He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. Hebrews 1:3 NRSV

Dear All Saints and St Mary's

This Sunday, we start a series of readings that will take us through the Letter to the Hebrews in the next seven weeks. This great exposition of the centrality and uniqueness of Jesus, feels more like a sermon than a letter. It exhorts its hearers to be faithful to Christ, despite difficulties and persecution, because Christ is so much more than any of the leaders or heroes of the past. Christ became like us, 'a little lower than the angels', so that we might become like him, his brothers and sisters, children of the same Father. Jesus is the pioneer of our faith, the one who has gone before us and the one whom we follow.

This Sunday, we have three services, at which we can concentrate our focus on Jesus and strengthen our commitment to walk in his way. There is Creative Church at St Mary's at 10.00 am and Holy Communion at All Saints at 10.30 am. At 6.30 pm at St Mary's we have Choral Evensong, at which we will be celebrating the Dedication Festival. This gives the following services for this Sunday:

10.00 am St Mary's Creative Church 10.30 am All Saints Holy Communion6.30 pm St Mary’s Choral Evensong

We have our usual midweek services, with Celtic Morning Prayer on Wednesday at 9.00 am at All Saints and Holy Communion on Thursday at 10.00 am at St Mary's. Next Sunday follows our usual second Sunday pattern, with said Holy Communion at 8.00 am at All Saints, Holy Communion at 10.00 at St Mary's and Messy/Muddy Church at 10.30 am at All Saints. This gives the following services for the week ahead: 

Wednesday 9th 9.00 am All Saints Celtic morning prayer
Thursday 10th 10.00 am St Mary's Holy Communion 

Sunday 13th 

8.00 am All Saints Holy Communion (said)
10.00 am St Mary's Holy Communion
10.30 am All Saints Messy/Muddy Church

As we start on this journey through the Letter to the Hebrews, let us pray for the grace to trust Christ and turn to him afresh each day, in the words of the collect for this Sunday:

Faithful Lord, 
whose steadfast love never ceases
and whose mercies never come to an end:
grant us the grace to trust you
and to receive the gifts of your love,
new every morning,
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Yours in Christ

Mark