The opening up of your words gives light
it imparts wisdom to the naïve and inexperienced

Psalm 119.130

Dear All Saints and St Mary’s

The bible is such a fundamental part of our lives as Christians that we sometimes forget how significant a role it plays. Along with prayer, reading the bible is one of the essential parts of every service that we have in church. As this Sunday’s psalm puts it, it is the opening up or unfolding, of the scriptures that gives the light that we need to walk in the path of Christ. Even those with little experience of the complexities of life can gain valuable insight into how to follow the path that Jesus has set before us by understanding what the bible has to say. At our communion services this Sunday, Diane will be helping us think about the centrality of the bible to what we believe and how we live by reflecting on Jesus’ use of scripture in the synagogue at Nazareth.

At the Café service at All Saints this Sunday, we will be continuing our journey through Graham Tomlin’s book, Why being yourself is a bad idea. This month we will be looking at two chapters, Why everyone needs and identity crisis and Why freedom is not what you think it is. Chris will be guiding our discussions and helping us to think about what it really means to be free and what we do with that freedom.

This gives us the following services this Sunday:

8:00 am	All Saints	Holy communion (said)
10:00 am	St Mary’s	Holly communion
10:30 am	All Saints	Café service

We have our usual midweek services with Celtic morning prayer at All Saints on Wednesday and Holy Communion at St Mary’s on Thursday.

Next Sunday, we have our benefice service for All Saints Day at All Saints. As such, there will be no morning service at St Mary’s, but there will be choral evensong for All Saints Day in the evening. This gives the following services for the coming week:

Wednesday 19th	All Saints	9:00 am	Celtic morning prayer
Thursday 20th	St Mary’s	10:00 am	Holy communion
Sunday 30th	All Saints	8:00 am	Holy communion (said)
	All Saints	10:30 am	Benefice communion service
	St Mary’s	6:30 pm	Choral evensong

Some activities won’t be happening this week as it is the school half term. Please check with the leaders concerned. One activity that is happening is the Fish ’n’ Chip Quiz night on Saturday. Contact Dave Williams for further details.

Blessed Lord,
who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Yours in Christ

Mark