Christingle – Sunday 15th December

Please join us for our Christingle Service on Sunday 15th December at 4pm.

As well as songs and prayers, children will be given a Christingle (which is an orange, red ribbon, 4 sticks with sweets and fruit and a candle) and we use it to explain the Christmas message.

We’re also raising money for the Children’s Society to help disadvantaged children.

If you wish to make an on-line donation, please go to
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/how-you-can-help/donate#make-a-donation .

St Cat’s Lite – Saturday 7th December

You’re invitied to join us at St Cat’s Lite, an all-age, fun, informal service with stories, songs, craft activities and refreshments to finish.

It takes place on the first Saturday of the month, starting at 3:30pm. The next one is Saturday 7th December.

Young and Old, Neighbour and Stranger, Family and Friends – Everyone is welcome !

Friday Friends Programme – December & January ’25

While Friday Friends continues to meet weekly over the Winter, we will, of course, be taking a break for Christmas and New Years. Full details are below.

Friday Friends meets from 2.00 – 4.00pm every Friday, price £3.50 (carers free), offering a mix of talks, light exercise, singing together, table top games or craft activities in a safe, warm and friendly environment – with tea and cakes.

Why not arrive early and enjoy a meal in Café Siena.

See below for details of the program for December ’24 & January ’25

November ’2429thCards & Games
December ’246thChristmas Craft with Madeline
14thWI Choir
20thCarols & Readings with Tony
27thClosed for Christmas
January ’253rdClosed for New Year
10thTerry Dixon Talk – Influential Women of Reading
17thSeated Exercises with Juliet
24thCards & Games
31stCurling with Paddy

Shoebox Sunday 2024 – Results

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Operation Christmas Child collection this year. On ‘Shoebox Sunday’, we collected Shoeboxes filled with Christmas Gifts for children around the world who may not get anything else at Christmas.

At the service we learnt more about Operation Christmas Child and what happens to your shoeboxes as they are sent off.

We collected 57 Shoeboxes, two large bags of knitted hats, and we know some of you also donated ‘virtual’ shoeboxes on-line.

Here’s some images of what happened to those Shoeboxes after the service …

Shoeboxes stacked ready for collection
Shoeboxes being loaded into the car
Shoeboxes at the local collection depot
Shoeboxes at the Sunday Service

If you didn’t manage to pack a physical shoebox, you can ‘pack’ a virtual Shoebox online at: https://shoeboxonline.samaritans-purse.org.uk/ . We know that some of you have already done that !

 

Reminder : Shoebox Sunday – 17th November 2024

A reminder that this coming Sunday – 17th November is ‘Shoebox Sunday’.

Each year we take part in Operation Christmas Child, where we encourage people to give small Christmas Gifts in Shoeboxes for children around the world who may not get anything else at Christmas.

Leaflets about what to pack, along with ‘flatpack shoeboxes’ (a donation of 50p please) can be found at Church.  You can read more about the project here :- https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/ 

We collect the shoeboxes on what we call “Shoebox Sunday” which this year falls on Sunday 17th November.

At the service we’ll learn more about Operation Christmas Child and what happens to our shoeboxes as they are sent off.

If you can’t pack a physical shoebox yourself, you can ‘pack’ a Shoebox online at: https://shoeboxonline.samaritans-purse.org.uk/

Here’s an article from our RG31 Parish Magazine