Easter 4 15 - The Parish of Abbots Langley

NOTICES
The ANNUAL VESTRY MEETING
and ANNUAL PAROCHIAL CHURCH
MEETING are on Tuesday 28th April at
8.00 pm following Holy Communion at
7.15 pm. Guest speaker: Emma Woollon,
Head Teacher of Bedmond School. Copies of
the
ANNUAL REPORT AND
ACCOUNTS are available at the back of
church; a contribution towards the cost of
printing would be appreciated or visit our
website: www.abbotslangley.org.uk to view a
copy.
ELECTORAL ROLL - this is the
membership list for St Lawrence and
Bedmond - please speak to Pam if you would
like a form to complete to become a member.
PCC - there is three spaces for a PCC
member and two spaces for Deanery Synod see list displayed.
Order forms are available at the back of
church if you wish to place an order for
BEDDING PLANTS - completed orders
should be returned by today (26th) to Jane
McHugh or the church office, delivery of
plants early May. Contact Jane McHugh on
2 6 4 2 8 0
o r
e - m a i l :
janemchugh123@btinternet.com for more
information.
GENERAL ELECTION HUSTINGS
Thursday 30th April at 7.45 pm in the
Methodist Church Hall. Come along and quiz
your local candidates. If you wish to send a
question
in
advance
e-mail:
derek.mclean@methodist.org.uk. This event
is organised by CTAL.
A series of SPRING CONCERTS in
St Lawrence during May begins on Saturday
2nd May at 11.00 am; refreshments from
10.30 am. Tickets £5 each (children free)
available on the door. See the handout for all
concert dates and times.
All proceeds
towards the Organ Restoration Appeal.
LIVING GOD’S LOVE - inside out! A
diocesan roadshow to explore local mission at
St Luke’s, Watford on Saturday 9th May.
Find us and
Like us on
THE PARISH OF ABBOTS LANGLEY
BEATING THE BOUNDS Sunday
10th May - Walking 11 miles (or parts of it) of
the parish boundary - following the Second
Sunday service - all welcome.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK (10th-16th
May) - offers of help delivering and collecting
envelopes would be appreciated. Please speak
to Pam or phone the office 261795.
OUTLOOK (church magazine - 40p) is
available for May. Please take a copy.
Come and hear the DAWN CHORUS in
our churchyard on Saturday 2nd May at
5.00 am. An expert will help you to identify
the birds from their songs. The walk around
the churchyard lasts about an hour followed
by refreshments in the hall. If you want to
know more contact Carol 01923 678457.
Churches Together has organised a QUIZ
in aid of Christian Aid in St Saviour’s Parish
Centre on Saturday 9th May, 7.00 for 7.30 pm.
Tickets are £10 each to include fish and chips
- tables of 8, so why not get a group together?
Tickets from the church office (261795).
FRIENDS’ OPEN GARDEN with
BBQ and live MUSIC on Saturday 6th June
in the Abbots House Garden from 11.30 am
to 4.30 pm - see May Outlook for more
details.
CONTACT NUMBERS
Vicar:
The Revd Dr Jo Spreadbury
01923 263013
Curate:
The Revd David Warner
01923 518262
Assistant Priest: The Revd Angela Milton
01923 519453
Assistant Priest: The Revd Guy Buckler
via the Church Office
Reader:
Mrs Sally Sanderson
01923 265963
In an emergency please contact Jo or David
directly at anytime, day or night,
if someone needs the ministry of a priest.
StLawrenceChurchAbbotsLangley and TheTinChurchBedmond
St Lawrence the Martyr, Abbots Langley
with the Church of the Ascension, Bedmond
26th April 2015
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Vocation Sunday
TODAY
WELCOME
8.00 am
President:
Preacher:
Reader:
Holy Communion
The Revd Jo Spreadbury
Kate Carter
David Staines
Welcome to everyone at our worship today
especially to visitors and newcomers - please
introduce yourself if you are new or a visitor.
9.30 am
President:
Preacher:
Hymns:
Readers:
Intercessions:
Parish Communion with Seekers
The Revd David Warner
Kate Carter
76 - 490 - 26 - 325 - 117 - 422
Brian Peters and Sarah Reeve
Sally Sanderson
If you have been confirmed or usually receive
Communion in your own church, please do
so here. If not, you are welcome to come to
the altar rail for a Blessing, and if you carry a
book with you the priest will know not to offer
you the bread and wine.
12.00 noon Baptism of Henry Marshall-Clarke
6.30 pm
Leader:
Evening Prayer
The Revd David Warner
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Holy Communion
10.15 am
Wednesday
7.00 pm
Tuesday
9.30 am
Friday (inc. Morning Prayer)
Morning Prayer
9.30 am
Monday to Friday
Evening Prayer
5.15 pm
Monday to Friday
including prayers for peace on Monday
and prayers for healing on Tuesday
Prayer Extra
8.15 am
Thursday: prayers for the parish and
local community
Please tell a sidesman before the service
if you would like a gluten-free wafer.
A T-loop is provided for hearing aid users.
For our younger members at 9.30 am:
Crèche - there is a room in the
church hall with suitable toys
(0-3 years)
Seekers in the church hall
(3-10 years)
except Second Sundays
(the Church Hall is at the end of the car park)
Quiet Children’s Corner in Church
Before the service,
listen to God;
and after the service,
listen to each other.
If you have come to the service
at 9.30 am please stay for a cup
of tea or coffee and a chat in the
church hall.
A collection is taken at each main service. (If you are a tax payer, please use a gift aid envelope.)
This money is fundamental to the life of the church: its ministry, mission and charitable giving.
You may notice that some people put nothing in the bag; this is because their giving is made by standing order.
JustTextGiving - a new way to give - text STLA12 followed by the amount to 70070.
www.abbotslangley.org.uk
THE PRAYERS AND BIBLE READINGS
FOR OUR PRAYERS
THE COMING WEEK
COLLECT: Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the
life: raise us, who trust in him, from the death of sin to the life of righteousness,
that we may seek those things which are above, where he reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
GIVE THANKS FOR
» Christ the Good Shepherd who loves and
cares for you
» the guidance of the Holy Spirit
PRAY FOR
» those who are persecuted for their faith
» a greater confidence in God’s grace and the
gospel
» the peoples of Ukraine and Nigeria, Iraq and
Syria, Palestine & Israel; and all seeking to end
terror and conflict
» Henry Marshall-Clarke who is being baptised
today
» those who worship at The Methodist Church
» Messy Church and its leaders
» those who live in Gypsy Lane, Halifax Close
and Hamilton Road
THOSE WHO ARE ILL OR IN NEED
» Joyce Leadley : Owen Nelson : Bernard Besch :
Tom Stuart : Ellis Haggith : Sally Lawrence :
James Stevens : Lesley Durtnall : Chris :
Michael Beadle : Beryl Russell :
Christine Corners
R.I.P.
» Lorraine Potiuk : Alan Dicker : Jill Partridge
MONDAY 27th
12.00 noon Bell Toll for World War I Soldier Charles Lewis England
12.00 noon Funeral of Alan Dicker at
Bedmond Church followed by
Cremation
3.30 pm Pastoral Assistants’ meeting in the
Vicarage
7.30 pm Ringers’ practice
TUESDAY 28th
10.15 am Tuesday Coffee in St Lawrence
7.15 pm Holy Communion
8.00 pm Annual Vestry Meeting followed by
Annual Parochial Church Meeting in
the church hall
WEDNESDAY 29th Catherine of Siena, Teacher of
FIRST READING
Acts 4.5-12
Pew Bible page 117
Peter and John have just cured a crippled beggar and preached the resurrection of
Jesus to the people. The high priests, annoyed and angered by their witness to
the resurrection, arrest them and call them to account. Peter and John are firm
in their faith that the power of the risen Christ is at work in the world: acting in
his name they are filled with courage and the ability to bring healing.
SECOND READING
1 John 3.16-end
Pew Bible page 237
Love is the evidence for the resurrection, the evidence for life under the new
covenant. The Christian life should be marked by love, not by enmity and
selfishness. This love must be active, not hypothetical: it must be evident in real,
concrete situations. Love is self-giving and selfless. The example we follow and
into which we grow is the love of Jesus Christ, who laid down his life for us.
GOSPEL
John 10.11-18
Pew Bible page 100
Drawing on the imagery of the Old Testament, where wayward kings and leaders
of Israel are referred to as bad shepherds, Jesus depicts himself as the Good
Shepherd. Far from the comforting pastoral scenes of religious art and stained
glass, this is a shepherd who will die for the sake of his sheep, who will give his life
that they might live.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER:
Christ to be the good shepherd, and in
his love for us to lay down his life and
rise again: keep us always under his
protection, and give us grace to follow
in his steps; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
READINGS NEXT SUNDAY
Acts 8.26-end
1 John 4.7-end
John 15.1-8
AVAILABILITY
Jo - day off: Friday
David - day off: Thursday
Merciful Father, you gave your Son Jesus
A prayer for Vocation Sunday
Almighty God,
you have entrusted to your Church
a share in the ministry of your Son
our great high priest:
inspire by your Holy Spirit the hearts of many
to offer themselves for the ministry of your Church,
that strengthened by his power,
they may work for the increase of your kingdom
and set forward the eternal praise of your name;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
Amen.
****
Amongst the charities we support financially and
with our prayers, this week we pray for the work
of the CRISIS.
Since 2010 there has been a rise of 55% in the
number of people sleeping rough in the UK. You
are encouraged to ask your local General
Election candidate if he/she is supporting the “No
one turned away” campaign. The next
government will be called upon to review the
help which single homeless people receive.
Homeless people are eligible to vote in the
General Election even if they do not have a
permanent address, but this fact is generally not
known. Crisis has set up a “Register to vote”
campaign to highlight this and help homeless
people to complete the necessary paperwork.
Various events are upcoming, amongst them the
Crisis Square Mile Relay in London on 4th June
and the Ride London bike ride on 2nd August.
You can support these by sponsoring participants
or by attending.
Also do remember our local charities helping the
homeless, such as New Hope in Watford.
the Faith, 1380
10.15 am Holy Communion
10.30 am Carers’ Network in the Methodist hall
THURSDAY 30th
8.15 am Prayers for the local community
7.45 pm General Election Hustings in the
Methodist Church hall
FRIDAY 1st Philip and James, Apostles
9.30 am Morning Prayer
with Holy Communion
10.00 am Heart for Abbots Langley Coffee
in the Henderson Hall
6.15 pm Youth Choir
SATURDAY 2nd Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria,
Teacher of the Faith, 373
5.00 am
Dawn Chorus in St Lawrence
Churchyard
9.30 am Churchyard Working Party
11.00 am Spring Concerts in St Lawrence begin
with Tom Winpenny
7.00-8.30 pm District Ringers in St Lawrence
followed by meeting
NEXT SUNDAY
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
3rd May 2015
8.00 am Holy Communion
President & Preacher: The Revd Angela Milton
9.30 am Parish Communion with Seekers
President: The Revd David Warner
Preacher: The Revd Angela Milton
11.00 am Holy Communion at Bedmond
followed by congregational meeting
President & Preacher: The Revd Jo Spreadbury
12.30 pm Sunday Lunch Club
6.30 pm Choral Evensong