“Please pass on our huge thanks to Busbridge church congregation for the amazing donations from the harvest festival, everyone is so incredibly generous and we will put everything to good use. Love Debbie and the Cellar Team x”

Dear friends,

Thanks for all the wonderful contributions to the Harvest Appeal for food items and financial donations to the brilliant work of the Food Bank, The Cellar and Five Talents. Cellar Manager Debbie Portsmouth was overwhelmed by the generosity, and was particularly thrilled by the stock of nappies which will be a real blessing to some of the Cellar’s most vulnerable customers with little ones. We are also grateful to the church members who serve at the foodbank, The Cellar on a weekly basis. Penny, Nick, Graham, Chris and Maggie did the vital job of delivering the goods to the foodbank and the Cellar this week. That’s quite a lot of bags to lug, load, unload and stack!

It’s not too late to donate to the Harvest Appeal for Five Talents. We were lucky to hear from Five Talents advocates in all services last Sunday, so you might want to watch what they had to say if you missed it.

The Minster Vote [THIS SUNDAY 16 Oct]: Ahead of the vote, there is a call to fast and pray from 11am on Sat 15th Oct to 11am on 16th October. Information on how to participate is in the notices below. Then please do come and vote on Sunday if you are on the electoral roll for either Busbridge or Hambledon Church. The result will be posted on the web site on Monday and sent in the notices next week.

For full details, what’s on and…dare we say it… preparations for Christmas…please scroll and read on!

Sunday 16 October

Marks of the Early Church
Searching the Scriptures- does the bible speak to you?

Reading Acts 17: 10-17

9.30AM Busbridge Contemporary Service [Holy Communion]
Led by: Patrick Samuels | Speaker: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church

11.15AM Busbridge Classic Service
Led by: Keith Harper | Speaker: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church

10AM Hambledon Morning Worship
Led by Philippa Baker | Speaker: Hilary Pettman
Hambledon Church

***EPCMs to vote on the Minster proposal: 1.30PM Hambledon | 3PM Busbridge***

4PM Hambledon Messy Church
Hambledon Village Hall

6PM Unplugged
Busbridge Church

Notices

Ways to be involved during November, Advent and Christmas

There’s a few plans afoot, so if any of the following activities inspire you to get involved please let the church office, or the relevant person know!

1 Warm Welcome Initiative Have you heard about the Warm Welcome initiative? It is an initiative which is helping churches provide warm, safe havens for people finding it ever harder to heat their homes. We’ve identified some church activities that would meet the criteria such as Prime Time Movie Matinees and other events, showing world cup matches, toddler groups etc. If you’d like to help serve the free refreshments or organise other events and opportunities for any age, please contact Vic Hicks or Penny Naylor.

2 World Cup England matches at Busbridge Church Patrick Samuels is coordinating the showing of England matches on the big screen in Busbridge Church. Everyone in the church and community will be invited to watch in a warm, family friendly environment. Free refreshments will be provided. Group stage matches in the daytime on 21 Nov and 25 Nov may also be on in the Yew Tree Café, and Eng vs Wales on 29 Nov will shown in church, hosted by Ichthus. Please invite your friends, and if there are any matches you would like to host in church, let us know.

3 Singers for the Christmas choirs and carol singing. The Merry Harriers and the Howling Owl bar at the Busbridge rec pavilion have invited BHC back to lead carols and Christmas sing-alongs in the community. Choir rehearsals for the carol services will start in November. Contact the office if you’d like to find out more.

4 Busbridge Wreath Project. Make, buy, help sell a wreath in aid of the Outward Giving Christmas Appeal for the Cellar. Dawn Puddephatt will provide guidance to those who want to learn to make wreaths which will go on sale at the Yew Tree Café in December. Contact Vic Hicks if you’d like to be involved.

5 The Churches Together Christmas lunch needs someone to coordinate the volunteers, and someone else to organise the invitations. The invitations coordinator does not need to be there on Christmas Day itself. It is a really enjoyable event to be part of, and the arrangements are tried and tested. Please let Sarah Higgins (chair of committee) know if you are interested or want to know more sarahhiggins478@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.

GODALMING MINSTER: EPCMs (Extraordinary Parochial Church Meetings) will take place on Sunday 16 October: 1.30pm at Hambledon and 3pm at Busbridge. Archdeacon Paul Davies will chair the meetings at which members on the electoral rolls of each church are called to vote on whether to unite the parishes of Busbridge, Hambledon and Godalming to become a Minster.

The Godalming Minster section of the web site now includes a high level summery and FAQs about what the vote involves, and this will be added to over the coming weeks.

Q&A sessions continue this Sunday at Busbridge after services at 10.45am and 12.15pm.

Call to Pray and Fast: 11am Sat 15/10-11am Sun 16/10

A group from the church have committed to pray and “flexi-fast” over 24 hours before the EPCMs, and would encourage everyone to take part as they feel able. If you would like to join them, see the guidance for fasting, and attend a prayer gathering:

• 11-11:30am - Minster EPCM prayer at Busbridge Church

• 5pm - Minster EPCM prayer at Hambledon Church

• 8pm - online Minster EPCM prayer - for anyone, including those not able to attend either church for the prayer meetings.

Last call for the Harvest Appeal for Five Talents

See https://www.fivetalents.org.uk/

It was great to hear from Five Talents “advocates” Major General Tim Cross, Richard Jones and Richard Grey in our Harvest Services. Five Talents have written to thank us for choosing their cause this Harvest, and for our ongoing support. Here’s their message: Five Talents Letter of Introduction 2022. To make a donation to the Harvest Appeal, please follow the instructions on the GIVING page.

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).

Sunday 23 October

Marks of the Early Church
ENGAGING THE MIND

Reading: Acts 17: 20-34

9.30AM Busbridge Contemporary Service
Led by: Margot Spencer | Speaker: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church

11.15AM Busbridge Classic Service
Led by: Peter Shaw | Speaker: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church

6PM Busbridge Evening Service [Holy Communion]
Led by: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church

10AM Hambledon Morning Worship
Led by: Simon Willetts | Speaker: Dudley Hilton
Hambledon Church

***6th Nov - 9.30am Contemporary Pilot at St Peter and St Paul’s (replaces Muddy)***

DATES FOR THE DIARY

23rd Oct - Hambledon Lunch in aid of HMP Send Prison - Nazareth Way. The Jenkins are organising a lovely Ploughman’s Lunch to raise money for SEND prison. All welcome. There is no charge, but gifts will be welcome. No need to book but an indication of numbers would be helpful. Contact Liz on 01483 416084 or liz.r.jenkins@gmail.com.

Regular Events

Hambledon Morning Prayer takes place on Wednesdays at 9am. All welcome.

Busbridge Morning Prayer is ONLINE on Wednesdays at 9am.

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 19th October. All welcome.

church Family News

Several members of our church family have suffered recent bereavements.  We send our love and prayers to Mark Taylor, whose father died last week, and to Dave Brockman whose brother-in-law died in late September.  Please hold Mark, Dave and their families in your prayers and ask for God’s comfort to surround them.

Vacancies

The closing date for the 4-11s Children’s Worker ad is 18 October. Please take a look at the revised job, pray and share it. Simon would be happy to talk to anyone about it, even if the specification and terms are not a perfect match.

please pray for

• Hambledon Cricket Green

• Appletree Close and its road steward Cathy Brook

• Local foodbanks and their customers: St Mark’s, The Cellar and the Community Store

ELSEWHERE

Read the latest issue (OCTOBER) of Churches Together in Godalming and District Link Up.

Godalming Baptist Church Life Sessions. Please see the full brochure here.

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 from 5 Sep and 10am-2pm Saturday!

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.