With weekly themes shaped around the first Genesis account of creation, #LiveLent: Care for God’s Creation explores the urgent need for humans to value and protect the abundance God has created. 40-day challenge booklets are available for both adults and children as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book Saying Yes to Life by Ruth Valerio, published by SPCK.
Christian Aid’s Lent
campaign focuses on helping people affected by climate change. Count Your Blessings helps
you put your faith into action through daily reflections and challenges. Details of the campaign and resources for churches
The #everydayfaith reflections encourage us to ask how God can work through us to bless others. A great way to explore this is through the Gifts for Everyday Faith questionnaire or a Personal Discipleship Plan. You’ll find both of these on our website. Watch the short film below to find out how Paul benefited from a Personal Discipleship Plan.
Music for Mission and
Ministry
Training courses from the Royal School of Church Music for leaders of worship
and musicians. Three-day courses in 2020 take place in February, April and
September/October. There are also one-day courses available. Flyer
Energy efficiency can enable our churches to provide attractive places of sanctuary, fellowship and communion – with a comfortable level of warmth and illumination – at a lower cost to the planet, and sometimes with financial savings as well. One significant barrier for churches, however, is knowing what positive actions they can undertake. PCCs can now obtain and begin to act on expert advice in this area with energy audits carried out by professionals with experience of historic places of worship. The energy audit looks at a range of energy uses in the church building, from lighting to heating, and recommends the energy and carbon reduction measures available. These can include simple changes that will cost nothing – such as setting adjustments and changing practices – as well as options for renewable technologies, better controls, or changes in equipment. This short film tells the story of how one church in Wokingham has benefited from this approach. To find out more, visit: oxford.anglican.org/church-energy-audits
This
month our special focus is on Arborfield
with Barkham and Christ Church Wokingham.
Please pray:
For our
family of churches gathering for our annual joint service on January 26th.
Pray we would give God the glory for all he has done and be encouraged to
continue to serve him.
Arborfield – St Bartholomew’s – Please
pray
Give thanks for all those who continue to serve joyfully in seen and unseen ways week by week.
That as the new year begins, we would continue to rejoice in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and seek to live in light of his return.
The leadership team: Andy Kearns (Minister)
Wardens: Patricia Fryer, Joe Brown
Treasurer: Mark McDonnell
PCC secretary: Tom Auden
Barkham – St James’ – Please pray
That the Lord would have been working in the hearts of some who came to our Carol services and that they would join us in January with a desire to find out more about Jesus.
Give thanks for those who have joined us recently. Pray they would settle into the church family so that we might grow and serve the Lord together.
that we would grow in our prayerfulness; that we would be ‘Devoted to prayer, being watchful and thankful’ (Colossians 4:2)
The leadership team: Julian Bidgood (minister), David Horrocks, Michael Byrne
Wardens: Mark Stevens, Craig Manning
Treasurer: Lionel Matsuya
PCC secretary: Isobel Manning
Arborfield Green – Church at the Green –
Please pray
Give thanks for number of relationships strengthened through outreach events pre-Christmas and pray that from amongst them there may be those who come to faith in Jesus in 2020.
Give thanks for the many children aged 0-11 who belong to CTG and pray they may grow into lifelong followers of Jesus.
That we would be a people who ‘Rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
The leadership team: Piers Bickersteth (Minister)
Elders: James Carpenter, Ed Clark
Christ Church Wokingham – Please pray
Give thanks for provision of a house for the Huddleston family.
For those who give so much time to serving the church family. That they would serve in the strength God supplies and find real joy in serving.
The leadership team: Mark Huddleston (Minister), Mellissa Tuthill
Wardens: Martin Northend, Helen Hotchkiss
Treasurer: Graham Richardson
PCC secretary: Andrew Bateman
In the Deanery please
pray for:
All Saints Wokingham as they begin to ask for donations to realise the vision for a church building which is an accessible and open community hub.
Woosehill Guidance for post-Christmas reflection for a prophetic vision for the or the years ahead.
A sense of the ‘privilege’ of serving the King and making and taking opportunity to serve the people of God in Woosehill.
Hope and thanksgiving trust in God in the midst of illnesses.
The next processes after the energy audits one of which is application for funds for implimentation of these recommendations.
The process of transition at Hawthorns Primary school as they look for the next head teacher.
Winnersh
Parish, especially that
the Parish Priest, the PCC, Churchwardens and Parish Development Adviser may be
enabled to listen to what God is saying as we consider our future mission and
ministry in 2020 and beyond.
