#424: an unusually attacking soccer formation, with real wingers

Bertie is feeling quite tired at the end of a long and exhausting few days, covering the shock/ half-expected resignation of the Rector so this is going to be a punchy and concise epistle, while he tries to find out more about the cheeses of South Norfolk and whether he is going to accept Fr Richard’s job offer as Press Secretary for the Department of Mission and Ministry or accept a hefty pay rise (he hopes) by staying here and running the vacancy. Here is the News…

Services at 9.30, 10 and 11 this Sunday– and then Choral Evensong at 6.15pm features Canon Bruce Ruddock, Chaplain to the King, followed by refreshments. Do come along. There will be J-Club this week- we are running it this term on the 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the month, and offering activities on the other weeks for families to do together. And don’t forget the excellent South Berkshire Singers concert this Saturday night at St Paul’s at 7.30pm, raising funds for, well, us.

Thank you to everyone for your very kind messages to us as a family since our departure was announced on Sunday.

Don’t forget to collect your Pathways magazine from Church- featuring a passionate and insightful with the Bishop of Reading and the Associate Archdeacon of Berkshire to mark the 30th anniversary of the first women being Ordained Priests in Oxford Diocese. And we must note in passing that Hannah Higginson (who was on placement at St Paul’s several years ago) as the Rector of All Saints, Wokingham. Her Induction will be on the 10th of July.

Some dates for the diary…

Parish Confirmation on the 19th of May at 6.15pm by Bishop Olivia,

Richard’s last Sunday in the parish will be the 14th of July with details to be announced of services and a party that day,

and the Carbon Literacy Course for congregations starts in the Parish Room on the 2nd of May.. please email Louise if you would like to come along. If you want to find out more about the course and the Carbon Literacy Project which has created it, there is information here:  https://carbonliteracy.com 

And the Choir are singing Evensong on the 27th of April at 4pm at Southwark Cathedral, and then the APCM will be the day after- at 5pm in the Parish Rooms. (There won’t be a Zoom option for this meeting- it was hinted at in error in a note on the paperwork we had intended to delete).

APCM Sunday 28th April 2024 to be held in the Parish Rooms at 5pm.

This is your chance to hear what has been happening over the last 12 months. At the meeting we will need to elect or re-elect two churchwardens for St Paul’s, two pro-wardens for St Nick’s, one Deanery Synod rep and up to eight PCC members. If you are interested in becoming a PCC member, please speak to Lesley, Fr Richard or one of the churchwardens as soon as possible and complete a nomination form. PCC meetings are held 6 times a year on Monday evenings. The papers for the meeting and the nomination forms are all available on our website and in hard copy at the back of church. Please consider whether you are called to stand, and also pray for the life and work of the PCC, its effectiveness, commitment and openness to the guidance of God.

Electoral Roll The Electoral Roll for this year is pinned to the church noticeboard in the porch.  This edition has names only; if you have sent in an application form recently, please check that your name is entered correctly.  I do have a full copy with me in church, so if you would like to check that all your details are correct, please let me know.     Teri Austen

Here are the Walking Group enjoying a Coffee in Sandhurst Memorial Park after a lovely walk by the Blackwater- if you would like to find out more about the walking group do speak to Louise Cole…

And here is Bishop Hall’s final epistle from Madagascar… I’m not really saying anything but it does feel a bit half-hearted when you declare on 96 when others are into the 400s…

MOTHERS’ UNION There were hundreds of chicks knitted by Mothers’ Union members so we could stuff them with eggs to give to various charities. It was great to have help from our members to put the eggs inside and led to 51 being given to Abbeyfield Care Home. The main group, 100, went to the children at the Children Heard and Seen party at Hill End, Cumnor, after Easter. Families came from all over the country and our diocese provided food for the party and for breakfast for those families staying overnight. Children Heard and Seen help families with a parent in prison and I had a lovely time helping with the craft and chatting to parents. More chicks went to Home Start in Newbury, Building for the Future in Wokingham, a number of Young Carers in High Wycombe and the local Kinship Carers group. Jean Vaughan

PS- the Parish Office will close at lunchtime tomorrow until Monday so any information you need included in Pews News needs to be with Louise by then. Thanks.