Author: Peter Wells

July 2021 No. 103

This month our special focus is on St Sebastian’s Church

Please pray for:

Vicar:                          Rev’d Andrew Marsden

LLMs:                         David Hare, Russell Shipton, Wendy Wickens,

Church Wardens:    Nigel Wickens, Mary Unwin

Treasurer:                  Celia Waters

PCC Secretary:         Vacant

Office Administrator: Vacant

In the Parish, please pray for:

• Our vicar Andrew and his wife Ros, who have had a hard year health wise. 
• All those affected by Covid, those still recovering and the families and friends of people who have died.
• The continuing restarting of services in church, that people will feel welcomed back and, despite the limitations, enjoy worshipping with others and feel safe.
• The Base, children & young families outreach service:
• Team leaders Amy & Marvin and Base team planning and running the Base services.
• Children and adults to come to faith in Jesus and for discipleship.
• More families to attend The Base. 
• Our young people that they will grow in faith through serving at The Base. 
• Families who attend the Little Angels club to come to The Base. 
• Our Church life:
• PCC roles,
• School governor roles
• The Church administrator position to be filled according to God’s will.
• Church family friendships.
• Growth and deepening of our community life and unity in the body of Christ.
• Outreach into our local community through helpful friendships. 

In the Deanery, please pray for:

• Cara Smart Assistant Curate at St Paul’s being ordained Priest 26 June and tocelebrate her first Eucharist on 27 June.
• Richard Eves to serve in Wargrave with Knowl Hill and Becky Medicott to serve at All Saints Wokingham both to be ordained deacon on 3 July.
• James Warren retired from Winnersh and Bearwood on 27 June and for those on whom the burden of caring for the parish and for all the people during the vacancy.
• Leonard Onugha as he comes to Finchhampstead as Rector in July.
• Hugh Barne, curate at Wargrave taking up a post in the Truro Diocese.
• Gemma Donnell, curate at Finchampstead taking up a post in the Salisbury Diocese.

Logo of Celebrating Common Prayer, a version of the Daily Office SSF

No. 102 June 2021

This month our special focus is on St Mary’s Twyford, St Nicholas Hurst,        and St James Ruscombe

Please pray for:

Incumbent:                Rev Anna Harwood
Associate Priests:    Rev Graham Theobald
Helen Charlton
Church Wardens:   Sue Payne, Jenny Beasley Smith
Maggie Barnes, Lucy Bowley
Children and Family worker: Ele Buckley
Youth Worker:          Connor Heath
Treasurer:                  Keith Hay
PCC Secretary:         Christine Ferris

In the Benefice, please pray for:

• Continuing work our vision ‘Shaped, trusting, growing in Christ and inspired by the Holy Spirit’. Which we have been looking at for a while now and is very exciting and has huge potential.
• Our administration and operation posts which are being reviewed. Both now need to be a paid post and our finances but our finances are challenged

In the Deanery, please pray for:

• The process around a new Deanery Plan – for energy, enthusiasm, engagement and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• Rev Dr Leonard Onaugh who will be moving to Finchampstead and California in July to be installed as Rector, and for his family.
• Rev Hugh Barne and Rev Gemma Donnell who will be moving to be Incumbents in Truro and Salisbury Dioceses at the end of their curacies.
• Rev James Warren as he retires as interim minister of Winnersh and Bearwood on 27 June and the vacancy that will create.
• All those in our Churches working to keep us safe as we worship and for the joy that we soon hope to be able to meet in groups to share our stories.
• Foodbanks and for our generosity to keep them supplied with good and nutritious food for those in need.

In this country and the world for:

• Our Government that  they will make wise decisions about the easing of restrictions.
• Those parts of this country and countries all over the world suffering badly from the Virus and its variants.
• All those suffering hardships as a result of the Pandemic.
• That people will be cautious and wise as they begin to travel abroad.

No. 101                                           May 2021

This month our special focus is on St Pauls, St Nicholas Embroolk and Woosehill

Please pray for:

Rector:                                   Reverend Richard Lamey
Associate Priests:           Reverend Jane Kraft and Reverend Judi Hattaway
Assistant Curate:           Reverend Cara Smart
Woosehill Methodist Minister:   Reverend Soba Sinnathamby
Methodist Lay Preacher: Doreen Murgatroyd
Parish Administrator:        Louise Cole
Churchwardens (St Paul’s): Peter Wells, David Ruddock
Pro-Wardens (St Nick’s): Liz Gallagher and Fiona Albinson
Woosehill Stewards:          John Hoskins and Steve Lewis
PCC Treasurer:                      Lyn Austen
PCC Secretary:                      Lesley Ruddock
Woosehill Council Secretary: Emma Wells
Woosehill Treasurer:          Lynne Paine

At St Pauls and St Nicholas, please pray for:

• All those who are preparing for their baptisms, for the welcome they will receive and for their lifelong journey with Christ.
• Those who are getting married this year, for the couples whose weddings have been postponed and for those who are newly engaged.  We pray that their lives may be filled with love for each other, those around them and for God.
• Wisdom and discernment as we listen to God and one another when working out how best to serve the community as we emerge from lockdown.
• For all who minister and worship across the parish, that there will be moments of rest and relaxation after this past year.
• All who are grieving the loss of a loved one or have not been able to attend funerals of those they mourn, that they will know God’s comfort.

At Woosehill, please pray for:

• Those leading us at this difficult socially distanced time.
• Ourselves as we remember some things we used to do before the lockdowns which may not come back and other things we need to start doing or do differently in response to the needs of community and the congregation.
• The staff & stewards who are committed to spending the time between March and August, together with members of the congregation, to position ourselves ready for the Autumn and for new opportunities which are all around us,
• Rediscovery of our purpose and our joy, reminding ourselves what is special about worshipping at Woosehill and being part of an LEP.
• The process of managing the transition from where we are now back to a more relaxed and more familiar world.

In the Deanery, please pray for:

• The recruitment of a new Family Worker at St Michael’s, Sandhurst and for Angela Harper as she moves away.
• All our parishes as we celebrate Ascension Day and Pentecost.

God our Father

For the Spirit of Peace
that calms our mind
and stills our life,
we give you thanks.
For the Spirit of Love
that touches hearts
and reaches out,
we give you thanks.
For the Spirit of Joy
that lifts our soul
and gives us faith
we give you thanks.
For the Spirit of Power,
that gift of grace
for this your church,
we give you thanks.

No. 100 April 2021

This month our special focus is on Wokingham All Saints.

Please pray for:

Rector: Reverend Canon David Hodgson

Associate Priest: Reverend Hannah Higginson (on maternity leave)

Honorary Priest: Reverend Colin James

Authorised Lay Preacher: John Boylan

Churchwardens: Clive Charlton, Alun James

PCC Treasurer: Anne King

Parish Administrator & PCC Secretary: Jane Hodgson

In the Parish, please pray for:

• For all who worship at All Saints Church
• The Spaceforall project to revitalise the church building and provide a community space.
• Mission and outreach in the new housing estates in the parish
• Becky Medlicott preparing for ordination in the summer coming to All Saints as a curate-in-training.
• Chrispen Gumbs ordinand in training on placement at All Saints.

In the Deanery, please pray for:

• All our churches and especially those which have been worshipping online as they begin to open up again for worship in church.
• Our keeping of Good Friday.
• Our celebration of Easter Day.
• St Pauls and Woosehill Churches as they return to in-person worship for Holy Week, and for all of the conversations around which activities to re-start and when to re-start them – that we will be guided by the Spirit to know what to pick up and which new opportunities and moments we should pursue.
• Those who have been most badly affected by the last 12 months, giving thanks for those who have been so selfless and generous during these last weeks.
• Woosehill Church, a long established. single congregation Local Ecumenical Partnership in the Parish of St Paul, Wokingham where 2021 is going to be a time of change, adjustment and reflection for every part of society and every Church. Woosehill has seen a change in ordained leadership, some people have moved away over the last 18 months and others have changed their Church. We have committed to undertaking a thorough review of our activities over the coming months and ask your prayers during this process.
• St John the Baptist Crowthorne as we return to worship in Church on Easter Sunday, but also for all those who will miss the videoed services.

In our country, our leaders and ourselves:

• For wisdom for our leaders as they continue to plan and monitor the easing of restriction
• That we will all behave responsibly to stop the spread of the virus.
• Giving thanks for the continuing role out of the vaccine and all that it means to each of us in our community life.
• Continuing to remember all those who have lost their lives as a result of Covid 19 and those who mourn their loss

In the world please pray:

• For those working on new vaccines and those refining the existing vaccines particularly as the virus mutates.

When everything was dark
and it seemed that the sun would never shine again,
your love broke through.

Your love was too strong
too wide,
too deep
for death to hold.

The sparks cast by your love
dance and spread
and burst forth
with resurrection light.

by the Revd Michaela Youngson.