The spring of everlasting light

Dear Friends, We begin this month with our wonderful Christingle Service at church. This annual event is held each year at Candlemas. Although Christingle services are often celebrated at Christmas, we like to mark ours at Candlemas—a special day which brings the seasons of Christmas and Epiphany to an end. Candlemas, also known as the Feast of the Presentation, recalls how the infant Jesus, revealed to the Magi at his birth, is now recognised in the Temple in Jerusalem by Simeon and Anna. These two faithful people have waited in the Temple for many years and rejoice that at last they have seen both “a light to lighten the Gentiles” and “the glory of God’s people Israel.” I think Candlemas is also a very good way to say goodbye to another January! Yet alongside the joy of this occasion comes a solemn warning. Jesus’ parents are told that the redemption he will bring must be won through suffering. The story of his birth is already pointing towards the Passion, and so our focus gently moves away from the celebrations of Christmas and towards the mysteries of Easter. At our Christingle service, everyone receives an orange with a candle fixed into… Read More

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Walking in the New Year

Happy New Year! 2026, I can’t believe it!! I hope you had a relaxing if not enjoyable Christmas and that you have been able to find some time to stretch your legs and blow away the cobwebs? Its lovely if you can to have some New Year’s exercise – perhaps a bracing walk if you are able? A walk means a change of scene, a breath of fresh air, a chance to leave the hearthside. But what route will you take or which path would you like to follow? The prophet Jeremiah said this: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies, and walk in it.’ Its quite a good way to start a new year isn’t it? Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies and walk in it! Jeremiah’s words will resonate with anyone who has walked a historic woodland. At every cross roads there are often multiple paths. Which one to take? Trampled bracken might mean someone has blundered off to the left; a faint hint of marshy footprints could mean someone has attempted to turn right; while ahead, a… Read More

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The riches of the season

As I write at the end of November, I am thinking about Christmas puddings! One of my favourite things at Christmas. This coming Sunday is known as Stir Up Sunday because one of the set prayers following Holy Communion, after we have taken bread and wine is this: ‘Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by you be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ This ancient prayer has become traditional in the proximity of preparing for Christmas – a good time to make the Christmas pudding – at least. Full of wonderful fruits and sugars and I seem to remember in my childhood it contained a sixpence or a shilling! I am sure we shouldn’t do that now! December, the season of expectation and preparation as we wait for the birth of our Saviour Jesus. In the churchyard the community Christmas trees will be put up and dressed, the lights will be switched on and carols will be sung. In the church there will be more carols to be sung in our special services and once again we will be joined by children and staff… Read More

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Harvest to All Souls

We have had a lot going on this last month in the parish of Capel and Ockley. Our last fundraising event of the year – the Murder Mystery play and supper was performed to great acclaim at Ockley Village Hall and Capel Memorial Hall. For the first time ever tickets were nearly sold out for Capel shortly after the booking line opened – a bit like Oasis!! Thank you to all who bought tickets, helped behind the scenes, prepared wonderful food and puddings, provided raffle prizes and of course the cast of Murder in the Library directed by our own Sylvie Beckett. A wonderful time was had by all! Harvest Festival in Capel was also a great occasion which we shared with our Scott Broadwood School. Much was gathered in the way of foodstuff for Dorking Foodbank who are so grateful and depend on our Harvest thanksgivings. Wonderful to have the church full of all ages too! It has been a beautiful Autumn on the whole and I have loved those wonderful paintbrush colours of red and gold as I have travelled around our local area. It has gone far too quickly though and I so wish the beauty of… Read More

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Mellow September Days

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.… Read More

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Time to rest?

August – a time to take a breather perhaps? Schools out and for some it is holiday time. As I write I am preparing to take a trip to Portugal for a few days with my daughter and grand daughters which I am very much looking forward to. I like it that usually the pace can be a little more relaxed in August, church wise, and we can recharge our batteries for the start of the Autumn term. We have just held our final church club before the end of the summer term and it was a lovely opportunity to say goodbye to our older children who will beginning at their new School – The Weald – in September. The school have not been informed of any decision as to the recent consultation so we know that Scott Broadwood will remain on site for the next two terms. Hopefully a decision will be made soon though so everyone can prepare for the future. Whether the School remains in the village or a mile or so down the road, Scott Broadwood is a terrific place to begin a child’s formal education. Everyone is so caring and wants the best for the… Read More

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June joy

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.… Read More

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Alpha and Omega

Dear Friends, I hope you had a happy Easter and have been enjoying this very warm spring of late. As I am writing this letter for May we have just celebrated Easter at our churches. It was a blessed occasion and it is so wonderful to fill the church with flowers after the floral austerity of Lent and Good Friday to welcome once again our risen Lord Jesus! If you visit our churches you will see the Easter or Paschal Candle in a prominent position – a rather larger candle than usual this year – which symbolises the resurrection of Christ. We have a new Paschal Candle each Easter and I love that it is there to remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. It has wax carvings on it indicating different aspects of God and it always has the Greek letters alpha and omega, which symbolise that God is the beginning and the end. In fact this year in our opening liturgy on Easter Day we said these words: Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, Alpha and Omega, all time belongs to him, and all ages. I love this, that all time and… Read More

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Peace, joy, understanding and new life

I am writing this on the first day of Spring following several days of beautiful warm sunshine. What a treat! The early blossoms are burgeoning amidst the brightly coloured daffodils and primroses which adorn our beautiful countryside around here. How blessed we are! Only this last week someone posted a photo of a bluebell – the first one seen. We get so excited don’t we at these markers of Spring – the winter passed – and new life abounds. Reflecting on this reminded me of Easter Day which is only a few weeks away – the excitement and joy which followed the resurrection of Jesus. Of course before the joy came, Good Friday had to happen – akin to the darkness of winter – a dark day for humankind. However, on the third day, when Jesus’ beloved disciples came to visit his grave very early in the morning, there still wasn’t joy yet as fear and grief struck home once more as they discovered the stone had been moved from the grave entrance. It wasn’t until Mary heard Jesus call her name that she turned and knew it was Jesus risen. She thought she had been talking to the gardener… Read More

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Blessings and new shoots

Well, we have made it through to February after what was certainly a mixed bunch of weather last month! Even so when walking through our local woods it is incredible to see the little bluebell shoots coming through already. Signs of Spring and I am looking forward to enjoying the bulbs as they begin to bloom along with the daffodils and other lovely Spring flowers. Flowers are such bringers of joy aren’t they and promises of new life to come. As we begin this month we will be holding our annual Christingle service on Sunday 2nd of February. Christingle is a joyful celebration that brings families and communities together to share the light of Jesus and spread a message of hope. The candle in the centre of the Christingle orange symbolises Jesus as the light of the world. Through him we can enter into new life both now and in the future. As usual our collection that day goes to the work of The Children’s Society. So we go forth into Spring with all hope and promise of better things to come. That is easily said though isn’t it, when we all know someone who is going through a difficult… Read More

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Where did last year go? Looking back over the last year in my diary I am reminded of another wonderful year in Capel and Ockley. What a joy and honour it is to be called to serve both communities as your village priest! There have been several themes last year – one particularly popular in Capel was the celebration and occurrence of quite a few ‘big birthdays’ – mine included! What to do to celebrate? Look no further than The Crown who hosted the most marvellous ‘noughts’ party one very hot July afternoon for all those who wished to join in. It was a wonderful occasion! The year has been full of ups and downs like any other I guess and the villages have lost several much loved longstanding residents. Their funerals and services of thanksgiving have given many a chance to pay their respects and support the bereaved. On a happier note we have had some beautiful weddings and baptisms. Such a joy to celebrate with our couples and families! Now that couples can be married by a celebrant at reception venues the number of weddings we conduct are fewer sadly. Then there was the 80th… Read More

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Advent to Christmas

Dear Friends, Christmas comes early this year as the beautiful community Christmas trees gather once more to welcome everyone to church and bid us all a happy Christmas as we walk or drive past. I believe we have more than ever this year and because of the way the month falls they will be decorated and the lights switched on at the end of November (30th). Well Advent Sunday is the following day so we will then be counting down the days before Christmas Day, with many services and events happening in our churches this December. The usual Christmas services will be held with a choice on Christmas Day as to which church you would like to worship with family services at both churches. Communion will be offered at Ockley as well and of course at Capel we have Holy Communion at 11pm Christmas Eve. Christmas Day then is likely to be a celebration worship with traditional carols and readings. Both services are at 10am on Christmas Day. For our annual Nine Lessons and Carols we are celebrating these with our lovely village school Scott Broadwood staff and children this year. They will be helping us with some of the… Read More

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