News
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My brothers and sisters of All Saints’ Parish, As I have repeatedly heard and read in the past few days, “We live in interesting times.” Interesting and trying and worrying times. Many of you will have heard the news that the archbishops have recommended that all public worship services be suspended in the Church of England. So, regrettably, we have decided to suspend all our services in the Parish of All Saints. That does not mean, however, that we have stopped serving our Lord or being the family of God in this place. Far from it. As always, our church building will remain open during daylight hours. If you are able to get out, please feel free to use it as place of prayer during this time of uncertainty. I will be popping in to the church regularly, a few times each day, during this period. I will ensure that the votive candle stand is well stocked. We will also make available prayers for these worrying times. Please remember to wash your hands before and after visiting the church. This means, obviously, that there will be no services in church or chapel this Sunday, Mothering Sunday. If you are able, you may wish to follow the special service the Archbishop of Canterbury will be live streaming this Sunday, on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship programme at 8:10am. Related to this service, Archbishop Justin will be issuing “A National Call to Prayer” for our nation and the world in light of the coronavirus pandemic. We are invited to light a candle in the windows of our homes at 7:00pm on this Sunday as part of this call to prayer. Can I urge to participate in this? Bishop Steven, the Bishop of Oxford, will also preside and preach this Sunday at Christ Church Cathedral. In his sermon, he will give a reflection on what all this means for us in this diocese. The service will be live streamed at 10:00am from the Diocesan web-site: https://www.oxford.anglican.org/coronavirus-covid-19/livestream/ For future Sundays, we will be live streaming Mass from the Rectory via www.zoom.us website.
For your daily prayers, you might like to use the Church of England app "Time to Pray," which can be found at https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/apps/time-to-pray
In place of our weekly Pews News, which is emailed out to many in the parish, we will be sending out a “weekly update,” with the up-dated prayers lists, the Collect and readings for the week and some news. If you are not already on the list to receive this and would like to, please contact Julie in the parish office. I have been touched and encouraged by the number of emails and texts I have received from some of our “younger” and “fitter” members offering to do some shopping or run errands for parishioners who might not be able to get out or who are more at risk. So, if you need help, either with shopping or something else, please could to contact Julie in the parish office? We will get you in contact with one of those who have offered their help. May I further suggest that receiving help from fellow parishioners, through the parish office, will be a safe option? Another ministry we can and should offer one another is that of prayer. We should all be holding each other in our prayers. We have in our parish many who pray regularly and a few who pray often. In Mother Miriam Caminer and Maureen Rayner we have two who possess a special discipline and calling of prayer. Please feel free to feed up through Julie or myself prayer requests for Maureen and Miriam, or indeed for Pam, Sheila and myself, to include in our prayers. Finally, stay well and stay in contact, with other parishioners, with neighbours, with myself and the ministry team. Please heed the government’s guidance and directions, especially if you are over 70 or otherwise at risk. Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help. We will not be holding public services, but we have not gone away. Fr Darrell (on behalf of the Ministry Team) 20th March 2020
Prayer Loving God,
Easter Pilgrim Take a journey through the Lord's Prayer this Easter with the Easter Pilgrim app available from the Church of England. It offers 40 reflections for the 40 days of Easter, beginning on Easter Sunday (12 April 2020) and finishing on Ascension Day (21 May 2020). Each day offers: ⁃ A short Bible reading that explores part of the Lord's Prayer and what it tells us about the Christian vision for human life, It also includes the following NEW content for 2020, not found in the print edition: ⁃ Short reflections relating each line of the Lord's Prayer to the COVID-19 pandemic and the dramatic changes it has brought about, The app can be used alongside the Pilgrim Journeys: Lord's Prayer booklets (published 2019). The reflections are also available as a daily email, and via Alexa and Google Home devices. The booklet can be ordered locally from Quench Bookshop in Wokingham. Quench is still able to take orders via admin@quenchshops.com or by calling Ali on 07962 869128.
Revd Gill Wiggins A memorial plaque was installed in the Lady Chapel at All Saints' Church on 28th January 2018. From the Candlemas service that day - "Candlemas is the linchpin of the Church's year, the day on which we turn from our celebration of Christmas to our celebration of Christ's passion and resurrection. Today we look back and we look forward. As we look back, it is right and proper that we should remember Gill Wiggins, a faithful lay minister and then associate priest in this parish. Gill herself would want our focus to be not on her, but on Christ. Nonetheless, as we keep our celebration of Simeon and Anna's joyful reception of the Christ-child in the Jerusalem temple of old, it is also right that we remember and celebrate Gill's faithful service in this temple here in Ascot." "Almighty God, we remember before you today your faithful minister and priest Gill; and we pray that, having opened to her the gates of larger life, you will receive her more and more into your joyful service, that, with all who have faithfully served you in the past, she may share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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