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November is a month of remembering. It begins with the blaze of light and love which is All Saints Day; when we recall with thanksgiving all the goodness and divine energy we see in the lives of God’s saints. All Souls Day follows when we commemorate all the faithful departed. In this parish we hold our Service of Commemoration and Thanksgiving for the Departed in November usually –as this year- on the first Sunday after All Souls. Then there is Remembrance Sunday, this year on the 13th. I believe it is right that Christians honour the memory of those who died protecting our homes and freedoms, whilst recognising the evil of war and dedicating ourselves to strive courageously for a more just and peaceable world. Remembering may be about grieving for those people and those things which were lost. It may also be about bringing to life again all the good things given to us by those who lived on earth before us. Remembering re-connects us with the light and strength God has revealed in human lives before us so we can live well now and work with God for a better future. Remembering is one of the most powerful things we can do to inspire in us the faith and the energy to follow God into the future. It is drawing on the past to empower us for the future. As Christians we gather every Sunday to remember Jesus. In the Eucharist we re-connect with the source of our life and our unity in God and re-connect with one another in the love of Christ. We are empowered and sent out to live and work to God's praise and glory. Remembering is also re-membering – putting back together. It can give us a true sense of who we are and what we have been given by God out of sheer grace. We are reminded of what we are called to be and to do; where we are heading for with God in our lives as individuals and as a community; who and what we are members of. Sadly and wrongly, some people consider remembering a futile exercise
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which has no place in a world which needs to grapple with the enormous challenges of the future. There’s a strand in the ideas of the dogmatic atheists and secularists that despises the remembering that is so important to all communities of faith and especially Christians because we remember Jesus every day. Yet we know that when a person loses their memory this is an illness, not a state to be desired. So it is with a community and a society. When we lose the memory of all that God has given us in the past, then we are lost indeed, with no direction for the future. Therefore, as we remember this November may we re-connect with Jesus, in whose memory and power we meet every Sunday. May we reconnect with God's purposes for our own lives, and with our role in God's mission here in Wokingham and whichever other community we play a part in , at work or socially, remembering who we are and of whom we are members. David Hodgson
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JUST 120 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME
Wokingham Volunteer Centre operates a low cost transport scheme to enable those who cannot use public transport get to their hospital/doctor appointments Due to the increase in demand for our help we have recently had to let some of our clients down. We desperately need more drivers (we naturally pay for your petrol). We would love to be able to expand the driving scheme to enable us to take people shopping or for a short outing to say a garden centre. However, to operate this service we do need the help of more drivers. If you can spare just a couple of hours a week to help with this scheme, or with any other opportunities available throughout the district we would like
to hear from you on 0118 977 0749
Please leave items for publication in the Magazine tray in the Parish Office or email directly to the editor on or before the Copy Date please. Contributions can be typed, handwritten, or e-mailed. All Saints PCC Wokingham, is a Registered Charity, Nbr. 1127585
Editor:
Andrew McKenna (977 3812) Email: editor@allsaintswokingham.org.uk
Distribution:
Sheila Longley
(978 4193)
Advertisements:
Andrew McKenna (977 3812)
Collation:
Sheila Longley & team
(978 4193)
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Parish Clergy Rector Associate Priest Honorary Asst. Curate Honorary Asst. Curate
The Revd. Canon David Hodgson The Revd. Caroline Kramer The Revd. Colin James The Revd. Helen Charlton
Attached Clergy Deanery of Sonning “Fresh Expressions” Mission Priest The Revd Michael Johnson Church Wardens Parish Administrator
John Smith Vacancy Vacancy Jo Asplin
Children and Youth Safeguarding Co-ordinator and Children’s Advocate Margaret Raggett Crêche Leader Rachel Garlish Junior Church Co-ordinator Harriet Swinyard Youth Church contacts: Chris Frame, Robert Vacher, Susan Westgate Friday Night Youth Drop-In (FDI) Co-ordinator Lorraine Hodgson Worship and Music Director of Music (inc. Choir) David Rance Music Group Leader Gail Houghton Head Server Rachel Knowles Deputy Head Server Ruth Smith Bible Readers’ rota Joyce Baldry Tower Foreman John Harrison Flower Guild Chairman Pam Gilbey Worship Rota and Prayer Lists Co-ordinator Revd Colin James Lay Co-Chair of Worship & Music Development Liz Rippon PCC Secretary Deputy PCC Secretary PCC Treasurer
Parochial Church Council David Atkinson John Smith Stephen Smith
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979 2999 979 9956 978 1515 978 9153
979 0098 979 0948 — — 979 2797
962 9378 978 2602 962 9313 979 2797 979 2999 947 6734 979 2797 979 4736 978 7065 978 8506 978 5520 978 5694 978 1515 979 2797 979 7911 979 0948 979 4407
Deputy PCC Treasurer PCC Treasurer’s Team Stewardship Co-ordinator Gift Aid Co-ordinator Stewardship Recorder Electoral Roll Officer Leadership Forum Convenor Asst. Stewardship Recorder Asst. Gift Aid Coordinator
John Alp Margaret Hawkins Dickon Snell Jo Robinson Peter Whittaker Jim Creech Joyce Baldry Barbara Smith Chris Westgate Chris Westgate
979 2797 962 9792 978 1044 978 9730 978 6225 377 4194 978 8506 979 4407 977 1041 977 1041
Pastoral Care contacts Home Communion Barbara Smith Healing Prayer Group Jack Hayley Pastoral Care contact Jo Robinson Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals Parish Office Churchyard Steward John Smith Transportation Susan Westgate Clergy available days:
David Caroline Colin Helen
979 4407 978 3939 978 9730 979 2797 979 0948 977 1041
All days except Thursday All days except Friday Mon to Wed., Sat., Sun. Usually Tues. and Sun.
The Parish Office (0118 979 2797), in the Cornerstone, can be contacted about church related issues (Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals). It is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9.15 am to 1.00 pm and for urgent matters or by telephone on Monday and Thursday from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. e-mail: Postal address: All Saints website:
parishoffice@allsaintswokingham.org.uk The Parish Office, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE www.allsaintswokingham.org.uk
The Cornerstone : For room bookings and general enquiries please phone 0118 979 7778. Administrator Monica Martin is in the office: Monday 2-5pm, Tuesday 12.15-4.30pm, Wednesday 2-5.30pm, Thursday 1.45 - 6.00pm. e-mail: info@thecornerstonewokingham.org.uk
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Services at All Saints' Church embrace a wide range of formats. An outline is given below but for details and information about occasional services, see the weekly leaflet.
Sunday Services 8.00 a.m. 9.30 a.m.
11.00 am.
Holy Communion. A said service with a brief address using the traditional language version of the Common Worship Order One Eucharist Parish Communion. The service is sung, with hymns, and follows Common Worship Order One Eucharist. Children are catered for in the Crèche and Junior Church. The last Sunday in the month is Parish Communion for the Whole Church and often includes Parade, children are present throughout, and contribute to the worship. Prayer for Healing with Laying on of Hands is offered regularly at certain Parish Communion services (see diary). Coffee is served after the service and this is the weekly 'social gathering' of the Congregation. Please come and meet us there if you are a visitor to the church or would like to get to know us better.
(1st Sunday) Family Service The service is simple with songs, prayers and a talk for children. Everyone is invited but especially parents and children. If you ever worry that your children are too noisy for Church, this is the place to try!
11.15am
(2nd Sunday) Holy Communion
11.00am 11.15am
(3rd Sunday) Family Service (Some 4th Sundays)
A said service using the Book of Common Prayer.
Matins using the Book of Common Prayer, usually sung and including a sermon.
6.30 pm.
(1st - 3rd Sundays) Evensong using the Book of Common Prayer with sermon. Choral Evensong is sung usually on the first Sunday of each Month (An alternative form of worship on 4th & 5th Sundays ; and Services of Healing)
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Weekday Services Morning and Evening Prayer are said, using Common Worship Daily Prayer, at 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. each day from Monday to Saturday. All may, and are encouraged, to attend. These services may be led by a Priest or members of the Laity.
Holy Communion is celebrated as follows: Monday Tuesday
9.30 am. 9.30 am.
Wednesday 10.00 am.
Friday
(Common Worship Order One) (Common Worship Order One with short address, followed by coffee) (Simple form of Common Worship Order One and short address (particularly for parents and child minders of babies and pre-school children)
in various Residential Homes
Major festivals are also marked by additional celebrations of Holy Communion. Please see the Parish Diary elsewhere in the magazine, or for whole year’s dates, see leaflet “Days to Remember at All Saints”.
Home Communion: If anyone knows of a housebound parishioner, either temporarily or long term, who would like to receive Holy Communion, please contact the Parish Office (979 2797).
Confirmation, Welcome or Growth Groups: Anyone interested in confirmation, a refresher course, or learning about the Christian faith is invited to join one of the Eureka! groups or a confirmation course - contact Barbara Smith on 979 4407.
Baptisms: are usually conducted at a special afternoon service on the last Sunday of each month; or occasionally in Sunday morning services if requested. Baptisms can be booked via the Parish Office (979 2797).
Wedding Bookings: Clergy are available in the Cornerstone on Monday from 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm and on Saturday from 10.30 am - 11.30 am on an appointment basis. Please book via the Parish Office on 979 2797
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Lest we Forget The LDV and WVS In 1938, Lady Reading was asked to form an organization of women to give voluntary service to their communities in the event of war. These women were wives and mothers who would be looking after their homes and families and not eligible to join the armed forces etc. They organized canteens and mobile feeding stations, billeted evacuees from ‘the Blitz’, helped with child welfare clinics, and learned how to extinguish fires from incendiary bombs with stirrup pumps amongst many other things. They were the Women’s Voluntary Service (only being granted the ‘Royal’ title by the Queen in 1960). They were nicknamed ‘the beetroot and spinach ladies’ for their uniforms (if they bought them!) were green suits and deep red blouses. My mother joined the service at the outbreak of WW2, and over 2000 of them died on active service. In Reading, they ran a luncheon canteen, ‘The People’s Pantry’, which received a direct hit from a random air raid in 1943. In the perilous dark days of 1940, when England stood alone against the might of the Nazi regime and the threat of invasion, Anthony Eden (then Foreign Secretary) broadcast one Sunday morning, asking men who were in reserved occupations, were over 40 years of age or too young to enlist to report to their local Police Station and join the Local Defence Volunteers. This became known as the Home Guard. At first they did only have armbands to identify them, broomsticks to practise drill and pitchforks to fight with (uniforms and rifles came later), but gradually they became a well disciplined force. Many of us watch time and again the glorious series of ‘Dad’s Army’ on television with its gentle mocking of these ‘old soldiers’, often based on truth. But through it all shines the patriotic
determination, courage and loyalty to defend our land. I remember that broadcast and, a short while after, an ancient car stopping outside our house with two of my dad’s old Army friends who said “Come on Jim, LDV”; and off they went to the Reading Police Station to be greeted by a bemused Police Sergeant (who had not heard the broadcast) who thought these three ‘old soldiers’ had gone slightly mad! I do not know how many of these men died on active service but it should not be forgotten that they were willing to fight and die to defend our freedom. This in no way diminishes the memory of those who died in both World Wars and other conflicts and still do today in Afghanistan. “At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” Esme Few
Flower Guild I have a feeling that the wonderfully warm weather which we experienced in October may mean that winter, and to a certain extent Christmas, may suddenly be here before we realise it. In order to help you plan for Christmas we are holding a ‘Workshop’ in the Cornerstone on Saturday December 3rd from 9.30 until 12 noon. There will be a chance to make either a table decoration or a door hanging both of which will be perfect for Christmas. Everything you need will be provided, including lots of help and advice and so this will be an occasion suitable for all abilities including complete beginners why not come along and have some fun. Tickets at £10 each will be available on a first come basis – see ad. in this magazine or collect an application form from the back of the church. Reserve you place by November 18th. Finchampstead Flower Club has an open evening on Friday November 18th when Mr Mig Kimpson, who has won prizes at Chelsea, will be giving a Christmas demonstration. Tickets at £10 are available on 0118 977 4951. Dates for your diary Friday November 25that 9.30am - Advent Carol Service arranging, please get in touch if you can help. Saturday December 3rd at 9.30am – Christmas Workshop Thursday December 22nd – Decorating the church for Christmas
Flowers in church during November Nov 6 Mrs S Anderson, Mrs M Hughes, Mrs S Shields 13 Remembrance – Guild Members 20 Mrs J Tattersdill, Mrs L Clark 27 Advent Carol Service – Guild Members
PG MW PG PG
For information contact; Pam Gilbey (978 5694) Hazel Matthews (978 6700) or Lucille Taylor (978 6847)
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Bye Buy Childhood update The Mothers’ Union Chief executive, Reg Bailey, recently met with the Prime Minister, Sarah Teather, Minister for Children and other stakeholders to review the progress made on his June recommendations and to evaluate what still needs to be implemented to achieve the goals of the report, ‘Let Children be Children’. The launch of www.ParentPort.org.uk, a website for parents set up by the UK’s media regulators will help enforce standards across the media to protect children from inappropriate material. The news that major internet providers will now require customers to ‘opt in’ to receive adult content, rather than the less effective ‘opt-out’ control that currently exists has to be a step forward. We would like to see more providers follow suit and continue to pray for this campaign. Branch news: Our next meeting, on 23rd November, will include a talk by Jane Bingham on her visit to the Sangam Girlguiding Centre and the local community in India: this is the talk postponed from September. All welcome. One of our current branch projects is to support the 11am family service on the first Sunday of every month: this is the service when Baptism anniversaries are celebrated. We provide the sidespersons, hand out baptism anniversary cards and make the coffee afterwards, providing a friendly welcome. We also deliver invitations to this service to anyone local who has been Baptised at All Saints in the last 3 years. This provides a natural extension to our long term project of providing and distributing the Baptism anniversary cards to anyone Baptised at All Saints in the last 3 years, which the branch has undertaken for many years. More information on The Mothers Union’s work worldwide can be found on the website www.themothersunion.org. For branch information or a lift to meetings, please call Valerie (978 7363) or Mary (978 2678).
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Tues 8th Nov
9.30am
Corporate Communion.
Wed 23rd Nov
7.45 for 8.00pm
Branch Meeting – talk by Jane Bingham
Tues 29th Nov
10.30 - Diocese winter meeting at Kidlington 3.00pm
Quiz: “No-no-november” All answers contain the word, ”no”. Secular answers are odd numbers-Biblical ones, even numbers. (answers pg. 37) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
What was the first James Bond film? What does the fool say in his heart? (Psalm 14 and 53) Which road sign is a red circle with a white rectangle inside? What is the first commandment? Midge Ure, The Walker Bros, Edith Piaf have all released singles with which title? 6. Finish Jesus’ comment on swearing oaths, ”Let your yes be yes… 7. Mrs Thatcher’s response to a common European currency was the same as Amy Winehouse’s when asked to go to rehab. What was it? 8. In John’s gospel, what did Mary tell Jesus which provoked his first miracle? 9. Which TV programme featured 4 badly-behaved nurses? 10. Complete the quote from Jesus in John 14,6”………except by me” Thanks, as always, to Su McArthur for the monthly quiz!
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Churchyard Trees Trees are an important component of English churchyards and our own is no exception. Over the years a large number of trees have been planted both deliberately and accidentally, ranging from the large oak at the east end of the Norreys section, which an old aerial photo shows was already on the boundary of the field that the church acquired to extend the churchyard in the 1930s to the wild service tree planted at the west end of the same section to commemorate Revd. Janet Lucas. Just under ten years ago we started to systematically plant a few examples of native British trees as an investment in the future of the churchyard's tree population and this has seen us plant examples of Black Poplar, Small Leaved Lime and Field Maple as well as the Wild Service. Sadly we have come to the point where we are going to lose two of our older trees which, because of safety concerns, we cannot leave to naturally decay and fall. By an unfortunate coincidence both these are close to the east side of the Cornerstone, at the southern end a much reduced Cedar has been found to have a large hollow at the base of the remaining large branches and the large beech at the northern end has been affected by a lignin-consuming fungus which is turning the base of the tree into a soft pulp. If this article provokes any comments, questions or concerns please contact the author. John Smith (Churchwarden)
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THE STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE Many people think that the Stewardship Committee exists simply to get money for 'the church'. Not true, or at least not principally true. The Stewardship Committee primarily exists to help all of us - the members of All Saints' congregation. We exist to help us all understand what being a Christian means in terms of what we do with our income, our possessions and our time. In other words to help each of us to be a good steward of the resources that God has endowed us with. As a second-level priority we do of course strive to make sure that the church has all the income it needs, and all the volunteers it needs to keep going. But this is a natural fit-in with the main aim described above. Finally as a third matter we also undertake the administration of the congregation's gifts to the church. So this means that we record the pledges, we record the income from weekly envelopes, and we work with HM Customs and Revenue to get the gift-aid back on all the income we can. Plus managing the annual stewardship campaign, and even supplying the pews with envelopes, pens and tokens. Being a good steward of our resources involves working out in a conscious way how to cut the cake ... how to divide up what God has bestowed on us between our own expenditure and God's work. You'll have noticed that the committee's publicity is all in one direction, that of increasing the proportion devoted to God, but we honestly believe that all we are doing is helping you to get the balance right. Please include us in your prayers. Pray that we will be inspired to deliver the vital messages wisely, pray that we will in due course find successors for the responsible tasks we do, pray for success for our efforts.
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A (real) day in the life of a (part-time) clergy person. 6:45 Alarm 7:00 Tea brought to me by husband who then goes to work 7:30 Breakfast + put out washing on line 8:00 Morning Prayer (unable to get to church this day) 8:30 Emails 9:00 Prep for funeral 10:15 Meeting re Eustace Crescent Community Association 12:00 Mini training session with Rector about legal and practical issues for Burial of Ashes. 12:30 Rush home to rescue washing from the rain 12:45 Make 2 social work related phone calls 1 supervising a colleague who has a query about ‘sectioning’, 1 to the Coroners Court. 1:15 Lunch – soup +roll. Text message to daughter re visit at W/E. 1:45 Back to church to take funeral, liaise with organist + verger 2:15 Church full but no-one appears to be singing. Decline offer of tea 3:15 Sit in garden in the sun, count blessings, drink tea 3:30 Prepare sweet n sour pork for supper 4:00 Go into town to collect books for MA course, then go to workbase in Farnborough to catch work colleague 5:30 Visit Wedding couple (for Finchampstead church)-me doing service 6:45 Check emails, want to attack elderly computer with hammer 7:15 Put rice on, heat up supper, do ironing 8:00 Husband arrives home, eat supper 9:00 Go for swim at St Anne’s (‘Living hell wealth club’) 10:00 Drink coffee, watch half of news before dropping off. Helen
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All Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choristers gain their Bronze Award The Royal School of Church Music, to which our choir is affiliated, holds examinations at a diocesan level to encourage the musical education and singing standards of its choristers. We at All Saints take the Bishop of Oxfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chorister examinations and there are three levels of award. In ascending order of standard they are bronze, silver and gold. These awards examine not only the standard of their singing but also the depth of their knowledge of church music and the purpose of music in worship. At the beginning of October four of our choristers took their examination for the Award at the Bronze level. The results were as follows: Suprovo Banerjee Josie Rippon Charlotte Evershed Ria Brombley
(pass with merit) (pass with distinction) (pass with distinction) (pass with distinction)
The choristers will be presented with their new ribbons at a Choral Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, on Saturday, 5th November. David Rance
BREAKFAST Diary date! A continental breakfast will be served in the Cornerstone following the 8.00am service on Sunday 27th November. Any queries please contact Diana Clifford 979 2614.
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Sunday
3 Before Advent - 6th November
Org
Service
Eucharist: Archer - St. Mark's Setting
DAR
Hymns
49, 316, 353, (360), 153 HON
Music
O Lord, increase our faith - Loosemore
Final Voluntary
A Trumpet Voluntary - John Stanley
Service 15.00
Bereavement Service
---
Service
Said Evensong with Piano
---
Sunday
Remembrance Sunday - 13th November
Service
Eucharist: Archer - St. Mark's Setting
Hymns
310, 242, 272, (312a), 27 HON
Music
Justorum animæ - Stanford
Final Voluntary
Nimrod (Enigma Variations) - Elgar
Service 15.00
British Legion Service of Remembrance
DAR
DAR
Hymns Music
So they gave their bodies - Aston
Final Voluntary
Nimrod (Enigma Variations) - Elgar
Service
Healing Service
---
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Sunday
Next before Advent - Christ the King - 20th November
Org
Service
Eucharist: Archer - St. Mark's Setting
DAR
Psalm
95 vv1 - 7
Hymns
432, 319, 192, (Sing we the King), 327 HON
Music
Let all mortal flesh - Edward Bairstow
Final Voluntary
Wachet auf! Ruft uns die Stimme (BWV 645) - J S Bach
Service
Youth Service
Sunday
Advent Sunday - 27th November
Service
Whole Church Communion
---
DAR
Hymns Music
Creator of the stars of night - Malcolm Archer
Final Voluntary
Liturgical Improvisation No 2 - George Oldroyd
Service
Advent Candlelit Carol Service
Hymns Music
by: Malcolm Archer; John Bertalot; Edward Bairstow; Boris Ord; Elizabeth Poston; Percy Whitlock; Charles Wood
Final Voluntary
Rorate cæli desuper (from Canticum) - Naji Hakim
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DAR
Sunday
3 Before Advent
Monday to Saturday
6
7
Mo
page
08.00am
Holy Communion
8
Tu
09.30am
Parish Communion
9
We
11.15am
Family Service
10 Th
03.00pm
Bereavement
11 Fr
06:30pm
Said Evensong
12 Sa
13
Remembrance Sunday
14 Mo
08.00am
Holy Communion
15 Tu
09.30am
Parish Communion
16 We
All Saints Fellowship
34
11.15am
BCP Eucharist
17 Th
Flower Guild
8
03.00pm
Remembrance Service
18 Fr
06.30pm
Healing Service
19 Sa
20
Christ the King
21 Mo
08.00am
Holy Communion
22 Tu
Serendipity
09.30am
Parish Communion
23 We
Mother's Union
10
11.00am
Family Service
24 Th
Healing Prayer Group
24
06.30pm
Youth Service
25 Fr
Serendipity
Julian Group
26 Sa 27
Advent
28 Mo
08.00am
Holy Communion
29 Tue
09.30am
Parish Communion Whole Church
30 We
11.15am
Sunday Plus
1
Th
3 00pm
Holy Baptism
2
Fr
06.30pm
Advent Carols
3
Sa
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JOURNEY TOWARDS HEALING AND WHOLENESS In September several members of the Healing Prayer Group attended a course at Guildford Cathedral entitled Journey Towards Healing and Wholeness. Russ Parker, director of Acorn Christian Healing Foundation, was the Keynote speaker and workshops were also led by Jane Saunders, Julian Henderson, David Russell and Michael Baughan. We would like to share with you some of the issues raised and insights gained during the day. I think the first thing that struck me was the reminder that healing is a journey. We tend to first look for the healing of the body; it is easy to think of healing as being only physical. Although we know of many times when God heals physical ills promptly we do not see the healing that goes on in people’s hearts over a period of time. We can forget that most healing goes deeper and is about people’s minds and spirits. It is about the whole person – body, mind and spirit. Healing can take time. Russ indicated that broken relationships can be at the root of many ills. They can cause much mental pain, ‘dis-ease’ and disease. We need to deal with these broken relationships first within the family, then within our parish and the local community. We need to be aware of the breakdown in relationships between different religious groups and between nations. Using the example of Cain and Abel, we discussed in our workshop the many different kinds of fractured relationships resulting in feelings of alienation, rejection and conflict. Some of the issues raised were broken relationships within families; husbands, wives, partners, parents, siblings and wider family members. Broken relationships within the wider community such as anti-social behaviour were identified. In many instances in our society today we have broken the relationship with the land and God’s creation – His precious gift to us. Lastly but by far the most devastating – some of us have broken our relationship with God.
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25
How can we heal and restore what was broken? We have a God who reaches out and listens. It was acknowledged how important it is not to allow old wounds and hurt feelings to fester, but to bring them to the Lord for the healing power of reconciliation. Healing starts with listening. In listening and being heard lays the foundation for reconciliation. Jack has written before on the role of listening in Christian Healing and Russ emphasized the importance of listening and being heard. He stresses the significance of memories and remembering. Telling our story is part of the transforming, healing process. “At least once in every person’s life they need to tell their story and know that they have been heard and understood.” With the telling of our stories and being heard and understood comes the opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation and the restoration of relationships. Russ talked about the ‘Lost Voices’. There are those among us who feel they have no voice in our world or in the relationships in which they find themselves. They have never had the opportunity to tell their story, express their feelings and be heard. How releasing and healing it is for them to be listened to and understood. If we do not listen to our brothers and sisters who we can see, how can we listen to God who we cannot see. The building blocks of healing start with our memories:- a) remembering, b) telling our story and being heard c) forgiveness d) reconciliation. During one session the story was told of an elderly lady who struggled to walk because of her severe arthritis. She had been praying for healing for a long time but nothing had happened. One afternoon her minister was asking her about her background and her childhood. She told her visitor of how as a child she had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs if she had misbehaved. This had happened frequently and sometimes she had been forgotten and had been there all night. The telling of her story had somehow released her from her past and allowed her to forgive. Shortly afterwards she was seen walking easily round her local supermarket. Our memories can so easily make us bitter. They can fester and become
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deep wounds. Bringing them into God’s light can start the healing process. Remembering is at the heart of Christian Celebration – The Eucharist. Gill Allen (Members of the Group are Gill Allen, Maggie Bateman, Jack Hayley, Mary Hughes, Anne Penn, Rosemary Sturmer, Joan Thomason, Joan Watts and Karen Wellman) The next Healing Service will be held on Sunday 13th November at 6.30pm. The Laying on of Hands will be made available at the Parish Communion on Sunday 18th December.
invite you to the Cornerstone for a
Christmas Workshop
on Saturday December 3rd, 9.30 – 12noon Enjoy a morning away from the children and the household chores and make either a
Christmas table decoration or door hanging Tickets £10 to include all materials and refreshments. Contact Pam Gilbey by November 18th 2011 at pamela.gilbey@btinternet.com or Tel 0118 978 5694
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TIME FOR THOUGHT, OR THOUGHTS ON TIME Ever thought of becoming a nun or a monk? Someone who devotes virtually 100% of their waking life to the service of our Lord? Or maybe a priest, someone who devotes most of their waking life to the cause? Well if not, where do you set the dial - the measure of time you spend bringing the kingdom into being? There's no stewardship campaign this autumn - wait until February - so we thought we'd plug the gap with some Time & Talent thoughts. The questions above recall the Parable of the Talents in which the Master bestows 10, 5 and 2 talents (units of currency) on his servants and returns later to see what they've achieved, how well they've used them. It applies to us; we need to take this story deeply to heart. But we also need to learn the lesson of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite doubtless had their own reasons for not getting involved but quite plainly those reasons were not good enough. What are our reasons for holding back; are they valid? For doubtless folks are holding back. There are so many 'vacancies' in All Saints (and its related organisations) that red lights are appearing everywhere. Is it modesty - a desire to avoid the glamour and plaudits of office? Surely we can stop that idea dead in its tracks; there are very very few such paybacks - ask any office-holder! Is it a lack of talent, a fear that we're not up to it? Well probably we have more talent than we realise - a talent that needs to be exploited. Jesus's promise of the Holy Spirit was not just for the first apostles but for all of us; we can rely on Him, indeed we must do so. And of course there's human support ... how many jobs are given without training or support? The answer to a supposed lack of talent is to try it, to take a deep breath and go. Or is the reason for folks holding back a lack of time? Consider how every one of us in every week is given the same number of hours - 168. Incidentally note how there's no rich and poor receiving different re-
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sources here! Now look at a prioritised list of how one might spend that time - sleep : family : running the home : work : sport : fitness : TV : worship : holiday : socialising : reading : hobbies : etc. Now stop and ask yourself where in that sequence does God's work fit in? Where should it fit in? Where does our work for the Supreme Being who gave everything for us fit in? It is a question of priorities. We can't push God's work off the end of the list, or even very far down the list. Those who become monks or nuns spend - in their own way - virtually all their time in God's service. Those who become vicars turn over their lives to God. And us? To conclude, is it fanciful to see a vision of an excited eager church in which the vibrant love for Jesus of members is infectious, in which people really want His work done, in which people realise that the only people in the pool of resources are they themselves, in which hands shoot up instead of being sat upon, in which all respond like Isaiah to the question "Who shall I send?" with the response "Here I am. Send me." All Saints' Stewardship Committee
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“Total Quality Nursing Care”
West Oak Care Home Murray Road, Wokingham Tel: 0118 979 5100
Sara Gallagher - Home Manager Web: www.barchester.com
Do you need an NHS Dentist? All patients are welcome at our surgery: 56 Easthampstead Road Wokingham Telephone: 979 1551
Flowers For All Occasions FULLER’S 6 Denmark Street, Wokingham 978 7183 THE CHIMNEY SWEEP - EXPERIENCED AND CLEAN Contact Mr. M. Blair 0118 934 2799 Member of the National Association of Chimney Sweeps
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All Saints’ Fellowship Meetings third Wednesday of the month in Cornerstone De Vitre Room. 7.45pm for 7.55pm Everybody very welcome. Cost to visitors £1.50 which includes coffee WED. 16th NOV. THE WAY IT WAS - GROWING UP IN THE 1940’s TO EARLY 1950’s with Mr. Tony King. Another chance to say hello to one of Fellowship’s friends and to have what we know will be a very interesting evening with Tony. WED. 21st DEC. HOW PAGAN IS CHRISTMAS? With Mr. Leslie Grout who will be making his first visit to us. CAKE STALL. Our many thanks to all who contributed to our very successful September cake stall in aid of The Children’s Society and table top craft for the children at Eustace Crescent Flat. Fellowship Leader Diana Clifford – 9792614 THE CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY TABLE Please see Sunday leaflet for dates when we are hoping to have the table in the Cornerstone following the 9.30am service. CHRISTMAS TREE we are very sorry but due to illness we will now not have time to make decorations and decorate a Christmas tree in a ‘wartime’ style. We will be making cards to be given at Suffolk Lodge and some items for children to make and take home.
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Report from the October PCC meeting The PCC always starts its meeting with prayer. Nothing very original about that you might think, but there is one unusual feature – we make sure that we have already read the apologies for absence and we then remember in our prayers those of our colleagues who are sick, those who are on holiday, or away for work. This was a good PCC. We talked about worship and pastoral care, about a new youth worker and about food parcels – all things that make for the mission of the church. Not too much discussion about walls and scaffolding, but we did have a buildings review. The tower clock is now being worked on, the Lych Gate will be repaired later in the autumn and then the east window. Sadly we were also told that the cedar tree and beech next the Cornerstone are both diseased and will need to be felled this winter. Christmas Eve is a Saturday this year and we agreed that there would be two crib services – the first at 11 am, and the afternoon service at 3 pm as normal. The Sunday after Christmas will be New Year’s Day. We will have services that day at 8 am and 9.30 and we hope many people will be there but the choir will be on holiday and we do not expect these to be the fullest services of the year! There are still opportunities to talk to the clergy about how you would like to be involved with the pastoral care programme at All Saints. There is work to do in specific areas – e.g. bereavement support or Baptism care - or in a more wide ranging leadership role: we are planning to introduce a team of lay ministers for pastoral care. Incidentally, our “Sunday Plus” day on 27th November will be an opportunity to learn more about listening – one of the key elements in good pastoral care. We reviewed a plan of all the elements needed to get a paid youth worker at All Saints – someone who will encourage and support our many volunteers. Anne King, Peter Barrett and Tamzin Evershed have gone away to work on this – expect to hear more from them, and in the meantime please talk to any of them about what you think we need to improve our youth work in All Saints. This is a personal summary from Anne King of some of the items discussed. For the formal record, please see the minutes.
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Sharing our heritage The second weekend in September is Heritage Weekend, when many historic buildings across the country are opened to members of the public. This year we again opened the tower, and John Smith organised tours of the church and churchyard. Over the summer we worked on publicity and organisation with the team led by Wokingham Town Council, which was planning events in the Town Hall and elsewhere. We opened on the Sundday afternoon, and had over 100 visitors, each of whom spent around an hour seeing all that was in the tower, as well as learning how bells work and hearing about the history and tradition of ringing. The visit culminated with a chance to view Wokingham from above on the tower roof. This year Wokingham’s theme was ‘the 1950s’, and in keeping with that we produced a set of posters about ringing at All Saints in the 1950s. You might not think there would be much to show, but in fact there was quite a lot: the names of the 37 people who rang here in the 1950s (with pictures of eight of them), details of work on the bells, photos of ringing outings (with some very dated clothing) and a few other curiosities. You can see the posters on the tower website at: www.allsaintswokinghambells.org.uk/notices/1950sPosters.pdf John Harrison
No-no-November Quiz (Answers from pg. 11)
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Dr No “There is no God” No entry “You shall have no other god before me” (Exodus 20,2) “No Regrets” “and your No (be) No” (Matt 5,37) “No,No,No” “There is no more wine”(John 2,3) “No Angels” No one (man) comes to the father
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Report on the 8th Leadership Forum Your school needs you! More than 30 of the church's group leaders met on the 8th October at All Saints C of E Primary School for the 8th Leadership Forum. The aim was to understand more about being a parish with a church school and developing our parish goal of strengthening our commitment to our church school. We were welcomed by Tina Norman the headteacher and Jacqui Kearney, the deputy head, and other staff members. During coffee we were shown around the school and saw the ongoing building work to link the former infant and junior blocks into one integrated school. There is now a dining room where all the children can eat together in one space. The opening worship took the form of a typical collective worship assembly as done with the children. The hymn was decidedly more rhythmic than most of the ones we use in church! The school provides extra support for children with physical disabilities and of course all children need one-to one time (one child to one adult) to read and discuss their stories; and some children need much more help in this way. Participants were challenged to consider how they might offer voluntary help to the school â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of all kinds - from being a foundation governor to sharing a skill or hobby with the children, to helping with refreshments at after-school clubs. Volunteer pledge forms were given out as well as a list of activities the school is in need of help with. Group leaders will be feeding these back into the various groups of the church so all church members will have the opportunity to get involved. The list and the forms are also available from Barbara Smith (barbara.stephen@gmail.com) or from the parish office. They are available in electronic or paper form. Completed forms should be handed in to the parish office. We finished our session with a DVD of the children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; joyous snapshots of the children taking part in many of the activities the school offers. We hope to show this in church early in the new year. For more information about the school, go to the school website: www.allsaints.wokingham.sch.uk
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Animal Welfare Sunday Oct. 2, 2011 This year’s’s Animal Blessing Service washeld on Oct. 2nd and we were pleased to welcome the Bishop of Reading, Rt. Rev. Andrew Proud who preached, along with our M.P. The Rt. Hon. John Redwood and the Town’s Mayor, Councillor Peter Lucey. There were many people, and animals varying in size from a Lurcher to a tiny mouse! The Bishop preached and blessed the animals, individually assisted by our Rector Revd. Canon David Hodgson who welcomed everyone in attendance, including the Revd. Julie Ramsbottom, the new priest at St. James Finchampstead, before the service. The collection amounted to 130.02 which will be given to the A.S.W.A . Samantha Chandler, Secretary of A.S.W.A., gave the intercessions. Thanks are also due to Jacqui Headland who organized the refreshments. Next year’s service will be helkd on Oct. 7, again Animal Welfare Sunday. Marcelle Williams
ARE YOU THE MISSING PERSON? If you are a caring person and would like to help those in the community who are less fortunate than ourselves, and enjoy a good social life as well, why not come along to one of Wokingham Lions Club’s meetings to find out more about us and what we do? We are well known for organising the Wokingham May Fayre – but due to this, and other successful events, we need more members to follow our international motto – “We Serve”. We meet at the Committee Room, Wokingham Town Hall on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. for 8:00. Or contact Wokingham Lions Club on 0845 833 7384 for further details. www.wokinghamlions.org.uk
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Baptisms 18 Sept. 25 Sept.
Lee Lunnon Harrison James Andrew Grant Reegan Peter Addison Wanstall Kyran Mark David Wanstall
Marriages 17 Sept. 8 Oct.
Benn Martin Heatley with Stella Kathleen Flook Philip James Smith with Melissa Claire Callander
Burial of Ashes 21 Sept. 28 Sept. 29 Sept. 10 Oct.
Maureen Stewart Dorothy Winifred Robins Moreen Ann Durrant Keith Brown
At Easthampstead Park Crematorium 7 Sept. Keith Brown 19 Sept. Alethea Ellen Janes 23 Sept. Moreen Ann Durrant 3 Oct. Mary Cox
Age 75 Age 97 Age 69 Age 86 Age 86 Age 86 Age 69 Age 78
Funeral in church followed by cremation at Easthampstead Park Crematorium (correction) 31 Aug Christine Chessell Age 81
Number of Sundays Sundays Week days
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4 715 143
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