Press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of you... Philippians 3:12
Dear Friends,
The 5th Sunday of lent is the start of Passiontide. It’s a ‘hinge’ point in the season of Lent. Until now, the penitential focus has been on ourselves as we walk a journey of reflecting on human sinfulness and our own part in it. With Passiontide, the focus shifts to God’s response of love to our sin – that is, the redemption bought for us by Christ’s passion and death.
In Passiontide, we are invited to enter into Christ’s passion – to suffer with him - that we may also come to share in his victory and resurrection. In the words of our reading from Philippians:
All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow, I also may be raised to life. I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So, I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. Philippians 3:10-12
(Contemporary English Version)
Our Services for this coming Sunday 3rd April, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, are:
10.00am at St Mary’s
Open Church with the theme of ‘Growing Up’ - focusing on children and families
10.30am at All Saints
Holy Communion with baptism of Ethan, with Revd Lizzie and Revd Janey
6.30pm at St Mary’s
Passion Music with Revd Lizzie This week’s Roots At Home and Activity Sheet are here:
In the week ahead, we have: · Wednesday 6th April - 9.00am Celtic Morning Prayer at All Saints · Thursday 7th April – 10.00am Holy Communion at St Mary’s Next Sunday 10th April, there will be · 8.00am – BCP Holy Communion at All Saints · 10.00am – Palm Sunday Holy Communion with procession of Palms at St Mary’s · 10.30am – Palm Sunday All Age Service at All Saints Volunteer opportunity:
Looking further ahead, we are gearing up to run the Family Café in All Saints again over the school Easter break on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Would you like to help with this amazing project? They are looking for volunteers - dates that are especially needed are Tuesday 12th and Thursday 21st April, but any support would be greatly valued. Please contact Revd Lizzie for more info.
Passiontide is traditionally a time to reflect on the Five Sorrowful Mysteries – those Stations of the Cross that specifically relate to Christ’s passion. Franciscan Friar, Jack Wintz, has offered some focused reflections on these Five Mysteries, available here, which I hope and pray will inspire and bless you this week as you continue to ‘press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of you’. Every blessing, Revd Janey
_______________ Rev. Janey Hiller
All Saints & St Mary's, Fishponds www.justcallmejaney.wordpress.com @Mthr_Kerfuffle Sabbath "summons us to intent and conduct that defies the most elemental requirements of a commodity-propelled society." - Walter Bruggemann
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