Dear All Saints and St Marys A friend of mine, who was a priest working in London in the 1980s, received an unexpected phone call one day, asking him to visit a lonely man. He duly went to the address, to find Anthony Blunt (no longer ‘Sir Anthony’, as, by then, he had been stripped of his knighthood, having been disclosed as a Soviet spy). Blunt seldom ventured out of his flat, being both scared of public disapproval and suffering in his old age. But he wanted to talk to a priest before he died. My friend never told me what Blunt said – but he did mention that what had drawn Blunt back to wanting to be in touch with God was the sound of church bells. Blunt could hear them from his flat, and their confident, calm, resonating sound gave him courage to reach out, perhaps for the last time, to speak with God.In rather different circumstances, I experienced something a bit similar while on holiday in St David’s Pembrokeshire this summer. Sitting in the city square with my coffee, I was enjoying deeply the sights and bustle of people on holiday. For a moment, the cathedral bells started to ring. In that sound, I heard those beautiful words from Julian of Norwich – words that belong in the mouth of God: “All shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well”. I was fully aware of the tragedies happening around the world – but the deep notes of the bells seemed to be proclaiming: amidst all such difficulties, I (God) am here; I love you and I will never let you go.Revd BobServices this Sunday - 30th August 20268.00am - BCP Holy Communion Service - All Saints10.30 Holy Communion with Hymns - Benefice Service - All Saints(Please note this is a Benefice weekend and so services are at St Mary's this Sunday)THE WEEK AHEADWed 2nd Sep 9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All SaintsThu 3rd Sep 10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sFri 4th Sep 11:00 am – Living After Loss, St Mary’sSat 5th Sep 10:00 am – Coffee Morning & Book Sale with Bristol Repair Cafe12:00noon - 1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSun 6th Sep 10:00 am – Creative Church, St Mary’s10:30 am – Junior Church & Holy Communion, All Saints6:30 pm – Patronal Choral Evensong, St Mary’s
Life in all its fullnessDear All Saints and St Mary'sI am in the privileged position of being in a role that means that each day is never the same. Strangely there is a pattern to each week, but the nature of the church and how it intersects with the community, is that those spaces are open and public and so each day brings with it the possibility of a variety of different connections and conversations. Whether that is at All Saints when the church is open on a Wednesday, or at St Marys when we have run the Hangout Spaces. It means that there is often a rhythm, but it is one that is full of interesting and welcome interruptions. I thrive on that. These conversations and perchance or planned encounters add richness to each day - whether that is playing a board game with a young person or experimenting with a pop-up cinema screen! It means that there are many different people with their outlooks and gifts that I get to see and be part of (I hope in a helpful way). The readings this week for our communion service's touch on these different members and their giftings. Whether that is Paul giving thanks for and recognising the many different gifts of all members, or Jesus recognising Peter and giving him the "role/responsibility" of being the Rock on which God will build the Church. I am a firm believer and often find great encouragement from seeing those different gifts that we have all been given help to bless communities and churches. Paul says, "So make full use of the gifts that you have been given!" That is a challenge and a reminder to me to be thankful for all the different ways I see people blessing others with their thoughts, joy and creativity. At Cafe Church this week we focus in on a chapter in Jesus in John's gospel that asks that question - "What is our deepest desire" - What is it that you most need? What is it that you most want? It is interesting to dwell there for a moment and think on that - and then ask what gifts I might have been given, that can be put to full use and service to God and others.May we through our prayers, encounters and conversations remain on that journey of discovering our gifts and offering them fully to the world around us.Services this Sunday 23rd August8am - Holy Communion - All Saints10am - Sung Holy Communion - St Marys10.30am - Cafe Church - All SaintsPlease find attached weekly sheets, readings and notices for both parishes. The week aheadWed 26th Aug 9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All SaintsThu 27th Aug 10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sSat 29th Aug 12:00 am-1:30pm - Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSun 30th Aug 08.00 am - BCP Holy Communion, All Saints 10:30 am – Benefice Service, All SaintsRevd LizzieVicar of All Saints and St Marys.Vicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds
Dear All Saints and St Mary'sOne of the joys for me of holiday time is the space to read. As soon as one book is finished, another is selected from the pile to start something new. I enjoy following the real and fictional life stories of different people and how they cope with the ups and downs that life presents them with. I find that for me "rest" comes from the pure escapism into another person or characters world, and how that feels. I find reading, be it fictional or non-fiction, is a way in which to expand and explore and practice empathy - the ability to walk a little in someone else's shoes.Empathy is a key way of living, connecting and relating as humans. As the fires burned in France, Spain, Canada and the UK after one of the hottest summers on record, who could not feel empathy for all those who have been impacted directly by the chaos and fear that they have brought? On the other side of the coin, empathy can also teach how to share the joys and excitement of others, that way in which we can genuinely feel glad at other's achievements, hopes and dreams, being able to delight with them. In the gospel reading this week, a woman approaches Jesus and say's "Have mercy on me, Lord". She appeals to his empathy, a desire for him to know her world and her needs. At first Jesus appears to ignore her, but her persistence and challenge to Jesus to see her and help her are finally answered. Her story is one of many, ones in which we can step into her shoes and ask - What would I do? How would this make me feel and act? And it is again one of many where Jesus meets that need with compassion and grace. May we also know that compassion and build on our own empathy through knowing other people's stories and the paths that they walk.Services this Sunday - 16th August 202610am - Sung Holy Communion - St Marys10.30am - Holy Communion with Hymns - All SaintsTHE WEEK AHEAD Wed 19th Aug 9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints 2:00 pm – Bible Book ClubThu 20th Aug 10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’sFri 21st Aug 11:00 am – Living after Loss, St Mary’sSat 22nd Aug 12:00 am-1:30pm - Saturday Lunches, St Mary’sSun 23rd Aug 8:00 am – Holy Communion, All Saints 10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s 10:30 am – Cafe Church, All SaintsPlease find attached the weekly readings and sheets for this week's services. St Mary's has the Holiday Hangout space again next week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. And I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible over the coming week.Revd LizzieVicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds
Dear All Saints and St Mary'sAnyone who saw the pictures of the floods in Valencia in 2024 will appreciate the power that water can have. Floods and storms are some of the clearest signs of a chaotic and destructive power that is beyond human control. Jesus' disciples were far more aware of this than most of us today. As fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James and John knew the danger of the storms that could blow up on the Sea of Galilee without warning, storms that were beyond human control and dwarfed the works of people.In this Sunday's gospel reading (Matthew 14.22-33), Jesus' disciples were trying to row their boat through one of these storms. In the midst of the wind and waves, Jesus came, walking on the water, in complete control of these destructive and chaotic forces. The disciples must have recalled the ancient stories of God parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the River Jordan (Joshua 3) for the people of Israel to pass through. It may have reminded them of the image of God moving over the chaotic waters of creation, parting the waters to allow the dry land to appear (Genesis 1). No human could control the waters, only God. They could see that Jesus was the Son of God, the great I am in human form living among us.We can reflect more on this this Sunday at 10.00 am with Holy Communion at St Mary's. The 10.30 am service at All Saints is Muddy Messy Church. Note that there is no 8.00 am service at All Saints this Sunday.Sunday 9th August10.00 am St Mary's Holy Communion10.30 am All Saints Muddy Messy Church We have our normal services for the coming week. Next Sunday is the third Sunday of the month so we have Holy Communion at St Mary's at 10.00 am and All Saints at 10.30 am.Wednesday 12th All Saints 9.00 am Celtic Morning PrayerThursday 13th St Mary's 10.00 am Holy Communion\Sunday 16th St Mary's 10.00 am Holy CommunionAll Saints 10.30 am Holy Communion May God guide you through the storms of life and land you safely on the shore.Yours in ChristMarkMark SimmsLicensed Lay MinisterBenefice of all Saints and St Mary Fishponds