As you may have heard, the family and I will be moving from St Mary’s Fetcham some time in the summer. I have accepted an associate rector role (director of mission and discipleship) at the Church of the Resurrection in Lutherville, Maryland USA.
We made this decision due to our personal and family circumstances. It has been a difficult journey for Debo and I since we love this community and are well aware of the love and care bestowed upon us as a family. These have been our best two years of serving Christ, especially since there are several encouraging shoots of growth within this community.
Debo and I will always keep this place and its people in our hearts. Thank you for your genuine welcome, generosity and friendship. Please pray for us as a family as we begin this transition. Also we pray for you all as you discern the way forward with your new leader.
With much love, Pouya and Debo
Notice of APCM: Sunday 23 April, 1pm in the Church Hall. Everyone is invited to enjoy a light lunch in the hall after from 12:30pm. If you are not a member of the Electoral Roll you are still able to attend but you cannot vote. It is possible to join the Electoral Roll on the day.!
Addition to APCM reports – Story Reading Group: We continue to meet and the ladies and gentlemen who attend seem to enjoy the experience. We are currently reading from The Sensible Shoes which is holding us all captivated. If anyone would like to join the group please contact Jane Bishop.
Churchyard Working Party – Sat 22 April, 9-12noon: Please join in the working party and help where you can. There’s a balance between conserving areas for wildlife and maintaining the grounds. Although the grass is mown by a contractor we rely heavily on volunteers to help weed, trim, sweep and generally tidy up. If you can spare any time on Saturday morning we’d love to see you. Please bring gloves, tools and enthusiasm. Refreshments provided.
Youth Board Game Evening – Wed 26 April, 7:30-9pm: This coming Wednesday 26th April we are having our first Board Game eve of the summer term! It’s a time for older youth in sch years 9-13 to come and enjoy awesome board games, tasty toast and space to unwind in the Church Hall! Everyone’s welcome to invite friends along too!
King’s Coronation Picnic Celebration – Sun 7 May, 1-4:30pm. Fetcham Park House are very kindly opening their grounds for a picnic in their gardens to celebrate the Kings Coronation. Please bring your own chairs, rugs and picnics and enjoy the grounds. The house will be closed that day, so toilets will only be available at St Mary’s. Tea and cake will be available in the church hall. All children under 18yrs must be supervised by an adult. No pets allowed. Pick up a leaflet in church or visit our website. To help us get an idea of numbers, please sign up: https://stmarysfetcham.org.uk/whats-on/
We are looking for a team of people to help manage this event on the day: car parking stewards, garden stewards, two first aiders. If you are able to help, please contact Julie Partridge at julie@stmarysfetcham.org.uk
‘Flowers fit for a King’ – Fri 5 to Mon 8 May: A display of flowers will be on show in St Mary’s Church from Friday 5th – Monday 8th May to celebrate the Coronation, reflecting the interests and hobbies of our new king Charles III. Free admission – within normal church opening times.
Homemade Stall – Sun 7 May: Please pop along to our next monthly homemade stall monies raised goes solely towards the homework clubs and the training of apprentices. Additionally, the second-hand book stall raises more money to buy books for the homework clubs. Do come along between the 9.30 and 11.15 services in the church hall.
Community Fridge – Mon 8 May, 9.30-10.30am: Due to there being so many Bank Holidays in May we will be opening the Community Fridge 9.30am-10.30am but no coffee shop.
Easter Morning Breakfast: Huge thanks to Dean and the team for a providing a delicious breakfast for c60 folk on Easter morning. Thanks too for generous donations – having covered our costs we were able to give £110 to The Rector on the Run.
Rector on the Run 2023 Ultramarathon – Sat 27 May: Pouya continues to train for his most challenging run yet – the London 2 Brighton Ultra Challenge taking place on Sat 27 May. It’s his first ever attempt at 100k (62.2 miles) and all money raised is going back to the Fetcham community. To find out more or to sponsor him visit : https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rector-on-the-run-2023
No Eleven15 Service on Sun 30 July: From time to time unique circumstances require there is a change to the usual services. Due to the number of church family attending New Wine, and the logistics of the service leads, there will not be an Eleven15 service on Sun 30 July. If you would like to attend a service, you are encouraged to attend the 8am or 9.30 service that day where Rev Jon Prior will be presiding and preaching.
Family Fun Day – Sat 22 July: We are delighted to have rebooked our Family Fun Day at Manor House School, Effingham again this year. Please put the date in your diaries, more details to follow.
Anyone want a table from the hall? We have taken delivery of 10 foldable tables and we will be removing the sturdy square ones. If you would like a table please let Karen in the office know before attempts are made to find them a new home! They measure 76x76x7cm (30”x30”x28.7”).
Fetcham Festival – Sat 10 June, 12-4pm: We very much hope to have a presence at the forthcoming community event at Cock Lane Rec. We can only run these stalls if we have a team of willing volunteers to help on the day. Please let Karen know if you are able to spare an hour or maybe two to help, or if you have a gazebo we can borrow to protect us from the blistering sunshine! It really is a great opportunity to have a presence at this community event.
Usual Sunday Services
8am Communion Service : said Book of Common Prayer
9:30am Communion Service : sung Common Worship
11:15am Worship Service : informal with worship band
Also, 10am Thursday : Communion Service
Other news
Coronation daily prayers and reflections: You can now sign up to receive daily Coronation reflections via email. Prayers will be available across our social media channels – feel free to share your prayers and thoughts using the hashtag #CoronationPrayers from 10 April to Coronation Day on 6 May. Daily reflections will also be available via smart speaker and the free Daily Hope phone line.
St Mary’s Stoke D’Abernon concert – Thurs 27 April, 1-2pm: Their next concert will be an organ recital to be given by Oliver Macfarlane. His programme will include works by Bach, Mozart, Reger and Vierne.
Prayers
We continue to pray for those who are unwell: Elaine Mead, Hazel Reid, Fay Burroughs, Vera Cameron, Anais Featherstone, Helen Bowen, Lynn Alsop, Gill Hanson, John Cooper and Matthew Aldrich
We also pray for the family of Vera Marshall who has sadly passed away this week.
And those in residential care: June Williamsand Mavis Lake
We welcome you to join us at St Mary’s for:
Monday Morning Prayers : 8:00-8:30am
Private Prayer in Church : Monday to Saturday 09:00 -16:00
Praying Together, Lady Chapel in May:
Thurs 4th – 12:15 (The Bothy)
Tues 9th – 19:45
Wed 17th – 09:00
Diary Dates:
Check your MyChurchSuite to see what’s going on and to get more details or prebook. Here’s a brief summary:
Sat 22 April – Churchyard Working Party, 9-12noon
Sun 23 April – APCM, 1pm Church Hall
Wed 26 April – Youth Board Game Evening, 7:30-9pm
Sat 29 April – Afternoon Tea, 3-4:30pm
Wed 3 May – Bereavement Café, 10-11:30am
Thurs 4 May – Praying Together, 12:15pm Lady Chapel
Fri 5 – Mon 8 May – ‘Flowers fit for a King’ in church
Sun 7 May – Homemade Stall and Second-hand Books
Sun 7 May – Coronation Picnic at Fetcham Park House, 1-4pm
Mon 8 May – Community Fridge, 9:30-10:30am
Tues 9 May – Praying Together, 7:45pm Lady Chapel
Fri 12 May – Messy Church, 3:30-5:30pm
Wed 17 May – Praying Together, 9am Lady Chapel
Thurs 18 May – Thursday Morning coffee, 10:30-11:30am
Sat 20 May – Who Let The Dads Out?!, 9:30-11:30am
Sat 27 May – Afternoon Tea, 3-4:30pm
Sat 10 June – Fetcham Festival, 12-4pm
Thurs 6 July – The Drift Golf Day, 1pm contact bjegles@googlemail.com
Sat 22 July – Family Fun Day, 12-4pm Manor House School
Sun 30 July – No Eleven15 today
Weekly Regulars
Monday – Community Fridge 10-11am (not open on Bank Holidays)
Monday – Community Coffee Shop 10-11.30am (not open on Bank Holidays)
Running in Term Time
Monday – The Drop-In (School Yrs 7-13) 4-5.30pm
Tuesday – Youth Night (School Yrs 7-13) 7.30-9pm
Friday – Footprints Baby & Toddlers 10-11.30am
Friday – Messy Church (all the family) 2nd of the month 3.30-5.30pm
Sunday – Activ8 for under 11s and Sunday Youth for 11+ during 11.15 service
St Mary’s does not host foodbank but we do accept donations which are taken directly to the Leatherhead Foodbank and will go to local people in need. Thank you to all our wonderful, faithful supporters. Your kindness and generosity is always so appreciated by the team, and those they meet in the centres. School holidays can be a difficult time for families, especially those who rely on their children having a cooked meal at school.
Please ensure donations are sealed, in date and do not contain alcohol.
In March they fed 1054 people via 356 vouchers (February 2023 – 880 people). The food bank use is 65% higher in Q1 2023 compared to the same period last year.
Due to unprecedented demand for emergency food provision, they
URGENTLY NEEDED:
Tinned Meat, Tinned vegetables, Tinned sweetcorn, Squash, Longlife fruit juice, Pulses (lentils, chick peas, kidney beans etc – tinned or dried), Chocolate spread, Mayo/Brown Sauce/Ketchup, Sugar, Male/Female deodorant, Shower gel, Shampoo / Conditioner, Shaving foam, Washing up liquid, Washing powder, Adult toothbrushes
Please, no more of these items as we are at capacity: Dog Food, Cat Food, Tea Bags, Tinned Fish, tinned soup
They would also appreciate any bags for life/very strong bags
Please use supermarket donation points or bring donations directly to Epsom & Ewell Foodbank, Good Company Hub, behind West Ewell Primary School, Ruxley Lane, Ewell KT19 0JG
Open for donations Monday – Friday, 9am-2pm