Weekly News

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

22nd March 2026

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Welcome
If you are new to this church, it is lovely that you can join us today. We produce this information on a weekly basis which you can 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

Thank you for visiting the Tove Benefice website.

We are currently reviewing our approach to communications and would appreciate your feedback.  We would particularly like to know if this is your first visit or you are a regular visitor to the website.  It would also be helpful to understand what it was you were looking to find out.

Please contact us using the Your Comments page, by email to 360musafa@gmail.com, or by contacting the Tove Benefice Office.



Subscribe to our weekly Newsletter here.



 

The Collect
Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Post Communion
Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us that what we do for the least of our brothers and sisters we do also for you: give us the will to be the servant of others as you were the servant of all, and gave up your life and died for us, but are alive and reign, now and for ever. Amen.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading:  Ezekiel 37: 1 – 14
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you and will cause flesh to come upon you and cover you with skin and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” So I prophesied as I had been commanded, and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people, and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”

New Testament Reading:  Romans 8: 6 - 11
To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law—indeed, it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, then the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.

Gospel:  John 11: 1 – 45
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather, it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now trying to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble because they see the light of this world. But those who walk at night stumble because the light is not in them.” After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, some two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary and told her privately, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come to the village but was still at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her in the house consoling her saw Mary get up quickly and go out. They followed her because they thought that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did 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
David Shield
(Miss) Christine Williams

Sick
Tilly
Connie Cowley
Barbara Townsend
Caroline Hunt
Richard Watts
John Smith 

Rest In Peace
Stanley Judd
Brian Manning
Jean Coleman
Roger Howe
Dave Riecken

Banns  
Giorgos Markitanis and Anna Oreszczyn at St Lawrence, Towcester

Benefice Notices

St Lawrence Easter Lilies 
If you would like to donate money for Easter lilies in memory of a loved one, please leave your donation at the Benefice Office in an envelope, written clearly with the names of those you wish to be remembered.


Clocks Change
Reminder that clocks go forward on Sunday, 29th March 2026 (Palm Sunday)


Palm Sunday Benefice Service in Bradden 
Due to circumstances beyond our control we have not been able to find a pony to lead our procession. But we will still walk and sing gathering at the Village Hall and walking to the church. Meet just after 10:00 am.

Palm Sunday 
Revd Greg is looking for readers for the Passion Reading & anyone who would like to take part please speak with him.

Changes to times of services
Please note from March the zoom Morning Prayer will move from 9:00 am Monday to Thursday to 8:15 am, (the Saturday Morning Prayer will remain at 9:00 am) and Holy Communion on the first Tuesday of the month will move from 9:00 am to 8:15 am.

Vergers for Baptisms
We are always looking for vergers for baptisms. If you or anyone you know would like to become a verger please contact the office on 01327 350459.

Soup, Sandwich and a Social Chat 
The last one before the summer break will take place on Tuesday 24th March. Please come to join us for lunch in the Chantry House from 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm. A small donation would be appreciated. Please speak to Gail or Eileen for more details.

Bradden 
There will be a tea and cake afternoon in aid of Parkinsons UK on Wednesday 25th March 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Bradden Village Hall. Soft drinks and cake will be served along with a raffle and a showing of Margaret and Emma’s TV adventure as they step into The Yorkshire Auction House.
In aid of Parkinsons UK. We do hope you will be able to join us.

Renew169 are looking to run a Wellbeing group in collaboration with Sponne School on Friday afternoons. They are arranging a volunteer information evening at Renew169 on Thursday 19th March from 6.30 pm to 8.00 pm where there will be drinks and nibbles to find out more about this proposed project and volunteering for Renew169 in general.

Good Friday 
Calling all actors! Churches Together are planning a Good Friday retelling of the Easter story in the Market Square, and everyone is welcome (there will be Crème Eggs!). We’re looking for people willing to take part - there are a few speaking roles and plenty of non-speaking parts to help bring the story to life. If you can help, please speak to Revd Paula or Revd Nigel.

Services for Holy Week and Easter
On Tuesday of Holy Week there are services of Light, Hope and Healing.
Tuesday 31st March: 12:00 noon at St Bartholomew's; and 7.30 pm at St Lawrence. Jane Jakes writes ‘Healing takes many forms and is broader than a physical cure; it is a time to restore our wholeness and find peace. Then to spend time is quiet reflection bringing to God our prayers not only for physical ills, but our emotional and spiritual needs. This year, as well as words and music, the invitation to laying on of hands and anointing with oil, we will be surrounded by a beautiful candle display. Do come and join us, and amidst the candles be led out of the darkness of suffering, into the glorious Light of Christ.’

On Thursday of Holy Week, 2nd April 7.30 pm at St Lawrence, we have our Maundy Thursday service. The word Maundy comes from the Latin 'mandatum' which means 'commandment'. We commemorate the day when Jesus gives his followers the new commandment that we should love one another as he has loved us. This commandment is shown symbolically when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, and is shown supremely in the institution of the Eucharist, when Jesus symbolically foretells his death by breaking bread to represent his body which will be broken on the cross on Good Friday, and by pouring wine to represent his shed blood.

In Thursday’s ancient Liturgy of the Church we are privileged both to receive the Sacrament of Jesus’ body and blood in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, and also to be reminded of his dramatic act of service by the re-enactment of the Washing of Feet by the presiding priest and twelve members of the congregation. At the end of the service the church is stripped bare of all ornaments, save for the beautiful Altar of Repose, on which is placed the Blessed Sacrament. A watch of prayer follows, as we take our turn watching and praying with Jesus in his agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. We are invited to feel free to come and go and to stay in prayer as long as we would like.

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