“What wonderful good news this is: that all of us are eligible and capable of being called at any given time. “Led by Rev Canon Douglas Machiridza, Area Dean of Handsworth & Central, our Service of the Word explores the theme of callings.
Click the read more link to go to the service on the Church of England Website.
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Dear Friends,
I hope you have found time to enjoy a little of the wonderful Autumn sunshine we have seen over the last few days. I spent a lovely morning yesterday walking with a friend around Westhumble where she lives, the views were spectacular.
It was a welcome contrast to earlier in the week when I was drafted in to look after my littlest grandchild who has developed chicken pox and couldn’t go to nursery – granny to the rescue! Luckily, she wasn’t particularly ill, just spotty. I normally look after her one day a week anyway, but I did have to get more creative as I had her for longer than normal. At 12 months old and just walking she is a bit of a disaster zone unless watched very carefully – I’m sure most of you remember those days. Her favourite activity was piling all our cushions up into a tower so she could throw herself on them, she found it hilarious and of course has no fear……
It was wonderful to be able to worship together last week, thank you Rev Liz for such a lovely service and again for a beautiful service in the afternoon for the bereaved. Suzanne Cole has asked me to pass on her thanks to everyone who bought Traidcraft after the morning service. She and Stuart took £96. A percentage of everything that is sold comes to the church as a donation, so far this year we have raised £100 for our churches in this way and that’s when we have been closed for part of the year, so thank you for supporting such a good cause. Suzanne says that moving forward they will try to do a Traidcraft stall once a month. I’ll let you know when the next one is.
This week we have the following services:
9.30am Matins, Ockley
10.30am Family Communion, Capel
There are also church teas this Sunday at Capel from 3-5. So far this year the church teas in Capel have raised more than £780 as well as over £320 for Treeaid. An enormous thank you to Joy and her team for all the hardwork they put in to make these afternoons such a success. Please do come and join us for tea and cake tomorrow.
The Christmas Fair is now just two weeks away, Suzanne and I would like to say thank you for all your contributions to the raffle so far, we are still collecting prizes so if you have anything you would like to give, please just pop it in the hamper in Capel church. Emails are about to go out to all our wonderful volunteers, if you haven’t yet offered but would like to be involved just reply to this email. Finally, please do come on the day, we’ve selected some lovely stalls and you get a free cup of coffee or tea with your entrance. If you are nervous of being in crowded places, may I suggest that you come between 3 and 4 when we are likely to be quieter.
This week’s picture of the week is the lovely valley of Westhumble looking glorious yesterday and a bonus photo kindly sent to me by Mike and Jane Reeves of the ‘Belties’ – Belted Galloways which are on Ranmore presently, owned I think by Paula and Laurence Matthews who farm sustainably locally.
With love and prayers
Debbie von Bergen
debbievonbergen@icloud.com
07774 784008
Post expires at 3:25pm on Sunday November 6th, 2022
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Dear Friends
How wonderful that tomorrow will see our first joint service for almost 2 years! I am so looking forward to visiting St Margaret’s. The service will be at 9.30am, but don’t forget the clocks change tonight so set your alarm. Stuart and Suzanne Cole are very kindly bringing Traidcraft along to this service, the products are lovely, my personal favourites are the quinoa penne and the stem ginger biscuits!
We also have our service for the bereaved at Capel in the afternoon at 3pm. This will be followed by church teas. If you would like us to include the names of your loved ones and you haven’t yet had a chance to add them to the list in Capel church, just reply to this email with their names and I will add them for you.
For those who knew Ann Moon well her funeral service will take place at Randall’s Park Crematorium at 11.45am on the 19 November, followed by a buffet lunch at the Crown in Capel. Please let Mel (melanieaksmith@outlook.com <mailto:melanieaksmith@outlook.com>) know if you would like to come.
Just a reminder that Newdigate church is operating its hearing aid clinic next Wednesday 3 November from 10.30-12 noon. For those of us who wear hearing aids we can top up with batteries and receive basic maintenance advice. I’ve attached their flier which gives more information.
We are still looking for raffle prizes for our hampers for the Christmas fair. The hampers will be along three themes: Pampering, gardening and food and drink. There is a basket in Capel church for your donations. Thank you.
This week has been a difficult one to take photos, I’ve been caught in the rain quite a few times whilst out walking, and the rest of the time it’s been rather dull, so the picture of the week is from a fairly murky day on Holmwood hill. The Autumn colours though are improving all the time so I expect better pictures soon.
With love and prayers
Debbie von Bergen
debbievonbergen@icloud.com
07774 784008
Post expires at 7:43am on Monday October 31st, 2022
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Join us for this week’s national service from the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The Service of the Word for Bible Sunday is led by chaplains Becky Cox and Rev Mike Haslam.
Click the read more link to go to the service on the Church of England Website.
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November – it seems hardly possible – time seems to have flown once more. As I put the services page together I couldn’t believe that we are nearing Christmas. It honestly doesn’t feel that long since last year, when we were all in the depths of lockdown, not able to share the festive season with our loved ones or those who we would normally invite into our homes. Winter is certainly approaching now, but its good isn’t it to appreciate these days before the festivities which hopefully will take place this year. We have just celebrated the fruits of the season with harvest festivals at both our churches and sent off lots of food to the local food bank and thank you to all who contributed and especially our lovely Scott Broadwood children. Our next shout out will be for contributions to the Christmas hampers we will be preparing in December for needy families locally. Do look inside church for more details and a sign up list later on this month. Also if you know someone who would appreciate a hamper or a small gift this year please do let me know?
Remembrance Sunday is on the 14th November this year and like last year we will be holding the entire service outside at Capel around the War Memorial at 3pm. At St Margaret’s Ockley the Remembrance Service will take place outside also in the morning beginning at 10.45am. This I think is the most sensible way of allowing as many as would like to attend to remember on this most auspicious of Remembrance Sundays – the Centenary of the British Legion. This year we will be missing one very important person, Ian Moon, who died this year. Ian along with his colleague Richard Orme have been our British Legion representatives for many years and we will miss him. Richard will be with us and carrying the Capel British Legion Standard in honour of Ian for what will probably be the last time as it is due to be laid up in church afterwards.
As we take time to remember this year in various ways those who are sadly no longer with us and the nights draw in it is easy to let these sadnesses get the better of us. I myself have lost one of my brothers unexpectedly last month and it makes me very aware of my own mortality. I know that many in our parish are coping with many challenges, illness and loss but as the reading I have chosen for my brother’s funeral which is from Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 says, for everything there is a season, and time for every matter under heaven…. Let it be so and let us encourage one another as there is much to give thanks for in our lovely villages as we gear up for Christmas!
So whether I may see you at our first ever Christmas Fair in Capel later this month or decorating the community Christmas Trees on that first Saturday in December or celebrating the coming of Christmas in our Christingle Service at Ockley or in a more reflective mood at one of our services, please know that we are here to help you in any way we can. In the meantime let us embrace the season we find ourselves in and all that surrounds us, let us help one another and know that God loves each one of us deeply knowing all that we face in life and will help us if we let him.
With my love and prayers as ever.
Liz
Post expires at 1:52pm on Sunday October 23rd, 2022
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Dear Friends,
You will receive this email earlier than normal this week as we are off to spend a weekend in Devon with friends.
I do hope you you have had a good week, I have spent much of the time changing our pots over from their summer bedding to tulips for the spring. I always love planning ahead in the garden, thinking of spring as we go into the colder and darker months. The garden never truly sleeps, which means I too can’t hibernate. I always feel better after having spent time outside, particularly when the news on coronavirus isn’t good. The outside world calms the possible anxiety and reminds me that there is much to look forward to.
This week’s weekly sheets include details of Ian Rankins Memorial service on Saturday 30 October at 10.30am. Barbara has said that all are welcome, so please do come if you knew Ian well.
We have a change to the published services this week. The following will now take place:
9.30am Matins, Ockley
10.30am Morning Worship with Martin Gilpin, Capel.
Thank you to all those who are presiding over the services this Sunday.
Next Sunday will be our first Joint Service since covid restrictions began – so over 18 months ago. The service will be Holy Communion at 9.30am at Ockley with Rev Liz. We will also have Traidcraft at this service so do come and choose your favourite items.
Lastly, I think everyone now has the Christmas Fair on 20 November in their diaries. Suzanne Cole and I have worked hard, and have what we hope is a large number of lovely stalls for you to come and buy your Christmas presents at. We are still looking for volunteers to help on the day and raffle prizes for our hampers based around the themes of – pampering, food and drink and gardening. If you can offer anything , please do get in touch. There is a hamper in St John’s to take raffle prizes. Most importantly though, please tell your friends and come and visit us!
This weeks photo of the week comes from a lovely walk as the rain clouds lifted from Friday Street to Abinger Bottom, my photo doesn’t do it justice!
With love and prayers
Debbie von Bergen
debbievonbergen@icloud.com
07774 784008
Post expires at 7:49am on Sunday October 23rd, 2022
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Join the Clewer Initiative as we explore the steps we can take and prayers we can pray to end slavery.
Click the read more link to go to the service on the Church of England Website.
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Dear Friends,
I was thinking earlier in the week how much she has learnt in her first year of life. Do we I wonder go on learning at that pace? I’m fairly sure that most of you would say the answer is we don’t, but there are times when we learn and adapt more quickly than others. Take the last eighteen months for instance, how many of us knew about ‘Zoom’, the intricacies of the immune system, online webinars, even shopping online before we had to when Covid struck? So we have gone through an enormous learning curve and therefore perhaps we should be more gentle with ourselves now as we return to normality and assimilate all we have learnt. Just like a toddler we need lots of ‘down’ time too! Many of you have said how challenging you have found the relaxation of restrictions, please do talk to us if there is anything we can do to make your return to physical church less stressful.
This week’s services are as follows:
Ockley 9.30am Matins
Capel 10.30am Songs of Praise
Rev Liz is back from holiday on the 19th and will be taking Holy Communion at Ockley next weekend. Capel will have Martin Gilpin leading Morning Worship. Next Sunday is of course Bible Sunday, do have a look at the Bible Society’s article on this important day: www.biblesociety.org.uk/latest/news/whats-the-story-bible-sunday/
For those of us who wear hearing aids, you might like to know that Newdigate church operate a clinic once a month that can help do basic maintenance, clean and re-tube, supply new batteries and give advice. The next clinic is on 3 November 10.30-12.00 at St Peter’s Newdigate. I believe there is coffee on offer too! A poster is attached.
Please don’t forget about our Christmas Fair on the 20 November, we are still looking for volunteers and raffle prizes. If you can offer either, please just reply to this email. We would love raffle prizes along three themes: Gardening, pampering and Food and drink to make up some lovely hampers as our prizes, but we would also love to hear from you if you could offer a voucher to one of our local pubs, hairdressers, beauty salons etc etc.
Lastly, the picture of the week is from a sunny walk on Holmwood Common – the light is so beautiful at this time of year that it was an easy one to take.
With love and prayers
Debbie von Bergen
debbievonbergen@icloud.com
07774 784008
A4BLUE-17-Oct21.pdf
616ae09a35807.html weekly-sheet-21.10.17.pdf616ae09c94a41.html Poster-with-dates-2021.pdf616ae09e3c993.html616ae09eb0a3a.htmlPost expires at 7:57am on Monday October 17th, 2022
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A Service of Holy Communion for Black History Month. Fr Richard Springer leads the service from St George in the East, London this Safeguarding Sunday.
Click the read more link to go to the service on the Church of England Website.
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A recording of the Harvest Festival Service held at St John the Baptist Church, Capel on 3 October 2021. This video has been produced for those who are currently either unable or not ready to come to church services at this time.
Officiant: Rev. Liz Richardson
Readers: Alan Smallwood, Andrew Forsyth, Rev. Liz Richardson
Intercessions: Suzanne Cole
Organist: Anthea Smallwood
Hymns:
‘We plough the fields and scatter’
‘For the fruits of all creation’ (tune is Ar Hyd Y Nos)
‘For the beauty of the earth’ by the Cambridge Singers.
‘Great is thy faithfulness’
Compassion UK YouTube video: https://youtu.be/5mbWUYOIXl0
Compassion sponsored children from a remote village in Northern Thailand have their letters hand-delivered by Kari – the mail runner. Join Kari, a former sponsored child, as he makes his seven hour journey twice a month.
To sponsor a child and partner with us to release children from poverty in Jesus name, visit
https://www.compassionuk.org/sponsors…
Post expires at 7:03am on Friday October 7th, 2022
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