November 2019 LINK-UP Keeping Churches in Touch www.godalmingchurches.org

From the Past Chair All change for a new decade At the recent Annual General Meeting, which was held at the Old Rectory, this year, there were a number of changes to the structure of the Executive of Churches Together in and District. For the time being, Rev Maggie Stirling-Troy will be Acting Chair and Angela Gilmour will be Vice Chair. The Executive consists of: • Secretary: Gillian Martin • Treasurer: Tony Bennewith • Past Chair: Michael Stubbs • Publicity: Edouard Le Maistre • Advertiser liaison and Catholic Rep: Angela Gilmour • Prayer Breakfasts: Michael Stubbs • GUC rep: Gwen Wheatman. • SS Peter and Paul: John Stevens We are also setting up a team (consisting at present of Maggie, Andy Poulsom and Michael Stubbs) to look at Good Friday 2020. The plan is for each to hold its own service that morning and then to walk to Crown Court for a short service at 11:30 (tbc) and presentation that Trinity Trust Team have been performing in school assemblies. For Christmas 2020 we are looking at working with Godalming Town Council to erect a Christmas tree in Crown Court and still some sort of Nativity scene and the Carol service would take place in Wilfred Noyce in the afternoon, with Mayor and Town Councillors and others processing from the Town Council Offices. This Christmas events will be as usual on the 14 December, starting with a Santa Fun run at 10:00 and the Churches Together events and stall starting at 11:00 and with procession and Blessing of the Crib at 15:30 .and Carols in SS Peter and Paul at 16:00. Do get in touch if you have ideas for either of these or want to help in some way. Also please get in touch if your church would be able to host a Prayer Breakfast on the fourth Sunday of any month in 2020. Many thanks Michael Stubbs, Past Chair of Godalming and District Churches Together, [email protected] Events for your diary Below is a selection of the many events taking place during November 2019 and beyond. More detail can be found in the sections below and on the Churches Together website: www.godalmingchurches.org/calendar

Saturday 26 October 10:00 to 17:00 - Flower festival, St.Mark’s Church & Community Centre Sunday 27 October 11:00 to 16:30 – Flower festival, St Mark's Church & Community Centre 17:00 – Songs of Praise, St Mark's Church & Community Centre Saturday 9 November Hambledon ladies' breakfast, West Surrey Golf Club (see Busbridge& below)

Link-Up November 2019 Page 1 of 4 www.godalmingchurches.org Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 November 11:00 to 16:00 – Fairtrade sale, 3 Braemar Close, Godalming Sunday 17 November 13:30 to 16:30 - Jam together, Saturday 23 November 8:30 to 10:00 – Churches Together prayer breakfast, Milford Baptist Church Friday 6 December 18:45 - Journey of the Magi, Godalming Baptist Church Saturday 7 December Nexus Charity Quiz night, Busbridge Village Hall Thursday 12 December 19:00 - Cookery demo of Christmas treats, Godalming Baptist Church Saturday 14 December 11:00 to 17:00 – Churches Together “Town Day” Saturday 21 December 14:00 and 19:00 – Above, Manna Ministries Christmas show, Arts Centre Sunday 29 December 18:30 - Joint Churches Together Evening Service, Busbridge Church led by Trinity Trust Team Sunday 19 January 10:30 – Churches Together United Service, Godalming Baptist Church. Saturday 26 January 10:00 to 12:30 - All for Jesus, Godalming Baptist Church News of the Churches and organisations Busbridge and Hambledon Church Hambledon Ladies' Breakfast, Saturday 9 November The Hambledon Ladies’ Breakfasts take place at West Surrey Golf Club and feature a guest speaker to accompany the generous golf club breakfast. Penny Naylor will be speaking about her calling to Older People’s Ministry, and the importance of providing for people in the later stages of life. Tickets (£8) are available from the Hambledon Village Shop from 21 October to 5 November. Jam Together - next date Sunday 17 November, 14:30 to 17:00 - Register Now! For 11-18s who want to play music and sing together. We know that there are some great young singers and musicians out there who may be longing for an opportunity to sing and play with a band. If that’s you then come along. We will have a professional vocal coach to help you with reaching those notes, projecting your voice and using a microphone. If you love the sound of this but aren’t sure if you will have the confidence or skills to play, just come along and listen and when you are ready we will give you all the encouragement you need. The young people who came to the pilot event in June gave very positive feedback, and we have received several new enquiries since. Please email [email protected] for more details and to register. Nexus Charity Quiz Night, Saturday 7 December Tickets are now available for our Quiz Night on Saturday 7 December in Busbridge Village Hall, with our brilliant Quizmasters: Alan Betts and Dudley Hilton. Tickets are £12 and include a lovely quiche supper and delicious desserts. There’ll be a raffle in support of our 2019 charity: Hydon Hill Cheshire Home. Tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis, so make sure you contact Janet asap on [email protected] to get yours before they sell out. There’s no need to make up a table, as Janet will ensure people are put with others they know, so come in ones, twos, threes or eights! All are welcome to what is always a great evening! Chairs for Sale Up to 40 ‘Faith Chairs’, only three years old but now surplus to requirements. These are wooden, upholstered chairs which are designed to be clipped together if need be to create a continuous bench. However they function perfectly well on their own. They originally cost approx. £60 each. They are now for sale at £20

Link-Up November 2019 Page 2 of 4 www.godalmingchurches.org ONO. For more details contact Liz Gorst, Facilities Manager at Busbridge and Hambledon Church on 01483 421267 or email [email protected]. www.bhcgodalming.org

Godalming Baptist Church Cinema evening, Saturday 16 November On Sat 16 November at 19:00, we have a cinema evening at GBC, with a singalong session to a great musical. There is no charge, but voluntary contributions in aid of Changing Faces - helping those with facial disfigurements would be much appreciated. The remarkable life of Elizabeth Fry, Tuesday 26 November Another fascinating evening will be enjoyed on Tuesday 26 November -'The Remarkable Life of Elizabeth Fry' at 19:45, led by Richard Walker. Journey of the Magi, Friday 6 December We are thrilled to be hosting Journey of the Magi. Springs Dance Company is coming to Godalming on 6 December at 18:45. Individual tickets £8 per person; Family ticket (based on 2 Adults and 2 Children under 16) £20; OAP £6; Child £6. This is a great opportunity to invite neighbours and friends. Cookery demo of Christmas treats, Thursday 12 December On Thursday 12 December at 19:00, Philip Friend is returning to GBC to lead a cookery demo of Christmas treats. All for Jesus, Saturday 26 January A wonderful way for both men and women to start 2020! 'All for Jesus' led by Kathleen Mcneer Smith and Fi Stevenson at GBC on Saturday 26 January from 10:00 to 12:30. Reflect on what worked last year, what didn't and what needs to change. What are your strengths and weaknesses and how can we accept others who we might find difficult? www.godalmingbaptistchurch.org.uk

Godalming United Church Supplies for The Gambia In October, we dispatched our 59th container full of supplies – mainly furniture for re-use – to schools in The Gambia. Our charitable link with West Africa goes back 35years! And we’re already on the way with the next one – thanks to the generosity of the older girls at St Hilary’s School, who collected school stationery supplies as their Harvest gifts. Harvest supper On 12 October our Harvest Supper - fish & chips and a quiz – was heartily enjoyed by over 50 of the church family, and followed next morning by our annual Harvest Festival. Harvest offerings of non-perishable foodstuffs are being distributed by the Salvation Army in Guildford. Sunday 10 November No morning service at as we will be participating in the civic service at the War Memorial and Church www.guc.org.uk

St Edmund King & Martyr Godalming with St Joseph’s Milford Roman Catholic Churches Can you help make this a very special Christmas? Several months ago, a young girl in our Parish was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, Maria has been in and out of hospital undergoing treatment but so far without success. She is now embarking on further experimental treatment under close supervision. Though she grew up in this Parish and attended St Edmund’s Primary School, most of Maria’s family is far away in Peru. It is a worrying time for them all, especially for her parents here in Godalming but both her grannies and her closest cousin plan to fly over to Christmas and stay for a few weeks to support them all. We would like to help to make this a fun and memorable visit for them all. Their house is small, so having extra visitors to stay is difficult, especially as they do not drive so outings will be expensive. Is anyone in the Ockford Ridge area of Godalming able to offer a bedroom? Is anyone willing to drive them on outings? Fr David has agreed that the Parish hold a special collection at the end of October, but in addition we need people to step forward and offer their help. Are you

Link-Up November 2019 Page 3 of 4 www.godalmingchurches.org able to help? And of course, we ask that you keep Maria and her family in your prayers. Livesimply theme for November Recycling bins in the entrance of both St Edmund’s and St Joseph’s Church for the collection of used batteries, mobile phones, print cartridges (ensure they are in sealed boxes), used stamps and old coins/bank notes (UK and Foreign). St John’s Church, Milford Shared Lunch, Sunday 3 November, 12:30 Please phone for further information – Joyce Barnett 01483 417600 or Wyn Laughlin 01483 423982. Breakfast Alpha, Friday 8, 15, 22, 29 November and 6 December You can register to attend either the whole programme or just come along when you can. The sessions are from 9:15 to 11:00 and include breakfast, a video and then some discussion. Please note there is NO CHARGE for this course. If you have children who need looking after during the programme, please bring them along, and you are also most welcome to bring guests. Registration and full details of the programme are via the Parish Website: www.stedmundgodalming.btck.co.uk Goodbye to Fr David and Welcome to Fr Jonathan Our Parish came together to say goodbye to Fr David on Sunday 13 October. Fr Jonathan How, our new Parish Priest, celebrated his first Mass on Tuesday 22 October. Fr Jonathan’s Induction Mass with Bishop Richard, will take place on Tuesday 19 November at 19:30, followed by a reception. St Andrew’s Day, Saturday 30 November Scottish Dancing and Fish and Chip Supper at 20:00 to be held at Milford Village Hall. www.stedmundgodalming.btck.co.uk

Godalming Filling Station Our next meeting is on Friday 1 November, with guest speakerJulia Stevens, a spirit-filled Christian living in with her husband Matt and two adult children. Julia currently has her first book in for publishing."Like Him" is expected to be released in October. We are meeting again on Friday 6 December with guest speaker, Jill Weber, Director of Spiritual Transformation at Emmaus Road Community Church in Guildford, under the leadership of Pete Grieg (24/7 prayer). Come and join us for Holy Spirit inspired fellowship, testimony, worship and prayer. Our events are free, and children of all ages are welcome. Doors open at 19:30. The Barn, Borough Farm, Borough Farm Road, Milford, Surrey, GU8 5JZ. Please visit our website for further details: https://thefillingstation.org.uk/station/godalming or go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GodalmingFillingStation

Godalming Prayer Walkers An open/public group "Godalming Prayer Walkers" for people to meet, walk and pray, usually once a month, no set day/time. Our next scheduled walk is Wednesday 30 October, in partnership with a National Day of Prayer, organised by Christians in Government as we move towards leaving the EU. A National Day of Prayer on 30 October and three days of prayer and fasting: 30 October - the day before; 31 October - the day we leave; 1 November - the day after. Meet outside the Cellar Cafe at 13:00. Contact us or keep your eye out for scheduled events on our Facebook page and feel free to join us: https://www.facebook.com/groups/248847602431786

Manna Ministries Above, Saturday 21 December, Cranleigh Arts Centre, 14:00 and 19:00 Join Manna Theatre Company, in Above, a Christmas musical with moments of joy, tears and moving of hearts back to the real reason for Christmas. Looking back at the first Christmas, Moon and Star remember what it was like when the world wasn’t filled with fairy lights and Christmas decorations. Star forgets her significance in the story and through a look into the journey of Jessie Johnson growing up and her relationship with her father, Star recalls to mind the significance of Man. Through her own journey, she encounters many times when her own courage enables Jessie to find the true meaning of Christmas again, through many encounters with the one who is above every other name. www.mannaministries.org.uk

Items for next month's Link-UP Please send items for the December 2019 edition of Link-Up to Matt Farrow: [email protected] by Friday 15 November for issue on Friday 22 November.

Link-Up November 2019 Page 4 of 4 www.godalmingchurches.org