The Reverend Helen Charlton moving next door via Kenya

The Reverend Helen Charlton will be moving on at the end of January from her role as one of the honorary priests at All Saints Church. Helen will be working with the Oxford Diocesan Director of Ordinands and worshipping and ministering in Twyford parish. Helen's last Sunday on duty at All Saints will be the 31st January.

The Rector, Canon David Hodgson said:
" I urge all who can to be at church at some point in the morning on 31st January to wish Helen well in her next phase of ordained ministry."

Currently Helen, and husband Clive, one of the All Saints churchwardens, are in Kenya volunteering at a rescue centre for abandoned babies in Nairobi together with two other couples from Wokingham.

Youth leader appointment failed

It was confirmed earlier in this week that the current search for a new youth leader for the parish had failed. Neither of the two applicants for the position adequately fitted the profile for the role.

The post of Youth Leader became vacant when Kat Vaughan was appointed to a pastoral work role in a Hampshire comprehensive school. The Parochial Church Council (PCC) decided to advertise for a half-time worker instead of full-time because of the current lack of growth in church income; with a view to appointing another person to a second half-time post when finances improved.

The Rector, Canon David Hodgson said; 

"It is regrettable that we have not been able to appoint this time around but it was the right decision.  It remains a priority of our Parish Mission Action Plan that we encourage all young people to grow in faith. So I will be discussing the situation immediately with Revd Anna Harwood and the PCC to work out our next steps."

Developed role of Associate Rector for Reverend Anna Harwood

The Reverend Anna Harwood's role in the parish is being developed and her role title changed to 'Associate Rector' instead of  'Associate Priest'.

The Rector, Canon David Hodgson, said;
 "I'm delighted that our Church Council has agreed the proposal I put forward with Anna to develop her role. Anna will take a share of the Rector responsibilities and tasks, acting with delegated responsibility on my behalf and working closely with me."

"There will be many benefits for the parish. By modelling collaborative leadership even more strongly in the clergy team we hope to encourage wider sharing of responsibilities and collaborative activity across the whole church community. Parishioners will have double access to a person in the Rector role; and there will be bigger capacity to respond to managerial issues or pastoral concerns. This new arrangement will bring additional and complementary gifts and skills in the leadership of the church. It will also create more opportunity for developing lay leaders in the church"

"In practical terms it will see Anna chairing at least half of all PCC meetings and taking part in PCC Standing and Finance Committee meetings; and generally being more directly involved with the strategic leadership of the parish".

Rev'd Anna Harwood said. "I'm delighted to have this opportunity and pleased with the confidence that the PCC has in me; and that our Bishop too has given his blessing to this".

Parish communion service changes to be trialled in new year

The congregation of the Sunday 9.30am Parish Communion service are to be asked to trial some small changes to the format of the service for a fixed time period. 

The Rector, Canon David Hodgson said: 

"These are nudges or tweaks to the service rather than big changes, slightly altering its feel. The aim is to enrich the service spiritually by making it both more focussed and more open. It will make it less wordy, more flexible and slightly shorter.

I'm aware also that there are conversations to be had longer term about our overall pattern of worship at All Saints and these will be initiated soon.

One of the four priorities in our Mission Action Plan as a church is making sure our worship connects with people."

Ideas being tried out will include hearing two bible readings instead of three and using a shorter statement of faith instead of the full Nicene Creed . Other ideas will be keeping sermons, prayers and official notices within agreed time lengths; whilst creating more space for reflection and for church community sharing of news. Even more effort will be made to choose good,singable and relevant hymns; whilst helping the congregation to enjoy learning new hymns.

Award-winning duo to launch new folk music season at All Saints Church with February concert

Hannah Martin and Phillip Henry

All Saints Church's popular concert programme launches its first-ever folk music season this year. BBC Radio 2 Best Folk Duo award winners Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin will open the season with a concert on Friday 5th February.  

Creative director of the concert programme Richard Smith said:

"Multi-instrumentalists Phillip Henry and Hannah Martin stormed the centre-stage of the British folk scene in 2014 when they won the BBC Radio 2 Best Duo Award. The concert at All Saints is part of their UK tour following the release of new album 'Watershed'."

Other concerts in the folk season will include  ex-Steeleye Span violinist Peter Knight's trio 'Gigspanner', described by the Daily Telegraph as "magnificent"; and Talisk, winners of the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award.

Full details of the concert programme and ticket booking service.

Appeal to help Calais camp refugees launched by All Saints Church's Director of Music

All Saints' Director of Music Richard Smith spent the Christmas holiday distributing aid in the camp with Care4Calais and has identified an enormous need for good, new, waterproof walking boots. He has launched an appeal to raise thousands of pounds to buy boots for the refugees living in the camp at Calais known as "The Jungle". 

Richard has written: "The Calais refugee camp is expanding rapidly and as the cold weather sets in the residents are suffering horribly.  Here's a practical, simple way to help. Read about the project at www.bootswithoutborders.org.uk - 100% of all donations will go to purchasing boots.  £20 will give a refugee safe, dry, warm footwear.

A presentation by Richard is planned for after the 9.30am Parish Communion on Sunday 24th January.

New course to ask how should Christians behave?

How should Christians behave and live? These are the key question participants in the next Pilgrim Course at All Saints Church will be exploring. Jo Robinson, one of the course leaders , said: "We'll be exploring these questions through one of the core texts of the Christian faith: The Ten Commandments. Everyone is welcome to sign up for this course . Prior attendance at a previous Pilgrim Course is not necessary to join." 

This 6-week course will be held every Monday from 8th February until 14th March from 7.30pm – 9.30pm in the Cornerstone Lounge.For more information and to book a place contact Jo Robinson or Rosemary Sturmer through the Parish Office email parishoffice@allsaintswokingham.org.uk

Popular Christmas services raised thousands for the world's poorest

Three Wise Kings at the Christmas Eve Crib Service

Church service attendance figures on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day showed record numbers of people coming to the two Crib Services, with over 750 people attending. 

Attendance at the choral service of  Nine Lessons and Carols later the same day returned to its highest level since 2011 with over 300 in the congregation. 

In all 1,466 worshippers were recorded on 24th and 25th December which is the highest ever attendance at Christmas at All Saints Church, with the big numbers on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. The Christian Aid collection at the Crib Services, for the poorest people in the world, totalled £1,222 with Gift Aid and with the Government matched- funding scheme Christian Aid could receive over £2000 from these collections. In addition collections at other services raised over £1,913 for All Saints Church's own work.