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Events, Farnham Literary Festival, St Mark's Church

What a festival!

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Three workshops, two awards ceremonies, a theatrical evening and a lot of good poetry – it all added up to a major contribution by the parish to the inaugural Farnham Literary Festival (March 5-13).

St Mark’s Church was the only north Farnham venue taking part in the festival and not only did we host events, we ran the Farnham Poetry Competition and filled the church with poets young and old with fresh voices and their own take on Farnham.

During the week there was a workshop to create your own fantasy world; a writing memories workshop (with some rather saucy poetry!) run by Right at Home care agency and the church; a crime writing workshop with Joy Kluver, author of the Detective Bernadette Noel series; a rehearsed reading by the Farnham Theatre Association of A Tale of Two Theatres (the story of the Castle and Redgrave Theatres); the awards ceremony of the Farnham Fiction Award, and the awards ceremony of the Poetry Competition.

The church buzzed all week with people of diverse ages and backgrounds who leapt at the chance to express themselves creatively. There is enormous creativity here in this community and we are hugely grateful to everyone who took part, including the poetry judges, Coral Rumble who judged the under-16s category, and Ellora Sutton who judged the adult one.

We had around 80 entries to the poetry competition and the judges found it hard to choose between them. In the end their choices were:

Under-16:
First place:
Farnham by Katie Parratt.
Runners-up:
Under a Tree by Nigarish Nabeel Nasir.
Farnham  by Louis West.
Shortlisted:
A day at Gostrey Meadow by Minha Nabeel Nasir.
Farnham attraction by Harrison West.
Meadow by Alina Liepsch.
There is a place I know by Maria Benyon.
Welcome to Farnham by Mimi Farrell.
Why Farnham makes me smile by Ellie Darlow.

Adults:
First place:
The First One that’s Second by Elmaz Ekrem.
Runners-up:
Farnham Park 2021 by Rosemary Wisbey.
Local Character by Andy Morse.
Shortlisted:
Farnham Swimming Baths by Elaine Fell.
Farnham Friendship by Chandra McGowan.
Swimming in April’s Cold by Chris Hunter.
embedded in wood and stone by Kate Kennington Steer.

Kate Kennington Steer is a participant in Creative Response, an arts-related organisation run by professional practising artists who share their practice with vulnerable people, and members of Creative Response were also there on the poetry evening, reading from and selling their new book of poems Where Seeds Are Planted Poems Grow.

We are currently collecting in recordings of the winning poems and they will be published here shortly.

Here are a few images from the week:

Winner of the adult poetry award Elmaz Ekrem (left) with judge Ellora Sutton.
Building fantasy worlds in the Build a World Workshop. Yes, even the Mayor was busy doing so!
David Wylde and Chris Reeks in A Tale of Two Theatres.
Coral Rumble, the judge of the under-16s poetry competition reads some of her own poetry.
Neil Macdonald speaks at the writing awards, along with judge Gary Couzens.
Writing crime with Joy Kluver.
Children and Youth, Services, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Mothering Sunday

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Next Sunday, March 27, is Mothering Sunday and everyone is welcome at any of our services – St John’s, 9.30am; St George’s, 10am; St Mark’s, 11am.

We will be celebrating our mothers and/or others who take or have taken care of us over the years. There will be refreshments and posies for all. Contact us if you would like more details.

If you find Mothering Sunday difficult, there is a peaceful reflection called Loving Kindness at St Mark’s at 9.30am. Further details here.

Prayer, Services, St Mark's Church

Loving Kindness – for when Mother’s Day is Complicated

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Do you find Mothering Sunday tricky?

Mothering Sunday can be complicated for so many different reasons: perhaps you have lost your own mother, perhaps the relationship is broken, perhaps you feel you are hopeless at being a mother – there may be a hundred more reasons why Mothering Sunday is tricky.

Why not take some time and space to reflect, to sit quietly and know that God sees you as an individual, not “just a mother” or “just a child of a mother”.

On Sunday, March 27, at 9.30am at St Mark’s, Pamela Marsham will be leading a short, mindfulness based session to help you unwind and relax into God’s love for each and every one of us.

Art, Craft, Events, music, St Mark's Church

Craft Market

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2023: March 18, June 17, September 16 and November 18

Come to our regular Craft Market at St Mark’s. We now run this four times a year and the dates are above.

We invite local crafters to take part and we have a wide range of creative people there selling a huge array of gifts for yourself and others. There are jumpers, teddy bears, soaps and soap dishes, candles, cards, earrings, necklaces, hats and gloves, glass gifts, knitwear, pictures, pottery, sweets, notebooks, coasters, mugs to go on the coasters… and much more, with new stalls added regularly, and all of it sold to a background of live music and refreshments in the adjoining room.

If you would like to hire a stall, click here for a form, or call 07842761919 or email craft@badshotleaandhale.org

Come and join us as a shopper or a seller, or just to enjoy the buzz and friendly atmosphere.

Prayer

Ukraine

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We continue to be deeply shocked and horrified by the news coming out of Ukraine following the invasion by Russia.

It can be hard to know what to do and how to pray. There are suggested prayers here and some resources for children and schools.

Many people want to give clothes and other vital items to help refugees. There is a collection by Farnham Help for Refugees at St George’s Church between 2.30 and 6.30pm on Friday but please note that they are collecting for all refugees, not just Ukraine.

If you want to give specifically to help Ukrainian refugees, there are collection points in Farnham between now and Wednesday and the details are in the picture below:

Farnham Help for Refugees are asking for clothing, toiletries, technology (phones, tablets etc) and items such as sleeping bags and tents. See below for further details.



Trusted organisations already operating in Ukraine and among the refugees are:

  1. UNHCR –https://www.unrefugees.org.uk/take-action/how-to-help-ukraine/
  2. UNICEF emergency appeal  – https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/donate-now-to-protect-children-in-ukraine/
  3. British Red Cross – Ukranian Crisis Appeal –donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-crisis-appeal. 
Easter, Farnham Literary Festival, Lent, magazine, Prayer

Your March magazine is here

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Spring is here and so is the March magazine, full of news and events across the parish.

This month we head into Lent and there is a chance to sign up for Lent groups which will be held in person and on Zoom. The theme is forgiveness and you can find out more about the subject in Lesley’s ministry letter.

Also prominent this month is the parish’s part in the first Farnham Literary Festival. St Mark’s is the only north Farnham venue and will be hosting several workshops, a rehearsed reading by the Farnham Theatre Association, and the awards ceremonies for both the Farnham Poetry Competition and the Farnham Short Story Competition.

Then there is news from local groups, plans for Easter, prayer, plans for a Barn Dance, words from our MP, a cat or two and much, much more.

You can find it all here:

March 22Download
Ash Wednesday, Lent, Services, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Dust and ashes

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This Wednesday (February 22) is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the beginning of the season which leads up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday has its roots in the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting and many Christians mark the day by going to church and having a mark of ashes placed on their foreheads. Here in the parish there will be a service of ashing at St Mark’s at noon, and at St John’s at 7.30pm.

The ash is made by burning palm crosses, like the ones we use at the Palm Sunday services each year, and you can receive the mark with the words:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ.”

It is a solemn reminder of our calling to follow Christ and be his body here on earth.

Picture by Ahna Ziegler. Unsplash.
music, Social Events, St George's Church

Barn Dance cancelled

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Sadly, we have had to cancel our Barn Dance which was to be held on April 10. Any tickets bought will be refunded.

Get out those dancing shoes and shake off the Covid blues, dancing to the irresistible sounds of the Cajun Boogaloo trio.

There will be a light supper and you can bring your own snacks and drinks.

Tickets: £15 adults / £7 children / £40 family available from warden.stgeorges@badshotleaandhale.org and in church on Sundays.

Lent, St George's Church, St Mark's Church

Fancy some pancakes… and temptation…

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As we head towards Lent we invite you to be tempted by some pancakes in our Pancakes and Temptation services on February 27 at St George’s, Badshot Lea, at 10am, and St Mark’s, Upper Hale, at 11am.

On the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday – the day before Lent – we like to make pancakes in church and think about the season ahead of us. It’s a sociable occasion but with a message. We celebrate with pancakes, but the Lenten season ahead of us is one when we reflect and prepare for Easter and the service will draw attention to this too.

This Lent we are looking at the theme of forgiveness. Further details are available here.

Picture by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash.

Lent

Forgiveness

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This year, during Lent, we are going to take a look at the subject of forgiveness and be asking some in-depth questions, such as:

  • What is forgiveness?
  • Do others need to repent before we forgive them?
  • Is resentment a bad thing?
  • Is forgiveness sometimes impossible?

The course will be run by the clergy, and Michelle Chapman will be running a family course.

We won’t be following a book; instead there will be a booklet with questions and a list of optional resources which you might or might not wish to engage with. It will be quite possible to take part in the course without looking at any of the other resources.

Please let Alan know if you would like to be part of a Lent Course this year, either online or in person, and what days or evenings are good for you.  Also, please let him know if you would be willing to host a meeting.

Picture by Alex Shute on Unsplash.