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Sunday 16th March                                                                              Lent 2

Welcome to our weekly newsletter

Are you persistent in following God’s way?
Jesus shows us how consistent, faithful and long suffering God is to open up his grace to us.

 
The Collect, the prayer for the week
   Almighty God,
   by the prayer and discipline of Lent
   may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings,
   and by following in his Way
   come to share in his glory;
   through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings for this Sunday: Gen. 15: 1-12, 17-18, Ps. 27 and Luke 13: 31-35.

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        Bereavement Café in the Canterbury Room
Not too late Lent ideas
  • 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?
  • 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 (below)
Lent ideas from A Rocha
Week Two
Connect with creation in a new way. Time spent enjoying God’s creation will help set your mind and seek the things that are above.
Bench outside px
Bring your sketch or note book, your Bible, or whatever helps you connect with our heavenly Father. Or perhaps God is inviting you to just bring yourself (with some extra layers!). Note all the signs of the season. Use this time to reflect on the changing season and what we can be thankful for.
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 or St Mary’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’ or
Keith Jackson (fkjj@btinternet.com) by 1st May for St Mary’s.

If you miss the deadline you can still be added to the roll but only after the annual meeting.
Heal the Gap Bereavement Café
Our Bereavement Cafe has its next session this Sunday, March 16th, at 3pm in the Canterbury Room.
The aims of this group are to demystify the topic of grief and remove its status as a taboo subject and to equip everyone with the self-assurance necessary to engage in a meaningful conversation with those 
grappling with loss, focusing primarily on active listening. The sessions are managed by trained group bereavement facilitators. The group is open to anyone, regardless of how long ago your loss occurred, and you will be welcome whether or not you have been before.
We hope to offer some friendship and advice as well as tea, coffee and refreshments. We look forward to seeing you there.                      Melissa 
PAF Mar 25
Pick-a-Flick, Thursday 20th March, 10:30am
This month Pick-a-Flick will be screening the film “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry”. 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 Sarah via the church office on 875651 to book in and to ask for transport if you require it.

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.
  • We give thanks for the courage and vision of those who set up and ran the Hub and pray for them as they review and seek funding. We pray for all who miss its services at the moment.
  • For the lonely and those struggling to find hope.
  • For those attending the bereavement café this weekend.
  • For those caring for the North Sea’s wildlife, and those who serve in sea rescue services.
  • For us all to engage with the true price for peace.
Diary for the week
Monday 17th March
Lent groups continue this week

Wednesday 19th March
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be 2 Samuel 7. 4-16, Ps 89. 26-36 and Matt. 1. 18-end.
7:45pm        St Mary’s PCC meeting


Thursday 20th March
10:30am      Pick-a-Flick in the Canterbury Room

Sunday 23rd March
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
4:00pm        Piano recital at St Mary’s
5.00pm        Discoverers

Prayers for the week
Thank you to David for this week’s prayers.

Let us pray to God who has drawn us here today and thank him for the life and gifts he has given us. They are perhaps not always what we have expected and sometimes test our faith, but we know Father they are your will. We thank you for your guiding hand on our shoulders.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

As we gather in the presence of the Almighty, all-knowing God, let us pray for all Christian Churches, with all their strengths and sometimes their weaknesses. Give us the grace to recognise that in your spirit we are one and to curb our tendency to cause division. We pray for all those engaged in ecumenical work. Give us the faith and confidence to engage with other religions and not denounce them.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Father, we pray for the benefice of Goring, Streatley and South Stoke, its churches and clerical team led by Reverend Ben. Grant your blessing upon them and all the volunteers who contribute to their smooth running.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray that all in authority here in UK and in other nations of the world, may use their positions for good, instigating and upholding what is right and fair. We pray that they listen to the needs of those they represent and recognise their responsibility to support and stand up for God’s values.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for all those caught up in conflict, injury and displacement through no fault of their own. In Ukraine, in the Middle East, in Africa, in Latin America, in SE Asia – the list is depressingly volatile and seemingly endless. We are living through a period of dramatic change to what we have considered to be the world order. Amidst this turmoil and uncertainty, we pray Lord for the calm, reconciliation and peace that you alone can provide.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Father, we thank you for our families and the joy that that they bring us. We pray for our young people as they enter the exam season at whatever level that may be. Help them to focus away from the distractions that our world throws at them. We pray for those less fortunate children living in poverty – in some cases close to our doorstep.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Loving Father, bless those who are ill and suffering pain and depression. We pray for those who nurse them and watch anxiously over them. Give them the Faith that will bring them strength and peace of mind as they live out their lives.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

We pray for those who have recently died and ask that you give them the eternal peace of your love. We pray that you give those family and friends left behind the strength to handle their inevitable shock and remember the happiness and contribution those who have departed gave to their lives.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

During this period of Lent, give us the Faith to meditate upon Christ’s final weeks on earth before his cruel torture, crucifixion and the final sacrifice made for us. 
Father, we thank you for our lives, our health, our achievements, our families and your love. We thank you for your daily guidance as you watch over us every minute of the day…
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

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

Daily readings for the week beginning 17th March
Monday am: Ps 32 Jer. 7. 21-end John 6. 41-51 pm: Ps 74 Heb. ch 1
Tuesday am: Ps 50 Jer.  8. 1-15 John 6. 52-59 pm: Ps 52 Heb. 2. 1-9
Wednesday am: Ps 25 Isa. 11. 1-10 Matt. 13. 54-end pm: Ps 1 Matt. 2. 13-end
Thursday am: Ps 34 Jer. 9. 12-24 John 7. 1-13 pm: Ps 71 Heb. 3. 1-6
Friday am: Ps 41 Jer. 10. 1-16 John 7. 14-24 pm: Ps 6 Heb. 3. 7-end
Saturday am: Ps 25 Jer. 10. 17-24 John 7. 25-36 pm: Ps 23 Heb. 3. 1-13
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
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