Dear friends,I write this on International Women's Day, so want to begin by giving thanks for all the women I know, and want to invite you to do the same. Days like this, which incidentally falls between the World Day of Prayer (the annual service written by women across the world) and Mothering Sunday (where we give thanks for our Mother Church, but also celebrate those who mother us), enable us all to feel connected. Connection is part of our story as Christians - connecting to the Body of Christ, connecting with each other as a church family, connecting with the world as those created by our Creator God.This week, in light of another fatal stabbing in our beautiful city, I long for us to connect even more. The church in St Paul's hosted a community evening on Wednesday, inviting local leaders, police representatives, and members of the community - adults and children - to share their thoughts and concerns. It is heart-breaking that so many children feel that they are safer by carrying a knife, and this isn't limited to St Paul's, or Knowle West, or other places in our city that are unloved but not unlovely. These are our children, so please join me in praying for this situation, for our children, and for the message we know that is light, love and hope to be shown in our lives as we connect with others, in our every day and ordinary encounters. I'm going to continue to pray about how we might be really intentional in connecting with the needs of our beautiful city - if you have any ideas do please let me know.In the meantime, I look forward to Sunday when we gather at 8.30 for our traditional Holy Communion service, and at 10.30 for Cafe Church. There will be a gift for anyone who mothers, and everyone is invited.With every blessingBecky