#355: do journalistic mice ever get to go on strike?
Dear friends,
I apologise for the slight delay to this email but I have been investigating like a real writer and that means that I have only just got home and written up all of my notes from my exclusive and daring investigation into a House Mass. I left my mousehole! I left the nave of the Church! I left the whole Church! I left the Churchyard and I hitched a lift on one of those dashing e-scooters all the way to the Emmbrook and beyond. My heart was thumping. My paws were sweating. My whiskers were twitching. But it was all ok- and if you go to the House Mass, it will be ok too. Here is what I found out:
every Wednesday at 10.30am
a short said Eucharist with a brief reflection
Held normally at Teri’s house or Liz’s house- and they are both lovely people. If you agree to stay behind afterwards and chat to each other they pay you with tea and biscuits. Sometimes the biscuits are even ginger nuts. The venue is given out in the Pews News which my good friend and cheese- fence Louise Cole produces.
The aim of the service is to be an oasis of calm and friendship and prayer during the week, and also to be a service people who can’t perhaps come on a Sunday can really enjoy.
The people who come are lovely and friendly and made sure that I had everything I needed, even holding the order of Service for me because it was too big for my paws.
Conclusion to my investigation: if you are free on a Wednesday morning, why not go along?
This Sunday
This Sunday we have services at 9.30, 10 and 11 and then the Parish Lunch from 12.30, and in the evening we have Evensong and Benediction at 6.15pm at St Paul’s- Benediction is a still and stately extension of Evensong which allows us to relish the presence of Jesus in the Sacrament, a statement of God’s good longings for the flourishing of the world.
Coming Soon
It is PCC on Monday night– one thing we are discussing, among many, is when the right time is to restore the use of the Chalice at St Paul’s for those who would want to take the wine again. Please let a PCC member know your thoughts.
A new Epiphany to Lent course has just started on Zoom on a Tuesday night and it is not too late to join…
Tuesday study group Epiphany to Lent Every week at 7:15 pm from 10th January
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83876931293?pwd=V2dURU9WNExGb280QmhzSWE4elFIQT09
Meeting ID: 838 7693 1293 Passcode: 254711
On Jan the 30th, from 1 to 1.45, there is a Zoom Lecture from the National Gallery on the new exhibition Fruits of the Spirit, by the Curator responsible, the Rev’d Dr Ayla Lepine. It seems very exciting, and is something people can enjoy on their own, or which we can talk about afterwards. Please can you let Louise Cole know if you book a place and would like to meet up at some point to discuss things? Thanks.
Curator’s introduction: Fruits of the Spirit: Art from the Heart | Events container | National Gallery, London
IF YOU ARE KEEN TO JOIN THE LENT RETREAT conducted by Rev Roy Burgess
at St Columba’s House, Maybury Hill, WOKING GU22 8AB
6:00pm Friday 3rd – 2:30 pm Sunday 5th March 2023
please book very soon!
The weekend will begin with a light supper followed by viewing of the film Jesus of Nazareth. It will conclude after lunch and the celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday.
Silence will be an important aspect of this retreat, but there will also be worship, four talks leading from the film, times for discussion, opportunities for one-to-one meetings with the Conductor, and plenty of time for reading, reflection, prayer, relaxing, walking …
Booking forms are available on the parish website: https://spauls.co.uk/lent-retreat-2023/
All meals are included; the bedrooms are single, ensuite. CONFIRMED COST £210. (We are grateful to St Columba’s for holding their 2022 rates for us).
We are hosting a Confirmation Service with Bishop Olivia at 6.15pm on Sunday the 26th of March- if you would like to find out more, or if you know you would like to be confirmed, please can you let Richard or Cara know as soon as possible so we can start to properly plan the preparation Course? Thanking you!
Events and Happenings
A small and informal group of people meet to walk and chat on a regular but irregular basis- here is an overview…
We try to walk once a week/10days. We don’t have a set day but it is usually a weekday and changes to allow for folks commitments, mostly mornings. Sometimes there are 4 of us and sometimes 8 or more depending on other commitments. Folk come when they can. We usually walk somewhere where we can have a coffee at some point. 8 of us are going out to Sunday lunch this Sunday, 5 of us met at Jan’s between Christmas and New Year for a walk and shared lunch, and 4 of us met this Monday for a walk followed by coffee and mince pies at Sally’s.
We communicate via whatsapp. I set up the whatsapp group so I think I am the one who can add folk but any of us in the group would be happy to talk to folk about it. Liz Gallagher (lizgallagher1952@gmail.com)
Warm Spaces are an important local initiative where we are offering a place of warmth and welcome to the local community. Full details are here- do make use of it if you need to, and do make sure your friends and neighbours about the initiative as well:
Here is the latest update from Soulscape on what they are doing this term- remember, they are one of the three Charities St Paul’s and St Nick’s support:
Deanery Events about Children and YP
Berkshire Area Team are holding a series of training events to support and encourage your church to engage, reengage and grow interactions with children and young people.
[Some people are going already on the 21st and it would be great to have others going too]
We would like to invite you to one or all of the following:
- 21st January 2023 “How to grow your engagement with Children and Young People” (an in-person event at St Birinus House, Theale, 10am-12.15pm). Register here
- 14th March 2023 “We’ve got no children in our church – where do we start?” (ZOOM)
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqd-CurzwvEtD6-pp3bAHt-E8v_NNfdQS5
- 26th April 2023 “We have some links with children and young people – how do we build on this?” (ZOOM)
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdOuvrDMpGNUioQyJA_9agWzdIDUuEdLz
These events are not just for children’s and youth workers. Engaging children and young people in your church and church activities means that everyone needs to be involved. You are encouraged to attend in groups! Please follow the links to book your places on these events.
