Go to Christmas for details of all events and services this week.

Here are all the details for the carol services (5!) this Sunday and Christmas services on Thursday and Friday. There is a vast array of pre-recorded and live carols to accompany your singing, whether it be at home, in your car, or behind a face mask in the Hambledon Churchyard or Old Rectory Gardens!

The message to go with this is as strange as the year it follows:
If you haven't booked, please don't come - join our services online instead!
We are almost reaching the limit for numbers at all the carol services this Sunday, for the Drive ins and Christmas Day and safety and social distancing must regrettably take priority over our usual warm and all embracing welcome. If you have signed up, you will get a separate email with some reminders and links to the Christmas song sheets - should you wish to sing off your phone rather than a carol sheet.

The first of the special Christmas events is the annual Afternoon Carol Service for Prime Time, which premieres today at 3pm on YouTube and will be followed by a tipple and a mince pie on in the BHC Zoom room afterwards. The service has some lovely contributions for everyone to enjoy, including Busbridge Junior School children and the choir from King Edwards School, Witley.

THIS SUNDAY

Comfort and Joy

Reading: Luke 1: 26-38

Carol Services

At Church - Outdoors

Booking is essential and there are only a few spaces left at each of the outdoor Carol Services this Sunday. We kindly request you not to come if you haven’t signed up in advance. Face coverings, NHS Test & Trace and 2m social distancing will be firmly enforced! There are 3 online Carol Services to watch on YouTube too, listed below.

Online

Find our Christmas services on YouTube. The pre-recorded services will be available anytime (on demand) after they premiere. Live broadcasts will available to watch at the time, and uploaded at a later date.

Also this Sunday

11.30AM Zoom Christmas Coffee hosted by the Busbridge Classic Congregation. ALL WELCOME to drop in on Zoom to wish each other a Happy Christmas.

Sunday and everyday in Advent: DAILY ADVENT REFLECTIONS
A reading, a question and a prayer compiled by Andy Spencer, and read by different church members, is available on the YouTube channel every day in Advent. This Sunday’s reflection is read by Sheila Samuels. For all the reflections, or if you prefer to download and read them yourself, see Advent Daily Reflections.

Next Sunday 27 Deceember

NO SERVICES at busbridge or Hambledon.

The Diocese of Guildford are providing an All Age Service for 27 December, and this will be available to watch on the BHC YouTube channel next Sunday.

If you prefer something classic that is not all-age, you may wish to point people to join the livestream from the Cathedral’s service of Holy Eucharist on 27 December at 9.45am. The livestreams can be watched on the Cathedral Facebook page and also via the Cathedral YouTube Channel.

Sunday 3 January

10AM Whole Benefice Service at Busbridge Church - in church and on live on YouTube
(no other services at Busbridge or Hambledon). Please sign up HERE if you’d like to attend.

Coming Up this Week:

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.

the notices

Worship in Tier 2 - update since the announcement of new tiers

The latest government announcement does not impact the rules under which Busbridge&Hambledon Church has been operating. In Tier 2 churches are allowed to hold services with face coverings and social distancing in place. Singing is allowed at outdoor services (with face coverings).

The Diocese of Guildford recommends that people who live in a tier 3 area should attend a church near them, and not travel to a lower tier to attend church. As Waverley is the only borough in Surrey which is not moving to tier 3 on Saturday 19 December, this advice may apply to some members of Busbridge&Hambledon Church. If you wish to cancel a booking to one of the Christmas Services please look up the confirmation email and use the cancel option, or email the church office: church.office@bhcgodalming.org.

Thank you to Mark Pateman and his team for completing the internal refurbishment of School House in a timely and professional manner. The property is now available to rent through a local Godalming letting agent.

Road Stewards needed for The Bridge magazine for College Hill and Brighton Road.
The Bridge magazine is looking for two or more new road stewards who, 6 times a year, would be willing to deliver magazines to either College Hill and High Ridge (59 houses) or the lower part of Brighton Road, Underhill Close and part of Latimer Road (89 houses). We'd be more than happy to split or share these larger bundles between two road stewards if needed. If you live in, or close to, either of these roads, (or maybe know someone who does and might be willing to take on the role) please contact the editor, Cathy, at editor.atthebridge@gmail.com. We'd be delighted and most appreciative to hear from you.

Fairtrade Shop
Many of you will know that Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Guildford have operated a shop selling Fairtrade/Traidcraft good for many years.  This year they have moved online due to Covid restrictions and have a wide range of Christmas items which they have kindly said they can deliver to BHC congregations in Godalming and Hambledon.  They also offer click and collect.o please if your are still interested in buying Fairtrade/Traidcraft  items, do visit their new website:- Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop – Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop

 Outward Giving & Outreach
Please see Christmas Giving for the Outward Giving December Update about the Trinity Trust Team, and Ways to Give. The collections at the Services on 20 December and Christmas Day will also go to the Christmas Appeal.

The BHC YouTube channel has lots of new material on it - the Unlocked Nativity produced by our 0-3s (pure joy!), the virtual tour of the Busbridge Comfort and Joy exhibition and all the Advent Reflections to be joined by carols galore.

There have been some lovely new displays revealed this week on the Advent Walk, and you can watch or read the daily reflections on the web site. As you can see from the film, the Comfort and Joy exhibitions are definitely worth a visit and there's more news on events at Christmas, and Christmas Services in the notices and under What's On/Comfort-Joy.

See: www.youtube.com/bhcgodalmingonline for all services and to listen again to the the sermons. Remember too that you can find extra news and pictures of what's happening at church during the week on our Facebook and Instagram and Twitter pages.

To ask for help and support if you are self-isolating, email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org.

Closing between Christmas and New Year
The clergy and staff team will be on leave between Christmas and New Year.  There will be a recorded message on Church Office answerphone to direct you to the person on call on any particular day.  The church office telephone is 01483 421267.   The next notices will be sent out on 8 January.  Please refer to the web site in the meantime.

Please Pray for

Safety and logistics for physical and online services this Christmas.

For all those attending to receive the good news of Christmas, and be touched by the Holy Spirit.

and give thanks for the Prayer Ministry team who have been faithfully praying all year for our church, church members and those in our communities. The team will be walking and praying around the perimeter of Godalming College during the Drive in services on Christmas Eve.

Busbridge Junior school and staff members recovering from coronavirus, for the children who are self-isolating.

What’s On

Click Here for What’s on this week and beyond. It’s all in the calendar and more details for each event can be found when you select it.

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.