Bowland Benefice Pews News 26 July 2026 Eighth Sunday of Trinity - Collect Lord God, your Son left the riches of heaven and became poor for our sake: when we prosper, save us from pride, when we are needy, save us from despair, that we may trust in you alone; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This week in the Benefice Saturday 25 July 2.00pm Peopleton Church Garden Party at the Rectory Sunday 26 July 9.30am Holy Communion in White Ladies Aston 10.30am Morning Prayer in Upton Snodsbury 11.00am Holy Communion in Peopleton Sunday 2 August Trinity 9 11.00am Benefice Holy Communion in Peopleton This Saturday 25 th from 2.00pm to 4.30pm, everyone will be made very welcome at The Rectory in Peopleton, to enjoy the St Nicholas’ Summer Garden Party hosted by Tim and Claire. Tickets are £10 (children £4) to include a glass of Pimms, tea/coffee, a bowl of strawberries and cream and delicious cake. There will be a raffle and if you would like to donate a prize the organisers would be very grateful! For tickets, more information or to offer a raffle prize, please contact Shirley (01905 841991), Sue (01905 840037) or Revd Claire (07921 101320). Next weekend sees the beginning of August. In August in the Bowland Benefice, there is just one service on each Sunday travelling around the Benefice. Nest Sunday, 2 nd August, Peopleton’s Benefice Service of Holy Communion will celebrate the traditional season of Lammastide with a specially devised service. Please do make a note in your diary and go along to St Nicholas for this occasion. The Light of God surrounds me. The Love of God enfolds me, The Power of God protects me, The Presence of God watches over me, Wherever I am - GOD IS. Calling all flower arrangers!! You are warmly invited to go along to St James Bishampton on Wednesday 26 August at 7.30 pm for a talk and demonstration on how to arrange flowers sustainably, - particularly in church - avoiding using oasis, or similar. Renata, an award-winning Master Florist, currently based in Pershore, is coming to give us advice and tips on how to produce pedestal and free-standing arrangements, if you have a tricky location, bring along a photo and she will advise on that too. Renata will also give details of local growers where we can purchase flowers to further assist in the church’s drive for sustainability. £5 a ticket to include a drink and nibbles. If you could let the organisers at St James know if you are likely to attend, so that they can best arrange seating in the church:it would be appreciated. – email address: [email protected] This Sunday 26 July – if you are free, you would be very welcome to the Summer Fete in Stoulton taking place in gardens and in the church from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Teas will be served in the Village Hall and all money raised will go to Sr Edmund’s Church. Summer and August in particular is the traditional time for holidays and it can give us opportunities to take time out from too full, busy lives, to think and maybe reflect a bit on some of those things which generally elude us because we haven’t got the time or energy to consider them - Opportunity and the space, without guilt maybe, to meditate on ourselves, life and the universe. As Benefice Administrator I have no idea what I might come up with and include in the next few weeks –it will be a learning curve and possibly a bumpy ride for us all! If you have something which you feel would be good for us all to think about, please do get in touch. [email protected] . So for now here follows a prayer, simple on the outside and easy to pray but one which may lead us to wonder what is the actual meaning and responsibility of saying Jesus dwell in is and we in You. What a responsibility we have!……something to think about O Lord Jesus, pray in us. Dwell in us and we in You. Unite us with You so that our prayers may become Your prayers and Your prayers our prayers. Make us love You for Your own sake and not for what we hope from You. Teach us to love as You love. Amen.