All Saints Church Newport

Our Church is a modern red brick building, situated on Brynglas Road in Newport. Our main worship Hall will seat about 150 with more seating if we pull back the partition. We have a P.A system for the hard of hearing, which is compatable with hearing aids. We have our own car park, and can accommodate the disabled worshiper. We are all on one level, with modern disabled toilets. We are a friendly bunch and welcome anybody. Please feel free to ask anyone a question to make your visit a pleasant one.

We look forward to seeing you at All Saints Church Newport

 

HIGH DAYS and HOLY DAYS

1          Remigius
1          Theresa of Lisieux
2          Your Guardian Angel
4          St Francis of Assisi
8          Demetrius of Sirmium
*10        Francis Borgia
13        Edward the Confessor
14        Donation 
18        St Luke the Evangelist
24        Felix of Thibiuca
27        Odran of Iona
28        Simon and Jude 
31        All Hallows’ Eve

 

2   Guardian Angels

The teaching of Jesus encourages us to believe in guardian angels.  He once said, ‘See that you do not look down on one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’  (Matthew 18.10)

The existence of angels was suggested in various Old Testament texts,   Jesus mentioned them explicitly, and the early Christians accepted their existence and work (Acts 12.15).  

In England, devotion to the angels, both in Anglo-Saxon times and later, was strong.  In modern times, the great American evangelist Billy Graham, has written an entire book on the existence and work of angels.

Alcuin described them as intercessors (in the 11th century Leofric Missal);  Herbert of Losinga, bishop of Norwich (d 1119) specially praised them, and his contemporary, Reginald of Canterbury, wrote prayers in their honour. 

Honorius Augustodunenis (d 1151) clarified the existing belief of the time by asserting that each human soul, when infused into the body, is entrusted to the particular care of a single angel, who protects both body and soul and offers prayers to God.

For many centuries Christendom was satisfied with the feast of St Michael (and all Angels), but the special feast of the Guardian Angels was introduced in Austria, Spain and Portugal in the 15th – 16th centuries.  Guardian Angels were there seen as guardians of particular towns or regions, or of each individual.  Pope Clement X made the feast day universal in 1607, fixing its date to 2 October.

18        St Luke the Evangelist

To St Luke, a gentile,  we owe the beautifully written Gospel of Luke, and the Book of Acts.  He was a Greek physician,  a disciple of St Paul, a companion on some of his missionary journeys, and an inspired writer.

Luke’s gospel focuses on the compassion of Christ. His gospel contains some of the most moving parables, such as the Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son.  This, with his emphasis on poverty, prayer and purity of heart,  make up much of his appeal to the Gentles, for whom he wrote.

Women figure more prominently in Luke’s gospel than any other: look out for the extended story of the Virgin Birth, and stories of  Mary, Elizabeth, and the woman who was a sinner.

In Acts, Luke is remarkably good as linking sacred and profane history, as subsequent archaeology has shown. A principal theme of his Acts is how the early Christians moved away from Jerusalem into the pagan world, and especially on to Rome.

Luke is the patron saint of doctors, surgeons and artists (due to his picturesque style of writing).  His symbol is an ox, sometimes explained by reference to the sacrifice in the Temple at the beginning of his Gospel.  In England 28 ancient churches were dedicated to him.

31        All Hallows Eve

Modern Halloween celebrations have their roots with the Celtic peoples of pre-Christian times. 

In those long-ago days, on the last night of October, the Celts celebrated the Festival of Samhain, or ‘Summer’s End’.  The priests, or Druids, performed ceremonies to thank and honour the sun.  For there was a very dark side to all this: Samhain also signalled the onset of winter,  a time when it was feared that unfriendly ghosts, nature-spirits, and witches roamed the earth, creating mischief.  So the Druid priests lit great bonfires and performed magic rites to ward off or appease these dark supernatural powers.

Then the Romans arrived, and brought their Harvest Festival which honoured the Goddess Pomona with gifts of apples and nuts. The two festivals slowly merged.

When Christianity arrived still later, it began to replace the Roman and Druid religions.  1 November - All Saints’ Day - was dedicated to all Christian Martyrs and Saints who had died.  It was called ‘All Hallows’ Day’. The evening before became an evening of prayer and preparation and was called ‘All Hallows’ Eve’, The Holy Evening, later shortened to ‘Halloween’. 

For many centuries, however, fear of the supernatural remained strong.  During the Middle Ages, animal costumes and frightening masks were worn to ward off the evil spirits of darkness on Halloween.  Magic words and charms were used to keep away bad luck, and everybody believed that witches ride about on broomsticks.  Fortune telling was popular, and predicting the future by the use of nuts and apples was so popular that Halloween is still sometimes known as Nutcrack Night or Snap-Apple Night.

Today, Christians have learned to turn to prayer instead of charms to overcome the powers of darkness.   And the deeper, true meaning of All Hallows’ Eve, should not be forgotten.  As Christians, we all draw closer to Christ when we remember and give thanks for our loved ones and for others who have gone before us through the gates of death.