Evensong: Sun 15 May, 6.30pm – We are delighted to invite everyone to join us for Choral Evensong, the first since lockdown. This service is traditionally held as the sun goes down, marking the passing of another day in faith, featuring choral music, readings and prayers.
Afternoon Teas: Sat 4 and 25 June – These social get-togethers for the senior community are gaining in popularity with 40+ people attending in May. We are now taking bookings for June, the first of which also celebrates the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Please book either via the Parish Office of go to the What’s On page of our website.
Easter Sunday breakfast was a great success. A huge thank you to Corinne and Dean who did an amazing job at looking after everyone by preparing and serving the food.
Refreshments @ Eleven15: Sun 22 May – We are looking for a volunteer to help with refreshments on this day. You will be with an experienced partner. Please contact Val Rendle on office@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
A Few Beds Still Needed for the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Football Team for the night of Fri 27 May. Our guests will be enjoying an evening meal and breakfast together in the church hall so it’s just a bed required. So far we have 14 beds and there are 18 visitors so just a few more beds needed for the visiting team. Thank you to everybody who has volunteered to help so far. If you can help, please contact the Parish Office or use the sign up facility on MyChurchSuite. Thank you!
Living in Love and Faith Course: Starting Tues 14 June. Watch out for an email invitation with more information coming out soon.
Homemade Stall: Sun 5 June -This continues to provide vital funds towards The Centre for Urban Mission’s youth projects in Nairobi’s slums, with money given for apprenticeship schemes and for the 10 Homework Clubs. So far this year we have sent just over £700 from the HMS! We are however struggling to provide enough food for folk to buy; if you could find the time to bake a cake, or biscuits, for any of the future stalls, we would happily find someone to buy them! Do look out for next month’s Jubilee Stall, Sun 5 June – Let’s make it a great stall, with lots of appropriate baking and crafts! Scones and strawberry jam come to mind! Thank you for all those who donate plants, crafts and baking regularly; if you might like to consider joining the team for an hour or two on the first Sunday of each month, do please have a word with one of the team – Mary King, Liz Rosser, Sue McKinlay, Margaret Welch, Jan Hall & Sarah Mackay
Platinum Jubilee Flowers: Thurs 2 – Sun 5 June: St Mary’s flower team will present ‘A Royal Garden Party’ to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. More details to follow. If anyone is feeling creative and would like to join us or would like to help in any way, please contact Liz Rosser landgrosser@outlook.com
Heritage Open Days is this year running 9-18 September. St Mary’s will be open for visitors on Saturday 10th and will also be welcoming cyclists and walkers participating in the Ride & Stride. If you have ideas or might like to be involved in the R&S or the Heritage Open Day, do contact Sarah Mackay or David Slater. Put that date in your diary now!
Youth Night: This is our fortnightly youth group for school years 7-13 that meets in the hall on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month – 7.30-9pm. You’ll find us occupying the church hall sofa area playing games, eating snacks and exploring a theme around God, the Bible and how it’s relevant to us today. It’s an awesome chance to just do life together, have fun and explore what being a Christian is all about. All are welcome! If you’re in school years 7-13 do get in contact with Nathan with any questions or would like to come along. Our next Youth Night is on 11th May!
Join The Drop-In team: We’re looking to grow the Drop-in team. The Drop-In is on every Monday during the school term from 4 – 5.30pm at the church hall. It’s an open space for young people to come and hang out with their friends, play games, do activities or just sit and chat. As a team our aim is to provide a welcoming space for young people to come where they can feel safe, belong and have fun. There are different things to do within the team such as serve refreshments, play games with the young people or just sit and chat. A great quality of a youth team is having a variety of ages and characters. Whether you’re 20 or 80 years old, an introvert or an extrovert – everyone brings something different and relates to young people in different ways, which is so valuable when it comes to working with young people. Please get in touch if you’d like to know more about The Drop-In or about the youth team – it would be great to hear from you! Nathan, e-mail youth@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
The Community Fridge continues to prevent food going to waste every Monday 10-11am in the church hall. They are hoping to trial the idea of a small Coffee Shop running alongside the Community Fridge in May. Please let Julie Partridge know if you are interested in joining the Monday team, julie@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
Fetcham Village Infants School May Fair: Sat 14 May, 11am-2pm: Everyone welcome to enjoy the school’s fundraising event. There is Maypole dancing performed by the children at the school along with plenty of side stalls, BBQ, cafe, tavern and much more. Free entry.
Fetcham Festival: Sat 11 June, 12-4pm: This annual community event is taking place on Cock Lane rec offering a wide range of stalls and games. We are attending and will be running ‘beat the goalie’ and the ‘human fruit machine’ alongside all the usual stalls – plants, BBQ, tea and beer tents as well as coconut shy, break up the happy home, raffle, tombola, etc. The Platinum Pooch Dog Show is taking registration from 12noon with the first class at 12.30pm. It would be great to have a team of people to help set up the St Mary’s stall and represent St Mary’s on the day. If you would like to help, for however long you are able, please contact julie@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
Guildford Cathedral Coffee Concert: Thurs 12 May: The next monthly concert pianist is Yoon Seok Shin who will be performing music by Mozart and Bach. The mornings start at 10.30am with refreshments and the concert begins at 11.15am. Everyone is welcome to this free event.
Diocesan Evangelism Conference with J John: Sat 11 June, 9.30-3.30pm at St Paul’s Howell Hill. This is for Clergy, staff teams, PCCs and congregations. Speakers include J John on how to share your faith, Bishop Andrew, the Revd Dr Stephen Hance, Church of England National Lead on Evangelism, on how to create missional disciples and speakers on how to build your ministry to children, families and young people. £10 including lunch. Early booking essential here.
Wintershall Life of Christ: 21-25 June, 10am-3.30pm – We have received promotional material for the Life of Christ play this year. Watch as hundreds of actors bring the story of Jesus to life in an epic, open-air production set in stunning Surrey countryside. It is both educational and entertaining, amusing and serious. To find out more or to book tickets visit https://www.wintershall.org.uk/life-christ-0
Holiday at Home: An opportunity for our Senior’s Community to get together and enjoy themselves. Wed 10 Aug at Eastwick Road Church and Wed 17 Aug at Bookham Baptist Church, 10.30am-4pm. Literally a seaside holiday at home! People from Fetcham will be welcome to attend – if you have time in August, would you like to help? Volunteer application forms are available at the back of church
Mysterious Chalk Markings: We have received some information from the Badingham Road Ass advising us of chalk markings that appear on walls and pavements. They were cleared away but reappeared a few days later. This may be purely innocent and children playing a joke but please be extra vigilant. They may be an indication about a potential suitable house for burglars by using circles, triangles, cross, etc. To find out more take a look at the information in the hall foyer noticeboard or visit : https://www.keytek.co.uk/blog/house-robbery-markings/.
Please take care when visiting the church hall after dark as some of the outside lights outside are not working. A solution is in hand and we are trying to find a solution.
UKRAINE UPDATE
Alongside their bid to help supply urgently needed food and medicine via White Eagle Club / Klub Orła Białego, the note below touched the Fetcham Freebay team and they have decided they would like to run with this appeal too. Heartwarming to be able to bring a smile to a child’s face when they’re faced with such horror. Please see picture for ideas of what to include.
If you’re able to join in, please drop backpacks to 17a Cannon Grove and when they have enough they will make sure they get to those transporting them onwards.
As ever, they thank you for any support you’re able to offer.
Foodbank: Last month has seen a jump in demand more than 550 people were fed in April. They have completely run out of Washing up liquid, Washing powder, pods and tablets, Instant mash, Ketchup, Non-dairy long-life milk, Shaving foam, Savoury biscuits. They urgently need: Tinned fruit, Coffee, Powdered milk, Long-life sponge puddings, Instant mash, Tinned vegetables, Squash, Long-life UHT milk (semi-skimmed and full fat only), Long life fruit juice, Deodorant – all kinds of Soap.
Please no more of these items as we are fully stocked: Pulses, pasta, noodles, sweetcorn, rice, beans, porridge, hot chocolate, tampons
CAN’T GET TO THE SHOPS? You can send a small donation by text. To donate any money between £1 and £10 please text FOODBANKGIFT followed by your chosen amount of 1-20 to 70450. If you’d like to make a larger donation please email foodbank@goodcompany.org.uk. Thank you.
Prayers
We continue to pray for those who are unwell: Vera Cameron (Anna Diepstraten’s Aunt), Diana Baechler, Anais Featherstone, John Cooper, Lynn Alsop, Elaine Mead and Don Lamberth.
We also pray for those is residential care: June Williams, Mavis Lake and Tony Day.
Diocesan Calendar of Prayer: This month we pray for the deaneries of Runnymede and Woking. Download from their website.
Also for students preparing to take their exams
Usual Sunday Services
- 8am Communion Sunday Service – said Book of Common Prayer
- 9.30am Communion Service – sung Common Worship
- 11.15am Informal Worship Service – in church and live-streamed on YouTube Channel
- 10am Thursday – Communion service
- Private Prayer in Church : Monday to Saturday 09:00 -16:00. Please adhere to guidelines.
- Saturday Morning Prayer at 9.00-9.30am weekly in church
Diary Dates:
Check your MyChurchSuite to see what’s going on and to get more details or prebook. Here’s a brief summary:
Mon 9 May – Community Café trial begins
Sat 21 May – Who Let The Dad’s Out
Fri 27 May – Beds for 18 CofE Football team members
Wed 1 June – Bereavement Café
Sat 4 June – Jubilee Afternoon Tea
4-5 June – Platinum Jubilee Flowers ‘A Royal Garden Party’
Sun 5 June – Homemade Stall & Secondhand Books
Sat 11 June – Fetcham Festival
Tues 14 June – Living in Love & Faith Course (Session 1 of 5)
Sun 15 June – Choral Evensong
Sat 25 June – Afternoon Tea
Thurs 1 Sept – Golf Day at The Drift – bjegles@googlemail.com
Sat 3 Sept – Parish Away Day
Sat 10 Sept – Heritage Open Day and Ride & Stride
Weekly Regulars
Mondays – Community Fridge 10-11am (9.30am from 9 May)
Mondays – The Drop-In (ages 11-16) 4-5.30pm
Wednesdays – Youth Night (ages 11-16) 7.30-9pm
Fridays – Footprints Baby & Toddlers/FM Life (alternating) 10-11.30am
Fridays – The Lighthouse (ages 7-11) (except when Messy Church is on!) 3.30-5pm
Friday – Messy Church (all the family) 2nd of the month 3.30-5.30pm
Sundays – Activ8 for under 11s and Sunday Youth for 11+ during 11.15 service