This week's News

Congratulations

We welcome beautiful baby Orla to our parish community after being baptised during Mass on Sunday.

Congratulations and thank you to Tom & Esme, the proud Godparents, family & friends who allowed us to celebrate this wonderful occasion with them.

(... and she only cried a little bit!)

DON'T FORGET THE HOLY SPIRIT: 

Fr Matt Anscombe of our diocese has written a book called 'Don't Forget the Holy Spirit'. He shares personal testimony and considers the difference the Holy Spirit makes in our lives of faith.

Further details and recommendations and a link to buy the book can be found on his website www.dftholyspirit.com - it is also available on Amazon. Cost is £10 (+P&P)

St Augustine's Community Catch-Up

JUST 3 and a bit WEEKS TO GO until our Community Catch-Up

....and look who'll be joining us!

The clever and talented chefs - Simon and Adora from Pizza Adorare. You'll be able to enjoy their delicious authentic, wood-fired pizzas whilst at our summer social.

AND Sav's Super-whippy! Of course, the weather WILL be scorchingly wonderful and we will all want delicious ice cream during the day keep us cool... well don't worry! Sav will be there with his amazing array of ice creams, whippy trays and treats to come to our rescue! Yum!

So come on down on Sat 17th June from 11am until 3pm for fun, games, shopping, food, drinks, and community! All in aid of our School, Pre-school, Church, and Girl Guiding units.

Here at St Augustine's, we try our best to be a Fairtrade Parish - buying Fairtrade goods wherever we can.
What do you know about the Fairtrade Foundation?
Please take minute to read about the good Fairtrade does in the world, working with farmers and workers so they can improve their living standards, invest in their communities and businesses, and protect our shared environment.
... and buy Fairtrade if you are able to. It makes such a difference to others and to our beautiful planet.

“POP IT IN YOUR SHOP!” *individual bars of soap*

Highlighting an item each month for our soup run teams to hand out to those in need on the streets of Bristol.
If you are able to ‘pop it in your shopping’ for us & leave them behind the screen, next to the church shop, that would be great!
Thanks to so many of you who have been supporting this monthly initiative so far - the response has been fantastic. 

No Mow May - Wild flower Update!
So we had Daisies, Buttercups and little blue ones
and now ... things that look like wheat and teeny tiny pink ones! (Sorry - Mony Don is busy at Chelsea!)
One man's bowling green is another man's meadow - we hope you are enjoying the wild and free look of the church grounds at the moment - the insects certainly are. 

Cake Sale after 9.30am Mass this Sunday in the parish hall.
Bring some cash along and treat yourself with a cuppa!
All in aid of our 2 Parish Projects:
Friends of the Earth - https://friendsoftheearth.uk/
and The Mike Proctor Foundation - https://mikeprocterfoundationuk.org/

Thank you, Deacon Vincent, for your reflections for the Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A

1st Reading from the Acts of the Apostles 1: 12-14.

For Luke, Journeys are important elements, so we have the Disciples journeying back to the Upper Room in Jerusalem. It is worth noting how Luke is careful to point out that they are all observant Jews, following the Sabbath-days journey, which would have been a journey of no more than a thousand yards outside the city limits. Then we are given the list of the Apostles, the same as is in Luke’s Gospel 6: 14-16, of course omitting Judas Iscariot. Then Luke records the women amongst them, especially mentioning Mary, the mother of Jesus by name. In our translation we are given “All These”, but in mine it is translated “Unanimously”, a description Luke uses to describe the Early Church. So we have a vision of the Early Church at prayer awaiting the Advocate that Jesus promised. Maybe it is a good idea to follow their example and earnestly pray for a re-newel in the Spirit.

Psalm 26: 1, 4, 7-8.

A Psalm trusting confidently in God. This is slightly unusual in its construction in that the first part of the psalm expresses confidence, and then in the second half it gives voice to the petition. They are normally constructed the other way round.

2nd Reading from the first letter of St. Peter 4: 13-16.

Peter emphasises how suffering with Christ is a privilege. This might not sit easily with us but we need to remember that Peter is writing to Christians who are enduring suffering and they something to help them in the present storm. Peter shows them how Christ who suffered, innocent though he was, is a great assist to them. Peter is careful to distinguish suffering as a Christian and not as a criminal. He is encouraging those suffering injustice for their belief in Jesus Christ. This has been a timeless message for all Christians through the ages. This letter, which we have been studying for few weeks now is worth a good prayerful read. It puts life in perspective for us, in union with Christ and our early members of God’s Holy Church.

The Holy Gospel according to John 17: 1-11.

At this point Jesus is turning almost priest-like, in addressing the Father, and offering prayer to him with various differing elements. There is the element of Glory, the mutual glorification of father and Son. Then the prayer for the people The father has given to the Son from the world, with an emphasis of, “Keep them in your name.” He is worried for them as he is leaving them in the world, hence his concern for their Spiritual Welfare. We are always in Jesus’ mind; he worries about us intis world with all its snares and entrapments. He is constantly before the Father pleading for us. We are indeed a very blessed people; we should always be Thankful.

May we all be Blessed as we join those Early Christians praying for the Spirit. Deacon Vincent.