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Sunday 4th February                                                              2nd before Lent

Welcome to our weekly newsletter
TreesAndSun
Please pray for our Marriage Preparation Day tomorrow. We are expecting over twelve couples and for Lesley who will be feeding us all.

We rejoice in the ways God’s love is revealed.
The Collect, the prayer for the week
  Almighty God,
  you have created the heavens and the earth
  and made us in your own image:
  teach us to discern your hand in all your works
  and your likeness in all your children;
  through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
  who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things,
  now and for ever.
Readings for this Sunday: Col. 1: 15-20, Ps 104: 26-end and John 1: 1-14.   
For the Family Services: Isaiah 40.21-31 and Mark 1.29-39.


This Sunday:
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
8:45-9:15am St Thomas’ parish breakfast between the two services
9:30am        Family service at St Thomas’
11:15am      Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am      Family service at St Andrew’s
4:00pm        Choral Evensong at St Thomas’ 
Jo’s licensing
On Wednesday evening at Dorchester Abbey Jo was supported by church members from near and far, and by friends (including 11 fellow female footballers) who saw her commissioned and sworn in by Bishop Gavin.
Jo plus closeup

We were made very welcome by all the Dorchester Benefice team. Please pray for Jo and the family at this time of beginning again and putting their feet on the ground there.
Jo & Ben
The Ecumenical Lent course sign-up sheets are now at the back of the churches. The five week course starts the week beginning 19th February, following the theme "Healing and Hope".
Digging deeper

Digging Deeper – Spring Term
This Tuesday, 6th February, we have session 3: A final look at Exodus before the Lent groups begin. It is based on chapter 2 of Exodus. 

All welcome! 10.30am in the Canterbury Room, coffee and finish by noon.

CoffeeAndCroissant
Prayer Breakfast,
Saturday 10th February

This will take place in the Canterbury Room at St Thomas’. Coffee and croissants from 8:15am. Followed by prayer for the life of our churches.
Finished by 9.30am. Please do join us.
Cirdic logo
Coffee morning in aid of the Churches in Reading Drop-In Centre
There will be a coffee morning with a bring and buy stall in the Morrell Room in Streatley on Wednesday 21st February from 10am to 12:30pm. Please contact Mary via the church office for more information. CIRDIC is a local charity that provides a hot meal, support and advice for the homeless in Reading.
Vacancies for Foundation Governors
Both Streatley and Goring primary schools have vacancies for this key role, of being involved with the school, supporting the head and staff and reviewing its life and work, but especially upholding the Christian foundation values.
If you would like to know more Ben would be very pleased to give you more information and talk to you!

Piano Recital at St Mary’s
There will be a recital entitled “A Song on Love” by concert pianist Ikuko Inoguchi on Sunday February 25th at 4pm in St Mary's followed by tea afterwards.
The programme will feature both Western Classical and Japanese pieces including works by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, Debussy and Toru Takemitsu.
Ticket are available on the door for £10 full, £9 concessions (cash only please).

Daily Prayer continues its usual pattern. Why not join in one day? We listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church members in turn.
Monday: 8.30am Goring,     Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley.
Friday: 9am Goring.

This week we are asked to pray 

  • Invitations have gone out, we pray they will be received and welcomed – by Year 6 children at our primary schools, for an after-school club.
  • For recruiting suitable Foundation Governors for our schools.
  • For honesty about the challenges and fears we have, and bringing them to God who has shown his hope in us.
  • For the people and churches of Long and Little Wittenham, Culham, Clifton Hampden and Burcot.
  • For peacemakers in Israel and Palestine and its surrounding nations.
  • Give thanks for the opportunity of our churches to support couples in marriage.
  • For those who feel alone and with little hope. 
Diary for next week
Tuesday 6th February
10:30am      Digging Deeper in the Canterbury Room

Wednesday 7th February
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
                    followed by coffee in the Canterbury Room
The readings will be 1 Kings 10. 1-10, Ps. 37. 3-6, 30-32 and Mark 7. 14-23.


Thursday 8th February
2:00pm        Funeral of Lynn Evans at St Thomas'

Friday 9th February
2:00pm        Funeral of Francis Crook at St Thomas'

Saturday 10th February
8:15am -9.30am   Benefice prayer breakfast in the Canterbury Room

Sunday 11th February
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
9:30am        Holy Communion at St Thomas’
11:15am      Family service at St Mary’s
11:15am      BCP Holy Communion at St Andrew’s
The monthly calendar for February can be downloaded by clicking here

Prayers for this week
Thank you to Simon for this week’s prayers.

Father God, help us to still our hearts and centre ourselves on your saving grace.

Thank you for the regular worship and celebration taking place across the benefice this weekend and we give you thanks for the privilege and opportunity we have in this country to meet together and praise your name freely and openly.

O God of all hope and peace, we bring to you the needs of our broken and hurting world. Our hearts are breaking with images of lives lost and torn apart by grief in Israel and Palestine. We pray for an end to violence and warfare so that the challenging work of rebuilding may begin.

We continue to ask for a resolution to the war in Ukraine, asking that you would strengthen and protect those defending the country - and that you would give grace and forbearance to their families and supporters. 

Here at home, we pray for a swift recovery for King Charles from his recent surgery and the continued convalescence of Catherine, Princess of Wales. We pray for the Prime Minister and the Government asking that you bless this country at a time of such uncertainty and economic stagnation.  We ask that you uphold all the many who are deeply affected by the continued pressures on the cost of living.

In the benefice, we pray that you would honour and bless the leaders at our Churches - for Gavin our Bishop, Ben and the ministry team. We remember Jo especially as she starts in her new parish.  We thank you for the planned activities taking place during Lent, asking you would continue to bless the leaders in their preparation.

Finally, we pray for our congregations, remembering especially any who are ill or in distress at this time.

We commend ourselves, and all for whom we pray, to the mercy and protection of God our Lord and Father.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Daily readings for the week beginning 5th February
Monday am: Ps 1 Gen. 29.31-30.24 2 Tim. 4. 1-8 pm: Ps 4 John 19. 1-16
Tuesday am: Ps 5 Gen. 31. 1-24 2 Tim. 4. 9-end pm: Ps 9 John 19. 17-30
Wednesday am: Ps 119. 1-32 Gen. 31.25-32.2 Titus ch. 1 pm: Ps 11 John 19. 31-end
Thursday am: Ps 15 Gen. 32. 3-30 Titus ch. 2 pm: Ps 18 John 20. 1-10
Friday am: Ps 19 Gen. 33. 1-17 Titus ch. 3 pm: Ps 22 John 20. 11-18
Saturday am: Ps 23 Gen. ch. 35 Philem. pm: Ps 24 John 20. 19-end
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
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The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke
The Vicarage
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