2021 Events

These are some of the key events at St Michael's which took place in 2021, listed in reverse order (with the most recent events at the top of the list).

Christmas Services 2021Christmas Services 2021

Our Midnight Mass & Christmas Morning services were made available on-line.

Christmas Services 2021Services over the Christmas season 2021


20 November 2021
Christmas Fair

From 11am until 1pm on Saturday 20th November in St Michael's Hall on The Meadway.
Admission by programme:  50p.  Stalls include:

● 50 / 50 Raffle    ● Chocolate Hamper    ● Silent Auction    ● Mothers' Union Cakes    ● Preserves
Handicrafts    ● Tombola    ● Grand Raffle    ● Christmas Hamper    ● Play Your Cards Right
Straws in Sand    ● Refreshments - enjoy a Coffee / Tea and a Mince Pie

We'd like to thank the following for their generous donations:

● Car Contacts    ● The Lemon Plaice    ● Hairbay    ● The Museum of Berkshire Aviation
● The Triangle Pharmacy   ● Royal Windsor Racecourse    ● Daisy Chain Florist   
● Beale Wildlife Park    ● Liberty's Owl, Raptor & Reptile Park   ● Warings   
● Bekonscot Model Village & Railway    ● The Tilehurst Cobbler    ● Triangle Dental

Preparations:
We're delighted to be able to hold a Christmas Fair, but we do need the help of church members and other supporters.  Church members will be receiving, or have received, Raffle Tickets to sell.  We also need donations of  Goods for the Tombola;  Cakes (on the day) for the Cake StallRaffle Prizes;  Items for a Silent Auction;  Sundry Christmas goods to make up a Christmas Hamper.  Please bring your items to church on any Sunday or leave them at the Parish Office.  Please do not bring Jewellery, books, toys or jigsaw puzzles - as they are very difficult to keep COVID-safe.  Apologies for the very short notice but we had to be sure that we could go ahead in the current situation.  The organisers look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 20th.

25 September 2021
Grand Patronal Quiz

To round off the summer and celebrate Michaelmas, we are holding a quiz evening on Saturday 25th September, starting at 7:00pm.

The venue is the Church Hall, and the evening comes complete with a Fish-and-Chip Supper.  Tickets (from Joan Crossman or Eileen White) are £7.50 each, or £20 for a family of four.

We're really looking forward to seeing you all there for this our first "proper" social event for 18 months.  Don't worry if you don't have a team - we'll find one for you, and we will be taking care with spacing etc.

You will need to bring your own beverages and glasses etc, but the fish and chips will come with cutlery, napkins and condiments.

18 September 2021
Tilehurst Heritage Day

Open from 10am to 4pm, with refreshments available.  The talks given were as follows:

  • 11am - Tilehurst:  A Historic Introduction - by Mike Cooper
  • 12 noon - A Brief History of St Michael's Church - by Colin Cairns
  • 2pm - A Brief History of the Mansion House - by Katie Amos
  • 3pm - The Royal British Legion in Tilehurst - by Jenny Beeney

Click on this link for the Heritage Open Days website regarding this Tilehurst event ...
   
www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/tilehurst-heritage-day

Poster for Tilehurst Heritage Day 18 Sept 2021

4 September 2021
Bellringers victorious - again!!

The Reading Branch of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bellringers held its 6-bell striking competition at St James the Less Church in Pangbourne.  St Michael's ringers competed against five other teams.  We rang one minute of rounds, followed by a touch of 240 changes of Grandsire Doubles.Tower Captain Jo Druce with the 'Topper' Trophy won by St Michael's Bellringers (Reading Branch 6-Bell Striking Competition, 4-Sep-2021)

The judge's scores gave the following results:

  1. St Michael's, Tilehurst (33 faults)
  2. St Mary's, Reading (45.5 faults)
  3. St Bartholomew's, Nettlebed (62 faults)
  4. St Mark's, Englefield (68.5 faults)
  5. St James the Less, Pangbourne (73.5 faults)
  6. Loddon Reach Benefice (failed to finish test piece)

St Michael's ringers won with the least number of faults, and retain the 6-bell 'Topper' Trophy for another year, having won the previous 6-bell competition in 2019.

The winning St Michael's Bellringing Team (Reading Branch 6-Bell Striking Competition (4-Sep-2021)  R-to-L: Jo Druce, Liz Evans, Tom Sherwood, Colin Cairns, Giles Winter, David Bardwell

L-to-R:  David Bardwell, Giles Winter, Colin Cairns, Tom Sherwood, Liz Evans, Jo Druce

25 July 2021
Parish Picnic

On this Sunday afternoon we held a parish picnic in the Rectory garden, starting at 12:30pm.  Around 25-30 people attended, each bringing along something to eat and drink (and a chair if it was easy to carry).

We were all able to enjoy each others' company, as well as the weather (with the help of a little prayer - not exactly sunny, but dry - so we didn't need to decamp into the Church Hall).  Much fun and fellowship was had.

18 July 2021
Walking Treasure Hunt

A fun social event on a Sunday afternoon The route is entirely on the flat and so is suitable for all ages, and all levels of fitness – including users of wheelchairs, walking frames, pushchairs, buggies etc.

Meet at the War Memorial, Tilehurst Triangle, between 2:30pm and 3:00pm.

The course takes approximately one to one-and-a-half hours to complete depending on how quickly the answers to the clues can be found!  No entry charge.

7 July 2021
Wednesday 10am Communion resumes

From this day, we resume our mid-week Communion service at 10:00am each Wednesday.  The final session of Private Prayer in church took place on Wednesday 30 June (10am to 12 noon).

4 July 2021
Sunday 10:30am service moves to 10am

From this day, our Sunday Services are timed at 8:00am, 10:00am and 6:30pm.
Places no longer need to be booked for the 8:00am and 6:30pm services.

3/4 July 2021
Welcome to The Revd Tracy Watkins

Our new curate joined us, following her ordination to the diaconate on 3 July.
Watch the ordination, at 6pm on Saturday 3 July, using this link ...
 https://www.youtube.com/c/ChristChurchCathedralOxford/videos
Welcome Tracy in person at any of our services in church on Sunday 4 July.

25 April 2021

St Michael's Church Grand Easter Raffle *
Tickets were on sale from 4th to 23rd April – £5 each.
The draw took place on 25th April,
and winners were notified by phone.

First Prize:  Luxury Hamper packed with delicious goodies for you to enjoy, and a bottle of Prosecco
too – perfect for celebrating the end of lock-down!
Other Prizes: include a fantastic afternoon tea for two provided by a local caterer and served in your own home;  a bouquet of seasonal flowers;  and other springtime treats.
How to Enter – there are two ways ...
  • Text EASTER2021 to the number 70970 on your mobile phone – each message will buy you one ticket, so for extra tickets simply send additional texts.  Please use this method if at all possible.
  • Alternatively, to buy tickets by cash, place your chosen amount in an envelope with your name, telephone number and email address (if you have one), and drop it into the Parish Office or Rectory, and we will make the entry for you.
Please support your church by buying tickets, and by encouraging friends & family to do the same!
* Fundraising, payments and donations will be processed and administered by the National Funding Scheme (UK Registered Charity No. 1149800), operating as DONATE.
Texts will be charged at your standard network rate plus the ticket cost.
For Terms & Conditions, visit https://platform.nationalfundingscheme.org/terms-and-conditions.
For more information abour DONATE, visit https:platform.nationalfundingscheme.org.

4 April 2021

The '3rd Lockdown' period for the church ended.  Public worship in church was resumed from Easter Sunday, with three pre-booked Sunday Services.
(
Live-streaming of the 10:30am Sunday Service continued.)

27 February 2021

A Zoom Quiz Night was held on-line at 7pm on Saturday 27th February.
(Tickets were booked through the Parish Office.)

1 January 2021

During the '3rd Lockdown' period, the regular services in church were suspended again.
(Holy Communion was live-streamed from church at 10:30am each Sunday, by clergy with the minimum number of support people - but with no other worshippers present.  Private prayer continued to be available from 10-12 on Wednesday mornings.)