Banner Image:   pen-g104861c15 1920

 
BeneficeLogoWithText
Sunday 9th March                                                                              Lent 1

Welcome to our weekly newsletter
Lent


How will we walk with God this Lent, rejoice in his promises and deepen our hope in him?

The Collect, the prayer for the week
   Almighty God,
   whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
   and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
   give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
   and, as you know our weakness,
   so may we know your power to save;
   through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
   who is alive and reigns with you,
   in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
   one God, now and for ever.
Readings for this Sunday: Romans 10: 8b-13, Ps. 91. 1, 2, 9-end and Luke 4: 1-13. Family service: Romans 5. 1-8.

This Sunday:
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
5:00pm        Discoverers
How will you make Lent fruitful?
  • Read a holy, helpful book? A Lent library of books is available in each church.
  • Join a midweek morning daily prayer service in church? Find a prayer partner? Form a prayer triplet and meet each month?
  • Join a Lent group (see below)?
  • Take a moment of quiet with God at a/several points in the day to pray and reflect?
  • Use one of the “Living Hope” booklets daily?
  • or get the C of E App or daily email? (See https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/lent-holy-week-and-easter/living-hope-lent-reflections)
  • Go green for Lent following the weekly suggestions from A Rocha (see below).
Lent Groups
This is the last chance to sign up for the Ecumenical Lent groups which start the week beginning 10th March. Journey with us this Lent as we look at stories of steadfast faith, hope and trust found in the Bible and reflect on what God's transformational love can mean for our world today. 
Lent group book 25

Find encouragement and strength in stories of hope that span over 3000 years of history - showing us that God remains with us at all times. We will be using the Embrace book, Hope in Hard Places. Sign up sheets are at the back of the church, but please note that the Thursday evening group is full. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine via the church office on 01491 875651.

Living hope screenshot

Lent Booklets
In addition to the Lent groups we have copies of the Church of England’s Lent booklet, “Living Hope”, available in all our churches. (There are also a few copies of the version for children.) The booklet contains a reflection for each day of Lent. These reflections are also available on the Church of England’s “Everyday Faith” app that can be downloaded onto your phone.
Lent ideas from A Rocha
As we begin the season of Lent this week, Lord, open our eyes each day to see something new and wonderful in your world, so we may choose to be more considerate towards your creation during this time of reflection and beyond.
Week One
Bring nature into your home or garden. What could you grow inside your home, in the garden or even at church? Plant a herb or flower as a reminder of our responsibility to steward God’s earth.
A Rocha wk 1
 As you tend to this plant, prayerfully ask God how you might nurture nature better at home over the Lent period and beyond.
Electoral Roll 2025
Each Parish Church must prepare an entirely new electoral roll this year so everyone needs to complete a fresh form, please.
Copies of the forms for all three churches are available in church or may be downloaded for St Thomas’ here, St Mary’s here or St Andrew’s here or contact the church office (875651).
Please return your completed form to the box in church or email the form to
Judith Aguda (judith.aguda@gmail.com) by 24th April for St Thomas’,
Keith Jackson (fkjj@btinternet.com) by 1st May for St Mary’s or
Sine Shaw (sinecorbett@gmail.com) by 13th March for St Andrew’s.

If you miss the deadline you can still be added to the roll but only after the annual meeting.
Update from Wallingford Foodbank
We have received the monthly update from the foodbank thanking people for their donations, especially for items marked as urgent in the BankTheFood app. They note that “We are currently swimming in soup and baked beans so please choose long life milk or juice, jars of coffee, tins of potatoes and tins of meat instead.” They have also asked if we could consider donating Easter eggs (last month they gave food to families including 148 children) as we head towards Easter.

Piano Recital at St Mary’s
In celebration of JS Bach's 340th birthday Christopher Burrows, virtuoso organist and pianist, will be giving a piano recital in St Mary's on Sunday March 23rd at 4pm. The programme will comprise short works composed by the Birthday Composer himself. This will include toccatas, preludes and selections from the

C Burrows S 25.03.23

Goldberg variations and the Art of Fugue.
Tickets £10 full, £9 concessions on the door only and please bring cash not cards! Tea and cakes will be provided by the Friends of St Mary’s in the Morrell Rooms after the concert.
Any enquiries please text to 0776 233 9853.

Start your day listening to God and praying together. 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: 

  • For our keeping of Lent.
  • For Discoverers meeting this weekend.
  • For our prime minister and government seeking wisdom to make lasting peace in the world.
  • For the poor of the world as aid budgets and welfare are cut.
  • That aid may be allowed into Gaza.
  • For those mourning the loss of loved ones from Covid as Sunday marks a Day of Reflection across the UK for the pandemic.
Diary for the week
Monday 10th March
7:30pm        St Andrew’s PCC meeting

Wednesday 12th March
10:30am      Little Lights at St Mary’s
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Jonah 3, Ps 51. 1-5, 17-18 and Luke 11: 29-32.


Sunday 16th March
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        Bereavement Café in the Canterbury Room

Prayers for the week from "Roots on the Web"
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Lord, as we pause to pray, we ponder for a moment the meaning of wilderness… For some it will be a time of pain and travail. For others it will be a time of oasis and calm in a busy world. For others it will be a space for development and change. Lord, whatever shape our wilderness is taking in this season of our lives, help us to know your presence throughout the journey.
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Lord, we first consider the wilderness as a place of pain and difficulty; a desert place where nothing seems to be growing and life is hard. We pray for those in that season right now. We particularly remember those who are sick, especially… We remember those who are sad because someone they love has died …. We pray for those who are just finding life tough for whatever reason. For each person we name out loud or in our hearts, we ask for your comfort and courage as they tread this difficult path.
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Lord, we pray also for situations in the news this week that feel stale and dry. Those places which are no longer in the news but where poverty and hunger has been a reality for many, many years. Lord, we so often feel helpless in the face of these global problems. But Jesus showed us a way to trust you. Help us to follow his example.
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

We also pray for those who are trying to find you but keep getting pulled in other directions and are tempted away from following your path. We pray for those struggling with addiction; those who are in and out of prison; those who are homeless and feel they have no future. Lord, draw close to them, we pray, and give them wells of living water.
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Lord, we bring to you situations in our world that need the oasis of calm and peace: Continuing war in Ukraine, Gaza, the DRC. Wars of words between world leaders…
And we remember those in our community who need to find peace in a busy world: we pray for teachers… for students… new parents… commuters… doctors and nurses in a busy hospital… all those we know (and maybe ourselves) who need this season to be a welcome time of rest.
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread.

Lord, we rejoice with those who are finding the wilderness a place of growth and joy right now. We pause to think of anything new we have learnt from you this week. What signs of new growth have we seen around us?: flowers/blossom/lambs? And what have we seen in our locality or on the news that has demonstrated new hope and the potential for flourishing?
Lord, we acknowledge that we cannot live without you.
Give us each day our daily bread. Amen.

Daily readings for the week beginning 10th March
Monday am: Ps 11 Jer. 4. 19-end John 5. 1-18 pm: Ps 13 Gal. 3.23-4.7
Tuesday am: Ps 44 Jer.  5. 1-19 John 5. 19-29 pm: Ps 49 Gal. 4. 8-20
Wednesday am: Ps 6 Jer. 5.20-end John 5. 30-end pm: Ps 28 Gal. 4. 21-5.1
Thursday am: Ps 42 Jer. 6. 9-21 John 6. 1-15 pm: Ps 142 Gal. 5. 2-15
Friday am: Ps 22 Jer. 6. 22-end John 6. 16-27 pm: Ps 55 Gal. 5. 16-end
Saturday am: Ps 63 Jer. 7. 1-20 John 6. 27-40 pm: Ps 4 Gal. ch. 6
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
DioceseOfOxford
Copyright © 2025 The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Goring, Berkshire RG8 9DR
United Kingdom
 
 ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏