Dear friendsA number of us came together to watch the first episode the "The Chosen" on Wednesday. This is the series that tells the story of Jesus through the encounters he had with ordinary people, in those 3 years of his ministry. Firstly, it is an incredibly well done production - authentic in location, choice of actors, sights and sounds. But more than this, it is eye opening. Without doubt poetic license has been used, and the creators put a disclaimer at the start of the episode, that the story should primarily be understood through the writing of the Gospel. Even so, The Chosen fills in the gaps. We see the back stories, the family dynamics, the view of typical family life in that time and place, the very real threat of Roman rule, of the tax demands ... and this is only episode one! What was remarkable for me, was that we only actually meet Jesus in the last few minutes. Everything else has been scene setting, everything else has been building up. We can see, as those who know the end of the story, how much the people need Jesus. We can see, as the observer, the life changing difference Jesus makes, and in this episode, it's to Mary Magdalene's life. And we were left wanting more - when are we going to see episode 2!!I wonder how much harder it is to translate this to our own lives. To the awareness that we need Jesus, to see the life changing difference Jesus makes to ordinary lives? Even when we know the end of the story!This Sunday is Christ the King and then we move to Advent - where we prepare ourselves again to kneel at the manger. This Sunday is also "Stir up Sunday", which of course is usually translated into the time to make Christmas puddings. However, in the original Book of Common Prayer, the collect prayer is "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord the wills of thy faithful people". This suggests this is a moment to seek God's action with us, even if this is uncomfortable. To turn again to the awareness of who Jesus is, whatever "King" means to you, in Him, to be aware of our need for him, and to be prepared to receive again the life changing difference Jesus can make - turning our ordinary lives into something extraordinary.You can watch "The Chosen" on You tube, and I really commend this to you. We will watch episode 2 in the new year together, if you would like to come along. Everyone is invited, as everyone is invited to receive the love of God, in Jesus Christ.Why not also come along on Sunday, to gather together, to learn together, and to worship together.With love in Christ the KingBecky
Dear friendsToday is St Martin's Day, when we remember a man who showed radical generosity and kindness. I’m sure many of you know the story far more than I do, that during his time as a Roman guard, Martin or Tours cut his cloak in two to provide warmth and protection for a beggar he came across while on duty. He therefore became the patron saint of beggars, wool-weavers and tailors (also because of his cloak), soldiers, geese (some say because they gave his hiding place away when he tried to avoid being chosen as bishop), and innkeepers. He was also renowned for having a servant heart, and offering hospitality from his meagre cell in the monastery even though he was a Bishop. On his death, he chose to be buried in the cemetery of the poor.What a remarkable legacy for us as a church, situated as we are in one of the more deprived parts of Bristol.I met with a couple in church today, to plan the funeral of their family member. We spoke about the years of storytelling that has happened in our church - the stories of the whole of life, from birth to death and beyond. We spoke about the years of prayer and worship that have taken place. I said that I felt the church knew itself to be the parish church, the church for the community, the gathering place for story, the place for the realities of life, the joys, suffering and sorrow, to be shared. They have never been in the church before, but they said they could tell it was a place of life, with the kitchen, the different areas within the space, the beautiful children's area ... and whilst they would not claim to be Christians, they said they could sense a peace within the four walls.Of course, the building is just the holding place within which we gather in order to be sent out into the world. If we are to follow St Martin's legacy today, we would, in our sending, be intentional about the ways we would reach out to others, to have servant hearts, to offer hospitality, to reflect the warmth, love, acceptance and generosity that we receive from God through the body of Christ to which we belong.There is so much going on in our beautiful church over the next few weeks, beginning this evening with a special service at 7pm, followed by cheese and wine. Everyone is invited. We also have special services for Remembrance on Sunday at 8.30am and 10.30am, and then next Wednesday is the opportunity to gather for curry and to watch the first episode of "The Chosen". These are all opportunities to gather in order to be sent, and it would be great to see you there.I invite you to consider St Martin's story and see what part of his legacy feels like an invitation to you. I would love to hear what you think!With every blessing as everBecky
Dear friends,We are in a pivotal moment in the church year, described as "between All Saints and the first Sunday of Advent". These are a lot of churchy words that simply speak to me of the breadth of the community that we are part of. All Saints is the festival that reminds us of those who have gone before us, which we also celebrated last Sunday with the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. It was very moving to gather and light so many candles in memory of those we have loved who have died. This with All Saints, and the reminder of the vast community of the faithful, sets our faith in a broad context which perhaps we need now more than ever. As I read recently, the season isn't "some saints" - and with that just celebrating the well-known, popular figures, Saints with a capital "S", of the past - but "<u>all"</u> saints, those unlikely, awkward individuals who were prepared to speak up and speak out even if this was unpopular. I think we need those saints now, in a time of our lives where there is uncertainty, fear, crisis, lack of confidence. We need those voices that speak about a love and power that is broad, full of meaning and purpose, that challenges the status quo. When Chris preached last weekend on All Saints she invited us to consider that we are all saints in waiting, or apprentice saints, and I wonder if this is a space we can inhabit in this in between time, as we approach Advent and then journey back to Bethlehem, back to the start of the story. How can we speak up and speak out against a narrative of fear? How can we challenge the status quo when we see there is injustice? How can we have the courage to ask the awkward questions?The Diocese is in the process of discerning and growing the new Diocesan strategy. The four values that will underpin who we are as a Church going forward are: openness, generosity, creativity and bravery. These feel like the characteristics of the saints that have gone before us and might even be the characteristics of those who have encouraged you in your own faith journey. They are certainly characteristics of who we will be hoping to be as a church community.I mentioned last week that we would particularly be invited to be generous, wherever we can, over the coming weeks. We will continue to give information, opportunities and links to those areas that most need support. Do please consider ways that you can give, either financially, with your time and effort, or with your prayer accompaniment. We continue to be that community of the faithful, who knows, who might even be saints to others.I look forward to seeing you at the various opportunities to gather over the coming days, to pray, learn, worship and grow together.With best wishesBecky
Dear friendsIt was wonderful to welcome so many families into church on Wednesday, with significant numbers at Bears and Prayers, and then a lovely gathering as part of the Family Lunch and Film session. It was so good to offer a generous welcome and hospitality, for conversations, fun, warmth and food. I'm so thankful to everyone who gave up their time to help. It was hard work but really worth it.The idea of generosity, and abundant hospitality, feels radical in current times. We seem to have narrowed our gaze to our own survival of the cost of living crisis, the energy crisis: being driven by fear or finance. As we discussed last week on Climate Sunday, we sometimes need to challenge our motivations, and take a wider view of the whole of God's people, and what may be an inconvenience for one is the difference between eating or not for another.I make no apologies for the call for radical generosity that you will hear a lot of over the coming weeks. We are launching the Christmas Hamper project, where we hope to be able to provide 15 families within our parish who are most in need with everything they could want for their Christmas lunch (except the meat). We also want to enable people to buy a Christmas present for each of the children in those families, on a "Secret Santa" basis. You can make a difference to these families lives, with a donation or a gift, by helping on Wednesday 21 December to pack and deliver the hampers and gifts, or by accompanying the project in prayer. If you would like to donate something, or be allocated a child to buy a gift to the value of £10 for, please let me know.The Avon and Somerset Police Choir concert is on Saturday 26 November, which we hope will not only be a great social evening, but also the opportunity to raise much needed church funds. Raising funds allows us to pay our way in terms of the central cost of being church, as well as pay our bills.The Christmas Fair will be on Saturday 3 December from 10.15am to 2.15pm. We need lots of generosity to make this happen - help with setting up in the week before, with running a stall on the day, coming along to support, and clearing up at the end. There's plenty of opportunity for everyone to be part of this. Please don't wait to be asked - let me know if you're available in any way and I'll put you in touch with the relevant person!Gift Sunday will be on Sunday 11 December where you can bring a new unwrapped gift for a child of any gender of age and this will be donated to the community through the Salvation Army.We will also soon be able to accept your financial gift through contactless giving, and I'm so thankful to Andrew for enabling this to happen.Radical generosity is not just about money, it's about time and talent as well. It's also about a generosity of spirit. This looks like patience, and kindness, and tolerance, and welcome, and inclusion. On Sunday 27 November, Advent Sunday, we want to connect together as one body that is the church here at St Martin's. So, we'll be having one service at 9.30am, midway between the 8.30am and 10.30am services. It will be a Eucharist with hymns, and there will be a session for the young people. We are reminded this Sunday about the saints who have gone before us, as well as those who pilgrim with us now. We may feel that we will never live up to the standards of others, or the commitment of others, or the generosity of others. We will never out give God, of course, and perhaps the awareness of and ability to be radically generous has to begin with a true and authentic understanding of what we have received from God, through Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit.What you choose to give is between you and God. As people who have said yes to following Him, we are invited to be part of the radical gift of generosity - however that will look - in the way we live our lives.With every blessingBecky
