Dear Friends

We hope you have had a wonderful Easter time and will be back with us this Sunday as we embark on the summer term. All services and congregations are back to the normal term-time pattern, with children’s groups running at 10am at Hambledon and 10.30am at Church Street.

Reflecting on the first 3 months as Godalming Minster, with a first Christmas and Easter now behind us, we are really encouraged by some of the signs of growth in mission and ministry. It’s not all about the numbers, but they give an idea:

• Our Ana chaplain and Godalming Minster volunteers shared communion at two local care homes, with 16+ of residents and staff attending at both.

• Busbridge Infant School Easter services had all the children plus over 70 great parents in attendance.

• The Hambledon coffee morning and hearing aid clinic was full to overflowing last month.

• The Franklyn Road Youth Café on Wednesday afternoons, and the Friday Night Youth social are both growing in popularity, and are needing more volunteers if we are to welcome more young people.

• Easter Garden service at Brighton Road was fully booked before the publicity event went out. Nearly 200 attended on Easter Saturday.

• The reintroduced Choral Evensong at Church Street has gathered 40+ people to worship at 5pm for the second month in the row. It’s a wonderfully reflective time inspired by excellent choral music.

• The Minster choir were invited to sing at two services at Winchester Cathedral last Sunday which was greatly enjoyed by the regular cathedral congregation, and all who went from Godalming. Full story.

If you can feel you can support God’s work in Godalming through the Minster, please do get in touch to offer some time on Sundays or any of the many midweek activities, and also review your financial giving.

This Sunday

We pick up the Transformed Living sermon series where we left off, in Ephesians 5: 6-21.
The topic is Live in Wisdom and by the Spirit.

Minster Services listed in chronological order:

8am BCP Holy Communion
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Classic Service [HC]
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10am Sunday Service
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)
With kids’ club (2nd & 4th Sundays).

10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Coffee from 10.15am. Children’s groups for 4-11s take place in the Octagon.

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

More information about congregations and service times can be found 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.

Easter Giving Update

Thanks to all those who have given to the Easter Appeal in aid of CPAS (cpas.org.uk) and Five Talents (fivetalents.org.uk).

If you still wish to give, please use the Outward Giving envelope to make a donation, and also see www.godalmingminster.org/giving for online instructions.

Your gift to be shared equally unless you wish to direct it to one charity or other. Please let us know on the envelope, or email martin.lambert@godalmingminster.org.

Coming Up - Highlights

Sat 13 Apr - the Saturday Prayer gathering is at Franklyn Road this month from 8-9am. As well as local prayer needs and requests, we will be praying for those in leadership and giving thanks for Easter.

Sat 20 Apr - Jam Together for 13-18s is back. 2-4pm in the Hut. Please encourage your future worship leaders if they sing or play an instrument.

Thu 2 May - Nexus welcomes author and triathlete Helen McCann to talk about her experiences. All welcome to drinks and the talk. More details.

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

Mission Update

Request from the Godalming Foodbank at Godalming Minster Franklyn Road for good strong carrier bags. We use upwards of 80 a month and despite asking for the clients to bring them back, very few do. The foodbank also needs dog food! (Stocks for feline friends are currently more than sufficient).

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.

For those visiting the Busbridge Old Rectory and the Yew Tree Café next week, please note that there are roadworks scheduled on Brighton Road at the entrance to Busbridge Village Hall.

Elsewhere

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.

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

The next Life Issues event is Care Companion at the end of life. More details.

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.

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.