This is a text-only version of an article first published on Friday, 14 March 2014. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
A YEAR of celebrations are underway for the 150th anniversary of a church built at the request of a proprietor of the Times newspaper.
St Paul's Church, Wokingham, was built and enowed to the people of Wokingham by John Walter III of Bearwood, a barrister and MP, in memory of his first wife, Emily.
He was proprietor of the Times between 1847 and 1894. The Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Andrew Proud, was the first guest preacher at a choral Evensong in January.
The Ven. Norman Russell, former Archdeacon of Berkshire, and his successor, the Ven.
Olivia Graham, are among those lined up to preach at nine special Evensong services.
There are also four big weekends, starting in the middle of March, with a churchyard clean, Lent soup lunch and party.
A patronal and choir weekend takes place over 28 and 29 June with current and former members of St Paul's Choir. A Foundation Weekend on 19 and 20 July will include Love Wokingham with acts of service and kindness in the community on Saturday and Bishop John preaching and presiding at the Sunday morning mass.
There will be a Church Family Weekend on 18 and 19 October, with a focus on baptism.
St Paul's is hoping to invite back people who have either moved away or stopped attending regularly.
Throughout Saturday there will be a Big Draw Art Weekend.
There are plans to create a new lighting system.
A spokesman said: "Working with the Oxford Diocese and English Heritage, we will be concentrating on what the new lighting system needs to do and on raising the funds to make the lighting in Church more effective and more impressive. "A range of smaller projects have already been achieved like the 150th Anniversary Church Prayer, the logo and wall calendar.
The children's corner is being refurbished, new church vistas are being created and a date has yet to be confirmed for Beating the Bounds, welcoming the Wokingham Arts Trail in September as a new venue. Fr Richard Lamey, Rector, said: "So 2014 is now upon us and it is very exciting! We shall make this a year to remember, a year in which we build stronger links with our community, restore old friendships and move confidently into the future God has prepared for us. "