Benefice of Goring and Streatley with South Stoke : Sunday 18th October 2026

Sunday 18th October Trinity 20

Welcome to our newsletter

God instructed Moses to stand in a cleft in the rock as his glory passed by.

O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining and whose power we cannot comprehend:
show us your glory as far as we can grasp it, we pray.

The Collect, the prayer for the week
God, the giver of life,
whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church:
by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ
and make us eager to do your will,
that we may share with the whole creation
the joys of eternal life;
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: Exodus 33: 12-23, Psalm 99 and Matt. 22: 15-22.

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
5:00pm      Families meal at St Thomas’

Prayer Breakfast, this Saturday, 17th October

Please come, be refreshed and pray for the life of our parishes. The prayer breakfast will take place in the Canterbury Room at St Thomas’. Coffee and croissants from 8:15am, followed by prayer. Finished by 9.30am. Please do join us.

Families Meal, Sunday 18th October, 5-7pm in the Canterbury Room

This will be a meal for families and their children where we meet, eat and share faith together and the kids have a brilliant time eating, playing and sharing faith in their way. Families of all ages are very welcome. The meal will start at 5:45/6pm. If you’d like to join us please contact Sarah via the church office.

Tuesday Evening Home group
The twice monthly evening home group will meet for the first time on Tuesday 20th October from 7:30-9pm for study and fellowship. Like the Digging Deeper group, they will pause for Advent and Lent to join in with other groups/courses. They will be studying the Book of Acts and be helped by Tom Wright’s study guide.
For further details please contact Margaret.

Thanksgiving for the Departed service, Sunday 25th October

The Ministry Team invite all who have lost loved ones, whether recently or longer ago, to come together at St Thomas’ on the 25th October at 4.00pm to remember those who have died, to give thanks for and to celebrate their lives.

Following the service, light refreshments will be served in the Canterbury Room, giving an opportunity to talk with others and with members of the Ministry Team, if you wish.
All are most welcome to come and join in this celebration of the lives of departed loved ones and do please invite others you may know to the service.

Come and Sing All Souls Evensong, 1st November at St Thomas'
The following Sunday, there will be an All Souls Evensong. Music will include:
Murrill in E - Canticles
Smith – Responses
Harwood - Anthem - “O How Glorious is the Kingdom”
The choir welcomes extra local singers to join them for this service. There will be a rehearsal at 2pm on the afternoon of the service (please arrive at 1:45pm to collect music etc.) and you would be welcome to join the regular choir practice (6:45 - 7:30pm) on the two preceding Fridays. There is more information on the website here
All are welcome to the service which starts at 4pm, as usual.

Thanksgiving Service
There will be a service of thanksgiving for the life and work of Tony Ridley in London on Tuesday 10th November. More details can be found here:
https://www.ice.org.uk/events/upcoming-events/a-service-of-thanksgiving-for-the-life-and-work-of-prof-tony-ridley-cbe
You are invited to register if you wish to attend so the organisers have an idea of numbers.

Heads Up on our annual Ecumenical Advent Course 2026
This year’s course comprises four weekly sessions starting on Monday 23rd November. There will be a choice of four or five venues on different days and times in the week.
Sign up sheets will be available in our three churches from 25th October until 15th November. Further details will be in the Newsletter on Friday 23rd October.
We are looking for new leaders and participants to share and seek a deeper understanding of Advent and what it means for us in today’s world.
Please contact Alison via the church office with any queries or for further information.

Triple Ensemble Recital at St Thomas’

You are invited to come and enjoy a recital this Saturday, 17th October, at 3pm from three local musical ensembles, the Clarinet Ensemble, Flute Ensemble and The Jazz Group, all formed from members of the excellent Goring and Streatley Concert Band.

Established over the last three years, all three groups have flourished and rehearse regularly, performing in Goring and the surrounding area. In this three-part recital you will hear a variety of pieces from each group's repertoire including - classical, jazz, popular, blues, folk and ragtime. Composers will include Scott Joplin, Schubert, Pachelbel, James Power, Herbie Hancock, and Bart Howard. This will be the first time that all three ensembles perform at the same recital, so it promises plenty of variety, with music to suit all tastes.
There will be no charge but donations to Wallingford Food Bank will be welcome.

And on Sunday afternoon, 18th October, at 3pm Jonathan C recommends a Family Concert at the Morrell Room in Streatley with Simon Mayor and Hilary James – please click here for more information.

Mid week prayer together. Worship, listen to the Bible and pray for our world and church members in turn.
Morning Prayer: Monday: 8.30am, Goring
Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30am Streatley. Friday: 9am Goring.
Evening Prayer is said on Wednesday afternoons in St Andrew’s at 5pm.

This week we are asked to pray for:

Our care for creation.
Areas suffering from drought and populations deprived of water by the demands of data centres.
Compassion in our relationships and in the world.
Those newly elected to General Synod.
Peace in Ukraine.
Healing for Pope Leo following surgery.

Diary for the week

Tuesday 20th October
7:30pm      Home group meets

Wednesday 21st October
10:30am    Light Lights at St Mary’s
10:30am    BCP Holy Communion at St Thomas’
The readings will be Ephesians 3: 2-12, Ps. 98 and Luke 12: 39-48.

Sunday 25th October
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      Thanksgiving for the Departed service at St Thomas’

Prayers for the week from Roots for churches
In the presence of our God, we pray for all those around the world in need of hope, healing and courage...

Loving God,
we bring to you those impacted by ongoing conflicts...
Those who are under threat of attack as they go about their daily lives...
Those whose homes have been damaged or destroyed...
Those whose businesses are at risk because of escalating costs...
and those who are afraid for the future...
May the leaders of the world work together to find solutions,
seek peace not power and may all who live in war zones know they aren't forgotten...
Lord, hear our prayers and may those we have prayed for know your presence with them.

We pray for those entrusted with the responsibility of administering justice and for all involved in law enforcement...
We pray for all who have been victims of crime...
for those who feel let down by the justice system...
for those who feel vulnerable, or afraid...
for all who are waiting for cases to be heard...
We pray for those who work in prisons, for chaplains and for all who serving sentences...
We pray for opportunities for change, for lives to be turned around,
and for support services to be adequately funded to help those in danger of re-offending.
Lord, hear our prayers and may those we have prayed for know your presence with them.

We pray for our churches, for those who teach and preach...
For those who have a global voice and we remember especially Pope Leo as he recovers from surgery.
We pray for those with pastoral ministries
and for each of us as we seek to live out our lives
and express our faith prayerfully and practically.
Lord, hear our prayers and may those we have prayed for know your presence with them.

We pray for all who are struggling. Those who are overburdened with work and responsibilities. Those who are searching for employment and all who feel empty and unfulfilled.
We pray for those who are ill, especially those in places where healthcare is compromised and where poverty is a barrier to receiving treatment.
We remember those we know, in our families and in our community who are sick or housebound.
We pray for those who are grieving, for those who sit alongside them and for all facing life with sadness and with loneliness.
Lord, hear our prayers and may those we have prayed for know your presence with them.

And as the season begins to change and leaves begin to fall, we pray for our world in all its beauty and all its fragility.
For those battling to preserve their farms and their livelihoods amidst environmental and economic crises...
For all who live close to the earth and for all whose art and creativity enriches our lives and lifts our spirits.
Lord, hear our prayers and may those we have prayed for know your presence with them.
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Daily readings for the week beginning 19th October

Monday am:	Ps 145	Isaiah ch 55	Luke 1: 1-4	pm: Ps 103	Col. 4: 7-end
Tuesday am:	Ps 132	2 Kings 22.1-23.3	1 Tim. 1.18-2.end	pm: Ps 135	John 15: 12-17
Wednesday am:	Ps 119: 153-end	2 Kings 23: 4-25	1 Tim. ch 3	pm: Ps 136	John 15: 18-end
Thursday am:	Ps 143	2 Kings 23.36-24.17	1 Tim. ch 4	pm: Ps 138	John 16: 1-15
Friday am:	Ps 144	2 Kings 24.18-25.12	1 Tim. 5: 1-16	pm: Ps 145	John 16: 16-22
Saturday am:	Ps 147	2 Kings 25.22-end	1 Tim. 5: 17-end	pm: Ps 148	John 16: 23-end

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

16/10/2026