Writing this on what is predicted to be the hottest day of the year thus far, it is rather pleasant to think that September is only just over 2 weeks away! I am thinking of cooler days and mellow September days and nights. It is of course the start of the Autumn term for our children and young people. Many preparing to leave home for the first time for further education, others
starting ‘proper’ school if there is such an expression; and even more children moving into a new class as the new school year begins once more. The season is changing and as in all our seasons it feels like a time to reset, to begin a new thing.

Here in our parish of Capel and Ockley we will be settling down as we begin to think about harvest – the end of the month for St Margaret’s and later on in October for Capel. We will be collecting harvest gifts as usual so please do drop them into our churches if you would like them to be included. Gifts will be going to Dorking Foodbank from Capel Church and gifts left at St Margaret’s will be distributed locally. With the harvest comes our annual murder mystery play and supper and so through the next few weeks there will be a group of people rehearsing for our next production. More info further on in this
Magazine. This year the play will be on Friday 24th and Saturday 25th October. Please do book early as we do get sold out!

I am looking forward to our Capel Show, again as I write this, and I am sure it will be a huge success. I enjoyed going to the Okewood, Ockley and Forest Green show recently as well. We are so fortunate to have such talented people in our village communities both entering classes for their fruit and veg and everything else you can think of, as well as those who work so hard on our behalf to make sure everything runs smoothly and safely.
Our little 3 year old granddaughter enjoyed watching Punch and Judy and running in various toddler races at Okewood. I was somewhat bemused and relieved to see that the Punch and Judy man debriefed us all following his show! Just in case we thought that Mr Punch had obliterated his wife, baby, doctor, policeman, crocodile plus sausages for ever!!

Finally this September we will be looking again at how best we can serve God in our parish. One of the priorities we set a couple of years ago was the setting up of an after
School church club at Scott Broadwood. This has been a great success and one which
we will continue to run either in Capel or at The Weald. We have now heard that the school will not move site until Autumn next year but as yet no formal decision has been made by the DofE . Do you have any thoughts about our priorities as churches in our villages? How can we best serve our communities going forward? Please do let us know.
The Christian faith is all about doing a new thing – that has been made possible by God’s
precious son Jesus. We give thanks to him and bless his holy name.

With my love and prayers

Liz

Revd.Liz Richardson
liz@hostmyserver.co.uk