Hello there!

This week I enjoyed my first taste of Cheddar strawberries. The luscious red fruits gleamed at me temptingly from their prominent podium on the greengrocer’s stall on Henleaze High Street, shouting ‘Buy me!’ I was smitten. In this Sunday's Gospel reading from John Jesus is giving a pep talk to his disciples. He is sending them out as God’s beloved into the world to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last’. We also want our strawberries to last beyond summer, don’t we? That’s why we bottle them and make jam. But jam isn’t just admired in a jar, it gets eaten pretty quickly. But what kind of fruit could Jesus be talking about –that has a lasting quality and enduring impact, I wonder?

Love in action

Jesus sees how his disciples have stuck with him through thick and thin. So at this moment, before he goes to the cross, he confirms his love for them and his trust in them by calling them no longer servants but friends. Friends of Jesus love God, love one another, and love people beyond their inner circle – and commit to one another in love. Where might this happen through All Saints and St.Mary’s, as we become better informed and more aware of the experiences of young people and their gifts and needs?

Loving our communities

It all comes down to love. Yet love is not passive. Love is active and committed to everyone’s wellbeing and flourishing. I witnessed that kind of love in effortful action at the first ever Citizens UK Youth Assembly in Bristol held last Monday at City Academy. In the words of Senior Community Organiser, Fiona Meldrum, the event was ‘an exciting opportunity to reimagine what Politics could look like at across Somerset and Avon when we are able to bring communities and decision makers together for the common good. There is no doubt that we are all concerned about the recent rise in violence in our communities. Sometimes fear can lead us to retreat. But through community organising, we are building the power to offer hope that things can be different and we can find solutions to tackle this issue.’

Primary and secondary students from Taunton to Bristol had spent months with teachers and trainers from Citizens UK –and with support from faith communities and other local support networks– calling for changes in their local communities, culminating in addressing the Police and Crime Commissioner candidates in person. The story continues below the weekly information. You can find out more about Citizens UK here.

Services this Sunday 5th May

Readings: Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15.9-17

10.00 St.Mary’s: Creative Church
10.30 All Saints: Holy Communion
6.30pm St.Mary’s: Evensong

Services and events in the week ahead

Tuesday 7th 10.30- 11.30St Mary’s Parish Room: Music for Toddlers

Wednesday 8th May 09.00-9.30 All Saints Church: Celtic Prayers
Saturday 11th May 12.00-1.30 St Mary’s Church: Saturday Lunches – all welcome
Sunday 12th May 08.00 All Saints Church: Said Holy Communion
Sunday 12th May 10.00 St. Mary’s Church: Sung Holy Communion
Sunday 12th May 10.30 All Saints Church: Messy Muddy Church

At the Citizens Youth Assembly young people movingly shared their stories about situations and events that had made them feel unsafe, angry or fearful. We heard about actions they’d already taken to change and improve matters. The young people finally presented a list of formal ‘asks’. They called on the PCCs to work towards further specific goals to enable young people to feel safer and flourish. The PCCs agreed (budgets permitting) to do so. Here is one of their asks. ‘Will you acknowledge the importance of diversionary activities (such as boxing) in preventing youth violence and crime and will you ring-fence money to fund it for the next four-year term?’

Reflective prayer was included in the evening. A row of students held lit candles in the darkened school hall to remember victims of knife crime while we listened to Stormzy’s words: Lord I’ve been broken, although I’m not worthy, you fixed me, now I’m blinded by your grace, you came and saved me.

The Youth Assembly was the most inspirational and thought-provoking event I have attended in a long time.

Let us pray and commit to finding ways to engage with young people and work with them on local issues of common concern, and may this week’s prayer spur us on to do so.

Risen Christ,
your wounds declare your love for the world
and the wonder of your risen life:
give us compassion and courage
to risk ourselves for those we serve,
to the glory of God the Father.

Revd Diane, curate