Church Update

News: 07.12.22

Christmas is coming! You are all warmly invited to Carols by Candlelight (4.00pm on Sunday 18 December) and many people’s favourite, the Crib Service (4.00pm on Christmas Eve). The former is an annual opportunity to sing many traditional carols and hear the familiar readings, followed by seasonal refreshments.

The Crib Service is a delight for parents and children alike, from tinies to teens and beyond. (Yes, older children often love it too.) We have a wardrobe of nativity clothes to dress every child and recreate the nativity tableau. It’s where memories are made!

Some say the Crib Service is the start of their Christmas. For others, it is the mystery of Midnight Mass, (11.30pm). Some prefer the Christmas Day services: Communion at St Mary’s, Shinfield, at 8.00am or, children, bring a present to display at the 10.30am service.

The Act of Remembrance was very well supported, with active participants of all ages from Beavers to George Winter, our 96 year old Arctic Convoy veteran, and including the PCSOs, Chairman of the Parish Council, the British Legion and our Borough Councillor. I have seen various medal wearers there and would love to include more ex-service personnel or cadets in the ceremony. If this is you, or you know of others, please would you contact me or the Parish Clerk, so that we can widen participation.

Our weekly Wednesday morning Coffee Corner has been extended till 3.00pm, offering lunch and a warm welcome on these cold days. Do join us at the Parish Hall!

It is a great pleasure to welcome our new Team Rector, Rev Nigel Beer, to our Benefice. His first official service was a ‘full house’ service here to mark All Saints Day on 1 November – otherwise known as All Hallows Day, following Hallowe’en (All Hallows evening). We all wish Nigel well for his ministry among us.

Barbara Stanley, Church Warden