Weekly News

Rector: Revd Paula Challen
01327 350459 rector.tovebenefice@gmail.com
Associate Priest: Revd Greg Roberts
01156 461770 TheRevdGregRoberts@outlook.com
Assistant Curate: The Revd Nigel Clent
  tovecurate@gmail.com
Children & Families: Sarah Barnett
07813 404061 tovefamilies@gmail.com
Benefice Safeguarding: Stephanie Watts
07553 157175  
Benefice Office: Sara and Michelle
01327 350459 tovebeneficeoffice@gmail.com

Benefice Office Opening Hours
Monday to Friday -  9:30 am to 1.00 pm

Weekly News

16th February 2025
 
Third Sunday before Lent

Welcome
If you are new to this church, it is lovely that you can join us today. We produce this sheet on a weekly basis which you can also have emailed to you along with other information about the benefice. If you would like to go onto our regular mailing list please call 01327 350459 or email tovebeneficeoffice@gmail.com

The Collect
Eternal God, whose Son went among the crowds and brought healing with his touch: help us to show his love, in your Church as we gather together, and by our lives as they are transformed into the image of Christ our Lord.


Post Communion
Merciful Father, who gave Jesus Christ to be for us the bread of life, that those who come to him should never hunger: draw us to the Lord in faith and love, that we may eat and drink with him at his table in the kingdom, where he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.


Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 17: 5 – 10
New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 12 – 20
Gospel: Luke 6: 17 – 26

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 17: 5 – 10
Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit. The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse—who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 15: 12 – 20
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

Gospel: Luke 6: 17 – 26
He came down with them and stood on a level place with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them. Blessings and Woes Then he looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.




Please click here (or on the image) for This Weeks Daily Readings

 

Benefice Prayers 

We pray for those who are sick at this time and remember those who have recently died and pray for their families:

Continuing Prayers for
Lynne Linney

Sick
Tim Lewis                     
Gill Lindsay
Ann Taylor 

David Shield   
Janet Drury
Nai Piper
Richard Pelly


Rest In Peace
Lilian Bond
Michael Loosley
Claire Brookbanks
James Payne
Ursula Bear
Joan Bodily
Rosie Brown

Benefice Notices

The Prayer Course
Starts on Tuesday 11th February. Our Lent course for this year, we will be running two sessions on Tuesdays, at 10am – 11:30am and in the evening at 7:30 – 9pm for 8 weeks at the Chantry House. 2025 is a Year of Prayer in our diocese and an opportunity to immerse ourselves in prayer and its different forms, some with more words, some with fewer or indeed none. All the resources are online https://prayercourse.org/about/ The themes for each session are: Why Pray, Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Unanswered Prayer,
Contemplation, Listening, and Spiritual Warfare. Life, including church life can be very busy. We try to do more and more thinking that it will help us achieve our goals. It is easy for prayer to be squeezed out. I hope that these times will help us to pause and focus on God and our prayer lives. For more information call the Benefice office on 01327 350459, or email tovebeneficeoffice@gmail.com


All You Need Is Love Concert
On Saturday 15th February at 7:30 pm in St Lawrence Church, there will be a joint concert performed by Towcester Studio Band and the Songbirds. The concert coincides with the 3rd Anniversary of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, and half of ticket sales plus all other funds raised (raffle, refreshments, gifts) will go to our Ukraine Aid efforts. Tickets £10 on the door.
Raffle items - needed for the “All You Need is Love” studio Band Concert on Saturday 15th February, benefiting Ukraine aid activities. If you have any bottles, chocolates or smellies from Christmas that you wish to regift them please drop them in to the Chantry House or to the Vicarage. Thank you, Steve


Cake and Biscuit
Donations are being sought for the “All You Need is Love” Ukraine aid fundraising concert which is in St Lawrence next Saturday 15th Feb. Please drop any donations into the Chantry House by Friday 14th. Thank you.

Ash Wednesday Services will be taking place on the 5th March 10:15am at St Lawrence, Towcester and 7:30pm at St Bartholomew’s, Greens Norton.

Churches Together - Will be presenting World Day of prayer service which has been written by women in The Cook Islands. It will be held at St Thomas Church Meeting Lane 11am on March 7th. All are welcome and refreshments will be served after the service.

Bishop’s Day - 8th March
10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Caroline Chisholm School Northampton this year is entitled Lord, Teach us to Pray - Prayer Study Day. Bishop John Stroyan, one of the assistant bishops in the diocese, will be leading the day. To book your place please use the diocese website or ask a member of clergy to help you.

Benefice Mothering Sunday Family Service 
30th March 10:15am
We will be having a at St Lawrence Church Towcester. Bishop Debbie will be preaching and presiding at this all age service.


Clothing and Rags 
Recycling fundraising at St Lawrence now being accepted until Sunday 30th March. Clothes, belts, bags and shoes. No Bedding items. Donations in church or to the Vicarage garage. Thank you.

Churches of St Bartholomew’s Greens Norton, St Lawrence Towcester, St Mary’s Easton Neston and St Michaels Bradden
Preparation of a New Electoral Roll
Under the direction of the Church of England the Electoral Roll has to be completely renewed every six years rather than revising the existing roll. 2025 is a year in which a new Roll is to be prepared. At the beginning of March, we will inform you of the dates when the new roll, for each of our churches will be opened.
If you are currently on the Electoral Roll, you MUST complete and return a new form by the deadline to be included on the new one. We are trialling a new way of compiling the Electoral Roll this year using our iKnow database. So the forms will be available in electronic format as well as paper copy. All completed forms need to be returned to the Benefice Office so that they can be added to the system and distributed to the Electoral Roll Office for each church. This new Roll will stand until 2031 and whilst there will be periods of time during these six years when the Roll is closed (approaching the Annual Meeting’s), applications to join can be made anytime outside of these closures. Please look out for the forms from the beginning of March 2025.
Thank you. The Electoral Roll Officers of the Benefice


Christianity Explored
Christianity ExploredThis is an informal and relaxed 8 week course. It is for anyone who wants to think more about the meaning of life. It is run by ordinary Christian people local to you and is completely free. You don’t need to know anything about the Bible, and you won’t be asked to pray or sing! You can ask any question you like or just sit and listen… oh, we also provide a 2-course meal for you before the discussion! The course is facilitated by Churches Together in Towcester and will run from Thursday 30th January and every Thursday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Tove Valley Centre. For more information call the Benefice office on 01327 350459, email info@tvbf.co.uk or scan the QR code





RIP Diary 
This is now in church please indicate with a tick if you would like your loved one/relative to be remembered, or add new.


Communion
Please can we ask and remind people to refrain from dipping (intinction) their wafer into the wine when receiving communion. Those administering the chalice do not wish to cause upset at the communion rail. The reason for non-dipping policy is on the bishop’s advice and twofold: firstly one of hygiene and secondly because we have members who are gluten intolerant. If you feel unable to receive the wine from the chalice then receiving in one kind means you are making a valid communion. Thank you for your understanding.

Easton Neston Church and Churchyard visitors
If you have previously registered your number plate for access to visit St Mary's Easton Neston Church and Churchyard and it is not working the gate, please would you let Bev know on 01327 354385.

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