Dear All Saints and St Marys
This week we are having a slight change of format and are meeting on Zoom at 10am rather than a live broadcast. Its our café church week and we are starting to look at prayer – “How do I Pray?” I have just finished the title for the reflection tomorrow – How many elephants can you fit in one zoom / room?
There will be a service of prayers and readings with a talk and some questions in the breakout rooms. If you haven’t tried it before then I encourage you to give it a go if you can. It’s been a really joyous and fun and worshipful way to be with each other. There is no need to have read any of the café church book beforehand, but if you need or want a copy of Pete Grieg “How to Pray” then let me know.
This week also is the start of Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday. There will be a variety of different ways in which we can worship that day, with zoom morning prayers, led prayers and worship in the churches and also a broadcast. However, although there will be times at both churches when there is a service of morning prayer and night prayer that people will be very welcome at in our church buildings, I have discerned with the current issues particular to BS16 around Covid, that we will continue to fast from celebrating Holy Communion together. There will be a filmed service of some of our children exploring what Lent means, with fire and ash for people to watch and also an opportunity to collect ash for the broadcast in the evening if people wish to be at home. I will send another email Tuesday with a personal message as well.
As well as a Lent Group starting online on Wednesday Evenings there will also be an opportunity to join Evening Prayer each week on a Friday at 6.30pm. A chance with others through prayer to give to God the week that has been and look to the change of pace for the weekend.
Services this week
Sunday 14th February 10am:
Service of the word - Cafe Church “How to Pray”
ZOOM - The order of service is here.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 929 4208 7697 - Passcode: 872238
Also we will continue with our coffee and chat space at 11.30am on Sundays. The link for that is at the end of this message.
Monday 15th February 8:15am:
Morning prayer via Zoom Contact Carla for the meeting details.
ASH WEDNESDAY - -Wednesday 17th February
9am: Celtic Prayers via Zoom Contact Mark for the meeting details
10am – 11am - All Saints open for private prayer and collection of Ashes
10am - 11am – St Marys open for a led service of Morning Prayer with Ashing.
8pm – All Saints open for an “Ash and Light” service of the word with led prayers, readings a sermon and ashing – this will also be broadcast.
*Please note that we will all mark ourselves during this Ash Wednesday services*
Thursday 18th February 10:00–11:00am
St Mary’s open for private prayer
Friday 19th February: 6.30pm – 7:00pm
Evening Prayer on Zoom – Led by Sharon Gleed. Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 929 4208 7697 - Passcode: 872238
Sunday 21st February
Broadcast Service from All Saints (TBC)
Attached are the notice sheets for the week:
All Saints
St Mary's
the zoom service for Sunday that you can print off, and some materials for the week via the
Roots Website, including an activity sheet for all ages to use to help explore and pray with.
Coffee and Chat for Sunday 14th at 11.30pm
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 922 2627 5253 - Passcode: 200369
Fun Fact!
Tomorrow is also Valentines Day! Valentine (well in fact there were 2 – one a bishop, the other a priest) were both martyred in the very early days of the church in the 3rd Century. However the beginnings of the custom to make declarations of love on this day came much later when John Donne wrote a marriage poem for the Princess Elizabeth and Fredrick V in 1632. The two became then merged together and the tradition of sending gifts arose.
May we continue to recognise the call of God to love one another as God has loved us. To pray for one another and to speak of the good news of Jesus Christ.
Blessings
Lizzie
Revd Lizzie Kesteven
0117 9650856
07973917720