Dear Friends
Phew, it’s been a little warm this week, and the families who went to New Wine are to be congratulated for camping through it. We hear that the programme and the worship was truly inspiring, and the time away together incredibly special. If you’d like to join the Godalming Minster party at New Wine in 2025, please look out for the notices about tickets in the new year.
Nexus and Prime Time have also been undeterred by the heatwave, enjoying a history walk around Busbridge this afternoon, and a wonderful summer garden party at the Old Rectory last Friday. Thank you to everyone involved.
In the notices this week:
Services this Sunday
Alpha Courses this Autumn
Save the Date for the St Mark’s 90th Thanksgiving Service
Holiday Club
Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) - everyone’s invited!
Other dates for the diary
This Sunday
Chaotic Water - In the beginning
Reading Genesis 6: 9-7
Continuing our Sermon Series “Water, water, everywhere!”, the people God created with such love and hope have turned away from him and only one righteous man remains: Noah. In the face of mockery and hostility, Noah builds a boat to God's very precise specifications. Are we ready to respond like Noah?
Services
9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
10am Classic Service [HC]
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)
10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)
10.30am ALL AGE Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
The rest of August…
Sunday 10 August
10.30am Godalming Churches Together Bandstand Service
Join us in the Jack Philips Memorial Park at the Bandstand!
no morning services across Godalming Minster
6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
18 August
3rd Sunday services are taking place as usual.
25 August
10am Minster-wide Bank Holiday Service at Church Street
6pm Evening Worship
1 September
11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road
9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!
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.
We’re running Alpha!
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov
Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions. Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.
To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha
The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.
To volunteer to help host, cook or set up please use the form below.
Coming Up
August
Men’s Breakfast this Saturday
Please join us at 8.15am this first Saturday of the month, 3rd August, at our men's breakfast in the Old Rectory. Porridge with all the trimmings awaits.
This month we will be doing Americana - seeking to understand what is going on there. Just why do 80% of evangelical Christians support a man who seems to spend most his time insulting his opponents and a tenuous grasp on what is truth? Just when our UK politicians, especially our local man, have been really nice to each other. We know that won't last, but will name calling ever become part of our everyday political life? We seek not to condemn … just to understand!
Click the image above to RSVP (sign up) now!
90th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service at Franklyn Road - 8th August at 3pm
St Mark’s Church is 90 years old this year. The Foundation stone was laid on 8th August 1934. We are holding a Thanksgiving Service on Thursday 8th August at 3pm followed by a cream tea. We would love for people across Godalming Minster to be there to give thanks for the history of St Mark’s church and more recently its community centre, and to pray for its future serving the Franklyn Road area. There will be a celebratory cream tea after the service so an idea of numbers would help the congregation plan. You can sign up using the link above.
Click the image above to sign up now!
Holiday Club 28-30 August
Holiday Club is now full on Friday 30 August, with a few spaces remaining on Weds and Thursday! Please pray for all the children who are coming, and for the team leading them.
This is the first Godalming Minster Summer Holiday Club! It’s for primary age children in school years R-6. Invitations are going to the our church schools next week, and spaces are limited this year.
You are never too old to look for the greatest treasure, and this Holiday Club will be as much fun for older members of the crew as our young buccaneers. If you’d like to join the adventure, please get in touch with Jenny Lansdowne e: jenny.lansdowne@godalmingminster.org.
Sunday 1 Sep - 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road. This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. The 11am service replaces Muddy/Church in the Park and the Classic service, and allows for the other congregations to join the 11am service and/or the BBQ.
The congregations will have the chance to say goodbye to Patrick during July (14th July at Classic, 21st at Choral Eucharist and Contemporary, 28th at Franklyn Road). Sheila’s last Sunday is 1st September (Patrick will be returning from his new parish) and we would like to present them with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.
What’s on Where
See the events coming up next and look up dates further ahead in the full Minster Calendar.
Job Vacancies
Please see our vacancies page. We have potential candidates to interview for the position of Yew Tree Café manager and the Children Pastor (please pray), and will be shortly advertising two exciting Associate Minster roles.
Mission Update
URGENT LIST
Tuna
Pasta sauces
UHT semi skimmed milk
Tinned Peas / Carrots and Tomatoes
Biscuits and crackers
Orange/Blackcurrant squash
Orange/Apple 1 litre juice cartons
Tea bags/Coffee/Hot chocolate
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
Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.
The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >
Life Issues 2024 - a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.
Can we pray for you?
***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***
Mid-week Prayer Gatherings
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.
Community & Fellowship
Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about 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 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 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.