Week beginning Sunday 14th June 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Aditya Vyas on Unsplash

My first training incumbent used to refer to the disciples as a “motley crew”. I rather liked that phrase – it made it feel like you didn’t have to have it all together to be a disciple of Christ. The gospel reading from Matthew this Sunday names the first 12 disciples and there has been much laboured theological conversation about who was chosen and why. And yet when we look at the those 12, they are by no means people of great statue – and none of them endured long arduous interview processes. Yet Jesus called them and they responded. 

And this is what the church was built on – not ready made immaculate, sorted and well positioned people, but a motley crew of all sorts and misfits. At Muddy/Messy Church this week we continue to look at that calling of God’s people in different ways – come along and see which Saint’s story we are learning about. 

As we worship together across both churches on Sunday we can be assured that the church still calls people of all shapes and sizes and from all places to be God’s good news in the world and that is worthy of many an Alleluia to be sung. 

Please find attached weekly readings, notice sheets and also our Holiday Bible Club Poster – send it to friend and family and encourage one another to sign up or speak to John Waldren or Lizzie about being involved with the wider team. Also come along Sunday afternoon at 2pm to St Ambrose this Sunday to be part of the “Musical Notes”  event and support both our choirs in their musical medley with others.

This Sunday – 14th June – Our Worship is as follows:

8am – Holy Communion – All Saints

10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Mary’s

10.30am – Muddy Messy Church  – All Saints

The Week Ahead

Mon 15th June

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 16th June

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 17th June

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

2:00pm – Bible Book Club, St Mary’s

Thu 18th June

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Fri 19th June

11:00am – Living After Loss, St Mary’s

Sat 20th June

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 21st June

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints

19.15 – Generations Youth Group – All Saints

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 7th June 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Ekaterina Novitskaya on Unsplash

June marks the start of summer. The days are the longest in the year and, hopefully, the cold snaps of May are behind us. It is a time to slow down and take stock. A time to look forward to summer holidays and days in the sun.

In the church’s year, June is the start of ordinary time. After the culmination of the Lent and Easter seasons with Pentecost and Trinity Sunday at the end of May, June offers only a couple of festivals, with the birth of John the Baptist and the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. This gives us the opportunity to put into practice what the great stories of Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost mean in our day to day lives.

Just as the story of the incarnation is not simply something for the Christmas season, the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is not just something for one week of the year. Jesus calls us to take up our cross each day and follow him (Matthew 9.23). He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14.6). Jesus called the Holy Spirit the paraklētos, the one who is always with us on the journey (John 14.16). The Spirit will remind us of everything that Jesus has said (John 14.26). He is our guide and strength along the way.

The story of Jesus death and resurrection and the story of Pentecost are a part of our story. This is what we mean at communion when we say that we do this in remembrance of him (1 Corinthians 11.24–25). It is so much more than a simple recollection. It is making Jesus’ story the guiding influence in our lives. It is opening us up to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit.

As we enter summer this year, my prayer for you is that you find the extraordinary in this ordinary time. May you follow the way of Christ, live the love of the Father and act in the power of the Holy Spirit in each moment of your life.

This Sunday we have our usual services for the first Sunday of the month:

10:00 amSt Mary’sCreative Church
10:30 amAll SaintsHoly Communion and Junior Church
6:30 pmSt Mary’sChoral Evensong

This coming week we have our usual services. Next Sunday is The second Sunday of the month, so we have Holy Communion at 8.00 at All Saints and 10:00 at St Mary’s. The 10:30 service at All Saints will be Messy Muddy Church. In addition, the Generations youth group will meet at 7:15 in the evening:

Wednesday 10th 9:00 amAll SaintsCeltic Morning Prayer
Thursday 11th10:00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
Sunday 14th 8:00 amAll SaintsHoly Communion
10:00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
10:30 amAll SaintsMessy Muddy Church
7:15 pmGenerationsAll Saints Hall

May God show you the extraordinary in the ordinary, the Holy in the mundane and his glory in the everyday.

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 31st May 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Sharon Santema on Unsplash

We are blessed that our Cathedral in Bristol is named “The Holy and Undivided Trinity”.  In fact “Holy Trinity” is the 7th most common title name for a Church (St Marys and All Saints top the charts coming in at 1st and 2nd!) But the added words of “and Undivided” is more unusual.

As we come to the end of our festival seasons of Easter, Ascension and Pentecost we arrive at Trinity Sunday – a day when the fullness and foundations of what Christians believe is expressed in believing God to be One and Three…..And “Undivided”. 

There is so much division in the world that to name something as undivided seems rather niche, perhaps even naïve. And yet that word is diamond. To know that at the heart of the Christian faith is not a squabbling triplet, but a God who coexists in symphony and harmony. A place where difference does not mean division. We can know God as Creator, as Saviour and as Life giver and still know that is not in competition with each other but as equal aspects of God. I learn so much from that. There are many complex and complicated explanations that tangle us up in theology of the how does the Trinity work?  – when perhaps we are asked to look beyond and to the heart of something that is quite simply beautiful and sustaining. May we celebrate that difference and undivided nature of God.

Join us for our worship this Festival Holy Trinity Sunday in the following ways – its a 5th Sunday so we join together for our morning worship at St Marys this month as we say Thank you to Charlie Blackett for having been our Ordinand in Training for 2 years.

8:00am – Book of Common Prayer Communion – All Saints

10:00am – Benefice Sung Holy Communion – St Mary’s

THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 1st Jun

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 2nd Jun

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 3rd Jun

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

Thu 4th Jun

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Fri 5th Jun

11:00am – Living After Loss, St Mary’s

Sat 6th Jun

10:00am – Coffee Morning & Book Sale with Bristol Repair Cafe, All Saints

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 7th Jun

10:00am – Creative Church, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion & Junior Church, All Saints

6:30pm – Choral Evensong, St Mary’s

Blessings

Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 24th May 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by David Bumgardner on Unsplash

Pentecost is often described as the birthday of the church. We remember the day when a small group of frightened people were transformed into a movement that swept the Roman Empire and, eventually, much of the world. However, to simply describe it in these terms is to completely miss the point of what happened on that day and what the church really is.

At the heart of the feast of Pentecost is the coming of the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit that brought about the transformation of that small group of disciples into the growing community of believers that we hear about in the Acts of the Apostles. It is the Spirit that guides and strengthens the church today. It is the Spirit that reveals to each one of us the path that God has set before us.

This Pentecost is an opportunity to open our hearts and minds afresh to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, to seek the truths that he reveals to us, develop the gifts that he gives and bear the fruits that he nurtures.

We have a few opportunities to take this further on Sunday. There is Holy Communion at All Saints at 8.00 and 10.30 and at St Mary’s at 10.00:

08:00All SaintsHoly Communion (said)
10:00St Mary’sHoly Communion
10:30All SaintsHoly Communion

We have the usual services this week. Next Sunday there is a Benefice service at St Mary’s. As such, there will be no 10.30 service at All Saints.

Wednesday 27th 09:00All SaintsCeltic Morning prayer
Thursday 28th 10:00St Mary’sHoly Communion
Sunday 31st 08:00All SaintsHoly Communion (said BCP)
10:00St Mary’sBenefice Communion

Let us pray for that the Holy Spirit may dwell in our hearts and minds using the words of the collect for Pentecost:

Holy 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.

Yours in Christ

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 17th May 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Austin Kehmeier on Unsplash

Laziness breeds laziness.  Excuses breed excuses.  If you are a leader and choose to cut corners, you will find that your followers follow your behaviour.  If, as a leader, you are strict about rules – yet make excuses for when you yourself fall short – you will establish a culture of excuses.  That may sound gloomy; but what about the opposite?

Volunteers breed volunteers.  I am far more likely to put up my hand, saying “I’ll do that”, when I am confident that I know that others will do likewise in turn.  Who would want to be churchwarden, with all its consequent responsibilities?  Yet, knowing that there are other volunteers doing their bit – and still others who will put their shoulder to the wheel if the warden asks for assistance – then the  role becomes less onerous, and, indeed, pleasurable.  Who would want to be treasurer?  Even worse, who would dare to volunteer to be Safeguarding Officer?  The other day, I read a Safeguarding Policy which was over 180 pages long.  In the midst of all those words, there was only one sentence that truly stood out: ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’.  We all have our part to play in making this parish safe, welcoming and a breeding ground for faith.  Thank goodness we have people to take a lead, with buildings, money and safeguarding – but everyone has a part to play.

Edward Thomas wrote a poem called ‘Adlestrop’.  The last verse goes like this:

And for that minute a blackbird sang
Close by, and round him, mistier,
Farther and farther, all the birds
Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

In the silence of a train stopping for a moment at Adlestrop station, Thomas hears one blackbird.  Yet, as he listens more closely, he realises that that bird evokes a response from other blackbirds nearby, and that in turn sets off “all the birds of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire”.  Our role as Christians is to live lives of kindness, generosity and holiness.  We do so with the hope that a chain reaction will happen, until all creation is singing to the glory of God.

PS: Say a prayer of gratitude this week for Church Wardens, Treasurers, Safeguarding Officers, and “all the birds” of All Saints and St Mary’s Fishponds.

Rev’d Bob

Services for Ascension Sunday – 17th May

10:00am Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am Holy Communion, All Saints

11:45am – All Saints APCM

5:00-7:00pm Generations – All Saints – Joint Youth BBQ and Pilgrimage Celebration

The Week Ahead

Mon 18th May

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 19th May

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 20th May

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

2:00pm – Bible Book Club, St Mary’s

Thu 21st May

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Sat 23rd May

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 24th May

8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints​​

Week beginning Sunday 10th May 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash

Jesus is a fabulous storyteller. He would also use images and pictures to help us understand who God is and what that means for the world. In this week’s gospel as we approach the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost, Jesus uses the image of an “Advocate” to describe the Holy Spirit. “Advocate” is often the word that is associated with courtrooms. An advocate is a person who can speak on our behalf, who will champion our cause. 

Advocacy is a real gift – the ability to find the right words, the most persuasive way of changing hearts and minds. Often, I view this as the Holy Spirit being my advocate before God. It’s a good place to start. However, there is another way of viewing this. What if the advocate is there to also plead to me, not just for me? As we enter the end of the season of Easter, then we are assured by Jesus of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives – an advocate – who is will speak the truth to us about who God is and how that directs and guides us. The Holy Spirit is “The Advocate” in our lives, one who as we meet in prayer and worship promises to speak to us the truth of God so that our lives can be shaped more closely to reflect that of Jesus Christ. May the Spirit advocate for us and to us in our lives and may we open ourselves to listening.

This Sunday at All Saints we return with Muddy Messy Church at 10.30am – come and enjoy the spring garden and learning about our Saints (What do you know about St Dunstan?). St Mary’s holds its APCM annual meeting after the 10am Holy Communion service. I look forward to seeing you there.

SERVICES THIS SUNDAY – 10th MAY

8am – Holy Communion – All Saints

10am – Holy Communion (and APCM)  – St Marys

10.30 – Muddy Messy Church – All Saints

(Generations will meet the following week on the 17th May with another young people at All Saints at the earlier time of 5pm).

THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 11th May

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 12th May     

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 13th May

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

Thu 14th May

10:00am – Ascension Day Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Fri 15th May

11:00am – Living After Loss, St Mary’s

Sat 16th May

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

12:00pm-3:00pm – Spring Fair & Crafts, All Saints

Sun 17th May

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion and APCM All Saints

 5:00pm-7:00pm – Generations BBQ

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 3rd May 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Matt Foxx on Unsplash

Thomas the disciple asks Jesus anxiously – “But how will we know the way” in this week’s Gospel. And it’s a good question, one that I have asked on many occasions. Normally it is about looking at a map, or asking the Sat Nav – how am I going to get from here, the place I am in right now – to there – the place that I want to be or need to get to. 

Most of the time we ask that question when thinking about travel. But it’s also a great faith and life question – How do we know the way? Who do we ask? Where are the signs? What can I do to prepare so that I get there safely? 

Jesus response is to say “I am the way” – and for Christians that has been a solid foundation and manta – a cornerstone to rely on – when navigating life. In the early church Christians were often referred to as “People of the Way” – and it is something that I think still speaks volumes about what we are called to be and how to live. If we keep our hearts, heads and focus concentrated on the person of Jesus and the way that he showed us how to live, how to be with people and how to love others and the world – then we have a good road map to follow. 

WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND – SUNDAY MAY 3RD

10:00 am – Creative Church – St Mary’s – Parables of Jesus

10:30 am – Holy Communion with Junior Church and Band – All Saints

6.30 pm  – Evensong – St Mary’s

THE WEEK AHEAD

Tue 5th May

10:30 am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 6th May

9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

Thu 7th May

10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Sat 9th May

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 10th May

8:00 am – Holy Communion, All Saints

10:00 am – Holy Communion and APCM, St Mary’s

10:30 am – Messy Muddy Church, All Saints

​​​​Please find attached the weekly sheets, fayre poster and readings for this week – and I look forward to being with you all.

Blessings

Rev’d Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 26th April 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by NEOM on Unsplash

Dear Friends, 

Our worship this week points to the hope we have in a life following in Jesus’ footsteps. 

After last week’s pilgrimage, full of real examples of love, generosity, and hospitality, I find myself back to writing essays this week (just five more to go!) and have taken comfort in the readings as I’ve been writing and preparing for this week’s Cafe Church. 

At Cafe Church, we reach the final session of our series on the Nicene Creed, as we reflect on resurrection and eternal life, and how this shapes our own story. 

We focus on the line: “We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.” A hope that is not only for the future but already shaping life in Christ now. 

In our Communion services, both Acts and John’s Gospel point towards this: new beginnings for those who are broken or suffering, and Jesus as the Good Shepherd who leads us into life in all its fullness. 

This Sunday’s worship 

8:00 am – Holy Communion, All Saints 

10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s 

10:30 am – Cafe Church, All Saints 

The week ahead 

Mon 27th April

10:30 am – Tiny Tots, All Saints 

Tue 28th April

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms 

Wed 29th April

9:00 am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints 

Thu 30th April

10:00 am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s 

Fri 1st May

11:00am – Living After Loss, St Mary’s 

12:00pm – Funeral for Martyn Nowell, St Mary’s 

Sat 2nd May

10:00 am – Coffee Morning and Book Sale with Bristol Repair Cafe 

12:00 pm-1:30 pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s 

Sun 3rd May

10:00 am – Creative Church, St Mary’s 

10:30 am – Holy Communion and Junior Church, All Saints 

6:30 pm – Evensong, St Mary’s 

Blessings, 

Charlie    

Ordinand- All Saints and St Mary’s – Bristol Diocese

Week beginning Sunday 19th April 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

We made it! Tired feet, sore muscles, blisters and a few bramble scratches  – some amazing sunshine, and moments of torrential rain – but this Friday a group of 10 young (and a few not so young) pilgrims made it to Bristol Cathedral. We walked 55 miles from Swindon to Bristol Cathedral and we have had a good journey. I am heart stoppingly proud of the young people who have held each other when they needed to and cheered each other along the way with conversations, prayer, food, more food and a mountain of chocolate. They have been amazing.

You have all been with us – your generosity and kindness have enabled us to do this – from pit stop butchers sausage rolls in Cricklade to an incredible well needed pub dinner in Sherston. Thank you – it made such a difference, and we prayed for you along the way with thanksgiving in our hearts. We met some incredible people, whose hospitality matched yours, from fresh milk and hot meals from the farming community in Brinkworth to cake at Malmesbury Abbey. Everywhere we went people blessed us, God blessed us and I know we also blessed them in our journey. Thank you. I am sure you will hear stories from this week for years to come that will continue to bless us all. God is Good.

The services this week will be

SUNDAY 19th APRIL

10:00am – Holy Communion at St Marys

10:30am – Holy Communion at All Saints

Join us for worship and prayer at both churches as we hear of the story of the Emmaus Road.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 20th April

10:30am – Tiny Tots, All Saints

Tue 21st April

10:30am – M4T, St Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 22nd April

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

Thu 23rd April

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Sat 25th April

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 26th April

8:00am – Holy Communion, All Saints

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Cafe Church, All Saints

Please find attached readings and weekly sheets

Blessings 

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 12th April 2026

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Christ is Risen Alleluia – He is Risen indeed – Alleluia!

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

SUNDAY 12th APRIL – SERVICES

8am- Holy Communion – All Saints

10:30am – Benefice Service of Holy Communion – All Saints

6:30pm – Evening Prayer – St Marys

Happy Easter (Again!) because Easter is more than a weekend but lasts a full 6 weeks. During this we have some of the most vivid gospel stories of Jesus risen life, starting this Sunday with Jesus’ encounter with Thomas who is full of doubt and faith.

2000 years later CS Lewis, a person who was full of faith and doubt, wrote the Chronicles of Narnia, detailing in fantasy fiction a story which speaks of resurrection and love. A story which has invited people across generations to connect with the Christian faith story. CS Lewis also wrote poetry and one of those that I rediscovered this Easter, speaks of love found in the elements – water, fire, air and earth. It reminds me that the joy of Easter is only possible because of the love that God shared in all things from Creation to the Cross.  I wanted to share it with you this week as a poem and prayer for our faith journeys.  It is one I will be taking with us on Youth Pilgrimage this coming week  – do pray it with us as we walk. 

Love’s as warm as tears – CS Lewis

Love's as warm as tears,
Love is tears:
Pressure within the brain,
Tension at the throat,
Deluge, weeks of rain,
Haystacks afloat,
Featureless seas between
Hedges, where once was green.

Love's as fierce as fire,
Love is fire:
All sorts - infernal heat
Clinkered with greed and pride,
Lyric desire, sharp-sweet,
Laughing, even when denied,
And that empyreal flame
Whence all loves came.

Love's as fresh as spring,
Love is spring:
Bird-song hung in the air,
Cool smells in a wood,
Whispering, "Dare! Dare!"
To sap, to blood,
Telling "Ease, safety, rest,
Are good; not best."

Love's as hard as nails,
Love is nails:
Blunt, thick, hammered through
The medial nerves of One
Who, having made us, knew
The thing He had done,
Seeing (with all that is)
Our cross, and His.

This week we worship together as a Benefice at All Saints – 10.30am Holy Communion. Join us there for our continued Easter celebrations and worship. 

THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 13th Apr – Fri 17th Apr

Youth Pilgrimage

Wed 15th Apr

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer, All Saints

Thu 16th Apr

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

Fri 17th Apr

11:00am Living After Loss, St Mary’s

Sat 18th Apr

12:00pm-1:30pm – Saturday Lunches, St Mary’s

Sun 19th Apr

10:00am – Holy Communion, St Mary’s

10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints

Blessings

Lizzie