Rustington marks World Day of Prayer in a wonderful way

More than 60 people attended the service at St Andrew's United Reformed Church on Friday, March 7.

Christine Slade, secretary at the host church, said: "All around the world, services were being held to a themed programme prepared this year by the women of The Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

"Each year, a different country is tasked with preparing the content of the service and The Cook Island ladies entitled their contribution ‘I made you wonderful’, whilst it was left for churches everywhere to frame their own services using the common content with a Cook Islands ‘feel’ to the church decorations.

"The Rustington ladies produced a wonderful arrangement using a Littlehampton Wave Life Saving Club rescue kayak, suitably decorated with coloured paper flowers, whilst the ladies themselves all wore garlands of flowers with at least one flower in their hair.

"There was also a table with a wide selection of seashells from all over the world along with coconuts and pineapples.

"And kia orana? This was in the introductory part of the service. It’s a Maori phrase used in The Cook Islands as a greeting but it means so much more than just ‘hello’. It can mean ‘may you live long!’ or may you live well!’ or 'may you shine like the sun!’ or ‘may you dance with the waves! Kia orana Rustington!"