Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke : Sunday 21st June 2026

Sunday 21st June Trinity 3

Welcome to our weekly newsletter

This Sunday is Father’s Day in the secular calendar.
We will focus on the relationship within the Trinity of Father and Son and learn from that starting point.
God who is parent of all but who gives of his most precious self, inviting us to join Him.

May we show our belonging to this God revealed in Jesus in our relationships and lives.

The Collect, the prayer for the week
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Readings for this Sunday: Genesis 21: 8-21, Psalm 86: 1-10 and Matthew 10: 24-39.

This Sunday:
8:00am      BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
9:30am      Good News service at St Thomas’ with children’s/tween's activity
11:15am    BCP Holy Communion at St Mary’s
11:15am Good News service at St Andrew’s

The Nicene Creed course
This Sunday we continue to explore the creed. The follow-on fellowship groups are open to everyone (but it is helpful to know numbers…).
This Thursday, 25th June, the evening group meets at 7.30pm at 45 Gatehampton Road. The Tuesday morning group will not meet this week (due to a funeral at St Andrew's) but will instead meet the following Tuesday, 30th June, at 10.30am in the Canterbury Room.

Our new curate, Jane Collins

We pray for Jane as she prepares to be ordained as deacon in Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday 4th July at 2pm.
Jane has now moved into the curate’s house in Bull Meadow. She writes: “Dear Ben, Thank you and the ministry team, church wardens & congregations so much for the cards and hamper and flowers! The cake is delicious too which I am tucking into now with a cup of tea. It feels homely already which is nice.
It was such a kind gesture, and so welcoming, thank you all.
I’m looking forward to meeting everyone very soon, Jane”

Our Church Wardens
We are in the season when our wardens attend visitation services to be sworn into office for the coming year. We give thanks for all they do and pray:
“Eternal God, through your Son we are called into relationship with you and one another, to serve in this parish in different roles and ministries. We offer to you our thanks and praise for calling John, Brenda and Rob to serve as churchwardens.
Bless their going out and their coming in.
Encourage their work and witness in church and community.
Inspire them in their discipleship and worship, that they may grow in faith, hope, and love.
May your Spirit help us all to play our part in your kingdom. May we become a more Christ-like Church, contemplative, compassionate, and courageous for the sake of the world, that all creation may see the fulfilment of your kingdom in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”

Next Sunday afternoon we will have the first of a Sunday afternoon worship, partly aimed at those who have other commitments and ties on a Sunday morning. There will be a drama by the Discoverers and we will be exploring who we are called to reach out to.

Tea, scones and catch up will follow the service. We are still looking for musicians and other participants. Do offer yourselves and pray for this please.

South Stoke coffee morning
The monthly coffee morning with cakes will take place in St Andrew’s on Wednesday 24th June from 10:30am. All welcome!

Film Night, 24th June, 7:30pm

The Goring and Streatley Sustainability Group will be following up on their first film night showing films on the climate

emergency with a second evening in the Bêlleme Room screening presentations on Nature and Food. This will be followed by the chance to discuss the films shown.

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:

We give thanks for a wonderful Gap Festival going on. For all the art and talent and time being shared building up community. Thanks and strength for all who are working hard to bring it to us.
The World Cup, that we will all be reminded of the humanity of all nations and our one heavenly belonging to one family through our father.
For humble responsibility of our part in creation together.
Sophie Boughton to be ordained deacon in Exeter Cathedral on 27th June.

Diary for the week

Tuesday 23rd June
11:30am    Funeral of Brian Bucknall at St Andrew’s
7:30pm      St Thomas’ PCC meeting in the Canterbury Room

Wednesday 24th June
10:30am    South Stoke coffee morning at St Andrew’s
10:30am    BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Isaiah 40: 1-11, Psalm 85: 7-end and Luke 1: 57-66, 80.

Thursday 25th June
11:00am    Funeral of Rosamund French at St Thomas’
7:30pm Nicene Creed study group

Saturday 27th June
8:15am      Benefice prayer breakfast in the Canterbury Room

Sunday 28th June
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
4:00pm      Afternoon Church at St Thomas’
5:00pm ... after service tea and scones!

Prayers for the week based on Roots on the web
Lord today we come before you acknowledging the challenge of being your followers. Sometimes it seems so easy to follow but at other times so hard. Lord, you didn’t promise us an easy ride, but you did promise always to be with us to strengthen and support us. So we thank you. And we come to you seeking that strength and support today and every day.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Lord, we pray for those who are your followers in places where it is dangerous to be a Christian. We pray for those who follow you in secret, learning their Bible by heart in case they have to destroy it. Make your presence known. Bring them your light.
Lord, this Refugee Week we pray particularly for those who have had to flee their homes because of their love for you. Help their host nations to be places of welcome and understanding. We pray that our nation may be a place of welcome, where people of all faiths and none feel safe and at home.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Lord, we pray for all the leaders of our nations, and especially those who love and serve you. Being a Christian in the public eye is hard so we pray for our Christian politicians, asking that you will give them the courage to stand up for you in their deliberations. We pray for Christians in the media, sport or music industry, that they will be a good example to their fans and teammates, seeking opportunities to share their faith.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Lord, we pray about ourselves and the challenge of being your followers. We recognise that there are times when we do not behave as your followers at all. Forgive us, Lord. But we are also aware of how we fail you sometimes by not standing up for you. We think about times when we haven’t acted as you would act: when we have walked away instead of helping; when we have been unkind; when we have said things we regret. Lord, give us the courage to stand up for you in our daily lives.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Lord, we know that sometimes living for you is hard when we are struggling or in pain. It’s easy to focus on ourselves instead of you. We pray now for all those we know who are ill or grieving. Lord, give them courage in their troubles and an awareness that you are with them. Help us to give them words of encouragement and support and to be there when we are needed, even if we would rather be somewhere else.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Lord, we thank you for all those who love and care for us. Help us to love and care for them too. As today is Father’s Day, we remember all fathers and those who are father figures for us. We pray that your Father-heart will be a model for all fathers to understand and follow. We pray for those who find fathering difficult and those who long to be fathers but, for whatever reason, cannot be. We pray for those who don’t see their fathers or children often but would love to see them more.
Jesus, you call us to follow wherever you lead, whatever it looks like.
Lord, we love you. Help us to stand up for you no matter what.

Daily readings for the week beginning 22nd June

Monday am:	Ps 71	Judges 8: 22-end	Luke 15: 1-10	pm: Ps 72	Rom. 11: 25-end
Tuesday am:	Ps 73	Judges 9: 1-21	Luke 15: 11-end	pm: Ps 74	Rom. 12: 1-8
Wednesday am:	Ps 50	Malachi 3: 1-6	Luke 3: 1-17	pm: Ps 80	Matt. 11: 2-19
Thursday am:	Ps 78: 1-39	Judges 11: 1-11	Luke 16: 19-end	pm: Ps 78: 40-end	Rom. 13: 1-7
Friday am:	Ps 55	Judges 11: 29-end	Luke 17: 1-10	pm: Ps 69	Rom. 13: 8-end
Saturday am:	Ps 76	Judges 12: 1-7	Luke 17: 11-19	pm: Ps 84	Rom 14: 1-12

Please send any notices or articles for the next news sheet by noon on Thursdays to vicarofgsandss@yahoo.com.

The Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke

The Vicarage

Manor Road

Goring, Berkshire RG8 9DR

United Kingdom

19/06/2026