Welcome to the website of the parish of Capel and Ockley. We are part of the Surrey Weald Team of parishes close to the south Surrey border with West Sussex. The other parishes in the team are St Peter’s, Newdigate, and St Mary Magdelene, South Holmwood. Our church offers a variety of worship, both separate and as part of the Weald Team.
We are a two small friendly village churches joined in one parish. The churches remain rural, but are located in the busy commuter belt south of London.
We serve first and foremost God, our father in heaven, but serving God also means offering help and comfort to all around us. Love your neighbour as yourself. We therefore feel we must be at the heart of our community. We extend a welcome to all in the village and those visiting, all people of faith and all who have not had faith for some time.
Monthly Newsletter from Rev. Liz Richardson:
Lockdown reflections
Dear all, As I write I have just watched our parish’s latest online worship which happened to be Cafe Church led so ably by Bob along with the band reading and singing. We have come such a long way from our first online offering when it took me all day to record my offerings; constantly making mistakes and starting all over again to the point at the end of the day I had virtually lost my voice and had a dreadful headache. Any ideas of being a television presenter very swiftly left my mind I can tell you as I coped with the dog gnawing a stick beneath my feet, the cat suddenly making an appearance and even worse swinging on the camera stick as I yet again tried to follow my script!! I later learnt of course if I went wrong to keep a short pause and to pick up where I left off. We discovered there was such a thing as editing! Just before lockdown I think our last service of worship was in fact Blues Cafe Church at the Crown where our theme was whether Jesus, were he physically here today possibly be King of the Blues?… Read More
Latest news from the Church of England
COVID-19 Briefing 04/08
Between posts last autumn, our new DDO Craig Holmes ran an ultra-marathon. I remember googling ‘Grand to Grand Ultra’ to learn more about him (and it). I couldn’t quite believe what I read amidst pictures of rocky outcrops and campsites in the desert: ‘Challenge yourself to an experience unlike any other. Running from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the summit of the Grand Staircase you will discover new strengths and lifelong friends, running in the remotest part of America. Grand to Grand has become a legendary feat of endurance. Are you up for it?’ You can ask Craig for yourself how it went. He survived, though I don’t think even he understands quite how, in some parts. One element was utterly key: the comfort and joy of being in it with others. Of not being alone. Back in April I recall Bishop Andrew urging us in lockdown to prepare for a marathon not a sprint. Now in August, it seems to be turning into an ultra-marathon. The end point continues to recede and the dangers of exhaustion and discouragement increase. From the Local Ministry Programme to confirmation classes, from baptisms to ordinations, from homegroups to almost every parish worship service… Read MoreRead More »