In the notices this week:

• Sing Hosanna!

• The Journey to Easter starting this Sunday - last chance to sign up to catered events!

• Things coming up after Easter

Dear Friends,

Spring has sprung, and oddly it came as a surprise to some of us in the office that this Sunday was in fact Palm Sunday, already, and apparently a week early! “How could it be?”, they cried as they dashed off to find the palm crosses and (ahem) amend service orders. Meanwhile the CYF team continued with their busy programme of Easter activities with schools and groups, and the Hambledon Coffee morning (3rd Weds of the month) was overflowing.

We have also been supporting the wonderful Busbridge Junior School staff, governors and community in prayer during the Ofsted inspection this week. (We look forward to hearing the outcome shortly.) The Easter Prayer Space in Godalming Minster Brighton Road is ready to receive school pupils tomorrow, and the stations will be left in church until Good Friday. Do pop in from Saturday and perhaps use it as an excuse to meet a friend for coffee in the Yew Tree Café?

The following notices are primarily about Holy Week and Easter. You have 25 events and services to choose from over the next 10 days, and perhaps by picking something old (treasured and familiar), something new (in a different part of the Minster), something social (to get to know each other) and something blue (during Holy Week and Good Friday) you could experience and share an enriched Easter.

(Please note: there is already a waiting list for the Easter Garden Service on Sat 30th, but space at the Praise Party this Sunday, and Messy Easter also on 30th March.)

This Sunday

Reading & Topic

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38)

Reading: Luke 19: 28-38

Jesus’ tears over Jerusalem have particular poignancy and resonance right now, at this point in its history. Do we share Jesus’ longing for peace within its walls? If we keep silent, will the stones cry out?

Services for Palm Sunday

[listed in chronological order:]

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 [HC]
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Coffee from 10.15am. Children’s groups for 4-11s take place in the Octagon.
Followed by a bring and share lunch in the Octagon. Everyone invited!

5pm Choral Evensong
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Monthly service, on 4th Sundays of the month

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

Service Information

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.

Holy Week

As well as the services you would expect, here are the ones that might sound new:

Mon-Wed 8PM Reflections at Brighton Road
30 mins to follow the Easter story through the gospel of Luke.

8PM Maundy Thursday Service & Passover Meal at Franklyn Road
Share, Watch and Pray. We remember The Last Supper, sharing a simple vegetarian curry, which flows into communion at our tables. Please sign up so that we know numbers and dietary requirements. SIGN UP.

Good Friday

10am Good Friday Service at Church Street
This is a family friendly service for everyone to engage with the truth of Good Friday. It combines traditional and contemporary elements.

11.30AM Godalming Act of Witness
On Godalming High Street outside Wetherspoons. A short service including a drama by the Trinity Trust Team. Remember a loved one by tying a ribbon to the cross.
Refreshments at Godalming Baptist Church at 12noon. We need a few stewards to hand out Orders of Service. If you can help please contact Michael on michaeleashing@aol.com.

12 NOON An Hour at the Cross - Hambledon

2.30PM The Good Friday Hot Cross Bun Adventure! [all age]
A walk from Godalming Minster Brighton Road, Busbridge to Godalming Minster Hambledon on footpaths and bridleways via Hydon’s Ball. The full walk is about 5km.

If you would prefer a shorter version, please join the adventure at Hydon’s Ball car park at 3.15pm. Tea and hot cross buns will await you in the churchyard at the finish! SIGN UP

Saturday 30 March

8-9PM Service of Fire & Light - Godalming Minster Church Street
Join the choir at this service which will feature a firepit, lanterns, candles, dark and light, movement, prayer in spaces within the church and music.  Never been to a firepit vigil service? Come along for the hour!

EASTER DAY 31 March
Clocks go forward!

6.45AM Sunrise Service at Minster Field

10AM Easter Day Celebration [all age] - Brighton Road

10AM Easter Day Celebration [all age, communion] - Hambledon

10AM Choral Eucharist for Easter - Church Street

10AM Easter Day Communion - Franklyn Road

Coming Up

Fri 22 Mar - Hymns we love Easter Special, 2.30pm at Brighton Road.

Sat 23 Mar - Movie Matinee, 2.30pm at Brighton Road.

Tue 26 Mar - The Bereavement Café is “open” in the Old Rectory from 2.30-4pm.

Thu 4 Apr - Nexus meets to hear a talk by Alan Betts on National Parks in England and Wales: our protected landscapes.

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.

Please check the calendar and select the event for more details.

Congregation News

The 6pm Congregation is delighted to announce it’s new congregation leader: Rev Lesley Mason. Lesley returns to us after many years as lead chaplain for HMP Send (Women’s prison). Prior to this Lesley was the vicar who developed the initial contemporary congregation as a church plant into Busbridge Junior School hall. One of Lesley and the congregational leadership teams’ first decisions has been to reinstate the 3rd Sunday of the month worship. It is amazing to see so many people stepping up into serving, leading and supporting God’s Kingdom mission as we follow Jesus together.

On Sunday 7 April, the Minster congregations unite to share worship together at 10am at Church Street (eclectic), and at 6pm at Hambledon for a Spring Choral Evensong (Traditional BCP), with the occasional choir which sings for these seasonal services.

The “regular” Godalming Minster Choir have a wonderful opportunity to stand in for the Cathedral Choir in Winchester Cathedral, singing for both the 11am Choral Eucharist and 3.30pm Choral Evensong. Everyone is warmly welcome to come and worship with the Choir in the beautiful setting of Winchester Cathedral for either or both services. The choral music in the services will include works by Harold Darke, Herbert Brewer, Bernard Rose, Percy Whitlock and Philip Stopford.

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.

Elsewhere

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.

Coming Up

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

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.