St Catherine's

Shoebox Sunday – 19th November 2023

Every 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 19th November.

That Sunday’s morning service will be a Family Communion with special emphasis on Operation Christmas Child. It will be the last day you can drop off your filled shoebox.

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/

Memorial Service – 3pm Sunday 29th October 2023

Our Annual Memorial Service, organised by the Mothers Union, will take place at 3pm on Sunday 29th October, followed by tea and cake.

A time to remember friends or family who have passed away. It is open to all.

Please feel free to invite any who have been recently bereaved
or you think would benefit from this service.

The service will be followed by tea and cake and a chance to chat.

RG31 Magazine – Autumn 2023

The Autumn ’23 issue of RG31 – our Parish Magazine – is now available on-line here, or click on the image.

Introducing our New Vicar

My name is Jackie Fountain and I am excited to be joining you as the vicar of St Catherine’s and St Birinus at the end of November.

A little bit about me. I am married to Paul, and we have four grown up children.

I am originally from Lancashire (you will be able to tell from the accent!). Paul and I met at Warwick University and lived in Coventry for a few years. We then moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire as it was then) and worked for Tear Fund, partnering with the local church to establish a Village Water Supply Project. Eight years, three children and many adventures later, we returned to the UK and moved to Reading where Paul is working for Thames Water.

In Reading we had our fourth child. I worked as a primary school teacher. I then got a job as a Community Worker at New Hope Community Church (a church outreach, part of Greyfriars church) where I worked for 13 years. I loved working alongside the congregation reaching out to the local community; loving, serving and sharing good news with people in many different ways.

I was doing some preaching and teaching at New Hope and I wanted to study the Bible on a deeper level, so I started studying theology part time at St Mellitus College in London. I really enjoyed the learning and being challenged. I began to feel that God was calling me to ordained ministry. After a process of exploring that call, I was accepted and completed my training at St Mellitus while still working at New Hope.

I have been working in Newbury, at St Nicolas church for the past three years as a Curate. This has been a really positive and helpful time, and it has been encouraging to see God working in people’s lives and to see Him using many different kinds of people, each with their gifts and talents seeking to follow Jesus.

I am looking forward to this next step on the journey, returning to Tilehurst (where we used to live), joining you in the kingdom work which is happening there and together seeking to move forward in God’s direction. We are encouraged by all we see that God has been doing in you and through you; and we look forward with eagerness and anticipation to all that God is going to continue to be doing.

Jackie

Harvest Service & Collection – Sunday 24th September ’23

We’re holding our Harvest Service on Sunday 24th September at 10am.

As well as celebrating God’s creation and harvest, we are collecting gifts for Readifood. There will also be a Bread Making Competition and a Bring and Share lunch. Details below …

HARVEST GIFTS – We are collecting for READIFOOD. Their Priorify Needs: are:-

Tinned tomatoes, tinned vegetables; carrots, peas, sweetcorn etc. cooking oil, packs of biscuits, tinned meat, pot noodles, , nappies size 5, 6, 7 & 8, baby wipes, baby shampoo, baby soap, baby lotion, nappy rash cream, long life or UHT milk, 40s tea bags, Basmati rice, rice pouches, cartons of juice, drinking squash, coffee.

Readifoods Specialist Foods needs are: Dried noodles, dried lentils, dried couscous, plain flour.

BREAD MAKING COMPETITION – you are invited to bring a home-made loaf of bread to church which will be judged by the congregation in the hall after the harvest festival service.

BRING AND SHARE LUNCH – Please join us in the hall after the service for a bring and share lunch.

Bakers will be invited to contribute their loaves to the lunch (but it’s not at all compulsory!).

Tots Praise restarts Friday 15th September ’23 @ 9:15am

Tots Praise restarts on Friday 15^th September.

We continue to meet in Café Siena every Friday Term Time, starting at 9:15am.

All parents, grandparents and carers with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers are very welcome to join us for jumping, singing and dancing, a Bible story, some simple craft and a prayer followed by refreshments.

Stay afterwards to enjoy fresh coffee and homemade cake from Café Siena whilst little ones explore our toy corner.

Oct	6^th	Cards & Games
	13^th	Marjy Poems
	20^th	Rock Painting with Vicki Hall
	27^th	Seated Exercises with Juliet
Nov	3^rd	Cards & Games
	10^th	Encaustic Art with Geoff Keeble
	17^th	Carol of the Bells
	24^th	Cards & Games (swapped from 1^st Dec)