In the notices this week:

• Sunday services, and how to look them up

• The Journey to Easter with Godalming Minster

• PCC MInutes

• My Unexpected Talk (tomorrow’s Prime Time event with Simon Taylor)

Dear Friends,

The new Godalming Minster PCC met for the second time on Monday 11th March. Amongst other things, they signed off the minutes from January which are now available on the web site here.

Godalming Minster Franklyn Road hosted pupils from the St Mark’s and All Saints Primary School for an Easter “Pause” Day. The children spent time doing different creative prayer activities in the church. The session will be repeated for Busbridge Junior School at Godalming Minster Brighton Road next Friday, and the prayer spaces will be left in situ for Holy Week.

This Sunday

Reading & Topic

Reading: Luke 9: 51-62

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set his face towards Jerusalem…”

Please travel with us as we make this journey together – not as observers, but as fellow-travellers.

Minster Services listed in chronological order:

9am Choral Eucharist [HC]
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 [HC]
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)
Now on 3rd Sundays too!

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.

Easter Events and Services

Please take a look at the Easter page on the web site. There are familiar services happening at all four Minster locations, as well as some great chances to come together between Palm Sunday and Easter Day.

You'll see that there are a few events that we are asking people to sign up for, and to offer help with catering. These are:

- The Palm Sunday Easter Party at Franklyn Road - a repeat after last year’s praise party, and a great one for families.

- The Maundy Thursday curry and communion at Franklyn Road. We begin at 7pm with a simple meal of lentil curry with rice followed by a worship service which includes communion as a reminder of the events of the night we call Maundy Thursday. If you'd rather not eat, that's OK, please still come and join the fellowship and worship.

- The Good Friday Hot Cross Bun adventure, which is a 5km walk from Brighton Road to St Peter's, Hambledon with tea and Hot cross buns at the end. If you've never been to Hambledon this is one of the best times to visit and meet people from other churches and congregations.

Then on Easter Saturday there's two special Easter services (AKA egg hunts!) for families:

Messy Easter on Hambledon Common at 10am, and the Easter Garden Service at Busbridge at 3pm. (The Easter Garden service is already half full so please do sign up ASAP.)

Of course, helpers are welcome at all these events and you can indicate that when you sign up, or email the Minster office. Thank you!

Coming Up

Tomorrow’s Prime Time Tea and Unexpected Talk (2.30pm on Fri 15 Mar). Unfortunately Keith Field can’t be with us tomorrow, so the talk will now be given by Simon Taylor in the Busbridge Old Rectory. Simon’s topic will be his walk along the South West Coast Path while on sabbatical last year: Triumphs and Tragedies, the people I met along the way. The offer of tea and cake still stands!

Please be praying for the couples attending the Pre-marriage Course this Saturday, and the faithful team leading them through the activities, and providing the lunch. The course is for everyone preparing for a wedding within Godalming Minster, but is also open to couples getting married elsewhere.

Works to the tower

Congregation News

The Contemporary team invite you to a bring and share lunch in the Octagon at 12noon on Palm Sunday, 24 March. This will follow the Contemporary Service, but please come and join the congregation from other services if you can.

Mission Update

The Godalming Foodbank at Godalming Minster Franklyn Road relies on financial and grocery donations to serve local people who need support. 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.