New - a group of people exploring what it looks like to walk with Jesus day by day; a collective where we encourage and learn from one another as we go:

• Cover the discipleship basics - and then go deeper with God
• Grow in your relationships: with God, with other Christians, and with God’s needy world
• Find new habits to help you sustain your faith for the long haul
• Discover ways to discern God’s will for your life and how you can serve Him
• Centred on a monthly online gathering with occasional meet ups in person and things to work on in between sessions
• Led by Nick Hudson with contributions from others
• Monthly, Sunday evenings on Zoom 6-7.30, starting early 2024

If you're interested, contact Nick for more information.

We will explore the story of Jesus' birth with children and their families, enjoy an atmospheric candlelit service of familiar carols and readings for Christmas, remember and reflect, and all join together to celebrate Christmas Day.

Details of all the services are now on our Celebrate Christmas page. We look forward to welcoming you!

Join us for information and discussion after the morning service on Sunday 12th November, in the Lecture Room, hosted by Nick. We'll be exploring what membership is, and why and how you could become a member at Wokingham Baptist Church.

Please let the us know if you are coming: office@wokinghambaptist.org.uk

Tuesday 31st October, 5.30PM-7.00PM

Join us for fun, games, story, craft (and treats) for a light alternative to Halloween.

No scary costumes please but bright, sparkly or neon clothing welcome!

Only £1! For further information please contact office@wokinghambaptist.org.uk 

On Sunday 8^th October in our morning service, we will be celebrating harvest and Roy will be speaking on where we find ourselves and the challenges and opportunities we face as a church in a changing world. The service will be followed by a shared harvest lunch in the hall. Please note the date and check the news sheet for details of the arrangements for lunch.

Each year at Harvest we give thanks for God’s provision and think intentionally about what we can give away from all we have been given. This year our harvest offerings will go to the following two causes (click the links for details):

• Christian Aid Bangladesh Project
• International Nepal Fellowship – the work of Doctor Shirley Heywood

We shall also be supporting Yeldall Manor. They would particularly like the following, which you can bring  to church on Sunday 8^th October:

There is also an Amazon wish list at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/registries/gl/guest-view/Q99V18QD7ACX

All are welcome. For more information, contact the office.

A light lunch will be provided. RSVP with any dietary requirements to the office.

您最近有參與過我們實體或線上的聚會嗎？

請於早上崇拜後來到會堂參與直到下午2時的新朋友午餐。

來認識更多關於參與Wokingham Baptist Church的生活，了解我們所做的工作和方針，

以及認識同工團隊成員和其他教會領袖。

我們將提供簡單的午餐。如有任何餐飲要求，

請發電郵到教會辦公室。

People talk a lot about ‘living your best life’; but how can we  live our lives really well, and become the best person we can be?

The Bible’s Letter of James, thought to be written by the brother of Jesus himself, is full of everyday wisdom for living well; it challenges us about our attitudes and values; about speaking well; about backing up our beliefs with actions; about treating people fairly. In short, it’s full of wisdom for living your ‘blessed’ life: a life blessed by God that benefits us and the world around us.

Throughout the gospels which tell the story of the birth of Jesus, there is a repeated refrain: ‘Do not be afraid’.

An angel says it to the virgin Mary as he announces she will bear a child, who will be called the Son of God; Joseph is told it in a dream when he is perplexed by Mary’s pregnancy; and it’s the first thing the shepherds hear as they’re given the good news that Jesus has been born.

What’s more, fear is a constant theme of the stories: Herod’s fear of losing his precious crown; and the fear of Joseph and Mary together as they are faced with a difficult journey and a seemingly uncertain future. What can we learn from their story that will help us to not be afraid?

Now more than ever people are asking the bigger questions in life: Why am I here? Why is all this happening? Is there more to life than this? and What is my purpose?

You're invited to Alpha, a place to explore the Christian faith in an easy and friendly environment. After a short introduction, we will show a video on a question of faith. Then there's plenty of time to share your thoughts – you can say anything you like or nothing at all. There's no follow up, no charge and never any pressure. Everyone's welcome. No matter your background or beliefs, you're invited. So why not see where your curiosity takes you? 

Stay Curious. Try Alpha.

Alpha runs for 10 weeks from Monday 25^th September to Monday 4^th December 2023, with a week off for half term on Monday 23^rd October. It will be from 7.30pm to 9pm. We will also have an in person get together on Saturday 18^th November.

We will be running Alpha online using Zoom as we have found this makes it more accessible for people.

If you would like to attend or have any questions, please email Victor Freeney at alpha@wokinghambaptist.org.uk.

在歡迎課程中，我們邀請香港朋友一起喝茶吃蛋糕，暢談英國的生活和文化。如果你跟「地頭蟲」來一場輕鬆、有趣的討論是“你杯茶”的話，請不要錯過這個機會！

我們討論的主題包括:

• 觀迎來到英國
• 了解英國文化
• 交朋友
• 健康
• 解決問題
• 公民身份

有關課程的更多資訊和預留位置，請參閱www.wokinghambaptist.org.uk/welcomecourse

Our next Welcome Course for our Hong Kong friends starts on Wednesday 20^th  September.

At the Welcome Course, we invite our Hong Kong friends to join us for a cup of tea and cake, and chat over aspects of British life and culture. Don't miss this chance if light-hearted discussions about your new homeland with those "in the know" is your "cup of tea"!

Topics we discuss include:

• Welcome to the UK
• Understanding British Culture
• Making Friends
• Wellbeing
• Problem Solving
• Citizenship

For more information about the course and to book your place, see www.wokinghambaptist.org.uk/welcomecourse

Welcome Laura!

A reminder that the church office is open 9am-1pm on weekdays.

If possible, please let the office know how many are coming, what you are bringing (sweet or savoury) and how many it’s for.

Come out for a drink
Catch up with UK & HK friends new and  old
All Welcome

When? Wednesday 31st May, 8pm

Where? The Ship Inn, 104 Peach Street, RG40 1XH

It's the dramatic story of how a godly leader brought people together to rebuild their broken community.

What needs rebuilding in our lives and communities today?

What lessons can we learn from Nehemiah's story to help us bring the change we want to see?

One of our church values is ‘we seek to be a diverse community’. 

At a time when many voices in society seek to polarise and divide, what does the Bible say about the value of diversity, and why is unity in difference something to be prized?

We had some really positive feedback from the schools: "Thank you so much for a wonderful morning yesterday - the Year 6s and staff loved the experience" and "To the wonderful team at Wokingham Baptist Church and other volunteers. Thank you for a really thought-provoking, captivating and enjoyable Easter experience which the Year 6 children at [the school] will remember for a long time. We were so impressed with how well organised the event was and how creative your resources, rooms and presentations were. Thank you very much for all of your time, effort and energy. Have a very Happy Easter!"

Here are a few photos...

Palm Sunday

Bethany

The Upper Room

The Temple

Gethsemane

Caught out in Pilate's Palace!

在歡迎課程中，我們邀請香港朋友一起喝茶吃蛋糕，暢談英國的生活和文化。如果你跟「地頭蟲」來一場輕鬆、有趣的討論是“你杯茶”的話，請不要錯過這個機會！

我們討論的主題包括:

• 觀迎來到英國
• 了解英國文化
• 交朋友
• 健康
• 解決問題
• 公民身份

有關課程的更多資訊和預留位置，請參閱www.wokinghambaptist.org.uk/welcomecourse

Our next Welcome Course for our Hong Kong friends starts on Wednesday 19^th  April.

At the Welcome Course, we invite our Hong Kong friends to join us for a cup of tea and cake, and chat over aspects of British life and culture. Don't miss this chance if light-hearted discussions about your new homeland with those "in the know" is your "cup of tea"!

Topics we discuss include:

• Welcome to the UK
• Understanding British Culture
• Making Friends
• Wellbeing
• Problem Solving
• Citizenship

For more information about the course and to book your place, see www.wokinghambaptist.org.uk/welcomecourse

Good Friday - An Hour at the Cross

A quiet reflective service at 10.15am including Bible readings, monologues, music and prayer, in the sanctuary.

After this, at 11.30, there will be hot cross buns, coffee and a short service at the Methodist Church, Rose Street. At 12.00 we leave there to follow the cross to the Market Place where we pause to worship and pray, then continue with the cross to Corpus Christi Church in Sturges Road for a 30 minute Stations of the Cross service at 12.30.

Messy Good Friday

Fun, creative and thoughtful ways for children to engage with the message of Good Friday., in the hall at 10.15am.

Easter Sunday Celebration

An All Age gathering at 10.30am to celebrate the good news of Easter Day.

Easter Egg Hunt

After our celebration on Easter Sunday, all are welcome to join an Easter Egg hunt at Elms Field at 11.30am. There will be free hot cross buns and prizes for those who take part!

In our services up to Easter we explore his interactions with individuals, but also with the crowds who flocked to see him and saw those interactions: their thoughts, their prejudices, their questions.

What can we learn from him and about him, and about ourselves?

• Meet up for mutual support
• Practise English conversation – improve language skills  
• Discuss problems and issues – navigating life in the UK
• Reflect on a some wisdom for life from the bible (but no faith requirement)

我們的第一次歡迎課程現已結束，我們並從參與者那裡得到了一些寶貴的反饋（見下文），希望在復活節後再次舉辦。與此同時，香港人相聚的機會不斷！我們的目標是：

• 相約互助
• 練習英語會話 — 提高語言能力
• 討論出現的問題 — 英國的生活導航
• 反思聖經中一些人生智慧（但沒有信仰要求）

At each session there will also be help with preparing for the Life in the UK Test, using a fun quiz!

在每個課程中，還將使用有趣的測驗幫助準備英國生活測試 (Life in the UK Test)！

There will be free refreshments and lots of time to just chat in both English and Cantonese.

相聚中將有免費茶點和充足的時間用英語和廣東話聊天。

For more information please contact the Church Office.

如需更多信息，請聯繫教會辦公室。

Feedback on the First Welcome Course
第一期歡迎課程的反饋

"I am not a Catholic or Christian. I had signed up for the Welcome Course in the hope of knowing more about settling in the UK. To my surprise,  I have gained more than that. I have made friends that share the same ups and downs as newcomers. I got to understand more about my feelings and how it relates to the stages of settlement. And I also have found a space during these gatherings to reflect upon myself to help me find my way here. I am amazed by the generosity of the local participants on how much they have worked to make us feel home here. I am very thankful the Wokingham Baptist Church for organizing this. They are the very first people I have met who really show they care." – FC

“我不是天主教徒或基督教徒。我報名參加了歡迎課程，希望能更多地了解在英國定居的知識。令我驚訝的是，我的收穫遠不止於此。我結交了新的朋友並一起分享移民的起伏。我開始更多地了解自己的感受以及其定居階段的關係。在這些聚會中，我也找到了一個空間來反思自己，以幫助我在這裡找到自己的路。我對本地參與者的慷慨付出感到恩惠，好讓我們在這裡有家的感覺。我非常感謝Wokingham Baptist Church組織了這次活動。他們是我遇到的第一羣真正關心我們的人。” – FC

"The Welcome Course is not only a course, it’s a hub for Hongkongers to meet new friends, including other Hongkongers and local people.  The course provided knowledge upon UK, but member didn’t only learn from data and information, but also by acknowledge this new home through experiencing UK culture by various interesting means, like tasting a piece of typical local biscuit. The Welcome Course is not only a welcome program, it’s a platform for the newcomer from HK to integrate into our new home. The course does not end after 6 weeks, but it also has follow up gathering to continue this platform."  – KK

“迎新課程不僅僅是一門課程，它是香港人結識新朋友的樞紐，包括香港人和本地人。該課程提供了有關英國的知識，但不僅從資料和信息中學習，而且我們能通過各種有趣的方式體驗英國這個新的家的文化，比如品嚐一塊地道的英式餅乾。歡迎課程不僅是一個歡迎節目，它是一個平台讓來自香港的新人融入新的家。6週的課程即使完結但相聚並没有結束，這個平台讓我們繼續相聚。” – KK

This week we start a new series of services exploring what the Bible teaches about caring for the people around us: Who Cares?

Why does caring make us more fully human?

Who should we care for?

And what does caring look like?

TOAST (Together On A Sunday Teatime) is a new group that will be starting in January 2023 for children and young people in school years 6 – 8.

TOAST will meet on the third Sunday of the month in the Upper Room between 4pm and 6pm. It is a chance for children to build relationships in church and bring friends along who might not usually come on a Sunday morning. There will be fun, games, food, activities and time to chill and chat as they navigate this transitional phase in their lives.

The first session will be on 15^th January when we will be making chocolate slabs! There will also be toasties, games, and space to relax.

Tickets will be available as usual on Friday evenings at 8pm the week before on TicketSource. Only 50 tickets will be available. Please only come if you have a ticket, and do not attend if you or your child are unwell.

Please contact the office to cancel if you have a ticket but are unable to come so that it can be offered to someone else. 

All are welcome to join us in this time for quiet reflection.

Celebrate Recovery is a faith-based 12 step programme. It is not a quick fix, but the start of a journey that will bring hope, peace and acceptance into your life.

Join an anonymous, non-judgemental community of people going through similar but different experiences, that is open to anyone.

For more information and a chance to ask questions, join a safe and easy Zoom call to hear from those in the group on Wednesday 14th December at 7.45pm.

Starting in person at Wokingham Baptist Church on Wednesday 11th January.

We will be giving away daffodil bulbs that you can plant to watch them grow. We will have free books to give out including a special tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We will also have face painting until midday.

So, please do pop by for a chat and some fun!

We give thanks to God for our Queen Elizabeth II. While we mourn her death, we rejoice in her clear Christian faith and so in her eternal life. 

Lynn Green, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, has written a reflection and prayer for us at this time: We give thanks for the life of your servant Elizabeth.

The church will be open on Friday 9th September (11am to 6pm) and Saturday 10th (11am to 4pm) for anyone to come and find a quiet space to reflect, light a candle, or write or draw a prayer or message of thanks for the life of the Queen.

Celebrate Recovery is a faith-based 12 step programme. It is not a quick fix, but the start of a journey that will bring hope, peace and acceptance into your life.

Join an anonymous, non-judgemental community of people going through similar but different experiences, that is open to anyone.

For more information, see the main Celebrate Recovery page, or contact Anna.

Starting in person at Wokingham Baptist Church on Wednesday 6th September.

Please remember Lois and her family in your prayers as she takes on this new challenge.

The service will be followed by a simple tea of jacket potatoes and fillings, followed by desserts. If you are planning to be there, it would be helpful if you could let the church office know.  

If you would like to go and would value a lift or if you are planning to drive and are able to offer a lift to anyone, please let the church office know.

On 23 March 2022, it will be two years since the first UK lockdown. Whether a death is recent or long ago, and whether or not it was due to Covid-19, every year there are millions of people bereaved. The restrictions we’ve all been living under have meant that many people have had to grieve without friends and family around them.

Wednesday 23 March is a National Day of Reflection, coordinated by the charity Marie Curie and officially supported by the Church of England, a special day to reflect together on loss and grief.

All Saints Wokingham will be hosting a coffee morning at 11am on 23rd March, at the Cornerstone on Norreys Avenue, with the opportunity to come and share coffee and cake, fellowship, memories of your loved ones, and observe a minute’s silence at 12noon.

There will also be a Wall of Remembrance to which all are welcome to contribute photos, names or prayers. If you are unable to come along on the day, then do email in contributions for the Wall of Remembrance to parishoffice@allsaintswokingham.org.uk and listen out for the church bells to observe the minutes silence.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1–2

In this morning's service we prayed for Ukraine and added blue and yellow ribbons to the cross to symbolise our prayers. (The red ribbons were from last week's service when we were reflecting on sacrificial love.)  

You might find this short piece about how we might begin to pray helpful: Crisis in Ukraine

If you're wondering how to respond to the crisis in Ukraine in a practical way, here's some advice from the European Baptist Federation about how best to do so, namely through giving cash, for example via EBF or BMS World Mission. Many Baptist churches in neighbouring countries are on the front line of supporting refugees, as you may have seen on the news. Tony Peck of the EBF says this:

Can I make a plea for churches and individuals to send cash rather than goods to Ukraine. Whilst fully understanding that people want to come together and do something, the reality is that it is now very difficult, and may soon be impossible, for humanitarian aid to reach Ukraine. Though of course it is good to support in practical ways the relief efforts by Polish, Hungarian, Romanian and Slovakian Baptists at the borders. But for both Ukraine and the border relief efforts it is better to send money. You can do this on the EBF or BMS websites and then there is the flexibility to find the very best way to aid the suffering people of Ukraine through the ministry of our Baptist churches.

You can give via BMS World Mission here. They are in touch with longstanding partners in the region who will know best how to respond to emerging needs.

Or, go on to the EBF website here for information on how to give via them, and also how to join the special prayer time for Ukraine on Wednesday at 6pm each week during March.

The death of Jesus on a wooden cross 2,000 years ago is the central event of the Christian faith; what many would claim to be the turning point of human history. The cross and its meaning resonates throughout the New Testament writings and colours every aspect of what Christians believe, our values and how we should live. To the first Christians it meant freedom, forgiveness, sacrifice, victory, reconciliation with God, and so much more. In this series we will explore some of the range of understandings of what happened when Jesus died, and what it means for you, me and the world today.

Becoming a Church Member can actually help us grow! It’s about moving from being a guest to being a host. It’s saying ‘this is where I belong; this is my supportive church family, and I want to help it flourish.’

We will explore these things further at an Exploring Membership Lunch on Sunday 27th February after church until 1.30pm. If you would like to come along, please contact the church office. 

We recently started our community groups which aim to be part of the bigger mission of sharing God’s love with our community. There were three groups in September and they will continue this month, with any more that you might like to start. You can find out more about the first groups below.

We are still keen to hear your thoughts about these groups, so if you have a heart for starting a new group that others from inside and outside the church could join in with, or you feel that God has stirred you to put your faith into action in a new way, do let us know.

The groups will be meeting again on Sunday 17 October. We’d love it if you are able to join in with one of them – watch out for details in the news sheet.

'Bespoke' Cycling Group

Some of us love cycling and chatting about stuff that causes us to think and reflect. We thought about combining these things and have come up with the BeSpoke cycling group. The group sets off from the church for a bike ride with a stop half way for a cuppa and chat. Someone from the group brings a thought for the day type thing or a question that they’d like discuss and then we have a chat. This group is completely open and inclusive, and we love hearing from different perspectives. You definitely don’t need to be super fit as we go as slow as the slowest rider!

Here's the group at South Hill Park, last month’s destination:

Listening to our community and raising awareness of community issues

This group is based at the Mulberry Grove estate to meet with and get to know the people who live there. We would like to build on the connections we have made through cake bombing over the last couple of years. The group started last month by distributing invitation leaflets for next October’s activities.

We will provide refreshments such as drinks and cakes and cookies, and provide activities for the children – including art activities and games. We would also like to help in terms of raising awareness of community issues that affect us all. One of these issues which has become an alarming reality all over the country in recent years is county lines drug trafficking. This is the exploitation of children and vulnerable adults for the purposes of distribution of drugs. Criminal gangs are grooming and recruiting children everywhere including Wokingham and are using chilling levels of violence to keep them compliant. It is important that we all know how to spot the signs and to take action before our children are trapped in this horrible crime. We have awareness raising material that we will offer the people we encounter on our Sunday mornings as we also listen to them and build relationships.

You can join the group to chat with local residents, take part in the children’s activities, or help with practical activities such as setting up the gazebo or serving refreshments.

Here’s the team having a well-earned rest after distributing over 200 invitations last month:

Litter Picking Group

We would like to make our town safer for our local wildlife and help rid it of the rubbish that gathers in the verges and blows down the street.

Here is the litter picking group after their hour’s circuit which started at the church building, showing off their impressive haul of the litter:

Here are a few pictures of what we got up to.

Pray and reflect zone: single use plastic aquarium prayers

Pray and reflect zone: climate change media stories

Art zone: a collage of our world using natural materials

We will continue to livestream morning services for those who have not booked a place or who are not ready to return to the building for whatever reason.

The first Sunday of the month will be an all age Gathering.

The second, fourth and fifth Sundays of the month will be our Gather, Renew, Inspire services at 1030am. We will all start off in the Sanctuary for the short time of worship together, then the children and young people move to their groups and ReGen. The second Sunday morning service will include Communion.

On the fourth Sunday evening, there will be a Communion service at 6.30pm.

The third Sunday of each month will be a bit different (in a good way!):

• Explore for families with children aged 11 and under, will meet in the Sanctuary at 10.00.
• Connect and Reflect gathering for adults at 10.30 in the hall, and a pre-recorded video on YouTube and the church website for those who are not ready to return to the building.
• Community groups will meet. We will gather church and non-church friends to do a missional activity i.e. things that bless the community, that build God’s Kingdom, that make faith more accessible. More details nearer the time.

On Saturday 7th August we will be joined by our BMS Mission Workers from Albania, Annie and Dan Dupree and their children Charis (16), Isaac (15), Amaya (10) and Thalia (3). They will be with us from 4:30pm until approximately 6pm and we will be meeting with them in the sanctuary.

They will be doing some fun, family-friendly activities as well as sharing what God is doing at the Tek Ura community centre and the church they run in Kafje e Rremes. Their work is really exciting and inspiring and also gives a really good model for Mission anywhere, even here in Wokingham! And, if you are interested in being part of the Missional Groups, then this visit might provide some ideas and inspiration for you.

We would have liked to make this a bring and share tea but due to Covid, everyone will need to bring their own tea/snacks and plenty to drink, in line with the leadership team's latest announcement. We will have tables set out in the sanctuary and people can sit in families or groups.

We will be asking encouraging people who are not exempt to wear face masks when not eating or drinking.

Please book your place using the link in the email that was sent out, or just ask the church office. 

It would be really great to see as many people as possible there to support Annie and Dan.

Bringing the Baptist Assembly as an online event has presented an exciting opportunity for churches to join together in a national Baptist Sunday worship service. On Sunday 16th May we will be joining in virtually for our online Sunday service instead of our usual livestreamed service, to share together in worship as one whole Baptist family. The aim is to have the largest Baptist worship service in living memory! It will include an address by the keynote speaker, Shane Claiborne.

For more details of the line up for this year's event, see the Programme.

Children and families can join in with the Baptist Assembly Kids stream, which will be available to access at any time during the weekend programme. You can choose to join either Nat on the little stream (under 7s) or Rob on the big stream (over 7s). On both programmes you can expect stories, songs, games and all sorts of fun, as well as crafts and activities that you can join in with at home, exploring two of Jesus’ parables - The Good Samaritan and the Sheep and Goats. For more details, see the Children's programme.

After creating the shelters, they hung up the hammocks underneath the protection and then took some time to lie back and think about whether they could last the night under the shelter…

Then we gathered together to think about refugees living across the world, and what it might be like for them, and considered what it might be like for us to welcome the stranger (Matthew 25:31).

We finished with writing some words of encouragement and prayers to our refugee brothers and sisters around the world.

Here are some pictures of our gathering…

As we watched the kites soaring in the wind, we took time to think about what we want to let go of and give to God.

'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.' 1 Peter 5:7

Here are some pictures:

Please adhere to the COVID safety precautions when you arrive at church: wear a mask, sign in, sanitise your hands, stay socially distanced and follow the one way system.

Please do not attend if you or any members of your household have any symptoms of COVID-19.

We read Psalm 62 and reflected on how we might rely on God when things are tough, and how we might seek him when we are feeling like things aren’t happening quick enough, or how we might like them to happen. We considered what it might be like to slow down and listen to God, and recognise that God is with us in the waiting, particularly when we might be finding things difficult.

The young people came up with some brilliant creations on their mug cakes , from marshmallow sheep to spikey hedgehogs, earth worms, and rainbow fish…here are some pictures for you to marvel at and enjoy!

Our BMS Mission Partners in Albania, Dan and Annie Dupree, work in an area near to Tirana where there is a lot of poverty and also a number of marginalised groups. They started "Tek Ura" (The Bridge) to provide aid, education and health care and also to build bridges between the various marginalised communities. God has really blessed this initiative and it has been very successful but in January, BMS announced that they were intending to reduce funding to Tek Ura, ending it altogether in 2023. The aim is to make Tek Ura self-funding and self-sustaining.

Annie and Dan have risen to the challenge and as part of their fundraising they have created a virtual walk from London to Tirana, with each person walking or running just 3K and paying a £10 registration fee. It looks like a fun and easy thing to do and it would be great if we could support them in this as one of their supporter churches. You can do your 3K any time over 1st to 7th March and even though we will still be in lockdown, you could take the opportunity to do your "exercise with one other person". Or maybe, if you can't walk far, you could split your 3k over more than one day?

When you complete your kilometres, post a selfie holding a piece of paper with the number of kms run and ‘#I_am_TekUra'. There will be bonus prizes for the best photos or videos tagging us @tek_ura  (Instagram) and @tiranatekura (Facebook/ Twitter) to increase awareness and nominate your friends. And prizes for the most kms run. Those who raise more than £150 will receive a special T-shirt!

Watch the video:

https://youtu.be/JQQkIyPBvvY

and click the link below for more information and to sign up:

https://www.give.net/TekUra

Let's pray for fine weather!

Previously the Women's World Day of Prayer, this is a global event where every country around the world takes part in the same service on the same day. Each year the service is written by women of a different country. 2022 is a special year for World Day of Prayer in England, Wales and Northern Ireland because women in these countries have prepared the World Day of Prayer service. It has been both challenging and rewarding to write about the three countries that make up our area: our landscape, people and culture all shaped by our history. The service will celebrate our diversity and the contribution made to our countries by the many groups and individuals who have made their home here. We use our Bible text “I know the plans I have for you” from Jeremiah chapter 29 to reflect on some of the issues facing us today: poverty, domestic abuse and disability, finding hope in difficult situations and encouragement in the help we can give to each other.

There is a more information  on the Word Day of Prayer website here.

In Wokingham, churches take turns to host and this year the service is at the Methodist Church in Rose Street at 10.30am on Friday 4^th March. Everyone, from all the Wokingham churches, is welcome, from 10am onwards for refreshments in the Main Hall of the Bradbury Centre before the service itself begins at 10.30 in the church..

Please do join in if you can! And do keep last year's nation, Vanuatu, in your prayers.

Starting this week... 

Are you stuck in a rut, overworked? Do you suffer from addiction, anxiety or an unhealthy habit?

Whatever the behaviour, however big or small, there is hope for change...

"One Small Step" is a free six week online course, and it's not too late to join at the next session on Wednesday 21 October. Through the ease of a Zoom call, in your own space, experience other people's stories to freedom by working through the 12 steps to recovery. Find out how the 12 steps could help you or a loved one to do life better.

Take the plunge, bite the bullet, take a risk... no one will ask why you’re there, you don’t have to say a word. Come because you want to find out more about the 12 steps, come to help out someone else, come because you’re desperate to change... just come as you are.

For more details or to join in, email  Anna or contact the church office.

If you would value a new prayer rhythm in your life, and if you think it’s important we’re praying together as a church at the moment for our world, our community, our church and each other on a regular basis, then put it in your diary now!

For Zoom details, contact the church office.

This is a temporary installation, so catch it while you can!

Did you know that 73% of beach litter is plastic?

The earth is the Lord's, so handle with care:

By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the sea:

Trapped fish encouraging us to think about whether we need what we buy, to plan meals and not to buy food we won't use, eat local produce, and save energy on shipping:

A "rubbish" lobster:

And finally, a high-flying fish full of rubbish: