Bowland Benefice Pews News 27 September 2026 17 th Sunday after Trinity Collect Gracious God, you call us to fullness of life: deliver us from unbelief and banish our anxieties with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. This week in the Benefice Sunday 27 September 9.30am Holy Communion in White Ladies Aston 10.30am Hymn and a Prayer in Upton Snodsbury 11.00am Late Breakfast Café Church in Peopleton Saturday 3 October 10.30am Churchyard Tidy- Up in Upton Snodsbury Sunday 4 October Trinity 18 10.30am Harvest Festival in Upton Snodsbury 11.00am Holy Communion in Peopleton 4.00pm Harvest Festival in Broughton Hackett 6.00pm Evensong in White Ladies Aston It’s Late Breakfast Café Church this Sunday in Peopleton – everyone will be very welcome to enjoy coffee and croissant etc, friendship and relaxed worship with Revd Claire. Come and join other families for breakfast. What a good start for a Sunday! Have you a couple of hours free next Saturday Morning – 3 October? If so you will be very welcome in St Kenelm’s churchyard, Upton Snodsbury with your garden clippers and secateurs to tidy up the laurel bushes. Refreshments will be provided! I would be true for there are those who trust me; I would be pure for there are those who care; I would be brave for there is much to suffer; I would be strong for there is much to dare; I would be friend of all, the foe, the friendless; I would be giving and forget the gift; I would be humble for I know my weakness; I would look up and love and laugh. (a hymn based on 1906 poem by Howard Arnold Walker and added to by J T Wenham) Being thanked and complimented always gives you a great feeling! A couple of Sundays ago there was a baptism in Upton Snodsbury as part of the Holy Communion Service and Claire wants to share an email she has received from toddler Lila’s Mum…… I just wanted to drop you a message to thank you for leading Lila’s beautiful christening. We loved how personal it felt and specific to her throughout the service, it made it feel very special. Could we also pass our thanks onto the wider congregation as everyone made us and the rest of our family feel incredibly welcome which we really appreciated. Lila loved feeling like a celebrity and excitedly told all her friends at nursery about it (especially that her hair got wet!) at every opportunity! How wonderful! A couple of opportunities in October Since becoming Bishop of Worcester in January, Bishop Hugh Nelson has been travelling across the Diocese, meeting clergy and lay leaders, visiting parishes, schools and communities, and listening to the hopes, challenges and opportunities that are shaping our life together. This autumn, we are all warmly invited to one of a series of diocesan gatherings to meet Bishop Hugh, hear something of what he has discovered so far, and explore with him what it means to be Kingdom People today. Hear about his vision for our diocese and pray for our future together. Share the Bishop’s reflections, ask questions, listen to each other and look ahead. Bishop Hugh welcomes us as follows: I hope these evenings will be encouraging, honest and hopeful as we continue our journey as Kingdom People in Worcestershire and Greater Dudley. I will share why the phrase Kingdom People matters to me, what it might mean for the next season of diocesan life, and how communities marked by faith, hope and love can help us be church for the world as it is today. I hope you will come along and join me. Locally meetings are planned in St Andrew’s Church, Malvern on Thursday 15 October at 7.00pm; on Monday 9 November in Claines Church, Worcester at 7.00pm and for us, here in the Evesham and Pershore Deanery on Wednesday 21 October at 7.00pm, venue to be announced. Claire is planning to go to the meeting, she says – I haven’t met him yet so will go along if anyone wants to come with me - please do have a word with her and maybe car sharing could be organised if there is a contingent from the Benefice wanting to attend. Sunday 18 October at 3.00pm Service in the Cathedral – more information next week!

Holy Communion led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Joint Benefice Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Claire Billington at St. John the Baptist, WLA

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St John the Baptist, White Ladies Aston
Address
White Ladies Aston Worcester, WR7 4QQ, United Kingdom

A service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

A Service of Harvest Thanksgiving

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

A Lay led Harvest Thanksgiving service where we welcome your kind offerings of produce to be blessed and distributed to local charities after the service. An ideal opportunity for the village and surrounding areas to come together, and socialise after the service at our Harvest Lunch.

Holy Communion led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Holy communion led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

All Souls Service led by Revd Claire Billington at St John the Baptist at White Ladies Aston

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St John the Baptist, White Ladies Aston
Address
White Ladies Aston Worcester, WR7 4QQ, United Kingdom

This is a Benefice service when anyone who wants to remember someone they love who has died can come to light a candle and say special prayers.

A service of Remembrance.

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

A Service of Remembrance to remember those in Peopleton who gave their lives for us all.

Joint Benefice Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Alma Organ at St. Nicholas, Peopleton

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

A service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

Holy communion led by Rev'd Rob Farmer

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Joint Benefice Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Claire Billington at St. Leonard's, B/H

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Leonard's, Broughton Hackett
Address
Broughton Hackett Worcester, WR7 4BD, United Kingdom

A service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

Crib Service

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

The Dressing of the Crib through Carols and Readings.
We welcome children, and adults, to come and dress the crib to tell of the story of the birth of Jesus Christ with Carols and readings.

Holy communion led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Joint Advent Carol service led by Revd Claire Billington @ WLA

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St John the Baptist, White Ladies Aston
Address
White Ladies Aston Worcester, WR7 4QQ, United Kingdom

Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to celebrate the coming of Christ in his incarnation.
An Advent Carol service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

Christingle Service

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

Our Christingle service is a joyful celebration that brings our families and communities together to share the light of Jesus and spread a message of hope.

Joint Benefice Said Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Claire at St Kenelm's, Upton Snodsbury

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Kenelm's Upton Snodsbury
Address
Church Lane Upton Snodsbury Worcester, WR7 4NH, United Kingdom

A special said service of Holy Communion designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

A Lay led all age Christmas Carol Service

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

The service consists of hymns about Christmas and readings from the gospels telling the Christmas story. During the service we will light the Advent Candles.
A truly all age family service bringing the village and surrounding areas together.

Advent Meditation Service

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

A service of quiet reflection on the forthcoming birth of Jesus Christ.

Midnight Mass led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

Come and join us and celebrate Midnight Mass as the first liturgy of Christmastide that we celebrate on the night of Christmas Eve, giving way to Christmas Day.

Holy communion led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Holy communion led by Rev'd Rob Farmer

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All members of any church are welcome to our service. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.

Joint Benefice Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Claire Billington at St. John the Baptist, WLA

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St John the Baptist, White Ladies Aston
Address
White Ladies Aston Worcester, WR7 4QQ, United Kingdom

A service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.

Late Breakfast Cafe Church led by Rev'd Claire Billington

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Nicholas, Peopleton
Address
Main Street Peopleton Worcester, WR10 2EA, United Kingdom

All are welcome to this informal all age Family Friendly service with a late breakfast of coffee, tea and croissants served.

Joint Benefice Holy Communion service led by Rev'd Claire Billington at St. Leonard's, B/H

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Leonard's, Broughton Hackett
Address
Broughton Hackett Worcester, WR7 4BD, United Kingdom

A service designed to welcome partner congregations from the churches across the Bowland Benefice, but all members of any church are welcome to attend. If you don’t want to take communion, that’s absolutely fine!
Each service is followed by refreshments.
An opportunity for us to meet as a Benefice.