St Mark’s Parish News

12 July - Ordinary 15 - Trinity 5

Available by email - sign up at www.stmarkschurch.com

Christ in shadow - Christ in light. Christ ever near, through day and night.

Christ surrounding to guide and guard - when life is easy - when the road is hard.

Christ in peace - Christ in pain. Christ in sunshine - Christ in rain.

Christ in quiet - Christ in danger. Christ in face of friend or stranger.

Christ in joy - Christ in sorrow. Christ today and every tomorrow.

St Mark’s Church Online

Visit our YouTube channel to become a subscriber to St Mark’s YouTube

Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/stmarksbedford

Praying Together on Sunday at Noon This year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale and also the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service.

We give thanks for the example, witness and work of Florence Nightingale which has set the model of sacrificial nursing care

We give thanks for all nurses, midwives and care staff who continue to minister in the current crisis

We give thanks for those who had the vision to establish the NHS bringing relief of suffering to so many

We pray for all who work in healthcare environments bringing knowledge, skill, hope and healing to us all

We pray for the work of hospital chaplains providing spiritual comfort to those in need

St Mark’s Church Worshipping together every Wednesday Morning Worship at 10.00am on Zoom

Click here at 10.00am

Thank You

You helped us smash

our Target ! We now have

our own YouTube Channel

To allow people to join us online for worship our service will be

broadcast each week on

our YouTube Channel.

100

107

Check out our videos www.youtube.com/stmarksbedford

Filming Services at St Mark’s Church

Our Morning Worship at St Mark’s is now filmed and then broadcast on YouTube. This is to help those who cannot attend to remain part of our worshipping church family. The recording only films the area beyond the communion line, to show the lecterns and altar. The film is edited before broadcast to remove the administration of Holy Communion so that worshippers are not shown on the broadcast.

Ordinary 15 Verse of Scripture Psalm 119 v 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN The Lord be with you And also with you Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen. (The minister will declare the words of forgiveness) Collect Prayer for the Day Before we read we pray Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. First Reading Genesis Chapter 25 v 19 – 34 These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’ So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger.’ When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in

Victoria and Albert Museum 1521

From "Mariawald Cistercian abbey founded in 1480, closed down in 1802. Window had two panels depicting scenes from the Old Testament and two panels with scenes from the New Testament....This type of narrative arrangement is known as 'typological' popular in the Middle Ages. Each Old Testament story was a 'type' or a prefigurement of a New Testament story ('antitype'). The prophets on each window would hold text from the Bible relating to the Old and New Testament stories. For example, this panel shows the Old Testament story of 'Jacob Tempting Esau'. It was placed in the window just above that of the New Testament scene of 'The Temptations of Christ

tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob. Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (This is the word of the Lord - All: Thanks be to God) Second Reading Romans Chapter 8:1–11 There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law – indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (This is the word of the Lord -- All: Thanks be to God) Gospel Reading Matthew Chapter 13 : 1-9, 18-23 Reader: Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew All: Glory to you, O Lord Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen! Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not

understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’ (This is the Gospel of the Lord. All: Praise to you, O Christ)

Sermon - The Reverend Dr Sam Cappleman

Offering Prayer and Intercessions Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.

All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Musical Reflection

The Prayer of Thanksgiving The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise. Father, we give you thanks and praise through your beloved Son Jesus Christ, your living Word, through whom you have created all things; who was sent by you in your great goodness to be our Saviour. By the power of the Holy Spirit he took flesh; as your Son, born of the blessed Virgin, he lived on earth and went about among us; he opened wide his arms for us on the cross; he put an end to death by dying for us; and revealed the resurrection by rising to new life; so he fulfilled your will and won for you a holy people. Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Lord, you are holy indeed, the source of all holiness; grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit, and according to your holy will, these gifts of bread and wine may be to us the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who, in the same night that he was betrayed, took bread and gave you thanks; he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world. And so, Father, calling to mind his death on the cross, his perfect sacrifice made once for the sins of the whole world; rejoicing in his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension, and looking for his coming in glory, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. As we offer you this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, we bring before you this bread and this cup and we thank you for counting us worthy to stand in your presence and serve you. Send the Holy Spirit on your people and gather into one in your kingdom all who share this one bread and one cup, so that we, in the company of all the saints, may praise and glorify you for ever, through Jesus Christ our Lord; We break this bread to share in the body of Christ. Though we are many, we are one body because we all share in one bread.

Prayer of Humble Access

Draw near with faith. Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for you, and his blood which was shed for you. Eat and drink in remembrance that he died for you, and feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving. Amen.

You are warmly invited to come and receive the bread from the communion table

Post Communion Prayer

Grant, O Lord, we beseech you, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by your governance, that your Church may joyfully serve you in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

The Blessing

The blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you, this day and for ever more. Amen

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord In the name of Christ. Amen Commentary Our Gospel reading starts with the phrase, ‘That same day’. The same day as what we might ask. A few verses earlier, Jesus has just confronted the Pharisees (Matt 12 v 22 – 50) and the scene is set for the mounting division between those who follow Jesus and those who do not accept His teaching and therefore refuse to repent. We know the Pharisees are trying to destroy Jesus (Matt 12 v 14). ‘That same day’ Jesus now speaks to the crowds ‘at length in parables’, eight parables in this chapter alone which continue the theme of division: good soil, bad soil; wheat and weeds (tares), but also highlight the theme of bountiful harvests; mustard seed and leaven. Some would say that the parables in Matthew 13 hide the mysteries of the Kingdom from those who turn away from His teachings, whilst giving new insights into the Kingdom and instruction in its ways to those who are open to His words. Certainly, those who hear the word and understand it bear much fruit. And whilst it is possible (and sometimes important) to analyse each and every aspect of a parable, we should not lose sight of the fact that generally parables make a single main point, in the parable today, it’s the difference between those who are receptive and have a sustained response to the words of Jesus and those who do not. The difference between the success and failure of the seed in bearing fruit. When times are hard, when there is a natural disaster or sometimes when we are going though times of crisis we can wonder where God is in the world and why doesn’t He seem to intervene more. The parable of the sower is a vivid reminder that there is nothing wrong with the message of the Kingdom and God’s intervention in our world, it is the ground itself which can be unreceptive. It’s simply no use to suddenly expect seed to grow on rocks or start to grow in unprepared ground. There is no inherent fault in the message of God, it is a question of receptivity of the hearers. As we speak out the words of God and act our His love it is clear from the gospel reading that different

people will respond in different ways. Some will be very receptive, some not at all, some will be initially enthusiastic and then fall away, and others will find that their faith becomes less and less central in their lives as they become consumed by the cares and riches of the world. Perhaps we can identify in part with each of these scenarios in our own lives from time to time, or even every day, either as the sower or as the ground the seed falls on. Knowing where we find ourselves in this parable is important, and it will vary, probably from hour to hour but always as people of faith, returning to good ground. But more importantly Jesus knows and understands the realism of our sharing the gospel, and knows that sometimes it will seem like hard, fruitless work. But we should not lose sight of the overall message, the harvest will be generous, thirty, sixty or a hundred fold what was sown. In an interesting echo with the Old Testament reading Isaac sowed seed and reaped a hundredfold as the Lord blessed him (Gen 26 v 12). And whatever we may think about the story of Esau and Jacob, and the selling and buying of a birth right, in today’s reading, it is clear that God blessed Isaac and his descendants. So it will be with the words and actions that we sow. It’s sometimes difficult to see what impact and effect it might be having on those around us, but God’s word will not return to Him empty. It will accomplish its purpose as Isaiah tells us in the alternative Old Testament reading for today (Is 55). In the words of the Old Testament, the dessert will blossom like a rose. There is also a seemingly wasteful extravagance to the parable. If seed is so precious and relatively expensive, why sow it on some ground which is clearly unsuitable. Why not be more careful with where it is sown. Avoid the path and rocky ground so that none is needlessly wasted. Perhaps the clue is in the return of the harvest. A typical yield may be five to ten-fold. Ten times this and a return of a hundredfold is unimaginable, beyond the wildest dreams of the tenant farmer or day labourer who would make up a significant part of the audience hearing the parable. This is the abundance of God at work. This is not the work of mere mortals. We may sow the seed, but it is indeed God Himself who brings the harvest from it. It is God that is profligate with the seed and His love. His economy is not the same as ours. As we reflect on today’s reading, we should not overlook the way that Jesus points to our own fruitfulness. We become fruitful through hearing, understanding and doing. This not only takes time but also effort. An occasional glance at scriptures or sitting in church sometimes probably may not be enough. Care and thought needs to be put into the task of hearing and understanding God’s word so that it can take proper root. We may need to prepare the ground by removing the odd stone or boulder and doing some weeding where the thorns have taken root. When we do this we will be surprised, not just at the fruitfulness in our own lives, but in the lives of those we touch as together we become a kingdom people, bearing fruit in the way God intended. The uncomfortable challenge that Jesus raised with His hearers was whether their response to the word of God was adequate or whether it had got choked up or lost over a period of time. The word of God’s Kingdom, when received fully, is abundantly fruitful. It was a challenge to Matthew’s church, it’s a challenge to the church today, perhaps even more so. Sam Cappleman Meditation Although we refer to today’s gospel reading as ‘The parable of the sower’ the focus seems to be more on the fate of the seed itself. What happens to the seed as it falls on various types of ground, hard, fertile, rocky, or just full of weeds. Over the years, numerous sermons will have been preached on this topic. But perhaps the true focus should indeed be the sower. Jesus starts the parable with the sower, and the message is given to those who would join with Him in the work of sowing. God Himself is the primary sower, it is He that sows the word, sometimes through us, sometimes through others. And those who join Him in His work have a responsibility, through our words and our actions not just to join in with the sowing, but also prepare the ground, so that when the seed reaches the ground it will not be misunderstood, fall on shallow soil or get choked by worldly cares and concerns. We are to prepare the ground as much as we can, and then trust God as seed is sown and His words accomplish what He will. The growth of the Kingdom is, after all, the work of God. Sam Cappleman

Stay Safe <--- 2 metres ---> Pray Safe

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead May God, who has sown the seeds of eternal life in our hearts, pluck out the weeds of sin we confess and bring forth in us the fruit of good works for the harvest of eternity. Amen Michael Counsell Draw your church together O God, into one great company of disciples, together following our Lord Jesus Christ into every walk of life, serving him in his mission to the world, and together witnessing to his love on every continent and island. Amen New Zealand Prayer Book O Lord, whose way is perfect, help us always to trust in your goodness, to walk in the way of faith, and to follow in the path of simplicity. Teach us to cast our cares on your providence, that we may possess a quiet mind and a contented spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen God the Sender, send us, God the Sent, come with us, God the Strengthener of those who go, empower us, that we may go with you and find those who will call you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen The Church in Wales May the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen

Worshipping at St Mark’s Church during COVID-19

COVID-19 has not gone away and so the Leadership Team are committed to ensuring that St Mark’s church is the safest place for you to worship.

The following procedures will take place All worshippers must book prior to attendance to be guaranteed admittance. This can be

done by signing the attendance sheet the previous week or by contacting the Vicarage by phone (01234 309175 / 07973 113861) or email (vicar@stmarkschurch.com).

Government guidance includes a request for names of attendees to be recorded and kept for 21 days to assist ‘track and trace’ if required.

There is no government restriction on numbers attending public worship, however we are restricted by space as we require a 2m social distancing for each worshipper. This requires that we leave four chairs between a person and the next person from whom they must so-cially distance.

You will be asked to enter the church via the chapel through a clearly marked corridor. Please do not attempt to enter any other part of the building.

People from the same household or “bubble” should sit together to create more space. Each row of chairs will be 2m from the next row to ensure 2m social distancing. All church chairs will be sprayed before and after use with anti viral spray demonstrated to

have effectiveness against pathogens from the same family as COVID 19. This may cause the chair to feel very slightly damp and to smell particularly fresh, do not be alarmed.

All church windows will be opened. Entrance doors will be left open to prevent use of handles. Cleaning of surfaces will take place before and after services. Toilets will be available in the Wren building. There will be no singing in services until agreed. Orders of services will not be used more than once each Sunday. Face coverings are optional The usual worship rota will be suspended and people asked to read bible readings when

they attend. Those leading prayers will be contacted before the service to allow time for preparation.

There will be no refreshments served. There will be a collection plate at the door.

All worshippers will be asked to use hand sanitizer upon entrance. The Holy Communion will be administered in one kind only, the bread being distributed as a

wafer. It is, and has long been, Anglican teaching that to receive the sacrament in one kind only (ie. just the bread) is to receive the sacrament in its entirety, therefore only the priest will consume the wine.

The sacrament will be placed in individual disposable containers which will be placed in a bin provided afterwards.

While those at extra risk and the ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ should be advised of the risks of attending public worship, a decision to do so is theirs alone.

You will be asked to leave the church after the service and there will be limited time for fel-lowship. You are more than welcome to remain in the church grounds provided that you ex-ercise social distancing.

Anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19 (a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss of, or change in, their normal sense of taste or smell) should not attend worship due to the risk that they pose to others

We warmly welcome all children and young people, they are part of the worshipping body of Christ. Young children should be supervised by the parent or guardian and appropriate hy-giene precautions followed.

If anyone becomes unwell with symptoms of COVID-19 in our church building they should go home immediately and be advised to follow the stay at home guidance. If they need clinical advice, they should go online to NHS 111 (or call 111 if they don’t have internet access). In an emergency, call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk. They should not visit the GP, pharmacy, urgent care centre or a hospital.

Other people who may have been in contact with the person who has become unwell should wash their hands thoroughly after the interaction, but they do not need to take any other spe-cific action unless they develop symptoms themselves or are advised to do so by NHS Test and Trace. If they do develop symptoms they should follow the stay at home guidance.

The church will be cleaned thoroughly in line with Government guidance irrespective of whether there have been any suspected cases of COVID-19.

Personal hygiene is important therefore in addition to obeying the 2 metres rule please use a tissue when sneezing and dispose of it safely, cough into the crook of your elbow and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Please do feel free to walk out of the service at any time should you feel the need to cough. It is expected that people should feel able to walk in and out at any time. Water will be made available in individual sealed bottles should you require it.

You should continue to avoid using public transport and should cycle, walk or drive wherever possible. You should not travel with someone from outside your household unless you can practise social distancing - for example by cycling.

Consider all other forms of transport before using public transport. If you need to use public transport, please follow the safer travel guidance for passengers.

You should avoid sharing a private vehicle with members of another household as you will not be able to keep strict social distancing guidelines.

Services will be streamed online on YouTube and recorded so that those who cannot attend are able to continue to share in the worship of the church family.

Wednesday Morning Worship Click here at 10.00am on Zoom !

Telephone 0131 4601196 Meeting No 88151161300 #

Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you. All and also with you. This is the day that the Lord has made. All Let us rejoice and be glad in it. We have come together in the name of Christ to offer our praise and thanksgiving, to hear and receive God’s holy word, to pray for the needs of the world, and to seek the forgiveness of our sins, that by the power of the Holy Spirit we may give ourselves to the service of God.

Confession

Jesus says, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.' So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith. All Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us and restore us to the joy of your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Almighty God who forgives all who truly repent have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness and keep you in life eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord. All Amen.

Praise

Let everything be said and done in the name of the Lord Jesus, All giving thanks to God through Jesus Christ. Sing psalms, hymns and sacred songs: All let us sing to God with thankful hearts. Open our lips, O Lord: All and we shall praise your name.

The night has passed, the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind.

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. All Amen.

The Offering Thank you for your ongoing support of the work of the church

Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendour, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. All things come from you, and of your own do we give you.

A Song of God’s Blessing God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, That your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. O let the nations rejoice and be glad, for you will judge the peoples righteously and govern the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God, our own God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning is now and shall be for ever. Amen.

The Word of God The Collect Prayer & Bible Readings

Collect Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified: hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry they may serve you in holiness and truth to the glory of your name; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Isaiah 42.5-8a Thus says God, who created the heavens, who fashioned the earth and all that dwells in it; Who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it, ‘I am the Lord and I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; ‘I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, ‘To bring out the captives from the dungeon, from the prison, those who sit in darkness. ‘I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I give to no other.’ Reader This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God. Luke 20.9-19 He began to tell the people this parable: ‘A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, “What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.” But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, “This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.” So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.’ When they heard this, they said, ‘Heaven forbid!’ But he looked at them and said, ‘What then does this text mean: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’ When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people. Reader This is the word of the Lord. All Thanks be to God.

Thought for the Day

The Affirmation of Faith

Do you believe and trust in God the Father? All I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Do you believe and trust in his Son Jesus Christ? All I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit? All I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

The following responses may be used Leader Lord, in your mercy: All hear our prayer. ending with Leader Merciful Father, All Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. The Lord's Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hymn Water of life, cleanse and refresh us; raise us to life in Christ Jesus. 1 All you who thirst, come to the waters, and you will never be thirsty again. Chorus 2 As rain from heav’n so is God's word, it waters the earth and brings forth life. Chorus 3 Dying with Christ, so we shall rise with him, death shall no longer have pow’r over us. Chorus 4 Turn to the Lord, cast off your wickedness, you will find peace in his infinite love. Chorus

Stephen Dean (b.1948) © 1992, 2004 Stephen Dean, published by OCP Publications Recorded remotely by the Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields in their homes, and edited together. This

material is used with permission through ‘A Church Near You’ Church Resources Hub for the Church of England. Copyright CCLI 429192 & Streaming & PRS 0020269

The Blessing The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life. All Amen Let us bless the Lord All Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Wednesday - As restrictions on our activities, social freedoms and working lives are eased we continue to pray for healing in our country and local community. We pray for: • The city of Leicester and other communities facing local

lockdown • Our local community of Bedford as it seeks to understand our

high rates of infection • A wide sense of responsibility amongst us all as we spread

our wings and meet with more people • Our environment that the gains made during the crisis can be

sustained, that resources are used wisely and that we continue to be good stewards of God’s creation

• Continuation of loving kindness, neighbourliness and care that we have all experienced during recent months

God

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

Adam and Eve 1526 Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) - Courtauld Institute of Art

Oil on maple wood - 117cm x 80cm

The painting this week is not meant for a church but more likely a private painting for pleasure by Cranach who was one of the leading German painters and printmakers of the early 16th century. As court painter of the Elector of Saxony, the patron of Martin Luther, Cranach is remembered as the chief artist of the Reformation. He painted altarpieces and painted Adam and Eve many times in paintings and prints. Cranach was a close friend of Martin Luther, he attended his wedding, they were godfather to each others children. If you ever see a painting of Martin Luther it was probably done by Lucas Cranach. The Reformers were suspicious of art but Cranach seems to have moved Luther to recognise that art could be used for good. Luther himself said that women and wine could be a source of poor behaviour but neither are inherently bad and when we meditate on the sacrifice of Christ, we will almost surely bring to mind images, perhaps of the crucifixion, images are not themselves necessarily evil. We do therefore see the Reformers using art to make their theological points, such as showing the Pope going into hell. The picture would also have met with approval from the reformers because it has none of the religious symbolism of angels, halos or other catholic art. There are two accounts of creation in the Book of Genesis. The first is like a hymn or poem and describes the introduction of the Sabbath, the second is shown here where God creates Adam and Eve and describes how from a perfect creation things go wrong. This is a painting Cranach made of Genesis where we read that God made human beings in his own image and God’s image was both male and female. Cranach shows the beauty of creation in the innocence of Adam and Eve. Our human body contains 37 trillion cells, if all of the DNA in your body were uncoiled it would stretch from Earth to Pluto and back, these sorts of amazing facts only scratch the surface of our amazing creation and point towards the Christian belief in a creator behind such works. Adam and Even represent all humanity and they dwell in a place of paradise but one in which they can make choices, such as whether to eat something they had been told by God not to eat. Cranach shows them in a glade of a wood where they stand next to the Tree of Knowledge. Eve is holding an apple which represents the choice between good and evil and in the branches of the tree a serpent looks on as Adam succumbs to temptation. The painting is detailed and I especially like the moment which has been captured when the deer sees her reflection in the water. Cranach would not have seen a lion and so his ends painting something looking a bit like a big dog, with a kindly face. It is an ideal scene of perfection in which a beautifully posed couple live together peacefully with all creation. Look at thee abundance of fruit, there is plenty enough to eat, all is beauty and promise. Yet there lurks danger, temptation and the potential for evil. All is about to go so dreadfully wrong. The peaceful animal kingdom will turn against itself, the man and woman will realise their nakedness and be cast out of the garden. Eve has the knowing appearance of one who is about to do something untoward. Look at her uncontrolled hair, a sure sign of a temptress and see she is holding the branch upon which lies the serpent the symbol of evil. Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach

Support St Mark’s Church when you shop online It couldn’t be easier to support St Mark’s when you shop. Just click here and click ‘Support this cause’ If you download the app it will remind you to donate when you shop!

St Mark’s Contact Information

The Reverend Dr. Sam Cappleman Area 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 01234 342613 613 office@stmarkschurch.com Treasurer: Mr Ian Farthing 210892 treasurer@stmarkschurch.com Gift Aid Administrator: Mr Jim

Williams 360605 Churchyard Administrator: Mrs Avril Williams 360605 garden@stmarkschurch.com Charity No 1164416 Copyright CCLI 429192 & Streaming & PRS 0020269

www.stmarkschurch.com Just Giving www.justgiving.com/pccstmark

Rest In Peace

The funeral of Gerald Joseph Kavanagh will take place at Bedford Crematorium at 11.30am on Monday 20 July

The funeral of Margaret Rosser Palmer will take place at St Albans Woodland Burial Ground

at 2.30pm on Wednesday 15 July

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 01234 342613

Today we remember Brenda Cleverley

May the souls of all the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace and rise in glory . Amen.

We are all doing a lot more online now and shopping online has never been easier or more popular. Please always use the easyfundraising link at www.stmarkschurch.com This costs you nothing and helps raise important funds for the church

It’s easy to make a donation to St Mark’s Church

Just visit our webpage www.stmarkschurch.com and click on the Justgiving Logo