Dear friendsIn these days between Ascension Day and Pentecost, we are invited by the Archbishops to pray "Thy Kingdom Come" for our nation, and the nations of the world.I wonder what you think the kingdom of heaven is like? You might imagine a grand set of pearly gates, with St Peter waiting with a checklist for those that are "in" and those that are not.You might imagine a huge staircase, or a moving escalator like in the old David Niven film "A matter of life and death", where he has to negotiate before a celestial jury whether he goes to the "other world" or returns to earth. We've just had Ascension Day, where we remember Jesus going "up" to heaven, so it's tempting to imagine there is a realm "up there" and a lived reality "down here".With the horror in the news of war, the desperate seeking of refuge for those fleeing their homes, and the tragedy of children being shot in their school, it can feel as though "down here" is something to be tolerated, or survived, before we go to a better place. At the very least, we might pray that there is something "other" than what we witness.But Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is found in our ordinary and everyday lives - like a treasure found in a field, like a prized pearl discovered by surprise, like a net that suddenly gathers reams of fish, like a seed planted by a sower, or like the smallest of seeds, the mustard seed, even like yeast mixed into a large amount of flour. These feel like things we might glimpse, that we might get a sense of something more, something fuller, something more powerful, that engages with the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. So the "other" is within our lives, not apart from them. We can't hold at arms length and lament over what is happening else where, to someone else, and equally hold at a distance the promise of something or somewhere "other" where we will spend eternity. Both holding at arms length the pain of the world, and holding at a distance the promise of God, puts us in something of a vacuum. What if we were to draw both nearer? Recognising that we are living in the pain of the world, and we live as if we believe the kingdom is near?That is surely the life that we are invited to, when John promises that Jesus came to bring us a full life - a life of holding lament and hope, pain and joy, despair and prayer ... fully living it, fully experiencing it, not turning our face away because it's too painful, but turning towards, in compassion.I wonder if when we pray "Thy Kingdom Come" it means that every encounter, every challenge, every decision, every conversation, every disappointment, begins with love?Love, that turns something ordinary into something extraordinary. Love, that we catch glimpses of when we know there is something more, something fuller, something more powerful. Love, that enables the opening of homes to strangers from another country, or allows generosity to those who are hungry, that recognises those with broader shoulders should carry a heavier load, that walks towards those who are different, or who we might find it harder to love.What if our prayer to God was:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy nameMay your love come, may your will be done here in the everyday and ordinary, as well as forever.Give us everything that we need, although this might not be everything that we want, because we know that to create a fair and just world, we all have to bend towards others in love.Forgive us when we get things wrong, we're doing our best, and we will do our best to forgive other people when they get things wrong. It doesn't mean it didn't matter, and it doesn't mean it didn't hurt, but because we don't want to be held captive by hatred for other people, and we don't want to bear grudges: we want to do our best to love.Help us not look for love in the wrong places, give us eyes to see the glimpses of where your love is already, and give us courage to join in.And all of this is because we know you love us, and we want to enable others to see and know that love as well. Because yours is a love more powerful than any hatred, yours is a light more powerful than any darkness, and we want to keep praying this for ever and everAmenWith love in ChristBecky
Dearest friendsI've just come back from a few days away in Portugal with my closest female friends. We have been to the same place three times now, and because we're so familiar with it, we are on holiday the moment we arrive. As it's only a few days we don't do anything "touristy" - we just lie in the sun, swim in the pool, and in the evening go out for delicious local food. It was bliss, and thank you for all of your well wishes before I went, encouraging me to have a good time! I'm so grateful to Revd Dr Simon Taylor for covering the Sunday services in my absence.The friends I went with I have known for many years, we have shared stories of having children at the same time, running a toddler group together, doing the "Moonwalk" in London where we walked the route of the London Marathon overnight to raise money for Breast Cancer Care, and lots of evenings over the 20+ years of our friendship where we have put the world to rights over cocktails and a curry! Only one of these 5 other women are Christian, and they are the safe place in which we can talk about anything and everything.I know that sometimes friendships are for a season, and I wonder if like me, you may have had friends that were incredibly close for a while, but that in time when life circumstances, geography, work or whatever you had in common changes, the friendships come to a natural end. So to have a circle of friends that have remained close is very precious, and something we all fiercely protect.Whether for a season, or long lasting, we are meant to be in relationship - we are created by God in this way. I was speaking with Rosemary this week and she attended a child minding course where even science has concluded that babies are born with an inherent need for relationship - at last science catching up with something that we, as people of faith, have always known!Loneliness is a terrible thing - which is different of course to being alone: there are times when I cherish the opportunity for space and stillness, where I don't speak to anyone, reminiscent of Laura's message last week about the times when we just need to lie down in green pastures. But loneliness is more than this: one can even feel lonely in a crowded room.Part of combating loneliness is, I think, spaces to share stories, to congregate, to find common interests. One of the things we have been thinking about is starting a mid week opportunity to get together in church. We're thinking of calling it "Well-being Wednesday", where you might like to bring a hobby along to do (I think I'm going to bring my sewing machine and ask Eileen for some guidance!), or you may want to bring the newspaper and do the crossword. You may like to just enjoy a cuppa and a conversation, or bring a book to read, do a few jobs around the church, or in the church grounds. The possibilities are endless, and I would love to hear your ideas, indeed even if you think this is a good idea.In the meantime, we have opportunity to gather as ever this weekend. Tomorrow we gather to say a final goodbye to Jessamine Skuse. Jesse always had care and concern for others, and I'm sure she would have been first through the door of "Well-being Wednesday"! On Sunday morning, we have our beautifully peaceful 8.30am Holy Communion service, and then at 10.30am our "All together Communion" which is less formal and more interactive, as we gather with all ages to worship.I wish I could have brought the Portuguese sun back with me, but in the absence of that, I'm so pleased to be back with you, and I look forward to seeing you.God blessBecky
Hey friends, It feels so good to be writing to you this week. As I have started my transition time to St Luke’s Brislington, it’s great to be able to connect with you in this way. Although, you haven’t got rid of me quite yet! I will be continuing at St Martin’s with mid-week activities such as Morning Prayer on Monday, Contemplative Community, Bears and Prayers and anything else that comes up… and of course, still worshipping with you on the 4th Sunday of the month at the 8.30am, 10.30am Altogether Communion and at the 4th at 4. A while ago I had planned some annual leave followed by a retreat. As it came closer, I realised the Godly timing of this as it was the week before I started at St Luke’s. I went on retreat thinking I might get some sort of three-point mission plan for my final months at St Martin’s and beginning at St Luke’s. But as I arrived on retreat, to an Airbnb in the middle of nowhere in Monmouthshire- I felt like God nudge me in one direction and that was to read Psalm 23. It is, perhaps for some of us, well known. ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake…’ and it goes on. This surprised me somewhat that this was what God was leading to; to rest, to lie down, to be restored. Did God not want to guide me in ‘doing’, in getting going with some Kingdom work in both Knowle and Brislington? No. At least to not start with ‘doing’, because I was reminded it starts with the rest, the refreshing, the knowing who I am in God. I soon realised how much I actually needed this, that I was running nearly on empty and it felt like a time to re-set some personal priorities. A while ago, many of us, during a Café Church each received a word for the year- they were written on paper in the shape of water droplets and we chose one at random, trusting that it was from God to us for this year. Mine was ‘nourishment’ and I cannot tell you how incredibly accurate and life-giving this word has been for me in the many situations and changes that have occurred. I was reminded of my word during my retreat and as I walked around this field by the Airbnb, I felt like God nudging me again to lie down, to actually take the words of Psalm 23 literally and lie down in green pastures. It’s hard to describe how the Spirit moves and works, but at this moment, I knew God was making me lie down in green pastures, restoring my soul. What was your word for the year? Has it felt like God has continued to speak through it?Our hope and prayer are that as a community we know our first calling, our top priority is this rest in Jesus, is the knowing who you are in Jesus. In filling your cup so you work out of a place of overflow and not empty. How we fill our cups can take many forms- it can be quieter things or more energetic activities. Personal activities and priorities that give you life. But also, Spiritual ones, things that you do on your own or at church that allow you to be filled by the Spirit. This is partly why we continue to offer a mixed- ecology of worship for the community- each one varied and different but still, hopefully, demonstrates something of God’s vast character and Spirit. Monday morning at 9 am we gather to say Morning Prayer online together and every other Monday evening Contemplative Community is a space to come and be with God in the silence and stillness, the next gathering is on the 23rd of May, 7-8.15pm. Coming up this week we also have Messy Church on the 20th of May, are there neighbours or friends you could invite into this energetic Godly space that allows families to be welcomed into church? And this Sunday the 22nd we also gather for the 4th at 4, a table talk style gathering for all those seeking space to connect with others, to be share, to listen and to be heard- come and join us and invite any who you think would value this space. As I said, we pray these spaces that are created throughout our week are opportunities to re-orientate back to God, to be filled and to know you are loved by Him.With love and Prayers, Laura
Dear friendsI have been thinking about stories of our lives recently. Part of this is the time of year, when the story of Jesus that we are following is familiar, when the stories of the people he connected with - Thomas in his doubt, Saul / Paul on the road to Damascus, Tabitha in her healing, for example - are real, rather than the parables we find in other times of the year. We also, as I mentioned last week, will be saying goodbye to those who have been part of the story of this place, as they move on in their ministries. I may also have been thinking about stories because we have been working on the St Martin's Book of Remembrance, replacing the old files that had become a bit tatty with something that honours the names of loved ones more appropriately. I have taken such pleasure in looking through the lists of names, some surnames I recognise as they are your loved ones. Others I don't know, but they will be known to some of you. Others again may be people who were connected to St Martin's many years ago, and there may not be any current living relatives remaining in our church community, but their stories remain part of the St Martin's story, and God's story in this place. We are creating a prayerful space in the Baptistry, where the Book will be open on the relevant page for each week, where you can remember your loved ones, or like me, you may like to prayerfully gaze over the list of names.We don't stay in the stories of the past of course, and the incredible story of our faith is that God is always doing a new thing - the Creator God is always creating, and we are inviting to join in with this creative activity. We have a new PCC which met this week for the first time. Whilst the majority of the members of PCC remain unchanged, I believe it to be true that when a new person joins any group, it becomes a new group. I am excited about the energy, commitment and dedication these PCC members have, to want to make a difference to the life of our church and community. Please pray for them as we give thanks that they have agreed to stand and as we discern together our priorities.We have also continued to discern our way forward through the story of the pandemic. We have decided that at all of our services now, the wearing of face coverings are down to personal choice and responsibility. We think it is wise that if someone has a cold or cough they should probably take care of themselves and stay tucked up in bed!, and we trust that we can all be responsible and considerate to each other as the story continues. I will continue to wear a face mask when distributing communion, and for the time being this will continue to be in one kind. There is another story to celebrate soon, and that is the story of the reign of the Queen. We look forward to celebrating on Sunday 5 June with a cream tea at 2.30pm - and you may like to come along dressed for a Garden Party! We will follow this with a (hopefully outside) service of celebration and songs of praise called "Singing through the Reign" at 4pm, where we hope to include music that covers the whole of the Jubilee.Do please save the date and come along if you are able to. If this is something you feel you can help with, please do be in touch.Whatever your story has been this week, and whatever lies ahead over the coming days, I pray that you will hold firm to the story of love, acceptance, grace and peace that is God's gift to us in Jesus.With love in ChristBecky
