All Saints Wokingham Parish Magazine

May 2013

www.allsaintswokingham.org.uk £1.00

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May is a month of Spirit including the Christian festivals of Ascension & Pentecost. For us this year it sees two major events in the life of the parish – the confirmation service on Ascension Day 9th May; and the Two Choirs Festival at Pentecost on the 18th and 19th May.

Confirmation is a significant step for the candidates involved as they affirm their Christian faith This year we have 3 teenagers and 2 adults being confirmed; please pray for them. Remember too that this service is not restricted to candidates and their families or friends. It is our parish service for Ascension Day and it’s an opportunity for us all to come together to celebrate, as well as support the confirmands. We are welcoming candidates also from St Paul’s parish and they are joining with us for this service.

Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the Church. At its birth one of the gifts the Church received was the power to communicate God’s message of love to all people. . This is the meaning of the miracle of the tongues at Pentecost when everyone heard what the disciples were saying in their own language. The Spirit of God is capable of communicating with everyone whatever their origin or culture or background – and this gift has been given to the Church. Words take us so far of course but as St Paul put it so eloquently in his first letter to the Corinthians the language that really communicates is love:

“ If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels but do not have love I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal…

It’s appropriate then that we celebrate Pentecost with a festival of music. Music is capable of communicating powerfully at the level of feeling and imagination across the barriers of language or background. For full details of the programme please see elsewhere in this magazine or visit the website of Wokingham Two Choirs festival; celebrating the Pentecost with the Spirit of music. As well as concerts the weekend includes the two choirs of All Saints and St Paul’s and the two churches coming together to worship. A high point of the weekend will be the final Choral Eucharist on Sunday evening at St Paul’s Church. The guest preacher will be Canon Angela Tilby from the Cathedral , well known for her broadcasts on Radio 4.

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The Pentecost music festival is the first event in a festival summer at All Saints. In July we hold our first flower festival for many years. Its title is “Worship the Lord”. The flower arrangements will complement a display of new vestments specially commissioned for All Saints Church, which I wrote about in detail in the March magazine. Each vestment set relates to one of the seasons or festivals in the Christian year, which in turn tell the story of God’s love for the world in its many aspects. They are works of art in themselves as are the flower arrangements and so the whole event will be an unmissable visual feast.

In the Anglican tradition of Christian faith, on the whole, the arts are valued - music, poetry, drama, the visual arts. In some branches of religion including within Christianity the arts and especially visual imagery but even some forms of music are distrusted as beguiling and distracting. This is not the case in the central Anglican tradition. The imagination is not seen as opposed to faith and truth; but often a way to apprehend God’s presence and reality.

David Hodgson

May 9th - Ascension Day

Surely the most tender, moving ‘farewell’ in history took place on Ascension Day. Luke records the story with great poignancy: “When Jesus had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands - and blessed them.”

As Christmas began the story of Jesus’ life on earth, so Ascension Day completes it, with his return to his Father in heaven. Jesus’ last act on earth was to bless his disciples. He and they had a bond as close as could be: they had just lived through three tumultuous years of public ministry and miracles – persecution and death – and resurrection! Just as we part from our nearest and dearest by still looking at them with love and memories in our eyes, so exactly did Jesus: “While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” (Luke 24:50-1) He was not forsaking them, but merely going on ahead to a kingdom which would also be theirs one day: “I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God...” (John 20:17)

The disciples were surely the most favoured folk in history. Imagine being one of the last few people on earth to be face to face with Jesus, and have him look on you with love. No wonder then that Luke goes on: “they worshipped him - and

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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)

Production/Distribution Sheila Longley & team (978 4193)

Copy Date for June issue: 14 May 2013

Production: 21 May 2013

Publication: 26 May 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.

returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” (Luke 24:52,53)

No wonder they praised God! They knew they would see Jesus again one day! “I am going to prepare a place for you... I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2,3) In the meantime, Jesus had work for them to do: to take the Gospel to every nation on earth.

Courtesy of Parish Pump

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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. Helen Charlton 978 9153

Honorary Priest The Revd. Colin James 978 1515

Church Wardens John Smith 979 0948

Katherine Huggett 07834450819

Vacancy —

Parish Administrator Jo Asplin 979 2797

Children and Youth

Parish Youth Leader Kat Allwright 07729 398718

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: Kat Allwright 07729 398718

Worship and Music

Director of Music (inc. Choir) Richard Smith

Music Group Leader Gail Houghton 979 2797

Head Server Rachel Knowles 979 4736

Bible Readers’ rota 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

PCC Treasurer Stephen Smith 979 4407

Clergy and Officers

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Stewardship Co-ordinator Jo Robinson 978 9730

Gift Aid Co-ordinator Peter Whittaker 978 6225

Electoral Roll Officer Joyce Baldry 978 8506

Leadership Forum Convenor Liz Rippon 978 0455 Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care Co-ordinator Jo Robinson 978 9730

Home Communion Barbara Smith 979 4407

Healing Prayer Group Jack Hayley 978 3939

Bereavement Care Claire Jones 979 2797

Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals Parish Office 979 2797

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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Flower Guild It's an annual miracle, the transformation of bare brown branches into blossom-wreathed visions of loveliness. When winter gives way to spring, we welcome the early flowers that carpet the ground, but nothing lifts the heart quite like the sight of a tree in bloom. It's a seaonal event that never fails to delight and its ephemeral nature makes it doubly precious. Its not just in orchards that blossom reigns supreme; like a benevolent invading force, it sweeps across the land, moving up from the south and west, garlanding gardens, lining roadsides, frothing its way through hedgerows and generally making us feel glad to be alive. Some of these trees have been carefully chosen and lovingly tended as spring highlights in gardens, some are the result of a carelessly thrown apple core or cherry stone, while others are native in their natural habitat, but all choose to flower in spectacular tree- enveloping display.

Flower Guild Rota for May

May 5th Mrs G Jones, Mrs S Shields May 9th Ascension and Confirmation Mrs L Taylor, Mrs L Barrell, Mrs J Mitchell May 19th Pentecost Mrs K Thomas, Mrs A Wade May 26th Mrs V Briault, Mrs J Fazackerley-Tattam, Mrs T Freeston

For further information contact Lucille Taylor 9786847 or Hazel Matthews 9786700

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PCC MEETING – Wednesday 20 March 2013

This was a very important meeting during which we officially adopted the Audited

Annual Accounts 2012 and approved reports in readiness for our APCM on 28th April.

The accounts were cleverly presented by our treasurer despite him not being there!

The wonders of modern IT technology which allows Treasurers to go on holiday and

manage to be in two places at once! As with all IT, there is always the possibility of a

glitch, and this occasion was no exception when we lost the sound part way through.

All was not lost. As always, we had read the Accounts along with the rest of the papers,

prior to the meeting and could follow our way through what the Treasurer was

presenting. PCC meetings can be entertaining.

Keep a look out for Peter Barrett’s great Annual Report for the APCM; a draft was

presented to us at the meeting.

We were also informed Little Steps & Messy Church has had Community Volunteers

come forward to ensure the continuation of these much valued outreach activities.

Our youth Leader, Kathryn Allwright, now has an established personal support group

consisting of: Anne King, Liz Edge, Gill Allen and Nigel Mellor. The PCC wholeheartedly

support all of them and particularly Kathryn in her special role.

We approved the Junior Church Charity for the Summer Term 2013, namely the Olli

Young Foundation, a UK brain tumour charity providing vital funds for research and

support. Ollie Young lost his fight to an incurable brain tumour the day before his sixth

birthday, only twelve weeks after showing the first symptoms. He had attended

Hawthorns School in Wokingham. The aim of this charity is to find a cure or prevention

of this awful disease which is the biggest cancer killer of children. (In addition, a

proportion of funds raised are also directed towards two support organisations: Helen

Douglas House and CLIC Sargent.) The PCC unanimously approved the support of this

great charity.

We discovered we may have some cheeky squirrel trouble on the Cornerstone roof.

They may have nibbled through some Solar Panel cables! This will be looked into.

We were updated on preparations for the Flower and Vestment Festival ‘Praise the

Lord’ on 12th-14th July and we are still requesting more ideas and volunteers.

Generally we would like everyone to get involved in any small way. Are you willing and

able to spare a little time that weekend? Or have you some great ideas? Contact: Anne

King, Pam Gilbey or Sue James or e-mail: flowerfestival@allsaintswokingham.org.uk. pto

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Parish Diary - May 2013

Sunday Monday to Saturday Page

5 6th of Easter

08.00am Holy Communion 6 M

09.30am Parish Communion 7 T Serendipity 13

11.00am Family Service 8 W

3.00pm No service 9 Th Julian Group

6.30pm Choral Evensong 10 F

11 Sa 3

12 7th of Easter

08.00am Holy Communion 13 M

09.30am Parish Communion 14 T MU Corporate Communion 17

11.15am BCP Eucharist 15 W Fellowship 15

3.00pm No service 16 Th Healing Prayer Group 25

6.30pm Choral Evensong 17 F

18 Sa

19 Pentecost

08.00am Holy Communion 20 M

09.30am Parish Communion 21 T Serendipity

11.00am Family Service 22 W Mothers Union 17

3.00pm No service 23 Th

6:30pm Said Evensong 24 F

25 Sa

26 Trinity

08.00am Holy Communion 27 M

09.30am Parish Communion 28 T

11.15am No Service 29 W

3.00pm Baptism 30 Th

4.00 pm Baptism 31 F

6.00 pm Healing Service

Forthcoming Events

26 June MU Area Summer meeting—Finchhampstead 17

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Reminders were given that we will have four vacancies on the PCC at the APCM this

year. If these vacancies are not filled at the APCM on 28th April, they can still be filled

later. This is your chance to get involved, discuss issues and make a difference to the

things that matter to you in All Saints Church. Don’t leave it to others. The PCC is your

PCC. You can approach the secretary to schedule the placement of items on the PCC

agendas but better still –put yourself forward to join the PCC and follow your convic-

tions.

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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The U in JesUs

Before U were thought of or time had begun, God even stuck U in the name of His Son. And each time U pray, you'll see it's true You can't spell out JesUs and not include U

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name, For U, He was born; that's why He came. And His great love for U is the reason He died. It even takes U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand He rose from the dead, with U in His plan? The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew, and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension, He felt there was one thing He just had to mention. "Now go into the world and tell them it's true That the love I have shown is not just for U."

So many great people are spelled with a U, Don't they have a right to know JesUs too? It all depends now on what U will do, He'd like them to know,

But it all starts with U.

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All Saints’ Church Fellowship

A warm welcome to Fellowship which is held in the Cornerstone De Vitre Room at 7.45pm for 7.55pm. Contact is Diana Clifford 9792614.

WED. 15th May. ‘My Childhood and Life’ Mrs. Ann Armstrong

This will be Ann’s third visit to us and she is an excellent speaker – very interesting and amusing so do give her a try!

WED. 19th JUNE ‘Stage Fright’ Revd. Michael Johnson

WED. 17th July. ‘Summer Time Get Together’

Thank you to date for donations of foreign coins in aid of The Royal Berks Hospital Charity. Please continue to support and give donations to Su McArthur at 8.00am service, any member of Fellowship at 9.30am or telephone Diana Clifford 9792614.

THE CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY TABLE

We are hoping to have the table in the Cornerstone following the 9.30am service on two Sundays in May. Please see weekly Sunday leaflet for dates.

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Two branch members joined with others from across the diocese to attend the Lady Day service at Christ Church, Oxford. It was a moving service, presided over by the Bishop of Oxford, during which the Diocesan President, Gillian Johnson (former Reading deanery leader) and the Trustees for the new triennium were commissioned. Also, Andrew, Bishop of Reading was enrolled as a member: Bishop Andrew is to be the Central Chaplain to The Mothers’ Union. Bishop John preached an inspiring sermon on humility, a virtue often lacking today, with special reference to Mary and her acceptance of God’s will.

For those of you whose diaries fill up well in advance, our new Worldwide President, Lynne Tembey, will be the guest speaker at the diocesan winter meeting on 19th November at Benson; this is usually a daytime meeting. These meeting are informative, inspiring and well worth attending, so if you do not have a prior commitment, it is well worth putting in your diary.

Branch news

Our parish Director of Music, Mr Richard Smith, has kindly agreed to be our guest speaker this month – all visitors are very welcome.

Next month, we are cancelling our branch meeting as the area summer meeting has been arranged at the same time. We hope as many members as possible will be able to go to St James’, Finchampstead for 7.30pm where the Bishop of Reading will lead the worship.

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 14th May 9.30am Corporate Communion

14th – 16th May Diocesan retreat - Parmoor. Leader: Rev Michael Campling

Wed 22nd May 7.45 for 8pm Branch meeting – Richard Smith

Sun 26th May after 9.30am Quarterly refreshments

Wed 26th June 7.30pm Area summer meeting at Finchampstead – Bishop Andrew

Tues 19th Nov Diocesan winter meeting at Benson – Worldwide President

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Email: rowenaywelsh@hotmail.com

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Music List May 2013

Sunday Easter 6 - 5th May Org

Service 09.30 Eucharist: Archer - St. Mark's Setting RS

Anthem Teach me, O Lord - Attwood

Choir Hymn tbc

Final Voluntary Dialogue 1 - Peter Hurford

Service 11.15 Family Service LA

Service 18.30 Choral Evensong RS/

Introit The God of Love - Thomas Tallis JC

Responses Tallis

Psalms 126 & 127

Canticles Dyson in F

Anthem Let all the world - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Final Voluntary tbc

Thursday Ascension - 9th May

Service 19.30 Confirmation and Sung Eucharist tbc

Setting Stanford in Bb/Mass of St Thomas - David Thorne

Anthem Lift up your heads - William Mathias

Final Voluntary tbc

Sunday Easter 7 - 12th May

Service 09.30 Eucharist: Archer - St. Mark's Setting RS

Anthem Locus iste - Anton Bruckner

Choir Hymn tbc

Final Voluntary Praeludium in D minor - Vincent Lübeck

Service 18.30 Said Evensong with Piano ---

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Music List May 2013

Saturday 18th May Org

Service 16.00 Festal Choral Evensong RS/

Introit O Holy Spirit - Christopher Tye RMcV

Responses Neary

Psalm 48

Canticles Stanford in C

Anthem Come, Holy Ghost - Orlando Gibbons

Final Voluntary tbc

Choir Concert Festival Concert at All Saints' Church RMcV

19.30 with The Alfredston Brass Quintet

Music by: Ralph Vaughan Williams; C V Stanford; W A Mozart;

J S Bach; Tomás Victoria; John Rutter

Sunday Pentecost - 19th May

Service 09.30 All Together Communion: Archer - St Mark's Setting RS

Anthem tbc

Final Voluntary Concerto in G maj (BWV 592) (1st Movt) - Duke Johann Ernst,

arr. J S Bach

Service 11.15 Family Service LA

Service 18.30 Festal Choral Eucharist at St Paul's Church, Wokingham PB

Setting Missa Brevis in D minor (KV 65) - W A Mozart

Anthem The Spirit of the Lord - Edward Elgar

Final Voluntary tbc

Sunday Trinity - 26th May

Service 09.30 Choral Eucharist: Ireland in C RS/

Anthem Hymn to the Trinity - Peter Tchaikovsky ??

Choir Hymn tbc

Final Voluntary tbc

Service 15.00 Holy Baptism ??

Service 16.30 Holy Baptism ??

Service 18.30 Healing Service ---

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Family Support Worker

My role as Family Support Worker at All Saints CE (Aided) Primary School was created at the end of 2008 by a legacy left to All Saints Church. This legacy along with the support of PACT (Parents & Children Together) enabled the new position to be established. I had always expressed an interest in working with families and was lucky to be appointed to this position. One of the first projects that I started was a weekly coffee morning in school. This still continues, over 4 years later, and has a good attendance of parents and visitors. The coffee morning also runs during the school holidays giving the parents an opportunity to socialise.

During the time that I have worked in the Family Support role I have supported many families with a range of needs from basic parenting support to helping families whose children are on Child Protection Plans. I have good links in the community with other professionals and charities. All Saints Church was very supportive when it was recognised that there was a need for emergency food parcels in the community. Following the Harvest Festival in 2011 the kind donations enabled this project to commence and since then we have been able to support many families in need.

My role continues within the school and the community but recently the funding from PACT has ceased and I am now employed by the school. I am doing some direct work with the children but also have regular contact with parents both at school and in the community.

Sue Maguire

The Eric Rands Legacy

Eric Rands was a regular attender of the Parish Communion service at All Saints for many years. Eric and Dolores, his beloved wife of 50 years, did not have any children. His Will divided his substantial estate between family members, friends and the many charities he supported. He bequeathed a significant sum in trust to the Rector, for use in the parish for religious purposes. The Rector chose to use the majority of these funds to support the employment, by PACT, of a Family Support Worker dedicated to families of children attending or preparing to attend All Saints C of E Primary School. This almost full-time post was funded for three years by the Eric Rands Legacy. Eric loved theatre and art and this led to the commissioning of Julie Quinn, an established Artist Embroiderer of Croft Design Associates, to design and create new contemporary vestments, funded by the Eric Rands Legacy. The vestments will offer a lasting and tangible aspect of his legacy which children and adults will appreciate for many years to come. They will be fully displayed 12th-14th July, at the summer flower festival ‘Worship the Lord’ and dedicated at the launch service of the festival on 11th July.

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THE PASSOVER MEAL

Although the season of Easter has now passed, we thought that, as the Passover Supper is essentially a part of our Christian heritage – it was at the Passover Meal that Jesus instituted the Eucharist, an accepted part of the healing ministry - it might be useful to share Barbara’s and my experience in the taking part in a presentation of a Passover Meal, as celebrated by orthodox Jewish families to the present day, at Waverley Abbey House during Holy Week. There is no record in the bible of how the Passover Meal was celebrated; so we have to rely on sources outside scripture.

The origin of the Passover Meal is well known, that is that it commemorates the night that the Lord struck down all the first born in the land of Egypt, but passed over the Israelites’ homes, the doors of which were sprinkled with the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

The Lord then commanded that the day should be celebrated as a day of remembrance throughout their generations. (Exodus 12. 14) It is, of course, still celebrated today by orthodox Jewish families.

The meal is inaugurated by the lady of the house lighting the candles. The father then takes up the first of four cups, called the “Kiddish”, meaning separation or sanctification. It was the cup that separated this meal from all other meals. The four cups are reminders of the four promises made by God to the Israelites in Exodus 6:6-7, - (1) to release them from the bondage of the Egyptians, (2) to release them from slavery, (3) to bring their redemption with mighty acts of judgement, (4) that he will be the Lord their God.

The father then passes round a bowl of water and a towel for all to wash their hands. At the same time he draws attention to the bitter herbs and bowl of salt water on the table, which all are invited to taste, and which are symbolic of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt and the tears that were shed by their forefathers. The main course consisting of roast lamb is served, with the reminder of the blood of the lambs that was shed to protect them from the destroyer that

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passed through Egypt. The meal is served with unleavened bread, called “Matza”, as reminder that when they fled from Egypt, they had to leave behind all reminders of the Egyptian culture, including the leaven for the bread. A second eating of bitter herbs then takes place, a further reminder of the bitterness of their slavery in Egypt.

The father then presents the second cup, the cup of “Haggadah”, or the cup of explanation. At this point the youngest son is then formally asked to ask the question, “Why is this night different to all other nights?” Whereupon the father gives a potted history of Israel, down to the deliverance of the Passover. Then begins the “Egyptian Hallel”, the name given to the group of psalms of praise from Psalm 113 to Psalm 118. At this stage just Psalms 113 and 114 are sung.

Next comes a second washing of hands. Then a ‘sop’ is prepared – a piece of unleavened bread filled with lamb and dipped into the paste called, the charoseth. This is given to the honoured guest, on the father’s left, and then passed to others round the table. This commemorates the time in the Last Supper when Jesus handed the ‘sop’ to Judas to indicate who was to betray him. Then follows the eating of the meal of which none of the lamb remains uneaten.

The third cup, called the “Cup of Thanksgiving”, is then drunk with a piece of unleavened bread. Having given thanks for the meal, the remaining psalms of the “Egyptian Hallel”, Psalms 115 to 118, are sung.

The meal is then brought to a close by the drinking of the fourth cup, which is followed by the singing of the “Hallel”, which is Psalm 136, that great psalm of thanksgiving, the end of each verse of which ends with the words, “….for his steadfast love endures for ever”.

Jack Hayley

Members of the Group are Gill Allen, Maggie Davis, 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 next Healing Service will be held on Sunday 26th May at 6.30pm. The next Laying on of Hands will be made available at the Parish Communion on Sunday 16th

June.

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In your garden: a seasonal guide

What’s happening now . . . . .

Spring is unfurling into summer at great speed. We are enjoying lighter longer days, which is good news for the enthusiastic gardener. The birds herald the start of summer with their deafening dawn chorus. The landscape is becoming green once again on the ground, in the trees and in the hedgerows. Bumblebees, butterflies and insects keep busy flying around the now abundant flowers. Alliums and showy perennials such as iris, peonies and poppies define the changing season raising their heads to the sun. Vegetable and flower seed can be safely sown into warm soil once the risk of frost has passed.

May marks the month in the gardening calendar for the world renowned Chelsea Flow-er Show. The show runs this year from 21-25 May 2013 and is a remarkable spectacle of horticulture. Whether it be the show gardens to the displays within the pavilions, there is something here to tempt every gardener.

At home in the garden it is time, traditionally, to carry out what is known as the ‘Chelsea Chop’. This involves pruning some perennials that flower later in the season down by a third to prevent them becoming leggy and needing staking. It also delays flowering to provide welcome colour later in the season. Good examples which benefit from the chop are Sedum spectabile (iceplant), asters, heleniums (Helen’s Flower) and eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed). Early flowering geraniums also will look neater and keep producing flowers for longer if given this treatment. So be brave with those shears.

tasks to be getting on with this May . . . . . .

1. Be aware of late frosts and protect young plants with fleece.

2. Water plants that need it regularly with collected rainwater

and grey water.

3. Continue to sow seeds and pot up seedlings.

4. Mowing of lawns can begin in earnest weekly.

5. Division of early spring flowering perennials once they have

been cut back.

6. Prune spring flowering shrubs once finished flowering at

the end of the month.

Nicola Baily Gibson

Designs your garden for today’s living, with nature in mind.

Contact me on 01252 845880 & 07940 801109

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Zimbabwe: clean and reliable water

The south of Zimbabwe is arid and prone to droughts, leading to failed harvests and acute hunger for many people.

Unable to access clean and reliable water sources means many struggle to harvest even their strongest crops or provide safe drinking water to their families.

Working closely with the community, Christian Aid partner, Dabane Trust, has helped to build a sand dam, transforming not only their harvests but the life of the whole community.

Thanks to the sustainable farming techniques being taught by Dabane Trust, families are able to grow a range of crops to meet their own needs and even have a surplus to sell.

Thanks to a sand dam providing clean and reliable water, Zuzeni Nyathi's family now enjoy a rich and varied diet

Zuzeni Nyathi and her husband Jabulisa Ndlovu have experienced first-hand the life-changing impact of Dabane Trust’s work.

As members of their market garden group they grow a wide variety of crops irrigated by the newly established wells linked to the sand dam, which provides a reliable water source and ensures a harvest for their family and the whole community.

The sand dam stores water deep under the sand of a nearby riverbed and serves the communities in the Gwanda region

Taking months to build, with the location crucial and excavations deep, the sand dam is

a brilliant achievement from which the whole community is able to benefit.

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The contrast couldn’t be greater: whereas once they only had one meal of maize por-ridge a day, Zuzeni explains, ‘We now eat every day at any time – we are always full!’

Zuzeni and Jabulisa’s 11-year-old son, Brighton, helps his parents in their market garden after school and at weekends.

He loves getting the fresh vegetables from the garden and says ‘they are tasty and make my body strong.’

Zuzeni and Jabulisa no longer have to experience the painful hunger of the past. Instead they are able to provide a rich and varied diet for their family, ensuring that they can thrive.

The community’s plans have developed and with the support of Dabane Trust they have built a processing centre that buys their surplus crop, dries it and sells it back to the community - and further afield - in the dry season.

Sikhanyisiwe Ndlovu, known as Skha, is one of Zuzeni and Jabulisa’s neighbours and the chair of the market garden group.

Like her neighbours, she too has gone from struggling to feed her children to having a surplus to sell.

Christian Aid Week 12—18 May 2013

Thank you to all who have volunteered to collect during Christian Aid Week. It is still not too late to volunteer as I have a list of roads without collectors.

Dates for your diary:

12 May at 6.30pm United Service for Christian Aid Week at Wokingham Baptist Church with the Rev Professor Michael Taylor as preacher.

17 May Christian Aid Ploughman’s Lunch 12.30—2.00pm at the

Bradbury Centre, Rose Street. £6.00 all inclusive.

18 May 8.30—12.00 Counting money collected during the week. Also Christian Aid Walk from Henley.

Further details and information from Valerie Kemp 0118 978 2586.

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May 19th Pentecost – the birthday of the Church

Pentecost took place on the well established Jewish festival of Firstfruits, which was observed at the beginning of the wheat harvest. It was exactly 50 days after the Passover, the time of Jesus’ crucifixion.

A feast day to celebrate the country’s wheat harvest does not sound exactly world-changing, but that year, it became one of the most important days in world history. For Pentecost was the day that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit - the day the Church was born.

Jesus had told his apostles that something big was going to happen, and that they were to wait for it in Jerusalem, instead of returning to Galilee. Jesus had plans for his apostles – but he knew they could not do the work themselves – they would need his help.

And so the apostles and disciples waited in Jerusalem, praying together for several days. And then on that fateful morning there was suddenly the sound as of a mighty rushing wind. Tongues of flame flickered on their heads, and they began to praise God in many tongues – to the astonishment of those who heard them. The curse of Babel (Genesis 11: 1- 9) was dramatically reversed that morning.

That morning the Holy Spirit came to indwell the apostles and disciples of Jesus: and the Church was born. The Christians were suddenly full of life and power, utterly different from their former fearful selves. The change in them was permanent.

Peter gave the first ever sermon of the Christian church that morning: proclaiming Jesus was the Messiah. His boldness in the face of possible death was in marked con-trast to the man who had denied Jesus 50 days before. And 3,000 people responded, were converted, and were baptised. How’s that for fast church growth!

Of course Pentecost was not the first time the Holy Spirit had acted in this world. All through the Old Testament there are accounts of how God’s Spirit guided people and strengthened them. But now, because of Christ’s death and resurrection, he could INDWELL them. From now on, every Christian could have the confidence that Jesus was with them constantly, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

May 19th - Further notes on Pentecost

On that long ago first morning of Pentecost, Jerusalem was crowded with thousands of visitors, for it was one of the most popular feast-days in the Jewish calendar – the Feast of First Fruits, looking forward to the wheat harvest.

In one small room of that great city, a small group of people who had followed Jesus were praying. There was nothing else for them to do: Jesus had died, he had risen, and he had ascended, promising to send them ‘a Comforter’. They were left alone,

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to wait at Jerusalem. And so they waited – on him, and for him. They were not disappointed: for that morning the Holy Spirit fell upon that small room, and transformed those believers into the Church, Christ’s body here on earth. Pentecost was not the first time that the Holy Spirit came to the world – throughout the Old Testament there are stories telling of how God had guided people and given them strength. But now his Spirit would use a new instrument: not just isolated prophets, but the Church, his body on earth.

Acts opens with the preaching of the gospel in Jerusalem, the centre of the Jewish nation. Within 30 years the gospel had spread throughout the northern Mediterranean: Syria, Turkey, Greece, Malta... to the very heart of the Roman Empire: Rome. The Church was on the move – God was on the move! He was calling people from every nation to repent, turn to Jesus for forgiveness of their sins, and to follow him.

May 26: Trinity Sunday – how do you explain it?

Trying to explain the doctrine of the Trinity has kept many a theologian busy down the centuries. One helpful picture is to imagine the sun shining in the sky. The sun itself – way out there in space – unapproachable in its fiery majesty – is the Father. The light that flows from it, and which illuminates all our lives, is the Son. The heat that flows from it, and which gives us all the energy to move and grow, is the Holy Spirit. You cannot have the sun without its light and its heat. The light and the heat are from the sun, are of the sun, and yet are also distinct in themselves, with their own roles to play.

The Bible makes clear that God is One God, who is disclosed in three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. For example:

Deuteronomy 6:4 ‘Hear O Israel, The Lord our God, the Lord is one..’

Isaiah 45:22 ‘Turn to me and be saved… for I am God, and there is no other’

Genesis 1:1-2 ‘In the beginning God created…. And the Spirit of God was hovering…’

Judges 14:6 etc ‘The Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power…’

John 1:1-3 ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.’

Luke 24:49 actually manages to squeeze the whole Trinity into one sentence. Jesus tells his disciples: ‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power (the Holy Spirit) from on high.’

In other words, the sun eternally gives off light and heat, and whenever we stand in its brilliant light, we find that the warmth soon follows.

Courtesy of Parish Pump

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Dear Friends

What would be your reaction, if one Sunday morning my sermon lasted twenty-

seven minutes? You would no doubt be too polite to walk out, but I should certainly

never hear the last of it! That was the length of the sermon I preached (in French) on

my last visit to the Mennonite church which my son and his family attend some

thirty miles north of Paris. Apart from this highlight (?) my stay was uneventful, but

it did give me the chance to read a couple of books which have been sitting on my

shelves for some time waiting their turn to be taken down. For those interested in

such things I commend both of them most warmly.

The first is one of the most convincing rebuttals of the claims of that militant atheist,

Professor Richard Dawkins. A chapter in one his books was called “Why there is

almost certainly no god”, and this explains the title of Professor Keith Ward’s book

“Why there almost certainly is a God”.

(Lion 2008 ISBN 978-0-7459-5330-4 £7.99)

Dawkins seems to have receded from the headlines recently. Perhaps Ward’s book

is part of the reason for this. Most of his academic career was as a professor of

philosophy, but it led him in the end to being Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford,

surely one of the most prestigious positions in this field. Unlike some, he resists any

temptation to be abusive in his answer to Dawkins’s claim that the only world we

can know is the material one and that its existence and nature can be fully explained

by the operation of evolution and a happy series of coincidences. Ward’s written

style is attractive and intelligible, though there is no denying that the argument he

lays out when he explores developments in quantum physics will not be fully

grasped by many readers.

I take reassurance from the fact that eminent scientists who are also Christians write

approvingly of Ward’s book. Professor Polkinghorne says, “In this lucid and witty

book (he) demonstrates most effectively the rational viability of belief in God.”

While Professor Stannard describes it as , “A deft, enjoyable, courteous - yet

completely devastating - critique of Richard Hawkins’ latest foray beyond his sphere

of scientific expertise.” Here he surely puts his finger on the key issue. The religion

Dawkins seeks to discredit is nothing like the faith you and I hold dear and try to live

by. He does an effective demolition job, but does not seem to realise that the target

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he has hit was a dummy, not the real thing.

Quite recently a member of the congregation asked me how, and by whom, our

four gospels came to be chosen, while others were rejected. This too is an area

where there is an enormous amount of misinformation, much of it given

publicity in television programmes claiming that there have been conspiracies to

conceal the truth from us. In particular the story has been put around that it

required the Emperor Constantine to knock the bishops’ heads together and

accept what we now know as the approved list of books or canon. I need hardly

add that that appalling work of fictional rubbish “The Da Vinci Code” contributed

to this delusion. If all this intrigues you at all, the book for you is Professor

Charles Hill’s “Who chose the Four Gospels?” (Oxford 2010 ISBN 978-0-19-

964029-4 £8.99)

Hill’s book is an extremely readable account of the intensive researches by which

he has discovered that the four gospels were not imposed on the church by any

one person, bishop or emperor, at a given date. The evidence shows that all over

the early Christian world they very quickly gained a status clearly setting them

apart from the plethora of other attempts to record Jesus’ words and deeds. Hill

does not simply say, “Trust me; I know”. By quoting all his sources and offering

extensive scholarly notes, he “shows his workings”. One reviewer has said, “Hill

is meticulous, even-handed, careful to distinguish between historical datum and

speculation and a good writer to boot.”

At a time when many seek to undermine the credibility of Christianity both these

books offer us solid grounds for not losing our nerve. Both build our confidence

to commend our faith to others, secure in the knowledge that it is entirely

capable of withstanding any reasonable scrutiny.

With love and prayers

Colin

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Vacant

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Help!

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Number of Sundays 4

Sundays 717 (including 278 at Easter)

Weekdays 209

Baptisms 24 March Aiden Brombley

31 March Titus Magiya Nathan Magiya Kaitlyn Magiya Burials

20 March Albert Edward Knight Age 76 16 April Barbara Broad Age 79

Burial of Ashes

15 March Marian Robinson Age 88 19 March William Joseph Dean Age 85 3 April Charles Raymond Blanke Age 90

At Easthampstead Park Crematorium

18 March Barbara Rumsby Age 84 21 March John Hart Age 90 2 April Agnes McCardle Age 95 4 April William Henry Adams Age 9

Funeral in Church followed by Cremation 5 April Molly Finch Age 81