From the GCT facebook page: Despite the very high temperatures last Sunday over 200 people attended the Churches Together Service of Worship at Godalming Bandstand. The wonderful trees provided some very welcome shade.
This annual service is part of the Godalming Staycation organised by Godalming Town Council. Our grateful thanks go to Rev Sheila Samuels for coordinating the Service and to all the Ministers for their contributions and to the wonderful band for leading us all in joyful praise in a beautiful location.
Prime Time Bowls afternoon on Weds 17 Aug - the heavens opened just as everyone went inside for tea!
Click here for details and to sign up.
Dear friends,
There were fears that the weather would be too hot for the bandstand service last Sunday, and then that rain would stop play for the Prime Time bowls afternoon yesterday. That’s Great Britain and the British for you! Happily, both events were blessed with shade from the trees, and a later than forecast thunderstorm.
Hopefully it will also be just right for the Ukraine Independence Day lunch party at the Old Rectory this Sunday, as Ukrainian families and their hosts get together for lunch, games and the bouncy castles. If you’d like to be involved with the BHC4Ukraine group, please let Sarah Black and Will Godwin know.
Read on for details about:
What and where this Sunday and next (the services)
The ad for a new full time Worship Pastor, and other vacancies
HMP Send appeal - How about lunch with Helen?
Changes to services in September
Hymns & Pimm’s - 4 Sep
Alpha starting 15 Sep
Sunday 21 August
Ezekiel's Call and the Vision of God's glory
Readings: Ezekiel 1:1-6 & 14-21
10AM Morning Worship [Holy Communion]
Led by: David Jenkins | Speaker: Dudley Hilton
Hambledon Church
10.30AM Combined Worship [Holy Communion]
Led by: Andy Spencer | Speaker: Keith Harper
Busbridge Church
Sunday 28 August
Philip and the Ethiopian official
Reading: Acts 8:26-40
10AM Morning Worship
Led by: Fran Duffell | Speaker: David Jenkins
Hambledon Church
10.30AM Combined Worship
Led by: Simon Taylor | Speaker: Margot Spencer
Busbridge Church
6PM Busbridge Evening Service
[Holy Communion]
Led by: Simon Willetts
Busbridge Church
This is Ben Ford’s last Sunday leading worship. Thanks to him for his wonderful contribution to the musical life of the church, and “raising the roof” in the last 9 months. We wish God’s guidance and blessing in whatever good things are next.
Notices
Worship Pastor We are now advertising for a permanent full time Worship Pastor. It’s a crucial role, and the ad is posted on the BHC vacancies page, the Guildford Diocese web site and New Wine jobs section. Do you know anyone who might be interested?
We'd love to be able to offer subsidised or free housing for the post to widen the attraction. Might you, or anyone you know, offer to have them as a lodger, or have them living in your annex? Please speak to Karen Hart, 07891 114306, for further details or a chat.
The search for our new 4-11s Children’s Worker continues. Please take a look at the 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 continue to pray for all these vacancies and that God’s people are called to the roles.
Outward Giving request to support the HMP Send appeal: Why not have lunch with Helen? (Leaflets are at the back of the churches)
Her name may be Helen, but it may be something else. Having served her time at HMP Send she is about to be released. On a Friday afternoon, just as everything is closing for the weekend, Helen walks through the prison gates with just £76 in her pocket. This is hardly enough to find her food, accommodation, and everything else she needs to see her through the weekend. And, quite likely, nobody knowing her background will trust her with a job either.
Most likely, through desperation, she will return to a life of crime simply to get some cash. And soon she will be behind bars again.
Is this really necessary?
The BHC Outward Giving Group has come up with a scheme to help Helen and women like her. Give up a meal out during the summer or autumn and donate the money saved to the Nazareth Way at HMP Send. Prison Chaplain Lesley Mason will be delighted to see us helping in this way. Think of what £3000 would do in helping Helen and those like her out of their predicament.
If you are challenged by this, please donate £50 (the price of the average meal out) or anything you can afford to ‘Lunch with Helen Fund’, Busbridge PCC, Old Rectory, Old Rectory Gardens, Godalming GU7 1PU, by cheque, or direct to Busbridge PCC account 00705349, sort code 60-09-04, putting ‘Lunch with Helen Fund’ in the reference field.
Shelagh Godwin, for the BHC Outward Giving Group
SIGN UP NOW to the Autumn Spruce!
Click here for details and to sign up
Having missed the Spring Clean and the Summer Blitz, come September the churches will be in much need of a back to church Autumn “Spruce”! Please save the date. We do need your help, but the getting together is just as important. (After Christmas, it’s Simon Taylor’s favourite event of the year!) Click the flyer to sign up.
And on the subject of cleaning up and clearing out, if anyone is a keen user of online market places (e.g. ebay, freecycle, facebook marketplace) the church office would love to hear from you. The church has an ebay account, but is looking for someone to post the items and monitor the account.
Coming Up:
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).
NEXUS starts its Autumn term on Thursday 8th September, when Patrick Samuels, our recently ordained Curate, will give his talk on ‘My Life Journey’. It will be interesting to hear of his faith journey, as well as a little of his other interests and former careers, before he joined us at Busbridge and Hambledon Church. Do come along and get to know Patrick better.
We meet in Busbridge Old Rectory at 8.00pm. There’ll be a welcoming glass of wine, or soft drinks, and nibbles and the chance to catch up with each other before Patrick starts his presentation. All are welcome, including men if they’d like to come along.
Autumn Alpha Course - an Autumn Alpha course will start on Thursday 15th September at St Mark’s Church and run on Thursdays until 24th November (with a break for half-term). Contact Sheila.Samuels@bhcgodalming.org if you’d like to join the course or find out more. We are looking for a catering team to provide one or more of the meals. Please let Sheila know if you’d like to help with this fundamental and most enjoyable element!
Vacancies
Also, the Diocese of Guildford is now advertising for a Hear Here! Project Lead and given BHC’s involvement with the project, it would be lovely if someone from BHC wanted to go for it. Penny Naylor would be happy to speak to anyone about the project and the new role if people want to find out a bit more while considering whether or not to apply. The skills needed are experience of leading initiatives, managing projects and keeping on top of all the associated admin. Knowledge of how to retube a hearing aid or how to run a hearing aid clinic are not required as Sophie will continue to oversee all the technical side of things.
Please see the job ad here.
Please pray for
The BHC4Ukraine group as they prepare to welcome Ukrainian families and their hosts for lunch at the Old Rectory to mark Ukrainian Independence day on 21 August
The vacancies on the staff team
Feathercombe Lane
North Munstead Lane and its road stewards Mark and Katrina Williams
New Service times at both churches from September
A reminder that the Busbridge Contemporary will take place first at 9.30am and the Classic at 11.15am.
Hambledon is introducing a single 10AM service with a blended format, with Common Worship liturgy and informal contemporary elements, from September. Children’s work will be available at 10AM apart from Messy Church Sundays (3rd of the month).
Pick up a list of the new service times for September from church this Sunday or over the summer. It includes the special Sunday dates for Autumn too, so please watch out for the deviations!
ELSEWHERE
Some church members may have seen the following plans for Godalming. The press release is included in the notices for general interest, and to assure you that the Godalming Minster Evaluation Steering Group are aware of the plans and will be liaising with Waverley.
News Release Issued by Waverley Borough Council: Wednesday 3 August 2022
Waverley seeks views on potential Godalming regeneration
Waverley Borough Council is asking for feedback from residents and local businesses about potential plans to regenerate three council owned sites in central Godalming. The council has been considering options for its head office at The Burys for a number of years, as it has very poor energy efficiency, making it very expensive to heat and maintain.
More recently, the council has begun to look more holistically at its land assets in central Godalming to ensure it is maximising their value for residents. It has now widened the scope of its regeneration project to include the main car park in central Godalming, Crown Court, and The Wharf, which has most recently been used as a car park for council staff.
Early options appraisals by the council indicate that The Wharf and Crown Court car parks could both support low density housing in a mixture of tenures, including social rented and affordable homes. Much of The Burys site is in Flood Zone 2, and it is therefore unsuitable for new housing, however revenue from the sale of new market homes on The Wharf and Crown Court sites could fund the redevelopment of The Burys site, making the entire project cost-neutral.
Waverley is heavily reliant on revenue from car parks, and from the outset has sought to ensure there would be no net loss of parking within central Godalming as a result of the regeneration works. The council’s viability assessment indicates that redevelopment of The Burys site could support a multi-deck car park that would replace any loss of parking on Crown Court and The Wharf. Options for a decked carpark have been considered, which place the car parking behind an attractive façade and within the current height of the office building.
The council has a range of engagement opportunities planned for members of the public over the summer. Residents are invited to drop into the reception area of The Burys to view displays about the project and potential options, and to offer feedback via an online survey. The displays, online survey, FAQs and further information are available online at www.waverley.gov.uk/GodalmingRegen. There will also be events for local businesses and partners throughout the summer and pop-up displays in the High Street. Comments and questions are also welcomed by email to: Burysdevelopment@waverley.gov.uk
The council will undertake full consultation later this year.
Councillor Paul Follows, Leader of Waverley Borough Council, said: “Last year, our ageing building cost over £210,000 to heat and complete only the most essential maintenance. Our estimate for this year is around £410,000, so we’re under a great deal of financial pressure to find a solution urgently.
“I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to come up with some options that will see the current level of parking spaces maintained, while bringing new, genuinely affordable housing to the centre of Godalming. At this stage, there are no concrete plans, but we’ve got some fantastic options to create new community spaces, support and enhance the High Street, develop future income streams for the council and future-proof our offices, using new housing to fund it all.
“We really need your views, so please do come into the reception at the Burys and see our displays about the opportunities we’ve identified or visit the webpage and feedback to us via the online survey or our dedicated email address.”
For further information contact:
Tel: 01483 523296
Web : www.waverley.gov.uk
Email: communications@waverley.gov.uk
Read the latest issue (JULY) of Churches Together in Godalming and District Link Up.
From Godalming Baptist Church: Maureen Jones is retiring from her role as Friendship Lunch cook. We are so grateful for all her very hard work over many years. We are now seeking a new cook . Friendship Lunch is a great outreach to the local community to show God's love to many who live alone. We need someone who would be willing to work fortnightly Thursdays (or monthly) 9.00am-2.00pm and fortnightly on Wednesdays in preparation (or monthly)
Please contact Sally Pollard-01483-428646 -e-mail-pollard3@hotmail.co.uk for more details. A warm welcome awaits!
Godalming Baptist Church Life Sessions. Please see the full brochure here. September’s talk is on Compassion Fatigue
Vacancies at Waverley Abbey
We currently have a number of excellent job opportunities. Should you know of anyone who may be interested, please could you forward them the details. The jobs are advertised on the Waverley Abbey website and can be accessed using this link https://www.waverleyabbeytrust.org/vacancies
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
10am-4pm [takeaway to 4.30pm] Weekdays in school holidays. 8.30am-4pm from 5 Sep.
10am-2pm Saturday
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.