Week beginning Sunday 7th September 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday’s epistle reading is taken from the shortest of all Paul’s letters. The letter to Philemon, is a very personal letter, written to a specific individual at a specific time and in a cultural and legal context far removed from our own. Yet, possibly because of that very specific context, it speaks out clearly about the Christian values of forgiveness and reconciliation.

The recipient, Philemon, is a wealthy Christian. His house has served as a meeting place for the local Christians. Like all wealthy people, he owned slaves. One of his slaves, Onesimus, had run away, possibly having stolen from Philemon. When Onesimus met Paul, Onesimus became a Christian. Paul persuaded Onesimus to live up to the social expectations of the time and return to his master Philemon. However, Paul urges Philemon not to punish Onesimus, but to welcome him back with the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation that is at the heart of the gospel. Paul also tells Philemon that, if Onesimus has stolen from Philemon, Paul will pay back what has been stolen

Although Paul does not challenge the idea of slavery in his letters, he does challenge the attitude that many slave owners had to their slaves. Onesimus was Philemon’s brother in Christ and should be treated as such. This lays a foundation for a new way of thinking about relationships. Everyone, whether the most powerful or the weakest in society is a child of God. Those with power have a responsibility to treat those weaker than themselves with the respect and dignity that God gives to every human being. That includes forgiving those seeking reconciliation and working towards a world that supports and values all. This message, rooted in the Old Testament prophets, was proclaimed by Paul and has been echoed by Christian social reformers ever since.

This Sunday we have our normal first Sunday pattern of services. There is creative church at St Mary’s at 10.00 am and Holy communion at All Saints at 10.30 am. In the evening, we have Choral Evensong at 6.30pm. This will be the start of St Mary’s Patronal Festivel, which will conclude with Holy Communion next week.

This gives the following services for this Sunday

10.00 amSt Mary’sCreative Church
10.30 amAll SaintsHoly Communion with Junior Church
6.30 pmSt Mary’sChoral Evensong

We have our usual midweek services. Next Sunday has our normal second Sunday pattern with Holy Communion at All Saints at 8.00 am and at St Mary’s at 10.00 am. At All Saints at 10.30 am will be Messy/Muddy Church. This gives the services for the coming week:

Wednesday 10th9.00 amAll SaintsCeltic Morning Prayer
Thursday 11th10.00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
Sunday 14th8.00 amAll SaintsHoly Communion (said)
 10.00 amSt Mary’sPatronal Holy Communion
 10.30 amAll SaintsMessy/Muddy Church

So remembering the call to reconciliation and forgiveness that Paul urges in his letter to Philemon, let us pray in the words of the collect for this Sunday:

God of constant mercy,
who sent your Son to save us:
remind us of your goodness,
increase your grace within us,
that our thankfulness may grow,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Yours in Christ,

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 31st August 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by James on Unsplash

I am very fond of the little snippet that comes from one of the readings for this Sunday. In the letter to the Hebrews we are invited to 

“Show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” 

Not only is there something about being abundant, without favour, in a generous way of being with people. There is also something about having that sort of experience of people who are strangers that enrich our own lives. On one very simple level, everyone we may now count as “knowing” was at some point “unknown to us” – a stranger. 

For me one of the keenest delights of life is meeting and being with people. Some of these have long and profound impacts on our lives, and some are but fleeting – yet all of them are filled with the possibility that we are in the company of angels, even if we don’t know it at the time. 

May we gather together in that same way this Sunday for worship, being hospitable to all of us as known and unknown, strangers and angels. 

Worship this weekend:

Sunday 31st August – Benefice Services

8am – BCP Holy Communion – All Saints

10.30am – Benefice Service Holy Communion at ALL SAINTS

(Please note there is no service at St Mary’s this Sunday as we worship with our sisters and brothers at All Saints)

The week ahead

Wednesday 3rd Sept

 9am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints

Thursday 4th Sept

10am – Holy Communion – St Mary’s

Friday 5th Sept

11am – Living After Loss – St Mary’s Parish rooms

Sat 6th Sept

10am – 12pm – Repair Cafe  – All Saints

12-1.30pm – Sat Lunches – St Mary’s

Sunday 7th Sept

10am – Creative Church (Forgiveness theme) – St Mary’s

10.30am – Holy Communion – All Saints

6.30pm – Choral Evensong – St Mary’s (Patronal Festival)

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 24th August 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
Photo by Ethan Robertson on Unsplash

August can be a strange month. For many it’s a time of holidays – especially those having to fit in their vacations with schools. Yet on the flip side it’s also when students get their exam results, with all the attendant worry and excitement that goes with it. It brings us this coming last Bank Holiday until Christmas. I always remember hating to see all the ‘back to school’ signs in the supermarkets reminding me that my lovely 6 week break was coming to an end!! Mind you-I’m sure a fair few parents also count those days down with anticipation! We also notice the nights starting to get dark again and the first hints of autumn.

Change-good and bad-is a fundamental part of life. No matter how hard we may fight it, we can’t avoid it. The future is something that can excite or terrify us, the past often becomes distorted through nostalgia. I now seem to view the 1980s as the best period ever simply because I was young then with hair and lots of energy. We have to be so careful that this nostalgia doesn’t blur our vision of the present and dictate how we look at the future.

In our Gospel reading this Sunday the disciples argue about which of them  would be regarded as the greatest. They’re projecting to a future they don’t understand rather than being present in that moment with Jesus. He in turn challenges their views on authority but also promises them thrones to judge alongside him-a somewhat contradictory message but one that we can unpack.

Ultimately, we can learn from them to not be defined only by our past and how that might shape our future, but to be in the present moments that’s where our life is happening now, and to not do so means we may miss the bad, but we also miss so much that’s good.

Amen

This Sunday 24 August (Bartholomew the Apostle)

8.00am – Holy Communion – All Saints

10.00am – Holy Communion – St. Mary’s

10.30am – Café Church – All Saints

The Week Ahead

Wednesday 27th August

Morning Celtic Prayer – 9.00am – All Saints Church

AA Meetings – 7.30pm – St. Mary’s Church

Thursday 28th August               

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

Friday 29th August

Living after Loss – 11.00am – St. Marys Church

Saturday 30th August

Saturday Lunches – 12noon to 1.30pm – St. Marys Church

Bishop Viv’s Farewell Service – 3.00pm.   Bristol Cathedral (Tickets required)

Next Sunday 31st August (Eleventh Sunday after Trinity)

8.00am – BCP Holy Communion – All Saints

NO 10.00am at St. Mary’s

10.30am –  Benefice 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 17th August 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday’s reading from the Letter to the Hebrews completes the story of the Old Testament heroes of faith. Last week we heard of Abraham’s faith and how he trusted in God’s promise. This week, having skipped over the epistle’s recounting of the stories of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, we have a whistle stop tour of the rest of the Old Testament. The fortunes of these people varied. Some were great kings, warriors, and judges. Some were saved from lions or enemy soldiers. Others, however, suffered mocking, poverty, imprisonment, or execution. However, all of them, through good and bad, kept their faith in God.

The letter then goes on to encourage its readers to follow the example of all those heroes that they had heard about. Whether things are going well or badly, we should persevere in the way that Jesus has set before us. We look to him, who is our example and our leader. He endured the cross, never giving up his faith in his Father or his love for all people.

We have a couple of opportunities to think more about this on Sunday:

10.00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
10:30 amAll SaintsHoly Communion

We have our usual midweek services. Next Sunday follows our usual fourth Sunday format. This gives the following services for the coming week:

Wednesday 20th August9:00 amAll SaintsCeltic morning Prayer
Thursday 21st August10:00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
Sunday 24th August8:00 amAll SaintsHoly Communion (said)
 10:00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
 10:30 amAll SaintsCafé Church

In addition, the bible book club will be looking at Nehemiah in St Mary’s parish rooms on Wednesday 20th August at 2:00 pm.

So let us pray that the faith described by the letter to the Hebrews may be seen in us:

Lord God,
your Son left the riches of heaven
and became poor for our sake:
when we prosper save us from pride,
when we are needy save us from despair,
that we may trust in you alone,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Yours in Christ

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 10th August

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Living by Faith

The word “faith” appears 7 times in the reading from the letter to the Hebrews. “Have a little faith!” is a common pronouncement when trying to encourage ourselves and others to take on something that might on paper look a little daunting but still holds hope and possibility. It is a word that is not just based on “no knowledge” but of some knowledge of the world matched with the humility that we perhaps don’t have as yet the full picture. It is to live in a way that is both hopeful and humble. The world can often feel daunting, unpredictable and strange and yet faith holds firm to the good that is desired and still to come. It is the hope of the world that God made looking ever more closely like the kingdom. One of the loveliest images of the gospel this week is that God, as creator and maker, will welcome us all to sit at table, to join the party, and that God will be both host and server at that kingdom banquet. 

May we continue to be parishes that live in that same faith, hope and humility.

This week our muddy, messy church at All Saints continues with the yearly theme of Animals and will be looking at Wild Animals of the bible – a great opportunity for all the church family to be together in prayer, worship and creativity. We also have an 8am and 10am communion across the parishes.

Services this Sunday – 10th August.

8am – Holy Communion – All Saints

10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Marys

10.30am – Muddy/Messy Church – “Wild Animal” theme

The Week Ahead

Weds 13th Aug

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thurs 14th Aug

10:00am  Holy Communion – St. Marys  

Friday 15th Aug

11.00am – Living After Loss – St Marys 

Saturday 16th Aug   

12.00 – 1:30pm – Saturday Lunches  – St Mary’s 

Sunday 17th Aug

10:00am – Holy Communion – St Marys 

10:30am – Holy Communion – All Saints

Blessings and prayers

Lizzie

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