Category: Events

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A Good Friday Thank You

It’s time to say thank you! We have had lots of lovely comments and feedback about the Churches Together Good Friday event yesterday. Huge thanks to everyone who took part and all who helped to make it such a lovely opportunity for worship and fellowship. 

What happens on Good Friday? 

The walk: We all set off from our churches, in Ash and Ash Vale, walking together and carrying the cross. This reminds us of Jesus carrying his own cross, through the streets of Jerusalem, on the day of his crucifixion. Thank you to everyone who took part in this very special walk of witness. 

The service: We all arrive at Ash Wharf, welcomed by the worship team, and the open air service begins. This is a very special day for us all, as we gather together churches of different denominations and remember our Saviour, Jesus, giving up His life to save all of us. The clergy share the service, taking it in turns to lead, preach, and pray each year, so it is a real team effort. We would like to thank Luke, Natalie and the team for the music and PA system, and also to thank Bridges for powering the sound system for us. We always enjoy welcoming passers by to join in too – all are welcome. 

Hot Cross Buns: After the service… the fellowship! What a joy to have a sunny day for this. Everyone gathers at The Chapel on Wharf Rd for hot cross buns and a cuppa, and a lovely opportunity to chat to friends old and new. We love welcoming the whole community to this, people of all faiths and none, and what a great opportunity to enjoy the Community Garden. Thank you to the hospitality team of volunteers from all the churches, who prepared and served the drinks and hot cross buns – and for doing all the washing up! We would also like to thank Co-op for donating 100 delicious hot cross buns. It’s a great community moment in our Easter calendar. 

As we contemplate the Cross and look forward to the joy of Easter, may God bless you and keep you in His love and peace. We look forward to welcoming you on Easter Sunday for the 10:30 service! 

#GoodFriday #CTAAT #ChurchesTogether #AshValeChapel #StPetersAsh #StMarysAshVale #HolyAngelsAsh #NWCLF #CoOpAsh #ItsWhatWeDo #BridgesAsh #Community #HotCrossBuns #AllWelcome

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St Nicholas Lantern Walk and Bonfire Party Saturday 10th Dec 2022

Join us for a lovely lantern walk starting from The Chapel garden on Wharf Rd and finishing at St Mary’s church garden on Vale Road with a bonfire, hot chocolate, food and the chance to meet St Nicholas (there will be sweets!) Start times are staggered from 4pm – 6pm and we need to know numbers for catering, so please text to book your start time. 07730 609446 we still have a few places, text us asap!  (Free / by donation)

We do recommend that you dress for the cold weather, bring a torch and wear wellies or sturdy shoes. The canal walk is beautiful by lantern light but it can be muddy.

#StNicholasLanternWalk #StNicholasDay #StNicholasLanterns #MeetSaintNicholas #Community #FamilyFriendly #LanternWalk #BonfireParty #FollowTheStar

William is visiting us All the way from Uganda this year. Do please bring some pennies to support Amaha We Ugandas tree projects if you can. This is one of the St Mary’s chosen charities.Thank you! Xx

https://fb.me/e/4J3T5TYxC

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Eco Crafting – Christmas Wreath

By Stephanie Farry

We have so many boxes and parcels arriving at this time of year with all sorts of deliveries – why not reuse them and create some beautiful seasonal decorations?

You will need:

– cardboard packaging

– scrap paper (we used plain white packing paper that came as padding inside a delivery, and scraps of leftover wrapping paper)

– glue

– scissors

– pen or pencil

– tape – recyclable, if possible!

– two short ribbons

– anything you like to decorate – ribbon, holly, glitter, pens, stickers

Step 1: draw your shape on cardboard, with a nice thick border, and cut out. We did a simple circle to make a wreath, but you could make stars, hearts, holly leaves – it’s up to you. Note: if you want to hang your decoration somewhere where the back can be seen, you might like to make two identical shapes, then secure them back-to-back before displaying!

Step 2: cut your paper into strips. Thinner strips work better as they are easier to position, but thicker strips might be quicker!

Step 3: decide which side of your shape is the front and which is the back. Spread glue over the front, then begin carefully wrapping the strips of paper around. Start each new strip at the back, and make sure they overlap to fix down the loose ends and neaten the edges.

Step 4: continue to wrap strips around until the card is fully covered. If you have different types of paper you can create a pattern as you go. We used two layers of white to create a solid look, then added on the other colours. Add more glue as needed.

Step 5: use small pieces of tape to secure any loose ends or edges on the back.

Step 6: tie one piece of ribbon around your shape at the top and secure loose ends at the back, and then tie the other piece of ribbon into the first to create a hanging loop.

Step 7: finish off your decoration with any embellishments you have to hand – we added a miniature bauble and some sparkly tape.

Step 8: hang your decoration and enjoy it all season!  Then when it’s time to tidy away, you can recycle it – just remember to remove any non-recyclable parts, of course!

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What’s On Christmas 2022

You are invited to celebrate Christmas 2022

Advent Evenings—Churches Together in Ash, Ash Vale & Tongham: Gather for reflections on Hope, Peace, Love and Joy with prayer, multimedia, and song. Dec 1st (St Mary’s), 7th (Holy Angels), 13th (St Peter’s), 19th (St Paul’s) 7-8pm followed by refreshments. Come to one or do them all.

26th Nov—Christmas at The Chapel on Wharf Rd: Join us 14:30-17:30 for festive fun, amazing raffle, lucky dip, free card making craft, second hand toys and more. Free admission.

10th Dec—St Nicholas Day Lantern Walk: An atmospheric lantern walk from The Chapel on Wharf Rd to St Mary’s on Vale Rd, finishing with a bonfire party, hot chocolate and sweets from St Nicholas! Text to book your staggered start time: 07730 609446 (free / donations)

11th Dec—Carols by Candlelight 6.30pm: Come and share the joy of singing our favourite Christmas Carols by candlelight at St Mary’s. Let’s rejoice! (free / donations)

24th Dec—Christingle Trail (time slots start from 3pm): Make Christingle, visit the Inn, see the Wise Men, stoke the shepherd’s bonfire, and get a selfie with baby Jesus! Not forgetting Revd Neil’s pizza! Text to book 07730 609446 (Children’s Society donations)

24th Dec—Christmas Communion 11.30pm: Come and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the first communion of Christmas. 11:30pm start.

25th Dec: Sunday Service 10am Join us to celebrate our Lord Jesus’s birth. Children, why not bring along your favourite present to show & tell?

Christmas Donations: This year we are asking for ‘winter warmer’ donations for local food parcels please, and fundraising for Amaha We Uganda tree planting. To donate items for any of our projects contact us, or you can donate online and select a project to support by donation. Thank you! https://givealittle.co/campaigns/e912dae4-3af1-4453-99dc-0330f32faf15


Keeping in touch: Text or call on 07730 609446 / follow on Facebook @StMarysAshVale / come along in person to our Warm Hub on Fridays 10:00-13:00 / email to parishoffice@ash-vale.org.uk / contact Revd Neil on revneil@me.com / Church Blog is here: www.ash-vale.org.uk including The Parishioner Magazine online. Happy Christmas!

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A Christmas Letter from the Vicarage


By Revd. Neil Lambert

I think I might not be alone in looking back and feeling that 2022 has been the fastest passing year yet? We have experienced some dizzying highs— gathering together again after Covid restrictions lifted, celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee both in Ash Vale and in London on The Mall, and the women’s football team’s international victory—just to name a few. In stark contrast to these highs, there have been deep and difficult lows too, with the outbreak of war in the Ukraine, the impacts on all of us of climate change, Her Majesty’s passing, the difficulties we face in coping with the increasing cost of living, political uncertainty, and deep personal losses including some very precious friends within our church community. Certainly 2022 is a year we will not forget.


Whatever life throws at us, Jesus is here for us, and Christmas is a very special time that reminds us that He understands. He came to earth as a vulnerable little child —both fully God and fully human— to join us in our highs and lows, and not just tell us, but personally show us, the way back to a good relationship with God. I pray we can all take a step closer to Him this Christmas, and enjoy the blessings that brings.
As some of you may know, I am following the work of Waldensian church in Italy at the moment—a study project I chose for my Sabbatical—to bring fresh inspiration to my ministry. These churches have much to share with us, especially their expertise in working together with other churches, reaching out to the poor, and having compassion for refugees. I would love to tell you more about it. Why not come along to the St Nicholas Lantern Walk on 10th December or our Christingle event on Christmas Eve and say hello, or have a chat after the Carols by Candlelight over a mince pie. I hope to see you soon! (diary dates are all on the what’s on page)
Wishing you, your families and neighbours every blessing, and a peaceful Christmas.
Neil

St Mary’s Church, Vale Rd, Ash Vale, GU12 5JE


We would like to thank artist Daniel Austin for our beautiful Christingle cover image.

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Warm Hubs launched across Surrey

Press release from SCC

This Winter, Surrey County Council, district, borough town & parish councils have been working together with Surrey’s fantastic faith and community groups to open up a network of Warm Hubs that are there to support residents who will be affected by the cost-of-living and energy crisis.

Many millions of UK residents will be affected by soaring energy bills, and Surrey is no different, with tens of thousands of our neighbours, friends, and families being forced to make difficult decisions on whether to heat their homes or eat three meals a day.

We know that many of our homes are poorly insulated, and this combined with the extreme types of weather we’ve been seeing, as a result of climate change, means this Winter could be even harder.  The combination of adverse weather, poorly heated homes and people unable to keep their heating on poses a real threat to people’s health. 

That’s why a network of Warm Hubs has been set up across Surrey to provide support to residents in these challenging times.  The Warm Hubs are spaces across the county, where people can drop-in, get warm, have a hot drink and be in the company of other people. Very simply a place to get warm. There will also be people on hand to give free energy advice. Helping people with advice to make their homes more energy efficient and ultimately reduce their fuel bills.

There are currently nearly 70 of these warm spaces that have been opened up in a variety of community spaces including community and church halls, libraries, leisure centres and even museums across the county.

For more information on where these Warm Hubs will be visit surreycc.gov.uk/warmhubs

Councillor Marisa Heath Cabinet Member for Environment said “Having been through COVID-19 we saw how communities in Surrey pulled together to support one another, particularly looking out for the most vulnerable amongst us.  And once again through the provision of this network of Warm Hubs, we can see all sectors of the community working together to provide a warm space for those who may be struggling to keep warm this winter.  This provision is open to everyone, it’s a free service that is quite simply a space for people to come and get warm and mix with others from their community. It also provides the opportunity for people to get some free energy advice which can help them to make sure they are using their energy most efficiently and know where to go to for any support that is out there which can help them to make any improvements.”

Warm Hubs helping you to get warm and stay warm. Find your nearest Warm Hub here surreycc.gov.uk/warmhubs #warmhubs #NoOneLeftBehind #staywarm

From The Parishioner Editor: “Did you know? St Mary’s here in Ash Vale is a Warm Hub! Pop in to our Community Café on Fridays from 10am for free hot drinks and a natter, followed by soup lunch 12:00-13:00″ Other local churches are covering different days too. Have a look at the Warm Hubs list! surreycc.gov.uk/warmhubs #warmhubs #NoOneLeftBehind #staywarm #Community #StMarysAshVale

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Vivace Chorus News

Join Vivace Chorus for a total Feast of a concert celebrating 75 years singing in Guildford! Vivace Chorus is joined by the National Symphony Orchestra for a programme including one of the best-loved pieces of all time – Vaughan Williams ’ The Lark Ascending. Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, more Vaughan Williams and Holst makefor an exhilarating programme bringing huge choral and orchestral forces together for an edge-of-your seat experience. Feast is at Guildford’s G Live (glive.co.uk) 7.30pm Saturday 19 November.

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Picnic and Play 2022

By Alex Sanderson (Project Manager)

We have had the BEST summer at The Chapel this year. It has been so lovely to be back with Picnic and Play, enjoying the activities and meeting friends old and new. Thank you to everyone who helped, donated and supported, and all who joined in and made it such fun! It was a wonderful community effort, with volunteers from local churches and the wider community coming together to make it a lovely summer for all.

The theme for August 2022 was The Seaside and we had our own “beach” with 850kg of sand to play in, and paddling pool to keep cool in the heatwave. Thank you to everyone who helped with that – it was a huge effort to prepare the garden and shift all that sand, we so appreciate your help!

We had wonderful help from the New Way Christian Life Fellowship team to clear the garden, and more volunteers sorting out the safety gates, moving furniture and doing tip runs just to name a few! One volunteer did a sweep of the whole area and pulled up every nettle and bramble to make us toddler safe. What a hero!

The Art and Craft activities were lovely, thanks to our Artists in Residence Debi and Jono, and Revd Gina and her team from the local Methodist Circuit. There was everything from tie dye to paper chain octopus and from potato printing to portraits. ChapelKids have been working on grow your own food projects in the Summer term, and shared some of their gardening skills, with cress planting, bean sprout jars and pea shoots. (Have a look at the beans growing in the garden now – they are ready to pick!). Everyone enjoyed the disco too, especially the games that involved winning sweets – thank you DJ Martin!

Our feedback forms were of course full of…. the pancakes! As ever the most popular bit of the picnic every summer. Thank you Revd Neil and Charlie for these, they were delicious. A huge thank you also goes to Barbara and Kat who made the sandwiches and Julie, Elaine and others who helped stuff all the picnic bags. George and Heather were wonderful too, providing a warm welcome and a hot cuppa (or a cold lemonade on the hottest days!)

The community feel was so lovely, with families arriving early to help set up and staying late to help tidy up and clean. The generosity of donations was super too, with lots of items donated for the play area and a fantastic summer swap shop. It’s one of those times when the phrase “it takes a village” rings true, in fact a lot of us would count one another as family. If you are in the area next summer, some and see what it’s all about!

We must give a special mention to our generous donors, including the Co-Op whose community funding is helping to cover some of the costs to make it happen. We do receive some donations from those participants who are able to give towards the costs, which is important to keep us open, but having this support from the community fund and other generous donors means we never have to turn anyone away who can’t donate. Thank you Co-Op! (Do keep swiping your co-op membership cards in the shop everyone please for the community fund points!)

As we look to the Autumn term, there is lots planned for you to come and enjoy at The Chapel. On Wednesdays, ChapelKids is starting up again for the Autumn term. 11am-14:00 including a new Parenting Pod and Lunch Club as well as the usual Baby and Toddler Group. For more details phone or text us on 07730 609446 (or whatsApp or imessage)

If you would like to donate for the work of The Chapel we welcome donations all year round. Thank you for your support! https://givealittle.co/campaigns/8d80cd98-df9f-494e-9808-b8898744146f

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Diary this week 27th June – 3 July 2022

Tuesday 28th June:

10.00-11:30 “Little Lambs Library” Baby and toddler group for all ages bump-4yrs and their parents and carers. Come and join us in the large hall (free/by donation) for cuppa, play, craft, story and songs.

11.45am: Prayer in Church. Please feel free to come and join this time of prayer.

6.30pm: Summer Fair Planning Meeting in Church. All help welcomed! Please come and help to make the Fair a success on 23rd July!


8.00pm: Choir meet in the Church. All welcome.


Wednesday 29th June,

11.30-13:30 ”Chapel Kids” Baby & Toddler Group meet at the Chapel on Wharf Rd. The session ends with lunch club; bring a picnic or enjoy whats on offer.


7.30pm: Contemplative Prayer in Church. All welcome.

Thursday 30th June,

10.30am: Thursday Friends meet in the Small Hall.


Friday 1st July

10.00-12noon: Community Cafe in the Small Hall and on the Astroturf. All Welcome, free cuppa amd chat, family friendly.

10.00am: Hear here – hearing clinic for new batteries and tubing repairs in church.

10.30am: Bible Study in the Narthex.

7.00pm: Monthly Prayer Meeting in Church

Sunday 3rd July 2022

10:30am Church Service & Sunday school, all welcome.