Category Archives: St Mark’s Church

St Mark's Church

Music for the Service of the Word – 22nd October 11am

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This service will be largely sung. Many of the hymns and songs will be familiar, but just in case, these are links to most of them. We may not sing them in exactly the same way, but these links should give you a good idea of how they go.

1st hymn:            I went down to the river to pray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbgfQ48hWuY

Penitence:           Be still for the presence of the Lord
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZugvUQ4m90U

Gloria:                  Peruvian              Usual St Marks way

Collect:                10000 reasons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtwIT8JjddM

Reading:              Turn, turn, turn (based on Ecclesiastes 3 1-8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4

Sermon:               Now is the cool of the day (Lesley solo, acapella)

Creed:                 Seward (I D Sankey, 1892)             Can’t find a link, but it’s very simple

Intercession:       It’s me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x90HfUJl6eY

Kumbayah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3MiD_U4CHQ

Thanksgiving:     Thank you Lord for this new day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njsdfxK9FcQ

Lord’s prayer:     Caribbean version from “Come and Praise”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgP0jI5hghU

Peace:                  Hevenu shalom Aleichem (Jewish chant)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB4RMIWroMY

Blessing:              Amazing Grace                  Usual St Marks way

Dismissal:            You shall go out with joy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unWnWSgoSt0

Art, Social Events, St Mark's Church

Arts at St Marks…

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…how it all came about

 

There’s something creative happening in Upper Hale.  Our friends Dave and Helena took one look at St Mark’s and declared that it would be just the place for art workshops and an exhibition.

Musicians had been playing for Sunday worship for a while and there have been concerts held in the past to raise fund for Emily (the organ), to socialise and generally to make music for the pleasure it brings.

I love all kinds of music, but since I have been licensed as a lay minister, I have been wanting to share the variety of religious songs, gospel music and folk hymns; and may be to see if I could put them together into a completely musical service.

Creativity was bubbling up throughout our parish and I am not sure who first thought, “We could have a festival to celebrate all of this”, but the idea took hold.  People offered time and expertise, musicians looked through their repertoire to select the right pieces and suddenly, it is all taking shape very quickly.

Perhaps in years to come, when Arts at St Mark’s has grown to the size of Glastonbury or Edinburgh, people will wonder how it all started, but it really was just the spark of creativity which lit up simultaneously in a group of friends and the desire to make it happen for our neighbourhood.

Lesley Shatwell

Art, St Mark's Church

Reflecting on Art

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 Over the August Bank Holiday weekend Alan and I always attend a Christian Arts and Music Festival called ‘Greenbelt’. The festival attracts people from all over the country to meet in a field in Northamptonshire, I think there were about 18000 of us this year. The festival inspires me and challenges me, it reinvigorates me and is the place where I most experience the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Come with us next year!!

This year I attended a workshop led by St Martin-in-the-fields which was all about reflecting on art. The piece that we looked at was ‘Christ before the High Priest’ by Gerrit van Honthorst.  In the centre is a lighted candle and to the left is a seated Caiaphas pointing his finger accusingly at Jesus, who is standing to the right of the picture, calm and composed. The text that the painting is based upon is found in Matthew 26:57-75.

As we reflected on the painting we were asked a series of questions and I found myself drawn to the image of Jesus, who was bearing so many false accusations and also bearing the anger of the people in the room. I know that I expect God to be able to bear my anger and put up with my false accusations. Particularly when I am tired and hurt I end up accusing God of not being there for me or not caring enough.

We were asked who we identify with in the picture and I found myself identifying with Jesus, as my experience is that people are often angry with me and I too have to bear false accusations. Is I looked at the calmness of Jesus in this situation I wondered whether this is a ministry that we sometimes have to offer to others…. The ability to bear the anger and false accusations of others whilst remaining calm and caring.

I found the experience profound and thought this workshop might be something that we can do in the parish. We might be able to reflect together on art and find that it moves us forward in our spiritual journeys. So I am hoping that I will be able to get a group together to do this in Advent. Perhaps it is something you are interested in? If so contact me – revd.lesley@badshotleaandhale.org or 01252 820537.

Lesley Crawley

Social Events, St Mark's Church

Apple Day

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Come and celebrate the fruits of our community orchard from 10:00 until 11:00am on 1st October at St Mark’s. We have a juicer so if you would like to turn your apples into juice then bring apples that are in good condition, washed and picked from the tree along with clean two litre plastic milk cartons including the lid to put the juice in. We will be having some entertainment including apple tasting and apple-y music (and possibly dance). If that isn’t enough apply-ness there will be pancakes with apple filling to eat! Afterwards, you are welcome to stay for the 11am service if you wish.

Social Events, St Mark's Church

Informal Festival Service – Sunday 22nd October, 11am

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At St Mark’s Church on 22nd October there will be a special Festival Service at 11am. By this time we should have a highly decorated church as the output of the workshops will be on display! The service will be led by Lesley Shatwell. As she is a lay minister, it won’t be a communion service. However, it will be highly unusual, if not unique, in that it will be almost entirely a sung service, including the Gospel reading and sermon! We will make sure the melodies are accessible to all – no weird phrasing or unusual cadences designed to catch the uninitiated. The Music can be found here.

We will finish with a bring and share lunch. All welcome.

Total A4

Social Events, St Mark's Church

Music and Art Workshops – Saturday 21st October

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At St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale there will be workshops in the morning 10 – 12:30 and the afternoon 2 – 4:30. We’re still finalising the times and contents, but there will be a come-all-ye music workshop where musicians of any standard and any instrument are welcome to come along and join in. There will also be a singing workshop, run by Veronica (Nonny) Tabbush, an experienced choir leader who has organised choirs in Aldershot and Bordon. She presently lives in the Bristol area and runs choirs there.

There will be painting and arts and crafts workshops, possibly with photography and stone masonry. We will also be re-drawing the map of Hale.Workshops A4

Social Events, St Mark's Church

Ceilidh – Saturday 21st October, 7-10

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Saturday night ceilidh 7 – 10pm at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale, GU9 0LT.

The band will be the one that plays for the annual Candlemas barn dance at St Georges, with Kris Lawrence as caller. There could also be a variable number of additional musicians, as those attending the workshop during the day will be welcome to sit in with us. We will also hopefully have a performance from the choir workshop and displays of art and photography generated during the day.

Ceilidh A4

Art, St Mark's Church

Arts at St Mark’s

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Well, we’ve now got a snazzy logo and a title for the festival!

This is an update on where we are with the Arts and Music festival at St Mark’s. However, as I’m writing this on the last day of August, for the October magazine, it’s likely that by the time you read this we’ll have extra publicity material with more details available.

Dates:            Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd October 2017.

The festival will be free. We will have buckets available for voluntary donations. Any donations on the Friday night will go towards the organ restoration fund. Any subsequent donations, after deduction of expenses, will go the parish general fund and the fabric fund, both of which need all the help they can get!

Friday

We’ll be setting up an art exhibition in the afternoon. In the evening there will be a concert starting at 7pm. We’ve sorted the acts now. We’ll have a couple of pieces on Emily (the pipe organ), songs to piano accompaniment, a rock band, a choral group and a rock-a-billy/country band.  There will be an interval and tea, coffee etc. half way through.

Saturday

Workshops in the morning 10 – 12:30 and the afternoon 2 – 4:30. We’re still finalising the times and contents, but there will be a come-all-ye music workshop where musicians of any standard and any instrument are welcome to come along and join in. There will also be a singing workshop, run by Veronica (Nonny) Tabbush, an experienced choir leader who has organised choirs in Aldershot and Bordon. She presently lives in the Bristol area and runs choirs there.

There will definitely be painting and arts and crafts workshops, possibly with photography and stone masonry, but we’re still finalising the details here.

At the moment the schedule has to be finalised. Details will be available well in advance of the festival.

Saturday night ceilidh 7 – 10pm. This starts and finishes early as we have to get the church ready for services the following day. The band will be the one that plays for the annual Candlemas barn dance at St Georges, with Kris Lawrence as caller. There could also be a variable number of additional musicians, as those attending the workshop during the day will be welcome to sit in with us. We will also hopefully have a performance from the choir workshop and displays of art and photography generated during the day.

Sunday

Service 11am. By this time we should have a highly decorated church as the output of the workshops will be on display! The service will be led by Lesley Shatwell. As she is a lay minister, it won’t be a communion service. However, it will be highly unusual, if not unique, in that it will be almost entirely a sung service, including the Gospel reading and sermon! We will make sure the melodies are accessible to all – no weird phrasing or unusual cadences designed to catch the uninitiated. It’s highly likely we’ll make any unfamiliar hymns etc. available as MP3 files before the event.

We will finish with a bring and share lunch. All welcome.

Bob Shatwell