For details of this week's services please see the Worship page.
Items of older news will be posted on this page. Current news items can be found here.
Walk starts at St. Andrews
Holy Week is the week before Easter. It begins with Palm Sunday when we remembered Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey. As he entered the city many people spread their cloaks on the road and waved palm branches on the first palm Sunday. With much joy and remembrance our ecumenical Walk of Witness began from St Andrews Church and ended at Bracknell Methodist Church. Everyone who participated waved palm branches and sang hymns of celebrations. The service was conducted jointly by our minister Rev Robin and Rev Andrew Frearson from St Andrews Church.
Andrew, Robin and members
On Maundy Thursday, we gathered to remember Jesus meeting with his disciples in the upper room. The first part of the service enacted Jesus kneeling before his disciples washing their feet. The service then moved on to the second major element which happened on that momentous evening, which of course was Holy Communion. Finally the service concluded with the re-enactment of the agony of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday, this was a reflective service which marked the arrest, trial and Death of Jesus. The service included hymns relating to that event, times of silence, prayers, and dramatised readings from the Bible.
Easter Sunday commenced with a light breakfast service followed by an Easter praise service at 10.30am. Both celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, the theme invited people to walk in the footsteps of Mary as she discovered the empty tomb and then finally encountered Jesus. Both services were led by our minister Rev Robin Selmes, which culminated in the empty cross being decorated with flowers and processed out of the church as a witness of our faith.
Display of Fairtrade Products in Foyer
Bracknell Methodist Church celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight from Sunday 22nd February to Sunday 8th March. We are proud to be a Fairtrade church. We strongly believe that the choices we make as consumers can improve the living conditions of small-scale farmers around the world. On Saturday 28th February we held a coffee morning with Traidcraft stalls. Over the two weeks we further supported and promoted Fairtrade by setting up a stall in the middle of our foyer which encouraged all our Mid-week groups to purchase Fairtrade products. Alongside this it also made them aware of the unfair trade rules which are currently in place in developing countries. This finally culminated in our Sunday worship on 8th March which had a Traidcraft feel with a local volunteer speaking to the congregation on fair trade products and the charity Traidcraft Exchange.
Jannine Ebenso with members
On the Saturday the women's fellowship held a coffee morning in aid of The Leprosy Mission. This included various bring and buy stalls including home made produce. Leprosy Mission is a charity that raises money to help sufferers of skin diseases such as leprosy, an illness that still affects thousands of people throughout the world. On the Sunday, we held an all age worship service around this same theme. This included an interview with Jannine Ebenso a leprosy Missionary now working as the disability adviser for the Leprosy Mission.
Party Fun was enjoyed by all
A belated New Year party was held on Saturday 17th January at the church. Members of the congregation came together for an enjoyable social evening which included a faith supper, some party games and "homegrown entertainment".
Christmas Fair in the Church Hall
On Saturday 29th November 2008 we enjoyed our Christmas Fair. We had a great variety of stalls including: books, bric-a-brac, Craft gifts, cakes and toys, Christmas decorations, tin-can alley, lucky dip, tombola with tea and cake refreshments. All the proceeds from each stall went towards the community organisation running it including the 6th Bracknell Scouts, Brownies and Rainbows, DEBRA and The Priestwood and Garth Good Neighbours Scheme. So a big thank you to everyone involved, organisers, stall holders and to those who came along to give their support. Here are just a few pictures from the afternoon.
Scouts help in the Hall 
The Wesley Room was very busy
All the fun of the dance
On Saturday 19th October, one of our Bracknell Methodist church charity of the year events saw many of us do-se-do-ing the night away at a Barn dance. With a professional band and callers, there was also a ploughmans supper and soft drinks were provided. Overall as well as raising money for the Charity "Debra" the barn dance provided a chance for everyone, regardless of age and ability, to have a good time.
All tucking in
Great food and fellowship was enjoyed by over seventy people from Bracknell Methodist Church and St Andrews to celebrate harvest. We also had a quiz thanks to St Andrews to keep us on our toes.
Helpers by the Tree of Life
The service was led by our minister Revd. Robin Selmes with the theme based around the "Tree of Life". Alongside this we had a splendid offering of harvest gifts which were taken to the Churches in Reading Drop in Centre (CIRDC). The centre is open Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays offering meals and access to a range of services and are offered free to those coming to the Centre (the guests), on a "Drop-In" basis, and without conditions or judgment.
Close up view of the Tree of Life 
The collected gifts
"Rhapsody Swing" in concert
On Saturday 6th September the Methodist Church held a free jazz concert. 'Rhapsody Swing' a local 5-piece jazz band, who have just completed a successful summer program were invited to perform. The concert was to help raise awareness for the Priestwood Good Neighbour Scheme which provides lifts for elderly people to surgeries and local hospitals.
Scouts look on as Robin tries to light the fire
This year 6th Bracknell Cub scouts, who meet at our church, had their summer camp at Chalfont Heights. They took part in a full range of activities, including archery, air rifles, potholing and pedal go-karts. Our minister, Rev Robin Selmes (pictured) joined them for two days, bringing hot sunshine with him. He joined in most of the activities, although he failed to earn any badges for his camp fire!
At Bracknell Methodist we always try and get our Junior Church involved in our worship. This special service was led entirely by them - they organised everything - the songs, Bible readings and prayers and gave us a very graphic account of the life of Joshua. We would like to thank them for doing this, which was the result of many weeks of preparation.
A busy Tea House
On Saturday 9th August the church hired the Tea House in the middle of the town centre. A wide selection of rolls and cakes were on sale, along with this there was also a Tombola and 'guess the teddy' competition. All proceeds went towards our charity of the year Debra. Debra provides care and support for people with EB (Epidermolsis Bullosa).
On Saturday 14th June Bracknell Methodist Church hosted the wedding of Vicky Bray and Adrian Drury. Vicky is no stranger to the church because as a teenager she attended the Girl Guides. Vicky then followed this up by helping with the 6th Bracknell Cub Scout pack before taking up the leadership reins of the Beaver pack for a few years.
The weather was kind and the service was led by our minister the Revd Robin Selmes. The service included the lighting of a unity candle which symbolized the merging of their lives to one relationship. The reception and evening disco took place at the Downshire Golf Club. The honeymoon was taken in Cyprus before the happy couple settled down to married life in Bracknell
