May 6th 2018. Living as Witnesses: Words. (Acts 4:29) In the Church Calendar we are in the season leading up to Whitsun, Pentecost Sunday. The book of Acts documents the first Pentecost and the gift of the Spirit to enable the disciples to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). Our series this May will look at what it means to be a Witness in the power of the Holy Spirit (alliterating around the letter W quite strongly!). Download Discussion notes
Mind the Gap: Generation Gap - David Mitchell/Steve Ballard
May 6th 2018. Generation Gap (Malachi 4:6) Teenagers were a twentieth century invention! But every age has recognised the generation gap, the gap between older and younger people around behaviour, beliefs, and culture, and a gap that seems to be widening in our rapidly changing 21st Century world. The Bible speaks of generations working together, ‘old men and young men seeing visions’. Malachi 4:6 says ‘He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse’ Download Discussion notes
Mind the Gap: Generation Gap - David Mitchell/Steve Ballard (7 pm Podcast)
May 6th 2018. Generation Gap (Malachi 4:6) Teenagers were a twentieth century invention! But every age has recognised the generation gap, the gap between older and younger people around behaviour, beliefs, and culture, and a gap that seems to be widening in our rapidly changing 21st Century world. The Bible speaks of generations working together, ‘old men and young men seeing visions’. Malachi 4:6 says ‘He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse’ Download Discussion notes
Wonder Conference 11-12th May (Shane Claiborne/Jason Upton )
LoveBristol have invited two very inspiring friends to come to Bristol to the WONDER2018 Worship Conference, to explore with us what it means to worship God with our whole lives; they are both worshippers with a radical edge!
On Friday evening and over the Saturday we will explore together what it means to live out of a worshipful encounter with God that affects every part of our lives. It’s all for Jesus.
Shane Claiborne has been to Bristol several times, he loves this city and our desire to build community and unity here. Shane has been drawn into campaigns for justice for the poor in his city of Philadelphia, US, and most recently his focus has been on campaigning for the end of the death penalty. His worship of Jesus has led him to the front lines of a fierce fight for justice, but in conversation he is a light hearted and warm follower of Jesus with a contagious faith!
Jason Upton is a singer song writer who’s songs are full of depth and raw honesty, He seems to be able to lead others into a deep place with God where healing and freedom are found, and authentic worship rises up to God. He is a deep and challenging thinker and truly believes that worship is more than just singing> His conviction is that as we worship the Holy Spirit comes in power and sends us out to bring transformation to our world.
The Wonder Conference also includes breakout speakers from Davids Tent Worship Festival and from Just Love. Come and join us! Get your tickets here www.wonder2018.org
10 Days of Prayer: 'Thy Kingdom Come' 10th-20th May
From May 10th-20th Woodies is joining in with 'Thy Kingdom Come' a global Prayer Movement initiated by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury. Last year Christians from 85 countries and over 50 denominations joined in, praying intentionally for friends, families, neighbour's, colleagues and communities, culminating on Pentecost Sunday.
One of the simple suggestions this year, is to choose 5 people to pray for every day during these 10 days to experience the love of Jesus.
Here at Woodies, we will be opening our Prayer Room which is themed around the Lord's Prayer from midday on Thursday 10th of May until midnight on Saturday 19th. Do book a slot here.
We will also be gathering on Thursday 17th from 7.45-9.30 for a worship and prayer event. To pray those ancient Biblical prayers, 'Your kingdom Come...' and 'Come Holy Spirit' as we head to Pentecost.
Spread the word!
Spirit: River - Rob Scott-Cook
April 29th 2018. Spirit: River (Ezekiel 47). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. At the end of his book Ezekiel has a vision of a restored temple and the return of the glory of God to the temple and Jerusalem (40, 43). Then flows the amazing picture of a life-giving river flowing out of the temple, which is picked up and amplified in the last chapter of the bible in Revelation 22. Download Discussion notes
Good Grief: Lament - David Mitchell
April 29th 2018. Good Grief: Lament (Lamentations 3) Lament is a pouring out of grief and loss in music and poetry. The Psalms are full of lament and there is a whole book of the bible called ‘Lamentations’. It’s not a common experience to come to a Church service and sing songs of lament? Does lament have a place in modern worship? Download Discussion notes
Spirit: River - Rob Scott-Cook (7 pm Podcast)
April 29th 2018. Spirit: River (Ezekiel 47). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. At the end of his book Ezekiel has a vision of a restored temple and the return of the glory of God to the temple and Jerusalem (40, 43). Then flows the amazing picture of a life-giving river flowing out of the temple, which is picked up and amplified in the last chapter of the bible in Revelation 22. Download Discussion notes
Good Grief: Lament - David Mitchell (am Podcast)
April 29th 2018. Good Grief: Lament (Lamentations 3) Lament is a pouring out of grief and loss in music and poetry. The Psalms are full of lament and there is a whole book of the bible called ‘Lamentations’. It’s not a common experience to come to a Church service and sing songs of lament? Does lament have a place in modern worship? Download Discussion notes
Power Encounters
April 8th 2018. Spirit: Glory (Ezekiel 1&2) Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. Download Discussion notes
April 15th 2018. Spirit: Belly. (Ezekiel 3:1-11). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. In Ezekiel 2, God says to him ‘Eat what I give you’ and in Ezekiel 3 he is given a scroll to eat that gets into his belly and (literal meaning) bowels. Download Discussion notes
April 22nd 2018. Spirit: Bones. (Ezekiel 37). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. Ezekiel 37 is a memorable prophetic vision of the valley of dry bones, an image which speaks as powerfully to situations of apparent ‘death’ and decay today as it did about the nation of Israel in the 5th century BC. Download Discussion notes
April 29th 2018. Spirit: River (Ezekiel 47). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. At the end of his book Ezekiel has a vision of a restored temple and the return of the glory of God to the temple and Jerusalem (40, 43). Then flows the amazing picture of a life-giving river flowing out of the temple, which is picked up and amplified in the last chapter of the bible in Revelation 22. Download Discussion notes
Living with the End in Mind
March 11th 2018. Living with the end in mind: Gospel of the Kingdom Mark 13:10. Stephen Covey, best-selling author of ‘7 habits of highly effective people’ says ‘begin with the end in mind’. The Bible narratives all point towards an end and Jesus’ parables often address those who fail to live with the end in mind. Jesus said to his disciples when asked about the ‘end of the age’, ‘The gospel must first be preached to all nations’(c.f. Matthew 24:14, Luke 24:47). So far everyone who has predicted the end of the world has got it wrong! Does that mean that it’s not for humans to discern, or that conditions for the end of the ages have not yet been fulfilled? Download Discussion notes
March 18th 2018. Living with the end in mind: Day of the Lord: Malachi 4. Stephen Covey, best-selling author of ‘7 habits of highly effective people’ says ‘begin with the end in mind’. The Bible narratives all point towards an end and Jesus’ parables often address those who fail to live with the end in mind. Malachi in the last book and the last verses of the Old Testament points towards the great and terrible day of the Lord. If it happened tomorrow would that be good news or bad news as far as you are concerned? Download Discussion notes
March 25th 2018. Living with the End in Mind - Return of the King (Zechariah 1 v 16-17, 9 v 9-11, 12 v 10-11, 14 v 6-9). Start off with feedback from Sunday's message. What did those that were there - or those that have caught up online - take away from it? What encouraged them, what informed them and what challenged them? Spend some time discussing the response to the message and the issues that it raised. Download Discussion notes
Imogen's Story
Imogen shares with us her baptism story and how Jesus is central to her life.
Daniel's Story
Daniel shares about his search for faith and how Jesus has changed his life.
Good Grief
April 15th 2018. Good Grief: Loss (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) ‘In every season turn, turn, turn’ sang the Byrds in their 60’s hit single quoting the book of Ecclesiastes. Life has seasons, and each season may well hold loss and grief as well as growth and opportunity. We are not great at accepting loss in western culture. We can be in denial about loss of youth, loss of significance and ultimately loss of life itself. God seems to have a different perspective; perhaps loss can be the place where we find ourselves. Download Discussion notes
April 22nd 2018. Good Grief: Longing (Romans 8:18-26). Longing is a bitter-sweet emotion. Longing implies something wonderful exists to be longed for, but the state of longing means we don’t have what is longed for yet. Who hopes for what they already have? Longing seems to be part of the human psyche, ‘God has set eternity in the hearts of men’ says the writer of Ecclesiastes. What part has longing played in your spiritual journey? Sorry but due to a technical error, this is just an audio Preach. Download Discussion notes
April 29th 2018. Good Grief: Lament (Lamentations 3) Lament is a pouring out of grief and loss in music and poetry. The Psalms are full of lament and there is a whole book of the bible called ‘Lamentations’. It’s not a common experience to come to a Church service and sing songs of lament? Does lament have a place in modern worship? Download Discussion notes
Cross Vision
March 4th 2018. Cross Vision: Coming Kingdom Matthew 3:2. In this season of Lent, looking forward to Easter we have an opportunity in reading the gospels to see Jesus life and ministry in the context of that tumultuous week in Jerusalem, climaxing in His death and resurrection. The three years of Jesus ministry were planned and orchestrated with the Cross in mind. Download Discussion notes
March 11th 2018. Cross Vision: Wilderness temptations Matthew 4. In this season of Lent, looking forward to Easter we have an opportunity in reading the gospels to see Jesus life and ministry in the context of that tumultuous week in Jerusalem, climaxing in His death and resurrection. The three years of Jesus ministry were planned and orchestrated with the Cross in mind. At the start of his ministry Jesus faced temptations which would define the course of his earthly life, a choice between naked power or self denial ultimately expressed at the cross. Download Discussion notes
March 18th 2018. Cross Vision: Sheep and Wolves. Matthew 10. In this season of Lent, looking forward to Easter we have an opportunity in reading the gospels to see Jesus life and ministry in the context of that tumultuous week in Jerusalem, climaxing in His death and resurrection. The three years of Jesus ministry were planned and orchestrated with the Cross in mind. At the start of his ministry Jesus faced temptations which would define the course of his earthly life, a choice between naked power or self denial ultimately expressed at the cross. In Matthew 10 Jesus commissions and challenges his disciples, sending them out ‘like sheep among wolves’, telling them they will be persecuted and opposed and asking them to take up their cross and follow him. Download Discussion notes
March 25th 2018. Cross Vision: Triumphal entry. Matthew 21. In this season of Lent, looking forward to Easter we have an opportunity in reading the gospels to see Jesus life and ministry in the context of that tumultuous week in Jerusalem, climaxing in His death and resurrection. The three years of Jesus ministry were planned and orchestrated with the Cross in mind. The focus of those three years, and a major part of the gospel accounts of his life is compressed into one week, beginning with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Download Discussion notes
WOODLANDS MUSIC: 14th May @ St Thomas the Martyr
On the 14th of May we’re putting on an immersive evening of performance, art, music and worship at one of Bristol’s most beautiful historic churches, St Thomas the Martyr, to raise money for One25 and our new creative expression, ‘WOODLANDS MUSIC’.
We’re fundraising to be able to release a mixtape of home-grown songs intertwined with sounds, textures and rhythms from the streets, terraces, carnivals and festivals of Bristol.
Come and preview those songs accompanied by a string quartet and organ, alongside electronic beats, samplers and synthesisers! Tickets are £15, with concessions at £10. Capacity is very limited, and we’re expecting tickets to sell out very quickly - so snap them up while you can!
Book your tickets here.
St Thomas the Martyr on Google Maps
Spirit: Bones - Joey Mitchell
April 22nd 2018. Spirit: Bones. (Ezekiel 37). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. Ezekiel 37 is a memorable prophetic vision of the valley of dry bones, an image which speaks as powerfully to situations of apparent ‘death’ and decay today as it did about the nation of Israel in the 5th century BC. Download Discussion notes
Good Grief: Longing - Sam Cook
April 22nd 2018. Good Grief: Longing (Romans 8:18-26). Longing is a bitter-sweet emotion. Longing implies something wonderful exists to be longed for, but the state of longing means we don’t have what is longed for yet. Who hopes for what they already have? Longing seems to be part of the human psyche, ‘God has set eternity in the hearts of men’ says the writer of Ecclesiastes. What part has longing played in your spiritual journey? Sorry but due to a technical error, this is just an audio Preach. Download Discussion notes
Spirit: Bones - Joey Mitchell (7pm Podcast)
April 22nd 2018. Spirit: Bones. (Ezekiel 37). Ezekiel was a priest, the son of a priest, carried into exile in the first wave of Babylonian captivity with Jehoacin in 597 B.C. Five years later when he was 30 and the age he would have started his temple ministry Ezekiel has a visionary encounter with God and is commissioned as a Prophet. His deeply symbolic work carries a strong focus on the temple and also on the Spirit. Ezekiel 37 is a memorable prophetic vision of the valley of dry bones, an image which speaks as powerfully to situations of apparent ‘death’ and decay today as it did about the nation of Israel in the 5th century BC. Download Discussion notes
Good Grief: Longing - Sam Cook (am Podcast)
April 22nd 2018. Good Grief: Longing (Romans 8:18-26). Longing is a bitter-sweet emotion. Longing implies something wonderful exists to be longed for, but the state of longing means we don’t have what is longed for yet. Who hopes for what they already have? Longing seems to be part of the human psyche, ‘God has set eternity in the hearts of men’ says the writer of Ecclesiastes. What part has longing played in your spiritual journey? Sorry but due to a technical error, this is just an audio Preach. Download Discussion notes