Dear Friends,

Last Sunday Simon Taylor announced that after nearly 15 years here he and Catherine will be leaving Godalming Minster in January 2025. You can read the announcement in the latest Rector’s Reflection >

This Sunday

Is there more to life than this?
John 10.22-33

15 September

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

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

Introducing the new Yew Tree Café Manager - Chantal Dennill
Pop into the Yew Tree Café this Saturday or in the next couple of weeks to meet and greet our newest member of the Minster staff team. We look forward to Chantal’s ministry in the YTC and thank everyone who has stepped up to keep the café running beautifully while we have been waiting for Chantal to start: Donna, Olena, Karen, Carol, Luke, Miffy and the small but brilliant army of café volunteers!

URGENT: Hosts wanted for Danish pilgrims on Thursday 26th September! If you can offer to host 1 or 2 (out of 16) people who are visiting Godalming Minster on 26-27th September as part of a walking pilgrimage, or help to share dinner with them at Brighton Road, please get in touch with Simon Taylor e; simon.taylor@godalmingminster.org ASAP.

The hosts need to:

Thursday 26th

• Collect their person/people at 5pm at Godalming Minster Church Street.

• Take them home to give them time to freshen up/shower.

• Drop them at Brighton Road before 7pm.

• Pick them up from Brighton Road for 9pm.

Friday 27th

Provide a breakfast and drop them at Church Street for 8.30am.

Coming Up

September

Heritage Weekend 14-15 September

Welcome to England’s largest festival of history and culture!
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

Our four Godalming Minster churches are part of the Heritage Open Days Weekend and open to visitors this weekend. For more info see: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

The Bible Course

Starting in the Yew Tree Café on Weds 18 September for 6 weeks. This course is particularly for the post-alpha group, but open to anyone who would like to join. Please contact Simon Taylor, or sign up on ChurchSuite.

You’re invited to Alpha starting this September

Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

Alpha Team not quite but nearly complete! A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We now have catering in place for the evening AND lunchtime sessions. Wonderful! We do still need some heroes to provide refreshments and a simple lunch on the Holy Spirit Day on Saturday 16th November (when both groups come together).

Please volunteer using the the button below, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin - sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Please note: The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

Breakfast and café church at Franklyn Road

This happens every fifth Sunday (i.e. four times a year) and the next one is on 29 September.  We meet at 0930 for breakfast – bacon butties and/or croissants available – moving seamlessly into Café Church at about 10 o’clock.  In September, we shall be looking at the story of Jesus’ last supper with his friends, and what the cross means to us.  All are welcome, whether you normally come to Franklyn Road or not.  We should love to see you … and please feel free to bring a friend.

October

Newcomers Tea

3pm, Sunday 6 Oct at Spinney Copse. The Taylors are hosting a tea for all those who are dipping their toe, or have jumped right into Godalming Minster in recent months.  It might be through getting married, holding a baptism or funeral, attending a group or one of our services. There will be tea and cake, and members of the clergy and ministry teams to chat to. Please let vic.hicks@godalmingminster.org know if you’d like to come, or if you can think of anyone who needs an invitation. We look forward to getting to know you better! Your invitation to the Newcomers Tea.

HARVEST 6th & 13th October

We will be celebrating Harvest over two Sundays:

6th October
Harvest at 9.30am Choral Eucharist

13th October
Harvest at all other services, followed by a bring and share harvest and farewell lunch in The Church Street Octagon:
8am Holy Communion
10am Franklyn Road
10am Classic
10.30am Contemporary

Hambledon will hold its Harvest Festival at Hambledon Village Hall, with an 11am service, followed by a bring and share lunch.

John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch - 13th October
A reminder that John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Everyone is invited! During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate. John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

Light Party 31st October
Save and Date and look out for details for the 2024 Light Party!

What’s on Where

See the events coming up next and look up dates further ahead in the full Minster Calendar.

Mission Update

Mission beyond: loving people

Key to the vision and purpose of Godalming Minster is to share God’s love by serving others, nurturing our own discipleship and sharing the story and joy of His love by our witness. Traditionally, this is done through Minster led outreach activities, as well as supporting a range of Christian mission initiatives.

In the past, each of our former parishes had different approaches to mission partnership. Under Sheila Samuels, the former Mission and Outward Giving work of two parishes has become part of a new mission team (which now awaits leadership by the new Associate Minister for Mission and Evangelism, based at Franklyn Road).

For the coming season, Godalming Minster aims to develop long term, deeply prayerful relationships with a few regular groups who have a mission and evangelism heart. The mission focus outlined is fixed for the next few years. Each of the mission agencies has a connection to the Minster, so we can share in the successes and challenges of their activities and be actively involved together.

Each festival time of the year, you’ll be able to commit your financial and prayer support to all the mission partners we’re supporting, some of them, or one. You can indicate this on the mission giving forms and online/via your banking. Only our treasurer knows who gives both for mission and in any giving in general.

Harvest is about…loving people and renewing faith - focussing mission locally and nationally

We’ll be collecting harvest goods for the Franklyn Road Foodbank at all Harvest services, and raising funds for the Church Army (National Anglican Evangelism).

Christmas is about…loving people - focusing mission locally

We’ll be raising funds for female inmates at HMP Send, and Godalming based charities The Cellar Camino Café and Skillway. We’ll be collecting Christmas goodies to produce hampers for clients of the Franklyn Road Foodbank and households known to the Minster via our church schools.

Easter is about…following Jesus and renewing faith - focussing mission nationally and overseas

We’ll be raising funds for the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS), and Five Talents (a global mission partner).

In addition, the PCC has set aside annual funds to support youth work in the town through TTT, and Eco church developments, so we can encourage others to also care for God’s creation. Funds also go directly to support our two church schools. 

Foodbank Update

The Franklyn Road Foodbank is getting busier at the moment, and currently short of oatcakes, gluten free cereal and biscuits and nappies in all sizes 3-6 please! BUT all donations of food and cleaning items are welcome anytime. See the Foodbank for more info.

Church Family News

We send love to the families and friends of two people who are longstanding friends of Godalming Minster, both with particular connections to Busbridge. 

Many people will remember Guy Gammell, who died last Friday in Shottermill House.  Please pray for Josie and Henrietta, and their families, as they mourn.  Guy’s funeral will be on Wednesday 25 September at Godalming Minster, Church Street, at 2.30 p.m.

We also remember Mary Pagan, whose gifts as a flower arranger enhanced many of our church events.  Please pray for her close friends and all who mourn for her.  Mary’s service will be in Godalming Minster, Brighton Road, on Thursday 3 October at 12.30 p.m. 

Please pray for God’s peace and comfort to surround them all.

We send our love also to Olena, whose best friend and her daughters were killed in a Russian strike on Lviv last week.  Please pray for God’s comfort for Olena, and also for her friend’s husband, Yaroslav, who was injured, but survived.

Thank you from the Samuels family:

A huge thank you from us for the lovely send off and generous gifts. It was so lovely to see so many of you at Patrick's licensing service too.

We are settling in well and the girls seemed to have embraced College and school life. We give thanks to God for the privilege of journeying with you all for the last 5 years, for both the challenges and joys. We will continue to pray for you all as you journey into another new season. Sending you all much love, thanks and best wishes, Sheila and Patrick, Tamara and Sophia.

Marcus has a few spaces left this September for one-to-one or group drumming lessons. Please do share the info with anyone who might be keen to learn!

Elsewhere

Life Issues 2024 - a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

The last Life Issue session of 2024 is coming up at Godalming Baptist Church on Saturday 19th October 10.00am-12.30pm (coffee from 9.30am).  'Living With Anxious Thoughts' led by Dr Martin Brunet, GP at Binscombe Medical Centre and Dr Jenna McKeown, Clinical Psychologist. 

This promises to be such a helpful and informative morning.  The session will look at all aspects of anxious thoughts including intrusive thoughts and health anxiety and aims to understand where these thoughts come from and how best to manage them. There is no charge but donations much appreciated towards 'The Farncombe Community Garden'.  

Please do contact Sally to book a place-01483-428646 or e-mail pollard3@hotmail.co.uk by Friday 4th October.  Thank you so much for all your support

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

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 2024 Prime Time programme is now available. For all events and details, see Prime Time.

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.

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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

PASTORAL CARE & PRAYER MINISTRY

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.