The Parish of

All Saints Wokingham

www.allsaintswokingham.org.uk £1.00

1

DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013 Generally speaking most of us don’t like to be kept waiting. A frequent complaint of modern life is waiting on the phone to speak to a call centre operator; or waiting for a website to load on a slow connection. The prospect of waiting in line to pay at the till is a big disincentive to going shopping for me. That’s a minor issue; but the length of a hospital waiting list on the other hand is no trivial matter. Waiting in our culture has become something to be avoided as much as possible; we pay more to avoid it if we can afford to. We feel bad about waiting: time is wasted; dignity is affronted. So it is then that the church season of Advent is definitely counter-cultural. Advent tells us that there are situations where waiting is good. There are times when patience is called for. The themes we pick up in Advent re- affirm that sense found often in the Bible that a well-lived life contains a great appreciation of the value of waiting.

As the psalmist wrote: “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.” We need to wait for the good which is coming; we need to wait for God.

Samuel Beckett’s famous play “Waiting for Godot” , which Beckett said was not about waiting for God, has two hapless characters who are hobos or tramps – they have nothing much - waiting for the mysterious Mr Godot. The challenge is how shall they pass their time. They’d rather not be with each other, they say, but they need one another to pass the time otherwise they’d be alone and that they fear more. Is this a bleak vision of life? Certainly the almost mindless conversations of the two are not very inspiring; or is it a vision of the survival of hope in a bleak world?

Rohinton Mistry’s novels about families struggling to live and to make sense of life in India paint an often bleak picture of poverty and corruption. Fate deals cruel blows to his characters. Usually the hoped-for change to deliver them that they wait for crumbles into nothing the moment it almost arrives; false hopes and shattered illusions abound. Is it a purely bleak vision of life? Or is the author, by the compassion and persistence in hoping many of his characters show, giving a picture of life which is hopeful and positive, despite the selfishness and apathy which affects so many people?

In Advent waiting is given a positive value in our liturgy. Waiting in this world of many setbacks still is worthwhile. Canon Bill Vanstone – one of the most inspiring parish priests of the last century, wrote a book called The Stature of Waiting – in which he shows that even God - in Christ - has subjected himself to the value of waiting.

From the Rector December 2012

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Bill Vanstone wrote:

“Between our work and the fruit of it there is always a distance, the time of waiting. We all know this and we all have found it hard to bear. Yet waiting is built into the structures of living. Expectation of good is a joy that we could not have without waiting. Crises of courtship, birth, promotion, all make demands upon our patience. Would it have been better if these changes had fallen upon us, like Newton's apple? Would we have been better people? Something persuades us otherwise. We appreciate the good that has come to us the more when it comes, not by plain sailing, but through heavy seas; over the edge of the falls…. We notice in the Scriptures that there is a premium set upon waiting for God. Waiting is a form of faithfulness, of endurance. It is the other side of seeking him. Waiting is so important that its demands are placed upon Jesus, who carries it up to the Father. He works steadily, patiently, in the day God has given him… Waiting thus is hallowed by God who voluntarily sets aside his rule over us and in Christ comes under its rule. So he encourages and blesses our waiting, our patience, our endurance.”

The prayers and hymns in church during December invite us to enter into a mode of waiting - waiting for the good which is to come with patience and faithfulness. The Christmas Nativity story tells of the pregnant Mary waiting for her child to arrive as every expectant parent waits.

As our country enters the fifth year of economic retrenchment since the global financial near- meltdown we are still waiting for a sense of real recovery and confidence. Instead we are seeing public provision being reduced and every week more people needing to rely on food handouts. It might be that programmes of austerity and cuts in public funding are yet another example of our cultural abhorrence of waiting. Perhaps austerity and cuts are all about a false rush to try and quickly get over a crisis – to get back to “normal” as fast as possible; never mind the cure is so painful and debilitating for many families and institutions in our country that it is worse than the disease in fact. If our political leaders knew the value of waiting perhaps they would be ready to take a more cautious and measured approach to re-building the economy and public finances, which does not so rapidly increase the financial burdens on so many people, and so undermine the compassion and hope we need to recover.

In our own lives and our life together as a society the Advent message of waiting for the good which is to come is as profound and relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. A joyful Christmas and blessed New Year to all.

David Hodgson

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Please leave items for publication in the Magazine tray in the

Parish Office or email directly to the editor on or before the Copy

Date please. Contributions can be typed, handwritten or emailed

All Saints PCC Wokingham is a

Registered Charity, No. 1127585

Editor: Bill Poulsom (979 0484)

Associate Editor Harriet Swinyard (962 9313)

Email: editor@allsaintswokingham.org.uk

Distribution: Sheila Longley (978 4193)

Advertisements: Bill Poulsom (979 0484)

Collation: Sheila Longley & team (978 4193)

Copy Date for February: 13 Jan 2013

Collation: 22 Jan 2013

This magazine is published by the Rector and PCC of All Saints Parish

Wokingham. Opinions expressed by individual contributors do not necessarily

reflect the views of the publishers.

Following in her son’s footsteps

Ringing often runs in families, with children following their parents into the tower. Sometimes the process works in reverse, which was the case with Sue James, who learnt to ring after her son Oli. He rang his first quarter peal for Harvest Festival, and hot on his heels, Sue rang her first quarter peal on Remembrance Sunday.

When ringing for Remembrance, we always half-muffle the bells. Each bell has a leather pad fitted to one side of the clapper, so the bells sound alternately loud and soft, like an echo. It is a very dignified sound, especially if the ringing is moderately slow, as it was on this occasion.

At All Saints, we take pride in our role as the Church’s voice to the surrounding community, marking events of both rejoicing (like the Jubilee) and reflection (like Remembrance) with appropriate ringing. Sue is the latest ringer to join the team responsible for continuing this important aspect of the church’s mission.

John Harrison

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Parish Clergy

Rector The Revd. Canon David Hodgson 979 2999

Associate Priest The Revd. Caroline Kramer 979 9956

Honorary Asst. Curate The Revd. Colin James 978 1515

Honorary Asst. Curate The Revd. Helen Charlton 978 9153

Church Wardens John Smith 979 0948

Katherine Huggett 07834450819 Vacancy —

Parish Administrator Jo Asplin 979 2797

Children and Youth

Safeguarding Co-ordinator

and Children’s Advocate Margaret Raggett 979 2797

Crèche Leader Rachel Garlish 978 2602

Junior Church Co-ordinator Harriet Swinyard 962 9313

Youth Church Contacts: Robert Vacher, Susan Westgate 979 2797

Friday Night Youth Drop-In

(FDI) Contacts: Katherine Huggett, John Smith 979 2797

Worship and Music

Director of Music (inc. Choir) Richard Smith

Music Group Leader Gail Houghton 979 2797

Head Server Rachel Knowles 979 4736

Deputy Head Server Ruth Smith 978 7065

Bible Readers’ rota J Joyce Baldry 978 8506

Tower Foreman John Harrison 978 5520

Flower Guild Chairman Lucille Taylor 978 6847

Worship Rota and Prayer Lists Co-ordinator The Revd. Colin James 978 1515

Lay Co-Chair of Transforming Worship Liz Rippon 978 0455

Parochial Church Council

PCC Secretary David Atkinson 979 7911

Deputy PCC Secretary Jo Robinson 978 9730

PCC Treasurer Stephen Smith 979 4407

Deputy PCC Treasurer John Alp 979 2797

Clergy and Officers

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PCC Treasurer’s Team Margaret Hawkins 962 9792

Dickon Snell 978 1044

Stewardship Co-ordinator Jo Robinson 978 9730

Gift Aid Co-ordinator Peter Whittaker 978 6225

Stewardship Recorder Jim Creech 377 4194

Electoral Roll Officer Joyce Baldry 978 8506

Leadership Forum Convenor Liz Rippon 978 0455

Asst. Stewardship Recorder and Asst. Gift Aid Coordinator Chris Westgate 979 2797

Pastoral Care contacts

Home Communion Barbara Smith 979 4407

Healing Prayer Group Jack Hayley 978 3939

Pastoral Care Jo Robinson 978 9730

Bereavement Care Sarah Boylan 979 2797

Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals Parish Office 979 2797

Churchyard Steward John Smith 979 0948

Transportation Susan Westgate 977 1041

Clergy available days:

David All days except Thursday

Caroline All days except Friday

Colin Mon to Wed, Sat, Sun.

Helen Usually Tues. and Sun.

Clergy and Officers

The Parish Office (0118 979 2797), in the Cornerstone, can be contacted about church

related issues (Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals). It is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and

Friday from 9.30 am to 1.00 pm and for urgent matters or by telephone on Monday

and Thursday from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon.

e-mail: parishoffice@allsaintswokingham.org.uk

Postal address: The Parish Office, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE

All Saints website: www.allsaintswokingham.org.uk

The Cornerstone: For room bookings and general enquiries please phone

0118 979 7778. Administrator Monica Martin is in the office: Monday 2-5pm, Tuesday

12.15-4.30pm, Wednesday 2-5.30pm, Thursday 1.45 - 6.00pm.

e-mail: info@thecornerstonewokingham.org.uk

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Worship at All Saints

Services at All Saints' Church embrace a wide range of formats. An outline is given below but for details and information about occasional services, see the weekly leaflet.

Sunday Services 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion. A said service with a brief address using the

traditional language version of the Common Worship Order One Eucharist.

9.30 a.m. Parish Communion. The service is sung, with hymns, and follows Common Worship Order One Eucharist. Children are catered for in the Crèche and Junior Church. The last Sunday in the month is Parish Communion for the Whole Church and often includes Parade, children are present throughout, and contribute to the worship. Prayer for Healing with Laying on of Hands is offered regularly at certain Parish Communion services (see diary). Coffee is served after the service and this is the weekly 'social gathering' of the Congregation. Please come and meet us there if you are a visitor to the church or would like to get to know us better.

11.00 a.m. (1st Sunday) Family Service The service is simple with songs, prayers and a talk for children. Everyone is invited but especially parents and children. If you ever worry that your children are too noisy for Church, this is the place to try!

11.15 a.m. (2nd Sunday) Holy Communion A said service using the Book of Common Prayer.

11.00 a.m. (3rd Sunday) Family Service

11.15 a.m. (Some 4th Sundays) Matins using the Book of Common Prayer, usually sung and including a sermon.

6.30 p.m. (1st - 3rd Sundays) Evensong using the Book of Common Prayer with sermon. Choral Evensong is sung usually on the first Sunday of each month.

(An alternative form of worship on 4th & 5th Sundays; and Services of Healing)

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Weekday Services

Morning and Evening Prayer are said, using Common Worship Daily Prayer, at 9.00

a.m. and 5.00 p.m. each day from Monday to Saturday.

All may, and are encouraged, to attend. These services may be led by a Priest or

members of the Laity.

Holy Communion is celebrated as follows:

Monday 9.30 a.m. (Common Worship Order One)

Tuesday 9.30 a.m. (Common Worship Order One with short address, followed by coffee)

Wednesday 10.00 a.m. (Simple form of Common Worship Order One and

short address (particularly for parents and

child-minders of babies and pre-school children)

Friday in various Residential Homes

Major festivals are also marked by additional celebrations of Holy Communion.

Please see the Parish Diary elsewhere in the magazine, or see our Services leaflet.

********************************************

Home Communion: If anyone knows of a housebound parishioner, either temporarily or long term, who would like to receive Holy Communion, please contact the Parish Office (979 2797).

Confirmation, Welcome or Growth Groups:

Anyone interested in confirmation, a refresher course, or learning about the Christian faith is invited to join one of the Eureka! groups or a confirmation course - contact Barbara Smith on 979 4407.

Baptisms: are usually conducted at a special afternoon service on the last Sunday of each month; or occasionally in Sunday morning services if requested. Baptisms can be booked via the Parish Office (979 2797).

Wedding Bookings: Clergy are available in the Cornerstone on Monday from 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm and on Saturday from 10.30 am - 11.30 am on an appointment basis. Please book via the Parish Office (979 2797).

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Although winter is not the easiest time of year for flower arranging , there is nothing like a challenge, and just a few pieces of greenery combined with one or two flowers can look remarkably attractive. In the flower shops there are still quite a range of flowers available. There are carnations, chrysanthemums freesias; and a great range of exotic flowers such as lilies, gladioli and amaryllis from all over the world to give extra colour. It is a good time of the year to use the rich dark evergreen foliage's of holly, yew and ivy, which will last for a long while once cut. They are lovely either by themselves or mixed with bright coloured flowers. I particularly like to place winter flowers in the more understated vases to reinforce the atmosphere of winter: subtle stoneware glazes in off-white, grey and beiges, metal, stone and of course the ever useful baskets. We will be decorating the Church for Christmas on Saturday 22nd December after Holy Communion service, which commences at 9:30am. This is the only time during the year that the Flower Guild can be together quietly, before the hustle and bustle of arranging the flowers for Christmas takes place. Please come and join us to help prepare the Church for Christ's birth. If you have any evergreen foliage e.g. yew, variegated holly, ivy or spruce this would be most welcome. Please leave by vestry door on Saturday morning. For more information contact me.

Lucille Taylor

Rota for December

December 22nd Christmas December 30th See weekly sheet

Rota for January 2013

January 6th Mrs L Taylor, Mrs M Hughes LT January 20th See weekly sheet January 27th Candlemas For further information contact Lucille Taylor 9786847 or Hazel Matthews 9786700

Flower Guild

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An inspiring member – Lucy’s story

Lucy is one of the 9 founding members of a community savings bank, DKMS,

founded by Mothers’ Union in the diocese of Mount Kenya in 1998.

Lucy gave up her job in the city when she got married and moved to her

husband’s home village in a rural area. Work opportunities there were few

and she found the loss of financial stability hard. Many of the women at her

church were housewives caring for small children.

Lucy and 8 of her fellow MU members were elected by the membership to establish a savings collective to ensure women had access to funds should they need them and that they had somewhere to save. The rules of the ‘bank’ were established by the team. Their bishop was so supportive that he gave them space and administrative support in the diocesan office and even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice to raise funds for the project.

Initially 200 women contributed 200 shillings each to provide the ‘bank’ with its start-up funding; subsequently the deposit rate was a minimum of 100 shillings, with no maximum, members contributing what they could afford.

With nothing else like it for women for miles, the ‘bank’ became very successful. Many local women have accessed loans and repaid them, with the small amount of interest paid enabling them to extend the scheme: the loans have been used to buy food, pay for schooling, buy land for a small business – whatever was needed.

The ‘bank’ became more and more successful, with more and more women joining the scheme and it gained official registration within Kenya as a bank in 1999. The success meant that the women gained a profit on their investment as well as from their growing businesses. This in turn meant more people wanted to join and as the members’ children grew up, their sons and husbands saw the financial success and wanted to take part themselves. In 2010, the bank opened to all family members within the Anglian church; the growth created the need for a full-time professional CEO

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FINANCIAL FITNESS

WE ARE MANY ...

WE ARE ONE BODY ...

WE HAVE TO KEEP HEALTHY!

To find out more ...

join us for fun, interactive sessions

at our church services on

Sunday 20th January 2013

The Stewardship Team

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to take on the strategic and day to day planning.

This year, the bank has been licenced by the Kenyan government. The bank’s capital is now £1.25 million; it has over 4,000 clients and employs 10 staff over 6 branches. Capital is used to open more branches with the emphasis always on helping women access banking services and saving.

Lucy is justifiably thrilled that over the 14 years that the project has been running they have never had a single defaulter on any loan!

Families First

The Mothers’ Union are delighted that high street chain WHSmith and some independent newsagents are stocking our MU magazine, ‘Families First’. Do look out for it and encourage friends to purchase copies in order to keep it in stores and increase circulation and availability.

Branch news

There will be no branch meeting in December. January’s meeting is our

AGM. Corporate Communion continues on the second Tuesday of every

month without a break.

More information on The Mothers Union’s work worldwide can be found on the website www.themothersunion.org. For branch information or a lift to meetings, please call Valerie (978 7363) or Mary (978 2678).

Tues 11th December 9.30am Corporate Communion.

2013

Tues 8th January 9.30am Corporate Communion

Wed 23rd January 7.45 for 8.00pm Branch AGM

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All Saints’ Church Fellowship

Welcome to All Saints’ Church Fellowship which is usually held in the Cornerstone De Vitre Room on the third Wednesday in the month but please see weekly leaflet as sometimes this changes. We ask people to come at 7.45pm for 7.55pm start with prayers and notices. The cost to visitors is £1.50 which includes coffee. Contact for Fellowship is Diana Clifford 9792614.

MEETINGS:-

WED. DEC. 19th. The last meeting for this year when we are having a ‘Christmas Get Together’. A mixture of prayer and Bible readings, raffle with proceeds going to Stage Fright which has been our charity for 2012, a quiz with Quiz Dynamo Su McArthur in charge! We will be having a light finger supper and hopefully time for a couple of games and chat. Everybody is very welcome so please just come along.

WED. JAN. 16th. Our first meeting in the new year is the AGM. Following the evening business we are delighted that Mrs.

Anne King will be telling us about her MBE and going to Buckingham Palace to receive it.

WED. 13th FEB. This is the second Wednesday in the month and we have changed from the third so that members can attend the evening service for Ash Wednesday. WED. 13th Mar. Again this is the second Wednesday in the month when Revd. Michael Johnson will be talking to us about Stage Fright. t.b.c.

FOREIGN COINS

We are collecting coins for the Royal Berks Hospital – ‘The Royal Berks Charity’. Along with present currency old money such as Spanish Pesetas, American dollars and quarters, literally any foreign money can be used even as scrap value. Please have a look in boxes, drawers etc – it is surprising how we easily forget about a few coins (or notes) but they are all needed. Please do not leave them in Church or the Parish office but give to any Fellowship member or to Su McArthur. Alternatively telephone Diana .

Thank you very much.

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NOVEMBER PCC MEETING We looked at Charitable Support for External Agencies for the coming year. Our goal is to act both globally and locally. We also have a policy to involve the congregation in our charitable giving and therefore we agreed to make some changes to what we give, to closer reflect those charities which have ‘champions’ or people fully engaged in support within the congregation. We have agreed to support the following six charities equally: USPG, The Bible Society, Miriam Dean Fund, CMS, PACT and Cambodian Hope Organisation. We are still supporting The Children’s Society and Christian Aid with their own dedicated retiring collections and a fixed sum to support WASCWT (Wokingham Area Schools Christian Workers Trust) and Stagefright. We also keep a Flexible Fund available to enable us to support more unexpected events e.g. floods. We were also informed of a non-exhaustive list of projects by Richard Smith, our new Director of Music, regarding music and worship on a more collaborative basis and finding new formats. Please contact him with your musical talents, enthusiasm and ideas! We received a report on the latest Leadership Forum Meeting on the theme of music. (The forum discussed what we currently do, how it aligns with our goals and what changes may need to be made.) We questioned if this could possibly be opened up to be more of a church Forum. We discussed the need for more of the congregation to be involved in church roles, to allow fresh outlooks. This would also allow others to change and develop their support in other areas or indeed to allow others to step back from their (often) years of support. Our financial situation and priorities for the coming year were looked at. Although we are not in as serious a situation as we have been in the past, we are still struggling to break even. The PCC were of the opinion we need to seriously consider fund raising by engaging with the Congregation and wider community. If you have any simple low/no cost ideas, please let any PCC member know - We are listed on the notice board in the church porch! We also hope to announce a new youth leader for All Saints very soon. Sue James This article is the opinion of the writer and not an official or complete record of the meeting, which can be found in the published minutes.

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From Colin James

Dear Friends

With the magazine deadline advancing menacingly on me and no obvious inspiration dawning, who would have guessed that the Archbishop of Canterbury would ride to my rescue? Which archbishop? you may ask. Well, both really. I have just watched the press conference at Lambeth Palace at which Bishop Justin Welby was “unveiled”. My reaction is wholly positive and appears to be shared by the first comments in the media. (I exclude those bitter people who fill up the comments section which follow newspaper reports and can always be relied on to say something hateful about the church, and especially the Church of England.)

I hope some of Rowan Williams’ detractors have noted that Bishop Justin started by paying tribute to him as “a man who, I believe, will be recognised as one of the greatest archbishops of Canterbury.” Having paid a warm tribute to his predecessor’s outstanding gifts and qualities, he went on to say that he would be continuing to seek his advice and wisdom in future. Let’s hope that the initial favourable reception of our archbishop-designate will not be short-lived. In the onerous task he is about to undertake he can do with all the understanding and support he can get. If this turns out to be the case, it will contrast sharply with what happened to Rowan. The knives were out even before his choice as archbishop had been made, in a hardly concealed attempt to derail it. Then when the announcement was made, but before he had been enthroned in Canterbury Cathedral, Rowan was subjected to hostility not only from the press, but worse still from those who should have been his friends and allies - other “Christians”. And as the time approaches for his departure at least one of our high circulation dailies offered comments about him so disgraceful that I cannot bring myself to repeat them here. It is perhaps not going too far to suggest that Rowan became a “suffering servant” on behalf of the Christian good news and the church.

Of course it is true that many of those who knew of him and his sympathies before he occupied St Augustine’s throne were sometimes disappointed that he did not continue unambiguously to champion the causes they favoured, once he reached that high office. But a moment’s thought would tell them

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that as the spiritual leader not only of the Church of England, but also of the worldwide Anglican Communion, he was never going to be able to do that. Another moment’s thought should be enough to demonstrate that this was not the result of any lack of courage or conviction on his part, but an earnest desire to promote peace and unity among Anglicans of widely (one might say wildly) divergent points of view.

Personally I have rarely been so proud to be an Anglican as when we saw the television pictures of Rowan standing up to the tyrant Mugabe on his trip to Zimbabwe. The encouragement he gave to local Christians there and in neighbouring African countries was enormous. He has never received the credit due to him for all that he contributed both at home and in the worldwide church.

It is my long held view that we all let him down by not praying consistently and fervently enough throughout his arduous and often thankless time as our archbishop.

I very much hope that Bishop Justin will be much better supported in this respect by Anglicans across the globe. In his opening statement he said, “I am utterly optimistic about the future of the church. “ Brave words indeed, words which can only be explained by a very deep faith in God’s goodness and faithfulness. But for them to be fulfilled it is necessary that we all live up to our responsibility also to be faithful, to embrace joyfully our role in sharing the good news of God’s love for all people. Christmas, which will soon be upon be upon us, reminds us once more of God’s incredible gift to us, the gift of himself. What a challenge to each one of us this is! I wish you all much joy as we celebrate together this holy season and dedicate ourselves afresh in the coming year to God and all his children.

With love and prayers

Colin

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Sunday Advent Monday to Saturday page

2 3 Mo

08.00am Holy Communion 4 Tu Serendipity

09.30am Parish Communion 5 We

11.00am Family Service 6 Th Julian Group

3.00pm **No Service 7 Fr

06.30pm Advent Carols 8 Sa

9 Advent 2 10 Mo

08.00am Holy Communion 11 Tu

09.30am Parish Communion 12 We

11.15am BCP Eucharist 13 Th

4.00pm Christingle 14 Fr

6.30pm Said Evensong 15 Sa

16 Advent 3 17 Mo

08.00am Holy Communion 18 Tu Serendipity

09.30am Parish Communion- Lay on hands 19 We All Saints Fellowship 15

11.15am Family Service & Junior Church Nativity 20 Th Healing Prayer Group Mtg

3.00pm Holy Baptism if required 21 Fr

6.30pm Said Evensong 22 Sa

23 Advent 4 24 Mo

08.00am Holy Communion 25 Tu

09.30am Parish Communion 26 We

11.15am No service 27 Th

3.00pm No Service 28 Fr

6.00pm Lessons & Carols 29 Sa

30 Christmas 1 30 Mo

08.00am Holy Communion 31 Tu

09.30am Parish Communion 1 We

11.15am No Service 2 Th

3.00pm No service 3 Fr

6.30pm Evening Prayer 4 Sa

Forthcoming events

Parish Diary - December 2012

21

Sunday Monday to Saturday Page

6 Epiphany

08.00am Holy Communion 7 M

09.30am Parish Communion 8 T Serendipity 8.15pm

11.00am Family Service 9 W

3.00pm Holy Baptism 10 Th Julian Group 8.00pm

6.30pm Choral Evensong 11 F

12 Sa

13 Baptism of Christ

08.00am Holy Communion 14 M

09.30am Parish Communion 15 T MU Corp. Communion 13

11.15am BCP Eucharist 16 W Fellowship AGM 15

3.00pm No service 17 Th

6.30pm Sung Evensong 18 F

19 Sa

20 Epiphany 3 Healing Service

08.00am Holy Communion 21 M

09.30am Parish Communion 22 T Serendipity 8.15pm

11.00am Family Service 23 W MU AGM 13

3.00pm Holy Baptism 24 Th

6:30pm Said Evensong 25 F

Healing Service 26 Sa

27 Presentation of Christ

08.00am Holy Communion 28 M

09.30am Parish Communion 29 T

11.15am No Service 30 W

3.00pm Holy Baptism 31 Th

6.30 pm No service CTW Service

at Methodist Church

Forthcoming Events

16th Jan 13 All Saints Fellowship AGM

Parish Diary - January 2013

22

Sunday Advent Sunday - 2nd December Org

Service Eucharist: Archer - People's Setting RS

Sequence Saviour Eternal (plainsong)

Organ Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland (BWV 599) - J S Bach

Final Voluntary Procession - Arthur Wills

Service 11.15 Family Service LA

Service Advent Candlelit Carol Service RS

Music by: Tallis; Goldschmidt; Palestrina; Vann; Pettman; Britten

Final Voluntary Praeludium in G minor - Dieterich Buxtehude

Sunday Advent 2 - 9th December

Service Eucharist: Archer - People's Setting RS

Motet Matin Responsory - Palestrina, arr. David Willcocks

Final Voluntary Toccata (Suite Gothique) - Léon Boëllmann

Service 16.00 Christingle in aid of Children's Society RS

Service Said Evensong with Piano ---

Sunday Advent 3 - 16th December

Service Eucharist (Healing): Archer - People's Setting RS

Psalm 146 vv4 - end

Motet Adam Lay Ybounden - John Ireland

Final Voluntary Litanies - Jehan Alain

Service Said Evensong with Piano ---

Sunday Advent 4 - 23rd December

Service Eucharist: Archer - People's Setting RS

Motets Advent Prose - Drop down ye Heavens from above (plainsong)

There is a flower - Stanley Vann

Organ Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen - Johannes Brahms

Final Voluntary Wachet Auf (BWV 645) - J S Bach

Service 18.00 Nine Lessons and Carols RS

Hymns as special booklet

Carols by: tbd

Final Voluntary Concerto in G maj (4th Movt) (BWV 592) - Duke Johann Ernst,

arr: J S Bach

Music List December 2012

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Monday Christmas Eve - 24th December Org

Services 14.00 & 16.00 Crib Services ?

Service 23.15 First Communion of Christmas: Archer - St Mark's Setting RS

Carols King Jesus hath a Garden - Dutch tune, arr. Charles Wood

Infant holy - Polish carol, arr. David Willcocks

Ding Dong! Merrily on High - French tune, arr. Charles Wood

Final Voluntary In Dulci Jubilo (BWV 368) - J S Bach

Tuesday Christmas Day - 25th December

Service All Age Communion: Archer - St Mark's Setting RS

Carol The Blessed Son of God - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Organ Noel en duo - Louis-Claude Daquin

Final Voluntary Organ Sonata No 1 (Fourth Movement) - Felix Mendelssohn

Sunday Christmas 1 - 30th December

Service Eucharist: Archer - St Mark's Setting (No Choir) RS

Organ Trio Sonata in E flat - Johann Ludwig Krebs Final Voluntary Wir Christenleut' (BWV 612) - J S Bach

Service Evening Prayer ---

Sunday Epiphany - 6th January

Service Eucharist: Archer - St Mark's Setting RS

Motet How brightly beams the morning star - Nicolai, arr. J S Bach

Organ Das alte Jahr vergangen ist (BWV 614) - J S Bach

Final Voluntary In dir ist Freude (BWV 615) - J S Bach

Service 11.15 Family Service LA

Service Choral Evensong RS

Responses Reading

Psalm 98

Canticles Short Service - Orlando Gibbons

Anthem Bethlehem Down - Peter Warlock

Final Voluntary Les Mages (La Nativité) - Olivier Messiaen

Music List December 2012

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Christmas and Saint Luke’s Gospel

It is to St Luke’s wonderful gospel that many Christians turn as the year draws to a close and Christmas approaches, for it is to St Luke that we owe the fullest account of the nativity. Luke alone tells us the story of Mary and the angel’s visit to her, and has thus given the Church the wonderful Magnificat of Mary.

Luke alone tells us the story of Simeon’s hymn of praise, thus giving us the wonderful Nunc Dimmittis. Imagine an Anglican evensong without the Nunc Dimmittis. Luke alone tells us the story of how the angels appeared to the shepherds and how the shepherds then visited the infant Jesus.

So – imagine Christmas cards and nativity scenes every year without the shepherds arriving to visit baby Jesus. Imagine school nativity plays without our children dressed as shepherds or sheep.

So – thank you, Luke! What makes it so amazing is that Luke was not a Jew! The man who wrote the fullest nativity story, and indeed more of the New Testament than any other single person, was a Gentile!

*****************************

Christmas Services

24 December Christmas Eve 2.00pm Crib Service

4.00pm Crib Service

11.15pm First Communion

of Christmas

25 December Christmas Day 8.00am Holy Communion

9.30am Parish Communion

for All Ages

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GIVING AND RECEIVING

This is the time of the year when much of our time is spent in rushing around searching for suitable gifts to give to our loved ones and friends to celebrate the Christmas Festival. It is a time, too, when we have to resist the pressures of commercialism in being over extravagant in our giving. There are those, sadly, who are unable to take part in the pleasure of giving and receiving and are dependent on charities to provide any form of celebration at Christmas time. How often do we stop to remind ourselves how this all started? It is, of course, the time when we celebrate the greatest gift to the world of all time, that is when, “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3,16). And God’s giving never stops! It started with His creation of the world with all the beauty of everything living in it and with all his acts of love and mercy shown towards his favoured nation, Israel, as recorded in the Old Testament, even when they rebelled against His commandments. It continued through the life of Jesus in His teachings of how we should live our lives in the service of our Creator God by loving and serving one another, and our enemies, as He loves us. He blessed many he met with acts of healing, and even restoring life to the dead, and promised that if we ask in His name he will continue to provide His healing power. His final gift to the world was that of His life, through the cruelty of the cross, as a sacrifice to end all sacrifices, to redeem the sins of the world for all time. This, of course, was followed by His glorious resurrection with the assurance that we also will rise from death to inherit life eternal.

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The next great gift of God was that of the Holy Spirit on the first day of Pentecost which He bestowed on His disciples at a time, following His death and resurrection, when they were completely distraught at the loss of Jesus and the shattering of their hopes of Jesus delivering them from the persecution of the Roman occupation. This fulfilled the prophesy of Joel when he proclaimed that, “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh”. (Joel 2,28). It was with the power of the Holy Spirit that the disciples were able to go out with confidence to spread the Gospel of Jesus and give birth to the Church. As receivers of such unbounded beneficence and the for the founding of the Church which, in its many forms, has survived trials and tribulations over two Millennia and is today a major source of faith and hope throughout the World, we must give worship and praise to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and live our lives as Jesus taught in love and service to all. So as we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas, with the giving and receiving of presents and all that goes with the celebrations, let us not forget all the blessings we have received from our Father in Heaven, and let us remember those who are unable to enjoy the festivities, either because of their lack of finances, or because of ill health or bereavement. We take the opportunity of wishing all members of our parish of All Saints, and all those outside of the parish who read our magazine, a very happy and blessed Christmas and peace in the New Year. Jack Hayley (Members of the Group are Gill Allen, Maggie Davies, Jack Hayley, Mary Hughes, Ann Penn, Rosemary Sturmer, Joan Thomason, and Joan Watts). Please let us know of any need for healing prayer support. Confidentiality is assured The Laying on of Hands will be made available at the Parish Communion on Sunday 16th December. The next Healing Service will be held on Sunday 20th January at 6.30 pm.

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Forthcoming Events Christmas 2012

Sunday Winter Carnival CTW Outreach stall

25th November CTW has booked a pitch at this year's Winter Carnival, and is

hosting a “Put Yourself in the Picture this Christmas” photo-opportunity and handing out Christmas service times. The CTW stall is open from 11- 5pm.

This is a great opportunity to bring a Christian element into the Carnival – please volunteer to help; if you cannot help but are coming to the Carnival anyway, stop in and say hello!

W/C 10TH Dec Carol singing at Wokingham Station

To be confirmed From 5.30pm for about an hour, CTW will be carol singing and

giving out 300 contact cards wishing everyone a happy Christmas at Wokingham Station and directing them to the CTW website for the list of Christmas services within the churches. A chocolate coin will be put on the back of the card. We will be between the footbridge and the telephone box at the front of the Station; would like everyone to wear something red, so we stand out!

We need singers, instrumentalists, people to distribute the cards - all ages are welcome. We would love to make an even bigger impact this year. No rehearsals needed, just turn up and sing/play.

Please contact your Church Representative (details below) if you are able to take part.

Sunday Beer & Carols at Broad Street Tavern

16th December Get in the festive mood with a Beer and Carols evening at a

Wokingham pub. CTW is hosting a festive sing-along to welcome the season at The Broad Street Tavern.

All are welcome to join in! Start time is 8pm.

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Monday Carols at Sainsbury’s

17th December From 7pm-9pm, there will be Carol singing at Sainsbury’s,

Winnersh, spreading the message of Christmas and giving out chocolate coins and CTW contact cards - we need musicians and singers - more instruments would be good, especially some younger musicians !

Please contact your Church Representative (details below) if you are able to join in.

Thursday Christian Aid carols at Tesco

20th December From 7pm-9pm, there will be Carol singing inside the covered

entrance at Tesco, collecting for Christian Aid - we need musicians and singers - more instruments would be good, especially some younger musicians !

Please contact your Church Representative (details below) if you are able to join in.

And into 2012…. Sunday CTW Annual Unity Service

27th January At 6:30pm, there will be a Unity service at Rose Street Methodist

Church – aligned with the week of prayer for Christian unity. This service will include presentations/workshops by CTW community/faith outreach organizations with refreshments and music. We should encourage all our Church members (not only Contacts) to attend – and give them plenty of advance notice!

Church Representative contact details:

David Atkinson 0118 979 7911

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Christmas: The story of the Christingle.

The word ‘Christingle’ actually means ‘Christ Light’, and celebrates the light of Jesus coming into the world. Stories of how the Christingle began look back to the Moravian Church, which is found in the Czech Republic. The Moravians have held Christingle services for more than 200 years, and according to them, this is how the first Christingle might have been made:

Many years ago the children in a village were asked to bring a Christmas gift to put beside the crib in the church. One family was very poor, and had no money for gifts, but the three children were still determined to take something. The only nice thing they had was an orange, so they decided to give the Christ-child that. But then they discovered the top was going green, so the eldest cut it out, and put a candle in the hole. To add some colour, one of the girls took a red ribbon from her hair and tied it around the middle of the orange. It was hard to make the ribbon stay still, so they fastened it in place with toothpicks. The toothpicks looked a bit bare, so the youngest child added some raisons to them.

The children took their decorated orange lantern to the church for the Christmas Mass. The other children sneered at their meagre gift, but the priest seized upon it with joy. He held it up as an example of the true understanding of the meaning of Christmas, for the following reasons: the orange is round, like the world; the candle gives us light in the dark, like the love of God; the red ribbon goes round the ‘world’, as a symbol of Christ’s blood, given for everyone; the four sticks point in all directions, and symbolise that God is over all: North, South, East and West; and the fruit and nuts remind us of God’s blessings.

The Children’s Society first introduced the Christingle Service to The Church of England in 1968, and it has since become a popular event in the church calendar. This candlelit celebration is an ideal way to share the key messages of the Christian faith, while helping to raise vital funds to help vulnerable children across the country.

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N=Mary’s home town

O=”… in Royal David’s City”

P=Three word phrase sung by the angels

Q=”Shepherds ….. at the sight”

R=”….. yon Virgin Mother and child”

S=”… amid the winter snow”

T=How many gospels have stories of Jesus’ birth?

U”…. us a child is born”

V= “The …… …. Had a baby boy”

W”….. shepherds watched their flocks by night”

X=Abbreviation for the season

Y=Old Norse word for the season

Z=Father of John the Baptist

Answers page 43

Christmas Eve

How do you celebrate Christmas Eve? It has its own customs, the most popular of which is going to Midnight Mass, or the Christ-Mas. This is the only Mass of the year which is allowed to start after sunset. In Catholic countries such as Spain, Italy and Poland, Midnight Mass is in fact the most important church service of the entire Christmas season, and many people traditionally fast beforehand. In other countries, such as Belgium and Denmark, people dine during the evening, and then go on to the Midnight Service.

The English are behind some countries when it comes to exchanging presents: in Germany, Sweden and Portugal the custom is to exchange on Christmas Eve. But the English are ahead of Serbia and Slovakia, where the Christmas tree is not even brought into the house and decorated until Christmas Eve.

Yule logs are not so popular since the decline of the fireplace, but traditionally it was

lit on Christmas Eve from a bit of the previous year’s log, and then would be burned

non-stop until 12th Night (6th January). Tradition also decreed that any greenery

such as holly, ivy or mistletoe must wait until Christmas Eve until being brought into

the house.

**********************************

Christmas Alphabet Quiz

A=The four weeks before Christmas

B=Place of Jesus’ birth

C=Emperor at the time of Jesus’ birth

D=”Little ……on the dusty road”

E=”Jesus, our ……..”

F=”Oh come all ye……..”

G=Six word phrase sung by the angels

H=King when Jesus was born

I=No room here!

J=Jesus’ earthly father

K=”Good tidings we bring to you and your…”

L=”… nothing you dismay”

M=Jesus’ first bed

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Christmas: Where did Christmas trees come from?

There are two early stories that mention fir trees. The first involves St Boniface, who went to Germany in the 8th century as a missionary and found people sacrificing a child to their god under an oak tree. Boniface was appalled, and rescued the child. He then chopped down the oak tree and found a tiny fir tree growing nearby. He gave this to the people and said: “This is a symbol of life. Whenever you look at this tree, remember the Christ-child who is the one who will give you life, because he gave his life for you.”

The second early fir tree story involves Martin Luther in the 16th century. It

is said that one year he decided to drag a fir tree into his home and to

decorate it with candles. He used it as a visual aid, telling people that the

candles symbolised Jesus as the light of the world, and the evergreen tree

symbolised the eternal life that Jesus gives to us. Many of the people who

followed Luther were struck by the idea, and took up the custom.

Christmas Alphabet Quiz

A ADVENT

B BETHLEHEM

C CAESER AUGUSTUS

D DONKEY

E EMMANUEL

F FAITHFUL

G GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST

H HEROD

I INN

J JOSEPH

K KIN

L LET

M MANGER

Answers

N NAZARETH

O ONCE

P PEACE ON EARTH

Q QUAKE

R ROUND

S SEE

T TWO

U UNTO

V VIRGIN MARY

W WHILE

X XMAS

Y YULE

Z ZECHARIAH

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Number of Sundays 4

Sundays 652

Week days 159

Baptisms

28 Oct Elsa Brown

Olivia Maria Meston

Burial

16 Oct Kathleen Patricia O’Connor Age 77

30 Oct William King Townend Age 80

Burial of Ashes

12 Oct Victor Cummings Age 67

Funeral in Church followed by Cremation

6 Nov Meriel Anne Dickson Age 69

At Easthampstead Park Crematorium

1 Nov Marjorie Phyllis Dalley Age 91

5 Nov Anthony Willoughby Age 63

9 Nov Marion Robinson Age 88