Dear Friends,
In the this week’s notices:
Juliet G’s last Sunday as our 0-4s Younger Families Worker
A request for a Christmas hamper organiser(s)
Vacancies, Archdeacon’s meeting and prayer gatherings
Services this Sunday.
This Sunday
How does God guide us?
Readings: Romans 12.1-21
10am Classic Service
Brighton Road
10am Morning Worship
Hambledon
10am Morning Worship [HC]
Franklyn Road
10.30am Contemporary
Church Street
5pm Choral Evensong
Church Street
6pm Evening Service [HC]
Brighton Road
Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times on ChurchSuite, or the Sundays page on the web site. If you are on a rota, ChurchSuite will ping you a reminder by email, but you can also use the ChurchSuite app to check yourself.
Notices
Clergy and staff news
Goodbye to Juliet
We will be saying goodbye to Juliet Gilbert this Sunday 27th Oct at Contemporary. After an incredible 10 years of faithful service, our wonderful 0-4s worker will be stepping down to spend more time with her family. Her final working day will be Wednesday, 30th October. We are beyond grateful for the countless lives Juliet has impacted, the love and creativity she’s poured into our little ones, and the joy she’s brought to our church family. Please join us in expressing our heartfelt thanks and praying for her as she embarks on this next chapter. Please see ways to give and if you’d like to contribute to a gift.
Vacancies
You might not be a candidate, but do please be aware and tell others that Godalming Minster is currently advertising for three key roles: Associate Minister for Franklyn Road, Mission & Evangelism, Children’s Pastor 4-11s and now Younger Families Pastor 0-4s. You can find the details on our vacancies page, the diocese jobs page and on New Wine jobs. The most important request is to pray. Pray for God’s people to respond to a calling here, and for those involved with the interviews and appointments.
Prep. for Simon’s leaving and the vacancy starting 5 Jan 2025
Archdeacon’s Public Meeting
Mon 4 Nov, 7.30pm at Church Street
The Archdeacon of Surrey, The Venerable Catharine Mabuza will be briefing the parish of Godalming Minster on the process to advertise and appoint a new Rector, after the departure of Simon Taylor on 5th Jan 2025. Everyone who is part of Godalming Minster is strongly encouraged to attend.
Vacancy Prayers 8-9pm 1st Weds of the month
Starting 6 Nov, Simon Willetts invites you to these prayer gatherings specifically to pray for the Minster during the Vacancy and to seek God for new Rector. There will be a a short and informal time of worship, teaching and prayer at each of the sessions, and the gatherings to move each Minster location: 6 Nov will be at Franklyn Road, 4 Dec Church Street, 8 Jan Brighton Road, 5 Feb Hambledon and then 5 Mar Ash Weds at Church Street…
Help needed at The Hub on Tuesdays 12.30-2pm
Now going into its third winter, The Hub at Franklyn Road serves a free hot lunch for approx 12-20 guests every Tuesday. The team is in need of a few more helpers on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis. Please contact volunteer@godalmingminster.org if you would like to find out more.
Cakes and bakes needed for The Hub, Prime Time and The Bereavement Café
Godalming Minster certainly gets through a fair amount of cake at its many community activities. It’s quite fundamental to the warm hospitality we offer! If you can bake something for any of the ministries above, perhaps on a regular basis, please contact volunteer@godalmingminster.org.
Help needed in Advent
Please do express your willingness to serve during Advent and at Christmas, at particular events or in general, by emailing the team in the office: e: office:godalmingminster.org. We need musicians, AV, stewards and people to welcome and serve refreshments at numerous services including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
A Hamper Specialist
Specifically we are looking for someone or two to coordinate Christmas outreach and giving of gift hampers for people in our community. This started as a joint endeavour with Guildford Besom, and has since continued more locally as an initiative for the church to show our love to people in the Minster family, and families at the church schools. Regular customers of the Foodbank will receive a special parcel of goodies at Christmas, but to extend our giving further we need someone to identify recipients, arrange collections, hamper packing and delivery. If you can be involved please contact vic.hicks@godalmingminster.org.
Coming Up
October
Neon Light Party, 31st Oct 4-5.30pm at Brighton Road
Open to anyone is school years R-6. Go to ChurchSuite for more details and sign up
Please pray for Ben, Jenny and the CYF volunteers who are organising and leading this wonderful community event which offers a bright alternative to Halloween!
November
Nexus 7 Nov - Felt Christmas Trees & Mulled Wine
Helen Sturney will once again use her artistic talents to help us make Felt Christmas Trees to use as decorations during the festive season. No cutting or sewing involved so just bring yourselves along to enjoy a fun and relaxed craft evening, with a glass of mulled wine! All the trees will look great so you can take yours home and use it to decorate your home as you choose. All are welcome!
Remembrance Sunday Services
10am Franklyn Road All Age Service, followed by 11am Act of Remembrance
10.30am Hambledon
10.45am Brighton Road
10.45am Act of Remembrance at Godalming War Memorial, Phillips Memorial Park. Please assemble at 10.30am in advance of the procession of the Mayor’s Civic Party, The Union Flag, clergy and the choir from Godalming Minster Church Street (The Octagon).
Celebrate the Light(s)!
Sunday 24 Nov We are starting the celebrations even earlier this year, with the new invitation from Godalming Town Council for Godalming Minster Church Street to be the finish of the Lights switch on event on Sunday 24 Nov. The Christmas street lights will be extended into the church this year and the town procession from Crown Court will finish inside with some carols, mulled wine and mince pies. We are asking people to sign up to give an idea of numbers, and so we can email further details nearer the time.
Also on 24th Nov, 6pm at Guildford Cathedral, if you are planning to join Simon Taylor for his installation as an honorary canon of the Cathedral, please book your place, so that catering can be provided for the after-party:
www.guildford-cathedral.org/events/boxoffice/814
December
Advent & Christmas 2024
The programme for Advent and Christmas will be available in early November, but the events and services across the Minster are already listed in the calendar.
What’s on Where
There’s lots going on around Godalming Minster every week, for all ages and stages - always too much to list in the notices! See the full Minster Calendar to look ahead to the end of December, including Remembrance and Christmas.
Following Jesus
Mid-week prayer gatherings take place on Zoom (8.45am Mon / 9am Wed),
and at Godalming Minster Hambledon (9am Wed) and Franklyn Road (9am Mon and Tue). Please check the calendar.
Small groups meet in homes to study the bible, pray and journey together.
New members are invited to join an existing group, or form their own group.
To find out more and connect with the right one for you, contact Rev Hilary Pettman. e: hilary.pettman@godalmingminster.org.
Loving People
The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)
Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.
The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar for details.
Hambledon Coffee Morning and Hearing Aid Clinic takes place 3rd Wednesdays of the month at 10.30am.
The Bereavement Café takes place on the last Tuesday of the month, 2.30-4pm in the Busbridge Old Rectory.
The 2024 Prime Time programme is now available. For all events and details, see Prime Time.
The Yew Tree Café at Godalming Minster Brighton Road is open 8.30am-4pm weekdays in term time, and 10am-2pm on Saturdays, and 9.30am-4pm during school holidays. There’s wi-fi and power for those that want to work, and Prime Time hosts a drop in session for anyone who’d like a coffee and a chat every Monday from 10.30-11.30am.
Get Involved / Join a team
We're passionate about people feeling like they're a part of our church family and one of the best places to do that is as part of a team.
No matter your age or experience, there's a team that you can join, serving alongside others and getting to know people better in the church. You can find out about all our opportunities to serve and offer your time and talents on the Join a Team page.
Don’t forget about…
MyChurchSuite is an app for members of Godalming Minster to check dates, rotas, church emails, look up church members and sign up to events (without having to enter your details again and again!). Contact the Minster Office if you’ve lost your login details or would like to request an account. See more instructions.
PASTORAL CARE & PRAYER MINISTRY
Can we pray for you?
***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***
If you, or someone you know at church, are in need of support and care, please contact Sandra Wilkin via the Minster office, or e: pastoral@godalmingminster.org.
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@godalmingminster.org or call 01483 421267.