A message from Ann

Dear everyone,
Thank you so very much for the retirement gifts and cards you gave me last week.
Your kindness and generosity to me is testimony to the incredible love within this wonderful church family. I am so overwhelmed by your kindness and I am truly grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you all so very much.
With my love and blessings to you all,
Ann

Chichester Cathedral’s 950th Anniversay Exhibition

It is a special year for the Chichester Cathedral in 2025 and there will be a special exhibition. The diocese are looking for churches to provide unusual exhibits and photos under various categories. Please see the notice at the back of the church for full details. Alan Magrath

Bible Study – Friday Mornings

Friday morning Bible studies will be held on 5th, 12th and 26th July, and 9th August, following on from Morning Prayer at 10am. Contact Bev if you would like more info.

Wild Wednesdays

The current three year theme of Mothers’ Union is ‘Transformation Now’, when we look to make positive change in our members, our branches, our projects and the churches and communities in which we live and work and worship.
As part of this, our branch at St Alban’s (Gossops Green & Bewbush), has organised a new initiative called Wild Wednesdays! These are social evenings at Goffs Manor Pub at the top end of Goffs Park. These are for everybody. Third Wednesday of the month, 7.30 -9.30pm. They will just take place during the warmer months and for all age groups. Hopefully people will feel able to bring children with them as Goffs Manor has nice outdoor space. Come for an hour, or longer, it’s up to you. Just pop along for a drink (soft or non-soft) with friends.
7.30 – 9.30 GOFFS MANOR PUB – Coming dates:

22nd May, 19th June, 17th July, 21st August & 18th September

Help needed – Just once a year!

Could you take on a small job for St Alban’s?
Merle has been administering the Children’s Society’s collection boxes for many years but would like to hand this over to someone else.
The job entails totalling up the Children’s Society collection boxes held by some parishioners once a year. Then sending off a form to them with the total for the year.
Could you take this on? Please contact the office if you are interested. Thank you.

Volunteers Needed

Jesus said, ‘Remember, you did not choose me. I chose you. And I chose you to bear fruit’.
He also said ‘do not hide your light under a bushel’.
There are many ways in which you can contribute to our common life as a church and be a beacon of light to our community. For example, we need people:

To join the fundraising team. You may bring new ideas or you may bring a pair of hands. All contributions are really needed and appreciated, especially at this current time when church finances need every boost we can find.
To enhance our worship. We need people to join the serving team (training is provided). We need more people to do the prayers (could this be you? Guidance is provided).
To help with Junior Church. Do you love working with children? Our Junior Church leaders really could do with more people on the rota so that they, too, can have weeks when they can worship in church along with everyone else.
To do pastoral visiting. Since the pandemic started and home visiting became impossible, most of our pastoral team have stepped down. We do need to resurrect a team of visitors to either do Home Communions or just to simply visit or keep in touch with those not able to come to church. Could this be you?
To help with Tiny Toes, our carer and toddler group on Monday mornings. The group runs from 9.30 to 11 am but setting up and clearing up adds an extra half hour at each end. Even if you can only help with part of this (doing refreshments, clearing up etc) every little helps. Please do offer some help if you can.

Please, please, do consider any way you can help with the mission and ministry of our church. You may have new ideas to bring to the table. Please do, because every little helps!
If it helps you to think of how your individual gifts contribute to the whole, helping us all to celebrate God’s love in the community, remember the words of a favourite hymn ‘This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine’!

Online Book Group

Reading Genesis & Exodus as Christian Scripture for Today’s Church

An afternoon and evening Zoom group led jointly by The Revd Marc Lloyd (Rector of Warbleton, Bodle Street Green & Dallington, who has written and taught on a wide range of biblical and theological subjects) and by The Revd Thomas Pelham (Rector of Burwash, Burwash Weald & Etchingham, who is part of the podcasting team at Irreverend: Faith and Current Affairs).

The fortnightly sessions will enable participants to engage deeply with the books of Genesis and Exodus by looking at the big picture and reading key passages closely. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

This group will take place through the year on Zoom at approximately fortnightly intervals (excluding Lent, August and Advent). Sessions are from 1:30pm to 2:45pm and 7:45pm to 9pm on Wednesdays.

Genesis sessions: 11th Jan; 25th Jan; 8th Feb; 19th April; 3rd May; 17th May; 7th June; 21st June; 5th July; 19th July.
Exodus sessions: 6th Sept; 20th Sept; 4th Oct; 18th Oct; 1st Nov; 15th Nov; 29th Nov

For the Zoom link, please email the Revd Marc Lloyd: marc_lloyd@hotmail.com

Free Blankets

At St Alban’s we have free blankets to give out, courtesy of Age UK and Biffa. Come and collect one for yourself or for a neighbour or friend on Thursdays, 10am till 12, at our Community Café morning. Have a cuppa and a chat while you’re here!

St Alban’s supporting the Free Shop Crawley

The Free shop Crawley is a charity based in our parish, in Dorsten Square, Bewbush. The work they do to support those in need is truly heart-warming. If anyone would like to donate food items there is a designated box at the back of church for collections. Alternatively, text to donate cash: Text: 70085 5FOOD to donate £5,10FOOD to donate £10, 20FOOD to donate £20 etc. Go to freeshopcrawley.com for more info.
Thank you!

Heart of Welcome Cafe

Our ever popular Community Morning (The brainchild of Merle Martin and a small team of Mothers’ union members) has now been running for 24 years, and is now a Place of Welcome Café. This is a place where all are welcome, and where refreshments are free (donations are allowed for customers who insist!…) It is a place to belong, make friends, feel safe and valued. A place to talk and be listened to and share ideas. Somewhere to knit and natter, or play scrabble or chess etc (more information https://www.placesofwelcome.org.uk/). If you can make scones or cakes (as a one off, or regularly), this would be very much appreciated! If you would like to volunteer to help on a regular basis, then please get in touch.

Tiny Toes!

Our new group for parents, carers, babies and toddlers meets on Mondays at 9.30 – 11am.

Dawn and Sarah will be here to welcome you!

All are welcome, especially if you’re a Toddler. Booking is not required and there is no charge but donations will be gratefully received.

Building works update June 2023

We are delighted that the first phase of building works, installing a new heating system in St Alban’s, has been completed. We are very grateful to the Benefact Trust for the small grant which helped us along as we raised the funds to pay for this. We are also grateful to PJB Electrical Ltd who did the installation work so efficiently.

Grant Awarded

Great news
We are delighted to have received a grant from Allchurches Trust towards the building project here at St Alban’s. We aim to create a new accessible entrance, install toilets, new heating system, a refreshment area, and repair the tower. This work will benefit both the church and the local community. Thank you Allchurches Trust for your support.

St. Alban’s Opening Times

In addition to normal services, the Church will now be open to the public at the following times:

Mondays 9am – 4pm

Tuesday – Thursdays 9am – 5pm