Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke : Sunday 26th March 2023

Sunday 26th March Lent 5
British Summer Time begins this weekend - clocks go forward one hour

Welcome to our weekly newsletter

Nature is telling us of God’s faithfulness and we in church begin Passiontide. The word means suffering and love. We face the pain in the world around us and see it in the light of the Passion of God faced in Jesus.
It is not too late to ask God to help you make the most of Lent and Holy Week to know more of him, to desire to change and grow.

The Collect, the prayer for the week
Gracious Father,
you gave up your Son
out of love for the world:
lead us to ponder the mysteries of his passion,
that we may know eternal peace
through the shedding of our Saviour’s blood,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Readings for Sunday: Rom. 8: 6-11, Ps. 130 and John 11: 1-45.

This Sunday:
8:00am      BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
9:30am      Holy Communion at St Thomas’
11:15am    Mattins at St Mary’s
11:15am    Holy Communion at St Andrew’s
5:00pm      Discoverers

Posy Makers - Thank you :) They were so appreciated.
And enjoyed through the week.

Easter Flowers at St Thomas’
This year, as usual, we are inviting you to donate a lily in memory of a relative or friend. The lilies will be used, together with other flowers, to decorate the church for Easter Day so hopefully the church will be full of the scent of beautiful flowers. It is a lovely way to remember our special people.
If you would like to make a donation please contact Jenny Boyd or see her in church.

Please let us know if any of your Lenten habits are being helpful. It’s not too late to take one up. Why not join Ben for Morning prayer in church?

South Stoke prayer walk
Liz and Jo will be again be doing a prayer walk around South Stoke next week starting from St Andrew’s. Please e-mail Jo or Liz for details of the day and time.
Anyone is welcome to join them.

Holy Week Pilgrimage
From 3 – 6 April Canon Sally Welch of Christ Church Cathedral is leading a pilgrimage along the Thames Path from Reading Abbey to Oxford.
Walking at a leisurely pace, for ten miles each day, there will be plenty of time to enjoy the countryside and the company of fellow pilgrims.
During the journey, Sally will be leading reflections on the theme of the Stations of the Cross.
The group will be leaving from Christ Church Cathedral each morning at 9.00, and will be taken to and from the starting and end locations each day by minibus.
There is no charge for this trip, but booking is essential as places are limited.
For further information and to book a place, please contact Sally via the Benefice Office.

St Katharine’s retreat options
St Katharine’s retreat house at Parmoor near Henley has put together a small programme of Quiet Days and Retreats allowing you to come and be spiritually fed. Quite deliberately, the themes vary and hopefully there will be something for everyone. For more information please see https://www.srpf.org.uk/events/

St Thomas’ Electoral Roll
St Thomas’ Electoral Roll is being revised. If you would like your name to be added to the Electoral Roll, pick up a form from the table just inside the church and put the completed form into the box provided by THURSDAY 6 MARCH AT THE LATEST.
Please note that YOU DON’T NEED TO FILL IN A FORM IF YOUR NAME IS ALREADY ON THE CURRENT LIST. If you are not sure whether your name is already on the list, you can check the list on the notice board in the church porch.
Judith, Electoral Roll Officer

Daily Prayer is offered each morning in one of our churches. Why not join in one day? We listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church.
Monday: 8.30am Goring,
Tuesday (exceptionally): 8:30am Goring
Thursday: 8.30am Streatley, Friday: 9am Goring

Holy week services.
Please see the specific web page for details of our services leading up to and including Easter.

We are asked to pray

For Ukraine. For an end to this terrible tragedy and relief for all grieving and affected. May God work in our hearts.
For a real change in our ways of living and sharing resources.
For our growing closer to God this Lent.
For our potential Children's and Families worker and the team organising their appointment.
Give thanks for our PCC meetings and their members and pray for fruitful outcomes of decisions made. For preparations for our church AGMs.

Diary for next week:

Monday 27th March
10:00am Final Warm Space in the Canterbury Room

Tuesday 28th March
9.45am Easter service for Goring and Streatley schools
7:45pm Come and See group in the Canterbury Room

Wednesday 29th March
10:30am    BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Dan. 3. 14-20, 24-25, 28, Canticle: Bless the Lord & John 8. 31-42.

Sunday 2nd April
8:00am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am      Family service with palm crosses at St Thomas’
11:15am    Holy Communion with palm crosses at St Mary’s
                           beginning with a short procession
11:15am    Family service with palm crosses at St Andrew’s
4:00pm      Evensong at St Thomas’

Daily readings for the week beginning 27th March

Monday am:	Ps 73	Jer. 21. 1-10	John 11. 28-44	pm: Ps 26	Heb. 11. 17-31
Tuesday am:	Ps 35	Jer. 22. 1-5, 13-19	John 11. 45-end	pm: Ps 61	Heb. 11.32-12.2
Wednesday am:	Ps 55	Jer. 22.20-23.8	John 12. 1-11	pm: Ps 62	Heb. 12. 3-13
Thursday am:	Ps 40	Jer. 23. 9-32	John 12. 12-19	pm: Ps 43	Heb. 12. 14-end
Friday am:	Ps 22	Jer. ch. 24	John 12. 20-36a	pm: Ps 31	Heb. 13. 1-16
Saturday am:	Ps 23	Jer. 25. 1-14	John 12. 36b-end	pm: Ps 130	Heb. 13. 17-end

Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.

The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke

The Vicarage

Manor Road

Goring, Berkshire RG8 9DR

United Kingdom