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Issue 2: 3rd May 2020 We have created this ‘News’ sheet so that we can share news and views from all the parishes in the Benefice during the Covid-19 outbreak. Are you doing anything interesting with your time, have you taken up a new hobby, are you looking back to when life was very different, or are you working on the ‘frontline’ in the NHS or emergency services? We would love to feature your news, stories and photos here! Please send them to Sarah Rudkin at: [email protected] We will also continue to list overleaf all those for whom we pray on a regular basis. If you know of anyone who would like to be added to list, please ask them to contact Sarah or Wiggy.

News from St Mary & St Peter, Lois Weedon

A few weeks ago, Terry Tyler suggested later. I’m now worried how long this will all that when we go out to clap for the NHS, last - my playlist will need to be expanded. perhaps we could put on the Church Any suggestions?! floodlights. So, I nipped round to the church on 2nd April, put on all the lights inside, the Frank Hunter, Church warden floodlights on the tower and thought ‘Why don’t I play some hymns on the sound system at full blast and open the doors?!’ Afterwards I thought, ‘We can do better than that!’ On 9th I took my little Bingo Caller’s amp and played ‘Land of Hope and Glory’, ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Nimrod’ outside the Church. Pretty good, but it was pointing at Wappenham. So, on Thursday 23rd (I’ll draw a veil over the 16th which was a ‘technological disaster, darling!’), Richard Templeman shinned up a ladder, installed blue filters and humped my Marshall amp and two speakers to the church, pointing East West. We had ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’, ‘Here Comes the Sun’, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, ‘For the Beauty’ (Beth Nielson Chapman) and ‘We’ll meet Again’, (Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins), at 1000 watts! And the Church Tower was actually blue, admittedly after it got dark an hour or so

TO HOLD IN YOUR PRAYERS THIS WEEK: News from St Mary the Virgin, We bring before our loving heavenly Father Wappenham those in our villages and others we know who are unwell, recovering from illness and all those who need our prayers for any reason during this difficult time: Wappenham are delighted to report that the refurbishment of three porch roofs has From : Joyce Beech, Philip Gulliver, Emma, Jon & Ellouise, Barbara Buxton, Diane been completed - the vestry roof, the South Thorpe, Vanessa Vicars, John Thorne, porch and the North porch Alison & Cara. (where you all enter the Church).

From Lois Weedon: Joan Jacobs, Lis Cockrell, Many thanks to Jeremy “Jez” Wilcox, Ernie Wheeler & Paul King for his excellent work, and to the Colin James. Friends and the BRICC for their hard work From Syresham: Derek Hollyoake, Peter Sims, fundraising towards the cost of the works. John & Ann Widdowson & Collette Andrewartha. Sheena Warren and Edwin King, Church wardens From Wappenham: Judy King and Claire Kennett.

For those known to us: Pauline Collis, Christopher Carr, Evelyn Johnson, Jonnie D’Arcy, James Smillie, Peter Sheen, Dick White, June Brereton, Roger Cane, Penny Bonnymeade, Barbara Whitlock, Ollie Dotterill, Christabel Grant, & Marina & Froede Amundsen.

Please pray for those bereaved, and the family & friends of:

David Sheppard, Steve Goodwin, Dorothy D'Alton (nee Abbot), Sally Gore, Teresa Fleetwood, James Gadd, Ron Pratt, Margaret Hinton, Judith Allen, Marcus Durant, Tom Samways, Greg Oles, Mike Durant, Stewart Gundle, Ian Kidd, Richard Tims, Peter Payne, Ivan Hathaway, Robin Oliver, Sue Corbishley, Jason Holt & Shirley Holt, Dennis Hackett, Dick Please send us Wilson, Mark Kilby, Keith Hawkins. Also, for the news and stories from your Bearman family, Susan Clarke & family, Kathryn and Peter Oliver, & Geoff and Jo Abbey. Parish - we would love to put Also, please pray for the work of the Beacon them here! Centre, the Wolverton Mission, the Hope Centre, Katharine House Hospice and

Northampton Women's Aid. We also continue to pray for all refugees fleeing persecution, all victims of terror, and all those affected by the Covid-19 virus.