Special service for Hunger for Justice weekend with Christian Aid

One weekend in October hundreds of churches around the UK focused on climate change. Christian Aid set up the initiative to make people aware that climate change affects the poorest communities – even though they are not the cause. All Saints welcomed Elizabeth Peredo, a Bolivian climate change campaigner (and Christian Aid partner) and Jessica Hall, Christian Aid’s Berkshire representative.
Elizabeth spoke about the impact climate change is having in Bolivia: melting glaciers and forcing people to leave the countryside and move to the towns (‘climate change migrants’). Jessica reminded us that God’s creation is good but we need to live simply and not abuse our position, especially if as rich nations.
The messages were reinforced by a performance by youth theatre group, StageFright, demonstrating the perils of over-consumption and the voiceless workers who produce our goods, often with no legal rights or protection. Later we walked to the front to sprinkle water on a painting of our earth to show that what we do has an impact. The running paint and blurred imagery symbolised how we exploit creation for our own selfish purposes.
We will sign a petition to send to our local MP, John Redwood (invited to the service but unable to attend) but the real challenge is how we can live with a reduced carbon footprint and thereby support – and love - our neighbours in the developed nations. (Peter Barrett)

Bolivian climate change campaigner to visit All Saints

In a second weekend of focus on climate change All Saints Church is looking forward to welcoming Elizabeth Peredo, a climate change campaigner from Bolivia.

Elizabeth Peredo runs Fundación Solón in Bolivia, funded by Christian Aid, which helps communities to understand the causes and consequences of climate change. They also campaign to promote more sustainable ways of managing Bolivia’s rich natural resources.

She will be speaking at the Parish Communion service 9.30am tomorrow as part of  Christian Aid's Hunger for Justice weekend.

More information here.

A fresh Vision and new plan of action for All Saints Church to be launched at Open Forum on 8th November

This year All Saints Church has been looking for a fresh vision for the Church and working on a new plan of action to guide its priorities for the next three years. Work began with prayer sessions, surveys, and open discussion forums in the first half of the year. Some overall themes emerged which will help to shape a fresh vision for the Church. These themes showed All Saints aspiring to be a church which is:

approachable and relevant
lives and works “outside-in” - this means thinking about and engaging with the whole community not only those who already take part in church
pushing boundaries – this means trying out new things and being relaxed if new ideas don't always work out
everyone engaged – this means developing people's gifts and callings, so all can find a way to enjoy getting involved 

For the action plan four priority areas were identified:

To provide different types of worship to make ourselves more approachable to the wider community in Wokingham 
To encourage all young people to grow in faith by making it relevant to them
All Saints church to be in the heart of the community and well known as active citizens 
To provide opportunities to learn, so we may grow spiritually both personally and as a church community 
Since August the Church Council, in smaller subgroups, has been working to turn these priorities into actual objectives for an action plan and the result of these will be published in November. An open forum to launch the fresh vision and the new plan will be held on Saturday 8th November in The Cornerstone.

Climate change is back on the agenda at All Saints

Detail from the priest's robes worn during the Creationtime season at All Saints Church

Climate change is back on the international agenda following the recent UN summit of world political and business leaders. It's also on the agenda for All Saints during October with the visit of leading climate change writer Professor Michael Northcott on the weekend of 11th/12th October;  and then Christian Aid representavive Jess Hall who will visit All Saints with Elizabeth Poledo from Bolivia on Sunday 19th October.

For details and to register for the free public lecture to be given by Professor Michael Northcott

More about the visit of Elizabeth Poledo and Jessica Hall

Christmas is coming!

The Christingle service is one of the highlights of the Christmas season at All Saints Church

Plans for Advent and Christmas services and events are well advanced at All Saints Church. Musical highlights of the season will include the candlelit carol services with All Saints Church Choir on Advent Sunday (30th November) and Christmas Eve. 

For families there will be a Christingle Service featuring the new hands-on approach so popular last year where participants made their own Christingle in the service, followed by a tea party in the Cornerstone – all to raise funds for the Children’s Society charity. The ever-popular Christmas Crib service will again be run twice on Christmas Eve because of the large attendances. 

New this year: Carol Singing for all in the local hostelry, The Ship pub,  just across the road from the church; and a concert of Handel's magnificent “Messiah” with the Gandolpho Players and All Saints Church Choir. Full details of the Christmas programme coming soon on www.wokinghamchristmas.com

All Saints Church partners with PACT charity- supporting vulnerable families and children in our region

Laura Senior (left) fund-raising manager for regional adoption and fostering charity PACT supporting vulnerable children and families will visit All Saints Church in October

Parents and Children Together adoption and fostering charity representative Laura Senior will be visiting the Cornerstone in October to meet members of All Saints Church who would like to hear more about the work of the charity and how the church can continue and develop support for its work. Currently All Saints is a PACT parish partner. The Rector of All Saints , Canon David Hodgson, said: "As part of our commitment as a partner parish we pray for PACT every day at the weekday 9am prayers and as a church we will give 1.5% of our net 2014 income to PACT. Visit PACT's website here for more information.

All Saints to welcome climate change campaigner from Bolivia as part of climate justice weekend

Jessica Hall - Christian Aid's regional representative for the Thames Valley will be interviewing Elizabeth Poledo climate change campaigner from Bolivia at All Saints Church on Sunday 19th October at 9.30am

In the second of two weekends focussed on climate change All Saints will welcome a climate change campaigner all the way from Bolivia. Elizabeth Poledo, who is one of Christian Aid's partners in Bolivia, will be interviewed in the 9.30am service by our regional Christian Aid representative Jessica Hall. As part of the Hunger for Justice campaign that weekend, backed by Christian  Aid, hundreds of churches will be urging Parliament to tackle climate change and praying for our brothers and sisters around the world.

Also taking part in the service will be Stage-Fright - the Wokingham-based theatre community.

Embodying God's love for everyone

"Embodying God's love for everyone"  - that's the aim of the All Saints Parish Pastoral Care team. All Saints has a pastoral care team which comprises lay pastoral assistants and the parish clergy working together as a united group to offer a co-ordinated response to pastoral needs in the parish. Read more about the pastoral care team in the new updated information leaflet  https://db.tt/4recRQNL

Prayer and listening ministry now being offered every Sunday

A ministry of confidential listening and prayer for individuals continues to be available after every 9.30am service. It is an opportunity for people to share in confidence any concerns and needs for prayer support which they have;  either for themselves or others such as family members or friends whom they are concerned about. 

The ministry is offered by members of our pastoral care and healing teams. Complete confidence and a caring non-judgemental approach is assured. Unless otherwise advised on any particular Sunday this ministry is offered immediately after the 9.30am service ends in the Lady Chapel which is located at the East (front) end of the South Aisle (London Road side of the church)

All Saints church to cut its own music album

A new CD of music from All Saints Church will be launched in time for Christmas . As well as featuring the Church Choir it will also include singing by the children of All Saints Primary School, the music of St.Sebastian Brass Band, and the congregation singing too.

Members of the Sunday morning congregation stayed behind after the 9.30am service for an impromptu recording session.

"It was great fun recording together - I never thought I'd ever feature on a proper music album so I'm really looking forward to seeing the CD and getting copies to give to all my family and friends for Christmas presents" said Rector Canon David Hodgson.

Harvest news and photos

 Display of food collected by children of All Saints CE Primary School

 Harvest flower arrangement in the High Altar sanctuary

 Window sill decorated for Harvest

Harvest display in front of the Nave Altar

Harvest festival at All Saints Church continued beyond Sunday into the week following with local schools All Saints Primary and Keephatch Primary gathering in church to celebrate.

Over 100 kg of food was received on Sunday morning donated by the congregation of the Sunday services. This food and an even larger amount donated by All Saints school pupils were sent to the Wokingham Food Bank.