Sunday 17 May 2020

Character that forges hope: Romans 5: 1-5

the images above link to youtube or zoom meetings. You can also Select any event in the web site calendar and click ’location’ To access the zooms/Youtube. 

The Notices

Pioneering the New Church during and after Covid-19
There was a great turn out for Monday evening’s session led by Ed Olsworth-Peter as we looked at Pioneering the New Church, and what might things look like for Busbridge&Hambledon Church in the future.  It was inspiring to hear from lay pioneer minister, Emma Major in Reading, and we thank her for sharing her experience of founding a forest church, and lessons learnt. Ed kicked off with the questions: 
· What was essential to church before lockdown?
· During lockdown, what are we doing without?
· What have we learnt (so far?)

Then: what will and won’t we want or need to resume? And what might be taken forward out of lockdown?

This is only the start of the process to discern God’s new purpose for us and we will be coming to you all for input to create our new being.  If you have any thoughts to share on these questions email: church.office@bhcgodalming.org.

Church Family news

Dudley Hilton writes: “Catriona, Robert and I are enormously grateful for all the messages of love and support we have received since Pat’s death on 25th April. Her funeral is to be held at the Guildford Crematorium on Thursday 21st May at 1pm. Under the current restrictions it has to be private, but it will be streamed live. If anyone would like the link to join it please email Dudley at DudleyH2020@gmail.com (not the email address in the last Church address book, which is no longer valid). We will be holding a Thanksgiving Service to which all will be invited once circumstances permit.”

We were delighted to hear last week that Rev Clive Potter’s wife, Janet, is home from the ICU. Thank you to everyone who has been praying.

No more 10.30am Coffee Breaks. As of Monday 18 May, the daily zoom chats have stopped, as there are now so many other opportunities for zooming with church friends.  If you are not connected in some way and would like to be, please let us know  (e: catherine.garner@bhcgodalming.org).  More people than not have responded positively to the contact made by home groups to ‘connect’ or  ‘fold in’.  Not all have signed up for bible study, but home group leaders have found that people have been really happy to have been reached out to and to be in contact with a group within the church family, perhaps by occasional email or social zoom. “I think sometimes we assume that people may not want to be reached out too, but this has not been our experience.”  Mark Puddephatt.  Oddly, this time is proving to be a great opportunity to get to know new people.

The Big Wave
You too can have your moment as a YouTube star!

We’d love to see as many of you as we can waving to us in our service on Sunday 24 May. To do this is simple!
Film a 1-2 second video of you waving.  We won’t broadcast names, portrait or landscape is fine, Dave can work with different formats (we think).  Send it to david.preece@bhcgodalming.org by 10am on Thursday 21 May.

We had a wonderful turn out to the VE day Tea Party and sing along last Thursday and those who attended really enjoyed the songs from the wartime era, and an excellent poem written especially for the occasion by Chris Payne. 

EVENTS COMING UP

Unplugged is returning, live on zoom—Sunday 17 May at 6.30pm.  Anto will lead a short ‘service’ on zoom including a message, a worship song recorded by the Unplugged band, and a drama based on the parable of the vine from the FUSE team— Of all the videos doing the rounds in lockdown, this might be the funniest!  All very welcome to join.

Groups for all ages continue online.  Our young people are participating really well, and parents are so grateful to the CYF team (staff and volunteers) for their ongoing commitment. 

Busbridge Church Prayer Walk
Our almost qualified, LLM Philippa Baker has designed a very moving prayer walk for people to follow around the Busbridge Churchyard—if that’s where your outing for exercise  takes you.  You need a smart phone to guide you, or follow the signs, or use it remotely from home.  The pdf is here to scroll as you stroll, and there is a QR code on the sign when you get to the church so you don’t have to fiddle with finding the URL.  

Film Discussion: The Lunchbox. 8pm on Wednesday 20 May
Next week’s film recommended by Pri Burford is The Lunchbox available on iPlayer. It is an absolutely beautiful film starring Irrfan Khan who (you may have seen in the news) died recently and who was, to my mind, one of the great screen actors. He wasn’t well known to Western audiences but across most of Asia and the Middle East, a worthy superstar.

We will be considering in our discussion:

• What are the key elements in deep friendships?

• Can we ever really be friends with those who are very different from us in age, class, race, culture, religion? 

• What are the barriers to and the enablers of true connection and friendship?

• Is it possible for men and women to ever really be just friends?

Watch the film before Wednesday. Men are welcome too, and we’re trying a different night of the week. These discussions are proving to be really fruitful during lockdown.  
Email ladies@bhcgodalming.org for the zoom meeting details.

PrayerFest 0-30 in 60.  Please come and join us in the prayer zoom room next Sunday at 5pm to pray for children and young people in our churches and wider community.  Many young people, children and families  are finding this time of lockdown a real struggle and with schools starting to think about some of its pupils returning – there is a lot to pray about.  Contact:  Shan Hallam Shan D Hallam e: hallamshan7@gmail.com. 

#CreativeKindness.  Penny has received a number of lovely items to pass on to older people we know that aren’t on the internet and are finding harder to stay connected. Thanks for those who’ve supported their children in creating these messages to spread some cheer.  Do keep them coming. Please see the details on the web site. 

FRIENDSHIP with the community

Fruit picking work at Tuesday Farm
A number of young people responded to the offer of work Tuesley Farm this summer, and are due to start fruit picking  as soon as next week!  We are really grateful to Hall Hunter for offering support to local people, and for employing the students who Anto put forward.  Hall Hunter are have no more vacancies at the moment, but do contact anto.ficatier@bhcgodalming.org in case they need to call on a waiting list in the future months.

Why Pray?  If anyone is asking (and we think they are) please refer them to the web site.  Andy Spencer has put together some info for people who might be thinking about this for the first time.  Please pass the word on and look out for the posters going up around Busbridge. 

Don’t forget

• The Coronavirus Response team is ready to help those self-isolating— Email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org.

• The CFSF is receiving donations AND applications for financial gifts.  Details on www.bhcgodalming.org.

• If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook

  Prayer Ministry team available

  To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call 01483 421267.

  Listening prayer is available mid-week.

  For more information contact Jeannie Postill t 01428 687968

Sunday 10 May

9am Heritage & 10am BHC Online services on YouTube
11am  Virtual Coffee—3rd Sundays (from 17 May):  
hosted by Busbridge 8am and Classic and Busbridge 6.30pm 

6.30pm Unplugged LIVE (Zoom) —The service and music for our young people, but it’s extremely popular with all ages.

This Saturday - A reminder about the monthly Busbridge Prayer Group meets this Saturday at 8am. An hour to prayer about things we care about.

VE Day Celebrations
The bunting is up at Busbridge Church for those passing by, and Prime Time invites you all to join the zoom VE day Tea Party and sing along led by Lisa today, Thursday 7 May at 3pm. 

Message from Simon
We are beginning to ask the question ‘what might the future look like’? for us as a Christian community. There is much to go back to but there is also much to reflect on for the future. This is about lessons to be learned in areas such as leaning of God, laying down that which became redundant, living faith for tomorrow, and being a learning as a community under Christ. You might call it ‘BHC MkII’.

Explore this with us and Rev Ed Olsworth-Peter on Monday 11 May at 8pm, as he leads a discussion on Pioneering the Future Church.

BHC Online this Sunday

Join everyone at 10am, or at your leisure, to watch the main service this week.  Dave is talking to us about how Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians can encourage us to stand firm and have hope—with a reference to his surfing days.  Thanks to Lydia Guest who has been interviewed this week, Mark Puddephatt for the reading, the Ford family for the prayers and Hannah Preece for the Lord’s Prayer in sign language.  It’s great to have different people involved, as they are for our regular services.  If there’s anyone else out there who can offer time and technical skills for video editing, we’d be keen to have you on the team.   Contact david.preece@bhcgodalming.org.

CYF News

Anto, Judith, Juliet and all our wonderful CYF volunteers have mastered the art of using the internet in so many fun and creative ways to keep our young people together and learning about the Jesus. (BHC even has gametag for FIFA on the xbox for Pathfinders to challenge Anto!).

Unplugged is returning live on zoom—next Sunday 17 May at 6.30pm.  Anto will lead a short ‘service’ on zoom including a message, a worship song recorded by the Unplugged band, and a drama from the FUSE team.  All very welcome to join.

Pathfinders and Ichthus seem very at home on zoom (ha!) and the numbers taking part in Sunday and mid-week bible-study sessions are growing.  This week the Explorers session will run on zoom too, so our 7-11s can see their leaders and friends.

And we are seriously concerned that Juliet Gilbert might be snapped up by CBeebies if her Tiny Tigers videos keep going.  Last week she created a brilliant animated version of the wedding at Cana with lego figures.  So impressive!  You can catch up on all the Tiny Tigers and Ark videos from Juliet and Judith on BHC Godalming YouTube.

Kids it’s your turn to join the wave of #viralkindness.  The BHC version is #CreativeKindness.  Penny’s been thinking about the older people we know that aren’t on the internet and are finding harder to stay connected.  We can still post things though, and would like to pass on messages with all things arty and crafty from our young people to those who need cheering up.  Please see the details on the web site.  We are also enlisting the children from Busbridge Junior and Infant schools to help too.

Fruit picking work at Tuesday Farm (over 18s) 
This might be good for students back at home for a long summer… Hall Hunter has received so many applications that it’s no longer accepting applications for work this summer. HOWEVER, they are keen to support local people, and due to our links they will consider those who are put forward by Anto on behalf of Busbridge&Hambledon Church.  You need to be 18+ and able to work 5 days a week for at least a month from May.  Contact anto.ficatier@bchgodalming.org ASAP.  Please share this opportunity to people and families you know might be interested (they don’t need to be church members).

Community

Why Pray?  If anyone is asking (and we think they are) please refer them to the web site.  Andy Spencer has put together some info for people who might be thinking about this for the first time, and can respond to people individually, or develop sessions if there’s a demand.  Please pass the word on.

Watch this space for our prayer opportunities when you are out for your daily dose of fresh air.  Philippa Baker is working on a prayer walk in the Busbridge Churchyard, and Mark Puddephatt is setting up an orienteering challenge around Busbridge, based on Psalm 23.  We hope to have these ready to start next week.  Another reason to keep an eye on the web site!

A slice of cake on us.  In Hambledon, the village shop is doing an amazing job of coordinating volunteers to delivery orders to those who can’t get out.   Shop orders are going out with a slice of cake from Hambledon Church with a message from Simon Willetts, just to say Hi, the church is still here and how we can support.  If you are a lucky recipient, enjoy! 

Don’t forget

¨ 10.30am Coffee breaks for anyone to pop in and out. 

¨ The Coronavirus Response team is ready to help those self-isolating— Email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org.

¨ The CFSF is receiving donations AND applications for financial gifts.  

Elsewhere

Christian Aid Week 10-16 May: Love Never Fails.  Please don’t forget it this year, and support in the way you usually would.  See caweek.org to give or take part in their other fundraising initiatives.

Please pray for The Cellar café in Godalming as the trustees and management team pray to discern the future for its ministry in the town, and for provision and safety for its vulnerable customers who are missing the care and safe haven that The Cellar provides.

If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook group is yours to do so!   

Sunday 3 May 2020

Message from Simon
(posted earlier this week on bhcgodalming.org, Twitter and Facebook.  Good for you if you’ve seen it already!)

Dear all,

It is heart-warming to know how much you are all caring, sharing, supporting, praying, worshipping and growing in fellowship in Christ. We’re hearing more and more stories of church members connecting together in new ways. We know that many of you have welcomed a call from a home group leader and the response to ‘would you like to fold in to a home group’ has been amazing. Thank you once again to our home group leaders. You play a crucial role in the leadership of BHC as we head into the future.

We’re gradually expanding the faith, teaching, worship and fellowship that we can offer online. We’re doing this because we think that our church family might be doing these online things for a while to come. We’re offering some online short-courses and one off practical faith events; we’d encourage you to be part of them, partly to bless those who are putting such effort into them for all of us.

We’d like to give particular thanks this week for Matt Toombs. Matt and the Explorers team create an incredible weekly ‘padlet’ for the young people. The work behind it is phenomenal. Also, a quiet thanks to Jacqui R and all the wonderful saintly supporters who are caring for many in and around Hambledon, Hydestile, Enton and beyond. Do pray for these people.

We’re beginning to turn our thoughts to what ‘normal’ life, worship, faith and fellowship might look like in the months to come and even further ahead too. Like much of the UK exploring how life might be changing; we’re asking what “BHC MkII” might look like under the Holy Spirit’s leadership. Some research has been started into this and you can read an interesting theological and practical article which has been forwarded to us by Rev Catherine McBride.

What can we return to? What have we learnt God is growing afresh and which we need to explore further? What can we set aside as we live together for the Kingdom of God and look forward to Christ’s Return? If you’ve got thoughts, do send an email to Simon and Simon.

In the love of Christ, Simon

P.S. Thank you to those who responded to the C19 survey so we could check what is offered and how we can ensure it is sustainable and see if it is meeting needs. We’ve closed the survey now. We’ll use the information for planning things. The summary is: people appreciate what is offered for worship and teaching and the complexity of doing this; there is some desire for something more traditional and we’re now working on two approaches to this; people recognise the great community work that is going on via so many church members; there is desire to see home groups as central to what we are doing within the church family and we’re working on this with our great home group leaders. Thanks for completing the survey.

THE NOTICES

Pat Hilton
Many of you will have heard by now that Pat died peacefully, at home, last Saturday evening (25th April).  We are deeply saddened by this news, but grateful for the example of Pat’s deep Christian faith, as well as her courage over the last couple of years.  Please pray for Dudley, Catriona, Robert and the wider family, for God’s love and peace to surround them all.   Thank you.

Coming up this week

Managing your time and energy when working from home: a Christian perspective;  a session facilitated by Peter Shaw on Monday 4 May 

Do you struggle with making the best use of time when you are working from home?  This session is for you.    Peter Shaw coaches leaders internationally and will be facilitating this session on Monday 4 May from 8pm to 9:30pm, drawing on Christian themes like gentleness, patience and self-control.  Peter and a colleague have written a prompt sheet (link here) about questions to ask yourself about managing your time and energy when working from home, together with a 4 minute video. (link here).  The session will be in the BHC Public room (password 2020).

VE Day Sing Along and Tea Party
A day early as we hope for good viewing on the TV on Friday! — Lisa and Penny are running a virtual sing along to wartime songs, some readings and an opportunity for a chat.  (Approx event time 40 mins).  The Prime Timers enjoyed a similar event in Busbridge Church last November—but EVERYONE is welcome to this one.   

Ed Olsworth-Peter is hosting another zoom ‘evening with…’ session at 8pm on Monday 11 May in which we’ll be looking at The pioneering church. What will church look like after lockdown? Will it go back to how it was or will it reshape in some way?…  insights, experience, theology and discussion around innovating the New Normal of Church exploring how to: listen, adapt, experiment, inhabit and persevere.

If you have anything to post, thoughts, prayers, musings—remember the BHC Together facebook group is yours to do so!   

Worship, prayer and teaching

With so many of our regular events now transferring onto zoom the diary is back to it’s full self!  Select the event in the web site calendar for full details and to access the right zoom meeting or other online location.

Hambledon Prayer Breakfast— 9am this Saturday, and then 1st, 3rd (and 5th) Saturdays.  Hosted by Simon Willetts.  (Breakfast included if you prepare it yourself.)

Space for God is running a reflective Take time session on Tues, 5 May @ 7.15am

Thursday Live, half an hour to reflect and engage, on Thursday 7 May, 7.30pm, in the zoom prayer room 946-391-4833 (password 2020). The theme for next week is going to be COVID19 – Hammer of God?

Unplugged—6.30pm on 17 May.  The service and music will involve our young people, but it’s always extremely popular with all ages.

Don’t forget—9am Morning Prayer on weekdays.  Probably the best way to start your day!

Loving the community

Kids it’s your turn to join the wave of #viralkindness.  The BHC version is #CreativeKindness.  Penny’s been thinking about the older people we know that aren’t on the internet and are

finding harder to stay connected.  We can still post things though, and would like to pass on messages with all things arty and crafty from our young people to those who need cheering up.  Please see the details on the web site.  We are also enlisting the children from Busbridge Junior and Infant schools to help too. 

A slice of cake on us.  In Hambledon, the village shop is doing an amazing job of coordinating volunteers to delivery orders to those who can’t get out.  As of Thursday, all shop orders are going out with a slice of cake from Hambledon Church with a message from Simon Willetts, just to say Hi, the church is still here and how we can support.  If you are a lucky recipient, enjoy!  (sadly the delivery service doesn’t extend as far as Godalming.)  

Why Pray?  If anyone is asking (and we think they are) please refer them to the web site.  Andy Spencer has put together some info for people who might be thinking about this for the first time, and can respond to people individually, or develop sessions if there’s a demand.  Please pass the word on.

Don’t forget—10.30am Coffee breaks for anyone to pop in and out.  The Coronavirus Response team awaits requests to help those self-isolating—

Email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org. The CFSF is receiving donations AND applications for financial gifts.   It’s all on www.bhcgodalming.org

Elsewhere

Christian Aid Week 10-16 May: Love Never Fails.  Please don’t forget it this year, and support in the way you usually would.  See caweek.org to give or take part in their other fundraising initiatives.

Also Tearfund have launched an emergency appeal to help some of the poorest countries in the world where coronavirus is spreading: https://www.tearfund.org/

Something to uplift!
Instead All Souls music team have created a Virtual Prom Praise  with  great music and worship from 10 years  of Prom  Praise, many notable artists from across the world have given input for this virtual event  and  the master editing of 240 musicians and singers on line performing together!

Go to allsoulsmusic.org for more information or look up Virtual Prom Praise on the web... It is 7.30 -9pm this Saturday May 2nd.  I do hope you can share it and be inspired by it and do please  let others know.

Finally, please see: Godalming Churches Together Link up & TTT update is attached for other good stuff going on around us.

Sunday 26 April 2020

Please find the lastest notices here

Sunday 5 April 2020

This week

Simon writes for the notices

5 tips for parents in isolation with at teenager

Holy Week and Good Friday Reflections

Perhaps, like me, you have been distracted from Lent this year, and Palm Sunday is a good time to refocus on our story, picking up this Sunday in Matthew 21. 

Church@Home this Sunday from 10am– Click to go to BHC Godalming on YouTube

The YouTube service is scheduled to go live just before 10am, so don’t worry if you can’t see it on the channel before that. 

For our Palm Sunday service, Dave Preece is introducing, Simon Taylor is preaching and we have the readings and prayers curtesy of the Kinder family.  We’ve also tried to make the worship sound more familiar, so Lisa has been recording herself in a bedroom at home.  (Isn’t that how Justin Bieber started out?)

The service includes two songs, but the full playlist for this Sunday is on Spotify here for you to enjoy anytime.

This Sunday’s youth & children’s work
0-7s: The Ark will also be available on YouTube – thanks to Judith Hawkey for dressing up and Mike for his contribution to costumes and production.

7-11s: For a lighter look at the Palm Sunday story, the Explorers interactive session is on something clever called padlet where there’s videos, songs, craft and prayers for the children to work through.  Thank you Matt Toombs for producing it, and all the contributors.  I particularly like the Skit Guys take on Palm Sunday – perfectly silly for our under 11s but also made me smile.  And some lovely prayers from the Glaysher children. 

Do take a look here (password john316) –  BUT if you have an Explorer please wait to watch with them on Sunday. 

11-18s: Pathfinders are getting together in the CYF zoom room at 10am and Ichthus at 6.30pm.  Contact Anto if you have anyone who isn’t on the joining list yet.

Also this week, Anto’s 5 tips for parents in isolation with teenagers – some of which might be relevant to everyone else too!

HOLY WEEK – on Zoom

[If you need help with zoom, please see the instructions here, or contact our friendly IT support team – Dave Preece and Anto Ficatier who have demonstrated near saintly patience with new users in the past couple of weeks, and are keen to keep as many people as possible participating in our worship.]

All taking place in the BHC public zoom room – use this link at the scheduled time:

Holy Week Reflections led by Andy Spencer | 8pm Monday and Wednesday

Maundy Thursday Reflection led by Dave Preece | 8pm Thurday

Good Friday | 9am Morning Prayer

Good Friday Reflection led by Margot Spencer | 10am

And don’t forget 9am Morning Prayer, 10.30am Coffee Break & 4pm Tea time on zoom
Please feel free to pop in and out of the BHC public room from 10.30-11am and 4-4.30pm to say hi, share highs and lows from the day.  We’re all getting used to the new technology so this is quite a good time try it out.

JUST FOR FUN

Missing ABC and Sing it Out!?  Next Tuesday at 9.45am parents with little ones are invited to zoom in with their teddies for a live sing along to some favourite songs with actions.  Email lisa.olsworth-peter@bhcgodalming.org ASAP for the details to join in.

Time for a bit of comedy and culture - Ladies and Gents Night at the Theatre
You may have heard that during the COVID-19 crisis, the National Theatre have launched NT at Home on YouTube where every Thursday 7pm you can watch some great British Theatre for free.  Last night the NT streamed its production of One Man, Two Guvnors with James Cordon which is available to watch for another 7 days. 

See: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUDq1XzCY0NIOYVJvEMQjqw

Hosts of the Ladies Film Nights have jumped on this opportunity to keep their discussions going – with a night at the Theatre.  All are invited to Hilda’s zoom living room next Tuesday at 7pm where Pri Burford will lead a discussion around the questions: 

1)     It has been said that “hell is other people”. Last night we were invited to sit together and virtually with others (pausing for the NHS clapping) to replicate a communal act: going to the theatre.  What have you learned so far in this pandemic about how much being connected to others means?

2)     And for those who want a real brain baker:  What are the differences between individualism and isolation?

For access to the zoom, email ladies@bhcgodalming.org or check the web site nearer the time for joining details.

PS Please bring your own popcorn and drink this time!!

Finally I attach news from Godalming Churches Together, with details about how we are all supporting our church members at this time.

Churches Together – April Link up

Needless to say, it’s all on the web site, which is being updated more than ever at the moment. And you can get additional reminders on facebook, Instagram and twitter.