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Sunday 28th April                                                                             Easter 5

Welcome to our weekly newsletter 
Grapes vine px

We all want to live a fruitful life.
Jesus explores the image of Him being the vine and we the branches. He answers “What is involved in being fruitful?” 
Dare we ask the gardener to be at work?

The Collect, the prayer for the week
  Almighty God,
  who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
  have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
  grant that, as by your grace going before us
  you put into our minds good desires,
  so by your continual help
  we may bring them to good effect;
  through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
  who is alive and reigns with you,
  in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
  one God, now and for ever.
Readings for this Sunday: Acts 8: 26-end, Psalm 22: 25-31 & John 15: 1-8.

This Sunday:
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
9:30am        Holy Communion at St Thomas’ followed by
11:00am      St Thomas’ Annual Church Meeting.  All welcome
11:15am      Mattins at St Mary’s
11:15am      Holy Communion at St Andrew’s
5:00pm        Discoverers in the Canterbury Room
Confirmation Course
We have 4 adults so far signed up for this. It will be on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm from 30th April for 5 weeks for an hour. We will go through any questions about symbolism and understanding and receiving of Holy Communion and prepare anyone who wishes to either be baptised or confirm for themselves a baptism done earlier in life, perhaps as a child.
Might you be interested or can you think of anyone to ask? Do feel free to contact me for further details or any queries.  Please do pray for us. Thank you.    Ben

St Thomas’ Annual Parochial Church Meetings
The Annual Parochial Church Meetings for St Thomas’ will take place this Sunday, 28th April, after the 9:30am service.
Paper copies of the annual report and accounts will be available in the church.

Parish breakfast px
Looking ahead, May Parish Breakfast at St Thomas’
We hope to be able to offer breakfast of croissants and coffee on the first Sunday of May (the 5th) from 8.45-9.15am. Might you be willing to help please? Offers to Ben. Thank you.
This is a wonderful way to integrate our different church members of all ages and stages.
Christian Aid logo 2019
Christian Aid Week, 12-18 May
This year the focus is on the African state of Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world. The global cost of living crisis has intensified the challenges people face, and now malnourishment and poverty affect more than 70% of the population, putting them on the edge of survival.
As usual, we shall be delivering envelopes to every house. We need volunteers to help with counting the envelopes for each road, attaching the notes to them and putting them in the folders ready for delivery. If you can help, please come along to the Canterbury Room on Friday 3rd May at 2.00pm.
Tea and biscuits will be provided!                                    Judith
“Summertime to Skyfall”, Goring Chamber Choir Concert
Next Saturday, 4th May, at 3pm Goring Chamber Choir will be giving a concert singing wonderful hits from the world of movies. There are old screen favourites such as Singin' in the rain, Moon river, Over the rainbow, and Tonight from West Side Story, leading up to songs from Cats. Later classics from films such as Shrek and Toy story point the way to the irresistible Dancing Queen from ABBA's Mamma mia! which will have you all dancing in your seats. A new arrangement of The Bare Necessities is matched by Dolly Parton's exhilarating Nine To Five, and there is plenty more. Steve Bowey will be playing music from Star Wars on the organ – after all, this is May 4th!   
Tickets are £15 (with free entry for under 18s) obtainable from Inspiration in Goring; or from a choir member, or on the door. Further information including is available on the Goring Chamber Choir website: https://www.goringchamberchoir.org.uk/

Pathways
The new edition of the Diocesan magazine, Pathways, is now available in all our churches. Please do help yourself to a copy.

Daily Prayer resumes its usual pattern. Why not join in one day? We listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church members in turn.
Monday: 8.30am Goring,     Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley.
Friday: 9am Goring.

This week we are asked to pray for

  • All who work to overcome poverty. For Christian Aid and our plans for Christian Aid week.
  • Wisdom for world leaders and an end to escalating violence.
  • Our planned confirmation course.
  • Our Churchwardens and PCCs.
Diary for next week
Tuesday 30th April
7:30pm        Confirmation course

Wednesday 1st May
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
                     followed by coffee in the Canterbury Room
The readings will be Isa. 30. 15-21, Ps. 119. 1-8 and John 14. 1-14.


Saturday 4th May
12:00pm      Marriage of Sam and Georgia at St Mary’s
3:00pm        Goring Chamber Choir concert


Sunday 5th May
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
8:45-9:15am St Thomas’ parish breakfast between the two services
9:30am        Family service at St Thomas’
11:15am      Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am      Family service at St Andrew’s
4:00pm        Choral Evensong at St Thomas’

Prayers for this week
Thank you to Mike for this week’s prayers based on the prayers of David Adam.

God of love, may we abide in your presence and so abide in your love: as we freely receive your love, let us freely share with others all you have given to us, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen

God of hosts, who so kindled the flame of love in the heart of your servant George that he bore witness to the risen Lord by his life and by his death: give us the same faith and power of love that we who rejoice in his triumphs may come to share with him the fullness of the resurrection. Amen

Father of all, we pray for your church. That it may be a caring, loving and accepting church. We pray for the outreach of your church, that it may seek out the needy, the outcasts and the rejected: that love may be revealed in action. We pray for Ben Phillips, our Ministry team and our villagers who work for our churches.
Lord, as you abide in us,
May we abide in you.

We come with sorrow for all who have been denied freedom or peace. We pray for places where communities have been destroyed, where families have been divided or separated. We pray for people suffering and dying in the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and in crises throughout our world. We remember all who seek to heal that which divides.
Lord, as you abide in us,
May we abide in you.

We give thanks for areas where people can exercise their talents, where people are free to think and act without hindrance. We pray for all who are enriching the world with their gifts, our families and friends. We pray for young people - pupils and students - who are working towards their school and college summer exams.
Lord, as you abide in us,
May we abide in you. 

We think of all whose lives have been marred by their past: for lives damaged by bad memories, hatred, or resentment; for those who are weary of life, who are tired of work and serving others. In the power of the risen Lord we ask for renewal, refreshment, restoration.
Lord, as you abide in us,
May we abide in you.

Lord of life and love, we praise you for all who have borne fruit in your service, for all who have forwarded your kingdom, for all who have shared their love and goodness. We pray for all our loved ones departed. “For the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.”
Lord, as you abide in us,
May we abide in you.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Daily readings for the week beginning 29th April
Monday am: Ps 145 Num. 9. 15-end; 10: 33-end Luke 4. 38-end pm: Ps 105 1 Pet. 1. 1-12
Tuesday am: Ps 19 Num. 11. 1-33 Luke 5. 1-11 pm: Ps 97 1 Pet. 1. 13-end
Wednesday am: Ps 139 Prov. 4. 10-18 Jas. 1. 1-12 pm: Ps 149 John 1. 43-end
Thursday am: Ps 57 Num. 13. 1-3, 17-end Luke 5. 27-end pm: Ps 104 1 Pet. 2. 11-end
Friday am: Ps 138 Num. 14. 1-25 Luke 6. 1-11 pm: Ps 66 1 Pet. 3. 1-12
Saturday am: Ps 146 Num. 14. 26-end Luke 6. 12-26 pm: Ps 118 1 Pet. 3. 13-end
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
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