Character that forges hope: Romans 5: 1-5
the images above link to youtube or zoom meetings. You can also Select any event in the web site calendar and click ’location’ To access the zooms/Youtube.
The Notices
Pioneering the New Church during and after Covid-19
There was a great turn out for Monday evening’s session led by Ed Olsworth-Peter as we looked at Pioneering the New Church, and what might things look like for Busbridge&Hambledon Church in the future. It was inspiring to hear from lay pioneer minister, Emma Major in Reading, and we thank her for sharing her experience of founding a forest church, and lessons learnt. Ed kicked off with the questions:
· What was essential to church before lockdown?
· During lockdown, what are we doing without?
· What have we learnt (so far?)
Then: what will and won’t we want or need to resume? And what might be taken forward out of lockdown?
This is only the start of the process to discern God’s new purpose for us and we will be coming to you all for input to create our new being. If you have any thoughts to share on these questions email: church.office@bhcgodalming.org.
Church Family news
Dudley Hilton writes: “Catriona, Robert and I are enormously grateful for all the messages of love and support we have received since Pat’s death on 25th April. Her funeral is to be held at the Guildford Crematorium on Thursday 21st May at 1pm. Under the current restrictions it has to be private, but it will be streamed live. If anyone would like the link to join it please email Dudley at DudleyH2020@gmail.com (not the email address in the last Church address book, which is no longer valid). We will be holding a Thanksgiving Service to which all will be invited once circumstances permit.”
We were delighted to hear last week that Rev Clive Potter’s wife, Janet, is home from the ICU. Thank you to everyone who has been praying.
No more 10.30am Coffee Breaks. As of Monday 18 May, the daily zoom chats have stopped, as there are now so many other opportunities for zooming with church friends. If you are not connected in some way and would like to be, please let us know (e: catherine.garner@bhcgodalming.org). More people than not have responded positively to the contact made by home groups to ‘connect’ or ‘fold in’. Not all have signed up for bible study, but home group leaders have found that people have been really happy to have been reached out to and to be in contact with a group within the church family, perhaps by occasional email or social zoom. “I think sometimes we assume that people may not want to be reached out too, but this has not been our experience.” Mark Puddephatt. Oddly, this time is proving to be a great opportunity to get to know new people.
The Big Wave
You too can have your moment as a YouTube star!
We’d love to see as many of you as we can waving to us in our service on Sunday 24 May. To do this is simple!
Film a 1-2 second video of you waving. We won’t broadcast names, portrait or landscape is fine, Dave can work with different formats (we think). Send it to david.preece@bhcgodalming.org by 10am on Thursday 21 May.
We had a wonderful turn out to the VE day Tea Party and sing along last Thursday and those who attended really enjoyed the songs from the wartime era, and an excellent poem written especially for the occasion by Chris Payne.
EVENTS COMING UP
Unplugged is returning, live on zoom—Sunday 17 May at 6.30pm. Anto will lead a short ‘service’ on zoom including a message, a worship song recorded by the Unplugged band, and a drama based on the parable of the vine from the FUSE team— Of all the videos doing the rounds in lockdown, this might be the funniest! All very welcome to join.
Groups for all ages continue online. Our young people are participating really well, and parents are so grateful to the CYF team (staff and volunteers) for their ongoing commitment.
Busbridge Church Prayer Walk
Our almost qualified, LLM Philippa Baker has designed a very moving prayer walk for people to follow around the Busbridge Churchyard—if that’s where your outing for exercise takes you. You need a smart phone to guide you, or follow the signs, or use it remotely from home. The pdf is here to scroll as you stroll, and there is a QR code on the sign when you get to the church so you don’t have to fiddle with finding the URL.
Film Discussion: The Lunchbox. 8pm on Wednesday 20 May
Next week’s film recommended by Pri Burford is The Lunchbox available on iPlayer. It is an absolutely beautiful film starring Irrfan Khan who (you may have seen in the news) died recently and who was, to my mind, one of the great screen actors. He wasn’t well known to Western audiences but across most of Asia and the Middle East, a worthy superstar.
We will be considering in our discussion:
What are the key elements in deep friendships?
Can we ever really be friends with those who are very different from us in age, class, race, culture, religion?
What are the barriers to and the enablers of true connection and friendship?
Is it possible for men and women to ever really be just friends?
Watch the film before Wednesday. Men are welcome too, and we’re trying a different night of the week. These discussions are proving to be really fruitful during lockdown.
Email ladies@bhcgodalming.org for the zoom meeting details.
PrayerFest 0-30 in 60. Please come and join us in the prayer zoom room next Sunday at 5pm to pray for children and young people in our churches and wider community. Many young people, children and families are finding this time of lockdown a real struggle and with schools starting to think about some of its pupils returning – there is a lot to pray about. Contact: Shan Hallam Shan D Hallam e: hallamshan7@gmail.com.
#CreativeKindness. Penny has received a number of lovely items to pass on to older people we know that aren’t on the internet and are finding harder to stay connected. Thanks for those who’ve supported their children in creating these messages to spread some cheer. Do keep them coming. Please see the details on the web site.
FRIENDSHIP with the community
Fruit picking work at Tuesday Farm
A number of young people responded to the offer of work Tuesley Farm this summer, and are due to start fruit picking as soon as next week! We are really grateful to Hall Hunter for offering support to local people, and for employing the students who Anto put forward. Hall Hunter are have no more vacancies at the moment, but do contact anto.ficatier@bhcgodalming.org in case they need to call on a waiting list in the future months.
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. Please pass the word on and look out for the posters going up around Busbridge.
Don’t forget
The Coronavirus Response team is ready to help those self-isolating— Email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org.
The CFSF is receiving donations AND applications for financial gifts. Details on www.bhcgodalming.org.
If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook
Prayer Ministry team available
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org or call 01483 421267.
Listening prayer is available mid-week.
For more information contact Jeannie Postill t 01428 687968