Dear Friends
Today is Ascension Day marked 39 days after Easter Sunday, when Jesus ascended to heaven. You are invited to the Ascension Day Service which at St John’s Farncombe at 6.30pm this (Thursday) evening. All warmly welcome.
Please keep reading for
Services this Sunday
Your invitation to the Newcomers’ Tea (if you are new)
A reminder to complete the prayer survey
Job opportunities with Godalming Minster
An invitation to the Prime Time History Walk in Farncombe next Tuesday 14th May.
Last minute tickets to next week’s event with JJohn about following Jesus and having a living faith. Click the link below to get your ticket (£10).
This Sunday
Matthew 19: 16-30
Ask questions to understand: Peter kept asking questions to seek to understand. Jesus kept asking questions to draw people out.
We continue the sermon series: Build on a Rock - based on the life of the disciple Peter. The readings for each week, and a short topic descriptor can be picked up at Minster services this Sunday, and can be printed here.
Services
8am BCP Holy Communion
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
10am Sunday Service
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)
10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)
10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Coffee from 10.15am and children’s groups in the Octagon
6pm Evening Worship
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.
Are you new or new-ish? If you’ve joined a Minster congregation, or starting coming to a group or activity in the last year or so, please do get in touch by replying to these notices, or signing up to the Newcomers’ event here. Simon and Catherine Taylor are hosting a tea for newcomers this Sunday 12th May so it would be great to have your details if you’d like to be invited.
We want to be a community who prays!
As we grow as a Minster community we’re eager to grow in prayer. Understanding how we pray is crucial to us developing, supporting and resourcing the prayer life of our congregations and individual Minster members. As such, you’re invited to complete this short, anonymous questionnaire about how we pray.
It should only take about 3 minutes, so please take a moment to answer today- your participation is really important!
The survey results will help to inform us as we plan for the future of the Minster. Thank you in advance for your participation. Sarah Rowden, Ordinand.
Click for Prayer Survey
Coming Up
May
The Prime Time Farncombe History Walk is taking place next Tuesday morning (May 14th). Everyone from the Minster family is welcome to join us. Please let Penny know if you’d like to come. e: penny.naylor@godalmingminster.org.
Prayer Request for the Staff and PCC Strategy Day on 18th May
We recently mentioned that the Minster’s senior leadership group was going to spend a day with an external facilitator from CPAS. The church family was asked to pray for the group and many of you mentioned that you had done this. The group began to shape the work that will be undertaken by the PCC and staff team together on Saturday May 18th at the Old Rectory. This is a second planning day where we will be looking at how the PCC and the whole church family take the goals forward of growing younger, discipleship and mission and evangelism forward, so that our vision is fulfilled to be a Minster that follows Jesus, loves people and renews faith.
Your prayers for May 18th are greatly appreciated. Please pray for Mat Ineson (our facilitator) the PCC, the staff, all preachers, congregational leaders who are attending, and the clergy as the clergy look at mission and evangelism in the next few days; and for where each Christian can bring your own faith to fruit in the Minster’s mission under God.
June
As part of the bereavement support offered by the Godalming Minster Pastoral team, the next Bereavement Journey course starts on 5 June. This course is run nationally, for anyone who has been bereaved recently or sometime ago. Even those caring for a terminally ill loved one may benefit. Please find all the details here, and share with anyone you think of. Numbers are limited, so please do register your interest with Sandra Wilkin: pastoral@godalmingminster.org. See the events coming up next and look up dates further ahead in the full calendar.
Staff News and Job Vacancies
Yew Tree Café Manager Lizzie Soar is off to pastures new in June! We are hugely grateful for Lizzie’s contribution to the launching and nurturing wonderful ministry of the Yew Tree Café over the past 2 and a half years. One of the café volunteers received some lovely feedback from visitors just this morning:
“…. This café is like no other café we have ever been to – we just love it! The staff are always so friendly and have time to chat to us, the coffee is great as is the food and cake, it’s got such an amazing special atmosphere”.
Thank you to the Café Leadership Team, to Lizzie, Donna and Olena and everyone who serves voluntarily.
Marcus and his family will be leaving us on the 15th August 2024. We want to take this opportunity to thank Marcus for all that he has contributed to our children and family’s ministry, and for the positive impact he has had in the short time he has been with us. Marcus’ enthusiasm for whole-church worship and engaging the children through worship will leave a lasting impact. We have also been blessed by Anoushka leading Contemporary Worship in recent months, and thank her too.
If you would like to contribute to a leaving gift for Lizzie and/or Marcus, please donate via BACS, to the Office or online.
The job adverts for the posts of Children and Families Pastor (4-11’s) and Yew Tree Café manager can be found on the vacancies page here. Please be praying for the right people to fill these special roles, and share the ads.
Mission Update
Foodbank Update for April and May. The latest shopping list can be found here. Please take a look and add a few items to your next shop.
Karen, the community centre coordinator, updates the shopping list each month with items most needed. You can find the latest shopping list for March on the Foodbank page.
Elsewhere
Hope in Depression Course at St Saviour’s Guildford, starting 13th May
The course is run with professional expert and licenced practitioners giving talks in their field, who come along and give freely of their time, and though given by Christians it is intended for people of all faiths or none.
It is designed to help those who are living with depression or anxiety to better manage their condition and become better able to live their lives more fully. It is also designed for those who are friends or carers of those struggling, to enable them to know better how to help and accompany more effectively.
We have run the course, always with F2F involvement of the speakers, several times so far at St Saviours in the last 6 years and it has been very well received. We will be accepting registrations up to 19th May though, subject to places still being available).
More details >
JJohn event Weds 15 May at 7.30pm
As part of our mission to love people through mission and evangelism, you are invited to an audience with JJohn. JJohn is a well known evangelist, preacher and speaker on apologetics and he’s coming to Guildford Diocese on 15th May 2024. https://allevents.in/guildford/how-to-preach-sermons-which-change-lives-a-masterclass-with-j-john/10000851169078627 (7.30pm).
This is an opportunity to hear God’s Word preached at its best for all who preach, lead services or have a gift of evangelism to hear from JJohn.
Job vacancy:
Guildford Diocese Project Lead for Hear Here
https://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/xdb/diocesanjobs/show/community-project-lead-hear-here
Life Issues 2024 - a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.
The next Life Issues event is about Forgiveness. More details.
Revd Tim Carter will approach this subject with great sensitivity and empathy-do come and be encouraged! There is no charge but donations much appreciated towards the work of 'The Forgiveness Project'
Also, Revd Peter Jackson will lead a Life Issue session on Saturday 22nd June on 'Loneliness' ,such an issue for folk of all ages in our society today. Please do come as Peter will lead the subject of loneliness with great empathy and sensitivity as indeed he did last year when he led a Life Issue on Bereavement. To book a place, please contact Sally Pollard (contact details as above.) There is no charge but donations appreciated towards the work of 'Silverline'
Can we pray for you?
***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***
Mid-week Prayer Gatherings
9am Morning Prayer
9am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays with Rev Sheila Samuels at Godalming Minster Franklyn Road.
Monday Morning Reflections on Zoom
If you would like to start your week in quiet reflection over a passage of scripture do join us at 8.45am on Mondays using the link above - you will be very welcome. For any further information please contact: Gertrud Sollars or Shan Hallam.
Wednesdays at 9am:
Morning Prayer at Godalming Minster Hambledon
Morning Prayer on Zoom via link above.
Groups & Activities
Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. See the 2024 Nexus programme, and updates on Nexus.
Ladies’ Drinks take place every 1st Friday of the month, 7.30PM at the The Pavilion by Howling Owl.
The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar event 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.
Yew Tree Café
at Godalming Minster Brighton Road
The Yew Tree Café at Godalming Minster Brighton Road is open 8.30am-4pm weekdays in term time, and 10am-2pm on Saturdays, and 10am-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.
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.