Message from Simon
(posted earlier this week on bhcgodalming.org, Twitter and Facebook. Good for you if you’ve seen it already!)
Dear all,
It is heart-warming to know how much you are all caring, sharing, supporting, praying, worshipping and growing in fellowship in Christ. We’re hearing more and more stories of church members connecting together in new ways. We know that many of you have welcomed a call from a home group leader and the response to ‘would you like to fold in to a home group’ has been amazing. Thank you once again to our home group leaders. You play a crucial role in the leadership of BHC as we head into the future.
We’re gradually expanding the faith, teaching, worship and fellowship that we can offer online. We’re doing this because we think that our church family might be doing these online things for a while to come. We’re offering some online short-courses and one off practical faith events; we’d encourage you to be part of them, partly to bless those who are putting such effort into them for all of us.
We’d like to give particular thanks this week for Matt Toombs. Matt and the Explorers team create an incredible weekly ‘padlet’ for the young people. The work behind it is phenomenal. Also, a quiet thanks to Jacqui R and all the wonderful saintly supporters who are caring for many in and around Hambledon, Hydestile, Enton and beyond. Do pray for these people.
We’re beginning to turn our thoughts to what ‘normal’ life, worship, faith and fellowship might look like in the months to come and even further ahead too. Like much of the UK exploring how life might be changing; we’re asking what “BHC MkII” might look like under the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Some research has been started into this and you can read an interesting theological and practical article which has been forwarded to us by Rev Catherine McBride.
What can we return to? What have we learnt God is growing afresh and which we need to explore further? What can we set aside as we live together for the Kingdom of God and look forward to Christ’s Return? If you’ve got thoughts, do send an email to Simon and Simon.
In the love of Christ, Simon
P.S. Thank you to those who responded to the C19 survey so we could check what is offered and how we can ensure it is sustainable and see if it is meeting needs. We’ve closed the survey now. We’ll use the information for planning things. The summary is: people appreciate what is offered for worship and teaching and the complexity of doing this; there is some desire for something more traditional and we’re now working on two approaches to this; people recognise the great community work that is going on via so many church members; there is desire to see home groups as central to what we are doing within the church family and we’re working on this with our great home group leaders. Thanks for completing the survey.
THE NOTICES
Pat Hilton
Many of you will have heard by now that Pat died peacefully, at home, last Saturday evening (25th April). We are deeply saddened by this news, but grateful for the example of Pat’s deep Christian faith, as well as her courage over the last couple of years. Please pray for Dudley, Catriona, Robert and the wider family, for God’s love and peace to surround them all. Thank you.
Coming up this week
Managing your time and energy when working from home: a Christian perspective; a session facilitated by Peter Shaw on Monday 4 May
Do you struggle with making the best use of time when you are working from home? This session is for you. Peter Shaw coaches leaders internationally and will be facilitating this session on Monday 4 May from 8pm to 9:30pm, drawing on Christian themes like gentleness, patience and self-control. Peter and a colleague have written a prompt sheet (link here) about questions to ask yourself about managing your time and energy when working from home, together with a 4 minute video. (link here). The session will be in the BHC Public room (password 2020).
VE Day Sing Along and Tea Party
A day early as we hope for good viewing on the TV on Friday! — Lisa and Penny are running a virtual sing along to wartime songs, some readings and an opportunity for a chat. (Approx event time 40 mins). The Prime Timers enjoyed a similar event in Busbridge Church last November—but EVERYONE is welcome to this one.
Ed Olsworth-Peter is hosting another zoom ‘evening with…’ session at 8pm on Monday 11 May in which we’ll be looking at The pioneering church. What will church look like after lockdown? Will it go back to how it was or will it reshape in some way?… insights, experience, theology and discussion around innovating the New Normal of Church exploring how to: listen, adapt, experiment, inhabit and persevere.
If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook group is yours to do so!
Worship, prayer and teaching
With so many of our regular events now transferring onto zoom the diary is back to it’s full self! Select the event in the web site calendar for full details and to access the right zoom meeting or other online location.
Hambledon Prayer Breakfast— 9am this Saturday, and then 1st, 3rd (and 5th) Saturdays. Hosted by Simon Willetts. (Breakfast included if you prepare it yourself.)
Space for God is running a reflective Take time session on Tues, 5 May @ 7.15am
Thursday Live, half an hour to reflect and engage, on Thursday 7 May, 7.30pm, in the zoom prayer room 946-391-4833 (password 2020). The theme for next week is going to be COVID19 – Hammer of God?
Unplugged—6.30pm on 17 May. The service and music will involve our young people, but it’s always extremely popular with all ages.
Don’t forget—9am Morning Prayer on weekdays. Probably the best way to start your day!
Loving the community
Kids it’s your turn to join the wave of #viralkindness. The BHC version is #CreativeKindness. Penny’s been thinking about the older people we know that aren’t on the internet and are
finding harder to stay connected. We can still post things though, and would like to pass on messages with all things arty and crafty from our young people to those who need cheering up. Please see the details on the web site. We are also enlisting the children from Busbridge Junior and Infant schools to help too.
A slice of cake on us. In Hambledon, the village shop is doing an amazing job of coordinating volunteers to delivery orders to those who can’t get out. As of Thursday, all shop orders are going out with a slice of cake from Hambledon Church with a message from Simon Willetts, just to say Hi, the church is still here and how we can support. If you are a lucky recipient, enjoy! (sadly the delivery service doesn’t extend as far as Godalming.)
Why Pray? If anyone is asking (and we think they are) please refer them to the web site. Andy Spencer has put together some info for people who might be thinking about this for the first time, and can respond to people individually, or develop sessions if there’s a demand. Please pass the word on.
Don’t forget—10.30am Coffee breaks for anyone to pop in and out. The Coronavirus Response team awaits requests to help those self-isolating—
Email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org. The CFSF is receiving donations AND applications for financial gifts. It’s all on www.bhcgodalming.org
Elsewhere
Christian Aid Week 10-16 May: Love Never Fails. Please don’t forget it this year, and support in the way you usually would. See caweek.org to give or take part in their other fundraising initiatives.
Also Tearfund have launched an emergency appeal to help some of the poorest countries in the world where coronavirus is spreading: https://www.tearfund.org/
Something to uplift!
Instead All Souls music team have created a Virtual Prom Praise with great music and worship from 10 years of Prom Praise, many notable artists from across the world have given input for this virtual event and the master editing of 240 musicians and singers on line performing together!
Go to allsoulsmusic.org for more information or look up Virtual Prom Praise on the web... It is 7.30 -9pm this Saturday May 2nd. I do hope you can share it and be inspired by it and do please let others know.
Finally, please see: Godalming Churches Together Link up & TTT update is attached for other good stuff going on around us.