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Sunday 15th October                                                                      Trinity 19
Welcome to our weekly newsletter
Autumn leaves L WM

We are called to marvel at God’s whole-hearted love for us revealed in Jesus and turn to this picture of power and love as we pray for broken, grieving, hating humanity to be changed and healed and find a lasting peace.
The Collect, the prayer for the week
   Faithful Lord,
   whose steadfast love never ceases
   and whose mercies never come to an end:
   grant us the grace to trust you
   and to receive the gifts of your love,
   new every morning,
   in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings for this Sunday:  Phil. 4: 1-9, Ps. 23 & Matt. 22: 1-14.

This Sunday:
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am        Good News service at St Thomas’
11:15am      BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am      Good News service at St Andrew’s
3:00pm        Wild Church
Streatley L 23
Harvest Thank you
Thank you to all those who brought and shared for the St Mary’s Harvest lunch last Sunday.
Thank you also to those who decorated the church so beautifully.
And to those who gave generously.
The Churches in Reading Drop in Centre was very grateful.
Thank you from the Wallingford Food Bank
We received the following letter following donations from the Harvest service at St Thomas’: “I write on behalf of the Wallingford food bank to thank your congregation for the generous donations received recently.
We were so grateful to receive such wonderful quantities of food. In recent months food donations have unsurprisingly reduced as many people are affected by the increases in living costs. It is very reassuring to find the community at St Thomas’, still able to support us in this way.
We have already helped 50% more households this year than in the whole of last year, so the food you have donated is very welcome.”
Digging deeper
A chance to learn and grow?
Digging Deeper - Exploring God together

Each session stands alone so why not come this week?
Tuesday 17th October, 10.30am for 10.45am-12 noon in the Canterbury Room.
For more information please ask Ben or Jo.
Session 3 will be “The last will be first”... looking at Christian use of power.
Children and Families worker update
Although we received no applicants for this role, people are continuing to pray. Thank you. A few conversations and expressions of possible desire to be part of something are emerging. We are exploring how the tasks may be broken down into smaller, shareable chunks, as well as keeping our advert spreading. Please pray. Thank you.
Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir, this Saturday, October 14th, at 7:30pm
St Thomas’ is delighted once again to welcome the Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir to Goring to entertain us with their wonderful and uplifting singing. The pianist, Jonathan French, will be performing between the choir's sets including Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Liszt’s Liebestraum.
Tickets cost £16 and include refreshments in the interval. Any surplus from the concert will go towards church funds.
Tickets are available online here (https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/44056) or from Inspirations shop in Goring Arcade or by phoning 07903 140436.
PAF Oct 23
Pick-a-Flick, Thursday 19th October, 10:30am
This month Pick-a-Flick will be screening the film “Mrs Lowry & Son”. As usual, there will be coffee before the film and a light lunch afterwards and we ask for a contribution of £5 towards this.
Pre-booking is required so please contact Jenny or Sarah via the church office (01491 875651) to book in and to ask for transport if you require it.
Goring Chamber Choir Concert – We Will Remember Them
As the season of remembrance approaches, Goring Chamber Choir is taking a fresh look at music that has been written over the centuries for times of grieving. Familiar music such as the In paradisum from Fauré's Requiem and Purcell's Thou knowest, Lord (sung at the funeral service for HM the late Queen Elizabeth ll), set beside new and contemporary settings giving a positive light, such as Richard Shepherd's Holy is the true light. The choir will also sing glorious ecstatic music, such as Bainton's And I saw a new heaven, Ireland's Greater love and Wood's Hail, gladdening light, which will ensure that everyone comes away uplifted! The audience will also have a chance to join in amidst choir and readings.
The concert will take place at St Thomas’ on Saturday 28th October at 3pm.
Tickets are £15 (free for under 18’s) and obtainable from Inspiration or from a choir member or on the door.
Thanksgiving for the Departed, Sunday 29th October
autumn leaves all saints WM
The Ministry Team invite all who have lost loved ones, whether recently or longer ago, to come together at St Thomas’ on the 29th October at 4.00pm to remember those who have died, to give thanks for and to celebrate their lives.
The service is gentle and allows time for reflection and thanksgiving as well as an act of remembrance for those who have died. 
Following the service light refreshments will be served in the Canterbury Room, giving an opportunity to talk with others and with members of the Ministry Team, if you wish.
All are most welcome to come and join in this celebration of the lives of departed loved ones and do please invite others you may know to the service.
Daily Prayer continues its usual pattern. Why not join in one day? We listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church.
Monday: 8.30am Goring,     Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley.
Friday: 9am Goring.

This week we are asked to pray for

  • Ongoing gratitude, generosity and care of all creation. Give thanks for Harvest, gathered in and celebrated.
  • Ongoing reflection and prayer about how Jo will be missed and how we cover her work and move forward with families’ and children’s work.
  • Israel and Palestine for peace and equal life for all there.  .
  • For the lonely and anyone who feels misunderstood in our community.
Diary for next week
Tuesday 17th October
10:30am      Digging Deeper in the Canterbury Room

Wednesday 18th October
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Isa. 35. 3-6, Ps. 147. 1-7 & Luke 10. 1-9.


Thursday 19th October
10:30am      Pick-a-Flick in the Canterbury Room 

Sunday 22nd October
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

Prayers for this week

Thank you to Geoffrey for this week’s prayers.

Thank you Lord for life and for its joys and successes; for your love and care for your creation and for the promise of eternal life hereafter. May we not cease to offer you praise and glory day by day and seek to show forth in our lives the fruits of your grace and by walking in your way and your commandments. Humble thanks we offer you for all your blessings.
Lord hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for your holy church; for all its members throughout the world and its numerous denominations. We pray for our Archbishop, Bishops and clergy as they lead us in your ways and for all who work for the maintenance of true religion. We pray for our missionary efforts, realising that we fall short of success and we pray for your guidance and inspiration as we press on. We remember especially Christians who suffer persecution in many lands where they are pressurised to convert to other faiths, for we know that faith comes from the heart alone.
Lord hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for his majesty, King Charles, our head of state and for Queen Camilla. We ask that you will inspire him to have a good influence on our government as it struggles in difficult times. We pray for ministers and members of parliament that they may act with compassion and integrity. We also pray for our local government and all the institutions of state as we give thanks for our peaceful and democratic land, founded on Christian values.
We look beyond our shores at our world where there is much violence, greed and injustice and pray that your kingdom will make all things new. We pray for all who are affected by war and natural disasters and ask that we may be ever ready to help them. We think particularly of Palestine, Israel and Ukraine among many places of conflict and pray earnestly for peace and justice to come again to these regions. We also remember those countries and societies riddled with corruption and bad government and ask that you will turn the perpetrators to love and care for all their people.
Lord hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for our community of Goring, Streatley and South Stoke; for all who live and work here and for all who work to enhance our lives. We pray for good relationships to prevail throughout our villages and for all who are experiencing difficulties or trouble in their lives. Prompt us to offer help where necessary.
Lord hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.

Lord, we pray for the sick in our community and for the bereaved. We ask for healing and recovery for them as we read the names in our newsletter. We commend to you all our medical and social services, some of whom may be under severe stress in their work. We remember those who have died recently and our own departed loved ones, may they rest in your kingdom and share in your glory.
Lord hear us: Lord, graciously hear us.

Accept, we pray, these prayers and supplications which we offer in the name of Jesus Christ.

Daily readings for the week beginning 16th October
Monday am: Ps 98 Ezek. 28. 1-19 John 13. 1-11 pm: Ps 105 Phil. 1. 1-11
Tuesday am: Ps 106 Ezek. 33. 1-20 John 13. 12-20 pm: Ps 107 Phil. 1. 12-end
Wednesday am: Ps 145 Isa. ch. 55 Luke 1. 1-4 pm: Ps 103 Col. 4. 7-end
Thursday am: Ps 115 Ezek. 34. 1-16 John 13. 31-end pm: Ps 116 Phi. 2. 14-end
Friday am: Ps 139 Ezek. 34. 17-end John 14. 1-14 pm: Ps 130 Phil. 3.1-4.1
Saturday am: Ps 121 Ezek. 36. 16-36 John 14. 15-end pm: Ps 118 Phil. 4.2-end
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
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