Dear All Saints and St Marys
Blessings
Today is the feast of Ignatius of Loyola – who lived in 1491-1556 in Spain. He is perhaps famously known for his “Spiritual Exercises” something that has become a meditative practice for some Christians for the last 500 years. People go away for whole weeks and sometimes months to learn this Christian spiritual rhythm. At first glance I had always assumed that Ignatius had always been this calm and peaceful presence, someone who offered wisdom and serenity “on tap”. Yet when reading about his life I discovered that he was a military man, and a very competitive one. In fact part of his transformation from warrior to saint was because when injured during battle he ended up recuperating and bored. (Getting better can be very boring!) And so he asked for books about knights and battles to read. The place he was staying only had books about Jesus and all the Saints and so Ignatius read them instead. He became hooked on the saints and his competitive nature meant that he practiced beating the saints at their spiritual discipline (the irony!) and in that found a sense of peace that he had never known before. He founded the Society of Jesus - their more popular name is the Jesuits.
He was both called and changed. I hope that we might be too.
Our worship this week is as follows
THIS WEEKEND - Sunday 1st August - Ninth Sunday after Trinity
10.30am Celebration Holy Communion at All Saints - with Revd Diane leading and Revd Lizzie preaching and celebrating.
There will be Junior Church at this service and so a chance for children to be taught and nurtured and parents to stay in church.
1pm – Baptism at St Marys – Florence Hall
6.30pm Celebration of Holy Communion at St Mary’s -
with Revd Janey leading and celebrating. Revd Diane deaconing and Revd Lizzie preaching - this will be posted live on the St Marys Facebook page.
Here are this week’s Roots at Home and Activity sheets and copies of the readings for Sunday.
Weekly sheets can be found at the end of this message where you will find information about the coming week and also people to pray for.
Please do continue to pray for the people of these parishes, the All Saints Family Cafe, those who have been married recently and those who are newly baptised.
Blessings
Lizzie
Revd Lizzie Kesteven
Vicar of All Saints Church and St Marys Church, Fishponds
Interim Co Area Dean of Bristol City Deanery
Advisor for Spirituality and Spiritual Direction for Bristol Diocese
0117 9650856
07973917720