Grace Church Caversham

30/01/2026

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A place to grow in Caversham. Encounter Jesus Christ in Reading, Berkshire.

12/12/2025

Christmas Services this year:

30/03/2024

Our Easter Sunday service is at 1030am tomorrow 31st March 2024 where we will be looking at the impact of Jesus' Resurrection for our lives today.All are welcome!

28/03/2024

You are very welcome to attend our Good Friday Service : An Empowering Pathway of Discipleship - The seven sayings of Jesus on the Cross. Speaker Keith Saynor

14/02/2024

"DID YOU LEARN TO LOVE?"

Today is 14th February which is widely celebrated as Valentine’s Day. But do you know the real story behind Valentine’s Day? Most sources believe that Saint Valentine’s Day began with a feast in honour of an early Christian martyr named Valentinus and that it is celebrated in mid-February to coincide with his burial.

Saint Valentinus is remembered as a loving, compassionate, courageous person who performed miraculous acts and focused on loving others. As I read about and reflected on his life I was reminded of Bob Jones, a prophet who also focused on love and once had a remarkable supernatural experience.

On August 8th 1975 he had an experience with death. During the time he was legally pronounced as dead, he stood in a queue awaiting entrance into Heaven. While waiting he heard Jesus Christ asking each person ahead of him the very same question. Jesus was asking, “Did you learn to love?” When Bob got to the front of the queue, the Lord told him that it wasn’t his time yet, and the prophet returned to life on earth with a new-found focus.

Bob was a prophet gifted by the Holy Spirit and subsequently had other divine supernatural experiences, but his life focus was summed up in these words: learning to love. There were three questions Bob would often ask:

• Did you learn to become like Him?
• Did you manifest His nature to others in your daily life?
• Did you lay down your life for your brother and prefer your neighbour before yourself?

We know that each of us is born again through faith in the finished works of Christ and not by works of righteousness, so that no one can boast before the throne (1 Corinthians 1:30-31). Bob Jones was not suggesting anything else. God is love, love is His essential nature and loving God and others is the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:36-40).

So this Valentine’s day, whilst you are spending time with the ones you love let me encourage you to ask yourself the question,” Have you learned to love?” Let me encourage you also to then pray that the Lord will strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit so that you will be deeply rooted and firmly established in love and as a result will be empowered to grasp “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,” (Ephesians 3:18) so that from the wealth of that foundation you will be more fully equipped to reach out with that same love to love others!

Keith Saynor
14th February 2024

25/12/2023

SERENITY AND SILENCE

We all know the story of the Nativity really well and have become familiar with the characters and all the elements that make up the narrative. But have you noticed it possesses a wonderful quality? There is a most powerful feature; it’s the aura of serenity and silence. At the moment of Christ’s birth it seems the whole world grew still and quiet.

At Christmas many people would like a break from the relentless pace of the modern life. Our world grows less still and less quiet. I sometimes think it would be nice to be transported back in time to the world of my childhood when the world was in ”black and white,” when summers lasted forever under clear blue skies and evening were long and full of light. I remember it as a time of less stress, less noise with holiday images of open fires with nothing to do but sit and watch the flames over a cup of hot chocolate. Silent Night remains a favourite Carol for many as it captures the serenity of the Nativity; a wishful plea for greater simplicity.

There is a good reason for this longing. Silence and Stillness are characteristics of the gift the angel proclaimed would arrive with the coming of Christ: peace on earth. (Luke 2:13) What we seek is peace; genuine, personal peace, to find comfort and rejuvenation in stillness.

Here’s the Good News: you can experience it! (John 14:27) God threw open the door of the Kingdom of heaven on earth never to be closed again. It’s an invitation that requires your active participation. The silence and stillness is there to experience, for you to step out and take them! You have to be willing to swim against the current of noisy commercialism and pointless busyness. This is an act of determined faith, to be free from the ways of the world and free to live by different values. Find a way this Christmas and during 2024 to make your personal stand for serenity, however small and you will be amazed how restful the result will be!

Keith Saynor
25th December 2023

24/12/2023

HEALING IN HIS LOVE

Musician and singer Jenn Bostic wrote the song "Jealous of the Angels," to honour her dad. Jenn comments on the song;” He passed away in a tragic car accident when I was ten years old. I remember saying that night that my one wish was to know that he was smiling down on me and that he was proud of me. That night I prayed. I prayed every night for two months that God would give me some sort of sign that my dad was smiling down on me. I didn't tell anyone what I was praying for, but I was believing God for a selfish answer. On Christmas Eve that year, my best friend in the world, who has been with me through everything, called me from Oregon at 7:15am in the morning to tell me about a dream she had had the night before. She said my dad was in her dream and said, "Please tell Jenn I'm so proud of her and that I'm at every one of her shows.”.

The song has spoken to and touched many, many people. In fact, a recent version of her song was performed by Donna Taggart has had 45 million views online with 1.2 million shares. It reached Number 1 in the ITUNES USA easy listening chart and is among the 50 most downloaded songs of all genres alongside Adele, Kate Perry and Beyonce. Jenn further comments “God is using this song to touch the hearts of those who have lost loved ones, to comfort them and to help them heal. I feel so blessed to be a part of it. The stories kept coming, I cannot count on two hands the amount of people who have come up to me in tears after a show telling them how much "Jealous of the Angels" touched them and exactly who it makes them think of.”

She sings in this wonderful song; “Longing for the day, when I see your face again. But until then God must need another angel around the throne tonight, your love lives on inside of me and I will hold on tight, it’s not my place to question, only God knows why, I’m just jealous of the angels around the throne tonight.” Amongst the emotions of sadness and loss of a loved one this is a beautiful picture of worship around the throne of God where loved ones who have gone before us stand surrounded by God’s love for them, safe in His present. It’s a song that reflects the comfort that God brings us at times of bereavement. This Christmas, if you have recently lost someone close or have lost someone during any stage of your life, as you reflect on this and think of them, let me encourage you to listen to Jenn’s song (available on YouTube) and allow God to minister, hope, comfort, peace and healing to you.

Keith Saynor
24th December 2023

23/12/2023

ENDLESS LOVE TO REDEEM AND RESCUE

One of my favourite Christmas songs is ‘Fairytale of New York,’ by the Pogues, written by Shane MacGown and featuring both MacGown and Kirsty MacColl on vocals. I have had folk, with their thoughts on songs such as ‘White Christmas,’ Last Christmas’ and ‘all I want for Christmas is you,’ say to me that it’s not much of a Christmas song; yet after 30 years it is considered by many to be the best Christmas song ever.

Dorian Lynskey comments in his article in the Guardian (6th December 2012); “Once upon a time a band set out to make a Christmas song. Not about snow or sleigh rides or mistletoe or miracles, but lost youth and ruined dreams. A song in which Christmas is as much the problem as it is the solution. A kind of anti-Christmas song that ended up being, for a generation, the Christmas song.” So why is this song about lost youth and ruined dreams so popular with so many people over such a length of time?

It’s a song written about mutual friends living in New York in the 1940’s. One is homeless, and one is a heavy drinker. They have argued, disagreed and fallen out with one another. The song is a duet causing the listener to think of lost dreams, disappointment and missed opportunities.

Lynskey comments; ”The song's brilliance is sealed by its final verse when MacGowan protests, "I could have been someone", and MacColl shoots back: "Well, so could anyone." Then MacColl accuses, "You took my dreams from me," and MacGowan responds, with all the warmth he's been withholding: "I kept them with me babe/I put them with my own." So in its final iteration the chorus is no longer a tauntingly ironic reminder of better times but the tentative promise of reconciliation. "You really don't know what is going to happen to them," says MacGowan. "The ending is completely open."

This is a song of hope for all; the outsiders, the underdogs, for those with broken dreams, the disappointed, the ones who have messed up, for those who have lost hope and for those who have been beaten down by life. It’s a song that connects emotionally with its listeners, one at Christmas that can be related to. It’s a song that relates to folk dealing with difficulties.

It’s a song that reminds me that God left the Majesty of Heaven for all of us to help us with all life throws at us, to bring hope and open up options and opportunities for us. This starts when we are reconciled with God; “ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (Romans 5;10-11).

Jesus came to restore our relationship with God the Father. All things are possible when we respond to His offer of reconciliation, as we are able to enter into a wonderful intimate relationship with God, drawn on the endless love He has for us which will help us in our relationship with others; to bring reconciliation in those relationships where necessary ( 2 Corinthians 5:18) and to love others ( Mark 12 30-31). From this moment on your life has an ‘open ending.’ With God we have endless opportunities;“ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Keith Saynor
23rd December 2023

22/12/2023

"THAT'S RIGHT VICAR LET'S BAN OUR LYING,OPPRESSIVE CAROLS."

I once read an article in one of the national newspapers which had the headline: “That’s right, vicar, let’s ban our lying, oppressive carols.” A vicar in Dorset has banned his congregation from singing ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ because the words of the carol do not reflect a present day Bethlehem which, in his opinion is struggling under the yoke of imperialist Israeli oppression. The line he particularly objects to is ‘how still we see you lie.’ I am sure the vicar has thought through his line of reasoning concerning his views on modern day Bethlehem. However his action to ban the carol seems misguided and misses the point. The song is not about modern day Bethlehem. To quote the article: “The song is really about the birth of hope for mankind, Bethlehem itself being an incidental detail.” If you re read the words (which are familiar to a lot of us) you will find that they centre on the birth of Jesus and are absolutely packed with hope. Surely we should not be banning anything that speaks of this part of God’s story and the hope that Jesus’ arrival in our world means for all of us.

It is easy enough to lose the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of everything else that goes on during the festive season without imposing a ban on something which helps communicate God’s truth; “The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory--because at the Father's will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.” J.I.Packer

Hope is the astonishing message announced by the choirs of angels (Luke 2: 13-14) and one which resonates as a bright and steady light shining into our lives!

Keith Saynor
22nd December 2023

The article referenced above appeared in the Sunday Times on 14th December 2008 and was written by Rod Liddle.

21/12/2023

WHAT CAN I GIVE TO JESUS?

Christmas and giving go hand in hand. Over the years we will have given and received many presents. All across the world, families and friends give presents to each other. Most children around the world believe in a Christmas gift bringer of one description or another. Some believe in St. Nicholas who is better known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. In Germany they believe that it is the Christkind (A little angel like person). In Iceland they believe it’s Jólasveinn ( the Yule Man), in Puerto Rico and Spain they believe it is the Wise Men and in Italy they believe it is an old lady called Befana.

The main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas, is to remind us of the presents given to Jesus by the Magi: Frankincense, Gold and Myrrh. There is a clue here as to what we can bring to Jesus. They brought Frankincense, a perfume used in Jewish worship and, as a gift, it showed that people would worship Jesus. They brought Gold which was associated with Kings to declare that Jesus is the King of Kings. They brought Myrrh, a perfume that was put on dead bodies to make them smell better and, as a gift, it showed that Jesus would suffer and die.
So, if we are giving presents this year I have a question for you; what will you give to Jesus? It’s a question Matt Redman asks in one of his songs;
“Jesus, what can I give, what can I bring to so faithful a Friend, to so loving a King? “ And as he ponders this question he came to a conclusion as to what he could bring;

“ I will offer up my life in spirit and truth
Pouring out the oil of love, as my worship to you
In surrender I must give my every part
Lord, receive this sacrifice of a broken heart.”

Let me encourage you to do the same, to come to Him bringing your worship to the ‘King of Kings’ and submitting every area of your life to Him. After all, Christmas itself is really about the biggest present that we could ever receive; Jesus! In giving us Jesus, God demonstrated the great love He has for each one of us personally 'God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him may not be lost but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ).When we realise the abundant and eternal life Jesus gives us as a gift what can stop us responding by submitting our lives fully to Him and bowing before Him in worship!

Keith Saynor
December 21st 2023

20/12/2023

ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE WHERE DO THEY ALL COME FROM

The 1966 Beatles song Eleanor Rigby tells the story of two lonely people; Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie and contains the famous line “All the lonely people, where do they all come from?” Paul McCartney, in an interview in GQ magazine in 2018 said that when he was young he sat listening to the stories of elderly ladies as they talked about their experiences during World War 2. One of these ladies he used to help with her shopping as she could not get out of her house and he was struck by how lonely she was, He said; “ over the years I’ve met a couple of others and maybe the loneliness made me empathise with them.” He continued; “Eleanor Rigby was like writing a short story and it was basically on these old ladies I had known as a kid.”

I have learnt over the years that loneliness is not the absence of people, it is the absence of intimacy. Loneliness does not come from being alone but from feeling alone; feeling as if you are facing things alone. Feeling that you are facing the day alone, facing Illness alone, facing the future alone and facing death alone. Whether it comes when you are alone at home or in a crowd, loneliness cries out, “I feel alone,” and comes with this question; “Does anyone care?”

The good news is that God does not want us to be alone. He left the Throne room to be with us; Emmanuel-God with us (Isaiah 7:14) The Throne room was opened, and God came to us. He offers to be our travelling companion throughout this life. When we put our trust in Him His promise is that we will know a fullness of life with Him that will transcend death into eternity. ( John 10:10)

One of the wonderful truths of scripture we can discover is the Lord is with us. (Psalm 23:4)That truth and revelation changes everything for us. You may be facing difficulties, but you are not facing them alone. You may be experiencing ill health, but you are not facing these issues alone.

You may be facing an uncertain future, but you are not facing it alone. Even when you are facing death, you are not alone.When fear comes, raises its head, and tells you that you will face the rest of your days alone you can turn to God and proclaim the truth of Psalm 23:4;“You are with me.” And as you do so, you will find that God answers that question; “Does anyone care?” He is the one who is with you and the one who cares for you more than you realise.

Allow God to wrap His arms of love around you, when you do it changes everything and you will then make a second discovery; God’s love is perfect and “perfect love casts out all fear.”(1 John 4:18 NKJV.) The fear of being alone will go and you will be able to walk in a close and intimate relationship with God himself walking with you in every situation of life. Each day you can turn to Him and declare; “You are with me!”

Keith Saynor
20th December 2023

19/12/2023

ONE DAY IN YOUR LIFE

In 1980 I bought a Lambretta 150GP Scooter and loved riding it. I was very much into the MOD revival music, fashion and scooter scene which was happening at that time. I still own a Lambretta today. At that time one of my favourite bands were Secret Affair. They still tour today and I saw them recently in Guildford, Surrey. Whilst they were playing their song ‘ One day (in your life)’ I was struck by the line; “ One day you’ll find out the reason you are here.” I looked around the room full of MODS now in their sixties and wondered if they had found out their purpose in life.

As I reflected on this question I thought of Joseph. Matthew in his gospel describes Joseph as a ‘just man;’ “Then Joseph, Mary’s husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” (Matthew 1:19) Joseph was chosen by God to be Jesus’ earthly father and to look after Mary and Jesus. He laid aside his own plans for his pregnant fiancée and the son she carried and in doing so madea big decision. He put God’s plans ahead of his own

The Bible gives each one of us a wonderful promise; “It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.” (Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG)

God knew exactly what he was doing when he chose Joseph and He knows exactly what He is doing when He chooses you and me. Our challenge is the same one Joseph faced; will we put God’s plans for our lives ahead of our own? If we do we really will discover “ the reason why we’re here!”

Keith Saynor
19th December 2023