Weekly News

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

1st February 2026

The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

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.
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The Collect
God our creator, who in the beginning commanded the light to shine out of darkness: we pray that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ may dispel the darkness of ignorance and unbelief, shine into the hearts of all your people,
and reveal the knowledge of your glory in the face of 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
Generous Lord, in word and eucharist we have proclaimed the mystery of your love: help us so to live out our days that we may be signs of your wonders in the world; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading:  1 Kings 17: 8 - 16
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

NewTestament Reading:  1 Corinthians 1: 18 - end
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of the proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews ask for signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

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
Linda Wibley
William Ironmonger

Sick
Bob Upton
Tilly
Revd Arthur Hughes
Connie Cowley
Caroline Hunt
Brian Manning
Shannon Moore

Rest In Peace
Jock Hillyer
Derek Walsh
Pamela Gardner
Les Lefever

Benefice Notices

Snowdrop Saturday 31st January 2026
Come and view the snowdrops and cyclamen in St Bartholomew's churchyard. Plants for sale including snowdrops gathered from the churchyard. Hot drinks and homemade cakes or tea cakes available in the church with a quiz and children’s activity. Teas available 10:00 am to 12:00 noon and  2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Bible Study Group 
It is not too late to join the Bible Study Group on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm. We will be following a booklet published by The Good Book Company which are available from the Chantry House (at £4 per copy). If you don't get one we can still accommodate you.

Men at The Mill
Our next meetings will be on 25th February, 25th March and 22nd April. Please put these dates in your diary and make strenuous efforts to join us. All men are welcome whether you have been before or not.

Soup, Sandwich and a Social Chat
Tuesday 3rd February.
We invite you 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.

Do you have a spare room and would benefit from some extra company/ income?
Liudmyla came to the UK from Ukraine almost 4 years ago, and due to a change in her hosts circumstances is looking for a new temporary host. Liudmyla, 67, is well known to us, being related to our Ukrainian friends and aid volunteers here in Towcester, Oleh and Uliana. During her time here, Liudmyla has gained good basic English and is very active volunteering at the Renew cafe and with our Little Sprouts group. Under the current UK Govt scheme a host is paid £350pm. Please let me know if you are interested in meeting Liudmyla and potentially offering her a temporary home. Steve Challen 07593 700754

Confirmation Course
Bishop Ed Condry will be confirming candidates who recently completed the course at 3:00 pm on 8th February at St Lawrence Church, Towcester.
Please pray for those awaiting their confirmation.
The service will include full immersion baptism. Please can we hold in our prayers: Adam, Daniel, James, Louise and Mike. All are most welcome to attend the service and support the candidates, they would appreciate your presence in this significant step of faith. If anyone can help by making a cake for the service we would be very grateful. Please drop off at St Lawrence.

Ash Wednesday Services with Imposition of Ashes will take place on Wednesday 18th February.
10:15 am at St Lawrence, 7:30 pm at St Bartholomew’s.

The next Ladies Night Out will be on Thursday 26th February 7:00 pm at the Rice Bowl in Towcester, menu details will be supplied shortly. There are a firm 24 places available (3 tables of 8 people). Please RSVP by 10th February to Stephanie at stephaniejwatts@gmail.com Please include in your email all allergies and dietary requirements. It should be another fantastic night out!

Experience Easter 
This March, we’re excited to be welcoming local Key Stage 2 children from primary schools in Greens Norton and Towcester into church for Experience Easter. Through interactive prayer spaces, the children will explore the Easter story — its meaning, symbolism, and importantly how they can relate to the story in their own lives. To make this possible, we’d really love some help. There are up to three sessions each day (two in the morning and one in the afternoon), each just over an hour long, running on Monday and Tuesday 2nd and 3rd March in Greens Norton, Monday 9th to Friday 13th March in Towcester, and Monday 16th to Thursday 19th March in Towcester. If you might be interested, or would like to know more, please get in touch with Sarah Barnett at tovefamilies@gmail.com

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