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This shows details of our services and who will be leading them in summer 2008.
In 2008 the club will start on 4th August. Each day at 10:00; come from 09:30 Monday for registration. It has a sporting theme: Champions Challenge.
In 2007 the club ran mornings from 6th August to 10th August, with a green theme and the title "Waste Watchers". 101 children (about 80 per day) from 5 to 10 years came free of charge and joined in craft, games, art, drama, singing and so on. Especially enjoyed was the club song "What a Load of Rubbish", the visit each day by a Wimble (the Woodley equivalent of a Womble) and the cooking of bottle-shaped biscuits.
Our minister, Mike, is leaving us on 3rd August 2008 to take up an appointment to the High Wycombe circuit (Downley, Naphill, Holmer Green and Tyler Green churches). We are next inviting a URC minister. There will be a concert on the evening of Saturday 2nd August and Mike's last service on Sunday 3rd will be followed by a lunch. The circuit farewell service is at Christ Church on 20th July at 18:30.
The charity project we are supporting in 2008 is Compassion who promote sponsoring the education of children overseas. Steve McTegert from Compassion UK visited our morning service on 13th January and introduced their work. The child we are supporting is Suellen Feliciano aged 10 from Brazil. The Spring Fair on 10th May raised £840 for the project and more was raised at the Banner Dedication service on the 11th May. Another £160 was raised at the after fair sale at the Pagoda in Woodley Precinct. The total to mid-June was £1350.
The churches of Woodley have put together a Recycling Guide (PDF) which covers much more beside the usual council supplied services, such as recycled bible study notes!
Our new 25th Anniversary Banner was dedicated at a special Dedication Service on the afternoon of 11th May 2008. Each of the 24 church groups that had contributed a square talked about their group and what the design of their square signifies.
The minister during the creation of Christ Church, Rev Bernard Arnold, lead our 25th Anniversary celebrations on 4th November 2007. Recordings of this and the other special services are available to members on CD or cassette for a donation of a pound. Our history weekend was on 29th September 2007. Our new banner was dedicated at a service at 15:00 on Sunday 11th May 2008. The 26th Anniversary service will feature Revd Pam Richardson on 16th November 2008 and the Revd Peter Hurter will be visiting us on 7th December 2008.
At the AGM the new-style Lay Leadership Team was elected replacing the old system of seperate stewards and elders. They started work on 1st May: Andrew Emison, Jacky Peters, Margery Sargent (Steward/Elders), Rosemary Ingolfsrud (Mission and Pastoral Elder), Beryl Wootton (Mission and Outreach Elder), Mary Nash (Mission and Youth Elder), Keith Ternent (Senior Citizens Elder), Judith Norris (Senior Worship Steward), Derek Benham (Finance Steward), James Peddle (Property Steward), Tony Atkins (Church Secretary). In addition Sandra Stock and Alan Harland are Worship Stewards, Grant Evans is Safeguarding Officer, Vickie Allen is Cradle Roll Secretary, Lucy Barnes is second rep to Churches Together in Woodley, and Alan Harland also joins the staffing committee.
A new online Bible study from the Methodist Church follows the daily reading from the Methodist Prayer Handbook. It offers commentary, explanations and questions to ponder of the selected passages. Also available is an audio version to listen to online or download.
The Rainbow Café serves drinks and snacks late morning till lunch time on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 am to 1:45 pm. It is closed last week in July until the end of August. The Rainbow Youth Internet Café opened on Tuesday 11th September and opens term-time Tuesday afternoons 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
The church supported Christian Aid Week as normal in 2007. It ran 13th to 19th May. We carried out house to house collections in the streets near the church and took part in the Henley sponsored walks and walks around Dinton Pastures. We raised £1594.66 from collections. In all Woodley raised £7065.97, down £1000 on last year. In addition the FISH Youth Group from Emmanuel Church raised £1233.12 during their "Get Your Own Back". In 2006, we raised £1629 from collections and £1741 from the walks.
In 2008 it was 11th to 17th May - totals not yet available.
Our church members support the children's charity NCH. In February 2008, a sponsored swim raised £804. There was a Reading Male Voice Choir concert at Wesley Church, Reading, on 16th February 2008; it raised £862. The donations at Nancie Artist's 90th birthday party raised £357.
General Church Meetings with Church Council will be on Wednesday 9th July, Thursday 2nd October and Tuesday 20th January 2009, all at 7:30pm. The Annual Church Council Meeting will next be in May 2009 and the next Annual General Church Meeting will be on Thursday 2nd April 2009 also at 7:30pm.
Page last updated: 1st July 2008.