Peugeot 204 (not that I’ve owned one- I had to learn to drive on a Fiat Panda. Yep, them were the days…)

Bertie is currently writing his personal statement for the parish website, and is approaching perfection of expression, so he has asked me to put the email together. I asked him what he thought I should include and he was quite blunt with me: “I don’t know. You’re meant to be the Rector or something. It’s your name on the noticeboard. Do your job. Leave me to polish my last sentence.” So, suitably chastened, I will.

Exciting things to be part of

1. Cara recommends this amazing website, which is a window swap- see the world through someone else’s window: https://www.window-swap.com/

2. See email 202 for details of what we are collecting this week for the Wokingham Foodbank- the focus of the collecting is this Sunday so do please add items to your shopping list and then add them to the green basket in Church.

3. Saturday sees the final Saturday at 4 for the moment- Penny Williams is going to lead a conversation around “Books I love.” Please come along to this Zoom address with either an answer on “Which book will you be reading or re-reading in 2021?” or an eager and inquisitive heart:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82498989632?pwd=VWhFZDVZUHJiUDBQbksweExyQWlrQT09
Meeting ID: 824 9898 9632   Passcode: 007776

4. The link to Come and See is here: How to ask deep questions of faith (anglican.org) Please do let Richard know if you would be interested in being part of the course on a Wednesday evening at 7pm, so I can send you a link. It is a new course introducing the Christian faith from the beginning and it should be fun!

5. Also attached is Cara’s reflection for the week, on getting ready for Lent. It is well worth a read- and Bertie agrees with me on that too.

Diaries to hand- here’s what’s coming up

…I attach again the Lent Booklet so you can see what is going on in the next weeks, and decide which bits to join in with. You’re welcome.

Getting started with Lent- an exciting and important message from Cara

Tuesday 16^th will be our parish pancake party, starting at 6.30pm.  You’ll need paper, pen and colouring pens/pencils, pancakes, frying pan and your favourite topping so we can have a zoom pancake flipping relay, fun quiz, favourite pancake toppings battle and a global pancake naming quick fire round.
Tuesday 16^th will also be our first Lent Course, looking at the environment and climate issues from a Christian perspective.  It starts at 7.15pm.
for BOTH the Pancake Party and the Lent course is the same: Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83997394879?pwd=L1FDSWxSYmYyOGNHUmd0ZytNQURRUT09
Meeting ID: 839 9739 4879         Passcode: 132087

Which means… 7.15pm on Tuesday 16^th is going to be fun and busy as the pancake fun dwindles to a close.  And so to end, we’re going to ‘bury the Alleluias’ ready for Easter Sunday, as during lent we don’t proclaim alleluia or say/sing the Gloria.
There’s an alleluia colouring sheet attached if you want to print off and colour, or you could make your own on a piece of paper.

You can bury it properly in some soil if you want, or just pop it in a box or safe place, ready to take out again on Easter Sunday.
The Lent course is the USPG ‘For Such a time as this’ which is attached as a PDF.  Please come to all or some of the weeks as you can.
If you’d like a paper copy please get in touch with Cara (cara.smart@spauls.co.uk) to arrange to pick one up or have one dropped off (although they haven’t actually yet arrived, a minor detail I’m sure!)

Prayers and Stillness

1. Louise has asked me to remind you that we start again with the prayer list at the start of each month- if you would like a name to stay on the prayer list please could you email Louise to let her know before 9am on Friday- church.office@spauls.co.uk

2. From Mary Cassidy: Exploring the Lee Abbey website, after looking at the Retreat mentioned in the Lent Booklet, I discovered a set of videos called Immersive Meditations  https://leeabbeydevon.org.uk/resources/immersive-meditations/

“I think these might be a great blessing for some who are still shielding or just not getting out (and others bored with their usual routes!) – short videos of walks on the Lee Abbey estate, with a brief Bible passage and suggestion for reflection while “walking” through different parts of the Estate. I have just watched one alongside the river with the sound of footsteps, the river and birdsong – no speech! Very peaceful and calming.”

The Bright Field by R. S. Thomas
(a poem recently sent out to his mailing list by John Sutton)

I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the pearl
of great price, the one field that had
the treasure in it. I realize now
that I must give all that I
to possess it. Life is not hurrying
on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.

And a poem for World Peace, from Fr Tony Kemp
Lord, our Father, we pray for the world which you created to be beautiful and peaceful;
A world which reflects the touch of your creative hands and your abundant love.
How long, O Lord, will the nations tear it apart, causing turmoil and violating human rights?
How long will violent dictatorships imprison dissidents who protest against corruption?
We pray for those countries where political and economic ideologies come into conflict; and –
That polarised positions be resolved democratically to establish justice, peace and harmony.
Lord God, we pray that the good news of your love may be proclaimed to all the world;
So that all the peoples may praise you and the earth bring forth its increase. Amen.