Dear Friends
Ground Broken at new Bookham Youth & Community Centre
We rejoice at the news that work has begun on the new Bookham Youth & Community Centre. David Cox, Chair of Bookham Youth and Community Association (BYCA) says, “The original youth club & work was delivered by the Leatherhead Youth Project with support from Bookhams’ Churches Together and BYCA. It thrived and the young people of Bookham and surrounding areas felt that they had their own place. This will continue at the new centre. The new Youth and Community Centre will provide a safe, inclusive place for local young people to reach their full potential and will also support Bookham Colts under 9s football teams.” (Credit photo; Thousand Word Media)
Increasing our capacity to take forward the mission of the church
The second of three Specific Action Points to support the third priority of our current Church Development Plan is “To grow the GLOW ministry team to be able to provide a group for the older children.” Charlotte Coe writes, “Our next step in developing GLOW is creating resources that can be used in future when older children attend. While numbers are not yet consistent enough to regularly split into separate groups, these materials will help provide age-appropriate small group sessions and support a smoother transition for leaders as the ministry grows.”
Remembering Janice Spencer-Skeen
Virginia, daughter of Janice Spencer-Skeen, has let us know that Janice died yesterday. Janice was a highly qualified calligrapher bringing her skills to bear in all sorts of ways. She was keen to support our ministry with families and children, recognising how her gifts of creativity could be particularly useful. Although it had been harder for Janice to get to church in recent years, she kept connected to the life of the church, particularly through a couple of members of our Pastoral Team who continued to visit and take her home communion.
Praying with the Bishop of Dorking (and Acting Bishop of Guildford)
Bishop Paul invites all of us in Leatherhead Deanery to a gathering on Sunday 14 June 6.00-7.30pm at St George’s, Ashtead. He has set three key priorities for the coming two years: prayer, pastoral care and a sharper focus on our 'priority of priorities': deepening discipleship (including revitalisation) and investing wholeheartedly in children and young people. As part of this, he is holding special gatherings in each of our 12 deaneries to enable him to meet, pray and worship with clergy and congregations as part of his pastoral care for the diocese. Tea and coffee will be served from 5.30pm. I hope to be present; I look forward to seeing you there.
Keeping up to date
Our weekly notice sheet is available both online (click here) and in church. Excerpts from our 10 o’clock Pentecost service last Sunday are also available online; click here to access.
And finally…
I always appreciate LICC’s (London Institute for Contemporary Christianity) Word for the Week. This week Paul Woolley, CEO, was reflecting on 2 John 1:12-13: “The challenge for us is clear. Words matter. We are called to speak of hope, truth, faith, and love. But words alone are not enough. The love of God is most convincingly seen in how it is lived out: in patience when it’s difficult, generosity when it costs, integrity when no one is watching, and forgiveness when it hurts. These everyday choices quietly reveal the reality of what we believe.”
Wishing you much grace and peace.
Alan
Alan Jenkins
Rector
