Sunday 24 February 2019

An update about staff vacancies at the Old Rectory: we have offered posts for some office roles in the last few days and we will give more information in due course. Please continue to pray for the youth ministry interviews next week.

As Karen Kinder is leaving her role as Communications Manager next week, it is a likely scenario that there will be no printed notices until her replacement is firmly in post (no date as yet). During this time, the team at the Old Rectory will only be able to send out a ‘lite notices’ via email - if you don’t already receive the notices by email and would like to go on the list please email communication@bhcgodalming.org. If you have notices that you want included in the future, you’ll also need to use the above email. Thanks for your understanding as we adjust to staff changes.

Come to the next Women’s Film Night on Tuesday 26th February, 7.30pm. We’ll think about and discuss the question ‘What are the roots of our fear and judgement of others?’ Intriguing...even more so because we’re considering this question by watching a comedy! As well as a great discussion there are free snacks, tea and coffee and a chance to meet a great bunch of diverse women. Babes in arms very welcome too! Places limited. Contact ladies@bhcgodalming.org for more information or to book your space.

Pick a Pew and Put a Pledge on a Pew. On Sunday 10th March, perambulate to peer at pews. The PCC need to produce a plan to procure permanent places for the pews. So need people to purchase pews or parts of pews. Period of perusal is 11.15am-12.30pm. Precise parameters and provisos will be present and procedures for procurement will be presented to persons possibly pledging and payment for the pews. Numbers limited so pledge protects pew purchase. Please take part and participate in this particular presentation. Or contact Michael Stubbs!

A reminder that there is a service change at Hambledon on 3rd March - Please come along at 9.00am to have your say about the Associate Minister role.

On Thursday 7th March, Nexus welcomes Michael Baughen, a retired Bishop, a composer of hymns and an author, who is coming to talk to us. Do join us to learn something of Michael’s life story and his calling to ordained ministry; his passion for his faith, and his many other interests. We meet at 8.00pm in Busbridge Church Centre. All are very welcome.

We are putting together an Easter Choir to support Easter Day Services at Busbridge. Rehearsals for the Classic 9.00am service will be held on either Mondays or Thursdays at 8.00pm. The Contemporary material for the 10.30am service will be rehearsed separately during a Choir Workshop event on  Saturday 30th March. All are welcome. If you'd like to be involved, or to find out more about either choir or the Choir Workshop in March, contact Julie Nelson.

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·  The interviews for our new Youth Minister at the end of February

·  Becky & Charlie, getting married this Saturday

·  David Mace & David Jenkins

·  Pullman Lane and their road stewards Kate Brockman & Kate Kaye

·  The Fairway & Feathercombe Lane

Sunday 17 February 2019

The Bridge magazine is looking for a volunteer who is available and willing once every two months to help divide up the magazines into batches ready for the road stewards. This takes place in the church once the magazines are delivered by the printer and involves roughly 1.5 hours work. Holiday periods can be covered. If you think you might be able to help please contact Cathy Brook on email editoratthebridge@gmail.com or ph 01483 420633. Thank you. 

Wondering what the family is going to do for Lent? The family photo Lent Challenge is coming soon... Watch this space!

Fancy joining an Easter Choir? We are putting together a choir to support the 9.00am and 10.30am Easter Day Services at Busbridge (similar in style to the Christmas Carol Service). The music will be a mixture of classic and contemporary styles and you are welcome to join for both or just one if you have a preference of style. Rehearsals for the Classic 9.00am service will be held on either Mondays or Thursdays at 8.00pm (depending on majority preference). The contemporary material for the 10.30 service will be rehearsed separately during a Choir Workshop event on  Saturday 30th March. All are welcome - the only requirement is that you enjoy singing. If you'd like to be involved, or to find out more about either choir or the Choir Workshop in March, contact Julie Nelson.

David & Jill Mace would like to thank everyone for their prayers.

On 31st March, ARK and Explorers are combining for a Pirate Praise Party – “The adventure continues!”. Dress up is optional (but encouraged!)

Have you dipped in to the website to catch up on sermons you might have missed? This Sunday is the first anniversary of the current system of our popular online recordings and there have been nearly 5,000 plays in that time! Huge thanks to Tim Davies and our  amazing sound and tech teams for making this available to everyone.

The top five are:

- Busbridge Carol Service (101 plays)

- Awayday Keynote (97 plays)

- A Christmas Thought (Hambledon Pub Carols) (93 plays)

- 2018 Away Day True Grit (Simon Taylor) (84 plays) - Psalm 139 Superheroes  (82 plays).

Why not take a moment, make a cup of tea and catch up on that sermon you missed?...www.bhcgodalming.org/listen.

Emma and James Ellin would like to share some good news! They are expecting a baby in June and would be very grateful for prayers as the pregnancy continues. Thank you to all those who have journeyed with us, and thanks to God for sustaining us this far, we trust He will continue to uphold us in the weeks ahead!

Liz Gorst in the Church office asks that if anyone else would like to contribute to Karen Kinder’s thank you gift, that they drop it off to the Old Rectory before Friday next week (22nd February).

You may have noticed that a pew has been moved in Busbridge Church; this is the first of the pews to be removed in relation to the reordering. The sample pew will be on display in various locations over the next few weeks. We will be selling the pews after Easter. More information coming soon.

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·  The interviews for our new Youth Minister at the end of February

·  David Mace & David Jenkins

·  The Bridge Magazine

·  Phillips Close and their road steward Keith Harper

·  The Drive, St Edmund’s School & Cricket Green

Sunday 10 February 2019

You may have noticed that a pew has been moved in Busbridge Church; this is the first of the pews to be removed in relation to the reordering. The sample pew will be on display in various locations over the next few weeks. We will be selling the pews after Easter. More information coming soon.

We’re looking for someone to support the Ichthus leaders in Feb/March when a couple of the leaders are not around. We need two adults present so if you could help out in The Hut on a Tuesday or Sunday evening please speak to Simon Taylor or Niki Ford in the next few days. Exceptional ability to make superb hot drinks is a must!

Calling anyone who has a ‘teen’ aged 11-19 (Pathfinders, Unplugged, Ichthus age). We’re holding a one off meeting of all leaders in this age group on 28th February, Old Rectory 8.00pm - 9.00pm. We’re inviting any parents to come along who are deeply interested in helping us see this age group flourish in faith. And for anyone not involved (maybe newer to the church?) but you have a burning heart to get involved week by week and see revival of worship, community and faith with 11-19s, please come along too. We’ll look back, forwards and pray for the future as well as look at what we are called to be doing.

On Monday 11th February 2.00pm at the Old Rectory there’ll be a ‘Tea & Talk’ event with Prime Time Co-ordinator Penny Naylor. Penny will explain about her role as a Dementia Friends Champion and the steps that BHC are taking to be recognised as a ‘Dementia Friendly’ organisation. Penny will be leading a Dementia Friends session as part of this event and the afternoon will be rounded off with a time to chat over tea & cake. All welcome – no need to be on the Prime Time mailing list in order to attend. For further details contact the Prime Time Team at the Church Office or email primetime@bhcgodalming.org.

The next Marriage Preparation Course is on Saturday 9th March at Clock Barn Hall and we are excited that 12 couples are signed up for this one-day course. The team need offers of help with either the welcome or as a support couple looking after the couples on the day. We also  need volunteers who can help prepare and serve the buffet lunch and/or clean up afterwards anytime between 11.30am - 2:30pm. If you’d like to help, please contact Debbie Jones on 07712 893318.

Our next Newcomers’ afternoon tea is on Sunday 24th March 3.00 - 4.00pm. We need to have an idea of numbers, so if you’d like to come along (children welcome and activities provided for them) then please email newcomers@bhcgodalming.org.

Fairtrade Fortnight February 25 - March 10. All welcome to a ‘big brew’ tea party on Sunday 3rd March 3.00pm - 6.00pm at Glennie, Ramsden Road, Godalming, GU7 1QE.

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·  The search for new staff at BHC

·  David Mace & David Jenkins

·  Local leisure centres and gyms

·  Park Road and their road stewards Anthony Field & Frances Morris

·  The Close, Clockbarn Lane & the Cheshire Home

Sunday 3 February 2019

If you are new to Busbridge&Hambledon Church we’d like to welcome you to our next Newcomers’ afternoon tea on Sunday 24th March 3.00 - 4.00pm. We need to have an idea of numbers, so if you’d like to come along (children welcome and activities provided for them) then please email newcomers@bhcgodalming.org.

Due to the current shortfall of clergy covering Sunday services it makes sense for the pattern of Holy Communion at Hambledon to be altered. For a trial period, ie between the months of May and July (inclusive), Holy Communion at the 10.30am service will switch from week 2 to week 3. Any feedback would be welcome once this trial is underway. Many thanks for your understanding.

The BHC website now features full job descriptions for the posts of Office & Communications Manager, Admin Assistant and Evangelism & Small Groups Co-ordinator. For more information go to www.bhcgodalming.org/job-vacancies. Karen Kinder leaves us on February 28th; if you’d like to show your appreciation for her contribution to BHC then please drop a gift in via the church office (marked attn. of Liz) or to Andrew Dunn/Martin Lambert, our treasurers.

We are looking for new volunteers to come and support our thriving toddler group ministry. We are looking for team members for Tuesday mornings and Friday mornings 9.00am-11:30am. If you are free on either or both of these mornings, we would love you to come along and join us as we serve the young children and their parents and carers in our church and wider community. Please speak to Juliet or email juliet.gilbert@bhcgodalming.org for more details.

PCC Update: Discussion included looking at the youth ministry post, the clergy role at Hambledon with a meeting with the wider church family to follow up on this (3rd March, 9.00am, St Peter’s Hambledon) and the cost of housing for clergy living in Hambledon.

Wood from The Old Rectory
If you would like to have some firewood from tree work being done at the Old Rectory shortly please let me know. There will also be some oak that might be of interest to those with creative skills. PLUS a relatively small but vital job for someone: we need to strengthen the floor of the ‘big shed’ at Busbridge and generally make good. If you have talents in this area of DIY, we need you. Contact Rosie James.

Nexus: On Thursday 7th February, Helen and Piers Sturney will entertain us with photos of fascinating places they recently visited in Japan. Do come along and learn something about Japanese culture, ancient and modern, with its exotic temples, tranquil gardens and bustling towns. Maybe we’ll even enjoy a simple Japanese tea ‘ceremony’! The meeting starts at 8.00pm in Busbridge Church Centre, with drinks and nibbles before the talk begins. All are very welcome and we look forward to seeing you.

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·  The search for new staff at BHC

·  Churches Together, Godalming

·  Parkfield and their road steward  Alan Betts

·  The Avenue & Church Lane

Sunday 27 January 2019

If you are new to Busbridge&Hambledon Church we’d like to welcome you to our next Newcomers’ afternoon tea on Sunday 24th March 3.00 - 4.00pm. We need to have an idea of numbers, so if you’d like to come along (children welcome and activities provided for them) then please email newcomers@bhcgodalming.org.

The next Ladies’ film night will be on Tuesday 29th January, 7.30pm prompt. Email ladies@bhcgodalming.org to reserve your place and for the address to go to. Please note there’s a change of film for this evening from that advertised. Our discussion starter remains ‘What might it take to explore a calling?’

We’re delighted for Karen Kinder our amazing Office and Communications Manager, that she has been offered a new job but this leaves us with a big hole for another incredible person to fill. If you could be that person then please email Simon or Liz Gorst or check the jobs page on the church website - job information should be on there by the end of next week alongside information for the administration support post and small groups oversight role. Karen leaves on February 28th. If you’d like to show your appreciation for her seven years of Away Days, events, spring cleans, graphics, emails, website, design and transformation of our church community then please drop a gift in via the church office (marked attn. of Liz) or to Andrew Dunn/Martin Lambert, our treasurers. 

The renovation work on Church Cottage is now complete - it is hard to imagine what it was like when it was full of desks, computers and cables. There has been a lot of work to get the property to this point (both seen and unseen). If you would like to look around Church Cottage before it is let it will be open straight after the morning services TODAY until 12.30pm. Please remove your shoes before entering. Ruth Roseblade

Prime Time Carpet Bowls – Thursday 31st January CANCELLED: We have been advised by Holloway Hill Bowls Club that due to urgent maintenance work required on the building, we’ve had to cancel this event – we hope to reschedule another date as soon as the clubhouse is open again for business.

Look out for the latest Channel for Mission update where the team thank all at BHC for their generosity in 2018 and giving insights into who received gifts.

10th February will be a bit special in Busbridge as the Contemporary celebrate their 1 year anniversary and the Classic have a social after the service.

Update on the Church re-ordering - we’re working hard on finalising the details for the lighting, sound and heating plans which need to be in place before the tender documents can be issued.

Our first Hambledon Ladies Breakfast for this year is on Saturday 9th February at West Surrey Golf Club. Tickets on sale at Hambledon Village Shop from 21st Jan - 5th Feb.

PLEASE PRAY FOR…

·  The search for new staff at BHC

·  Local health centres/surgeries

·  Park Chase and their road steward  Linda Alcock

·  Summerhouse Road & Wormley Lane