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Serving the communities of Charvil, Sonning & Sonning Eye since 1869The Parish Magazine — February 2026 1MagazineParish Te18692026Serving Charvil, Sonning and Sonning EyeThe John King Trophyand Gold AwardBest Magazine 2018National Parish MagazineAwardsBest Overall 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023Best Content 2016, 2021Best Editor 2019Best Print 2018information — 1Contents February 2026THE VICAR'S Letter, 5THE parish noticeboard— Candlemas, 7— How to make your Christingle, 7— For your prayers, 7— Lent 2026, 9— Tempting thoughts, 9— The Archbishop of Canterbury, 12— The persecuted Church, 13— Claude on the street, 15— From the editor's desk, 15— 2001 A Space Odyssey, 17— Archbishop welcomes travellers,17FEATURE— Swimming round New York, 20-21Around the Villages— FoStAC Quiz night, 19— The Scarecrows are coming, 19,— Coffee and Chat,19— Brambles animals, 19— Sonning Glebe WI, 19— Heart Month, 19— RSPCA fund raiser, 19— Sonning School celebrations, 23— Phil Mason's animal world, 24— FoStAC Bourne Again Shadows, 24— STAY youth service, 24HOME & GARDEN— Afoot in the garden, 25— Look out for thieves, 25THE ARTS— St John's Chapel Adel, 27— Book Reviews, 27HISTORY— Was it really? 29LANGUAGE— Contonyms, 29FASHION— Fun and Romance, 31This ISSUE's FRONT COVERTheParishMagazineFebruary 2026 — Candlemas and Lent157Image: Peter RennieEDITORIAL DEADLINEThe editorial deadline for every issueof The Parish Magazine is 12 noon onthe sixth day of the month prior to thedate of publication.The deadline for the March 2026issue of The Parish Magazine is:Friday 6 February at 12 noonRecent issues of The Parish Magazinecan also be read online athttps://theparishmagazine.co.ukFor access to The Parish Magazinearchives which holds copies of themagazine from 1869, please contact:editor@theparishmagazine.co.ukYEARSThe church of st andrew, SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OFCHARVIL, SONNING and sonning eye SINCE THE 7 th CENTURYThe Parish Magazine — February 2026 3Services inSt Andrew'sChurch SonningSunday 1 February— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)— 10.30am Family Service— 4.00pm EvensongSunday 8 February— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)— 10.30am Parish Eucharist withSunday Club— 6.00pm STAY Youth ServiceSunday 15 February— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)— 10.30am Parish Eucharist— 3.00pm Messy Church in The ArkSunday 22 February— 8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)— 10.30am Parish Eucharist withSTAY and Sunday Club— 5.45pm Sunday at Six in The ArkOTHER REGULAR SERVICESMid-week Communion in The Ark isheld every Wednesday at 10.00am. Teaand coffee follows the service.Home Communion at SonningGardens Care Home is held on the firstMonday of each month at 11.00am.HEALTH— Men's health, 33— Remembering names, 31— Keeping healthier, 31PUZZLE PAGE, 35CHILDREN'S PAGE, 37INFORMATION— Church services, 3— From the registers, 3— Classified, 36— Parish contacts, 38— Advertisers' index, 38From the RegistersBAPTISMS— Sunday 14 December, Phoebe Harvey, and Rosie Giles— Sunday 4 January, Thomas James MillsFUNERALS— Monday 8 December, Lynda Jane Coldwell, Funeral service inSt Andrew's Church followed by Cremation at Reading Crematorium— Tuesday 23 December, Frank Leighton Glasspool, Funeral service inSt Andrew's Church followed by Cremation at Reading Crematorium