Welcome to Wokingham Methodist Church

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

Wednesday Worship, 2.30pm monthly, starts 26 June

10.30am Morning Worship - Mrs Mary Elms

Future worship and recorded services are on this page.

A Reflection from Malcolm Ray-Smith

Matthew 6: 28-34

A Vase of Daffodils

A new bunch of daffodils decorated the mantlepiece in our lounge.  At first the buds were upright and very tightly packed and totally green.  After several days the warmth of the room induced the buds to relax so that a hint of the colour of the flower petals became apparent.  A while later the flowers opened fully to display their brilliant yellow and we enjoyed watching as their full beauty was eventually revealed.

Matthew chapter 6: 28-34 record part of the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus talked about the marvellous glory of flowers of the field and how this exceeded the glory of costly robes shown off by famous kings and their courtiers, despite the brevity of their floral displays and their ultimate destiny on the rubbish heap.  He spoke in the context of teaching that we should not be too much concerned with clothing or food, but that we should concentrate on seeking to bring about God’s kingdom and his righteousness.

Some beauty is only transitory but we gain pleasure from things that bestow only brief benefits and are thankful for the short term satisfaction they provide.  Gardeners select certain seeds because they grow into things that are very gorgeous for only a few days, but also choose others because they produce food or flowers that provide much longer satisfaction without being strikingly impressive.

Diserning what is of lasting worth is an important aspect of our inner life, but sometimes flashes of brilliance relieve the boredom of days filled mainly with duty.  Working out a balance between duty and pleasure occupies our consciences at every stage of life, but as I grow older it does not get easier but there is still an important place for simple pleasures such as a vase of flowers.  Taking time to notice these simple pleasures can all to easily be squeezed out by sad news or experiences of disappointment or the pain of wear and tear on aging bodies.  We need to allow ourselves time to notice and so be thankful for the simple pleasures that God provides.

Do not worry is the heading over these verses in Matthew in my bible.  Counting our blessings remains a good guiding principle as we work at putting our faith into action.

Malcolm Ray-Smith

A Reflection from Rosi MorganBarry

The 2^nd of February was traditionally celebrated with the blessing of candles and with the young girls of the parish bringing snowdrops to place on the altar.  It was also the day when all the greenery from Christmas should be removed from the house (not sure why, and most of us did that weeks ago!)  Traditions have their origin in old laws and customs, and this day marks forty days after the birth of Jesus, when his parents brought him to Jerusalem for two ancient ceremonies.  The first was the 'Redemption of the First-born' (Numbers 18: 16).  All first-born male children were held to belong to God, and had to be 'bought back' at a cost of five shekels (about 75p), money that was paid to the priest (Exodus 13:2). This is perhaps a reminder to us all that children are a precious gift from God.

The second ceremony was the purification of Mary, for which she had to bring two offerings: a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon for a sin offering.  Poor folk, who could not afford a lamb could bring two young pigeons, which we read in Luke's account (Luke 2: 22 24) was all Mary and Joseph could offer another reminder of the poverty of the home into which Jesus was born.

But why the candles and the snowdrops?

The candles are to remind us of the words of old Simeon (Luke 2: 25 - 32), who took the baby Jesus in his arms and said of him that he would be 'a light that will bring revelation to the Gentiles, and glory to the people of Israel'.  And the snowdrops represent the purity of Mary.

There is one more significant fact about the first Sunday in February: a more modern one.

On this day there is an annual Clowns' Service in Holy Trinity Church, Dalston, East London.  Dozens of clowns, professional and amateur, attend in their best costumes and full make-up, surely the most colourful congregation in the country!  They celebrate the life of Joseph Grimaldi, the comic actor who created the modern clown tradition.  The service includes the prayer:

“Dear Lord, I thank you for calling me to share with others your most precious gift of laughter.  May I never forget that it is your gift and my privilege.”

The gifts of children, and laughter, and light, and the first snowdrops of spring!  So much for which to be thankful!

Rosi MorganBarry

Some previous Pastoral Letters are available here.