Home working is hard ….with a demanding “special advisor”. Dear friends, Thank you for your ongoing support for your local church as together we attempt to navigate these strange uncharted waters. Everything remains rather constrained; the shape of “work” has changed for almost everybody, even for those of us who worked from home “in the olden days”. However our pets, at least,…

Autumn Gold Dear friends, As I write this the morning sun is slanting low and catching a larch tree by the gate almost at ninety degrees. This particular tree is normally unnoticed; it is a bit scrappy and I have to pull the ivy away from the base every year. But this morning the tree is vibrant, the leaves almost entirely yellow,…

Please take care Dear friends, The next few weeks are the time to be especially careful if you are out and about. The virus case map shows the “blue” areas where cases have been recorded creeping ever closer to our part of the world, so it is safe to assume that if one travels anywhere at all – even just to Henley,…

Give thanks Dear friends, As the mornings draw in, it is difficult to remain unmoved by  the all pervading sense of global threat. We can learn a lot from how the Jewish people have endured far worse over the course of their history; their nation has survived three attempts at total annihilation – from the Babylonians, the Romans, and the Nazis respectively.…

Welcome to James, Debbie and Bex Dear friends, It is wonderful to be able to welcome Rev James and Mrs Debbie Leach, together with their daughter Bex to the Langtree Team Ministry…..today ! James is being licensed at 7.30pm this evening by Bishop Colin in a short zoom service. The numbers are 838 9467 5412 and 770221 . Please do join us…

Whitchurch Licensing for new minister Dear friends, I’m delighted to invite you to attend (via Zoom, of course) the licensing service for the Revd James Leach, next Tuesday (22nd) at 7.30pm. Bishop Colin will license James to the Langtree Team, and to the house for duty post at Whitchurch. The zoom numbers that you will need for this special service are  838…

The Quiet of the Morning Dear friends, The old doors are open once more. You can come and worship again in your parish church. It is early, simple, safe and short. There’s room for you ! Woodcote at 8.30am or Checkendon at 9am, on Sunday mornings. North Stoke and Ipsden on Wednesday and Thursday mornings respectively. For more details check the Team…

Open Churches Dear friends, Greetings ! I hope you have had an enjoyable summer, whether you’ve stayed at home or travelled at all. I’m pleased to tell you that we are now able to offer early services on a Sunday morning in two of our churches, with a Holy Communion at Woodcote at 8.30am, and Morning Prayer at Checkendon at 9am, commencing…

The Opening Door Dear friends, I’m pleased to let you know that St Mary’s Whitchurch on Thames is now open for visitors and personal prayer on Wednesday afternoons and Sunday mornings. St Peter and St Paul Checkendon will be opened for visitors and private prayer on Wednesdays and Sundays starting in September. Please remember when you visit a church that now you…

Follow the Tortoise Dear friends, The Church of England has often been derided for being the “great Tortoise of the nation”, but in these days of uncertainty and unknowing the wisdom of going rather more slowly than the crowd is easily discerned. Across the Team ministry discussions are taking place at a local level about a limited reopening of our buildings, and…