CONFIRMATION 2006

Our Confirmation will now be on October 8th (a change in the Bishop's diary) at the 10 am service. The meeting for all young people wishing to be confirmed (with their parents) will still be after the 10am service on Sunday May 21st. Classes will start on Tuesdays in June, at Church, at 5pm with 6 before the Summer Holidays and 4/5 in September/October. Dates for the Confirmation 'Weekend' could now be 23rd/24th September because of Harvest on October 1st, but this will be confirmed when I've spoken with Lisa Cornwell.

I shall also be holding a meeting for all interested adults at 8pm on May 22nd at 90 New Wokingham Road and the discussion group will run at my house in June/July and September/October. All are welcome, whether you wish to be confirmed, to 'taste and see' or as a refresher course for those already confirmed.
We shall be using the Emmaus material this year - the Junior Emmaus for the young people and the Nurture Emmaus course for the adults. These are lively and thought provoking and there is a variety of approach possible for both courses.

Anyone who would like to be involved in helping in any way would be most welcome.

The licensing of Rev Lisa Cornwell will be at 7.30pm on Tuesday 5th September. She will move to the Vicarage in August and then has existing holiday plans. She cannot take services till licensed so that her first Sunday service will be on Sunday 10th September.

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Our evening meeting falls on Tuesday 2nd May at 8 pm in the Hall and to greet this Merry Month, Mr. Mike Hilman will speak and his subject is In Tune with Nature. Hope for Children is the title of the talk to be given by Mrs. Sue Willmott on Wednesday 10th May at 2.15pm.

Looking ahead the planned trip to the D Day museum on Wednesday June 14th has been postponed as this is the date on which we shall be focusing on The Wave of Prayer and it our branches turn that day. An alternative date is planned.

To raise much needed funds for MU Overseas Fund, particularly Literacy projects we are holding a Bridge Drive on Monday 22nd May at 1.30pm for 2pm in the Church Hall and a Coffee Morning on Thursday 15th June at Margaret Barnes Home.

An Archdeaconry Day is being held at Finchamstead Church on June 12th from 10 am-2 pm and the theme will be Answering Gods Call.
The Prayer Meeting is 9.30am on Monday 15th May, Corporate Communion is 10am on Thursday 25th May.

Lastly the Deanery Summer Meeting will be held at Holy Trinity Langley Hall, Bracknell 7.30pm on July 17th. If you need a lift to any of these events, please contact Margaret Barnes or your Committee Member.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

The Annual Meeting was held on 23rd April. The normal business was conducted and the Church's year and finances were reviewed.

Steve Pope retired as Churchwarden and Ken Perrett was appointed to replace him. Richard Price will be standing down as Treasurer and Nigel Bray was voted as Treasurer designate and will take over the post in the Autumn. Jon Clausen-Berg joins the PCC (in place of David Butler) and Susan Plumb and Les Rayment were re-appointed.

Thanks were offered to all who had supported the parish during the interregnum. Particular thanks were given to Steve Pope who had worked so hard in the role of Churchwarden over this difficult period. The efforts of Gillian, Hazel and Lewis as Lay Minister's were also acknowledged. The efforts of Gill and Maggie as supporting spouses of the Wardens was also acknowledged.

Thanks are offered to Gill Kimber who will retire as leader of the Mother and Toddler service after 21 years!

Thanks were also offered to David Eteson for his gift of a new electric water boiler for the hall kitchen as memorial to Jean Eteson (a long time MU member).
The electoral register had grown by 5 to 287 members. Thanks to the Social Committee for drinks and nibbles.

Mums Take Action
We suffer from drought and landslides as well as emergencies from everyday poverty. So says Maritza Sevilla, a young mother who, through Christian Aid partner Community Movement of Matagalpa (MCM), has taken on a vital role in her community in Nicaragua.

Maritza lives in Nuevo Amanecer, an hour's drive from Matagalpa. Her community is in a mountainous region, with a river winding through it. The single hillside road wends its way through a harsh landscape. Deforestation and drought have devastated what was once lush, dense forest. When the river breaks its banks, as it often does, the community here at Nuevo Amanecer can find themselves stranded for weeks, as happened during Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

In response to this vulnerability MCM, with help from the local people, built a community centre where people could meet and learn how to protect themselves better from the vagaries of unpredictable weather. In the absence of emergency services it's vital that local communities take action themselves.
And so the community elected Maritza, along with Lillian Mercado and Lucila Castro to the Emergency Committee, who have been responsible for devising and implementing the community contingency plan. The women drew up maps of Nuevo Amanecer illustrating the danger zones. These carefully hand- painted maps, with evacuation routes clearly marked, hang in the busy community centre. …we feel safe says Lillian, whose house was almost washed away in last year's flood. Before we weren't prepared but now we're ready for rains.

Christian Aid has been supporting MCM, a grassroots organisation working with rural and urban poor people to improve living conditions in 150 communities, since 1992. A partnership of more than a decade has meant that Christian Aid has been able to give crucial support at some very difficult times. For example, in 1998 Hurricane Mitch hit the country, killing 3,000 people, making even more homeless, and devastating the economy. Like Maritza, Lillian and Lucila most Nicaraguans were unprepared for it.
Then a drought in 2002 dealt a further cruel blow, halting much of the progress made in the years after the hurricane. MCM works hard to make sure communities have the best chance of protecting themselves and rebuilding after floods, landslides, droughts and hurricanes.

Christian Aid Week begins this year on 14th May, involving more than 300,000 Christian Aid collectors who will encourage their friends, colleagues and neighbours - almost two thirds of UK households - to put some of their hard- earned cash into the famous red envelope. What each person adds Christian Aid will multiply, and so will help more people to live life to the full.

By supporting Christian Aid Week, you are among millions of people who think poverty is a scandal we do not have to accept. Your actions, commitment and contributions will bring about a better life for people in poor communities all over the world.