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Sunday 12th February                                                            2nd before Lent
Welcome to our weekly newsletter
Crocuses


The cross reveals God involved in the darkest places. As we respond to the earthquakes and concerns of life, may we be part of God’s care reaching out.
The Collect, the prayer for the week
  Almighty God,
  you have created the heavens and the earth
  and made us in your own image:
  teach us to discern your hand in all your works
  and your likeness in all your children;
  through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
  who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all   things,
  now and for ever.

Readings for Sunday: Romans 8: 18-25, Ps 136: 1-9, 23-end and Matt. 6: 25-end.
This Sunday:
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
9:30am        Holy Communion at St Thomas’
11:15am      Family service at St Mary’s
11:15am      BCP Holy Communion at St Andrew’s
In our churches this Sunday we will have a collection via the Disasters Emergency Committee for the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

Prayer for the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal
God of time and space, we cry to you for your children - our neighbours - in southern Turkey and northern Syria, following the earthquake that has devastated hundreds of lives. Only they and you know what it is like to experience such trauma in the middle of the night.
We give thanks for the aid that is already being given and for the promises of help that have been made by many nations.
Comfort, we pray,
those who are trapped in collapsed buildings;
those who have lost loved ones;
those who wait for news and
those digging through rubble to save others.
Grant the gift of hope so that those caught between life and death know that you are with them and that others are ready to support them as they seek a future that overshadows the experiences of today.
We ask this in the Name of Jesus, who endured so much for love of them.
Amen.
(from Christian Aid)
Inaugural Organ Recital, this Saturday, 11th February 2023 at 7pm
To mark the completion of the organ rebuild project at St Thomas', there will be a recital by Thomas Trotter, an organist of international renown, this Saturday.
There is limited availability for tickets (£12 each) on the door.
The concert will include music by Handel, Stanley, Mulet, Dupre, Dove and more and promises to be a wonderful event.
Ecumenical Lent course
The ecumenical Lent course will commence in the week beginning 27 February. The focus this year is on the prayers that Jesus prayed. The Lent course provides a wonderful opportunity to meet with fellow Christians from different denominations and learn more about our shared faith. Look out for the sign up sheets at the back of the churches. Please pray about joining a group and also about whom you might invite to join you.
For more information, please contact Catherine Coulson.
ComeAndSee
Come and See 
Tuesday evenings from 7 March
We will be running a group, in person and by Zoom, in the Canterbury Room on Tuesdays at 7.45pm. This is designed for those who might be curious about who Jesus really is, what he really meant by his words and life. It uses 6 ways to look at him, and unpacks the 9 statements in the Beautitudes.
This is an easy way for you to offer our treasure to someone who you know, who just might be interested… Please pray who you could invite. 
TheReal EasterEgg
Real Easter Eggs
Once again Real Easter Eggs are not being sold by supermarkets so the only way to obtain one is to order directly. The eggs are Fairtrade, palm oil and plastic free and many come with a 24 page Easter story/activity book.
There are sign up sheets in our churches or please contact the church office to order. We will be placing an order by the end of February as the eggs sell out quickly!
SteamingCoffee
Warm Space
Our doors are open on Mondays, 10am-12 noon, in the Canterbury Room, offering a warm space, a welcome, company, tea, coffee and toast.
Do come, or invite anyone who might be alone.
Please pray for this venture. Do ask if you need help with a lift.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to make it possible.
Belfast
Pick-a-Flick, Thursday 16th February, 10:30am
Pick-a-Flick takes place next week with the film “Belfast”. As usual, there will be coffee before the film and a light lunch afterwards and we ask for a contribution of £5 towards this.
Pre-booking is required so please contact Jenny Boyd or Sarah Fraser to book in and to ask for transport if you require it.
Star Count 2023 will take place between 17th-24th February 2023
The children at Streatley Primary School will be taking part in this year’s Star Count. The idea is to count the number of stars you can see in the constellation Orion and fill in an online form with your results.
The results from Star Count will help make a map of where star-spotters are enjoying deep, dark skies. By showing on a map where light pollution is most serious, we can work with local councils and others to decide what to do about it.
Further details are available here:
https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/nature-and-landscapes/dark-skies/star-count-2023/

St Mary’s concert, 26th February, 4pm
Ikuko Inoguchi gave a brilliant Piano Recital in St Mary's last year and is a very accomplished pianist. She writes: "Enjoy an afternoon concert (with tea and cake afterwards) performed by Ikuko and the shakuhachi player and flautist Jean Francois Lagrost. This concert provides a rare opportunity to experience the beautiful sound of the shakuhachi (the Japanese bamboo flute) and works for flute and piano by French composers".
Jean Francois Lagrost is a French flautist and also Professor of Art Education at the Conservatories of Le Kremlin-Bicêtre and Asnières. He plays both the flute and the shakuhachi. He is on a European tour and we are very fortunate that he is able to fit us in. Tickets on the door only £10/£9, cash payment only. Advance bookings to StMarysConcerts@hotmail.co.uk.
Do you fancy three months standing at military checkpoints in Palestine monitoring human rights?
Ben has a friend working as part of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), an international programme coordinated by the World Council of Churches. It brings people from around the world to the West Bank to serve as Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) or human rights monitors. EAs spend 3 months in Palestine and Israel monitoring human rights violations and standing in solidarity with Palestinian and Israeli peace activists. Ben’s friend is happy, when he comes home, to give a talk here of his experiences.  Please let Ben know if you would like him to book his friend to come.
There are vacancies for others to go…! Full training is given along with expenses and a living allowance. See https://quaker.org.uk/eappi for more information.

We are asked to pray

  • The relief operation in Syria/Turkey.
  • For the bereavement group concluding this week.
  • For the Warm Spaces initiative on Monday mornings.
  • The process of finding St Thomas’ director of music and organist.
  • We give thanks for the St Thomas' organ build being completed.
Daily Prayer is offered each morning in one of our churches. Why not join in one day? We listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church.
Following a request we are trying new times on Friday.
Monday: 8.30am Goring,     Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley,
Friday: 9am Goring
Diary for next week:
Monday 13th February
10:00am      Warm Space in the Canterbury Room 

Wednesday 15th February
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Gen. 8. 6-13, 20-end, Ps. 116. 10-end and Mark 8. 22-26.

Thursday 16th February
10:30am      Pick-a-Flick in the Canterbury Room

Sunday 19th February
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am        “Healthcare Sunday” service at St Thomas’ with Tom Toms
11:15am      BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am      Good News service at St Andrew’s
Daily readings for the week beginning 13th February
Monday am: Ps 44 2 Chron. 9. 1-12 John 19. 1-16 pm: Ps 47 2 Tim. 4. 1-8
Tuesday am: Ps 48 2 Chron. 10.1-11.4 John 19. 17-30 pm: Ps 50 2 Tim. 4. 9-end
Wednesday am: Ps 119. 57-80 2 Chron. ch. 12 John 19. 31-end pm: Ps 59 Titus ch. 1
Thursday am: Ps 57 2 Chron. 13.1-14.1 John 20. 1-10 pm: Ps 62 Titus ch. 2
Friday am: Ps 51 2 Chron. 14. 2-end John 20. 11-18 pm: Ps 38 Titus ch. 3
Saturday am: Ps 68 2 Chron. 15. 1-15 John 20. 19-end pm: Ps 66 Philem
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
DioceseOfOxford
Our mailing address is:
The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Goring, Berkshire RG8 9DR
United Kingdom
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