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11th January 2026                                           Epiphany 1/Baptism of Christ
Welcome to our weekly newsletter
Baptism of Christ
Jesus’ moment of Baptism was so significant to him and to us. The status and identity revealed in it.
Our own baptism. What does that mean to us? An identity and a direction for every day in this year ahead? How?

 
Collect for the week
   Eternal Father,
   who at the baptism of Jesus
   revealed him to be your Son,
   anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
   grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
   that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
   through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
   who is alive and reigns with you,
   in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
   one God, now and for ever.
Readings for Sunday: Isaiah 42: 1-9, Psalm 29 and Matt. 3: 13-17.
Family Service: John 1: 1-5.


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
5:00pm        Discoverers

Families Meal, 18th January, 5.00-7.00pm in the Canterbury Room

Family meal tomato 25.07
Next Sunday we will be holding a meal for families and their children. Children will be able to play while adults chat with a drink from 5pm. The meal will start at 5:45/6pm. Please could anyone who’d like to come contact Sarah via the church office (875651/ officeofgsandss@yahoo.com) and give any dietary requirements.

Please pray for Little Lights… as it resumes this week. Wednesday 10.30am – 11 am at St Mary's. A short toddler and parent/carer gathering with songs, story, a prayer and support for all concerned, 14th & 28th January.

And for Discoverers this Sunday at 5-6pm (11th and 25th January) for ages 10-14 years and for Margaret and Ben who lead it.

PAF Jan 26 2
Pick-a-Flick, Thursday 15th January, 10:30am
This month Pick-a-Flick will be screening the film, “Night Train to Lisbon”. 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 Sarah via the church office (875651)  to book in and to ask for transport if you require it.
Eco tip for January from A Rocha
RSPB logo
The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch (Friday 23-Sunday 25 January) is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey! Last year, nearly 600,000 people took part and over nine million birds were counted. We’ve lost a staggering 38 million birds from UK skies in the last 60 years. With birds facing so many challenges, it’s more important than ever to get involved in the Birdwatch.
To take part, spend one hour counting the birds you see in one location – your garden, balcony or a local park. Submit your findings to the RSPB. You can download a free guide and ID chart to help you identify the birds you spot on the RSPB website. Find out more at: rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
Update from Goring Heath almshouses
The Trustees have appointed the Reverend Ross Hathway as the new Chaplain. Ross and his wife, Alison, will be moving to School House in early February, and he will formally take on the role from mid-February.
Currently, Ross is a Priest in the Exeter Diocese, where he has been living with Alison in the Village of Widecombe in the Moor since 2019. He grew up on a farm 300 miles northwest of Sydney, Australia. Training in Sydney, he was ordained in 1986 and has served in various locations in Australia and in the Diocese of Peterborough and Bath and Wells. They have three adult children, two in the UK and one in Australia.

Join in Morning Prayer together. Please do. We offer ourselves in worship, listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church members in turn.

Monday: 8.30am Goring,     Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley.
Friday: 9am Goring.

This week we are asked to pray: 

  • For world leaders as they digest the Trump administration’s actions and threats and language.
  • For our individual reflections on a year past and a year ahead.
  • For our discerning our priorities for now and the year ahead.
  • For our PCCs as they meet this week.
  • Those affected by storm, isolation or flood.
Diary for the week
Monday 12th January
7:30pm        St Andrew’s PCC meeting

Wednesday 14th January
10:30am      Little Lights at St Mary’s
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be 1 Sam. 3: 1-10, 19-20, Ps 40: 1-4, 7-10 and Mark 1: 29-39.
7:45pm        St Mary’s PCC meeting


Thursday 15th January
10:30am      Pick-a-Flick in the Canterbury Room

Sunday 18th January
8:00am        BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am        Good News service at St Thomas’
11:15am      BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am      Good News service at St Andrew’s
1:00pm        Baptism of Hugh at St Mary's 

Prayers for the week 
Thank you to Harry for this week’s prayers.

Heavenly Father we are so grateful as Gentile believers that you made special preparations to show to us and many other nations the Good News of the Saviour, Jesus Christ. You made Christ viewable to rural Shepherds and to Magi from the East, people drawn by curiosity and spiritual longing, who dared to ask the right questions. We thank you for the fuller understanding of life that these men gained by following and learning about Christ. We thank you now for the Feast of Epiphany and the opportunity to pray and ask similar questions ourselves as followers.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Father, we are troubled about the tragic warfare in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Burma, also about the threatening politics being explored by China and the USA. We pray for good mannered diplomacy and for your over-ruling of the unruly wills and affections of sinful humanity so that wars may cease and peace break out among the nations. We long to hear that the children in war torn places are being kept safe.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for Ben and the Ministry Team as they organise the teaching and worship of our three congregations and for the growth of faith and love amongst us.  We pray for the important work among the children and young people and Madeleine who leads this work.  We ask you to bless Jane whom we expect to join us following ordination in the summer of this year.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Dear Lord we offer up to you those in our villages who are sick or recovering from illness, Including those of us suffering from frailness and vulnerability with age. Especially we pray for those in pain, who may be unable to concentrate in prayer, when they feel need for help and support.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We ask for your support and comfort to the families who have recently lost a member; may they be able to celebrate their joys and achievements and to give thanks.  Dear Lord, be close to them in their time of loss and grief.

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

Daily readings for the week beginning 12th January
Monday am: Ps 2 Gen. 1. 1-19 Matt. 21. 1-17 pm: Ps 34 1 Cor. 1. 1-17
Tuesday am: Ps 9 Gen. 1.20-2.3 Matt. 21. 18-32 pm: Ps 45 1 Cor. 1. 18-end
Wednesday am: Ps 20 Gen. 2. 4-end Matt. 21. 33-end pm: Ps 47 1 Cor. ch. 2
Thursday am: Ps 21 Gen. ch. 3 Matt. 22. 1-14 pm: Ps 61 1 Cor. ch. 3
Friday am: Ps 67 Gen. 4. 1-16, 25-26 Matt. 22. 15-33 pm: Ps 68 1 Cor. ch. 4
Saturday am: Ps 33 Gen. 6. 1-10 Matt. 22. 34-end pm: Ps 85 1 Cor. ch. 5
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
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