Dear friends,
It’s the end of summer, or the school holidays at least, and there’s an odd mixed feeling of wishing it would go on longer, and readiness for a renewed sense of purpose and direction. If that’s the case for you, look no further than church this September. Here are the headlines:
Ben Barnes, Director of Youth and Children
Owen Morgan, Assistant Café Manager
Welcome to Ben Barnes, the new Director of Youth and Children, and to Owen Morgan, Assistant Manager at the Yew Tree Café who joined the BHC staff team this week. You can meet Ben and his family at Muddy this Sunday, and at church from 11 Sep. Owen will, of course, be found in the Yew Tree Café on a Monday, Tuesday and Friday (and every other Saturday).
SAVE THE DATE for the EPCMs (Extraordinary Parochial Church Meetings) 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 ratify the PCCs’ decision to join with Godalming parish and become a Minster. [More details below]
The new service times start this week for Muddy Church and Busbridge Classic, and will take effect in Hambledon from 11 September.
Muddy (All Age) Church restarts this Sunday at the Jack Philips Memorial - at the the new Contemporary service time of 9.30am. Look out for friends from St Peter and St Paul’s and St Mark’s.
In anticipation of the 2022 "Autumn Spruce" day on 17 September, here's the sort of thing you can expect!
To prolong the summer atmosphere a little longer, Hymns and Pimms (6PM this Sunday at Hambledon) promises to be a joyous way to regather after the summer and enjoy singing a selection of peoples favourite hymns. All welcome.
Please sign up for the The Autumn Spruce on 17 September. It’s a great way to help and meet people who you might not get the chance to mix with at other times. There’s jobs to suit everyone!
The church is now hiring a new full time Worship Pastor, and full time 4-11s Children’s Worker. If you can help by sharing the ads, praying for the vacancies or applying we’d love to hear from you.
Alpha led by Sheila Samuels at St Mark’s starting 15 Sep. Could this be the time to join the course, or help with catering?
If it’s the fundamental bits of church life you are looking forward to again:
Services, youth and children’s work, and mid-week prayer and activities restart in the next fortnight. Please check the calendar.
The teaching series for the new term starts on 11 September. Marks of the Early Church will follow the Acts of the Apostles and will ask us to reflect on what we can learn form the first century church, both as individuals and as a church.
To complement the sermon series and continuing the theme for the year on building Christian Character, the recommended study for Small Groups is on The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and the groups will be attempting to answer 3 simple questions: Why am I alive? Does my life matter? What is my purpose? If you would like to join a small group or find out more e: smallgroups@bhcgodalming.org.
Sunday 4 September
*New Term*New Service times*
Produce enduring faithfulness
Readings: 2 Timothy 2:1-13
No Morning Service
6PM Hymns & Pimms
Hambledon Church
9.30AM Muddy Church
(Replaces the Contemporary service in Church)
11.15AM Classic Service [Holy Communion]
Led by: Patrick Samuels | Speaker: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church
Sunday 11 September
marks of the early church
week 1: the importance of individual response to jesus
Reading: Acts 9:1-19
10AM Sunday Morning Worship [Holy Communion]
Led by: Simon Willetts | Speaker: David Jenkins
Hambledon Church
9.30AM Contemporary Service
Led by: Hilary Pettman | Speaker: Andy Spencer
Busbridge Church
Children’s groups restart. Drop off from 9.20am Creche and Explorers in the Old Rectory and the Ark in the Village Hall.
11.15AM Classic Service
Led by: Peter Shaw | Speaker: Andy Spencer
Busbridge Church
6PM Busbridge Evening Service
Led by: Simon Taylor
Busbridge Church
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 sign up now. We do need your help, but the getting together is just as important. Click the flyer to sign up.
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 ratify the PCCs’ decision to join with Godalming parish and become a Minster.
More about what the vote entails will follow beforehand, but do send any questions to David Wilkin e:david.wilkin@bhcgodalming.org.
You need to be on the Electoral Roll to vote at the EPCM. The closing date for new applications is 23 Sep (21 days before the meeting). Forms are available at the back of the churches, or to download here.
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).
Men’s Breakfast - The topic for this Saturday is the proposed regeneration project in Godalming. For details select the event.
Monday Reflective Prayer on Zoom restarts on 5 September and Hambledon Morning Prayer also restarts next week on Wednesday 7 Sep. Busbridge Morning Prayer on Wednesdays will restart the following week on 14 Sep.
Prayer gatherings for Ukraine will take at Hambledon Church at 7.30pm on 1st Tuesdays of the month, from 6 Sep.
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
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 a new FULL TIME 4-11s Children’s Worker continues. 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 continue to pray for these vacancies and that God’s people are called to the roles.
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 start up of children’s and youth groups
Hambledon Road and the Nursery School
Monteagle and Westdean and its road stewards Jo and Guy Cookes
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
Read the latest issue (SEPTEMBER) of Churches Together in Godalming and District Link Up.
Godalming Baptist Church Life Sessions. Please see the full brochure here. September’s talk is on Compassion Fatigue
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.
PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org or call 01483 421267.
Listening prayer is available mid-week.