Lent course – Come into the Wilderness

Five Monday evenings: 23 Feb, 2 – 23 March, 7.30 pm

Gomshall Club

For our Lenten journey this year we will be venturing into the wilds of faith with the help of the team at Lectio 365.

Join us as we embark on a life-changing, forty-day journey into the wilderness. Alongside the Bible, we will be diving into the ancient wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers: a radically counter-cultural movement that chose to live, work and pray away from civilised society, in the foreboding desert landscape through the third and fourth centuries AD.

Click here for a brief introduction to the course

Each week’s theme is linked into the prior Sunday sermons across the Benefice. You can also join in on a daily basis by downloading the Lectio365 prayer app from the Apple or Google app store.

Lent lunch reflections on art

Five Mondays during lent: 23 Feb, 2 – 23 March, 12 – 2 pm

St Thomas Church, Chilworth

Join us at lunch time for simple “soup and roll” followed by reflections and discussions on Lent based art to follow in the overall theme of “Wilderness”

COMMUNITY CAFE

7 March, 10.30 – 12 o’clock

St Michael’s Barn Church, Farley Green

Come along to the quarterly Community Cafe in the Barn Church, Farley Green and enjoy complimentary tea, cofee and delicious cake and a catch up with people from across the parish.

Donations of non-perishable items for Guildford Food Banks are much appreciated.

Organised by The Friends of St Michael’s Barn Church

CAROLS AT CANDLE LIGHT at the Old Saxon Church, Albury Park

21 December, 5 pm

An annual favourite for old and young!

Organised together with the Friends of the Old Saxon Church who kindly provide refreshments after the service.

Don’t forget to wrap up warm and to bring your torch as there is no heating and there are no lights!

Car parking available in front of the church in Albury Park.

5 pm start, but it’s normally busy, so don’t leave it too late!

CAROLS AT THE BAR, The Drummond at Albury

23 December, from 6.30 pm, live music starts at 7 pm

Get yourself a mulled wine, hot chocolate or any other drink and join us singing some popular carols with the Anne and David from the Chinese Wolf band.

David Oakden will be the compere this evening, his first in his new role!

 Gather round in the pub garden from 6.30 pm, live music will start at 7 pm 

Who knows, it might even snow …

CHRISTINGLE SERVICE

24 December, 4 pm

Always a favourite for young and old!

Albury’s Christingle Service is a combined crib and christingle service, with the collection going to the Children’s Society.

4 pm start, but it’s normally busy, so don’t leave it too late!

CHRISTMAS DAY COMMUNION SERVICE

25 December, 9.30 am

Come and celebrate the birth of Jesus with us!

9.30 am start and coffee is served afterwards

ALL ARE WELCOME to start Christmas with us

AUTUMN COURSE – BEING WITH

7 Mondays from 6 Oct onwards

Can simply being with God, being with each other and being with our community really form the heart of our mission and ministry as a church?

Join us to explore together how the concept of “being with” rather than “doing for” or “working for” can guide us as individuals as well as churches. Find out how by focusing on presence, attention, mystery, delight, participation, partnership, enjoyment and glory we can more actively engage with the world and its people, attending to their needs, and participating in their lives, just as Jesus did.

Each session will look at a different aspect, so just come to as many as you can!

PUT THE DATES IN YOUR DIARY!

October 6th and 13th, November 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, December 1st

Contact admin@parishofshere.com to express an interest

POSADA – Nativity Crib Journey

30 November – 24 December

Take part in this beloved tradition by hosting a crib set for just one night.

The cribs begin their journey from our Advent service (9.30 am, Nov 30th at St Thomas, Chilworth) and return for the Christingle Crib service on Christmas Eve (St Peter & St Paul’s, Albury).

Who can join? Everyone! Households of any size are welcome.

What’s included? Prayer, Christmas story, and a mini knitted sheep to keep as a reminder.

Sign up via this link by 20 November to allow time for route planning.

Benefice Advent Quiet Day at St Mary’s, Guildford

29 November 2025, 9.30 to 4 o’clock

Anticipating Emmanuel: Being with one another and God

An opportunity for everyone in the Benefice to stop, pause and reflect before the busyness of December hits. Time will be given to think about what the Advent season really means, to explore how it relates to incarnation, and prepare ourselves for the Christmas season.

It will also be an opportunity for people across the Benefice to spend time together, pray together, and perhaps think about what we might want in 2026.

The day will be led by Rev Jonathan Hedgecock from St Mary’s.

Costs: £5 pp, please contact Jo on admin@parishofshere.com to register

Venue: St Mary’s, Quarry Street, Guildford GU1 3UA

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

9 November 2024, 10.15 am

Please note different start time to previous years!!

Join us for the annual national Remembrance Sunday to remember those who have died in war.

The service starts at 10.15 am and we will observe the national 2 minute silence at 11 am

BLYTHSWOOD SHOEBOX APPEAL

Deadline 26 October

It’s time to start thinking about the annual Shoebox Appeal. We are again supporting Blythswood’s Shoebox Appeal. Our Appeal last year contributed to the 85,000+ shoeboxes that Blytswood were able to send to eight different countries – Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine. Our boxes will support their Kosovo appeal this year.

Each box is different, each one personal, each one an expression of your care and kindness towards a stranger in need. Filled with small, practical items such as toiletries, stationery, and clothing, the individually-wrapped boxes have been distributed in schools, hospitals, orphanages and care homes, and to households in very low income communities. Watch this video for inspiration!

The deadline to hand in your shoeboxes is Sunday 26 October. Shoeboxes can be left in the outside storage cupboard at the back of Albury Church (next to the Choir Vestry door), inside the Church during opening times on Sundays, in the lobby of St Thomas or in the lobby of St Michael’s Barn Church (open on Saturdays).

Feel free to share it with family and friends and encourage them to fill a shoebox too!

Check out Blythswood website for packing tips

MESSY MUDDY CHURCH

10 October, 4 pm

Messy Church gets muddy this Sunday when we combine with the folks from Shere for Messy Muddy Church!

Meet at St James’ Lychgate at 4 pm

A gathering for all ages who don’t mind getting messy and muddy – join in with what you want to!

Don’t come in your best clothes and bring a rug/camping chair for a picnic tea.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS

13 and 14 September

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, bringing together over 2,000 local people and organisations, and thousands of volunteers.

Every year in September, places across the country throw open their doors to celebrate their heritage, community and history.

It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE.

St Peter & St Paul is open on Saturday 13 September from 10 am until 5 pm and Sunday 14 September from 9.30 am until 3.30 pm (we hold our Morning Worship service from 9.30 – 10.30 am)

YOU ARE WELCOME!

BENEFICE WIDE HARVEST SERVICE

28 September at 10 am, Albury Old Saxon Church

Join the congregation of Shere, Peaslake, Albury, Chilworth and St Martha’s for our new annual Benefice wide Harvest Service at the Old Saxon Church in Albury Park.

Refreshements are provided by the Friends of the Old Saxon Church.

The service starts at 10 am, please wrap up warm as there is no heating in the Old Church.

BENEFICE TENT SERVICE

Sunday 21 July at 10 am at Albury’s Sportsgrounds

Please join us for the annual Benefice-wide Tent Service during the Albury Weekend.

Join us in welcoming Ven. Catharine Mabuza, Archdeacon of Surrey

Please note the different start time of 10 am and the different venue

Refreshements availabe after the service

ALL WELCOME

Pancakes @ the Vicarage

17 February, from 3.30 pm onwards

Vicarage in Chilworth

Albury’s new Associate Minister David and his wife Ali invite you to pancakes at the vicarage in Chilworth.

Donations to the Chilworth Food Bank

Email: minister@alburychurches.org

Phone: 01483 534293

Community Food Bank Cafe

Saturday 8 June, 10 am – 12 pm

Bring a donation for the food bank

Complimentary coffee and cake

ALL WELCOME

Please park on the Green and walk along to the church (in direction of Winterfold)

Rev Andrew Pearson’s Retirement service & reception

Sunday 9 June

Service in Albury Parish Church at 11 am

Reception in the Village Hall from 1 pm

ALL WELCOME

Please register your intent to attend

MIDSUMMER SERVICE AT THE OLD PARISH CHURCH

SUNDAY 23 JUNE

At the Old Parish Church, Albury Park at 11 am

Refreshments afterwards kindly provided by the Friends of Albury Old Saxon Church

ALL WELCOME