Welcome to Wokingham Methodist Church

Many pages updated with material from the 2025 annual reports.

Café Mosaic - new opening hours
   Tuesday - Friday, 9.30am-1pm, from 1 October

Monday Evening House Group restarts 7 October
   1^st Monday each month, 7.30pm at a member's home

10.30am Morning Worship - Revd Catherine Bowstead

Future worship and recorded services are on this page.

from Revd Catherine Bowstead

Dear Friends,

In our Open the Book Assembly this week we acted out the story of the Good Samaritan.  The person acting the part of the traveller who was beaten and robbed used all her dramatic skills which amused the children.  We reflected on what an important story it is for the children to hear.  Not only does it give us the famous phrase “Good Samaritan” but it also gave us the opportunity to think about how important it is to help not just our friends but those who are different from us too.  The children shared with us their examples of when they had offered or received help from someone who was not their friend.

One of the Bible readings set for this Sunday explores how the early church wrestled with the concept that Jesus had come to save the whole world so that Gentiles too were to be welcomed into the church and be part of God’s Kingdom.  The church was not just for their friends, but for those they considered to be their enemies too.  I think we can underestimate how difficult this was for the early church to grasp and what an enormous change in attitude was needed from them.  Maybe we might be challenged about our blind spots and prejudices too.

Christian Aid week helps us to remember that our neighbours are all those who are in need and enables us to respond and make a difference.  At our Christian Aid service last Sunday, Grace, from Christian Aid encouraged us to give, pray and act for the work of Christian Aid to make a difference in our world.  You can find out about the work of Christian Aid by visiting their excellent website and you can bring your Christian Aid envelope to church on Sunday to include with our collection.  

There is so much to dismay us in our world just now, so let’s do what we can to make things better as we try to show God’s love through our love for our neighbours near and far.

I hope that you have a good week

With every blessing

Catherine

A Reflection from Rosi MorganBarry

Psalm 23: ‘The Lord is my shepherd’

This psalm is probably the most well-known of all the psalms, and perhaps the most quoted.  It has spoken to thousands of people in many different circumstances: times of joy and serenity; of stress and grief; of pain and sorrow, and danger.

There is a story told of a confident evangelist who always had words for every occasion – except one.  That time was when there was a catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip in Aberfan.  It had been created on a mountain slope above the village, and on 21^st October 1966 fell on to a school, killing 116 children and 28 adults.  It was the worst mining disaster in British history.

The evangelist in question found himself unable to find any words to express the feelings of many, except to quote from Psalm 23:

“Even though I walk THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil …”

No-one can go through life without times of distress, but when such times do occur, pick up and read the words of this psalm and keep them in your mind and heart:

“Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

Some previous Pastoral Letters are available here.