Sunday 22nd January, 2017 -Third Sunday of Epiphany
A light has dawned - the coming of Jesus spells radical change for the world
Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: he is the promised light, for he brings the Good News of salvation
Does Jesus, the true light of the world always brighten and inspire our lives?
Do our lives and faces reflect his warmth and love?
A Warm Welcome to Archdeacon Gordon
We are delighted to welcome Archdeacon Gordon to the Benefice today, Sunday 22nd January,as Guest Preacher at the 9.30 a.m. Parish Eucharist at Brigstock following which he will attend the All Age Service at Stanion. Gordon will be with us again on Sunday 12th February when he will preside and preach again at the 9.30 a.m.Brigstock Parish Eucharist beforepreaching at the 11.00 am Lowick Parish Eucharist.
Benefice Confirmation Service -All Saints,Sudborough
Sunday 29th January, 2017 at 10 a.m.
Bishop John Holbrook, Bishop of Brixworth, will be visiting the Benefice next Sunday, 29th January, at 10 a.m. for a Service of Holy Communion with Confirmation and Holy Baptism at Sudborough Church. Please do try to attend so as to give Bishop John a warm welcome and to encourage the four candidates, India, Jonty, Toni and Chris with your support, presence and prayers. The service will be followed by refreshments.
The Search for a new Rector
Following an unsuccessful round of advertising in the autumn (which might have reflected it being a time when fewer clergy are thinking of a move), we are currently advertising again in the Church Times (a weekly national publication, also read internationally) for a new Rector.The closing date for applications is Friday 10th February and the interview date set is Friday 17th March. Assuming that there are applicants and that shortlisting identifies a suitable candidate(s), interviews will take place on Friday 17th March. The interview panel will include the parish representatives, the rural dean, the patron and the archdeacon. Please pray that a good pastor and priest will sense God’s call to come and serve, lead, challenge, and love us as our new Rector in 2017.
News Letter
Brigstock, Lowick, Stanion and Sudborough
Sunday 22nd January 2017 – Third Sunday of Epiphany
Services today
Holy Communion / All Age Worship09.30 a.m. / St Andrews Brigstock
11.00 a.m. / St Peters Lowick / St Peters Stanion
Services on Sunday 29th January 2017.
10.00 a.m. All Saints Sudborough Benefice/Confirmation Service
Services on Sunday 5th February 2017
Holy Communion09.30 a.m. / All Saints Sudborough
11.00 a.m. / St Peters Stanion
Services on Sunday 12th February 2017.
Holy Communion / All Age Worship09.30 a.m. / St Andrews Brigstock
11.00 a.m. / St Peters Lowick / St Andrews Brigstock
Weekday Services Monday 23rd January to Saturday 28th January 2017
Tuesday 24th January 09.30 a.m. Holy Communion All Saints Sudborough
Thursday 26th January 10.00 a.m. Holy Communion St Andrews Brigstock
If you normally take Holy Communion in your own church you are welcome to receive Communion in any of the churches in the Benefice. If you would prefer a blessing please bring this sheet with you as you kneel at the altar rail.
Please Pray for:
Ø The Sick: Jenna May, Colin Bright, Joan Gray, Stan Druce, Ginny Jehu, Ralph Amey, Susan Carsberg, Rhiannon Seatton, Ben Potkins, Gwen Cork, Julia Barrow, Mike Redding, Terry Bright, Peter Sharpe.
Ø The Weeks Mind: Fred Young 2011, Peggy Swingler 1989, Hilda Littlewood 1998,
Annie Fletcher 1996, Mary Alice Short 1983
Parish Notes
During the interregnum: for pastoral matters please contact the Reverend Canon Julian Bowers for other enquiries please contact your churchwardens or messages/enquiries can be left on the Benefice email this is monitored seven days a week.
Assistant Priest: The Reverend Canon Julian Bowers, Brigstock with Stanion, Lowick and Sudborough
Diocesan Adviser in Pastoral Care and Counseling
Telephone: 01536 525520 Email:
Address: 41 Kipling Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN16 9JZ
Churchwarden Contact telephone numbers:
Lowick – Edna Hallifax 01832 733267 Sudborough – David Sparks 01832 730039
Prue Vaughan 01832 732739
Brigstock – Carl Hector 01536 373410 Stanion – Mary McMaster 01536 203802.
Linda Ellison 01536 373511
An Invitation from The Rt Revd Donald Allister Bishop of Peterborough
Dear friends
Following on from the very popular series of Roadshows in 2014 I would like to invite you warmly to another one this year. I am planning to hold four Roadshows throughout the diocese and I would very much hope that you can come to one of them.
I believe that God cares passionately about his church and that he wants it to be alive and joyful; to grow and flourish. The purpose of the Roadshows is to share with the whole diocese this vision for God’s church in order to encourage and invigorate the parishes throughout the diocese.
During these Roadshows I will be talking about many aspects of what it means to be alive to God as Anglicans in this part of the world. We will be considering the training and cost of ministry – both lay and ordained. We will be thinking about the place of schools in our parishes and other ways of how we can support your parishes to thrive and grow.
I very much hope that clergy, licensed lay ministers, churchwardens, and PCC treasurers, will come to these Roadshows, but the invitation is open to all PCC members, and indeed to all churchgoers. Please spread the word as widely as possible, and come and join me one Saturday morning from 9.30 am – 12.30pm.
The dates and venues are:
January 28th Kettering Conference Centre, Thurston Drive,Kettering,NN15 6PB
February 4th Towcester Racecourse, London Road,TowcesterNN12 6LB
April 29th Greetham Valley Golf Course, Greetham Valley, Wood Lane, Greetham, Oakham, LE15 7SN
May 6th Northampton Cricket Club, Abington Avenue, Northampton NN1 4PR
Further details about directions and timings etc. will be available on the diocesan website. It will be helpful for my office to have an idea of numbers so please could you let know which event you are planning to attend, and how many people are likely to be coming from your parish.
Brigstock:
Craft and Chatter – The next craft and chatter session will be on Friday 3rd February at between 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. hosted by Allison Porter at 5 Stabe Hill Brigstock. Please come along and enjoy a couple of hours on your craft project with tea/coffee and cake.
Rectory Room Keys - All keys to the rectory room must now be returned so that they can be handed to the estate agents once a sale has been agreed. If you have a rectory room key please can you return it to Carl Hector or Linda Ellison.
Rectory Room Contents - With the impending sale of the rectory room a lot of the contents will need to be removed/disposed of. If there is anything that you would like to make an offer for please contact either Carl or Linda – all reasonable offers considered!
Pre Meeting re Mary Laing’s Talk – Prior to Mary Laing’s talk on the 7th April Penelope Escombe is hosting a pre meeting on the 15th February at 7 p.m. to discuss arrangements. Anyone who feels they will be able to help promote the event or help on the night will be more than welcome to attend.
Pudding Club – The much missed St Andrews Pudding Club returns to Brigstock on Sunday 26th February in the village hall between 2 and 4 p.m. Tickets cost £6.50 for adults and £3 for children under the age of 13 and can be obtained from Graham Dorks 01536 373034 or Brian Platt 01536 373240. Come along with your spoons and dishes. Tea, coffee and squash will be available.
If you would like to ask for prayers, add to the weekly notices or to have this sheet emailed to you contact your churchwardens or Allison Porter on 01536 373509, . Entries need to be with Allison by Thursday evening to ensure they will be included in the next News Letter