Benefice of Great Hanwood, Longden and Annscroft with Pulverbatch

15/03/2026

Benefice of Great Hanwood
Longden & Annscroft with Pulverbatch

Fourth Sunday of Lent
​​Mothering Sunday
Collect
God of love, passionate and strong,
tender and careful: watch over us
and hold us all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Proverbs 8: 1-21
Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice?
2 On the heights, beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside the gates in front of the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries out:
4 ‘To you, O people, I call, and my cry is
to all that live.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence;
acquire intelligence, you who lack it.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things,
and from my lips will come what is right;
7 for my mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to one who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold;
11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that
you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 I, wisdom, live with prudence,
and I attain knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have good advice and sound wisdom;
I have insight, I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is
just; 16 by me rulers rule, and nobles,
all who govern rightly.
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 endowing with wealth those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
Sunday 22 March – Fifth Sunday of Lent
9.30am Holy Communion - Pulverbatch
11am Holy Communion - Longden
11am Holy Communion - Hanwood
James 3: 13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.
15 Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. 16 For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Matthew 7: 24-29
‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’ 28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Post Communion Prayer
Loving God, as a mother feeds her children
at the breast, you feed us in this sacrament with the food and drink of eternal life:
help us who have tasted your goodness
to grow in grace within the household of faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray for the following:
Hefyn Edwards, Margaret Hill, Rhoda Pearce, Sheila Dawson-Campbell, Coral Edwards, Jonathan Fraser, Mark, Louise, Andrew, Anne-Marie, Michael Webb, Rob Loupart, Andrea Morris, Graham Earney, Barbara Fraser.

This week
Mon 16th 3.15pm Messy Church – Pulverbatch
Village Hall
Tues 17th 3.30pm Lent course on zoom
7.30pm The Gathering – Marton Village Hall
Wed 18th 2-4pm Pulverbatch Churchyard Working Party – bring tools!
Thurs 19th 10am Holy Communion – Longden
2.30pm Lent Course in Rectory

LENT LUNCHES: 22nd March at Sheila Waddington-Feather’s house:
29th March at Annscroft church after the service
LENT LUNCHES 22nd March at Sheila Waddington-Feather’s house: Fairview, Old Coppice, Lyth Hill
TEL 872177
Supporting The Arc
Max 12 people

29th March at Annscroft church after the service, hosted by Graham and Emma
Book on TEL 861003
Supporting Shelter Box
No limit on numbers.


We pray for our Benefice
For those living in Hanwood, Cruckton & Cruckmeole
Sun. ​St Thomas’s Hanwood & the PCC
Mon. ​St Thomas & St Anne’s CE Primary School
Tues. ​Great Hanwood Parish Council
Wed.​Tommy's Toddlers
Thur. ​Hanwood Youth Club,
Fri.​Hanwood & Cruckton Village Halls
Sat. ​The C**k Inn

PERSONAL DAILY REFLECTIONS from Lectio 365 app - link with the sermon series and Lent course. These are very good and help us to engage more deeply with God. See also the weekly video that accompanies this.

LENT COURSE USING LECTIO 365:
On zoom 3.30pm - 4.30pm every Tuesday afternoon. 2.30pm to 3.30pm in the Rectory on Thursday afternoons. All welcome.

07/03/2026

The Benefice of Great Hanwood
Longden & Annscroft with Pulverbatch

Sunday 8 March 2026
Third Sunday of Lent
Collect
Eternal God, give us insight
to discern your will for us,
to give up what harms us,
and to seek the perfection we are promised
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 6: 19-24
‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; 23 but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and wealth.’

Mark 10: 21
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said,
‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’

Post Communion Prayer
Merciful Lord, grant your people grace
to withstand the temptations of the world,
the flesh and the devil, and with pure hearts
and minds to follow you, the only God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray for the following:
Anne Hobson, Hefyn Edwards, Margaret Hill,
Rhoda Pearce, Sheila Dawson-Campbell,
Coral Edwards, Jonathan Fraser, Mark, Louise, Andrew, Anne-Marie, Michael Webb, Rob Loupart,
Andrea Morris, Graham Earney, Barbara Fraser.

This week
Tues 10th 10-12 Coffee Morning – Hanwood
Thurs 12th 10.30am Choir rehearsal for GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE - The Rectory




Sunday 15 March – Mothering Sunday
9.30am Sunday Praise - Pulverbatch
11am Holy Communion- Annscroft
11am Songs of Praise – Vine Close, Hanwood

No Lent Lunch on Sunday 15 March

LENT LUNCHES
22nd MARCH at Sheila Wadington-Feather’s house: Fairview, Old Coppice, Lyth Hill
TEL 872177
Supporting The Arc
Max 12 people

29th MARCH at Annscroft church after the service, hosted by Graham and Emma
Book on TEL 861003
Supporting Shelter Box
No limit on numbers.


We pray for our Benefice
For those living in Longden, Longden Manor and Longden Common Lane
Sun. ​St Ruthen’s Church & the PCC
Mon. ​Longden Primary School
Tues. ​Longden Parish Council
Wed. ​Doctors, dentists, nurses
Thur. ​The widowed and bereaved
Fri. ​The Red Lion
Sat. ​Longden Village Hall

PERSONAL DAILY REFLECTIONS from Lectio 365 app - link with the sermon series and Lent course. These are very good and help us to engage more deeply with God. See also the weekly video that accompanies this.

LENT COURSE USING LECTIO 365:
On zoom 3.30pm - 4.30pm every Tuesday afternoon. 2.30pm to 3.30pm in the Rectory on Thursday afternoons. All welcome.

GOOD FRIDAY CHOIR
On Good Friday 3rd April we will have a meditation in Hanwood Church from 2-3pm, in which we invite people to come and read a poem or piece of prose. We also wish to form a choir to lead our singing. Those wishing to join this choir are invited for a rehearsal from 10.30am on Thursday 12th March in The Rectory, when we will choose what to sing. All singers are welcome.

07/03/2026

Dear all
Continuing our Lenten sermon series from Lectio 365 resources

Sunday 8 March – Lent 3
9.30am Matins - Pulverbatch
11am Holy Communion- Longden
11am Sunday Praise - Hanwood Church Extension
4.30pm Sunday Praise – Zoom
7pm Meditation – St George’s, Pontesbury

This week's theme on Lectio3 65 app has been solitude and silence a key part of our Monthly mediation services - do join us as we seek God in silence - St GEORGES CHURCH, PONTESBURY 7PM.

Notice sheet attached

Do pray for the Middle East - the prayers from Tear Fund that i sent on Thursday are helpful in this.

Blessings

Graham

28/02/2026

28/02/2026

The Benefice of Great Hanwood
Longden & Annscroft with Pulverbatch

Sunday 1 March 2026
Second Sunday of Lent
Collect
Almighty God, by the prayer and discipline of Lent
may we enter into the mystery of Christ’s sufferings, and by following in his Way
come to share in his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 4: 1-11
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ 4 But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
7 Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; 9 and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ 10 Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”’
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Luke 5: 15-16
But now more than ever the word about Jesus
spread abroad; many crowds would gather to hear him and to be cured of their diseases.
16 But he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.

Post Communion Prayer
Almighty God, you see that we have no power
of ourselves to help ourselves:
keep us both outwardly in our bodies,
and inwardly in our souls;
that we may be defended from all adversities
which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray for the following:
Anne Hobson, Hefyn Edwards, Margaret Hill,
Rhoda Pearce, Sheila Dawson-Campbell,
Coral Edwards, Jonathan Fraser, Mark, Louise, Andrew, Anne-Marie, Michael Webb, Rob Loupart,
Andrea Morris, Graham Earney, Barbara Fraser.

This week
Mon 2nd March 12 noon Funeral of Nellie Morris in Hanwood Church
Wed 4th 3pm Messy Church Planning Meeting Thurs 5th 10am Holy Communion – Longden

Sunday 8 March – Lent 3
9.30am Matins - Pulverbatch
11am Holy Communion- Longden
11am Sunday Praise - Hanwood
4.30pm Sunday Praise – Zoom
7pm Meditation – St George’s, Pontesbury

Lent Lunch on Sunday 8 March
1pm at Gill and Mervin Brown’s ,
The White House, Longden SY5 8EX
Telephone: 07580196311
Max 10 people
Supporting Cancer Research and Tender 50/50


We pray for our Benefice
For those living on Lyth Bank & Hill, Annscroft
Sun. ​ Christ Church & the PCC
Mon​ Deanery Clergy and Readers​
Tues. ​ Rural Dean – Rev Greg Smith
Weds. ​ Deanery Synod members​
Thurs. Shops & Post Offices
Fri. ​ Postal staff, bus drivers
Sat​ The vulnerable people in our society –
pensioners, sick, disabled, unemployed

PERSONAL DAILY REFLECTIONS from Lectio 365 app - link with the sermon series and Lent course. These are very good and help us to engage more deeply with God. See also the weekly video that accompanies this.

LENT COURSE USING LECTIO 365:
On zoom 3.30pm - 4.30pm every Tuesday afternoon. 2.30pm to 3.30pm in the Rectory on Thursday afternoons. All welcome.

GOOD FRIDAY CHOIR
On Good Friday 3rd April we will have a meditation in Hanwood Church from 2-3pm, in which we invite people to come and read a poem or piece of prose. We also wish to form a choir to lead our singing. Those wishing to join this choir are invited for a rehearsal from 10.30am on Thursday 12th March in The Rectory, when we will choose what to sing. All singers are welcome.

28/02/2026

Dear all
Tomorrow we will continue our journey with the Desert Fathers and Mothers - I am enjoying the daily reflections from Lectio 365 that link with our sermon series and Lent Course. They are thought provoking, challenging and helpful. Do engage with them - it is 10-15 minutes each morning plus they have a midday and night time reflection as well - download the Lectio 365 app. Well worth the time and energy.

Sunday 1 March – Lent 2
11am Sunday Praise - Annscroft
11am Holy Communion- Hanwood

LENT LUNCHES - remember to sign up
On Sundays in Lent after the morning service:

8th MARCH at Gill and Mervin Brown’s ,
The White House, LongdenSY5 8EX
TEL 07580196311
Max 10 people
Supporting Cancer Research and Tender50/50 ( see website)
PARK in the yard and access by back door. 2 steps so wheelchair not advisable.

15th MARCH MOTHERING SUNDAY SO NO LENT LUNCH

22nd MARCH at Sheila Feather’s house: Fairview, Old Coppice, Lyth Hill
TEL 872177
Supporting The Arc
Max 12 people

29th MARCH at Annscroft church after the service, hosted by Graham and Emma
Book on TEL 861003
Supporting Shelter Box
No limit on numbers.

Blessings

Graham

21/02/2026

The Benefice of Great Hanwood
Longden & Annscroft with Pulverbatch

Sunday 22 February 2026
First Sunday of Lent
Collect
Heavenly Father,
your Son battled with the powers of darkness,
and grew closer to you in the desert:
help us to use these days to grow in wisdom
and prayer that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 18: 8-9
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Genesis 4: 2-7
Next, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground.
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord
an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.’

Post Communion Prayer
Lord God, you have renewed us
with the living bread from heaven;
by it you nourish our faith, increase our hope,
and strengthen our love: teach us always
to hunger for him who is the true and living bread, and enable us to live by every word
that proceeds from out of your mouth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

We pray for the following:
Anne Hobson, Hefyn Edwards, Margaret Hill,
Rhoda Pearce, Sheila Dawson-Campbell,
Coral Edwards, Jonathan Fraser, Louise,
Andrew, Mark, Anne-Marie, Michael Webb,
Rob Loupart, Andrea Morris.



This week
Mon 23rd 11am Funeral of Tom Wagstaff and burial in churchyard – Longden
3.15pm Messy Church - Hanwood
Village Hall
Tues 24th 10-12 Coffee Morning – Hanwood
Church
Thurs 26th 2.30pm Lent Group in Rectory
4.30pm Lent Group on Zoom
7pm Deanery Synod - St George’s, Pontesbury

Sunday 1 March – Lent 2
11am Sunday Praise - Annscroft
11am Holy Communion - Hanwood

1pm Lent Lunch at home of Ian Ross:
The Paddock, Plealey Road, Annscroft
Email: [email protected]
Max 12 people, Supporting Christian Aid

PERSONAL DAILY REFLECTIONS from Lectio 365 app - link with the sermon series and Lent course. These are very good and help us to engage more deeply with God.

GOOD FRIDAY CHOIR
On Good Friday 3rd April we will have a meditation in Hanwood Church from 2-3pm, in which we invite people to come and read a poem or piece of prose. We also wish form a choir to lead our singing. Those wishing to join this choir are invited for a rehearsal from 10.30am on Thursday 12th March in The Rectory, when we will choose what to sing. All singers are welcome.

DEANERY SYNOD – ALL INVITED
This year at our Annual Parochial Church Meetings, our Deanery Synod Representatives are elected to serve the next three years. Anyone who is interested in representing their parish is invited to the Deanery Synod meeting at 7pm on Thursday 26th February at St George's Pontesbury. The guest speaker will be Revd Andy Ackroyd, the Diocesan Disability Adviser, who will be helping us think through how we may best support those in our congregations with a disability. You are welcome to come and listen to him.


We pray for our Benefice
For those living in Cothercott, Wilderley,
Church and Castle Pulverbatch, Wrentnall, Oaks.
Sun. ​St Edith’s & the PCC Church
Mon. ​Pulverbatch Village Hall
Tues. ​Pulverbatch Parish Council
Weds. Paramedics & physiotherapists
Thurs. ​Parents and carers
Fri. ​Children's Homes
Sat. ​The White Horse

21/02/2026

Dear all

Sunday 22 February – Lent 1
9.30am Holy Communion - Pulverbatch
11am Holy Communion - Longden
11am
Blessings

Graham

18/02/2026

ST THOMAS’S CHURCH HANWOOD

ASH WEDNESDAY, 18th February

HOLY COMMUNION and ASHING SERVICE at 7.30pm, in the

CHURCH EXTENSION.

15/02/2026

St Thomas’s, Hanwood
Sunday 15th February, 4.30pm, at Vine Close Community Room , Songs of Praise. Refreshments after Service. Everyone welcome.