Shaw Church

Welcome

We are the Church of England parish of St Mary’s Shaw cum Donnington – just to the north and east of Newbury.

Our purpose and focus is Knowing Jesus, Sharing God’s Love, Caring for People.
You can read more about it here.

We meet every Sunday at 10am, as well as at other times during the week.
Everyone is welcome to join us.

Word for the Week

• Who is in Control?27 June 2025

  In my second year at university, I experienced something I will never forget. Late at night, I was sitting in my bed, reading, when the entire room began to vibrate. There was a low rumbling sound. It lasted for about 20 seconds or so, and the finished. I had witnessed an (incredibly minor) earthquake.

  I remember thinking during the earthquake that it was fine at the moment, but that if the vibrating grew into a more violent shaking, there was nothing I could do to control it. So often, we have an implicit faith in the power of technology to manage the world around us. But sometimes we encounter events that remind us that there are things technology cannot master.

  Today’s readings both feature storms, an increasingly regular feature of the effects of climate change. They, likewise, represent forces we are powerless to resist. Yet in both readings, God is at work, bringing about his purposed salvation. Might the storms of our times be a call back to him as well?

  Ed