Hello there!This week I enjoyed my first taste of Cheddar strawberries. The luscious red fruits gleamed at me temptingly from their prominent podium on the greengrocer’s stall on Henleaze High Street, shouting ‘Buy me!’ I was smitten. In this Sunday's Gospel reading from John Jesus is giving a pep talk to his disciples. He is sending them out as God’s beloved into the world to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last’. We also want our strawberries to last beyond summer, don’t we? That’s why we bottle them and make jam. But jam isn’t just admired in a jar, it gets eaten pretty quickly. But what kind of fruit could Jesus be talking about –that has a lasting quality and enduring impact, I wonder?Love in actionJesus sees how his disciples have stuck with him through thick and thin. So at this moment, before he goes to the cross, he confirms his love for them and his trust in them by calling them no longer servants but friends. Friends of Jesus love God, love one another, and love people beyond their inner circle – and commit to one another in love. Where might this happen through All Saints and St.Mary’s, as we become better informed and more aware of the experiences of young people and their gifts and needs?Loving our communitiesIt all comes down to love. Yet love is not passive. Love is active and committed to everyone’s wellbeing and flourishing. I witnessed that kind of love in effortful action at the first ever Citizens UK Youth Assembly in Bristol held last Monday at City Academy. In the words of Senior Community Organiser, Fiona Meldrum, the event was ‘an exciting opportunity to reimagine what Politics could look like at across Somerset and Avon when we are able to bring communities and decision makers together for the common good. There is no doubt that we are all concerned about the recent rise in violence in our communities. Sometimes fear can lead us to retreat. But through community organising, we are building the power to offer hope that things can be different and we can find solutions to tackle this issue.’Primary and secondary students from Taunton to Bristol had spent months with teachers and trainers from Citizens UK –and with support from faith communities and other local support networks– calling for changes in their local communities, culminating in addressing the Police and Crime Commissioner candidates in person. The story continues below the weekly information. You can find out more about Citizens UK here. Services this Sunday 5th MayReadings: Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15.9-1710.00 St.Mary’s: Creative Church10.30 All Saints: Holy Communion6.30pm St.Mary’s: EvensongServices and events in the week aheadTuesday 7th 10.30- 11.30St Mary’s Parish Room: Music for ToddlersWednesday 8th May 09.00-9.30 All Saints Church: Celtic PrayersSaturday 11th May 12.00-1.30 St Mary’s Church: Saturday Lunches – all welcomeSunday 12th May 08.00 All Saints Church: Said Holy CommunionSunday 12th May 10.00 St. Mary’s Church: Sung Holy CommunionSunday 12th May 10.30 All Saints Church: Messy Muddy ChurchAt the Citizens Youth Assembly young people movingly shared their stories about situations and events that had made them feel unsafe, angry or fearful. We heard about actions they’d already taken to change and improve matters. The young people finally presented a list of formal ‘asks’. They called on the PCCs to work towards further specific goals to enable young people to feel safer and flourish. The PCCs agreed (budgets permitting) to do so. Here is one of their asks. ‘Will you acknowledge the importance of diversionary activities (such as boxing) in preventing youth violence and crime and will you ring-fence money to fund it for the next four-year term?’Reflective prayer was included in the evening. A row of students held lit candles in the darkened school hall to remember victims of knife crime while we listened to Stormzy’s words: Lord I’ve been broken, although I’m not worthy, you fixed me, now I’m blinded by your grace, you came and saved me.The Youth Assembly was the most inspirational and thought-provoking event I have attended in a long time.Let us pray and commit to finding ways to engage with young people and work with them on local issues of common concern, and may this week’s prayer spur us on to do so. Risen Christ,your wounds declare your love for the worldand the wonder of your risen life:give us compassion and courageto risk ourselves for those we serve,to the glory of God the Father.Revd Diane, curate
Loving and LivingDear All Saints and St MarysAs we continue in the seasonal joy of Easter we are invited to reflect on one of the "I AM" sayings of Jesus in John's gospel. There are 7 different ways in which Jesus describes himself by using the words "I AM". The last one of these is "I AM the vine" as Jesus speaks with his friends about what his life is about and will be about for them and others. It is a powerful image of connection. The fruit that we see on vines, be them beautiful to look at or good to eat are dependant on being attached to the vine. Jesus asks us to consider how we each flourish, and what it is that connects us and nourishes our lives.A way of connecting, is our worship when we come together to give thanks for God and the life and love that we can know through God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Cafe Church is back this weekend at All Saints at 10.30am, with a chance to have some more informal time together, studying and discussing the biblical themes in the Book of Samuel. If you haven't been to Cafe Church before then it is a great way to get to know people better, to learn together and from each other as well as to have what my kids call "Second Breakfast!".All Saints also have a quiet and short communion at 8am and St Marys has a sung Communion at 10am.This Sunday 28th April 20248am - Said Communion - All Saints10am - Sung Communion - St Marys10.30am - Cafe Church - All SaintsTHE WEEK AHEADMonday 29th April 10.30am - Tiny Tots - All SaintsTuesday 30th April 10:30am - M4T - St. MarysWednesday 1st May 9:00am - Celtic Morning Prayer - All SaintsThursday 2nd May 10:00am - Holy Communion - St. Mary’sFriday 3rd May 10:00am - ‘Living After Loss’ Group - St. Mary’sSaturday 4th May 10:00am - Coffee Morning & Repair Café - All Saints12.00 – 2:00pm - Saturday Lunches - St MarysSunday 5th May 10:00am - Creative Church - St Marys10:30am - Holy Communion & Junior Church - All Saints 6:30pm - Evensong- St. Mary’sMalcolm Guites' poems bring me a huge amount of joy and Christian spiritual nourishment, so I commend the following to you all. Looking forward to worshipping with you this weekend.I AM the VineHow might it feel to be part of the vine?Not just to see the vineyard from afarOr even to pluck the clusters, press the wine,but to be grafted in, to feel the stirOf inward sap that rises from our root,Himself deep planted in the ground of ove,To feel a leaf unfold a tender shoot,As tendrils curled unfurl, as branches giveA little to the swelling of the grape,In gradual perfection, round and full,To bear within oneself the joy and hopeOf God's good vintage, till its ripe and whole.What might it mean to bide and to abideIn such rich love as makes the poor heart glad?BlessingsRevd LizzieVicar of All Saints and St Marys Churches, FishpondsInterim Co Area Dean Bristol City Deanery