THE PARISHIONER

Ockham with Hatchford and Downside Newsletter

OCTOBER 2014

''New voices in the pulpit!''

There was always going to be a considerable gap between

saying Goodbye to Kerry and the appointment of a new

priest. Meanwhile I am pleased to be in church most Sundays

as I have been for the past 9 years since I was Ordained.

This is, however, a very good time to have visiting ministers

and to appreciate different styles of preaching and

personalities. At a recent baptism the watching children

were delighted to be sprinkled with water too!

Recently Jo Winn-Smith shared what it means to be an LLM

[Licensed Lay Minister]. She asked 'Are you often filled with

questions over parts of a Bible passage? Do you shut the

book and move on to something else -- or do you look for a

commentary that will help explain it or put it into context?'

An LLM has 'a passion and vocation to share God's word. It is

a specific calling to be a beacon and a bridge between church

and people'.

We are delighted that 2 members of our congregations are

considering being Occasional Preachers and we look forward

to hearing from them in due course.

If you have an interest in helping with church services in any

way please do contact me. We are always pleased to have

people to read the lessons, lead the prayers or preach.

Rev’d Elisabeth Burke

To the churchwardens and PCC and congregation of All

Saints and Downside.

Dear All,

I had waited to write my thanks for the most amazing

farewell party and send off till we had moved in to

Bletchingley in the hope that I could attach some images of

where we were. Unfortunately various complications on the

house refurbishment have delayed that from happening just

yet - not least the electrician finding the house was on a

single circuit and in need of complete re-wiring – and we

continue to languish in the Rectory and do battle with

Ockham’s mole HQ! So instead I’m attaching an image of our

house in Bletchingley as it was ten days ago!

Thank you for such generous farewell gifts – the cheque and

garden vouchers will both go toward making a difference in

the new house and the beautiful painting and etched crystal

glasses will remind us of happy times amongst you all. Thank

you too to one and all for an amazing final service and party.

I’d appreciate it if you could pass our verbal thanks on to the

congregation. Thank you also to all who made the farewell

party at Bridge End Cottage such a success: the venue,

catering, atmosphere and warmth of support were heart-

warming. We have loved our time amongst you all and I take

happy memories of my ministry amongst you with me. I have

long appreciated and admired the congregation for its

‘hands-on’, ‘can-do’ approach in tackling the shared ministry

of the parish and am confident it will impress whoever leads

it in the future.

Your willingness to support and encourage things that might

lead to new growth has in return meant that you have drawn

to yourselves a lively and warm congregation across all ages

which are in themselves a powerful testimony to the graced

presence of God in your midst.

Our farewell service and party underlined again for us both

how meaningful and happy our time among you has been.

My special thanks to Elisabeth Burke, the PCC and to our

churchwardens who were such a pleasure and privilege to

work alongside.

I will remain proud to have been one of you for a season.

Thank you for all your kindness, encouragement, warmth of

support and confidence in me. It has been a joy.

With best wishes

Kerry and Robert Tucker

Parish Clergy

Rev’d Elisabeth Burke

(01932 863886)

Church Wardens

Mrs Sally Pound

(01932 863279)

Mr Richard Peters

(01483 568837)

Don’t forget to keep up to date with everything happening

in our Parish by going to www.ockhamchurch.org.uk

Please send articles for the next edition to Andrew Jackson

by the 19th of the month preceding publication to

jacksoa1@me.com

FORTHCOMING SERVICES

Sunday 5th October - Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity 9.00 am Downside Songs of Praise

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 12th October - Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 19th October - Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity 9.00 am Downside Songs of Praise

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 26th October - Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 2nd November - All Saints’ Day & All Souls’ Day 9.00 am Downside Songs of Praise 10.30 am All Saints’ Patronal Service of Parish

Communion *PEBBLES 3.00 pm All Saints’ Commemoration of the Departed Sunday 9th November - Remembrance Sunday 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion 10.15 am All Saints’ Act of Remembrance continued at the War Memorial 12.00 noon Hatchford Act of Remembrance

*PEBBLES children's group meet in church at the start of every Communion service, leave for their own activities in the Cabin and join the congregation at the end.

From the Registers Baptisms 27 July 2014 Edward Roy RANCE 24 August 2014 Alice Rose FAIRLEY Weddings 24 August 2014 David Lee JAMES and Sally-Anne SHEPHERD 11 September 2014 Damian Karl Francis ANDERSON and Tara Emma FINEBERG Bridge Drive

The Friends of All Saints' Church Ockham will be hosting a

Bridge Drive in the Guiles Hill Barn on Thursday November

6th at 2pm. Fabulous sandwiches and cakes for tea! Tickets

£8 each (£32 per table).

Please put a note in your diary now and please let the

Mellstroms (01483 282 551) or Gillian Lachelin (01483 224

024) know if you would like to come.

New Bishop of Guildford Announced Downing Street has announced that the next Bishop of Guildford will be the Rt Revd Andrew Watson. Bishop Andrew (53), who has been Bishop of Aston since 2008, is expected to be installed in a service at Guildford Cathedral in February 2015 as the tenth Bishop of Guildford. The full story of the announcement is on the diocesan website along with a video introducing Bishop Andrew who on Friday 26 September visited various locations within the diocese including the Church of the Good Shepherd in Farnborough, The Priory School in Dorking and Guildford Cathedral for the 5.30pm Evensong Service. Another video showcasing Bishop Andrew’s first day in the diocese will be available on the website shortly www.cofeguildford.org.uk

Richard Peters Communication Officer

Diocese of Guildford Tel: 01483 790310

MU4ALL Is Just That! For ALL THE BEEHIVE

The Beehive meets once a month on the 4th Thursday at

2.00 p.m. at St. Martin’s Court. Coffee, cake and a time to

share, whilst making a difference to others in need. We

meet together to work at MU projects, such as neonatal

supplies, knitting, making blankets and quilts and any

particular needs which arise.

9th October Covering shoeboxes for the Christmas appeal

2.00 p.m. St. Martin’s Court

(Margaret Read))

A Prayer for Bishop Andrew:

“Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the gift of our new Diocesan Bishop,

Andrew Watson. We ask you now to guide and strengthen

him with your Holy Spirit, as he prepares for the move from

Birmingham to Guildford. Help us to prepare for his coming

among us with open hearts and a ready will to work together

for the good of your Kingdom. Bless him, his wife Beverley

and their family.

May we welcome them and support them daily in prayer.

We make our prayer through Jesus Christ your Son, who is

our Chief Pastor and Lord. Amen.”

1st October Remigius - praying for ill children

If you’ve ever prayed for the ill children of non-Christian

friends, then you are following in the steps of Remigius

(d.533).

Remigius was bishop of Reims late in the 5th century, and

the king’s son was ill. The queen, Clotild, was a Christian, but

the king of the Franks, Clovis I, was not. Then Remigius

prayed for their ailing son, and he was healed. The king was

so overwhelmed with gratitude that he decided to

acknowledge and honour the Christian God.

In his enthusiasm King Clovis seems to have turned his royal

household into something akin to the aftermath of a Billy

Graham rally/Alpha course, for he commanded that all 3,000

members of the royal household and followers become

Christians at once, and be baptised.

Under the protection of King Clovis, Remigius carried on

preaching the Gospel throughout the Frankish kingdom. He

did some extensive church-planting - founding bishoprics and

churches - and was greatly loved by the people up to his

death in Reims in 533.