Sunday 17th May 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 is the Seventh Sunday after Easter, the Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost. It is a quiet place in the Church’s year: Christ has ascended, the disciples are waiting, and the Church is gathered in prayer.
We are very pleased that Revd. Richard is back from India and will be taking the service. He will be preaching on John 17:1–11, where Jesus prays for his disciples before his arrest. It is a remarkable passage because, rather than simply hearing Jesus teach or speak to the crowds, we are allowed to hear him pray. And in that prayer we glimpse something of his care for those who belong to him.
As we gather this Sunday, we do so with that same confidence: that the Church is not held together merely by effort, habit, rotas, or good intentions, important as some of those may be. We are held by the prayer and love of Christ.
Do join us if you can, and do feel free to invite someone along with you. A simple invitation is often more welcome than we imagine.
Every blessing,
Mark 甄英深
Notices
BELLS RESTORATION APPEAL. BELLS RESTORATION APPEAL. The BELLS RESTORATION APPEAL has just been featured by the Diocese of Oxford. Do check out the article here and please share with your friends: https://www.oxford.anglican.org/news/restoring-the-voice-of-st-johns-woodley.php
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.
FELLOWSHIP & STUDY GROUP ON ZOOM. Please note that there will be just one more meeting this month on 20th May.
CLEANING HELP NEEDED! A cleaning/moving of furniture squad is needed to prepare the Church ahead of the Confirmation Service on 24th May. All welcome! Bring your dusters & polish and meet at the Church on Saturday 23rd May from 10.00am - 12.00pm. Please let Jenny know if you can help - churchwarden2@stjohn-woodley.com Thank you.
MOTHERS’ UNION | Wednesday 20th May 2026 2.30pm. The Mothers’ Union will meet on Wednesday 20th May 2026 at 2.30pm in the Church Centre. The speaker is Ann Smith - ‘A 100 years of shopping in Reading’. We will also be collecting names for the fish & chip lunch in June along with payments of £12.00 in cash please. New members are always welcome so come along and see what we do.
CONFIRMATION SERVICE | Sunday 24th May 2026 4.00pm. Next Sunday, 24th, we will be celebrating a very special Confirmation Service at St. John’s at 4.00pm. Bishop Mary will be joining us to confirm 13 candidates from St. John’s as they take this significant step in their journeys of faith. Please do come and gather around them as a church family, offering your prayers, encouragement and support as we celebrate God’s work in their lives. After the service, there will be refreshments in the Church Centre, with an opportunity to connect with the candidates, their families and Bishop Mary.
For our prayers
For our world. Pray for all countries where there is war. Especially pray for the people of Gaza, Israel, Ukraine, Russia, Sudan, Myanmar, Yemen, Syria and Somalia. Pray for their leaders that they will bring peace to their people. Pray for all who are fleeing from war to find a safe place to live. Pray for the medical staff tending to the injured. Pray for those who are trying to negotiate a peaceful settlement. Pray for the soldiers, many of whom are being forced to fight.
For our country. Pray for all the young people who are taking important exams just now. For those taking A levels and university exams. Pray for all teaching staff as they work through this busy term. Pray for all who are struggling with the rising cost of living. For those who cannot afford to feed or clothe their families adequately. For those being made redundant as businesses are forced to close. For those living on our streets, pray that places will be found for them to sleep in safety.
For those who are unwell. Many of our loved ones are coping with ill health at home or in hospital. Pray especially for Clive, Suzanne, Sylvia, David S, Arthur, Ian, Pat A, Marjorie, Lucy, Michael B, Carol, Irene and Ricky M, Liz, Dhoj Gurung, Devina, Mo, Margaret, Ruilan, Katie, baby Niamh and baby Edward. Pray too for those who care for them.
In our prayers. Pray for all mourning the loss of a loved one. Pray especially for the families of Jenny M. and George G. Pray for the St. John’s family. For Mark, Richard, Suzanne, Dawn and their families. For Jenny our Churchwarden, for our PCC. For all who guide our children on Sunday mornings. For those being confirmed on 24th May and for Bishop Mary who will take the service. Pray for us all that we will welcome all who walk through our doors each week.
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 11.00am on Wednesday, for inclusion in that week's newsletter.
THIS WEEK
Sunday 17th May
9.00am - BCP Said Service of Holy Communion. Led by Rev’d. Richard Christopher.
10.00am - Morning Family Service. The Seventh Sunday of Easter. Led by Rev’d. Richard Christopher. This week’s Bible readings will be Acts 1: 6-14 and John 17: 1-11. 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 19th May
10.00am - Toddlers. Please contact Dawn for details.
Wednesday 20th May
10.00am - Midweek Communion.
7.45pm - Fellowship & Study Group on Zoom ID: 96292542704.
Friday 22nd May
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 tins of tomatoes, baked beans & carrots; pasta sauce; tinned custard & rice pudding; any soups; hand soap and washing up liquid. 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.
