Dear All Saints and St Mary's,

As we journey through Kingdom Season, the time between All Saints and Advent, we are invited to reflect on the themes of memory, sacrifice, and hope. This season is a precious opportunity to remember—last week, during All Souls, we held in our hearts the faithful departed. This week, as we approach Remembrance Sunday, we turn our thoughts to how we remember—both as a community and as individuals—particularly in the context of war, peace, loss, and the power of both memory and forgetting.

Many of us carry precious memories passed through generations—stories of those who stood up for what was right, who fought in wars, or who served in quiet, often unseen ways. I think of my own grandad, who shared with me his experiences of serving in the Home Guard. As he spoke, I could see the deep emotion in his eyes, a reminder of the pain and weight that many carry with them long after the conflict is over. His story is just one of many others, each person fulfilling their role in different ways, in different times, in different places.

On this Remembrance Sunday, it is right that we pause to honour all those who have made great sacrifices, especially those who gave their lives for the sake of peace and justice. But we are also called to remember those who continue to stand up for what is right today—those who work for peace, who speak against injustice, and who strive to build a more compassionate world.

As we reflect, I gently remind us all that we, too, are part of this story. In a world torn by conflict and division, we are called to stand up for the oppressed, to feed the hungry, to clothe the poor, and to bring peace where there is none. Above all, we are called to reflect God’s love in all we do.

This week's services

8:00am Holy Communion, All Saints10:00am Holy Communion, St. Mary’s (shortened service ending in a procession to the Park for the Act of Remembrance)11:00am Civic Remembrance in Park, St. Mary’s10:45am All Age Service with the Act of Remembrance , All Saints7:15pm Generations, All Saints

The weak ahead

Mon 10th Nov 10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints
Tue 11th Nov 10:30am – M4T, St. Marys Parish Rooms
11:00am – Said service at the park memorial
Weds 12th Nov 9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints
Thurs 13th Nov 10:00am – Holy Communion, St. Mary’s
Fri 14th Nov 7:00pm – "Christmas Choir" Practice, All Saints
Sat 15th Nov 12:00pm - 1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St. Mary’s
Sunday 16th Nov

10:00am – Holy Communion, St. Mary’s
10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints

Blessings,

Charlie Blackett
Ordinand- All Saints and St Mary's - Bristol Diocese