Haslemere LINK

from Haslemere Parish Link Magazine February - March 2023

by haslemereparish

From the Registers

“Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 106: Vs 1

February/March 2023

Suggested donation for a printed copy: £2

Rector

Rev Chris Bessant 658107 rector@haslemereparish.org

Curate

Rev Justin Manley-Cooper revjustin@haslemereparish.org

Older Children’s Worker

Verity Sutherland children@haslemereparish.org

Children & Families Worker Victoria Martin families@haslemereparish.org

First Steps

Mondays in St Christopher’s 0-5 Year Olds

Sophie Bessant & Victoria Martin (email as above)

LLM (Reader)

Peter Sellars: midsummer4peter@gmail.com'

Church Warden

Geoff Martin 641907

Gareth David 643617

Deputy Wardens

Howard Body 658762

David Simmons 644826

PCC Secretary

Katie Morgan 07794 149111 secretary@haslemereparish.org

Treasurer

Andrew Culshaw: 07889 855239

Stewardship Secretary

Geoff Martin 641907

Outward Giving Vacant

Director of Music & Organist

Clive Osgood 07747 785 940

Parish Contacts

Parish Office

The Link, Derby Road

Haslemere GU27 1BS

Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9am-3pm office@haslemereparish.org www.haslemereparish.org 01428 644578

Parish Administrator

Bryony Atkinson

Link Bookings

Parish Office (see above)

Verger

St Bartholomew’s

Carol Skeates 642662

Magazine Secretary

Jane Slevin 07949 633979 office@haslemereparish.org

Advertisements Manager: Geoff Martin 641907

Electoral Roll Officer

Bryony Atkinson 644578

Bell-ringers

Paul Bagshaw 656129

Friends of the Parish

Chris Lemar 651435

Flowers

St Bartholomew’s

Sarah Mulliner 643504

St Christopher’s

Frances Reincke 607206

Church Care Group

Roscelin Rees 651561

Churchyards

Philip Hunt 644120

Pastoral Visitors

Church Office 644578

Pastoral Assistants

Ruth Pattenden 653033

Ros Webb 648916

Bereavement Visitors

Linda Donaldson 644473

Frances Gaiter 648843

Sarah Mulliner 643504

Homegroups: Vacant

Safeguarding Officer

Cathy Moore 07593 814438

Mothers’Union Treasurer

Sue Davis 661115

BRF Representative

Sarah Mulliner 643504

Facilities for the disabled

Both Churches and The Link at St Bartholomew’s have ramped access and space for wheelchairs. Toilets suitable for use by the disabled are available in The Link and at St Christopher’s

Facilities for the hard of hearing

Both churches and The Link have Sound amplification and hearing loops.

Facilities for the visually Impaired

Both churches have good interior lighting and large print weekly notice sheets and service sheets.

Dear Friends

I saw for the first time a couple of days ago an example of a coin carrying the image of King Charles III. It was a fifty pence piece, which was always my favourite coin. Do you remember the old fifty-pence when it was much larger? As a child that was my pocket money. Back in the 1970s that particular shiny heptagon in the hand of a child was something special indeed. Change and challenges are happening everywhere it seems.

I lament the recent ‘news’ coverage that is the woes of the Royal Family once again. Perhaps some of it is true, but there seems to be much more up for grabs with Harry and Megan than just a truth-telling. As one who has taken an interest in the annals of English royalty past, I can tell you that there is much worse behaviour lurking in the old forgotten shadows.

Dropping into January now brings to me thoughts of the Coronation to come in May. It will surely be quite a spectacle, and the source of some happier royal headlines. Local ideas are forming, and dates have been set aside, but at the moment I’m waiting for the Church of England head office machine to give some instruction about what individual parish responsibilities are to be doing. As a parish of royal patronage, I’ll be keen to get that right, so keep your ears open for more information to come.

In March I’ll be leading a group of PCC members and other parish leaders on an away-day, when we shall be helped to consider the future vision of the parish. That might sound a bit vague, but what it amounts to is the need to take some time to look at what we do as churches, how we have developed in recent years, and to consider how we address the needs of the people we seek to serve. Every parish has to do this every few years, resulting in a Church Development Plan, that the diocese requires us to have. That said, it will be no harm to take some time to get down into the foundations of our Christian work, where we can seek God’s guidance into the future.

Do please also take some time to pray for two changes on the children and families side of our ministry. Firstly, on Sunday 5th February, we are introducing what is going to look a lot like Sunday School. Parents of young children have often asked how we might make it easier for them to come to normal Sunday morning services as a family. We have already made a good job of providing that on special days, such as Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest Festival, etc. Now the plan is to make a Sunday School provision every first Sunday of the month. The service itself is just the same.

Secondly, it’s been a concern of mine that we have had no youth group in our churches for those aged 13+. Ministry for youth - the secondary school age - is by far the most difficult area of parish life to provide for, not least because of the need for youth workers and volunteers. In an already very busy all-age ministry, we struggle too. As an experiment into how we might be able to run a new group for youth, Verity Sutherland is beginning a monthly session from February. It’s new and untried, but I’m full of hope. Once again, your own prayers are much appreciated.

Sadly also this month we have to say goodbye to two of our most loyal and hardworking team. This edition you are reading now has for years been under the able care of Ann Lear, who as editor has presented The Link as the wonderful parish magazine it is. I’m sure you will agree. There is a fascinating article in this edition where Ann features in our series of spotlights on members of the local community. You can find this on pages 16-19.

It's also with much sadness that we shall be releasing Bryony Atkinson, our Parish Administrator, into her new future career. Bryony had arrived in post a few months before I arrived in the parish. Since 2019 the administration of the churches has undergone much updating, and the very stiff challenge of an almost complete change to the leadership of the parish. Not least, in the middle of it all was the huge disruption that was the Covid-19 pandemic. Bryony has been an absolute rock in the middle of it all. Do please send your best wishes to both Ann and Bryony.

So, there it is, a bag of all-sorts from me this month! Many important things to pray for.

May God bless you all.

Contributed by Sophie Bessant

Hello everyone, Happy New Year 2023 and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. We certainly had a very busy few weeks leading up to Christmas and ending with the Christmas party.

We were able to engage the children with the Christmas story by breaking it down into small sections starting with the angel Gabriel and ending with Jesus being born. The children really enjoyed making angels, stars, Christmas cards, a Christmas wreath and creating the nativity scene with many more Christmas crafts and activities.

We had a great time dancing, singing and just making lots of noise. 37 children attended the Christmas party morning, which was a fun bumper Christmas-packed, extended session, ending with a bring and share party food lunch. The spread was amazing, with so many party treats. Shabana, one of our mums, made some Afghan food, an amazing lamb dish for the adults to share which was really tasty, Thank you Shabana!

We are now back together after our Christmas break. We started back on the 16th January and are currently enjoying learning about Jesus as a young boy and his ministry.