Author: Reuben

Lent 2—Year B Sunday 25 February 2018 when you have finished with this sheet pass it on to someone unable to get to church today

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.
FIRST READING Genesis 17.1–7, 15–16
A reading from the book of Genesis.
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’ 3 Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, 4 ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.’ 15 God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ This is the word of the Lord. THANKS BE TO GOD
Responsorial Psalm 22:23-31
Response: Be not far from me, O Lord.
Praise the Lord, you that fear him; O seed of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, O seed of Israel. For he has not despised nor abhorred the suffering of the poor; neither has he hidden his face from them; but when they cried to him he heard them. R From you comes my praise in the great congregation; I will perform my vows in the presence of those that fear you. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord shall praise him; their hearts shall live for ever. R
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow before him. For the kingdom is the Lord’s and he rules over the nations. R How can those who sleep in the earth bow down in worship, or those who go down to the dust kneel before him? He has saved my life for himself; my descendants shall serve him; this shall be told of the Lord for generations to come. They shall come and make known his salvation, to a people yet unborn, declaring that he, the Lord, has done it. R SECOND READING Romans 4.13–25
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans.
13 The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to

Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17 as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’) – Abraham believed in the presence of the God who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become ‘the father of many nations,’ according to what was said, ‘So numerous shall your descendants be.’ 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 Therefore his faith ‘was reckoned to him as righteousness.’ 23 Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him,’ were written not for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
This is the word of the Lord. THANKS BE TO GOD
GOSPEL Mark 8.31–38
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark.
GLORY TO YOU O LORD
Jesus began to teach his disciples that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ 34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’
This is the gospel of the Lord. PRAISE TO YOU O CHRIST POST COMMUNION
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.
LyCiG Prayer God of Mission, who alone brings growth to your Church, send your Holy Spirit to give vision to our planning, wisdom to our actions, and power to our witness. Help our church to grow in numbers, in spiritual commitment to you, and in service to our local community, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The materials used in this sheet are from the Common Worship materials of the Church of England www.churchofengland.org all Bible verses are from NRSV translation this sheet created by Fr Reuben James Preston SCP OblOSB rectorofsharnbrook@rjpmedia.co.uk www.sharnbrookcofechurches.org

The United Benefice of Sharnbrook, Felmersham and Knotting with Souldrop
St Peter’s Church, Sharnbrook MK44 1HU, St Mary’s Church, Felmersham MK43 7JP All Saints Church, Souldrop MK44 1EX www.sharnbrookcofechurches.org Welcome on Lent 2—a call to thrive in your spiritual life

Worship in the Benefice today… Lent 2 0830 Souldrop Parish Communion 0930 Sharnbrook Parish Communion & RnS 1100 Felmersham Choral Matins 1800 Sharnbrook Benefice Evensong – LLW JaneT followed by celebration in SPR to welcome Garry Johnson as he is Licensed as a Reader in the Benefice—WELCOME GARRY!
Monday—feria 1145 Messy Church 2000 Sharnbrook Compline—LLW Andrea
Tuesday-Lesser Festival- George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633
Wednesday—feria 0930 Sharnbrook Holy Communion 3rd Wed BCP 1915 Sharnbrook Visual Stations of the Cross 2000 Sharnbrook Compline—Rector Thursday—Lesser Festival– St David, c.601 0930 Felmersham Holy Communion 1030 Sharnbrook House Holy Communion
1200 Sharnbrook Internment of Ashes of Late Janice Woodfield 1930 LyCiG Leaders Session 2 at the Rectory
Friday—Lesser Festival-Chad, Bishop of Lichfield, Missionary, 672 1030-noon Coffee and Chat at The Rectory 1900 Sharnbrook Holy Hour with incense as normal
2000 Sharnbrook Lent Compline—FrMac Saturday—feria 0930-11 Lent Book Group at Sports and Social Club chp 7,8,9
0930-1500 LYCIG Away Day at Rufus Centre Next Sunday morning—Lent 3 0930 Sharnbrook Parish Communion & RnS 1100 Felmersham Parish Communion 1500 Souldrop Parish Communion 1800 Sharnbrook Benefice Evensong – Rector 0930 Sharnbrook Parish Communion & RnS 1100 Felmersham Parish Communion 1800 Sharnbrook Benefice Evensong – LLW JaneT
Lent Lunch in SPR 1230pm Thursday 15 March

LyCiG Local Study Course
Leaders Session 2: Thursday 1 March 7:30pm The Rectory LyCiG Diocesan Day 3 March 9:30am-3pm at The Rufus Centre, Flitwick MK45 1AH – 10 places booked for the Benefice – cost free Main Session 4: Fri 9 March 7:30pm— Main Session 5: Tues 20 March 7:30pm— Main Session 6: Sat 21 April 2pm-3:30pm
This study course is for all who come to church to help us work together in growing our churches.

Christian Meditation Group meets on Mondays 2000 in SPR—all welcome!

Sunday 18 March—7pm Darkness Falls—a play of St John’s Gospel—commissioned by the Deanery for you to bring your friends along to encounter St Johns presentation of the Gospel message—entry free, retiring collection. Book Your own seats now—tickets allocated

HOLLYWOOD IN SHARNBROOK Smash Hit Oscar winning LA LA LAND starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Sharnbrook Village Hall—Saturday 17 March Doors open 7.00 (film 7.30pm) Tickets £5 from Ian 781721 (please book before ) Proceeds to Friends of St Peter's

LENT lunch Thursday 15 March 1230pm in SPR £5 a simple lunch of homemade Soup and desert

Sharnbrook Churches Together rep needed for the Benefice—please talk to Marion if you could do this role

Intercessions The sick and in need: Pam, Barbara, Sally, Pam, Martin, Marjorie, Doreen, Angela & Rose The Departed: Janice Woodfield Send the names of people who have asked to be remembered in our parish intercessions to the Rector Pray for our keeping of a good Lenten season Pray for leaders to emerge as Churchwardens at St Peters Pray for people living in war torn Syria—that peace will come Pray for the Diocesan LyCiG Day on Sat 3 March

Church Contacts
The Rector: Reuben Preston, The Rectory, 81 High Street, Sharnbrook MK44 1PE 01234 782000 07971 895897 rectorofsharnbrook@rjpmedia.co.uk
Lay Leaders of Worship: Rosemary Drewery 07792926004, Jane Templeman, Andrea Maffie 07881 046255 Churchwardens:- St Peter’s Church: Roland Carpenter 01234 781551 St Mary’s Church: Jane Wells 01234 782462 &
Sue Whitehouse 01234 781300 All Saints Church: Nick Wells 07841 759497 Safeguarding Co-Ord: Rosemary Drewery 07792 926004 Items for inclusion should be sent to sharnbrookbenefice@gmail.com by 0900 on Wednesdays.

To make arrangements for Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms/Christenings, Confessions, House Blessings etc. please contact the Rector

Spnsorship: in prayer for the LyCiG Diocesan Day on Saturday 3 March and our Reps attending If you would like to sponsor this sheet please send you £5 donation to The Rectory along with details of the sponsorship (even if anonymous)

This Weekend and next…… Starting on Friday 1 Dec—CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL all weekend ending with Christmas Tree Festival Concert at 1500hrs in St Peters with music for Advent & Christmas by Ouse Valley Singers & Sunday 10 Dec CHRISTINGLE service at 4pm at St Peters in aid of Children’s Society & bring Christmas Gifts for ‘The Salvation Army Christmas Gift Appeal’

Please bring food to share for our Epiphany Pot Luck Bring ‘n Share lunch—no lists just bring something to add to the table

Sanctuary Cleaning Rota Can you spare an hour on a regular basis and become a member of the Sanctuary Cleaning Rota? Several folk have retired, in particular I would like to thank Marion and John Tyler for many years of service. If you can help, speak to Kate Ritchie (ph 781155)

Sharnbrook extra-ordinary Annual Parochial Meeting on Wed 31 May 2017 at 7:30pm for the election of churchwardens

LAUNDE Abbey retreat programmes available—let’s go to the ADVENT Retreat Tues 21 Nov—Fri 24 Nov 2017 £245 plus travel—Pick up a leaflet in Church for details.
Book your own place & Please Add you name to the list in church so we know who has decided to sign up.

STOP PRESS– Grenfell Tower collection after each service today. If you would like to contribute to the relief help which has been offered to the Grenfell Tower survivors please put your contribution in the box/plate after the services today

Benefice Warden’s meeting Thursday 22 June 7:30pm in Souldrop

The OT Apocrapha books can be found online at http://bible.oremus.org
There are 14 books in the OT Apocrapha which the Church o England uses in the lectionary and they are used to edify the people but not derive doctrine.

Launde Abbey 2018 Retreat Programmes now in church to take the LENT retreat: Be Radiant is NOW FULL

THANK YOU to the flower team who have decorated church for Eastertide
And thank you to everyone who has helped make our Holy Week and Easter services take place this year—your hard work is appreciated.