St John’s Stoke Row to reopen from 6th June Dear friends, At the Church Council meeting last week, the decision was taken to reopen St John’s church for live worship on Sundays from Sunday 6th June. There will be a 9.30am service every week, which will be “said, short, and socially distant” and led by a member of the staff team.  Until…

Dear friends The funeral of HRH Prince Phillip gave pause for thought over the weekend. In a year when almost everyone has been touched by loss of one kind or another we offer our prayers and condolences to HM the Queen and her family, in gratitude for the Duke of Edinburgh’s lifelong service and commitment to not only her Majesty, but also…

Freedom? Dear friends, There was something of an irony in the snow yesterday morning. To remind us not to take any freedoms (new or old) for granted, God threw a blanket over much of the UK. Perhaps He was saying “go easy, on this road”. Freedom is actually a two way street, being “freedom from…” war, injustice, oppression, poverty, suffering etc, and…

Dear friends, These are days of wonder. Bulbs and the early blossom give us welcome colour. A splash of warmth brings on the seeds in trays. What are you planting this year? Birds are still on the feeders; yesterday we had a pair of siskins, vibrant yellow streaks on wings and tail, the male with black head. It has been at least…

Easter Services Edition Dear friends, If it helps, print this out ! The two 9am live services are “one offs” with the permission of the Church Council, for the festival. The Lent Journey Our daily short online meetings continue, with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. Join us each day or when you can, at 8.30pm for a ten minute devotional; readings,…

Enjoy the springtime Dear friends, The inexorable insistence of new life, whether in flower or bud, pushes back against chill winds and heavy showers. The hope of Easter lies ahead, and beyond that, a slow liberation from the constraints that we have all been under. Mothering Sunday marked the anniversary of the lockdown – a sombre reminder of just how far we…

Bishop Gavin Dear friends, We have an (almost) Bishop of Dorchester; Gavin Collins has begun his ministry in the Oxford Diocese, and is being virtually welcomed to the Henley Deanery via a zoom call to the clergy Chapter during the week. (Covid etc means that he’s not yet been able to be consecrated.) It will be lovely to be able to welcome…

Patience, Patience Dear friends, The vaccine roll out continues to bring hope and the anticipation of emancipation. If there is one thing Brits are good at, it is knowing how to queue. So, in this, possibly the largest queue any of us will ever be a part of, lets keep patiently on the ball, and not relax the guard just yet. It…

Thank You Dear friends, Thank you to those of you who came along to our zoom team service for Ash Wednesday – it was great to see so many, from all over the Team ministry. Our next Team service will be on Maundy Thursday evening, 1st April, with zoom numbers 879 0804 7954 and 107463. This service will be the communion of…

Lent Begins…. Dear friends, Lent begins this week!  Pancake day is always marked in our household. I confess to jealousy guarding the frying pan, and enjoying the process of turning the batter into something just perfectly done, on both sides. Yes, I do flip them, but I’m not one of those who tries to hit the ceiling. If even just one were…