All Saints CD - the perfect stocking-filler!

Richard Smith, Director of Music at All Saints Church Wokingham, writes about the new music CD he's produced :

 " Our CD, A Musical Greeting from All Saints, Wokingham will be available in time for Christmas.  Best of all, all proceeds go to the Esme Few Education Fund which does so much to support the musical development of children in the parish. It includes Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, Eric Whitacres Lux Aurumque, Handel's How Beautiful are the Feet, Elgar's Nimrod and many others, with contributions from All Saints School, the children of All Saints Church, the Trebles and Robed Choir, the Ace of Saints, the Bellringers, St Sebastian Wokingham Band and even the congregation!   Visit www.allsaintsmusic.org.uk and click on "All Saints CD" for audio samples and to place your order.  This beautifully produced CD, with a 12-page booklet, is on limited release, with discounts for multiple orders."

Handel's Messiah at All Saints Church

Tickets are selling extremely well for Handel's Messiah at 4.00pm on Sunday 7th December.  

The performance will be led by the fantastic Gandolpho Players who raised the roof at our Summer Music Festival with Vivaldi's Four Seasons.  

They will be joined by soloists Jon Grave, David Pope, Ria Brombley and Miles Horner and by the Senior Trebles and traditional Robed Choir of All Saints.  

The performance will be conducted by Richard Smith and will last approximately two hours, with punch, stollen and mince pies available at the interval.  Tickets are £12, with free entrance for under 19s.  



Get your ticket in advance from the Cornerstone or online from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/294132.  Tickets on the day are subject to availability.

A day in the life of All Saints Parish Church

A day in the life................ of All Saints Parish Church

With the turn of the year upon us and the time for counting the days, looking back and forward, it occurred to me that not everyone may know what a day in the life of All Saints Parish Church looks like. 

Here's an example of the church's day from a recent Tuesday in November.

It's 9am in the Lady Chapel, the smaller space with its own altar in the south-east corner of the church. Pale wintry sunlight is beginning to filter through the stained glass windows. Members of the clergy team, staff and pastoral care teams, are gathering to pray together; as we do every morning in various configurations of attendance depending on who's around at 9am that day. We use a short service from the Church of England's Daily Prayer which includes some set prayers, and bible readings for the day. We ask for the help and wisdom of the Holy Spirit as we prepare for the day's work and meetings. We pray together for Wokingham and the parish; on a monthly schedule for different streets, and for other organisations local and global ; praying for other parishes and dioceses,  for any of the issues of the day; remembering too particular needs. 

By 9.30am all but one of the group has left to go on to their day's work; one of the clergy remains to lead the next event; which is the 9.30am service of Holy Communion held every Tuesday. About a dozen parishioners gather for this service; after which they enjoy fellowship over tea and coffee in the Cornerstone. This group includes some who for a variety of reasons are not able to attend church on Sundays;perhaps they need help with transport getting to church, which is more readily available in the week; or they find the main Sunday services too long or over-powering. There are lots of reasons why a mid-week service, even those of similar traditional style to Sunday services, are helpful to some.

Just as the service is ending at about 10am, two members of the Home Communion team - a team drawn from those church members who are authorised lay ministers of the Eucharist - are busy in the clergy vestry. They are picking up vessels and service booklets as they prepare to go out to one of the local residential care homes. There they lead a short communion service for residents, distributing elements of bread and wine consecrated at the Parish Communion service on the previous Sunday morning. Perhaps this day they will be called upon to visit several of the residents in their rooms who are too poorly to get to the service in the common-room; and there they may discover anxious relations and visitors, whom they will offer to pray with, or simply listen to their stories and concerns.

Meanwhile back at the church it's a funeral about to start. Mourners are congregating outside the porch in the midday sunshine waiting for the hearse to arrive before they come in to church. One of our acting vergers has prepared the church for the funeral; set out the service sheets on pews at the front ready for the bereaved family, and is now ready to welcome the other members of the congregation as they begin to come in. Richard, our Director of Music, and the member of the clergy team who is leading this service are in the vestry conferring over the music. After the service in church the coffin is carried out into the churchyard for the burial.

In The Cornerstone the Rector and our youth leader Kat have been discussing plans for  the following Sunday's service of All Together Communion. Jo, our Parish Administrator is in the Parish Office multi-tasking; collecting together the notices for the Sunday pew leaflet that have come to her on emails, answerphone messages, and scraps of paper; answering queries on the phone about burial plots, or talking nervous new mothers through the process of organising the baptism of their first baby; printing a service leaflet for a forthcoming special service; and selling tickets for one of the concerts in the music programme.

In the afternoon our Associate Priest, Anna, is joined in The Cornerstone by our youth leader Kat and other members of the "Messy Church" team to get ready for the next twice-monthly  "Messy Church" session. Some are in the kitchen preparing the food and drinks whilst others are laying out the various craft tables ready for the activities. As schools close for the day, mothers, or other carers, and their children begin to come in for the  session, when there will be afternoon tea, crafts, a bible story and songs. 

After" Messy Church" and the tidy-up, it's 5pm and some of the clergy team, those who are available,  gather in the Lady Chapel once again; now for Evening Prayer, using the Daily Prayer format. They are joined by two parishioners who attend quite often. Each Tuesday evening the prayers which are left on the church prayer cross by the West Door are prayed through.

These are just some of the activities of worship and work in God's service that happened at the church, or in nearby residential care homes, on that one day in November.

But "All Saints Church" is not only a building; it is also a Christian community of  over three hundred people. Each one of us has the story to tell of own day - of worship and of work in God's service!

Rev'd. Canon David Hodgson, Rector

Silent Night - 2014 Christmas message from Revd Anna Harwood, Associate Priest

‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, 
Jack Frost nipping on your nose, 
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir, 
and folks dressed up like Eskimos’

When we hear the familiar words of the classic Christmas song first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946 we seem to know for certain that the year has gone full circle and it’s that time of year again. Here it comes again the season when we have to push amongst the crowds in the shops to try and buy our turkey and sprouts, the time that we hear familiar sounds of carols and Christmas songs all around us. 

But I do wonder if sometimes at this time of year we can be so surrounded by all the noise of the commercial side of Christmas that we can all lose sight of the real reason for the season. It can even sometimes feel the world has gone slightly mad and lost it way as we begin to force down even more festive food and eat yet another sweet from the quality street tin.

We may even find ourselves asking “Can this really be all that it is about?”, but there are other voices to be heard as the same message is spoken out once again in Churches and Cathedral’s across the land and the world. This message can redirect us towards the deeper meaning of Christmas. And can I encourage you this year to take some time to stop for a moment and pause, listen and to consider the wonder in the claims of the Christmas story. And if all just seems too familiar why not try and allow the message to reconnect, and if you have never tried before why not consider it for the first time.

A few years ago the BBC produced a version of the Nativity story and I was particularly touched by the final scene. Picture the scene in the drama as we are drawn into a small and dark room and in the darkness at the far end of the room we can see Mary & Joseph and the infant Jesus surrendered by animals. The infant lays peacefully in the manager asleep as a group of travellers from many miles away begin to approach. The group briefly glance to his Mother for permission to come near to see the child. And as thy bow before the infant we witness a moment of recognition as we look into the eyes of these intelligent men as we see tears stream down there cheeks and they fall to their knees before a tiny child. And at the moment they bow a voice simply and slowly says ‘blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God”. And Mary & Joseph simply look puzzled as they look upon the gifts of Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gifts that seem to point to the future of this child and the shadow of the Cross is glimpsed.
        
The wise men in this scene are given a glimpse of of the real message of Christmas and it is truly wondrous. That God out of a heart of love enters into human experience, he becomes as vulnerable as new born baby and grows to maturity experiencing all of human emotions.  I wonder if part of the real wonder of the Christmas message is that God knows and feels all that we experience and longs to walk beside us in our humanity. God loves us so much in order to be in relationship with us and to fully connect he came and lived, died and rose again in our midst. 

So listen out for:

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face.
With the dawn of redeeming grace.
Jesus, Lord of thy birth

And as you listen and look may you this Christmas find :

The joy of the angels
The eagerness of the shepherds,
The perseverance of the wise men,
The faith of Mary & Joseph
And the peace of the Christ-child.

Anna 

Foundation Governor vacancy at All Saints Primary School Wokingham

All Saints Church of England (Aided) Primary School and Nursery has a vacancy for a Foundation Governor on its Governing Body.

All Saints School was founded over 300 years ago - it's seen some name changes and location changes in those centuries,  and it has one of the most modern buildings of any school in Wokingham. It is the church primary school serving the whole community in the parish of Wokingham All Saints. It is known and praised for its inclusive and caring character. It includes a resource for children with disabilities. Close links exist and are valued between  All Saints Church and All Saints School.

Foundation Governors are the vital link with the school's foundational ethos of community and service informed by Christian values. 

For more information about the school visit its website 

More information about being a Foundation Governor in a church school can be found on the Diocese of Oxford's website here

Enquire further by contacting the Rector of Wokingham All Saints,  Canon David Hodgson for an informal chat.

Shedding light into dark corners

"Shedding light into dark corners"  will be this year's theme at All Saints during the season of Epiphany. Epiphany is a church season which begins on the feast of the Epiphany (6th January) commemorating the visit of the Kings to the crib of Christ and continues  until Candlemas, the 2nd February, which celebrates the Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

Topics will include how light can be shed in the darkness of poverty, of social isolation, of mental illness, and of vulnerability and abuse.

The F Word: Images of Forgiveness - internationally acclaimed exhibition to come to All Saints

The internationally acclaimed "The F Word: Images of Forgiveness" exhibition is set to come to All Saints Church early next year.

The exhibition presents a  thought -provoking collection of arresting images and personal narratives exploring forgiveness in the face of atrocity. First launched in London in 2004, it has since been displayed in over 300 venues worldwide. Drawing together voices from South Africa, America, Israel, Palestine, Northern Ireland and England, the exhibition examines forgiveness as a healing process, a journey out of victimhood and, ultimately, a journey of hope. 

For more information about the Forgiveness Project visit its website 

Welcome to Christmas at All Saints Church

There 's a warm welcome waiting for everyone at All Saints Church this Christmas. Services and events take place all through the week and on Sundays during December and over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

There are events and services for families with young children - such as  a  hands-on Christingle Service on Sunday 14th December, where participants get to make their own Christingle  -  followed by a tea-party for all in The Cornerstone - in aid of the charity The Children's Society. On the Sunday before Christmas 21st December at 11am, the children of the church will act out the Christmas story in a Nativity tableau. And Christmas Eve Crib services at either 2pm or 3.30pm are perfect for families with younger children who really want to inspire their children with the joy and awe of the Christmas story, when the Christmas Crib will be revealed and blessed.

There are services where the emphasis is on music, such as the ever-popular Service of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve sung by the All Saints Church Choir; and there are candlelit services too;  on Advent Sunday 30th November after the Winter Carnival ends;  and the atmospheric First Communion of Christmas ("Midnight Communion") at 11.15pm on Christmas Eve. For those who want to make Christmas Day the most special day it can be there's Parish Communion for All Ages at 9.30am. 

As well as these public services open to all, the church will welcome the children, staff and parents of local schools celebrating the season with special events and carol services.

For full details visit the dedicated Christmas webpage www.wokinghamchristmas.com

Excitement as new vision and priorities for All Saints Church agreed

All Saints Church has a new vision and set of priorities for the next 3 to 5 years going forward.

It follows a series of surveys, prayer meetings and discussion forums  about the parish's needs and the concerns and interests of parishioners; which have been held during the year.  

The November meeting of the Parochial Church Council ratified the vision and mission action plan. It was shared with parishioners at an Open Parish Forum when ways in which the plan could happen were discussed. 

Anne King, churchwarden, said: "The PCC were excited about the things the plan contains, from mentoring young people in the parish, to  holding a marriage fair, welcoming people moving in to the new housing developments and researching how the church building could be refurbished for 21st century use. Everyone will be encouraged to join in" 

Four priorities have been identified focussing on community, growth, worship , youth. Specified leaders for each priority have been appointed and the complete plan contains a total of 19 objectives to focus the mission of the church over the next three years. In the new year further details of the actions and budgets which will enable these objectives to happen will be published .Download the details and list here.

The new vision statement for All Saints Church Wokingham is: 

All Saints will be a loving church accessible to all including children and youth, which is active in the heart of the community and where all can grow their gifts and faith in God.


Canon David Hodgson, Rector, said: "We need now to work out how to embed this vision in everything we do at All Saints and to meet the objectives for our four priorities. To get involved with any of the activities please contact the leaders named".

All Saints Church one of the doors in Wokingham's Living Advent Calendar

All Saints Church will be one of the doors opened this year in Wokingham's Living Advent Calendar. The Living Advent calendar presents a short free 15 minute performance each evening on the run-up to Christmas at various venues around the town. It starts on Monday 1st December in the Market Place. All Saints Church's robed Choir will present a Christmas music selection on Saturday 13th December at 6pm. For more details and  a full list of venues visit the Living Advent Calendar website

Breaking down the barriers - 2014 Christmas message from the Rector

"O Little town of Bethlehem..."

As I write it's a few days after the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. Those of us who were alive as adults then may still remember the joy and delight this wonderful event was greeted with. This was a peaceful revolution. It heralded the end of the “Cold War”, the smashing of the Iron Curtain and the re-unification of Germany. The Wall had divided the city and completely encircled the whole of West Berlin. In the 28 years it stood some 200 people died at the Wall. Families were separated, living their lives and growing old without being able to meet. The Wall symbolised the oppressive injustices of undemocratic regimes and the division of all Europe into separate parts with no freedom of movement for people between them. 

The anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall reminded me that today, tragically, there is another wall of division in the world  - the 400 mile long wall between Israel and the Palestinian West Bank. The modern-day borough of Bethlehem has been divided by the Wall with huge impact on its economy,business and employment levels,  and its water supplies. Like the Berlin Wall before it this West Bank Wall represents a situation of oppression and injustice. Ordinary people trying to live in peace and freedom find their lives blighted. They are cut off, not only from their immediate needs for work,vital goods and services like healthcare, but also from the hope of an opportunity for a fulfilling life and future.

The baby whose birth in Bethlehem 2000 years ago we celebrate this month was announced by angels as a bringer of peace on earth and good will among all people. As I sing “O little town of Bethlehem” again this Christmas I will pray for modern-day Bethlehem, where there is as yet no peace and good will for its people. One day I hope that Wall too will fall.

Human societies erect walls of separation when unity and trust break down between groups. Sometimes these are not always obvious physical barriers. There are walls of indifference and lack of care for others. There is no wall between different streets and towns in any English cities as far as I know; but there are huge barriers between people of different backgrounds and cultures – barriers of lack of interest or care about the lives of others.

The joy and hope of the message we celebrate at  Christmas is that these barriers can be broken down. This might seem an impossible dream when we look at the reality of the world around us. The Christian vision and hope is that the barrier between divine possibility and human limitation has been abolished;  in the life of that baby from Bethlehem whose Spirit and Life we may share. 
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us... full of grace and truth”.(John 1: 14).

A joyful Christmas and Happy New Year to you

Knitting for Syria

Knitters at All Saints Church rose to the challenge this Autumn of knitting for Syria. Babies are being born prematurely or underweight in the region as a result of the ongoing difficulties and are in need of these3 warm small-sized baby clothes as winter begins. The first package was sent at the start of November and included: 2 premature baby outfits; 4 toddler size cardigans; 4 jumpers - assorted sizes; 3 jackets; 1 pair of socks; 5 hats and, finally, 1 teddy bear.

Church Porch makeover

Visitors and worshippers at All Saints may have detected a new fresh feel to the church porch in November. All Saints Rector , Canon David Hodgson said; "The backing material on the noticeboards had faded over the years and it was time for a makeover. We decided a change of colour to blue from maroon would make a change too. Thanks to Clive and Helen Charlton for doing the refurbishment."

Large gatherings in November to remember the departed

November has seen large gatherings for services at All Saints Parish Church, to remember the departed.

Civic and public services representatives, church leaders and serving members of the armed Services from REME  and veterans joined members of statutory,voluntary and youth organisations for the town's Civic and Ecumenical Remembrance Sunday service. This made the largest attendance at this event on current records. The service had a focus on the centenary of the First World War. The name of every serviceman of the town of Wokingham who lost his life in the First World War was recited; representative names of the those of our twin towns of Viry-Chatillon and Erftstadt were also read. Those attending the service received a commemorative facsimile of  the booklet of St John's Gospel given to 1WW servicemen.  Wokingham MP the Rt Hon John Redwood read from the Bible. The Rev'd Nick Hudson, Wokingham Baptist minister, preached on the confidence and courage which faith in God  can offer in the face of the storms of life. All Saints Church Choir sang pieces from the Requiem by John Rutter.  The service was led by Canon David Hodgson, Rector of  Wokingham All Saints, assisted by The Rev'd Anna Harwood and The Revd Colin James both of All Saints parish ; and by The Revd Deborah Davison representing the parish of Wokingham St Paul with Woosehill. Lt Col. Clare Philips , Commander of REME's Arborfield base, assisted with the reading of the names of the fallen. 

A week later the church was again full on a Sunday afternoon for the annual memorial service to commemorate and give thanks for departed loved ones. Family members and friends bereaved in recent years gathered to remember those they had lost. The names of the departed whose funerals have been conducted in the past year by All Saints parish ministers were read out, together with others whose families wished them to be remembered, and a candle was lit for each person. Canon David Hodgson, Rector, preached and led the service assisted by The Rev'd Anna Harwood, Associate Priest. The service was organised and run by the All Saints Bereavement Care team; refreshments were offered to attendees at the end of the service.

Art for Advent

During Advent - from the start of December until Christmas - a three-panel art work (tryptych) created by local artist Barbara Thompson will provide a focus for prayer and mediation in the church. The work will be located  around the altar in the Lady Chapel (east end of south aisle), a place of prayer and reflection used every weekday day for Daily Prayer

Daily prayer at All Saints

Did you know that there are services in All Saints church not only on Sundays but every day of the week? As well as regular mid-week 

Communion services there are also the short services of bible readings and prayer known as Daily Prayer. These prayer services happen every 

morning and evening at 9am and 5pm (Saturdays 9am only). Most days one of the clergy team will be present. 

Prayers are also led by members of the church who have got involved as part of our Daily Prayer team. Each session last about 20 minutes and prayers may be said on any topic.  Prayers for the people and town of Wokingham are always included. On Tuesday evenings the prayer cards left on the prayer cross are prayed through. 

The Daily Prayer services take place in the Lady Chapel - located at the east end of the south aisle; where a prayer candle may also be lit. More details of our Daily Prayer services here.

Messiah concert

Musical highlights by All Saints Church Choir to celebrate Advent and Christmas  this year will include a special concert performance of Handel's Messiah on Sunday 7th December (4pm);  as well as the two  popular choral carol services on Advent Sunday and Christmas Eve.  

Messiah will be conducted by our Director of Music Richard Smith with the Gandolpho Players, the robed choir and trebles of All Saints Church and guest soloists David Poe, Jon Grave, and Miles Horner. Details and tickets for Messiah available here

Christmas programme details now available

Full details of Christmas at All Saints, including Advent, are now available on our Christmas website and in fliers to be distributed to every home in the parish. 
Highlights for families with young children include the Christingle Service on 14th December (4pm) and the Crib Services on Christmas Eve (2pm and 3.30pm). 

All-Age Communion on Christmas Day (9.30am) will also be ideal for families with children wanting to celebrate the timeless joy of Christmas.

Baroque music at All Saints Church

In the final concert of the Autumn programme of Baroque Music on the 26th November the audience will be treated  to 16th and 17th century songs of love. loss. loyalty, lust and devotion performed by players from Loki Music, the Kingston based early music specialists. The concert entitled Devotion, Delight and Deception in the Golden Age will feature songs both devotional and profane which emerged against the backdrop of tensions between England and Spain and the struggle between Protestants and Roman Catholics for the soul of England. Details and tickets for Devotion, Delight and Deception in the Golden Age available here

Making the most of Advent

There's a new resource out now for families with children who want to make the most of Advent as a preparation for Christmas . A new booklet from the Church of England "Love Life Live Advent" provides a simple prayer activity for children and families to do together, every day of December until Christmas Day. Brightly illustrated throughout, and written by one of today's most popular writers, Paula Gooder, with her husband, Peter Babington, a parish priest, it is designed to heighten children's anticipation of Christmas and to enrich everyone's understanding of the season of waiting and preparation. Free copies are available from All Saints Church for every family requesting. Please obtain one from the Parish Office or at a service in church from 10th November.

A fresh vision and new plan of action for All Saints Church

Months of consulting ,discussion and prayer about All Saints Church's future priorities and plans will reach a major milestone at an Open Meeting for all parishioners to take place this Saturday 8th November. Hundred of comments and discussion points have been distilled into a fresh vision and plan giving substance to  the desire of the church to serve the community and share the love of God in action. Parishioners are invited to come along to the Open Meeting - give their responses to the new plans and share their insight into what what needs to happen in order for these plans to be realised going forward. Details and timing are here - all welcome to turn up on the morning - signing in will help with catering for the breakfast.

First World War focus at Remembrance Sunday this year

Remembrance Sunday services at All Saints this year will carry the additional dimension of remembering the great tragedy of the First World War in this centenary year. As well as wreath-laying and the two-minute silence silence in the Parish Communion service at 9.30am there will be an Act of Remembrance at the 1WW memorial in the churchyard at 11am timed to coincide with the national Act of Remembrance. Civic representatives, church leaders, veterans, currently serving armed services members and youth organisations will gather at All Saints for the annual Civic and Ecumenical Remembrance Service on Sunday afternoon.This year it will recall in particular the fallen of the First World War. All the names of the 230 young men of Wokingham who fell in the First World War will be read aloud; and in addition prayers will be said for the young men of our European twin towns of Viry- Chatillon and Erftstadt who died in the conflict. Details of service times here

All together for All Saints Sunday

It was a genuinely all together occasion on Sunday morning at a special all age service to celebrate All Saints Sunday. As the service opened a rolling slideshow displayed the faces of parishioners past and present young and old. Pupils of All Saints CE Church School joined with members of the All Saints Junior Church and Choir Trebles to sing "I am the Earth". Hymns and songs were led both by All Saints Church Choir members and the "Ace of Saints" - the up and coming worship band at All Saints Church. Several parts of the service were led by members of the youth church. The Rector Canon David Hodgson gave a short talk based on the theme "Feasting with friends; living like saints" using the biblical image of God's heavenly banquet to which all are invited. Rector David said "We wanted to celebrate not only the saints of old but also the saints we know - all who have decided to follow Jesus - and showing photos of people connected to the church past and present was a great way to do that".