Click her for the programme (download pdf).
Dear Friends,
Busbridge, Hambledon and St Peter and St Paul’s are all part of the Heritage Open Days programme for Godalming & Environs this weekend, with a tour of the SS Peter & Paul bell tower available to book at 2pm on Saturday. There is lots of info on display at Busbridge Church, and the Yew Tree Café would make a great stop for refreshments on Saturday from 10-2.30pm. Details of opening times, and the 24 historical venues which are open to visitors this weekend can be found in the brochure, or you can look individual buildings up at www.heritageopendays.org.uk.
To mark Heritage weekend, St Peter & St Paul’s is holding a special Minster-wide Choral Evensong, at 5pm on Saturday 16th September, led by Philippa Baker. All are warmly welcome!
Godalming Minster will be a team of forward looking and thinking churches, but the church buildings bear witness to the 1000+ years of mission and worship that we build upon. This weekend offers a wonderful chance to find out about and celebrate our combined heritage.
Then on Sunday afternoon we get back to the future as Messy Church (4PM at Hambledon Village Hall) restarts this term for families with younger children.
We look forward to seeing you at church or online this Sunday. Please read on for other news.
This Sunday
Sermon series: People, Place & Purpose
Topic: Youth work today: What can we learn from david?
| 1 samuel 17: 20-46
9.30AM Busbridge Contemporary Service [Holy Communion]
Busbridge Church & online
Led by: Margot Spencer | Speaker: Patrick Samuels
with crèche and children’s groups for ages 3-14 - all in the Old Rectory
11.15AM Busbridge Classic Service
Led by: Frances Shaw | Speaker: Patrick Samuels
Busbridge Church & online
10AM Hambledon Morning Worship
Led by: Hilary Pettman | Speaker: Dudley Hilton
Hambledon Church
4PM Messy Church
Hambledon Village Hall
Next Sunday 24 SEPTEMBER
Topic: Equipping for evangelism in post-christian culture
| Ephesians 6: 10-18
9.30AM Busbridge Contemporary Service [Holy Communion]
Busbridge Church & online
with crèche and children’s groups for ages 3-14 - all in the Old Rectory
11.15AM Busbridge Classic Service
Busbridge Church & online
10AM Hambledon Morning Worship
Hambledon Church
4PM Messy Church
Hambledon Village Hall
Notices
Save the Date!
NEW PET SERVICE
1st Oct, 10AM at Hambledon Church
Muddy Church will be joining Hambledon for its inaugural pet service on Sunday 1st October. Guidance to follow, but essentially, bring your pet along - as long as it’s safe for them and others! We will either by asking “why haven’t we done this before?” or saying “never again!” Either way, please come and share the experience.
Baptism and Confirmation
We give thanks that one of our young people has chosen to be baptised, and this will take place at Busbridge Church during the 6pm service on 1st October. Please pray for them, and if you would like to find out about being baptised (whatever your age), please contact Sheila Samuels e: sheila.samuels@bhcgodalming.org, or Ben Barnes e: ben.barnes@bhcgodalming.org.
Several young people will be confirmed during the Deanery confirmation service at St John’s, Farncombe on 5th November. If you would like to find out about confirmation please contact Simon Taylor e: simon.taylor@bhcgodalming.org.
Please pray for these young people who are giving their lives to Jesus, and that our work as Godalming Minster to “grow younger” yields many more!
The Bible Course
7.30PM Thursdays Sep-Oct 2023
Click here for details and to sign up
The Bible Course - Thursdays at St Mark’s Church.
This is a chance for everyone Minster-wide to join the highly recommended Bible Course. The course is 2 sessions in and has a great group of people, but you can still just about catch up!
The Bible Course is a brilliant way to bring the Bible to life and understand the whole storyline— from Genesis to Revelation. Along the way you will pick up tools and skills to help you read it yourself and apply it to your life. Though it was written for beginners in an extremely accessible in style, it will still challenge the experienced bible reader and help anyone rediscover the Bible afresh.
If you are not part of a mid-week small group, this is a chance to get a feel for the format, experience bible study in a group, and get to know members of the church family better. If you’d like to know more, contact Keith Harper who is leading the eight sessions at St Mark’s on Thursday evenings in September (7.30pm-8.30/9pm).
Invitation to join a Small Group
September is a great time to try a mid-week small group, as most groups enjoyed a summer break and will be starting to meet again this week and next.
The group which meets fortnightly on Tuesday mornings (9.20am - 11am) seeks new members interested in joining them for the September term. All ages welcome. Please contact Cathy Brook via My ChurchSuite or the church office for more details.
A Wednesday evening group would also welcome new members. Please let Margot Spencer e: margot.spencer@bhcgodalming.org know if this is a good time for you!
New Wine 2024 - Book Now!
Having returned from a wonderful week at New Wine, the BHC contingent is keen to encourage a bigger Godalming Minster group to go together next year. It will be at Shepton Mallet, from 25th to 30th July.
Tickets are already available and selling quickly, so if people want to book, it would be good to get onto it sooner rather than later, especially if you want places on the fabulous children’s programme. Speak to Suzie Lambert for an enthusiastic testimony and more information!
Nexus Talk on Thurs 5th October 8.00pm Busbridge Old Rectory
Making Connections Project – Send Prison
Caroline Luard, Volunteer Mentor
Caroline will come and share with us some aspects of life in the prison. She and Lesley Mason MBE, Send Prison Chaplain, have a passion for the work that they do there.
This includes the important Making Connections Project – funded by the Nazareth Way chaplaincy charity, which is one of BHC’s key mission partners. This project provides discretionary grants to prisoners being discharged to help them survive in their first few days after release until benefits become available. It will be enlightening to get some insight into life at this Prison where the focus is on personal development and preparing women for getting back into the outside world after they have served their term.
We’ll meet in the Busbridge Old Rectory at 8.00pm. The evening will start with drinks and nibbles to give us a chance to mingle and meet new people. Refreshments to start, 2023 Annual subscription £20, Guests £5 contribution towards speaker costs.
The next Bereavement Journey course will start on Wednesday 18th October. Read more >
Training for leading Intercessions, Welcoming, Reading and leading services - Sat 7 Oct
This is advanced notice of a training session which will be held on Saturday 7 October. This will run from 0930 to 1130 and will consist of several distinct sessions covering leading intercessions, welcoming, reading, service leading. If you are not involved in any of these ministries, but would be interested to know what is involved, please come along. If you are someone who is already involved, please can we encourage you to make a note of the date and come for a refresher.
People are welcome to come to any or all of the sessions and further details about timing will be available nearer the time. If you would like to know more, please have a word with (or drop an e-mail to) Margot Spencer margot.spencer@bhcgodalming.org or Simon Willetts simon.willetts@bhcgodalming.org
church family news
Many of you will have heard by now that John Postill died peacefully on Monday morning. He has been a much-loved and important part of our church family since he and Jeannie came to Hambledon in 1997, and we are all deeply saddened by this news. We send our love to Jeannie, Lizzie, Richard and the whole family. Please hold them in your prayers, as they mourn the loss of a very dear husband, father and grandfather. There will be a private funeral for family and close friends, to be followed by a thanksgiving service at a later date.
We send our love and prayers to Pauline Underwood, following the death of Philip on Tuesday, who was also a lifelong member and servant of Hambledon Church. Please remember Pauline and the family in your prayers, particularly as Pauline is recovering from surgery herself. Ask for God’s comfort and reassurance for them all at such a difficult time. Funeral details will be shared as soon as they are available.
get involved / serving
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.
Coming Up / plan ahead
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@bhcgodalming.org***
Mid-week Prayer Gatherings
Busbridge and Hambledon Churches are open daily for private prayer and reflection.
Monday Morning Reflections on Zoom
We shall resume our sessions on Monday 4th September at 8.45am on Zoom. If you would like to start your week in quiet reflection over a passage of scripture do join us in September - you will be very welcome. For any further information please contact: Gertrud Sollars or Shan Hallam.
Wednesdays at 9AM: Morning Prayer at Hambledon Church
Groups & Activities
The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the first 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 2023 Prime Time programme for Jul-Dec is now available. For all events and details, see Prime Time.
Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. The 2023 Nexus programme can be found on Nexus.
Bereavement Café - The Bereavement Café is for anyone who has been bereaved recently or some time ago and provides a safe and supportive space to come and chat with members of the pastoral care team, and others who have experienced loss. Every last Tuesday of the month in the Old Rectory. More details >>>
Don’t forget about…
The MyChurchSuite app. It’s the easiest way 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 Church Office if you’ve lost your login details or would like to request an account. The instructions which are now on the web site HERE.
Elsewhere
For news from all the other local churches, see:
Churches Together Link Up - SEPTEMBER 2023
Godalming Baptist Church Life Issues talks
See the full 2023 Life Issues programme.
To book a place contact Sally Pollard-pollard3@hotmail.co.uk or tel-01483-428646.
Next talk: Anxiety, Fear and Panic
WANTED: ACCOMMODATION FOR YOUTH WORKER RELOCATING TO GODALMING
The Trinity Trust Team has recently appointed a new Team Youth Worker (single male, aged 30). This is more great news for Christian youth work across Godalming.
Ola is looking for a one bed, flat studio or annexe at reasonable rent. If you can help please contact our Chair (Michael Stubbs) on: michael@trinitytrustteam.co.uk.
Week of Accompanied Prayer The Guildford network of spiritual directors is offering a week of accompanied prayer from 8.-13th October this year. A week of accompanied prayer is a bit like a retreat from home – you meet once a day (in person or on zoom) with a retreat guide who will suggest Bible passages to pray with and meditate on and talk about what you find. Participants in the past have found a week like this to deepen their prayer life and their walk with God; it also gives you a taste of what spiritual direction is about. Gertrud Sollars (gertrud.sollars@btinternet.com) has more information. See the flyer and application form.
MODERN SLAVERY, RIGHT HERE , RIGHT NOW
An awareness event, Saturday 21st October, St Mary's Church, Quarry Street, Guildford, GU1 3TY. 9:30-3pm Talks will be given by DCI Kerry Loveless, Surrey Police and South-east regional lead for Modern Slavery and Allison Sutcliffe Diocese Modern Slavery Advisor.
Guildford Mothers Union is pleased to have been invited by the Diocese to have a stand and would love members to join us in 'manning it' for whatever time you can spare, or just support the event, and spread the word. Please let one of us know: Dorothea (dorothea.nattrass@gmail.com, 01428 653216) / or Diana (diana@parenting@gmail.com, 07782186229).
Yew Tree Café
at Busbridge Church
The Yew Tree Café at Busbridge Church is open 8.30am-4pm weekdays in term time, and 10am-2pm on Saturdays, and 10am-4pm during school holidays.
Pastoral Care
PASTORAL CARE & PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE
If you, or someone you know at church, are in need of support and care, please contact Sandra Wilkin via the church office, or e: pastoral@bhcgodalming.org.
To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org or call 01483 421267.
Busbridge and Hambledon Churches are open daily for private prayer.