Latest news from St Mary's

The latest news from St Mary's is below, use this link if you would like a RSS feed of our news.

This Sunday, 22 April - Bishop Andrew will be joining us

and preaching for Vocations Sunday at the 9:15AM and 11:00AM services .
Bishop Andrew writes about vocations at https://www.churchofengland.org/greatvocationsconversatio n. 'We want to foster a culture of vocation throughout the Church, in which every Christian is empowered to answer God's call on their lives. We've found that personal conversation and relationships are among the best ways to encourage vocations, so we are challenging everyone involved in ministry, whether lay or ordained, to commit to having at least one conversation a month about vocation with someone different from themselves.

Starting a conversation could be as simple as a chat in the queue for tea or coffee about someone’s passions and gifts, but it could take you deep into questions of service, flourishing and witness.

Take up the challenge and you will be joining many others in helping the light of Christ that is in every believer to shine out into the world.

We’ll support every participant with devotional resources filled with prayer, study, and reflection, exploring what the Bible has to say about discerning vocation'.

Planning for the summer invitation event

on Thursday 26 April 8 pm at the vicarage. Meeting over coffee and cake to plan the next guest event which will be 'Summer Chill' on the evening of Wednesday 20 June. All welcome.

Day of Prayer ahead of the APCM

Saturday 28 April 9am - 4pm
It would be good to get as many people as possible coming into church to pray for the Vision before the APCM.
There is a sign - up sheet in church. We are asking people to sign up to pray in half hour slots between 9am and 4pm. Can we encourage you to either to sign up, or to let the office know you are coming. If there is not a good response by 22 April then the event in church will not happen, and Cesca will send out prayer guides for home groups and personal prayer

APCM Sunday 29th April at 11 am in church

Our Annual Meeting or APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting) will be held on Sunday 29th April as part of the 11 am service. The children will be with us for the first part of the meeting, when there will be prayer and worship, and a DVD will run in the hall during the business part of the meeting. Please do join us as we celebrate God's gracious provision and blessing over the last year and as we seek His blessing for the coming year.

If you would like to stand for PCC, you will need to be a member of the church electoral roll and submit a completed nomination form with 2 proposers. Forms should be given to PCC Secretary, Rowena Vale before the meeting please.

If you are unable to attend the APCM, please sign the apologies for absence sheet which is now available at the back of church.

Meeting papers and reports are now available via this link and it would be helpful for you to read these before the meeting.

A limited number of paper copies will be available in church from Thursday 26thApril, for those without access to the internet.

If possible, any questions should be submitted in advance, please, to the Vicar's PA, Lois Stanning email lois.stanning@stmaryofbethany.org.uk by 1 pm on Thursday 26th April. There will be opportunity to ask questions at the meeting.

Introducing - Living Church Magazine

Have you picked up a copy of Living Church Magazine? This new publication from the Diocese of Guildford comes out three times a year, telling stories of life, faith and church from around the diocese, through the eyes of some of the extrordinary people working and living out their faith in our area. There are copies in the worship area to take away - please do take one!

Living Church is produced by the diocesan communications team, who are always on the look-out for inspiring stories from parishes. Could you feature in the next edition? Get in touch at livingchurch@cofeguildford.org.uk . The magazine can also be read online at cofeguildford.org.uk/livingchurch or tweet us @LivingChurchMag

The Vicar's latest blog - What is church for?

is available at http://www.stmaryofbethany.org.uk/Groups/299481/Vicars_blog.aspx

Surrey Matters magazine

Surrey County Council's Surrey Matters magazine used to be delivered to residents' homes but has now been replaced by an online format available at http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/news-and-events/surrey-matters for news of community projects, travel around Surrey, initiatives for young people, health matters, libraries and recycling.

Upcoming dates for your diary

Sunday 13 May at 11:00AM, All age service and infant baptism

Wednesday 16 May at 8:00PM, Thy Kingdom Come central prayer meeting in church

Sunday 20 May Making Mission Possible, mission lunch
Thy Kingdom Come events at Guildford cathedral 16:00 – 20:00. For more information please go to https://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/about/thy-kingdom-come

Sunday 10 June adult baptism at 9:15AM service and possibly at 11:00AM, ahead of the deanery confirmation service here on Sunday 17 June

Sunday 10 June at 6:30PM, Praise and Prayer in church

Sunday 17 June at 6:30PM, Woking Deanery Confirmation service led by Bishop Andrew at SMoB

Sunday 8 July at 11:00AM All age service
6:30PM Praise and Prayer in church

Saturday 28 July – Fri 3 August, New Wine at Shepton Mallet https://united.new-wine.org/?utm_source=new-wine&utm_medium=event-listing&utm_campaign=united-18&utm_term=week-1 please see Clare Mall if you are thinking about going or have any questions.

Woking Borough Council Elections are coming up on Thursday 3 May

and our neighbours and local residents will be voting here again at the polling station in the main hall. This is a fantastic opportunity to throw open our doors and welcome our neighbours. The polling station opens at 7am and closes at 10pm, and we would like to have the worship area open for all this time for visitors to look around, stay and enjoy refreshments, or for quiet prayer in the chancel.
Could you help with:

welcoming at the door and serving drinks and cake for one or two hours that day?

welcoming and being ready to chat to those who stay on or who are interested at looking around the worship area?

supplying home baked or bought cakes for us to serve?
There is a sign - up list in church – please do think about coming as part of your pastorate to cover the busy morning and evening slots, or team up with a friend and come together. Thank you. Lois will be coordinating the day.

The Marriage Course at Christ Church Woking from 9 May

The Marriage Course is for any couple, whether you have been together for 1 year or 61 years and whether you feel you have a strong relationship or are struggling. Whatever your situation, the practical tools you learn will help improve and strengthen your relationship. Cost per couple is £105. Sign up online on www.christchurchwoking.org/courses or fill in the booking form included in the course leaflet on the SMoB entrance lobby table.

Go! Team go walking ......

Some Go! Team members are planning to do a 25km sponsored walk for CMS on the South Downs on 12th May, You can sponsor them here: https://www.give.net/GoTeamgowalking or would you be interested in joining them? Speak to Clare Mall for more information.

Data protection update

You may have heard that new Data Protection Regulations come in to force later this year. These will apply to churches just as they do to businesses and other charities. Given that these new regulations are likely to be given more publicity in the coming weeks, we wanted to assure you that we are looking at what SMoB needs to do. This is being investigated by Phil Vale as IT Manager and John Keelty representing the PCC and they will be bringing an action plan forward for agreement with PCC.

The new regulations give more rights and protections to individuals on how their "personal data" is used (rest assured that SMoB uses information only for the purposes of running the church - we do not sell what we hold which some charities have been doing and which has led to these new data protection rules). Most of the changes are likely to be behind the scenes admin matters but one area has already been identified where we would like your help. The new regulations mean that we will need your specific consent to continue to contact you about church events, news, activities, etc. You will need to complete a form to give this consent. Phil and John are getting advice about the content of this form and we will let you know more about this in due course. If you want more information before then, please speak to them.

Fostering - you could make a difference to a child's life

Come along to a fostering information evening run by Surrey County Council on Wednesday 16 May at 7.30pm at the Coign Church, Church Street West, Woking GU21 6DJ.
There will be light refreshments, a talk and an opportunity to chat to foster carers, the fostering team, and young people in care. call 0800 096 9626, or simply turn up. For more information go to www.surreycc.gov.uk/fostering

New Life Church, Woking men's group

At 7.30pm on Friday 18 May Endurance and Faith - an evening of insights from Phil Hazelden into his experiences during 3 months of walking and wild camping from John O'Groats to Lands End, plus a brought in curry and refreshments (bring your own alcoholic drinks). Tickets £15pp email gillingham@ntlworld.com by 30 April. Please also advise if you have any special dietary requirements.

Holiday at Home 2018 - update

A two day "Holiday at Home" for older folk is being planned for Wednesday and Thursday 15/16 August this year- put the dates in your diary now to be part of this fun event, helper or guest!
On the table in the church entrance you will find cards with this years dates and theme for our Holiday at Home "Cruising the Med". Please take and distribute them to anyone (relative, neighbour, friend) who you think might like to join us.