Dear Friends, Our worship this week points to the hope we have in a life following in Jesus’ footsteps. After last week’s pilgrimage, full of real examples of love, generosity, and hospitality, I find myself back to writing essays this week (just five more to go!) and have taken comfort in the readings as I’ve been writing and preparing for this week’s Cafe Church. At Cafe Church, we reach the final session of our series on the Nicene Creed, as we reflect on resurrection and eternal life, and how this shapes our own story. We focus on the line: “We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.” A hope that is not only for the future but already shaping life in Christ now. In our Communion services, both Acts and John’s Gospel point towards this: new beginnings for those who are broken or suffering, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd who leads us into life in all its fullness. This Week’s worship 8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s 10:30am – Cafe Church, All Saints The week ahead Mon 27th Apr 10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints Tue 28th Apr 10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms Wed 29th Apr 9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints Thu 30th Apr 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s Fri 1st May 11:00am – Living After Loss, St Mary’s Fri 1st May 12:00pm – Funeral for Martyn Nowell, St Mary’s Sat 2nd May 10:00am – Coffee Morning and Book Sale with Bristol Repair Cafe Sat 2nd May 12:00pm -1:30 pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s Sunday 3rd May 10:00am – Creative Church, St Mary’s 10:30am – Holy Communion and Junior Church, All Saints 6:30pm – Evensong, St Mary’s Blessings, Charlie Ordinand- All Saints and St Mary's - Bristol Diocese
God is good - We made it!Dear All Saints and St MarysWe made it! Tired feet, sore muscles, blisters and a few bramble scratches - some amazing sunshine, and moments of torrential rain - but this Friday a group of 10 young ( and a few not so young) pilgrims made it to Bristol Cathedral. We walked 55 miles from Swindon to Bristol Cathedral and we have had a good journey. I am heart stoppingly proud of the young people who have held each other when they needed to and cheered each other along the way with conversations, prayer, food, more food and a mountain of chocolate. They have been amazing.You have all been with us - your generosity and kindness have enabled us to do this - from pit stop butchers sausage rolls in Cricklade to an incredible well needed pub dinner in Sherston. Thank you - it made such a difference, and we prayed for you along the way with thanksgiving in our hearts. We met some incredible people, whose hospitality matched yours, from fresh milk and hot meals from the farming community in Brinkworth to cake at Malmesbury Abbey. Everywhere we went people blessed us, God blessed us and I know we also blessed them in our journey. Thank you. I am sure you will hear stories from this week for years to come that will continue to bless us all. God is Good.The services this week will beSunday 19th April10.00am - Holy Communion at St Marys10.30am - Holy Communion at All SaintsJoin us for worship and prayer at both churches as we hear of the story of the Emmaus Road.The week aheadMon 20th Apr 10:30am – Tiny Tots, All SaintsTue 21st Apr 10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish RoomsWed 22nd Apr 9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All SaintsThu 23rd Apr 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sSat 25th Apr 12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSunday 26th April 8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s10:30am – Cafe Church, All SaintsBlessings Revd LizzieVicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds
Christ is Risen Alleluia - He is Risen indeed - Alleluia!Dear All Saints and St MaryHappy Easter (Again!) because Easter is more than a weekend but lasts a full 6 weeks. During this we have some of the most vivid gospel stories of Jesus risen life, starting this Sunday with Jesus' encounter with Thomas who is full of doubt and faith.2000 years later CS Lewis, a person who was full of faith and doubt, wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, detailing in fantasy fiction a story which speaks of resurrection and love. A story which has invited people across generations to connect with the Christian faith story. CS Lewis also wrote poetry and one of those that I rediscovered this Easter, speaks of love found in the elements - water, fire, air and earth. It reminds me that the joy of Easter is only possible because of the love that God shared in all things from Creation to the Cross. I wanted to share it with you this week as a poem and prayer for our faith journeys. It is one I will be taking with us on Youth Pilgrimage this coming week - do pray it with us as we walk. Loves' as warm as tears - CS LewisLove's as warm as tears,Love is tears:Pressure within the brain,Tension at the throat,Deluge, weeks of rain,Haystacks afloat,Featureless seas betweenHedges, where once was green.Love's as fierce as fire,Love is fire:All sorts - infernal heatClinkered with greed and pride,Lyric desire, sharp-sweet,Laughing, even when denied,And that empyreal flameWhence all loves came.Love's as fresh as spring,Love is spring:Bird-song hung in the air,Cool smells in a wood,Whispering, "Dare! Dare!"To sap, to blood,Telling "Ease, safety, rest,Are good; not best."Love's as hard as nails,Love is nails:Blunt, thick, hammered throughThe medial nerves of OneWho, having made us, knewThe thing He had done,Seeing (with all that is)Our cross, and His.This week we worship together as a Benefice at All Saints - 10.30am Holy Communion. Join us there for our continued Easter celebrations and worship. Sunday 12th April8am- Holy Communion - All Saints10.30am - Benefice Service of Holy Communion - All Saints6.30pm - Evening Prayer - St MarysThe week aheadMon 13th Apr - Fri 17th Apr – Youth PilgrimageWed 15th Apr 9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All SaintsThu 16th Apr 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sFri 17th Apr 11:00am Living After Loss, St Mary’sSat 18th Apr 12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSunday 19th Apr 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s 10:30am – Holy Communion, All SaintsBlessingsLizzieVicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds
Happy EasterDear All Saints and St MarysThere will be imperfection in heaven – thank goodness. Otherwise, I won’t stand much of a chance. However, not everyone would agree with that. One traditional perspective is that we first need to spend some time in purgatory. That is where we will be straightened out, our sins purged away, our mistakes removed, and everything will be put right. Then, and only then, will we be fit for heaven, to spend eternity in the glory of God’s presence. I see it differently.Our mistakes and brokenness are not eradicated; rather they are incorporated into God’s plans. God’s holiness will not be diminished by being in the presence of us, fallen humanity. After all, the body of the risen Jesus still bears the marks of crucifixion. The cross, with all its horrors and woundedness, does not scare God away; rather, this is drawn into God’s persistent, faithful, compassionate care and healing of the world. Thomas – doubting Thomas, puzzled Thomas – needed both to see the marks of the cross and also to meet with the risen Lord. Only then did it start to make sense. Jesus is the wounded healer. Jesus descended into the grave so that the fear and sting of death would no longer be a barrier between us and God.Francis Spufford has just published his latest novel, Nonesuch. It’s on my pile of books to read during the Easter holidays. A recent review by Andrew Brown says this: “Right at the end, Iris, who has been so joyful, brave, and ultimately successful, is offered the chance to undo a terrible mistake she had made years before the story opens. She takes the chance, and wakes in another timeline, where — it seems — she never will meet her husband. I found myself longing for her not to undo the past. Put in theological terms, Spufford shows us that a world without sin is also one without the possibility of redemption, that the first Adam is needed if the second Adam is to come.” This does not give us licence to sin. Rather, it gives us confidence that, because of the power of the resurrection, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.Sadly, I have many memories of times that I wronged someone. I am not being flippant about the pain I caused. Yet, especially as we celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday, I know that these mistakes are woven into God’s overall plan of redemption and healing.Revd BobServices this Easter Sunday - 5th April 10am - Easter Sunday Communion with Baptism - St Marys10.30am - Easter Sunday Communion with Junior Church and Band - All Saints6.30pm - Easter Sunday Choral Evensong - St MarysThe week aheadWed 8th Apr 9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All SaintsThu 9th Apr 10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sSat 11th Apr 12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSun 12th April 8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints10:30am – Benefice Holy Communion, All Saints6:30pm – Evening Prayer, At Mary’sMon 13th Apr - Fri 17th Apr – Youth Pilgrimage