The church is OPEN for private prayer during daylight hours.
Every Thursday evening at 5.30 there is a short Service of Evening Prayer in St Mary’s Linton
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Pew Sheets
28th April
5th Sunday of Easter
Collect
Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may bring them to good effect; through Jesus Christ our risen Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Readings
Old Testament Acts 8. 26-end.
New Testament 1 John 4. 7-end.
Gospel John 15. 1-8.
PRAYER
Every now and then one is surprised to find prayer being answered. I had such an experience recently when two of my prayers were answered after a period of being included in my daily devotions. One was for peace in the Middle East especially between Israel and Iran. The recent stand-off was the focus. The world held its breath after the Iranian aerial assault following the Israeli raid on Iran’s embassy in Damascus. In the end the Israeli response was muted, symbolic, saying yes, we have that capability too. No-one was killed in this exchange. I had prayed for sense to prevail and I felt strongly that this prayer had been heard. The other prayer was for my five-year-old grandson who had become unsettled at school. A change of school and the diagnosis of an ear condition have resulted in a breathtaking bettering of the situation and a happy, responsive child has emerged. Of course, there is so much in both public and private life to pray for. We should not be deterred; we must continue to pray. Naturally, God knows what our concerns are without us bombarding Him daily with our prayers, but the discipline means that we do not ourselves lose sight of the things that matter to us. I am helped by having my daily prayers laid out in, yes, my mobile phone! There is an “App” called, aptly, Daily Prayer. It is a C of E product, and it is free. It includes planned reading of Old and New Testaments, psalms and collects, and notes saints’ days. There are options for Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night Prayer, thus making the habit easier. There is provision for one’s personal prayers to be included. It can be as private as you want, and if you miss, well, that happens. I commend it to you. The more you pray, the more answers will come. Robin Noble
Services next Sunday – 05th May – 6th Sunday of Easter
| Weston-under-Penyard | Morning Worship | 11.15 a.m. |
| The Lea | Family Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Evensong | 4.30 p.m. |
| Linton | Communion Service | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Mattins | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick, Eleanor Bennett (WuP)
Please pray for all who have died,
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com
21st April
4th Sunday of Easter
Collect
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Readings
Old Testament Acts 4. 5-12.
New Testament 1 John 3. 16-end.
Gospel John 10. 11-18.
To get a picture of life in the days of Jesus and his friends, we have to rely on three sources at best. The most useful is the history of his people written by Josephus. He is treated with some caution, but probably he was no less accurate than any other historian of any period. He wrote as a captive in Rome after he was captured during the last Jewish revolt against the Romans in A.D. 135. He writes extensively about his Nation and its history. He does occasionally write about people we meet in the Gospels. One such is John the Baptist and Josephus expresses some admiration for a man who he describes as a courageous figure willing to take on those in authority and being executed as a result. He has little to say about Jesus, however, in the most trusted version of his works. Roman historians, when they do mention Jerusalem at the time of Josephus, regard it as essentially troublesome and after it was captured the Roman Governor changed its name from Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina. We meet two of the important political groups in the Gospels, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. A third group, the Zealots had nationalistic ideals shared by both, though much more violently. But when the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed after the first Jewish revolt against Roman occupation in A.D. 70, the Sadducees, whose sole occupation was the conduct of worship in the Temple, had no further role and we lose sight of them. There was, however, another significant social group about whom we hear very little. These were the Essenes. Being essentially a monastic organisation, the members lived in communes remote from contact with other Jewish people. They had strict rules and those wishing to join had to give up worldly wealth and other trappings of ordinary life. They were essentially pacifists. Initially, members were celibate, but we have archaeological evidence of skeletal remains of women and children in one-time sites they later occupied. The hints of their existence may be detected in the actions and life-style of John the Baptist and certainly when Jesus says “Take no thought for tomorrow…” this would fit in with the Essene philosophy. Early chapters of the Acts suggest that the Apostles were also aware of Essene principles as they established the rules of church membership. Brian
Services next Sunday – 28th April – 5th Sunday of Easter
| Weston-under-Penyard | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| The Lea | Children’s Church | 10.00 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Mattins | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Communion Service | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | All Age Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
HOPE MANSELL. St Michael’s Church 20th April, Coffee Morning 10.30am to noon. Coffee, Cake, books draw and jigsaws. Free entry proceeds in aid of Church funds.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick, Eleanor Bennett (WuP)
Please pray for all who have died,
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com
14th April
3rd Sunday of Easter
Collect
Almighty Father, who in your great mercy gladdened the disciples with the sight of the risen Lord: give us such knowledge of his presence with us, that we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life and serve you continually in righteousness and truth; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Acts 3. 12-19.
New Testament 1 John 3. 1-7.
Gospel Luke 24. 36b-48.
The BBC seem to have reverted to one of their old traditions – putting a light-hearted and amusing story at the end of their main news bulletins.
Something that helps slightly to redress the balance of the tragedy and chaos that they are reporting on, in the rest of the programme.
So many are yearning for an end to the conflicts between Russia and the Ukraine, between Israel and Palestine; as well as industrial disputes of junior doctors, rail workers and others. Why can there not be peace – even from something more personal, like a house full of noisy kids?
In today’s Gospel, we hear of Jesus after the horrors of his crucifixion, rising from the dead and offering those close to him the message of peace.
In the midst of our own troubles and the immense problems of the world, we can be at peace when we turn to God who is near – nearer than any spouse or friend can be.
There is never a time when he does not want to hear us.
Our prayers can give us a moment of peace in the midst of all the troubles. We can lay these at the foot of the cross and look up to our Lord who took, as it were, the repentant thief by the hand and led him to heaven.
Through our prayers we can be close to God, as he wills to be near to us.
It is in his peace that we can find our own.
Martin.
Services next Sunday – 21st April – 4th Sunday of Easter
| Weston-under-Penyard | Family Communion Service | 11.00 a.m. |
| The Lea | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Village Praise | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Morning Worship | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
HOPE MANSELL. St Michael’s Church 20th April, Coffee Morning 10.30am to noon. Coffee, Cake, books draw and jigsaws. Free entry, proceeds in aid of Church funds.
LEA. Quiz Night. 12th April at Lea Village Hall, doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Licensed Bar, £5 per person entry. Free Nibbles. Tables of up to 6. To book please call Rose on 01989 750267. Proceeds to Lea Church
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Jim Washington (HM) Dinah Lane (Lea)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com
07th April
2nd Sunday of Easter
Collect
Risen Christ, for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred: open the doors of our hearts, that we may seek the good of others and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace, to the praise of God the Father.
Readings
Old Testament Acts 4. 32-35.
New Testament 1 John 1. 1 thru 2. 2.
Gospel John 20. 19-end.
Today’s Gospel reading certainly describes momentous events. Following hard on the heels of Mary Magdalene’s earth-shattering account of her encounter with the risen Christ, the disciples gather. We can only imagine their state of mind – fearful of persecution by those who had killed their leader, but full of incredulous hope at Mary’s news. And then they too see Jesus, hear him as he speaks peace to them, as he anoints them with the Holy Spirit to carry on his ministry of forgiveness and liberation. But there is one who is absent, and who, when he hears their story, dismisses it as fake news, a hoax. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” he says in effect. I will only trust my own physical senses. Unless I can touch him, I won’t believe it. I’m not going to believe it just because you say it’s true. Thomas is an advocate for exercising critical faculties and fact-checking. If it seems too good to be true, he implies, it probably is. A week later, it is Thomas himself who encounters the risen Jesus, who is understanding of his scepticism. He gives Thomas the tangible evidence he needs, and Thomas is convinced, proclaiming, “My Lord and my God!” But it would have been better, says Jesus, if Thomas had believed the account of credible eyewitnesses. Providing that account is what John’s Gospel is about. For the last two millennia, we have had only these eyewitness accounts to go on. People have had to decide for themselves whether those accounts are reliable, or if they are fake news. Many of those who struggle to believe stumble over the seeming impossibility of the resurrection – how can this be factually accurate? Perhaps it is better to think of the resurrection as a truth with a profound message about the triumph of love over hate, life over death, light over darkness – all of which are alluded to in today’s readings. But in the end, Thomas – that sceptical challenger of fake news – is convinced by his own experience, and even the most sceptical would-be believer can take confidence from that. He who refused to be convinced on second hand evidence is utterly convinced by the reality of the risen person of Jesus. The Church has given Thomas rather a bad press, but in these times of “alternative” facts, perhaps he teaches us some valuable lessons. He uses his God-given critical faculties to evaluate the accounts he is presented with, and to test the reliability of his sources. He requires empirical evidence – the evidence of his own senses – to change his world view. And he judges the truth against the yardstick of his own experience. And in the end, he believes. The risen Christ he believes in is life-changing, not only for Thomas, but also for us. David
Services next Sunday – 14th April – 3rd Sunday of Easter
| Weston-under-Penyard | Communion Service | 11.00 a.m. |
| The Lea | Mattins | 8.00 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | ||
| Aston Ingham | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Bible Brunch @ Village Hall | 10.30 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Communion Service | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LEA. Quiz Night. 12th April at Lea Village Hall, doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Licensed Bar, £5 per person entry. Free Nibbles. Tables of up to 6. To book please call Rose on 01989 750267. Proceeds to Lea Church
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Jim Washington (HM) Dinah Lane (Lea)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com
31st March
Easter Day
Collect
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity.
Readings
Old Testament Acts 10. 34-43.
New Testament 1 Corinthians 15. 1-11.
Gospel John 20. 1-18.
Many of the essential elements of a good whodunnit find echoes in the Easter story. There was certainly a murder, a judicial murder – Jesus had been executed by the authorities, not for any capital crime but because he was dangerous to them. His body had seemingly disappeared. And Mary Magdalene at first failed to identify not the killer, but the victim. Only when he called her by name did she recognise him. But various biblical accounts show that she, as principal witness to the resurrection, was not believed at first. Even in today’s Gospel, Peter and the other disciple came to see the empty tomb for themselves and then went home, missing out on the final clue. Today’s Gospel is a very special one, not least because it speaks to all of us who may have failed to recognise Jesus in our lives. Mary remained at the tomb alone until someone else arrived. At first, she assumed this newcomer was the gardener. We may all have theories about this case of mistaken identity. Was Mary blinded by her tears? Her grief at his death would have been intensified by the disappearance of his body – she could not even say her last farewells. Or did she turn away from looking into the dark tomb only to be blinded by the rising sun behind Jesus – and thus fail to recognise the risen Son of God? Whatever the reason, her assumption that this person was the gardener was understandable. Yet the sound of his voice, speaking her name, turned her grief into joy. How often must she have heard his voice as she followed him during his earthly ministry, listening to his teaching or hearing him heal those who were sick. Even then, however, it was not until he used her name that the penny finally dropped. How often must he have spoken her name as his closest followers gathered together after a busy day, to hear him explain some of his parables to them or simply make plans for the following day. And now she knew that this was indeed the living, breathing Jesus, risen from the dead. The miracle of Easter accomplished, the mystery solved, he entrusted her with spreading the good news that death was defeated. Later, the other disciples would also be able to testify to the risen Christ as the foundations of the early Church were laid.
How do we bear witness to Jesus today? Perhaps we can begin by following the example of Jesus himself in today’s Gospel. How do we greet a newcomer to church who seems in distress? There’s something special about using someone’s name. Saying, “Are you all right, love?” is probably the equivalent of those angels and Jesus saying, “Woman, why are you weeping?” But how long does it take us to ask a stranger their name? And then make an effort to remember it for the next time we meet? Meet again we will, if we make them feel welcome. We can help people to recognise Jesus simply by using their name as we reach out the hand of friendship – in his name. And then they too may solve the greatest whodunnit of them all. Not a murder, but an invitation to eternal life. And, in Jesus, the one who knows us all by name.
Services next Sunday – 07th April – 2nd Sunday of Easter
| Weston-under-Penyard | Morning Worship | 11.15 a.m. |
| The Lea | Family Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Evensong | 4.30 p.m. |
| Linton | Holy Communion | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Mattins | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LEA. Coffee Morning Saturday 13th April 10am-12Noon Lea Village Hall, produce stall, Artisan gift stall, raffle. Free Entry. Proceeds to Lea Church.
ROMANS COURSE AT LINTON. Join us on Sunday 14th April as we begin to unpack Paul’s letter to the Christians in Roman using material from the Bible Society.
LINTON. Waites Concert at Linton Church: Saturday13th April 7pm Come and enjoy extraordinary sounds from shawms, crumhorns, curtals and pipes! Linton church is lucky enough to be hosting a concert from The Waites of Gloucester. The present-day Waites have taken their ancient instruments to the Bristol Early Music Festival and to numerous local groups, as well as making an appearance on television. Admission free: interval refreshments and retiring collection.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Jim Washington (HM) Dinah Lane (Lea)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@outlook.com
24th March
Palm Sunday
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, who in your tender love towards the human race sent you Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh and to suffer death upon the cross: grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility, and also be made partakers of his resurrection; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Isaiah 50. 4-9a.
New Testament Philippians 2. 5-11.
Gospel Mark 14. 1 thru end 15.
SUFFERING One of the most mysterious and intractable topics in the religious agenda is suffering. It is a subject that continues to bamboozle thinkers and commentators the world over, irrespective of other beliefs. “What have I done to deserve this?” or “I don’t deserve this”. These are the cries that rise from tragic and painful circumstances. Christians, who teach a benevolent God, have a particularly tricky task on their hands. I will not exhaust the topic but I hope I can add some pertinent ideas. All pain is disorder except the limited and constructive pain of healing. All unmerited pain is evil. You cannot ask evil to be fair. By its very nature it is not, so the innocent suffer and often the guilty get away with it. Where does evil come from? The answer is that we, human beings, generate it. We disobey God. We indulge selfishness and manipulate things to our own supposed advantage. Things go wrong, and because evil is perverse the consequences land unjustly. Why does God allow it? Because if He “corrected” it then it would no longer matter; wicked or evil actions would not generate pain, it would not matter which way we jumped, nobody would suffer hurt. The universe would in fact be dishonest and honesty itself would be valueless. God has us living in a morally honest universe. If we behave dishonestly then evil consequences will ensue. It matters what we do. Of course the ultimate figure of suffering is Jesus himself, and it’s no use saying “oh but he knew he would rise again”. What he went through really hurt. His death was real. He took the rap for us all. What we can do is to try to avoid adding to the pool of evil that leads to the unjust boiling pot of suffering that spoils our lives. Don’t settle for a shrug, or regard the situation as hopeless. Do something about it. Clearly there is room for more discussion about the finer details of suffering. There is nothing easy about it, but what we can do is to exercise loving care and compassion when the opportunity arises. Robin Noble
Services next Sunday – 31st March – Easter Sunday
| Weston-under-Penyard | Easter Vigil |
Communion Service6.00 a.m.
11.00 a.m.The LeaParish Communion9.30 a.m.Hope MansellParish Communion9.30 a.m.Aston InghamParish Communion10.30 a.m.LintonCommunion Service11.00 a.m.Upton BishopCommunion Service10.30 a.m.Weston29th Good Friday Liturgy2.00 p.m.Lea Childrens Church29th Good Friday Worshop10.00 a.m.
Forthcoming Services & Events
LEA. Coffee Morning Saturday 13th April 10am-12Noon Lea Village Hall, produce stall, Artisan gift stall, raffle. Free Entry. Proceeds to Lea Church.
ROMANS COURSE AT LINTON. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome contains some passages which have comforted Christians down the ages.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him
But other passages can be more confusing Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. Join us on the second Sunday of the month at Linton Village Hall 10.30am, to unpack this letter which has been described as the most important letter in history. It had a profound influence on greats such as St Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley and even David Suchet. The mornings start with brunch before a combination of videos and discussion questions, produced by The Bible Society, take us through the letter in 10 episodes.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There’ll be images & colouring to help you be still & meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick, Jim Washington (HM)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com
17th March
5th Sunday of Lent
Collect
Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Jeremiah 31. 31-34.
New Testament Hebrews 5. 5-10.
Gospel John 12. 20-33.
Because they have been put in the Bible, it is easy to imagine there is a connection between them. So, what is the connection between today’s New Testament book, Hebrews and the rest? It is probably, the work of some writer whose identity has been lost. We guess he was Jewish but a fluent writer in Greek, quoting the Scriptures from the Greek translation of the Text. He was writing to second-generation Jewish Christians who lived somewhere in the Middle East. But the pressure of being both Jewish and Christian was becoming a problem of discipline. The optimistic hopes of their predecessors that Jesus would return and set up the new Kingdom of Israel had been disappointed and they were growing alarmed by the hostility which had grown up between Jews and Christians. There were many such groups whose ancestors had chosen to live among gentiles, as did St. Paul’s family in Tarsus. So the writer of Hebrews sets about the task of reassurance and restoration of Christian hope, while colouring his writing with familiar texts from Scripture. Today’s reading also quotes from Psalm 110 and he takes the quotation from its original setting and applies it to a quite different situation. David, because he was not from the Tribe of Levi did not come within the orbit of traditional Jewish priesthood, as laid down by God himself, any more than Jesus did. By the time Jesus was born, the essentially hereditary role of High Priest had failed when the last hereditary High Priest, Onias III, was murdered in B.C. 68. When ‘Hebrews’ was written, the Temple had long gone, together with its priestly function. While we can understand why this quotation from Psalm 110 might be of use to the writer, it ignores the severe limitations placed upon that office in the Book of Leviticus. But Paul is certain that Jesus had no such limitations and his ministry lay outside the formal laws of Israelite priesthood. The writer of Hebrews rightly emphasises the spiritual gifts which had been shared by Jew and Gentile alike. His task is to convince those who had that familiar desire to return to the ‘Good Old Days’ that there was but the shell of ancient tradition still preserved by Pharisees far away from Israel and there was nothing to be found there. Brian
Services next Sunday – 24th March – Palm Sunday
| Weston-under-Penyard | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| The Lea | Children’s Church | 10.00 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Mattins | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Morning Worship | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | All Age Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Start of Holy Week Walks | 4.30 p.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
HOPE MANSEL. Lent Lunch on Sat 16th March, 12 noon for 12.30 pm.
LENT COURSE. A 6 week course based on the Pilgrim material: A Course for the Christian Journey. Upton Bishop Village Hall 2-4 pm every Wed’s, except for the final week, March 20th which will be 12-2 and include a simple lunch.
ROMANS COURSE AT LINTON. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome contains some passages which have comforted Christians down the ages.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him
But other passages can be more confusing
Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.
Join us on the second Sunday of the month at Linton Village Hall 10.30am, to unpack this letter which has been described as the most important letter in history. It had a profound influence on greats such as St Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley and even David Suchet. The mornings start with brunch before a combination of videos and discussion questions, produced by The Bible Society, take us through the letter in 10 episodes.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There’ll be images & colouring to help you be still & meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick, Jim Washington (HM)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com
10th March
Mothering Sunday
Collect
God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself: strengthen us in our daily living that in joy and in sorrow we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Exodus 2. 1-10.
New Testament 2 Corinthians 1. 3-7.
Gospel John 19. 25b-27.
The import from America that insists on calling this day ‘Mothers’ Day’ has changed the original intention of this Sunday.
People can rightly ask about those women who have never had children; about those families where the mother has died; or about those families whose mothers have run off and abandoned them. ‘It’s not fair!’ they might say and some will feel left out on this day. Fairness must include everyone and the list is endless. It is surprising that the card companies have
not cashed in by inventing ‘Grannie’s Day’ or ‘Great Uncle’s Day’ and more besides.
The Church’s term for the day is Mothering Sunday – implying looking after, caring, being there for us all and not only giving birth. It has, in time past, been an opportunity to visit the Mother Church of the Diocese on this day – a long walk from here to Hereford Cathedral!
For those of us who have had happy childhoods, it is a time for grateful reflection. In particular we honour Mary the Mother of our Lord Jesus, with the example set by that holy Family for our own homes – as well as for our spiritual home, the Church, that continues to care for us throughout our earthly life.
Martin.
Services next Sunday – 17th March – 5th Sunday of Lent
| Weston-under-Penyard | Family Communion | 11.00 a.m. |
| The Lea | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Village Praise | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Bible Brunch @ Village Hall | 10.30 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LENT COURSE. A 6 week course based on the Pilgrim material: A Course for the Christian Journey. Upton Bishop Village Hall 2-4 pm every Wednesday starting 14th Feb except for the final week, March 20th which will be 12-2 and include a simple lunch.
FOOD LARDER. Please remember the Ross Food Bank. After the generosity of Harvest and Christmas January and February are often quite lean months for donations. Items which are always needed include biscuits; small jars of pasta sauce; tins of fruit, meat, custard and rice pudding. If you could add one item to your shopping that would be very kind.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There will be images and colouring to help you be still and meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Janet Jenkins (Lea), Elisabeth Hilary Westmacott (Lin)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com
03rd March
3rd Sunday of Lent
Collect
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Exodus 20. 1-17.
New Testament 1 Corinthians 1. 18-25.
Gospel John 2. 13-22.
In the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus was protesting against the commercialisation of religion and the desecration of the Temple. His action was the kind that had been predicted for the messianic age. ‘There will be no more traders in the temple of Yahweh when that day comes,’ (Zechariah.14:21) but it went deeper.
Jesus was passing judgement on the Jewish system of worship. He was declaring that the whole temple worship with its ritual and animal sacrifices, were irrelevant and could do nothing to bring the people to God. He was replacing the sacrificial worship with spiritual worship.
He was also protesting at the way religion had become narrow, nationalistic, and exclusive. Israel had failed to fulfil her universal mission to humankind. It was God’s intention that the Temple should be a house of prayer ‘for all nations,’ but the Temple remained the jealousy, guarded preserve of Israel.
It was only after the resurrection that the full meaning of what Jesus did, and said, became clear to his followers, Jesus, the risen Messiah had taken the place of the Temple and all it stood for. The centre of God‘s presence among his people is no longer a place; it is a person.
At the end of the episode, we are told that many believed in him ‘when they saw the signs that he did’. The presumption is that they only believed because of the signs he gave. Jesus wasn’t taken in by these. They didn’t really understand the way he had chosen the way of service and sacrifice.
David
Services next Sunday – 10th March – Mothering Sunday
| Weston-under-Penyard | Communion Service | 10.00 a.m. |
| The Lea | Holy Communion | 8.00 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | ||
| Aston Ingham | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | All Ages Service | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Communion Service | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LENT COURSE. A 6 week course based on the Pilgrim material: A Course for the Christian Journey. Upton Bishop Village Hall 2-4 pm every Wednesday starting 14th Feb except for the final week, March 20th which will be 12-2 and include a simple lunch.
FOOD LARDER. Please remember the Ross Food Bank. After the generosity of Harvest and Christmas January and February are often quite lean months for donations. Items which are always needed include biscuits; small jars of pasta sauce; tins of fruit, meat, custard and rice pudding. If you could add one item to your shopping that would be very kind.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There will be images and colouring to help you be still and meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Janet Jenkins (Lea), Elisabeth Hilary Westmacott (Lin)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com
25th February
2nd Sunday of Lent
Collect
Almighty God, you show to those who are in error the light of your truth, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant to all those who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s religion, that they may reject those things that are contrary to their profession, and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Readings
Old Testament Genesis 17. 1-7, 15-16.
New Testament Romans 4. 13-end.
Gospel Mark 8. 31-end.
Several weeks ago a man, originally a migrant from Afghanistan, brutally assaulted a woman and her two young daughters in Clapham, using a powerful corrosive substance. As the background story unfolded it appeared that after having been prosecuted for sexual assault in 2017 and having been denied asylum, twice, he was finally granted it on stating that he had converted to the Christian faith. Naturally there was a spate of indignation about the evils of religion and how it caused so much trouble in the world. The truth of the matter is that the relevant government department was slack in examining properly the claim to conversion.
Conversion is of course sought by all Christian denominations, but it has to be done properly. The historic denominations, such as ours, have a procedure. The candidate is encouraged and welcomed. He or she is invited to attend a course of instruction, the length of which will depend on the amount of knowledge already in place. After this course there will be a brief question-and-answer session and depending on the outcome of this a service of Holy Baptism will be arranged. Thereafter a Certificate of Baptism will be issued, signed by the relevant priest. This Certificate (which is dated) can serve as indication of the conversion. Without it the candidate could be bluffing in order to gain asylum.
Some denominations do not issue paperwork and settle instead for a verbal statement, but this is clearly more prone to abuse. We employ a system which could be criticised for being bureaucratic but at least it is as thorough as it can be. We are not slack in our procedures and we take our civic duties very seriously. I would urge the relevant government departments to be thorough in examining claims of conversion including calling in the assistance of a properly accredited chaplain who could, tactfully, examine the applicant and his credentials properly. Religion is no more free of human weakness than anything else, but above all we prize our sincerity. Robin Noble
Services next Sunday – 03rd March – 3rd Sunday of Lent
| Weston-under-Penyard | Morning Worship | 11.15 a.m. |
| The Lea | Family Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Evensong | 4.30 p.m. |
| Linton | Holy Communion | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | Mattins | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LENT COURSE. A 6 week course based on the Pilgrim material: A Course for the Christian Journey. Upton Bishop Village Hall 2-4 pm every Wednesday starting 14th Feb except for the final week, March 20th which will be 12-2 and include a simple lunch.
FOOD LARDER. Please remember the Ross Food Bank. After the generosity of Harvest and Christmas January and February are often quite lean months for donations. Items which are always needed include biscuits; small jars of pasta sauce; tins of fruit, meat, custard and rice pudding. If you could add one item to your shopping that would be very kind.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There will be images and colouring to help you be still and meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Janet Jenkins (Lea), Elisabeth Hilary Westmacott (Lin)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com
18th February
1st Sunday of Lent
Collect
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; through 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.
Readings
Old Testament Genesis 9. 8-17.
New Testament 1 Peter 3. 18-end.
Gospel Mark 1. 9-15.
Is the Flood the best-known story in the Bible, I wonder? Generations of children have been given a toy Ark, with all sorts of figures to keep the story alive from an early age. But, like many nursery stories, there are fascinating clues to social history in the account. So to take it on its face value is to miss important ideas lying beyond the story.Its origins are much more ancient than the account in the Bible and variations of its themes are widespread throughout the ancient world long before the Hebrew version was recorded. The Babylonian historian, Berosus, writing during the early third century B.C., tells us that king Xisuthrus, the tenth king of Babylon, about 2900B.C. was the last king listed before the Flood. He was warned in a dream by the god Cronus that a great flood would destroy mankind. He ordered the king to write a history of the world from the beginning and bury it in the city of the Sun. Some stories have an angry god who causes the Flood, but in others it is beyond his control and he can do no more than warn a chosen human to build a life-boat. In our text, God caused the Flood but Noah and his family were chosen to be saved. This theme of God choosing a human as his agent runs throughout the Bible. The animal kingdom also had to be saved and we find seven of every ‘clean’ animal (a species which could be offered as a sacrifice) but only two of the ‘unclean’ animal species were taken aboard. When God regrets his hasty decision, he establishes a new Covenant, as a legally-binding document on both parties. We also have a primitive explanation of the rainbow as a token of God’s willingness to start again. For St. Paul the promise made to Noah long before the exclusive Covenant with Moses, concerning the Tribes of Israel alone, was very significant. In the Covenant made with Noah, God brings ALL humanity into partnership with him. For St. Paul, on that basis, the Gentiles are part of the new humanity under the Covenant made with God in Christ and the hope for the future which is also part of the Covenant, is as much for them as for Israel. Brian
Services next Sunday –25th February – 1st Sunday of Lent
| Weston-under-Penyard | Parish Communion | 9.30 a.m. |
| The Lea | Childrens Church | 10.00 a.m. |
| Hope Mansell | Mattins | 9.30 a.m. |
| Aston Ingham | Parish Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
| Linton | Morning Worship | 11.00 a.m. |
| Upton Bishop | All Age Communion | 10.30 a.m. |
Forthcoming Services & Events
LENT COURSE. A 6 week course based on the Pilgrim material: A Course for the Christian Journey. Upton Bishop Village Hall 2-4 pm every Wednesday starting 14th Feb except for the final week, March 20th which will be 12-2 and include a simple lunch.
FOOD LARDER. Please remember the Ross Food Bank. After the generosity of Harvest and Christmas January and February are often quite lean months for donations. Items which are always needed include biscuits; small jars of pasta sauce; tins of fruit, meat, custard and rice pudding. If you could add one item to your shopping that would be very kind.
LINTON: Sacred Space. Often our worship is full of words and noise. This Lent why not spend time with God in quietness? St Mary’s, Linton will be hosting a Sacred Space – a place to spend unstructured time in reflection. There will be images and colouring to help you be still and meet God in the silence.
WESTON: Bible study at Tony & Mary Pitt’s, 2nd &4th Thursday of each month, Penyard Rise Weston under Penyard HR9 7PH Phone: 768181
UPTON BISHOP have a BCP communion Service at 9.30 am on the first Wednesday of each month. A quiet midweek service. All welcome”
Please be aware that if you have any events you would like to advertise here, do please contact Debs
directly (details below) and she will be pleased to include them.
Please pray for all who are sick,
Please pray for all who have died, Janet Jenkins (Lea), Elisabeth Hilary Westmacott (Lin)
Rev David Howell 01989 568736 email: revdavidhowell@btinternet.com
If you would like to receive this pew sheet via email¸ please email Debs debsparishsecretary@btinternet.com