Jesus said: 'You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste how can its saltiness be restored?’ Matthew 5:13 Greetings in the love of Christ! Salt! What would fish and chips be without salt and vinegar? I tend to like my food more salty than Mark, so I was pleased the other day when he told me he’d added salt to the rice we were having with our chickpea curry. And the accompanying poppadoms were deliciously salty too. Salt is a key flavouring in bread and we notice when someone’s left it out. I am writing this email with a heavy heart because our source of the most delicious bread for the past thirty years has come to an end. The Cottage Bakery in Downend has closed due to 'low customer numbers and running costs exceeding customer sales’. Those Chelsea buns, those epic farmhouse whites… What a loss! So today we walked around St.George looking for a new bakery and chose loaves from Brizzle Born and Bread and Orchard instead. (Sourdough seems to be the ‘in' thing…)
All Saints Family Cafe is just gearing up for half term week and I’m looking forward to helping children with cooking. Amy, our co-ordinator, has a passion for encouraging the children to be adventurous in choosing spices and flavours to add to their cooking. When Jesus encouraged his disciples to be like salt and light what did he mean? Well, in Judaism, salt was a symbol of covenant. Love, mercy, and justice are key covenant flavourings - they enhance and should pervade our relationship with God and one another. How can we add those ingredients as we go through our day with the people we work with and meet, I wonder - or where might we notice their presence or absence? Let’s pray we won't be bland or sour today, but be salty and sweet to the glory of God - building up our neighbours in love and joy! (Sorry if that was a bit cheesy - though, cheese is salty too.)
Sunday Worship February 5th: 3rd Sunday before Lent Readings: Isaiah 58: 1 - 12; 1 Corinthians 2: 1 - 12; Matthew 5: 13 - 20.
10:00am | Creative Church - on the theme of Forgiveness - at St Marys |
10:30am | Holy Communion at All Saints |
6:30pm | Choral Evensong at St. Marys |
Worship in the coming week and next Sunday…
Weds 8th Feb | 9:00am | Celtic Morning Prayer | Contact Diane for venue |
Thurs 9th Feb | 10:00am | Holy Communion | St Mary's Church |
Sun 12th Feb | 8:00am | Holy Communion | All Saints Church |
| 10:00am | Sung Holy Communion | St Mary's Church |
| 10:30am | Messy Muddy Church | All Saints Church |
| 19:15pm | Generations Youth Group | All Saints Church |
Lent is approaching and so are our Lent courses…
We will be having 2 lent groups this year. We hope to host 2 groups across the benefice, with one on the Tuesday evening and the other during the afternoon on a Wednesday. We are going to use the material “HOLY HABITS” which is produced by Bible Reading Fellowship.
Thank you for 10 amazing years, Revd Lizzie!
Last week we gave thanks for Revd Lizzie’s tenth anniversary of ministry among us as our Benefice Vicar.
Jonathan Gazeley designed and presented Lizzie with a specially carved and engraved candle holder in appreciation of the light and joy Lizzie has shared among us all - in leading worship and serving the community of Fishponds.
Lizzie in turn wishes us to know how much she appreciated the celebration and how much she enjoys serving among her flock!
God bless you for many more years into the future, Revd Lizzie!
Jesus said: You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 Rev'd Diane Rev'd Diane Simms
Assistant Curate Benefice of All Saints and St. Mary Fishponds
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