Soup Run for the Homeless of Bristol - Are you a 'SOUP-er' cook?
After a VERY long break, due to the additional safety measures for both the users and volunteers, the soup run team are going to be able to provide HOT SOUP again when out on the soup run, (as well as the pre-wrapped rolls, crisps, cakes and practical items they have continued to take out over this past 20 months)
However, there is no soup supply left (as what they had was donated pre-pandemic)
We would really love donations of Homemade soup to build up our stock. If you can make soup to donate for our team, taking special care of hygiene measures when cooking, please store it in a washed, plastic milk bottle & label with flavour & date made. (Please don’t make it too thick/chunky as can be hard to pour out into the cups)
Then please contact Maeve, who has the soup run freezer, to arrange a time to drop it off at her house (Tel: 0117 9560317)
Thank you in advance to all who have helped by providing soup for the team over the years. This is such a vital service to the community and is Christianity in action!
NEWSLETTERS
You will start to see printed Newsletters at the back of church from this weekend - this is for those people who aren't able to see them online (you can view, download and/ or print them for yourself on this website - under the 'Newsletter' section each week)
Whilst it was unsafe and unwise to have items for people to pick up at the back of church for so long, it showed us that we can cover this process for a vast majority of people by providing the same information online and a large version posted up at the back of church for people to read.
Also, we are saving on the hundreds of £ we spent on printing costs for the newsletters and helping to reduce the environmental impact of printing/paper - it is not worth returning to our old ways.
The printed copies will be there for those who need it and, whilst we are still mindful of not having communal items/various people handling the same things, we ask that people do not read the newsletter and then leave it behind in church for others to have to throw away.
We hope you can understand this new process and are happy that we have tried hard to keep communicating to everyone is the safest and best way possible.
Thank you Deacon Vincent for your Reflections for 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
1st Reading from the First Book of Kings 17:10-16.
The book is not just a history of the early kings of Israel, but about the monarchs' willingness to listen to God’s prophets and to worship the one true God. This section follows the sudden appearance of the prophet Elijah the Tishbite. King Ahab had taken Jezebel as his wife and had served Baal and worshipped him. Elijah was sent to the king to tell him that his punishment would be a great famine in the land. Then God told him to hide at the Wadi Cherith, this had now dried up, and God directed him to the widow woman to serve him food and drink. They are in dire straits themselves, but she feeds and gives him to drink, and Elijah tells her that she will not want for more food and drink and that is exactly as the Lord had foretold. It was a reward for her kindness to God’s servant. The message is that as long as we follow God’s way he will always look after us and bring us safely to his rest. We can trust God.
Psalm 145: 7-10.
This great song of praise re-affirms what we learn from the first reading, that we can trust God, we can rely upon him.
2nd Reading from the letter to the Hebrews 9: 24-28.
The author emphasises the superiority of what God has done in Christ. He continues with the image of Christ as High Priest. Jesus’ High priesthood is permanent, and gives access to believers, because of Jesus’ sinlessness. Jesus is the Real Thing and the liturgy that he presides over is so superior to the liturgy of the old dispensation, which was only a shadow of this new liturgy. When he comes again it will be to reward those who await him with Salvation. His sacrifice does not have to be repeated. Again it is an encouragement for us to trust in God.
The Holy Gospel according to Mark 12: 38-44.
This passage follows Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and his driving out the money changers from the temple. The authorities immediately went on the attack questioning his authority, then one of his followers admires the wonderful temple buildings and Jesus predicts its destruction. The momentum is building for the final showdown, in a quiet moment Jesus warns his followers against falling into the trap of the Scribes, who love to parade in fine flowing robes and to be fawned upon and take the front seats at all the gatherings. These are the people who swallow the property of widows with their clever working of the Law. Then Jesus sits near the treasury and watches the rich trumpeting great donations. It is a clever play on words as the treasury had ornate trumpets to adorn the depository. They have given from their excess, but an elderly widow makes a very small donation, from her need, and Jesus commends her whilst belittling the big donations. This widow had given from her essential money, she shouldn’t really have made the sacrifice, but Jesus says she was more at rights with God than the others. Our Church must be careful not to fall into the trap of the Pharisees and Scribes who think more about appearances than content. God observes our inner motivation, and not our grandeur. We must purify our intentions, ensure that the needy are cared for, that the hunger for truth and meaning in life is satisfied before our buildings and fancy clothes. Our purpose is to satisfy the hunger for God’s wisdom and understanding. We need to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord in fair times and foul. The world needs God more than ever, that must be our priority. If people follow the Gospel life, really follow it, we need not worry about global warming because we will automatically do what is required of us all.
God Bless you all & stay safe. Deacon Vincent.
No comments:
Post a Comment