PEWS NEWS The Benefice FORTHCOMING SERVICES St Mary Magdalene Helmdon with Stuchbury & St Lawrence ; St James the Great with St John the Evangelist Whitfield; Sunday 25th April – Fourth Sunday of Easter St Mary & St Peter Lois Weedon with Weston & Plumpton, and St Mary the Virgin . www.astwellparishes.org.uk 8.30am Online Morning Prayer https://www.facebook.com/astwellbenefice/ 10am Helmdon Holy Communion

10-12 Whitfield Private Prayer 11am Syresham Prayer & Praise th 11.15am Wappenham Holy Communion Sunday 18 April 2021 6pm Lois Weedon Benefice Evensong Third Sunday of Easter nd Sunday 2 May – Fifth Sunday of Easter

8.30am Online Morning Prayer Today’s Services: 9.30am Lois Weedon Lay-led/Private Prayer 9.30am Whitfield Holy Communion (Online Morning Prayer Cancelled) 10am Helmdon Morning Worship 11am Syresham Holy Communion 10-12 Wappenham Private Prayer 9.30am Lois Weedon Holy Communion 9.30am Whitfield Morning Worship Sunday 9th May – Sixth Sunday of Easter 10am Helmdon Prayer & Praise 11am Syresham Morning Worship 8.30am Online Morning Prayer 11.15am Wappenham Prayer & Praise 9.30am Lois Weedon Matins 10am Helmdon Holy Communion 10-12 Whitfield Private Prayer Please note that Revd Diane will be away 11am Syresham Morning Worship between 12th and 23rd April. 11.15am Wappenham Morning Worship Please contact Sarah Rudkin in her absence.

Please note: Services will now be available on Facebook approximately one hour after ‘live-stream’ on Zoom. https://www.facebook.com/astwellbenefice/

Scan this QR code to link to the ‘Giving Page’ of the Benefice website. All donations go directly to supporting mission and ministry in the Benefice

FOOD BANK VOUCHERS

Revd Diane can provide vouchers for and Food Banks for anyone in need in Helmdon, Lois Weedon, & Weston, Radstone, Syresham, Wappenham, Whitfield and the surrounding area. Please contact her for details

The Collects and Readings for Today Gospel Reading: Luke 24:36b-48

Collect: 36b While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that Almighty Father, they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, ‘Why are you who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples frightened, and why do doubts arise in your with the sight of the risen : hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I give us such knowledge of his presence with us, myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh that we may be strengthened and sustained by his and bones as you see that I have.’ 40And when he had said risen life this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ 42They who is alive and reigns with you, gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in the unity of the Holy Spirit, in their presence. one God, now and for ever. 44 Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I New Testament Reading: Acts 3:12-19 spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and 45 12When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You the psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and 47 had made him walk? 13The God of Abraham, the God to rise from the dead on the third day, and that of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in ancestors has glorified his servantJesus, whom you his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, are witnesses of these things. though he had decided to release him. 14But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to Post Communion Collect: have a murderer given to you, 15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To Living God, this we are witnesses. 16And by faith in his name, his your Son made himself known to his disciples name itself has made this man strong, whom you see in the breaking of bread: and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has open the eyes of our faith, given him this perfect health in the presence of all of that we may see him in all his redeeming work; you. who is alive and reigns, now and for ever. 17 ‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.

New Testament Reading: 1 John 3:1-7

1See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.3And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.5You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

TO HOLD IN YOUR Prayers by Hannah Fowles PRAYERS THIS WEEK:

Creator God, we pray for governments and authorities We bring before our loving heavenly Father those in around the world who are developing strategies to our villages and others we know who are unwell, manage safely fluctuating Covid infection rates. We recovering from illness and all those who need our pray for all those working in essential services that prayers for any reason during this difficult time: supply goods and services and care for us. Help us all to be responsible in the things that we do in our lives Please pray for the family and friends of Liz to prevent the spread of the virus, especially now as Threlfall, who died last week, and especially for lockdown eases. We thank you for the vaccines and her husband John, son Andrew and daughter the skilled scientists who developed them, and ask Susan. that everybody will respond positively to the offer. From Helmdon: Joyce Beech, Philip Gulliver, Emma, Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer Jon, Ellouise, Lilly & James, Barbara Buxton, Diane Thorpe, Vanessa Vicars, John Thorne, Alison & Cara, Margaret Reardon, David Bowen-Jones, Kirsten, Merciful God, we pray for peace in our troubled David & baby Anna, and Claire & family. world. We pray for all families whose homes are disrupted by anger and bitterness and where From Lois Weedon & Weston: Joan Jacobs, Lis relationships are breaking up, made worse by the Cockrell, Jeremy “Jez” Wilcox, Colin James, Jenni stress of the pandemic. We thank you for the gift of Liversidge, John Maleham, Elsie Hatton & family, your Son, our saviour, who walks with us on our life’s and John Busby. journey and, as he lifted the hearts of his friends when they saw him raised from the dead, may he travel From Syresham: Derek Hollyoake, Peter Sims, alongside all who are struggling with their family life. John Widdowson & Collette Andrewartha.

Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer From Wappenham: Judy King and Claire Kennett.

For those known to us: Pauline Collis, Christopher Carr, Evelyn Johnson, Faithful God, we hold before you all who find it Jonnie D’Arcy, James Smillie, Peter Sheen, Roger difficult to trust in you. We pray that you will push Cane, Penny Bonnymeade, Barbara Whitlock, Ollie aside their doubts and fears and bring them hope, Dotterill, Marina & Froede Amundsen, comfort and healing and with it an inner peace. Heal Cara Wilson, Chloë Fletcher, Sam & Jackie those who are sick in mind, body and spirit; may they Cowlishaw. regain their strength and health. Please pray for those bereaved, and the family & Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer. friends of:

Liz Threlfall, Ernie Wheeler, Dennis Read, Gillian Clube, Barry Pocock, Doris Street, Stan Howell, Doug Hatton, Jayden Shaler, Winnie Varney, Alex Paterson, Ann Widdowson, Christine Cason, Jack Hawkins, John Snow, Pat Johnson, Maurice Tucker, 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 Wilson, Mark Kilby, Keith Hawkins. Also, for the Bearman family, Susan Clarke & family, Kathryn and Peter Oliver, & Geoff and Jo Abbey.

Also, please pray for the work of the Beacon Centre, the Wolverton Mission, the Hope Centre, Katharine House Hospice, Northampton Women's Aid and The Women’s Refuge. We also continue to pray for all refugees fleeing persecution, all victims of terror, and all those affected by the Covid-19 virus.

BENEFICE CONTACTS

Rector: Revd Diane Whittaker Tel: 01327 226245 Email: [email protected]

Wiggy Smith, Reader [email protected]/Tel: 01295 760953 Paul Stothard, Reader [email protected]/Tel: 01295 760816 Bill Elkington: Lay chair and Benefice PCC [email protected]/Tel: 01295 760438 Judith Elkington ([email protected]): BPCC, BRICC, Deanery & Benefice Communications Alice Palmer: All financial matters [email protected]/Tel: 01280 850252 Rachel Wheeler, Benefice Safeguarding Officer [email protected]/Tel: 01295 768613 Sarah Rudkin: Parishes Administrator [email protected]/Tel: 01327 830965

Churchwardens (for individual church matters):

Helmdon: Bill Elkington ([email protected]) Lois Weedon & Weston: Frank Hunter ([email protected]) Radstone: Penny Bonner ([email protected]) Syresham: Malcolm Orr-Ewing ([email protected]) Wappenham: Edwin King ([email protected]) & Sheena Warren ([email protected]) Whitfield: Claire Bonner ([email protected])

Astwell Benefice Group of Churches

We might be in ‘Lockdown’ but we are still very much here for you all, so if you need to talk to someone please do ring one of us.

Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we will be able to actually visit you!

Diane Whittaker (Rector): 01327 226245 Paul Stothard (Reader): 01295 760816 Wiggy Smith (Reader): 01295 760953