Category Archives: News Releases

Coronavirus, Events, News Releases

Join the Quiz Night!

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We’re holding a Zoom Quiz Night on Saturday, May 2, at 7.30pm, and everyone is invited.

The Wiseman-Eggleton household (aka the Wise-Eggs) are organising the quiz and there will be a number of rounds on lots of different topics, with breaks for snacks and drinks, and you’ll need to be able to email your answers in. You can be a team on your own, or in a household, or get together over the phone with some friends. We suggest teams of no more than six.

You’ll need Zoom but it’s easy to download and use and there is information on how to do so here.

The quiz is free to join though there will be an opportunity to make donations to support the church’s work in the community.

Anyone who would like to join in should contact Stella Wiseman on 07842 761919 or news@badshotleaandhale.org and she will send a link to the quiz night nearer the time.

Coronavirus, News Releases, Services

Online service for NHS and other frontline workers

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We will be holding an online church service to say thanks for and pray for the NHS, carers and other frontline workers, on Thursday, April 30, from 7pm.

The service will include readings, music and prayers, including one read by local MP and former Cabinet minister Jeremy Hunt, and another read by Cllr Pat Evans, Mayor of Farnham, along with pictures of artwork, videos and pictures of key workers.

Lesley Crawley explained the thinking behind the service: “We are living in extraordinary times, like nothing any of us have experienced before. As we navigate our way through them we want to seek God’s guidance and strength, particularly for those who are suffering and those who are working on the frontline in hospitals and care settings, and other key workers who are keeping the country going. And we want to give thanks for everyone who is working so hard across the world and in our own community.

“If anyone would like to offer us some art – especially rainbows – or photos of keyworkers, or if there are children who would like to be videoed saying a prayer, please do get in touch. Send contributions to Alan as soon as you can and certainly by the end of Sunday, April 26th.

“And do join us here on the website on Thursday 30th, from 7pm, to pray and give thanks.” The service will be available on the website from that time here.

If you need guidance for sending in your contributions, click here.

Coronavirus, News Releases

Help the NHS by making scrubs and donating material

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We are joining in the national efforts to make scrubs for the NHS and we need your help!

Doctors and nurses at our hospitals are running short of scrubs – the plain clothes they wear when caring for patients – so volunteers are getting out their sewing machines and making them, while others are donating material, including old duvet covers, pillowcases, sheets and tablecloths. The scrubs are then being sent to Frimley Park Hospital by representatives of the group ‘Scrub Hub – Making Scrubs for Frimley Park Hospital’.

Anne Young from the parish has made her porch in Badshot Lea the collecting point for both donated material and completed scrubs. She is also emailing out instructions and patterns to anyone who would like them. A representative of the Scrub Hub group is then picking them up on an almost daily basis.

Anne said: “People can come and pick up material from my porch – or drop it off there – and when they have made the items they need to wash them at 60 degrees, dry them and put them in a bag with the date on them, then leave them in my porch. The person who picks them up then keeps them for at least three days to ensure that there is no risk of the virus being on them, then takes them to Frimley Park.

“They can be made of any material as long as it is suitable for washing at 60 degrees and nothing has to match. I’ve heard there are doctors wearing tops with pineapples on them and trousers with meerkats! Pillowcases are particularly good for making the bags. The only thing is please don’t use elastic as they are washed so often at a high temperature that they don’t last.”

Anne will send out instructions and details of where pick up and drop off the material and scrubs to anyone who can help. To offer help, or for further information, contact Stella Wiseman  and she will put you in touch with Anne.

Church Buildings, Events, News Releases, St John's Church

Invitation to hear about plans for St John’s – postponed.

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Please note, this has been postponed. Look out for a new date later in the year.

Come and hear about the ambitious plans to create a community hub and café in St John’s Church, at an exhibition on Saturday, March 28, at 3pm and 7pm.

The church is going to be developed so that it is not just a place of worship but a centre designed to meet some of the needs of groups in the community, including people with learning difficulties, those with dementia, young people wanting a place to go outside school hours, and those with issues affecting their mental health. There will also be a soft play area, office space and flexible areas for groups to use.

The church has carried out extensive research into what is needed and is working with groups and individuals, including the county, borough and town councils; the local clinical commissioning group; and charities, particularly Post19 which supports young adults with learning difficulties. Plans will be announced formally at a launch at the church on Saturday, March 28.

Lesley Crawley is leading the development of the new hub and café. She said: “We know that there is a real need for a place where people can meet both formally and informally, in groups and organised sessions, or simply by dropping in at the café. We are holding a public launch for the plans for the new hub on March 28 so that everyone can see what will be happening. Please do come and join us.”

Please note, plans for the launch are going ahead at the moment but obviously we will follow any advice from the Government and Church of England about gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak.

Drop us an email or leave a comment to let us know if you are coming and which session – 3pm or 7pm.

Christingle, News Releases, St George's Church

Celebrate Christingle

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There will be a Christingle service at St George’s Church on Sunday, February 2, at 11.30am and everyone is welcome.

Christingle services take place any time between the beginning of Advent and the festival of  Candlemas on February 2.  The idea of the Christingle – where the story of God’s love and care for the world is told through the symbols of an orange, red ribbon, fruit and sweets and a candle – goes back almost 275 years to a church in Germany. These days it is usually associated with The Children’s Society which exists to help children suffering from poverty, neglect and danger in the UK.

The St George’s Christingle will take place at Worship for All, a weekly Sunday service at 11.30am which is particularly suitable for families with children.

 

Picture by Richard Gillin on Flickr.
Children and Youth, Christmas, Inclusion, News Releases, Social Events, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Special atmosphere and Santa at SHIP party

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Families from Sandy Hill met Santa Claus and showed off their dance moves at a party at St Mark’s on the Monday before Christmas (December 23).

The families, from the Sandy Hill Inclusive Partnership (SHIP), enjoyed a party which included table tennis, pool, art and craft, music and dance provided by the performing arts school Boogie Pumps, and, of course, a visit from Santa Claus who brought gifts for all the children and their parents too.

“It was a really special atmosphere,” said Francis from Boogie Pumps, who led the children in a dance session involving hoops, pom poms, baby sharks and a lot of energy and enthusiasm, while the general consensus among the families was that it was “awesome” and “we’ve been spoiled!”.

More than 100 presents were provided for the children following the annual Farnborough Business Park Christmas Gift Drive, collecting brand new toys, clothes, vouchers, make-up and jewellery for some young people. Members of St Mark’s, St John’s and St George’s churches had also donated enough presents for the SHIP adults to take home a bag of gifts each too.

A big thank-you to everyone who gave so generously, and to everyone who helped put on the party, including Waitrose who provided some of the food. It was great fun and a lovely start to Christmas. We are looking forward to other events with SHIP in the new year.

Christmas, News Releases, St George's Church, St John's Church, St Mark's Church

Celebrating on the way to Bethlehem

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The villages of Badshot Lea, Hale and Weybourne were visited last Friday evening (December 20) by a host of angels, as well as a crowd of shepherds, sheep, kings, musicians, donkeys and a young couple in search of a place to rest and give birth to a baby.

They were all taking part in A Journey to Bethlehem, a re-enactment of the Christmas story in which two groups walked from St George’s and St Mark’s to St John’s, playing music and singing carols on the way. Along the two routes they met angels, shepherds, inn keepers and kings and followed a star – and two donkeys, kindly lent for the occasion by Folly Oak Donkeys – until they reached a stable constructed outside St John’s where baby Jesus was lying in a manger.

This was followed by a celebration in the church in which children recounted what they had seen on the journey and Cllr Alan Earwaker, Farnham’s Deputy Mayor, joined everyone in singing carols and playing the kazoo, before the evening ended with prayers, hot chocolate, mulled wine and mince pies.

“This was the first time we had tried A Journey to Bethlehem and what a wonderful celebration it was!” said Lesley Crawley. “It was lovely to see children and adults alike dressed up as some of the characters we read about in the Bible at Christmas, and to see everyone having such a joyful time. We are living in an age of division and anxiety and the story of God coming to earth in the form of a child, born into poverty in an occupied country, is one that can bring us hope and light. We wish everyone that hope and light this Christmas.”

Christmas, Events, News Releases, St Mark's Church

Emily’s extravaganza

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Emily the Edwardian organ will take centre stage in a ‘Christmas Carol Extravaganza’ concert at St Mark’s, Hale, on Saturday, December 14 at 11am, thanks to the generosity of many local people.

Carols as you have never heard them before will be played on this much-loved organ, which has been renovated following a fundraising appeal. Anyone who donated at least £10 to restore Emily has been invited to the concert which will be followed by a free lunch. However, some tickets are still available at the door – just come along at 11am on December 14 for a festive concert plus lunch.

Emily the organ is named after local benefactor Emily Mangles who left money for it to be installed in St Mark’s Church in 1912. Over the years the organ had begun to deteriorate and an appeal was launched to restore it. An initial £23,000 was raised for the restoration work but when this took place in the summer, some further problems emerged costing a further £2,000. An appeal was launched and many people responded generously.

Lesley Crawley says: “Thank you everyone who has given money to restore this lovely organ which means so much not just to the church but to local villagers past and present. And do come and join us to celebrate the restoration at our Christmas Carol Extravaganza on December 14. I know you are in for a treat as some very skilled organists show just how versatile and fun organ music can be.”

The Christmas Carol Extravaganza and lunch will take place at St Mark’s Church, Alma Lane, Hale, GU9 0LT, from 11am. Please bring donations to the church or you can also give online at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-emily-the-organ

 

Christmas, Events, News Releases, St George's Church

A Christmas Carillon at St George’s

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Christmas kicks off at St George’s Church, on Friday, December 6, when the Carillon Singers stage a concert there from 7.30pm.

The Carillon Singers are a four-part, 30-strong choir, and on December 6 they will perform a varied programme including traditional favourites such as The First Nowell and O Come, All Ye Faithful, together with new songs, poetry recitals and a guest performance by a young musician.

The Carillon Singers have become known in the area, giving regular concerts in their ‘home church’ of St George’s, other churches, halls and residential homes, raising funds for charities and other organisations – one of which is Children in Distress, a charity helping sick, disabled and terminally ill children in Romania.

For 25 years the Carillon Singers have been under the musical leadership of Ralph Earwicker but now have a new musical director, Sam Rolles. Sam brings a wealth of musical experience in performing, teaching, composing and conducting. He has arranged some of the pieces for the St George’s Christmas concert especially for the Carillon Singers.

Entry to the concert is free but there will be a voluntary collection for charity.

For further information on the Carillon Singers visit www.carillonsingers.co.uk/

Sam Rolles
Sam Rolles, new musical director of the Carillon Singers
Pictured top: The Carillon Singers at a concert in St John’s, Midsommer Norton. 
Events, News Releases, Services, St John's Church

175th birthday service at St John’s

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A bishop, a mayor, an archdeacon and clergy and church members old and new joined the celebratory service for the 175th birthday of St John’s on Sunday, November 24.

St John’s was consecrated in November 1844 and the service on Sunday – which was led by the Bishop of Guildford and attended by the Mayor of Farnham, Cllr Pat Evans – marked the climax of several months of birthday celebrations which have included a flower festival, an arts and crafts festival, talks, concerts, a lot of reminiscing and, of course, cake.

St John’s was also delighted to welcome the Archdeacon of Surrey – the Venerable Paul Davies – as deacon, and former St John’s clergy the Rev’ds Paul Smith and Jennifer Paterson. Paul Smith led the intercessions while Jennifer read the New Testament lesson – Acts 2:37-47 which shows the church in action 2,000 years ago, sharing the same gospel of Jesus Christ that is shared today.

The Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Rev’d Andrew Watson, preached at the service about the many changes that had gone on in the past 175 years, including the fact that traffic on Castle Street could sometimes be slower now than it was when local resident and inventor John Henry Knight was the first man fined for speeding in a car – in 1895, travelling at nine miles per hour. The Bishop also spoke about the future and the sense he had of God’s plans for the church in Hale.

There are plans underway to use St John’s not just for services but as a hub, responding to needs in the community. Rev’d Lesley Crawley is working on a long-term project to develop the church and has been talking to local residents, groups, charities, schools, businesses and other organisations, to discover what is most needed in the area. She said: “Our 175th birthday has been a wonderful reason to celebrate this beautiful church and we have loved welcoming friends old and new to St John’s. It has also been an opportunity to focus our minds on the future and what we believe God is calling us to do here in Hale. I am very excited as I look forward to seeing the church grow and develop. Here’s to the next 175 years!”

Afterwards there were snacks and Prosecco and the Bishop and Lesley Crawley cut the birthday cake made by parishioner and member of the choir June Jasper.

There is a communion service at St John’s every Sunday at 9.30am, and on the first and third Sunday there is also a ‘Taizé service at 6pm, using liturgy featuring prayer chants and silence and based on the Taizé monastic community in France.

This Christmas there will also be a carol service on Sunday, December 15 at 4pm; a ‘Longest Night’ service – for people who find Christmas difficult – on Wednesday, December 18, at 7.30pm; a Crib Service on December 24 at 3pm; Midnight Mass on December 24 at 11pm; and a Christmas Day service at 9.30am. St John’s will also be the meeting point for the Christmas event, ‘a Journey to Bethlehem’, on Friday, December 20, when two groups will walk to the church from Badshot Lea and from Upper Hale and arrive for a short service attended by the Mayor.