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19th April 2026                                                                                   Easter 3 
Welcome to our weekly newsletter
     Alleluia, Christ is risen……
He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Trees path bluebells WM
Jesus himself came up and walked along with them…
Luke 24: 15

May we recognise Jesus as he walks with us.
The Collect, the prayer for the week
   Almighty Father,
   who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples
   with the sight of the risen Lord:
   give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
   that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life
   and serve you continually in righteousness and truth;
   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 this Sunday: Acts 2: 14a, 36-41, Psalm 116: 1–3, 10–end and Luke 24: 13-35.

This Sunday:
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
4:00pm        Piano Recital at St Mary’s
Annual Parochial Church Meetings
The Annual Parochial Church Meetings for St Thomas’ will take place this Sunday, 19th April, after the 9:30am service. Copies of the minutes of last year’s meeting, the annual report and accounts can be seen by clicking here, here and here or paper copies will be available in the church.
The Annual Parochial Church Meetings for St Andrew’s will take place next Sunday, 26th April, at noon and for St Mary’s on Sunday 10th May after the 11:15am service.
The Bereavement Journey
Grief touches every life, yet it can still feel like the loneliest of experiences. After the loss of a loved one, many people find themselves wondering if what they’re feeling is “normal”, why time doesn’t heal in a neat or predictable way, or how to cope when the world seems to move on too quickly.
Bereavement journey logo
The Bereavement Journey, a seven-week course, begins soon. It is designed to support those living with loss, combining professional insight with a warm, accessible approach. It explores themes such as separation
and loss, the pain and responses of grief, coping with others’ reactions, understanding delayed grief, and adjusting to change. It is open to anyone who has suffered a loss at any time, recent or past. 
The course will begin on Tuesday 21st April, meeting in the Canterbury Room at St Thomas’. Sessions will be held in the evenings from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Anyone interested in taking part, who would like to sign up, or who simply wants to find out more is warmly invited to get in touch. Transport can also be arranged for those who may find it difficult to get to the church. To express interest, register for the course, or ask any questions, please contact Revd Ben Phillips by email at officeofgsandss@yahoo.com or by telephone on 01491 875651. You can also click here for more information via our website.

Piano Recital by Max Mostovetski at St Mary’s
This Sunday, 19th April, at 4pm St Mary’s will be welcoming Max Mostovetski, a German pianist on tour in the UK, for a recital including pieces by J.S. Bach, Scriabin and Mendelssohn.

Max M

Some background on Max may be found by clicking here
Tickets are £12 full, £10 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 e-mail StMarysConcerts@hotmail.co.uk or text 0776 233 9853.
StAndrewsCoffeeAndCake
South Stoke coffee morning
The monthly coffee morning with cakes will take place in St Andrew’s on Wednesday 22nd April from 10:30am. All welcome!

Ecumenical Lent group wrap-up meeting with a difference.
This year, Tim Livesey, former CEO of Embrace the Middle East, will be sharing experiences about the West Bank.
We have used Embrace’s Lent booklets for the last three years. This will be a wonderful opportunity to hear first-hand information from the region.
We'll meet in the Canterbury Room on Thursday 23rd April at 10am for coffee with a prompt 10.30am start, to finish at Noon. There will be an opportunity for Q&A.
Everyone is welcome, even if you have not attended the Lent course.

Embrace talk 04.26

Date for your diaries - Visit to St Thomas' by the Immanuel Gospel Choir from Stockholm
On Saturday 2nd May, the Immanuel Gospel Choir from Stockholm will be running a workshop from 5pm to 6pm, followed by a concert from 7pm to 8pm at St Thomas'.  More details can be found elsewhere on the church website by clicking here

Immanuel Choir Photo
On Sunday 3rd May, the choir will be singing at the 9.30am family service and then having lunch with local families before going by train to Reading in the early afternoon.
We are looking for volunteers to host one or two choir members for lunch on Sunday 3rd May and/or some volunteer
drivers who would be ready to drive choir members to Reading on Sunday afternoon as a back-up plan in case their train is cancelled!  If you would like to help by hosting one or two choir members for lunch or providing an offer of a lift to Reading in the early afternoon, please would you contact Elizabeth via the benefice office.

Join in Morning Prayer together. 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:
  • Giving thanks for the new life we see around us.
  • For renewed efforts to care for creation.
  • For peace in the world.
  • For charities and aid agencies working in the Middle East.
  • For our bereavement journey course. 
Diary for the week
Tuesday 21st April
7:30pm        The Bereavement Journey in the Canterbury Room       

Wednesday 22nd April
10:30am      Coffee morning at St Andrew’s
10:30am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Acts 8: 1b-8, Psalm 66: 1-6 and John 6: 35-40.
2:30pm        Funeral of June Whitehall at St Thomas’


Thursday 23rd April
10:00am      Ecumenical Lent group session with talk

Saturday 25th April
1:00pm        Marriage of Stuart & Emily at St Thomas’

Sunday 26th April
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
Noon            St Andrew’s APCM
5:00pm        Discoverers  
Prayers for the week from Roots on the web
So we pray to our saviour. For those of us who are struggling to understand your almighty plan for the world. For those of us who, like the disciples walking with Jesus, failed to see him with them. For those of us who are losing our faith, and losing our way. For those of us who are feeling lost and do not know your presence close to them.
Lord, walk alongside.
You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returned to live for you.

So we pray to our saviour. For those who are facing rising costs and are unable to afford fuel for heating and for their cars as prices go up. For those who daily face decisions about what to spend their last money on. For those who have never known the comfort of having savings to fall back on. For those making decisions about money and tax that will affect everyone. 
Lord, walk alongside.

You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returnedto live for you.

So we pray to our saviour. For those who have important tests and exams in the next few weeks and months. For those facing the fear of not understanding or remembering all that they need to. For those who feel that their best will never be good enough. For those feeling unfairly pressured by family or friends to do well.
Lord, walk alongside.

You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returned to live for you.

So we pray to our saviour. For those who make decisions and live their lives to help people and change others for the better. For all those involved in the health service who may feel overwhelmed and under pressure. For those who set an example and encourage aspirations as teachers and educators. For social workers, those working in courts, and those working for agencies that help anyone in need. For those in our church community who in little but vital ways set an example to others.
Lord, walk alongside.

You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returned to live for you.

So we pray to our saviour. For the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel, the leaders of Iran and other middle-east countries, our Prime Minster and other leaders. For caution, wisdom and a desire for peace to be present in all of their thinking and saying. For care to be taken in what is made public to avoid an escalation of death and destruction. For calm and caution to replace aggression and threatening words. For peace to reign.
Lord, walk alongside.

You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returned to live for you.

So we pray to our saviour. For those who have suffered the loss of someone close to them. For those lost in the darkness of sadness and depression. For those gripped by addiction, and those who are sick and ill and needing healing and peace. For those in our own community who need to know your presence alongside them right now.  For all of us as we live this coming week as God’s servants and people who are listening and learning from Jesus.
Lord, walk alongside.

You walked alongside your disciples, sharing the Scriptures.
And your glory was revealed, and they returned to live for you.

Daily readings for the week beginning 20th April
Monday am: Ps 96 Exod. ch 19 Luke 1. 1-25 pm: Ps 61 Eph. 1. 1-14
Tuesday am: Ps 98 Exod. 20. 1-21 Luke 1. 26-38 pm: Ps 71 Eph. 1. 15-end
Wednesday am: Ps 105 Exod. ch 24 Luke 1. 39-56 pm: Ps 72 Eph. 2. 1-10
Thursday am: Ps 5 Josh. 1. 1-9 Eph. 6. 10-20 pm: Ps 3 John 15. 1-8
Friday am: Ps 107 Exod. 28. 1-4a, 29-38 Luke 2. 1-20 pm: Ps 77 Eph. 3. 1-13
Saturday am: Ps 37. 23-end Isa. 62. 6-10 Acts 12. 25-13.13 pm: Ps 45 2 Tim. 4. 1-11
Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.
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