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  • Mental Health course run by Busbridge&Hambledon Church

    The next online Hope in Depression course is starting soon. This free 6 week mental health course has been run by churches nationally since 2003.

    Could the course be right for you or someone you know?

    The Hope in Depression course is a 6-session course for people experiencing mild to moderate depression and or anxiety and those supporting anyone that is suffering. During the course attendees will hear personal stories and receive practical information and skills that have been clinically shown to help alleviate depression and anxiety. A range of mental health professionals will share information that people can utilise for their own recovery and self-care. The information in the course may not be applicable to those suffering more complex mental health issues, or who are suffering severely, therefore we regret, to comply with ethical guidelines, and we may not be able to admit those guests. The course is run in a warm, caring, confidential, and encouraging environment.

    See https://www.bhcgodalming.org/hope-in-depression for more info, and to register.

  • Sunday 10 January 2021

    NEW YEAR SERMON SERIES:

    PHILIPPIANS – Fulfilled lives

    Readings:
    Online Heritage Service – 1 Philippians 1:1-14 – Andy Spencer preaches on Finding Joy in Lockdown

    Online Classic & Contemporary – 1 Philippians 1:12-18 – Simon Taylor speaks on The Significance of Satisfaction

    Online Services this Sunday



    BHC YouTube

    Find our services on YouTube.
    Pre-recorded services will be available anytime (on demand) after they premiere. Live broadcasts will available to watch at the time, and uploaded at a later date.

    Also this Sunday



    BHC Zoom (PW: 2021)

    Get together on Zoom after each service for a virtual coffee:

    10AM Heritage Coffee
    (Rev Simon Willetts looks forward to seeing the Heritage congregation to chat about the plans for broadcasting live from Hambledon, and prayers and ideas for services in 2021.)
    10.45AM Contemporary Coffee
    11.30AM Classic Coffee

    ALL WELCOME to drop in on Zoom at any of the times above.

    Next Sunday 17 January

    Power of Trust
    Reading: Philippians 2:12-18

    Online services

    9AM Heritage (BCP)
    Speaker: Simon Willetts

    9AM Classic from Busbridge Church

    10.15AM Contemporary: Conversations from the Couch
    Speaker: Dave Preece

    Services all on YouTube, followed by virtual coffees on Zoom.

    Coming Up NEXT this Week:

    See the list below or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar. Select the event to join the meetings on Zoom, or sign up.

    the notices

    Worship during Lockdown 3
    As we head through January we’re offering a number of ways to worship on Sundays. We also meet for prayer most mornings (zoom) and in midweek small groups (online). In the light of the national situation announced on 4/1/2021, there are no face-to-face gatherings or worship.

    We’re confident of the future in Christ as we head into 2021. This means we’re present, active, worshipping and caring in the community and we do this because we know Christ. As 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 says

    “THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, THE NEW CREATION HAS COME: THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW IS HERE! ALL THIS IS FROM GOD, WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION:”

    We’re worshipping, praying and growing in faith online through January. We’re encouraging everyone to do this. If you are alone, isolated or know someone not online and who needs to worship in person then please get in touch with the church office.

    To read more about the theology and the practical reasons for this please see the latest Rector’s Reflection on worship, here: reflections on worship in COVID.

    From the 2nd Sunday of January we are offering:

    • Hambledon Heritage BCP pre-recorded online continues to be at 9am.

    • The Classic is livestreamed at 9am.

    • Conversations on the Couch worship is livestreamed at 10.15am.

    • Zoom “coffee” after each service.

    • Children’s and Youth groups online: 9AM Ark (3-7s), 11.15AM Explorers (7-11s), 4PM Pathfinders (11-14s), Ichthus (15-18s).

    Simon Taylor

    this week

    Busbridge Church closed until 18 January
    We are sorry but the church is closed as we set up and install technology for broadcasting online services. Busbridge Church will be open again daily for private prayer from 18 January 2021. 

    Hambledon Church is open daily from approximately 9.30pm-4pm.

    Thank you to the team of volunteers who open and close the churches, and check the Covid 19 safety processes and instructions are in place for visitors.

    The Old Rectory is closed for the time being and clergy and staff are working from home. The answerphone is checked regularly, but the best way to reach people is by email.

    The JAN/FEB ediition of the Bridge is available online … click here

    Road Stewards needed for The Bridge magazine for College Hill and Brighton Road.
    The Bridge magazine would like to thank Sue Keen for her long standing service as a road steward in Busbridge Lane. The team are very appreciative of all the help Sue has given over many years. Thank you. 

    The Bridge magazine is looking for two or more new road stewards who, 6 times a year, would be willing to deliver magazines to either College Hill and High Ridge (59 houses) or the lower part of Brighton Road, Underhill Close and part of Latimer Road (89 houses). We’d be more than happy to split or share these larger bundles between two road stewards if needed. If you live in, or close to, either of these roads, (or maybe know someone who does and might be willing to take on the role) please contact the editor, Cathy, at editor.atthebridge@gmail.com. We’d be delighted and most appreciative to hear from you.  

    Nexus Online Talk – Walking the Camino Way with Ceri Apark
    All welcome to the New Year Nexus talk next Thursday (14 Jan) at 8PM, in the BHC Public Zoom room. Church member Ceri Apark will tell us of the challenges and highpoints of her five weeks walking along the pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. Our Zoom meeting will start at 8.00pm, but you’ll be able to join from 7.45pm and have a chat with others. You’ll need to supply your own drinks and nibbles! See event info HERE.

    Starting Soon

    Junior Lockdown Choir – starting Thursdays from 21 January
    To support children in our local community, particularly while they are not attending school physically, Lisa Olsworth-Peter is starting a Junior Lockdown Choir. Singing encourages a child to express their emotions and sharpens their ability to communicate while exercising lip and tongue movement. But one of the biggest benefits of singing is the repeated use of the ‘memory muscle’. (We have all sung nursery rhymes with our children but as children get older the power of singing in their lives can still be extremely beneficial.) The choir will sing a range of Disney and pop songs suitable for each age group, and do different vocal exercises that will stimulate facial muscles, the body and the brain. The choir is being promoted through Busbridge Infant and Junior schools and St Mark’s Primary, and sessions will be scheduled to fit in and around the remote school day. If you know any primary age children who would be interested, please pass the message on to email Lisa.Olsworth-Peter@bhcgodalming.org.

    Hope in Depression Course
    Clare Haddad is leading the next 6 week Hope in Depression Course on Tuesday evenings, starting 26 January. Find all the details, and register in confidence on the Hope in Depression page, and please do share the details with anyone suffering with mental health problems, and those supporting them.

    Church Member news

    Over the holiday period, we have been saddened by the death of two of our oldest church members:  Mary Rodway (102) died on 22 December and John Winder (99) on 30 December.  Both have remained much-loved members of our church family, despite being housebound for some time.  Please hold their respective families in your prayers, as they make funeral arrangements at this difficult time.  We give thanks for the lives of these two faithful pilgrims, and pray for God’s peace and comfort to be with all who mourn.

    We send our love and virtual hugs to Jane Tomes, whose mother, June, died on the morning of 7 January.  Please hold Jane, Ian and the whole family in your prayers, and pray especially for Jane and her sister as they make funeral arrangements in the current difficult circumstances.

    Please Pray for

    • Admiral Way and road steward Derek Pearsall

    • Church Lane, Hambledon

    • The Emergency Services

    • BHC Mission Partner: Elam Ministries. Join the Iran 30 prayer initiative: https://www.elam.com/iran30

     

    What’s On

    Click Here for What’s on this week and beyond. It’s all in the calendar and more details for each event can be found when you select it.

    PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE

    To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call Lisa Olsworth-Peter on 01483 421267.
    Listening prayer is available mid-week.

  • Happy New Year from Prime Time

    Dear Prime Time member,

    You may well not have been anticipating an email from me this week but I just wanted to pop a brief “hello” into your inbox and to let you know that I’m thinking about you.  The time between Christmas and New Year can be a strange time even in more usual years, but this year there is a risk that this week can feel very flat indeed (and very long…)

    With this in mind, I’ve saved up a final treat for you to help while away a little bit more time as the clock creeps round towards the end of 2020 and towards the start of what we all hope will be the year that we can say farewell to the pandemic and all associated restrictions on daily life.  The Comfort & Joy exhibition has been drawing people to Busbridge Church for the past 3 weeks and the hand-crafted exhibits have delighted visitors and have been an inspirational backdrop for those using the church for private prayer.

    At the project’s inception, we promised that we would make the exhibition available to all, not just those who were able to come to the church to see it.  A member of our church family is a professional camera man and film maker and he kindly donated his time to film the exhibition and produce a short video so that from the comfort and safety of their own homes, people have the opportunity to view the exhibition.  The link to enable you to view this video is as follows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNx1UT4lmE0  Please see this as being given permission to sit back and put your feet up for a while!

    There is still time to pop along to the church and see the exhibition at first hand.  The exhibition will close its doors for the final time on the afternoon of Sunday 3rd January, so you still have 2 or 3 days left to view it if the video leaves you wanting more…

    I return to work on Wednesday 6th January so you can expect to be hearing from me as usual next Friday with the first Prime Time email of 2021. In the meantime, If you should find yourself in need of assistance, then our volunteers remain on standby to help with shopping, prescription collecting or a friendly phone call; so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  Over the holiday period it would be best to use my mobile number to access such help ( 07766 572934 ) as the Church Office will be closed from until January 4th.  I will continue to answer my phone throughout this period – so please do use it if you find you need to.

    New Year’s Eve celebrations are likely to be somewhat muted this evening in comparison to previous years. I debated whether or not to employ the phrase ‘Happy New Year’ as I feared possibly it may be greeted with some snorts of derision given the restrictions we currently find limiting our lives and our enjoyment of them.  However, I do wish you happiness in the year ahead.  I add my prayer to the millions of others that have been offered up across the world during the past year; a prayer that a way forward is found that will enable us all to join together in person once again with our families and our friends.  To allow us to give and receive a hug when only a hug will do and to start creating some really happy, positive memories once again.  Hopefully, with the rolling out of the vaccines, we now have that way forward – although we are going to have to be patient for a while longer before we really can experience the benefits.  So yes, I do wish you a New Year that is happy and filled with hope.

    Take care and stay safe and Happy New Year (There – I’ve said it!)

    Penny x

  • Christmas Greetings from Prime Time

    Dear Prime Time member,

    With just two days to go before Christmas Day, I thought I would send one last quick email to check in and see how you’re doing.  I am very aware that it is likely that some Prime Time members will have had their plans for Christmas significantly impacted by the changes to the Christmas Bubble rules that were announced at the weekend.  Having to change plans at the last minute is never easy, no matter the circumstances – but when it concerns such a focal point of the year for family gatherings, as Christmas undoubtedly is, the realisation of what we’re missing out on can seem particularly difficult to process, especially given the many other losses we’ve also experienced this year.

    If you’re searching for something to make you smile today, look no further than our 10 minute take on a Nativity play created by the youngest members of our church family (with a bit of help from their mums and dads!)  It is pure joy – my personal highlights are the donkey that asks “Are we nearly there yet?” and the shepherds going off to search for the baby Jesus in their pedal-powered cars – having stowed their sheep in the back (of course!)

    To view what we are calling the Unlocked Nativity, please click on the following link – it should take you straight to it:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFx_Gpp3L_Y&list=PLwt7pih05hN73XXlaK5nWZJW60ZAInOty&index=3

    We hope you enjoyed our Afternoon Carol Service that went live at the end of last week. As of yesterday evening, it had been viewed 109 times which is amazing – that’s even more than we usually have in church for that service!  If you haven’t had a chance to view it, the good news is that it will be available on our YouTube channel throughout the Christmas period, so you haven’t missed out if you didn’t tune in last Friday. The service has some lovely contributions for everyone to enjoy, including Busbridge Junior School children and the choir from King Edwards School, Witley.  You’ll find it on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1TxJZWR1vI

    Due to the increased prevalence of the virus in our local communities – we have reluctantly had to take the decision to cancel some of our Christmas services and activities, as we do not feel it right to be bringing large numbers of people together at this time, even in outdoor spaces.  If you would like to take communion on Christmas Day – there will be a short service in the garden at the Old Rectory at 9am on Christmas morning.  Pre-booking is essential, although priority will be given to people living alone, especially those without access to the internet. So please do share this news with friends or neighbours to whom this may apply and who you think might be interested.  For further details, please go to our website: www.bhcgodalming.org  At the time of writing, our drive-in services on Christmas Eve are still going ahead as planned, so if you have booked to attend these you should still be able to.  However, please do keep checking our website for updates as changes to the guidance are coming all the time.

    If you should find yourself in need of assistance over the Christmas period, then our volunteers will remain on standby to help with shopping, prescription collecting or a friendly phone call; so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  Over the holiday period it would be best to use my mobile number to access such help ( 07766 572934 ) as the Church Office will be closed from Christmas Eve until January 4th.  I will continue to answer my phone throughout this period – so please do use it if you find you need to.


    And if your Christmas plans are up in the air, looking a little paired back, or downright disappointing, here’s a comforting thought…     

    It will be a very different Christmas experience this year, but I pray that however you find yourself spending it, it is enjoyable for you and that the joy and peace of the season is something that you feel able to carry forward into the New Year.

    On behalf of the Prime Time Team, may I wish you ‘Merry Christmas’ and thank you for so faithfully supporting all the initiatives we’ve attempted during this very strange year.

    Take care and stay safe – I’ll be in touch again soon,

    Penny x

    Penny Naylor

    Prime Time Befriending Co-Ordinator
    Part-time – currently working flexibly from home!
    t: 07766 572934 (mobile)| w: bhcgodalming.org | Find us on Facebook & Instagram
    the Old Rectory, Old Rectory Gardens, Godalming, GU7 1XB

  • Christmas Services Update 22 December

    We are delighted to offer everyone a choice of online services on Christmas Day, and limited access to worship in person.

    Please join us online from 9am for the traditional Carol Service recorded in Hambledon for Christmas Day, and at 10am for the contemporary family benefice service which will be broadcast live from the Old Rectory, Busbridge.  Go to:  https://www.youtube.com/bhcgodalmingonline.

    Following Saturday’s news we feel we have no option but to ensure people’s safety and to stand alongside our own and nearby local communities by asking people not to gather to worship on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There will be no live-congregation gathered at Hambledon Church on Christmas Day.  The Christmas Eve nativity trail has also been cancelled in Hambledon.

    The Christmas Eve Drive In Carol services at Godalming College are going ahead, and a restricted number of those who signed up early to the 10AM Christmas Day services at Busbridge and Hambledon will be invited to the 10AM online broadcast service from the Old Rectory. We wish to prioritise those who are alone and not online.

    On Christmas Day, there will be a Benefice Said Holy Communion in one kind (15 mins) at Busbridge Church at 9AM, primarily for those not online and alone. Booking required and numbers are limited. If you know someone this applies to, please help them book here.

    If you know anyone who is not on the internet or isolating, please give them the number for the Daily Hope telephone line: 0800 804 8044.

    In case of a pastoral emergency, contact the church office on 01483 421267 to find out which member of clergy is on call over Christmas and New Year.

    Finally, you may be interested to read the latest Rector’s Reflection: Worship over Christmas and in the New Year.

    With our prayers this Christmas,
    The two Simons
    Rev Simon Taylor and Rev Simon Willetts

  • Worship over Christmas and into January

    Worship over Christmas and into January

    Some people have asked what we are doing and why we cancelled the large carol events with singing last Sunday. We hope that the following information is useful.

    We are delighted that over 200 cars will be driven into our COVID ‘bubble’ Christmas carol service. We’re offering a 9am short communion service (in person, not online) for the Benefice and live-streamed main morning Christmas Day service at 10am with a limited congregation.

    In the New Year we’ll continue to offer our limited congregation access as we offer both Classic and Contemporary worship and also the pre-recorded BCP Heritage; which we are sure will go live with a congregation in the near future when we can resource this.

    We weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15)

    Tier 4 starts in areas of Godalming. It is about us standing with our brothers and sisters in Christ who worship with us but who now have to be at home as they should not cross a Tier boundary. Going ahead with worship tempts people to cross this boundary or it raises the spectre of ‘them’ and ‘us’ amongst our own people.

    We mourn with those who mourn (Rom 12:15)

    The wider community is either in a situation where they can see 1 person or 6 people and only outside. It is not possible to have more than 15 people at a funeral and weddings can only be held under exceptional circumstances. Gathering groups of people in our buildings or larger groups in the open air could sound like ‘exceptionalism’ whereas we are called to identify with our neighbours and love them by mourning with them.

    We take safety seriously

    There is a new highly transmissible strand of the virus. Several of those involved in leading the online live worship are now more aware of social distancing and we must ensure they feel and are safe. If we cannot do this, we will find our ability to provide this form of worship is reduced.

    Given the medical information available over the weekend, we felt we should err on the side cautious than become a super-spreading community.

    We care for the vulnerable (PS 82:3a)

    There may be some who are alone and need to see others in worship and some of those may not be on the internet. We have worked hard over the past six months to identity such people and Penny and the Prime Time team have folded them in with us; Dave, Anto and a team have installed youtube and zoom for people and them on using their computers/ipads.

    We are offering spaces to gather primarily with those who are alone or without the internet in mind. We have ways to sign people up even if they are not on the internet.

    Daily Hope is on our website so that anyone who knows someone without access to the internet can point them to this excellent free worship resource.

    We approach worship in a manner which is God honouring (1 Cor 10:31)

    We are committed to continually improving, slowly expanding and developing the worship, teaching and spiritual nourishment which we offer. We are nearly there with tech installation and we will explain more in the New Year.

    We can gather people, but, to paraphrase Chris Witty in a Government bulletin, that is not the same as it being right to do so. We urge people to consider being online to allow the alone to gather. To aid Track and Trace and to enable service leaders to plan our hybrid approach to live-worship we will be asking everyone who wishes to attend to sign up. If someone new, alone or without the internet arrives without signing up we will endeavour to accommodate them.

    Have a peace-filled and safe Christmas in the comfort of Christ,

    Simon

  • Sunday 20 December



    Christmas Services “Print Me” version

    Go to Christmas for details of all events and services this week.

    Here are all the details for the carol services (5!) this Sunday and Christmas services on Thursday and Friday. There is a vast array of pre-recorded and live carols to accompany your singing, whether it be at home, in your car, or behind a face mask in the Hambledon Churchyard or Old Rectory Gardens!

    The message to go with this is as strange as the year it follows:
    If you haven’t booked, please don’t come – join our services online instead!
    We are almost reaching the limit for numbers at all the carol services this Sunday, for the Drive ins and Christmas Day and safety and social distancing must regrettably take priority over our usual warm and all embracing welcome. If you have signed up, you will get a separate email with some reminders and links to the Christmas song sheets – should you wish to sing off your phone rather than a carol sheet.

    The first of the special Christmas events is the annual Afternoon Carol Service for Prime Time, which premieres today at 3pm on YouTube and will be followed by a tipple and a mince pie on in the BHC Zoom room afterwards. The service has some lovely contributions for everyone to enjoy, including Busbridge Junior School children and the choir from King Edwards School, Witley.

    THIS SUNDAY

    Comfort and Joy

    Reading: Luke 1: 26-38

    Carol Services

    At Church – Outdoors

    Booking is essential and there are only a few spaces left at each of the outdoor Carol Services this Sunday. We kindly request you not to come if you haven’t signed up in advance. Face coverings, NHS Test & Trace and 2m social distancing will be firmly enforced! There are 3 online Carol Services to watch on YouTube too, listed below.

    Online



    BHC YouTube

    Find our Christmas services on YouTube. The pre-recorded services will be available anytime (on demand) after they premiere. Live broadcasts will available to watch at the time, and uploaded at a later date.

    Also this Sunday



    BHC Zoom (PW: 2020)

    11.30AM Zoom Christmas Coffee hosted by the Busbridge Classic Congregation. ALL WELCOME to drop in on Zoom to wish each other a Happy Christmas.

    Sunday and everyday in Advent: DAILY ADVENT REFLECTIONS
    A reading, a question and a prayer compiled by Andy Spencer, and read by different church members, is available on the YouTube channel every day in Advent. This Sunday’s reflection is read by Sheila Samuels. For all the reflections, or if you prefer to download and read them yourself, see Advent Daily Reflections.

    Next Sunday 27 Deceember

    NO SERVICES at busbridge or Hambledon.

    The Diocese of Guildford are providing an All Age Service for 27 December, and this will be available to watch on the BHC YouTube channel next Sunday.

    If you prefer something classic that is not all-age, you may wish to point people to join the livestream from the Cathedral’s service of Holy Eucharist on 27 December at 9.45am. The livestreams can be watched on the Cathedral Facebook page and also via the Cathedral YouTube Channel.

    Sunday 3 January

    10AM Whole Benefice Service at Busbridge Church – in church and on live on YouTube
    (no other services at Busbridge or Hambledon). Please sign up HERE if you’d like to attend.

    Coming Up this Week:

    See the list below or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar. Select the event to join the meetings on Zoom, or sign up.

    the notices

    Worship in Tier 2 – update since the announcement of new tiers

    The latest government announcement does not impact the rules under which Busbridge&Hambledon Church has been operating. In Tier 2 churches are allowed to hold services with face coverings and social distancing in place. Singing is allowed at outdoor services (with face coverings).

    The Diocese of Guildford recommends that people who live in a tier 3 area should attend a church near them, and not travel to a lower tier to attend church. As Waverley is the only borough in Surrey which is not moving to tier 3 on Saturday 19 December, this advice may apply to some members of Busbridge&Hambledon Church. If you wish to cancel a booking to one of the Christmas Services please look up the confirmation email and use the cancel option, or email the church office: church.office@bhcgodalming.org.

    Thank you to Mark Pateman and his team for completing the internal refurbishment of School House in a timely and professional manner. The property is now available to rent through a local Godalming letting agent.

    Road Stewards needed for The Bridge magazine for College Hill and Brighton Road.
    The Bridge magazine is looking for two or more new road stewards who, 6 times a year, would be willing to deliver magazines to either College Hill and High Ridge (59 houses) or the lower part of Brighton Road, Underhill Close and part of Latimer Road (89 houses). We’d be more than happy to split or share these larger bundles between two road stewards if needed. If you live in, or close to, either of these roads, (or maybe know someone who does and might be willing to take on the role) please contact the editor, Cathy, at editor.atthebridge@gmail.com. We’d be delighted and most appreciative to hear from you.

    Fairtrade Shop
    Many of you will know that Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Guildford have operated a shop selling Fairtrade/Traidcraft good for many years.  This year they have moved online due to Covid restrictions and have a wide range of Christmas items which they have kindly said they can deliver to BHC congregations in Godalming and Hambledon.  They also offer click and collect.o please if your are still interested in buying Fairtrade/Traidcraft  items, do visit their new website:- Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop – Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop

     Outward Giving & Outreach
    Please see Christmas Giving for the Outward Giving December Update about the Trinity Trust Team, and Ways to Give. The collections at the Services on 20 December and Christmas Day will also go to the Christmas Appeal.

    The BHC YouTube channel has lots of new material on it – the Unlocked Nativity produced by our 0-3s (pure joy!), the virtual tour of the Busbridge Comfort and Joy exhibition and all the Advent Reflections to be joined by carols galore.

    There have been some lovely new displays revealed this week on the Advent Walk, and you can watch or read the daily reflections on the web site. As you can see from the film, the Comfort and Joy exhibitions are definitely worth a visit and there’s more news on events at Christmas, and Christmas Services in the notices and under What’s On/Comfort-Joy.

    See: www.youtube.com/bhcgodalmingonline for all services and to listen again to the the sermons. Remember too that you can find extra news and pictures of what’s happening at church during the week on our Facebook and Instagram and Twitter pages.

    To ask for help and support if you are self-isolating, email: coronaresponse@bhcgodalming.org.

    Closing between Christmas and New Year
    The clergy and staff team will be on leave between Christmas and New Year.  There will be a recorded message on Church Office answerphone to direct you to the person on call on any particular day.  The church office telephone is 01483 421267.   The next notices will be sent out on 8 January.  Please refer to the web site in the meantime.

    Please Pray for

    Safety and logistics for physical and online services this Christmas.

    For all those attending to receive the good news of Christmas, and be touched by the Holy Spirit.

    and give thanks for the Prayer Ministry team who have been faithfully praying all year for our church, church members and those in our communities. The team will be walking and praying around the perimeter of Godalming College during the Drive in services on Christmas Eve.

    Busbridge Junior school and staff members recovering from coronavirus, for the children who are self-isolating.

    What’s On

    Click Here for What’s on this week and beyond. It’s all in the calendar and more details for each event can be found when you select it.

    PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE

    To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call Lisa Olsworth-Peter on 01483 421267.
    Listening prayer is available mid-week.

  • Hello from Prime Time! and your invitation to the online PT Carol Service next Friday

    Dear Prime Time member,

     This time yesterday I was at home, sat on the sofa with my laptop in front of me and along with many Prime Time members was singing along with our Music & Worship Pastor Lisa to a medley of familiar Christmas carols and songs.  It was a lovely way to spend an hour and really got me feeling quite festive.  Invariably I come away from Prime Time events having added to my general knowledge – there is always information to be gleaned and yesterday was no exception.  Thanks to our Sing-A-Long carols session, I learnt from Lisa a little of the background to the song ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.  I’m familiar with the Frank Sinatra version but I had no idea that the song was originally from the 1944 film ‘Meet Me in St Louis’ and was first recorded by the film’s star, Judy Garland.  In the film, the song has quite a melancholy feel which didn’t suit the mood Frank Sinatra was looking for, so the words in his later version are subtly different and a little more upbeat.  However, as Lisa pointed out yesterday – the words of the original Judy Garland version seem to reflect this year’s Covid-restricted Christmas perfectly.  In fact, on reflection, it’s quite astonishing that the music industry has not picked up on this and re-released this song as the ‘Song of Christmas 2020’.

     In case I’ve got you wondering, I’ve attached the words to ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ to this email so that you have the opportunity to consider them yourself at your leisure. And if you’d like a  trip down memory lane, here is a link to the song from the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CreWsnhQwzY  Wouldn’t it be comforting to be able to say with certainty that ‘next year all our troubles will be out of sight’ and that our ‘friends will be near to us once more’?  I really hope that before too long I can say in one of these emails, ‘someday soon, we all will be together’ but for the time being as the song says ‘we’ll have to muddle through somehow’.

    I would have to admit, ‘muddling through’ is how I might describe my life over the past few months.  There is no handbook to life in Lock Down, we are all learning how to get through this together and yes, there have been times when I’ve felt that I’ve been doing little more than ‘muddling through’.  If that’s how you feel too, then I hope that’s a little comfort to know that I really don’t have it sussed.  Like you I am just trying to do what I can to get through this period in my life and make the best of the situation.  I know I don’t get it right all of the time; I do make mistakes and take the wrong course sometimes.  But I am also an incorrigible optimist and I pray that when I start singing Christmas carols and songs this time next year ‘all our troubles will be far away’ – well, the Covid-related ones anyway!

    To help you ‘muddle through’ this next week, we have a few more activities to help occupy an hour or two.

    The big event this week is our annual Afternoon Carol Service which goes live on our YouTube channel next Friday, December 18th at 3pm.  The direct link to this is not available yet, and may not be until Friday morning next week.  As soon as it becomes available, I will email it out to you – although my colleagues have said that they will try and make the service as easy to access as possible and therefore even without the direct link, next Friday you should see it on the Home Page of our website: www.bhcgodalming.org and it also should feature prominently on our You Tube Channel itself: https://www.youtube.com/bhcgodalmingonline So there are a few ways that you can access the service – keep them all to hand and see which works best for you at 3pm next Friday!   The service is totally pre-recorded with contributions from 2 local schools and with readings by a number of Prime Time members.  Do tune in and see which of your friends had their arms twisted to take part!  The service will last approximately 45 minutes, which just gives you time for a comfort break and the opportunity to grab your mulled wine and mince pies before settling back down in front of your computer at 4pm and joining your Prime Time Team for a catch up and chat on Zoom.  We’ll be using the BHC Public Zoom Room for this, which is the one that we used for our recent quiz and also the carol singing session – so the details remain the same as those I’ve given in the last couple of emails.

    https://zoom.us/j/9463914833

    Password for the meeting: 2020

    And if next Friday seems a long way away, our friends at Prior’s Field School have made their recent Colour Cabaret Evening available for us to watch.  This was an eclectic mix of music and prose from Shirley Bassey to Cold Play and William Shakespeare to Just William! But all pieces with a link to a colour of the rainbow.  It was a cleverly put together performance and as we have come to expect from the Prior’s Field Team, very professionally executed.  To watch Colour Cabaret, just click on the colourful image below and it will take you to Prior’s Field’s Virtual Theatre page.  Scroll down past the titles and you will see the same image feature again.  Click on that, settle back and enjoy.  As a Prior’s Field staff member said, “it’s ideal viewing with a cup of tea and a mince pie” and as the weather forecast for next week looks rather soggy – Colour Cabaret, a cup of tea and a mince pie might be a welcome excuse for an afternoon in!

    The Comfort & Joy exhibitions are still running in both churches.  You are welcome to pop in at any time to view all the masterpieces and fabulous creations.  Booking is not required, but please do observe social distancing guidelines if you find yourself not alone when viewing the exhibition!  And of course the Busbridge Advent Walk trail continues to have a new house added each day, so there’s always something new to see with that activity!  Further details and our Advent Walk map can be viewed on our website: https://www.bhcgodalming.org/walking-advent-calendar

    Phew  – I think I’ve made it to the end of the list and hopefully I haven’t forgotten anything! I hope that these suggestions help fill the days over the coming week and I look forward to catching up with many of you over a (virtual) mulled wine and mince pie on Zoom following Friday afternoon’s service.

    You can be sure I’ll be ‘muddling through’ this week along with you.

    Penny x

     

    Penny Naylor

    Primetime Befriending Co-ordinator

  • Sunday 13 December – MISSION SUNDAY

    THIS SUNDAY

    MISSION SUNDAY

    See Christmas Giving
    for the Outward Giving December Update about the Trinity Trust Team, and
    Ways to Give.

    Comfort and Joy

    Reading: PsALM 126

    ESSENTIAL LINKS FOR ONLINE SERVICES



    BHC YouTube


    BHC Zoom (PW: 2020)

    services

    We are delighted that as well as joining Sunday services online, we can also welcome members of the congregation to church. To maintain social distancing, numbers are limited, and on a first signed up, first served basis. At Busbridge, seats will be in pairs 2m apart. Only one sign up name is required per pair of seats, for either an individual or couple in the same bubble. Use the green links below to sign up.

    9AM Online Heritage Service (pre-recorded, YouTube)
    With Andy Spencer

    9AM Said Service for Advent | Hambledon Church (Zoom & YouTube Live Stream)
    With Andy Spencer and David Jenkins
    Coming to church? Click here to sign up

    9AM Classic Service from Busbridge Church (Zoom & YouTube Live Stream)
    With Simon Taylor and Ben Cahill- Nicholls
    Music: Karen Hart, Annie Bryett and Graham Sheldrake
    Click here to sign up

    10.15AM Contemporary Conversations on the Couch (Zoom & YouTube)
    On the couch: Mark Williams and David Preece
    Click here to sign up

    6PM Unplugged – the spirit of Christmas (Zoom)
    With Anto Ficatier and members of Pathfinders and Ichthus

    Sunday and everyday in Advent: DAILY ADVENT REFLECTIONS
    A reading, a question and a prayer compiled by Andy Spencer, and read by different church members, is available on the YouTube channel every day in Advent. This Sunday’s reflection is read by Sheila Samuels. For all the reflections, or if you prefer to download and read them yourself, see Advent Daily Reflections.

    Children & Youth

    It’s Christmas party week for Ark and Explorers: 9AM Ark, 11.15AM Explorers. Pathfinders and Ichthus will be at Unplugged at 6PM.
    All welcome, but contact Juliet, Judith or Anto for access info to the CYF Zoom room, and to join the right email list for your children’s age.

    Next Sunday 20 Deceember: Carols!

    Comfort and Joy continues…Reading: Luke 1:26-38

    9AM Online Heritage Carol Service on YouTube (pre-recorded)
    Speaker: Simon Willetts

    10AM Family Carols | Old Rectory Garden
    Leader: Margot Spencer

    4PM Hambledon Carol Service | Hambledon Churchyard
    Leader: Simon Willetts
    Sign up here, wrap up warm and bring a torch!

    6PM Carols by Starlight | Old Rectory Garden
    Leader: Simon Taylor
    Sign up here, wrap up warm and bring a torch!



    Christmas Services “Print Me” version

    See the list below to sign up for services as they become visible, or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar.

    Coming Up this Week:

    Select the event to join the meetings on Zoom, or sign up.

    The Notices

    The Preeces are moving on
    The Right Revd Martin Seeley, the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, is delighted to announce that the next Priest in Charge of the benefice of Saxmundham with Kelsale cum Carlton will be The Revd David Preece.  David is presently Assistant Curate in the benefice of Busbridge and Hambledon, Godalming in the Guildford Diocese.  This is subject to the completion of legal formalities and when those matters have been completed we will be able to announce a date for David’s licensing service.

    The Bishop has asked me to pass on his thanks to the parish representatives and all those involved in the process of David’s appointment, and he assures you of his prayers.  Please pray for David, his wife Hannah and their two young daughters as they prepare for their move. 

    Worship in Tier 2
    Under Tier 2 restrictions, congregations are allowed to attend church services, with social distancing and face coverings (and no singing). Our online services will continue, as in lockdown, but this Sunday we are also inviting small numbers to be in the congregation. Sign Up instructions can be found when you select each service.

    To allow for more people to attend, and sing, our Christmas services will take place in Busbridge and Hambledon churchyards, or the Old Rectory Garden, and will also be broadcast on YouTube.

    Face coverings will still be necessary, social distancing of 2m between bubbles, and Track and Trace will also be in place.

    Comfort & Joy!

    For more details and information on Christmas see What’s On/Advent & Christmas 2020. It has info on the Advent Reflections, Walking Advent (calendar and map), the Christmas Exhibitions, Outward Giving and SIGN UP TO ***Christmas Services***.

    Walking Advent – Click here for the MAP.
    The Busbridge Advent Calendar Walk takes you to a new display for every day from 1-24 December. Each display has a letter to collect to spell out the secret phrase. Go daily, or visit a few at a time.

    The Comfort & Joy Exhibitions at both churches are open and receiving a steady trickle of visitors who are delighted by the items of art, craft, and poetry on show. Thanks for all the wonderful contributions of all things Comfort and Joy (art, craft, poetry, scripture, videos). You and other visitors will be able to enjoy and reflect on the exhibitions when you pop in to pray next week. (Churches are open for individual prayer daily and COVID 19 safety precautions are in place).



    Book 6PM

    Christmas Eve Drive in Carol Services The 4.30PM service is fully booked, and the 6PM has limited space left. If you have booked already, please hang onto the confirmation email as you will need to show the check in page with QR code (printed or on your phone) on arrival. Please don’t hesitate to check. Look out for a further email with instructions w/c 21 December.

    Thanks to those that have volunteered to help on Christmas Eve. We still need more people to help with parking. If you can help, please contact Patrick Samuels who is leading the team of organisers. This is a wonderful opportunity for outreach and spreading the good news of Christmas, so please also pray for the event, those involved in leading, and those attending.

    Road Stewards needed for The Bridge magazine for College Hill and Brighton Road.

    The Bridge magazine is looking for two or more new road stewards who, 6 times a year, would be willing to deliver magazines to either College Hill and High Ridge (59 houses) or the lower part of Brighton Road, Underhill Close and part of Latimer Road (89 houses). We’d be more than happy to split or share these larger bundles between two road stewards if needed. If you live in, or close to, either of these roads, (or maybe know someone who does and might be willing to take on the role) please contact the editor, Cathy, at editor.atthebridge@gmail.com. We’d be delighted and most appreciative to hear from you.

    Fairtrade Shop
    Many of you will know that Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Guildford have operated a shop selling Fairtrade/Traidcraft good for many years.  This year they have moved online due to Covid restrictions and have a wide range of Christmas items which they have kindly said they can deliver to BHC congregations in Godalming and Hambledon.  They also offer click and collect.o please if your are still interested in buying Fairtrade/Traidcraft  items, do visit their new website:- Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop – Emmanuel Church Fairtrade Shop

     Outward Giving & Outreach

    Christmas Hampers
    Shelagh writes: many many many thanks for the wonderful effort on the part of everyone who contributed to and prepared and delivered hampers. Many needy families have benefited, and hampers have also been delivered to Busbridge Infants’ and St Mark’s and All Saints’ school. Here is one example out of many! See Christmas Outward Giving for all details.

    Prayer fest: 0-30 in 60
    Please join us to pray for  our children, young people and all the wonderful people in our church and locality who minister to them. This Sunday 13 Dec 2020 at the earlier than usual time of 4-5PM in the BHC Public Zoom room. Do join for all or part of this hour and then tune in to another “live” Unplugged Service. Bring your own cuppa and mince pie!

    Thank you to Nexus and all its Christmas quizzers who are taking part in the online charity quiz this Saturday. The quiz has generated more than £1360 in donations for the Guildford Samaritans. Thanks to organisers Janet Harvey, Kate Kaye, Pamela Cookney and quiz masters Dudley and Alan for all their efforts.

    Churches Together in Godalming & District present the Christmas Service of Hope this Saturday at 4pm

    With contributions from the Mayor of Godalming Penny Rivers, Charterhouse School, Godalming Junior School, St Edmund’s School, St Mark and All Saints School, St John’s Church Farncombe and Trinity Trust Team.

    For more information about Christmas events and services in and around Godalming visit www.godalmingchurches.org

    Thank you to everyone involved and wishing you all a very merry Christmas.

    We send our love and heartfelt sympathy to Debs Jones and her family following the death of her mother in South Africa last week. The family are very grateful for all the prayers that have been offered for her Mum during her illness. Debs and her family will be travelling to South Africa for the funeral.  Please continue to hold them all in your prayers.

    Please Pray for

    Busbridge Junior school and staff members recovering from coronavirus, for the children who are self-isolating, and for the school Christmas services at Busbridge Church next week.

    What’s On

    Click Here for What’s on this week and beyond. It’s all in the calendar and more details for each event can be found when you select it.

    PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE

    To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call Lisa Olsworth-Peter on 01483 421267.
    Listening prayer is available mid-week.

  • Sunday 6 December

    Pics of a couple of things that have gone on this week: Judith and Cat had a great time helping pupils from BJS make their angels for the schools exhibition in Guildford Cathedral. The children’s theme was heroes, so here you have two nurses, a Sainsbury’s member of staff, two teachers, an Amazon worker, Joe Wicks and a friend in BJS uniform! The last image is of the goodies to be shared between 2 BESOM hampers, collected and soon to be arranged and delivered by one of the Small Groups.

    THIS SUNDAY

    Comfort and Joy

    Reading: Isaiah 40: 1-11

    We are delighted that we can welcome small congregations back to church this Sunday. To maintain social distancing, numbers are limited, and on a first signed up, first served basis. At Busbridge, seats will be in pairs 2m apart. Only one sign up name is required per pair of seats, for either an individual or couple in the same bubble.

    ESSENTIAL LINKS FOR ONLINE SERVICES



    BHC YouTube


    BHC Zoom (PW: 2020)

    services

    9AM Online Heritage Service (pre-recorded, YouTube)
    With Hilary Pettman

    9AM Said Service for Advent | Hambledon Church
    With Hilary Pettman and Margot Spencer
    Click here to sign up

    9AM Classic Service from Busbridge Church (Zoom & YouTube Live Stream)
    Leader: Keith Harper
    Speaker: Patrick Samuels
    Music: Alan Harvey and Chris Payne
    Click here to sign up

    10.15AM Contemporary Conversations on the Couch
    Leader: Simon Taylor
    On the couch: Simon Willetts and Patrick Samuels
    Click here to sign up

    Sunday and everyday in Advent
    A reading, a question and a prayer compiled by Andy Spencer, and read by different church members, will be available on the YouTube channel every day in Advent. This Sunday is read by Hambledon churchwarden, Fran Duffell. For all the reflections, or if you prefer to download and read them yourself, see Advent Daily Reflections.

    Children & Youth

    This Sunday on Zoom: 9AM Ark, 11.15AM Explorers, 8.30PM Youth Late Night Worship.
    All welcome, but contact Juliet, Judith or Anto for access info to the CYF Zoom room, and to join the right email list for your children’s age.

    Next Sunday 13 December – Mission Sunday

    See Christmas Giving
    for the Outward Giving December Update about the Trinity Trust Team, and
    Ways to Give.

    Comfort and Joy continues…Reading: Psalm 126

    9AM Online Heritage Service (BCP) on YouTube (pre-recorded)
    Speaker: Andy Spencer and interview with Andy Poulson, TTT

    9AM Hambledon Heritage Said Service for Advent
    Speaker: David Jenkins and Interview with Andy Poulson, TTT

    9AM Busbridge Classic on Zoom and YouTube (broadcast live)
    Speaker: Ben Cahill-Nicholls (Ordinand) and Interview with Andy Poulson, TTT

    10.15AM Contemporary – Conversations on the Couch
    On the couch this week: Mark Williams and Dave Preece
    Interview with Andy Poulson, TTT

    Go to the Sunday Services page to sign up for services as they become visible, or look up dates further ahead in the full calendar.

    Coming Up this Week:

    Go to What’s On and select the event to join the meetings on Zoom.

    The Notices

    Worship in Tier 2
    From this Sunday congregations are once again allowed to attend church services, with social distancing and face coverings (and no singing). As space is limited in both churches, our online services will continue, as in lockdown, on 6 and 13 December, but we are also inviting small numbers to be in the congregation. Sign Up instructions can be found when you select each service.

    The even better news is that singing is now allowed outdoors! Happily, to allow for more people to attend, we had already planned to hold our Christmas services in the churchyards – and now there is an added reason to be outside for the 3 different kinds of carol service on 20 December, Christmas Eve at Hambledon, and Christmas morning. We understand that face coverings will still be necessary, but will confirm that as soon as possible. Social distancing between bubbles, and Track and Trace will also be in place.

    Comfort & Joy!

    For more details and information on Christmas see What’s On/Advent & Christmas 2020. It has info on the Advent Reflections, Walking Advent (calendar and map), the Christmas Exhibitions, Outward Giving and the ***Christmas Services***.

    Walking Advent – Click here for the MAP.
    Have you worked out the beginning of the secret phrase yet? Like opening the numbered doors on an advent calendar, the Busbridge Advent Calendar Walk will take you to a new window display for every day from 1-24 December. Each display has a letter to collect to spell out the secret phrase. This was organised by Judith for Busbridge Juniors and Infants, but a nice exercise for everyone, young and older. Go daily, or visit a few at a time.

    The Comfort & Joy Exhibitions at both churches from Monday 7 December. Thanks for all the wonderful contributions of all things Comfort and Joy (art, craft, poetry, scripture, videos). You and other visitors will be able to enjoy and reflect on the exhibitions when you pop in to pray next week. (Churches are open for individual prayer daily and COVID 19 safety precautions are in place).

    Christmas Eve Drive in Carol Services – 4.30pm and 6pm
    Book now. The 4.30PM service has a few spaces left, and the 6PM is steadily filling but still has plenty of room. If you have booked already, please hang onto the confirmation email as you will need to show the check in page with QR code (printed or on your phone) on arrival. (Cue: a flurry of emails to vic.hicks@bhcgodalming.org…) Please don’t hesitate to check. We might struggle to answer on Christmas Eve! Look out for a further email with instructions w/c 21 December.

    Thanks to those that have volunteered to help on Christmas Eve. We still need more people to help with parking. If you can help, please contact Patrick Samuels who is leading the team of organisers.



    Book 4.30PM


    Book 6PM

    Outward Giving & Outreach

    Christmas Hampers
    We will again be supporting BESOM this Christmas. Through the home and church groups, we are busily co-ordinating ‘Besom’ hampers for needy people in the community. In 2020, the needs now are greater than ever.

    We are looking to create 7 hampers for families at Busbridge Infants’ School, to be delivered to the school before they break up. We are looking for donations of goodies to fill these boxes within the next two weeks. See Christmas Outward Giving for all details.

    Busbridge Church Christmas cards for sale

    Pack of ten of 2 designs with envelopes for £4. The cards say Happy Christmas inside! Contact the church office to place an order.

    Well done Nexus and all its Christmas quizzers who are taking part in the online charity quiz this Saturday. The quiz has generated more than £1360 in donations for the Guildford Samaritans. Thanks to organisers Janet Harvey, Kate Kaye, Pamela Cookney and quiz masters Dudley and Alan for all their efforts.

    BUsbridge Junior School applications

    If you are thinking of submitting a church application to Busbridge Junior School for September 2021, here are some instructions:

    1)            Visit the Busbridge Junior School website and familiarise yourself with their admission criteria (‘About Us’, ‘Admissions’)
    2)            Email catherine.garner@bhcgodalming.org for an information sheet
    3)            Bring the Supplementary Information Form to the church office by 10th December at the latest (please ensure that you are eligible – the criteria are on the form)
    4)            A member of the clergy will meet with you to discuss your application and if approved, you need to take your signed Benefice Church verification form to the school by the application closing date (15/01/2021)

     

    What’s On

    Click Here for What’s on this week and beyond. It’s all in the calendar and more details for each event can be found when you select it.

    PRAYER MINISTRY TEAM AVAILABLE

    To contact the EMERGENCY prayer chain, email prayer@bhcgodalming.org  or call Lisa Olsworth-Peter on 01483 421267.
    Listening prayer is available mid-week.