Bells will ring out over Wokingham this Christmas and New Year

Here are the details of when the bells will be rung over Christmas and New  Year at All Saints Church.

To find out more about the bells at All Saints and  English style bellringing in general visit:

allsaintswokinghambells.org.uk

Special collections for charity at our Christmas services

There will be special collections for charitable causes at Christmas services this year 2015 as follows:

Christmas Eve: 2pm and 3.30pm Crib Services CHRISTIAN AID

Christmas Eve: 11.15pm Midnight Communion PACT

Christmas Day: 8am and 9.30am Communion services CAMBODIA HOPE ORGANISATION

Canon David Hodgson Rector said: "At Christmas especially our thoughts and prayers are with those most in need both locally and in other parts of the world. PACT based in Reading and Oxford works to bring lasting hope and a home to vulnerable children in our Thames Valley area by finding foster and adoptive parents; Cambodia Hope works against human trafficking and labour exploitation with vulnerable children and adults living in extreme poverty, and Christian Aid is the British churches' own development  agency working for a world free of poverty with many different projects and groups globally. All Saints Church has direct personal links from Wokingham to every one of these charities."

Who gets all our Christmas service sheets ready and printed?

Parish Administrator of All Saints Parish Church, Mrs Jo Asplin, is the one who gets ready all the many printed service sheets and carols sheets we use during December and over the Christmas period. 

Jo is also helped by her small but dedicated team of volunteers who come in and fold leaflets. Recently Mrs Rosaline Voke has been appointed as honorary deputy to Jo and it's meant that one has been able to make sure the phones and emails are being answered whilst the other is busy preparing or printing leaflets. 

Rector Canon David Hodgson said; "Thanks are due to Jo - once again this year Jo and her team have done it. Jo's forward planning, and her gentle but firm encouragement to us,  have ensured that we've all given her the information when she needed it for those many Christmas service sheets to be printed on time".

Church services and church open and closed times between Christmas Day and New Year

Here are the details of what's happening in the church and the open and closed times between Christmas and New Year.

Friday 26th December - (Boxing Day BANK HOLIDAY) Church closed

Saturday 27th December - Church open from 9am for Morning Prayer until closed locked before 3pm.

Sunday 28th December - Church open for 8am Holy Communion, and 9.30am Parish Communion. Closed locked after 9.30am service; open for 6.30pm evening prayer.

Monday 29th December - Church open from 9am for Morning Prayer until closed locked 5.30pm after Evening Prayer

Tuesday 30th December - Church open 9am for Morning Prayer and  Holy Communion at 9.30am until closed locked  c 5.30pm after Evening Prayer

Wednesday 31st December - Church open 9am until closed locked  c 5.30pm after Evening Prayer  *NB No service of Wednesday Mums today*

Thursday 1st Jan 2015 (NEW YEARS DAY - BANK HOLIDAY) Church closed  (except for bell-ringing)

Friday 2nd Jan - back to normal pattern.

Who decorated the Christmas tree at All Saints Church?

The Christmas tree at All Saints Church has been erected and decorated by the  band of bell-ringers. Rector Canon Canon David Hodgson said: "As in all previous years I can recall the bell-ringers have once again done us the great favour of handling the Christmas tree for us;  and the whole church is very grateful to them. I think all will agree they have done a splendid job". As a new feature this year paper prayer chains and other decorations made by congregations at the All Together service and Messy Church have been added to the tree.