Dear All Saints and St Marys
Fayre and Fair. I hope you enjoyed the All Saints Fayre on Saturday.
In a mission survey at St. Mary's in May I asked this: 'If our Archbishop Justin Welby asked you what three things the national and global church should make their priorities, what would you tell him?' Among your answers I read: 'help the poor, helpless, homeless', 'respond to poverty', 'help those affected by war', 'help reduce world hunger', 'campaign to reduce family poverty, 'campaign against the reduction in overseas aid', 'Don't forget to thank God for his blessings in creation!'
Fairness and generosity are at the heart of Paul's plea to the church in Corinth in this week's New Testament reading (2 Corinthians 8:7-end). He encourages the comfortably well off among the Christians in Corinth to resource their poorer Christian brothers and sisters in Jerusalem out of their abundance. At the same time, he knows some in Corinth are less well off - it's a mixed community like Fishponds. Paul presents a very nuanced appeal. 'For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need.' (message continues below weekly details)
Sunday 27th June Fifth Sunday after Trinity
8am Holy Communion at All Saints - with Revd Janey and Revd Lizzie . You can watch the service broadcast from here - Live Broadcast - Sunday 27th June
10am Holy Communion with baptism at St Mary’s - with Revd Janey and Revd Lizzie
12noon Benefice Picnic in Vassal's Park. Meet on the field on left near entrance opposite carpark. Bring a picnic lunch, rug or chairs and wear trainers to play rounders!
Here are this week’s Roots at Home and Roots Activity sheets. (Notice Sheets at the end)
PLEASE NOTE: ST MARY'S FAIR IS POSTPONED UNTIL SAT 24TH JULY
And in the week ahead…
Wednesday 30th June
9am Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints Church
Thursday 1st July
10am Holy Communion at St Mary’s Church
NEXT Sunday 4th July
10.30am Holy Communion at All Saints with Junior Church
6pm Holy Communion (please note earlier start) at St Mary’s Church.
Diane Simms will be serving as a deacon for the first time following her ordination at the Cathedral at 10.30 on Sunday 4th July. There will also be a tea party to celebrate this moment at 5pm before the service, to share our congratulations and welcome.
(message continued from above)
Curiously, my phone app for a certain newspaper does not include its 'Inequality' and 'Global development' sections, yet I discovered them on their website. The truth is, inequality both at home in the UK and globally is a daily and grinding reality dominating many lives even though it is squirrelled away in the outer pages and searches of the news media.
This week I came across these headlines: 'UK inequalities made worse by Covid crisis, study suggests', 'UK aid cut behind $284 fall in global humanitarian spending', 'DRC is rich with farmland, so why to 22 million face starvation?', 'Vaccines and oxygen run out as third wave of Covid hits Uganda'. I read these words of a Ugandan farmer who founded Uganda Community Farm: 'A Grassroots Action on Extreme Poverty'. 'Being poor, black and from sub-Saharan Africa is the hardest thing you can ever be. But that is what I am.'
Many actions are rightly hidden (Jesus tells us not to boast about our giving, after all) , e.g. when you contribute to Christian Aid through our churches or support other charities. But please don't be afraid also to tell us more about any campaigns you are passionate about for addressing poverty and inequality e.g. via the benefice magazine. Anita is always glad to include articles about things stirring the hearts of the congregation so we keep informed and don't turn a blind eye to need.
Paul reminds the Corinthians, ' the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.' Let our gratitude to Jesus stir our action. Thanks be to God!
Diane (your almost deacon (next week at 10.30 in Bristol Cathedral). Do tune in and pray for us all). Thank you.