Bowland Benefice
Pews News
6 August 2023
Transfiguration of our Lord
Collect
Father in heaven,
whose Son Jesus Christ was wonderfully transfigured
before chosen witnesses upon the holy mountain,
and spoke of the exodus he would accomplish at Jerusalem:
give us strength so to hear his voice and bear our cross
that in the world to come we may see him as he is;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

In August we hold just one Benefice service each Sunday, rotating around our 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
Saturday
5 August 3.00pm Baptism of Cataleya Summer Awford Fabian in Peopleton
Sunday
6 August 11.00am Benefice Holy Communion in Peopleton
Saturday
12 August 10.30am Call in for Coffee and Cake at The Parish Room, White Ladies Aston
Sunday
13 August
10th Sunday after Trinity 10.30am Benefice Holy Communion in Upton Snodsbury
Monday
14 August
Noon Meet and Eat in The Parish Room, White Ladies Aston.

If you wish to join you neighbours in The Parish Room next Monday (14th) for lunch please book a ticket (cost £5) by ringing 01905 345371.
A thought
If for a moment you feel despair
the door is open, pull up a chair.
Compose your thoughts, relax with ease,
all are here and aim to please.
Moments special, enjoy we must
to friends and family put our trust.
Unite and fill your heart with love
as we are protected by the One above.
(Anon - parishioner)
A Date for next Thursday….. 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
10.00am at St John the Baptist Crowle (WR7 4AX)
and
12.00noon at St Edmund’s Stoulton (WR7 4RE)

Our New Archdeacon
As we know Robert Jones, who has been a good friend to our Benefice, is retiring in the Autumn. There will be an opportunity to say farewell to Archdeacon Robert at Evensong in the Cathedral on Sunday 19 November, to which all are invited.

Bishop John has announced that the Revd Canon Mark Badger is to be the next Archdeacon of Worcester. Mark is currently rector of Kempsey & Severn Stoke with Croome d'Abitot & Norton as well as Area Dean of Malvern and Upton.
As Archdeacon, he will have oversight of parishes and clergy in the four deaneries of Worcester, Malvern and Upton, Kidderminster and Stourport and Pershore and Evesham. He will also have responsibility for our diocesan priority to double the number of children and young people in our churches by 2030 and support parishes in their ministry to new housing developments.
Mark says “Children and Young People have always been a very important part of my ministry so I’m delighted to take the lead for the Diocese in this area, working alongside our Director of Education and Children and Youth Adviser. I have also had considerable experience of working with new housing developments in my current role and this is another area for which I have a real passion. I am looking forward to taking on a range of different responsibilities as Archdeacon.”
Mark will be installed as Archdeacon at a service in the Cathedral in early December and we wish him well in his new role.

A thought when life gets us down……
Despite everything, the sun shines each day, the moon rises each night and we have a duty to live, love, respond to the world and those around us and just ‘be’ as God intends.

We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of the country and at this time of the year there are holidaymakers enjoying what our lovely villages have to offer.
For those strangers we meet -
may they find a warm welcome and a place to recharge, regenerate and relax.