Update on Sunday Worship

Sunday 18th October

The Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

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Sunday
  9:15 am   Family Communion at St Lawrence, Towcester
10:15 am   Benefice Sunday Worship via Zoom
11:15 am   Holy Communion at St Bartholomew's, Greens Norton 
  2:30 pm   Baptism at St Lawrence, Towcester
  4:00 pm   Alternative Worship at St Lawrence, Towcester


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Our weekly news contains details of services for this and next weekend, as well as daily bible readings, prayer requests and notices for forthcoming events. . 

Looking ahead to events and services that are happening please do look at the monthly calendar for October

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Dear all,

In our reading from 1 Thessalonians this Sunday, Paul gives thanks for the people of Thessalonica, remembering their “work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope.” I've been thinking about those words this week, and how much they reflect some of the lovely things I see happening across our ministry.

Faith was something that really struck me at our Faith, Fun and Food gathering last Sunday. We were all sitting together, Bibles open, exploring our faith and asking questions. Some were quite simple questions about a word or something we'd read, while others were much bigger questions about God and what it means to believe. What I found really lovely was how accepting everyone was of each other, recognising that we're all at different stages of our faith journey and that no question is off limits. And that same care for one another carried through into the fun afterwards, with the young people sharing, laughing and simply enjoying being together.

Love is something I see every week in our preschool groups. There's a real sense of friendship and support between the adults, and it's lovely to see how naturally the children reflect that care for one another. When we're getting ready for our time together, it's often the children who help put out the cushions and make sure everyone has somewhere to sit. Some of these little helpers are only two years old! They're already learning that being part of a community means looking out for one another.

Hope is something I see in our lunchtime wellbeing group at Sponne School. For some young people, having somewhere they can come back to each week, where they feel welcome and comfortable enough to begin conversations, is really important. Sometimes hope begins simply with knowing that someone cares, is there to listen, and is happy just to be with them.

Something else that stayed with me from Faith, Fun and Food was a conversation about different Bible translations, particularly the difference between doing something constantly and doing it unceasingly. Constantly sounds like something that just keeps happening, whereas unceasingly suggests something that takes a little more effort — something we have to choose to keep doing, or it might stop. I rather liked that thought. Faith, love and hope don't just happen by themselves. We need to keep making time for them, and for one another.

Perhaps worship is part of that too. Making time to be with God, and finding different ways to explore and express our faith, matters. This Sunday, alongside our usual pattern of services, our Alternative Worship at St Lawrence's offers another opportunity to do just that. There'll be refreshments from 4 pm, with informal worship beginning around 4.20 pm, drawing on St Luke's Gospel. Everyone is very welcome.

As we go into another week, perhaps we can look for those little moments of faith, love and hope around us, and think about what we can do to help them keep growing.

With every blessing,

Sarah


I need to share some sad news. The Rev'd Arthur Hughes died peacefully at home on Tuesday evening. His health deteriorated really quite quickly over the previous couple of weeks yet the quickness of his death did come as a shock. When we shared communion and a time of prayer last week Arthur knew that he was approaching the end yet was hopeful and thankful for his life. We will hear more at his funeral of how his long life of service touched so many people. Funeral details will be communicated in due course. 

Our second Alternative Worship will be on Sunday 18th October at 4:00 pm, refreshments with worship starting at about 4.20 pm. Themes will come from some words of St Luke' gospel whose saints day it is. This Gathering has a more informal feel and we shall be singing some worship songs, and praying with opportunity for prayer ministry.

All Souls’ Day, following All Saints’ Day, is the day when the church traditionally remembers those who have died, and prays for them by name. In the Tove Benefice this is offered in a Service of Light during which there will be an opportunity to light candles in memory of those who have died. As the years pass, we still miss those who have died so this annual service is an opportunity to gather and hear and sing comforting words and give thanks for those who are loved but no longer physically with us. 

The service will be held at St Lawrence’s Church, Towcester on Sunday 1^st  November at 4.00 pm.

The service has a simple format and will comprise hymns, Bible reading, poem, prayers for the bereaved and an address in addition to the lighting of candles. All are most welcome to attend and to remember someone who has died recently or a further time ago.

Loved ones who have died in our Benefice in the last year will be remembered by name in the service.  If there is anyone else who has died and whose name you would like to be read out, please call the Benefice Office on 01327 350459 to let us know or write their name on the list that will be near the entrance to the church, with one of our helpers, when you arrive at the service.

We will be lighting candles as our way of giving thanks and remembering individual people.

With every Blessing,

Greg
 

Light Party Volunteers 

We are looking for volunteers for this event, please contact Sarah Barnet at tovefamilies@gmail.com if you are able to help out at all.

Forthcoming Events


 

Worship for this coming week