Sunday 13th April: Palm Sunday

Our Diocese of Southwark has opened a formal consultation on a proposal to bring Tadworth and Kingswood parishes together into one Benefice. These proposals have been made after informal consultation with the PCC of each parish last Autumn was positive about this development. Our new Church Council has the opportunity to comment formally on this proposal and will discuss it at the PCC Meeting on 13th May. I am also invited to give a formal response to the Diocese so I am sending this now to give everyone plenty of opportunity to talk about it with me and with each other.

Last Wednesday our church was visited by our Archdeacon Greg Prior and Reg Amoah from our Diocesan offices to take part in a Parish Conversation. Similar informal visits are taking place to every benefice in Southwark Diocese to hear about parish life and activities and to give encouragement. We couldn’t invite everyone to take part as there are only so many conversations that can be fitted into one visit. So we prioritised them meeting with our Ministers, organisers and leaders of particular church activities, and the Church Council members. My thanks go to those of you who took part and especially to the people who organised and contributed to the splendid buffet meal. Archdeacon Greg and Reg certainly went away with a true impression of our catering!

In this Holy Week may we give thanks for the saving works of Christ,

Tim

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Services for 13th April: Palm Sunday

• 8am: Holy Communion

• 10am: Parish Communion Service and Palm Procession: The King Comes to Jerusalem

  • Church Explorers are not meeting this week due to school holidays.

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Services & Events for Next Week

• Wednesday 16th April

  • 10am: The mid-week Communion Service followed by coffee in the meeting room

• Maundy Thursday 17th April

  • 6:30pm Commemoration of the Last Supper in the hall. Worship will be interwoven with a meal of lamb stew and potatoes. This is followed in church by A reflection on the Garden of Gethsemane with the traditional stripping of the Altar.

• Good Friday 18th April

  • 11:15am: Messy Good Friday arts and crafts for children and adults in the hall

  • 12:15pm: A Shared Lunch including hot cross buns

  • 1pm: An Hour at the Cross a reflective choral service with readings from John's gospel

• Easter Day Sunday 20th April

  • 8am: Holy Communion

  • 10am: The Service of Light and Festival Communion Service: Christ is Risen

    • Followed by and Easter egg hunt and a sale of cake bakes etc

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For our Prayers

We continue to pray for Vicki being treated for a drug sensitivity. We give thanks for Revd Sharon making progress after her him operation.

We give thanks for the life of John Gollop, Richard’s father.

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Decorating the church for Easter

The church will be decorated with flowers on Saturday from 1.30 pm onwards. New people to help are always welcome to come and join in. Lesley Gollop

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Lent Lunches

Thanks to Anne Rusbridge of the Lent Reflections, to those providing lunches, and for raising £225 for the Bishop of Southwark’s Lent Call.

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Confirmation in 2025

We will be hosting a Confirmation Service for Reigate Deanery on Sunday 15th June at 5 pm. Confirmation preparation sessions for older children and for adults and will take place over six weeks on Sunday afternoons starting on May 4th. Please let Tim the Vicar know if you would like to prepare for Confirmation or if you have questions about what is involved.

Adults can also prepare by taking part in this year’s Lent Group. Thank you for those of you who have already told me about your interest in Confirmation.

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Church Annual Meeting and Elections: Sunday 11th May

This meeting will follow the 10 am service.

We will elect Churchwardens and our Church Council members. Nominations lists are on the green notice board.

These will be the people to help guide the life of the church over the next year or so, including the proposed new Benefice of Tadworth and Kingswood. Please do encourage people you would like to see involved to be nominated.

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Calendar

Don't forget to check the Church Calendar for all our upcoming events!