The Magazine, October 2006 (Section 1)

Magazine Production Team
Deadline for November magazine: 15th October

Team News

Ranelagh School
There will be a meeting for prospective parents of children seeking application to Ranelagh School in September 2007, on Wednesday 4th October at 8.00pm. It is important that all parents are represented because we will have the latest information on the process. There are major changes in the form again this year reflecting the need for all applications to be ‘measurable and fair’. As ever it will be impossible to recommend any family who is not known to the clergy team, who have joined the church in the very recent past.

The Ranelagh School Service for this term will be on Tuesday 17th October at 8.40am in Holy Trinity Church.

Last Service for David
David’s last Sunday will be 29th October when there will be a team service at 10am in Holy Trinity Church, followed by a farewell reception.

David

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News from Holy Trinity

The Tower
The scaffolding on the tower will remain until the work is completed and you are invited to have a look at the excellent display at the back of church. At the time of writing, the tenders for the work are still being received and we do not know what the cost will be or the time scale. The Parish and District Wardens will have up to date information and they will be pleased to answer any questions.

Harvest
The Harvest celebrations will be on Sunday 8th October, beginning with a Harvest Service at 10am. We hope that you will bring along tinned goods as the things that are offered in thanksgiving will be taken by Les Allen to a refuge for the homeless in Reading.

At the service too you will be invited to ‘buy a chicken’ for £3! More details from Tracey Williams and Helen Hastings. (click here for more information)

The Harvest lunch is at 12 noon following the service and the tickets cost £7 for adults and £4 for children in Primary School. The ticket includes one drink and other drinks will be available to buy. Tickets will be available to buy either from the parish office or from Debs Dimmock at the back of church each Sunday morning.

Memorial Service
On Sunday afternoon 5th November there will be the annual Memorial Service for families for who we have taken funerals this past year. We shall need some help with the service and especially the tea afterwards – if you can help please talk to Mark.

Some dates for your diary
 

David

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News from St Andrew's

Pilgrimage to Walsingham
Twelve of us went to Walsingham this year from 29th August to 1st September. Andrew and Lynn shared this time with us and we are very grateful to Brenda Mullins for all the detailed work involved in organising the pilgrimage. Jeremy and Carys were at Walsingham while we were there. On one evening we had a "get together" with the group from Jeremy's Maidenhead congregation and this gave us a chance to share with them and get to know them.

"CRoW" (Cycle Run or Walk)
This annual event is to enable people to be sponsored to raise funds for individual churches and for the Berkshire Churches Trust. St. Andrew's was one of the "host" churches, and although we did not have many visitors, those who came (usually on bikes), said how much they liked the building.

Forthcoming Events
Margaret Garrood (who has recently celebrated her 80th birthday) has seen and experienced Antarctica. On Saturday 18 November at 7.30 pm we will be having a presentation in St. Andrew's, with slides of this relatively unknown continent.

We have not had many fund-raising events recently, and so we plan to have a Christmas Fayre at St. Andrew's on Saturday 2 December. The details have not yet been worked out but we hope that it will not be just to raise some money, but also as a time for us to meet people from the local community who do not normally venture inside the Church.

Thanks and Prayers
St. Paul said that his prayers for the Philippians were always joyful. It is with great joy and thanksgiving that we pray for all who run and take part in the Pram and Toddler Group which meets in St. Andrew's each Monday morning (including Bank Holiday Mondays). And we rejoice with Yvonne Parish and all in the 14-plus Group.

We continue to pray for Andrew, Lynn and Emily. They have settled in so well that we may not fully appreciate how big an adjustment they have had to make after their life in the United States.

Chris our organist hopes to be back with us soon when his wrist is out of plaster.

Last but not least we remember Mrs. Nora Clark in our prayers. In recent years she has faced particularly difficult times in hospital with great fortitude and has always come out of it to worship faithfully with us again.

Simon Sellick
District Warden, St. Andrew's

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News from St Paul's

Problems with Tunnels
At a time when things are usually quiet at church the vicar managed to liven things up by going off sick. The numbness in her hands turned out to be Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, those who don’t enjoy the medical details please close your eyes for the next sentence. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand and controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. To relieve the symptoms a simple operation to cut the ligament and release pressure on the median nerve is commonly performed.

Well the surgery might have been simple but life without using my right hand was extremely complicated. I had to call upon my neighbours to tie my shoe laces, open packets with my teeth and give up trying to blow dry my hair as you can either hold the hairdryer or the brush, and not both at the same time.

Can I send my thanks to all those who picked up the slack while I was off work? David and Mark did the weddings and Andrew, Nick and Derek Duncanson did the services at St Paul's. Also a big thank you to all those who called round, telephoned or sent cards, I was touched by your support and can I particularly thank Charlotte for her card, made specially just for me.

One thing I did manage to do for St Paul's during my sick leave was the notice sheet and the notices for the 10th September went as follows…

‘Thank you to Andrew Frearson who is leading our Communion service this morning. Catherine Blundell, who has had an operation on her wrist, has still got numb fingers and is bored at home…very, very, bored…’get-the-ironing-board-out-and-iron-with-her-left-hand –just-for-something-to-do’ type of bored…and she hates ironing.

Please note that there is a Christmas Fayre planning meeting at Sue & Alan Davis’ at 8.00pm on Monday 11th September.

DCC Wednesday 13th September, at the vicarage…the one full of very badly ironed clothes…’

Autumn
Meanwhile St Paul's is moving into autumn. Our Coffee and Cakes, Small Time and the Brigades have all started again and we are busy planning our Harvest Supper. Our Harvest celebrations include a Harvest Communion, the Harvest Supper and the following weekend the Harvest Parade Service.

Building Improvements
The building work at St Paul's continues with new toilets and improvements to make the church building and hall easily accessible for those who use wheelchairs, push buggies or find steps difficult. It is hoped that the work will be finished by the end of September.

URC Minister
Along with the changes due in the Bracknell Team the URC are also moving forward with their process of appointing a new minister, the church is now officially vacant and this means the process of calling a new minister can progress.

Catherine Blundell

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Parish Register

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October Diary

This can be found in For your Diary...

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October Prayer Diary

This can be found in Prayer Diary

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Taizé Meditation

These meditations are meant as a way of seeking God in silence and prayer in the midst of our daily life. During the course of a day, take a moment to read the Bible Passage with this short commentary and reflect on the questions which follow.

Matthew 20: 20-28
In every culture there is a system of honouring some of its selected members, distinguishing them from others by means of titles, clothes, posts or material advantages. In both West and East, human beings try to acquire more honour or influence in a given group. The problem is that some use every means possible to acquire them. The struggle for power and various forms of intrigue – manifest or hidden – exist in all human societies. Even the apostles were not totally exempt from it.

Jesus’ teaching on power is clear and even radical. He does not simply argue that one must rule differently and more humanly. He goes further, saying that if someone wants to be a leader he or she must be a servant, even a slave! And throughout his life he gave the best example of this. To the prevalent idea of “dominion” of a leader, he contrasted the idea of “service”. The “kingdom” that Jesus brings is far different from human expectation or imagination. It must have been difficult for the disciples to grasp and probably even more so to accept it.

Following Christ sometimes means swimming against the current. By asking “Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” he refers to his passion, the cup he would like most to pass far away from him but finally accepts. In fact, the one who has decided to follow Christ cannot avoid this cup. They may be the target of contradiction as Christ himself was. They may experience misunderstanding, refusal, isolation and humiliation. “You will indeed drink my cup,” says Jesus. That is why, to prepare them, he assures his disciples that the Holy Spirit, consoler and helper, will come upon them and dwell within them.

- What can help us assume our responsibility in the Church or in society as a joyful service for others?

- What temptations of power or honor do we encounter in our life? How can we overcome them? How can we give another example of using power?

- When we experience misunderstanding, refusal or failure, how does Jesus’ life and death encourage us to go forward instead of giving up?

Take time at the end to pray, thanking God for his presence, asking for what you need for yourself, and for those things close to your heart.

Further information on Taizé can be obtained from the Community's website.

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