May Fair

Well I hope you all appreciate the rest we've given you over the early part of this year! No? Ah well you should have because its that time of year when I have to remind you that we only have 2 months until our biggest fund raiser of the year...the May Fair. This year the Fair falls on May Day itself and follows hot on the heals of a late Easter so everyone will be rested for the big day itself!

Seriously, we now need you to start looking out all those items you no longer want and someone else can do with - books, bric-a-brac for the white elephant, chocolate for the tombola, toys, etc etc. Not only do we need items, we need your help! Please offer to bake, sell raffle tickets at Sommerfield and to all your friends and relatives, to help on the day - remember we get there at 7am and finish at 5.30pm - so all hands welcome. Pauline Williamson (762039) and Catherine Pandya (778445) are as always looking to pull the list of those running the stalls together. Please make sure you offer early to make their job a little easier.

This year we hope to run Crowthorne's Village Olympics - with children taking part in all those traditional normal sports - wheel barrow racing, 3 legged races etc etc...we may even have a few Mums and Dads races ...and we will find you at the beer tent so no hiding!

We will try to better last year but we are realists. £11,500 is an amazing act to follow. With your help it may be possible - without it we will be nowhere...so come on get involved. Help us put on a community event to be proud of, have some fun, and make some money for the church at the same time.

Plant Stall
With warmer weather round the corner you are no doubt thinking about getting into the garden/greenhouse to sow seeds and get your garden ready for summer. Please remember to sow a few extra seeds and pot-up spare plants for the plant stall. The sale of home-grown plants makes a significant contribution to the May Fair fund raising.
Don't be disappointed - order your bedding plants in advance! Last year we sold out of plants at the May Fair and many people were disappointed. Plan ahead and take advantage of our pre-ordering scheme whereby you can order plants for collection at the Fair (minimum order £10). We will be selling top quality plants at reasonable prices. Please buy your bedding plants through the church and help the church. Order forms are available in the foyer.

Our meetings in March fall back to back again. On Tuesday 7th March at 8 pm in the Hall we welcome Mr Neil Stewart with Life on the Reef. Neil has visited us before and he is a most interesting speaker. On Wednesday afternoon 8th March at 2.15 pm our speaker will be Mrs. Pat Clear who will show slides of Canada and speak of her experiences in that country.

We have two additional meetings this month. Firstly the Women's' World Day of Prayer meeting will be held on Firday 3rd March at 10.30 am in the Methodist Church. On Tuesday 14th March at 8pm in the Hall there will be a video presentation An Introduction to the Mothers Union. This meeting is open to all who would like to find out more about the work of the Mothers Union. Our Branch Leader, Margaret Barnes, will be on hand to answer your questions.

The MU Prayer Meeting will be on Monday 20th March at 9.30 am in the Lady Chapel and the MU Corporate Communion will be on Wednesday 22nd March at 10 am also in the Lady Chapel.

On Thursday February 16th, during half-term, we visited house in Oxford where CS Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia. Matthew Williamson writes:
"The Pathfinders bus rolled in at around 11 am. Everyone was itching to see the famous CS Lewis's house. Although unfortunately we weren't allowed in so we took a walk around the CS Lewis lake (in memory of Henry Stephen) that some say is the inspiration for his stories.
When we were finally allowed in we were allowed to look around at his living room, dining room and even his bedroom! We heard some very interesting stories about his life, they included his wife (Joy).
After we visited his local church (his Narnia books were very Christian orientated). We saw his grave, where he was buried with his brother. Inside the church there were windows dedicated to Narnia, even a little gift shop!
Then our adventure into the realms of Mr. Lewis's life was over. We got back onto our personal minibus and came back to the church."

Annual Parochial Church Meeting: The date has changed to 11.30am, Sunday 23rd April. If you are not already on the Electoral Register you need to register by 9th April in order to vote at the meeting (forms in the foyer). There will be 3 vacancies on the PCC.

ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN The annual Spring Clean will be on Saturday 18th March. Get the date on your calendars now! We undertake a heavy clean and aim to have a sparkling church for our Easter Services. All offers of help gratefully accepted. Heavy work in the morning (mostly by men) and final cleaning in the afternoon (mostly by the ladies). Maggie Wade will be seeking volunteers.

INTERREGNUM NEWS
The vacancy for a Vicar was re-advertised with applications being due in by 24th February. Applicants will be shortlisted on 3rd March and interviewed on 20th March. The selection committee is the Bishop of Reading, the Area Dean, Ken Perrett and Pauline Williamson. Please pray for a successful outcome.

PRAYING FOR STREETS: March prayers will be for:
March 5th Sandhurst Road
March 12th Chaucer Road
March 19th Shaw Park
March 26th Dukes Ride and Ruskin Court
We would still like to hear from volunteers who could help deliver leaflets in their area.

COMMUNITY MINIBUS CONCERT
Friday 10th March - 8pm Old Gym - Wellington College. The Wellington College Jazz Orchestra will be giving another of their concerts in aid of Crowthorne Community Minibus. This year's concert will be the last with Hylton Adcroft conducting as he is retiring from Wellington this summer.

CHORAL MASTERPIECES AT ST. JOHNS
Thames Voyces chamber choir is making a return visit to St John's on Saturday 22nd April at 7.30pm with a concert entitled European Choral Masterpieces. The concert includes works by Vaughan Williams, Palestrina and Wolf with a glass of wine and a chat at the interval. Tickets are £9 (£7 concessions) available in advance or at the door.

LENT AND EASTER
Lent begins on 1st March. The usual Ash Wednesday service will be at 8pm (there's also a Communion by extension at 10am). The CTC Lent study groups will start from 6th March. Mid-Lent there is a family Mothering Sunday Service (details overleaf, together with Easter services).
The CTC Stations of the Cross will be held on Fridays at noon at the Holy Ghost Church.
St James' Church, Finchampstead, is holding a Lent Lecture Series, An Intelligent Guide to the Christian Life. These are on Wednesdays at 8-9.30pm and open to all:
8th March: Christianity in Creative Dialogue with other Faiths, Rt Rev Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford
15th March: Developing a Deeper Prayer-life Rev Dr Saskia Barnden, Chaplain to Haberdashers Monmouth School for Girls
22nd March: Exploring the Bible as Scripture Rev David Spriggs, The Bible Society
29th March: Christianity, Christians and the Environment, Rev Professor Ian James, Reading University/Oxford Diocesan Environmental Adviser
5th April: Kingdom Come; The Life of Christ The nationaly acclaimed one-man play, Tickets £7.

A recent statistic claimed that 40% of church- goers have the idea that singing in churches is for singers. The truth is that singing is for believers so it's not a question of Do you have a voice? but Do you have a song?" The choir are members of the congregation who happen to practice on Thursdays. So, dear members of the congregation, please join with us from your pews.

During Lent we are going to sing a Psalm in place of the Gradual hymn. There will be a simple and tuneful response to 3 or 4 verses sung by a cantor and really everyone can join in. You will be given a copy of the words and will get to hear the tune before hand so there is nothing to be anxious about. The psalms reflect God's image and also the common experiences of failure, rejection, protest and pain. St. Augustine famously said, "To sing is to pray twice" Let us all join together in perfect harmony

MOTHERING SUNDAY Calling all mothers! Don't lie in bed for too long on Mothering Sunday, March 26th. Enjoy your tea and toast then hot foot it down to church for a special Mothering Sunday service, led by the Pathfinders. Usual time 10am. Posies, Simnel Cake

The Jadie Bunn Chorister Award
At Jadie's Thanksgiving Service, last March, some of her friends gave money to be used in any way we thought appropriate. Jadie was a teacher and it is due to her that we have a good number of children in the choir and that they are able to be in Sunday School for part of the morning service. After much discussion between Richard (Jadie's husband) and myself we decided to institute an award for the Junior Choir in her name.
The award will be presented termly and each winner receives a commemorative inscribed medal, which they will be allowed to wear on their choir robes for that term, plus a small monetary gift. All the adults in the choir nominate a junior with the reason why they should win. We decided to backdate the award and so there were 4 medals presented last term.

St PATRICK'S MARKET
The CTC St Patrick's Market will be held on Tuesday 14th March 10-11.30am in the Methodist Hall. St John's will again be running the toiletries stall. Could you please put any suitable donations in the box in the foyer. Funds will be raised for the Corrymela Community in Northern Ireland.

The Right Reverend RICHARD HARRIES Bishop of Oxford Is undertaking a final teaching mission this year. He will be reflecting on his ministry and will share with the audience some of the books and music that have provided him with inspiration. Tuesday 7th March, 8pm The Theatre, Wellington College Tickets available from Sonning Deanery Office 0118 979 2797

CHRISTIANS AT WORK
The Deanery is holding an open Deanery Synod Session on Tuesday 28th March 8-9.30pm at St Mary's Church, Winnersh.

The workplace provides one of the greatest opportunities for us to show what our faith means to us; and this potential is recognised in our Deanery Plan. On the other hand we also recognise that the Church has often been weak on its teaching and encouragement in this area.

The evening will be led by Paul Valler, a member of Finchampstead Baptist Church and associate of the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity. He will help us explore some of the issues around this topic and identify ways of supporting those at work. He will share wide experience from elsewhere through presentation, case study, discussion and feedback.
The Deanery hopes to be able to put in place some kind of network to build on this meeting and develop momentum to provide sustainable engagement and support. Please attend what could be the first step on an exciting journey.

EXALT YOUTH DAY
Pathfinders will be attending Exalt on Saturday 11th March at St Mary's Wargrave. This Deanery sponsored day will look at living as a young Christain in the 21st Century. There is free entry for 11-17 year olds for worship, chat, drama, dance, hip-hop, friendship, games, prayer and FUN!!! If you think Christianity is boring, we dare you to come. This is your chance to discuss the issues that concern you, about life, school, dating drugs and everything - and have a cool time too. There are morning, afternoon and evening sessions. Choose which suits you, also open to those not in Pathfinders. Please tell Nicola Swanborough if you would like to go.

More information about Exalt at www.saltmine.org/exalt/index..htm

WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
This year's Women's World Day of Prayer service will be held on Friday 3rd March at 10.30am at the Methodist Church. It will be based on Signs of the Times by the women of South Africa.

HMS PINAFORE: There will be a theatre visit to the EBOS production of the Gilbert & Sullivan opereta HMS Pinafore at South Hill Park on Wednesday May 10th. Please order your tickets from Christine Rees.

Curry night: A very succesful social event was held on 4th February. Thanks to the Social Committee and, in particular, the cooks. £270 was raised for Roofs for the Roofless.