Benefice services in AugustSunday 16th August
Morning Prayer in All Saints', Stone at 10.30 am Sunday 23rd August Holy Communion in St Mary's, Berkeley at 10.30 am Sunday 30th August Holy Communion in St Michael's, Hill at 10.30 am Evening Prayer in St Mary's, Berkeley at 6.00 pm At the moment All Saints' doesn't have a vicar, so for general enquiries please contact the churchwarden, Naomi Sargent: 01454 260376
For enquiries about weddings and funerals, please contact David Bainbridge: 01453 810049 
'Thought for the Day'
Sunday 9th August
Walking by Faith One morning last week, I was awake ridiculously early, as seems to happen often lately, and I took myself for a walk up to the deer park. The morning sun was bright, with a thin haze of mist hanging in the sky, and I was rewarded with a clear view of the deer. In the early morning quiet there is time to reflect without the distraction of life’s busy schedule. Moments like this, when we are surrounded by the wonder of nature, immersed in God’s creation, remind us of the eternal nature of God. A God who is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, regardless of where we are in our lives, and how close to or far away from Him we may feel. As a church we face many challenges at the moment, both nationally and locally here in our Benefice, but it is helpful to remember that this is just a moment in time and all in God’s grand scheme. We are not the only ones to have faced challenges. In today’s OT reading from 1 Kings 19, Elijah has had enough of working for God and wants to run and hide. Yet God meets him at his point of need, restores him, reassures him he is not alone, then sends him back to continue His work. In our Gospel reading, Jesus asks Peter to trust Him to step off the boat and walk on water. As soon as the waves become a little choppy Peter loses heart and begins to sink. Both characters have to trust in God to move on. We are neither on the run for our lives, nor being asked to do the impossible. But we do need to place our faith in God as we walk forward on this journey. Times of doubt, discouragement and despondency are not a lack of spiritual commitment. They’re just a human response to our situation. But we are making progress: Our churches are now open for private prayer and worship; we are coming back together as the Body of Christ, and in each other, and through God’s Spirit, we will continue to find encouragement. God works through ordinary people, people like you and me. In faith we need to continue to do the things we are called to do – to pray, to serve, to trust in Him. Debbie Page – Berkeley informal worship team Facebook:Search for "All Saints' in Stone"
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Upcoming Events:
Colour Key: Berkeley Benefice St Mary's - Berkeley All Saints' - Stone St Michael's - Hill Benefice Services
During the next few months there will be a 10.30 am Sunday service each week in one of our three churches. Our Lay Readers, the ‘Eleven’ team and the Stone Leading Worship team have stepped into action to take the majority of these services, and we have priests booked for Parish Communion services during late August. Risk assessments and careful planning to manage services have been done for each of our very different churches. It is a good idea to arrive early for a service so you have enough time to ‘check in’ - hand sanitising and finding a socially distanced seat mean it could take longer to settle in. You'll be asked for a name and contact number from each ‘bubble’ so we can assist ‘Track and Trace’ if need be. Don't forget to bring a face covering.
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