A very warm welcome to all
Psalm 81: “O come, let us sing to the Lord.”
Second Sunday After Pentecost
Readings: Deuteronomy 5: 12-15; 2 Corinthians 4: 5-12
Gospel: Mark 2: 23-3:6
In our Gospel today
During the Easter season most of our gospel readings were taken from John but now we return to Mark which is the regular gospel for this liturgical year (running through until November).
In Mark 2:23-3:6 we find two controversies – one in the grain-fields and one in a synagogue – that are important for understanding the gospel as a whole. They show us why some of Jesus’ contemporaries found him so offensive and saw him as a great danger that had to be done away with.
2:23-28 What is lawful when someone is hungry? The Pharisees are concerned that Jesus and his followers are travelling and working on the sabbath. They feel this behaviour is breaking the command to observe the sabbath and keep it holy (Deut 5:12). Jesus disagrees, not because he regards the sabbath commandments as trivial, but because he sees the sabbath in a different light.
Jesus declares himself the ‘lord’ or ‘master’ of the sabbath claiming that the law’s ultimate purpose is to serve him. The heart of the scandal is that he presents himself as no ordinary teacher.
3:1-5 What is lawful when someone suffers? The scene in the synagogue intensifies the conflict over Jesus’ authority, his values, and the urgency of his claims. For the Pharisees who lie in wait, watching, the issue is not whether Jesus has the power to heal the man’s hand, it is whether doing this on the sabbath demonstrates Jesus’ wilful disregard for the law of God.
Only 79 verses into Mark’s gospel and the Pharisees and Herodians want to destroy Jesus! But Mark also has good news to announce. His account of the inbreaking of God’s reign in the person of Jesus also tells us of compassion, healing and transformation.
Open Table Invitation from Bishop Dorsey McConnell
Open Table Invitation from Bishop Dorsey McConnell. Bishop Dorsey McConnell has issued an invitation to all in the Diocese to meet for an evening open table conversation around three significant questions: Who is Christ? Who Are We? and So What? The full invitation letter is appended below. The three opportunities to join are:
o Wednesday 5th June at 6:30pm, St James’ the Less, Cruden Bay
o Wednesday 26th June at 7:30pm, St Drostan’s, Insch
Thursdays @ 7
Would you like to meet mid-week for bible-study, prayer, and encouragement? Thursdays @ 7 will be held in the Crypt. Until the end of June our focus will be Meeting and Serving Jesus. You’d be very welcome wherever you feel you are in your faith journey. Bring a friend if you wish. We’ll aim to be an hour – longer if you stay for refreshments.
Rectory garden tidy up (Saturday 15th June)
The Vestry are continuing our work on tidying up the Rectory and Rectory gardens. We would like to organise a small group of volunteers to help tidy-up the front and back gardens on Saturday 15th June (10am to 12 noon). We also need to organise a rota for cutting the back garden grass during the summer months. If you are happy to come along and help, please write your name on the sign-up sheet near the font.
Cheese & Wine with Silent Auction (21st June at 7pm)
Our next big fundraising event is a Cheese & Wine Evening combined with a Silent Auction on Friday 21st June. We are looking for good quality items to auction during the evening. These should be new or unused. Please let us know if you are able to help with Silent Auction items by signing up and listed what you plan to donate. You’ll find the sign-up sheet at the back of church.
Soap Sunday 30th June.
Wondering what Soap Sunday is? Well, it’s a day when we bring soap, shampoo and shower-gels to church so we can donate to a local charitable organisation that helps less fortunate folk. Please consider donating some of the items mentioned above on Sunday 30th June or beforehand.
Garden Plants for Sale!
Our tomato plant sales went very well over the last few weeks. So, we have a kind offer of some decorative plants such as hostas, decorative grasses, Echinops (globe thistle) and more! If you are interested in any plants, please make a donation towards church funds and help yourself!
Services and events commencing this Sunday and for the coming week
Sunday 2nd June 8am Holy Communion (1970 Liturgy): Revd Roger Dyer
Sunday 2nd June 10am Sung Eucharist (1982 Liturgy) with Baptism: Revd Roger Dyer
Tuesday 4th June 10am Morning Prayer: Revd Roger Dyer
Wednesday 5th June 10am Holy Communion: Revd Roger Dyer
Thursday 6th June Thursday @7 Bible, Prayer and Fellowship: Revd Roger Dyer
Friday 7th June 6pm Compline: Revd Roger Dyer
Sunday 9th June 8am Holy Communion (1970 Liturgy): Revd Roger Dyer
Sunday 9th June 10am Sung Eucharist (1982 Liturgy): Revd Kate Gibson
Next Sunday’s readings: Genesis 3: 8-15; Psalm 130; 2 Corinthians 4: 13-5:1
Gospel: Mark 3: 20-35
“If you don’t take a Sabbath, something is wrong. You’ve got to quit, one day a week, and just watch what God is doing when you’re not doing anything.”
(Eugene H Peterson)
For any pastoral matters please contact our Assistant Priest Revd. Roger Dyer on 07719 458571
or revrogdyer@btinternet.com