Author: vick.hicks

Many of you will know, and remember, Ian and Karen Cooke, who worshipped here for several years, until they moved to Milford.  Ian was one of our wonderful sound team and they also belonged to one of our house groups.  We are deeply saddened to have to tell you that Ian died peacefully on Thursday 1st June, after a short illness. We send our love and prayers to Karen, Molly and Stanley. Ian’s funeral will take place at Clandon Wood on Thursday 22nd June at 1.00pm followed by burial.  Any friends who would like to come to the service will be very welcome. Please hold Karen and the children in your prayers, together with Ian’s family and many friends.

Christian Aid
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the house to house collection in Christian Aid week. June Higgins has paid £1,600 in to the C A account. Gift aid has not yet been added so the final total will be higher.

Update on Music Development Role
Over the past few weeks, at the PCC’s request, we’ve been explaining the importance of music in worship and seeking to set out a vision for where it might develop further if someone was given dedicated time for this (ie: remunerated part time – far less than the previous role). There hasn’t been any response to the invitation to help support this financially so it is now right that we review where we go next with music. We have great musicians and are incredibly grateful for their time, commitment and gifts. We’ll be gathering the musicians together soon. The situation as it currently stands is that we have recently ‘lost’ two musicians, the leader of classic music has had a baby (congratulations Jenna!), there is a space in the area of oversight of music development and we have no-one holding music ministry together. A lack of response is not necessarily a poor response. It may be that everyone is very aware that we need to raise significant funds to complete Old Rectory (more on that very soon); it is possible that we are not meant to be developing music at this time and that God has other priorities for us as His church family; it may be that God wants us to look at Sunday worship differently in the future and we need to be open to this possibility.

A reminder of the Hambledon Prayer Breakfast, 8.30am on Saturday 17th June at Hambledon Church. All welcome.

Fundraising events for Old Rectory
A black tie event called the Music in Munstead Soirée was held on 27th May at Alison Martin’s house in aid of the Old Rectory project. We’re delighted to tell you that the soiree raised £1200 – fantastic! Thank you to all those involved in organising this special event.

There are also tickets still available for Midsummer Music at Malthouse Farm  on Saturday 24th June. A relaxing evening of opera, the joyful strains of jazz and classics from the West End and Gilbert & Sullivan…all in the grounds of Malthouse Farm. Bring a picnic, drinks and something to sit on. Tickets are £22 each and available from www.bhcgodalming.org/tickets/malthouse.

Could you be an occasional sound volunteer?
We would love to recruit a few more volunteers to our sound pool for the Busbridge services. The equipment is extremely easy to use – if you can operate a car radio you can operate our system – and we even have an iPad if you would rather not sit at the back! No previous experience necessary as one-to-one training will be given. If you feel you might be able to help this important ministry please email sound@bhcgodalming.org in the first instance. Thankyou.

Sunday 25th June | The BIG June Parish Picnic
From 11.30am in the Old Rectory garden. Bring a picnic, a rug and the whole family!

Monday 26th June | Boys’ BBQ & Beer Bash
There’s a BBQ, there’s beer (and cider) and lots of manly fun, all in the Old Rectory Garden. This is a ticketed event with limited numbers (but free to go along). Book your tickets at www.bhcgodalming.org/tickets. Each ticket is for you and a friend.

Tuesday 27th June | Great Girls’ Get-together
STOP PRESS!! It has belatedly come to our attention that the team who have beautifully organised this event for the last 3-4 years are unable to do it this year. Unless a team of at least 4 people put their names forward to Catherine McBride ASAP, we will unfortunately have to CANCEL this event. Could this be you? Email catherine.mcbride@bhcgodalming.org.

Another event in the Old Rectory Garden – similar to the boys’ bash in that it’s ticketed, each ticket is for 2 people. Go to the website to book, however, this is a far more refined event; we have wine.

Squires Lunch
The next Squires lunch will be on the 18th June at 12 noon; (due to the Parish picnic taking place on the 25th). If you would like to join us to partake of the gastronomic delights of Squires, please let Terry Swanton know by 14th June.Hope you will be able to join us!

please pray for…
· Those affected by recent events in Manchester & London
· Andrew Baker and his family
· Brian Oxborough, in Milford Hospital
· Students facing exams
· Minster Road and their road stewards, Ruth Bennett, Sarah Black & Nick Moore
· Rectory Close and Salt Lane

 

 

We send our love to Susan Sandry, whose father died on Thursday of last week (25th May).  His funeral will take place in Nelson, in Lancashire.  Please hold Susan, Adrian and the wider family in your prayers.

2 South Hill
Massive thanks to the lovely Carol Jones who has done a supreme job of overhauling 2 South Hill for our new curate, David Preece, and his young family. Carol – you are a marvel! Also thanks to her trusty team of helpers including Adrian Sandry, Lynne Hargreaves, Rosemary James, Alan Betts, Karen Kinder, Simon Taylor, Juliet Shadrick, Sue Hardy, Ray Hill, Lorna Sherwin, Anthony Charter, Frances Shaw, Rueben Puddephatt, Jill Johnston, Katrina Williams, David Hart, Becky Whiteman, Dawn O’Toole, Becca Aitkens, Debbie Jones, Darren Montgomery, Alan Harvey and Liz Cooke (hope we remembered everybody). Thanks to you all.

June is always a BIG month here at Busbridge&Hambledon! There’s a lot going on so here’s a supremely helpful list to help you see the wood for the trees…

Saturday 10th June | The BIG Spring Clean
More people still needed for the fab event. 10.00am start at Busbridge Centre. A slap up lunch and all finished by 2.00pm. More information coming soon to those who have already registered.

Saturday 10th June | The Journey: A spiritual reflection
A presentation on the life of Jesus in words and music. 6.30pm at Busbridge Church with a retiring collection for the Old Rectory.

Saturday 10th June, Sunday 11th June | Hambledon Flower Festival
From 10.00am at Hambledon Church.

Saturday 24th June | Midsummer Music at Malthouse Farm
A relaxing evening of opera, the joyful strains of jazz and classics from the West End and Gilbert & Sullivan…all in the grounds of Malthouse Farm. Bring a picnic, drinks and something to sit on. Tickets are £22 each and available from www.bhcgodalming.org/tickets/malthouse. A fundraising event for Old Rectory.

Sunday 25th June | The BIG June Parish Picnic
From 11.30am in the Old Rectory garden. Bring a picnic, a rug and the whole family!

Monday 26th June | Boys’ BBQ & Beer Bash
There’s a BBQ, there’s beer (and cider) and lots of manly fun, all in the Old Rectory Garden. This is a ticketed event with limited numbers (but free to go along). Book your tickets at www.bhcgodalming.org/tickets. Each ticket is for you and a friend.

Tuesday 27th June | Great Girls’ Get-together
Another event in the Old Rectory Garden – similar to the boys’ bash in that it’s ticketed, each ticket is for 2 people, go to the website to book, however, this is a far more refined event. We have wine.

The annual Churches Together Day Trip to Worthing is taking place on Wednesday 19th July. The booking deadline for this event is only just round the corner, so if you would like to join this outing please do let Penny Naylor know by  Friday 9th June at the very latest. Any person who is over the age of 60 is eligible to join this trip, the cost of which is £5 per person. The coaches leave Godalming at 9.30am and depart from Worthing at 4.00pm – the time in between is yours to spend as you choose. Why not get a group of friends together and enjoy a good old-fashioned day out beside the sea? Contact Penny Naylor at the Church Office to reserve your place or email: penny.naylor@bhcgodalming.org.

Prayer at Work
A reminder that the ‘Prayer at Work’ (…and other useful tips for Faith in business…) session is now only a few weeks away. Monday 19th June atSt Saviour’s Church, Guildford 7.45pm – 9.45pm. For more details go to www.cofeguildford.org.uk/transforming-work.

4-11s Ministry Leader
We’re still recruiting for the 4-11s Ministry Leader. If you think this could be for you, it’s not too late! Hours could be flexible, though you would need to work around the key festivals of Christmas and Easter. Why not have a chat with James Ellin 01483 421267 or james.ellin@bhcgodalming.org?

please pray for…
· Those affected by recent events in Manchester
· Andrew Baker and his family
· Brian Oxborough, in Milford Hospital
· Service men & women
· The BIG Spring Clean on 10th June
· Students facing exams
· Maryvale and their road steward, Jackie Beale
· Quartermile Road and Roundals Lane

 

 

Some thoughts about cars…

What was your first car? You might think it a strange question, but I remember my first car with great affection. I even have its number on the tip of my tongue SNK 17D whereas I have to stop and think if you wanted the number of my present car. The car had a revolutionary design. It was a Wedgwood blue Triumph Herald with a sub-chassis and a bonnet, which folded forward to give you full access to the engine. Maintaining most of the working parts was easy and for this reason it was a good car to use for gaining mechanical experience. You could even sit on the front wheel while you worked on the engine, they don’t make them like that any more! For all its good points it had one major failing, in a word RUST. No matter how much care you took over the bodywork it just seemed to rust away before youreyes. Re-sprays and under seal could hold it at bay but it always came back again so with some sadness it had to go.

Like a car the Christian Church is made up of different parts, that is to say, you and me and we are given different gifts. Like the components of a car we are all called upon to make the whole thing work efficiently. In todays reading we hear about some of the gifts; Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Working Miracles, Prophesy, distinguishing between Spirits, Tongues and The interpretation of Tongues, all for the common good. Now you might ask where are some of these gifts in our church? Could it be that they are there but somehow they have been allowed to get rusty?

 

Welcome to Olive Bareau-Dunn and her family as they gather to celebrate Olive’s baptism at Hambledon Church today.

Baby News!
We send our love and congratulations to Stephen and Jenna Brown, celebrating the safe arrival of a 7lb 4oz baby boy – Edward Richard – on Sunday 21st May.  All well!

4-11s Ministry Leader
We’re still recruiting for the 4-11s Ministry Leader. If you think this could be for you, it’s not too late! Hours could be flexible, though you would need to work around the key festivals of Christmas and Easter. Why not have a chat with James Ellin 01483 421267 or james.ellin@bhcgodalming.org?

A Call to Pray! Whole Church Prayer event next week
Wednesday 31st May 8.00pm – 9.15pm Busbridge Church. Please join us as we gather as a church family to pray for our nation and our neighbourhood. This is a really important opportunity to hold our nation in prayer in these difficult times, as well has praying for our local communities and in particular the hopes and plans for our Old Rectory in Busbridge. There will be a number of different ways of praying on offer, so whether you prefer to sit quietly, walk around or get creative, there will be something for you.

Sunday 4th June Thy Kingdom Come
A day of celebration for Pentecost is being held at Guildford Cathedral for all ages. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will officially open the event at 4.30pm. From 4.30pm to 6.00pm there is a Pilgrimage, Prayer and Food Festival. Then at 6.30pm-8.00pm there is a Pentecost Celebration Service for young people, hosted byBishop Jo Wells and Pete Grieg, with worship led by the Boileroom Ignite band. See the Diocesan website for more information about the day and how to book your free ticket www.guildford-cathedral.org/events/thy-kingdom-come.

Thank you
Simon, Catherine and family would like to say a very special thanks for the lovely ‘Stewardship’ support that arrived recently.

‘Holiday at Home’ at Godalming Baptist Church
Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th July. This is a happy, two day event for senior folk in our community with musical entertainment, a quiz, craft, armchair Keep-Fit, delicious meals, homemade cakes and much more! If you know of any neighbours, friends or family members who would benefit from a happy time together, do call in at GBC for a booking form (Reception is open Monday-Fridays 9.00am – 12 noon).

A reminder that Hambledon Flower Festival is on Saturday and Sunday 10th & 11th June, from 10.00am to 6.00pm at Hambledon Church.

Busbridge Open Gardens
Saturday 24th June & Sunday 25th June 2.00pm – 5.00pm In aid of The Cellar Café and Cancer Research. Enjoy a stroll around Busbridge with the unique opportunity to visit a variety of beautiful gardens including Godalming in Bloom award winners. Chat to the garden owners and be inspired!

Refreshments, plants and produce will be on sale.

Tickets and maps to visit as many venues as you wish over the weekend will be available from The Cellar Café. Tickets £5 (children under 16 free).

Nexus
To mark the 150th Anniversary of Busbridge Church, on Thursday 8th June we’re having a guided tour of the renowned Munstead Wood gardens, led by Annabel Watts, head gardener.  We meet in Busbridge Church porch at 5.45pm for a brief introductory talk on Gertrude Jekyll’s design influence on the church, before visiting the gardens.  After the tour, we return to Busbridge Church for drinks and tasty finger foods! There are no spaces left, but we look forward to seeing those of you who have already signed up for this enjoyable, and interesting, event.  Let’s hope it’ll be a lovely, warm June evening!

Note from Sarb Klair
“I will be ordained at Guildford Cathedral at 3.00pm on 2nd July should anyone from church wish to come along to support me.”

‘Meditation’ Recital – 10th June
Will you be exhausted/exhilarated on Saturday 10th June after the Big Spring Clean and the Hambledon Flower Festival (not to mention a certain political matter a couple of days earlier)? Come and seek refreshment at 6.30pm in Busbridge Church when ‘Meditation’ will give a presentation on the Life of Jesus in words and music. The recital will last about an hour and will be followed by refreshments. Do please come and support them, and the Old Rectory Project for which there will be a retiring collection. For refreshment purposes please let us know if you are coming along. Email Rosie James or fill out a sign in sheet at the back of church. Thanks!

BIG Spring Clean – Saturday 10th June
Thanks to everyone who signed up over the last week – we still need another 10 volunteers to put their names forward and enjoy the spring clean madness fun. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO GET DONE, and cannot do it without a large number of people to help. Come on people! There’s jobs for everyone. Plus a yummy lunch. Email karen.kinder@bhcgodalming.org or call the Church Office.

please pray for…
· Those affected by recent events in Manchester
· Andrew Baker and his family
· Brian Oxborough, in Milford Hospital
· Skillway students and staff
· The BIG Spring Clean on 10th June
· Students facing exams
· Maplehatch Close and their road stewards, Janet Harvey and Vicki Scarborough
· Parkfield and Rock Hill

 

What sort of world do we live in when a child of 8, along with 21 other people, is slaughtered in the name of a religion?

What is the world coming to when the lives of thousands are turned upside down by the aftermath of such an atrocity?

Good as our security services are, they cannot possibly detect every would-be terrorist act. We have to be vigilant too.

At one of our services last week, Ian described his working day and the good conversations he had with colleagues of other faiths and none. When asked for his favourite bible verse, he quoted Micah 6 verse 8:

What does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Those words take us beyond ourselves to our relationships with those we meet day by day and with God. They take us on to our frontline where we put them into practice. While it is natural to seek justice for those directly affected last Monday, we are required to act justly as we seek fairness and equality for all, particularly the weak and powerless.

To love mercy is to show kindness as in love, loyalty and faithfulness to those with whom we have a relationship.

To walk humbly with our God is to love him in the same way he loves us. A tall order, but with his help we can, and together we can make a difference. There is an old Chinese proverb: change the world begin with me.

The ball is in our court!

 

Small things make a difference. Trying to get home from the other side of Guildford when the A3 and all surrounding roads were gridlocked, I decided to sit it out in a café. I had checked the traffic on my phone so often that the battery ran out. Some people at the next table, seeing my frustration, offered me their phone to make a call – probably a small thing to them, but a big thing for me.

Someone called Edward Lorenz coined what is known as the ‘butterfly effect’-  the concept that small events can have large, widespread consequences. The name comes from his suggestion that a massive storm might have its roots in the faraway flapping of a tiny butterfly’s wings.

Apparently this is only the first part of what Lorenz actually said. He went on to say that although science might suggest that any prediction is possible as long as we have enough information, in reality, the larger meaning of the butterfly effect is not that we can readily track such connections, but that we can’t.

We tend to think that the world should be comprehensible, that everything happens for a reason, and we can pinpoint all those reasons, however small they may be. But nature, and human nature in particular, defies this expectation.

We may not think our ‘flapping’ makes any difference at all. On the other hand, it may set off a ‘storm’. God calls us to be faithful and to leave the ‘completion’ to Him (Phil. 1.6).

As Bishop Festo Kivengere once said, ‘I’m just an ordinary Christian. There are no extraordinary Christians anywhere, just ordinary ones saved by an extraordinary Saviour’.

 

A TYPICAL MONDAY MORNING

(Office/school/college/friend’s house etc etc)

 

THEM: ‘Oh hi, how are you? Did you have a good weekend?’

YOU: ‘Oh hey, yeah, really great weekend thanks’

THEM: ‘ ‘Really great’ huh? Why, what did you get up to that was so great?’

YOU: [SQUIRMING SLIGHTLY] ‘Ermm…haha…well…ummm…I spent time with some friends and family and erm…ummm…haha…cough…went to church…cough…’

THEM: ‘You go to church do you? Oh right, never realised you were a church goer! Wow, I mean, that’s good…for you…I mean, so you go regularly?’

YOU: Well, I mean, haha, ummm…well basically we umm…sort of erm….go every now and then yes….’

THEM: ‘Oh right! Wow, so…are you a er…a ummm…Christian then?’

YOU: [PAUSE]… [NERVOUS LAUGHTER] …well…err….ummm…..

…cue ‘Eastenders’ style drum roll

What would you say?

What have you said in answer to this question?

This week…Nicodemus gets a lesson from Jesus in ‘spiritual biology…’

and undergoes massive transformation ending up willing to stand up and stand

out even in the face of opposition.

What would it take for the same to happen to you?

 

Ascension Day Service, Busbridge Church
Thursday 25th May, 7.30pm. All are warmly invited to this service to celebrate Ascension Day.  Our friends from the other churches in Godalming will be joining us and there will be drinks and light refreshments/nibbles served after the service. Please do come and celebrate this important day in the Christian calendar.

Christian Aid Week: 14th-20th May
We will be issuing Christian Aid Envelopes to all Congregations on Sunday 7th, 14th and 21st. Don’t forget to sign the Gift Aid slip if it’s appropriate. If you would like to do a house to house collection there is a sign up sheet at the back of Busbridge Church or contact June Higgins who will coordinate roads. If you would like to raise funds in any other way please let Michael Stubbs know.

Rhiannon Stubbs and Jack Lovell’s Wedding is on the 20th May – we would love to invite those of the church family who know Rhiannon to come along to the wedding at Busbridge church at 2.30pm and to stay for refreshments at church afterwards.

Prime Time trip to Brooklands – Wednesday 17th May
This is a reminder to all Prime Time members that anyone wishing to join this trip needs to return their booking form and payment to Penny as soon as possible please. If you are not a Prime Time member but would like to explore Brooklands as part of a group, places are still available and all are welcome. Further details can be obtained by contacting Penny Naylor in the Church Office or via email: penny.naylor@bhcgodalming.org.

BIG Spring Clean – Saturday 10th June
Are you new to Busbridge&Hambledon? Do you want to get to know some different people? Or perhaps you’d like to join in with more at church, but only have limited time. Or maybe you’re a really fun person who just likes to get involved! If these describe you, or even if they don’t, please sign up ASAP for the BIG Spring Clean. WE HAVE SO MUCH TO GET DONE, and cannot do it without a large number of people to help. Come on everyone! Email karen.kinder@bhcgodalming.org.

Father’s Day
…Is on Sunday 18th June and Busbridge Church is celebrating in style. Bring the aforementioned father to a 10.30am special service, run by men, for men. Yorkie bars and bacon butties provided.

Feba prayer meeting
Monday 8th May at 10.30 to 11.30am at 42 Minster Road. Contact Sheelagh Godwin for more information.

2 South Hill
Carol Jones is co-ordinating the decorating of 2 South Hill (where the Gibsons used to live) in preparation for our new curate, David Preece, and his family. She needs (1) people to help her paint (any help very welcome) and (2) a bit of garden tiding and lawn mowing. We only have two and a half weeks to do this in so it is a very tight time scale. Contact Carol ASAP if you can help.

Alan Hulme Event – 10th May
Stepping out in confidence…”Be prepared to give an answer”. All welcome to come to this event with Alan Hulme, Director and Team Leader for Parish Development and Evangelism. This is a 90 minute session aimed at all Christians who want to become more confident in talking about their faith and sharing it with others.
Meet at Busbridge Church at 7.00pm for social, nibbles and drinks, with the talk and discussion starting at 7.45pm.

Nexus
On Thursday 11th May, Maggie and Chris Jagger will tell us about SALCET’s first trip to Uganda last November. In the poor area of Makasa in SW Uganda, they ran medical clinics with Compassion; were involved in setting up and funding equipment for an agricultural project; and provided equipment for a Christian dentist running the Mata Dental Clinic. Come and hear all about the great work they accomplished during their two-week visit!  We meet in the Busbridge Church Centre at 8.00pm and will have drinks and nibbles before the talk starts.  We very much look forward to seeing you.  All welcome!

Noticeboards
There are currently 4 x A3 sized noticeboards across the parish, where we display service times and other special events. We were thinking it would be great to have even more of these… so – Busbridge residents – Would you like your community to know more about what goes on at Busbridge&Hambledon? Do you want to raise the profile of the church in Busbridge? And most importantly, do you have room in your front garden for a sign of your very own? If you’d like to find out more, please talk to Karen Kinder in the first instance.

Blokes’ Biking date change
Please note that there has been a date change to the May outing for Blokes’ Biking. It will now be happening on Wednesday 17th May – all welcome. This group of blokes are all ages, shapes, sizes, biking ability and senses of balance. Meet in the Homebase carpark at 7.30pm. The bike ride is followed by a restorative pint at the Inn on the Lake. Feel free to join in for the pint end of things if you can’t make the cycle.

please pray for…
· Andrew Baker and his family
· John Adams (Hambledon)
· Brian Oxborough, now in Milford Hospital
· Mark Pateman, Penny Naylor, Karen Franks and the Befriending Scheme
· High Ridge and their road stewards, Barbara Hubble and Debbie Scott
· Old Rectory Gardens, Malthouse Lane and St Dominic’s School