Dear Friends
Mark’s Gospel is my favourite account of Jesus’ life.
I’ve asked myself why?
Is it because it’s the shortest? Well that has its attractions… it’s only
sixteen chapters long and you can read it from beginning to end in a
couple of hours – which is worthwhile doing by the way!
Is it because it’s fast moving? Well it is pacy… immediately they did
this; straightaway they did the next thing!
Perhaps it’s because it’s a ‘no frills’ version as an account of Jesus’
life and ministry.
Or maybe because I can ‘read’ myself into the story and picture
myself in it because of the little details that bring it to life… the 5,000
sat on the green grass; Jesus was asleep with his head on a pillow.
Is it because it seems to be an ‘eyewitness’ telling by those who
knew him best – his disciples? None of it seems to be ‘hearsay’.
It could be because, as the shortest version, it tells me what I
absolutely need to know… it’s an account of the most important
moments of Jesus’ ministry that I simply must be aware of, in fact
familiar with if I’m to know Jesus?
Well, it’s all of these reasons… and more besides, and this June you
have two opportunities to enjoy Mark’s Gospel and discover your
own reasons for loving it!
Firstly, on Friday 8
th
June at the URC Heckmondwike, a very
talented story-teller, Ian Birkinshaw, will perform the whole of Mark’s
Gospel over a couple of hours of spellbinding and absorbing drama,
set to moving music written and performed by Ian’s son, Peter. The
evening is free with free refreshments in the ‘interval’. Those of us
who have seen this extraordinary performance before know that you
won’t regret being there, but you’ll wish you had been there if you
weren’t. More information in this Newsletter.
Secondly, you’re invited to join groups looking at extracts from
Mark’s Gospel over six weeks in June and July in our new ‘Lectio
Divina Groups’… again more information as you read on.
I pray that we will all know God’s richest blessings as we continue to
explore Mark’s Gospel this June.
Janine
Revd. Janine Atkinson