Bless Dear All Saints and St Marys
Every Wednesday we gather at All Saints for a short time of prayer, bible readings and reflections. We use the Celtic Morning Prayer service that the Northumbrian Community at Iona developed. One of the prayers that we use is a Prayer of St Patrick, which is
Christ as a light illumine and guide me,
Christ as a shield overshadow me,
Christ under me, Christ over me,
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all powerful.
Be in the heart of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all powerful.
Christ as a light, Christ as a shield,
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
It is a prayer that is all encompassing, a prayer that looks to God as a source of ultimate protection and blessing. It is a prayer of dependence on God.
In this weeks reading we are invited by St Matthew into some of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It is an invitation to not worry about the things of life and to look to God. That can seem harsh and glib potentially in a world where weekly war and natural disaster inflict huge sufferings on humanity. People need food, water, shelter, clothes and medicine. To not worry about where these “things” may come from would be odd? Yet they do come. The call on the world for help, the call on our hearts from those who can, mean some of those needs being met.
Is that God providing? Or is it people responding? Or is it God’s people in this instance responding to the need of God’s people? Perhaps it is hard to separate where God’s response starts and the action of Gods people begins. I suspect they overlap, under and over, left and right, within and without as St Patrick prayed.
This week Messy Muddy Church meet at All Saints for worship at 10.30 – its a great time of creative and exploratory worship together. Bring your faith journey stick from last time, or grab another one and join the fun.
WORSHIP THIS WEEKEND – 12th FEBRUARY 2023
8am | Holy Communion | All Saints - Rev'd Lizzie |
10am | Sung Holy Communion | St Marys Rev'd Lizzie |
10:30am | Muddy Messy Church | All Saints - Muddy Church Team |
7:15pm | Generations | All Saints |
THE WEEK AHEAD
Wednesday 15st Feb | 09:00am | Celtic Morning Prayer | All Saints |
Thursday 16th Feb | 10:00am | Holy Communion | St Mary's |
Saturday 18th Feb | 12:00noon | Saturday Lunches | St Mary's |
Sunday 19th Feb | 10:00am | Sung Holy Communion with Baptism | St Mary's |
| 10:30am | Holy Communion with Rev'd Susan Allman | All Saints |
Below are the roots materials, as well as weekly sheets and notices.
Both the Bishop of Bristol and the Bishop of Swindon have responded to the Church of England’s decision to make it possible to have a service of prayer and blessing for same sex married couples. Copies of the letters are in both churches and I encourage you to read them, and please do come and speak with Rev'd Lizzie or Rev'd Diane or members of the PCC if you want to.
May the world know Gods protection and abundant love and care
Blessings
Revd 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 for Bristol Diocese
0117 9650856
07973917720
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