Bowland Benefice
Bowland Benefice
Pews News 11 August 2024
Welcome to St Nicholas Church
A prayer for St Nicholas
Almighty Father, lover of souls,
who chose your servant Nicholas
to be a bishop in the Church,
that he might give freely out of the treasures

of your grace:

make us mindful of the needs of others
and, as we have received, so teach us also to give;
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. Amen.
Collect for today Trinity 11
O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
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. Amen.
This Week in the Benefice
Sunday
11 August

11.00am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Peopleton

Saturday
17 August

10.00am
to noon

Churchyard
tidy up in
Upton
Snodsbury

Sunday
18 August
Trinity 12

10.30am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Upton
Snodsbury
This is the second Sunday of our August pilgrimage
around our Bowland Churches to enjoy the friendship
and fellowship of taking Communion together.
Revd Claire and each church’s regular congregation
look forward to welcoming you.
Please do encourage friends and neighbours to travel

around with you.
Volunteers needed please!

Weddings are great! There is a wedding service taking
place in St Kenelm’s later in the month and to make
sure the churchyard is looking its best, there will be a
summer tidy up on Saturday 17 th . Volunteers with
their gardening tools will be welcomed! Refreshments
will be available. More information from Helen
(381490) or Janet (381379).

Next Thursday 15 August Christians celebrate the
Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary honouring the life of
the mother of Jesus. One of the very best loved parts
of the Bible is Luke 2: 46-55 – the Magnificat - sung
daily by Anglicans across the world. Pure poetry!
My soul doth magnify the Lord :
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth :
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me :
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him :
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm :
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their

hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat :
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things :
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
 He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for

ever.

We are in Peopleton this morning and in the church of
St Nicholas but…….Who was St Nicholas?
Nicholas was born of rich Greek parents on 15 th March
270AD and he dedicated his life to serving God
showing generosity and concern to all those in need.
He became Bishop of Myra at a very young age and
under the Roman Emperor Diocletian was exiled and
imprisoned. On his release he attended the ground
breaking Council of Nicea in AD325. This was the first
worldwide gathering of Christian leaders, called by
Emperor Constantine and was responsible for setting
down Christian beliefs in the Nicene Creed and also
calculations for when Easter is celebrated.
His acts of love and charity became legendary and
there are many stories recorded of his extraordinary
deeds as a protector and helper of those in need.
He restored to life 3 young theological students who
were robbed and murdered by an innkeeper and then
hidden in a large pickling tub. Nicholas prayed and
they were restored to life and wholeness.
He provided dowries for the 3 daughters of a poor
man. This way they could be married rather than be

sold into slavery.

Thus he became the patron and protector of children.
On his way back from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
he calmed a storm, saving the lives of the terrified
sailors and becoming the patron of sailors and

voyagers.

He died on 6 th December 343AD and this day is widely
celebrated throughout Europe as a day for gift-giving
for children. He is the real Santa Claus!
A prayer for St Nicholas
Almighty Father, lover of souls,
who chose your servant Nicholas
to be a bishop in the Church,
that he might give freely out of the treasures

of your grace:

make us mindful of the needs of others
and, as we have received, so teach us also to give;
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. Amen.
Collect for today Trinity 11
O God, you declare your almighty power
most chiefly in showing mercy and pity:
mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace,
that we, running the way of your commandments,
may receive your gracious promises,
and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure;
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. Amen.
This Week in the Benefice
Sunday
11 August

11.00am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Peopleton

Saturday
17 August

10.00am
to noon

Churchyard
tidy up in
Upton
Snodsbury

Sunday
18 August
Trinity 12

10.30am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Upton
Snodsbury
This is the second Sunday of our August pilgrimage
around our Bowland Churches to enjoy the friendship
and fellowship of taking Communion together.
Revd Claire and each church’s regular congregation
look forward to welcoming you.
Please do encourage friends and neighbours to travel

around with you.
Volunteers needed please!

Weddings are great! There is a wedding service taking
place in St Kenelm’s later in the month and to make
sure the churchyard is looking its best, there will be a
summer tidy up on Saturday 17 th . Volunteers with
their gardening tools will be welcomed! Refreshments
will be available. More information from Helen
(381490) or Janet (381379).

Next Thursday 15 August Christians celebrate the
Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary honouring the life of
the mother of Jesus. One of the very best loved parts
of the Bible is Luke 2: 46-55 – the Magnificat - sung
daily by Anglicans across the world. Pure poetry!
My soul doth magnify the Lord :
and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
For he hath regarded : the lowliness of his handmaiden.

For behold, from henceforth :
all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath magnified me :
and holy is his Name.
And his mercy is on them that fear him :
throughout all generations.
He hath shewed strength with his arm :
He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their

hearts.

He hath put down the mighty from their seat :
and hath exalted the humble and meek.
He hath filled the hungry with good things :
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
 He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel :
as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed for

ever.

We are in Peopleton this morning and in the church of
St Nicholas but…….Who was St Nicholas?
Nicholas was born of rich Greek parents on 15 th March
270AD and he dedicated his life to serving God
showing generosity and concern to all those in need.
He became Bishop of Myra at a very young age and
under the Roman Emperor Diocletian was exiled and
imprisoned. On his release he attended the ground
breaking Council of Nicea in AD325. This was the first
worldwide gathering of Christian leaders, called by
Emperor Constantine and was responsible for setting
down Christian beliefs in the Nicene Creed and also
calculations for when Easter is celebrated.
His acts of love and charity became legendary and
there are many stories recorded of his extraordinary
deeds as a protector and helper of those in need.
He restored to life 3 young theological students who
were robbed and murdered by an innkeeper and then
hidden in a large pickling tub. Nicholas prayed and
they were restored to life and wholeness.
He provided dowries for the 3 daughters of a poor
man. This way they could be married rather than be

sold into slavery.

Thus he became the patron and protector of children.
On his way back from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,
he calmed a storm, saving the lives of the terrified
sailors and becoming the patron of sailors and

voyagers.

He died on 6 th December 343AD and this day is widely
celebrated throughout Europe as a day for gift-giving
for children. He is the real Santa Claus!