Welcome to St Mary’s church, Fishponds!
Nestled in an oasis of green in the urban sprawl of northeast Bristol, next to Fishponds Park, the congregation of St Mary’s Fishponds has been worshiping God and serving our community for over 200 years. We offer a warm welcome to anyone who wants to come, wherever you are on your journey through life and faith, through hospitality, worship, prayer and pastoral support. As half of the benefice of All Saints and St Mary, we work closely with our partner church All Saints. We believe in a God who is compassionate and surprising, just and merciful, and we would love you to join us.
Coming Up
This week:
- Week beginning Sunday 18th October 2026
This Sunday (18th October)
10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s
10:30 am – Holy Communion, All Saints
1:00 pm – Baptism – St Mary’s
The Week Ahead
Mon 19th Oct
10:30 am – Tiny Tots, All Saints
Wed 21st Oct
9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints
2:00 pm – Bible Book Club, St Mary’s
Thu 22nd Oct
10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s
Sat 24th Oct
12:00 pm-1:30 pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s
7.00 pm – All Saints Pre-Halloween Quiz
Sun 25th Oct
8:00 am – Holy Communion, All Saints
10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s
10:30 am – Cafe Church, All Saints
- Simple Questions
Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash Why can’t politicians ever give a simple answer? Because journalists never ask them a simple question. Nowadays, sadly, we are so used to interviewers trying to trick politicians or celebrities into saying something that they later regret. Perhaps this is not a new situation – after all, that is what we hear in the Gospel story this Sunday. Pharisees come to Jesus intentionally trying to trap or trick him. It is very clear to everyone involved – including Jesus himself – that a vicious word game is going on. First, ask a difficult multi-layered question for which there is no innocent simple answer. Then, manipulate whatever has been said to make the person look bad – someone to be scoffed at, ridiculed and embarrassed. Finally, get people on your side as you now have an opponent who everyone else must surely dislike. They do this daily in the media today; they tried to do it to Jesus in his day.
What is going on? People who ask such distasteful questions are seeking to paint themselves as pure – as right – as clever – as on the side of the good. This will increase their power and, they hope, magnify their importance. But what is a different way? What is the opposite of ‘seeking to be pure’?
I think the opposite of ‘pure’ is ‘engagement’. When we get our hands dirty, when we try to say the right words (even if they will be misunderstood), when we give to one charity (even though there are a hundred other worthwhile causes) … we may not be perfect, but we are seeking to do the work of God’s Kingdom. We may be criticized for our attempts – but the one we are seeking to help will walk away a bit stronger, a bit taller, a bit more confident.
The Intercessions during Sunday worship is when we bring all this muddle to God. This is when we can name the people and causes which require God’s grace. This is when we can offer to God our own attempts (however misguided we think they may have been). We bring to God whatever we have done – God accepts that, and says back to us “Let’s go forward from here”.
Revd Bob.
If you wish to worship at home, you may find this service helpful.
