
Dear Friends,
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! (Gen 1:31)
I hope you are enjoying the sunshine at the moment. A little bit of warmth and heat has seemingly made all of nature spring into overdrive. The hay-fever sufferers amongst us are fighting the high pollen counts, and the walkers amongst us are fighting the high stinging nettles! But, truly, summer reminds us of God’s abundance and beauty. So, what could be more beautiful than a whole event dedicated to flowers and art?
THIS WEEKEND - St Mary’s, Aldworth: Flower and Art Festival. Enjoy some stunning floral displays, and beautifully created artwork, all lovingly designed by Aldworth residents and locals. There will be a pop-up cafe of wonderful homemade cakes, teas & coffees and an opportunity to buy some artwork, enjoy the church and all things creative over the two days. Bring a friend and pop along for an hour or two!
Furthermore, we’ve got lots of events coming up for anybody who is creative. I’ll be hosting two sessions at St. Stephen’s soon for anybody who considers themselves even mildly or very creative. These will be a space for us to explore spirituality and creativity together - please see the Inspiration Cafe link below for more details.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend and hope to see you
Love,
Grant
#creativity
SERVICES THIS WEEKend
We gather at 8.30am for a short said communion service using the words of the wonderful Book of Common Prayer. The service will include a short sermon, and plenty of time to pray, reflect and encounter God in this wonderful place. What a brilliant way to begin a Sunday - especially as there is coffee and biscuits served afterwards.
We join together for a short interactive family worship service. Lots of fun! Action songs, Bible readings, dressing up, toys and we finish with yummy refreshments. Bacon butties, posh omelettes, pastries and much more.Lots of Holy Chaos. Come join the fun.
St Mary's
This is a fabulous way to round off the weekend. We gather together in the atmospheric St. Mary’s Aldworth to pray and worship together using the traditional and powerful words of Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer. We have a small community choir to help us sing God’s praise. There is a short sermon with prayers and psalms. If you are looking for a spiritual encounter with the Lord in the comfort of a traditional service - this is for you.
Upcoming Events
St. Stephen’s Cafe is open weekly on Monday mornings. It runs alongside the community post office at St. Stephen’s church. Various groups help to run and support it as we raise funds for various causes. Come along and join us for lovely hot drinks, freshly made homemade cakes and a good catch up with friends.
The Practicing the Way Course is an opportunity for us to explore what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. Together, we'll engage in practical rhythms such as prayer, simplicity, and community, helping us grow as disciples and reflect His love in the world. Whether you're just starting your journey or have been walking with Christ for years, this course is for everyone. Come and be part of a supportive group learning to live out authentic faith together.
Our weekly play session for babies and toddlers meets on Thursday mornings in St Stephen’s Upper Basildon during term time. We start at 9.30 and it’s a wonderful time for the little ones and their carers to come together for play, craft and yummy snacks too finishing at 11am.
See all upcoming events on our website
For your diary…
Services next weekend
Join us for morning prayer and worship
Prayer and worship is fundamental to our faith. Join us for half an hour of prayer and worship from 9am on Monday’s, Wednesdays and Fridays at St. Stephen’s Upper Basildon. Everybody welcome.
LAtest episode of our Podcast
This Advent reflection was given by Revd Grant Fensome at the All Churches Together service on Advent Sunday 2024 at St. Stephen's Upper Basildon.