Liz’s Letter

June is a particularly joyful month for us this year as we continue our Easter celebrations. The Easter season concludes in June, and we’ll mark this with the celebration of Pentecost—the fulfillment of Christ’s promise with the arrival of the Holy Spirit, which completes and crowns the Easter Festival.

We’ll be holding a special Pentecost Holy Communion service at St Margaret’s, Ockley on the day itself. Following that, our Cafe Church will meet at The Weald School from 11am, where we’ll enjoy a joint school and church family picnic. Everyone is warmly invited—please do join us!

Later in the month, we’ll be attending Gill’s ordination service at Guildford Cathedral—appropriately named The Cathedral Church of the Holy Spirit! This marks the culmination of Gill’s three-year journey of training for ordination, and we’re excited to celebrate this milestone with her.

Gill will first be ordained as a Deacon, and then, a year later, as a Priest. This is the journey for all clergy— we all begin as Deacons and all are essentially Deacons in heart. The Deacon year is especially focused on service, symbolised by the stole worn diagonally across the body, echoing Jesus’ example of washing His disciples’ feet. It is a time of living out our calling to serve, and to share God’s love and grace with the community we’re placed in.

Everyone is warmly invited to attend the ordination service at the Cathedral. However, please speak to me in advance, as parking is limited and seating must be taken by a specific time.

After the service, we’ll be holding a special bring-and-share lunch at Ockley Village Hall from 1pm, and everyone is most welcome to join us there too!

This June, we mark 10 years of the Dorking Food Bank. While it’s not a celebration in the traditional sense—since the need for food banks is a sobering reality of modern life—it is an opportunity to recognise the vital support it offers to so many. For those facing hardship, the Food Bank is a lifeline, offering not only practical help but also a warm welcome and a comforting cup of tea.

I recently visited one of their sessions and spoke with a client whose life has been significantly impacted by the care and support received from the Dorking team. Their presence has played a key role in her journey toward better health.

Vouchers for the Food Bank are now available online, or you can speak with me or Sylvie Beckett, our Pastoral Assistant—we both have vouchers ready to distribute.

To honour a decade of service, our parish is launching an initiative called Donate 10. This could be 10 food items, 10 carrier bags, or a £10 donation. Feel free to get creative—every contribution, large or small, helps. Whether it’s food donations or funds to allow the Food Bank to purchase supplies in bulk, your generosity makes a real difference.

You can drop off food donations inside St John the Baptist Church—just place them in the collection box and we’ll ensure they reach the Food Bank. For monetary donations, feel free to speak with us directly or give online at www.dorkingarea.foodbank.org.uk <www.dorkingarea.foodbank.org.uk/>.

Thank you in advance for your continued support!

Meanwhile I pray that you will know the love and peace of Christ through the Holy Spirit and know that we as your parish churches are here to love and serve you.

With my love and prayers

Liz

Revd.Liz Richardson
liz@hostmyserver.co.uk