Author: vick.hicks

We have been deeply saddened this week to learn of the deaths of three people connected with our church family: Brian Phillips (Dave’s father), Flossie Lewer (former 8 o’clocker and lifelong member of Busbridge Church), and Barbara Lockhart (a faithful Prime Time member).  We send our love and prayers to Dave, Kate, Daisy, Mimi and Lily, as well to Dave’s mother, Ruth and to Mary Phillips; to Brian, Flossie’s nephew; and to Barbara’s daughter, Angela and family; and Nick, Barbara’s brother. Also, a reminder of funeral details for Michael Barrett: 11.00am on Tuesday 26th September at Busbridge Church followed by a committal at the crematorium. All friends warmly invited. We pray for God’s comfort and peace to surround all who mourn.

Memorial Service
Saturday 14th October 2017 at 3.00pm
We shall be holding our annual Memorial Service in October and this is an open invitation to all who may wish to come.
If you have been bereaved within the last two years, you will receive a personal letter of invitation. However, we want to spread the net of welcome as widely as possible and extra letters are available at the back of both churches nearer the time. We hope that anyone who has been bereaved, however long ago, will feel able to join us for this special occasion.  We shall also be delighted to welcome any family members or friends who might like to come with you. Margot Spencer

Thank you to the couple who have expressed interest in running the baptism course (two evenings, 3-4 times a year). We’d love to have a couple of others to support this welcome and introduction to faith ministry. Speak to Simon or Dave Preece. Simon mentioned at Busbridge last Sunday that we’re still looking for a few people for the important fortnightly Strictly Pathfinders ministry; if this could be you please speak to James or Simon.

Busbridge Church 150th Anniversary in 150 objects
Saturday 21st October 10:30am – 4pm
Sunday 22nd October 12:30pm – 4pm
A once in a lifetime occasion bringing together objects which tell the story of 150 years of Busbridge Church: the place, the heritage, the people. Bring along your own items: photos, letters or objects and see how they fit into the story alongside rarely seen church artefacts and photos. Find out more about the people of Busbridge over 150 years! A trail activity for children and refreshments available. How can you get involved? Look through your attics, garages and photo albums – do you have anything we could use in the display? Come along for an hour to help welcome visitors or serve refreshments…bring family and friends as part of the weekend…help us identify individuals in photographs…document your own memories and anecdotes…make a cake/biscuits for refreshments. For further information, to offer help and to let us know what you have found please contact Janine Bailey 150th@bhcgodalming.org 

Simon Marriage, Verger, retires 20th October.  We give thanks for his 30 years of faithful service. The search for his successor continues. If you are interested to learn more please contact the Wardens, Keith or Frances.

Classic Service needs more welcomers, on a casual or fixed Sunday basis. It’s a great way to meet people and is very enjoyable. If you are able to welcome, even if it’s not very often please see Debbie Scott or contact on 07769752216 or email deborahnicolescott@outlook.com

Catherine leaving
Catherine McBride’s last services before leaving for Shropshire will be at Busbridge at 6.30pm on 8th October, and at the 9.00 and 10.30 on 15th October at Hambledon.

· There will be an opportunity to say farewell over a cake/nibbles and drink in Busbridge church after the 6.30 on 8th (with a follow on at Inn on the Lake for those interested!)

· There will be a tea party at Feathercombe, Feathercombe Lane (GU8 4DP), at 3.30pm on 15th. With numbers limited, tickets are required for this – available from the churchwardens.

· Catherine will also be at the Merry Harriers on the evening of 12th October if you happen to be passing by, from 7.45pm.

Please note the restriction on numbers at Feathercombe – you may wish to join the alternative gatherings, if you are able to do so. Catherine’s installation at St Mary’s Market Drayton will be at 7.00pm on 22nd November. If you are interested in coming along, we have been approached by the kind people there about possible provision of accommodation, either by church members or using local B&B options. Alternatively, there could be the option of a coach back that night, depending on numbers. Please let Alan know soonish a) if you plan to attend and b) whether you’d prefer the accommodation or coach option  email alan.harvey@bhcgodalming.org. Finally, a reminder that we are arranging a leaving gift for Catherine. Please pass any cash donations or cheques to Alison Martin, Alan Harvey or Liz Cooke  (cheques payable to St Peter’s church, Hambledon), or send by bank transfer to the Hambledon church account sort code: 40-52-40 acc no: 00019678  quoting ref CATHERINE.

 

We are very sad to report that Michael Barrett died peacefully on Tuesday 12th September, in Birtley House. He had been staying there since he came out of hospital and was wonderfully looked after. Please pray for Michael’s brother, John, and sister-in-law Eunice. The funeral service will be held in Busbridge church at 11.00am on Tuesday 26th September 2017, followed by committal at the crematorium. All friends are warmly invited.

Pathfinders Youth (12-14s)
“It’s a great area of church life to be involved in”
Our vision is to work alongside parents to see young people Love God, Follow Jesus, Grow in faith and Share that faith with their mates! We get really excited about what God has planned for their lives. Our hope is to be a church that they want to be part of.
The Sunday Morning team  (10.30am Service) are all male and in need of a couple of females who are gifted at discipling young people.
The Friday Night team (every other Friday) are also looking for people who have a gift at connecting with young people where they are at, and being a first contact to faith in Jesus.
We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to join either team. Why not grab James Ellin and have a chat! 01483 421267 or email james.ellin@bhcgodalming.org.

Music Night for Old Rectory
Gary Wilson-Balchin’s fun charity music event was on Saturday night an raised a healthy £622.20 for the Old Rectory.  Thanks to Gary for all his hard work making this such a fun night.

The next Squires lunch will be on the 24th September at 12 noon. If you would like to join in please talk to Terry Swantonby Wednesday 20th

Do you like talking to God?
How about helping others talk to God? If so, have you considered leading prayers at the 6.30 services?  We’re looking for some more people to join the rota,  with no requirement for a regular commitment. If you’d like to find out more, contact Suzie Lambert at suzie.c.lambert@gmail.com.

Message from Bryan & Tori
Thank you to Busbridge & Hambledon Church for the welcome of our daughter! We want to send our thanks and appreciation for the overwhelming amount of love, prayer, cards, gifts and meals from so many at BHC. It has been such an encouragement to us and a testimony to God’s love at work at BHC. Abigail Rose Silletti is now 3 weeks old (born 24th August 2017) and we look forward to introducing her to our church family when we are a bit more settled. 

Nexus
On Thursday 5th October, John Peddie will come and talk about the work of ASCT – Asian Students Christian Trust (now Children of the Dump – Manila). John is a trustee of ASCT and also runs a media production company. Last year he went to Manila to make a video about the extremely poor families who scrape a living by scavenging from the huge rubbish dump on the outskirts of Manila. This was to help promote the work of the various educational and residential projects undertaken by ASCT and, most importantly, the impact they are having on the communities they touch. You will be moved by the plight of these young ‘children of the dump’. Do come along and find out more! The meeting will start at 8.00pm in the Busbridge Church Centre, and we’ll have drinks and nibbles and time for a chat before John starts his talk.  All are very welcome!

Working party
Stuart Jones is organising a working party to help remove the hedge between the Centre and Old Rectory and needs volunteers to join him between 9.00am – 12.00pm on Saturday 30th September. Bacon rolls/refreshments will be supplied. Volunteers will need to bring chainsaws (with appropriate safety gear), saws, wire cutters (as we need to remove a stretch of wire fencing), spades, wheelbarrows, gloves etc. If people could let Stuart know on asjones1@btinternet.com or 01483 418581 if they are able to give an hour or two that would be helpful with planning for catering.

Contemporary Service
Welcomers are urgently needed for the Contemporary service. We are only asking for a once a month commitment, term time only, with the possibility to do swaps where necessary. Contrary to popular belief, there is more to welcoming than giving out bits of paper, and you don’t need to already know everybody in church. Please contact jenny.lansdowne@btinternet.com. Huge thanks to Nin Moore, Niki Holmes and Ceri Apark who over the past few months have stepped down from welcoming after many years.

Home Group and Harvest Sunday BBQ
On Sunday 1st October we are combining Harvest Sunday with a Home Group sponsored barbeque in Busbridge.  The BBQ will be from 10.00am until 1.00pm across both the classic and contemporary services. This is also an opportunity to find out more about homegroups across BHC so do pop along.

Hambledon Church Harvest Supper…
…will be held at Hambledon Village Hall  on Saturday 23rd September at 7.00pm. Tickets cost £8.00 and are available from the Village Shop or can be reserved by phoning Sheelagh Vacher on 01483 416746.

 

The Invictus Games start soon in Toronto; a para-sport competition for injured and sick armed service personnel started by Prince Harry. The name comes from the poem by William Ernest Henley, which ends, “It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

I wouldn’t disagree with the poem’s sentiments of courage and fortitude ‘against the odds’; but, as someone who follows Jesus, I can’t help thinking, “Really? Am I really the captain of my soul?”

Being on the verge of leaving gives one a certain boldness! So, perhaps I could ask you a provocative question and ask you to give it some serious and honest thought. Who – really – is the captain of your soul? Who or what – really – directs and orders your life: the actions you take; the decisions you make?

Spouse, partner, children, grandchildren, boss, bank manager, personal trainer, friends, Rector (!), Jesus: if you were to place those people in order of who, honestly, most influences your day to day life, what would the pecking order look like? Where would Jesus really come?

Christ’s love compelled Paul to no longer live for himself, but for Him. Jesus’ love literally gripped him and he was utterly powerless to resist it. He would do anything, go anywhere, speak to anyone if Jesus asked him. Can I say the same for myself? Or am I just playing at being a Jesus-follower?

There’s a line of a worship song you might be familiar with: “From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.” It always makes me catch my breath when I sing it. What a ridiculously, terrifyingly, gloriously life-changing thing to say, if I truly mean it.

 

What are the firm foundations on which we build? What is rock solid for us going forward over the next few weeks? 

We are about to start a sermon series on Firm Foundations exploring ‘who am I?’, ‘where do I belong?’ and ‘what am I living for?’. We will be exploring why it is important that we are children of God adopted into God’s family, and what it means to be a citizen of both heaven and earth.

As we start a new term at work, school, church and in our community what are the foundations that we want to build on further?  How might we use the gifts God has given us to bring purpose, hope and new life to others?  How can we be both innocent children of God receptive to the nourishing care of a God who loves and cherishes us, and responsible adult citizens of both earth and heaven bringing the wisdom and insight God has given us?

C S Lewis wrote, ‘Christ wants a child’s heart but a grown-up’s head.  He wants us to be simple, single-minded, affectionate and teachable, as good children are: but He also wants every bit of intelligence we have to be alert at its job, and in first class fighting trim.’ (Mere Christianity).

 

Congratulations to Bryan and Tori Silletti who have been blessed by the arrival of baby Abigail! All are well.

Catherine McBride leaving
Catherine McBride will be leaving us in October to become vicar at St Marys Church, Market Drayton. To mark the occasion we are arranging a leaving gift, and all at Hambledon & Busbridge who have got to know Catherine are welcome to contribute. Please pass any cash donations or cheques to Alison Martin, Alan Harvey or Liz Cooke  (cheques payable to St Peter’s Church, Hambledon), or send by bank transfer to the Hambledon church account sort code: 40-52-40 acc no: 00019678  quoting ref CATHERINE. We will have more soon on arrangements for saying goodbye! 

Old Rectory
Join our Old Rectory project over the next coming months by signing up as a volunteer. There are 7 different teams that need you! Prayer & Support, Cleaning, Baking & Catering, Old Rectory DIY, Outdoors Site Cleaning, Decorating, Church Cottage DIY. There are sign up sheets at the back of church, so fill out your name and join a team for some fun, competitive (yes, men) and gezellige (look it up!) moments with our congregation following our dreams for our church. For more information: nelleke.noort@outlook.com.

Coming soon: a prayer evening for Old Rectory,  Tuesday 17th October, 7.30 pm. Dress warmly as we shall be prayer walking.

Announcement!
We’re delighted to announce that Becky Bradley will be joining the BHC team as the new Busbridge 4-11’s Children’s Worker. She starts this week – do make her feel very welcome.

Thanks to Clare and Richard Grove for taking on organising coffee for the contemporary congregation and the important fellowship and welcome that this offers. We’d like to thank Deb Jones for all she has done for this ministry as she moves to ministry with the Ark children. Richard and Clare will be looking for more people to support the coffee ministry – do offer!

Prime Time Event
Oyez! Oyez! It’s not too late to say you’re coming along to the Prime Time Tea & Talk event with the Farnham Town Crier on Monday 11th September at 2.00pm in Busbridge Church.  Although this is an event planned with Prime Time members in mind, it is open to everyone, so if you have an interest in this most British of institutions do come and join us and hear what he has to say (or should that be shout?!) There is a £2 charge to help us cover the speaker’s fees.  Contact Penny Naylor in the Church office for further details or email penny.naylor@bhcgodalming.org

Baptism Ministry – Volunteers Needed! The baptism of a child is a significant event for any family and for some it may be the first meaningful contact they have with our church. The support, welcome and preparation we provide for these families is, therefore, an important element of our ministry and outreach to our community. Would you like to be a part of this? We are looking for three or four people who would be able to lead a couple of informal preparation sessions in the run-up to each baptism service (there are currently up to 5-6 of these each year, depending on demand). If you would like to find out more about what would be involved please contact Catherine McBride on 421267 or at catherine.mcbride@bhcgodalming.org.

Messy Church at Hambledon
Whilst we are looking for a new Children and Families’ Worker for Hambledon we are also in urgent need of someone to co-ordinate our amazing and dedicated Messy Church Team. Our fun and creative Messy Church services run bi-monthly on the first Sunday of the month and are popular with our young families. For more information about what the role would involve please contact Catherine McBride on 421267 or at catherine.mcbride@bhcgodalming.org.

Home Group and Harvest Sunday BBQ
On Sunday 1st of October we are combining Harvest Sunday with a Home Group sponsored barbeque in Busbridge.  The BBQ will be from 10.00am until 1.00pm across both the classic and contemporary services.  This will be just a part of the other Harvest Sunday activities as well as teas and coffees.  This is meant to be a social for all those attending the services or for those just walking by.  Our hope is that this is a time to have some fun, enjoy a burger or sausage or bacon butty and be together.  We would love to have everyone from BHC to pop in for the whole time or only as long as it takes to get a fresh burger or sausage and go on with whatever your plans are for the day. In addition, we hope to have representatives from each of the various home groups within BHC.  If you have any interest in understanding what a home group is like or explore joining one, then please come along.  For the month of October, we are going to have a “Taste and See” option for all our home groups where anyone can pop in or pop out as they please to see who is meeting, where they are meeting, what this home group thing is all about and whether you might like to join. If there are any questions, then please contact Bryan Silletti at the church office 421267 or email bryan.silletti@bhcgodalming.org.

Hambledon Church Harvest Supper…
…will be held at Hambledon Village Hall  on Saturday 23rd September at 7.00pm. Tickets cost £8.00 and are available from the Village Shop or can be reserved by phoning Sheelagh Vacher on 01483 416746. If anyone feels they could help with food please contact Sheelagh on spvacher@outlook.com this would be much appreciated!

please pray for…
· Our church families who have welcomed new babies in the last few weeks
· John & Jean Adams
· Students starting college or university
· Michael Barrett in Birtley House
· The new term – particularly those starting new schools
· Park Chase and their road steward, Linda Alcock
· The Close and Feathercombe Lane

 

Harvest 2017

October is harvest time. Being a rural community many Hambledon residents will be used to the activity and toil of harvest. Harvest is a time of looking back in thankfulness and looking ahead.

When you look ahead, what do you see? Not literally, but in your mind. It’s an important question because it will shape next year’s harvest. If you’re a farmer you will know that the world of digital agriculture allows for predictive crop creation and adaptation. If the weather next year is likely to be dry you might plan to plant one type of crop now, and so on.

We don’t know what things will be like next harvest because we don’t have a form of digital agriculture that shows us our future lives. This creates insecurity for some and a need to collect and protect; for others it generates senselessness about what life is about; or maybe a question of purpose.

Imagine that, the ability to know the weather a year in advance? You’d be planning BBQs and beach holidays with precision!

Seeing ahead might sound great, but what if you could see your own future? It might appear a great idea but if you google ‘knowing the date of your death’ you are presented with a ‘death clock calculator’… and I haven’t had the courage to try it.

So, some knowledge is good but knowing all things may not be quite so simple. This is what harvest is about for people who follow a Christian faith. It is about giving thanks that God is ultimately our loving Creator, and that we are able look to Him for what the future holds. This isn’t about crops, produce, wealth or security. It is about purpose, destiny and identity. When we know ourselves in this manner we are becoming equipped to be the person God created us to be. If this sounds somewhat religious, let me quote the author of 1960s business book ‘The Money Game’

“The first thing you have to know is yourself. A man [sic] who knows himself can step outside himself and watch his own reactions like an observer.” Adam Smith (author’s pen name), 1968

Harvest shows us that we know ourselves not by what we collect or aspire to for ourselves or our families but by what we exist for. I was asked recently to reflect on years of working with people and to identify the one characteristic which seemed to hold people back from being at peace within themselves. I responded that many people live with a fractured sense of belonging that leads to following after desires that do not fill voids because they’ve forgotten they were created for another purpose. Harvest is a great corrective; like a spiritual detox with a ‘reset’ button waiting to be pressed.

And when you press the reset button, what happens? Well, it depends on what you’re expecting. The Bible says that God is the Lord of the harvest, but the harvest talked about there is people: people who recognise that God is calling to them. My experience is that those, who know things are fractured, recognise that a spiritual detox is powerful but that it is the beginning rather than a magic solution. It is the beginning of looking at the future differently and seeing themselves in a new light.

For Hambledon as village and church this meaning of harvest has special significance in that we are saying farewell to the Rev. Catherine McBride in thankfulness for all she has brought to the village. Catherine has brought us to know ourselves in a deeper way by showing us much of what God is like. We are also looking to the future and asking what God’s purposes are for the church here.

 

We are delighted for Catherine McBride and her new church, but sad for ourselves, to announce that Catherine has been appointed to St Mary’s, Market Drayton. Catherine will leave a huge hole in the staff and 6:30 teams and her oversight of discipleship. The fondest farewells will of course be from St Peter’s Hambledon and the entire village.

She will also be missed in the Diocese, where she has been a curacy tutor and teacher, and in the area of scientific research from her work on medical ethics. We do not have a date for Catherine’s farewell but it is likely to be in October. We do not want to look at the future right now but it is important to reassure everyone, particularly the congregations at Hambledon, that we will be looking at how we replace the irreplaceable! as soon as we can.

 

It’s a girl! And a boy! And another girl!
Theresa and Adam Durrant welcomed Tahlia a few weeks ago, and she was even in church for the first time two Sundays ago!

Andy and Helen Brownstone welcomed twins Samuel Walter and Joy Beatrice, born on 15th July. All well!

The PCC met last week and discussed…
· The excellent plans for the new St Peter’s car park
· A role for a part time Music Development Leader was agreed and this will be put to the church as soon as the full details are available
· The request to reorder the Busbridge nave was approved and the documentation will now go to the Diocese
· An update on Old Rectory plans was given, including that the team is looking to phase the work so that we can approach the church in October about the priorities and additional funds needed
· Rev Dave Preece was welcomed to the Benefice.

Note from Simon…
Thanks goes to Tim Davis for a lot of work recently researching technology for Busbridge Junior School Hall. This is part of the planning that we’ve been mentioning for a while now about the Busbridge Contemporary moving back to the school. We’ve been finding out the needs of different groups, individuals, music teams, the tech people, people with children and others and, in September, we’ll be able to have more discussion about the identity, timing, style, length, etc of both the Contemporary and the Classic services. In the meantime Tim is pressing ahead with plans for making the hall a well equipped space that will also benefit the school. Thanks Tim!

Squires Lunch
The next Squires lunch will be on the 30th July at 12 noon. If you would like to join us and partake of the gastronomy at Squires, please RSVP to Terry Swanton Wednesday 26th July.

Alpha starting in the Autumn
One of our home groups has decided to run an Alpha course beginning in September. If you have not been on the Alpha course before, please do consider attending. The details are still being finalized, but if you are interested in attending Alpha or you know of a friend that might like to attend Alpha then please consider asking them.  Perhaps this is an opportunity to pray about who you might be encouraged to ask to attend Alpha. If you have any questions, then please email alpha@bhcgodalming.org or contact the church office at 01483 421267 or just catch Bryan Silletti to discuss if you have questions.

Nexus
On Thursday 3rd August, we’ll visit Tilford Cottage Garden. This unique NGS garden is designed to delight and amuse, with both formal and natural planting, surprising topiary and even a fairy grotto! We’ll meet at the garden at 11.30am: Tilford Cottage, Tilford Rd, Tilford, Farnham GU10 2BX. The cost is £7 and money raised goes to charity. Do come along and enjoy a lovely walk around this delightful garden. Afterwards we’re going to the Mill at Elstead for a bite of lunch. Please let Pam Cookney know, by 27th July, if you would like to join us for the garden visit, the lunch, or both, so she can let the venues know numbers. Please email her on pamcookney@btinternet.com. This is a lovely garden and we very much look forward to seeing you there.  Friends and family welcome!

Hambledon Church Harvest Supper…
…will be held at Hambledon Village Hall  on Saturday 23rd September at 7.00pm. Tickets cost £8.00 and are available from the Village Shop or can be reserved by phoning Sheelagh Vacher. If anyone feels they could help with food please contact Sheelagh.

This one goes out to all you musicians out there! Our regular bands do an amazing job all year round, but, as you can probably imagine, it gets quite tricky over the Summer months to find musicians to cover all our services. We are really in need of musicians and leaders for the 6.30 services on 30th July and 20th August. If you are a regular band member who is able to do an extra ‘shift’ that would be great; or maybe you haven’t played at church before and have been hiding your light under a bushel! Either way Catherine McBride would be delighted to hear from you, on 01483 421267 or catherine.mcbride@bhcgodalming.org

Prayer Walk Through Busbridge
For those that are interested, Bryan Silletti will be going on a prayer walk through Busbridge on Wednesday 26 July starting from Busbridge church at 2.00pm. Not sure on the specific walk, but the hope is just to walk around Busbridge and bless the area in some way as we go. He would love to have others join him, so all are welcome that are interested. Just show up if you want to participate.

PrayerFest | 0-30 in one hour
This prayer event will be happening on Sunday 20th August, 5.00pm in Busbridge Church Centre.

Saturday 12th August, 8.30am – West Surrey Golf Club
Nichola Hooper to be our guest speaker at the next Hambledon Ladies Breakfast.  Nichola’s daughter has had the privilege of working for Jackie Pullinger, a name many of you may be familiar with. Ladies Breakfast is open to all and tickets will go on sale in the Village Shop on Monday 18th July until Tuesday 8th August.  Sue Blackman kindly co-ordinates the ticket on behalf of the Ladies Breakfast so do call her.

This will be the last notice sheet until September – if you want to find out what’s going on, please visit our website on www.bhcgodalming.org. Have a great Summer!

please pray for…
· Our church families who have welcomed new babies in the last couple of weeks
· Liz Gorst and family
· Roy Keating, Carole and family
· Michael Barrett in the Royal Surrey
· Andrew Baker and Brian Oxborough and their continuing recoveries
· Residents and workers at the Cheshire Home
· Old Rectory Gardens and their road steward, Simon Taylor
· The Avenue and Cricket Green

 

Welcome to the Summer! We’re doing less as a church through the summer because it is good to step back and have space in the activities which make us a church family. We’re still gathering each Sunday but the times and locations vary so check the website week by week. For example, we’ll be at the bandstand in Godalming on Sunday 13th August, 10.00am

The summer is a great time to look around and invite members of the church family round for drinks, a BBQ or just meet up for conversation. Also, there will be visitors at worship through the summer so do look out for people you don’t know and offer a good BHC welcome. You never know, you could be welcoming angels! (Hebrews 13:2).

We might not realise it, but being welcoming, even to people who disagree with us, marks us out as different. We might assume that everyone acts as we do, but this is simply not the case.

We were on a French campsite with some other members of the church family. A couple nearby were really friendly. We all chatted over the next few days and all seemed to be going well. Then we noticed that they had a Christian style fish shaped piece of plastic on the back of their car. This symbol is an ichthus sign meaning ‘Jesus Christ God’s Son Saviour’. It was used as a secret sign by Christians who were persecuted. We did the usual careful, English thing of asking an oblique question about the fish. They responded aggressively “Look carefully. It has legs drawn on it. We’re Darwinians.” They walked away immediately and scowled at us for the rest of the week. There were no more friendships or chats.

 Who might you welcome into your home or in worship in Jesus Name through this summer?

 

We send much love to Liz Gorst, whose mother, Margaret, died suddenly last Friday (7th July).  Please pray for Liz, Steve and James and also for Brian, Liz’s father.

A reminder that the summer sermon series starts soon at Busbridge, which means combined services at 10.00am from 23rd July.

0-30 in 1 Hour

Churches Together have been invited to join together to pray and support the work of children and young people across our community. Praying together for one hour  for the 0 – 30 year olds in our church groups / schools etc…that is,“0 – 30 in One Hour.” This is an invite for people to either come along or forward prayer needs / requests in time for the meeting together on Sunday 16th July  5.00pm – 6.00pm in the Church Centre at Busbridge, as we would love to support  our young people and leaders in prayer. The summer is often a time of change when leaders step down and others are needed to fill their place ready for the Autumn term. There are staff vacancies and as always – new volunteers to support this ministry to be found. The prayer time is open to anyone of any age. It can be out loud or silent and there will be information available to pray. Do send prayer requests and comments to Shân on david_hallam@lineone.net or Michael Stubbs on  michaeleashing@aol.com and let either of us know if you can make it.

PSALM 122: Prayer time in Busbridge Church: Monday 17th July

For those that are interested, Bryan Silletti will be praying in Busbridge church from 2.00pm – 3.00pm using Psalm 122 as the basis. He would love to have others join him, so all are welcome that are interested. Just show up if you want to participate.

Hambledon news…

There is an urgent need within our Hambledon community that we as a wider church can fill…will you help us to do so please? Every Wednesday morning from 9.30am until 11.30am there is a community toddler group that operates in the village hall of Hambledon called Hambletots. They are in need of people to help by serving tea, coffee and snacks to mums/grannies/carers and tots while joining in with conversation and doing the washing up. If you are feeling particularly generous and wanting to really make them feel loved, you could always bring along a cake too. Currently this link is made by Jenna who will be moving on at the end of the month. If you or someone you know has a heart for young local unchurched families please contact Katie on 07739 323444 to offer help when you can, once a month would be brilliant! 

Are you passionate about bringing the good news about Jesus to young children and their families?

We have funding for a part-time post (14 hours per week) for someone to head-up our mission to 0-11 year olds and their families in Hambledon. If you are interested and want to find out more, please speak to Catherine McBride (catherine.mcbride@bhcgodalming.org) or James Ellin (james.ellin@bhcgodalming.org), both on 01483 421267.

Saturday 12th August, 8.30am – West Surrey Golf Club

We are delighted to be welcoming Nichola Hooper to be our guest speaker at the next Hambledon Ladies Breakfast.  Nichola’s daughter has had the privilege of working for Jackie Pullinger, a name many of you may be familiar with. Jackie Pullinger left the UK in 1966 to travel the world and was called by God to get off her boat in Hong Kong where she has been working and ministering amongst Drug Addicts ever since.  She is also the author of ‘Chasing The Dragon’. It will be interesting to learn about her current work through Nichola’s daughter. The Ladies Breakfast is open to all and tickets will go on sale in the Village Shop on Monday 18th July until Tuesday 8th August.  Sue Blackman kindly co-ordinates the ticket on behalf of the Ladies Breakfast so do call her on 01428 683871 if you are unable to get to the Village Shop, and she will happily reserve your tickets. If you would like to bring a new guest for the first time, we would be delighted to offer them a complimentary ticket, please liaise with Sue. On behalf of the HLB Team we look forward to welcoming you on Saturday 12th August.

Old Rectory Update

Thanks to Debbie Scott for offering to help Jo Cookes and Simon with what we hope will be our final gift day for the Old Rectory project. Richard Grove, Tom Jones and Mark Williams have reviewed the three lowest tenders and are meeting builders in the next ten days to ensure that costs are accurate.

Diocesan Day of Healing & Wholeness at Guildford Cathedral

Saturday 9th September…teaching, workshops, worship and Healing Prayer – Keynote Speaker is the Revd Wes Sutton, Director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation, with a Service of Healing led by Rt Revd Andrew Watson, Bishop of Guildford. £25pp. 10.00am – 4.00pm. To book: www.acornchristian.org/events or call 01420 478121. All welcome.

please pray for…

· Liz Gorst and family

· Roy Keating, Carole and family

· Michael Barrett in the Royal Surrey

· Andrew Baker and Brian Oxborough and their continuing recoveries

· Those who work/visit in Send Prison

· Godalming High Street and Local Businesses

· Old Barn View and their road steward, Jane Tomes

· Summerhouse Road and Church Lane