Enjoying the last few days of late summer sunshine I always look forward to October.
Do you have a favourite month or season? For me I seem to like the Autumn and Spring, times when the seasons are either mellowing or springing into life!
A few weeks ago we were presented at St John’s with a Record of Church Furnishings made by a charitable group called The Church Recording Society. We were presented with 2 volumes of their work which includes all the memorials, metalwork, internal stonework, woodwork, textiles, windows, pictures, books, papers, musical instruments and tiles inside our parish church. It makes for very interesting reading as I am sure you can imagine. This amazing team of recorders, mostly retired professionals and enthusiasts of church heritage, spent many months weekly visiting and detailing everything fixed and non fixed and we were thrilled they wished to do this for us, completely free of charge! Copies of the Record will be available for everyone to see later on in the Autumn so do pop in and have a look from November onwards.
On the subject of the church interior I am afraid that we have had to make the decision to keep the toilet locked during the week and only open when there is an event or a service. This is due to the loo being used as a village ‘public convenience’ rather than for church visitors. We are sorry if this causes inconvenience (no pun intended) to locals. If you are disabled there is a special fob you can have to unlock it and use it. Otherwise do let me or one of the churchwardens know if you need it unlocked for any reason when you visit the church.
This month we celebrate Harvest at both our churches and gifts of foodstuffs are warmly welcomed and will be distributed either locally or the majority will go to Dorking Foodbank and Leatherhead START. Please just leave them in designated boxes in church and we will store them securely till distribution. Please do remember that if you know anyone who is suffering from food poverty, we have a wonderful local food bank and my Pastoral Assistant and I can issue vouchers very easily for anyone at all. We are here to help where we can.
So our Harvest service takes place on the 13th October at Capel at 10.30am. This is a special Cafe Church style service with an informal atmosphere. We begin with refreshments and then settle down for some good music, words and thought all on a harvest theme. We are hoping that families will join us for this lovely annual event, especially our uniformed groups and school families. All are welcome – PLEASE come and join us!! Let me know if anyone needs transport.
October is also of course the month when our now annual Murder Mystery Play and Harvest Supper take place at Ockley Village Hall on Friday 25th and Capel Memorial Hall on Saturday 26th October. Its a great play and a fun evening and lovely supper so what’s not to like?! Great cast too!! Do hurry and book tickets for either night – Box Office Corinne Jay – 07718 346294
Finally as the month draws to a close we will be holding our annual service of comfort for the bereaved, actually on the 3rd of November. Always a lovely but poignant time of thanksgiving and memory, with the lighting of candles as loved ones are named, followed by Church Teas. In the meantime I pray that whatever this month holds for you, may you know the living God is always with you.
With my love and prayers
Liz
A few weeks ago we were presented at St John’s with a Record of Church Furnishings made by a charitable group called The Church Recording Society. We were presented with 2 volumes of their work which includes all the memorials, metalwork, internal stonework, woodwork, textiles, windows, pictures, books, papers, musical instruments and tiles inside our parish church. It makes for very interesting reading as I am sure you can imagine. This amazing team of recorders, mostly retired professionals and enthusiasts of church heritage, spent many months weekly visiting and detailing everything fixed and non fixed and we were thrilled they wished to do this for us, completely free of charge! Copies of the Record will be available for everyone to see later on in the Autumn so do pop in and have a look from November onwards.
On the subject of the church interior I am afraid that we have had to make the decision to keep the toilet locked during the week and only open when there is an event or a service. This is due to the loo being used as a village ‘public convenience’ rather than for church visitors. We are sorry if this causes inconvenience (no pun intended) to locals. If you are disabled there is a special fob you can have to unlock it and use it. Otherwise do let me or one of the churchwardens know if you need it unlocked for any reason when you visit the church.
This month we celebrate Harvest at both our churches and gifts of foodstuffs are warmly welcomed and will be distributed either locally or the majority will go to Dorking Foodbank and Leatherhead START. Please just leave them in designated boxes in church and we will store them securely till distribution. Please do remember that if you know anyone who is suffering from food poverty, we have a wonderful local food bank and my Pastoral Assistant and I can issue vouchers very easily for anyone at all. We are here to help where we can.
So our Harvest service takes place on the 13th October at Capel at 10.30am. This is a special Cafe Church style service with an informal atmosphere. We begin with refreshments and then settle down for some good music, words and thought all on a harvest theme. We are hoping that families will join us for this lovely annual event, especially our uniformed groups and school families. All are welcome – PLEASE come and join us!! Let me know if anyone needs transport.
October is also of course the month when our now annual Murder Mystery Play and Harvest Supper take place at Ockley Village Hall on Friday 25th and Capel Memorial Hall on Saturday 26th October. Its a great play and a fun evening and lovely supper so what’s not to like?! Great cast too!! Do hurry and book tickets for either night – Box Office Corinne Jay – 07718 346294
Finally as the month draws to a close we will be holding our annual service of comfort for the bereaved, actually on the 3rd of November. Always a lovely but poignant time of thanksgiving and memory, with the lighting of candles as loved ones are named, followed by Church Teas. In the meantime I pray that whatever this month holds for you, may you know the living God is always with you.
With my love and prayers
Liz
Post expires at 8:03am on Sunday September 21st, 2025