This Week’s Notices
Notices for the week beginning Sunday 1 August 2021
In person services
These resumed from Palm Sunday (28 March) with the morning and evening services taking place in person and on YouTube from that day onwards. In person Wednesday Holy Communion services re-started on 31 March. To book seats at the Sunday morning services go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-person-and-on-line-services-tickets-117994810655. There is no need to book seats for other services.
New Service Pattern
- 9am – 10am: Traditional Service (in-person – we need to build up the AV Team for this service to enable livestreaming. Volunteers needed – contact: johnny@stjohnsegham.com)
- 10am: Zoom Coffee
- 10.30am – 11.45am: Contemporary Service with FootPrints and Charged (In-person and Online)
- 6pm: Charismatic Service (In-person and Online)
Please note that, although no longer required by law, we are maintaining distancing and masks at our Services. But, congregational singing is back!
Zoom Coffee will continue for those who cannot meet in person. In the future we are hoping for a hybrid approach – online and in-person.
Vacancies
We are looking for a Pastoral Team Leader and an Administrator (Creative Communications Focus) – both roles 15 hours a week.
Could it be you?
Closing date for applications: 5 August
Interviews: 10 August
Contact: vicar@stjohnsegham.com
Hope Summer Cafe
Hope Café is launching with a summer edition on the grounds. Hopefully we will have some great weather too. We will be opening two days per week 12-2pm, for three weeks July 21st & 22nd, July 28th & 29th, August 4th and 5th. Come join us for lunch and fun and maybe even some live music and bring the whole family!
Our guests can also hear about the work of the local churches and we will continue to offer help and advice to access local community services.
The Hope Café is St Johns’ gift to the whole community, therefore we do not charge for the food and refreshment that we provide, however all donations are welcome.
Big Questions with the Archbishop of Canterbury
8pm on Saturday 25 September at St John’s. Booking is now open for the ‘Big Questions’ event for Runnymede. You can bring guests to hear Archbishop Justin respond to questions from the public and speak on how to find hope in uncertain times. Guests can also book places to come on their own. For more details go to www.BigQuestions-Runnymede.eventbrite.co.uk.
Alpha Course starting Thursday 30 September 2021
The last 18 months have been very challenging and during these uncertain times, questions may be raised for us about life, hope, faith and meaning. Alpha is a series of 10 sessions which may help in answering those questions. Exploring the basics of Christian faith, Alpha is for anyone who’s curious or would like to explore things in a friendly, open and informal environment. No questions is out of bounds and you are free to discuss as much or little as you wish!
Alpha starts on Thursday 30 September and more details will be available soon. If you are interested, or would like any further information in the meantime, please contact the Church Office at 0ffice@stjohnsegham.com and a member of our Alpha team will be in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!
Deanery Events Calendar
For details of events in Runnymede Deanery for August/September see here.
Please help us to pray for Bishop Edmund and Kebbi Diocese
Bishop Edmund was able to join our June Synod meeting over Zoom and shared how the people of his diocese of Kebbi have been suffering increasing attacks on mainly rural villages by Fulani tribesmen, coming over its borders with Niger and Benin, looting villages, burning down churches and schools and massacring or kidnapping inhabitants. Villagers of whatever faith have suffered and ransoms have been demanded for the return of captives. As a result, many rural people have fled into towns (where the Diocese is caring for some in school buildings) or migrated further south into central and southern Nigeria.
Nearly a year after his prostate cancer diagnosis, delayed by Covid lockdowns, visa requirements and vaccination availability, +Edmund was finally able to travel to England on 27 June for treatment sadly not available in Nigeria. He is staying with our Lay Chairman, Keith, and after self-isolating for ten days, has been attending three different Guildford hospitals for various tests, scans and consultations with specialist urologists introduced through Keith’s hospital networks.
Edmund’s operation on 29 July was successful and he is recovering very well. Praise God! Please join in praying for God’s continued care and provision
It will take some time after discharge from hospital this coming weekend for his body to heal and +Edmund has been advised not to travel on a long flight home until six weeks afterwards. So he now expects to be with us until Friday 10 September. Once he’s well enough after his operation, we hope Edmund will be able to visit some of our churches for worship and/or we can arrange an outdoor gathering for members to meet with him.
Child Action Lanka
Like many countries the pandemic is causing ongoing hardship in Sri Lanka. As a way of supporting the work of our Mission Partner, Child Action Lanka, we have a number of face masks available at the back of church and if you would like to make a donation in the region of £5 to take one and support their work, it would be greatly appreciated.
Community Memorial Space
In response to the huge loss suffered over the pandemic, a Community Memorial Space has been set up in the churchyard so that we can remember, commemorate and grieve together. If you have been bereaved over this time, please feel free to attach a photo, drawing, prayer or something which represents your loved one on the board. When we are able to hold a memorial service, all the names on the board will be read out. Our prayer is that this will be a comfort and blessing to our community at this time.
St John’s Wildlife in the Churchyard
Are you interested in wildlife and supporting your local community? We are forming a group to work together to discover the wildlife that already lives in our churchyard and find ways we could increase the value of the churchyard for wildlife and our community. If you are interested or have any questions please contact: stjohnseghamecochurch@gmail.com.
St John’s Wildflower Meadow
In the back corner of the churchyard we are managing the grass in a new way to promote wildflowers and discover the wonderful diversity of beautiful grasses and flowers we have at St Johns. In the UK, we have lost 97% of what are called ‘unimproved grasslands’ since 1945, causing dramatic declines in wildflowers and their associated wildlife. The grass in this small section will remain uncut until late summer, giving a chance for the flowers to bloom.
Past Case Review
Against the backdrop of our shared commitment to ensuring that our churches are the safest possible spaces in which all God’s people can flourish and grow in holiness, with a special care for the wellbeing of the children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom God has entrusted us, the church of England is undertaking a ‘Past Case Review’. If you have anything that you wish to contribute to this process, please contact the Vicar in the first instance or email Jackie Broadfoot, Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor, jackie.broadfoot@cofeguildford.org.uk.
Judah Garrison’s contact details
These are as follows: tel. 07770 271599 and email Judah.garrison@stjohnsegham.com. Please contact her regarding bookings for the Campus.
Prayer Diary
For the Prayer Diary for August 2021 please see here.
Safeguarding Officer
The safeguarding email for Lorna Jamison, the Safeguarding Officer for Children and Vulnerable Adults is safeguarding@stjohnsegham.com.
Important request from the Hardship Fund Team
As the church family knows, we have been blessed with generous donations to the Fund which has enabled us to show God’s love to our community in providing appropriate financial support where needed. This has enabled us to provide genuine help to members of our church and the wider community as well as facilitate a number of initiatives providing broader, long term support. Whilst we would not wish to interfere when God may lead us to be generous to a brother or sister, our request is that if you are approached with a request for financial assistance by an individual, this request is passed to the Hardship Fund either by phoning the Church Office (01784 605400) or by emailing hardshipfund@stjohnsegham.com. Should you then wish to make a personal donation to the Fund this can be done via the website https://stjohnsegham.com/give2/ which enables us to claim gift aid, if appropriate, which can increase the value and benefit of your donation. The HF Team are conscious of their stewardship responsibilities and wish to ensure that when providing financial support, it is in a co-ordinated manner, including consideration of holistic help by way of CAP or other local agencies, if appropriate. With continued thanks to our Church family for their support.
Zoom Coffee
At 10am on Sundays we get together on Zoom for coffee. The link is not published here but on our closed Facebook page, search for St Johns church Egham on Facebook. If you cannot find the link email webteam@stjohnsegham.com
Traidcraft
There are many different factors to consider when we make a decision where to buy something from, or even if to buy something at all. There are different fair trade organisations and models for ethical purchases and we have tried to lay out on the EcoChurch website some of those considerations and demystify the jargon. https://stjohnsegham.com/eco-church-2/.
Some suggestions for you to consider:
Good: Think about what you are buying – look at our website to understand better what some of the labels mean.
Better: If you have the choice between buying an item which is labelled as being ‘fair trade’ and one without such a label but is cheaper, consider if you can afford to buy the fair trade product or instead donate that money you save by buying the cheaper item to an organisation supporting social justice and development.
Best: Join the St John’s Traidcraft program – by buying this way you are directly supporting the producers through the Traidcraft organisation. In addition, you will save postage, we get a discount and shipping is more efficient. Take a look at the catalogue and choose a gift or food you need. Or consider a ‘subscription’ where every month you get your supply of sugar, coffee, raisins etc. Details at https://stjohnsegham.com/eco-church-2/fair-trade-at-st-johns/ or email traidcraftstjohnsegham@gmail.com for more information.