Dear All Saints and St Marys
I was thinking a little this week about the phrase “A wing and prayer” and pondering where it came from. I have always viewed it optimistically, a sense of relying and trusting that all will be well, even if planning has gone awry. The phrase originated from an incidence when a pilot was returning from a bombing raid in WWII. He was very unsure of his chances of getting back, and so asked for prayers to get them home. The plane landed safely, and so was known as the plane that “prayed its way back”.
Prayer is the interconnecting thread of a faith community, a thread that binds us to God, and each other. It is why Christians often pray in “the power of the Holy Spirit”.
When in a small group leading some discussion based on prayer the other day, I asked everyone to think about what their favourite prayer was. It was a really insightful and felt deeply connecting and spiritually deepening as people shared what that was and why. I have lots of “favourites” so it is hard to pick one, or even a top ten. However, for me one of the prayers that we use in the church, one used this week at the funeral not only of HM Queen Elizabeth, but also of our dear friend Kay Powell, is the prayer of commendation. It is a prayer that has such certainty and assurance that whenever it is prayed, it makes me feel deeply thankful for my Christian faith. I offer this prayer to you today, but invite you to consider what your prayer/s is and possibly share that with someone in the coming week.
God our creator and redeemer,
By your power Christ conquered death
And entered into glory.
Confident of his victory
And claiming his promises,
We entrust our sister/brother to your mercy
In the name of Jesus our Lord,
Who died and is alive
And reigns with you
Now and for ever.
Amen
Café church returns to All Saints for the end of this month and we will be looking at the theme of Justice. There is a phrase that Graham Tomlin uses which says “The opposite of love is not hatred, but indifference” – that really stuck me as something that I needed to think on a little more. Café church gives the opportunity to do just that.
Our Worship this Sunday 25th September
8am – Holy Communion – All Saints
10am – Sung Holy Communion with St Marys Kids – St Marys
10.30 – Cafe Church – All Saints
Please find here the roots materials - with notice sheets being at the end.
THE WEEK AHEAD
Weds 28th | 9:00am | Celtic Morning Prayer | All Saints Church |
Thurs 29th | 10:00am | Holy Communion | St Marys Church |
Sunday 2nd | 10:00am | Open Church | St Marys Church |
| 10:30am | Harvest Festival | All Saints Church |
| 6:30pm | Evensong | St Marys Church |
Please keep Rev'd Jordan and Rev'd Mary in your prayers as they finish their time and ministry at St Johns, St Aidans and St Michaels in the Kingsway Benefice, and also for those parishes as they enter into a vacancy process.
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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