#401: it’s about to get a little windy!
Dear all,
There is lots and lots to look forward to at the moment. Bertie is currently on an exciting Cruise with Jane Kraft and will be sending the odd update when the satellite is directly above the ship and her messages can be picked up and then physically transported over England when they will be deposited. Here are the first few messages from Jane and her stowaway, Bertie…
We arrived on board and went via the Plaza to the cabin which Bertie is kindly letting me share with him. We had a super meal. He was going to write this travel log but we went up to the open buffet for coffee and he discovered a whole counter of different cheeses so he he felt he needed to stay and sample them. He said it was quality control (I’d call it self indulgence) we had a fantastic meal in the cosmopolitan restaurant last night. And both slept very well. Bertie commandeered one of the four pillows and all six cushions but I felt that was only fair as I had brought my goose down travelling pillow with me. This morning we got up early to see Stromboli as we sailed past but it was shrouded in mist and no volcanic activity to be seen. We then sailed through the Messina Straits as we are breakfast in our cabin on the balcony and Bertie settled down to read the daily ship’s bulletin.
Coming Soon
The final service of Choral Evensong of the year will be on Sunday the 19th of November at 6.15pm- Canon Catharine Mabuza from Warfield, and the Area Dean of Bracknell, will be preaching on the woman at the well (John 4). Do please come along for a super evening.
The next Games Evening for people to come along and play games in the Parish Rooms will be on the evening of the 10th of December from 7pm. Do please bring a drink and do please come along- everyone welcome and it is always excellent fun.
Hi Everyone,
The next Splog will be Friday 24th November at Sweeny and Todd’s Pie Shop in Reading at 7.45pm.
Drinks beforehand will be at The Allied Arms, from 6.45pm.
As always, you are welcome to join us either at the pub, or at the restaurant.
* * *
Please note that bill for all the food will be split evenly at the end of the meal.
Drinks will be paid for individually, as usual, and can be bought from the bar.
Unlike most of the recent Splogs, we won’t be pre-ordering, and the restaurant won’t be able to do us separate bills or a set priced menu. Calculating what each of us has ordered individually is an administrative nightmare, so please be advised that, whatever food is ordered (including sides and deserts etc), the food bill will be split evenly.
* * *
Sweeny and Todd’s Pie Shop is at 10 Castle St, Reading RG1 7RD
The Allied Arms is at 57 St Mary’s Butts, Reading RG1 2LG
The website is here: http://www.sweeneyandtodd.co.uk/pies/
* * *
I have it on good authority that, last time we went, Sweeny’s were able to provide a gluten free option. Please just let me know if this is something you will require.
* * *
We had a great turnout last time and had a wonderful evening, so I hope you will be able to join us.
John
Also, a few people asked for a copy of Richard’s sermon from Sunday on the two great commandments Jesus leaves to his followers- it is here…
A quick reminder that everyone who has been baptised is welcome to receive communion in Church since we believe that baptism is full membership of the life of the Church- do speak to a member of the clergy if you would like to find out more.Â
There has been an interesting discussion in The Sunday Times recently about people’s experiences of grief and whether people step forward to engage and support or run away and make everything worse because they don’t know what to say or do. Some people have pretty grim stories of no one knowing how to raise things so saying nothing- and so being made to feel more isolated than ever- but others have talked about how good it was to have people say to them “I know I can’t make things better and there are no words that can do that but I am here with you- how are you?” and Valerie Humphrey said; “When I went back to work I said to everyone, “Hi, I’m back, and this is just as weird for me as it is for you so all conversations and hugs are welcome.” Everyone sighed with relief and I never had one awkward moment.”Â
We are keeping the feast of All Souls’ on Thurs the 2nd of November at 8pm. Please do come along to what is always a moving and comforting service- do tell your friends and neighbours about it, especially if they have been bereaved- and do let Louise in the Office know if you would be able to come along early to light some of the candles in the Churchyard. Most of our regular candle-lighters are not around this year so we need some new volunteers to help with that. (We will, confusingly, keep All Sts on the 5th of November
because you can’t move it forward onto a Sunday but only back).
All-Souls-Day-poster-2023-1Download
The Bazaar, Sat Nov the 11th
Parish Rooms
Lots of exciting things to know and to help with before this amazing event. We will have an Organ Recital from Chris at 11am, followed by the Bazaar at 12. We are looking for more volunteers (talk to Liz G or Teri) and also these things for stalls…
Gift
Stall: I am running a gift stall at the Bazaar. If you have
anything suitable or can make anything for the stall I would be very grateful
to receive them. Wendy Darlison
Richard and the Clergy Team are still
collecting wine bottles with screw lids. Thanks.Â
Tombola – The
choir will once again be running the Tombola at the Bazaar on 11th
November. We would be very grateful for suitable donations of bottles,
packets, tins, toiletries, sweets etc. There will be a box at the back of
church for donations on 29 October and 5 November or please hand them to a
member of the choir. Thank you, Lesley.
Bric à Brac Stall – We would be grateful for any saleable contributions for this
stall before the event if possible. You can deliver to me at 37 Chestnut
Avenue, Wokingham RG41 3HW. I am also happy to pick them up from you. You can
also give them to me at church. Thank you, Elizabeth Hunter. (0118 978 3260)
Have your say– Wokingham Community
Wokingham Borough Council are consulting on
the future of the Borough, what we value and what we would like to keep.
Responses need to be in by the 6th of November and filling things in online is
the easiest way to reply- if you can read an email from Bertie then you have
all of the tech skills you need in order to be able to fill in the online form.
Do reply and do tell your friends. We want as many replies as possible in order
to be able to have confidence in what we are being told by the people of the Borough.
Oak Tree
We are still looking into how and when and
what is the best way we can cut down our poorly oak tree in the
churchyard. The tree has been there for so long, housed so many species,
provided space for nests for so many birds, sheltered us from the wind and
rain, provided much needed shade on a cool day, and done so for hundreds of
people over the years. We are increasingly growing more aware of the
amazing role trees play in our world, the amount of stability and good they
provide, how a forest can cool the hot summers day by lowering the temperature
by a few degrees, how trees communicate with one another, and how they share
the sunlight rather than compete with one another. A congregation member
was reflecting on trees in the Bible, the tree of life in Genesis came to their
mind, and how trees can be seen as a symbol of peace – something which our
world is in particular need of right now as we pray for peace in the Holy Land,
in Ukraine and Russia, and every person and place affected by the horror of war
and by the absence of peace. They wondered about how best we could plant
a tree for peace, and if this is something you’d like to do, we have a few
suggestions:
- At St Pauls’, our
intention is to plant a new tree in the same area of the existing Oak Tree
which will eventually grow to a similar size – in 350 years. So we are
also appealing for funding for our tree replacement project. You can
donate using the following link: One-off Gifts – Parish Giving Scheme - Plant an
Olive Tree in a pot for your own house or porch, and use it as a focus for
your own prayers for peace. - Donate to an
existing plant a tree scheme, some suggestions are here:
http://www.plant-a-tree.org.uk/
Or this:
Or even this:
https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/the-tough-get-growing/product/OU1273CJ?sku=OU1273CJ
And finally, here is an update from one of our Tithings Groups… from Colin Weedon…Â
Pauline and Peter invited us to lunch with this:
It is 1937 and you have been invited to lunch at the luxurious Chateaux Deux Chevaux, home of one of France’s finest vineyards. But the promise of a sparkling afternoon is shattered when you discover that your host, Anthony Birgess-Blunt, has been found dead in one of his own wine-vats.
One – or more- of the guests gathered around the table is responsible for his death. All have their own secretes and motives, but which one of you fermented the plot. It’s up to you to find out……
The suspects are:
MARIE DE CHEVAL (aka Christine) – Married to the murdered man, she inherited this fine Chateau that has been in the family for generations.
MAURICE DE CHEVAL (aka Peter) – Marie’s brother is a brilliant scientist working on a secret project for the government.
ORSON WHALES (aka Tom) – The enfant terrible of Hollywood is in France researching his next film, to be entitled A Vintage Murder.
MARLENE DEEPDITCH (aka Penny) – A wine merchant from Berlin, she has long been a key business associate of the murdered man.
PHIL QUIMBY (aka Alan) – Like Marlene, he is a wine merchant with close connections to the Chateaux, bringing the best French wines to an exclusive English clientele.
PHILLIPE PETOMANE (aka Colin) – The estate manager at Chateaux Deux Chevaux, he has been with the family since he was orphaned in the Great War.
JILLY GOOLEY (aka Val) – A young Australian wine writer who has ambitions to become a top journalist and press baron.
WALLIS SIMPER (aka Pauline) – An interior designer from South Africa.
We had a wonderful, fun filled, laughter-soaked meeting.
Thank you SO much for inventing Tithing Groups – – we are just Loving it !!!
