Discipleship Opportunities at St Mary's
Discipleship allows us to share our skills and experience with the church and wider community. At St Mary's there are
plenty of opportunities to join in and get involved. Within the church service there are parts to play for those
willing to:-
- Read lessons
- Lead Intercessions in the service
- Lead parts of the service
- Be a Server
- Sing or play a musical instrument
- Take part in Childrens' Groups
- Be a Sidesperson
You may wish to be considered for Lay Administration at Holy Communion.
There are also roles to play in preparing the church for services.
- Church cleaning, incuding vestments, silverware, brasses as well as dusting and vacuuming!
- Flower Arranging
- Sewing Group
- People are invited to join the Welcoming Team, greeting those arriving at the church.
- Gardening
- Bell ringing
After services, help is needed with refreshments and selling Traidcraft goods.
For those with marketing or publicity skills, we have a Communications Group, dealing with media and the presentation
of the Church to the wider community. As part of this we welcome contributions to our monthly magazine
Round and About.
Those with IT or financial skills will find there are always various projects that they may contribute to.
Our outreach and mission work often relies on those able to help out at various events:-
- Helpers at our "Little Churches".
- Leading or supporting Parenting Courses
- Collections for Fund Raising and Charities
The Social Activities Group plays a key role in lots of the social events throughout the year. Those with
organisational and artistic skills, as well as all who can cook or entertain, are invited to take part in
this group. Events arranged include Epiphany Party and the Parish Festival Weekend,
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St Mary's Stewardship Bulletin - from Chris Watts
New Year, New ideas, New resolutions
When we look back over the six years since the Millennium, we can be justly proud of achievements at
St Mary's, including a lively and growing Ministry team, steady growth in members, a gradual increase
in baptisms and weddings, continuing growth in children's work, a wider range of services, active house,
lent, fellowship and social groups and a significant increase in giving of time, talents and money.
Floodlights have been installed together with a replacement heating system, the Pathfinders Room has
been constructed and the Chapel has been successfully refurbished.
2006 will see major progress on the plans to refurbish the interior of St Mary's. Improved toilets,
lighting and sound will be undertaken together with redesign of the nave wall and porch to make the
church more welcoming, more inviting and more flexible. Most of the money has been raised for these
projects but there are great opportunities to do more.
How far and how fast we can move to realise these opportunities depends on our willingness to
devote time, talents and money.
There is a need for help in all areas:-
- Readers and intercessors for services,
- Leaders of children's groups,
- Sides-people, particularly for baptism services,
- Church cleaners,
- General repair and maintenance,
- Coffee rotas on Sundays,
- Leading house groups,
- Welcoming newcomers,
- Improving communication,
- Representing the Church in the wider community,
- Supporting missions,
- Supporting the work of the wider church.
Over the last six years, the major part of the cost of paying and supporting the clergy and their pensions
has passed to the parishes. The Parish Share has nearly doubled from £27,000 in 1999 to £52,000 in 2006 and
even this does not meet the cost of our two full time clergy. This is before we meet the costs of running
St Mary's and St Barnabas Churches and all the improvements needed to minister to the growing community of
Thatcham. Total income in 2005 was just over £72,000 of which £23,000 was from regular giving by members of
the Stewardship Scheme (including tax reclaimed from Inland Revenue).
The challenge is to increase this Church's income to at least £100,000 by 2010 to help keep pace with the
needs of Thatcham.
You can help by:-
- Your prayers, and
- joining the Stewardship Scheme and making a regular payment to the Church, or
- Increasing your giving, if you are already in the Stewardship Scheme.
- Arranging your giving to enable tax to be reclaimed.
- Joining the Church workers rota.
- Supporting fund raising events.
and be
INSPIRED BY THE LOVE OF CHRIST TO BUILD GOD'S KINGDOM
Contact any of the Church Wardens or the Parish Office for further information.
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