Lent starts next Wednesday 2 March, and the Living Lent theme is Letting the light shine. The sermon series and daily reflections can help us grow our understanding and sense of JOY in this season, as described in 1 Peter. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, and there will be a Communion Service at 8p.m. in Hambledon Church, to which all are welcome. Ash Wednesday focuses our hearts on repentance and prayer and is the start of our personal observance of the 40 days of Lent. Click the image above too find out about Lent and Easter events.
living stones - Secure
Reading: 1 Peter 2: 4-10
Part 2 of the sermon series The Character of Living Holiness, with readings from 1 Peter
THIS SUNDAY
9.15AM BUSBRIDGE Classic Service
Led by: Maggie Jagger
Speaker: Anto Ficatier
Busbridge Church & Online
9.30AM HAMBLEDON Heritage Service
Leader and Speaker: Simon Taylor
Hambledon Church & Online
10.30AM BUSBRIDGE Contemporary Service [Holy Communion]
Leaders: Abigail Hewlett & Patrick Samuels
Speaker: Suzie Lambert
Busbridge Church & Online
10.30AM HAMBLEDON Contemporary Service
Leader and Speaker: Simon Taylor
Hambledon Church
6PM Unplugged Youth Service
Led by: Anto Ficatier & the Unplugged Team
Busbridge Church
ASH WEDNESDAY 2 MAR
8PM Ash Wednesday Communion with ashing
Led by: Margot Spencer
Speaker: Simon Willetts
Hambledon Church and online
Next Sunday 6 Mar
Living it out - Humility
Reading: 1 Peter 2: 11-25
Part 3 of Living Holiness
9.15AM BUSBRIDGE Classic Service [Holy Communion]
Led by: Margot Spencer
Speaker: Philippa Baker
Busbridge Church & Online
9.30AM HAMBLEDON Heritage Service
Leader: Patrick Samuels
Speaker: Simon Willetts
Hambledon Church & Online
10.30AM MUDDY Church
Leaders: Mark Puddephatt and Suzie Lambert
The Old Rectory Garden
10.30AM HAMBLEDON Contemporary Service
Leader: Patrick Samuels
Speaker: Simon Willetts
Hambledon Church
6PM BUSBRIDGE Evening
Leader & Speaker: Simon Willetts
Busbridge Church
SHROVE TUESDAY / ASH WEDNESDAY
Prime Time are gathering next Tuesday afternoon to mark Shrove Tuesday and look ahead to the start of Lent the following day. As part of our celebrations the church bell will be rung at 3.30 that afternoon – a nod to The Pancake Bell tradition. This tradition dates back to the 16th century (so OK, we can’t claim that it’s a traditional happening in this parish as Busbridge Church doesn’t date back that far – but for the purposes of this exercise, we’re overlooking that fact!) In pre-Reformation times, the church bell ringing on the morning of Shrove Tuesday was a call for parishioners to attend church in order that the parish priest could hear their confessions in order to gain absolution ahead of Lent. After the Reformation however, Shrove Tuesday began to be seen as a holiday, especially for apprentices who were released from their duties for the day – usually signalled by the ringing of the church bell at 11am. As Prime Time are gathering in the afternoon, we will not be ringing the bell at 11am – but we will be ringing it at 3.30pm as a signal to the pupils and staff at Busbridge Junior School that they are released from their studies and are free to go home and eat pancakes!
LIVING LENT Letting the light shine
The BHC theme for Lent this year is “Letting the Light Shine”, and cultivating JOY, even in testing times. To accompany the journey through 1 Peter in the sermon series, there will be short daily reflections online. 40 key verses from 1 Peter have been shortlisted, and it would be great if members of the church could shine their light in the reflections, along with members of the clergy team. If you’d like to contribute a short (30-60 seconds) thought or prayer on one or 2 of the days, or would just like to find out more, please fill in the form below. You can submit this in writing or ideally film it on your phone.
Living Lent challenge booklets are available for children, and will be going out to all children at Busbridge Junior School on Wednesday too.
World Day of Prayer 4 March. There will be a local service at St Nicholas Church, Peperharow, on Friday 4th March at 10.30am. The service this year is entitled 'I know the plans I have for you' and is compiled by the women of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Everyone is welcome - men as well as women, and children too.
Godalming Minster Evaluation of joining the benefices of Busbridge&Hambledon with St Peter and St Paul’s and St Mark’s.
Following the Bishop’s invitation to Busbridge&Hambledon Church, St Peter and St Paul’s Church and St Mark’s Church to evaluate the creation of a single parish, the PCCs have begun the process, coordinated by the Godalming Minster Evaluation Steering Group. Working groups have been created to look at different areas: Finance, Property, Services and Worship, Clergy, 0-18s, and Ops and Admin. The Steering Group will provide regular updates, the first of which can be found below:
Godalming Minster Evaluation Update #1
Minster Evaluation Steering Group and Working Group people charts
PRAYER for the Evaluation Process
Members of BHC, St Mark’s and St Peter & St Paul are invited to join Busbridge Morning Prayer led by Andy Spencer on Wednesday mornings on Zoom. Busbridge Morning Prayer is 9-9.20ish and follows a short opening liturgy (screen-shared), a short Bible Reading and reflection and then open prayer (not all pray out loud) followed by a collective Lord’s Prayer and a final prepared sending out prayer. The group will pray about the Minister discernment process but also about other issues both local and international. We will also use the following Minster Prayer each time:
Father of all,
we thank you for our oneness in Christ.
As we consider the way forward,
please guide our discussions
and enrich our understanding
of what it means to be your disciples
in this town, at this time.
Show us the path ahead,
with the clarity that only your Holy Spirit can give. Amen.
The best way to enter the Prayer Room is via the BHC website clicking on to ‘Connect’ at the top of the page, and then clicking on Prayer in the dropdown box. In the Prayer Section there is a coloured box ‘Join Busbridge Online Morning Prayer 9 am Wednesdays’. The password is 2022.
The Yew Tree Café - Opening March 2022
Decorating the Yew Tree Café is a family affair! Thanks to Carol and her sister for donning their overalls this week, and for everyone (paid and unpaid) who are pulling out the stops to get the café ready for opening.
Sponsor an item
Thanks to all those who have generously bought an item for the café. You can still sponsor an item - everything from a mop and bucket to a coffee cup to a sofa! We want the café to be owned by the whole congregation and this is one very practical way of demonstrating this. View the YEW TREE items sponsorship list and go to Donate and either donate by BACS transfer or the donate function and use ref: YT[item].
Volunteer! See the vacancies page.
Response to the initial call for café volunteers has be been great, but we’d like a few more people to make the team up to approx 20. If you would like to find out more, please contact us on: Yewtreecafe@BHCGodalming.org or talk to Lizzie, Karen Hart, Carol Jones, Chris Garner or Sarah Black at the end of services, or pop you details in the form below:
Road Steward needed for Summerhouse road. There is a vacancy coming up for a road steward to be the church rep, pray for and deliver the Bridge magazine in Summerhouse road. Please contact David Brockman e: editor.atthebridge@gmail.com if you could take on this role.
Coming Up:
All welcome. Come along to hear about some of the brave local women who worked for the Special Operations Executive during World War II. Click here for more details.
Prime Time presents … all welcome.
See the list below or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar. Select the event for details and the location (online or on site).
Looking Ahead
The Big Spring Clean will take place on 23 April - in the morning at Busbridge and the afternoon at Hambledon. It’s a great church family event, with physical work rewarded by a BBQ lunch and/or afternoon tea.
Alpha @ Hambledon Contemporary. The Hambledon Contemporary congregation which meets at 10.30am on Sundays is planning to start the Alpha course in May to which anyone wishing to explore the Christian faith is invited. Watch this space for more details, and get in touch with Simon.Willetts@bhcgodalming.org if this is something you’d like to try.
2022 APCMs on 22 May: 10.30am Busbridge & 4pm Hambledon. To vote in the elections of church officers (church wardens) and other matters you must be on the electoral roll. If you have not already enrolled in recent years, please submit you application form ASAP - see Electoral Roll.
Please Pray for
The Ukraine crisis
The Bridge Magazine
Those facing divorce
The Fairway and road steward Lorna Sherwin
The Hydons
ELSEWHERE
Please see the February issue of Link Up HERE and info on other local church events:
DECISION MAKING AND THE WILL OF GOD Led by Andy Peck, Saturday 23rd April 2022, 9.30 am - 1 pm. (Coffee available from 9 am) at Godalming Baptist Church, Queen Street, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1BA
If you are looking to following in the ways of Jesus you will want to do what He says, but this is not always easy to figure out, especially when there is no chapter and verse on the topic.
Whether you have a major decision ahead or not, make the decision to attend, and all other decisions will be sorted!
Andy Peck is a Bible teacher, trainer, broadcaster and editor who has made his fair share of decision mistakes!
He hopes that sharing what God has taught him will benefit those who attend. He is married to Nic (his best decision) and has two teenage boys.
Please reserve a place, with payment of £5, by contacting Sally Pollard (email: pollard3@hotmail.co.uk) Tel-01483-428646 by Friday 14th April
There is a Spring ‘Naturally Supernatural Conference 2022’ being put on this year because of the volume of demand. It is on Wednesday 11th to Saturday 14th May at Soul Survivor Watford. The conference is all about spending time in God’s presence, with extended times of worship and ministry. We’ll be studying God’s word and hearing from some great teachers as we explore what it means to live biblical, naturally supernatural lives today. It’s only £76 as well. If you are interested in going, either book directly at https://naturallysupernatural.co.uk/ or chat with Julia Stubbs eashingstubbs@aol.com. if you want to know a bit more.
COVID NOTICE
All legal restrictions are now lifted for churches and places of worship. This means that face coverings are no longer a legal requirement in services. However, The Church of England and the Bishop of Guildford suggest that churches consider maintaining some precautions for the care and consideration of all members, and that these are at the discretion of the incumbent.
Busbridge&Hambledon church continues to welcome the use of face coverings in services, and a supply of masks and hand sanitiser is available in both churches and the Old Rectory. Neither church is large enough to guarantee social distancing, but we hope that those who wish to keep a little more space between themselves and others can do so. Communion will be celebrated in one kind until the end of February, when the decision to share the common cup (or invest in individual glasses) will be reviewed again. Thank you for your ongoing co-operation, and respect for each other.
Busbridge and Hambledon Churches are open daily for private prayer.
PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org or call 01483 421267.
Listening prayer is available mid-week.