#520 In which the Rector rejoices
Fr Sam writes
When I moved to Wokingham last year, one of the (few!) downsides I didn’t expect was that I now very rarely get to hear others preach. In my last posts, I preached only once a month, so regularly got to hear others, and to benefit from their insight and encouragement. I’m delighted that this Sunday I get to have that experience again, as Mother Jane Kraft is coming to St Paul’s to preach at the 9.30 mass. I know others will be delighted to have her with us again.
This Sunday: to an unknown God?
In our first reading, we hear the speech of St Paul on the Areopagus in Athens. He spoke to the Athenians and noticed they had an altar “to an unknown God”, and he cleverly took the opportunity to remark that the God they worshipped as unknown had been made known in Jesus Christ. (Acts 17.22-31). Our Gospel reading comes from the Last Supper, where Jesus promises to send his disciples “another comforter”, foreshadowing the gift of the Holy Spirit (John 14.15-21).
Image: St Paul preaching at Athens by Raphael
Services this Sunday
| 9.30am | St Paul’s | Parish Mass with Holy Baptism | Fr Sam Tanna-Korn Mthr Jane Kraft |
| Organ prelude: Adagio (from Trio sonata no. 1 in E flat major, BWV 525) – Bach Anthem: Rejoice in the Lord alway – Anon Voluntary: ‘Gigue’ Fugue in G major (BWV 577) – Bach | |||
| 10am | Woosehill Church | Holy Communion | Revd Nick Oborski |
| 11am | St Nicholas’ | Community Eucharist (by extension) | Mary Cassidy |
Is this your new office?
We are looking for a new Administrator for the St Paul’s Parish Rooms. The job advert is online so do check it out: maybe it’s the perfect job for you… The deadline is this Wednesday 13 May.
Taizé service
Our next Taizé Service will be held on Sunday 10 May, 3pm in Emmbrook Village Hall. All are welcome to this peaceful, reflective service. The service is led by Susannah and Vernon. There will be tea, cake and fellowship afterwards.
Taizé services are meditative and reflective, simple but deeply beautiful. If you haven’t been to one before, why not try it out?
This week’s calendar: disappearing into a cloud
Next Thursday 14 May will be Ascension Day, when we celebrate Jesus’ ascension into Heaven after forty days of Easter. The Book of Common Prayer collect for the day sums up so much of what the day (and our Christian faith) is all about:
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that like as we do believe thy only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to have ascended into the heavens; so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend, and with him continually dwell.
Image: Saint Philip by El Greco
