It hardly seems possible, but our monthly Men’s breakfasts started 20 years ago, in March 2003. In the early days we often followed courses or had presentations from internal or external speakers, but in February 2009 we moved to the format we now have of breakfast followed by a discussion of a topic of (usually current) interest. The list of topics we have covered makes fascinating reading, and you might want to skim through it (but please have pity on the planet’s resources and don’t print it out!).  

In celebration of this milestone, this coming Saturday, 4th March your tag team of Alan and Dudley will be serving up a 20th Anniversary Fry-Up. Instead of our usual porridge and toast, join us at 8.15am for an Old Rectory All Day Breakfast (so named because you won’t feel like eating anything else for the rest of the day…!).

Afterwards, we thought that we would reflect on some of the topics and discussions we have had over the years (so if you are coming, do take a few minutes to refresh your memories from the attached Topics list). 

It would be lovely to see as many fellow travellers as possible, so do come along at 8.15 on Saturday. It would be helpful to the caterers to have an indication of numbers, so if you know you’re coming do ping us a quick response (but that’s not essential, do come anyway – we’ll have enough grub to cater for all who turn up!). 

There’s no charge but any contributions on the day will be very welcome (unfortunately we are still old school and don’t have a facility to accept plastic – other than £50 notes, that is!). 

Alan and Dudley
for Busbridge&Hambledon Men’s Group

Reflection for the Bridge magazine

We’re entering the season when the song of the birds will largely fall silent. It isn’t the songs which have changed but our ability to hear them. We will not be hearing the sounds as we walk in the woods or drop children at school because the birds are singing their songs far away. The Manx Shearwater will be singing in Argentina, the Arctic tern makes it sounds in Antarctica and the Willow Warbler now warbles its voice 5,000 miles away in the African Spring.

Some birds remain in the UK and because they stay, if we listen, we can become attuned to the beauty of their voices. Our noises often drown this quieter sound from our ears.

Humanly, we each enter different seasons when there seems to be a silence of the soul. The noise of change, uncertainty or fear means that we no longer hear the beauty that we thought we knew so well. We are left with a season that seems to be silent and maybe even a place of desolation or emptiness.

The cause of the change of season is likely to be far beyond our control and there is a lesson from the birds in this as they adapt and migrate. We cannot keep living as if we only have one season of life, employment, God’s creation or in any number of situation that you may be thinking of as you read this.

Things are constantly changing around us, but we can be so used to drowning the changes out that we keep living as if this season will last for ever and that we are in control of this. Accepting that seasons change means accepting loss, and loss is painful, but there is often a new light or we hear the sounds of life differently as we emerge into a new season.

Personally, I have entered a new season with some of my family growing up and growing away. As a local community, we are in a very different season to where we were two or three years ago. As a church in Godalming and locally, we are entering a new season as Busbridge and Hambledon Church becomes an important part of a new venture we are calling Godalming Minster.

In these season changes, the song does not fall silent. The song continues and it may be healing and helpful to consider it as simply being in a different tone, a different place or a different volume. The song doesn’t change because, the Christian faith knows that the deepest song of the soul can be secure. The song of the soul is to seek the Lord and be renewed every morning as we head into this time of autumn and winter. The Psalms put it like this:

“Arise, my soul, and sing his praises! I will awaken the dawn with my worship, greeting the daybreak with my songs of light.”

Why not spend a moment reading those beautiful words by taking them into your own soul for comfort and then listen careful the next time you hear a quiet song of the birds.

Please join in a show of solidarity for Ukraine this Saturday at the Godalming bandstand in Phillips Memorial Park. All political parties and local churches are coming together at this time, with speakers including Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Councillor Paul Follows (Lib Dem), Nick Palmer (Labour) and other local dignitaries. Prayers will be led by Rev Simon Taylor.

It has been a summer of great sporting events: England getting to the final of the Euros and, of course, the Olympics.  I’ve been inspired by the story of Kimia Alizadeh who fled her home country of Iran, saying she felt she was just one of the “millions of oppressed women.” She went on to beat Britain’s two time Olympic Champion Jade Jones in Taekwondo. Kimia became the first athlete from the International Olympic Committee’s refugee team to win a medal.

She said “It was really hard, you change your country, you change your language. Everything changes, and it’s a lot of pressure on your mind. But I think taekwondo helped me in that hard year. When I am training I don’t think about anything.” Kimia’s achievement is all the more poignant given the extra struggles she has had face.

2000 years ago the apostle Paul liked to draw the analogy between how athletes underwent rigorous training to win the Olympics and how this might be an example for our own spiritual journey.

Again he writes explaining how important it is to have a goal

In many ways we are encouraged to have goals. Those who’ve just received their exam results, GCSE’s, A levels, degrees, that new job or promotion, sales targets, fitness, lifestyle, diets and so on, know this well. Yet how often do we think of having goals for our spiritual journey? One pastor once said to me “if you aim at nothing you’ll hit nothing!” Should we not then also pay attention to the condition of the soul? What would it mean though to have goals in this sphere of life and how would we measure success?

The prize Paul refers to is nothing less than God himself. Paul is encouraging us to live in such a way as to be fully devoted, fully enjoying a relationship with God without barriers, shame or guilt. This assumes that we have already been made righteous because righteousness comes as gift of faith when we put our faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. This is good news because God does what we cannot do for ourselves but nevertheless, Paul stresses that our pursuit of God will still be an act of the will (to press on) even after we’ve received the free gift of salvation through Jesus. So what does “pressing on” look like in practice?

Just as an athlete will set smaller goals in order to achieve their ambition we too can set aside some simple practices: Being still, casting our worries on God (prayer), reading scripture, just a few moments a day can make all the difference. When we slow down just long enough we realise, God has been there all along.  Its striking to think that he seeks us and shows his delight in us as we create some space for him. Resting in his presence, his character begins to rub off on us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control – I know if I could simply grow in just one of these “fruits of the Spirit” something beautiful might be achieved. Time to set some goals!

Bell Tolls for Duke of Edinburgh, and Prayers for Royal Family

The bell at St Peter’s Church, Hambledon, tolled 99 times yesterday in remembrance of the life of the Duke of Edinburgh, who died on Friday.

Today (Sunday April 11th) prayers were said for the Royal Family at the 9am service, which ended with the congregation assembling outside to sing the National Anthem.

Derek Miller was the bell ringer at midday yesterday as Hambledon associate vicar Simon Willetts and a small number of villagers gathered outside to witness the occasion. 

Bell Tolls for Duke of Edinburgh, and Prayers for Royal Family. A limited number of worshipers are allowed inside the church under the recent relaxation of Coronavirus restrictions and Simon said he wanted to share with villagers prayers for the Queen and other members of the Royal Family as they mourn the passing of Prince Philip, who was 99.

The 9am service is open to those who register their wish to attend on the Busbridge and Hambledon Churches website here: https://www.bhcgodalming.org/

Services are also streamed on line and details can be found by clicking on the same link.

 in Hambledon, tributes have been paid by our vicar, MP and Parish Council chairman. Under current Government Coronavirus guidelines, a physical Book of Condolence is not allowed. An on-line one is to be made available. Details can be found here: https://www.royal.uk/.

The Union Jack is flying at half-mast at St Peter’s Church. Tomorrow (Saturday April 10th) the church bell will be rung 99 times, beginning at 12 noon. Villagers are welcome to attend but must remain outside and observe 2 metre distancing.

Simon Willetts, associate vicar of Hambledon, said: “On behalf of the parish of St. Peter’s, we are deeply saddened by the news of the death of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.  We offer our condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and her family. We are holding them all in our prayers, may he rest in peace and rise in glory.”

Jeremy Hunt, MP for South West Surrey and a Hambledon resident, said: “Today all of us are feeling a special sense of sadness following the loss of the Duke of Edinburgh. He personified a sense of duty which made us proud of the Royal Family and proud to be British. He sacrificed his own ambition as a promising Royal Navy officer to dedicate himself to a life of service at the Queen’s side and her wonderful longevity is in no small part thanks to his unstinting support. We remember Her Majesty on this sad day and will hold her and her family in our thoughts and prayers.”

John Anderson, chairman of Hambledon Parish Council, said: “It is with great sadness that we learnt today of the death of HRH Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Phillip was a man who has always served our country loyally with devotion to duty and has supported Her Majesty the Queen throughout her reign.

As consort he has carried out his role with good grace and good humour in his own inimitable way. Our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty and all her family at this very sad time.”

For other village information following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, please see previous news stories on this website, including how to sign the official Book of Condolence.

We are remembering HRH Prince Philip. The bells at both Busbridge and Hambledon church were tolled 99 times at 6PM on 9 April, once for every year of his life. You can submit a message to the public online book of condolence, and access prayers and liturgy, at

https://www.churchofengland.org/remembering-his-royal-highness-prince-philip.

We will be paying tribute to and praying for HRH Prince Philip, the Queen and the royal family at our Sunday services 9AM at Hambledon, and 10.30AM at Busbridge.