Bowland Benefice
Pews News 30 July 2023
8th Sunday after Trinity
Hear the call of Jesus, come, be deeply blessed;
his the invitation, you the honoured guest.

Collect

Almighty Lord and everlasting God,
we beseech you to direct, sanctify and govern
both our hearts and bodies
in the ways of your laws
and the works of your commandments;
that through your most mighty protection,

both here and ever,
we may be preserved in body and soul;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
A very warm welcome this morning to the lovely little
church of St Leonard, in Broughton Hackett.
Today is the fifth Sunday in the month of July and we
have a Benefice Service and, as you know, in August
we hold just one Benefice service each Sunday,
rotating around our four parishes.
It is a wonderful opportunity to visit and experience
the very different characters and styles of the
churches in our Benefice. Please do encourage friends
and neighbours to travel around with you.
This week in the Benefice
Sunday
30 July

10.30am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Broughton Hackett
2.00pm Summer Garden
Party in the grounds
of Wolverton Hall

Saturday
5 August

3.00pm Baptism of Cataleya
Summer Awford
Fabian in Peopleton

Sunday 6
August
Transfiguration
of our Lord

11.00am Benefice Holy
Communion in
Peopleton
Everyone is welcome to the Summer Garden Party in
aid of St Nicholas Church, at Wolverton Hall by kind
invitation of Sir Nicholas and Lady Georgia Coleridge.
Meet at St Nicholas Church at 2.00pm to walk across
to the Hall. Tickets to include a glass of Pimms,
tea/coffee and cake. The swimming pool will be
available. Tickets from Caroline (840630), Diana
(840611), Carole (840879) and Kim (840911).
A welcome to St Nicholas next Saturday to Cataleya,
her godparents and family for her baptism. May they
have a happy day and we wish all blessings for
Cataleya for the years ahead.

Welcome to St Leonard’s on Sunday…..but
who was St Leonard, the saint to whom Broughton
Hackett’s church is dedicated?
He was born towards the end of the 5 th century near
Orleans in France to a nobleman who was a high
ranking officer in the army of King Clovis 1.
At the age of 14 Leonard went to the monastery of
Micy in Orleans, entered Holy Orders and became
known for his compassion and holiness.
He saved the life of the pregnant queen Wisigarde,
wife of King Theodebert, helping her give birth to a

healthy son.

In his gratitude, the King gave Leonard the estate of
Pauvin which became a flourishing monastery, its
name being changed to Noblat.
Leonard continued healing the sick, performing
miracles and converting prisoners to Christianity. The
community of Noblat continued to grow until the

saint’s death in 559AD.

After his death his fame, news of his life and the
miracles performed in his name, spread.
King Richard the Lionheart made a pilgrimage to
Leonard’s shrine and later churches, monasteries,
hospitals and hermitages dedicated to him could be
found in France, Italy, England, Scotland and Bavaria.
The church in the French town of Saint Leonard de
Noblat, became a centre of pilgrimage especially for
pregnant women and prisoners of war.
A date for your diaries - A Diocesan Initiative…..

Praying for Growth

A dedicated period of prayer that our diocese will
grow both spiritually and numerically over the coming

years.

Join Bishop Martin as he prays in churches in each of

our deaneries.

All welcome - please just come along.
Pershore and Evesham Deanery
Thursday 10 August
10am at St John the Baptist
Crowle (WR7 4AX)
And 12.00noon at Edmund’s
Stoulton (WR7 4RE)
Also……

The Diocesan Prayer Diaries for August to November
are now ready for collection in our churches.
The School Summer Holidays are now with us – a joy
for many; a time for holidays and for spending
memorable hours with family and friends - but for so
many parents it is a time of hugely increased anxiety
as there is no access to school meals for six weeks or
so. Finances are already stretched to the limit and
people struggle to put food on the table for their
youngsters. Please we can all do a bit to help by
supplying some basic foods and a few treats to our

local Food Banks.