17 February 2019

3rd Sunday before Lent

Services and events for today

8am Holy Communion

10am Family Service

11.15am Holy Communion

4pm In Loving Memory Service

Prayers

From the Churches Together in Hitchin Prayer Link; We pray with PHASE in support for this half term as they deliver a Time Trek children’s event on Tuesday afternoon at Christchurch and as they attempt to run 480km in 24hrs starting on Friday. We also pray for Tilehouse Street Baptist Church as they hold an open church meeting this coming Thursday. It is their 350th anniversary year and we pray with them for an openness to the Holy Spirit.

The Hub Church have an Alpha course running at the Radcliffe Arms and they would love prayer for their guests and leaders, particularly their two new leaders.

From the St Mark’s Cycle of Prayer, we pray for: our cleaners, our gardeners, flower arrangers, all who make refreshments and all who maintain the church building, for Hitchin Street Angels and for residents of Firs Close, Maxwells Path, Frank Young Court, Willow Tree Way.

Hymns

JP 325 Come on and celebrate

All through history (Sheet)

Holy Spirit, you are welcome (Sheet

JP 64 Great is your faithfulness

F10 I the Lord of sea and sky

Readings for today

Jeremiah 17. 5-10

1 Corinthians 15. 12-20

Luke 6. 17-26

NOTICES

Traidcraft Stall – on Sunday 24th February.
As some of you will be aware, Traidcraft plc has had a very difficult time over recent years, and has had to reduce its range and operations. It is still in the process of reorganising itself, but is continuing to supply a more limited range of groceries. There will be a stall at the back of church next Sunday, and I hope that St Mark’s will continue to support this long-standing pioneer of Fairtrade. Thank you. Maggie

World Day of Prayer – formerly Women’s World Day of Prayer – Friday 1 March 1.30pm at Holy Saviour Church in Radcliffe Rd. Toy corner available for younger ones. This year the service has been prepared by the women of Slovenia. It is led by an ecumenical group from Hitchin’s churches. Refreshments after the service from Slovenian recipes! All Welcome.

Lent Discussion Groups
studying People At The Cross: the centurion, one of the criminals, Mary Jesus’ mother, Thaddaeus, Martha and Joseph of Arimathea using the gospels, this course is written by Abby Guinness. It offers the opportunity to discuss in small friendly groups while meeting people from other Hitchin churches. The list of places, dates and times is now available for you to sign up by 3 March.
Further info Helen Richardson helenwrich <Number removed>.

Real Easter Eggs
Out of 80 million chocolate Easter Eggs sold each year, the Real Easter Egg is the only Fairtrade one with the Easter story in the box! This year the Original and Dark eggs are also plastic free. There is an order form at the back of church – Original = £3.99; Dark = £5.50 and Special Edition = £9.99. Payment on delivery thank you. For more details see poster in the hall, or speak to Maggie Mellersh – <Number removed>

Fundraising for Garden House Hospice Care
My grandson Ben & his girlfriend Charlotte are taking part in” Muddy Mayhem” to raise money for the Garden House Hospice Care. His late mother Vicki benefited from hospice care 3 years ago. If you would like to help their fundraising please see me.
Many thanks Ann Wakefield

Foodbank 24 February
We will be collecting for the Foodbank next weekend. If you would like to donate, these are the items they are currently requesting: Dried milk, sponge puddings, dried potato, sugar, tea, jam/marmalade, and strong plastic bags.

CAP Job Club
Starting Wed 20th Feb 10am – 1pm
8-week course for people looking for work. At Zeo Centre, Bedford Road Hitchin SG5 1HF. For more info contact Leigh Smith on 07728676185.

Honorary Canon
It was announced on Sunday 27 Jan that the Bishop of St Albans has invited Jane to become an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban. Jane will be installed along with three other members of the Diocese clergy at the evensong service in the Cathedral on Saturday 9 March at 4pm. Many in the congregation will want to attend that service to support Jane and celebrate this significant honour. If you are intending to go and need a lift, or if you have a spare seat in your car, please contact Louise Wills.

Post of Family Worker at Christchurch
Christchurch is re-advertising the position of Family Worker, having not appointed in the first-round last year. It is looking for someone who will help the many volunteers in the church to bring vision, energy and passion to its work among young people. Full details from Tom Lewis – 07859 228543 – closing date 24th February.

Healing and Wholeness
Our next Healing and Wholeness service is on the 3rd March at 2.30 at Our Lady’s Church. All welcome. For more info contact Mary Hollingdale memholl

Top Tips
More ideas on how to engage further with the Bible, this time from John Fishlock:
https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/chronological/next
This link goes to an on-line Bible study service that puts all the stories, and biographical and historical reports into chronological order. On Bible Gateway you can choose your Bible version, and choose to have a reading sent to your in box every day.

Holy Land tour
Pastor Matt Summerfield of Zeo Church is leading a Holy Land Tour from 2nd to 9th November 2019 and will welcome members of other churches to join. Full details at
https://www.christian-travel.com/tours/detail/summerfield-hl-jd-19.html

An Enchanted Evening of Song
A concert at Walsworth Road Baptist Church to raise funds for PHASE on Saturday March 23rd at 7 30 pm. Popular numbers from opera, operetta and musical theatre and starring Guest Organist, Clifto94n Hughes. Please advertise it wherever you can, but most of all come and bring your friends! Tickets from 01462 422940.

Church Diary for week 18 Feb

Wednesday 20

9.15am Morning Prayer

10.30am Ministry Team Meeting

7.15pm Choir practice

Friday 22

12.30pm Church Lunch

Saturday 23 Feb

9.45am Exploring Christianity Group in Church Hall

Hall bookings for w/c 18 February

Mon 18 11-2.30pm Private Booking

7-8pm Tai Chi

Tues 19 7-9pm NCT Yoga

Wed 20 11.30-12.30pm Tai Chi

5.30-7pm Yoga

Thurs 21 12-2pm Hall Cleaning

7.30-9pm Private Booking

Fri 22 Hall booked 9am-3pm for church lunch prep and clearing

7.30-9pm Tai Chi

Sat 23 9am-2pm Hall Booking

Services and events for 24 Feb

8am Holy Communion

10am Holy Communion

Traidcraft Stall

Foodbank Collection

2.30pm Messy St Mark’s Planning session at the Vicarage

Collect – The prayer for today

Eternal God,

whose Son went among the crowds

and brought healing with his touch:

help us to show his love,

in your Church as we gather together,

and by our lives as they are transformed

into the image of Christ our Lord.

Amen

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah
Chapter 17 verses 5-10

Thus says the Lord:

Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse— who can understand it? I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians
Chapter 15 verses 12-20

If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

The Gospel reading is from Luke Chapter 6 verses 17-26

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.’

Post Communion Prayer

Merciful Father,

who gave Jesus Christ to be for us the bread of life,

that those who come to him should never hunger:

draw us to the Lord in faith and love,

that we may eat and drink with him

at his table in the kingdom,

where he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.

Amen