Unfortunately we have had to take the decision to cancel the Christmas Fair which was due to take place tomorrow, Saturday 7th November, due to the red weather warning in place for Bristol.

We plan to reschedule when the weather is safe. Please follow our page to keep up with updates.

Stay safe!

Welcome to the month of August. The Paris Olympics are well underway, accompanied by tears and smiles, cheers and commiserations. I sometimes wonder how our nations and Team GB&NI would cope without Clare Balding and team to console the disappointed and celebrate with the triumphant. (OK, so maybe not all of the commentary hits the mark in tone and content, but let’s give them a break – it’s a tricky job).

One interview that stood out for me was when Sharron Davies interviewed Adam Peaty after winning silver in the 100m breaststroke – missing out on gold by just two hundredths of a second. Concerned that people would misunderstand his tears, Peaty reassured Sharron and the viewers saying, ’These are happy tears! I gave my absolute all there. In my heart I’ve already won.’ Peaty has been open about his Christian faith.

 Services this Sunday 4th August

At this week’s Creative Church (10.00 at St.Mary’s) we are celebrating not the Olympic Hall of Fame but rather the Cloud of Witnesses – the Biblical equivalent. The Cloud of Witnesses begins with the patriarchs, continues with the prophets (have a look at the ones depicted in the windows of St.Mary’s apse) and cascades down to the 12 disciples and beyond them to ‘saints’ in the widest sense –  followers of Jesus from all avenues of life.

In the East Window at All Saints we see an array of folks gathered around Jesus – young and old, rich and poor, employed or begging, sick and well. How lovely that, taken together, our benefice East Windows present an all-encompassing Cloud of Witnesses – each with Christ at the centre.

At this Sunday’s Holy Communion at 10:30 at All Saints we welcome back Rev Susan Allman to preside, and Mark Simms to reflect on the second in a series of readings from the sixth chapter of the gospel according to John. In this week’s section Jesus contrasts those seeking purely physical food and those looking for more spiritual nourishment. Jesus declares: ‘I am the Bread of Life’.

Services in the coming week and next Sunday 11th August

The writer to the Hebrews encourages us all, regardless of age, nationality or background, to ‘Run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith’(Hebrews 12:1-3). For swimmer Adam Peaty, with Jesus in his heart, the struggles and challenges of his life – physical and mental, emotional and spiritual – can these days be met with joy and perseverance and peace. Because Christ is the once and for all Victor, he can cut himself some slack. What an amazing testimony! It makes me want to break out in singing this verse from a well-known 17^th century hymn by Richard Baxter:, ‘Ye holy angels bright…’

Ye saints, who toil below,
adore your heavenly King,
and onward as ye go
some joyful anthem sing;
take what he gives
and praise him still
through good or ill,
who ever lives!

Yours in Christ,

Diane

This Advent at St.Mary’s, we are going to focus on the journey that Mary and Joseph took from Nazareth to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. This journey has been celebrated for many centuries in Latin American countries with the traditional festival of ‘Las Posadas’ which is Spanish for ‘the inns’.

In Latin American countries, children dress up as Mary and Joseph or carry statues of them as they process through the neighbourhood. They visit three houses singing traditional songs asking for somewhere to stay. Mary and Joseph are refused entry at the first two houses, before being admitted at the third where there is often a celebration feast.

At Creative Church we are going to hear what Jesus said about offering HOSPITALITY – making people welcome – CARING for people’s needs of FOOD, WARMTH, SHELTER and FRIENDSHIP in difficult times. Then we’ll make Posada bags to send Mary and Joseph on their travels around the communities we belong to: that could be a group of families with young children, a group of friends, a local retirement home, members of St.Mary’s church family or classes at Fishponds CE Academy.

On Sunday 5th November in St.Mary’s Fishponds at Creative Church we are making Posada kits. Each bag contains  Mary and Joseph figures made from recycled materials, a mat, a diary to reflect on their stay at your house, and special words for the handing over ceremony, when the next person on your listwelcomes them into their home for a night or two.

If you can’t come along on 5th November but would like to host Mary and Joseph for a night during Advent, then sign up for a night on the sheet in church. To find out how to get involved, speak to Diane, Jan, or Andrew at St.Mary’s.

Excitement is growing as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee inches closer and plans for colourful and joyful celebrations are getting underway. I wonder if any of your friends or family members have taken part in The Queen’s Green Canopy?- a scheme which invites people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee”. Trees are the longest living organisms on planet earth and therefore a fitting tribute to her Majesty’s long and loyal service and sign of her faithfulness.

Growing Older is the focus of this Sunday’s Open Church at St.Mary’s at 10am. The Bible graphically describes different facets of old age- both gains and losses. On the one hand faithful disciples are ‘Like a tree planted by streams of water with leaves that do not wither (Psalm 1:3) and ‘in old age they will continue to bear fruit and be vigorous and in full leaf.’ (Ps.92.14). Conversely, old age may result in decreasing autonomy – something Jesus alludes to when giving Peter a window into his later life. In this Sunday’s Gospel Jesus tells Peter: ‘When you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go. (John 21:18). You are warmly invited to come and add your voice to the conversation on valuing and supporting older people and those who care for them, in response to Jesus’ teachings.

This Sunday follows our usual pattern for the first Sunday of the month as follows:

10.00am St.Mary’s Open Church Rev. Diane Simms and Andrew Cooper

10.30am All Saints Holy Communion Rev. Lizzie Kesteven

6.30pm St.Mary’s Holy Communion Rev. Lizzie Kesteven and Rev. Diane Simms

We have our usual midweek services :

Wednesday 4th May Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints 9am

Thursday 5th May Holy Communion at St. Mary’s 10am

Saturday 7th May Review of Service Patterns at St.Mary’s 10am-12

Revd Lizzie writes: “The review will be a chance for information sharing , discussion and listening. All Saints will also get a similar opportunity later in the year as we look to shape our patterns and worship in a way that feels most connecting to the community as a benefice and as parishes. As we do this then please pray for the churches that we may be open to listening to God and each other as well as those who we seek to share God’s love with.”

Looking ahead to Services next Sunday 8th May

08.00 – Holy Communion at All Saints

10.00 – Holy Communion at St.Mary’s (followed by Annual Meeting APCM)

10.30 – Messy Muddy Church at All Saints

During this Easter season we rejoice and proclaim the risen Lord and we give thanks for the new creation that the resurrection holds out to us all in hope. With this in mind, the lectionary recommends us to focus our prayers on gratitude for God’s creation and our responsibility to care and tend his garden. So to close, here is a prayer that has been written for the tree planting ceremonies for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. May it remind you, whatever your age, to look out for those ‘tiny shoots of green grace’ that are bearing fruit in the ‘backyards of ordinary lives’ (Eugene Peterson).

God our creator,
by your gift the tree of life
was set at the heart of the earthly paradise.
We thank you for the trees being planted
to remind us of our Queen’s long and loyal service.
As the tender saplings grow stronger day by day,
fill our hearts with the joy of the salvation
which your Son Jesus Christ won for us on the cross,
who is alive and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.
Amen.

Every blessing,

Revd Diane

Once again, we approach the joy of Easter though the journey of Holy Week. This year, things are a little closer to ‘normal’ than 2020, but COVID-19 is still very much with us.

Palm Sunday – 28^th March

8am – All Saints – Palm Sunday Holy Communion with Blessing of Palms

10am – St Marys – Palm Sunday Eucharist with Passion Play and Blessing of Palms

Monday 29^th March

7.30pm – Compline – All Saints

Tuesday 30^th March

7.30pm – Compline – St Marys

Wednesday 31^st

7.30pm – Lent Group

Maundy Thursday – 1^st April

10.00 – Chrism Mass – Online  

6.30 – Agape – Online

8.30 – Holy Communion St Marys – followed by The Watch

Good Friday – 2^nd April

10am – Easter Garden Making and Story Telling and Mini Egg Hunt – All Saints

1.30pm – Good Friday Liturgy with Passion Reading – St Marys

Easter Eve – 3^rd April

7.30pm – St Marys – First Fire and Eucharist of Easter

Easter Sunday – 4^th April

10 am – St Marys – All Age Eucharist and Egg Hunt

10.30am – All Saints – All Age Holy Communion and Egg Hunt

5pm – Generations – Easter Bonanza! And Eggs