Weekly News

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Weekly News

23rd February 2025
 
Second 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
Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works and your likeness in all your children; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things, now and for ever.

Post Communion
God our creator, by your gift the tree of life was set at the heart of the earthly paradise, and the bread of life at the heart of your Church: may we who have been nourished at your table on earth be transformed by the glory of the Saviour’s cross and enjoy the delights of eternity; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Lectionary Readings for Sunday:

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 2: 4b - 9, 15 – 25
These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Another Account of the Creation In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no vegetation of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground, but a stream would rise from the earth and water the whole face of the ground— then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

New Testament Reading: Revelation 4
After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne! And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads. Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal. Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and back: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Gospel: Luke 8: 22 - 25
One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And waking up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. Then he said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were terrified and amazed and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey 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

Sick
Tim Lewis                     
Gill Lindsay
Ann Taylor 
David Shield   
Janet Drury
Nai Piper
Richard Pelly

Rest In Peace
Ursula Beary
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

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.

Quiz Night
St Marys Easton Neston at 7:00 pm on the 29th March. Come along and test your knowledge at our quiz. There will be drinks and refreshments available to purchase. It’s £2.50 per person with teams of 4/6. Register your team with the Tove Benefice Office. Tel: 01327 350459 or email: tovebeneficeoffice@gmail.com.

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
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