Severn's All You Can Eat Buffet

How does the way we look at the Bible change what we think it means, and how we live as a result? Stephen Welbourne takes inspiration from Zach Lambert’s “Better Ways to Read the Bible” and Danielle Strickland’s “Right Side Up” podcast (from April 27th 2026), and looks at what happened when Jesus met a woman accused of adultery. This story has been seen in lots of ways. If it can help us to see Je...

What does it mean to think of God as father? Kyle Henderson-Begg brings his experience of mixed feelings about this and considers the importance of relationship to us and, according to the Bible, to God. Can a fresh look at how and why God is described as a father, together with our experience of God today, help to heal any hurt that arises when we think of a father God?

How can we bring hope where we live? David Jennings shares his experience of life in Bristol meeting people in difficult situations and trying to share God's love with them. It can sometimes feel like our faith life is purely personal, and it's good to remember how much God love us. But is this comfort only part of the life God wants for us? Can we believe that it's possible to share in suffering...

What does it mean to celebrate things that grow slowly? Owen Lynch looks at the Jewish festival that marked 50 days after Passover. In the time since offering first fruits of the harvest to God, more crops had grown and matured, and bread could be made that had time to rise. Offering this to God showed thanks for his provision of things that took time to get right. How often do we appreciate these...

When life looks dark, what happens when light surprises us? Marie-Anne Joiner shares experiences of finding joy in difficulty and mystery, and how this can fuel creativity we all have. Everyone has stories worth sharing, but how do we find them? Can we learn to make space and silence to notice the fullness of God’s presence, like stars in the darkness?

What difference does our state of mind make when we see new things happening? Karen Green shares experience of life in Bristol and looks at stories of people around Jesus who looked at God’s coming kingdom in different ways. Can getting to know Jesus better and growing our faith in him change the way we see the world, and develop open minds to new possibilities?

How can celebrating and giving the first part of our year’s grown food be helpful to us? Owen Lynch looks at the festival of Firstfruits, given in the Bible for Jewish people to mark a few days after Passover. It recognises how a food-growing community that has gone through a season where nothing grew could look forward to more fruitful life ahead. They didn’t wait for the whole year’s harvest, bu...

What difference does the state of our hearts make to how we receive, process and grow with words from God? Kyle Henderson-Begg looks at Jesus’ parable of the sower, and what it meant for their seed to be everywhere but growing differently in different places. What does good growth look like, and how can we see more of it?

What difference does sharing vulnerability make? Looking at examples from the Bible and stories of experience today, we look at how willingness to show where we are imperfect or need help can transform us and our relationships.

What does love from God mean for us? Jason Whiley shares experience of receiving, living in and sharing love from God, and looks at passages from the Bible including Psalm 139 which show how others have seen this too.

What do we expect from God’s kingdom and Jesus as King? In this Palm Sunday talk, Dan Green looks at what the crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem hoped and believed might happen, and how they would have been shocked by Jesus and what would happen next. Similarly, when crowds gather today with faith, flags and the nation in mind, does Jesus fit expectations? What do we expect from Jesus?

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:10-11 Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve...

What is so important about rest? Owen Lynch looks at what it meant for God’s people to be told and shown how to rest together, and what might be good for us to learn from this too. What difference would it make for us to create space for our own ways of practising a Sabbath rest, and how could we make a start?

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and t...

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:7 Jesus answered him, ‘It is also written: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’ Tempted to use t...

What is the Bible, how did we get it, and what is it for? Claire Lynch looks at how the different genres, stories and conversations in the Bible fit together into something which has conveyed truth to people for thousands of years - as long as they knew how to interpret it. How can we do this today?

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:5-6 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the temple. ‘If you are...

Why can it feel awkward to think or talk about being “redeemed” or “saved”? Kyle Henderson-Begg looks at how we can understand this better by getting to know God’s love, his long-standing promises and the person and work of Jesus.

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from...

We’re going through Lent spending time every day, not alone but with Jesus in the desert, not empty but full of his Spirit, not resting but wrestling with the things that get between us and God, not relying on ourselves but trusting in God to win every battle thanks to what Jesus did. Matthew 4:2-3 After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, ‘If...

Over the next six weeks, we're going to spend time with Jesus in the desert - a place where he was taken at a pivotal point in his life to face a spiritual battle before he began his ministry. The story we have of this battle takes the form of a conversation between Jesus and God's enemy, Satan, "the devil". In this introduction, we look at the whole story and how it fits into the bigger stories o...

What is worship all about? David Jennings looks at how important it has always been for God's people to worship, how this has been reflected in buildings and structures, and how these give us a meaningful picture today.  

Where are we as a church, what makes us who we are, and what are we looking forward to in 2026? Owen and Claire Lynch share how Severn is an inclusive community of friends where all people are welcome to encounter Christ Jesus. If you would like to know more about giving to Severn, see severnchurchbristol.org/giving. To find the FAQs and other material to accompany this talk, visit https://severnc...

How can we get to grips with the Bible and what it means? Claire Lynch looks at how it fits together lots of stories as part of one big story of life, purpose, relationships, struggles, suffering, hope and fulfilment. Can looking at the Bible as a box set with recognisable episodes help us to explore it and connect it with our lives today?

How do we find meaning in life through what we regularly do? Owen Lynch looks at the role of repeated patterns, habits or rituals in diverse places, from the minds of sports stars to the tables of families. God's people have also been encouraged for centuries to remember who we and God are to each other through shared festivals with meaningful meals. This year, people at Severn can expect to share...