St. Mark's Church
Stourbridge Road, Fairfield, Bromsgrove,
Rector: Vacant
Lay Reader: Pauline Jones Tel: 0121 453 7785
Warden: Mary Fairbairn Tel: 0121 460 1938
Benefice Administrators: Christine Thomas and Christina Roberts
Address: Church Office, 19 Church Road, Belbroughton, DY9 9TE
Telephone: 01562 730777
Benefice Website: www.bfc-worcs.co.uk
Please join us for coffee after the service and if you would like to find out more information about any of the activities associated with church please speak to a warden or sides person.
SERVICES AT ST. MARK'S FAIRFIELD
For services at Belbroughton & Clent visit www.bfc-worcs.co.uk
Sunday 22nd April Easter 4
11.15am Holy Communion
Sunday 6th May Easter 5
11.15am Rogation Worship4All
COLLECT FOR THE WEEK
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
PARISH INTERCESSION
Sunday 22nd April – Easter 4
Risen Christ,
faithful shepherd of your Father’s sheep:
teach us to hear your voice
and to follow your command,
that all your people may be gathered into one flock,
to the glory of God the Father.
As a corporal act of mercy, please offer the following topics for prayer this week:
• Diocese of Blackburn, Brechni, The Lutheran Church in Great Britain,
The Anglican Communion in Japan and all their Archbishops, Bishops
and clergy.
• Justin our Archbishop, John our Bishop, Graham the Bishop of Dudley,
for Nikki our Archdeacon, Andrew our Rural Dean, for the Clergy,
Readers and Lay-minsters of the Stourbridge Deanery, our ALM Team
and visiting Clergy, our Musical Directors, Organists and Choir, and
our Administrators Christine & Chrissy.
• The homes and families of: Newtown Lane, Belbroughton; Woodman Lane, Clent; Yew
Tree Lane, Fairfield;
• Fairfield Welcome Club
The Christian fellowship of our churches
We pray for those suffering in body, mind or spirit; may they know your
presence alongside them in their time of need. Locally we ask for healing
and strength for Brian Cooper; John Makin; Sally Scotton; Trevor Clarke; Chris
Must; Carol Brogan; Betty Tarbuck; Len Hollyhead; Kim Jenkins;
Christine Brettle; Ann Hirons; and Jamie
We continue to pray for the progressive recovery of Steve Eagle
We pray, for those mourning the death of loved ones especially for the family
and friends of Andy Forsey, Vera Cound, Jean Grove, Peter Ingham, Hugh
Hughes, Ruth Cherry, Lionel John Wilkes
READINGS
First Reading: Acts 4.5-12
The Jewish rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with
Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who
were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners
stand in their midst, they inquired, ‘By what power or by what name
did you do this?’ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,
‘Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today
because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are
asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you,
and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in
good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you
crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is
“the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.”
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.’
Second Reading: 1 John 3.16-24
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we
ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love
abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or
sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and
action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will
reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us;
for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness
before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because
we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name
of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has
commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him,
and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us,
by the Spirit that he has given us.
The Gospel Reading: John 10.11-18
Jesus said to the Pharisees: ‘I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is
not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf
coming and leaves the sheep and runs away – and the wolf
snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away
because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good
shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the
Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life
for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I
must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there
will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves
me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No
one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have
received this command from my Father.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord