Sunday 22nd March 2026
St John’s holds services in Church on Sundays at 10am, with a recording of the morning service uploaded online for those not able to join us.
Paper services available on request.
Dear Church Family,
This Sunday, as we move deeper into Lent and begin to feel the nearness of Passiontide, we come to one of the great and curious moments in St John’s Gospel: John 11. It is the story of Lazarus, and of a Lord who is never in a hurry, yet is never late.
That, perhaps, is one of the puzzles of faith. We like our miracles tidy and prompt; Jesus, in his wisdom, is apt to arrive with something much better than our timetable. Revd. Richard will be helping us dwell with this remarkable passage, where grief and hope, tears and glory, are all found standing together in the same place.
Lent is a season for honest souls. It reminds us that God is not put off by tombs, by questions, or by the heavy stones we learn to live beside. And that is good news for all of us.
Do come and join us at St John’s this Sunday, and do bring a friend, neighbour, or family member with you. The Church is never more herself than when she makes room for one more person to hear the voice of Christ calling life out of darkness.
Every blessing,
Mark 甄英深
Notices
BELLS RESTORATION APPEAL. The BELLS RESTORATION APPEAL was launched on 1st February 2026. A page has been set up on our website here that explains some of the history behind the bells and what will be involved in the restoration, as well as details on how donations can be made.
CAN YOU HELP? At St John's, we love investing in children and young people. Our brilliant Sunday morning Eagles groups are low on helpers this term – could you help out? It doesn't have to be every month (though it's wonderful if you can offer that). Role is subject to DBS and Safeguarding processes. Contact Dawn - families@stjohn-woodley.com or 07907 496769.
IS GOD CALLING YOU? Our APCM is fast approaching and in April our wonderful Churchwarden, Brian Main and our Treasurer, David Crane, will be stepping down after many years of faithful service. We are deeply grateful for all they have given to St. John’s. As a Church, we rely on people serving in these vital roles and at present we do not yet know who will be taking them on next. Please pray about this and consider whether God may be prompting you (or someone you know) to explore one of these ministries. To find out what either role involves—no commitment, just a conversation—please email the office at info@stjohn-woodley.com and we’ll arrange to meet. We trust that God is already preparing the right people as we look ahead with faith and hope. We are ready to receive reports from our leaders and groups to be included in the APCM booklet! It’s an opportunity to review and share the wonderful work and activities that take place at St John’s. The booklet will be downloadable from our website as well as available in hard copy for the meeting. Please would you send reports to Michael Garaway - secretary@stjohn-woodley.com - by Tuesday 7th April 2026.
QUIZ NIGHT ON ZOOM | Thursday 26th March 2026 7.30pm. The next Church Quiz via Zoom will be on Thursday 26th March at 7.30pm. Join us from the comfort of your own home and have a fun evening. Click on the link to join. Zoom Meeting ID: 872 7792 0936.
MEN’S BREAKFAST | Saturday 28th March 2026 8.30am. The next Men's Breakfast will be held on Saturday 28th March 2026 8.30am at the Wee Waif, Charvil. The speaker will be Jim Herring talking about HOPE HOUSE - a place for recovering addicts after rehab. Please contact Clive Boys on 07769721449 or see him at Church on Sunday to sign up.
FLIGHT-RG5 WORKSHOP | Sunday 29th March 2026 10.00am. It's 'Do Something Different' week for our Eagles groups, and we have invited a very special guest to deliver a workshop for the Flight-RG5 young people. Mandy Shora has a wealth of experience in helping people to explore their potential, especially in the realm of performance and public speaking. Mandy has planned a fun and engaging session to help the young people to feel more confident when speaking in front of an audience, particularly those who read the Bible in church, but all will benefit from her sparkling wit and wisdom! We hope as many of our older young people as possible will be able to attend.
FAMILY EASTER ENCOUNTER! | Saturday 4th April 2026 2.00pm - 3:15pm. Where: Church yard, behind the hall (or in the hall if it's raining!) What: Easter themed races, games, craft, refreshments, Easter trail and egg hunt around the church yard! All welcome, bring your friends and family! Sign up - https://stjohnswoodley.churchsuite.com/events/ks46uyoj
ARTSPRING FESTIVAL | Saturday 25th April 2026 10.00am. Following the success of our previous events in April and November last year, we’re really looking forward to our next celebration of local arts and crafts, including our own St John’s Arts Group. The next ARTSPRING FESTIVAL will run in the Church Centre on Saturday 25th April from 10:00am to 4:00pm and feature stalls and displays with jewellery, cards, prints, paintings, and more. Please support us and spread the word among your friends and family, and use the flyers and posters that will be available. We will be offering refreshments for visitors and are therefore asking for help to serve from the kitchen. Please let Michael Garaway know by text message on 07773 781223 if you can help for an hour or so on the day.
For our prayers
For our world. Pray for all nations who are affected by an abuse of power. Who are at war. Who are oppressed by military dictatorships. Who are exploited by corrupt regimes. Pray for all who suffer under those conditions. Pray for all trying to bring justice to those situations. Pray for all living as refugees in strange lands driven from their own homes and country by war. Pray for peace in our world.
For our country. Pray for our society in which so much of the feeling of community has been lost. Pray for those who are lonely, deprived through age or infirmity of human companionship. Pray for those who have lost their homes and are living on our streets. Pray for all who work for local governments that they will recognise the needs of their communities and provide places where people can meet together and build friendships.
For those who are unwell. Pray for our many loved ones who are struggling with poor health just now. For those who are waiting for appointments. For those who are waiting for or receiving treatments and for those recovering from a hospital stay. Pray especially for Suzanne, Marjorie, Arthur, Joan T, Jenny M, Michael B, Wendy, Margaret H, Carol, Irene and Ricky M, Liz, Dhoj Gurung, Devina, Janet A, Mo, Katie and Ruilan. Pray too for all who care for them.
In our prayers. Pray for all mourning the death of a loved one. Pray for the family of St. John’s. For Mark, Richard, Suzanne, Dawn and their families. For our fellowship as we all worship together. Pray that our doors will always be open and all who walk through them will find a warm welcome. Pray for Sarah Mullally on her pilgrimage from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral to take up her post as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. Pray that she will lead us with great wisdom and strength.
Church Office
The church office is usually open Tuesday - Fridays from 10am - 12pm. Please note that any notices need to be sent to info@stjohn-woodley.com by 10.00am on Thursday, for inclusion in that week's newsletter.
THIS WEEK
Sunday 22nd March
9.00am - Bubble Church.
10.00am - Service of Holy Communion. The Fifth Sunday of Lent. Passiontide. Led by Rev’d Richard Christopher. This week’s Bible readings will be Ezekiel 37: 1-14 and John 11: 1-44. A video recording of the service will be uploaded to the website at: https://www.youtube.com/@stjohnswoodley
3:00pm - Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi Fellowship.
Tuesday 24th March
10.00am - Toddlers. See Dawn for details.
Wednesday 25th March
10.00am - Midweek Communion.
7.45pm - Fellowship & Study Group on Zoom ID: 96292542704
Friday 27th March
11.30am - Lunch, Munch and Chinwag.
Pastoral Support
Would you like a prayer?
If you would like support, please do let us know - you do not need to face hard things alone. Please contact the office to arrange for a Pastoral Visit from one of our team. Alternatively, complete the prayer request form below and someone will be in touch.
A MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF WOODLEY FOODBANK. Thank you for your donations throughout the year. We are currently low in toilet rolls, soap, tins of potatoes, peas, custard & rice and packets of rice. There continues to be a high demand at the moment, so your help is very much appreciated. Donations of Sugar, Coffee, Pasta Sauce, Noodles (inc. Pot Noodles), Tinned Vegetables (all types), Tinned fish, Tinned fruit, Tinned meat meals, Biscuits, Crisps, Custard - tinned and dried, Tinned Desserts, Long Life milk, Juice (cordial & long life), Toiletries and Toilet Rolls are welcome at any time.
Envelope Collection. David, our Treasurer, is kindly offering a collection service for those that usually give to St John’s by envelope. Please call him direct on 0118 969 2521 or email.
Church Suite - Login Required. Please do log in and update your personal contact details and what information you want to share with others in the St John’s church family. This way you can make sure you are kept up-to-date with news at St John’s and stay linked in with others. For those who are not online, we will be contacting them separately to do this.
