Your July/August magazine is here, filled with Ordination news, the Fete, information about what is going on in the parish, reflections, an article about the pop-up museum exhibition at St Mark’s, changes to the craft market, pride services, news from our local MP, prayer, new advertisers.
Enjoy reading and please let us have your articles and news. Email editor@badshotleaandhale.org
Your June magazine is here, filled with Jubilee events, the Flower Festival, information about what is going on in the parish, reflections, an article about coping with deafness, news from our local MP, prayer, new advertisers.
Enjoy reading and please let us have your articles and news. Email editor@badshotleaandhale.org
Situations Vacant
There are lots of roles that you can help with at church – please do get involved. Email revd.lesley@badshotleaandhale.org to find out more:
Role description: Open the Book is part of the Bible Society and is groups of people from local churches visiting local schools and reading Bible stories – but it is so much more than that! We have had a team in this parish for the past seven years and we would like more people to join our team. There is a rolling programme of stories with comments and prayers all approved by the schools and Ofsted. This is a wonderful experience – for us as a team and the children we meet. They look forward to our visits, often take part in the stories and always enter into the spirit of the story. It is an honour to introduce the next generation to the wonderful stories of God and his love for us.
Person description: Enjoy being with children and telling them stories, and have about two hours during the school day, alternate weeks in term time.
Hours: We practise and prepare on alternate Monday mornings at 9:15.
Visit Folly Hill school on alternate Tuesday mornings 10:15 – 10:45.
Visit Badshot Lea school and Tootsies nursery on alternate Wednesday mornings 10:15 – 11:15.
Reports to: Margaret
Role description: We have recently taken on the running of a mentoring scheme for young people in Heath End School. We listen and talk to a young person for an hour a week during term time and there is a termly meeting of mentors. Commitment is for a term at a time, initial training involves safeguarding and training of mentoring – three courses of 4 hours.
Person description: A non-judgmental attitude and love for teenagers
Hours: 3 hours per week term time
Reports to: Simon
Role description:
To circulate the agenda and relevant information before each meeting of the PCC in consultation with the incumbents. To take minutes and circulate them to members after the meetings
To liaise with members by email in between meetings such as taking votes on items which cannot wait. Keep a record of the results and post them on Office 365.
To prepare the Annual Report in consultation with the incumbent
To organise and minute the Annual Meetings
To handle correspondence on behalf of the Parish
To correspond with the Diocese informing them of names and contact details of officers in the Parish
To update the Charities Commission website with details of Officers and members of the PCC
To upload the Annual Report and Finance Report to the Charities Commission website in consultation with the incumbents
To correspond with the Charities Commission when necessary
Person description: Good organisational skills, ability to precis and pick out the essentials at meetings, patience, basic knowledge of Word/Excel
Hours: 1-2 hours per week
Role description: The parish currently runs on a variety of Google sheets, with associated Javascript macros. There is an opportunity to support these, or to help move them to Office 365 Power Automate
Person description: Good Computer skills with some experience of programming
Number of hours: Work expands to fill the time available! If it is ongoing support there is perhaps an hour a week, but this can come in lumps as Google have a habit of changing things without telling us and they then need to be made to work in the new regime.
Reports to: Alan
Role description: Running our Instagram account and Twitter account
Person description: Understands social media and contemporary online culture.
Hours: 30 mins per day
Reports to: Stella
Role description: Sharing, liking and commenting on our social media posts
Person description: Just needs to be on a social media platform
Hours: virtually nil
Reports to: Stella
Role description: Putting together the parish magazine each month, asking for contributions, laying out the pages.
Person description: Computer literate with an eye for laying out the magazine and an understanding of what the readers will want in their magazine
Hours: 16 per month
Reports to: Stella
Role description: Coordinating a team of people to deliver the magazines. Posting some of the magazines to those who live outside the parish
Person description: Good at organisation and spreadsheets, good at leading a team
Hours: 4 per month
Reports to: Stella
Role description: Collect items to put on the boards and pin them up once a week
Person description: Able to collect the posters etc and get round the three churches, a good eye to ensure the boards look attractive
Hours: 2 hours per week
Reports to: Stella
Role description: Calling people to check they are ok, visiting when that is allowed
Person description: Empathetic, non-judgemental, good at listening, loves people
Hours: Depends on agreement
Reports to: Lesley
Role description: Available occasionally during the day and on Saturdays to help at Funerals and Weddings – able to work the CD player and put out the microphones and welcome people
Person description: Good with technology and welcoming
Hours: Ad hoc – you will be part of a team of people called upon occasionally
Reports to: Lesley
Role description: Attending choir practice and singing in the choir at St John’s and St George’s
Person description: A love of singing, and the ability to sing in tune. It is not necessary to be able to read music.
Hours: Choir practice is at St George’s Church, Badshot Lea, every Monday during term time, from 6pm ’till 7 or 7.15pm. Services last one hour every Sunday morning at each of the churches.
Role Description: Musician to play occasionally at services at either St. George’s or St. John’s
Person description: A competent and confident keyboard player, preferably, but could be a guitar player, accordion player, or fiddle player! With imagination and enthusiasm for playing, and leading the choir and congregation in the singing.
Hours: – playing for a service one Sunday morning a month, practise in the hymns on the rota to be played. Prepare suitable music to play at the beginning and end of each service, and during the service, as required.
Reports to: Margaret
Role description: Clean the church and other rooms
Person description: Good at cleaning
Hours: 1.5 hours per week for St John’s and St Mark’s.
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Holds keys to the church and is able to open up the church at short notice
Person description: Able to be contacted at short notice during the day or evening
Hours: very infrequent occurrence
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Four churches are Eco-churches, a national initiative that uses an online questionnaire to assess churches. This person needs to fill in the online data, recommend policies to the PCC and promote eco work in congregation
Person description: Knowledgeable and passionate about environmental issues and computer literate
Hours: Depends on agreement
Reports to: Lesley
Role description: Prepare prayers for the Sunday Service and pray them during the service
Person description: Able to lead prayers
Hours: 1 per month
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Prepare everything for communion and assist the priest during the service
Person description: Willing to help during the service
Hours: 1 per month
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Opens and closes the church on a rota
Person description: Able to get to the church and open or close it
Hours: depends on how often they are on the rota
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Make sure there are people to serve coffee each week and that we have the right supplies
Person description: Friendly and welcoming and able to fill in an online spreadsheet
Hours: Very few – the rota should run without too much intervention
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Able to organise teams to help occasionally. At each of the churches we do have great people who are already doing gardening, but there are sometimes additional maintenance works that needs a team
Person description: Enjoys gardening and grounds maintenance
Hours: Depends on agreement
Reports to: Warden
Role description: The parish have a small group who create Generic Risk Assessments and assist in the creation of non Generic Risk Assessments. The aim is to have one from each Church so that local knowledge is represented on the group.
Person description: Prior experience of creating Risk Assessments would be ideal.
Hours: The time is difficult to specify as it will depend on the need for new Risk Assessments. However, there is an initial period of catch up reviewing the risks that we currently have and rationalising them into Generic Risk Assessments which can be used by multiple Activities. During this initial stage about 6 hours/month should be required.
Reports to: Alan
Role description: Put out chairs and welcome people as they arrive.
Person description: Fit and able to move chairs, friendly and welcoming
Hours: 2 per month
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Mow the lawn at St George’s from the spring
Person description: Able to use the electric mower
Hours: 3 per month
Reports to: Bill
Role description: Prepare everything for communion and assist the priest during the service
Person description: Willing to help during the service
Hours: 1 per month
Reports to: Warden
Role description: Repair things that can be repaired and call in contractors when necessary. Check fabric monthly.
Person description: Good at DIY. Ideally it would be good to have electrician, construction or plumbing experience
Hours: 2 hours per week
Reports to: Warden
Role description:
We need a person prepared to tend the hedges either side of the main driveway down the side of St Marks. The object is to ensure they remain neat and to prevent significant incursion onto the driveway itself. We have people for grass mowing and major hedge trimming at the moment, so this should not be necessary.
Hours:
It is estimated this may take up to 2 hours per month.
Reports to:
Warden
We are crowdfunding to raise money for our new Youth Hub at the St John’s which will be every day after school for 11-16 year olds. Check out www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/st-johns-project to find out what you can get for your money and what we will be doing with it.
The hub will be open to all young people and we will be working in partnership with Relational Hub, a national charity which is helping young people thrive. Relational Hub is a proven model of youth and community work, with over a decade of supporting young people.
The Youth Hub will be based on these four principles:
Radical Hospitality – the way you welcome young people;
Everyday Youth Work – daily, consistent drop-in;
Support and Opportunities – developing skills and co-producing projects;
Sustainable Approach – having a long term approach, fundraising and enterprise strategy.
The link to find out more is here: www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/st-johns-project
The sun is out and so is the June magazine! This month’s magazine is packed full of news and events about our parish which isn’t confined to the villages we serve locally – lovely though they all are! Being online has allowed us to reach out far further and welcome people who can’t be with us physically.
Take the flower festival for instance. Among the 300+ entries were ones from friends of the parish from around the country. Take a look at some of the entries in the magazine and, of course, online.
There’s news of upcoming events – Father’s Day’s an important one as is the fete on July 3 – new classes, new rooms, a new business, our new youth hub, the new mayor and North Farnham councillor, along with lots more including Kitty Milroy and her media-starring murals, prayer, Jeremy Hunt, appeals for help, schools news, the Church Cat and more.
Enjoy reading and enjoy the sun.
Download the magazine here:
The Kitty Milroy Murals at St Mark’s have made the national news, following a visit by Sky News reporter Shingi Mararike.
The murals, which are undergoing restoration at the moment, have been recognised as being of national importance in the development of mural art and the work of a considerable, but so far unacknowledged, talent.
Watch the video here:
https://news.sky.com/video/who-was-the-artist-known-as-kitty-milroy-12307871
And read the article here:
https://news.sky.com/story/surrey-church-restoring-murals-of-national-significance-by-unheralded-artist-kitty-milroy-12307572
Following the death of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on Friday morning (April 9), the three churches in the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale will all be open this week from Monday to Friday for people to come in and light a candle, pray or just sit quietly. There will also be black ribbons available to tie in the churchyards as a sign of mourning and reflection.
The churches are St George’s, Badshot Lea, GU9 9LD; St John’s, Hale Road, GU9 9RP (park in the layby near Daniele Sicilian Restaurant); and St Mark’s, Alma Lane, GU9 0LT.
Because of Covid-19 we are unable to have a physical Book of Condolence but if you wish to sign one, there is an online one here: https://www.churchofengland.org/remembering-his-royal-highness-prince-philip
You can also do so by scanning the QR code here:
A copy of the QR code will be available in the churches.
If you need support or further information, contact admin@badshotleaandhale.org or call 07842761919.
Picture of Prince Philip copyright: Press Association
Our April magazine is out now, full of Easter hope, news, plans and offers by our wonderful, loyal advertisers.
Inside, along with the joy of Easter, you will find information on our plans for growth and how we want to serve our community better, you’ll find encouraging news about vaccinations, courses about faith, a ‘cycle ride’ from John O’Groats to Land’s End to raise money for the church and for research into dementia, a piece about Pamela who has led the choir at St John’s for the past decade, and much more. (Miaow! Don’t forget me – the Church Cat).
Please read, share, respond, contribute. Let’s tell more people about all that this parish has to offer. And if you’d like a printed copy, let us know.
You can find the magazine here:
The cover price of the magazine is £10 for the year which pays for the editorial costs. We would be grateful if those accessing it online would pay £1 an issue. You can pay by clicking on the button below:
Day 10:
Happy Easter from the Easter Bunny, Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny, A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny, Quite-Small Bunny, Smallest-Bunny-Of-All (very loudly) and, of course, the Chocolate Chicken.
May you know the blessing and hope of Christ this Easter!
Day 9:
Holy Saturday isn’t as sunny as Good Friday, but the bunnies still manage to get in a walk. Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny wants to show them the difference between a park and a recreation ground (which she is careful not to call a ‘rec’ for fear of getting Quite-Small Bunny’s hopes up).
“Wow! This is huge!” says A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny. “I hope we won’t get lost.”
“Don’t worry, I’m with you,” says the Easter Bunny. “And I know the way.”
“Look!” shouts Smallest-Bunny-Of-All. “We can climb the trees!”
It’s quite a long way up for their little legs, and A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny is, well, a bit of a worrier about whether they are safe, but from their tree they can see a long way.
“What’s that?” asks Quite-Small Bunny? “Down there on the ground?”
“It’s… it’s…” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny peering down. “I don’t know.”
“It’s the chocolate chicken!” yells Smallest-Bunny-Of-All.
And it is! The Easter Bunny is overjoyed to see her.
“Can I place an order for eggs?” she asks.
Day 8:
The bunnies are in a reflective mood. Before they tuck in to a hot cross bun (they are only little bunnies so they need only one between them), the Easter Bunny tells them a little bit about Good Friday.
“So Jesus showed everyone a different way and people didn’t like it, is that right?” asks Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot-And-Wants-To-Know-Even-More Bunny.
“That’s right,” says the Easter Bunny.
“What way was that?” asks A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
“It was a way of love,” says the Easter Bunny.
“Is that why our bun has a kiss on it?” asks Quite-Small Bunny.
The Easter Bunny gives him a hug.
Smallest-Bunny-Of-All hopes that the bun also has chocolate in it. Good thing the Easter Bunny can’t read her mind.
Day 7:
After yesterday’s confusion about ship wrecks and recreation grounds, the bunnies investigate the houses further and discover, to the delight of the children at least, that there is another playground.
“Just a short play,” says the Easter Bunny, “I want to go to the Maundy Thursday service this evening.”
“Evening is years away!” says Quite-Small Bunny.
“No, it’s only a few hours away,” Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny corrects him.
“Whose going to baby-bunnysit us when you go to the service?” asks A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
“The chocolate chicken can!” shouts Smallest-Bunny-Of-All from her high perch.
‘If only,’ thinks the Easter Bunny.
Day 6:
The Easter Bunny and her family investigate what else there is near the church they found yesterday. There seem to be lots of houses and people, some of them playing games, and this all makes A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny, well, worried.
“Supposing they don’t like bunnies,” he says.
“Everyone was very welcoming at church when we went on Sunday, weren’t they?” says the Easter Bunny. “And there’s plenty of space in all these big green fields.”
“They are recreation grounds,” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny. “Or you can call them ‘recs’.”
“I want to see the rec, I want to see the rec!” says Quite-Small Bunny. “There might be lost treasure.”
It takes the Easter Bunny a while to realise that he thinks he is going to see a ship wreck.
To cheer him up she promises them all ice cream.
“Can I have a chocolate flake in my ice cream?” asks Smallest-Bunny-Of-All.
That reminds the Easter Bunny of a problem. Just where is that chocolate chicken?
Day 5:
It’s a beautiful day and the Easter Bunny takes her family for a walk, this time to another part of north Farnham where she has seen another church.
“It’s a lovely place to live,” she tells them as she leads the way down the road.
“Can we have a burrow in one of the parks here?” asks Quite-Small Bunny.
“They are recreation grounds,” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny. “The park is a very big area over there,” she says, waving a paw in what she hopes might be the right direction, as she doesn’t always know quite as much as she makes out (shh! don’t tell anyone).
“A big park might be a bit too big for little bunnies,” worries A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
“I don’t mind, as long as there are flowers and playgrounds,” says Smallest-Bunny-Of-All . He scampers off into a clump of daffodils.
“I also want to live somewhere where there are chocolate eggs!” he calls.
That reminds the Easter Bunny of a problem…
Day 4:
There has been a disagreement about what to do today. Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny wants to study the spring flowers for a school project.
Smallest-Bunny-Of-All wants to visit the playground.
A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny doesn’t like disagreements and is feeling a bit upset.
Thankfully Quite-Small Bunny has a solution: “Let’s do both.”
The Easter Bunny thinks that this might give her a greater chance of finding a chocolate chicken.
Day 3:
It’s Palm Sunday and the Easter Bunny and her family want to go to church.
“Here’s the door,” says Quite-Small Bunny.
“Will we be allowed? We’re not like most of the people here,” says A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
For once Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny turns to her mother for the answer.
“Of course,” says the Easter Bunny, “this is a church where everyone is welcomed, whoever we are.”
“Come on in,” says the vicar, “you are very welcome.”
The Easter Bunny hopes that a chocolate chicken has also found her way here.
During the service a small voice can he heard singing ‘Sleeping bunnies’. It’s Smallest-Bunny-Of-All’s favourite song.
Day 2:
The Easter Bunny and her family stop off for a rest on a park bench.
“Where are all the people?” asks Quite-Small Bunny.
“They are having to stay inside and keep safe because of Covid,” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny.
“Do we have to do that?” asks A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
“We’re bunnies, it’s OK,” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny.
“Can we go and play in the park?” asks Smallest-Bunny-Of-All.
Meanwhile the Easter Bunny is considering the journey ahead. She doesn’t seem to be as fit as she used to be. Maybe she has spent too much time watching TV and eating biscuits during lockdown.
Also, she still hasn’t solved the problem of the chocolate chicken.
Day 1:
The Easter Bunny and her family are off. They are making their way around the parish, heading for church on Easter Sunday.
But where are they today? And why are they? Who exactly is the Easter Bunny?
Well, since you ask, the Easter Bunny has been investigating her family history and so far has got back to her Great-great-great-great-great-great-and-quite-a-few-more-Grandad in the middle of Europe in the 17th century when he used to carry eggs in a basket to give children at Easter.
“We don’t have to lay the eggs ourselves do we?” asks A-Bit-Of-A-Worrier Bunny.
“Don’t be silly, bunnies don’t lay eggs,” says Big-Sister-Who-Knows-A-Lot Bunny.
“Will we have to ask the chickens for eggs?” asks Quite-Small Bunny.
“Let’s give them chocolate eggs!” says Smallest-Bunny-Of-All.
The Easter Bunny tries to remember whether she knows any chocolate chickens.
You may have read or heard national media reports on the Church of England in decline and dire consequences ensuing. Well, not on our watch. The parish has been bucking the trend and is seeing growing congregations both online and in person.
Though we were shut for many months last year because of Covid, we’ve seen new people coming to church when we have been able to be open and lots of people joining in online with our services, groups and festivals we have run.
Lesley Crawley says: “This has been a time of extraordinary change for us all and we have had to adapt to the challenges and respond in a way which meets the needs of those around us. Going online had been one obvious response and it is something we should have done years ago, alongside our services in church. There are lots of people who would like to come to church but can’t for whatever reason – disability, caring responsibilities, ill health, shift work and the like – so being able to access online services when they like is a real bonus. What’s more they can take part by recording readings, prayers etcetera.
“We’ve also really involved people in the services in the churches themselves, ensuring that it’s a whole-church event rather than just the same people standing up the front and speaking. So we have families doing drama for instance, or reading poetry and they have really enjoyed it.
“But it’s not just the numbers, we have also thought carefully about how we relate to everyone around us. So we have, run online events – our latest is a poetry festival – and looked at how we can use the buildings better, make them more accessible, change the way we do outreach, really get serious about church health and develop ambitious plans for the future. We have seen this as an opportunity to understand what our community wants from us and how we can share God’s love with everyone so that everyone feels welcomed and valued whoever they are and whatever their circumstances.”
Watch out for more changes and growth as we continue to seek God’s will and respond to people around us.
The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale 