‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’
Mark 4.40

Dear All Saints and St Mary’s

Jesus’ rebuff of the disciples in this Sunday’s gospel reading sounds a little insensitive. Was it not obvious why they were afraid? Jesus was perfectly aware of the dangers of the storms on the lake. However, it is the disciples lack of faith, their lack of trust in him that he repeatedly disappointed him. If they really understood who he was, then they would not be afraid. In a similar way in this Sunday’s epistle, Paul tried to encourage the faith of the church in Corinth by showing how God had helped and supported him. The Christians in Corinth could trust God and be confident to live the sort of lives to which Christ was calling them. I his first letter, John told his readers that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4.18).

If we trust God and we love one another, then we can start to put the fear aside and be more open, generous, creative, and brave in the way we live out our lives. We will have more opportunities to think about this further at the 8 am service at All Saints and the 10 am service at St Mary’s.

At the 10.30 service at All Saints, we continue our look at the characters in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. I have said that these books are primarily about King David. However, there is another character, who is present throughout these books. That character, of course is God. It is David’s trust in God that is the key theme of the books. But, like all of us, David did not always know what God really wanted. When David wanted to build a temple for God in Jerusalem, God told him through the prophet Nathan, that it was not his job, but would be for his son. (You can read the story in 2 Samuel 7.1–29.) We will reflect a little on how to be more confident we are doing what God wants and how we can help others do the same.

This gives us the following services for this Sunday 23rd June:

8.00 am All Saints: Holy Communion (said)
10.00 am St Mary’s: Holy Communion
10.30 am All Saints: Café Church

In the coming week we have our normal services, with Celtic Morning Prayer at 9.00 am on Wednesday and Holy Communion at 10.00 am on Thursday. Next Saturday 29th June, Kester will be ordained as a priest in Bristol Cathedral at 3 pm. Next Sunday will be our benefice service at All Saints at 10.30 am. At this service, Kester will be presiding at the eucharist for the first time. Please remember him in your prayers. This gives the following services for the coming week:

9.00 am Wednesday 26th All Saints: Celtic morning Prayer
10.00 am Thursday 27th St Mary’s: Holy Communion
3.00 pm Saturday 29th Bristol Cathedral: Ordination

Sunday 30th June

8.00 am All Saints Holy Communion (Book of Common Prayer)
10.30 am Sunday 30th All Saints Benefice Service

We are starting a new series of sessions to prepare candidates for baptism or confirmation. For further details, speak to Revd Diane 07396732318 or Revd Lizzie [email protected]

As Kester prepares for his ordination as priest, let us pray for him and for the ministry of the whole people of God:

God our Father, Lord of all the world,
through your Son you have called us into the fellowship
of your universal Church:
hear our prayer for your faithful people
that in their vocation and ministry
each may be an instrument of your love,
and give to your servants now to be ordained
the needful gifts of grace;
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