Category: Parishioner

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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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Change Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone

By Life Coach James Carpenter

‘Change Begins at the End of your Comfort Zone.’

[Roy T. Bennett]

Change Ahead

Change: to a lot of us it’s the word that makes us fill with fear. You might have heard before in your life, “you need to change, stop being stuck in your ways.”

So why don’t we change?

We don’t change because we’re comfortable, like sitting in front of a nice cosy log fire in the middle of winter. Your brain says to you ‘oh don’t go and do that, we are quite happy here.’

Sound familiar?

The brain doesn’t like change, it will do anything it can to try and avoid it.

Our brains contain around 86 million neurons that love providing us with habits and routine, it loves the sense of automation. It’s like when you drive somewhere familiar and arrive thinking ‘I don’t actively remember that journey but I’m here!’- a kind of muscle memory has filled in for you.

Now here’s the revelation: our brains are more than capable of change.

Our brains are like a super computer, they just need a software update now and again.

What happens if you don’t update your iPhone- the software becomes slow over time.

Now if you do want to make a change, you need to just do it.

If you want to start going for a run for example, just lace up your trainers and go. Don’t let your brain take over and persuade you not to go.

Those of you who might have seen ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ might recall the line in the film ‘Don’t think, just do’.

This is so true for change, don’t think why you shouldn’t do something different, just plunge into it and go with it.

After a while of repetition your brain starts to enjoy the benefits and it can become automated to this new pattern and you won’t realise how far you have come.

If you’re reading this, and have things that you would like to change or start in your life and just need that extra push or support, then write to me using the details below. I would love to chat with you and see how I can help.

Don’t think, just do.

James 

James Carpenter, Life Coach

James Carpenter Coaching

James@jamescarpentercoaching.com

www.jamescarpentercoaching.com

07729413667

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Help with household costs for pensioners – APPLY ASAP Sept 2022

News from Age UK Surrey

The government has issued financial support called the Household Support Fund which has been made available locally through Surrey County Council and selected organisations, which Age UK Surrey is one.

The fund is available to apply to until 30th September and gives direct financial support to pay gas, water and/or electricity bills potentially including arrears.  The value of any individual funding award will be dependent upon individual circumstances.

Eligibility for the fund includes pensioners, families with children on low incomes and single householders on fixed incomes.  Age UK Surrey has an allocation, while funds last, to support eligible pensioners.  

To find out if you are eligible and to receive support with applying Age UK Surrey is holding drop-in sessions:

At: The Clockhouse Community Centre, Chapel Lane, Milford, GU8 5EZ

On:  Tuesday 6th September and Thursday 8th September

Time:  10:00am – 3:00pm

Please bring your utility bill(s) with you and your estimated weekly income and household expenditure for example, food/telephone/mortgage or rent.

Further drop-in sessions will be held in other locations during the month, please visit the Age UK Surrey website for further information.

To contact Age UK Surrey please telephone 01483 503414 or email enquiries@ageuksurrey.org.uk

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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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We can crush for charity!

By Rosie

My name is Rosie, and I am 9 years old. I live in Surrey and go to school in Hampshire. I am a member of our school eco club and am passionate about making changes to help save our planet and animal habitats, but also to keep our local area clean and green. I wanted to do something to help and had heard that drinks cans are often put into landfill as they are not cleaned or put in the wrong bin. So I decided to collect cans to be recycled. I was told that I could be paid for the cans, so I thought I could raise money for charity as well as recycling. The charity I chose was Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care. I had heard how amazingly caring they are to people who are ill, and how much they support the families as well. They are based near to my home, and I wanted to support a local charity. They also seem really nice and friendly.

Lots of people from the area, Ash, Ash Vale, Tongham, Aldershot etc donated their cans . We had three collection bins, one at my house in Ash and one at the home of a lovely lady who offered to help in Ash Vale, called Claire, who was brilliant. The other was at a local café called Chappies, with the help of Jackie who owns the café. (Her waffles are amazing). Some of the local community even donated bins, which we really needed!

We collected the cans and took them to Shaun and all the staff at Bakers, a metal recycling company, in Farnham. They have been raising money for Phyllis Tuckwell for 20 years by recycling metals that have been donated to them for Phyllis Tuckwell. Shaun paid me for the cans and then he sent them off to be recycled. This way each can is certain to be recycled and not left in landfill. Many of our cans would be remade into new cans and back in the shops, some as quickly as six weeks! We started collecting in October 2021. We finished collecting in May 2022 and have raised £157.00, which means we recycled roughly 300kg, that is approximately 16700 cans!! That is a lot of cans not in the wrong bins and not in landfill. So, we raised money for a good cause, to help people, and we made a little difference to the environment.

Thank you to everyone who helped and supported my challenge. I even got my Eco Blue Peter badge! I had wanted to raise £50.00, but we did so much more. People are fantastic!

This did not take much effort, but a little effort of a lot of people from my community. If everyone made a little effort, just think what we could do!

Photo of Rosie and the staff at Bakers
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Big journeys begin with small steps

We all have goals and dreams. When we were younger we dreamed of being a football player, or going into space for example and we believed this could happen- what was going to stop us? The only limit was our imagination.

What happens as we get older? Those dreams can begin to fade away like a candle burning out. We start to feel as though they’re not important, not relevant to where we are now.However, that flame is still there inside you, still flickeringsoftly in the background.

Have you ever said any of the following to yourself;

‘I don’t have the time’

‘I’m too old now’ 

‘I wouldn’t know where to start’

The question I want you to think about is;

‘What was your dream?’

‘Did you achieve it?’

‘How do you feel about what you have achieved?’

It’s not too late to turn that dream into reality, you just need to take small steps.

When we have big goals for ourselves, what often happens is we don’t start because they feel so vast and this can overwhelm us. You feel like you are at the base of the mountain just looking up, what you need to do is to turn the mountain into a set of stairs and just make the first step.

This is what I love about coaching people- being able to turn that mountain into a manageable staircase which inspires the individual to take the first step and onto a path towards their goal.

Action: Think about the five most important things in your life. These may be your family, your parents, your career, your hobbies, your long-term goals etc.

Now score these five things 1-10 on how happy you are with the amount of time you spend on them (1= not happy; 10 = very happy)

Next think about what you would like the ratings to be. Score your five important things 1-10 according to what you wish the time spent on them was (1= much less time than currently; 10= much more time than currently.’)

This exercise should give you an indication of where you are spending most of your time– is it in the areas you want?

If you have done the exercise above or would like to dive a bit deeper and this article resonates with you then feel free to contact me below.

I work with men who feel they want to enhance their mindset, but are not sure how to go about it, to give them the sense of achievement and fulfilment in their life. Ensuring they are equipped with the tools to build a clear picture of what they want things to look like and helping them achieve this. 

My first session is always complimentary as I want people to experience the power of a coaching conversation, these can be online or in person as I live in Ash.

Keep dreaming

James Carpenter

James Carpenter Coaching

jcperformancecoaching@outlook.com

07729413667

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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.

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Contemplative Prayer

Contemplative Prayer – Wednesday evenings: Sarah will be starting a regular Wednesday evening session of contemplative prayer in the Church from 22nd June. This will be a weekly event with the lead being shared between Neil and Sarah. More details of timings are available by contacting the church office parishoffice@ash-vale.org.uk.

Prayer is central to God moving in our lives and we have several ways in which we gather as a fellowship to pray. Other ways to pray together include the prayer chain, Tuesdays at 11:45am in Church, monthly Friday evening prayer meetings, prayer ministry after the service on Sundays, and in our homegroups. How is God calling you to pray?

God desires us to be in relationship with Him and praying is simply talking to God and including Him in everything that you do. If you don’t feel comfortable praying or feel unsure of how to pray, do talk to Revd Neil or anyone from the Prayer Ministry Team.

#Prayer #TryPraying #Community #PrayerMinistry #ContemplativePrayer