Confirmation Service at St Peter’s

A great celebration as 18 members of St Peter’s Chertsey were confirmed by the new Bishop of Dorking, +Jo Bailey-Wells.

Photos courtesy of Christine Leach.

Read more: Confirmation Service at St Peter’s

Encouraging Deanery Grant Reports

On the far reaching impacts of small grants/investments!

“The annual Christmas Market was held in New Haw Broadway on Saturday November 23rd, which was a very wet and dark afternoon, but our church stalls were protected by borrowed gazebos and marquees, and the school choirs and band performed regardless of the weather. People arrived in good spirits, looking forward to the arrival of Father Christmas and the lights being switched on by the Mayor. The Library was full to bursting and the mulled wine ran out!
Our Vicar Andy had purchased 50 diaries from the Christian bookshop in Woking, with varied cover designs, using the Runnymede Deanery Grant. Our stall was next to the cuddly toys, which proved an attraction to families. Initially, we offered adults a diary and children a sticker book or Christmas story bauble book, depending on their age. The reactions were usually disbelief that we were offering something for free, followed by absolute delight. One lady insisted on giving £1, which boosted the soft toy stall money. As people sheltered from the rain under the canopy, we engaged them further by offering a card outlining Christmas services and, depending on their reactions, an invitation to the forthcoming Alpha course.
Most people were happy to chat about Church, with one couple asking where it was, its denomination and the service times. Some young people were keen to talk about Alpha and returned with friends later. One young boy was looking for a present for his mother and was sure she would like a diary! Some children took the bauble books and returned with their parents, wondering whether they could ask for a diary, too!  Naturally, we agreed.
I hope and pray that during 2020, people around New Haw will look at their diaries and remember the cheerfulness of the giver in the rain…and perhaps explore further the joy of our faith.”
Linda Salt, Churchwarden All Saints’ Church, New Haw
 
“Everybody involved with Songs & Stories Toddler and Carers group was delighted about the successful application for one of the two Deanery Grants offered last September. There was a real sense of excitement the morning we announced it to the families and much conversation about what the money should be spent on. We consulted with those adults who had been attending Songs & Stories for a while as to what new toys or activities they would like to see made available for their children, and then offered a vote for up to four items for our final decision on what to buy.
Replacing some sit and ride toys was high on the list of wants. Although the old ones were quite safe some of them had become faded and tired looking. We now have two shiny new ones! The first is a pirate ship in full sail and all the children love it. The other is a sturdy orange and yellow rhino. The children really enjoy trying to catch the hoops which came with it on the rhino’s horn – great for their hand eye co-ordination.
Also, the group has never had a proper doll’s cot before, using a small plastic box to create a bed in our home corner, so it was not surprising that this suggestion was next on the voted list. The new doll’s rocking crib with bedding has been a hit as “mums and dads” take it in turns to put the “babies” to bed and rock them to sleep.
Toys that entertain but also teach skills were highlighted, too. Puzzles are particularly popular with our children as they like to be able to play and talk together with their parents which encourages language development and fine motor control. Our new wooden latch & key and dressing skills puzzles are challenging for little fingers but encourage perseverance and there is nothing more joyful than the smile of achievement when at last the door is opened or the button done up.
The provision of the new toys has been appreciated so much by the children and their parents and carers. It has brought about closer working together and a better sense of ownership of the group by the families, so much so that for the first time we ventured to present a “Toddler Nativity” on the final session before Christmas.
It was a real success and wonderful to see the children all dressed up and the adults taking turns to tell the story. This term we have been pleased to see how those who have been coming a while now seem much more ready to invite others and we have had several new families this term who have been very pleasantly surprised by the range and quality of the toys we now offer.
We would like to thank all the churches in Runnymede Deanery for their contributions to the grant fund which has allowed us to improve what we can provide for young families in our parish and extend a warmer welcome to those who come through the doors for the first time.”
Revd Janet Franck, Curate at St Paul’s Church Egham Hythe

New toys in action / Toddler Nativity at St Paul’s, Egham Hythe; Photo Credits: Revd Janet Franck

National Deaneries Network November Briefing

Rev Rob Merchant: Mental Health and Faithfulness in an Age of Anxiety

Covid-19 has touched each of us in one way or another and coping with the restrictions imposed to combat the pandemic has brought the issue of mental wellbeing for both clergy and laity into sharp focus.

During this Briefing, Rob draws upon his own experiences of living with a long-term mental health condition as a result of developmental trauma, to explore how we can enable safe conversations about mental wellbeing. The session involves reflection, top tips, honesty, stories and most importantly, hope.

Read more: National Deaneries Network November Briefing

Runnymede Deanery Growth Grant Report

All Saints New Haw was awarded a £250 grant from the Runnymede Deanery Growth Fund last November for their new mission project called Café Church. Please find below their project report, prepared for the upcoming Synod meeting on 21 June. Photo and article credits: Ilana Hill, All Saints’ Church, New Haw

Café Church, All Saints’ Church New Haw
During the summer of 2021 our Incumbent told us about a church he had been a part of where the atmosphere was more like a Café.  Families brought their children to this gathering but there was no Christian input for them at this time so they stayed and had a coffee together whilst they waited for their children.  He thought this would be a good initiative for our church at All Saints in New Haw.  When brought before the leadership and the PCC it was decided that we wanted this to be a place for everyone to be able to walk into a “church” environment and feel relaxed.  Often people feel overwhelmed entering a church building.

We are extremely fortunate to have a building next to our church which has two rooms, a kitchen and bathrooms which we decided to use.  Our Curate and his wife took ownership of this initiative and spent many tireless hours redecorating, planning, ordering stock, making up menus, rearranging furniture, digging out games that had been gathering dust over lockdown and they put together a beautiful café where everyone is welcome.

Café Church was launched on 26 September 2021 and immediately proved extremely popular.  There is a sofa area with a large pine coffee table where people can relax,

Read more: Runnymede Deanery Growth Grant Report

NEWS – NEWS – NEWS

Please note that the Discussion Evening with the MP at St Paul's Egham Hythe (as mentioned at the synod meeting in October) has been postponed to 26 January 2023 at 7pm.

Saturday Community Fridge in Egham now open from 11am to 2pm at the The Caddey, St John's Egham Church Campus, TW20 9HR.

Our “Runnymede Deanery Christ-centred Advent & Christmas Resource” has been updated and is available here to give you lots of ideas to fill the coming weeks with faith activities the season deserves.