Mary leads us into ChristmasDear All Saints and St MarysThis 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 weekSunday 22nd December8am - BCP Holy Communion - All Saints10am - Sung Holy Communion - St Marys10.30 - Holy Communion with Hymns - All Saints6.30pm - Carols by Candlelight - St MarysChristmas Eve - 24th December4pm- Family Carols and Christingle - St Marys7.30pm - Carols by Candlelight - All Saints11.30pm - Midnight Mass - St MarysChristmas Day - 25th December10am - All Age Family Communion - St Marys10.30 - All Age Family Communion - All SaintsSunday 29th DecemberBenefice service of Holy Communion - All SaintsBlessings this Christmas.Revd Lizzie
Rejoice in the Lord alwaysDear All Saints and St Mary'sHappy 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 December8am Holy Communion – All Saints10am Sung Holy Communion with Bishop Viv– St. Mary’s4.30pm Nativity Service – All SaintsThe week aheadMon 16th 10.30am Tiny Tots Christmas Party - All Saints7.30pm Advent GroupWeds 18th 9:00am Celtic Morning Prayer - All Saints12 noon Funeral of David Godfrey - St. Marys6.00pm. Fishponds School Carol ServiceThursday 19th 10:00am Holy Communion - St. Mary’s11am - Advent GroupSaturday 21st 12.00noon - 2:00pm Saturday Lunches - St Mary’s 1.00pm - 6.00pm D&D fundraiser “Yuletide Ball” -All SaintsSunday 22nd 8.00am - Holy Communion BCP - All Saints10:00am Sung Holy Communion - St Marys10.30am Holy Communion - All Saints 18.30 - Carols by Candlelight - St Marys In gentle prayerRevd Lizzie
Prophets and PeaceDear All Saints and St MarysOn 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.Sunday 8th December08.00 - 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 aheadMonday 9th 10.30am Tiny Tots Christmas - All SaintsMonday 9th 7.30pm Advent Home Group Tuesday 10th Dec 10:30am M4T Christmas Party - St Marys Weds 11th Dec 9:00am Celtic Morning Prayer - All SaintsWeds 11th Dec 2.00pm - 3-30pm Advent Group - St Marys Thursday 12th Dec 10:00am Holy Communion - St. Mary’s Friday 13th 1.00pm Concert - St MarysFriday 13th All Day - Briarwood School - All SaintsSaturday 14th Dec 12.00 – 2:00pm Saturday Lunches - St Mary’sSunday15th Dec 8.00am Holy Communion - All Saints 10:00am Holy Communion with Bishop Viv - St Marys 4.30pm Nativity Service - All SaintsA 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 PeaceRevd Lizzie
A Brand New Year - Happy AdventDear All Saints and St MarysWith 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 10am - St Marys - Toy Service - Guides and Brownies10.30 - All Saints - Advent Holy Communion with Band and Junior Church6.30pm - Advent Candlelit ServiceThe week aheadMonday 2nd Dec 10.30am Tiny Tots - All SaintsTuesday 3rd Dec 10:30am M4T - St. MarysWeds 4th Dec 9:00am Celtic Morning Prayer - All SaintsThursday 5th Dec 10:00am Holy Communion - St. Mary’sFriday 6th Dec. 11.00am Living After Loss - St MarysSaturday 7th Dec 10.00am to 12noon Coffee Morning - All SaintsSaturday 7th Dec 11.00am to 2:00pm St Mary’s Christmas FairSunday 8th December8:00am Holy Communion - All Saints10:00am Sung Holy Communion - St. Mary’s10:30am Service of the Word and Nativity Rehearsal - All Saints7:15pm Generations - All SaintsGod 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 AmenBlessingsRevd Lizzie
