Welcome to Wokingham Methodist Church

We are now part of the Blackwater Valley Methodist Circuit, formed by the merger of our previous circuit, the Berkshire Surrey Borders Circuit, with the circuit to the south of us, the Hants-Surrey Border Circuit, effective from 1 September 2025.

Our previous minister, Revd Catherine Bowstead, has retired.  We welcome her replacement Rev Wes Hampton, from 1 September 2025.

Starting on Sunday 21^st September, evening service (with Holy Communion) will resume on the third Sunday of each month at the new time of 6.15 pm (new time chosen so you can park in the Rose Street car park without having to pay both an afternoon fee and an evening fee).

Future worship and recorded services are on this page.

10.30am Morning Worship - Mrs Kim Tame

from Rev Wes Hampton

Dear Friends,

I am writing on the feast day of St Gregory the Great.  Gregory is remembered as the pope who sent St Augustine to reintroduce Christianity to the southern part of Britain.  We can leave the church history lesson for now, and take a look at one event from Gregory’s life.

While still a monk, Gregory left Rome intending to cross the Channel as a missionary.  However, while he and his companions had paused to eat and rest, a locust landed on the bible that Gregory was reading.  “Look at the locust” said Gregory, but he wondered if it might be a sign from God.  He decided that the Latin word “locusta” sounded like “loco sta”, which means “stay in place”, so he waited.  In less than an hour a messenger arrived from the pope calling him back to be the ambassador to the imperial court at Constantinople.

We might think it very odd to regard a single locust as a sign from God, but this story presents Gregory as someone who is attentive to God.  Are we listening out for what God is saying to us?  Sometimes we need to be open to the possibility that God is speaking to us, and ready to hear no matter what method God chooses.  If you have ever thought that God does not have anything to say to you, or that God would only communicate in a 'proper' way, look at the locust.

Sometimes we think that we have a monopoly on divine wisdom: we hear a suggestion but doubt that anything good can come from that source.  We tell ourselves that we have good reason, even when we only have a thinly-veiled prejudice.  Yet the good may come from the most unexpected quarter, if only we will allow ourselves to see it.

As our new Methodist year begins, and as we give thanks for the ministry of St. Gregory, let us listen for what God is saying, whatever channel God uses.  And look out for the locust!

Wes

from Malcolm Ray-Smith

Dear Friends,

Elijah  “What are you doing here?”

The first book of Kings tells how this man of God won a marvellous victory over the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel but then fled in terror after being threatened by Queen Jezebel.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. After leaving his servant at Beersheba he travelled alone into the desert until he laid under a broom tree to sleep.  He told God “I have had enough”. An angel brought him food and water and he slept again. Then the angel came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”

Strengthened by that food he travelled on for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb where he spent a night in a cave. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” When he replied God said to him “Go out and stand on the mountain for the presence of the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then Elijah witnessed the powerful wind and an earthquake and then a fire but Elijah did not see God in any of them. After the fire came a gentle whisper and Elijah heard God ask him again “What are you doing here?”  After he replied God gave him fresh instructions. “Go back the way you came and go to the desert of Damascus. When you get there anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah to succeed you as prophet.” Then God tells Elijah of the seven thousand whose knees have not bowed to Baal.

Maybe we sometimes also feel “I have had enough!” At such times the ministry of angels provide essentials to meet our needs.

What God asked Elijah he might also enquire of us. “What are we doing here?”

Some previous Pastoral Letters are available here.