From the Vicar's Desk - 26 March

Welcome to 'From the Vicar's Desk' for Friday 26 March 



Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter

I am delighted to be able to say that we have a Holy Week programme that is creative, imaginative and inclusive. There are some services that we have every year that are very similar to what you would expect (like our midday Eucharists) and there are some that are having to be very different to our usual liturgical offering (like Maundy Thursday). We are offering worship that is focussed around the family as well as more formal worship, and we are holding worship in church, in the churchyard, on Zoom and online. 


The timetable can be found here 


The timetable contains most of the links you will need to book your place for services in church, to download the order of service and to connect to the right Zoom 'meeting'. Once all the remaining orders of service are written, I will send round a final version. 


There is a lot on offer and I hope the way we have laid out the information is easy to understand. If you have any trouble finding the link you need, please do ask.


National Day of Reflection

It was good to be able to hold a vigil on Tuesday as we passed the first anniversary of the lockdown. Thank you to all those who have been in touch to say how much it meant to be able to participate from home. I gather it won over some sceptics who had thought it was a bit of a stunt ... which reminded me of some early Christian's reactions to the resurrection! If you wish, you can watch the day unfold here. 


Lady Chapel Chandelier

The refurbishment of the chandelier means that, not only is sparkling clean, but it has been rewired and so will help provide much better lighting within the chapel. Thanks to Canynges Society for the funding and to Richard Wallace for the photo.


Celebrate your vaccine!

Many of us now will have received our first, if not our second, Covid-19 vaccine, at no cost to us. To celebrate this gift, for our Lent fundraising Appeal this year, you are invited to make a donation to support the global Covid-19 response, especially in places where needs are greatest. We are fundraising for Arm in Arm, a branch of the World Health Organisation Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, which is leading and coordinating the global response, ensuring all countries can prevent, detect, and respond to the pandemic. To read more, and to donate, please go to our Just Giving page here. And many thanks to those who have already helped raise £600 so far. 


What's inside the Temple? Liturgy & Worship...

That's the theme for this year's online Easter Bake Off! We are looking forward to seeing this year's creative collection of cakes!  I wonder what you can make with this year's theme... Send photos of your entries to Becky at 07934041638 or by email here by Good Friday, and our team of judges will decide on the winning entries for Easter Sunday! Will you rise to the challenge?


Ministry Experience

Are you (or anyone you know) looking for a year's ministry experience? If so, the diocese has two paid roles available for those between 18 & 35 for this coming academic year. More info here. 


Liturgy and Worship Review

Final opportunity to contribute to this review. The form, which will close at the end of the month, can be found at the bottom of this newsletter. 


Send on / Contact me

Please forward this email on those who might be interested in SMR and contact me here (rather than using reply please)


With my best wishes


Dan


Canon D F Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe 

0776 929 6220


What's On this Sunday - Palm Sunday 

8.30am : Morning Prayer 

: live stream here : words here

10.00am : Holy Communion (online)

: live stream here : Order of Service here

12.00noon : Holy Communion and Earth Church (church)

: some seats available on the day : Order of Service here

4.00pm : Youth Church

: zoom link from Becky here

6.30pm : Evening Service 

: live stream here : Order of Service here


What's On in Holy Week

Click here

 



More blog posts

An Update from Dan Tyndall

By sam.love • July 29, 2026
A year ago I preached my final sermon as Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe. Sarah and I were overwhelmed by the kindness of the send-off and your astonishing generosity. The following morning we packed everything we owned into a Transit van and drove it to London. If you think that felt abrupt, you'd be right. More than that, moving to London, when most retirees move away from the city, has been commented on many times. People often ask whether leaving was difficult. It was; very! However, the sheer scale of the change changed pretty much everything and all at once. Whilst we miss SMR and everything it stands for, a new home in a new city, with new routines and the freedom to shape our days differently, means that life has demanded our full attention from day one. The year since has been full of surprises. We've discovered that we enjoy living in a much smaller house than the vicarages we've lived over the last thirty years. Sarah now walks to work and I clean the house. We still haven't settled into one church, but we've enjoyed going to different churches and experiencing the extraordinary breadth of the Church of England. Without question, the greatest joy has been the birth of our first grandson. Living just an hour away has been an extraordinary gift, allowing us to be part of his life in a way that would never have been possible from Bristol. Professionally, coaching has continued to grow alongside research into leadership in complex parish churches. Personally, there has been time for lots of singing and I’m getting back on my bike again! Together we've made over fifty visits to theatres (including a fantastic production of Redcliffe at Southwark Playhouse a musical about an historic event that happened in the parish!), concerts and exhibitions—most recently The Art of Mini Golf, which was every bit as joyful and ridiculous as it sounds. Do I miss parish ministry? Of course I do. But I'm discovering that my vocation didn't retire when I did. I'm still curious about how people tick, what makes communities work, and how to name the question that unlocks a stuck situation. Thank you again for all the remarkable years at SMR. We remember them fondly and they continue to shape us in ways for which we shall always be grateful. Dan Tyndall 29.07.2026

Sermon on Sunday Evening 26th July 2026

By matthew.buckmaster • July 27, 2026
Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on Sunday 19th July 2026

By matthew.buckmaster • July 22, 2026
Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Staff Update: Joe Cryan, Director of Music

By joe.cryan • July 17, 2026
Last Sunday marked the end of another choir term—and what a term it has been! We've welcomed new choristers, learnt plenty of exciting music, sung for some wonderful liturgies, and eaten what can only be described as a significant amount of biscuits. The day began with a very special visit from Sing Start! , who joined us for the Eucharist. Together we sang Litany of the Holy Spirit and Joanna Forbes L'Estrange's St Helen's Mass. A huge thank you to Helena from Children's Church for organising ice creams afterwards—a thoroughly appreciated post-service treat! We're also delighted that a large number of Sing Start! children will be joining our regular treble lines from September. This is tremendously exciting, not only for the choir's future growth but also for the long-term strength and sustainability of our music-making at SMR. In the evening, we gathered for a special service celebrating the composer Charles Wood, marking 100 years since his death. It was a fitting tribute to one of the great figures of Anglican church music—but the occasion was also notable for another reason. Several of our own choir members stepped into new musical roles and showcased talents beyond their usual singing duties. Our Head Chorister conducted the introit, one of the back-row singers composed the psalm chant, and our Corner Chorister wrote the organ voluntary. It's wonderful to see so much creativity and musicianship flourishing within the choir. The final service of the year was followed by the all-important choir party: pizza and a screening of Sister Act. Judging by the enthusiastic reaction afterwards, there is now considerable demand for I Will Follow Him to appear in a future service. We make no promises—but do keep an eye on next year's music lists... The choir is now taking a well-earned summer break, but music certainly won't stop at SMR. Sunday morning Masses will continue with a cantor leading the music, and we're looking forward to welcoming several excellent visiting choirs over the coming weeks, including St Andrew's Backwell, St Mary's Ross-on-Wye, and the Handful Chamber Choir. Our regular choir returns on Sunday 13 September, refreshed, recharged, and ready for another exciting year of music. Have a wonderful summer, and thank you to all our choristers, families, volunteers, and supporters for another fantastic year.

Sermon on Sunday 12th July 2026

By matthew.buckmaster • July 13, 2026
Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on Sunday 5th July 2026

By matthew.buckmaster • July 6, 2026
Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green