DIARY DATES PEWS NEWS MARCH Mon 20th Beyond Lent Group The Benefice 7.30pm, The Rectory St Mary Magdalene with Stuchbury and St Wed 22nd Midweek Benefice Communion Lawrence and St James the Great Syresham 10am, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon with St John the Evangelist Whitfield, MU Meeting – Speaker: Valerie Anslow St Mary & St Peter Lois Weedon with Weston and 7.30pm, 12A High St, Helmdon Plumpton and St Mary the Virgin . NEW ‘Quiet Club’ 6.30-7.30pm, St James the Great, Syresham Lent Group 7.30pm, Syresham Church Sunday 12th March 2017 Thurs 23rd Lent Group 2.30pm, Helmdon Church Second Sunday of Lent Sat 25th Helmdon Bell ringers visit Lois Weedon 9.30-10.30am, St Mary & St Peter, LW MU Deanery Lady Day Service This Week’s Bible Readings: 10am, Middleton Cheney Sun 26th Mothering Sunday Romans 4.1-5, 13-17 Non-Communion services at 9.30am, Lois Weedon John 3. 1-17 10am, Helmdon 11.15am, Syresham (with Baptism & Chapel at Church) Bibles are available if you wish to follow 11.15am, Wappenham the readings from the biblical text, 3pm, Whitfield please just ask the sidespeople for one. Mon 27th Helmdon Finance Committee Mtg 11am, Venue?? If you are a visitor or newcomer, do make Beyond Lent Group yourself known to the regulars. 7.30pm, The Rectory Please take this home with you as everyone is welcome Wed 29th Midweek Benefice Communion at any or all of our events and services. 10am, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon Lent Group 7.30pm, Helmdon Church Thurs 30th Lent Group 2.30pm, TBA Services for the Fri 31st Schools break up for Easter Coming Week: APRIL st Sat 1 Helmdon Friends ‘Poetry & A Slice of Pie’ th 7.30pm, Reading Room Wednesday 15 March 2017 Sun 2nd Fifth Sunday of Lent ‘Passiontide’ Prayerbook Communion If you areNo a Midweekvisitor or newcomer, Communion do make yourself 8am, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon known to the regulars who will be happy to chat over Holy Communion coffee after the service. Pleaseth take this home with you 9.30am, St Mary & St Peter, Lois Weedon Sunday 19 March 2017 as everyone is welcome at any or all of our Village Praise & Prayer ‘Bring a Friend Sunday’ 10am, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon events and services. Parish Communion (followed by APCM) (Third Sunday of Lent) 11.15am, St Mary the Virgin, Wappenham Mon 3rd Beyond Lent Group 9am Said Communion 7.30pm, The Rectory St John the Evangelist, Whitfield th Tues 4 Healing Service 7.30pm, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon Wed 5th Midweek Benefice Communion 9.30am Matins 10am, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon St Mary & St Peter, Lois Weedon Lent Group 7.30pm, SyreshamChurch 10.15am Family Service & Thurs 6th Lent Group Alternative Harvest 2.30pm, Helmdon Church Sat 8th Visiting bell ringers (Coffee & cakes served from 9.45am) 2.15-3pm, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon

11.15am Parish Communion CONTACT US St Mary the Virgin, Wappenham

The Reverend Carole Peters-King 11.15am Village Praise & Prayer 01327 860798 St James the Great, Syresham [email protected] NB. THERE IS NO MESSY CHURCH Parishes Administrator: Sarah Rudkin AT LOIS WEEDON [email protected]

Website: www.astwellparishes.org.uk To hold in your prayers this week: WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK MARCH We bring before our loving heavenly Father those Mon 13th Beyond Lent Group, 7.30pm, The Rectory Tues 14th Helmdon Café 10am – 12 noon, Reading Room who are unwell, recovering from illness or who are Whitfield Coffee Morning 10-12noon, Village Hall simply having a bad time; all those who need our Working Party Meeting with Miles Baker 7pm, prayers. The Rectory Wed 15th No Midweek Communion (Rector at Safeguarding From Helmdon: Training) Joyce Beech, Olive Holton, Laura Wilson, Mums & Tots 10am-noon Syresham Village Hall Lent Group 7.30pm, Helmdon Church Philip Gulliver, Barbara Rawlins and Shirley Holt. Thur 16th Syresham Café 10.30-12.30pm, Village Hall From Radstone: Tony Wilmot Helmdon Parents & Tots 10am-noon, St Mary From Lois Weedon: Magdalene, Helmdon Tracy Reid, Joan Jacobs, Christian Jefferies, Lent Group 2.30pm, Helmdon Church Jane Keller, Lis Cockrell, Delia Jones, Colin Goode, Benefice Choir Practice 6.30-7.30pm, St Mary Magdalene, Helmdon and Pete O’Hara. Deanery Synod with Bishop Donald 7 to 8.30pm From Syresham: Aynho Village Hall th David Wyness, Nina Stevens, Greg Oles and family, Sat 18 Bell Ringers Practice 9.30 – 10.30am, Helmdon Derek Hollyoake, Mary Hutton, Doreen Moreland, Peter Sims and Alison Allee. From Wappenham: Sue Corbishley. Some thoughts from For those known to us: the Astwell Benefice…… Gill Goodwin, Marjorie Baxter, William Woof,

Pauline Collis, Christopher Carr, Pip Dandy, Next week has been designated as Evelyn Johnson, Alison Wilson, Jonnie D’Arcy, “Bring a Friend Sunday” Isaac Wellington, Rev’d Roger Bellamy, James This is a chance for our regular congregation to invite Smillie, Peter Sheen, Matthew Smith, Rev'd David a friend, neighbour or family member to come along Randell and Christabel Grant. and join them at next week’s worship. Please pray for those recently bereaved: The “Bring a Friend” movement began in America, Geoff and Jo Abbey, Tricia French, Margaret and has had huge success in a lot of parishes in the Seckington and Family, Barbara Whitlock, Tony UK, but its success here in the Astwell Benefice Wilson and Family, and Caroline Raven and Family. will depend on you! Over the next few days, think about who you might bring with you to Church next Sunday and which service on offer around the Benefice they And for the work of the Beacon Centre, The Wolverton Mission, the Hope Centre, Katharine House Hospice and might enjoy the most. You can bring more than one Northampton Women's Aid. We also continue to pray for person, but please do bring at least one. all refugees fleeing persecution and all victims of terror. Make a list, (if the first person you asks can’t come, you won’t feel disheartened). We are happy to add anyone to our prayer list providing Then get on the phone or round to your friend’s they are happy to have us pray for them. You may also house and invite them. know someone who would prefer private prayers. Over 90 per cent of new Christians say they came to faith through a conversation with a LENT COURSES – ALL WELCOME friend or family member. And when questioned, 8 out of 10 people said they would visit a Church if “Why, God?” someone invited them. Participating in this event This course uses clips from the film ‘Bruce Almighty’, and gives you the chance to introduce along with discussion over refreshments, we will explore someone else to your church. the question that so many ask – ‘Why, God, does this Along with this Pew News is an invitation. happen or not happen?’ There are more available if you want them. Fill in the personal bits and start inviting, and we’ll Wednesday 15th March, 7.30pm at Helmdon Church see you and your friends in Church next week! th Thursday 16 March, 2.30pm - venue TBA Lord, * * * * * * * * * * * give us the opportunity of invitation, “Beyond Lent” - The Way allow others the opportunity of acceptance, The film “The Way” tells the story of a grieving father who and give us all the opportunity to walk a little walks the Camino de Santiago. This 5 week in-depth course closer with you this Lent forms part of our on-going “Beyond Lent” bible study Amen group. You are welcome to join us. Monday night 7.30pm at the Rectory