Tea and cake in the Rectory Garden with the Mothers Union

Jim Creech was raffle meister extraordinaire for the afternoon

Tea and cake in the Rectory garden was organised by the All Saints Mothers Union last Sunday. It was in celebration of the Mothers Union's 140th anniversary and raised over £250 for the Mothers Union Big Summer Appeal. The Appeal helps people in need at home and abroad;  helping an illiterate person learn to read, a survivor of gender based violence find healing, or a family facing difficulty. Read more about it or make a donation at the website http://www.mothersunion.org/bigsummerappeal

All Saints Rector , Canon David Hodgson said;

" We all had a completely delightful afternoon in our garden; with delicious refreshments and lovely company. Children enjoyed playing lawn games whilst parents sat at tables, or joined in. We were completely blessed with unexpectedly sunny weather. It was a great way to enjoy time together and raise funds for urgent and important work in the world.Well done to All Saints' Mothers Union for organising this. And we didn't miss out on Andy Murray's brilliant victory either, as the TV was set up in the patio doorway"

Rector to speak at mosque

All Saints Church's Rector, Canon David Hodgson, will speak at an interfaith event at Wokingham's only mosque, the Aisha Islamic Centre.

The theme  of the meeting is "Understanding Islam" which will  be addressed by the imam of the mosque Imam Yahya Mohammed.

All are welcome to attend the event on Sunday 17th July 4pm at Aisha Masjid and Islamic Centre , London Road, Reading RG6 1BW.

Volunteer Independent Visitors for Looked After Children and Young People

All Saints Church has been asked to let parishioners know about the opportunity to volunteer as an Independent Visitor for Looked After children and young people in Wokingham.

Luci Roberts our local area co-ordinator of the scheme writes:

"Independent Visitors provide a reliable friendship and support service to a young person living in foster care or residential home. Our young people need someone who can make a difference to their future.

We need motivated, child focussed volunteers to befriend children and young people who are looked after by the local authority. You don’t need special qualifications, but patience, stamina and a non-judgemental attitude is essential. You will need to commit a few hours each month. In return for your commitment we can offer you supervision, training and support. The reimbursement of travel expenses and an activity allowance will be provided."

Please contact Luci Roberts, IV Coordinator on 07920 183656 or by email at Luci.Roberts@nyas.net

Or visit the website https://www.nyas.net/children-vulnerable-adults-services/independent-visitors 

More cakes from churches to welcome residents of new Wokingham housing areas

More cakes will be handed out this month by All Saints Church and other Wokingham churches as welcome gifts to residents of the new housing areas. 

Rector of All Saints Canon David Hodgson said:

"Our goal is to welcome people in the new housing estates. Members of our church have been involved with other churches taking a welcome gift from the churches to new residents: a cake and a welcome card linking to a website about the churches in Wokingham." 

Big step for All Saints Church in September

All Saints Church's involvement in  the Bishop of Reading's pan-Berkshire programme for parishes wanting to move on in mission and spiritual awareness to God's promised and preferred future for them - Partnership for Missional Church - will take a big step forward in September.

Parishioners will be invited to take part in a "corporate discernment event" over Sunday lunch on the 18th September. This will be to digest information gathered from the listening and sharing over the past year and to discern a God-centred focus to the mission of the church.

All Saints Church Choir news Summer 2016

Richard Smith, our Director of Music writes: "The choir at All Saints Church has had another busy year. We've welcomed several new members to the children's choir and to the Nave Choir and sung a wide variety of music. Sunday 17th July is our last service before the summer holidays and we return to duties in September. We are always glad to see new members. Contact Richard Smith on directorofmusic@allsaintswokingham.org.uk for details of the children's choir, the Nave Choir, and other opportunities for adult singers.

Glass screen for tower going in this summer

Work will start in the church on 25th July to install the glass screen in the upper arch of the tower, between the ringing chamber and the body of the church. All permissions have been given and a contract placed. It is estimated the work will take 6 weeks. Full access to the church and the use of the font will be maintained.

The £41000 project is fully funded from funds raised during a campaign for this purpose some years ago. 

Churchwarden Anne King said, 

"There are two long periods when it will seem like nothing is happening – the frame makers have to make a full size template of the arch to ensure the frame fits properly and then the glaziers have to do the same thing once the frame is in place. Both of these require the scaffolding."

All Saints Church's vestments featured in Church Times

The vestments commissioned for All Saints Church and designed by Croft Design in 2013 were featured in a recent Church Times special series this year on ecclesiastical textile work.
Link to the Church Times feature here

Fixed the roof in both rain and shine!

Roof works in the Vestry, Chancel and Lady Chapel sections of the church are complete. !6,000 tiles were replaced amongst other repairs, including to stonework and rainwater goods. Now making good and painting of the clergy vestry ceiling is ongoing and will be complete by the end of the month.

Wokingham Christians unite in prayer after Brexit vote

Christians from different Wokingham churches came together at The Cornerstone in response to the EU Referendum outcome, to pray together and to listen to one another's hopes and fears after the Brexit vote. The meeting was called on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham and facilitated by Canon David Hodgson, Rector of All Saints.

He said:" This was a meeting for everyone irrespective of  whether they voted Leave or Remain or didn't vote. We came together in the unity we have as Christians to listen to one another; to listen to God in the Scriptures and to pray.  We felt it was important to provide the opportunity to come together in faith and unity, with respect for each other's views, at such a time of division and uncertainty, to allow the Spirit of God to guide us."

Voluntary and faith groups meet with local Borough Chief Executives

The Rector of All Saints and one of All Saints' churchwardens were among those who attended a gathering last week of voluntary and faith groups from Bracknell and Wokingham. The meeting was organised by the two boroughs' joint voluntary sector network and support agency Involve. 

The main speakers at the meeting were the two Borough Council Chief Executives. They explained the challenges to be faced as planned central government funding for local authorities has been and will be further significantly reduced. Local authorities have made and will continue to make efficiency savings and will continue to focus their resources on supporting core services and the most vulnerable in our boroughs. To sustain community provision  going forward a new level and scale of voluntary involvement will be needed. The Chief Executives signalled greater flexibility in the way the local authority would work with voluntary groups to provide services. Concerns expressed by delegates of the voluntary sector groups present were about funding sources; the possibility of needless competition between different voluntary groups and duplication, and the importance and difficulty of finding adequate resources for work on the prevention of health and social problems.