20

CHURCH SERVICES CHURCH SERVICES ATAT ST MARY’S ST MARY’S ANDAND ST JOHN’SST JOHN’S

First Sunday of the month: 8 am Holy Communion at St John's

9.30 am Parish Communion at St Mary's

Second Sunday of the month: 9.30am Parish Communion at St John's

11am All Age Worship at St John’s

6pm Evening Prayer at St Mary's

(At second Sunday services we collect non-perishable foods donated by

members of the congregations for the work of Christian Community

Action in Reading)

Third Sunday of the month: 9.30am Parish Communion at St Mary's

Fourth Sunday of the month: 8am Holy Communion at St Mary's 11am All Age Worship at St John's 6pm Evening Prayer at St Mary's

Fifth Sundays: 10 .30am Team Service in one of the Team churches

For further information, see pew sheets or contact the Churchwardens.

Service times also appear on the Langtree website: www.langtree.org

You can view this Parish Magazine on the church link of the village

website: whitchurchonthames.com

March to May 2014

The Parish Magazine for

St Mary the Virgin,

Whitchurch

Whitchurch and

St John the Baptist,

Whitchurch Hill

Whitchurch Hill

2

We educate through play in a happy,

caring, and stimulating environment

Full days, mornings, afternoons

*Great activities, equipment & garden

*Plenty of fun and enjoyment

*Fantastic recent OFSTED report

To arrange a visit call: 0118 984 4516

Whitchurch Pre-School Group Eastfield Lane,

Whitchurch-on-Thames, RG8 7EJ—Registered Charity: 1027416

Chiltern Domestic Appliances

Guaranteed repairs and servicing for Hoover, Hotpoint, Zanussi,

Bendix, Indesit & all major brands. Washing machines, tumble dryers, electric cookers and dishwashers. Low call out fee

and prompt attention.

Tel: 01491 681526

19

Officers of the Parish

Team Curate: Rev. Claire Alcock, St. Mary’s House, High Street,

Whitchurch-on-Thames. RG8 7DF. 0118 984 5702. claire_alcock@hotmail.com

Team Rector: Rev. Kevin Davies, The Rectory, Checkendon, RG8 0SR

01491 680252. revkevdavies-langtree@yahoo.co.uk

Churchwardens: Peter Ferguson, 21 Swanston Field, Whitchurch-on-Thames,

RG8 7HP. 0118 9841262. peterf@fergie.me.uk

Paul Witcher, Shepherds Close, Hardwick Road, Whitchurch- on-Thames, RG8 7HN. 0118 984 4959. pvwitcher@aol.co.uk

Verger: Kenneth Baker (contact details below)

Honorary Secretary: Anthea Laing, Swanston West, High Street, Whitchurch-on-Thames, RG8 7ER. 0118 984 2466. anthealaing@hotmail.com

Organist and Choirmaster: Colin Windsor

Honorary Treasurer: Robert Plumb, Uplands Cottage. Whitchurch-on-Thames, RG8 7HH. 0118 984 4838. robplumb@hmholdings.com

Assistant Treasurer: Kenneth Baker, 10 Laytom Rise, Tilehurst, Reading, RG31 6FQ. 0118 943 2778 baker_kenneth2@sky.com

Contact for the Bell Ringers: Sue Matthews, 0118 984 4489

Magazine Editorial Team:

Wendy Ferguson, Anthea Laing, Rosemary Pearce, Angi Simpson Correspondence to 21 Swanston Field or wendyf21@icloud.com

Copy date for next issue of the magazine: Monday, 12th May.

18

Rob Turner Handyman

Home & Garden Maintenance. Plumbing, Painting, Tiling Hedge Cutting, Fencing, Ponds.

Phone 0118 941 9534 Mob. 07866 943113

PIANO TUNING Over 30 years

experience

MARTIN RYLEY

0118 9500332 Member of the

Association of Blind Piano

Tuners

‘Brambly Thatch’ A Holiday Cottage near Whitchurch Hill – So handy when family or friends from afar come to stay. Call Kate or John

Hatt on 0118 9843121

Email:

merricroft@yahoo.co.uk

3

Our vision statement:

We seek to be a worshipping family, looking outwards to bless our community with the love of Christ.

+ + + + +

All Age Worship

Second and fourth Sundays of each month at St John’s

Church, Whitchurch Hill, 11am. The services are

informal, fun, inclusive - and not too long. We use

puppets, PowerPoint's and have activities for children.

Coffee and biscuits are served after the service.

For further information, contact Revd Claire on 0118 984 5702.

+ + + + +

Evening Service

This takes place at St. Mary’s at 6pm, on the second and fourth

Sunday of each month. It is supported by a small and faithful

congregation. We use the Book of Common Prayer service and

extend a warm welcome to everyone for a short and contemplative

act of worship.

Dalby Landen

4

DIARY DATES

MARCH Wed. 5th 7.30pm Ash Wednesday service at Stoke Row Tues 11th 10.30am-12pm Community Coffee Morning, Old Stables. 12.15-2pm Lent Lunch, Old Stables. Wed 12th 8pm Lent group in Old Stables. Tues 18th 10.30-12pm Community Coffee Morning, Old Stables. 12.15-2pm Lent Lunch, Old Stables. Wed 19th 8pm Lent group, Old Stables. Tues 25th 10.30am-12pm Community Coffee Morning, Old Stables. 12.5-2pm Lent Lunch, Old Stables. Wed 26th 8pm Lent group, Old Stables. APRIL Tues 1st 10.30am-12pm Community Coffee Morning, Old Stables. 12.15-2pm Lent Lunch, Old Stables. Wed 2nd 8pm Lent group, Old Stables. Sun 6th 10.45am after Parish Communion, Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in the Old Stables. Tues 8th 10.30am-12pm Community Coffee Morning, Old Stables. 12.15-2pm Lent Lunch, Old Stables. Wed 9th 8pm Lent group, Old Stables. Thurs 17th Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Team Service (venue to be decided). Check website and/or pew sheets nearer the date. Fri 18th Good Friday 2-3pm Hour of Meditation, St Mary’s Church. Sun 20th Easter Sunday 10.30am Easter Family Communion Service, at St Mary’s. MAY Fri 2nd – Mon 5th Whitchurch & Goring Heath Twinning Association visit to La Bouille, Normandy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The deadline for the June 2014 issue is Monday, 12th May.

If you would like to use the Old Stables Meeting Room for a meeting or a function, with a donation to the church,

please contact Alan Matthews on 0118 984 4489.

17

ANTHEA LAING

FOR ALL YOUR UPHOLSTERY NEEDS

RESTORATION RECOVERING LOOSE COVERS

NEW CUSHION FABRICS SUPPLIED

FRAME REPAIRS & RESTORATION CANE & RUSH

WORK ARRANGED

UPHOLSTERY CLASSES AT TIDMARSH & BRIMPTON

VILLAGE HALLS

TELEPHONE: 0118 930 5123

Specialists in Domestic Cleaning Weekly – One-Offs – House Moves – Spring Cleans Seniors Rates Offered All staff is local (a group of hardworking, fun mums!) Client check sheet drawn up before starting Excellent communication on-going by staff and management Fully insured Customer references can be supplied All cleaning products and equipment included E-Cleaning used – minimum use of harsh chemicals

Hands-on isn’t a franchise, we are local people, we want to create on-going, long term, working relationships with our clients with great communication.

Call Helen Goodwin 0118 9842738 Mobile 07767 478918 based in Pangbourne, covering all areas locally!

Better cleaning - Better Health - Better Life

Hands-on More than just home cleaning

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Purley Horticultural Society

The Society will be holding the following events in 2014:- March 19th - Talk by Graham Talbot on Dahlias & Chrysanthemums 8pm in Purley Memorial Hall April 5th - Spring Show, 2.30pm in Purley Memorial Hall. May 10th - Plant Sale, 9-11.30am in grounds of Purley Memorial Hall. Sept. 6th - Late Summer Show.

Further information can be seen on our website, www.purleyonthames.org.uk/Phs.

The Trading Store is now open every Saturday and Sunday morning between 10 and 11am until the end of October.

Membership cards are available, fantastic value at £2 for the year.

GARDENER AVAILABLE

NO JOB TOO BIG

No job too small

Call Lis or Jon Steward on 0770 2561857

5

Dear Friends,

2014 has already made its mark by being the wettest beginning to any year in a long time. We’ve all been thinking of friends, family and even neighbours who have seen their homes spoilt and their travel arrangements thrown into confusion by the rising water levels. More seriously there have been those whose homes and possessions have been destroyed, farmers with livestock heartache

and even loss of life. It’s a sobering reminder that we are sometimes over-whelmed. In addition, it reminds us that overwhelming happens all too often in other parts of the world where infrastructure doesn’t even exist, let alone come under severe strain, in times of flood or other extreme conditions. What does faith say to all of this? I used to like that Sunday School song in the 70s, which is still sung today (complete with actions of course) ‘The wise man built his house upon the rock…and the rain came tumbling down’; second verse: ‘The foolish man built his house upon the sand…and the rain came tumbling down.’ I’ll leave you to ponder what happened to the second house, and on those words of Jesus in the light of recent events… Of course the song is a parable with a fundamental spiritual meaning. What we build our lives upon does count. Sometimes it’s not obvious what some-one is building upon until their life unravels, but we can be sure that any semblance of ultimately being in control of everything that hits us in life is illusory, and that it’s when the chips are down that the quality of our foundations is revealed. How our children and young people build their lives is of huge importance, which is why the Church has always invested so much in education. Faith ‘caught’ young doesn’t quickly disappear and often lasts all through adult-hood. In the light of this we have a Confirmation Service happening in St Mary’s this autumn with Bishop Colin. Confirmation is an ideal chance to get grounded in the faith. Please let me know if you’d be interested in sessions of teaching and sharing which will hopefully ensure a lifelong Christian faith for whoever takes it up - a faith which will withstand all the storms of life.

Blessings,

Claire

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NOTES FROM THE WHITCHURCH PCC

There have been two meetings of the PCC since the last edition of the Magazine, on 28th November 2013 and 23rd January 2014.

28th November 2013

I list below the main items of interest: 1. Bibles have been provided and are now in use at St John's. 2. The Harvest Supper was much enjoyed and made a profit of £567.68. 3. Fabric at St Mary's: The sub-committee reported that important items

raised in the Quinquennial report had been addressed, including repair of gutters, downpipes and roof. Peter has circulated a table of expenditure and budget estimates for outstanding work.

23rd January 2014

This meeting was given over to a return visit from Robin Brunner-Ellis, the Diocesan Christian Giving Advisor.

Robin reminded us what we had discussed last time he came in May 2013 and what we as a PCC had pinpointed as the most important aspects of why people come to church, and what signs of Christian life they will encounter. We need to explore what God is doing locally and identify ways in which the PCC and our church join in with him. Where is our church's passion? Where does Christian giving fit into this process? There are 4 key tasks in Christian Giving: 1. Preaching and teaching 2. Linking giving with mission + ministry + vision 3. Annual giving renewal 4. Regular thanks

Robin emphasised the importance of telling people about the outcomes of raising money for specific projects rather than concentrating on the funds required. People are more enthusiastic when they can see the end results. The PCC faces two areas of large workload - administrative and financial - and we seek to arrange our meetings to include more spiritual content. Anthea Laing PCC Secretary

15

THAMES VALE SINGERS PRESENT

“The Peace of God” –

a selection of meditative Songs and Poems

on Friday 4th

& Sat 5th

April 2014

at

St Michael’s Church, Tilehurst at 7.30pm

Tickets from 0118 943 2778 & 0118 942 4372

Whitchurch United Charities Don’t forget that our local parish charity is established to support students and families with the cost of books and equipment or other educational expenses. Eligible students are young people between the ages of 5 and 25 years and whose permanent residence is within the parish of Whitchurch.

The closing dates are 28th February and 31st August. Late applications are considered if the available funds for the previous 6 month period have not been fully allocated.

All applications and decisions are treated in strict confidence by the Trustees.

If you would like to know more, please do contact Peter Hawley (our Grant Application Secretary) on (0118) 984 1647 or write to him at:-

3 Whitchurch House High Street Whitchurch-on-Thames Reading RG8 7EP

14

A Favourite Prayer

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God,

set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever.

Amen

This little prayer forms part of our morning worship at Diocesan Church House. We start our day in thanksgiving for the opportunities that lie ahead, for the gift of life itself, for our part in creation. We try to discern where God is active in the world and open ourselves in loving response.

Rosemary Pearce

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPONSORED CYCLE RIDE!

On Tuesday, 18th March Jonathan Steward will be cycling from

Whitchurch-on-Thames to Lands End to raise money for

South & Vale Carers’ Centre, Didcot.

He hopes to complete the ride in 24 hours and would welcome any

support you can give to this worthwhile cause. Jonathan lives at

54 Manor Road, Whitchurch and can be contacted on 0770 2561857.

Alternatively you can sponsor him through

www.justgiving.com/yimby/southandvalecarerscentredidcot

7

The Old Stables (bottom of Whitchurch High street)

Community Coffee Morning

A very warm welcome will greet you when you join us at The Old Stables Community Coffee Mornings any Tuesday during the school term. It is open for

everyone, any age, from 10.30 am to 12 noon. Wonderful company—SO DO COME—toys for the

children.

Lent Lunches will take place on Tuesdays, 11th, 18th & 25th March

and 1st & 8th April between 12.15 and 2pm. Do come and join us for a simple soup and bread & cheese lunch. Donations to church maintenance

and the charity Mary’s Meals. We look forward to seeing you!

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REPORT ON THE MEN’S DINNER AT THE FERRYBOAT Friday January 24th. Nineteen blokes, some from a variety of churches, some recovering drug addicts, and some just interested to hear more, enjoyed delicious food, beer and much banter in the Ferryboat pub. Carl Beech of Christian Vision for Men shared how he came to faith, despite having a father who was a devout atheist and an 'old school' police officer, whose idea of entertaining his son was to bring home the guns from a recent armed robbery and let his son play with them! When he got home from a church meeting and declared he'd become a Christian, his father, frying bacon, didn't even blink. He just said. 'Oh. But you still fancy girls, don't you, son?!' Carl's message, that when we follow Jesus we start to see the world in HD, was challenging. Statistics currently suggest that over 70% of suicides are men, and many of those below the age of 35. There is a deep hunger that life must be more than work, or even family. We long to make our mark and be significant. Carl suggested that if we want our lives to do that, we need to meet Jesus.

I hope to organize another evening before too long. In the meantime we'll meet in the pub and have some more banter!

Chris Alcock

MARY’S MEALS - A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO WORLD HUNGER

Mary’s Meals is a global movement that sets up school feeding projects in some of the world’s poorest communities, where hunger and poverty prevent children from gaining an education. We provide one daily meal in a place of learning to attract chronically poor children into a classroom where they receive an education that can, in the future, be their ladder out of poverty. Mary’s Meals began by feeding 200 children in Malawi in 2002. Today we are feeding over 860,000 children every day. More information from http://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

Our Lent Lunches will be supporting this charity - please give generously.

13

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Captain Allen Gardiner was the founder of the South American Mission Society. He grew up at Coombe Lodge in Whitchurch and his memorial is on the south wall of St Mary’s Church.

Gardiner embarked on a naval career. The death of his mother led him to turn away from his childhood faith. But on a voyage to Cape Town, Ceylon, India, Malaysia and China, a spiritual crisis resulted in his emphatic conversion to Jesus Christ.

After leaving the navy and suffering the death of his wife, Julia, he set out to evangelise Zulus in South Africa and became the founder of Christianity in Natal. He was an integral part of the meeting at which Durban was

proclaimed a town and a plaque records how he laid out and named the town after the then Governor of the Cape.

Wherever he went, Gardiner faced opposition. He longed to share Christ with Chilean Mapuches – which led to a family journey of 1,000 miles over-land by pack mule from Buenos Aires to Santiago and Concepcion – again met with hostility. In 1842 he made his base in the Falklands and contacted Patagonian Indians. This led to the formation of the Patagonian Missionary Society.

In 1850–51 he attempted to evangelise the Indians of Tierra del Fuego. Six men, including three Cornish fishermen, accompanied him, but fierce weather, Indian hostility, and a series of errors and logistical problems led to disease and death on the island. Gardiner's journal, water-damaged but readable, was found in his hand the following year by the crew of HMS Dido, and includes the plea to God, "Let not this mission fail," and this prayer:

"Grant O Lord, that we may be instrumental in commencing this great and blessed work; but should Thou see fit in Thy providence to hedge up our way, and that we should even languish and die here, I beseech Thee to raise up others and to send forth labourers into this harvest. Let it be seen, for the manifestation of Thy Glory and Grace that nothing is too hard for Thee..."

The work of the Society in the subsequent 160 years and the growth of the Anglican Churches of South America are God’s answer to that prayer. Gardiner is highly respected in Argentina for his pioneering efforts to reach the Indians of Patagonia, although a largely unsung hero in the UK. September 6th is Allen Gardiner Day in the Anglican Calendar in honour of the man who founded the South American Mission Society and who sacrificed his life as one of its first missionaries.

9

During Lent we shall be studying Bishop

John’s book “Living Faithfully”.

Come along to the Old Stables on the

following Wednesday evenings at 8pm:

March 12th, 19th, 26th

April 2nd and 9th.

If you would like to join the group, please

ring Revd. Claire (0118 984 5702) and let

her know if you would like to order a copy

of the book.

Confirmatio

n Service at

St Mary’s

September

14th 2014,

10.30am

with

Bishop

Colin

Sessions to prepare people for Confirmation will begin in May or June at St Mary’s House, or in

The Old Stables if the group is large. If you

would like to get confirmed, please do get in touch with Rev. Claire

soon. 0118 9845702.

Confirmation Service at St Mary’s

14th September 2014

10.30am with Bishop Colin

Sessions to prepare people for Confirmation in May or June at St Mary’s House, or in The Old Stables if the group is large. If you would like to get confirmed, please do get in touch with Revd. Claire soon. 0118 984 5702.

10

The Donkey

by G K Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked And figs grew upon thorn,

Some moment when the moon was blood, Then surely I was born;

With monstrous head and sickening cry

And ears like errant wings, The devil's walking parody On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,

Of ancient crooked will; Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,

I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour; One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears, And palms before my feet.

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Mary Berry’s EASTER SIMNEL CAKE (a favourite of the Ferguson family!)

Simnel cake was traditionally given by servant girls to their mothers when they returned home on Mothering Sunday. The almond paste balls represent the 11 disciples of Christ, excluding Judas Iscariot.

Ingredients 100g/4oz glacé cherries 225g/8oz sultanas 225g/8oz butter, softened 100g/4oz currants 225g/8oz light muscovado sugar 50g/2oz chopped candied peel 4 large eggs 2 lemons, grated zest only 225g/8oz self-raising flour 2 tsp ground mixed spice

For the filling and topping 450g/1lb marzipan 1-2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed Preparation method Preheat the oven to 150C/280F/Gas 2. Grease and line a 20cm/ 8in cake tin. Cut the cherries into quarters, put in a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well then dry thoroughly on kitchen paper. Place the cherries in a bowl with the butter, sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, sultanas, currants, candied peel, lemon zest and mixed spice and beat well until thoroughly mixed. Pour half the mixture into the prepared tin. Take one-third of the marzipan and roll it out to a circle the size of the tin and then place on top of the cake mixture. Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top and level the surface. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 2½ hours, or until well risen, evenly brown and firm to the touch. Cover with aluminium foil after one hour if the top is browning too quickly. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack. When the cake is cool, brush the top with a little warmed apricot jam and roll out half the remaining marzipan to fit the top. Press firmly on the top and crimp the edges to decorate. Mark a criss-cross pattern on the marzipan with a sharp knife. Form the remaining marzipan into 11 balls. Brush the marzipan with beaten egg and arrange the marzipan balls around the edge of the cake. Brush the tops of the balls with beaten egg and then carefully place the cake under a hot grill until the top is lightly toasted.