Hi everyone,
Hope you're not too busy in the run up to Christmas (I've heard that it can get a bit busy in churches round about now? not sure why!) Anyway, just wanted to let you know about some stuff coming up under the umbrella of the Churches Together youth stuff...
Firstly though, a big thanks to everyone who was involved or came along to the youth event on 13th Dec at Crossways Baptist Church. It was great to see so many young people from across the churches in the area. Watch out for news of the next event (next term) coming soon...
Secondly, to let you know about Christmas Eve - Carol singing outside Waitrose in Dorking. 2-3pm - we'll provide song words etc and be collecting for charity as well. In previous years St Josephs have done this and had a great response so a big thanks to them for suggesting this as a churches together youthy activity. If you have any musicians as well then get in touch before the event so we can sort out music etc! please do encourage your young people to come along to this and witness to the glory of the birth of Jesus at that first Christmas!
And lastly, but not leastly - you may have heard about the Youth Alpha that has run over the past few years in Dorking for young people in the area, and it's occurring again!
Its happening sunday afternoons 3-5pm at Dorking Christian Centre, from 10th Jan through to the end of March with the weekend away planned for 12th-14th March. This year is focussed on school years 7-8, although if there are yr 9s who it would work for (eg they have all their best friends in the yr7-8 age group etc then its perfectly possible for them to come along...)We have posters and postcards to advertise it which we'll be trying to distribute, but please do ensure that your relevant youth (and parents!) are informed and excited about it!!!
If you're eager eager eager for postcards/poster pop into the christian centre and come along to my office and harrass me until I give you some, or you can always contact me on
youth.ctd@gmail.com or 07788 916882.
I think we were all inspired by our meeting last week, a big thank you to Stu, Steve and Jimmy for giving up their time to meet with us. 
The Dorking Deanery Vision Day, held on 21st November, was the starting point for a new direction for the Deanery. As those who were involved will testify, the day itself was an exceptional time, filled with constructive discussion, thoughtful reflection, prayer - and even the dreaming of dreams! Throughout the day, participants were touched by the warmth of Christian fellowship and shared a real willingness to listen to and trust each other. Simple pleasures, including walking together through beautiful woodland and sharing a meal contributed to the thinking, too. As the day progressed, there was a deepening resolve that we – the Dorking Deanery Synod - simply have to break out from the old long-established patterns and develop new directions, rooted in the confidence that there is a valuable role for the Deanery in serving our parishes.
