Churches Together in Windsor
Newsletter
Autumn 2017
Message from the Chair
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
Welcome to the latest CTW newsletter. We hope you find it informative and helpful in letting you know about the various joint initiatives that Christians and churches across Windsor are working on together in the coming months.
Over recent weeks, my church has been studying Psalm 23 on Sunday mornings. It’s such a familiar old favourite that it would be easy to overlook its rich depth. Reading it afresh, we realised that this is not just a Psalm of praise for God’s goodness when things go well. It is, perhaps more importantly, a statement of faith for the goodness and mercy that we cannot see when things have gone wrong, because we all know that… stuff happens! We realised that the rubber of faith hits the road of life when we find ourselves in situations where, frankly, we do not have all that we need; where our souls are troubled and in need of rest and refreshment; when we feel as though we’ve got lost somewhere along the way, maybe because we’re negotiating the darkest of life’s valleys; and when we feel ignored, rather than feted.
Under such circumstances, the psalmist (King David) offers us the hope that God’s goodness and mercy follow us (literally, pursue us) in order to restore order, hope and peace to broken lives.
During the next three months, we will prepare to celebrate the good news of Christ’s birth. As we do so, may our churches “both individually and in partnership” demonstrate in real and practical ways that Jesus, motivated by love, pursued us into this world to bring God’s goodness and mercy to everyone.
Rev Matthew Scott
Chair, Churches Together in Windsor
News
Good Friday Witness was held on Friday 14th April at 12 noon by the Post Office on Peascod St: this was a very important opportunity for all Christians to witness to our faith together.
“Thy Kingdom Come“ initiative: Jesus invites all his followers to pray in His name to the Father confidently and expectantly. In the power of the Holy Spirit we pray together as one family. All Christians share this gift of the Lord’s Prayer. When we pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done” we long for Christ’s transforming love to bring hope and joy to all. Earlier this year many of the churches in England took up the invitation of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to set aside the days leading up to Pentecost Sunday to pray for the renewing and empowering presence of the Holy Spirit to make Christ real in our midst, for the flourishing of all. The purpose was to encourage our brothers and sisters in churches of all traditions to partner in praying Thy Kingdom Come in the days leading up to Pentecost, from 25 May – 4 June, 2017.
For your diary:
Windsor Baptist Church, Victoria Street will be holding a service to welcome a new Minister, Kat Bracewell on Sunday 3rd September at 3pm. Paul Fiddes of Regent’s Park College will give an address and the act of induction will be led by Colin Norris, Regional Minister for the Southern Counties Baptist Association. The service will be followed by light refreshments.
Creating Change in Egypt: Woman by woman, story by story Sara Hanna from Anafora in Egypt will be speaking about how Coptic Christians are giving women and girls a voice, one woman at a time. The talk will be on 25 September at 7.30pm at St Stephen and St Agnes Church, Vansittart Road, Windsor, SL4 5EA. Entrance is free but there will be a collection for Embrace the Middle East. For more information contact Su McClellan: [email protected]
WAMCF Women’s Group
Ladies of all faiths or none are welcome to come to St Edmund Campion’s Catholic Church, Altwood Road, Maidenhead, SL6 4PY, on Monday 25th September, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm, to share refreshments and to hear about the work of FAMILY FRIENDS. Any queries or more details: Revd Sally Lynch 01628 783033, [email protected]
Ecumenical Taize Service to celebrate the Season of Creation (see: http://seasonofcreation.org/). Jointly organised by the Windsor Methodist Church and Catholic Windsor. Service is at 5pm on Sunday 1 October 2017 at St Edwards R.C. Church, Alma Road, SL4 3HJ. For further information please contact: Canon David Hopgood ([email protected]), Rev. Margaret Dudley ([email protected]) or [email protected]
Windsor Methodist Church, Alma Rd, Windsor, SL4 3HH presents the Reading Male Voice Choir with Guest Artistes at 7.30 pm on Saturday 7 October. In Aid of Dr Abe Foundation, Community Hall Project, Koro, Gulu, Northern Uganda. Tickets £10 from Sue: 01753 853 939 or [email protected] or Jane: 01344 360299.
Dedworth Green Baptist Church holds a fortnightly Games afternoon between 2.00-4.00pm on Saturday afternoons. Games suitable for all generations from table tennis, snooker, skittles, a variety of board games etc. Details can be found on our website www.dgbc.org.uk
Also the local Carers Support Group meets at Dedworth Green Baptist Church on the 2nd Monday of the month 10.30am-12.00 noon. We are supported by Signal and representatives from Signal attend the sessions. The group is open to anyone who is in a caring role.
On Thursday 9th November 2017, the Rt Revd RC Bishop of Portsmouth will be talking about Interfaith Dialogue at St Joseph’s RC Church, Cookham Road, Maidenhead at 7.00pm.
The annual Diversity Dinner will be put on by the Windsor and Maidenhead Community Forum (WAMCF) on Sunday evening, 12th November, at Maidenhead Town Hall, which brings together people of different faiths, Muslims, Sikhs, Jews, Christians, Brama Kumaris, Hindus, Humanists, etc.
The Churches Together in Windsor Annual Assembly will be held on Thursday 23rd November at 7.30 for 7.45pm at the Methodist Church, Alma Rd, Windsor, SL4 3HH. The short business meeting will be followed by a talk by Rachael Spender from the Bible Society.
Christian Aid Street Collections: Saturday 25 November 10.00 – 14.00 Peascod Street, Windsor. Call for help: come & join our dedicated & cheerful team of volunteers, just half an hour of your time will be much appreciated. For further details please contact: Tracy [email protected] or [email protected]
The Town Centre Carol Service will be at the Parish Church on 5th December at 6:30pm.
The Christian Aid Advent Service will be held on Sunday 10 December 2017 at 5pm, at the Windsor Methodist Church, Alma Road, SL4 3HH. All are welcome. For further details please contact: Tracy [email protected] or [email protected]
Carols on the Hill will take place on Friday 15th December at 6pm by Queen Victoria’s statue in front of Windsor Castle.
‘Beer and Carols’ will be held at the Duchess of Cambridge at 7:30pm on 21st December.