Weekly News

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Weekly News

19th January 2025
 
Second Sunday of Epiphany

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 Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Post Communion
God of glory, you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life: fill us with your Holy Spirit that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 62: 1 – 5
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a beautiful crown in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her and your land Married, for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

New Testament Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 1 – 11
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were gentiles you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of powerful deeds, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

Gospel: John 2: 1 - 11
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the person in charge of the banquet.” So they took it. When the person in charge tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), that person called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

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
Christine Williams

Benefice Notices

Week of prayers for Christian Unity
7:00 pm on 21st January at St Thomas More Church.
Led by the Methodist Church, please do consider joining us.

Towcester Christmas Tree Festival
Thank you to all who contributed to or visited this year’s Christmas Tree Festival in St Lawrence Church. We had over 25 trees decorated from across the community, which were mostly themed to Narnia. £257 was raised for church funds, and £125 was raised for Ukraine Children’s Aid, for which Barbara Booker and Mel are personally grateful for.

Sponne Wellbeing 
Last call for short, simple games such as Jenga, Dominoes, Dobble, Pictionary, Connect 4, Guess Who or even packs of cards - anything that is quick and easy to play for the joint wellbeing project starting with Year 7 & 8 at Sponne in January courtesy of Churches Together.

The next Men at the Bull
Meeting will be Wednesday 22nd January.

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.

Christianity Explored
This 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.

Please click here, or on the image, for This Months Services