Hello, Bertie here. Short and sweet this week, or rather, small and savoury, a bit like my favourite cheese. Which as you all know is cheddar, I mean, edam, I mean, brie, or maybe I mean cheshire in all it's lovely crumbliness, or possibly stilton, or wensleydale, or....

Whilst Bertie is deciding on his favourite cheese, maybe you could help him out and email in your favourite, we could have a 'St Paul's Parish Cheesefest', as long as everyone answers wensleydale with cranberries so we can keep the curate happy and pretend that fruit in cheese is fine.

This Sunday 

We have services at St Paul's at 9.30am and St Nick's at 11am with Jane Kraft, 10am at Woosehill with Richard Lamey, and 6.15pm for Evensong with Cara Smart.  This month's Evensong is the first in our series of 'People Jesus Met', and Cara will be preaching on Luke 13 and the woman healed on the Sabbath.

Lent

Begins on Ash Wednesday, 22nd February, with house mass at 10.30am and 8pm at St Paul's. Do come along to one, or both, as we start lent together.

We are also starting our lent course on Tuesday evenings, beginning 28th, on zoom. This helpful file holds the key dates you need to know for the next few months, so you don't miss out on anything. 

This just missed the Diary document so please can you particularly look out for it and book asap:

Please come along to the LENT LUNCH

Organised by the Social Committee & Mothers Union

Saturday 11th March 12 noon - 1.30 pm. Donations to our Charities.

Please sign up at the back of the church or email a Social Committee Chair :

Alan al_harrison@hotmail.co.uk Trish trishgatland@hotmail.co.uk

Soulscape Coffee Morning 

We support 3 charities financially, Soulscape, HomeStart and USPG, and Soulscape are local and say this:

SoulScape are holding our first fundraiser of 2023, a Coffee Morning, on Thursday 23rd February, 10.30-12pm. It is being held at Wokingham Baptist Church. We hope to use the event as an opportunity to get together with our supporters, increase awareness of what we do within schools, raise some funds and also enjoy some homemade cake!

Confirmation

We are holding a service of confirmation on Sunday 26th March, 6.15pm. Do please keep those being confirmed in your prayers as they prepare, and also put the date in your diary as it will be wonderful to have as many people as possible supporting them and being God's church and people here in Wokingham.

Prayer for Turkey and Syria

Christian Aid have written this prayer for us to pray following the devastating earthquake:

God of time and space, we cry to you for your children - our neighbours - in southern Turkey and northern Syria, following the earthquake that has devastated hundreds of lives. Only they and you know what it is like to experience such trauma in the middle of the night. 

We give thanks for the aid that is already being given and for the promises of help that have been made by many nations. 

Comfort, we pray, 

   those who are trapped in collapsed buildings; 

   those who have lost loved ones; 

   those who wait for news and 

   those digging through rubble to save others. 

Grant the gift of hope so that those caught between life and death know that you are with them and that others are ready to support them as they seek a future that overshadows the experiences of today. 

We ask this in the Name of Jesus, who endured so much for love of them. 

Amen 

Keeping in touch

And lastly, a reminder that the parish clergy are here and happy and available to support you if and when you need. We pray for the parish daily, and so do get in touch with us.

Richard Lamey: rector@spauls.co.uk

Cara Smart: cara.smart@spauls.co.uk

Church office: church.office@spauls.co.uk