Author: vick.hicks

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday Simon Taylor announced that after nearly 15 years here he and Catherine will be leaving Godalming Minster in January 2025. You can read the announcement in the latest Rector’s Reflection >

This Sunday

Is there more to life than this?
John 10.22-33

15 September

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

Introducing the new Yew Tree Café Manager – Chantal Dennill
Pop into the Yew Tree Café this Saturday or in the next couple of weeks to meet and greet our newest member of the Minster staff team. We look forward to Chantal’s ministry in the YTC and thank everyone who has stepped up to keep the café running beautifully while we have been waiting for Chantal to start: Donna, Olena, Karen, Carol, Luke, Miffy and the small but brilliant army of café volunteers!

URGENT: Hosts wanted for Danish pilgrims on Thursday 26th September! If you can offer to host 1 or 2 (out of 16) people who are visiting Godalming Minster on 26-27th September as part of a walking pilgrimage, or help to share dinner with them at Brighton Road, please get in touch with Simon Taylor e; simon.taylor@godalmingminster.org ASAP.

The hosts need to:

Thursday 26th

• Collect their person/people at 5pm at Godalming Minster Church Street.

• Take them home to give them time to freshen up/shower.

• Drop them at Brighton Road before 7pm.

• Pick them up from Brighton Road for 9pm.

Friday 27th

Provide a breakfast and drop them at Church Street for 8.30am.

Coming Up

September

Heritage Weekend 14-15 September

Welcome to England’s largest festival of history and culture!
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

Our four Godalming Minster churches are part of the Heritage Open Days Weekend and open to visitors this weekend. For more info see: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

The Bible Course

Starting in the Yew Tree Café on Weds 18 September for 6 weeks. This course is particularly for the post-alpha group, but open to anyone who would like to join. Please contact Simon Taylor, or sign up on ChurchSuite.

You’re invited to Alpha starting this September

Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

Alpha Team not quite but nearly complete! A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We now have catering in place for the evening AND lunchtime sessions. Wonderful! We do still need some heroes to provide refreshments and a simple lunch on the Holy Spirit Day on Saturday 16th November (when both groups come together).

Please volunteer using the the button below, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin – sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Please note: The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

Breakfast and café church at Franklyn Road

This happens every fifth Sunday (i.e. four times a year) and the next one is on 29 September.  We meet at 0930 for breakfast – bacon butties and/or croissants available – moving seamlessly into Café Church at about 10 o’clock.  In September, we shall be looking at the story of Jesus’ last supper with his friends, and what the cross means to us.  All are welcome, whether you normally come to Franklyn Road or not.  We should love to see you … and please feel free to bring a friend.

October

Newcomers Tea

3pm, Sunday 6 Oct at Spinney Copse. The Taylors are hosting a tea for all those who are dipping their toe, or have jumped right into Godalming Minster in recent months.  It might be through getting married, holding a baptism or funeral, attending a group or one of our services. There will be tea and cake, and members of the clergy and ministry teams to chat to. Please let vic.hicks@godalmingminster.org know if you’d like to come, or if you can think of anyone who needs an invitation. We look forward to getting to know you better! Your invitation to the Newcomers Tea.

HARVEST 6th & 13th October

We will be celebrating Harvest over two Sundays:

6th October
Harvest at 9.30am Choral Eucharist

13th October
Harvest at all other services, followed by a bring and share harvest and farewell lunch in The Church Street Octagon:
8am Holy Communion
10am Franklyn Road
10am Classic
10.30am Contemporary

Hambledon will hold its Harvest Festival at Hambledon Village Hall, with an 11am service, followed by a bring and share lunch.

John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch – 13th October
A reminder that John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Everyone is invited! During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate. John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

Light Party 31st October
Save and Date and look out for details for the 2024 Light Party!

What’s on Where

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

Mission Update

Mission beyond: loving people

Key to the vision and purpose of Godalming Minster is to share God’s love by serving others, nurturing our own discipleship and sharing the story and joy of His love by our witness. Traditionally, this is done through Minster led outreach activities, as well as supporting a range of Christian mission initiatives.

In the past, each of our former parishes had different approaches to mission partnership. Under Sheila Samuels, the former Mission and Outward Giving work of two parishes has become part of a new mission team (which now awaits leadership by the new Associate Minister for Mission and Evangelism, based at Franklyn Road).

For the coming season, Godalming Minster aims to develop long term, deeply prayerful relationships with a few regular groups who have a mission and evangelism heart. The mission focus outlined is fixed for the next few years. Each of the mission agencies has a connection to the Minster, so we can share in the successes and challenges of their activities and be actively involved together.

Each festival time of the year, you’ll be able to commit your financial and prayer support to all the mission partners we’re supporting, some of them, or one. You can indicate this on the mission giving forms and online/via your banking. Only our treasurer knows who gives both for mission and in any giving in general.

Harvest is about…loving people and renewing faith – focussing mission locally and nationally

We’ll be collecting harvest goods for the Franklyn Road Foodbank at all Harvest services, and raising funds for the Church Army (National Anglican Evangelism).

Christmas is about…loving people – focusing mission locally

We’ll be raising funds for female inmates at HMP Send, and Godalming based charities The Cellar Camino Café and Skillway. We’ll be collecting Christmas goodies to produce hampers for clients of the Franklyn Road Foodbank and households known to the Minster via our church schools.

Easter is about…following Jesus and renewing faith – focussing mission nationally and overseas

We’ll be raising funds for the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS), and Five Talents (a global mission partner).

In addition, the PCC has set aside annual funds to support youth work in the town through TTT, and Eco church developments, so we can encourage others to also care for God’s creation. Funds also go directly to support our two church schools. 

Foodbank Update

The Franklyn Road Foodbank is getting busier at the moment, and currently short of oatcakes, gluten free cereal and biscuits and nappies in all sizes 3-6 please! BUT all donations of food and cleaning items are welcome anytime. See the Foodbank for more info.

Church Family News

We send love to the families and friends of two people who are longstanding friends of Godalming Minster, both with particular connections to Busbridge. 

Many people will remember Guy Gammell, who died last Friday in Shottermill House.  Please pray for Josie and Henrietta, and their families, as they mourn.  Guy’s funeral will be on Wednesday 25 September at Godalming Minster, Church Street, at 2.30 p.m.

We also remember Mary Pagan, whose gifts as a flower arranger enhanced many of our church events.  Please pray for her close friends and all who mourn for her.  Mary’s service will be in Godalming Minster, Brighton Road, on Thursday 3 October at 12.30 p.m. 

Please pray for God’s peace and comfort to surround them all.

We send our love also to Olena, whose best friend and her daughters were killed in a Russian strike on Lviv last week.  Please pray for God’s comfort for Olena, and also for her friend’s husband, Yaroslav, who was injured, but survived.

Thank you from the Samuels family:

A huge thank you from us for the lovely send off and generous gifts. It was so lovely to see so many of you at Patrick’s licensing service too.

We are settling in well and the girls seemed to have embraced College and school life. We give thanks to God for the privilege of journeying with you all for the last 5 years, for both the challenges and joys. We will continue to pray for you all as you journey into another new season. Sending you all much love, thanks and best wishes, Sheila and Patrick, Tamara and Sophia.

Marcus has a few spaces left this September for one-to-one or group drumming lessons. Please do share the info with anyone who might be keen to learn!

Elsewhere

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

The last Life Issue session of 2024 is coming up at Godalming Baptist Church on Saturday 19th October 10.00am-12.30pm (coffee from 9.30am).  ‘Living With Anxious Thoughts’ led by Dr Martin Brunet, GP at Binscombe Medical Centre and Dr Jenna McKeown, Clinical Psychologist. 

This promises to be such a helpful and informative morning.  The session will look at all aspects of anxious thoughts including intrusive thoughts and health anxiety and aims to understand where these thoughts come from and how best to manage them. There is no charge but donations much appreciated towards ‘The Farncombe Community Garden’.  

Please do contact Sally to book a place-01483-428646 or e-mail pollard3@hotmail.co.uk by Friday 4th October.  Thank you so much for all your support

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is one not to miss. It’s “Vision Sunday” when we look up, around and ahead to what we are here for, and how we are called as people of Godalming Minster.

To help us embed and step into the vision, the Autumn sermon series will be following the Alpha Course. It will allow us to ask some fundamental questions about our beliefs and faith, perhaps for the first time, starting with whether God really has a purpose for our individual lives. 

The Stay Curious sermon series is by no means a substitute for being part of the Alpha course – with discussion time and bonding over a home cooked dinner each week – but it will give all of our Minster family a flavour of what Alpha is about. If you feel prompted to delve deeper, there is still time to sign yourself up or invite a friend for the evening or lunchtime Alpha courses starting 25th September! (details below).

This Sunday

VISION SUNDAY: Platitudes or reality?
Reading: Jeremiah 29:11-14

1 September

8am BCP Holy Communion
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

6pm Hymns & Pimm’s
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

URGENT: Hosts wanted for Danish pilgrims on Thursday 26th September! If you can offer to host 1 or 2 (out of 16) people who are visiting Godalming Minster on 26-27th September as part of a walking pilgrimage, or help to share dinner with them at Brighton Road, please get in touch with Simon Taylor e; simon.taylor@godalmingminster.org ASAP.

The hosts need to:

Thursday 26th

• Collect their person/people at 5pm at Godalming Minster Church Street.

• Take them home to give them time to freshen up/shower.

• Drop them at Brighton Road before 7pm.

• Pick them up from Brighton Road for 9pm.

Friday 27th

Provide a breakfast and drop them at Church Street for 8.30am.

Coming Up

September

Heritage Weekend 14-15 September
Welcome to England’s largest festival of history and culture!
Every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

Our four Godalming Minster Churches are part of the Heritage Open Days Weekend and open to visitors for more info see: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

You’re invited to Alpha starting this September

Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

Alpha Team not quite but nearly complete! A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We now have catering in place for the evening AND lunchtime sessions. Wonderful! We do still need some heroes to provide refreshments and a simple lunch on the Holy Spirit Day on Saturday 16th November (when both groups come together).

Please volunteer using the the button below, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin – sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Please note: The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

October

SAVE THE DATE: 13th October for John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch

A reminder that John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Please put this date in your diary. All are welcome to the service and lunch. During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

Marcus has a few spaces left this September for one-to-one or group drumming lessons. Please do share the info with anyone who might be keen to learn!

Mission Update

The Franklyn Road Foodbank is getting busier at the moment, and currently short of oatcakes, gluten free cereal and biscuits and nappies in all sizes 3-6 please! BUT all donations of food and cleaning items are welcome anytime. See the Foodbank for more info.

Elsewhere

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

The last Life Issue session of 2024 is coming up at Godalming Baptist Church on Saturday 19th October 10.00am-12.30pm (coffee from 9.30am).  ‘Living With Anxious Thoughts’ led by Dr Martin Brunet, GP at Binscombe Medical Centre and Dr Jenna McKeown, Clinical Psychologist. 

This promises to be such a helpful and informative morning.  The session will look at all aspects of anxious thoughts including intrusive thoughts and health anxiety and aims to understand where these thoughts come from and how best to manage them. There is no charge but donations much appreciated towards ‘The Farncombe Community Garden’.  

Please do contact Sally to book a place-01483-428646 or e-mail pollard3@hotmail.co.uk by Friday 4th October.  Thank you so much for all your support

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

A huge thank you to EVERYONE who has been involved in Holiday Club this week. We’ve shared the greatest treasure with more than 60 4-11s who have had the most brilliant time together. The key verse was Philippians 3.8:

Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything and count it all as rubbish. All I want is Jesus.

We said it, sang it, and lived it out together over the last three days, with pirate themed games, craft and baking activities. And it’s not quite over yet. You can still be part of the adventure this Sunday 1 September, 11am at Brighton Road and afterwards for a BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory.

This Sunday

1 September

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!

9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service.

6pm Evening Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

It has this week been announced that Simon Taylor has been invited to become an Honorary Canon of Guildford Cathedral. Simon’s installation will be at the Cathedral on Sunday 24th November at 6pm. All are welcome to attend, which will be part of the cathedral’s evening service. Happening at the same time will be the Godalming Christmas Light-up parade, which will this year finish at Godalming Minster Church Street with an informal carol service. The choice is yours!

Please pray for Keith Harper, who is currently an LLM in the Minster, as he discerns a call. Keith will be spending time with HTSM, Holy Trinity and St Mary’s, in Guildford. Please also pray for the new priest at HTSM, Rev Canon Simon Butler, as Simon supports Keith with his discernment.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of a new manager for the Yew Tree Café. Chantal Dennill will be joining the Minster team on 9 September, and we look forward to introducing her properly in the coming weeks. We are grateful to Donna, Olena, Luke and Miffy who have stepped up to keep the café running so well while it has been without a manager; and to Karen Hart, the Café Leadership Team and volunteers who have supported the paid staff.

Coming Up

September

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road.

This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. A simple menu of sausages and burgers, soft drinks and lollies will be provided for a suggested donation of £5 per person. The bouncy castles will be out for the children too.

What to bring:
– Your own coffee cup for a drink before the service.
– A rug or camping chair (we will put tables and chairs out, but there won’t be enough for everyone.)
– a salad, side dish or pudding to supplement the BBQ if you wish. You might like to make enough to share.

We will be presenting Samuels with a gift at the BBQ to thank them for their contribution to St Mark’s and BHC and the evolution of Godalming Minster over the last 5 years. To make a last minute contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

Tues 3 Sep
Godalming Minster is delighted to be hosting a new CofE course for Guildford Diocese. The Caleb Stream is a new one-year pathway for ordained ministry in the Church of England, designed specifically for mature and experienced lay leaders. The course will start in September for a full academic year, and there will be a prayer launch next Tuesday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Brighton Road for the Caleb stream, and all initiatives and parishes in the Diocese as things get underway for a new academic year.  There is an open invitation to attend, and a general prayer request for the Caleb Stream.

Thurs 5 Sep

Patrick’s licensing as Priest-in-Charge in The Parishes of St Andrew Wraysbury St Michael Horton & St Thomas Colnbrook will be on Thursday 5th September at 7.30pm at St Andrews’s Church, St Andrew’s Close, Windsor Rd, Wraysbury TW19 5DG. Patrick would be delighted to see any people from the Minster family at the service and for refreshments after. RSVP  by 27th August CHWchurches@gmail.com.

Nexus Talk – Penguins Galore with Frances Shaw, Thu 5 Sep at 8pm
Frances and Peter Shaw were fortunate enough to go on an amazing journey to the southernmost part of our world for an Antarctic adventure.  Come along and enjoy this awe-inspiring adventure without needing to don layers of winter clothing!! Guests: £5.00 contribution towards speaker costs.

Alpha starting September
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions.

A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We have catering in place for the evening sessions but we still need the following;

• Additional catering for lunch time sessions, including the Saturday session (when both groups come together) eg soup, sandwiches or bread & cheese, sausage rolls etc and a traybake, cookies or equivalent

• One or two volunteers to help -preferably every week at lunch time or evening – to meet and greet, help set up tables and ensure that the catering group that evening know what to do

Please volunteer via the website, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin – sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

SAVE THE DATE: 13th October for John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch

We are delighted for John and Sue that they have accepted the offer of a clergy retirement property. There will be a number of chances to say farewell.  John and Sue will be at the Classic Service (10am) on 22nd September, at Hambledon (10am) on Sunday 29th September, and at the Choral Eucharist (9am) on 6th October.

John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Please put this date in your diary. All are welcome to the service and lunch. During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

The closing date for applications for the two Associate Minster roles for Franklyn Road and Mission and Evangelism, and for Hambledon and Discipleship has now passed. We hope to be able to share progress on the recruitment process towards the end of September. Please be praying for the candidates who have applied, and for the interview process.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

Mission Update

FEBA Prayer meeting… an invitation
Wednesday 4th September, 7-8pm on Zoom. God’s unwavering message of hope continues to transform lives and as supporters of Feba, you are an integral part of the story! On the first Wednesday of every month we host a prayer meeting, online. This is always such a special time as we meet our ministry partners and pray for them and their listeners. We would love you to join us to encourage and stand with them. This month will focus on our ministry in Ukraine. Simply scan the QR code on the poster to join us. We really look forward to welcoming you!

Elsewhere

Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends

There are just a few updates to last week’s notices, along with reminders of what’s coming up:

• The Minster-wide bank holiday service this Sunday

• Looking forward to Holiday Club next week

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited! Please sign up.

• Independence Day for Ukraine 24 August – fundraising events in Godalming

This Sunday

25 August

Wedding Water: Simply the Best
Readings: John 2:1-12

10am Minster-wide Bank Holiday Service at Church Street

6pm Evening Worship [HC]
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

1 September

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!

9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service.

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

SAVE THE DATE: 13th October for John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch

We are delighted for John and Sue that they have accepted the offer of a clergy retirement property. This has not been an easy period of waiting and John and Sue’s faithfulness is something that we have all witnessed. Our love and prayers go with them as they prepare to move.

This opportunity has come sooner than expected, so there will be a number of chances to say farewell.  John and Sue will be at the Classic Service (10am) on 22nd September, at Hambledon (10am) on Sunday 29th September, and at the Choral Eucharist (9am) on 6th October.

John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Please put this date in your diary. All are welcome to the service and lunch. During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

John’s moving soon means that our two clergy posts which are being advertised can progress smoothly.

We are now advertising two exciting Associate Minster roles for Franklyn Road and Mission and Evangelism, and for Hambledon and Discipleship. The jobs are advertised on New Wine, The Church Times, CofE Guilford and Pathways. Please do pray and share the ads with prospective candidates. Please see our vacancies page for details, pray for the right candidates, and help share the ads!

Minster members might like to read the Godalming Minster Parish Profile as it has a helpful description of how far we’ve come as a Minster in just a few short months. The profile has been written with input from many people, including congregational team members in Hambledon and at Franklyn Road, clergy, LLMs, the PCC standing committee and others. It has been a fantastic team effort. Page 6 outlines some of the vision material we’ll be preaching into at the Minster Vision Sunday on Sept 8th 2024.  Put this date in your Sunday diary and be at a service!

Coming Up

August

Holiday Club 28-30 August

Please pray for all the children who are coming, for the team leading them and everyone who has volunteered to help. The pirate ship is pretty full but we do have a few spaces left on Wednesday and Thursday for primary age children in school years R-6.

September

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road.

This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. There’s a suggested donation of £5 per person. Please SIGN UP.

We would like to present the Samuels with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

Can you help with the BBQ?
If you would like to
a)bring and share a salad or pudding,
b) help on the day
c) BBQ for the masses
Please contact vic.hicks@godalmingminster.org.

Patrick’s licensing as Priest-in-Charge in The Parishes of St Andrew Wraysbury St Michael Horton & St Thomas Colnbrook will be on Thursday 5th September at 7.30pm at St Andrews’s Church, St Andrew’s Close, Windsor Rd, Wraysbury TW19 5DG. Patrick would be delighted to see any people from the Minster family at the service and for refreshments after. RSVP  by 27th August CHWchurches@gmail.com.

Next up at Nexus – Penguins Galore with Frances Shaw, Thu 5 Sep at 8pm

Frances and Peter Shaw were fortunate enough to go on an amazing journey to the southernmost part of our world for an Antarctic adventure.  It must have been exhilarating and Frances will share their experiences with us.

We’ll get to see magnificent landscapes and incredible wildlife as we ‘visit’ the islands on route from South America and then in Antarctica itself.

Come along and enjoy this awe-inspiring adventure without needing to don layers of winter clothing!! Guests: £5.00 contribution towards speaker costs,

Alpha starting September
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions.

A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We have catering in place for the evening sessions but we still need the following;

• Additional catering for lunch time sessions, including the Saturday session (when both groups come together) eg soup, sandwiches or bread & cheese, sausage rolls etc and a traybake, cookies or equivalent

• One or two volunteers to help -preferably every week at lunch time or evening – to meet and greet, help set up tables and ensure that the catering group that evening know what to do

Please volunteer via the website, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin – sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

We send our love to several members of our church family who have been bereaved recently.   

Please pray for Jane Lambert following the death of her mother last week, and for Arthur ‘Ginge’ Blackman following Sue’s death.  (Funeral details to follow.)  We send love also to Alan and Janet Harvey whose elder son, Graham, died last month.

Please pray for them all, and for their families, that they may know God’s love and comfort.

Mission Update

Saturday, August 24th, The Ukrainian communities from Godalming, Guildford, Haslemere, and Cranleigh united to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day. Our goal is to remind everyone that Ukraine is currently fighting for our right to be an independent country and people. We are organizing a Ukrainian charity event (as we did in February) to raise money for the volunteers of Ukraine Mission once again. They directly deliver help where it is needed – to rescue services in cities and towns near the front line, paramedics, struggling people, and more. 

Simon Taylor will be there to lead part of the event at Crown Court at 11am and programme of cultural folk arts will continue in the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre.

Elsewhere

Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends

In the notices this week:

• Prayer request for Holiday Club

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited!

• Hymns & Pimm’s – 8th September

• We’re Hiring – job ads for 2 Associate Ministers and a new editor for the Bridge Magazine

• Alpha and post-Alpha Courses this Autumn

• Other dates for the diary

This Sunday

18 August

Flowing Water : Life and Healing
Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-12; John 7.37-39

Continuing our Sermon Series “Water, water, everywhere!”,

Services

3rd Sunday services are taking place as usual:

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
The Classic service will be followed by coffee and cake in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden, which might last a bit longer than usual. Please plan to stay and enjoy a good catch up, or the chance to meet new people.

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10.30am ALL AGE Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

25 August

Wedding Water: Simply the Best
Readings: John 2:1-12

10am Minster-wide Bank Holiday Service at Church Street
6pm Evening Worship

1 September

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!

9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service.

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

SAVE THE DATE: 13th October for John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch

We are delighted for John and Sue that they have accepted the offer of a clergy retirement property. This has not been an easy period of waiting and John and Sue’s faithfulness is something that we have all witnessed. Our love and prayers go with them as they prepare to move.

This opportunity has come sooner than expected, so there will be a number of chances to say farewell.  John and Sue will be at the Classic Service (10am) on 22nd September, at Hambledon (10am) on Sunday 29th September, and at the Choral Eucharist (9am) on 6th October.

John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Please put this date in your diary. All are welcome to the service and lunch. During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

John’s moving soon means that our two clergy posts which are being advertised can progress smoothly.

We are now advertising two exciting Associate Minster roles for Franklyn Road and Mission and Evangelism, and for Hambledon and Discipleship. The jobs are advertised on New Wine, The Church Times, CofE Guilford and Pathways. Please do pray and share the ads with prospective candidates. Please see our vacancies page for details, pray for the right candidates, and help share the ads!

Minster members might like to read the Godalming Minster Parish Profile as it has a helpful description of how far we’ve come as a Minster in just a few short months. The profile has been written with input from many people, including congregational team members in Hambledon and at Franklyn Road, clergy, LLMs, the PCC standing committee and others. It has been a fantastic team effort. Page 6 outlines some of the vision material we’ll be preaching into at the Minster Vision Sunday on Sept 8th 2024.  Put this date in your Sunday diary and be at a service!

Coming Up

August

Holiday Club 28-30 August

Please pray for all the children who are coming, for the team leading them and everyone who has volunteered to help. The pirate ship is pretty full but we do have a few spaces left on Wednesday and Thursday for primary age children in school years R-6.

September

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road.

This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. There’s a suggested donation of £5 per person, We would like to present the Samuels with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

Can you help with the BBQ?
If you would like to
a)bring and share a salad or pudding,
b) help on the day
c) BBQ for the masses
Please contact vic.hicks@godalmingminster.org.

Patrick’s licensing as Priest-in-Charge in The Parishes of St Andrew Wraysbury St Michael Horton & St Thomas Colnbrook will be on Thursday 5th September at 7.30pm at St Andrews’s Church, St Andrew’s Close, Windsor Rd, Wraysbury TW19 5DG. Patrick would be delighted to see any people from the Minster family at the service and for refreshments after. RSVP  by 27th August CHWchurches@gmail.com.

Next up at Nexus – Penguins Galore with Frances Shaw, Thu 5 Sep at 8pm

Frances and Peter Shaw were fortunate enough to go on an amazing journey to the southernmost part of our world for an Antarctic adventure.  It must have been exhilarating and Frances will share their experiences with us.

We’ll get to see magnificent landscapes and incredible wildlife as we ‘visit’ the islands on route from South America and then in Antarctica itself.

Come along and enjoy this awe-inspiring adventure without needing to don layers of winter clothing!! Guests: £5.00 contribution towards speaker costs,

Alpha starting September
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions.

A huge thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help with food and who have signed up to pray for Alpha.  We have catering in place for the evening sessions but we still need the following;

• Additional catering for lunch time sessions, including the Saturday session (when both groups come together) eg soup, sandwiches or bread & cheese, sausage rolls etc and a traybake, cookies or equivalent

• One or two volunteers to help -preferably every week at lunch time or evening – to meet and greet, help set up tables and ensure that the catering group that evening know what to do

Please volunteer via the website, or by email direct to Sandra Wilkin – sandra.wilkin@godalmingminster.org

Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

What’s on Where

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

Mission Update

Saturday, August 24th, The Ukrainian communities from Godalming, Guildford, Haslemere, and Cranleigh united to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day. Our goal is to remind everyone that Ukraine is currently fighting for our right to be an independent country and people. We are organizing a Ukrainian charity event (as we did in February) to raise money for the volunteers of Ukraine Mission once again. They directly deliver help where it is needed – to rescue services in cities and towns near the front line, paramedics, struggling people, and more. 

Simon Taylor will be there to lead part of the event at Crown Court at 11am and programme of cultural folk arts will continue in the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre.

Elsewhere

Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

Restart in September!

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends

Godalming Minster celebrated 90 years since the laying of St Mark’s foundation stone at a special service at Franklyn Road yesterday. Present and past incumbents, and the now Mayor of Godalming, Councillor Paul Rivers, shared their testimonies and poignant memories of the life of the church, and the immeasurable contribution it has made in the Ockford Ridge and Aaron’s Hill community. The worship was joyful, the talks were inspiring the tea that followed was top notch! Credit and thanks was rightfully given to those who have served so faithfully over the years and continue to do so today. Prayer, Patience and Persistence are the 3 Ps (coined by Revd David Tomlinson) which aptly sum up 90 years of St Mark’s Franklyn Road. A further celebration will take place on 18th December to mark the consecration of St Mark’s in 1934.

In the notices this week:

• Churches Together Bandstand Service this Sunday, 10.30am

• Save the Date for the St Mark’s 90th Thanksgiving Service

• Holiday Club

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited!

• News from John and Sue

• We’re Hiring – job ads for 2 Associate Ministers

• Alpha Courses this Autumn

• Other dates for the diary

This Sunday

Sunday 10 August

10.30am Godalming Churches Together Bandstand Service
Join us in the Jack Philips Memorial Park at the Bandstand!
no morning services across Godalming Minster

Welcomers needed! If you can help to welcome and hand out service orders please email michaeleashing@aol.com, and/or arrive by 10.05am in time to don a Hi-viz vest and take to your station.

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

18 August

Flowing Water : Life and Healing
Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-12; John 7.37-39

Continuing our Sermon Series “Water, water, everywhere!”,

Services

3rd Sunday services are taking place as usual:

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)
The Classic service will be followed by coffee and cake in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden, which might last a bit longer than usual. Please plan to stay and enjoy a good catch up, or the chance to meet new people.

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10.30am ALL AGE Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

The rest of August…

25 August

Wedding Water: Simply the Best
Readings: John 2:1-12

10am Minster-wide Bank Holiday Service at Church Street
6pm Evening Worship

1 September

11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road

9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Notices

SAVE THE DATE: 13th October for John & Sue’s farewell and harvest lunch

We are delighted for John and Sue that they have accepted the offer of a clergy retirement property. This has not been an easy period of waiting and John and Sue’s faithfulness is something that we have all witnessed. Our love and prayers go with them as they prepare to move.

This opportunity has come sooner than expected, so there will be a number of chances to say farewell.  John and Sue will be at the Classic Service (10am) on 22nd September, at Hambledon (10am) on Sunday 29th September, and at the Choral Eucharist (9am) on 6th October.

John and Sue’s final service will be Sunday 13th October at the Church Street Contemporary, followed by a bring and share farewell and harvest lunch. Please put this date in your diary. All are welcome to the service and lunch. During the lunch, we will be giving John and Sue a gift of love and gratitude. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

John and Sue will move to Cornwall soon after 13th October.  Please pray for John and Sue as they begin their retirement from parish ministry.

John’s moving soon means that our two clergy posts which are being advertised can progress smoothly.

We are now advertising two exciting Associate Minster roles for Franklyn Road and Mission and Evangelism, and for Hambledon and Discipleship. The jobs are advertised on New Wine, The Church Times, CofE Guilford and Pathways. Please do pray and share the ads with prospective candidates. Please see our vacancies page for details, pray for the right candidates, and help share the ads!

Minster members might like to read the Godalming Minster Parish Profile as it has a helpful description of how far we’ve come as a Minster in just a few short months. The profile has been written with input from many people, including congregational team members in Hambledon and at Franklyn Road, clergy, LLMs, the PCC standing committee and others. It has been a fantastic team effort. Page 6 outlines some of the vision material we’ll be preaching into at the Minster Vision Sunday on Sept 8th 2024.  Put this date in your Sunday diary and be at a service!

Coming Up

August

Holiday Club 28-30 August

Holiday Club is now full on Friday 30 August, with a few spaces remaining on Weds and Thursday! Please pray for all the children who are coming, and for the team leading them.

This is the first Godalming Minster Summer Holiday Club! It’s for primary age children in school years R-6. Invitations are going to the our church schools next week, and spaces are limited this year.

You are never too old to look for the greatest treasure, and this Holiday Club will be as much fun for older members of the crew as our young buccaneers. If you’d like to join the adventure, please get in touch with Jenny Lansdowne e: jenny.lansdowne@godalmingminster.org.

September

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road. This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. The 11am service replaces Muddy/Church in the Park and the Classic service, and allows for the other congregations to join the 11am service and/or the BBQ.

The congregations will have the chance to say goodbye to Patrick during July (14th July at Classic, 21st at Choral Eucharist and Contemporary, 28th at Franklyn Road). Sheila’s last Sunday is 1st September (Patrick will be returning from his new parish) and we would like to present them with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

Next up at Nexus – Penguins Galore with Frances Shaw, Thu 5 Sep at 8pm

Frances and Peter Shaw were fortunate enough to go on an amazing journey to the southernmost part of our world for an Antarctic adventure.  It must have been exhilarating and Frances will share their experiences with us.

We’ll get to see magnificent landscapes and incredible wildlife as we ‘visit’ the islands on route from South America and then in Antarctica itself.

Come along and enjoy this awe-inspiring adventure without needing to don layers of winter clothing!! Guests: £5.00 contribution towards speaker costs,

We’re running Alpha!
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions. Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

To volunteer to help host, cook or set up please use the form below.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH

We’re deeply grateful to our friends in the church family for all the loving kindness shown recently, following the loss of our beloved son Graham. You were so helpful at a very sad time  – God bless you all. With much love, Janet and Alan

Mission Update

Foodbank Update

URGENT LIST

• Tuna 

• Pasta sauces

• UHT semi skimmed milk

• Tinned Peas / Carrots and Tomatoes

• Biscuits and crackers

• Orange/Blackcurrant squash

• Orange/Apple 1 litre juice cartons

• Tea bags/Coffee/Hot chocolate

The latest shopping list can be found here. Please take a look and add a few items to your next shop.

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

Saturday, August 24th, The Ukrainian communities from Godalming, Guildford, Haslemere, and Cranleigh united to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day. Our goal is to remind everyone that Ukraine is currently fighting for our right to be an independent country and people. We are organizing a Ukrainian charity event (as we did in February) to raise money for the volunteers of Ukraine Mission once again. They directly deliver help where it is needed – to rescue services in cities and towns near the front line, paramedics, struggling people, and more. 

The event will begin at Crown Court at 11am (official part) and programme of cultural folk arts will continue in the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre.

Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

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.

Community & Fellowship

The Hub at Franklyn Road provides a free lunch and time to socialise every Tuesday from 12-2.30pm. Open to all in the area, and across the Minster. (Donations of homemade cakes are always welcome.)

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about Nexus.

The Men’s Group meets for breakfast at 8.15am on the 1st Saturdays of the month. See the calendar 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends

Phew, it’s been a little warm this week, and the families who went to New Wine are to be congratulated for camping through it. We hear that the programme and the worship was truly inspiring, and the time away together incredibly special. If you’d like to join the Godalming Minster party at New Wine in 2025, please look out for the notices about tickets in the new year.

Nexus and Prime Time have also been undeterred by the heatwave, enjoying a history walk around Busbridge this afternoon, and a wonderful summer garden party at the Old Rectory last Friday. Thank you to everyone involved.

In the notices this week:

• Services this Sunday

• Alpha Courses this Autumn

• Save the Date for the St Mark’s 90th Thanksgiving Service

• Holiday Club

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited!

• Other dates for the diary

This Sunday

Chaotic Water – In the beginning
Reading Genesis 6: 9-7

Continuing our Sermon Series “Water, water, everywhere!”, the people God created with such love and hope have turned away from him and only one righteous man remains: Noah. In the face of mockery and hostility, Noah builds a boat to God’s very precise specifications. Are we ready to respond like Noah?

Services

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Classic Service [HC]
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10.30am ALL AGE Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

The rest of August…

Sunday 10 August

10.30am Godalming Churches Together Bandstand Service
Join us in the Jack Philips Memorial Park at the Bandstand!
no morning services across Godalming Minster

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

18 August

3rd Sunday services are taking place as usual.

25 August

10am Minster-wide Bank Holiday Service at Church Street
6pm Evening Worship

1 September

11am Holiday Club Celebration Service & BBQ
when we will be saying goodbye to the Samuels
at Brighton Road

9am and 10am services take place at Church Street, Hambledon and Franklyn Road beforehand. Church in the Park (Muddy) and Classic will fuse at the 11am Holiday Club Service. All welcome at 11am, or to come along for the BBQ at about 12 noon!

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

We’re running Alpha!
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions. Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

To volunteer to help host, cook or set up please use the form below.

Coming Up

August

Men’s Breakfast this Saturday
Please join us at 8.15am this first Saturday of the month, 3rd August, at our men’s breakfast in the Old Rectory. Porridge with all the trimmings awaits.

This month we will be doing Americana – seeking to understand what is going on there. Just why do 80% of evangelical Christians support a man who seems to spend most his time insulting his opponents and a tenuous grasp on what is truth? Just when our UK politicians, especially our local man, have been really nice to each other. We know that won’t last, but will name calling ever become part of our everyday political life? We seek not to condemn … just to understand!

90th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service at Franklyn Road – 8th August at 3pm
St Mark’s Church is 90 years old this year. The Foundation stone was laid on 8th August 1934. We are holding a Thanksgiving Service on Thursday 8th August at 3pm followed by a cream tea. We would love for people across Godalming Minster to be there to give thanks for the history of St Mark’s church and more recently its community centre, and to pray for its future serving the Franklyn Road area. There will be a celebratory cream tea after the service so an idea of numbers would help the congregation plan. You can sign up using the link above.

Holiday Club 28-30 August

Holiday Club is now full on Friday 30 August, with a few spaces remaining on Weds and Thursday! Please pray for all the children who are coming, and for the team leading them.

This is the first Godalming Minster Summer Holiday Club! It’s for primary age children in school years R-6. Invitations are going to the our church schools next week, and spaces are limited this year.

You are never too old to look for the greatest treasure, and this Holiday Club will be as much fun for older members of the crew as our young buccaneers. If you’d like to join the adventure, please get in touch with Jenny Lansdowne e: jenny.lansdowne@godalmingminster.org.

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road. This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. The 11am service replaces Muddy/Church in the Park and the Classic service, and allows for the other congregations to join the 11am service and/or the BBQ.

The congregations will have the chance to say goodbye to Patrick during July (14th July at Classic, 21st at Choral Eucharist and Contemporary, 28th at Franklyn Road). Sheila’s last Sunday is 1st September (Patrick will be returning from his new parish) and we would like to present them with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

What’s on Where

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

Job Vacancies

Please see our vacancies page. We have potential candidates to interview for the position of Yew Tree Café manager and the Children Pastor (please pray), and will be shortly advertising two exciting Associate Minster roles.

Mission Update

Foodbank Update

URGENT LIST

• Tuna 

• Pasta sauces

• UHT semi skimmed milk

• Tinned Peas / Carrots and Tomatoes

• Biscuits and crackers

• Orange/Blackcurrant squash

• Orange/Apple 1 litre juice cartons

• Tea bags/Coffee/Hot chocolate

The latest shopping list can be found here. Please take a look and add a few items to your next shop.

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

Godalming Bandstand Concerts summer 2024 programme can be found here.

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

Can we pray for you?

***Please send prayer requests to prayer@godalmingminster.org***

Mid-week Prayer Gatherings

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.

Community & Fellowship

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about 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 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 9.30am-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.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

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.

Dear Friends

The notices for this Sunday (28th July) have been pre-scheduled. Therefore there are no new items, apart from the updated list of services.

In the notices this week:

• Services this Sunday

• Alpha Courses this Autumn

• Staycation events in The Octagon

• Save the Date for the St Mark’s 90th Thanksgiving Service

• Holiday Club

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited!

• Other dates for the diary

This Sunday

Chaotic Water – In the beginning
Reading Genesis 1: 1-23

Our new Sermon Series “Water, water, everywhere!” begins in the beginning!
Water is an important feature which (excuse the pun) runs through the whole of the Old and New Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation.  Perhaps it is not surprising that water plays such an important part in the story of God’s people throughout the biblical narrative.  It is such a precious commodity.  We know that in many places, water is either scarce or contaminated, or both.  As we find ourselves travelling with some of the saints of old (Noah, Elijah, Ezekiel) and with Jesus at a wedding and at a well, we are invited to reflect on our place in God’s big story, and to see also where we might lead people to the living water – those with whom we share our lives, at work, at home, at the school gate, or wherever we find ourselves.

Services

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship [HC]
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10.30am Contemporary Service
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Children’s groups in the Octagon. Coffee from 10.15am.

5pm Choral Evensong
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Pastoral Team News
Our thanks and congratulations to Liz Sadler and Simon Callaghan having recently completed the Diocesan Pastoral Training Course. We welcome them onto the Minster Pastoral Support Team.

Liz will mainly be seen at services in Godalming Minster Church Street. Her role will focus on supporting members of those congregations and the families who attend the Octots and the baby group held mid-week at Church Street.

Simon will be seen mainly at the 6pm service at Brighton Road, and occasionally the Contemporary service at Church Street. Simon is exploring bereavement visiting and supporting those with mental health difficulties.

We are also blessed by the addition of Gavin Harper to the Pastoral Care Team. Gavin is an experienced pastoral visitor, having worked in this role previously at St Andrew’s Church, Oxshott. He will be mainly found at Godalming Minster Hambledon.

Their pictures have been requested and will be available soon, and each will be introduced in services in the coming weeks.

Following the recent PCC meeting, we are delighted to formally welcome Mitchell Farquharson as our new Principal Organist for the Minster’s choral worship. Mitchell is an outstanding organist and he has previously been at Chichester Cathedral. Everyone is welcome can experience Mitchell’s playing at the Choral Eucharist and Evensong services.

We’re running Alpha!
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions. Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

To volunteer to help host, cook or set up please use the form below.

Thanks to the two heroes that came forward after our appeal for new volunteers in the Yew Tree Café. There is room for more, particularly on Tuesday afternoons and Fridays. No experience required as full training will be given! Volunteers do everything and anything from serving tables, taking orders, making drinks and sandwiches, clearing up and cleaning, and of course talking to our lovely customers and giving a listening and caring ear as needed.

If your skills are in baking then we’d love you to join our very small band of bakers to produce the yummy cakes we serve – all done in the Old Rectory kitchen with full instructions, equipment and ingredients.

If you can’t commit to a full half day then other options are available – do ask us! Or fill in the volunteer form. We’d love to have you on board.
The Café Leadership team.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

Coming Up

July

The Lammas Handbell Ringers invite you to a concert and supper on Sat 27th July at 6.30pm. “Our Dancing Day overlooking the River Wey” will take place in The Octagon at Godalming Minster Church Street. Tickets £12 including a 2-course supper are available from Helen 07760 494 703 or Barbara 01483 415600. During Staycation The Lammas Handbell Ringers are holding an Introduction to Handbell Ringing on Thursday 8th August at 4-5pm or 6-7pm. It’s FREE, but numbers will be limited so please contact Barbara to reserve your space.

Also in the Octagon during Godalming Staycation, Janet Davies is holding a “Sew Simple” hand embroidery session on Weds 7 August from 9 until 12 noon. All equipment and materials provided. Tea/coffee, cake and crafting. Telephone Janet on 07967 683443 to book a place. Limited to 12 people (under 18 to be accompanied by adult). Free but donations welcome to help cover costs. Any profit will go to Godalming Minster.

August

Nexus Summer Outing – History Walk of Busbridge. Thu 1st August 2-4.30pm
Join Nexus and Martyn Sandford on a history walk around Busbridge, ending at The Pavilion by Howling Owl at about 4pm for a cup of what you fancy. Meet at 1.45pm outside the Busbridge Old Rectory at Godalming Minster Brighton Road and enjoy the font of Martyn’s knowledge about the local history of the area.

90th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service at Franklyn Road – 8th August at 3pm
St Mark’s Church is 90 years old this year. The Foundation stone was laid on 8th August 1934. We are holding a Thanksgiving Service on Thursday 8th August at 3pm followed by a cream tea. We would love for people across Godalming Minster to be there to give thanks for the history of St Mark’s church and more recently its community centre, and to pray for its future serving the Franklyn Road area. There will be a celebratory cream tea after the service so an idea of numbers would help the congregation plan. You can sign up using the link above.

Holiday Club 28-30 August
Sign up now for the first ever Godalming Minster Summer Holiday Club! It’s for primary age children in school years R-6. Invitations are going to the our church schools next week, and spaces are limited this year.

You are never too old to look for the greatest treasure, and this Holiday Club will be as much fun for older members of the crew as our young buccaneers. If you’d like to join the adventure, please get in touch with Jenny Lansdowne e: jenny.lansdowne@godalmingminster.org.

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road. This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. The 11am service replaces Muddy/Church in the Park and the Classic service, and allows for the other congregations to join the 11am service and/or the BBQ.

The congregations will have the chance to say goodbye to Patrick during July (14th July at Classic, 21st at Choral Eucharist and Contemporary, 28th at Franklyn Road). Sheila’s last Sunday is 1st September (Patrick will be returning from his new parish) and we would like to present them with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

One of the young adults in our church family is looking for a room or house share where she can live affordably and independently. The location needs to be suitable for a non-driver, with walkable access to public transport and amenities. If you can think of any possible options, please contact the office.

Job Vacancies

We have taken the decision to re-advertise the posts of Children and Families Pastor (4-11’s) and Yew Tree Café manager, and are invited applications by the end of July. Details can be found on the vacancies page here. Please be praying for the right people to fill these special roles, and help share the ads.

Mission Update

Foodbank Update

URGENT LIST

• Tuna 

• Pasta sauces

• UHT semi skimmed milk

• Tinned Peas / Carrots and Tomatoes

• Biscuits and crackers

• Orange/Blackcurrant squash

• Orange/Apple 1 litre juice cartons

• Tea bags/Coffee/Hot chocolate

The latest shopping list can be found here. Please take a look and add a few items to your next shop.

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.

Volunteer Vacancy: HMP Send Multifaith Chaplaincy
[Godalming Minster has a small group of volunteers who serve with the HMP Send Multifaith Chaplaincy, where until recently Rev Lesley Mason was the Prison Chaplain.]

Have you thought about joining a friendly team of volunteers who are dedicated to working with vulnerable people? The Chaplaincy is seeking volunteers to assist with administrative tasks. If you enjoy collaborating with like-minded people and can spare half a day or more each week, this could be the perfect volunteering opportunity for you.

We are looking for individuals with strong communication skills who can use email, Microsoft Word, and Excel. While experience with these programs is beneficial, it is not required as we provide training.

To learn more or express your interest, please email chaplaincysend@justice.gov.uk addressed to our Managing Chaplain. We are here to help you discern if this opportunity is a good fit for you.

Elsewhere

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

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.

Community & Fellowship

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about 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 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 9.30am-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.

Dear Friends

The notices for this Sunday and the next (28th July) have been pre-scheduled. Therefore there are no new items, apart from the updated list of services.

In the notices this week:

• Services this Sunday

• Alpha Courses this Autumn

• Marriage MOT course

• Staycation events in The Octagon

• Save the Date for the St Mark’s 90th Thanksgiving Service

• Holiday Club

• Sunday 1 September: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to Patrick and Sheila (All Age service followed by a BBQ) – everyone’s invited!

• Other dates for the diary

This Sunday

Stay open minded !
Reading Acts 15: 1-21

We continue the sermon series: Build on a Rock – based on the life of the disciple Peter. The readings for each week, and a short topic descriptor can be picked up at Minster services this Sunday, and can be printed here.

Services

9am Choral Eucharist
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)

10am Classic Service
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

10am Morning Worship
Hambledon (St Peter’s)

10am Morning Worship
Franklyn Road (St Mark’s)

10.30am Contemporary Service [HC]
Church Street (St Peter & St Paul’s)
Children’s groups in the Octagon. Coffee from 10.15am.

6pm Evening Worship
Brighton Road (Busbridge)

Look up services for next Sunday and find more information about congregations and service times 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.

Pastoral Team News
Our thanks and congratulations to Liz Sadler and Simon Callaghan having recently completed the Diocesan Pastoral Training Course. We welcome them onto the Minster Pastoral Support Team.

Liz will mainly be seen at services in Godalming Minster Church Street. Her role will focus on supporting members of those congregations and the families who attend the Octots and the baby group held mid-week at Church Street.

Simon will be seen mainly at the 6pm service at Brighton Road, and occasionally the Contemporary service at Church Street. Simon is exploring bereavement visiting and supporting those with mental health difficulties.

We are also blessed by the addition of Gavin Harper to the Pastoral Care Team. Gavin is an experienced pastoral visitor, having worked in this role previously at St Andrew’s Church, Oxshott. He will be mainly found at Godalming Minster Hambledon.

Their pictures have been requested and will be available soon, and each will be introduced in services in the coming weeks.

Following the recent PCC meeting, we are delighted to formally welcome Mitchell Farquharson as our new Principal Organist for the Minster’s choral worship. Mitchell is an outstanding organist and he has previously been at Chichester Cathedral. Everyone is welcome can experience Mitchell’s playing at the Choral Eucharist and Evensong services.

We’re running Alpha!
Weds evenings 25th Sept – 27th Nov & Thurs lunchtimes 26th Sept – 28th Nov

Rev Lesley Mason is leading the courses this Autumn, and we’d like everyone to consider whether they would like to join in as a participant, or as a member of the team who helps lead, host and cater for the 12 sessions. Look out for invitations, posters and social media posts and please share them and encourage people along.

To find out more or register for a place go to https://godalmingminster.org/alpha

The sign up button takes you to the Wednesday evening course, but gives the option to sign up for Thursday lunchtimes instead.

To volunteer to help host, cook or set up please use the form below.

Thanks to the two heroes that came forward after our appeal for new volunteers in the Yew Tree Café. There is room for more, particularly on Tuesday afternoons and Fridays. No experience required as full training will be given! Volunteers do everything and anything from serving tables, taking orders, making drinks and sandwiches, clearing up and cleaning, and of course talking to our lovely customers and giving a listening and caring ear as needed.

If your skills are in baking then we’d love you to join our very small band of bakers to produce the yummy cakes we serve – all done in the Old Rectory kitchen with full instructions, equipment and ingredients.

If you can’t commit to a full half day then other options are available – do ask us! Or fill in the volunteer form. We’d love to have you on board.
The Café Leadership team.

Please note the café will be closed on Saturday 3rd August.

Coming Up

July

Prime Time Summer Celebration – 19 July 2.30-4.30pm
Helpers and participants are invited to the second annual Summer Celebration at the Busbridge Old Rectory. It’s a lovely afternoon (with tea and cake) and a great chance to meet people involved with Older People’s Ministry. If you’d like to augment the Prime Time hospitality team which is rather depleted for this event, please contact penny.naylor@godalmingminster.org.

Saturday 20 July Marriage MOT evening – Make a good thing even better!  Join us for a fantastic opportunity for couples build and enrich their relationship, however long you’ve been married. More details >

The Lammas Handbell Ringers invite you to a concert and supper on Sat 27th July at 6.30pm. “Our Dancing Day overlooking the River Wey” will take place in The Octagon at Godalming Minster Church Street. Tickets £12 including a 2-course supper are available from Helen 07760 494 703 or Barbara 01483 415600. During Staycation The Lammas Handbell Ringers are holding an Introduction to Handbell Ringing on Thursday 8th August at 4-5pm or 6-7pm. It’s FREE, but numbers will be limited so please contact Barbara to reserve your space.

Also in the Octagon during Godalming Staycation, Janet Davies is holding a “Sew Simple” hand embroidery session on Weds 7 August from 9 until 12 noon. All equipment and materials provided. Tea/coffee, cake and crafting. Telephone Janet on 07967 683443 to book a place. Limited to 12 people (under 18 to be accompanied by adult). Free but donations welcome to help cover costs. Any profit will go to Godalming Minster.

August

Nexus Summer Outing – History Walk of Busbridge. 2-4.30pm
Join Nexus and Martyn Sandford on a history walk around Busbridge, ending at The Pavilion by Howling Owl at about 4pm for a cup of what you fancy. Meet at 1.45pm outside the Busbridge Old Rectory at Godalming Minster Brighton Road and enjoy the font of Martyn’s knowledge about the local history of the area.

90th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service at Franklyn Road – 8th August at 3pm
St Mark’s Church is 90 years old this year. The Foundation stone was laid on 8th August 1934. We are holding a Thanksgiving Service on Thursday 8th August at 3pm followed by a cream tea. We would love for people across Godalming Minster to be there to give thanks for the history of St Mark’s church and more recently its community centre, and to pray for its future serving the Franklyn Road area. There will be a celebratory cream tea after the service so an idea of numbers would help the congregation plan. You can sign up using the link above.

Holiday Club 28-30 August
Sign up now for the first ever Godalming Minster Summer Holiday Club! It’s for primary age children in school years R-6. Invitations are going to the our church schools next week, and spaces are limited this year.

You are never too old to look for the greatest treasure, and this Holiday Club will be as much fun for older members of the crew as our young buccaneers. If you’d like to join the adventure, please get in touch with Jenny Lansdowne e: jenny.lansdowne@godalmingminster.org.

Sunday 1 Sep – 2 happy endings: Holiday Club Finale & Farewell to the Samuels
Godalming Minster will host the Holiday Club finale, and say a fond farewell to the Revs Sheila and Patrick Samuels at a special 11am All Age service at Godalming Minster Brighton Road. This will be followed by a fun filled BBQ in the Busbridge Old Rectory Garden. The 11am service replaces Muddy/Church in the Park and the Classic service, and allows for the other congregations to join the 11am service and/or the BBQ.

The congregations will have the chance to say goodbye to Patrick during July (14th July at Classic, 21st at Choral Eucharist and Contemporary, 28th at Franklyn Road). Sheila’s last Sunday is 1st September (Patrick will be returning from his new parish) and we would like to present them with a gift of appreciation at the BBQ. To contribute to this, please see ways to donate.

What’s on Where

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

Church Family News

One of the young adults in our church family is looking for a room or house share where she can live affordably and independently. The location needs to be suitable for a non-driver, with walkable access to public transport and amenities. If you can think of any possible options, please contact the office.

Marcus and his family will be saying farewell at the Contemporary Service on Sunday 21st July. If you would like to contribute to a leaving gift, please drop it into the Minster Office at the Old Rectory, or use Donate to give something online. Please include ref: Marcus.

Job Vacancies

We have taken the decision to re-advertise the posts of Children and Families Pastor (4-11’s) and Yew Tree Café manager, and are invited applications by the end of July. Details can be found on the vacancies page here. Please be praying for the right people to fill these special roles, and help share the ads.

Mission Update

Foodbank Update

URGENT LIST

• Tuna 

• Pasta sauces

• UHT semi skimmed milk

• Tinned Peas / Carrots and Tomatoes

• Biscuits and crackers

• Orange/Blackcurrant squash

• Orange/Apple 1 litre juice cartons

• Tea bags/Coffee/Hot chocolate

The latest shopping list can be found here. Please take a look and add a few items to your next shop.

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.

Volunteer Vacancy: HMP Send Multifaith Chaplaincy
[Godalming Minster has a small group of volunteers who serve with the HMP Send Multifaith Chaplaincy, where until recently Rev Lesley Mason was the Prison Chaplain.]

Have you thought about joining a friendly team of volunteers who are dedicated to working with vulnerable people? The Chaplaincy is seeking volunteers to assist with administrative tasks. If you enjoy collaborating with like-minded people and can spare half a day or more each week, this could be the perfect volunteering opportunity for you.

We are looking for individuals with strong communication skills who can use email, Microsoft Word, and Excel. While experience with these programs is beneficial, it is not required as we provide training.

To learn more or express your interest, please email chaplaincysend@justice.gov.uk addressed to our Managing Chaplain. We are here to help you discern if this opportunity is a good fit for you.

Elsewhere

The National Trust Munstead Wood are running Chance to Chat sessions at Godalming Museum from 10-12 noon on the third Saturdays of the month. More details >

Life Issues 2024 – a programme of talks and course run by Godalming Baptist Church.

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.

Community & Fellowship

Nexus meets on the 1st Thursday of the month, with talks and activities for church members and the community. More about 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 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 9.30am-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.