This Sunday

Humility takes centre stage

Reading: Mark 1: 1-8

Come to church or watch at home - Services are back in church and broadcast live on YouTube!

9am Heritage Service - Hambledon

Leader: Hilary Pettman | Speaker: Simon Willetts
Also serving: Reading: Helen H | Welcome & Prayers: Liz C | Music: Alan H and Gillian H | Tech: Dan D & Graham H

9am Classic Service - Busbridge

Leader: Frances Shaw | Speaker: Patrick Samuels
Also serving: Reading: Helen H | Welcome: Keith H | Music: Iain B and Annie B and Iain B | Tech: Ben R, Richard M and Jacob T.

10.30AM Contemporary: Conversations from the Couch- Busbridge

On the couch: Simon Willetts
Also serving: Music David M

6PM Unplugged Frescoustic in the Old Rectory Gardens

Anto and the Unplugged Youth Team

Ark (Reception-Y2) and Explorers (Y3-6) are meeting on Zoom (for the last time) at 9AM and 11.15AM.

Sign up to attend by using the “I’ll be there” link, or scroll down to watch on YouTube.

At Busbridge, sound will be on in the churchyard for those wishing to remain outside and listen to the service (no need to sign up, but you may wish to bring a chair!).

watch the Classic at 9AM

WaTch the Heritage at 9AM

watch the Contemporary at 10.30AM

UPDATE - With the easing of restrictions, the better weather and more people back at church, the after church online coffee and catch-ups are moving to once a month:
6.30PM on 2nd Sundays (next on 9 May) and 11.30AM on 3rd Sundays (next on 16 May).

We are still not allowed to offer refreshments at church, but hope to be able to restart the lovely habit of coffee at the end of services after 21 June!

Next Sunday 2 May

An inner examination of our sense of purpose

Reading: Mark 1: 9-15

Children & Youth

In person CYF groups are back!

Contact the CYF team for details:
Juliet (0-3s), Judith (4-11s), Anto (11-18s)

10.30AM FUSE for families with ages 0-11s

4.30PM Pathfinders - The Hut, Old Rectory

7.30PM Ichthus - The Hut, Old Rectory

Services

9AM Hambledon Heritage Service
Speaker: Simon Willetts

9AM Busbridge Classic Service [with communion]
Speaker: Simon Taylor

10:30AM Busbridge FUSE (all age service)
The FUSE team

The Notices

Services at Busbridge Church and Hambledon Church from 25 April
Services are back in both churches AND broadcast live on YouTube. The Contemporary Conversations service has moved into Busbridge Church, and starts at the slightly later time of 10.30AM. Communion (bread only) will take place on 1st Sundays of the month in the 9AM Busbridge Classic service, and on 3rd Sundays in the 9AM Hambledon Heritage service. Those attending are asked to SIGN UP and wear a FACE COVERING. Singing is not permitted in church, but is allowed outdoors (with face coverings).

Can you help?

Complete the quick post-lockdown survey about services - please!

Then

“Roll up, roll up!”… To restart, sustain and keep step with easing restrictions, we now need to recall the army of volunteers that served on Sundays and in all ministries pre 2020!

The most pressing need in the coming weeks is for WELCOMERS at all 3 services (Busbridge and Hambledon). We can’t meet our COVID safety procedures (setting up the hygiene station, signing people in, encouraging hands, face and space) without a committed team of Welcomers.

• For those attending Hambledon who’d like to get involved with the roles of ‘welcoming’, ‘reading’ and ‘intercessors’ please get in touch with Fran (fran.duffell@bhcgodalming.org) this week.

• Welcomers are also needed for services at Busbridge - please contact margot.spencer@bhcgodalming.org.

CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES. Having been advised that it would be 17 May before groups could meet, the advice (government and diocese) changed this week to Go! Go! (COVID safely, of course). Quick off the blocks, Ichthus met on Tuesday and ABC toddlers will restart next Tuesday. Explorers is ready to go, but Tiny Tigers, Ark and Pathfinders await helpers to run their sessions.

Lack of leaders, coupled with the short term challenge of restricted numbers in our modestly sized church buildings, have inspired plans to run a service for families with 0-11s in the OR gardens at 10.30AM (alongside the Contemporary service). This would be a fully active “Muddy Church”. At least one parent or guardian will need to stay with their children and take part in the fun. We aim to start this on Sunday 9 May, so watch the notices next week. (While this will ease the need for leaders in the short-term, we still need as many as possible involved to lead in different age groups).

SOUND & VISION. We still need more people on the tech and production team to ensure amazing (i.e. worship enhancing but unobtrusive) sound and vision in the churches as well as via YouTube. Good training will be provided and the skill is highly transferable! Watch the promo below, and contact Jacob if you would like to find out more.

Racial Justice

This week has seen a number of high profile items in the news regarding cases of Racial Injustice. Many of you will have seen the Panorama programme on Monday asking the question ‘ Is the Church racist?’ On Tuesday evening we heard the news of the guilty verdict in the George Floyd murder trial and on Thursday the report of the Church of England Anti-Racism Taskforce came out.

As a Benefice we have a Racial Justice Group as part of our PCC. We are appalled by the level of racism that the Panorama programme exposed and are committed to rooting out racism in the church. The Diocese has a Racial Justice Group looking at how we can tackle the issue in the Guildford Diocese and they have posted a response to the Panorama programme on the diocesan website – do look at it.

Do get in touch with one of us if you have concerns you wish us to address with reference to our benefice.

BHCGodalming PCC Racial Justice Group (Andy Spencer, Karen Hart and Sheila Samuels) 

Busbridge Church Centre Redevelopment

Busbridge Church Centre redevelopment - Notice of a special PCC meeting Monday 26 April at 8PM. The opening of a church café could really be something to look forward to this Autumn! Those who are interested in the proposal which the PCC will vote on are welcome to listen in to the special PCC meeting on Zoom at 8PM. Select the event in the calendar to join the meeting. More will be shared next week if project is given the green light on Monday.

HMP Send revisited

The outward giving team ask you to watch the video in which David Jenkins talks to Lesley Mason about her work in HMP Send women’s prison, the Nazareth Way and how you can help, or donate via the giving page.

Webinars to prepare for the Archbishop’s to visit to Guildford Diocese in September – 26 & 28 April

This invitation is for anyone with a heart for evangelism and/or would like to know more about a unique visit here by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Next week’s webinars will provide guidance on how parishes can participate in the mission to Guildford Diocese to be led by the Archbishop of Canterbury from 24-27 September.  It is being run twice: on Monday 26 and Wednesday 28 April, both at 8pm.

This is a really exciting opportunity. The weekend of the Archbishop’s visit will include large guest events across the diocese at which Archbishop Justin will launch evangelism courses, like Alpha and Pilgrim.

The webinar is for clergy and laity, especially those in your parish with a heart for local outreach who might take leading roles. Speakers include Chris Russell, Archbishop’s Advisor on Evangelism, John McGinley from the Archbishop’s College of Evangelists, Peter Harwood, Director of Mission, and David Senior, Coordinator of the Archbishop’s Mission. Places should be booked on Zoom in advance, using the following links:

• Monday 26 April 8pm: book at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtf-qtrjgqHdSaIufrCxLNEQyoQL7hASsR

• Wednesday 28 April 8pm: book at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAqceGvqjsqGtHvgmRSt5mJQ6uzNqvZXqcu

NEXUS online Talk: Women in the Crimean War - 6 May
At the next meeting Margaret Jackson will give us some insights into the roles of women in the Crimean War, with tales from some who were there.  Margaret has a keen interest in history and in portraying historical figures with experience working at Bletchley Park. It should be a fascinating presentation about a war which started in 1853 to uphold the rights of Christian minorities in the Holy Land.  This will be a free Zoom meeting starting at 8.00pm, but you’re invited to join from 7.45pm so you’ll have a chance to chat with others.  We look forward to seeing you!

Saturday Busbridge Prayer group and Prayerfest 0-30 in 60

These will combine for the foreseeable future, and next meet on 8 May at 8.30AM on Zoom.

Ascension Day 13 May

We will join Godalming Churches Together for a service to be held at at St John’s, Farncombe at 5.30PM. There’s plenty of space available. No need to sign up.

Join the church membership / Electoral Roll
This year’s APCM will be in May, and to vote you must be on the electoral roll. The form and instructions can be downloaded HERE.

BHC seeks an online digital producer and technician!

The advert for this 6 month part-time contract can be found on the job vacancies page. Please take and look and share with anyone who might be interested.

More Digi-disciples needed!

If you are wondering how we put out 3 online services each week, and who is behind the camera, here’s a great video to show what it’s like, and inspire you! Please contact Jacob if you’d like to be involved or find out more. e: jacob.taylor@bhcgodalming.org

Coming Up NEXT:

See the list below or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar. Select the event to join the meetings on Zoom, or sign up.

Please Pray for

• Duncombe Road and its road steward Carol Jones

• Salt Lane

• Parents struggling with home/life balance.

elsewhere

Trinity Trust Team is looking for a Full time Youth Worker to join the Award WinningYouth Ministry Team. For More information go to www.trinitytrustteam.co.uk

Godalming Churches Together Link- Up - April Edition

Biking Pilgrimage for persecuted Christians next May: North Foreland lighthouse (Kent’s most easterly point) to Land’s End
Revd Robert Deberry is organising a bike pilgrimage next spring which will be including Godalming over the weekend 21-22 May 2021. See the letter for details. If you could offer accommodation to 1-2 cyclists for the weekend, please contact the church office.

 Busbridge Church and Hambledon Church are both open daily for private prayer.

The Old Rectory is reopening gradually, and clergy and staff are still mainly working from home. The answerphone is checked regularly, but the best way to reach people is by email.

PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE

To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call Lisa Olsworth-Peter on 01483 421267.
Listening prayer is available mid-week.

Catch up on News from other areas

News Items

Prime Time Lockdown Blog

Please print a pdf copy of the notices (18 April) and deliver to anyone you know who isn’t on email!