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.

Rapturous reception for Dame Emma as Summer Music Festival opens

Dame Emma Kirkby and Jakob Lindberg receive the rapturous applause of the audience after their stunning virtuoso performance of early music at the opening night of Wokingham Summer Music Festival in All Saints Church Wokingham.

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Pentecost service with a Christian Aid focus

This year's Pentecost Sunday All Together Communion Service had a Christian Aid Week focus as the two dates coincided. There was drama from Stage-Fright about life from a refugee perspective; there was a guest speaker Jessica Hall, our regional Christian Aid rep, who spoke and sang a song. A special prayer activity included lighting the candles on the church's birthday cake. 

The film above was shown at the start of the service. Technical problems prevented the second film for children "Wonderful Worms" from being shown. This can be seen here 

Cakes from churches to welcome new residents

These freshly baked cakes were among those given as a welcome gift from Churches Together in Wokingham to residents of the new housing developments in Wokingham. Members of All Saints both baked cakes and took them on the doorsteps.
If you would like to get involved in future "cake-bombings" please contact Revd Anna Harwood.

Celebrating Pentecost with Christian Aid

Pentecost Sunday this year falls at the start of Christian Aid Week. So All Saints Church will be combining both celebrations at two of its service on Sunday 15th May.

9.30am All Together Communion service will include:

- drama from Stage-Fright youth drama group

- films on the theme for Christian Aid Week

- guest speaker Jessica Hall, regional Christian Aid 
representative who is rumoured to be planning to sing in her talk


At 6pm All Saints hosts the Wokingham United Service of Churches Together in Wokingham for Christian Aid Week. The service will include:

- guest speaker Jo Cawdell from Christian Aid

- film on the theme for Christian Aid Week

- commissioning of Wokingham's 2016 Christian Aid Week collectors.

BBC Young Folk Award winners 2015 Talisk come to All Saints Church

On Friday 6th May, BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award Winners Talisk will be raising the roof at All Saints Church.  Music starts at 7.30pm.

Tickets are going fast!  You can get them from The Cornerstone, online from https://allsaintswokingham.yapsody.com/event/index/15901/talisk or on the door (subject to availability of course).