Peace and Pentecost"Peace is what I leave with you,it is my own peace that I give you.I do not give it as the world doesDo not be worried and upset, do not be afraid"John 14: 27I have often found the word "Legacy" interesting. It often refers to a legal term of an amount of money that is left by someone in their will to another person or a charity. Churches have been the recipient of legacies, and they are hugely appreciated as a lasting gift. All Saints and St Marys' over the years have been blessed with such generosity. Yet "Legacy" can also mean "the long lasting impact of particular actions or events that took place in a person's lifetime". It is what they "leave us with".So, what does Jesus "leave us with" after the resurrection?As we come to celebrate the festivals of Ascension and Pentecost, Jesus tells us he leaves us his Peace. What is the difference between the peace that the world gives, and the peace that Jesus leaves? What does that look like? Why are they different? Are they ever compatible?The world has been striving for peace since its earliest beginnings. Countries, families, cultures find peace a struggle. The world, humanity, seems keenly drawn to conflict and clashes. And yet peace is something that the world and humanity also strives to achieve, with many dedicating their lives to inspire and encourage people and places to reconciliation and peaceful solutions. Jesus was not immune to conflict. He was born into a time and place where conflict was constant, with struggles between emperors and rulers, with his own people being under occupation. Jesus, as recorded in the gospels, is himself often in conflict with the religious rulers of his Jewish faith. He had flashes of anger, turning over tables. He gets testy with his own family and disciples. Yet he was also someone who healed, inspired, brought people together, told parables about people who forgave each other and welcomed strangers.Perhaps then the peaceful path is to start at the end of the sentence of John 14:27 - "Do not be afraid". Being frightened of someone or something is often central to conflict, be it with others or ourselves. That inner sense of worry that we do not have enough, are not good enough, are going to lose out, are alone, fail at something or get hurt, And that makes sense, lots of sense if our experience and that around us tells us that is how the world is. Yet Jesus says clearly at Ascension and Pentecost that we are not alone and that we are not to be afraid, that we are enough, that there will be enough. When I am frightened, a ball of fury and ready to unleash that on the world, then prayer is a place that I can take all of that. It changes me. It challenges me. It makes me ask the deeper vulnerable questions of Why are you so afraid Lizzie? What is really going on here? And what are you going to do with that now? It does not always make the conflict disappear, but it does cast Jesus peace into the conversation, enough perhaps for me to remember the times, places and people who have left me their legacies of wisdom and peace.Wishing you a prayerful and peaceful Pentecost.Revd LizzieHoly Spirit, sent by the Father,ignite in us your holy fire;strengthen your children with the gift of faith,revive your Church with the breath of love,and renew the face of the earth,through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Dear All Saints and St Mary’sThis Sunday’s Café Church brings us to the mid-point of our journey through Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. It is also the summit of the mountain we are climbing as we see the grand vista that hope in Christ gives. In chapter 8 of his letter, Paul summarises this hope using three images, which look at the past, present and future.Looking the to the past, Paul reminds us that “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8.1). The forgiveness that Christ brings allows us to step away from our past failings and put hope in the future. If God does not condemn us, then we do not need to condemn ourselves. This frees us to turn to Christ and follow in his way. It also allows us to return to that way whenever we wander from it. This is what is sometimes called “justification”.Looking to the present, Jesus has shown us that we have a new relationship with God. The Almighty Creator of all that is wants us to live as his children. This leads to a new relationship with God and with one another. We are family with God as our father. We share in his work in caring for one another and for his creation. To illustrate this, Paul uses the image of “adoption”.Looking to the future, there is something bigger and better on the way. What we have now is only the first stage of God’s redeeming work. We wait in hope for what God will do next. We do not know what this will look like or when it will be. Paul reminds us that "we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8.25). This future we hope for is sometimes called “glorification”.This is the hope that Paul sets before us in Romans 8.1–30: justification, adoption and glorification. We will look more at this on Sunday at all Saints at 10:30. This will help us to “always be ready to make our defence to anyone who demands from us an accounting for the hope that is in us”. (1 Peter 3:15)In addition, there is Holy Communion at All Saints at 08:00 and at St Mary’s at 10:00.This gives the Following services for Sunday 25th May:08:00 All Saints Holy Communion (said)10:00 St Mary's Holy Communion10:30 All Saints Café ChurchWe have our usual midweek services with Celtic Morning Prayer at 09:00 on Wednesday at All Saints and Holy Communion at 10:00 at St Mary’s on Thursday.Next Sunday follows our normal first Sunday pattern with Creative Church at St Mary’s at 10:00 and Holy Communion at All Saints at 10:30. In the evening will be Evensong at St Mary’s.This gives the following services for the coming week:Wednesday 28th May 09:00 All Saints Celtic Morning PrayerThursday 29th May 10:00 St Mary's Holy CommunionSunday 1st June 10:00 St Mary's Creative Church10:30 All Saints Holy Communion18:30 St Mary’s EvensongSo, as we look to affirm the hope we have in Christ, let us pray in the words of this Sunday’s collect:God our redeemer,you have delivered us from the power of darknessand brought us into the kingdom of your Son:grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,so by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,Amen.Yours in Christ Mark
Dear Friends in Christ,This last week we have taken time to mark the 80th anniversary of VE day. It’s a time of celebration, nostalgia and sober reflection. The relief that was felt at the end of the European war inextricably linked to the reality of years of loss and suffering and a realisation that WWII was still raging.Watching the special events on tv, I was especially moved by the last remaining survivors of the services as they reflected on what this meant, all of them now in their 90s and older-a sombre reminder that soon these events will pass from living memory. Their dignity, strength and decency were tangible, as was the sense of the loss of so much to the war.The plea for peace was framed with the awareness of ongoing conflicts, especially with the presence of Ukrainian troops. We need to remember, learn and reflect.Where is God in war? Nations and leaders may invoke their version of God to support their side, but Jesus is not with them. He is with all the people caught up in war. Jesus suffers alongside us when we suffer, shares our pain, our grief., stands alongside, knowing what is like to suffer. Let us be inspired by God to see the image of Christ in all of humanity, in all its richness and diversity but especially alongside those who suffer in the wars that continue to bring pain and suffering. AmenSunday 11th May Fourth Sunday of Easter8.00am Holy Communion - All Saints10.00am Holy Communion - St. Marys10.30am Muddy Messy Church - All SaintsThe Week AheadMonday 12th May 10.30am Tiny Tots - All Saints Link RoomTuesday 13th May 10.30am Music 4 Tots - St. Marys ChurchWednesday 14th May. 9.00am Celtic Morning Prayer - All Saints ChurchThursday 15th May. 10.00am Holy Communion - St. Marys ChurchFriday 16th May. 11am-12noon. Living after Loss - St. Marys, ChurchSaturday 17th May. 12noon - 3.00pm. All Saints Spring Fayre - All Saints Community HallSaturday 17th May 12noon-1.30pm Saturday Lunches St. Marys ChurchMay the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. AmenBlessingsFr Kester de Oliveira
BBQ's on the beachDear All Saints and St MarysOne of my enduring memories as a teenager was being part of a youth pilgrimage to Whitby. After a 70 mile week of walking, we awoke early in the morning at Whitby and made our way to the beach. There a group of 30 young pilgrims and their leaders celebrated communion and had a BBQ on the beach for breakfast. Every time I read John 21, the gospel for this Sunday, and hear how Jesus meets his disciples on the shore of Lake Galilee for a resurrection fish breakfast, I remember this faith moment. We had all been changed by our weeks walking together, tired from our journeying but full of hope for what might be next. May we know and notice this Eastertide the changes that God brings about in our lives, as we pilgrimage together in this season.Our worship this Sunday 4th May10am - Creative Church - St Marys10.30am - Holy Communion with Band and Junior Church - All Saints6.30pm - Evensong - St MarysPlenty of times to join together this weekend, with the Fishponds Arts Trail, Repair cafe and Saturday lunches. Please find attached posters and weekly email sheets and readings.The All Saints fair is in a fortnight on Saturday 17th May. The week aheadMonday 5th May 10.30am Tiny Tots - All SaintsTuesday 6th May 10:30am Music 4 Tots - St. MarysWeds 7th May 9:00am Celtic Morning Prayer - All SaintsThursday 8th May 10:00am Holy Communion - St. Mary’sFri 9th May 12.30pm Lunch Time Concert - St MarysSaturday 10th May 12.00 – 2:00pm Saturday Lunches - St Mary’sSunday 11th May 8.00am Holy Communion - All Saints10:00am Holy Communion - St Marys10:30am Muddy Messy Church - All Saints11.30am All Saints APCM7.15pm Generations - All SaintsBlessingsRevd Lizzie KestevenVicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, Fishponds