Notices
Category: What’s On
Reflection
Contact us if you would like to receive our weekly worship sheet by email.
Dear Friends
Our reflection today is based on the gospel lesson, for this, the third, Sunday of Easter.
The reading follows on from that lovely encounter that the unnamed followers had with the stranger on the road to Emmaus. We will remember that they welcomed him into their home and as he broke the bread they recognised him as Jesus.
Now the two disciples have rushed back the seven miles to Jerusalem to share their news with the rest of the group. Locally that would be from the other side of Bristol or Chipping Sodbury. How long would it take us on foot? If we are able bodied at least 2-3 hours and after all that had happened how do you think the disciples would be feeling when they arrived with their astonishing news?
Have you ever had to deliver exciting news or been present when someone else has? What was it like in the room when you or someone else burst in?
This is the kind of atmosphere in which today’s gospel story takes place. Everyone is talking about what the two breathless disciples have just told them.
Now read Luke 24: 36b -48 and enter into the feelings, as if you had been there.
The resurrection to us is old news, but to the disciples it would have been fresh and have stirred up a mixture of emotions. It is two weeks since Easter Day but we worship our risen Christ who rose on that day.
We may not sing the Easter hymns all year round, but the day of resurrection, has become our Sabbath, holy day.
The risen Christ, in all his mystery has rebooted the course of history, reminding the disciples that everything written about him in the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalmist must be fulfilled, and that his death and resurrection has occurred and that repentance and the forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed throughout the world beginning in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.
It is so easy to feel confused or depressed as those first disciples would have been, especially in this time of the pandemic.
Yet the risen Christ encourages us, as he did the first disciples, Sunday by Sunday day by day, with the gift of the Holy Spirit, to do our part for him and for others.
May God bless you this Easter and every day David King
Worship
We have worship on a Sunday morning at 10.30 am. This is open to all and is lead in a variety of styles by the ministers and local preachers of the circuit.
The church is accessible and has a loop system.
We have a communion service each month.
We have a less formal more active “Café Church” service every three months, it will be identified on the list of services below. We will also be trying out other worship formats and different times during the week. Watch out for details in the “Worship Details Box” and on the Facebook page.
March 2021: We continue to worship from home until we enter “stage 3” coming out of lockdown when we plan to meet for gathered worship again.
Please see our reflection page for resources.
There is a Sunday service on BBC local radio at 8.00am.
For online acts of worship from our sister churches, please follow the following links:
If you have questions, please contact me and I will be glad to chat. Naomi 0117 239 3875
Zion, United Church, Frampton Cotterell: https://www.zuchurch.co.uk/downloads.htm
Yate Methodist Church: www.facebook.com/YateMethodistChurch
In Tier 3 – what to expect
To comply with government regulations as they apply to the Methodist Church please remember to:
Wear a face covering unless exempt
Follow the one-way system
Avoid chatting, inside and outside the building
Sanitize your hands
Avoid giving a lift in the car to someone from another household
Keep your distance at all times and avoid mingling
We have to keep the windows open for safety, so come wrapped up warm
There will be no refreshments – please bring a bottle of water if you need it
We will keep a register of who attends for 21 days
The service will be 30-40 minutes only, with no singing allowed
Please use the disabled toilet if needed and follow the instructions for wiping down after use
There will be a collecting basket as you leave for offerings.