Tag: Christmas

Week beginning Sunday 30th November 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Uncategorized, Weekly Info
“Grocery Store at Christmas” by Michael Kappel, CC BY-NC 2.0

Dear Friends in Christ,

Supermarkets are a constant pointer to what time of year it is. The cycle from season to season seems to get swifter and also increasingly blurred. 

We’ve had Halloween, with every possible opportunity taken to shove witches and skeletons onto anything. Some of the items are creative and entertaining, but its created a massive selling opportunity completely out of proportion to the event itself. And of course, the moment its done there’s Christmas merchandise in all its forms, only punctuated by the massive hype around the recent growth of Black Friday (and I’m no more immune to this particular hype than anyone else-the temptation to score that bargain that I don’t actually need is very alluring).

But what of Christmas? What are we actually encouraged to engage with over the next 4 weeks is the season of Advent? Most people’s only contact with Advent is via the plethora of admittedly lush Advent calendars. There’s nothing wrong with this, but surely the season of Advent is more than this.

Advent’s a period of reflection. It’s a thoughtful, positive anticipation, the excitement of Christmas set alongside the invitation to see beyond the busyness and prepare us to meet with God and truly rejoice with arrival of Christmas as we celebrate the birth9 of Jesus.

This Sunday – the 1st Sunday of Advent (30th November)

8:00am Holy Communion (BCP) – All Saints

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

4:30pm Christingle Service – All Saints

The Week Ahead

Mon 1st Dec

10:30am Tiny Tots – All Saints

Tue 2nd Dec

10:30am M4T – St. Mary’s Parish Rooms

Wed 3rd Dec

9:00am Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints

Thu 4th Dec

10:00am Holy Communion – St. Mary’s

Fri 5th Dec

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

Sat 6th Dec

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

11:00am Christmas Fair – St Mary’s

Next Sunday Second of Advent (7th Dec) 

10:00am Toy service with Guides & Brownies – St. Mary’s

10:30am Holy Communion – All Saints

10:30am Junior Church – All Saints

6:30pm Advent Sequence – St. Mary’s

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 19th January 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This Sunday, we reach the centre point of the Epiphany season. It is a season when we remember the way Jesus was revealed to the world. This week we reach what John refers to as the first of Jesus’ signs. Yet all our readings through Epiphany are signs that point to Jesus. The gifts of the magi, the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism, the power of Jesus’ miracles, his fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies and his presentation at Temple all show facets of who Jesus is and why we can put our trust in him.

Our opening hymn at St Mary’s this Sunday gives a summary of this revelation or “manifestation”. Starting at Jesus’ birth, we sing of the events that we hear about in the Epiphany readings. Yet the hymn asks for more than just “Songs of thankfulness and praise”. It prays that we may learn more of Christ from the bible and that we grow to be more like him in all we say, do and are. 

This Sunday morning, we have chances to reflect on these themes with Holy Communion at St Mary’s at 10.00 and at All Saints at 10.30. In the evening, there is the Epiphany carol service at St Mary’s at 6.30. This gives the following services for this Sunday 19th January:

10.00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
10.30 amAll SaintsHoly Communion
6.30 pmSt Mary’sEpiphany carols

During the week, we have our normal midweek services with Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints on Wednesday at 9.00 am and Holy Communion at St Mary’s on Thursday at 10.00 am.

Next week follows our normal fourth Sunday pattern, with Holy Communion at All Saints at 8.00 am and at St Mary’s at 10.00 am. At 10.30 am at All Saints we have our café church, where we will be continuing our look at Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. This week’s theme is salvation, which Paul writes about in chapters 3 and 4.

This gives the following Services for the coming week:

Wednesday 22nd9.00 amAll SaintsCeltic morning prayer
Thursday 23rd10.00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
Sunday 26th8.00 amAll SaintsHoly Communion (said)
 10.00 amSt Mary’sHoly Communion
 10.30 amAll SaintsCafé Church

So, as we start a new week, let us pray that we can see that revelation of Christ and follow in his way, using the words of Christopher Wordsworth’s hymn:

Grant us grace to see thee, Lord,
Mirrored in thy holy word.
May we imitate thee now,
And be pure, as pure art thou.
That we like to thee may be
At thy great Epiphany,
And may praise thee, ever blest,
God in Man made manifest.

Yours in Christ

Mark

Week beginning Sunday 5th January 2025

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Epiphany

I am very fond of the season of Epiphany which comes straight after Christmas. I have pondered why this is and have come up with three reasons “I love Epiphany”

1) It feels like you get all the joy of Christmas with a little less of the stress! 

2) Its just a lovely word to say, with all the lovely “ph” sounds it rolls off the tongue!

3) It connects us deeply to our Eastern Christian Heritage that has so many riches.

So this week, we begin our Epiphany journey, as the church begins to grapple with and wonder at the God who is made manifest, real, visible in the baby of the manger. As the Magi make their appearance, having travelled far and for so long. As we learn of the tyranny of rulers and the burden of being a refugee. I invite us all to enjoy deeply this Epiphany season, so that it might bring us healing, perspective and joy.

This Sunday 5th January our worship is as follows

10am – Creative Church – Theme “East” – St Marys

10.30am – Holy Communion with Band and Junior Church – All Saints

6.30pm – Sung Holy Communion for Epiphany – St Marys

THE WEEK AHEAD

Weds 8th Jan  

9:00am –  Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thursday 9th Jan

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

Friday 10th Jan

1:00pm – 2:00pm – Lunchtime Concert – Kookie Yukes – St Marys

Saturday 11th Jan

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

Sunday 12th Jan        

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints 

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

10:30am – Muddy Church – All Saints 

7:15pm – Generations – All Saints Link

Epiphany Collect to ponder – till we see each other

O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may at last behold your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Blessings for 2025

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 22nd December 2024

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

This week we celebrate the last Sunday of Advent and that leads us into the full wonder of Christmas. The readings take on the focus of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her magnificent song which declares the reshaping of God’s world, and how we are all invited to be drawn closer to the crib of creation. God’s story unfolds in the most unassuming and unexpected people. As Rachel Mann , theologian, remarks

“God calls the unlikely, and Mary joins a long line of those who will take their place in God’s wondrous work of transformation.’

A peasant girl who gives birth to a peasant king. 

Gods call is universal, one for all people. It is the message of hope that kindles its place in the soul of humanity. It is the great triumph of truth, love and hope and one that the world craves to hear and that we wonder at as we sit with candles, sing with carols and relearn again how God intends the world to be. 

It is the way of community, it is the message of the church, it is our hope. So come and celebrate with us in the multiple different services to listen again to the word made flesh, a song of humanity. A song of joy.

WORSHIP THIS WEEK

SUNDAY – 22nd DECEMBER

8am – BCP Holy Communion – All Saints

10am – Sung Holy Communion – St Marys

10.30am – Holy Communion with Hymns – All Saints

6.30pm – Carols by Candlelight – St Marys

CHRISTMAS EVE – 24th December

4pm- Family Carols and Christingle – St Marys

7.30pm – Carols by Candlelight – All Saints

11.30pm – Midnight Mass – St Marys

CHRISTMAS DAY – 25th December

10am – All Age Family Communion – St Marys

10.30 – All Age Family Communion – All Saints

Next Week

Sunday 29th December – BENEFICE SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION – ALL SAINTS

Blessings this Christmas.

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 15th December 2024

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Rejoice in the Lord Always

Happy Gaudete! What a great word to say and reflect on. It is a word that has been set to many a tune, but the one that always springs to my mind is the Steeleye Span 80’s version – a gift of an earworm for your weekend!

Here in the middle of Advent the season makes a slight change of step. This Sunday coming has been known as Gaudete Sunday – a word that means “Rejoice”. The pink candle on the advent ring is lit. It marks a moment when our eyes can see in the faint distance the manger that we are asked to move towards in order to wonder at the gift of Jesus that God brings us all at Christmas. 

“Rejoice” is the word that springs from one of the readings that we are given this Sunday – St Paul in his letter to the Philippians says this

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

It is an encouragement that despite the darkness that enfolds us that in everything by prayer we can bring our needs to God, and to be assured that the Lord is near and to be gentle with each other. Amongst the fever of Christmas preparations, I want to continue to cling to Advent, to stay in that place a little while longer in this season. Yet the call is to keep going, step by step, till we finally arrive prayerfully able to give over all that we need to God who comes to love the world. 

We have the joy of being able to welcome the Bishop of Bristol, Bishop Viv, to celebrate holy communion and preach at 10am at St Marys. Our rejoicing continues at All Saints in the afternoon at 4.30pm with our children sharing with us the Nativity. Both services full of the glimpses of hope, love and rejoicing that we are called to be part of. Bring yourselves, your families, your neighbours and friends to rejoice and join in the joy.

Worship – Sunday 15th December

8:00am Holy Communion – All Saints

10:00am     Sung Holy Communion with Bishop Viv– St. Mary’s

(10:30am    Rehearsal for the Nativity– All Saints)

4:30pm     Nativity Service – All Saints

THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 16th December

10:30am Tiny Tots Christmas Party 

7:30pm – Advent Group 

Weds 18th December

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

12:00pm – Funeral of David Godfrey 

6:00pm – Fishponds School Carol Service 

Thursday 19th December

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

11:00am – Advent Group – St Mary’s

Saturday 21st December

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

1:00pm – D&D fundraiser “Yuletide Ball”– All Saints  

Sunday 22nd December

8.00am – Holy Communion BCP – All Saints 

10:00am Sung Holy Communion – St Marys 

10.30am Holy Communion– All Saints 

18.30 – Carols by Candlelight – St Mary’s 

In gentle prayer

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 8th December 2024

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info
“Ugolino di Nerio or / tai / eller Ugolino da Siena (1295?-1337?/1347?): Saint John the Baptist / Johannes Kastaja / Johannes Döparen” by Finnish National Gallery is marked with CC0 1.0.

PLEASE NOTE:   St Mary’s Fair which was due to have taken place on Saturday 7th, but which had to be postponed due to the severe weather, will be rescheduled and the new date advertised in due course.

On this 2nd Sunday of Advent our attention is drawn to the prophetic voice of both Micah from the Old Testament and John the Baptist. It is also a Sunday when the advent theme of “Peace” is forefront.  Prophets often come as messengers, but they are not necessarily associated with being peaceful. I doubt that the company of John or Micah would have been comfortable, with their message of repentance and a promise of God who will act like a refiners fire!

However, it is a reminder to me that peace is hard won, however uncomfortable that may be. That the deep work of God that is needed in each of us even as it calls us to a place that can feel difficult and challenging. How can that be a good thing? What is God doing in this?  I hold to the knowledge that each of us is made in the image of God. That God works on us, and keeps working on us, because God loves us. God is never done with me or you. In that way I believe we will arrive with God, ourselves and others at a place which is refined as like gold and silver.

A prose that I came across this week by Casey Overton and is one I have found helpful for Advent – I offer it to you.

Advent is an irrational commitment to a better future.
Advent is a protest demand.
Advent is still believing we are loved even when we have forgotten what love feels like.
The scriptures cannot promise us smooth pathways nor can they entitle us to happiness.
Instead, we are given recipes for the audacity to await our collective salvation even from the brink of death.

May we know God’s prophetic call to peace.

This weekend’s worship offering.

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints

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

10:30am – Service of the Word– All Saints (Link)  and Nativity Rehearsal (Church)

7:15pm – Generations – Christmas Treats – All Saints

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday 9th Dec    

10:30am – Tiny Tots Christmas Party – All Saints 

7:30pm – Advent Home Group 

Tuesday 10th Dec  

10:30am – M4T Christmas Party – St Mary’s 

Wednesday 11th Dec

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

2:00pm-3:30pm – Advent Group – St Mary’s

Thursday 12th Dec

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

Friday 13th Dec

1:00pm – Concert – St Mary’s

All Day – Briarwood School – All Saints

Saturday 14th Dec

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

Sunday 15th Dec

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints 

10:00am – Holy Communion with Bishop Viv– St Marys 

4.30pm – All Saints Nativity Service 

A reminder that next Sunday (15th Dec) is All Saints Nativity in the afternoon – please donate toys that are given to children who do not receive much at Christmas.

Blessings and Peace

Revd Lizzie

Week beginning Sunday 1st December 2024

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

Advent Sunday

Photo by Alda González-Cuevas on Unsplash

With trepid anticipation I have been waiting for something to arrive in the post for the last few weeks, and when it finally did a few days ago, I was as excited as a small child who waits for Christmas. The object of my eager longing – a new diary. 

Each year the church starts again at Advent. Not January, or New Year, but Advent. This is when the new diaries, new lectionaries, new readings all start over. For me the arrival of a new diary is a chance to start again, with good intentions, that my new diary will not end up as haphazard, dilapidated, worn and scribbled on as last years. I am just as hopeful this year as I look at my well kept new diary, with entries in December looking neat and ordered.

As we begin Advent, we are asked to begin again. To start afresh with God. To come with all the hopes, dreams, worries and fears and lay them out to the Almighty. A spiritual cleaning is asked of us. I find that not only a good thing to do, but an essential thing for my soul. It helps me get things in order, builds a healthy spiritual perspective and confronts me with my need to listen more attentively to God, in worship, in Advent Groups, in fellowship at special services. Starting Advent well, like any new year gives sustenance for all that lies ahead.

I hope and pray that as we start Advent together, you are as expectant and excited as I am.

Our worship this weekend helps us to enter into that space of listening to God afresh – everyone is welcome to join us at all or any of them.

WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND – SUNDAY 1st DECEMBER

10:00am – St Marys – Toy Service – Guides and Brownies

10.30am – All Saints – Advent Holy Communion with Band and Junior Church

6.30pm – Advent Candlelit Service

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday 2nd Dec  

10:30am – Tiny Tots – All Saints 

Tuesday 3rd Dec

10:30am – M4T  – St Mary’s

Weds 4th Dec

9:00am – Celtic Morning Prayer – All Saints 

Thursday 5th Dec

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

Friday 6th Dec

11:00am – Living After Loss – St Marys

Saturday 7th Dec

11:00am – 2:00pm  – St Mary’s Christmas Fair  

Sunday 8th Dec

8:00am – Holy Communion – All Saints 

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

10:30am – Service of the Word and Nativity Rehearsal – All Saints 

7:15pm – Generations – All Saints 

God of hope, who brought love into this world, be the love that dwells between us. God of hope, who brought peace into this world, be the peace that dwells between us. God of hope, who brought joy into this world, be the joy that dwells between us. God of hope, the rock we stand upon, be the centre, the focus of our lives always, and particularly this Advent time Amen

Blessings

Revd Lizzie

Christmas 2023

On By Sam ToogoodIn Weekly Info

You may have noticed that ‘Follow the Star: Join the Song’ has been the Church of England’s Christmas theme for 2023. Our choirs at All Saints and St.Mary’s have enjoyed singing ‘The First Nowell’ to a lively new tune by Bob Chilcott.

Our carol services often draw the biggest attendances of the year. Carol-singing, whether in church or around the Yew tree (at All Saints), helps many people draw closer to God and each other through the journey from Advent to Epiphany.

One highpoint this year was when Years 3 and 4 from Fishponds Church of England Academy held their carol service at St.Mary’s. Children as young as 8 sang solo verses in Silent Night and Away in a Manger in front of a large audience. Their poise and confidence were no doubt mixed with trepidation – but the point is, they clearly enjoyed communicating the Christmas story through singing it.

Each year particular lines in carols stand out, according to whatever is going on in our personal lives, or in the world at large. Even words from a children’s carol ‘Don’t give up now, little donkey, Bethlehem’s in sight,’ may resonate with anyone studying hard to obtain a qualification in order to follow their chosen career path.

Some folks will reach Christmas Day noticing the absence of a loved one at the table, others will be rejoicing in the arrival of a new baby. In each case the words ‘And He feeleth for our sadness and He shareth in our gladness’ (from Once in Royal) may ring true.

Finally – and so significant for our times – there are lines containing an urgent call to peace. ‘O hush the noise ye men of strife and hear the angels sing!’ (It Came upon the Midnight Clear).

I wonder which carol lines have stood out or helped you this year? Why not share them (better still, sing them!) around the Christmas dinner table between courses – after the cracker jokes have been told.

Across the Benefice our worship continues through 23rd, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the rest of December with the following services. Everyone is very welcome and we hope you will find something suitable, as we welcome the Christ-Child – God with us.

SERVICES ON 23rd DECEMBER, 24TH CHRISTMAS EVE and 25TH CHRISTMAS DAY

AT ST MARY’S, MANOR ROAD, FISHPONDS

23rd Dec4.00pmSaturdayFamily Carols and Christingle
24th Dec10.00amSundayAdvent 4 Holy Communion
24th Dec11.30pmSundayMidnight Mass for Christmas
25th Dec10.00amMondayAll Age Communion

AT ALL SAINTS, GROVE ROAD, FISHPONDS

24th Dec8.00amSundaySaid Holy Communion Advent 4
24th Dec10.30amSundayAdvent 4 Morning Worship
24th Dec7.30pmSundayCarols by Candlelight
25th Dec10.30amMondayAll Age Communion (bring a present to show everyone)

UPCOMING SERVICES AND EVENTS

28th December to Sunday 31st December

Thurs 28thSt Mary’s10.00amHoly Communion
Saturday 30thSt Mary’s9-11amFamily Breakfast
Saturday 30thSt Mary’s12-2pmSaturday Lunches
Sunday 31stAll Saints8.00amBCP Holy Communion
Sunday 31stSt Mary’s10.00amJoint Benefice Holy Communion
NOTE: At All Saints there will be no Celtic Prayers at 9am on Wed 27th December
NOTE: At All Saints there will be no 10.30am service on Sunday 31st December because we are all worshipping together at St.Mary’s at 10am instead.

Whichever services you attend, we hope that you will enjoy hearing and singing the Christmas story afresh, and find time to pause and to wonder.

May the Christ-Child fill your heart and home with the melody of his love.

Wishing you Christmas Love, Joy and especially Peace!

Revd Diane – with Revd Lizzie, Revd Kester and Mark LLM

Posadas have been hosting Mary and Joseph

Mary and Joseph have been on their way (by donkey) to Bethlehem starting at Advent and lasting to Epiphany. Thank you to all who created and passed on the figures. They have found room at the inns of: Fishponds CE Academy, Quarry Court, New Pooles Lodge, Purdy Court and several homes of parishioners. Last Sunday during Creative Church Baby Jesus figures were made and added to the kits.

PLEASE COULD MARY AND JOSEPH RETURN HOME WITH THEIR POSADA KIT TO ST.MARY’S ON OR BEFORE SUNDAY 7TH JANUARY 2024.

THANK YOU! We look forward to reading your journal reflections for Mary and Joseph’s stays.

Christmas at St Mary’s 2019

On By Sam ToogoodIn Uncategorized

We have quite a number of events at St Mary’s this Christmas. Here is a list. All events are at St Mary’s unless otherwise indicated. More details to follow.

1st Dec: Advent Carols Service 6.30pm

7th Dec: Christmas Fair 11am-2pm

22nd Dec: Carols by Candlelight 6.30pm

24th Dec: Family Carols  4pm

24th Dec: Midnight Mass 11.30pm

25th Dec: Christmas Day 10am Communion Family Service

29th Dec: East Bristol Partnership Service at All Saints Church 10.15am