This Sunday (February 1st) is the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, commonly known as Candlemas, the end of the Christmas/Epiphany season. <br>Our special Eucharist to mark this festival will include the blessing of candles that we bring from home. These can be lit for special occasions in our own homes during the year, such as anniversaries, birthdays or religious occasions that are particularly significant for us as individuals or families.<br>If you are able to come please try to remember to bring a candle to be blessed. Any candle will do - a dinner candle, scented candle, pillar candle etc, whatever works for you!
Christian Solidarity Worldwide is a human rights charity working to protect and release all people whose religious beliefs are banned or compromised by national governments.CSW is an influential, British-based group who fight for all people denied the right to freely follow their religious beliefs. Andrew Saul, one of their key ambassador's, is visiting Cafe Church at the Winn Hall on December 8th as our guest speaker.Come along to meet Andrew and hear his riveting insight into why CSW’s work is so important and how you can help. A continental breakfast will be served from around 9.45am before we hold our relaxed service. Everyone is welcome.
The theme of our Lent course this year will be ‘Draw Near: Life-giving habits for Lent’.<br>It’s a campaign organised by the Church of England for use by the worldwide Anglican communion. In recent years we’ve held our various courses in the Sun Inn, Dunsfold and we’ll be back there for Lent 26 starting on Tuesday, February 17th and running for six weeks to March 24th. <br>We’ll start at 7pm with a simple meal and follow the lead of Jesus and his disciples by eating together and sharing fellowship.After that we’ll be watching some videos and during the course discuss sharing in worship, sharing in prayer, sharing the Scriptures, sharing communion, sharing in service and sharing the Good News.<br>Each week a specialist contributor will explore a different one of these aspects and we will also have special videos created by leading lights in the Diocese of Guildford.<br>Archbishop-elect Sarah Mullally and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell said: ”Draw Near is all about teaching us how we can cultivate the habits and practices that will draw us nearer to God. And we will find that, in doing so, God will draw nearer to us, too.”<br>To help us plan our course please email David Walker to sign up asap. He can be contacted at <u><a href="mailto:davidwalker2020@hotmail.co.uk">davidwalker2020@hotmail.co.u</a>k </u><br>Also, for many years we have staged Lent lunches in Dunsfold and Hascombe with the funds raised going towards the Bishop of Guildford’s Community Fund. We’re planning to do the same this year. The lunches are simple affairs with soup and cheese and biscuits. If you would like to stage one please contact Pam Walker on 01483-201140. She will be hosting a lunch and organising a diary of events.<br>
Christians around the world are asked to join together this week, starting on Sunday October 18.In our prayer for the day through this week we will be using the prayers that are being shared by churches all over the world. So this will really be a time where set prayers are used globally.Please join with us in sharing prayers and make an international impact.
