Week beginning Sunday 3rd August 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash

This week’s Gospel encourages us to pause and reflect through the parable of the rich man – a reminder from Jesus about the true treasures in life. In a world that can often pull us towards material possessions, this story gently reminds us to focus on the things that truly matter: our relationships, our faith, and our community.

There are many opportunities this week to come together in both Worship and Fellowship, and I encourage you to join us for whatever you can. 

Worship This Sunday

10.00am Creative Church at St Mary’s

10.30am – Holy Communion with Hymns at All Saints

6.30pm – Evensong at St Mary’s

The week Ahead

Wednesday 6th August

9.00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints

Thursday 7th August

10.00am – Holy Communion – St. Mary’s

Saturday 9th August

12.00pm – 1.30pm – Saturday Lunches – St Mary’s

Next Sunday 10th August 

8.00am – Holy Communion, All Saints
10.00am – Holy Communion at St Mary’s
10.30am – Messy Muddy Church at All Saints

Almighty God,

Thank you for the love that brings us together. Help us to see and to listen to the needs around us. Be with us as we reflect your love in all that we do and all that we are.

Amen

Blessings, 

Charlie Blackett

Week beginning Sunday 27th July 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Teach us to Pray

This week at All Saints, with children and families from both parishes, we have celebrated the joy of God’s world and creation and the gift of science with over 50 children and 25 adult volunteers at Holiday Bible Club “Whizz, Bang Wow!”  We have danced, sung, played, made things, talked about God, prayed and been together in a really special way. 

What underpins all of this, as it does with all Christian life and Church is lots of prayer. Prayers for places to be filled, for people to come and be part of something special, for everyone to be safe and blessed by others. 

This week’s gospel reading sees Jesus respond to the disciples ask – “Teach us to pray”. As we look towards the services of worship this weekend then we have the chance not just to understand that more deeply in our own lives, but to experience it with others. That is possible in communion services, but also our cafe church service which offers an informal service style looking at the theme of Devotion.

May we continue to be a ceaselessly praying parishes. 

WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY 27th JULY 2025

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints

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

10:30am – Cafe Church – Book of Romans

Everyone is welcome. 

THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday 29th July

2:00pm – 5:30pm – All Saints Family Café 

Weds 30th July

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thurs 31st July

10:00  Holy Communion – St. Mary’s 

2:00pm-5:30pm – All Saints Family Café    

7:30pm – St Marys PCC 

Friday 1st August

11:00pm Living After Loss – St. Mary’s  

Saturday 2nd August

10:00am -12:00pm -Repair Café – All Saints

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

Sunday 3rd August

10:00am – Creative Church, St Marys 

 10:30am – Holy Communion, All Saints 

 6:30pm – Evensong – St. Mary’s 

With blessing and thanksgiving and prayers

Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 20th July 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday’s New Testament reading, from Paul’s letter to the Christians at Colossae (Colossians 1.15-end), opens with a poem that stands out from Paul’s usual prose. It is thought by many scholars to be a hymn that was already in use in the church before Paul wrote the letter and might have been familiar to the its first readers. It places Christ above all of creation as the image and fullness of God, through whom all things were created and through whom God is reconciling all creation to himself.

This is the fundamental claim of the Christian faith. It is through Christ that we can truly know God. It is through Christ that we can be fully reconciled to God. It is only when we see creation in the light of Christ, that we can see it as the work of an almighty and loving creator. It is when we see acts of loving kindness in the light of Christ, that we see them as reflecting the love of God that Christ reveals.

In the remainder of the letter, Paul goes on to describe the practical implications of who Christ is. It makes all people equal, whatever their race, religious background, or social status, for all are loved by God (chapter 2). It encourages compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience (3:12). It puts the love of God, which we see in Christ, at the centre of all we do (3.14-17). While some of the detailed instructions Paul gives are specific to the culture of the time (3.18-4.6), his Christ centred approach is still a guide for living today.

This Sunday, we have Holy Communion at St Mary’s at 10.00 am and at All Saint’s at 10.30am.

This week the Holiday Bible Club will be taking place at All Saints, so there will be no Celtic Morning Prayer this Wednesday. There will, however, still be Holy Communion at St Mary’s on Thursday at 10.00 am. Next Sunday, we have our normal fourth Sunday pattern, with Holy Communion at 8.00 am at All Saints and 10.00 at St Mary’s. The 10.30 am service at All Saints will be Café Church, where we will be continuing our look at Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome.

This gives the following services for the coming week:

Sunday 20th July

10.00 am – St Mary’s – Holy Communion

10.30 am – All Saints – Holy Communion

Thursday 24th July

10.00 am – St Mary’s – Holy Communion

Sunday 27th July

8.00 am – All Saints – Holy Communion (said)

10.00 am – St Mary’s – Holy Communion

10.30 am – All Saints – Café Church

Please note that, because of the Holiday Bible Club, there will be no access to All Saints grounds from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm on Wednesday 23rd, Thursday 24th and Friday 25th July.

As we look ahead to the coming week, and particularly thinking about the Holiday Bible Club, let us pray for the strength and guidance of the Holy Spirit in all we do.

Yours in Christ

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 13th July 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This past week has been an important one in our Diocese. Last weekend saw Bishop Vivienne carry out her last tranche of ordinations before her retirement. This is a weekend always marked with joy as it is such a wondrous occasion, the passage of people, into their ministries. It is a time of transition-each person has had their period of discernment, training, and now they step forth into their next phase. Some to become deacons, to serve in their local churches. Others becoming priests. All stepping into the demanding but glorious calling of being servant leaders following in the footsteps of Christ.

For all the candidates it is a time of joy but also fear and excitement, but also of feelings of being totally unworthy of  the task ahead.

I was blessed to be a part of this and greatly appreciate all the love and encouragement that I experienced from everyone during that weekend and look forward to serving you as priest.

All this is about love-of God and one another, and the gospel reading this week exemplifies this. It is the familiar story of the Good Samaritan, reminding us that when someone needs help we do not filter that need through prejudices and suppositions but provide lavish love to whoever needs it. The story challenges us  to reflect upon who has helped us in those desperate times in our lives and who have we been able to help in theirs?  Just as it is so vital to offer help, it is also vital to receive help. This is to follow the example of Jesus, the servant king and Son of God., 

This Sunday 13th July Fourth Sunday after Trinity

8.00am         Holy Communion – All Saints

10.00am      Holy Communion – St. Marys

10.30am      Family Service – All Saints

7.15pm         Generations Youth Group

The Week Ahead

Monday 14th July

10.30am    Tiny Tots      All Saints

5.15pm   Squirrels     All Saints

6.15pm   Beavers.     All Saints

Wednesday 16th July

9.00 pm Celtic Morning Prayers.     All Saints

2.00pm  Benefice Bible Book Club. St. Mary’s 

Thursday 17th July

10.00am  Holy Communion –    St. Mary’s

6.30pm. Cubs.  All Saints 

8.00pm.  Scouts   All Saints

Friday 18th July

11.00am. Living After Loss.   St. Mary’s

Saturday 19th July

12.00p. Saturday Lunches.  St. Mary’s

Next Sunday 20th July Fifth Sunday after Trinity

10.00am      Holy Communion. St. Mary’s

10.30am      Holy Communion. All Saints

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of god and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore. Amen.

Blessings,

Fr Kester de Oliveira

Week beginning Sunday 6th July 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This weekend Bishop Viv will ordain new Deacons and Priests in Bristol Cathedral. This is a wonderful occasion for the whole church, and also especially for us as we celebrate alongside Fr Kester as he is ordained priest to serve in the parishes of All Saints and St Marys.

One of the readings this weekend in the Old Testament reading of Micah speaks of “doing justice, walking humbly and being kind”. It has struck me that as we approach this weekend it will also be the final ordination in Bristol for Bishop Viv as she looks to her retirement. We send her our blessings and prayers and thanks for her episcopal ministry. She has, IMHO, lived out those three qualities of Christian discipleship – a call of justice, kindness and humility. As we pray and discern for a new Bishop of Bristol, may these words of scripture be our guide. Our Junior Church will be looking at this on Sunday, and I invite you all to contribute your thoughts, prayers and wisdom to this process. If you want to do that then please click the link. 

https://www.bristol.anglican.org/churchlife/help-shape-the-future-of-the-diocese-of-bristol-your-voice-matters/

This weekend of celebration and thanksgiving we have

Saturday 5th July – 3pm – Ordination of Fr Kester – Bristol Cathedral 

Sunday 6th July – 10.30am – Benefice Service – All Saints

Sunday 6th July – 6.30pm – Choral Evensong  – St Mary’s

Everyone is welcome to all the above and also to a celebration in St Mary’s parish rooms at 6pm-8pm on Sat 5th July after the ordinations. 

Let’s come together and celebrate in all these different ways this weekend. God is good!

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday 7th  July

10.30am Tiny Tots – All Saints 

Tuesday 8th July

10.30am – M4T End of Term Party 

10.00am – Fishponds Leavers Service  – All Saints 

Wednesday 9th July

9.00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thursday 10th July

11.00am – Wedding of Megan Barnes and Mani Baird – All Welcome – St. Mary’s

Friday 11th July   

1.00 – 2.00pm Drop-in Concert, St. Mary’s  

Saturday 12th July

11.00am – 2.00pm – St Mary’s Fair 

Sunday 13th July

 08.00am – Holy Communion, All Saints  

10.00am – Holy Communion, St Marys 

10.30am – Junior Church Family Service All Saints 

7.15pm – Generations – Vicarage 

With thanksgiving

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 29th June 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday we celebrate the feast of St Peter and St Paul, two of the most significant followers of Jesus in the New Testament. Both their stories tell of a growth in faith and a call to ministry. For both of them, that call included a change in name.

Simon, the son of John (or Jonah), was a fisherman working on lake Galilee. Jesus called him to catch people rather than fish. When Simon recognised Jesus as the Christ, Jesus gave him the name Cephas, which means rock in Aramaic. In the Bible, this is sometimes written as the Greek word Petros, from which we get the name Peter. He became the rock, the foundation on which Jesus built the church in Jerusalem. He was also the champion of gentile Christians among the Jewish Christians.
 

Saul was a highly educated Pharisee, who was eager to serve God. However, Jesus showed him that serving God did not mean rigid following of the law of Moses, but faith in Jesus. He travelled widely, spreading the good news of Jesus through what is now Turkey and Greece. In Luke’s telling of his story, he switches from using Saul’s Hebrew name to his Greek name Paul, to indicate that he was now looking out into the world beyond Israel.

It is at this time when we think about the ministry of the church today. Not many of us are given a new name, but many of us are called to new and exciting ministries. It is a time to pray about our own calling and whether God is challenging us to take on something new or to continue faithfully in our current work.

It is also the time when the church has traditionally ordained new priests and deacons. From our own community, Kester de Oliveira will be ordained priest this Saturday in Bristol Cathedral. As a community, we will be praying for him and looking for practical ways we can support him in this new phase of his ministry.

This Sunday, although it is a fifth Sunday of the month, we will not be having a benefice service. Instead, there will be services at both All Saints and St Mary’s. The benefice service will be on 6th May, when Kester will preside at communion for the first time. As such, there will be the following services this Sunday:

8.00 am
 		All Saints
 		Holy Communion (BCP)
 
10.00 am
 		St Mary’s
 		Holy Communion
 
10.30 am
 		All Saints
 		Holy Communion
 

This coming week we have the usual services with Celtic Morning Prayer on Wednesday at All Saints and Holy Communion at St Mary’s on Thursday. In addition to the Benefice service at All Saints, there will be Choral Evensong at St Mary’s. Note that there is no morning service at St Mary’s. This gives the following services for the coming week:

Wednesday 2nd July
 		9.00 am 
 		All Saints
 		Celtic Morning Prayer
 
Thursday 3rd July
 		10.00 am
 		St Mary’s
 		Holy Communion
 
Saturday 5th July
 		3.00 pm
 		Bristol Cathedral
 		Ordination of Kester de Oliveira
 
Sunday 6th July
 		10.30 am
 		All Saints
 		Benefice communion service
 

 		6.30 pm
 		St Mary’s
 		Choral Evensong
 

As we remember the ministry of Peter and Paul, let us pray for the ministry of all the church, in the words of the collect for Embertide:

Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 22nd June 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

“Doing Good”

‘The Acts of the Apostles was written about 100 AD, a generation after the first Gospels.  It contains stories about the growth of the church, and reflects some of the concerns they were having, as local Christian communities were becoming more established.  Yet, preserved within these chapters, there are some very early summaries of Jesus’s life.  These verses show how the earliest Christians talked about Jesus, before later refinements were made (such as we say each week in the Creed).  One important early description is found in Acts 10.38, with four different descriptions of Jesus.  Each of these captures something true about Jesus, as they experienced him in his own lifetime, and also as we experience him now.

‘God anointed Jesus with power’: yes, God’s power was evident, as he taught and as he fed people in amazing ways.  ‘Jesus healed those who were oppressed’: yes, Jesus released people trapped by illness, stigma, or lack of love.  ‘For God was with him’: yes, when we meet Jesus, we meet God. 

But my favourite phrase is this: ‘Jesus went about doing good’.  It is such a simple phrase, but it condenses into five words so much of what I believe about Jesus.  Whatever troubles he met, whoever he came across, whatever difficult circumstances he encountered, Jesus simply did good.  He made goodness happen, and not only left people in a better place – but also gave them the power to continue doing good themselves.  In our culture, being a “do-gooder” is a critical description, usually delivered with a sneer. But I don’t think it should be.  How about this wonderful quotation from a Quaker missionary, who was saying in different words what Acts 10.38 is pointing us towards:

“I shall pass this way but once.  Any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”

This Sunday’s Worship on 22nd June

8:00 – Holy Communion, All Saints

10:00 – Holy Communion,  St Mary’s

10:30 – Café Church,  All Saints

The Week Ahead

Monday 23rd  June

10.30am Tiny Tots – All Saints 

Tuesday 24th June

10:30am – M4T  – St Mary’s

Weds 25th June 

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thurs 26th June 

10:00am Holy Communion – St. Marys                           

Saturday 28th June

12:00 – 2:00pm – Saturday Lunches  – St Mary’s 

Sunday 29th June 

8:00am – BCP Holy Communion, All Saints 

10:00am – Holy Communion,  St Mary’s 

10:30am – Holy Communion,  All Saints 

Revd Bob.

Week beginning Sunday 15th June 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Trinity Sunday

Photo by Steve Sharp on Unsplash

Happy Holy Trinity Sunday! Did you know that Bristol Cathedral’s ‘name’ or dedication is “The Holy and Undivided Trinity”? I have always found it inspiring and comforting that the “mother” church of this City and the Diocese bears this name. Trinity Sunday comes straight after the feasts of Pentecost and the Ascension. In many ways bringing full circle the whole theological journey that Christians live from the beginning of creation, through Jesus’ life and death and resurrection to the sending of the Spirit. It is when we celebrate all that is unique about the Christian faith. And it is a unique and radical claim that God can be both one and three all at the same time. That we can know God in all ways simultaneously, and experience God in this dynamic relationship of God who creates, redeems and sustains us in one community and one communion. A day when we sing three fold “Holy! Holy! Holy!”

Sunday 15th June

Our worship is:

10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Marys

10.30am – Holy Communion with Hymns – All Saints

The Week Ahead

Monday 16th June

10.30am Tiny Tots – All Saints

Tuesday 17th June

10:30am – M4T – St Mary’s

Weds 18th June

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints

Thurs 19th June

10:00 Holy Communion – St. Marys

Saturday 21st June

12.00 – 2:00pm – Saturday Lunches – St Mary’s

Sunday 22nd June

8:00 – Holy Communion – All Saints

10:00 – Holy Communion -St Mary’s

10:30 – Café Church – All Saints

Blessings

Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 8th June 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Pentecost – Come Holy Spirit

This Sunday, we remember the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first disciples, equipping them with courage, unity, and a new language of love to proclaim the gospel to all nations. It was not the end of the story, but the beginning—the birth of the Church.  

As an Ordinand, walking this journey of discernment and formation, I am struck with how Pentecost reminds us that ministry is not something we take up alone. It is God’s Spirit who calls, who equips, and who sends. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters of creation now dwells in each of us, empowering us to live as Christ’s body in the world.  

What might it look like to truly open ourselves to the Spirit’s work in our lives and in our communities? Where is God inviting us to speak hope, act justly, and love boldly?  

With three different styles of Worship this Sunday, we hope that you can join us at one of them.  

This Sunday 8th June – Pentecost 

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints 

10.00am – Holy Communion, St Marys 

10:30am – Messy Muddy Church, All Saints 

19:15pm – Generations – All Saints Link 

The week ahead 

Monday 9th June

10.30am Tiny Tots – All Saints 

Tuesday 10th June

10:30am – M4T – ST Mary’s
Weds 11th June

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 
Thurs 12th June

10:00 Holy Communion – St. Marys 
Friday 13th June

12.30 – Activate concert by “Now and Then” 
Saturday 14th June

12.00 – 13:30pm – Saturday Lunches – St Mary’s 

Next Sunday 15th June

10:00am – Holy Communion – St Mary’s 
10:30am – Holy Communion – All Saints 

Come, Holy Spirit.  

Fill the hearts of your people and kindle in us the flame of your love. Renew your Church and send us out in the power of your Spirit, to the glory of your name.   

Amen  

 With every blessing,  

Charlie Blackett  

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

Week beginning Sunday 1st June 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday falls between Ascension day where we contemplate Jesus’s ascension to the Father and the events of Pentecost. The disciples and his followers are left confused and emotionally drained, having lived through weeks of promise, despair, fear and rejoicing, and now their beloved leader is leaving them. But he promises the Comforter-an agent who will connect and witness to each all who believe..

Those first followers wouldn’t have fully understood what was going to happen. The Spirit of God has previously been attached to specific events rather than interacting with all believers. This would be a new level of personal, intimate connection.

In this week’s Gospel Jesus talks of the destruction of divisions, the erasing of barriers. He and the Father are one, and they in turn enfold us into their intimacy of relationships when we accept Jesus as Christ. 

The writer, theologian and Franciscan priest Richard Rohr wrote in his book The Divine Dance of his concept of the Trinity as a constantly fluid dance of equality and love with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This vibrant living and harmonious dance is not one of exclusion, but inclusion, and we are invited to join in. When we do we become connected to the dynamic spiritual reality of this inter-relationship.

THIS SUNDAY – 1ST JUNE (7TH SUNDAY OF EASTER)

10.00am    Creative Church -St. Mary’s

10.30am       Holy Communion – All Saints

6.30pm       Evensong – St. Mary’s

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday 2nd June

10.30am – Tiny Tots -All Saints Community Hall

5.15pm – Squirrels – All Saints Community Hall

6.15pm – Beavers – All Saints Community Hall

Tuesday 3rd June

10.30am – M4T – St. Mary’s Parish Room

Wednesday 4th June

9.00am – Celtic Morning Prayers – All Saints Church

Thursday 5th June

10.00pm – Holy Communion – St. Mary’s Church  

6.30pm – Cubs – All Saints Community Hall

8.00pm – Scouts -All Saints Community Hall  

Friday 6th June

11.00am – Living after Loss -St. Mary’s Parish Room

Saturday 7th June

10.00am – Coffee Morning & Repair Cafe – All Saints Church

12.00pm – Saturday Lunches – St. Mary’s Church

Next Sunday – 8th June (Pentecost)

8.00am – Holy Communion – All Saints Church

10.00am – Holy Communion – St. Mary’s Church

10.30am – Messy Muddy Church – All Saints Church

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore. Amen

 

Blessings

 

Fr Kester de Oliveira