God’s way or Our way?

I hope that you are enjoying the last bank holiday of the summer. For some its that opportunity to get away for a final break, for others its a chance to settle at home for some slower time. One of the readings that we will hear on Sunday is from Luke’s gospel. It recalls a time when Jesus sat down and dined with the “movers and shakers” of his community. Their conversations, and then the parables that are told, allows Jesus to point out the differences of what we might expect the kingdom of God to be like and the ways in which we operate. Who gets to sit at the table? How do we treat all the guests? What is the role of the host? The different ways in which we might honour or value people for our own gain is highlighted by Jesus and would not have been an easy thing to listen to. One of the challenging, but beautiful, purposes of faith is to be continually asking the question – is this my way? Or God’s way?

Cafe church is a great place to be able to really discuss that aspect of our Christian journey, a chance to speak and discuss and reflect with others about our ways and God’s ways, and where they do and don’t intersect in our daily lives.

Our services of worship this weekend on Sunday 28^th August are

8am – Holy Communion – All Saints

10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Marys

10.30am – Cafe Church – All Saints

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday 31^st 09.00 – Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

18.30 – IN HEREFORD – Revd Janey’s licensing.

Thursday 1^st 10.00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Sunday 4^th 10.00 – Open and Creative Church at St Mary’s Church

10.30 – Holy Communion at All Saints Church

18.30 – Evensong at St Mary’s Church

Restoration Song (Day 12)

God has called forth a people, and we responded to His call,

“Rebuild this ancient ruin, restore my city walls”

He has led us day by day, as we listened to His voice,

And we were fed on finest wheat, and manna from the skies.

When we started, we were strangers. We hardly knew each others names.

Now we are brothers and sisters, and we will never be the same.

As we built, brick by brick, we discovered the corner stone,

And as we let Him mould and fashion us, He built us up in love

Now we have seen, and we have heard, that the Lord our God is great.

For a wilderness has been transformed, into His holy place.

Gerry Tuohy

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

It has been a real delight to return to Fishponds after some time away. Its always good to come home. One of the nicest things about coming home is that it can make me appreciate with fresh eyes the things that I have missed, or perhaps previously taken for granted.

This weeks reading from the bible invites us to think about how God sees us. Jesus heals a woman who has been ill for 18 years. He sees her need, and he responds. When he is challenged about this happening on the sabbath day, the day of rest, then Jesus is quick to answer. The woman’s needs had been obvious to the whole community for 18 years, yet no one had “seen” her – why should she wait a day longer? It is a moment of rapid compassion and response. God saw her with fresh eyes.

Each person is unique and precious in the sight of God, and so it is with great delight that at All Saints this Sunday we have the baptism of Eila to celebrate together with her family and friends. At St Marys there will also be a Holy Communion service at 10am and it will be such a joy to welcome Canon Trevor Denley as the celebrant and preacher there this weekend.

This Sunday 21^st August we have the following services of worship

10 am – St Marys – Sung Holy Communion – Canon Trevor

10.30am – All Saints – Holy Communion with Baptism – Revd Lizzie

The week ahead

Wednesday 24^th 09.00 – Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

Thursday 25^th 10.00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Sunday 28^th 08.00 – Holy Communion at All Saints Church

10.00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

10.30 – Café Church at All Saints Church

Please find attached the weekly sheets, readings and also the Roots materials to use at home. Revd Janey has now moved to her post in Hereford Diocese. She will be licensed on Wednesday 31^st August at 6.30pm at St Nicholas Church, Hereford. Everyone is welcome. Please let me know if you are going and might be able to offer a space in your car, or if you need a lift so we can connect you with another person who has space.

In the week ahead I hope the following prayer may be a blessing to you

“A Telling Place”

Blessed be God who lifts us up.

Blessed be the Father of heaven.

Blessed be the risen and ascended Lord.

Blessed be the Christ in glory.

Blessed be the Spirit of Truth and Love.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit.

Bless us this day with vision.

Bless us this day with faith.

Bless us this day with hope.

May this place be a sacred place, a telling place,

Where earth and heaven meet.

Amen. Telling Place Community Team

Lizzie

Let us run with perseverance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2

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Services this Sunday 14th August

08:00am – All Saints – Holy Communion – Rev Diane Simms

10:00am – St.Mary’s – Holy Communion – Rev Diane Simms

10:30am – All Saints- Messy Muddy Church – Elisa and Dave Williams

Services in the coming week and next Sunday:

Wednesday 17^th – 9:00 am – All Saints – Celtic Morning Prayer

Thursday 18^th – 10:00 am – Holy Communion – St Mary’s

Sunday 20^th – 10:00 am – St.Mary’s – Holy Communion

10:30 am – All Saints – Holy Communion

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Dear All Saints and St Mary’s

There’s a popular saying that goes: Life’s a marathon, not a sprint. When results for A Level and then GCSE students are soon revealed, whatever grades are awarded – whether those grades feel like triumphs or disappointments – I pray that students would know that there is plenty of time ahead to work out next steps, re-take, try out new subjects, and explore different career options. It’s worth taking time, because you are worth it!

Many of us enjoyed watching the Commonwealth Games – the lucky ones at the Birmingham stadium – the rest of us on TV. There was a really upbeat vibe. It was wonderful to see the way everyone’s best efforts were applauded generously. It was also fascinating to watch para swimmers and para discus throwers compete together across different categories of impairment. Yes, of course it was a competition, but it was also a celebration of both talent and companionship and there was encouragement amid disappointment.

The author of Hebrews, who wrote the words above was a bit like a cheerleader – only for disciples in the early church. Chapters 11-12 presents a hall of fame of Biblical heroes of faith who never gave up trusting in God despite difficulty. I wonder which more recent Christians have inspired your faith? Why not tell us on Sunday over coffee?

In this week’s gospel Jesus urges his disciples to read the signs of the times they are living in. Times of challenge and hardship. This feels so true of our own present times. What areas of society might Jesus want our passion to erupt over as Christians? God’s justice always is geared towards lifting up those in adverse circumstances with least resources.

Finally,did you know that the beautiful East Window depicts the message of Hebrews 12.2? Across the bottom it reads “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”. Contemplate it and you may pick up clues about whose wellbeing Jesus wants us to care about.

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Every blessing, Diane

Now, we are not afraid although we know there's much to fear 
We were moving mountains long before we knew we could

Miriam, Prince of Egypt

Dear All Saints and St Mary’s

As we settle into the school summer break, we may feel a little thin on the ground this Sunday. This might make Jesus opening words in our gospel reading even more reassuring than usual. Addressing his disciples, he says “Do not be afraid, little flock”. He reminds them that numbers don’t matter. God wants to give us the Kingdom and invites us to live out its values in our daily lives, always aware of what God is doing in us, through us and around us. He calls us to live the life of faith, stepping out beyond the boundaries of our own culture, as Abraham stepped out from his own country to travel to the Holy Land, as is described in our epistle.

It is through the eyes of faith, when we look at the world in the light of Christ, that we can see past the headline stories of doom and gloom to see that there is still much good in the world. It is how we respond to the cost-of-living crisis, the climate emergency and war and oppression in the world that matters. Do we believe that the gospel has something to say about generosity to the poor and vulnerable, care of creation and seeking true peace and reconciliation? Do we have faith that living out that message in God’s strength in our personal, community and political lives will bring the Kingdom closer?

In the words of Stephen Schwartz’s song from the film, Prince of Egypt, “there can be miracles, when you believe”.

We will have a little more time to reflect on a few of these thoughts on Sunday at All Saints at 10:30 am and at St Mary’s at 6:30 pm. In the morning at St Mary’s, we will be thinking about thanksgiving, with the opportunity to make thank you cards. In summary, Sundays services are:

10:00 am – St Mary’s – Open/Creative Church

10:30 am – All Saints – Holy Communion

6:30 pm – St Mary’s – Evensong

We have our usual midweek services this week, with Celtic morning prayer at All Saints on Wednesday and Holy Communion at St Mary’s. Next Sunday, we have our usual second Sunday pattern, with Holy Communion at 8:00 am at All Saints an 10:00 am at St Mary’s. The 10:30 am service at All Saints will be Messy/Muddy church. This gives the following services for the coming week:

Wednesday 10^th – 9:00 am – All Saints – Celtic Morning Prayer

Thursday 11^th – 10:00 am – St Mary’s – Holy Communion

Sunday 14^th – 8:00 am – All Saints – Holy Communion (said)

10:00 am – St Mary’s – Holy Communion

10:30 am – All Saints – Messy/Muddy church

Last week we said goodbye to Janey and welcomed Diane into her new role as our priest. While Lizzie is away, Diane will be presiding at all our communion services for the next couple of weeks. Please pray for her as she grows in this new phase of her ministry.

It was Bishop William Temple who said, “when I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don’t, they don’t”. Let us go into the world, praying in faith and looking for those coincidences.

Mark

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Colossians 3:2

Greetings dear friends,

This week is my last week with you as your Curate before I head off to take up my new post in Hereford!

The last few weeks I’ve been saying many ‘goodbyes’ and having my ‘last’ turn at things, and felt that the sadness of that. One of the things that has held me together is remembering that God writes the story. All the chapters he’s written so far (and all the amazing ‘characters’ within them – that includes you!), I carry forward with me in my heart, and will discover how they feed into and shape the story to come.

I’m sure there will be many new challenges and surprises, but I’m encouraged by the idea that it’s all woven together into a bigger vision of God for my life. In some small way, that is me setting my mind “on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”, as I trust God in the transition and in the new chapters beyond.

You have been wonderful people to be amongst ❤

This Sunday 31^st July is a fifth Sunday, which means we have our Benefice Service.

· This will be a service of Holy Communion at 10am at St Mary’s, led by Rev. Diane, with Rev. Janey preaching.

· There is no 10.30am service at All Saints this week – instead there will be an 8am BCP Holy Communion led by Rev. Janey.

In the week ahead, we have:

· Tuesday 2 August 10.30am Music for Toddlers

· Wednesday 3 August 9.00am Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

· Thursday 4 August – 10.00am Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Next Sunday 7thAugust, we have:

· 10.00am Open / Creative Church at St Mary’s

· 10.30am Holy Communion at All Saints

· 6.30pm Evensong at St Mary’s

It seems fitting to end with the beautiful prayer Paul writes to the church in Colossae, which is found in chapter 1 of his letter, and to make that my prayer of blessing for you this week:

May you “be filled with the knowledge of God’swill in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

Amen to that!

Rev Janey

This week in July is often a week of saying goodbyes. We gathered with many Y6 children from Fishponds Church of England Academy for their “Leavers Service” on Wednesday as they were able to reflect on their time together through school before they start out on new adventures in September. It was a great service and such a privilege to host it for them at All Saints. I spoke about the value of courage, and of Joshua in the Old Testament. It was good to talk about how sometimes when we are about to do something new that like Joshua we just have to go down to the river and “get our feet wet”. We are often tasked with new things, and they can be daunting, but they are often God opening a door for us that we might never have dared to even push.

This weekend we have a variety of different ways of being together. It is a weekend that involves worshiping alongside each other with some food and fellowship. We start our goodbyes to Revd Janey as she begins to make the transition to a new posting, a new adventure. After the 10am Holy Communion at St Marys there will be a lunch, do join us as we join together to share in this moment. The following week will be Revd Janey’s last service on the 31^st July – so double the chance to come and join us and celebrate with her that new beginning.

At All Saints the 10.30am Service is Cafe Church and the worship will centre around the question “Why does the Big Bang have a face?” – exploring who Jesus is and why does it matter. It is a chance to build relationships and grow in confidence about faith. No question is too big or small and the table discussions are safe and welcoming spaces for people to explore a little deeper with others. (with food to boot!)

Worship on Sunday 24^th July 2022

8am – All Saints – Holy Communion

10am – St Marys – Sung Holy Communion with St Marys Kids

10.30am – All Saints – Cafe Church

12 noon – Lunch at St Marys.

Please find attached the weekly sheets, Roots materials for people to use at home and the readings. There are two pictures – one about the lunch this Sunday and another about the All Saints Family Cafe this summer.

Our week ahead looks like

THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday 27^th 09.00 – Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

Thursday 28^th 10.00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Sunday 31^st 8.00 – BCP Holy Communion at All Saints Church

10.00 – Benefice Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

I hope and pray that this week that you find the chance to “get your feet wet”.

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

Wise and gracious God
You spread a table before us
nourish your people with the word of life and the bread of heaven.

Prayers at the Preparation of the Table (CW p.293)

Dear Friends at All Saints and St Mary’s

I write to you full of anticipation (a mix of joy, excitement and trepidation) about what the Holy Spirit will unfold this coming Sunday when I preside for the first time at the Lord’s table. (All Saints at 10.30). In preparation, as well as useful instruction from Rev Lizzie, I’ve dipped into a book ‘Echoing the Word’ by Paula Gooder which traces the history and biblical sources of our CW Eucharistic Prayers. On Sunday I plan to use Eucharistic Prayer E – a new prayer created for Common Worship (2000), initially the work of Canon Jeremy Haselock. It is a classic ‘Western’ Eucharistic Prayer, in that the words ‘Send your Holy Spirit’ (the epiclesis ) come before the words Jesus used at supper with his disciples over the bread and wine (institution narrative for short) As someone who has taught adults who left school with no English qualifications, I find Prayer E very pleasing; it is short and simple, yet leaves nothing out. And what it says and shows is this: ‘Through Jesus’ dying and rising God has set us free from sin and death, once and for all.’ This is the good news we celebrate around the Lord’s Table. I look forward to seeing you and I’d love to invite folks to come outside afterwards for a church family photograph together around the Yew Tree – plus there will be refreshments at the back of All Saints to linger and chat over as usual. I look forward to sharing this special time with you.

Services for this week 17th July: The Fifth Sunday after Trinity

St.Mary’s 10.00 Creative Church with Rev Janey – Come and make a Suncatcher!- a glimpse of God’s glory

All Saints 10.30 Holy Communion with Rev Diane presiding and Rev Lizzie preaching

Readings: Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42

St.Mary’s 18.30 Evensong with Rev Janey leading and preaching

Sunday 19.15 Generations Youth Group end of year BBQ and Summer Games at the Vicarage

Upcoming Events and Services in the Benefice

In the coming week…

Monday 18th 10.30 Tiny Tots End of Year Party at All Saints Hall/Link

Tuesday 19^th 10.30 Music for Toddlers at St Mary’s

Wednesday 20^th 09.00 Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

Thursday 21^st 10.00 Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Services next Sunday 24th July

Sunday 24^th 8.00 Holy Communion at All Saints Church

10.00 Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

followed by a Farewell Lunch for Rev Janey (see poster)

10.30 Café Church at All Saints Church

🏀🥗🥕All Saints Family Cafe🍉🌮🧩

Summer Volunteering Shifts – please let Amy know your availability (see poster)

Opportunities include: Set up, Garden Check/Welcome , Cooking Lead/Support, Play or Craft Support, Family Cooking support, Family refreshments

Tuesdays 26 July, 2,9,16,23 August – various slots between 2pm and 5.30pm

Thursdays 28 July, 4,11,18, 25 August – various slots between 1pm and 5.30pm

In Sunday’s Gospel reading Jesus encourages Martha to get away from the pots and pans for a while and sit with him and her sister.Like many of you I watched The Real Story of Mo Farah this week. It was a moving and profoundly disturbing reminder of the unseen domestic servitude that people are caught up in under our noses – trafficked to the UK and elsewhere from an early age. The Gospel shows Jesus’ insistence on fullness of life for all – women, men and children. Rest and lesiure as well as work. I pray that in stillness, or activity you will receive fruitful blessings from God for the situations you face this week. During one of our benefice times of worship may you receive a blessing for the people you come with on your hearts – blessings of His healing and peace and joy!

Rev Diane

How do we grow? A strange question perhaps and one depending on age and stage and season of life that will be different for everyone. We never stop growing, even physically our ears still grow as we age! How we grow as children of God and followers of Jesus are seen in the gospel stories that both churches are exploring this Sunday. One of those is the story of the Mustard Seed – that the children will look at All Saints. The other is the parable of the “Good Samaritan” which occurs in our lectionary this week. Both stories that Jesus tells prompts us to ask questions about our own spiritual growth. How do we open ourselves to the possibility of seeing the world in a different way. The Good Samaritan challenges our thinking of who is our neighbour. The mustard seed recognises that growth can come from even the smallest of seeds. God is never done growing us – perhaps that is why God is so often seen as the Gardener.

This week we celebrate a number of things at All Saints and St Marys and our worship and fellowship reflect that.

At the 10.30 service at All Saints we are celebrating our children with their annual gifts, giving thanks for them and all they bring to the life of the church. That will be followed by a picnic in the grounds of All Saints – everyone is welcome and please join us even if you are worshiping earlier in the day or at St Marys.

We have a 8am Holy Communion at All Saints and a 10am Sung Holy Communion at St Marys

SUNDAY 10^th JULY 2022

8am – All Saints – Holy Communion – Revd Janey

10am – St Marys – Sung Holy Communion – Revd Janey

10.30 – All Saints – Thanksgiving and Celebrations with Gifts – Lay Led.

Do come along and be with us at St Marys Summer Fair on Saturday 9^th July – we are looking forward to being together and raising money for some great charities. Please find attached a poster – for the fair and also for volunteers for the Summer Cafe. You can share these on social media! Also the Roots materials, the weekly sheets and the readings for this week are attached.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday 12^th 10.30 – Music for Toddlers

Wednesday 13^th 09.00 – Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church

19.30 – Joint PCC – All Saints

Thursday 14^th 10.00 – Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church

Sunday 17^th 10.00 – Creative Church at St Mary’s Church

10.30 – Holy Communion at All Saints Church

18.30 – Evensong at St Mary’s Church

Sadly some of us have contracted Covid – so are unable to worship with you in person this week – but we look forward to being back with people soon.

Blessings for what God brings to you this week.

Revd Lizzie

“Go on your way. See, I am sending you out.”

Luke 10:3

Greetings dear friends,

This week Christians across the world have celebrated the festival of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul. Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Messiah led Jesus to say to him: ‘On this rock I will build my church.’ Peter as the pre-eminent Apostle represents all of us as God’s people – as the one who originally received the authority of Jesus to build his church that we now belong to. If you have ever been to Rome you may have seen the awesome statues of the Apostles on top of St Peter’s Basilica, with St Peter standing holding the keys of the kingdom in the square in front.

Petertide has therefore traditionally been a time when ordinations happen – when people who have responded to the call of God, begin their ministries within his church.

Bishop Viv will celebrating two service of ordination this weekend, and we are delighted that a few of our friends from this benefice will be among the candidates!

• On Saturday 2nd, Revd Diane will continue to the next stage of her ordained ministry by being ordained as a Priest, and
• On Sunday 3rd, Sharon Gleed and Sarah Heywood will begin their ordained ministry by being made Deacons and will then go on to serve as Curates in their new parishes.

We wish them every blessing and joy and as they enter into this new phase of their ministries!

With all that said, there is a slight change to our pattern of worship this weekend to allow people from both congregations the space to go to the Cathedral for these wonderful services if they would like to. The main thing to be aware of that there will be no morning service at St Mary’s this weekend.

Our services this Sunday 3rd July, are therefore:

• 10.30am Holy Communion at All Saints with Rev Janey
• 6.30pm (said) Holy Communion at St Mary’s with Rev Lizzie

In the week ahead, we have:

• Wednesday 6th July – 9.00am Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints
• Thursday 7th July – 10.00am Holy Communion at St Mary’s when Rev Diane will celebrate her first Holy Communion as a Priest

Next Sunday 10th July, we have:

• 8am Holy Communion at All Saints with Rev Janey
• 10am Holy Communion at St Mary’s with Rev Janey
• 10.30am All Age Holy Communion at All Saints with Rev Diane and Rev Lizzie

Lots to celebrate!

As Diane, Sharon and Sarah enter into new stages of their life and ministry, we are reminded in the readings this week that God calls all of us to take part in his work and ministry in the world – Jesus’ words “Go on your way. See, I am sending you out” are for each on of us to respond to.

The words from the hymn ‘Go forth and tell’, by James Seddon, put this call so beautifully and clearly,

Go forth and tell! God’s love embraces all;

he will in grace respond to all who call:

how shall they call if they have never heard

the gracious invitation of his word?

Go forth and tell! O church of God, arise!

go in the strength which Christ your Lord supplies;

go till all nations his great name adore

and serve him, Lord and king for evermore

May you know afresh God’s call, invitation, grace and strength as you seek to serve him and draw others into his all-embracing love.

Rev Janey