Bowland Benefice
Pews News
12 March 2023
Third 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. Amen.
This week in the Benefice
Sunday
12 March

10.30am Holy Communion in
Upton Snodsbury
10.30am Family Service in
White Ladies Aston
(see below)

Tuesday
14 March

7.00pm Lent Course
continues at The
Crown, Peopleton
(see below)

Sunday
19 March
Mothering
Sunday

10.30am Mothering Sunday
Service in Upton
Snodsbury
11.00am Benefice Holy
Communion and
celebration for
Mothering Sunday
in Peopleton
The service at White Ladies Aston this Sunday, 12
March will be a family Mothers’ Day service.
(Mothering Sunday is next week, the 19 March).
Everyone is very welcome to this unique service. It will
last a little over half an hour and refreshments will be
served. Come and meet friends and neighbours for
this very special time together.
On Tuesday at 7.00pm the Lent Course continues at
The Crown in Peopleton. Please do go along even if
you have missed the previous evenings. Please do ring
Claire for information about the course. Her number is

07921 101320.

Next Sunday is Mothering Sunday. A very special time
of the year for families and Mother Church. Both at St
Kenelm’s and St Nicholas traditional posies etc will be

on offer for mums of all ages.

A thank you!

Last Saturday 4 March, a coffee morning was held at
Pump Cottage, Cowsden to raise money for St
Kenelm’s rotten church floor! The magnificent sum of
£348.34 was produced – thanks to everyone who

contributed in any way.
Annual Church Meetings

April will be here before too long and is the month for
our churches’ annual meetings. If you feel you would
like to get more involved in the running and
administration of your parish by being part of your
Parochial Church Council please do contact your
church warden or contact me and I will pass on your
details. Please ring me on 01386 860389 or email
[email protected]
If you or anyone you know would welcome a visit and
a chat with Revd Claire please do contact her (07921
101320 or [email protected] ) or me (as
above). Please do feel free to get in touch whether

you are a churchgoer of not.
The Season of Lent - more Lenten thoughts
Fifth of ten thoughts during Lent about ‘praying’
There is something special about a small, smooth
stone. It lies in the hand, calming and holding you in

the moment.

Next time you hold a stone, ponder on its age, colour,
history and who else has held it before, as you are
doing. As you become still, bring the concerns of your

heart to mind and ask for help.
Sixth of ten thoughts during Lent about ‘praying’
From natural disasters to human brutality and
inhumanity, bad news comes thick and fast and there
often appears little we can do to stop or resolve it.
Why not take a moment or two to reflect on the day’s
news headlines? Allow your mind to settle on one

particular story.

As you read, meditate on it and ask God to help take
away suffering and fill those feeling abandoned with

love and hope.
And a short meditation……

There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to
cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over, a man who
suffered, who knew pain first hand. One look at him

and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried – our
disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself, that God was
punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him…….He took the
punishment, and that made us whole.
(Isaiah 53:2-6,12)