Dear friends,
News of the World Cup showings at Busbridge Church must have travelled, as it now transpires that we’ll be joined for the England USA match (25 Nov) by Bishop Alwyn of Sialkot - the place in Pakistan where the world cup footballs are made! Please read on to find out about this Warm Welcome initiative, and Bishop Alwyn’s visit.
In other news the Contemporary service is off to St Peter and St Paul’s this Sunday but Busbridge Classic Communion Service and Hambledon Morning Worship are happening at their usual times and places.
As a “heads-up”, there will be dozens of ways to help and be involved with church mission and events between now and Christmas. The Nov/Dec calendar is exciting, but does require a small army of servant hearted people to make it happen. There is sure to be something to fit each of our time and talents, most of it is enjoyable and even the more mundane tasks will add a positive glow and balance to your advent season. Please do consider the requests as they start to trickle out. (Full details of all the Christmas events will be added to the web site next week.)
Read on for more of what you need to know…
Sunday 6 Nov
Do not worry about your life.
Reading: Matthew 6:25-34
9.30AM Contemporary Service at St Peter and St Paul’s
Led by: Patrick Samuels and John Harkin | Speaker: Simon Taylor
St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Godalming
Ark and Explorer’s leaders will lead Children’s groups in the Octagon. There are coffee and donuts afterwards. - Don’t miss it!
10AM Hambledon Morning Worship
Led by: Margot Spencer | Speaker: Dudley Hilton
Hambledon Church
11.15AM Busbridge Classic Service [Holy Communion]
Led by: Andy Spencer | Speaker: Philippa Baker
Busbridge Church
Remembrance Sunday 13 November
13th Nov - Combined services for Remembrance. 10.30am Hambledon, 10.45am Busbridge
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
Readings: Matthew 5:43-48
10.30AM Hambledon Remembrance Service
Led by: Simon Willetts
Hambledon Church
10.45AM Busbridge Remembrance Service
Led by: Margot Spencer | Speaker: Patrick Samuels
Busbridge Church [Please note children’s groups are not running]
6PM Busbridge Evening Service
Led by: Simon Willetts
Busbridge Church
Notices
25th Nov. 7pm. Meet the Bishop where World Cup footballs are made! Join us at Busbridge Church for football and to meet Bishop Alwyn of Sialkot, Pakistan. Sialkot is a world leading manufacturer of surgical instruments but right now his diocese is more famous for footballs. The footballs, called Al Rihla balls, used for the World Cup are all made in Sialkot. Al Rihla is Arabic for ‘the journey’. Join us for the football journey and to welcome Bishop Alwyn.
Warm welcome / Warm Hubs at Busbridge Church and St Mark’s
This winter, Busbridge Church has been registered with the Warm Welcome initiative (see: https://www.warmwelcome.uk/) and will provide a warm hub, open to all, with free refreshments for specific times and events. For example, World Cup England matches will be shown on the big screen, starting 21 November. Several Prime Time events for older people, and the Hambledon Coffee mornings also meet the criteria and we are looking forward to welcoming those who would benefit this winter.
St Mark’s will be a warm hub on Tuesdays 1-4pm, offering a soup and roll lunch on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, and afternoon tea on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays.
To help with any of these initiatives, please contact Patrick Samuels re. football, Penny re older people’s events and Sheila Samuels re. St Mark’s: curate.godalming@gmail.com.
JAM Together - Sat 5th Nov, 2.30pm in Busbridge Church
Jam Together is back in November, and open to 13-18 year olds who sing or play an instrument. The band will be led by experienced musicians who will encourage all abilities to get involved. Please sign up as numbers are limited. e: jamtogetheruk@gmail.com.
Ukraine Youth Talk—6PM Sunday 20 Nov
The BHC4Ukraine group is proud to host, for a second time, a talk by a group of locally hosted teenagers from Ukraine, about their home and the war from their perspective. The presentation was first shared at the lunch for hosts and their guests in September, and those present found it so poignant that the group have been invited to share it again with a wider audience. This time we are encouraging young people to attend too and there will be Ukrainian refreshments for everyone on arrival. Please support.
An event for Ukraine in Busbridge Church - all welcome. (replaces Unplugged, but youth encouraged as there will be young people giving a presentation).
The current Alpha course has two catering slots to fill before ending on Dec 1st. Are you willing to cook attendees a simple one-course meal? If so, pls contact keith.harper@bhcgodalming.org or sheila.samuels@bhcgodalming.org.
Sermons in the attic
Does anyone have a cassette to MP3 converter, and the time to convert the sermon archive to digital? In his capacity as Office Volunteer, Michael S has come across some potentially priceless heirlooms in the Old Rectory loft. We’d love to be able to share some of the talks from well respected and much loved preachers from yesteryear. Email volunteer@bhcgodalming.org if you can help.
Choirs for Christmas—Calling all singers!
This year’s carol services are at 7pm on 18th December (at the later time to allow for extra time and penalties in the world cup final!)
Rehearsals for the Busbridge carol service are on: 3rd and 10th December at 4-5.30pm in the Old Rectory, and 7.30-9pm on 16th December. Then 18th December at 5pm before the service.
Attendance for at least 2 of the main rehearsals needed please, to include 16th December as that’s the only time we have the organ. All music will be provided, please let Karen Hart know via the church office if you’re interested, all welcome! To find out about the Hambledon choir contact Alan Harvey.
Mulled wine and mince pies - as important as the choirs for the carol services! Busbridge needs a team of people to organise mulled wine and mince pies to be served after the service (advice available from those who have done it before).
Reward: Job satisfaction and a nice warm glow!
Offers to: margot.spencer@bhcgodalming.org or church.office@bhcgodalming.org
Yew Tree Café – your café needs you!
The Yew tree is going really well, we have a great bunch of volunteers but there are still some opportunities and needs.
We’re looking for 3 sorts of volunteers:
1. to work in the café, serving coffee and food with a smile and a pastoral heart, ideally a regular half day weekly, but once a fortnight is also very much appreciated!
2. Bakers to come and bake our cakes, in the Old Rectory kitchen. All ingredients, clear instructions and equipment provided. A regular weekly or bi weekly few hours would be amazing
3. Food preparation early on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday morning, just a couple of hours to prepare our salads and soups. Recipes and ingredients all provided.
All volunteers are given a barista drink and cake as a thank you. You would be joining a great team of people and further enabling our endeavours to reach out to the community with God’s love.
If you are interested please pop into the café and talk to one of the managers, or email yewtreecafe@bhcgodalming.org.
A new group is starting after half term! Come along to play together, sing together and pray together. Contact Suzie Lambert via the church office for more details.
Church Family News
The Brownstones have recently inherited a Steinway upright piano from an elderly family member. The problem is they don’t have room for it at the moment. They would like to offer it on a long term loan (2-3 years) to someone who would benefit from and enjoy it. That might be an individual, family or group like a school etc.
The company storing it says the insides are perfect condition and it just need a tune. The exterior finish has been affected by it being in a sunny room but no other issues. It comes with a stool that has storage room for music books etc. Please let Andy know via the church office or ChurchSuite if you’d like to offer the piano a home.
Vacancies
Coming Up:
See the events coming up next below or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar. Select the event for details and the location (online or on site).
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Regular Events
Busbridge Morning Prayer Weds at 9am online.
Hambledon Morning Prayer takes place on Wednesdays at 9am. All welcome.
Prayer gatherings for Ukraine are now at Hambledon Church at 7.30pm on 1st Tuesdays of the month.
Next Hambledon Coffee Morning and Hearing Aid Clinic is Weds 16th November. All welcome.
ELSEWHERE
News from one of the BHC Mission Partners: Please read the latest version of the Trinity Trust Team newsletter.
Read the latest issue (NOVEMBER) of Churches Together in Godalming and District Link Up.
Godalming Baptist Church Life Sessions. Please see the full brochure here.
90 Minutes in Heaven Film night at Godalming Baptist Church: Friday 4th Nov, 7pm. Free entry, donations for the Food Bank and Ukraine Appeal.
Don’t forget about…
Things in the following areas may not make the notices, but the latest info can be found on the web pages:
Yew Tree Café Opening Hours 8.30am-4pm
10am-2pm Saturday. The café will be open weekdays at 8.30am from 31 October.
Busbridge and Hambledon Churches are open daily for private prayer.
PASTORAL CARE & PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE
If you, or someone you know at church, are in need of support and care, please contact Sandra Wilkin via the church office, or e: pastoral@bhcgodalming.org.
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org or call 01483 421267.