Adventurers, the club for ages 7-11, is back again.
The popular club, led by Anne Boyman, is on Tuesdays at St Mark’s from 5.30-7pm, in term time.
There are games, craft, art, stories, prayers, refreshments and a lot of fun and friendship. So, if you, or someone you know, are age 7 to 11, why not give it a try? Just turn up, or give Anne Boyman a call on 01252 724429.
Little Bees is a small, friendly baby and toddler group (birth to just turned 3yrs) held in St. George’s Hall in the middle of Badshot Lea. There is a large car park and the light, airy hall is fully accessible.
Each session we have an art or craft activity and like to end with a song or two. We have a large range of lovely toys for the children to enjoy. A hot drink is provided for the adults, but we decided not to provide refreshments for the children, encouraging the parent to bring along exactly what they prefer their child to consume. Our fees are £2 for one adult and child, an extra 50p for any other members of the family. This pays for equipment, refreshments and a little towards the cost of the hall.
If you would like to come along for a visit, we would love to meet you. We do have a restriction on numbers but currently have some spaces, so just come along, or for more information contact Maxine.everitt@badshotleaandhale.com or find us on Facebook.
Here is your September magazine, chock full of news and events for the next month, including a welcome to David and Nabila Camp, who have come to the parish while David is training for ordained ministry. There is news about harvest events – our free Harvest Lunch at the next Craft Market on September 17th, Harvest festival services and Apple Day on 18th, and Harvest Supper on October 1st with entertainment and an auction of some beautiful Nativity sets.
We look wider than the parish too with details of a Rainbow Service in Guildford on September 14th and questions about the new Farnham Infrastructure Programme. Please read and complete the consultation.
And don’t forget the Autumn Fayre on September 3rd!
Happy reading.
On Saturday, October 1, there will be a Harvest Supper at St George’s for the whole parish, with supper, entertainment and a raffle, starting at 6pm. Bring your own alcohol but soft drinks will be provided. Tickets are £10 adult; £5 child (under 16).
It’s always a great evening and if you fancy taking part in the entertainment, let Kris Lawrence know by emailing her at warden.stgeorges@badshotleaandhale.org. Tickets will be available in church or from Kris at the above email address, or call Stella Wiseman on 07842 761919.
At the Harvest Supper we will be auctioning these two lovely Nativity sets, made by Michelle Chapman’s father. There is a three-piece set (four pieces if the manger and baby are separated) and a 12-piece set (13 if manger and baby are separated) All money raised will go to church funds.
Top picture by Lena Volkova on Unsplash
We will be celebrating Harvest this Sunday (October 9th) at all three churches (9.30am St John’s, 10am St George’s and 10am St Mark’s, please note the earlier start to include Apple Day) with collections of non-perishable food for Farnham Foodbank and a special Apple Day at St Mark’s too!
At St Mark’s, where there is a community orchard, there will be apple-pressing, apple pie, apple juice and apple-y music.
Harvest is a reminder of all the good things that the earth provides but it also highlights the inequality in the world and this year in particular we know many, many people are facing a financial crisis greater than we have seen for decades.
Rev’d Lesley Crawley says: “Harvest is a time when we not only celebrate the gifts of God’s earth, but think of others who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. This is a growing reality in Britain today, even though we are one of the most economically developed countries in the world. Obviously we want to give to help alleviate this need, but the church is also there to challenge and ask questions about why this should be the case and what we can do about it.”
The Foodbank is currently in need of tinned ham or minced beef; tinned carrots or peas; tinned or packet custard; UHT milk and UHT fruit juice.
We are holding a craft market and free harvest lunch on Saturday, September 17, at St Mark’s Church, from 10am to 2pm, with a free lunch served from noon.
Come and browse the stalls, full of beautiful craft items, listen to live music, and enjoy a free lunch which we are offering in conjunction with the Hale Community Centre and Community Fridge which is dedicated to sharing good food with everyone and reducing waste.
Everyone is welcome and admission is free.
Join us for a new family service at St John’s at 4pm on the first Sunday of each month, starting on September 4.
There will be a simple service with activities, stories and music, followed by sandwiches, cake and drinks. Everyone welcome!
Join us at our Autumn Fayre at St John’s Church, Hale, on Saturday, September 3rd, from 12-4pm.
There will be stalls, games, food and drink – a barbecue, bar, tea and cakes – a grand raffle with loads of prizes, and music. The fayre will be opened by Cllr Alan Earwaker, Mayor of Farnham, at 12pm.
Come and browse the stalls – everything from crafts to a bottle tombola – play games, eat, drink and be merry while listening to music by local musicians.
Buy a lucky programme and be in with a chance of winning a £50 voucher for Heaven’s Kitchen restaurant; buy a raffle ticket and you could win £100, or a host of other prizes; browse gifts on the stalls; eat delicious cake or a burger; have a drink, and know that you are helping to raise money to support the church’s work in the community, including the setting up of a new youth hub at St John’s.
Join us from 12pm, Saturday, September 3rd.
And if any community group, local business or craftsperson would like a stall, please message us here or admin@badshotleaandhale.org
The changes are proposed as part of the Farnham Infrastructure Programme, a partnership between Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council, Farnham Town Council and Jeremy Hunt MP and the plan is to “reduce carbon emissions, improve the connections between the town’s communities, support economic vitality and encourage growth, and improve life in Farnham with cleaner air, healthier lifestyles and less dominance of traffic on communities”. However, there are questions over how this is done and what impact it will have on other parts of Farnham so a consultation is underway.
As North Farnham is likely to be affected if the proposals go ahead, residents are being encouraged to complete the consultation. This is online here and there will be hard copies available at the exhibitions. There are also hard copies available at the Farnham Town Council offices on South Street.
The consultation it runs until September 11th, but with an extension into early October to allow time to go into the schools at the start of next term.
To find out more follows North Farnham Voice on Facebook and visit https://farnhaminfrastructure.commonplace.is
On Sunday, August 21, we are celebrating Pride at all of our three churches and online, here on the website.
Our services are just six days before Pride in Surrey which takes place in Camberley on August 27. Both Pride in Surrey and our Pride services are an opportunity to celebrate LGBTQI+ people in their fullness, to look back on strides toward equality, and to imagine a world where celebration and full inclusion is the norm, not an exception.
Rev’d Stella Wiseman, a minister in the parish and Inclusive Church Ambassador for Surrey, explains some of the thinking behind this: “The Christian response to LGBTQI+ people has not generally been one of welcome – far from it sadly – and unsurprisingly the Church as a whole has not felt like a safe space for many people. In fact, Christians have used the Bible as a weapon and the church has contributed to the political, relational and spiritual dehumanizing of LGBTQI+ people.
“Our support for Pride is not just a way of saying sorry for the Church’s harmful actions – some of which have led to the death of some of God’s beloved children – but also an opportunity to denounce oppressive practices and ideology while also becoming more fully human ourselves. For when we dehumanise others we reduce our own humanity.
“In these services we repent of the past and we look with hope to the future. We stand with people who identify as LGBTQI+ and proclaim loudly that all people are loved by God and all people are welcome here. God is Love and we are all fearfully and wonderfully made.”
There will be special prayers and readings and invited speakers at all the services. Among those we will be welcoming are Merinda D’Aprano, published author, poet, spiritual director, preacher and retired headteacher; Ash Brockwell, an artist, poet, writer and lecturer; singer and artist Heather Golding; and Suzanne and Declan DeWitt Hall from Where True Love Is, who will take part in our online service
Please join us on Sunday, August 21. There is a service at St John’s Church, Lower Hale, at 9.30am, one at St George’s, Badshot Lea, at 10am, and one at St Mark’s, Upper Hale, at 11am. And, of course, we are online too: https://badshotleaandhale.org/online-services/
Members of the parish will also be at Pride in Surrey, both in the Pride parade and at the Christians at Pride stall.
