Want to do something different for your lockdown walk? Why not follow our Easter Trail.
There are ten illustrated egg displays between St Michaels & St Catherine’s, each telling part of the Easter Story, along with a simple family friendly activity or question.
When you arrive at St Catherine’s, you can enjoy our Easter Garden, full of home-made flowers from local schools and families.
CELEBRATION SERVICE WITH COMMUNION IN ST CATHERINE’S CHURCH, 10.00 am
We are delighted to reopen the church for our first Sunday service this year.
We’ll be following strict Covid secure guidelines, so it will be a spoken service with Face-masks and social distancing required.
As part of the celebration, we are inviting you to gift and bring an indoor plant (rather than a palm branch!) to leave on the windowsills of the church permanently – to celebrate both Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and our entry into the church building once more! (Please don’t feel you have to do this, though, it is just an idea!) This will also mark our commitment to being eco-friendly; plant lifeforms growing within the church!
The Spring edition of RG31 – Our Parish Magazine contains a church census form which we’d love you to fill in.
Here’s an explanation from Gill …
In the Old Testament book of Numbers, Chapter 1, we read that in the second year of wandering in the desert, God told Moses to undertake a census. After a whole year of Coronavirus, I thought it would be a good idea to do something similar so that we don’t make assumptions when planning how we “do church” as we come out of lockdown; and to give me a picture of how everyone is feeling about church right now.
Your voice counts, and I would really appreciate it if you would complete and return this form by Tuesday 6th April, either by posting through my letterbox at The Vicarage, or using the letterbox at St Catherine’s Church.
If you’d prefer to post it please use this address:
The Vicarage, Wittenham Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading, RG31 5LN.
It is important that everyone linked to the church completes a form – but your name is optional, so you are free to say exactly what you think.
Where more than one person in your family attends church, each family member should complete a form – please download additional copies from our website.
EASTER TRAIL from St Michael’s Church to St Catherine’s (more details here), all the family can discover the Easter story as they hunt for (pictures of) Easter eggs.
VISIT OUR EASTER GARDEN. Pre-school and school children are making crafted flowers to add to the garden – and you are invited to do the same!
CAST YOUR BURDENS ON TO HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU (1 Peter 5:7). An opportunity for quiet reflection and prayer. Bring a stone, or many stones, and lay them at the foot of the Cross. The cross will be in a quiet place in the church grounds, behind the corner garden. You are invited to sit before the cross on the bench for as long as you like (wrap up warm!) and use the opportunity to pray and give your concerns to God. Do it once, or come daily. Everyone is welcome. Please respect social distancing.
ON LINE WORSHIP
10.00 am each week day morning – join us for MORNING WORSHIP.
7.00 pm – Listen to the EASTER STORY told by members of St Catherine’s church, with time to pause for prayer.
PALM SUNDAY : 28th March
10.00 am – CELEBRATION SERVICE WITH COMMUNION IN CHURCH Please book your place. As part of the celebration, we are inviting you to gift and bring an indoor plant (rather than a palm branch!) to leave on the windowsills of the church permanently – to celebrate both Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and our entry into the church building once more! (Please don’t feel you have to do this, though, it is just an idea!) This will also mark our commitment to being eco-friendly; plant lifeforms growing within the church!
GOOD FRIDAY : 2nd April
10.00 am – ON-LINE WORSHIP for all ages to share the wonder of the cross, and the Easter story.
3.00-3.45 pm – REFLECTIONS ON THE CROSS IN CHURCH. Gill will lead a guided meditation focussing on different aspects of the crucifixion. Please book your place.
EASTER SUNDAY : 4th April
6.00 am – On-line SUNRISE SERVICE from Gill’s garden to celebrate the resurrection.
10.00 am – On-line EASTER CELEBRATION
10.00 am – EASTER CELEBRATION WITH COMMUNION IN CHURCH. Please book your place.
All services in church will follow strict Covid-secure guidelines – thus numbers may be limited to keep social distancing. To book your place, email us on info@stcatherines-tilehurst.org.uk
Following the success of the Bible course, we will be running a 4 week course over Zoom looking at the book of Jonah. We’ll be starting on Weds 24th March at 7.45. Please contact us if you would like to come so that we can share the link with you.