A thriving Inclusive Church

After a year's careful reflection, PCC voted last month to join the Inclusive Church network. 

 

The network won't try to make us do or to be anything that we are not already doing or becoming. The main and best reason for joining the network was well described by the PCC member who asked: How do people know that we are a thriving, inclusive church? 

 

For a number of years that has been one of our key themes within our overall vision of 'Singing the Song of Faith and Justice'.

 

But for those who don't know SMR, who are looking for a place to belong where they can be themselves, as they are, made in the image of God and loved by those around them as much as they are loved by God .. for them, we weren't very good at (to use the word coined at PCC) asserting our inclusive understanding of theology and church life. 

 

Joining Inclusive Church gives us the right to use the logo above - which says it all in ten round dots. It's the power of symbols over words: we've always had the words on our website, but now we have a sign and symbol that conveys the message with ease and conviction. 

 

You can read more about Inclusive Church on their website here


More blog posts
By matthew.buckmaster October 26, 2025
Preached by the Canon Guy Wilkinson
By sam.love October 20, 2025
We are so very excited to be part of The Forsytes , a new TV adaptation of John Galsworthy's beloved novels. Produced for Channel 5 and Masterpiece, the show’s first season - which premieres on Monday 20th October 2025 - was filmed almost entirely in and around Bristol between May and August 2024, with significant scenes filmed within St Mary Redcliffe. You can read more about the production on Bristol 24/7 and watch the series' trailer below. 
By matthew.buckmaster October 19, 2025
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By sam.love October 17, 2025
On Monday 13th October 2025, members of the SMR staff team visited Bristol Archives to meet Senior Archivist Lucy Bonner and retired archivist Anne Bradley who has been leading the process of transferring archival documents from the church to the Create Centre - home of Bristol Archives - for a number of years. The purpose of the visit was to gather information on best practice for storing, preserving, organizing and transferring documentation to the archives, and to receive advice on how to meet the challenge of archiving in the digital era in which most documents are created and held digitally, rather than printed. This shift in process has had significant implications for the management of archival material, processes for which must now respond to risks associated with the fast pace of technological change and the likely future redundancy of current forms of digital storage technology. During the visit, the team were shown examples of important documents from the church archives, including the original deed for Redcliffe Pipe and the associated pipe lands, dating from around 1190-1200; the founding charter of Queen Elizabeth's Free School of Grammar and Writing from 1571; the C15th deed for one of William Canynges' chantries; and materials relating to the major Victorian restoration of St Mary Redcliffe that took place between 1842 and 1872. The staff team will continue working with Anne and Bristol Archives to embed processes that will ensure current data is preserved for the benefit of future generations.
By matthew.buckmaster October 5, 2025
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By matthew.buckmaster August 10, 2025
Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar