken to casualty. She has suffered a few Tia's symptoms, diagnosed by our own health service but this was the most serious and repeated the symptoms again a couple of days later and it was diagnosed as being a cardiac arrest, her heart stopping this time for 7 seconds and within hours was fitted with a pacemaker. This has proven to be a life changing event for us. This was not the only complaint she took with her to Perth. She has been having stomach pains for many months and eventually they diagnosed this as a perforation of sigmoid diverticulum. An abscess in the colon.
Terry left Australia to return to St Leonards on Sea to relieve his sister who was looking after Doreen and kept in contact with Frances via whatsapp. Eventually arrangements were made for Frances to fly back to the UK on the 17th May arriving at London Heathrow at 7am Wednesday 18th May. She was accompanied by Andrew who flew to Perth on the 2nd of May. He spent two weeks with Philip & Michelle, our grandchildren, and great grandchildren. It was his first visit to Australia and was a welcome break as the week before he was in Warsaw Poland on business. The family combined to buy two business class tickets on Malaysian Air via Kuala Lumpur for the return journey. We are hoping our travel insurance will cover the cost. We are working on that. The other issue that Frances had problems was with her eating and digestion which was to prove much more serious and eventually had major surgery to remove the blockage in her colon. This continues to prove difficult to get the whole system up and running properly.
While Frances was with Philip & Michelle and the family in Australia Terry flew to Zimbabwe on the 6th May to take a two-week Bible School Programme at Ameva with a group of 12 students on the subject of Preaching Biblical Messages and The Pastoral Ministry part of a series of 10 sessions put together by the Bible School Training for Pastors organisation. The students receive a certificate after completing 18 months of studies coming into school for two weeks every three months. So far, the Bible School has trained over 700 Pastors since 1983. Terry was planning to travel with Frances but as you can see had to stay in hospital in Perth, Australia but arrived safely back with Andrew on the 18th of May. On my way home I was driven up to Harare by Absalom, one of John & Celia staff, early to meet up with Archbishop Katsande & his wife Regina. They head up the Christian Marching Church w