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October 2012

ISSN 2049-4971

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October 2012 | www.xnmedia.co.uk | To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk

v Get in touch! email your stories to editor@xnmedia.co.uk Deadline for November issue Friday, October 19

Editor’s letter

A new face joins the

Phil Creighton THE nights are drawing in, the mornings are a little chilly, the conkers are on the ground and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees.

Yep, there’s no denying it, autumn is here with a vengeance.

Autumn has to be my favourite season – not least because my birthday is coming up. There’s something that pleases me about autumnal things, and there are usually all manner of exciting groups starting up.

As ever, we’ve tried to pack into our pages a good selection of news from across the Thames Valley. But with so much happening, it’s impossible to squeeze it all in. And now we have Steve Curtis on the team, there’s even more to read. Why not check out our website, www.xnmedia.co.uk, where you can find more good news stories?

Enjoy your October, we’ll see you next month. editor@xnmedia.co.uk

YOUR community news magazine has gained an extra pair of hands.

Steve Curtis, a journalism graduate from Portsmouth University, joined the Xn team at end of September.

The 21-year-old will be working as an intern until Christmas, reporting on events from across the Thames Valley.

“My mum had heard about the magazine through her

team

church, and figured that as I was a journalism student, I might as well get in touch,” Steve said.

“I’m very happy to be here and to work with an editor with such great experience.

“This magazine is exciting and has a great vision, so it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”

Steve’s role will mean that Xn will be able to expand its news coverage, adding breaking news to its website across the month.

“I look forward to meeting plenty of inspirational people during my time here, and hope to develop some new relationships with the people of this community,” Steve said.

Phil Creighton, editor of Xn, said: “So far, the Xn team has been just myself and some willing volunteers.

“Steve is a great addition to our team and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

A crafty way to mark a Saint

Duet delights concertgoers AN OPPORTUNITY to try tatting was taken up by Fiona Woodward (left) and Grace Castiglione (right) when they visited the St Joseph’s Patronal Day last month.

Held at the Catholic school of the same name in Upper Redlands Road, Reading on Sunday, September 16, the afternoon included everything from African drumming, a giant game of Twister and a large bouncy castle.

Hungry guests were treated to lunches and cream teas, while there was also free popcorn to enjoy.

Alex and Chris Goodwin shared the keys to perform a concert at All Saints Church in Ascot last month Concert goers at All Saints Church in Ascot were entertained by a father and son duo.

Young organist Alex Goodwin presented a programme of organ and piano music together with his dad Chris, the church’s director of music.

Alex, who has just returned from a year as organ scholar at Chichester Cathedral, chose a wide range of music from Bach to Dupre, and played a number of duets with Chris on the new grand piano at the concert which took place on Sunday, September 2.

Chris also played the organ and rounded off the concert with the popular piece Carillon de Westminster. An encore was requested by the enthusiastic audience and Alex duly obliged with a spectacular toccata. More than £400 was raised for church music funds and the audience enjoyed refreshments in the church hall afterwards. v The next concert at All Saints takes place on the afternoon of Sunday, October 28 and will feature violinist Linda Hannah and pianist Su Mei Kong. For details, visit www.all-saints-ascot.org.

Xn is published by Xn Media. ISSN 2049-4971 c/o Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BE www.xnmedia.co.uk Twitter: @xnmedia Editor & publisher Phil Creighton editor@xnmedia.co.uk Reporter Steve Curtis steve@xnmedia.co.uk Distribution Judith Creighton judith@xnmedia.co.uk Contributors Lynda Bowyer, Michael Penny, Steve Vaughan-Turner, Neville Hollands, Sally Hamblin, Steve Prince, James Hern, Lyn Bliss, Laura Bigoni Thanks to Michael Penny, Alan Magness, Louise Cole, Mary Brockington, Sharon Elliott, Paul Burnish

Advertising advertising@xnmedia.co.uk Printed by Trinity Mirror Reading Xn is an independent publication and is a community publication that aims to reflect church life across all denominations in the Thames Valley without bias.

The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers.

Xn is funded by advertising.

Every care is taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine are accurate but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements, the publishers cannot accept any responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions.

They will, however, investigate any written complaints.

Jackie inducted into new Methodist circuit METHODISTS held a unique double last month as it inaugurated a new Circuit and welcomed a new minister to the area.

Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist Church was packed as more than 120 people came together to launch the Berkshire Surrey Borders Circuit and induct the Revd Jackie Case as its superintendent minister.

Held on Wednesday, September 5, the service was led by a number of Methodist leaders from across the district, including the Revd Nick Thompson from Wokingham Methodist Church and the Revd Keith Saynor, from Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist Church.

The sermon was given by the Revd John Hellyer, chair of the South East District.

He reminded the congregation, which included Circuit staff and stewards as well as ecumenical representatives, that they were called to share the Gospel with others.

“We’re called to ministry that is cross-shaped,” he said. “Christian ministry is accountable to God, for God’s glory: be called to Christian service.”

To symbolise the coming together of the churches within the new Berkshire Surrey Borders circuit, a representative from each of the churches came up to light a candle, while Jackie was inducted via a series of prayers.

The new superintendent minister said afterwards that she was delighted with the way people had responded to her arrival.

“Thank you for calling me to serve,” she said. “It’s an exciting time for all. Thank you so much for the warmth of your welcome.”

Jackie, who grew up in neighbouring Reading, said that serving the neighbouring District was like coming home and she was looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead.

“I will endeavour to work with you to the best of my ability,” she promised.

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Jubilee campaign issues new challenge to fight poverty A Project that has already slashed more than £80 billion worth of debt owed by poor countries is set to make a big impact across the Thames Valley.

The Jubilee Debt Campaign, which aims to clear unjust debts owed to richer countries from poorer ones, had a strong impact when the campaign was first launched in 2000.

Now the campaign is looking to relaunch, and is encouraging giant paper chain protests to permanently clear unjust foreign debts, while creating a sustainable economy.

It is also calling for faith leaders to sign their campaign letter as a sign of support.

Nick Dearden, director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign said: “Around the world debt is causing immense suffering again.

“A self-serving financial system has brought the global economy to its knees. We are now seeing the poorest people in our own society and around the world paying the price for this excess.”

The Jubilee for Justice petition hopes to cancel unjust debts, promote progressive taxation and stop harmful lending.

The Jubilee for Justice campaign also has a Multifaith project, which asks for people of all faith groups to contribute to their campaign. v For details, email info@ jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk, call 020 7324 4722, or visit www. jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk STEVE CURTIS

Chris goes for a leisurely bike ride ... round France

A PAIR of keen cyclists popped out for a leisurely cycle ride at the end of August … and ended up pedalling across France in a fortnight.

Woosehill’s Chris Rutter and Berkhamsted’s Peter Southworth pedalled from Ouistereham, just north of Caen, to Montpellier in the south in a gruelling 730-mile trip.

For lesser mortals this epic ride would have been an arduous task but for the pair, this was, as Chris said, “a nice leisurely ride out”.

And, he added, the ride went well.

“We were really fortunate not to have any mechanical problems, no punctures and no rain – perfect cycling weather, really,” he said.

Cycling is Chris’ way of enjoying the

outdoors and he got a “buzz” from proving to himself that he could do this.

Admitting to “being in his late 60s”, Chris says it was a steady touring ride, but he’s no stranger to endurance racing having already many rides of over 1,000km under his belt.

A member of St Paul’s Church, Wokingham, Chris is a lifelong cyclist, taking part in teams in his younger years. He is currently a member of Reading CTC, Reading Cycling Club and Audax UK, a long-distance riding club.

Recent efforts from Chris and Peter have paid dividends – Peter raised funds for Alzheimers Society and Chris’ efforts have raised around £900 for St Paul’s.

Words & picture: Lynda BowYer

Tax justice campaign bus stops off in Caversham A double-decker bus visited Caversham last month as part of the UK tour to highlight the injustice of tax dodging.

Campaigners who met the bus on Friday, September 21 were invited to get on board at Caversham Heights Methodist Church and learn how they can make a difference in the fight for tax justice; before taking part in a workshop to find out more about the Christian Aid and Church Action on Poverty campaign.

Organisers say that global tax dodging robs poor countries of the taxes that are owed to them:

money that could be spent on essential services such as health, education and welfare.

They add that it also costs the UK £35 billion a year at a time of austerity and Government cuts.

Paul Brannen, of Christian Aid, said: “We estimate that tax dodging by some unscrupulous multinational companies costs developing countries at least $160bn a year. That is one-and-ahalf times the total global aid budget.

“This money could be used to make huge improvements to public services such as healthcare and education.”

Niall Cooper from Church Action on Poverty, added: “At a time when spending cuts are having a devastating impact on the UK’s poorest people and communities, tax dodging is morally unacceptable.” v For more details on the Tick for Tax Justice campaign visit www. christianaid.org.uk/ tax-bus or www. church-poverty. org.uk/taxbus

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v Get tips to face Dragons in business PEOPLE inspired by watching The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den are invited to come along to an open lecture taking place later this month.

So You Think You Want To Start Your Own Business? is aimed at giving simple, inspiring tips for those who want to set up on their own.

It will be given by Stuart Morris, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the Henley Business School at the University of Reading.

He is also a member of The Family Business, a group that provides help for local entrepreneurs and business people as they start up and grow.

The lecture takes place in the Palmer Building at the Whiteknights campus on Monday, October 22. It starts at 7.30pm and entry is free.

It is running in conjunction with the StartUp Britain Bus Tour, which will visit students at the University’s Whiteknights campus earlier in the day.

For more details, email events@reading.ac.uk.

v Choir ready for Windsor sing A CHOIR will travel to Windsor to take part in a special evensong later this month.

Taking place on Saturday, October 20 in St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, the service celebrates the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Prayer Book.

It starts at 5.15pm and members of the combined choir of St John the Baptist, Kidmore End & Christ the King, Sonning Common will perform music by Stanford and Stainer.

R U O Y DO BIT!

Help collect for the Poppy Appeal.

Please call Francesca Yates on 0118 9761255 or e-mail: fyates@britishlegion.org.uk

H P w

For our Armed Forces, past and present.

Registered Charity No. 219279

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v Sporty quiz LITTLE grey cells can get some exercise when they go down to the gym later this month.

Arborfield and Barkham Churches are teaming up with Pulse8 in Sindlesham to host a sports-themed quiz night at the Mole Road health and fitness club.

Organised by Christians In Sport, the fun event welcomes teams of between four and eight. It takes place on Thursday, October 18, from 8pm.

For more details, email office@abch.org.uk.

v Dance fun A BARN DANCE to raise funds for a Causeway Prospects group will take place later this month.

St Peter’s Church in Yateley is hosting the event on Saturday, October 20 from 6.30pm.

Music will be provided by Saxon Drain and there will be food to enjoy.

The event raise funds for the church’s Causeway group and celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Tickets cost £10 a head and can be reserved by calling the parish office on (01252) 873647.

v Fundraiser BLACK TIES and ballgowns is the dress code for a special fundraising event taking place next month.

Network Vineyard Churches are teaming up for a charity ball in aid of Hope to Albania.

Taking place at the Holiday Inn, Reading on Saturday, November 3, the evening includes a three-course dinner, live music from The Retweets, a charity auction and a raffle.

Tickets cost £39.50.

For more details, email info@ hopetoalbania.com.

Church committed to teenagers A CHARITY that is working with young people in Crowthorne is switching its plans for a base on a local recreation ground to a village church instead.

The decision by HopeZone to withdraw an application for a temporary building to be installed on the Morgan Recreation Ground came after conversations with residents who were reluctant to let the plans go ahead.

Instead, the charity will focus on providing a safe space for young people to meet at Crowthorne Baptist Church until suitable premises can be found

that will also please village residents.

HopeZone currently runs a youth drop-in centre on Wednesdays for ages 11-18, but want to expand the work to several nights a week.

Activities include the chance to play games on a pool table and an Xbox, as well as providing a place of warmth and security for its guests.

The Revd Martin Ceaser, who chairs Crowthorne HopeZone, said: “There is still a chronic shortage of meaningful provision for young people in our village and we will continue to operate out of

Crowthorne Baptist Church for the foreseeable future.

“We have come to the conclusion that if the development were to go ahead, any behaviour deemed to be unsatisfactory on the recreation ground would immediately be blamed on HopeZone, and the young people, which would reinforce their feeling of alienation rather than reduce it as we aim to do.

“HopeZone values Young People and seeks to model that to them, and would like to encourage all members of the Community to work together for the good of the village.”

Climate justice walkers share world saving tips A GROUP of walkers used footpower to press home their message of climate justice.

Members of St John The Baptist Parish Church in Crowthorne walked round the village to demand climate justice and raise awareness of climate change.

Many turned out for the walk including some of the young people from the fellowship.

Taking place on the beautiful autumn morning of Saturday, September 15, organisers say that the occasion was enjoyed by all.

"A number of people commented that it was lovely to walk locally and that they were inspired to walk in their local area more often," added organiser Hannah Brooks.

"A stall at Crowthorne’s mini market was also a success and was well supported by many from the church. We worked to raise awareness of the Time for Climate

v Ring in with the answers BellrinGers at a Chavey Down church want to put you to the test.

The team from St Martin’s are making an appeal for people to come along to its quiz night.

It takes place in the church hall on Saturday, October 13, from 7.30pm and all are welcome.

For more details, call the parish office on (01344) 882933.

v Join the choir A NEW community choir is looking for voices to join it and it says that everyone is welcome.

St Paul’s Community Choir meets at the Harmans Water church on Thursday evenings from 5.30pm to 7pm.

Children are welcome, as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

For more details, visit the group’s Facebook page, goo.gl/kL104, or email choirsofdave@hotmail.com.

v Cake sale for young actors

St John The Baptist in Crowthorne marched for climate justice last month Justice campaign and handed out leaflets with suggested energy saving tips which save people money as well as cutting their carbon footprint."

The group also raised £85 for Christian Aid. Hannah added: "It is important not to forget that

Park United Reformed Church and Community Centre Palmer Park Avenue, RG6 1DN

Six rooms/halls for your meeting suitable for small and large groups (1-140 people) Discounts available Contact Centre Manager, Julie, 0845 463 6426 centremanager@parkurc.org.uk Further details: www.parkurc.org.uk

the Time for Climate Justice campaign is ongoing and there are many things we can all do to work towards climate justice.

"It remains part of our vision at St John the Baptist church and we are working to ensure that we are practising what we preach."

BUDDING young actors will benefit from some homemade cakes.

The tasty treats are being cooked up by members of All Saints Church in Wokingham, who will sell them after the 9.30am service on Sunday, October 7.

All proceeds raised will go towards Stagefright, a Wokingham group that aims to provide opportunities for people to discover, use and develop their artistic talents. v For more details on the group, log on to www.stagefright.org.uk

v Service for pets

v Anniversary

ALL CREATURES great and small are invited, with their owners, to join in a fun service taking place in Winkfield.

St Mary’s Church will welcome animals at a pet blessing event being held on Sunday, October 7.

Starting at 3pm, the service sees the church celebrate the fast day for St Francis of Assisi.

The service lasts 45 minutes, and will be followed by light refreshments.

For safety reasons, guests are asked to bring pets on a lead or in an appropriate container.

For further information, log on to www.winkfieldandcranbourne.org.uk.

STEVE CURTIS

A READING church is celebrating its 25th birthday later this month – and you’re invited to help them blow the candles on the cake.

All Nations Christian Centre, which is situated in Berkeley Avenue, moved into its buildings a quarter of a century ago and will mark the date with a celebration evening on Saturday, October 20.

Starting at 7pm, the evening will see past leaders join in for food, fellowship, a short presentation and a worship session.

For more details, contact the church office by emailing office@allnationselim.org.

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Pavilion gets closer to becoming a home

LifeSpring church is getting closer to having a place to call home.

The church, currently based in Prospect School and at Routh Lane in Tilehurst, purchased Rileys Snooker Hall in Central Reading earlier this year.

Throughout the summer teams of volunteers from the church and contractors have been busy converting this old snooker hall on the Oxford Road into a multi-purpose facility.

The building will be called The Pavilion, the name it had originally when opened as a cinema more than 90 years ago.

It aims to become a concert hall, conference facility and community centre.

The congregation are hoping that the building will be open before the end of the year, but are still in need of a further £200,000.

Work has started on turning The Pavilion into LifeSpring’s new home Neville Hollands, pastor of LifeSpring said: “It will take a miracle, but we know Someone who’s pretty good at them.

“This has been an exciting journey of faith so far, and we thank God for the journey as well as the final destination.”

The church hopes to become

a part of the Central Reading community with its new building. v For more information about the project, or to get in contact about helping the LifeSpring team, contact the church office admin@lifespringchurch.org.uk or call (0118) 945 5589.

Argyle moves back into its building

A church in Reading is heading back home, after collecting all the money needed to complete their building project.

The Argyle Community Church building project is almost complete, with the church raising the £800,000 required to move back in.

The church returned to their building on Sunday, September 23.

Lynne Colman, Argyle’s administrator, said: “Its nice to get back in and have our first Sunday service.

“We were comforted that God is behind us.”

This is the first time the Argyle congregation has participated in a project of this size, and Lynne said that the project strapline – Safely Out of Our Depth – was

A conservatory area gives Argyle Community Church a striking new look suitable for them.

Members of the congregation have been able to sit, talk and pray over the project with the builders from JoyDavid in a local pub, as they themselves were Christians.

Lynne said: “It makes you really grateful that we can do that in this country.”

Argyle Community Church is based on Argyle Road in Reading.

STEVE CURTIS

access to safe water. Last year’s campaign raised more than £25,000 for the charity.

Andrew Godfrey, from the Earley Folk Dance Group, is organising the Reading event.

He said: “Ceilidhs are a great social occasion that anyone can join in with so we hope we will see a great turn out.”

“Just £15 can give someone a lasting supply of safe water, sanitation and hygiene so we

hope people will be generous in their support, helping some of the world’s poorest people gain access to these vital services that we take for granted.”

The Earley event will take place at Park United Reformed Church, Wokingham Road, on Saturday, October 13, from 7.30pm. v To find out more, visit www. wateraid.org/ceilidh or call 020 7793 4594.

Water way to dance the night away Earley residents are invited to dance the night away to provide clean water for those in poverty.

Members of a local folk dance group are teaming up with others across the globe to hold a ceilidh later this month.

The Gaelic barn dance will raise money for WaterAid, a charity that works in 26 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific to bring some of the world’s poorest people

Take care!

Make the most of life with Philip Keohane

Coping with the effects of old age The process of ageing can bring mental as well as physical challenges, and just as physical diseases become more common with age, so our mental health may be increasingly threatened.

Many people live a long and happy life without any mental health issues, and despite the all too prevalent image of elderly people being slow and forgetful, dementia isn’t an inevitable development as we age.

There are many reasons why mental health problems can increase with age, from biological changes which can interfere with the brain’s ability to process information, to social changes such as retirement and children leaving home which can lead to feelings of isolation or worthlessness.

Underlying diseases such as stroke or Parkinson’s which are more common with age are often important contributory factors.

Mental health problems can have a serious impact on an older person’s ability to carry out many of the basic activities of daily living and the impact on their quality of life, even from minor symptoms, can be huge.

Understanding why psychiatric illness develops and how it tends to affect the elderly, is vital in helping people to manage their problems as effectively as possible and reduce the risk of serious harm. An important step is simply getting a diagnosis.

Once mental health issues have been recognised there are many people who can help. The local primary care health team, including GP, nurses and other therapists will often initiate treatment. Help is also at hand form specialist teams in the community. Families, patient groups such as the Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK, faith groups and many other local resources can also play a vital part in helping you access much needed support.

Contact details for these organisations are always in the phone book and are only an internet click away.

Philip Keohane is owner & director of Home Instead Senior Care in Reading

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v Want prayer?

A READING town centre church is offering to pray for you.

Abbey Baptist Church, near Jackson’s Corner, has posted a form on its website for people to submit their prayer requests.

A member of the church will then pick up the request and pray.

The church invites you to put as much or as little information on the form as desired. The service is free.

For more details, log on to www.abbeybaptistchurch.org. uk and click on prayer requests from the menu.

v Question time for science A DEBATE on science is coming up and organisers are welcoming tricky questions.

Has Science Made God Irrelevant? is the title of an evening featuring Dr Krish Kandiah, churches in mission director of the Evangelical Alliance.

The well-known speaker will be visiting Kennet Valley Free Church in Calcot on Thursday, October 11 from 7.30pm.

Entry to the evening is free.

Questions can be submitted in advance.

For more details, log on to www.argylecommunitychurch. com.

Bob & Andy go running for the Rainbow Using comedians Eddie Izzard and David Walliams as inspiration, members of St Mary's Church, White Waltham decided to try a smaller but equally challenging sporting event to raise funds.

Over the course of three days in September, Bob Crittenden and Andy Eden ran 100 miles to raise money for Project Rainbow at their church.

The project will construct premises within the churchyard for its children’s work and for community activities, serving local families and children.

“It was an enormous challenge and exhausting,” said Bob. “It was a three-day run, so it was more than a marathon on each day. Me and Andy have done marathons before but never three in a row.

“We're in the process of collecting money, and we're currently closing in on £4,000.”

On their first day, having been sent off by the Bishop of Swindon, the Rt Revd Dr Lee Rayfield, they ran 33 miles

along the Thames Path through Gloucestershire, and stopped over in Oxfordshire.

On their second day they were sent off by the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard, as they continued along the Thames Path, running a further 37 miles before staying at Caversham.

Their final day was a 30-mile run from Caversham to Maidenhead, ending at a cafe near Boulter’s Lock.

The pair weren’t the only people from St Mary’s to get running for Project Rainbow.

Others from the church took part in some smaller, gentler runs to fundraise.

Young and old people teamed up for their own three-mile sponsored run from Cookham to Maidenhead, which also included a one-mile wheelchair push. v To find out more, or wish to sponsor Project Rainbow, visit www.projectrainow.org.uk and click on the 100 Mile Thames Path Run link.

STEVE CURTIS

Pastor turns author for new book

Simon Benham signs his book, The Peach and the Coconut, at its launch event last month A BRACKNELL pastor has turned author, and launched his first book last month.

Simon Benham, senior pastor at Kerith Community Church has written The Peach and the Coconut in his bid to help readers become ‘cultural architects’.

He launched the book at a special service held at Kerith on Sunday, September 9.

Simon said: “There are moments where we need to try to define and shape culture, what some have called being ‘cultural architects’.

“We can do that by painting a picture of what

we would like the culture to be, and then striving with all our being to build the community we’ve described.”

The book deals with issues such as who Jesus is, what his death meant, and real world issues.

It also reflects on the history of Kerith, and its vision for the future. v The Peach and the Coconut is available from Amazon (Kindle edition: £4.99, print edition: £6.99), from Kerith Resources (01344) 862699, or as an audio book on SoundCloud.com. ISBN: 9780957286504. For more visit www.kerith.co.uk.

On the trail NEWBOLD College in Binfield was one of the many venues across the country that welcomed visitors for National Heritage Day at the beginning of September.

Tours were given of the college’s expansive and beautiful grounds, giving people a chance to learn more of its history.

Also open was St Michael & St Mary Magdalene, Easthampstead.

“We closed the heritage days with a Choral Evensong using the Book of Common Prayer and with our choir singing beautiful settings,” said Diane Collins from the church.

The historic church, which dates back to the 12th Century, is open on weekdays from 9am-5pm until the end of the month.

Builders bike for heroes Teamwork and a lot of effort helped Kingsmen Builders raise more than £500 for Help for Heroes as they cycled 100km for the charity.

A team of eight employees and their families took advantage of lovely weather to enjoy the ride early on Saturday, September 8.

Tom Cook, who does purchasing and estimating at the company said: “I enjoyed the glorious countryside and the weather, all for a good cause.”

Using pedal power the team

took six hours to complete the tour de Berkshire and Oxfordshire, visiting many of the villages where Kingsmen regularly work.

Jamie, aged 10, and Billy, aged seven completed 10 miles between them, and were just two of the participants on the bicycle ride.

Kinsgmen are aiming to raise £3,000 for Help for Heroes over the course of the year. v It’s not too late to sponsor the builders. To get behind them, visit www.justgiving.com/ KingsmenCycleEvent

Explore the Quaker way Reading Quakers are holding a series of four open evenings to explore and discuss the life of a Quaker.

The Quaker Meeting House in Church Street, Reading, is holding the events over four Sundays.

The series started on September 30 and continue until Sunday, October 21.

The meetings, taking place from 7.30pm to 10pm, will include refreshments,speakers, discussions and Quaker worship.

They will be themed on: Quakers and Worship, The Quaker Way and its Christian Roots, Quakers and Peace, Quaker Faith in Action. v For details, email Annie on arjmurray@btinternet.com.

News v Plant sale GREEN FINGEREDgardeners are looking forward to sharing their treasured plants at a special plant sale later this month.

Shrubs, wallflowers, foxgloves and perennials, which can be planted straight away, will be available to buy from a special stall at Wokingham Methodist Church on Saturdays October 20 and 27.

The sale, organised by the Rose Street Gardeners, runs from 10am-noon.

v That’s easy A WELCOMING and relaxed environment is promised when you visit easyChurch.

This special event, which will be held on Sunday, November 4 at Finchampstead Baptist Church, gives you the chane to explore issues of life and faith, whatever your understanding and experience of God is.

It starts at 10am with coffee and there are activities for children to enjoy.

For more details, log on to www.finchampstead.com.

v Family dance ALL ages will be invited to swing their partners at a special family friendly barn dance taking place in Wokingham later this month.

All Saints Church is holding the event on Saturday, October 20 at The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue from 5.45pm. The first dance starts at 6pm and the fun continues all the way through to 10pm.

The music will be performed by the group Random Jig, and tickets cost £8 and £2 for children. A family ticket is £20.

For more details, call (0118) 979 2797.

v Prize hamper A LUXURY hamper and fine wines from around the world are just two of the prizes on offer if you go to the St Paul’s Parish bazaar next month.

The Wokingham church is holding the Christmas fair on Saturday, November 10.

It starts at noon and runs until 3.30pm. Entry is 30p.

The church is also planning an organ concert by David Pether on Saturday, November 24 at 7.30pm in the church.

It is hosted by the Berkshire Organists’ Association.

Entry will be free, and a retiring collection will be held.

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Children invited to be superheroes at fun light parties A church in Reading is inviting children to run around as a superhero, at a time of year when children usually dress up as things that go bump in the night.

Wycliffe Baptist Church is expecting at least 200 children – all in fancy dress – to come for the Superhero party on Wednesday, October 31, as an alternative to Hallowe’en. Ittakes place at The Warehouse Community Centre in Cumberland Road.

Children aged three to six will have their party from 5pm-6.45pm, while seven- to 11-year-olds will party from 7pm- 9pm.

For more information, contact Wycliffe Baptist Church office on (0118) 929 9911. v A church in Tilehurst is inviting your fiveto 11-year-olds to join its light party.

Tilehurst Methodist Church is hosting its alternative to Hallowe’en on Wednesday, October 31 from 4.30pm-6.30pm.

The party, held at the church on School Road, will involve fun, games and food.

It costs £3 per child, places should be booked.

For details, or to book a place contact Sheila or Andy Moffoot on (0118) 9427 128.

v Parents and their children are invited to two free light parties hosted by LifeSpring Church later this month.

On Saturday, October 20 parents and children under 10 can attend a party which will involve a craft/activities event at the YMCA gym in Tilehurst.

A light party will be held Wednesday, October 31 from 4.30 to 6.30pm will include games and a sausage and chip supper, held at LifeSpring Centre, Routh Lane.

For more information, contact the church office on (0118) 945 5589.

Befriending charity makes friends Churches across Reading have been responding to the need to reach and befriend isolated older people in the town through an exciting new initiative called Engage Befriending.

Coordinated by Reading Christian Network, more than 30 churches of various denominations will each visit older people in their immediate area when the need arises.

Referrals will be received from social workers, GP’s and other health/social care professionals and the nearest church will be identified and suitable volunteers recruited to carry out weekly or fortnightly visits for around one hour.

Jeremy Sharpe, development worker for Reading Christian Network, said: “We are excited at the response from churches across Reading to this initiative which is becoming increasingly important as older people become more and more isolated.

"There are 5 million older people in this country who always or often feel lonely or isolated, and this means that initiatives such as this provide a lifeline to many people.

Engage Befriending has been piloted in West Reading since the beginning of the year in partnership with an existing befriending project run by

Christian charity - N:Qu?re.

Links have since been developed with Communicare in East/Central Reading and Caversham Good Neighbours through whom volunteers will be vetted and supported.

Full training will be given to all volunteers who will also be required to submit a CRB check.

A group of 23 new volunteers participated in initial training during September.

Older people benefit in a variety of ways through befriending initiatives such as this. Regular visits can lead to improved self-esteem and confidence which can result in the ability to become more mobile and increase involvement in community groups such as lunch clubs, activities and church community projects/events.

Volunteers also benefit from visits by getting to know someone of a different generation, often with interesting and inspiring stories. v Anyone interested in volunteering, or churches interested in making visits in your local community can contact Jeremy Sharpe on 07970 100131 or jsharpe.rcn@gmail.com

Tasty treats Brilliant sunshine, live music, tasty homemade cakes, live animals and a visit from Peppa Pig ensured the Binfield Churches fete was a smash hit.

Taking place on Sunday, September 9, in the grounds of St Mark’s Church, parishioners from the church and All Saints Binfield teamed up for the afternoon of fun.

The day got underway with an open-air service at 11.30am.

Course to help with prayers Parents offered support IF YOU’VE ever wanted help with praying, a new course could be the answer to your prayers.

Teach Us to Pray is a new course, inviting people to come together to explore prayer, to nurture and deepen their own personal prayer lives and to draw closer to God. Sessions will take place at St Mary and St John’s Parish

Centre, Finchampstead, on Wednesdays November 7, 14, 21 and 28.

The course culminates in a prayer labyrinth for Advent on Wednesday, December 5 at St James’ Church Centre, Finchampstead.

The course will continue during Lent next year. v For more details, call Janet Clements on (0118) 932 8679.

PARENTS looking for some translation tips so they can communicate with their teenagers can join a new course.

The Parenting Teenagers course looks at everything from setting boundaries to helping teenagers make good choices as well as meeting teenagers’ needs and building relationships.

Each evening begins with

refreshments, includes a video presentation plus a chance to discuss issues in small groups.

The course last for five weeks and starts on Tuesday, October 9. Each session starts at 7.45pm and the course costs £10.

It is being hosted by Brookside Chuch in Earley. v For further details a place call the church on (0118) 966 4474 or visit brooksidechurch.org.uk.

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Advertising feature

Cold Ash Centre of Franciscan Spirituality

‘We want to offer young people an encounter with God’

L

ife in the Cold Ash Centre has changed and grown since it was built.

Scenes of discovery … Cold Ash Centre specialises in retreats for young people, with an emphasis on creation

It originated in the 1930s as a novitiate house for the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary until the middle 1970s when it was renovated and used as a Retreat and Conference Centre for adults.

It continues to be used as a Retreat Centre and also as a joint project of the OFM’s and FMM’s in offering retreats especially to young people.

We can accommodate groups of up to 50 people for a day retreat and 40 for overnight stays.

The core team in the centre consists of an international Franciscan Group of Friars and Sisters. There are, at present, two Franciscan Friars and three Franciscan Missionary of Mary Sisters, Our main aim is to offer young people an encounter with God which we do through youth retreats for Schools, Parishes and Universities.

Our retreats incorporate our Franciscan spirituality with a particular emphasis on creation.

St Francis wrote: ‘Praise to you O Lord, for our sister mother earth who sustains and governs us’. We try to live these words by weaving creation and spirituality into our lives.

At the Cold Ash Centre this takes on a specific expression through our Petting Farm and beautiful woodlands. We have chickens,

Our vision statement “Centred on our relationship with God, as a Franciscan community of Sisters and Brothers, we desire to offer young people a place of welcome where they may discover a loving God in their lives and in the beauty of creation.”

ducks, geese and turkeys, ponies, pigmy goats and pigs, and we hope to add a few new animals in the very near future (visit ‘Down on the Farm’ on our website).

As well as all these animals we have a very friendly dog Ben who is a big hit with all our groups.

The farm offers an opportunity for the young people to meet the animals and really experience the wonder of God in nature.

Our philosophy is to treat everyone as a child of God: to see the gifts and talents that make each of us individually different and yet part of God’s family.

By working together we encourage each other and learn from each others’ experiences and life journeys.

We focus on both the communal and personal aspects of our faith in our daily Eucharist and prayer which are at the heart of our community life.

We also have many thought provoking and faith building sessions with the groups that come to visit us which form a very important aspect of our life together.

Cold Ash Centre

of Franciscan Spirituality

Our philosophy is to treat everyone as a child of God; To see the gifts and talents that make each of us individually different and yet part of God’s family.

As a Franciscan community of sisters and brothers, we desire to offer all people a place of welcome where they may discover a loving God in their lives and in the beauty of creation.

Further information available on our Website: - www.coldashcentre.org or from Sr. Helen FMM, at Cold Ash Centre, The Ridge, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berks. RG18 9HU Telephone: - 01635 865353

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9

African expedition aims to create a better future for all Owen’s legacy marked at lecture A WELL-respected and muchmissed community stalwart is being honoured with a new lecture series named after him.

The inaugural Owen Jewiss memorial lecture will be held later this month as part of Reading International Festival.

“The late Owen Jewiss made a contribution to God’s mission in many different ways. He was passionate about ecumenism; he wore out his shoes campaigning for debt relief for the poor; and, on climate change, Owen was nothing less than a prophet,” said local author John Madeley.

Owen died last year on October 24, United Nations Day. The lecture will be held on Wednesday, October 24, at St Barnabas Church, Grove Road, Emmer Green, at 7.30pm.

“Ecumenism will be the focus this year,” John explained. ”Succeeding years will focus on other aspects of Owen’s ministry.”

The Revd Rosemary Fletcher, former Caversham Methodist minister, who knew Owen well, will speak on the theme Mission – Churches Together or Apart?

All are welcome.

Make time for some romance A fun and frank evening talking about sex and relationships will be held later this month.

Romance Academy is holding a seminar aimed at parents who want to talk with their teens about sex and relationships.

Organisers promise that the event will offer practical guidance and biblical insight to help parents avoid being cringey, clueless or judgmental.

Over 18s are welcome at the event, which will be held on Tuesday, October 9 at Wycliffe Baptist Church.

It starts at 7.45pm and will be hosted in the Kings Road church. No booking is necessary. v For more details, email roz@wycliffe-church.org.uk

A team of 10 people went on an enlightening expedition to Africa last month to support orphans.

Three of the founders from Creating Better Futures, a charity that supports orphans in Zimbabwe, and seven members of Reading Family Church travelled abroad to show their support for unprivileged children.

Chris Poston, chairman of the charity, said: “The main purpose was to go and visit orphanages we have supported with resources. So in the past year or so we have sent out boxes of clothing, medical supplies and stationery.”

During their first week in Zimbabwe, the team went to three orphanages and a school where they sponsor 79 orphans, where they spent time with the children, played games and gave them gifts.

The gifts included a PE kit for all the children, stationery, footballs, skipping ropes and popcorn.

During their second week the team went around the country, visiting other mission areas that members are part of.

The experience increased Chris’ passion for the charity, explaining the standard teaching wage in Zimbabwe is $160 per month, but the living costs of the country are higher than that of the UK. He said: “They’re living by faith a lot more than I live by faith. It’s challenged me an awful lot about how I’ve used my money.

“Do you need Sky TV? Do you need a £36 mobile phone contract?”

Team member Becca Craker said: “Their prayer life is so deep and constant and necessary, like breath to them, whereas I had to question my commitment and relationship with God – I need to improve that”

Members of the Creating Better Futures team and (top) some of the children they have helped The trip was funded themselves, at a travel cost of £1,500 each. The team is planning to travel again in 2014.

The next biggest event will be sponsored participation in the Reading half marathon, in March 2013.

Becca said: “There are lots of little things we can do individually and as groups to help raise funds, awareness and better children’s lives.

“Many people in the UK don’t want to commit to big things due to time, finance,

Colin’s new book shows Promise A CAVERSHAM wordsmith has launched a new book of self-penned hymns – and his church was the first to sing from it.

Colin Ferguson, a lay preacher at St Andrew’s Church, Caversham, has brought together hymns he’s written over the past 40 years for Promise, his third collection.

Set to familiar tunes, they aim to reflect the human side of faith.

Colin said: “Over the years I have Steve Vaughan-Turner been preaching I often wrote my www.drawingfromexperience.blogspot.com own material, in particular new hymns that would speak more to our human condition, and make the congregation think about what they are singing.

“Setting those to familiar tunes has allowed people to sing them without having to worry about the tune as well.”

He moved to Reading in 1979, where he worked as a senior probation manager and, after early retirement, he became a family mediator.

He also began to write. Two of his hymns feature in Singing The Faith, the Methodist new hymn Are you sure this is the book.

Christian retreat weekend?

etcetera, but just small things like buying through EasyFundraising and nominating Creating Better Futures can have real impact – and we can all do that.”

Creating Better Futures’ direct link to the African country is through four volunteers, the leader of whom is mother of a member of Reading Family Church. Beverley runs the trust from abroad.

The organisation is currently looking for personal one-to-one sponsorship of children, at a cost of £15 per month.

Sponsorship of this will provide the money for the child to stay in school, have supplies and live comfortably.

Currently, the group is looking after 79 orphans, but there are a further 83 orphans seeking help. v If you, your church or organisation is interested in sponsoring a child, or getting involved in the Creating Better Futures charity, email chris@ creatingbetterfutures.org.uk or visit www.creatingbetterfutures.org.uk.

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v Search on your phone

Black history month celebrated in song A free concert is taking place to celebrate Black History Month and One World Week on Saturday, October 13.

The performance, Voices4Africa, will include Reading Community Gospel Choir, Ugandan singer/songwriter Juliet Nasuuna

and South African singer Noma Nkosi.

They will be singing to raise money for different projects in Africa and will be joined by guests such as Laura Becher.

Everyone is invited to the event at St Andrew’s United Reformed Church, London

Road, Reading from 7.30pm.

There will be an offering which will be shared among the charities of the performers’ choice.

For details, call 0795 459 1366 or email becherhouse@btinternet.com.

Alpha night is magic!

It’s hard to find a church that suits you, especially when setting out in a new area. Well, now there’s an app for that.

Ben Barber had the same problem when he went to university, and has created a phone application that will do something about it.

Church Search UK will allow you to search for nearby churches across the Reading and Nottingham area.

It has been developed by the Computer Science (Games Technology) student, who attends Nottingham Trent University and is a member of Brookside Church, Earley.

Though the app is still in the development phase, it includes information on churches such as: their distance from your current location, disabled access, whether the service is suitable for families, website address and telephone number.

Church Search UK is currently rolling out in Nottingham, with help from Christian Unions in Reading and Nottingham.

With support, he is hoping to roll it out across the country.

The app is currently only downloadable from Google Play: http://goo.gl/AFRhF. v If your church is not on the App, contact Ben by emailing binpower93@gmail.com.

v A harvest of toiletries SANDHURST’S Citizen Advice Bureau has received a generous donation thanks to members of Sandhurst and Yateley Methodist Church.

For its harvest offering, the church collected a range of food and toiletries that the CAB can distribute to people in need of food parcels.

The donations were made at the service, held on Sunday, September 30. A harvest supper was held the night before.

More than 150 people turned up for the grand opening of Greyfriar's Alpha course on Saturday, September 22.

The event at the Reading town centre church boasted various foods, a magician who also performed an escapology act and three previous Alpha graduates who gave their testimony.

Dan Heyward, a curate at Greyfriars said: “We had a great time.

“There was a great feel to the evening”.

The first session of their Alpha course began on Thursday, September 27. v www.greyfriars.org.uk

Church goes gold with award Members of a Woodley parish are the first in the country to receive a top award for changing the way they live.

Parishioners at St John Bosco Church, in Western Avenue, have gone back to basics to live more simply and sustainably and to stand in solidarity with the world’s poor. As a result of four years’ hard work they have become the first parish in the UK to be presented with the livesimply Award, a national prize recognising the ways a parish makes a difference in its community and the world.

The church family was presented with a plaque commemorating their achievement at a special Creation Mass held on Sunday, September 16. Parishioners also brought along to Mass a homegrown item of food to be taken afterwards to the Churches in Reading Drop-in Centre.

Rita Belletty, who runs St John

Bosco’s Live Simply Group, said: “Being the first church to receive the livesimply award is like winning a gold medal!

“Our efforts started back in 2008 when we decided it was time to do something about the threat to our planet, not just personally but also to spread the message.”

To apply for the award, St John Bosco had to take on three substantial actions under the headings of Living Simply, Living Sustainably and Living in Solidarity with People in Poverty, as well as at least six other supporting activities.

Parishioners also had to show that the actions they were putting in place were sustainable.

Encouraged by the then parish priest Fr Chris Whelan, St John Bosco’s involvement in livesimply has been a team effort. Parishioners regularly opt to walk to church and can often

v Sing praises of new hymnbook A CHURCH is looking forward to the launch of its new hymnbook.

St Mary’s in Wargrave has compiled a new book of hymns and songs which will be used for the first time at a special family service later this month.

Wargrave Praise will supplement the church’s main

hymnbook and has been compiled by a team from the church – Peter Dart, Rosie Creedon, Ian French, Richard Lloyd and Andy Ferguson.

The debut for the book will take place on Sunday, October 14 from 10.30am and all are welcome.

Rita Belletty with the livesimply award

be seen out in the community picking up litter.

And even the church flower arrangers have gone green, installing a compost bin to dispose of flowers and shrub cuttings.

The livesimply award was developed in partnership with the Catholic aid agency CAFOD, to offer support and encouragement to communities to put their faith into action.

Laura Bigoni, CAFOD’s

Diocesan Officer for the Reading area, praised the dedication of St John Bosco’s parishioners.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted that St John Bosco is the first parish in the country to receive the livesimply award.

“It is so well deserved, as they have done an amazing job.”

Livesimply assessor, Ellen Teague, added: “We were very impressed with St John Bosco and I feel the parish should be very proud of themselves.”

v Stock up now for Christmas CHRISTMAS might feel like it’s coming earlier every year, but a Tilehurst church wants to help you get ready for the big day.

St Mary Magdalene is hosting a charity coffee morning and Christmas card sale on Saturday, October 20 from 10am.

There will be cards from a range of charities including Oxfam, RSPB, TearFund and the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

And while you’re browsing you can enjoy some tasty refreshments.

The sale takes place in the church hall in Rodway Road.

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In the footsteps of giants Our Christian heritage with Paul Kingston

George Fox

G

eorge Fox was the founder of Quakerism.

He wasn’t a Reading man, but visited often, and sometimes stayed in the town with his Quaker friends Thomas and Ann Curtis (for as long as 10 weeks).

His first experience of Reading (in 1655, aged about 31) was a good one. He later wrote: “…and on the First-day in George Lamboll’s orchard almost the whole town came together. … And a glorious meeting it was, and a great convincement of people that day, and people were mightily satisfied. ...

And a great meeting was settled there.”

George Fox was an itinerant shoemaker from Leicestershire, and as a young man travelled the country practicing his trade, but driven by an inner quest for the meaning of life. He studied the Bible, but felt that so large and diverse a collection of books could not in itself direct his life.

He questioned clergymen and enquired of many religious groups, and became increasingly depressed and disillusioned.

In 1647 he made his crucial breakthrough. “I heard a voice which said ‘There is one, even Christ Jesus, who can speak to thy condition’”.

Over the next few years he developed a view that we each have direct access to “the Light”, God within. If we open ourselves to the Light, we will find Truth, and our lives will be transformed.

As time went on others joined him in “Seeking Truth”. These people formed the first Quaker meetings, meeting in silence and sharing the insights they gained from “standing in the Light”.

When he first came to Reading and spoke in the orchard there were already some Quakers in the town.

COLLISION Sharing their inspirations, Quakers developed views which soon put them into collision with the authorities. Quakers would not pay the compulsory “tithe” of 10 per cent of their produce to maintain the established Church – they had no need of “hireling priests”, and saw it as supporting the interests of power and wealth in an unjust society.

All men (and women) were children of God, so no need to doff your hat to the mayor. And all should always speak the truth, so Quakers refused to take oaths (like the compulsory oath of loyalty).

Magistates banned Quaker meetings, and sent in men to arrest all who took part. Reading was one of the worst towns for this – famously, at one time all adult Reading Quakers were in prison, but the children maintained “first-day meeting”.

George Fox himself was in prison 10 times in various jails around the country, sometimes for long periods.

Once, another Quaker appealed to the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, asking that he be allowed to take George Fox’s place in prison.

Cromwell appears to have been impressed, but refused. More than once Thomas and Ann Curtis of Reading visited Fox in prison.

Sometimes it was not just the authorities, but the mob. Toward the end of the worst period of Quaker persecution, George Fox describes in his journal “great sufferings we had… and many died in prison. And they have thrown into our meetings wild fire and rotten eggs, and brought in drums beating, and kettles to make noises with; and the priests as rude as any…”

Sunk in depression, he was looked after by the Curtises. “After a while I passed to Reading, and was under great sufferings and exercises… For I saw how the powers were plucking each other to pieces [and] men were destroying the simplicity and betraying the Truth.” After 10 weeks in Reading he was back on his feet and continued his travels.

A year later he was again in prison, in Lancaster. But now the monarchy was restored in England.

Ann Curtis, whose father as Sheriff of Bristol had been hanged as a supporter Charles I, was able to get an audience with the new Charles II, and was very well recieved. Fox was removed from Lancaster prison; and gradually things became better for the Quakers.

News

Teamworking togethe A chance encounter led to a lasting bond that has helped transform lives in Ndola, a small village in Zambia.

Lynda Bowyer finds out how one church is getting involved TEAMWORK binds a church like St Nicolas Earley together. It creates bonds and helps drive mission forward in the wider community around the church.

That spirit of togetherness was prevalent in a recent overseas trip by a group of people from the Church as they set out to Zambia in July – and their adventure was celebrated at a special event, held at the Earley church on Sunday, September 16.

Emma Major, Lay Minister at St Nicolas, says: “For some time we have forged links with Zambian communities and have deepened these bonds which we have with the Jubilee Centre in Ndola.

“This is done through supporting their range of programmes on a continued and sustained basis.

There is just so much to do out there, we feel it is right to support the Centre financially so they can do what they need to do on a local level to keep its programmes going.”

Before embarking on his ministry some 15 years ago, the Revd Neil Warwick – who now leads St Nicolas Church – attended a service where an extremely engaging Zambian man, Lawrence Temfwe, spoke of the issues in the country. Afterwards, Neil was so moved, he went to talk to the him, declaring: “I’d like to help Zambia.”

Neil says that he was only expecting to be asked to give a small pledge of financial aid. Instead, the pair formed a bond that has endured and seen Neil support The Jubilee Centre.

Lawrence is behind the centre. He began the nongovernmental organisation and charity in 2000, and his vision was borne in the belief that every part of life comes under the the Lordship of Christ and that everything is a context for worship, mission, ministry and active Christian engagement.

This vision formed the tenets of the programmes which the Jubilee Centre run.

These programmes have been supported by St Nicolas both with financial backing and, with July’s visit in mind, a physical resource.

A church mobilisation programme helps to mentor and train new leaders so that they can then go out into their communities and train others.

In total, some 95 churches are, at present, receiving help and assistance through this initiative.

Curate-In-Training at St Nicolas, the Revd Libby Newman, says she had made substantial in-roads with improving women’s workshops, interactions and communication in general, and promoting the empowerment of women in Zambia.

Neil adds that St Nicolas has helped develop this teaching and mentoring programme and improved educational workshops for the Jubilee Centre.

“A lot of Zambian young people rarely receive any education over and above Grade 1 level, and so they grasp this training with both hands,” he says.

A care and compassion

Members of St Nicolas, Earley spent a fortnight in Ndola, Z church’s minister, the Revd Neil Warwick (pictured below). and crafts were shared. Pictures: Lynda Bowyer programme assists with orphans and widows. People with HIV and Aids also receive support, of which it is estimated that around 30 per cent of the Zambian population are affected by this illness.

The programme offers assistance to ensure that people can have access to the relevant care, counselling and advocacy.

Anti-retroviral medication is also provided for a wide range of people of all ages.

The celebratory evening at St Nicolas also included a traditional Zambian meal prepared by church members. It helped link to the next part of the evening’s presentation – the feeding programme.

In every area within Ndola, a baseline assessment is carried out to identify the vulnerable and those in most need of assistance and relief. Feeding programmes give one meal a day to those in the poorest conditions, of which some 80+ children are fed on a daily basis.

Members from St Nicolas who went to Ndola explained that a staff of volunteers give up their time to prepare, cook and serve the food to these children who come to play and socialise before their meal.

Food tends to be traditional Zambian fayre – salted vegetables, a meat dish (usually a curry accompaniment which could be chicken) or as a treat, sausages can be traded with local meat producers by the volunteers.

The Zambian staple of n’shima (pronounced “sheema”) accompanies every meal. It is made from ground maize-meal and cooked in a similar fashion to rice, though it has to attain a thick, almost dry consistency like mortar.

Many Zambians do not feel

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er in Zambia

Zambia, to help out with The Jubilee Centre, continuining with links forged by the On their return, the shared their experiences at a special evening where Zambian arts

that they have “eaten properly” until they have their fill of n’shima.

The team from St Nicolas said that the children were well behaved, despite their obvious hunger.

The centre also runs the Bread of Life Community School. Each day it has three intakes for two-hour sessions starting at 8am, 11am and 2pm.

The team from St Nicolas recalled how the children in Ndola were amazed at the simple things in life such as Pritt Stick glue, pens, pencils, paper and materials.

Schools in Zambia are often governmentally led and do not attract school fees.

Mandatory uniforms are not provided and the cost of these clothes are above and beyond the financial resources of many, if not most, Zambians in Ndola.

The Bread of Life Community School

receives no governmental aid and it is by the work of the volunteers that the school is able to operate.

More programmes are being developed by the Jubilee Centre to meet the needs of Ndola and surrounding communities.

These programmes are certain of the continuing support of Neil and all the team at St Nicolas, who give regularly as part of their international charity mission.

At the end of the evening, a collection raised £347, enough to fund two new Feeding Programmes in the community.

And the visit to Ndola will have a lasting effect, not just in the Zambian village.

As one member of the group said: “On July 4, we left Earley as 10 individuals.

On July 15 we returned as a team.”

A further visit is planned for 2014.

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Meet the man who forgave Brighton bombers There are few people who can forget the infamous 1984 bombing of Brighton’s Grand Hotel – and the deaths of four Conservative Party delegates.

Conference organiser Harvey Thomas (pictured) was blown up one floor and fell down four. He not only survived, but went on to reach a heightened level of faith which helped him come to forgive the perpetrators.

Now 28 years almost to the day since that fateful event, Harvey will be speaking about the spiritual strength he gained from the experience, when he addresses the Reading Churches Men’s Group on Saturday, October 13.

It starts at 8.30am and will be held at Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning Lane, Sonning.

Harvey promises to be one of the most charismatic speakers the group has invited. He is a highly-regarded international PR consultant.

He decided on a career which combined faith with both medium and message after seeing Billy Graham preach in London.

He then went on to become PR Director for Graham’s Evangelistic Mission, before expanding into international conference organising, EU lobbying and the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher.

The RCMG is inviting all men to come along. The event, which includes breakfast, costs £7.50.

Bookings should be made no later than Tuesday, October 9, by calling John Broady on (0118) 954 3879 or John Ledger on (0118) 986 1917.

Cheques made payable to “Reading Churches Men’s Group” (“RCMG”).

Bookings are confirmed once the payment is received.

Bringing Religious Education to life From the Lost Sheep… ...to life after death

Visit one of our sessions and see for yourself how your church can transform RE in your local schools.

Email office@re-inspired.org.uk, call 0118 966 3929

www.re-inspired.org.uk

CTEER Schools Project registered charity no 1109291

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v Family Circle KEEP IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER | TO PLACE A NOTICE EMAIL ADVERTISING@XNMEDIA.CO.UK

v Inductions JAMES SPARROW will be inducted into the pastorate of Southcote Christian Mission on Sunday, October 7, at 5pm. The guest speaker will be Steve Brady, principal of Moorlands Bible College.

JENNY FOAKES will be licensed as a Lay Minister of St Michael’s Tilehurst on November 3. The service takes place at Christ Church Cathedral. She will join Alan Rutter in service with St Michael’s.

v Family Circle: keep in touch with each other.

For more details, email advertising@ xnmedia.co.uk

v Obituary

Rachel Potter – a promise fulfilled She never owned a house or drove a car, wrote a book or made a film, passed an exam or won an Oscar. Yet the lives of thousands have been touched by hers and hundreds have become Christians because Rachel Potter lived.

Rachel was born on August 13, 1963. It was quite a day for her parents, David and Madeleine – first a baby and then, on the same day, a call to the pastorate of an East London church. Their course in life seemed clear, but it did not turn out as they expected. Soon after their GP told them that their daughter had Down’s syndrome.

Parenthood is demanding at the best of times; where the child has a disability it is doubly so.

Rachel was a contended baby and a loving child, but when help was needed there were then few resources available.

Rachel spent some years at a Christian residential school near Edinburgh. There her love of

books found fulfilment when she was taught to read. While at the school Rachel became a Christian.

A Cause for Concern – since renamed Prospects – was formed in 1976 with the goal, at first, of providing support for people with learning disabilities to live in Christian homes. Its first home opened in Aberystwyth. The second was Helena House in Reading, within walking distance

of the Potter family home. Rachel enjoyed living with her peers, her warm and cheerful disposition making her popular with staff and residents alike.

After 10 years Rachel looked for a change: she asked to live with a family of similar age to herself and moved in with link-worker, Alice and Mike Stott for 20 years.

A few years ago Rachel began to have health problems which can now be seen as the onset of dementia. Gradually she became less able to do things she had done for years, until in the autumn of 2011 she suffered a very rapid decline into complete dependence on her carers. It seemed she would barely live into 2012 but she rallied and enjoyed better health for a time.

On her 49th birthday in August she was able to recognise family and close friends and respond to the day, but a few days later she lost the power to swallow and gradually lost strength.

She died on August 30, 2012, still in the home she shared with Mike and Alice and their children, loved, admired and respected by all who came to know her.

Rachel was about six weeks old when David and Madeleine were informed about her condition.

Their pastor, the late Harold Owen, visited and shared with them a verse of Scripture: ‘The God of all comfort comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God’ (2 Cor 1:4).

Who could have anticipated how richly that promise would be fulfilled? v A celebration of Rachel’s life and the work of Prospects which it inspired was held at Carey Baptist Church, Reading on October 6 at 3pm. Guests were requested to wear something red – Rachel’s favourite colour. v A longer version of this obituary appears on the Xn website

Old fashioned style for family firm

Miles and Daughters, an independent, family owned funeral directors with offices in Wokingham, Twyford and Crowthorne have recently taken delivery of an exciting new addition to their vehicle fleet.

Perhaps ‘new’ is not the best word to use because the latest addition is, in fact, really quite old. The company have purchased a 1956 Austin hearse and are now offering its use to families as a no cost option on every funeral.

The head of the firm, Adam Miles, says: “We are known for the individuality that we put into every funeral and I hope that our offering this wonderful vehicle to the families we help will further enhance their feeling of providing a really special send off for their loved ones.”

Adam has decided not to make any extra charge for families who choose Morag.

He says: “We did not want families to have to make a choice based on cost alone. Everyone should have a special, truly individual funeral and we make it our business to provide that.”

Although the firm runs a fleet of beautiful modern Jaguar hearses and limousines, the popularity of the Austin hearse has surpassed all of the expectations of the Miles family.

With a strong commitment to the highest of standards and the provision of traditional funeral services, the Miles family have an enviable reputation for excellence and attention to detail. They have a loyal staff who have enjoyed the challenge of remembering how to drive a vehicle of such an age.

The hearse – named ‘Morag’ due to ‘her’ first registration in Scotland – is one of only two such hearses to exist, the other, unfortunately, not being in a roadworthy condition.

A similar hearse was to be seen on early episodes of the popular ITV drama Heartbeat but was destroyed by fire for an episode featuring an arson attack. Apparently, the producers were unaware of the great rarity of the vehicle prior to its destruction.

Morag was originally owned by a funeral director in Glasgow before spending some years in Yorkshire, London and Kent. In the late 1990s the hearse was retired to a garage in Reading where it was used for display purposes.

In 2006 the hearse was fully restored to a high standard and recommissioned for road use.

Undoubtedly, the hearse will be in use for many years to come.

News v Chance to seek Kingdom

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15

Chrissy loves going to school

Young people are invited to an empowering youth event in Woodley later this month.

A group of 11-20 year olds will meet for worship, teaching, games and ministry time.

The event, Don’t Stay Stagnant is organised by Kingdom Seekers and will take place on Saturday, October 20, from 7-9pm.

Adam Wingrove, a leader of Kingdom Seekers, will be speaking.

The youth ministry scheme aims to unite young people and equip them for the coming years.

For more information on Kingdom Seekers and upcoming events, log on to its website, www.kingdomseekers.co.uk.

v High voltage half-term fun CHILDREN are invited to enjoy three days of mess, madness and fun as Voltage returns this half-term.

Finchampstead’s FBC Centre is the venue for the holiday club aimed at years 1-6. It costs £5 per child, per day and runs from 10am to 3.30pm from Thursday, November 1 to Saturday, November 3.

For more information, log on to www.finchampstead.com.

v Space for little monsters LITTLE monsters are cordially invited to an afternoon of fun and laughter.

A new toddler group has been launched in a Newtown church and organisers have created an exciting place to play.

Each week’s session is divided into two: the first half will have themed acitivities to enjoy and the second part encourages the under fives to burn off energy while dressing up, using ridealong toys or enjoying some role playing.

Monday Monsters takes place from 1pm-3pm on Mondays at St Johns and St Stephen’s Church Community Café in Orts Road, Reading.

Sessions run during term time and the first week is free.

Sessions after that are for a donation of 50p.

For more details, log on to www.facebook.com/ MondayMonsters1 or call Helen on 07926 160223.

Chrissy Towers leads an RE session at Little Heath School – one of many that she works with through Learn4Life Pictures: Lynda Bowyer

Helping children explore life’s big questions is all in a day’s work for Chrissy Towers. Here, Lynda Bowyer finds out why A PE teacher has made a switch from getting children fit to helping their explore matters of faith – and she’s loving it.

Chrissy Towers now works for Learn4Life, a Scripture Union-backed initiative that helps lead assemblies, RE & SRE lessons, clubs and Christian groups, as well as transition work for Year 6 students, Fairtrade stalls and providing tasty coffee and cakes for staff at breaktimes.

Four years ago, Chrissy was working as a PE teacher in a Croydon comprehensive.

She relocated to Reading after marrying college lecturer Dan. Chrissy began working for Scripture Union in the Wokingham area before moving to Reading area schools shortly after.

She feels that the work she is doing

v Celebrate FIND out more about the work of Learn4Life at a special celebration evening laterthis month.

Taking place at Wycliffe Bpatist Church on Monday, October 15, the service will give guests the chance to learn more about the schools’ work in the town and pray for the new worker, Stephen Ambrose.

The service starts at 7.30pm and refreshments will be served.

For more details, contact Chrissy Tower by emailing chrissy4schools@ yahoo.co.uk, calling (0118) 975 1531 or logging on to www.rscwt.org.

now is hugely rewarding.

“It’s a great opportunity to connect with local churches, and for those local churches to connect with local schools and therefore the children who go there,” she explains.

“The kids love it and are naturally inquisitive about not just God but the world around them.”

Learn4Life – the Reading Schools Christian Work Trust (RSCWT) charity – is supported by around 12 churches in the Reading area. The churches help fund the work so Learn4Life can, in association with Scripture Union, go into schools and help with lessons, assemblies, sex education and relationships classes, RE lessons.

“We run Christian Unions and multifaith groups called ‘discovery clubs’,” Chrissy adds.

“Year 6 projects include It’s Your Move, a transition workshop, along with Christmas and Easter presentations. Year 6 classes are invited to their local churches.”

Delivering a wide and varied programme is no mean feat either – Chrissy works full-time for Learn4Life/Scripture Union to deliver it.

Her patch is currently 14 secondary schools and 12 primary schools around the Reading catchment area. The charity also makes use of a further part-time paid worker and an invaluable team of helpers and volunteers.

Chrissy says that each school has their own requirements that need to be met.

“There are some schools where we go in weekly to help deliver a programme, lesson or club/discussion group,” she explains.

“There are others where we may go in there perhaps every fortnight to three weeks and there are also some where our support and input may only be termly or twice-termly.

“It varies on the needs of the children and also the needs of the school.”

Learn4Life often go into schools and make

the provision of locally-supplied Fairtrade teas and coffees, as well as buns and cakes made by bakers from churches local to the school, which are then served to school staff at break times and go down really well.

Chrissy generally works at secondary school level: “It’s where my experience lies,” she says.

“Doing work at Key Stage 3 helps the kids form discussions and have their own ideas, plus helps them think in more detail and work things out for themselves,” she continues. “It’s a good way to help them gain confidence.

“We tend to get more onto solid debating about Christianity and the world around them by the time they are into Key Stage 4 and nearing the end of their school life.”

Learn4Life is a charity and reliant upon the support of those who have pledged to help regulary.

Donations are gratefully received to ensure this service is able to continue and help schools and clubs around the area learn about life, the universe and everything.

v About Learn4Life Learn4Life (Reading Schools Christian Work Trust) is a charity supported by churches in Reading, representing a variety of denominations.

Learn4Life is associated with Scripture Union, a charity working with Schools and Churches across the UK. Learn4Life currently serves schools in a variety of ways: assemblies, RE & SRE lessons, clubs and Christian groups, transition work for Year 6 students, Fairtrade stalls and coffee and cakes for staff at breaktimes.

To find out more visit www.rscwt.org.

16

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Witnessed

We want a Christening… v Witnessed What happens when you take the plunge and ask for your child to be Christened?

Denis Smith explains For me as an Anglican it is a great joy to have people ring up throughout the year and ask for Christenings.

Christening of course is an old Anglo Saxon word meaning “making Christ’s”.

Of course the biblical word is Baptism (literally to dip).

The Church of England website www.churchofengland. org says, “We’re delighted you’re thinking of baptism for your child. Your child is precious to you and precious to God. “At baptism you promise to raise your child to know God loves them, and to help them to follow Jesus as a member of the Church.”

But it usually starts with that phone call.

At St Catherine of Siena Church in Wittenham Avenue, Tilehurst we have around 20 Baptisms a year and these are held on the first Sunday of the month at 11.30am.

After the baptisms we get letters of thanks with comments like, “It was such a lovely service” and families saying “they thoroughly enjoyed themselves” and “it was the best they had been to”.

Well I don’t know about that, but over the years we have developed what we do around the official liturgies of the church to make it an enjoyable experience for those who come and those who lead it.

The key for us has been to let go While most children will be Christened indoors, James, Tiffany and Peter of expectations. Let me explain. No from Trinity Church, Lower Earley enjoyed a river baptism in August. longer do we ask people to stand The sun shone between heavy rain showers as a large group from the and sing – we say “we are going to church gathered by the River Loddon to excitedly watch these three get baptised by the Revd Jon Salmon and Revd Cath Mackrell. Tiffany and sing a song, join in if you like” and we provide percussion instruments Peter each shared some testimony. Jon said: “It was an inspiring and “bangers and bashers” for children great time. People are asking ‘when are we doing it again?’” to play, and flags for them to wave in the quieter songs.

We aim to make people feel at home as well as giving them an experience of the presence of God. After a quiet song as the flags wave we pause in the silence and sense the peace and love of God. Just recently we have incorporated a prayer of thanks for the birth of the child from the Church of England Thanksgiving Services.

After an enquiry the family These services are great I always start this with the are invited to come and see celebrations of thanks, family simple words, “a prayer” and a baptism and come along and the love of Jesus. the effect is to hold everyone’s to Messy Church on the first Like Jesus’ disciples were attention as we pray.

Saturday of the month for fun taught by Him – we don’t turn A simple talk is included after a worship, craft and food. children away.

Bible story about Jesus, frequently this involves getting answers or comments from the congregation.

For the prayers we use “Prayer Dog”, our cuddly prayer aid, something for folks to cuddle as prayer is said for them, their families and friends and local concerns.

We always ask who would like a prayer for any relatives in hospital.

Overall we enjoy it as much as those who come and often with more than one baptism in a service there is a congregation of over 100.

The families go away with a candle, a Gospel, and a positive experience of Church: and many continue to come to our Messy Church on the first Saturday of the Month or attend the Sunday service at the Cornwell Centre, and the children join our Cool Club and Glug (God Loves You Gang) groups or come to our annual holiday club and eventually youth club.

Just lately we are getting some requests by teenagers and adults so we will adapt to that as the occasion arises.

It all starts with that first contact and first welcome that we hope expresses to welcome of God. v Denis Smith is the parish priest of St Catherine of Siena Church, Tilehurst

Dancing in Peru’s villages to ensure a fairer deal v Witnessed We buy Fairtrade goods because we want to make a difference. But does it?

Pam Thompson went to Peru to find out Last summer I had the great privilege of visiting Peru with Traidcraft, to meet the producers of some of the Fairtrade goods that I sell on their behalf.

The impressions of that trip are still very strong, and looking through all the Peruvian crafts in the new Traidcraft catalogue is bringing back a lot of memories...

First of all the colours. We arrived in Lima weary from a 12-hour delayed flight and stepped out of the airport into a grey murk that would do a British November credit – sadly the Pacific coast’s normal winter weather – but less than 24 hours later we were dancing with the staff at Minka to the accompaniment of a traditionally dressed pan pipe ensemble.

Minka is one of the organisations Traidcraft deals with in Peru, the hub where everything arrives from small rural cooperatives producing weaving, knitting,

ceramics and jewellery, and this was the point at which one of our party remarked that Traidcraft Meet The People Tours should perhaps be better named Dance With The People Tours, which turned out to be very true indeed!

We watched packing and quality control of alpaca garments, shopped enthusiastically, met Constantina, the president of her local co-operative who was visiting for training, ate exotic fruits from the jungle, and danced some more.

The next day we flew high into the Andes to Cusco, a different world of

growing in any available space.

We met Tomas and his wife Vittoria, and Delphine and her son Julio, who showed us how to pick tea and coffee.

Grown That brings me to the second big 2,000m impression I retain, people’s names. It’s above sea always been important to me to hear level, Peru’s stories about the people who produce the coffee and Traidcraft goods I sell, but to actually meet tea exports them was wonderful. are a vital Cafédirect’s Machu Picchu coffee is source of supplied entirely from the cooperatives in income for this part of Peru, so every time I sell a pack families it’s Tomas who’s benefitting.

The final overwhelming impression is of how hard everyone we met worked.

At the last group of producers we were introduced to, we were asked what we glorious sunny days and icy nights. From there we went into the interestingly named did back in the UK, and Efrain struggled to translate for a couple of people, because Eyebrow of the Jungle – the bit at around there is no word in Quechua for retired.

2,000m above sea level, where the best “Can you sell more of our products?”, coffee grows. they said. “I’ll do my very best,” I said.

We stayed in lodges built by the If you’d like to help, do come and see UK Department for International Traidcraft’s new range of crafts and foods Development, as a project to allow some on Friday, November 16 at 5 Chetwode of the coffee farmers to earn an extra Close, Wokingham, any time between income from tourism.

9am and 9pm. Tomas, Constantina and Coffee is grown almost entirely for I will be very pleased to see you! export, the Peruvians being even more v Pam Thompson is the Fairtrade rep for of a nation of tea drinkers than we are, Wokingham Methodist Church and every smallholder has tea bushes

Faith at work

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17

A fair cuppa?

We’ll drink to that!

Roland Norman (left) and a co-worker from Kingdom Coffee are passionate supporters of Fairtrade Plus, an initiative that goes much further than the normal Fairtrade mark Picture: Lynda Bowyer

Many of us drink Fairtrade coffee … but have you ever wanted to take it one step further?

Lynda Bowyer meets a Reading company doing just that IT WAS 16 years ago that a Reading man brewed up a vision to create a sustainable business which would be ethical and invest its profits to be a blessing to others.

After grinding down the numbers, creating the right blend of beans to ensure it was hot stuff, Kingdom Coffee was born.

Roland Norman wanted to make coffee with a conscience, and Kingdom Coffee has been doing that ever since.

Profits would be used for a range of initiatives and causes in keeping with the Christian ethos of the firm.

Roland’s career had firm footings in the beverages business, previously working for a company which distributed milk portion products to other businesses.

Knowing his market helped propel his plans for Kingdom Coffee. Roland says that the vision gathered pace when he was prayed over by Brian Mills from InterPrayer at a Christian gathering.

Roland is still quite astounded by the moment he received that prayer and prophesy.

“Brian just came to me and said quite clearly that he could see rivers of gold flowing in and out from me,” he says. “I just knew that this had to mean something – something more than I had ever imagined.”

With just £500 in his bank account, Roland founded Kingdom Coffee.

“We went out and talked with coffee wholesalers whom I knew through my background,” he says. “They bought coffee from us and it grew from there.”

But it wasn’t always plain sailing.

“We became a limited company in

1999 and were, we thought, going from strength to strength,” Roland recalls.

“In 2002, however, we hit a rough patch. We’d heavily invested in a fitness club chain by supplying its cafés with our coffee.

“When the chain went under, we took a hit – and it hit us quite hard. We broke even, but it was a lesson learned.

“With hindsight we knew where we had gone wrong. From then on we’ve learned to make business successful by using our hearts and our heads.

“Until that time we were going about things with a sense of mission and being heart-led, which obviously wasn’t good for business.

“It certainly wasn’t fulfilling our mission in providing something revenue generating that could then be used to help other Christian organisations, charities and projects either.”

With a freshly-brewed perspective on how to run and develop Kingdom Coffee, Roland set about building his team with trusted individuals who now help steer the ship with him.

A set of core common aims and values helps keep leadership at Kingdom Coffee in firm grip of the mission and values, plus sustains the drive to continue to make ethical sense, both inwardly and externally.

Coffee is a hugely valuable commodity, second only to gold in some areas of the world.

Forging ever-strengthening links with the countries which produce the coffee, Kingdom Coffee has grown both in terms of its ability to serve an increasingly wider range of organisations, churches, businesses and outlets while at the same time, the revenue generated to be ploughed back into those mission-focussed charities and projects has grown year on year.

Sustainable help, relief and assistance in the countries and communities which need it the most is something which Roland is passionate about – perhaps more now than when Kingdom Coffee started, as the support its gives to these charities and projects can be readily seen.

“We work a lot with coffee growers in Honduras – 48 per cent of their GDP is based around coffee production,” Roland says.

“There’s around 360,000 farmers in Honduras – and that’s in a population of just 6 million, so it goes to show just how much coffee production is relied upon.

“The value of money is so different there too.

Fairtrade Plus is a new initiative. I’m committed to it and so are my team

v Kingdom Coffee’s support list Toybox Toybox seeks to help street children in Latin America. It runs outreach and advocacy programmes to help educate and support the street children.

Latin Link Latin Link works with churches, organisations, sponsors and projects to help educate and train groups and individuals in a variety of programmes across Latin America.

Tearfund Formed in the 1960s, Tearfund is a leading relief and development agency that works with Christian agencies and churches worldwide to tackle the causes and effects of poverty.

“If you gave £1 in the UK, that would be the equivalent of £10 in Honduras – you can see how much further assistance and financial support can go in terms of helping charities in those areas.

“Redistribution of resources is key to having a wider impact and helping these communities improve their facilities.

“The vision of Fairtrade is to get coffee to market at a price that they can afford.

We aim to do more than that with Fairtrade Plus.”

The scheme aims to improve living standards by providing enhanced aid and support to the wider communities currently being aided by Fairtrade.

“Because of the total reliance on coffee production, people become de-skilled in key areas such as agriculture, construction and so on,” Roland says.

“There are also communities and areas in countries where the prevalence of poverty, drug use, sex trafficking and a lack of education mean that people often feel that there is no other choice.

“Fairtrade Plus helps redress that balance by the provision of a wider scope of aid in these much needed areas.

“It is a new initiative and Kingdom Coffee will also make a donation of £5 upon the sale of each case of Pura-Vida 100% Arabica Fairtrade Coffee to help a Christian charitable project.”

Roland imparts this vision through his business mission to his customers.

“Its just so great to be able to do much, much more,” he says.

“The experience is not just drinking great coffee at a good price, but the money generated by that transaction helps so many more people than ever before.

“That’s why I’m committed to Fairtrade Plus and so are my Kingdom Coffee team.” v For more, call (0118) 986 8786 or log on to www.kingdomcoffee.co.uk.

18

Food/sport

October 2012 | www.xnmedia.co.uk | To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk

Advance nutrition ptimising health, vitality & wellness with Christine Bailey, O nutritionist, chef and food/health consultant

The Royals’ Prince At Reading FC with Steve Prince Reading’s win against QPR in the Capital One Cup means they’ll welcome Arsenal to the Madejski Stadium in the next round

v Lifting yourself out of the winter blues

A

s the days get shorter and darkness sets in, many people find their mood and energy levels take a dive. It is estimated that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects 10-20 per cent of the population.

SAD is associated with abnormal circadian rhythm and neurotransmitter balance triggered by alterations in dark-light cycles and melatonin release from the pineal gland.

This can result in a range of symptoms including poor sleep patterns, changes in cortisol (stress hormone) release, low energy, poor focus and concentration, cravings for carbohydrates, weight gain, feeling lethargic, unhappy, irritable as well as social withdrawal.

For some people these feelings improve in the Spring but for others that sinking feeling and depression continues.

World Mental Health Day, which takes place on October 10, is aimed at removing the stigma associated with mental health conditions.

I see many clients in my clinic who struggle with chronic conditions including low mood, depression, fibromyalgia, autism, stress etc.

Rather than reaching for medication they are keen to look for underlying

imbalances that may be contributing to their symptoms.

Changing diet, lifestyle and nutritional supplementation can all be helpful together with having a supportive network around them.

For example, if you are feeling low this may be due to low levels of serotonin. While there are numerous reasons for this you can increase levels by eating foods rich in tryptophan (a precursor to serotonin) such as lean meat, poultry, scallops, halibut, chicken, yogurt, tofu, banana, and oats.

In addition, checking your levels of homocysteine, cortisol, vitamin D, fatty acid balance, thyroid function, presence of food allergies and blood glucose levels can all be important.

Eating protein with each meal and including a couple of snacks if needed can help balance blood sugar and improve mood.

Vitamin D, omega 3 supplementation, chromium and probiotics to

name a few have all been shown to help improve mild depressive symptoms.

Regular exercise, especially outdoors, can be beneficial and in the winter light therapy can help.

It is important however to seek the support of qualified nutritionist or healthcare practitioner before taking any supplements, especially if you are taking any medication.

Often overlooked is the importance of social support and this is where the Church can be particularly effective. For many, low mood and depression is really about mourning something or someone that has been lost – this may be a missed opportunity, a lost relationship, a death of a friend etc.

Sometimes depression is about feeling trapped in ones circumstances and not being able to change it. For others, it is more to do with a loss of purpose and meaning in their lives.

Finding good friends, or a strong social network through the Church can an important role in supporting anyone who feels isolated and low.

Christine is a qualified nutritionist, a member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy and a member of Reading Family Church

A A Functional Nutrition Practitioner focusing on all aspect s Functional Nutrition Practitioner focusing of health and chronic disease

on all aspects of health and chronic disease

Personalised Nutritional Consultations Personalised Nutritional Consultations Body Composition Assessments Body Composition Assessments Diagnostic Testing Diagnostic Testing Corporate Health, Sports Nutrition, Chronic Disease, Children's Health, Weight Loss, Cardiovascular Health, Healthy Ageing Corporate Health, Sports Nutrition, Chronic Disease, Children's Health, Weight Loss, Cookery Demonstrations and Seminars Cardiovascular Health, Healthy Ageing

Christine Bailey MSc, PGCE MBANT CNHC

Cookery Demonstrations and Seminars Qualified Nutritionist, Chef and Cookery Consultant.

Graduate Member of Institute of Functional Medicine (AFMCP).

Christine Bailey MSc, PGCE MBANT CNHC Author of Numerous recipe and health books, Speaker and Journalist Cookery Consultant. Graduate Member of Institute of Qualified Nutritionist, Chef and Clinics in Reading and London.

For more information contact Christine Functional Medicine (AFMCP). www.advancenutrition.co.uk christinembailey@hotmail.com Tel. 0118 926 2051 Author of Numerous recipe and health books, Speaker and Journalist

Vitality, Longevity and Health Aging

Clinics in Reading and London. For more information contact Christine www.advancenutrition.co.uk christinembailey@hotmail.com Tel. 01189262051

Vitality, Longevity and Health Aging

Picture: Mark Hillary/ Wikipedia

Inconvenient disruption

I

t’s been a hard start to life in the Premier League for the Royals.

One of the most difficult factors for the manager and the team has been a lack of games caused by inconvenient disruption.

After such an encouraging performance at the home of the European Champions Chelsea, Reading had to wait a few weeks for the next league game at home to Tottenham.

In the last few seasons we haven’t been great campaign starters but things have always come right and success has followed. Of course in the Premier League the stakes are much higher and the games harder.

As supporters we’ll certainly need lots of patience as the team makes the transition up a level. It’s really important to stay behind the team and not to make the mistake of turning against the players that did so well for us in the Championship last season.

By way of contrast, the Capital One Cup (League Cup) is providing great success and an away win at Queens Park Rangers means a sumptuous home tie against Arsenal to look forward to at the end of the month. Hopefully our season will kick start and much needed momentum will be gained quickly.

At Reading we have a manager who in a short space of time has proved his ability in getting the very best out of his players; he does well at building confidence when it is at low ebb. When adversity comes it’s time to draw on all the strengths of being team, and this includes everyone associated with the club.

Life’s pressures always seem to come at inconvenient times. Tough times happen. It’s in pressure and adversity that real character and perseverance can grow and develop. There are things that can only be learned through trials. Don’t you wish it could be different!?

There are things I really love about football – the so called “beautiful game”.

There are other things I don’t like.

How sad is it to witness expressions of un-forgiveness as players refuse to shake hands before a game as part of the FA’s Respect Campaign? We are in need of some good role models who can compete in high profile sport and have the good grace to say sorry when they are wrong and forgive when an injustice happens.

There is so much passion in football. Sometimes this passion can get misdirected. I read recently of a mass punch up in a game involving two church teams playing in a Christian league in the Midlands!

There is nothing wrong with passion and fervour – so long as there can be maturity that enables things to find a healthy sense of perspective again.

Part of the role of a football club chaplain is to help people deal with the trials of life when the inconvenient disruptions come. In the end our high profile sports men and women are human beings like the rest of us.

They need encouragement, support and sometime appropriate help to respond in kindness.

By building trusting relationships, the chaplain can find the opportunities to sow grace and kindness into a world that so often appears bereft of such values.

One of my prayers and goals is to help establish and maintain these biblical values in such a way that it becomes obvious they work for everyone.

Come on URZ!!!

Steve Prince is Reading FC Chaplain AND THE Pastor of Brookside Church

Sport

To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk | www.xnmedia.co.uk | October 2012

19

v Thames Valley Churches Football League For the latest on the league, log on to tvcfl.footify.com

Albion stutter as West Reading shine September Review The start of the 25th season of the Thames Valley Churches Football League is underway, and all is not going according to plan for the defending champions Tilehurst Albion.

Defeats against West Reading CFC and Bethel United have seen Albion slide down the table in recent weeks while their close rivals from last year, Kerith Community Church have taken full advantage with two wins in their opening two games.

With both teams meeting on October 6, Kerith could deliver an early blow to Albion’s chances of defending their title.

Man-of-the-month award goes to Jamie Carstairs whose five goals in three games: two of which secured victory over Tilehurst Albion have seen West Reading CFC set the early season pace.

Saturday, September 8 It was a business as usual, with Tilehurst Albion and Kerith Community Church both scoring goals in their victories.

The champions started the defence of their title with a 6-3 victory over league newcomers Norreys.

Norreys were certainly not daunted by their opening challenge – they led 3-2 at half timem but Albion were able to raise their game in the second half.

Last season’s league player of the year Brady Lily led the way with a hat-trick, with the other goals coming from Charlie Baines, James Anderson and Richard Delecia.

Kerith, meanwhile, beat West Reading CFC Reserves 8-1, and last season’s top scorer Ben Findlay bagged a hat-trick. Jonathan Ellis and Mark Whittle each hit doubles and Mark Pedley rounded of the scoring as West Reading Res were soundly beaten.

Reading Saints started their campaign with a 2-0 away victory over Finchampstead, the hosts returning to the league after a oneseason hiatus. Saints goals were scored by

v Referees wanted The TVCFL are looking for referees from churches within the Thames Valley to help officiate on a Saturday morning. If you’re interested, contact James: tvcfl.secretary@gmail.com Tom Vaux and Frank Maguire.

West Reading CFC also secured an away win, beating Greyfriars FC 2-1. Jamie Carstairs headed his side into a half time lead and Gary Woodward extended it soon after the break from the penalty spot.

Greyfriars battled throughout but lacked the necessary cohesion to break down a resilient West Reading defence and James Hern’s cool finish was a case of too little, too late.

Brookside St Laurence and Bethel United shared the spoils after a 1-1 draw in a tight game. Steve Magness scored Brookside’s goal after an own goal gave the visitors the lead.

Saturday, September 15 Two games, two wins and West Reading CFC are top of the TVCFL table.

Jamie Carstairs scored twice before halftime to set up his side’s excellent 2-1 victory over last season’s champions Tilehurst Albion.

West Reading worked hard throughout to thwart Albion’s passing game and hit them on the break. The tactics worked: although Tilehurst’s Ali Clewer pulled a goal back, they could not find an equaliser.

Bethel United are second after their 2-1 win over a dogged Greyfriars FC side.

FIXTURES KICK OFF 10.30am on Saturdays v October 6

v October 20

West Reading v Wycliffe Wanderers United v Norreys Kerith v Tilehurst Albion

Greyfriars FC v Finchampstead

Reading Saints v W Rdg Reserves

Bethel United v Wycliffe Wanderers

B’side St Laurence v W Rdg Reserves

Kerith v West Reading Greyfriars v Reading Saints

Finchampstead v Norries

For all their possession, Bethel could not break Greyfriars down in the first half and neither goalkeeper had much to do.

As the game wore on, fresh legs were introduced and both teams began to create chances, Bethel finally scoring on the hour mark through Fernando Ii but Greyfriars kept plugging away and pressure on the Bethel midfield finally resulted in an own goal, Louis McClean’s backpass squeezing under his goalkeeper’s foot and trickling over the line.

Despite the setback, however, Bethel rallied and substitute Paul Alexander’s shot with five minutes to go bagged the points.

Wycliffe Wanderers kicked off their season with a resounding 4-1 victory over Norreys. For the second week running, the Wokinghambased new-boys side led at half time, having scored through Jacob Potter. Second half goals from Dave Cuthbertson, Neil Healy, Ross Thompson and Owen Bravey got Wanderers’ season off to a flyer.

In the final game of the day, a more even contest than the scoreline suggests, an own goal was the catalyst for Finchampstead to find the net a further four times in their 5-0 win over West Reading CFC Reserves.

James Kirby, Simon Hall and a Stuart Perry double ensured a comfortable first three points for Finch.

Saturday, September 22 A Ben Sheppard hat-trick helped Brookside Saint Laurence to their first win this season, a 6-2 beating of Finchampstead Baptist Church, but even he was eclipsed by the towering performance of Ben Blackledge who was at the heart of Brookside’s play and added two goals of his own.

Although Stu Perry and Steve Popplestone kept Finchampstead n the game, Courtenay Isaacs rounded off the win.

West Reading CFC made it three wins out of three with a comprehensive 5-0 win over a neat Norreys side who just couldn’t break

league TABLE P W D L F A W D L F A GD PTS

Jamie Carstairs West Reading

5

West Reading 3 1 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 7 1 7 9

Ben Findlay Kerith

4

2

Bethel United 3 1 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 3 2 2 7

Stuart Perry Finchampstead

3

3 Kerith Community Church 2 1 0 0 8 1 1 0 0 3 0 10 6

Matt Blake Reading Saints

3

4

Matthew Whittle Kerith

3

5 Brookside St Laurence FC 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 6 2 4 4

Ross Thompson Wycliffe Wanderers

3

Ben Sheppard Brookside St Laurence FC 3

Wycliffe Wanderers 2 1 0 0 6 4 1 0 0 4 1 5 6

v October 13

v November 3

7

Reading Saints 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 6 0 3

Wycliffe Wanderers v W Rdg Reserves

B’side St Laurence v Kerith

8

Finchampstead Baptist 3 1 0 2 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 -1 3

9

Greyfriars FC 3 0 0 2 1 5 0 0 1 1 2 -5 0

West Reading v Bethel United Reading Saints v B’side St Laurence Norries v Kerith

top SCORERS

1

6

down their opponents’ solid defence.

Jamie Carstairs put the league leaders ahead after 15 minutes and Mark Montgomery capped a fine flowing move by hitting a sublime first time shot into the top corner just before half time. In the second half Gary Woodward added an early goal to seal the win, which was topped-off by late strikes from Carstairs and Chris Buckell.

Kerith Community Church kept up the pressure on top-of-the-table West Reading with a 3-0 victory over Greyfriars FC, but it was certainly not as comfortable for the Bracknell side as the scoreline suggests.

In an evenly contested first half, Kerith had the edge and went into the break 2-0 up courtesy of a Matthew Whittle shot and a William Day header, both resulting from poorly defended corners.

Greyfriars came out fighting in the second half and dominated possession but couldn’t find the goal that might signal a comeback.

The danger of pressing forward meant that a side of Kerith’s quality might break away to seal the win; that finally happened in the dying minutes when Ben Findlay found the net.

Wycliffe Wanderers stormed out of the blocks in their game with Reading Saints, Neil Healy, Michael Bembridge, Owen Bravey, Mark Pattle and Ross Thompson securing them a 5-0 half-time lead.

Jack Melling hit a screamer in the second half to give Saints hope but Thompson’s second ensured Wycliffe took all three points.

Saints did rally and Matt Blake hit a hat-trick to give the scoreline some respectability but Wanderers held on for a 6-4 win.

Reigning champions Tilehurst Albion’s stuttering start continued with a 2-1 home defeat to Bethel United. Although Teddy Thomas put Albion ahead, Louis McClean pulled the strings which allowed the visitors to turn the game around.

Chris Barltrop and James Hern

Tilehurst Albion 3 1 0 1 7 5 0 0 1 1 2 1 3

10

Norreys 3 0 0 2 1 9 0 0 1 3 6 -11 0

11

West Reading Reserves 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 13 -12 0

Brady Lily Tilehurst Albion

3

Neil Healy Wycliffe Wanderers

2

Toby Frodsham Norreys

2

Jonathan Ellis Kerith

2

Gary Woodward West Reading

2

Tilehurst Albion v Finchampstead

B

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20 October 2012 | www.xnmedia.co.uk | To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk

v What’s on These are some special events taking place in churches over the next month.

A full events calendar, complete with listings for special church services and local activities can be found at xnmedia.co.uk.

You can also submit your own events by sending an email to editor@xnmedia.co.uk

Sunday, October 7 ASCOT – All Saints’ Church, London Road. Saints Alive Harvest Festival: harvest themed family service with collection of goods for Bracknell Foodbank. All welcome. 10.30am.

Reading – Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, 2 Church Street. Quaker Quest: a series of informal presentations, discussions and questionings with time to meet new people, experience Quaker worship and browse literature. Everyone welcome.

7.30pm-10pm.

SINDLESHAM – Baptist Church. Harvest celebration, focusing on Tearfund’s work in rural Uganda, followed by harvest lunch. £4, £2 chidlren. Details: (0118) 978 3022 or e-mail: sindleshambc@tiscali.co.uk.

SOUTHCOTE – Southcote Christian Mission. Welcome service for James Sparrow, followed by tea. Guest speaker: Steve Brady, Moorlands Bible College.

Details: 0845 223 2444.

TWYFORD – St Thomas More Church, London Road.

World’s Biggest Coffee Morrning event in aid of MacMillan Cancer Care. After 10.30am mass. Includes cake stall, tombola and bring and buy stall. All welcome.

Tuesday, October 9 EARLEY – Brookside Church.

Parenting Teenagers course – first of five weeks looking at issues relating to children aged 11-18. 7.45pm. £10 per person, including course materials and refreshments.

Details: (0118) 966-4474 or info@brooksidechurch.org.uk WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Parish Rooms, Reading Road. Spiritual Direction Network open day. 10amnoon or 8pm-10pm. Details: (0118) 973 3487 email: j.blackwell1579@btinternet. com.

WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue.

50+ Group presents: Narrow boats and more broad vistas – an illustrated imaginary journey along one of Britain’s waterways presented by John Tidmarsh. 2.15 pm Details (0118) 961 9821.

Thursday, October 11 BRACKNELL – Methodist

Church, Shepherd’s Lane.

Together in Prayer prayer meeting. 8pm.

CALCOT – Kennet Valley Free Church, Carters Rise, Fords Farm. Has Science Made God Irrelevant? A debate with Dr Krish Kandiah, Churches in Mission Director at the Evangelical Alliance.

Questions welcome. Free.

7.30pm.

Friday, October 12 READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Whitley Festival presents St Mary’s Project. From 7.30pm. £4, under 14s free. Details: www. whitleyartsfestival.co.uk.

Saturday, October 13 ALDWORTH – St Mary’s.

Moonrakers in concert: an evening of Celtic music. £10. 7.30pm. Details: (01491) 874399.

BINFIELD – Jack O’Newbury Pub. Easthampstead Baptist Church presents a walk round Binfield countryside.

10am. Details: www. ebc-bracknell.org BURGHFIELD – St Mary’s Parish Centre. Quiz night and Italian supper. Bring own drinks. Teams of 6. £8 per person, booking essential.

In aid of church heating fund. Details: admin@ stmarysburghfield.org.

CHAVEY DOWN – St Martin’s Church Hall, Church Road.

Quiz night – organised by the Bell Ringers. 7.30pm.

Details: (01344) 882933.

READING – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue. Faith Under Fire, a women’s conference. 10am4pm. Details: (0118) 950 5561.

READING – Park URC Church, Wokingham Road. The Big National Ceilidh in aid of WaterAid, organised by the Earley Folk Dance Group.

Dancing to Howard Ballad and Inisheer, with interval display from Aldbrickham Clog and Step Dancers. £6, children free. 7.30pm10.30pm. Details: (01344) 411680 or folkscape@yahoo. co.uk.

Reading – Wesley Methodist Church, Queen’s Road.

Reading Male Voice Choir, and Senior Choir, Cranford House School, Wallingford, in concert for Action for Children. Details: (0118) 986 8434.

READING –Wycliffe Baptist Church, Kings Road.

Women’s heart2heart conference. 10am-4pm.

Details: (0118) 929 9911.

SOUTH ASCOT – All Souls Church, All Souls Road.

ASCENT (Ascot Community Environment Network) one day workshop: Shaping a Resilient Future Locally in Changing Times. 10am-4pm.

To book, email: YarwoDav@ aol.com.

WOKINGHAM – Methodist Church, Rose Street.

British Airways Concert Band present a Last Night of the Proms-style event.

7.30pm. £10. Details: www. wokinghammethodist.org.uk

Sunday, October 14 READING – Emmanuel Methodist Church, Oxford Road. Church Anniversary service with a bring and share lunch afterwards.

10.30am.

Reading – Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, 2 Church Street. Quaker Quest: a series of informal presentations, discussions and questionings with time to meet new people, experience Quaker worship and browse literature. Everyone welcome.

7.30- 10pm.

TILEHURST – St Michael’s Church, New Lane Hill.

Harvest festival. 9.30am.

Gifts to Churches in Reading Drop-in Centre. All welcome.

WARGRAVE – St Mary’s Church. Launch event for Wargrave Praise, a new hymnbook. 10.30am.

Monday, October 15 READING – Wycliffe Baptist Church, Kings Road.

Learn4Life (Reading Schools’ Christian Work Trust) celebration and commissioning service.

7.30pm. Details: (0118) 975 1531 or www.rscwt.org.

Tuesday, October 16 BINFIELD – Newbold College.

The 2012 Beach Lecture: Out of the Ashes, Diversity in Britain After The Riots. To be given by David Lammy, MP for Tottenham. 7.30pm.

All welcome. Details: www. newbold.ac.uk.

Thursday, October 18 CALCOT – Kennet Valley Free Church, Carters Rise.

Christianity Explored course launch night. All welcome.

Details: (0118) 942 1591 READING – Greyfriars Church, Friar Street. An evening with Graham Kendrick and Tony Campolo. 7pm. £10. Details: www.christiantickets.co.uk.

SINDLESHAM – Pulse8 Sports Club, Mole Road. Christians In Sport presents a sports quiz night. Teams of 4-8.

From 8pm. Details: office@ abch.org.uk.

Saturday, October 20 READING – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue. All Nations 25th anniversary celebration event, including food, praise and a short presentation.

All welcome. Details: (0118) 950 5561.

READING – Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square.

Reading & Wokigham Baptist cluster prayer breakfast. 8am.

Details: (0118) TILEHURST – YMCA gym, Parkside Road. LifeSpring Church presents a family craft/activities event for parents & children under 10.

Free. 2.30pm-4.15pm. Details: (0118) 945 5589.

TILEHURST – St Mary Magdalene church hall, Rodway Road. Coffee morning and Christmas card sale. 10am.

TILEHURST – St Michael’s Church, New Lane Hill.

Australian Voices perform a concert of classical music.

7pm. £15, £12 concessions, students £6, groups of 10 £135. Pre-concert workshop 6pm. Details: 020 3286 6786 or www.theaustralianvoices. com.

UPPER WOOLHAMPTON – Douai Abbey. Wn Coro. A choral journey from dusk to dawn interweaving luminous contemporary works and music by Tallis. Conducted

by Sarah Tenant-Flowers and Janet Lince with Paul Ayres (organ/piano). Tickets £14, £12 concessions. Details: 08455 218 218.

YATELEY – St Peter’s Church.

Barn dance to celebrate 20th anniversary of Causeway Prospects group. £10. 6.30pm.

Details: (01252) 873647.

WOKINGHAM – Methodist Church, Rose Street.

Autumn plant sale hosted

by Rose Street Gardeners.

10am-noon.

WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, Norreys Avenue. All-age barn dance hosted by All Saints Wokingham. 5.45pm-10pm.

First dance 5pm. Bring and share supper. £8, £2 children, family ticket £20. Details: (0118) 979 2797.

Sunday, October 21 South Ascot – All Souls Church. Songs of Praise – a joint Ascot Churches service, followed by refreshments.

3pm. All welcome.

THEALE – St Luke’s Church, Englefield Road. Launch of The Loaves and the Fishes, a new family church. 4pm4.45pm. Informal family service, with music, craft and refreshments. All welcome.

TILEHURST – St Michael’s Church, New Lane Hill.

Family Bereavement Service: an opportunity for anyone to come and remember loved ones who have died with simple readings and wellknown hymns. 6.30pm.

Reading – Friends (Quaker)

Calendar Meeting House, 2 Church Street. Quaker Quest: a series of informal presentations, discussions and questionings with time to meet new people, experience Quaker worship and browse literature. Everyone welcome.

7.30- 10pm.

Wednesday.

October 24 EMMER GREEN – St Barnabas Church, Grove Road. The Inaugral Owen Jewiss Memorial Lecture: Mission – Churches Together or Apart?

7.30pm. All welcome.

READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Reading Between The Lines presents Twelfth Night.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

READING – St John & St Stephen, Orts Road. How To Be a Bad Christian with Dave Tomlinson. 8pm. Details: www.badchristian.co.uk.

Thursday, October 25 READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Twelfth Night.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

Friday, October 26 READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Twelfth Night.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

Saturday, October 27 CAVERSHAM – Caversham Heights Methodist Church, Highmoor Road. Autumn fair. 2pm.

EARLEY – St Peter’s Church, Church Road. Organ recital

by Christopher Cipkin. Free entry. 7.30pm.

READING – Reading Central Salvation Army, Castle Hill.

Jumble and Good As New Sale. 10.30am.

READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Reading Between The Lines presents Twelfth Night. 2.30pm & 7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Methodist Church, Rose Street.

Autumn plant sale hosted

by Rose Street Gardeners.

10am-noon.

Sunday, October 28 ASCOT – All Saints’ Church, London Road. Recital by Linda Hannah-Andersson (violin) and Su Mei (piano) followed by refreshments.

Arranged in conjunction with the Friends of All Saints’ Church. Varied programme

includes music by Mozart and Beethoven. 4.30pm.

Wednesday, October 31 READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Twelfth Night.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

TILEHURST – Methodist Church, School Road. Light party. Ages 5-11. 4.30pm6.30pm. Older children 8pm.

Soup and refreshments for any adults who do not wish to be at home on the evening.

TILEHURST – LifeSpring Centre, Routh Lane.

Children’s light party to include games & sausage & chip supper. 4.30pm-6.30pm.

Details: (0118) 945 5589.

Thursday, November 1 FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre. Voltage holiday club for years 1-6. 10am-3.30pm. £5 per day. Details: www. finchampstead.com.

READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Twelfth Night.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Methodist Church, Rose Street. The Meeting Place: charity coffee morning in aid of Thrive.

10am-noon.

Friday, November 2 FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre. Voltage holiday club for years 1-6. 10am-3.30pm. £5 per day. Details: www. finchampstead.com.

READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Twelfth Night.

8.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

Saturday, November 3 ASCOT – All Saints’ Church.

Messy Church at King Edwards Hall, King Edwards Road, North Ascot. Art & crafts followed by a short story, worship and a snack lunch. No charge – donations welcome. 9.30-11.30am.

READING – Reading Minster of St Mary The Virgin, St Mary’s Butts. Reading Between The Lines presents Twelfth Night. 2.30pm & 7.30pm. Details: www. readingbetweenthelines. co.uk.

FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre. Voltage holiday club for years 1-6. 10am-3.30pm. £5 per day. Details: www. finchampstead.com.

Sunday, November 4 TILEHURST – Methodist Church, School Road. All Saints service. 3pm

News/classifieds

To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk | www.xnmedia.co.uk | October 2012

v In the right direction Holy Listening is offering a helpful ear to Christians in the Oxford, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire area as part of a new ministry.

Members of the Spiritual Direction Network for Oxford, Berks and Bucks (SPI-DIR) are offering a choice of two sessions in Wokingham to help people find out more about having a spiritual director – an impartial person who can offer guidance on Christian lifestyle.

On Tuesday, October 9 at St Paul’s Parish Rooms Holy Listening are hosting an event to find out more about their “ministry of spiritual direction”.

From 10am-noon or from 8pm-10pm people can attend the meeting to find out more about the network.

Coffee will be served 15 minutes before. v For details, or to book a place, contact Janet Clements on (0118) 932 8679 or email ianandjanetclements@star.co.uk.

Here’s Martyn!

Singer songwriter Martyn Joseph is on his way across the UK this autumn, and is ready to thrill the people of Windsor and the nearby area.

On Thursday, November 1 the All This Time singer will be performing at Windsor Baptist Church, Victoria Street.

Tickets will be available to people over the age of 14, at the cost of £15 per person.

To get tickets, call 01753 868060 or visit log on to www. wegottickets.com/event/176324.

v Chairs available

v Suffering sisters

ELC has some stacking chairs available for anyone who could use them.

The green chairs can be collected from the language school’s London Street base.

For details, email: elc@elclondonstreet.co.uk or call (0118) 958 2247.

Women are invited to join together as they remember their suffering sisters later this month.

The heart2heart conference at Wycliffe Baptist Church, Kings Road, will feature updates on their associates from Eritrea and Pakistan and a unique and intimate way of praying face-to-face.

From 10am to 4pm on Saturday, October 13, women of the fellowship will be hoping to “touch the hem of Jesus” and hear first-hand experiences about the persecution some have faced.

To book a place, call (0118) 929 9911 and ask to speak to Nusrat. Admission is £5 on the door.

21

v School pastors needed Together in Mission (TiM) – a group of 10 churches in the Burghfield, Sulhamstead, Mortimer area – has launched a School Pastors project at the invitation of The Willink School in Burghfield Common.

The project aims to help the school’s 1,000 pupils by having volunteers patrol the corridors during lunch breaks and after school.

It is looking to recruit some volunteer pastors to work for four-hour periods a week. Full training and a uniform are provided and applicants would need to undertake an enhanced CRB check.

TiM has teamed up with the Ascension Trust for this. The Trust is behind Street Pastors. v Closing date is October 15.

For details and an application form contact Dawn Crawford, School Pastors Co-ordinator: burghfieldandarea@ schoolpastors.org.uk or visit www.togetherinmission.org.uk.

v Sharing talents God has given each of us unique gifts and skills. Xn’s talents directory is an opportunity to connect local people with local businesses. We’re sure you’ll find these pages invaluable.

v Piano tuition

To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk

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Lessons for all levels and ages from experienced Reading-based piano teacher. Judith Creighton www.judithcreighton.co.uk or 07957 193366.

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v Pearlstringing/ jewellery

v Driving lessons Driving Tuition.

Lessons for beginners or those who are test ready. Pay as you go or get discount for block booking. Over 4 years experience. Contact Robin Gowers by txt on 07973730990 or email: robin. gowers@ntlworld.com

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Bathroom installations, heating installations, plumbing repairs, free quotes, no job too small, over 60’s discount. Professional, reliable & honest. www. pattersonplumbers. co.uk 07921 572652 info@ pattersonplumbers.co.uk.

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EXPERIENCED PIANO ACCOMPANIST available for music exams and recitals.

Judith Creighton www. judithcreighton.co.uk or 07957 193366.

Reading Counselling and Psychotherapy.

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Accredited counsellors, supervisors, trainers. Over 20 years experience NHS and other settings. CBT available.

07092 022294

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v Carpets callaghan carpets and flooring. Home pattern service from a reliable family company. Carpets, vinyls & commercial flooring 40 years’ experience. www. callaghanflooringandcarpets. co.uk or (0118) 962 8527.

v Resources Faith in the Community (Wokingham) – helping Christians work together to transform their local communities. Phone Sharon Elliott 07843 091950

v Funeral directors

v Construction Kingsmen Limited.

Construction services, extensions, renovations, new builds, electrical, plumbing. www.kingsmenlimited.co.uk (0118) 958 5777.

Pearlstringer/Jeweller.

Repairs and alterations to necklaces/jewellery. Orders taken. Visitors welcome to see workshop etc. Tel: Anne Finnerty (0118) 958 8274.

v Counselling

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22

Arts

October 2012 | www.xnmedia.co.uk | To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk

v Theatre

Historic play comes to historic church

Moviewatch Reviewing cinema with Martin Ceaser

A LOCAL theatre company is swapping touring the workshop leader at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Accompanying the production will be the UK for a staycation as it brings the fascinating story of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to Reading later this RBL Twelfth Night Themed Art Exhibition – an exhibition of pieces created by local artists all month. taking inspiration from Shakespeare’s play.

Performed in Reading Minster of St Mary the The company features actors and crew Virgin Church in the town centre, the Reading who have previously worked with The RSC, Between the Lines production aims to capture the Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, The Royal youth and energy of the town, with seven of the Opera House, Bristol Old Vic, World cast from the local area.

“Theatre in Reading is Tours and in London’s West End. Twelfth Night’s plot needs about to get very excitin g” The Reading Post Curtain up for Twelfth Night is on little introduction for many RE AD ING BETWEEN THE LINE S Wednesday, October 24 – and the and explores the story of the Present William Shakespe are’s cast are so confident that the show seaside haven Illyria. will be a hit that it’s inviting you to Having enjoyed a summer pay what you want to see it, with a of fun, the Illyrians are starting price of £5. suffering from a hangover.

OR WHAT YOU WILL The play continues from Thursday, Through this trouble Viola October 25 to Saturday, October 27, – a woman dressed as a and from Wednesday, October 31 to man – is trying to survive Saturday, November 3. and escape from grief brings Performances are at 7.30pm apart about a resurgence in the from Friday, November 2, which starts region. at 8.30pm. There are matinees at And audiences should be Book by 24th Sept for discount 2.30pm on both Saturdays. in for a treat. The Reading www.readingbetween thelines.co.uk Tickets cost £15 for standard seats, Post said that company’s £18 for premium seats and £13 for previous show was: “a feast concessions. They can be bought by logging on to of brilliant acting, superb writing and theatrical www.readingbetweenthelines.co.uk. entertainment of the highest quality.”

For school bookings, email Toby on info@ The production is directed by Hal Chambers, readingbetweenthelines.co.uk. who is the director of Tucked In Productions and a THEATRE COMPANY

NIGHT

The Hunger Games (12)

S

Stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Gary Ross et in what was once the United States of America, the country of Panem is made up of 12 Districts, and governed from a place called The Capitol.

Following a rebellion many years earlier, the Capitol controls the country through a yearly event called the Hunger Games.

Each District has to send two “Tributes” to the Games, where they fight to the death until only one is left standing.

These Tributes are drawn from children aged 11-18, from a lottery.

Katniss Everdeen volunteers when her sister Primrose is chosen, and the film tells the story of her journey through the Games and out the other side.

The Hunger Games is only the second DVD I have ever pre-ordered (The first was The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King” for my daughter, naturally).

I loved it in the cinema, and I love it on DVD. This film is good on so many levels – its a cracking adventure story, well directed and produced, moving along well,with a level of tension throughout.

It comments on our attitudes to others around us especially the inequalities of life between the rich and poor in our world today.

With echoes of the USA and even Ancient Rome it explores the nature of Control and Authority. It speaks of sacrifice (Katniss volunteering in Primrose’s place, Peeta trying to protect Katniss), hope (of survival in the Games ), forgiveness (conditional upon the providing of Tributes each year), Friendship (Katniss and Rue, Katniss and Peeta), and, of course, love (Katniss, Peeta and Gale).

Apparently Suzanne Collins, the author of the book, took her inspiration from watching a report on the war in Iraq, and how much it looked like a reality TV show. Certainly the viewers in the Capitol are depicted as seeing the Games, and the suffering of others, as entertainment – Big Brother, The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, perhaps?

Meanwhile, in the Districts, people are far more aware of the realities of life and death.

Amid all of this we have great performances from Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) and Woody Harrelson (Haymitch).

The one disappointment, surprisingly, was Donald Sutherland, whose President Snow came across less sinister than he does in the book, which the film manages to stay very close to, unlike some.

Although it received controversial reviews for its violent theme, if you are the parent of a teenager this is a film you could watch together and talk about what life is really about. If you’re a youth leader, or a pastor, and concerned with connecting Christ to culture, here is a rich seam to mine.

Highly recommended.

Martin is minister of Crowthorne Baptist Church, a father of three and father-in-law of one; a life-long Chelsea fan and passionate film watcher v Want more movies? Martin’s review of The Dark Knight Rises is online at xnmedia.co.uk

Reading Minster of St Mary

the Virgin Church 24th October - 3rd November 2012

v Tour

Don’t miss a Seriously Funny night out A PAIR of funnymen are looking forward to visiting Reading next month as they take part in a UK tour.

Adrian Plass and Jeff Lucas – well-known Christian authors, speakers and leaders – have joined forces for a sequel to their hugely popular Seriously Funny book and tour.

Puzzles STR8TS Str8ts

SUDOKU

7

2 1 3 3 4 9

Answers on page 23

Sudoko 4 9 6 1 5 2 4 2 6 7

Medium

6 7 9

tears, and some jolly good thought provoking stuff.

Accompanying them with musical interludes will be talented singer/songwriter Nicki Rogers. v Tickets cost £15, or £12 in advance. They can be bought by calling 01903 705367 MondayFriday 9am-5pm, or from www. seriouslyfunny.org.

In the book, they take part in an exchange of more thoughts on a variety of Christian topics.

The tour, which comes to Greyfriars Church, Friar Street, Reading, on Thursday, November 29, promises to be an evening of vibrant conversation with Adrian and Jeff. The pair promise that there will be laughter,

1

Medium

2

8 2 9

5 7 2

7 4 1 4 How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number 1 to 9 can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. 2 1 4 Each compartment must form a straight 6 4 5 a set of numbers with no gaps but it can be 4 5 in any order, eg [7,6,9,8]. Clues in black cells 4 3 6 2 remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight.

3 5 2 1 Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ 2 1 3 are formed.

3 5 5 3 2 2 1 1 5 4

4 6

2 8 1 3 7 4 9

© 2011 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

Picture: Murray Close

© 2011 Syndicated Puzzles, Inc.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org for Sudoku and www.str8ts.com for Str8ts.

If you like Str8ts and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

Arts

To advertise email advertising@xnmedia.co.uk | www.xnmedia.co.uk | October 2012

v Music workshop

v Concerts

Come and have fun singing together

v A SPECIAL piano duet will be performed at an Earley church next month.

Anne Nunn and Jonathan Cohen are teaming up for Music For An Autumn Afternoon, which will take place at St Peter’s Church, Earley on Saturday, November 10 from 2pm.

Afternoon tea will be available by donation and tickets cost £8 or £6 for children.

For details contact the parish office on (0118) 966 8575 or visit www.earley-stpeter.org.uk.

Theale Sings! aims to bring the community together for a day of singing cover the costs of the event.

Any additional money raised will go towards the work of the choir and the church. v For more information on the church, visit www. holytrinitytheale.org.uk. v For more information about Theale Sings! call Kate Morgan on 07824 337999.

STEVE CURTIS

v Arts festival

Whitley project turns church into a gallery A CONSTANTLY changing performance is one of the highlights of this month’s Whitley Arts Festival.

The St Mary’s Project is returning to the annual festival and this year will presents 2D and 3D artwork, sound scopes and projections in an event designed to last between and hour and 90 minutes.

The experience sees works of varying disciplines together in pairs using the interior and exterior of Reading Minster of St Mary the Virgin Church.

The event’s strapline – Where One Artwork Generates Another – is being used to explain how each piece is art in its own right, but each work is also a trigger to create another.

The project will take place on Friday, October 12 from 7.30pm to 10.30pm at the church in St Mary’s Butts, Reading.

Admission costs £4 on the door, with children under the age of 14 free.

The event is one of a series of events taking place as part of the edgy arts festival, which runs from October 12 to November 4 in venues across Reading and Whitley.

Organisers are arranging a mixture of lively theatre, experimental films and family-friendly events. v For more information, log on to www. whitleyartsfestival.co.uk or call (0118) 967 4706.

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v AN evening of piano and wind chamber music will take place in Caversham later this month.

St Andrew’s Church in Albert Road, is hosting the concert, with music by Mozart, Poulenc, Schumann and Lloyd-Webber.

It takes place from 7.30pm on Saturday, October 13 and tickets cost £15, £12 for concessions.

Children aged 16 or under get in free and the evening includes refreshments.

For more details, call (0118) 948 4112 or log on to www. concertsincaversham.org.uk. v THE SUNNINGDALE Savoy Chorus is tuning up for an

Str8ts Solution

8 9

7 6 1 3

3 1 2 9 4 2 1 3 4 8 7 5 3 6 5 4 9 4 8 6 5 5 7 8 3 6 9 7 2 8 6

7 8 6 7 5 6 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 9 4 3 8 4 5 2 4 7 5

Satisfy the thirst for= truth…

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evening of music from Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein later this month.

The group will perform Side

By Side at The Cordes Hall in Sunninghill on Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13 from 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets cost £10 or £6 for the matinee. For details, call (01344) 297347 or log on to www.sunningdalesavoy.com. v A CONCERT band will be flying into Wokingham later this month for a Last Night of the Proms-style concert.

It will be chocs away for The British Airways Band as they land in Wokingham Methodist Church on Saturday, October 13.

Led by Captain Glen Jones, who is a deputy chief instructor of the Royal Military School of Music, the evening will support the church’s MORS Charity Fund.

Tickets cost £10 and the event starts at 7.30pm. Guests are encouraged to fly the flag, and bring Union Jacks to wave.

For more details, or to book tickets, log on to www. wokinghammethodist.org.uk or call the church office on (0118) 977 6898.

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laughter. We want everyone to be able to say ‘I feel so much better for that!’ at the end of the day.”

People are under no obligations to stay for the whole day or to join in.

Refreshments will be made available and there is no admission charge. Instead, donations are requested to

ANSWERS

EVERYONE is being invited to attend a day of singing and workshops at the Theale Sings! event later this month.

The village’s Holy Trinity Church will be hosting plenty of activities, including musical theatre, a rock choir workshop and pop and folk music singalongs at the day, which takes place on Saturday, October 20.

Kate Morgan, Theale Sings! choir director, said: “Our aim is to give people from Theale and the surrounding area a chance to sing with other people and try new styles of music – particularly if they normally only sing in the shower.

“We encourage them to come into this lovely building and find out what fun can be had here, when it rings with music and

23

Pop into your local store Monday-Saturday Or visit us online at quenchshops.com Store addresses & opening hours are on-line Maidenhead 01628 621985 Reading 0118 957 6078 Slough 01753 538999 Wokingham 0118 977 6715

TICKETS *

ÂŁ1C2H EA

AND with Nicki Rogers

in an evening of conversation about life, love and God Nottingham (Southwell) 27th November Bristol (Clifton) 28th November Thames Valley 29th November

London (Westminister Central Hall) 30th November Bangor, N. Ireland 14th December

For more information or to purchase tickets visit: www.seriouslyfunny.org Ticket Hotline: 01903 705367 *booking fees apply. Selling out fast - book now to avoid disappointment