BLESSINGS THIS WEEK
We’re aware that people are under financial pressure. Thank you to everyone who had found that they can continue to give to God’s work at this time. We’re hugely grateful to all of you. Special thanks to some, particularly at Hambledon, who usually give weekly via green envelopes and haven’t been able to do this in services; so you have contacted Andrew Dunn with your giving. Thank you so much.

We’re pleased to share that the Church Family Support Fund has made a series of gifts to local people in the past few days. Please pray for those who have been blessed in this way.

Special thanks this week goes to the Unplugged team and Anto for a great live Unplugged last Sunday. It was well worth being part of.

Since CYF has moved online the ministry has grown!  Our Ichthus group for 14-18s has doubled in size since Anto first started last summer, and there are more and more Pathfinders on zoom every Sunday.  Initial Zoom sessions for Explorers (7-11s) have been really well received too, and our little ones love the YouTube videos.  So, we are still reaching and teaching 100+ young people once or twice a week, and this year we are also aiming to keep activities going over the ‘stay-at-home’ holidays.  

If anyone wonders whether delivering CYF (or any) ministry online takes less time, please think again!  Planning and recording, as well as delivering the live sessions is fully occupying our CYF team (paid and volunteers), and for variety as well as support, we are looking for people who can give a bit of their time too.  Leaders have found that contributing one piece of the session weekly is a lot easier than planning and delivering their whole monthly session ‘solo’ - and it’s great fun being part of the CYF team.  So please, if you would be willing to record something, help to lead online sessions, help for Bible studies etc, please contact anto.ficatier@bhcgodalming.org for more details.

PRAYER Opportunities & Resources

Please take a look at the PRAYER area of the web site which provides details, ideas and encouragement for prayer together and individually.  We are meeting at least once a day on zoom to pray, and the sessions are open to all.  The Prayer Ministry Team, the Emergency Prayer Chain, and Listening Prayer are all still available via prayer@bhcgodalming.org.  Coming up:

PrayerFest 0-30 in 60.  Please come and join us in the prayer zoom this 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. 

Thy Kingdom Come: Ascension to Pentecost. 

Thy Kingdom Come is a global 11 day prayer campaign which started yesterday and runs til Pentecost on 31 May.  The challenge this year is ‘Light Up the World with Prayer’.  Your small group may be using the web site resources to pray and the 9am Morning Prayer will be participating too.  See www.thykingdomcome/global.

FRIENDSHIP with the community

Last week Margot attended a (Zoom) meeting run by Waverley Borough Council, which also included various volunteer community groups, help-lines and a local mental health charity, together with staff from Surrey County Council and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.  All had heartening stories to tell of armies of volunteers and the kindness of people in the communities helping those in isolation or quarantine.  As we enter what is being called the Recovery phase, some are still very busy; others (like us) are finding that the requests for help have levelled out.  This has inevitably left some volunteers feeling that they have not been used as much as expected.  If you are one of those who has not been called on to help yet, please accept our apologies - and be encouraged by the possible explanation that this time of crisis has brought out the best in us all, so that we have all become good neighbours - and good Samaritans - to those in need.

Kindness for Keyworkers. In the immediate future, Penny Naylor and Judith Hawkey will be grateful for help with an initiative for care home staff and teachers in our local schools.  They are putting together small tokens of love (hand cream and chocolate) for key workers in our local care homes and school staff.  If you would like to make a contribution, please send by BACS and use ref: key workers.  Or get in touch (coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org ) if this sounds like something you would like to be involved with.

#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. 

Worship Playlist
For those who love our well known hymns, here is a spotify play list you might find it helpful to 'like' for your own worship/listening.  Click the icon above. Thanks to Alan Harvey for compiling this one.

Don’t forget

If you are not connected in some way and would like to be, please let us know  (e: catherine.garner@bhcgodalming.org).  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 https://www.bhcgodalming.org/c19-givingandsupport.  

If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook group is yours to do so!