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.

Looking for a cleaner

We are looking for someone to clean the Church building, 6 hours a week.
Our previous cleaner worked on Friday mornings when the building is quieter ensuring it looks its best on Sundays, this is flexible around events like school services, working the same hours every week which gives time to tackle less-regular tasks during school holiday times.
We are open to a mutually acceptable pattern of work.
If you are interested or know someone who is interested, contact Office Manager, Jess McNutt, either by email at office@stmaryofbethany.org.uk for further information.

APCM 25 April 2021

The agenda and papers for the APCM to be held at 10.30am on Sunday 25 April are now available on the church website in the Member's Area>APCM (smob.uk/APCM). If you are unable to access the papers in this way, you may request a printed copy of the papers from the office, and either arrange to pick them up or have them posted to you. If you need then to be posted it is suggested that you let the office know by the Tuesday preceding the APCM at the latest. You will be able to attend the APCM in person and online, the zoom link will be published next week.

PCC vacancies

We have three vacancies for the PCC this year. One of the three members stepping down is being nominated for re-election, which leaves two places to fill. If you would like to know more about what is involved in joining the PCC, please speak with one of the churchwardens or with David Jenkins (PCC Lay Chair). A nomination form is available on the church website under Members Area>APCM.

Spring Chill Sunday 25 April 8-9.30pm

Booking is now open for the Spring Chill - celebrating new growth, friendship and the fabulous work of food banks.
There will be plenty of time to chat in small groups, a variety of activities and a chance to hear about the inspiring work of food banks in Woking and Malaga. You can book your place http://smob.uk/chill

This is planned as a good event to invite friends to - offering a taste of God's love in a way that doesn't feel churchy and has absolutely no pressure. If you'd like to find out more before taking the step of inviting someone please contact Judith. If you are coming with a guest please register for them as well as yourself so that we can get the zoom link and gift bag to them.

We will be doing gift bags for everyone who is coming so please could you sign up by 16 April to give us time to organise that. Gift bags can be collected from the church car park on Sunday 18 April between 5 and 6 or we can deliver them to your home.

Physical services

We have restarted our physical 10.30am services!
Our services will still be streamed online via Youtube, which is easier to manage for our tech team and more accessible for people who don't like to use Facebook. Some people have struggled to find the services; if this is the case then it will help you to subscribe to the St Mary of Bethany feed - this will make our content appear more prominently. For one-to-one tech help, email us here.

Church wipe-down rota

We are meeting in church as well as online and we are looking for a few more volunteers to help with wipe down of the chairs/touchpoints and toilets after the services to leave the church in a Covid-19 secure condition. The cleaning supplies and gloves are all supplied and there are 2 on the rota each Sunday. It takes approximately 20minutes. Please let Sarah Macdonald know if you can help sarah.macdonald@stmaryofbethany.org.uk Thank you.

Building Project Update

We are pleased to announce that on 29 March we were granted planning permission for the 'building project' by Woking Borough Council. This is a major step forward.
We are also required to submit an application to the Guildford Diocese for what is called a 'faculty'. Good discussions have been taking place with the Diocese for some time and in February the Diocesan Advisory Committee, which gives advice to the Chancellor of the Diocese on any applications for a faculty, formally gave its positive recommendation for the project. So, this week on 30 March we were able to formally submit our application for a 'faculty'. A notice to this effect is displayed in the window alongside the main entrance and on the notice board on the inside and to the left of the main door. The proposals reflect what we consulted the congregation on a year ago in March 2020. We expect it will be several months before we get a decision.

In parallel with progressing the Building Project we have also been looking into the recovering of the flat section of roof which has been failing for some time. Following detailed investigation and advice from our architects a company has now been appointed and the main work is due to start from 7 May. It is projected to take about 4 weeks subject to weather. It will require the installation of some scaffolding and use of the corner of the car park near the Office entrance for a works compound. We will update further on the practical working arrangements nearer the time.

If you want any further information, please contact John Brooks who is our Building Project lead.

Prayer

We are still praying together at 9am Monday-Friday on Zoom. You can join us by following this link.
SMOB has started a prayer list. We will pray for everyone on the list each Sunday in our intercessions, and during the week in Morning Prayer. You can add someone by first name, full name or just an initial; you don't need to give us any details. We will pray for people for three weeks and then ask whether they need to continue. To add someone to the list, please contact the Church Office.
April Prayer diary is out now! Download your copy from here. You can download a copy of the Diocesan Calendar of Prayer here.

Have you been saving your weekly cash/contactless gifts during lockdown?

If you’ve saved up your weekly cash gift that you would have given in the plate during lockdown and would like to add the whole amount when you return, please put in an envelope and place in the plate. Please mark your envelope that this is for multiple weeks, which will allow us to claim gift aid on the donation. Alternatively, let the Treasurer know that this is what you have done. You can also give with a contactless card in Church; again, please let the Treasurer know that the payment represents several weeks giving. If you have any questions, please contact Nick Mendham our Treasurer. Thank you as always for all your generous gifts.

Interfaith Football Tournament - SMoB team

Calling all footballers! We will be taking part in the Woking People of Faith Football Tournament and we need you on our team! Six-a-side teams (plus one substitute) will play in group games as they work their way towards the quarter and semis before the final. Please speak to Mark if you're interested!
Saturday 22 May, 11.30am-5.30pm at Winston Churchill Sports centre. This is for anyone over 16 years. Cost is £21 per team (£3 per player) and food will be served at 1pm. Awards ceremony at 4pm.

Gazebos Wanted!

Do you have a Gazebo that you would be able to let us borrow for a few weeks? Joel and Kate need to borrow 5 Gazebos for a youth and children's event when we restrictions are eased again. If you have a gazebo that is around 2m x 2m then please let us know and they can be stored at the church from as soon as you can. Please let Joel know via email joel.thomas@stmarybethany.org.uk

News from elsewhere

APPEAL FOR HELP WITH DELIVERIES: ROC Woking are seeking volunteers to deliver envelopes to selected roads in the next week to 10 days in the Lakeview estate area (Goldsworth Park/Horsell fringe). Please email rocwoking@gmail.com or call Mark on 07981 374117 if you can help.
Origin Bookshop at Christ Church Woking is re-opening on Tuesday 13 April. Anyone who mentions the name of their church instore that week can get 20% off everything! Opening hours will be 10am-4pm, Monday to Saturday.
Parish Administrator opening at St Michael's, Camberley. More information and applications available from the SMoB office.

Shopping online and with Amazon can help SMOB

A huge thank you to everyone who raised donations through easyfundraising and AmazonSmile. It would be so helpful if you could be mindful of the benefit to St Mary's of raising funds in this way, as you start to shop.

We have two ways that you can help SMOB when you shop online which are at no cost to yourself.

1. Easy fundraising. Using a free and easy app, you can collect donations for us every time you shop online at many retailers, with Easy Fundraising. It’s a really easy way to help us raise funds and we’d really appreciate your help so please register to support us at: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/stmaryofbethany/

2. Amazon. You can also help us when shopping through amazon, follow this link to setup SMOB as your amazon smile charity: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1128813-0 then use smile.amazon.co.uk to shop with amazon, if you use their app on your phone you can also setup your smile settings there so all purchases you make on your phone help SMOB, check under "Settings" -> "AmazonSmile" in the app.