Weekly News

Easter Day - 17th April 2022

Dear all

On this Good Friday all are invted to our services commemorating this day and all that the Father has done for us in his Son. Our onsite services are:

11.00am - All Age Service at Winterbourne
2.00pm - Hour at the Cross at Farnborough

Please join us at one or both of these if you can.

On Sunday we will join in the great celebration of Easter. For Christians, Easter is the supreme festival, and the Easter season is the crown of the year. Of course, we do not know exactly what happened when Jesus Christ rose from the dead; that is God's secret. But we do know that what he caused his disciples to see, to touch and to hear made them understand that the grave could not contain him, death could not defeat him: he was alive, and with them again. So, on the altar we still break the bread and pour the wine for the death of Christ. As we die to self and sin, so God gives us the resurrection of Christ in us. As we approach that great day, we offer a prayer:

Like as the watchmen look for the morning, so do we look for you, O Christ.
Come with the dawning of the day,
and make yourself known to us in the breaking of the bread;
for you are God for ever and ever.
Amen.

Onsite Worship for Easter:

This Sunday there will be nine onsite services:

8.30am - Holy Communion, Oare

9.30am - Family Communion, Winterbourne

9.30am - Family Communion, Boxford

9.30am - Family Communion, West Ilsley

9.30am - Family Communion, Beedon

11.00am - Family Communion, Stockcross

11.00am - Holy Communion, Farnborough

11.00am - Family Communion, Chieveley

11.00am - Family Communion, Peasemore

Please note that, although Government restrictions have now been lifted, you are still welcome to use face coverings and hand sanitiser in church, if you would like.

Next Sunday:

There will be six onsite services:

8.30am - Holy Communion, Farnborough

9.30am - Eucharist, Beedon

9.30am - Family Service, Winterbourne

11.00am - Eucharist, Stockcross

11.00am - Morning Prayer, Boxford

6.00pm - Evensong, Peasemore

Private Prayer :

Churches in the benefice open for private prayer are:

Beedon – by arrangement with the Rector

Boxford - Sundays (10am-4pm)

Chieveley – by arrangement with the Rector

Farnborough – Open

Peasemore - Open every day as previously

West Ilsley - Saturdays & Sundays (9.30am-6pm)

Also included below along with the Weekly Sheet, we have a sermon from Douglas on 'Service and Sacrifice' , as well as a Lent insert with details of Holy Week events. There are prayers for Ukraine and for peace in the world, as well as the services for April. In addition there are details on how to book tickets for the Englefield Lecture 2022, which is on the life of the Duke of Wellington.

Please do still encourage others to keep in touch with what is going on by signing up to these updates just cut and paste the link to them in an email: https://mailchi.mp/d58d3b280189/east-downland-sign-up

Very importantly, if there are any people who you know would like a hard copy of this then please print it off for them or let me know, and I’ll take care of it.

For now, as always, all the best, God bless, and keep safe

John