Banner Image:   pen-g104861c15 1920

BeneficeLogoWithText
Sunday 20th July                                                                            Trinity 5

Welcome to our newsletter
People in boat listening px

Each of us is called to listen to Jesus, to wait on him, to sit and be with him, to delight in Him, and then, with God’s help discern our calling of what to be getting on with!
Not just to set to work on our own agendas.

 
The Collect, the prayer for the week.
    Almighty and everlasting God,
    by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
    is governed and sanctified:
    hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
    that each in their vocation and ministry
    may serve you in holiness and truth
    to the glory of your name;
    through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
    who is alive and reigns with you,
    in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
    one God, now and for ever.
Readings for this Sunday: Col. 1: 15-28, Psalm 15 and Luke 10: 38-42.

This Sunday
8:00am                BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am               Good News service at St Thomas’
N.B. 10:30am     BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am              Good News service at St Andrew’s
11:45am              Friends of St Mary’s AGM at St Mary’s
3:00pm                Bereavement café in the Canterbury Room
4:00pm                Piano recital at St Mary’s

Good News services
As part of our preparing resilience for the future a different member of our “Ministry Calling” group will lead our Good News services each month in Goring and South Stoke. They have been preparing and learning some of the factors involved in leading services. However, none of us, not even the vicar, has finished learning or needing feedback and encouragement. Please do take your part in helping this new cohort to grow and blossom.
Please pray for Jo Brook from South Stoke church who is leading this Sunday and give her encouragement and Ben any feedback to share! Thank you.

Heal the Gap Bereavement Café
Our Bereavement Café has its next session this Sunday, July 20th, at 3pm in the Canterbury Room.
Heal the Gap colour
The aims of this group are to demystify the topic of grief and remove its status as a taboo subject and to equip everyone with the self-assurance necessary to engage in a meaningful conversation with those grappling with loss, focusing primarily on active listening. 
The sessions are managed by trained group bereavement facilitators. The group is open to anyone, regardless of how long ago your loss occurred, and you will be welcome whether or not you have been before.
We hope to offer some friendship, advice and hope as well as tea, coffee and refreshments. We look forward to seeing you there.                                Melissa

Piano Concert, “Take a Peaceful Moment”, at St Mary’s
Very sadly Janet Pound is unable to play at this concert on Sunday July 20th at 4pm however we have been very fortunate in that virtuoso pianist Rachel Neiger from Oxford has volunteered to step up and play instead.

Rachel Neiger head and shoulde

This will be a recital of peaceful piano pieces including works by Beethoven, Schumann, Elgar and Satie along with poetry about peace.
Tickets are £10 full, £9 concessions on the door only and please bring cash not cards! Tea and cakes will be provided by the Friends of St Mary’s in the Morrell Room after the concert.
Any enquiries please text to 0776 233 9853.

StAndrewsCoffeeAndCake
St Andrew’s coffee morning
The monthly coffee morning with cakes will take place in St Andrew’s on Wednesday 23rd July from 10:30am.
All welcome

Meal for parents
17 parents managed to leave their offspring and come together to be encouraged, fed and watered and to take a moment to consider how we can let the love of Jesus into our homes and lives more. It was a great evening.
Thank you to all who prayed for and supported this.

Adult baptism/confirmation preparation course.
We have a 15 year old and an 80 something year old and would welcome others to join a group. Timing will depend on what people can do but will probably be in the evenings in September. A chance to review your faith and ask questions and grow closer to God.
Do speak to a member of the ministry team about this if you are interested.

Songs of Praise service
Live in harmony, join together in songs of praise the Bible urges us. So we can look forward to doing as we are told, for once!

Music treble clef and notes

Our Benefice Songs of Praise on Sunday 31st August at 10.30am is in St Andrew’s. The organist and choirs from Streatley and Goring will be there to help raise the roof.

What is your favourite hymn/song and why?
We would love to hear your requests and reasons. Please feed into Liz, Mike, Ben or to the office (875651 or officeofgsandss@yahoo.com) in the next two weeks please so we can shape the service. Thank you.
Ride and stride
Another date for your diary:
This year’s Ride and Stride in aid of Berkshire and Oxford Historic
Churches Trust will take place on Saturday 13th September. If you would like to know more or plan on taking part please let Ben know. 

This week we are asked to pray: 

  • For the work of the United Nations to enable pressure to be brought to bring warring groups to negotiation and understanding rather than further attacks across borders.
  • We give thanks for our schools and pray for a refreshing summer for teachers, governors, children and families.
  • For our farmers and the need for gentle rain and wise water use.
  • For humanity, medicine and aid to reach the people in Gaza.
Diary for the week
Monday 21st July
2:00pm        Memorial service for Briony Cooke at St Thomas’

Tuesday 22nd July
1:30pm        Streatley Primary School leavers service in St Mary’s

Wednesday 23rd July
10:30am      Little Lights at St Mary’s
10:30am      Coffee morning at St Andrew’s
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Exod. 16. 1-5, 9-15, Ps. 78. 17-31 and Matt. 13. 1-9.


Sunday 27th July  
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
9:30am        Holy Communion at St Thomas’
11.15am      Mattins at St Mary’s
11:15am      Holy Communion at St Andrew’s

Prayers for the week from Roots on the web
Loving God
we come to place into your hands
ourselves, our lives and our concerns for the world in which we live.
As our attention is divided and our world becomes increasingly rushed and noisy
and we feel the constant pressure to be doing
more and more with fewer and fewer resources,
we pray that we would find our still centre in you 
and that our actions would be rooted and grounded in your abundance.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As world leaders struggle to make and keep the peace 
and the suffering caused by wars seems unending,
we pray that you would keep alive our hope in a better future
for all the peoples of the earth,
remembering particularly the efforts to build a just and lasting peace
in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As social media scatters our attention and fragments society
and shouting replaces conversation, listening and debate,
we pray that we would be disciplined in our use of technology
and that we would pay attention to others
and use our words to build up other people.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As four areas of England move into drought following extreme heat
and wildlife and crops are under threat,
we pray for more careful stewardship of Earth’s precious water resources
and for accountability where water is polluted by carelessness
or choices driven by greed.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As our rights to peaceful protest become increasingly limited
and challenging the status quo comes at great cost,
we pray for wisdom to discern the actions to which you are calling us
and courage as we respond to issues that threaten life and stability on this planet.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As people struggle with life’s challenges or are overwhelmed by trouble
and some we know are ill or in hospital
we pray for peace in body, mind and soul for all who are suffering and strength for those who care for them.
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

As so many people are rootless and lonely in our communities
and young and old seek a place to belong and to be heard
we pray that our churches would be places of hospitality,
where bread is broken and shared 
and friend and stranger find a welcome home. 
Come close to us O God
Hear our prayer.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Daily readings for the week beginning 21st July
Monday am: Ps 98 Eze1 1. 1-14 2 Cor. 1. 1-14 pm: Ps 105 Luke 19. 28-40
Tuesday am: Ps 30 1 Sam. 16. 14-end Luke 8. 1-2 pm: Ps 63 Mark 15.40-16.7
Wednesday am: Ps 111 Eze. 2.3-3.11 2 Cor. 2. 5-end pm: Ps 119. 129-152 Luke 20. 1-8
Thursday am: Ps 115 Eze. 3. 12-end 2 Cor. ch. 3 pm: Ps 116 Luke 20. 9-19
Friday am: Ps 7 2 Kings 1. 9-15 Luke 9. 46-56 pm: Ps 94 Mark 1. 14-20
Saturday am: Ps 121 Eze. ch. 9 2 Cor. ch. 5 pm: Ps 118 Luke 20. 27-40
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
DioceseOfOxford
Copyright © 2025 The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke
The Vicarage
Manor Road
Goring, Berkshire RG8 9DR
United Kingdom