1st May 2022 – Easter 3 All Saints Church, Childwall
Read: Acts 9:1-20 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s
disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the
disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.
Reflect: After the resurrection of Jesus, the spread of Christianity grew and its followers increased. If you read the book of Acts you will send the incredible growth the early church experienced. This growth though was not without opposition, Christianity certainly had its enemies. Saul who is described as a ‘Pharisee of Pharisees’ is so opposed to the spread of Christianity. He gains letters of authority from the High Priest so that when he goes to Damascus and arrests any followers he can deliver them as prisoners to Jerusalem. On Saul’s journey to Damascus though God has other plans for him and in a dramatic encounter on the road Saul is blinded by a bright light and falls to the ground. He is addressed by name by a voice, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When Saul asks who is speaking, the reply he gets is it is Jesus who he is persecuting.
Saul is then given the instruction to get up and go into the city where he will be told what to do. Completely blinded he is helped by his companions and led to Damascus where he remains blind for 3 days. The Lord speaks in a vision to a local disciple Ananias and instructs him to go to Saul. Saul’s reputation makes Ananias question initially and no doubt makes him very apprehensive, but after being reassured by God he goes and lays hands on Saul whose sight is restored and he receives the Holy Spirit. This conversion experience of Saul is so dramatic that he wastes no time and starts to preach in the local synagogues that Jesus is God’s son. What an incredible change of attitude and belief that Saul goes through because of his Damascus Road experience with God.
Respond: Saul’s conversion was dramatic! When we truly believe that Jesus is God’s son and follow him then that truth will have a dramatic impact on our lives. Are you a follower of Jesus? If you are does the faith that you have influence all that you do and say every day?
Pray: Heavenly Father, open my heart and my mind so that I may see Jesus, your Son my Saviour. Help me to follow him all the days of my life. Amen
Andrew Colmer (Vicar of All Saints Childwall)
Church services
Sunday 8th May – 9.15am – Holy Communion 11am – Parade Service
6pm – Holy Communion with prayers for healing (in the Church Hall)
Living in Love and Faith – Final session on Thursday 5th May at 8pm in the Childwall Abbey function room
Sunday 1st May 9.15am – Service of the Word 11am – Holy Communion Service
Thursday 5th May – 10.45am – BCP Holy Communion
6pm – Evening Worship (in the Church Hall)
Boulders – All Saints Church are delighted to announce the return of ‘Boulders’ – our Rock Club provision for children in school years 6, 7 and 8 (ages 10-13).
Boulders takes place during the 11am Sunday services to enable our young people to experience an alternative to the church-based service, to meet and socialise with each other whilst learning about God and the teachings of Jesus in a different and age-appropriate way.
Children will enjoy hot or cold drinks, snacks and a variety of different learning sessions, including some based in the church hall, church hall garden the churchyard and spire. Each session will be inclusive, fun and designed to make our young people think about their faith, its application to their own lives and their place in the world. We also want our young people to lead some of the Boulders work and will challenge them to take up roles within the church that add to our sense of community and access for all.
Boulders will restart on Sunday 15th May and we encourage all families with children in years 6, 7 and 8 to encourage them to join us for the start of a fun and engaging programme.
Morning Prayer – Monday and Friday at 8:00am – Common Worship Morning prayer service with words on screen. Optional Chat after the service. Meeting ID: 948 786 2454 Passcode: 4allsaints
.
Weekly prayer meeting – Thursday 6.30pm on Zoom. Why not join a group of us at All Saints that pray regularly. It lasts 40 minutes, you can pray, sit and listen or just contemplate. – Aidan Holmes
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/8802380315?pwd=cGxQTnQ0QVRjU1gyUnBrYnJMMzZldz09
Please note joining ID. Meeting ID: 880 238 0315
Passcode: yt76bq
Vestry Hour – every Tuesday 7pm – 8pm.
To book a Baptism or a Wedding or speak to a member of the clergy, please come to Vestry Hour which is held in the church every Tuesday, no appointment is necessary. Please use the wooden door to the left of the tower. You do not need to knock, just come in, take a seat and you will be seen privately in turn.
Christian Aid week – 15th to 21st May 2022 – A collection will be held on Sunday 22nd May at all 3 services.
Christian Aid is fundraising to make a real difference to families like Jessica’s.
Jessica is a loving mum in Zimbabwe, she fears her family won’t eat tonight. When food is scarce, she can
only give her children one bowl of porridge a day. It breaks her heart to send them to bed hungry. For the
first time in a generation, global poverty is rising. Covid-19, conflict, and the climate crisis are pushing more
of our global neighbours into a struggle for survival. By supporting our fundraising with whatever you can
afford, Christian Aid partners could help Jessica learn how to sow drought tolerant crops, learn how to
grow food in dry seasons and build a storeroom to preserve food and bounce back from future droughts.
She’ll turn her dry, dusty land into a garden of hope. Please give today, and help this loving mum provide
food – and hope – for her family. Thank you!
You can give online on All Saints Childwall’s giving page. Please click on the link below.
VIEW YOUR FUNDRAISING PAGE
Church hall cleaning rota – Currently there is a team of people who clean our church. Can you please spare an hour a week to work in a small team to clean the church hall? Please contact me if you are willing and available to help. Thank you Mary Harrison 078 1747 1857
Hope From Above (HFA)
Some of you will remember Tim and Carol Derbyshire who are coming to All Saints in May as part of a speaking tour. They serve in HFA which is an Australian-based Christian organisation. It helps mission partners and ministries take the gospel to unreached and inaccessible people groups. This is done through aviation and technology. Tim and Carol will be speaking on two dates.
- Thursday 19th May in church at the 10.45 BCP communion service
- Saturday 21st May in the church hall at 7pm
For more information contact Chris and Sue Watterson Tel: 428 8406 Mob: 0770790127
Youth Confirmation Classes
The Confirmation Service for young people will take place on the 20th June at 7pm in Liverpool Cathedral. A separate service for adults will take place in November.
In order to be confirmed, candidates must be adequately prepared. Classes are being organised by Liverpool South Deanery. They will be taking place on Monday afternoons/evenings at All Hallows Church, Allerton. Young people (11-16 years) will be gathering from 16:30 for refreshments. Discussion/teaching will start from 17:00. The sessions will finish at 18:30. They will take place on the following dates.
9th May, 16th May, 23rd May, 6th June and 13th June.
Please contact Andrew or Helen if your son or daughter would like to take part.
Our Annual Parochial Church meeting (APCM) is on Monday 16th May 2022 at 8pm.
It will take place in our church hall as it did last year but it will also be live on Zoom. The Zoom details are on the top of the Agenda.
To receive the Annual Report along with the Agenda and the minutes of last year’s meeting please will you email Alan Woods. alanwoods18@hotmail.com by Friday 13th May 2022.
Alan will send out one email to everyone that requests these documents.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following members of the PCC for their commitment and service over the last 3 years as they finish their terms of office this year.
Delia Owen, Viv Kerr, Sue Harrison and Alan Woods.
This year there are 4 vacancies for the PCC and 4 Deanery Synod Rep vacancies. To stand you have to be proposed and seconded and meet the following Church of England eligibility criteria:
Be nominated. Be over 16 years old. Able to consent to your appointment. Be on the Electoral Role of All Saints Childwall.
Legally allowed to be a Charity Trustee (which PCC members are).
Have received Communion at least twice in the last year.
Please think and pray if you could serve on the PCC and would be willing and able to contribute to the decision making and leadership of the life of All Saints Church Childwall. If you have any questions, or would like to know more please speak to Andrew.
Weekly Prayer requests – Please pray for all those who are unwell at this time particularly praying for Gary McCoy, Stan Cowley, Alison Kefford and Elsie Fisher. We pray for the bereaved family and friends of Sybil Francis and Daniel Melling.
Andrew Colmer – Vicar – Tel: 07305 842257 – vicar.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com Helen Deegan – Curate – Tel: 07984 933467 – curate.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com Bill Forster – Associate Minister – william.forster1@btinternet.com Adeyinka Olushonde – Ordinand – adeyinka.allsaintschildwall@gmail.com
