Easter 5 15 - The Parish of Abbots Langley

NOTICES
It was ANNOUNCED last week
that after 9 years here Jo has been
appointed as Canon Precentor of
Portsmouth Cathedral. Her last
Sunday here will be the Patronal
Festival, 9th August. We wish Jo
and Kit well in Portsmouth.
BEATING THE BOUNDS
Sunday 10th May leaving at 11.15 am Walking 11 miles (or parts of it) of the
parish boundary - all welcome.
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.
The series of SPRING
CONCERTS in St Lawrence during
May continues on Saturday 9th May at
11.00 am (Southorn/Strat ton);
refreshments from 10.30 am. Tickets
£5 each (children free) available on the
door. See the handout for all concert
dates and details.
All proceeds
towards the Organ Restoration
Appeal. Offers of homemade cakes/
biscuits for the remaining concerts
would be appreciated - speak to Pam.
LIVING GOD’S LOVE - inside
out! A diocesan roadshow to explore
local mission - St Luke’s, Watford on
Saturday 9th May from 9.00 am to
1.00 pm.
OUTLOOK (church magazine 40p) is available for May. Please take a
copy.
Find us and
Like us on
THE PARISH OF ABBOTS LANGLEY
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK (10th16th May) - offers of help delivering
and collecting envelopes would be
appreciated. Please speak to Pam or
phone the office 261795.
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) - need numbers by
Tuesday 5th May.
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.
Wendy Meldrum is going on the
Christian Aid CLIMATE CHANGE
WALK in London on Wednesday
17th June, please speak with Wendy if
you would like to find out more.
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
3rd May 2015
THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
TODAY
WELCOME
8.00 am
Holy Communion
President & Preacher: The Revd Jo Spreadbury
Reader:
Dennis Spooner
9.30 am
President:
Preacher:
Hymns:
Intercessions:
Parish Communion with Seekers
The Revd David Warner
The Revd Jo Spreadbury
18 - 195 - 321 - 67 - 255 - 427
Wendy Meldrum
11.00 am
Holy Communion at Bedmond
followed by congregational meeting
President & Preacher: The Revd Jo Spreadbury
Hymns:
427 - 220 - 321 - 228
Reader:
Anne Goldsmith
12.30 pm
Sunday Lunch Club
6.30 pm
Hymns:
Choral Evensong
33 - 162 - 475
SERVICES THIS WEEK
Holy Communion
10.15 am
Wednesday
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
Welcome to everyone at our worship today
especially to those who have come to hear their
Banns of Marriage read, visitors and newcomers
- please introduce yourself if you are new or a
visitor.
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.
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
COLLECT: Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ have
overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that, as by your grace
going before us you put into our minds good desires, so by your continual help we may
bring them to good effect, through Jesus Christ our risen Lord, who is alive and reigns
with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
FIRST READING
Acts 8.26-end
Pew Bible page 123
That God's chosen Messiah should suffer and die seems almost incomprehensible, so it is
not surprising that the Ethiopian courtier asks the apostle Philip to help him understand
Isaiah's prophecy about the Suffering Servant. Eununchs were not admitted to the Jewish
community, but Christ's blood was shed for all, even outcasts and those at the farthest
ends of the world. Starting from the man's own questions, Philip so convinces him about
the good news of Jesus that he asks to be baptised at once, and is given new life through
faith in him who died.
SECOND READING
1 John 4.7-end
Pew Bible page 238
God is love: God's whole nature and being is best summed up in the word 'love'. God's
love for us calls out an answering love in us - for God and for one another - and the
Incarnation of Christ is our proof of how deeply we are loved by God. Therefore we
need not fear judgement, if we can love and be loved, but unless we learn to love our
brothers and sisters - God's children - we will not truly love God.
GOSPEL
John 15.1-8
Pew Bible page 106
Jesus uses God's name of himself in the seven 'I am' sayings recorded in John's Gospel.
At the Last Supper, Jesus proclaims 'I am the true vine' - he is the essential source of life
and growth and fruitfulness for us who are the 'branches'. Being part of the vine does not
mean we will escape hardship: dead wood is cut back to make room for new shoots, and
even fruitful growth will be pruned to give greater fruitfulness. But if we dwell in him and
let him dwell in us richly, sustained by his presence in word and sacrament, our prayers
will be in accordance with God's will and our lives will be fruitful for good, as his was.
POST COMMUNION PRAYER:
Eternal God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the
way, the truth, and the life: grant us to
walk in his way, to rejoice in his truth, and
to share his risen life; who is alive and
reigns, now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS NEXT SUNDAY
Acts 10.44-end
1 John 5.1-6
John 15.9-17
AVAILABILITY
Jo - away Wed-Thur; day off: Friday
David - day off: Thursday
LIVING GOD’S LOVE PRAYER
Living God, draw us deeper into your love;
Jesus our Lord, send us to care and serve;
Holy Spirit, make us heralds of good news.
Stir us, strengthen us, teach and inspire us
to live your love with generosity and joy,
imagination and courage;
for the sake of your world
and in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
FOR OUR PRAYERS
GIVE THANKS FOR
» those you love, and those you find it hard to
love
» the ways God's love has borne fruit in your
life
PRAY FOR
» understanding and mutual love for our
brothers and sisters of different faiths
» the people of Nepal following the earthquake
and for the DEC Appeal
» the peoples of Ukraine and Nigeria, Iraq and
Syria, Palestine & Israel; and all seeking to end
terror and conflict
» all those standing for Parliament this week
» James and Katy Strachan on their
First Wedding Anniversary
» those who worship at St Lawrence Church
» Seekers (Sunday school) and its leaders
» those who live in Hammer Parade,
Harlech Road and Harthall Lane
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.
» Alan Dicker
* * * *
Amongst the charities we support financially and
with our prayers, this week we pray for the work
of the ORBIS. The charity dedicated to
preserving and restoring the sight of the poorest
people in the poorest communities across the
world.
Through innovative training programmes and
partnerships, ORBIS creates long term, lasting
solutions to prevent and cure blindness
worldwide. Over 90 countries (including our
own) have experienced support from ORBIS,
whether it be training (e.g. local healthcare
workers) advocacy (e.g. with local government
or working with the World Health Organisation)
research and telehealth (e.g. cybersight which
enables eye care professionals in developing
countries to connect with expert mentors
anywhere in the world).
www.orbis.org
THE COMING WEEK
MONDAY 4th English Saints and Martyrs of the
Reformation era. Bank Holiday
7.30 pm
Bell Ringing practice
TUESDAY 5th
10.15 am Tuesday Coffee in St Lawrence
7.00 pm Finance Committee followed by
Fundraising working group
7.45 pm Dynamite Youth Group
WEDNESDAY 6th
10.15 am Holy Communion
THURSDAY 7th
Election Day
8.15 am Prayers for the local community
FRIDAY 8th Julian of Norwich, Spiritual Writer, 1417
70th Anniversary of the end of the War
in Europe - VE Day
9.30 am Morning Prayer
with Holy Communion
10.00 am Heart for Abbots Langley Coffee
in the Henderson Hall
12.00 noon Bell Toll for World War I Soldier William Edward Sadler
3.00 pm Two minutes silence at the
War Memorial - VE Day
6.15 pm Youth Choir practice
SATURDAY 9th
10.00 am Burial of the Ashes of Mary Hunt
11.00 am Spring Concert in St Lawrence with
Southorn and Stratton family
7.00 for 7.30 pm CTAL Christian Aid Week Quiz
in St Saviour’s Parish Centre
NEXT SUNDAY
THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
10th May 2015
8.00 am Holy Communion
President & Preacher: The Revd Guy Buckler
9.30 am Second Sunday Service
Led by: The Revd Jo Spreadbury & Wendy Meldrum
11.15 am Beating the Bounds - walkers leave
6.30 pm Evening Communion
President & Preacher: The Revd David Warner