Running the parish whilst carrying vacancy of Community PriestThank you to everyone who attended and participated in the Church Leadership Team meetings and Church Forums over the last four weeks, as we together grappled with the implications of the impending vacancy in the post of Community Priest.Jeremy Tear finishes his work with us very shortly. From 1st September we will be operating for the next few months with one full time clergy person. Marion Pyke, John Dudley and Rachel Smith have all kindly offered their services to help resource our pattern of worship on Sundays, at midweek services... Read more...
Mission
In the February CTM News I wrote about an invitation the parish has received from Bishop Andrew to join in with a new mission initiative called Partnership for Missional Church (PMC). This offers us, over a 3 year period, a process for discerning where God is active in our parish and how we might change to be more actively aligned to God's purposes for us.At the start of March eight of us went to a PMC information evening to learn about what committing to the process might involve. We heard, from those who would be leading and... Read more...
Holy Week and EasterWith Lent just around the corner, our focus will soon turn towards journeying with Jesus to his cross and grave, only to find his has risen. The Christian church has always understood Holy Week and Easter day to be a journey - both physically, and of course spiritually. We walk in procession on Palm Sunday, and end up gathered at the meal table on Maundy Thursday, before walking to a lonely horrific cross on Good Friday, followed by a race to a tomb on Easter Sunday. The so called Triduum (three days) of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday... Read more...
We know the meaning of Christmas. We know that it all begins with Jesus. But lots of people don’t.These days, many see Christmas as just a holiday, a reason to shop even more, to splash out and to get new things, or as a time to be alone or get anxious whilst others celebrate. But we know Christmas is so much more than that: even more of a reason to celebrate and to share the story.Mark Russell, chief executive of the Church Army, believes society is trying to ‘air-brush Christ out of Christmas’. In the US... Read more...
Parish service patternFollowing my arrival in the parish it has been important to have a period of observation and reflection as I get used to the way the parish runs and the issues it faces. One particular focus for my attention has been the pattern of worship and the deployment of clergy across the churches, especially on Sundays. It is not the right time yet for me to comment in detail on the content of our worship, but I have felt the need to look at how my colleagues and I are deployed on Sundays.Let me explain the... Read more...
August services
As most of us know this year marks the beginning of the centenary anniversary of World War 1. The Government, assisted by the national Church of England, have encouraged local communities and churches to mark various events over the next 4 years. Sunday 3 August 2014 marks the centenary of the last day of peace, as the world stood on the cusp of war in 1914. Each of our churches on 3 August will use part of their morning worship to focus on the theme of peace leading into war. The services will be good opportunities for inviting... Read more...
Changes
I’m a David Bowie fan and his song Changes is one of my favourites. Below are some of the lyrics which seem to fit well with the human predicament whether we are Christians or not. We don’t like change!I still don't know what I’m waiting for
And my time is running wild
I’ve gone down a million dead-end streets
Every time I thought I'd got it made
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
So I turned myself to face ME
But I've never caught a glimpse
Of how... Read more...
New Rector for the Parish - Rev Mike Smith
It is a great joy to be writing my first contribution to CTM news, after the announcement that I have been asked to become your new Rector. Since the invitation from the Bishop and interview panel, it has become more and more clear that the Parish of Caversham Thameside and Mapledurham is right for the next stage of my ministry and the place where God is calling me.I hope this article will allow me to introduce myself and my family and explain when we will be arriving.I have been ordained... Read more...
Jeremy’s Jottings
On Saturday 31 August, members of the Amersham Road Cooking Club (ARCC) took part in the estate community fun day. This year the fun day was organised by the Caversham Children’s Fund, a resident-run bi-weekly fun club for children aged 6-11. Hundreds of people attended over the course of the afternoon, so it was a great opportunity to introduce people to the cooking club.ARCC were involved in two ways. Firstly, through cooking over 200 burgers and sausages on the BBQ provided by North Reading Youth Service who operate (like us) out of... Read more...
