The Magazine, October 2007 (Section 1)

Deadline for November magazine: 14th October

Team News

Welcome to October's Issue of ...?

This issue of the Bracknell Team Ministry Magazine is the first to be produced by our new Editor, Andrew Smith. Andrew is sure the entire parish is very grateful for the sterling work done by Lynn Frearson over the past few months, and is personally grateful for her help with the handover, and this month's short, transitional issue.

Looking forward, Andrew is keen to help this magazine to strengthen its identity and to play a developing role in our community of faith. He is always glad to receive news items, and submissions and ideas for other articles, reflecting waypoints on readers' own journeys of faith, and other aspects of parish life. His email address is andrew@flicflac.co.uk; all suggestions, opinions and feedback (both positive and negative) would be valuable in taking the magazine forward.

To symbolise this spirit of looking forward, and welcoming an idea from Richard Beaumont, Andrew would like to give this magazine a new name, based on suggestions from readers. Send your ideas in, and perhaps November's issue will have a striking new name!

Volunteers needed for Child Contact Centre

Can you spare a Saturday afternoon each month? St Paul's Child Contact Centre is looking for more volunteers to help run this much needed outreach into our community. No experience is necessary and you would be working with an experienced team of volunteers. If you are interested in finding out more or coming to visit the contact centre in action please contact Jo Brett on 01344 421217.

Baptism Visitors

The Bracknell Team is looking to expand its Baptism Visiting Team. A baptism visitor will visit families who bring their children for baptism, attend the baptism services and then be available as a pastoral contact after the baptism. For more details speak to Angela Morffit-Jones at Holy Trinity and to Jenny Colby at St Paul's. Full training will be given and all Baptism Visitors will need to be CRB’d.

Saturday Morning Prayer at Home

As you know, Morning Prayer (MP) is said each weekday in the parish, in one of our three churches. A small congregation takes part in this short daily service during which prayers are said for the people of Bracknell and further afield. There is no MP in church on Saturdays.

However, prayers do need to be said on Saturdays - for the day and its tasks, the world and its needs and for the church and her life. Many of us cannot attend MP. Some of us are at work from Monday to Friday. Some of us no longer find it easy to get out and about to attend a service in the church building or perhaps we need to be at home with small children. If you would like to take part in parish prayers but are unable to attend on weekdays, perhaps you would like to join us by saying the prayers, each in your own home, on Saturday mornings. We will not be able to join together in the same building, but we will be able to be 'joined' by each praying the same thing at the same time. The prayers suggested are taken from one of the Church of England prayer books, so many, many Christians will be saying the same prayers as you in churches and homes throughout England - and further afield.

Please contact Angela Morffet-Jones on 079 260 693 07 or by e-mail <click here>. She will then post you a copy of the service booklet and a list of prayer suggestions for each Saturday over the next few weeks.

Please consider this. Your prayers are needed.

Sip & Study

Calling all women: you are invited to a 'Sip and Study' on Tuesday 9th October at 9.30am. Join us for an informal look at some Old Testament Women & coffee. Please ring Ruth Powell on 303019 for the venue / any details and so that she knows how many cups to put out!This is a new group so please join us - all welcome.

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News from the Diocese of Oxford

Pray for farmers, urge Bishops

The Bishops of Reading and Buckingham are encouraging local churches to support the farming community amidst continuing concerns about the spread of Foot and Mouth disease. The surveillance zone around the latest outbreak now extends into their areas of the diocese. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are anxious about and affected by the outbreak in Surrey, both within the surveillance zone and also those affected by movement restrictions in the rest of the county and further afield,” says Bishop Stephen.

Canon Glyn Evans, who co-ordinates the diocesan rural officers and works for Farm Crisis Network, says: ‘It is important that those who are anxious are supported. They can contact local churches, and they can ring the FCN helpline for support as well.’

FCN has a national helpline staffed by volunteers which is available daily from 7 am – 11pm. (07002 326 326).

“Tell Bishop John”

Don’t forget that you can listen to the Bishop of Oxford in conversation with Canon David Winter on the lessons learned from the ‘Tell Bishop John’ campaign. Bishop John asked people to tell him why they stopped coming to church and what might bring them back again. The podcast is available on the diocesan website: see www.oxford.anglican.org/podcast.

Church academy plans

Ambitious plans for the first Church of England Academy in the Oxford Diocese came a step closer recently, when Oxfordshire County Councillors voted unanimously to close Peers School in Oxford.

There will now be a further period of consultation with the local community on the proposals to replace it with a brand-new £30million Academy, sponsored by the diocese in partnership with Oxford Brookes University and the Beecroft Trust. The final decision will be taken in November.

Comings & Goings

On the Move: the Revd Sister Patricia Ann Gordon CSMV, NSM Curate at St Peter, Didcot, Wallingford Deanery is to be Sister in Charge of St Katharine’s House, Wantage within the Community of St Mary the Virgin and also Associate Priest at St Peter, Didcot; the Revd Canon Stephen Weston, Team Rector, Chipping Norton Benefice and Area Dean, Chipping Norton, has resigned as Area Dean

We remember in our prayers the family of the Revd Robert Poynting, Honorary Assistant Priest of The Ray Valley, who has died.

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News from Holy Trinity

Calling All Babies & Pre-School Children!

I am starting an exciting new mid-week service for babies and pre-school children in my church, Holy Trinity. It's called TRINITY TOTS and is going to be fortnightly, on Wednesday afternoons. We will finish in plenty of time for your grown-ups to go to school to collect your big brothers and sisters.

What'll we do? Well, my human friend, Ruth, and I are going to tell you a story about God and we're going to do some colouring or other craft and sing some songs. Then we're going to have a drink and a biscuit. You will remember to bring your grown-up, won't you?

By the way, don't worry if you're still only a baby and not old enough to do any of these things yet: your grown-up is sure to enjoy it and I know you will like listening to the songs.

If you need more details, please contact my human friend, Ruth, on 01344 303019 - or just turn up at my church on the right day.

I have met many of you at your baptisms, and am now really looking forward to seeing you again at my new, regular church service.

Trinity Tots services this term (1.45pm - 2.30pm):

• Wednesday 14th Nov

• Wednesday 28th Nov

• Wednesday 12th Dec

By Teddy Trinity

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News from St Andrew's