Please print and deliver a copy to anyone you know who is not online or on our distribution list. There are also some copies on the font at the back of Busbridge church.

This Sunday

Lent Sermon series: The Challenges of … following the gospel of Luke.

The Challenge to religious institutions

Reading Luke 11: 37-54

online services

9AM Heritage (Live from Hambledon!)
Leader & Speaker: Simon Willetts

9AM Classic (live)
Leader: Peter Shaw
Speaker: Anto Ficatier

10.15AM Contemporary Conversations from the Couch
On the couch: Mark Williams and Simon Taylor

Then all welcome at any of the following virtual coffee and catch-up sessions. Drop in for 5, 10, or 15 mins…

Next Sunday 14 March: Mothering Sunday

Lent Sermon series: The Challenges of … following the gospel of Luke.

The challenge to re-think what it means to be great

Reading: Mark 9:33-37

Children & Youth

No Ark and Explorers - see you at FUSE

4PM Pathfinders

7.30PM Ichthus

Online Services

9AM Heritage (live)

9AM Classic (live)

10.15AM FUSE all age service
with flower making craft activity

the notices

Easter Appeal for A Rocha UK—Caring for God’s Earth

Please read the Outward Giving Update
Do you care deeply about the environment? Instead of a Mission Sunday this Easter, this year we are running a “Mission Month” during Lent.  Our Easter Appeal is in aid of our mission partner charity, A Rocha UK.  A Rocha UK is a Christian charity campaigning for the environment through number of activities.  Please take time to read the Outward Giving Update which explains A Rocha UK’s activities and follow the instructions to make a donation. (Copies of the OG Update can be found at the back of Busbridge Church). To support the Easter Appeal, there is an eco thread to the Lent challenges which are being sent out on weekdays by text.  If you’d like to follow these, you can still sign up, or catch up on the previous challenges on the web site (see below).

Mothering Sunday

…is next Sunday! And sadly many of us will not be able to see our Mums, or be seen by our children. So if you can, give special thanks and make the most it! Monday’s Refresh by Text challenge will be to buy, source or make an ethical, fairtrade or environmentally friendly gift for your Mum. (No single use, disposable “tat” bought in a last minute panic for the sake of it, please…writes one Mum!)

The sermon topic for Mothering Sunday will be “the challenge to rethink what it means to be great!” and the monthly all age extravaganza that is FUSE will involve a flower making craft activity to replace the traditional hand tied daffodils that are usually given out at church services. If you want to get ready early here’s what you’ll need:
Scissors, glue, Sellotape, Yellow paper (3cm by 10cm), Coloured paper (three or four 10cm by 10cm squares) — whichever colour they want the petals to be, Green paper (10cm by 21cm).

Answers to “Ask a Simon”

Following last week’s invitation to “Ask a Simon” anything that was on your mind, or didn’t know how to find out:

• Simon Taylor and Simon Willetts have replied to several people who asked us questions directly, and will also add these questions to the web site next week.

• Simon T has had 11 phone calls asking questions and he’s loved chatting them through with people.

• The Simons plan to pop in to all the Small Groups to answer any questions in the next few weeks.

If anyone wants to know the range of questions/emails/phone calls, some of which we have not answered yet but will be on the website:

When will we have in person communion in both kinds? [A: Soon!]

Will we be offering YouTube services online after Covid for those of us not able to come every week (eg if husband is not a Christian)?

What has happened to our finances over Covid as we’ve heard that other churches are in serious trouble; why haven’t we been asking people to give on YouTube?

What can we pray for you and Simon W?

We’re not worried but we know there are some who aren’t going to be ‘back in church’ or going to home group for a while because they’re nervous of crowds. What are the plans for supporting them or will they get forgotten?

If you could change one thing about church after Covid, what would it be?

You said in a sermon last year in the contemporary service that you wouldn’t change your past even though it had not always been easy. Would you still say the same in the light of covid?

Please explain why there is only one ‘traditional’ service on youtube, can we offer more choices each week?

Why are you outside in the cold? Can’t you go in the church?

If someone starts watching a service on youtube then does that count as a ‘view’?

What is the average length of time that someone worships with us on a youtube service?

Can you mix the locations in services by having live liturgy from Hambledon and the live sermon from Busbridge?

Why do you use the chat on youtube? It is distracting

Can we have more traditional hymns for the book of common prayer service?

One person phoned to comment rather than question: loving the more modern mix of songs in the classic and loving the window shots in the videos

Hot off the press…

We are hoping to offer in person worship (ticket only) on Easter Sunday at both churches, and to include Communion. Watch this space.

Contemporary Service Update: Patrick Samuels and Simon T are looking to the future for the couch service and we’ve been chatting to the advisory group for the contemporary. We can only start gathering again if we have people to welcome, run the laptop and sound and be involved in helping set chairs out and so on. We’re looking at being in the reordered church right now so it isn’t a massive set out task in the short term. If you could be someone to a) help in welcoming, laptop, sound, reading, prayers, set up or b) offer to run the team for an area (ie lead a rota) please contact Simon T or Patrick asap. We’re starting to plan… and we know people are beginning to ask themselves ‘how will I serve as we head into the future’.

Keep an eye on What’s On / Lent and Easter for full details of all services, events and activities.

Over the coming weeks of Lent and Easter, we’ll be thinking about what “A Long Awaited Ending” means to us - as both individuals and global citizens in 2021, and as Christians looking towards the trials, death and resurrection of Jesus. The latest Rector’s Reflection for the Hambledon Parish and Bridge magazines explains the theme (see below).

Real Easter Eggs
They are not available in the shops and supermarkets this year, so order yours through church. Nicky Hemery is very kindly taking our orders for dark £5.50, milk £4.50 or special edition £9.99 eggs, but stocks are limited, so please put your request in now.

Payment for the eggs can be made in several ways - all listed on the GIVING page and Nicky will confirm the amount when you have submitted your order by email to ladies@bhcgodalming.org.

Nicky is also getting in touch with the Community Store, the Foodbank and St Mark’s to see if they would be able to give out a small egg and Easter Story booklet to customers and families on behalf of Busbridge&Hambledon church - as we did at Christmas with the advent calendars. It is £1 for an egg and booklet, so if you would like to donate to this outreach initiative, please also use the Giving page.

3 things for Lent

1) Lent Reflections - Monday to Friday on YouTube. A reading, a thought and a prayer building on the Lent Sermon series in which we explore some of the prevailing challenges to us as Christians, with reference to the challenges of Jesus in the gospel of Luke. Bookmark the Lent Reflections page to check for the latest reflection every week day in Lent.

2) Refresh by text - sign up NOW to receive a text every week day. Let’s Go! >>> For this one we’ve decided to drop “challenge” in favour of “Refresh” and the daily suggestions will aim to boost mind, body and soul; spur us onto positive action locally, and encourage us to consider lifestyle changes that might positively support the environment. We are linking it to our mission partner and the Easter Appeal for A Rocha UK. You can catch up on the recent challenges down below.

3) For Ark and Explorers - Lent in a Bag! Collect your bag from either Busbridge or Hambledon Church porch by Ash Wednesday to create the prayer paper chain during Lent.

Following the sad news that Barbara Hubble died on 12 February, we now have the details for the funeral to be held on Thursday 25 March at 12 noon.  https://youtu.be/5Fk2NhrWIRA

Please email this link to anyone who you would like to invite to attend the funeral in a virtual capacity. The funeral will only be accessible to view using the unique link above and will be broadcast via the Clandon Wood YouTube Live channel.  

Elsewhere

World Day of Prayer - 5 March 2021. You are invited to join in a service from St Peter’s Church Wrecklesham via YouTube to pray with Vanautu. More details.

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.

LENT EVENTS

REGULARS

Please Pray for

• Busbridge Lane and its road stewards Nikki White, Maggie Jagger, Annie Marshall, Sue Keene and Sarah Blagden

• Markwick Lane

• Leaders of Prime Time, befriending and its outreach.

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

The Old Rectory is closed for the time being and clergy and staff are 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

Catch Up on RefreshbyText

Rector’s Reflections

Prime Time Lockdown Blog