Greetings,

The Spirit of Christmas event is just around the corner. A wonderful opportunity to celebrate the joy and togetherness of the season with our wider community. The church will be full of festive activity: try your hand at cookie decorating, help our flower team create a beautiful Christmas arch, listen to tuneful singing groups, and join our own congregation's poet, Imogen Wade, at her poetry stand for children.

 

The eco team will be spreading eco awareness with some creative festive crafts, while the Leatherhead Youth Project’s teens bring some controlled fun with their Nerf gun stall. The Rotary Club, who organise the event, will also have a stand to share more about their community work.

 

We’re still looking for a few volunteers to help. If you can spare an hour or two, we’d love your support! Contact charlotte.coe@stnicolasbookham.org.uk

 

Come along, bring family and friends, and join us as we share in community, creativity, and joy for all.

   

In October half term, we ran a trial musical theatre camp for children, led by myself and Helena, a professional dance teacher. The aim was to make performing arts more accessible to local families. While the turnout was small, those who attended had a fantastic time, enjoying creative workshops with a Christian element through warm-ups to Christian pop music and a biblical reflection at the end. We plan to run a second trial during the February half term, and if there is enough interest, this could become a regular offering in the future.  

Plans are underway to introduce Brick Church next year, an alternative to Messy Church offering a family-friendly service where children (and adults!) can use LEGO to explore and reflect on the Bible story. We may also be looking for LEGO donations in the future, so keep an eye out if you can help support this creative new way to engage with faith.  

In January, Jacqy from our eco team will be running a special eco session with Glow. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about caring for God’s creation (something we hope to bring more into the Glow group in the future). As the Bible reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1), and this session will help the children explore what it means to be faithful stewards of the world around them.  

  

Our weekly notice sheet is available online   click here   and in church. Some moments from our 10 o'clock service last Sunday are also available click here to access.

  

This week I was recommended a book highlighting the gift of church as one of the few truly intergenerational spaces left in our society. In looking into this, I found that “The UK is more age segregated than ever before, with a divide between generations leading to loneliness, poor mental health amongst communities and increased social fragmentation.” ( ‘A generational crisis’ report by Manchester Metropolitan University )

 

I also learned that only "5.5% of children live near someone aged 65 or older, and fewer than 1 in 10 care home residents (7%) regularly interact with anyone under 30." 

 

In a world where generations rarely meet, our church family, across ages and backgrounds, matters more than ever. Each time we gather, we support one another, share wisdom, and grow together in faith.   Click here for the CofE video on this