Update on Sunday Worship

Sunday 2nd August

The Ninth Sunday After Trinity

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Saturday
6:00 pm Holy Communion at St Mary's, Easton Neston

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


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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 August

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Dear all,

Last Saturday I attended the Save the Parish conference at the church of St Bartholomew the Great, in London, and the launch of its manifesto for coming General Synod elections. The church was full and a series of speakers was heard together with a panel made up of General Synod members. Those who make up Save the Parish may disagree on all sorts of topics that divide the church ( LLF, net zero, project Spire…) but agree and are united in commitment, as they say, to Jesus Christ and to growing His church in this land.

The headline issue for Save the Parish is that the Church of England faces an existential crisis. Full-time clergy positions in parishes are at 6295 – a drop of 28% since 2000. Churches are being consolidated into larger and larger groups creating mega-parishes and mega-benefices – even up to 20 and 30 churches. And the third major issue is the abandonment of the poor – Church Action on Poverty shows that 40 % of closed churches fell within the 10% most deprived parishes. Save the Parish argues that decisions made by the central church have made matters worse not better.  With huge endowments being held at the centre there is a desire to see funds being used for their founding purpose – stipendiary parish ministry.

One speaker was Giles Fraser – the Anglian priest, journalist and broadcaster who contributes to Thought for the Day, Moral Maze, Unherd, and is vicar of St Anne’s Church, Kew. In his address he noted that despite an increase in younger people taking an interest in faith and turning up – the overall direction of the numbers is downwards.

Giles used, as he does in his latest BBC Radio 3-part series, a quote from Philip Larkin: 
https://thepoetryhour.com/poems/church-going/

A serious house on serious earth it is,
In whose blent air all our compulsions meet,
Are recognised, and robed as destinies.
And that much never can be obsolete,

He emphasised that for those who believe the Gospel to be true then it is life changing and asks us if we are faithful. An active and energised faith is infectious and can speak to others. It matters that this ‘serious house’, our parishes churches, continue to bear witness – to centuries of faith. The parish is the mission field and so helpful when churches are open.

Giles brought his talk to a close by commenting that people want – beauty, prayer, tradition and rootedness, and how can we contribute to this? With a final point that, as with the building, the role of the parish priest is to say, ‘thank you’. Save the Parish promotes the adoption of a ‘Churchgoers’ Charter’ that honours the volunteers who hold our parishes together.
With every blessing
 
Greg
 

Hymn for the Fallen performed by Michael Tinsley at Liverpool Cathedral 

We are hugely blessed to have very talented pianists and organists, in the Benefice.  On 19th July Michael Tinsley, one of the St Lawrence organists, had the opportunity to play the Liverpool Cathedral Organ. He played a varied programme of pieces including traditional organ pieces as well as some of his own arrangements. Please do listen the two pieces included in the mailing this week. 

Music Medley arranged and performed by Michael Tinsley at Liverpool Cathedral 

Ride, Stride and Drive
     
Saturday 12th September 2026

This is the new name for the Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust sponsored event taking place on Saturday 12^th September with churches in Northamptonshire taking part along with many more all over the country.  Participants plan a route to walk, cycle, horse ride or drive a car, on their own or in a group, visiting churches, many of which are open with people to welcome them and nearly all with basic free refreshments.  It was agreed at the recent AGM that participants should be allowed to drive between churches.  It is hoped that more older and less mobile supporters can take part and that many churches, especially those on busy roads or rather out of the way, will receive more visitors and more people will take delight in Northamptonshire’s beautiful churches.

St Lawrence Towcester is planning to be open between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm on the 12^th September and we are looking to set up a rota of people willing to spend an hour or two in the church to welcome any visitors.  Welcomers can be sponsored but it is not essential.  We are also hoping to have participants raising sponsorship by cycling, walking or driving (50% of the basic amount excluding Gift Aid is returned to the church of your choice).
I am planning to do four separate walks between some of the local and not so local churches and I already have someone who is going to walk with me.  We are happy if anyone else would like to join us for all or part of the day. I would also welcome sponsorship and will be putting a sponsor form in the Chantry Office.
Anyone interested in finding out more, please contact Val Hartley on 07511 636883 or val.e.hartley@btinternet.com
 
Other churches in the benefice are also taking part:-
St Michael, Bradden will be open, unmanned from10:00 am to 6:00 pm
St Mary, Easton Neston will be open with welcomers from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
St Bartholomew, Greens Norton will be open with welcomers from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, with refreshments.
 
There is information about NHCT and Ride, Stride and Drive on the NHCT website www.nhct.org.uk also showing photos of 2025 participants and their stories.

Worship for this coming week