Dear friends,

A very warm welcome to this service, wherever you are worshipping in the Langtree Team Ministry area this morning. The next two Sundays see many of our Harvest Festival services across the Team; please do join us for one of these as we remind ourselves of our dependence upon God’s goodness and mercy, and give thanks for His provision over the last farming year.

This week sees the institution of the Revd James Stickings as Rector of Kidmore End, Sonning Common, and Peppard in a special service on Thursday evening. Please pray for James as he begins his ministry in our neighbouring parishes. Bishop Steven Croft begins his ministry as Bishop of Oxford after a grand inauguration service at Christ Church Cathedral on Friday 30th, so he, too, will be in need of our prayers and goodwill.

Revd Alan Gates and his wife Margaret move into the Vicarage at Ipsden next weekend, prior to Alan’s duties commencing on Thursday 13th October. Bishop Colin and Archdeacon Judy will be joining us at a special service of licensing  on the 13th at St Mary’s North Stoke at 7.30pm. Your wardens and PCCs have each been invited to send a number of representatives to this service, to ensure that all the churches across the Langtree Team area are represented. However the service is also open to all, so if you would like to attend, please just turn up, as it will be a case of “the more the merrier”.

Finally, in these days of heightened insecurity, a quote from one of the Psalms of David, who arguably lived in even more perilous times: “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1)

Your Rector, and Area Dean                                                                Revd Kevin Davies.