Newsletter

Bertie can’t decide who to cheer for on Sunday- gorgonzola? or stilton? It is an impossible choice. [265]

[York Minster]

Dear friends,

Good afternoon. Bertie here, back with all sorts of updates- we have services orders. We have notices. We have jokes. We have exciting news. We have a warning. We have ideas. We have entertainment. We have news. And it starts with this…

Cara is presiding on Sunday and Jane is preaching at the 9.30. Richard is at Woosehill with Elaine Steere (who I have never met but who sounds super, and who people are thrilled to have back helping to lead worship again) at 10, and then Cara is doing the 11am at St Nick’s. The 9.30 Order of Service is the same as it has been for the past weeks: I’ll attach it here for the last time for the moment- please save it to your computer if you need to…

Forthcoming Events

It is Wokingham Pride Weekend– do look out for the video Richard and Cara did on Faceybook and do pop along to the picnic at Elms Field tomorrow. And free Pride flags are available at the back of Church- although, that said, it does occur to me that two of them would make the perfect jovial waistcoat. Hold on there a second- I will just go and gather them…

Right, I’m back- other things to notice- Do come and join us for Meditation Group in person in St Paul’s or on Zoom (link below) 1.15-1.45pm Tuesday 13th July. Whether you have meditated before or never meditated, you are very welcome. We begin and end our time together with a short prayer and use a reading from the teachings of John Main to learn more about meditation.

““Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven.” To learn to meditate we have to learn to be very simple. We have to re-learn how to be childlike. Every time we sit down to meditate we enter into a state of oneness where the whole of our life gently shakes together in the presence of God. God is one and He calls us to be one.” John Main.

If you would like more information or to discuss anything before joining us, then do email me.

Susannah Riley    meditationgroup@spauls.org.uk

Join Zoom Meeting 
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73993457598?pwd=dXl3UEZFcDdTdDdSRmxpQ21VR1RNQT09 

Meeting ID: 739 9345 7598 

Passcode: 987654 

Hymns and Pimms at 6.15pm on Sunday the 18th (bring a drink and something to sit on and your best singing voices) which will hopefully be the last time we have to sing outside during this particular extended lockdown.

And before that on Saturday the 17th the amazing Mouse Hunt, which I am so excited by- as long as Cara keeps her promise to only allow lovely children to look for us and not terrifying catses- shudder….

Also, on Sunday the 25th, there will not be a service at St Nick’s- everyone will be at St Paul’s as we sing together (I hope) for the first time in 18 months, really, and then welcome Cara properly as a priest with drinks straight after the service. Do please come along!

Other items of import

Please continue to pray for Judi Hattaway and the whole family after Mick, her husband, who very many of you will know and like, died on Wednesday night in the RBH. Judi, our love and very best wishes are with you.

Two key items on the PCC Agenda for Monday night are how to balance the relaxing of the rules on social distancing etc while honouring the fact that some people are still (rightly) hesitant about being too close to people. it is something we are all having to navigate- and, whatever decision we come to, will be regularly reviewed and assessed. The vital thing is to make sure that those who want space can have it, while those who want to sit together will be able to do so. It is a tricky needle to thread but I am confident, and so is the Rector, that we will be able to do it as long as we keep being generous and understanding of each other’s needs. The second key decision is where to put the icon we are commissioning- whether by the altar rail or in the prayer corner where the candle-stand is, and where people will be able to see it more easily and where prayer is already offered. Watch this space for the outcomes!

Fr Peter Day, Curate in the parish until 2013, is getting married on the 31st of July- we wish both Jessica and him every joy and blessing on the day and in the years to come.

One of my friends is addicted to drinking brake fluid. He denies it, of course. He says that he can stop anytime.

“We don’t serve time travellers here” the barman asserted.

A time traveller walks into a pub.

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