Pews News  3rd May 2026

Bowland Benefice

Pews News 3 May 2026

The Collect for 5th Sunday of Easter

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. Amen.

This week in the Benefice

Sunday3 May	10.30am	Family Service in Upton Snodsbury
11.00am	Holy Communion in Peopleton
6.00pm	Evensong in White Ladies Aston
Friday8 May	4.30pmTo 5.30pm	Circus Skills Taster Session in The Parish Room, White Ladies Aston
Sunday10 May6th Sunday of Easter	10.30am	Rogation Holy Communion in Upton Snodsbury
10.30am	Family Service in White Ladies Aston

We once again welcome Revd Alma Organ and her husband Robin to Peopleton this morning for the service of Holy Communion. Robin and Alma love working with us in the Bowland Benefice and as usual we are very pleased to see them!

Alma will again be in the Benefice next Sunday,

10 May when she will lead the Holy Communion Service for Rogationtide in St Kenelm’s.

This service is offered as part of Revd Claire’s drive to recognise the Bowland Benefice’s proud rural heritage.

We are very grateful to Revd Rob Farmer for his help with sourcing the material and putting together this service. Please make a diary note, come and support Revd Alma and give it a try!

Calling all Children aged 7 to 11 for the Circus Skills Taster Session Friday 8 May (and also 15 May) . Cost £1. Booking is essential.

Please ring Angie on 01905 345164 to secure your place.

Well what a week!

I am sure all of us, at one time or another have read, seen or heard something of King Charles’ and Queen Camilla’s visit to the United States.

What an impact they have made!

Nothing is perfect in this world and never can be because we are all human, we make mistakes and dreadful, dreadful things happen – as we have witnessed this week.

Once again we have seen that our country is not immune to evil things and evil people.

But just maybe we take our freedom and way of life, our heritage and traditions and the wonderful ethnic diversity of our amazing country, for granted.

And just maybe there are not enough ‘thank yous’ being said.

Next Sunday is the start of Christian Aid Week.

Christian Aid Weekthis year is asking for financial support to help mothers in Nairobi, Kenya, facing the devastating reality of urban poverty and the daily struggle to feed their children.

By helping to fund urban farming projects alongside specialist training from Christian Aid’s partner Beacon of Hope, we can all help parents fight food insecurity, grow fresh vegetables in small city spaces and earn an income to support their families.

Maybe this is a very positive way to say ‘thank you’

for all our blessings. 

A prayer of thanks from the Anglican Church

in North America

Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us.

We thank you for the splendour of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks that demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments that satisfy and delight us.

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he conquered death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.