Thank you

We are always pleased when people make donations towards flowers perhaps to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary or in memory of a loved one. Please contact Miss Marion Prior 303254 or add your name to the rota in the Foyer.

The Reverend Dr. Sam Cappleman Assistant Rural Dean of Bedford

107 Dover Crescent, Bedford MK41 Tel: 266952 nsm@stmarkschurch.com

The Reverend Canon Charles Royden The Vicarage, Calder Rise. MK41 7UY

309175 Mobile 07973 113861 vicar@stmarkschurch.com

Reader: Mrs Wendy Waters Pastoral Support Team Co-Ordinator 342613 reader@stmarkschurch.com

St. Mark’s Church Centre www.stmarkschurch.com

Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5.00pm Tel/fax: 342613 office@stmarkschurch.com Centre Manager: Miss Wendy Rider 342613 Church Wardens Mr Mike Cooper & Mr Jim Williams Treasurer: Mr Ian Farthing 210892 treasurer@stmarkschurch.com Gift Aid Administrator: Mr Jim Williams 360605 Churchyard Administrator: Mrs Avril Williams 342613 garden@stmarkschurch.com Music Copyright CCL1501 Charity No 1164416

St Mark’s Contact Information

Church Services

9 June - Pentecost 8.30am Holy Communion 9.30am Morning Worship Preacher - Rev Canon Charles Royden Leadership - Mrs Janet Warren Intercessions - Warwick Holden Organist - Mr Clive Simmonds Lectionary Readings Acts 2:1-21 Romans 8:14-17 John 14:8-17

16 June - Trinity Sunday 8.30am Holy Communion 9.30am Morning Worship Preacher - Rev Canon Charles Royden Leadership Mr Mike Cooper Intercessions - Mrs Margaret Appleton Organist - Mr Clive Simmonds Lectionary Readings Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15 Midweek Services Wednesday Communion 10.00am in the Chapel Please join us for a service followed by coffee Holy Communion at 10.00am at Sir William Harpur House first Monday of every month.

Prayer for the Week Ahead

O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high, for the sake of your infinite mercy. Amen. Saint Anthony of Padua

St Mark’s Church Parish News

Pentecost 9 June 2019

Church Leadership Team Mr Mike Cooper, Mr Jim Williams, Mrs Laura Farthing,

Mrs Liz Jackson, Mrs Janet Warren, The Reverend Alan Kirk

Please inform us if you know of anyone who is ill, bereaved, housebound, requires a visit, home communion or counselling services. Please also ask us if you would like a home visit for any reason.

Monday 7.30am-6.00pm Pre-school Mon-Fri St Mark’s Manager Mrs. Helen Harpin 312634 (See website) for more details www.thisispreschool.com) 10.00am Bakers Barn Art Group. Mrs M. Berry 211955 10.00am U3A Play reading Rod Fewings 07718390188 9.45am - 10.45am &11.00am-12noon Pilates Liz Mason 07816522200 2-4pm U3A Meditation & Wellbeing Rod Fewings 07718390188 2-3.15pm U3A Recorder Group Rod Fewings 07718390188 6.00pm Brownies Mrs C Mathew 826190 7.00 to 10.00 p.m. Whist Drive third Monday each month or fifth if there are five. Judith Stanton 01234 823313. 7.30pm Sugarcraft Guild (1st week in month) Heather Buckley 824503 7.00-8.00pm Laughter Club on 2nd week each month Cheryl Green 07729187399 7-9pm Rangers. Nikki Lake 07584028653 Indoor Games. Rod Fewings 07718390188 7-8.5pm Happy Body Project Julie Holl 07808739651 Whist Drive Third Monday in the month and fifth if there are five Contact

Tuesday 9.30am-11.15. Chat & Make A term time group for Parents, Carers and toddlers 0– 5. For more details ring Church Office 342613 or Janine 01234 297481 9.30am -12.30 & 4-9pm Slimming World 9.30, 11.30, 3.30, 5.30, 7.30. Lorrie Pearson 340473 1.15pm U3A Cinema Group. Rod Fewings 07718390188 1.30pm U3A Choir. Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 2.00pm U3A Book Group 1 (3rd Week in month) Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 2.00pm U3A Book Group 2 (2nd Week in month) Contact Rod Fewings 077183901882 2.00pm U3A Photography Group 3 (1st Week in month) Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 2.30pm Knit & Natter Group (Fortnightly) Wool and knitting needles provided. Mrs Maureen Watling 262225 2.00-3.30pm Tuesday Afternoon Housegroup. Fortnightly Social and Bible Study Mrs Jean Bank 355698 6-7pm Supple Strength Yoga Amanda Alcock 07769747393 7.30-9pm Faith Community Church Audua Ogilvie 01234 308644 8.00pm Hearts in Beds Committee (4th week in month) Mrs N Aspey 309816 8.20-9.20pm Restoration Pilates Johanna Debnam 07753418170

Wednesday

10.00-2pm Open House For those with learning disabilities, friends, family, carers etc 342613 10.00am U3A Gardening Group 3 Rod Fewings 07718390188 10.00am Holy Communion. St.Mark’s Chapel. 10am U3A Card Making. Rod Fewings 07718390188 10-4pm Sewing Group 4th week of the month Contact Sue Sewell 07979797747 1.15 Social Bridge Club. Mr Barnes 261811 2 4pm. U3A Craft 1st week in the month Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 3.45– 5.30pm Messy Church Bible stories, crafts, singing and a meal. For children primary school age and their carers. Meeting dates 24/4,15/5,19/6,18/9,16/10,20/11

&1/12. Wendy Waters 401834 6.00pm Brownies Mrs. C Warden 219731 7.00pm Bunyan Bridge Peter Cullum 07545508185 8.00pm Tudor Reeds Folk Dance Club (1st,3rd and 5th Wednesday of the month. Except August). Everyone welcome. All dances called. Call Rosemary 405594 or Graham 406359 for more details. £2 including refreshments. Next meeting Wednesday 29 May 8.00pm Bedford Wine and Social Club (1st week in the month) Jill Cooper 357960

Thursday 9.30-11.25am Chat & Play. A term time group for Parents, Carers & toddlers 0-5. Church office or Janine 297481 12pm Storybox. Welcomes the under 5’s and their carers to join them between 12 noon and 1pm for a sandwich lunch followed by a Bible based story and singing. Contact Jaana Swaaby 3422613. 2-4pm. U3A Indoor Games. Rod Fewings 07718390188 2.30 - 4.30pm Bedford Art Society Jean Patterson 307210 2.30pm - 4.30pm Putnoe Art Group (PAG) Contact Bob Wardale 406094 Mob:07914451198 6-7pm Supple Strength Yoga Amanda Alcock 07769747393 7-9pm Bedford Community Gospel Choir Weekly meeting . Contact 07554148540 7.00pm U3A Singing for Fun (1st & 3rd week in month) Rod Fewings 07718390188 7.00pm Bedford Embroiderers’ Guild (3rd week in month). Carol Plant 01832710504 7.30pm Magpies. Meet on 2nd & 4 Thursday Call Rosemary 405594 for details. Next meeting Thursday 13 June - ‘The Bloodrunners’ by John McCombe 8.00pm Bedford Writers Circle. (1st week in month). John Broadhouse 01525 404014

Friday 10am -12.00 U3A Photography (4th week in month) Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 10.45am - 12 U3A Poetry & Literature Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 2.00-4.00 pm U3A Whist (2nd week in month) Contact Rod Fewings 07718390188 7.45 - 10.45pm Bedford Astrology Club. (2nd week in month )Carol Brown 01438 233385 6.30 –7.30pm Pakua Martial Arts John Waugh 07802755914 7-9pm Mindfulness Meditation Bhante Samitha 07983466105

Saturday

9.00am Faith Community Church (1st week in month) Audua Ogilvie 01234 308644 10.00am-1pm Theatretrain Dancing acting, singing. Kate Howard 01234 782414 10am-1pm Sugarcraft Guild Cygnets (2nd week in month) Margaret Baldry 07919404906

Sunday

9.30 - 10.30 Church and Sunday School at St Mark’s with crèche for under 3’s 10 - 5.30pm Bedford Stamp Fayre at St. Mark’s. P Harris 01623 621143 1st wk Dec/Feb/Apr/Jun/Aug/Oct. 7-8pm Yogabellies. Classes for women during the prenatal period. Contact Symmone Clark 07931094052.

Regular Weekly Activities - St Mark’s Church

Pentecost Opening Sentence Romans 5:5 The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Collect Prayer Holy Spirit, sent by the Father, ignite in us your holy fire; strengthen your children with the gift of faith, revive your Church with the breath of love, and renew the face of the earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord First Reading Acts 2: 1-21 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs – in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.’ All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them: ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God) Second Reading: Romans 8:14-17 All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ – if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God) Gospel Reading John 14:8-17 (25-27) Philip said to Jesus, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the

Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. ‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. (This is the word of the Lord -- Thanks be to God) Post Communion Sentence Faithful God, who fulfilled the promises of Easter by sending us your Holy Spirit and opening to every race and nation the way of life eternal: open our lips by your Spirit, that every tongue may tell of your glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. CW Hymns 1. Come down, O love divine (Down Ampney) HP372 2. Spirit of God, unseen as the wind (Skye Boat Song) SF 394 (with instruments) 3. Christ on who the Spirit rested (Michael) HTC 228 4. Come gracious Spirit, heavenly dove (Melcombe) AHB 215 5. Filled with the Spirit’s power with one accord (Go Forth) HP 314 Commentary So here we are seven weeks after Easter celebrating Pentecost. The name Pentecost comes from the Greek word for 50, pente. This Christian celebration is big, it sits as the third major festival after Easter and Christmas. The roots of this special time lie in the Jewish Harvest festival, the Festival of Weeks; Shavuot. It celebrated the completion of the Spring or wheat harvest and it commemorated the giving of the law to Moses on Mt Sinai. This is hugely significant. The Old Testament Covenant, established in the Exodus, which the Passover commemorated was completed at Mt Sinai with the giving of the law. The New Covenant, established in the cross and resurrection was completed in Jerusalem with the giving of the Holy Spirit. What this means is that • Under the Old Covenant Moses gave the Law • Under the New Covenant Jesus gives the Spirit This is the fulfilment of what was promised, ‘I will write their laws on the their hearts’ Jeremiah 31 This is why Pentecost is called the birthday of the church - it is a new beginning, it marks the transition from old to new. The Apostle Paul made great play of this move from law to spirit. So what happened ? Well according to the Gospel of John, Jesus breathed on his disciples on Easter Day when they were in the Upper Room ! According to Luke however there was another event and this took place these 50 days later. As the disciples met together suddenly things started happening • There was noise LIKE the sound of wind • There was something LIKE tongues of fire

Now remember that Luke is positioning this as a new Mt Sinai event. What happened at Sinai ? God descended upon Sinai accompanied by fire and sound, it was likened to the sound of a trumpet Exodus 19. So now we read that there is a new beginning and there is more fire and there is more noise - this time described like wind. Remember Luke uses words such as ‘as’ and ‘like.’ This is poetic speech to use words to point beyond their real meaning to a deeper significance. What happened next was that the disciples were able to speak real other languages. Jerusalem was a cosmopolitan place anyway but we know that there were lots of people in Jerusalem because of the harvest feast. The work of the Holy Spirit is to bring nations together. When somebody is talking nonsense we often say that they are ‘babbling’. It refers back to the episode in the Bible in Genesis 11 where the Tower of Babel was built and we are told God broke up the nations and gave them different languages. Well now the opposite is happening, God is uniting people. Babel tells of the world being divided, Pentecost of a world being brought together. The disciples all were speaking different languages and people thought they were drunk. The Apostle Peter, seized the opportunity and he reminded the gathered devout Jews about what the prophet Joel had said. He realises that this is a huge moment in Gods history of dealing with humankind and he quotes Joel to describe what new thing God is doing. This is the New Covenant time. God is working with people like they have never understood before and the new community is described. What is this new community like ? In Joel 2 we read, ‘I will pour out my spirit on all flesh’ This is an inclusive message - all flesh, not just the chosen few who belonged to a special nation - The Christian message is multi-cultural. If we can learn anything from this passage from Acts it is that the work of God’s Spirit is inclusivity and also diversity. Acts names 15 different peoples who can hear about Jesus in the language their mothers taught them. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,………..and your young men shall see visions. This is a message where age was no barrier, young people were included. In the new community young people won’t just walk around with headphones on, they would wake up and speak God’s truth ! Your old men shall dream dreams Yes and old people too. No longer would they live in the past telling people how good it used to be, now they would by the Spirit dream dreams, they would be visionary about the future ! Even on the male and female There is no gender barrier to God’s spirit slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit. Even slaves, poor people and people in chains are included So with God’s new creation, God new covenant people, it is going to be different. It has all nations, young people - sons and daughters, old people it is not restricted by gender and there is no social barrier it includes even slaves We can see what happened as a result of this Pentecost experience. The disciples were dramatically changed and it is this change which speaks so powerfully about the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. This was a transformation of those disciples. The Twelve go from a defeated, sorry lot of losers to those who tilted the world on its axis. Chuck Colson, who was disgraced in the Watergate scandal, said he knows the disciples’ story of Easter has to be true. Because he knows how hard it is to get 12 people to stick to the same lie. This was a very special day - but of course it doesn’t end there. Pentecost isn’t something which we remind ourselves about, which happened long ago, Pentecost is an ongoing blessing on God’s church today. We are a apart of this, we are privileged to be people of the new order of things, Pentecost is something which we are called to a part of too. Pentecost is the time when we celebrate that we too can receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to enable us to trust and believe and live more like Jesus. Charles Royden

Celebrating Scotland. There will be a special Scottish Evening with a Scottish Themed quiz and dancing on 5 October - fun for everybody, please diarise ! Footprints walk There will be a day's walk on a Saturday, the 29th June 2019. Duration of three miles long , (National Trust Measurement) circular flat woodland walking, If recently rained could be muddy. Start 10.00 am at open air café by the Bridgewater Monument, off the B4506 in the centre of Ashridge Forest. Cup of coffee first, walk, then either a picnic if you bring your own food or a café meal may be purchased. The café supplies full meals You are not allowed to eat your own food within the confines of the café. Everyone welcome even if not walking lovely area. If any more details are required contact Margaret or Alan Massey

The Diocesan Magazine Albans Life is available this morning please do take a copy Policing in Brickhill The police have identified burglary as the main issue for Brickhill in their priority setting. Please do let our police team know if you have anybody who is concerned about burglary. The police have offered to visit homes of residents to give advice regarding home security. St Albans Woodland Thank you to everybody who supported the Open Day, making cakes, moving tables and chairs. It was another great day which brought comfort to many. The new Summer 2019 Magazine is available this morning. Please feel free to take copies and give them to friends whoi may be interested.

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words Lucas Cranach, The Law and the Gospel, c. 1529, oil on wood,

82.2 × 118 cm / 32.4 × 46.5 in (Schlossmuseum, Gotha, Germany) My apologies that you have to turn the page around again, but it is worth it to see this magnificent painting. As we saw last week the Reformation was all about how people qualified for entrance into heaven. Martin Luther said it was by the free gift of God’s grace and he attacked the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church for selling forgiveness in the form of Indulgences. What ensued became very political as well as religious and sadly much art was destroyed by the reformers in our churches and cathedrals. It is interesting then to see art such a this painting called The Law and the Gospel painted by the artist Lucas Cranach the Elder in 1529. Without doubt this is the most influential painting of the Reformation. Luther saw Catholicism as seeking salvation by works and/or giving money to the church instead of faith in Jesus. There was at the time anger about the wealth of the Pope and so it was an ideal time for reform. While much religious art was destroyed Luther used it to teach and this painting is the prime example. This painting is concerned with two roles that God plays, to judge and to show mercy. On the one hand, God judges and condemns human sin; but on the other hand, God also shows mercy and forgiveness, granting unearned salvation to sinful believers. You can see two nude figures either side of a tree. On the right is the Gospel side and the tree is green, but on the left is the law and the tree is dying. Left side The Law - Look in the distance and see the brazen serpent from the Old Testament typologically points to the crucifixion and shows the salvation of the Israelites from the poison by following the directive of God. In the left foreground a skeleton and a demon force a frightened naked man into hell, as a group of prophets, including Moses, point to the tablets of the law. The motifs on the left side of the composition are meant to exemplify the idea that law alone, without gospel, can never get you to heaven. Christ sits in Judgment as Adam and Eve (in the background) eat the fruit and fall from grace. Moses beholds these events from his vantage point toward the centre of the picture, his white tablets standing out against the saturated orange robe and the deep green tree behind him, literally highlighting the association of law, death, and damnation. Taken together, these motifs demonstrate that law leads inescapably to hell when mistaken for a path to salvation, as the damned naked man demonstrates. Right Side Gospel Side John the Baptist directs a naked man to both Christ on the cross in front of the tomb and to the risen Christ who appears on top of the tomb. The risen Christ stands triumphant above the empty tomb, acting out the miracle of the Resurrection. This nude figure is not vainly hoping to follow the law or to present a tally of his good deeds on the judgment day. He stands passively, stripped down to his soul, submitting to God’s mercy. Can you see the stream of blood coming from Jesus side and hitting the man and dripping down his chest? Look closely and in the stream of blood you will the Holy Spirit as a dove. Above the dying Jesus is seen the risen Christ coming from the tomb and bearing the banner of victory. In the distance is the proclamation to the shepherds, representing the acknowledgement of the Gospel. Death and the devil are defeated under the feet of the lamb.

Rest In Peace

On the Sunday following a funeral service we remember in church those who have died.

We light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and

brings hope. If you would like a person remembered in our service when the candle is

lit, perhaps on an anniversary or birthday, please inform the ministers, or telephone the

church office.

David Gibbs

May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace

and rise in glory . Amen.

Parish News is available online at www.stmarkschurch.com You can also sign up online to receive each edition by email

Forthcoming Funerals

The funeral of Nigel Colin Courtney will take place at Bedford Crematorium on Friday 21 June at 10.00am The funeral of Pamela Alice Marsden will take place at Bedford Crematorium on Wednesday 19 June at 1.45pm

All funerals at Bedford Crematorium

can be found @ www.bedford.gov.uk/obituaries

Meditation In the Narnia tales by C. S. Lewis. You may remember that in the magical land of Narnia, God appears in the form of a great and mysterious lion named Aslan. One of the children who had stumbled into Narnia and encountered the lion wondered, "Is Aslan safe?" "Safe?" a resident of Narnia replied. "No, my dear, Aslan is not safe. But he is good." It is the work of the Holy Spirit to rearrange us, to shake and unsettle us, but always to bring us closer to God. Prayers for Sunday and the Week Ahead Jesus has promised that when we pray to God in his name our prayers will be heard and answered. Let us pray in the faith that the Holy Spirit within us will teach us how to pray in the name of Jesus and how to align

ourselves with God’s will for us and those for whom we pray. We pray that through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit God’s church may be united, strengthened and renewed in her proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world. We pray that the Holy Spirit will bring renewed willingness among the leaders of our world to seek ways of peace and reconciliation, justice and freedom from oppression. We pray for the communities in which we live and work that we may be advocates, helpers and comforters for one another and for those who feel excluded and forgotten by people around them. We pray for all those whose hearts are troubled and afraid that the Holy Spirit will bring them strength and comfort, healing and hope and a sense of the presence of God around and within them always. Loving God we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. We ask that you will bless us with that Spirit and teach us how to work with you to bring the fulfilment of your kingdom here on earth. We offer these prayers to you in the name of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.