THE PARISHIONER

Ockham with Hatchford and Downside Newsletter

MARCH 2015

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Upgrading our Parish Post

For those of you who were unable to be in church on Sunday

1 February we explained where we were in terms of

replacing Revd Kerry Tucker and the fact that it is taking

longer that hoped because the Diocese is looking at how the

Church of England can best service the overlapping

communities of Ockham, Hatchford, Downside and East and

West Horsley. The plan is to form a ‘group ministry’ which

means we all remain independent parishes but where we

can do something better by working together we will so. The

full text of what was said can be found on the Parish website

at www.ockhamchurch.org.uk.

The key point from Ockham’s point of view is that the

congregation has grown in recent years and the work of the

parish is now felt to be more than one can reasonably expect

of an unpaid House for Duty priest. (In case you need

reminding a HfD priest is provided with a Rectory and is only

contracted to do Sunday plus two days a week, and is

unpaid). The Revd Elisabeth Burke is also unpaid. We have

been extremely fortunate in Clive Kirk and Kerry, who were

both very gifted priests, but we cannot realistically expect to

be able to find an unpaid priest of their calibre every time.

Also HfD appointments usually attract a retired or semi-

retired priest and we feel someone of that age is not really

appropriate for a growing parish with young families.

So we discussed the possibility of ‘upgrading’ to a part-time paid priest. This is likely to attract more candidates to the

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post and younger ones too. Of course it will cost more and as

the Cof E has no big pot of money that means it will cost us

more. Every parish has to pay for its own clergy. But the

Diocese is offering to ease our path so that we can adjust

over a period of time.

A number of questions were asked and answers given either

then (or later having found out the answers!) and there was

general agreement that going for a part-time paid priest is

the best way forward, even though it means that we will

need to raise our income by about an extra £10,000 a year.

We have now put in a formal proposal to the Diocese and

await a reply.

We have also had a meeting with the Diocese and the clergy

and churchwardens of East and West Horsley to discuss a

framework for how we are going to set about working

together in the future.

We will let you have further news as soon as we have any.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact one of

the churchwardens whose contact details can be found on

page 4 of this magazine.

Richard Peters and Sally Pound

Churchwardens

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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

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FORTHCOMING SERVICES

Sunday 1st March Second Sunday in Lent 9.00 am Downside Songs of Praise

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 8th March Third Sunday in Lent 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion

10.30 am All Saints’ Parish Communion *PEBBLES Sunday 15th March Mothering Sunday 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion 10.30 am All Saints’ Family Service Sunday 22nd March Passion Sunday 9.00 am Downside Songs of Praise

10.30 am All Saints’ PARISH COMMUNION *PEBBLES Sunday 29th March Palm Sunday 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion 10.30 am All Saints’ United Benefice Service Monday 30th March 7.00 pm Community Holy Reflection Hall, Effingham Tuesday 31st March 7.00 pm St Martin’s Holy Reflection Wednesday 1st April 7.00 pm Downside Holy Reflection

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Thursday 2nd April 8.00 pm St Martin’s Holy Communion

followed by Stripping of the Altars Good Friday 3rd April 12.00 – 3.00 pm All Saints’ 3-hour service Easter Sunday 5th April 9.00 am Downside Holy Communion

10.30 am All Saints’ Festival Communion *PEBBLES

*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. Children’s Activities at Easter On Palm Sunday Pebbles Group will make an Easter Garden. Please bring a small container if possible [A4/A5 size], all other materials provided. Everyone welcome as we prepare for Easter. .............................................................. On 1st April Wednesday in Holy Week: An Easter Workshop for all children old enough to listen to a story and share refreshments. St Michael’s Chapel Downside at 10am for about an hour. Please stay to help your children and enjoy time together. More details from Elisabeth 01932 863886 elisabethb@ntlworld.com

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From the Registers Baptism 25th January Arthur Paul OGILVIE SMALS Wedding 31st January Charlotte WHEELER and Stuart BUTLER Funeral 31st January Sybil Yvonne Du Rose SMITH

Electoral Roll

Just a reminder that I will be updating the Electoral Roll in

time for the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Please

update me if you have changed any of your contact details

since you completed your forms. Also, if you worship

regularly at Ockham or live in the Parish and wish to be on

our Electoral Roll, please download a form from our website

www.ockhamchurch.org.uk or collect one from the notice

board at Ockham Church. Please complete and return to

me.

Many thanks

Jenny Milligan

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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.

MARCH 11th Communion at 10.00 a.m.

Reflection at 11.30 a.m.

followed by a soup lunch

St. Martin’s Church (Sandy Conway)

CHURCHES TOGETHER in HORSLEY and OCKHAM INTERCESSORY

PRAYER for MARCH 2015

Heavenly Father, we pray that you would provide leaders of

integrity from within our Community to represent us in the

important planning decisions for our villages. May they be guided

and inspired by you to give balanced and complete judgements

from all the information available. May we never forget that the

benefits we all enjoy from living here are provided by you, to

share also with others and that we must expect and accept some

changes. AMEN.

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You are invited to meet and make friends

for soup and a roll

Lent Lunch

Saturday March 14th

12.15-1.45

East Horsley Village Hall

Open Garden at Bridge End Cottage, 31st May 2015

On Sunday 31st May 2015, Peter and Clare Bevan are again

opening their garden at Bridge End Cottage as part of the

National Garden Scheme (ngs) http://www.ngs.org.uk/

(referred to as being in the "Yellow Book”). Just in case

anyone is not familiar with the scheme – the entry charges

go to the NGS who support a number of nursing charities but

those opening their gardens can donate the proceeds from

selling teas and plants to whomsoever they choose. We will

be giving the proceeds from teas to the MSA Trust and those

from the Plant Stall to All Saints, Ockham.

So please, if you are starting to sow seeds now, plant a few

extra and bring the plants round to Bridge End Cottage in

late May, ready for the plant stall. Many thanks.

Clare Bevan

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PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE CAROL SERVICE 2014

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OUR PAGE!

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