Harvest Festival 18th October 6 pm
In aid of Berkshire Women’s Aid. Bring donations of packets or tins of fodd and toiletries to the church during harvest week.
St Clement’s Church
Church Lane, Ashampstead, Berkshire, RG8 8SL
St Mary's collecting Harvest Donations for Women's Refuge
St Mary’s Aldworth collecting Harvest Donations for the Women’s Refuge, run by BWA
St Mary's have boxes in the Aldworth church porch so you can drop items off now or bring them on 11th at 6pm
Please donate Tins and Packaged Goods and any money would be welcome - they have had to buy all new bedding, so every little helps.
St Stephen's collecting Harvest donations for Reading Homeless
St Stephen's collecting Harvest donations for Reading Homeless:
Especially needed: Tinned vegetables; men's shampoo, men's deodorant, men's socks
No rice, pasta, and baked beans, thanks but they have loads!
You can drop your donations off on Monday mornings, Wednesday all day, Friday mornings or Sunday all day or bring to our harvest service on 4th October. We will continue collecting after Sunday
Benefice Holy Communion celebrated for first time by Revd Katy Weston
St Stephen's was as full as is allowed by social distancing for Katy's first service as 'priest' - celebrating the Eucharist for the first time.
Katy’s supervisor Revd Derek Spears preached about the significance of Holy Communion, how Jesus instituted it with symbols of love and openness and that it reminds us Jesus is with us today. He taught us that the Latin for priests in Ancient Rome was 'pontifex' which is literally 'bridge-maker'. Using as his text "you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood"(1 Peter 2:9), he reminded us in his sermon that we are all priests together with Katy. We are all called to be bridge makers and connect people with God. As Jesus our great high priest connects us with God, he is the great bridge builder and we share in that ministry.
You can watch the service on our YouTube channel.
Revd Katy Weston priested at Reading Minster 19 September 2020
Colossians - Wednesday Midweek Meeting
We are pleased to invite you to join a meeting on Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
It will be on Zoom, so you can see it on computer or smart phone, or you can listen to it on your phone.
Jonathan, Mike and Rosemary will lead the discussion and there will be opportunity for you to join in.
Join us at 7:50 for 8 p.m. each Wednesday for about 30 minutes.
Join the Zoom Meeting by clicking on this url just before 8.00 pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84867831877?pwd=WDNBTWV3SHpZNnFHdVZ0alFIS3kvdz09
In case you need it - meeting ID: 848 6783 1877 and Password: 379081
Revd Derek Spears preached on Romans 14:1-12
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
One my favourite films is “Forrest Gump”. The film has iconic opening and closing scenes of a single white feather blown by the wind through the air – sometimes carried on an updraft, sometimes on a downdraft. This can have many interpretations – but the most obvious is that it is a metaphor for how the course our life takes is influenced by events that happen around us.
This is certainly the message from the film. Forrest Gump is a kind-hearted man from Alabama whose life seems to be directed by all the defining historical events in the post-war years of the United States. Through various personal highs and lows the film ultimately ends with Forrest leading a fulfilled life. He exercises no conscious control over the events that appear to determine the course of his life, but his uncomplaining and accepting attitude seems to carry him through.
Church Services have started - BACK in the BUILDING
From Sunday August 16th in St. Stephen's church; we started with Morning Worship and will have Benefice Communion here on Sunday 30th August.
It's been deep cleaned and well aired, and anti-coronavirus precautions are in place. The photos below show you what to expect in the way of socially distanced seating and hand cleansing dispensers. Sidespeople will be there to help. There will be a through draft in the church as we will keep the street facing doors open. A one way system will be in operation using both church doors and a toilet will be open. No books will be available but the words and prayers will be on the screen. We hope to see you there and have a socially distanced chat outside the church after the service.
