Edward Day Reflection

As I have come to the end of my month-long placement here at St Mary Redcliffe, I really want to take this opportunity to express how exceptionally grateful I am for how welcoming, accommodating, and helpful the entire community has been in enabling me to catch a glimpse into the life of this vibrant church.

I have managed to do a wealth of exciting things while I’ve been on placement, however, cannot possibly write everything that I’ve done. As the Fourth Evangelist writes, ‘Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written’ (John 21.25). Although not that dramatic, I have experienced quite a lot while on placement.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to help lead services – and I am very grateful for the patience shown towards my mistakes! Many of you may have seen and heard (apart from the time I forgot to turn the microphone on!) me deaconing at the Eucharist, leading Evensong, leading Morning Prayer, and preaching. Having discovered my sense of calling to the priesthood in a larger church, the worship and atmosphere at St Mary Redcliffe has felt like coming home for me.

I’ve also particularly enjoyed exploring the exciting and dynamic range of children’s work taking place in the community. Having attended Children’s Church, Toddler Church, and spending some time at St Mary Redcliffe Primary School. It has been such a delight to engage with the next generation of Christian leaders, by praying with them, learning with them, and even pretending to be a flamingo during the primary school’s collective worship, as you do!

I have witnessed how this community recognises, respects, and empowers the fundamental dignity of all human beings made in the image of God through the selfless, generous, and outward looking work which takes place at the Community Hub. When questioning ‘What would Jesus do?’, I’m sure he would have volunteered for a shift at the Community Hub.

Above all, I have very much enjoyed the opportunity to get to know so many members of this community and to discover the particular and unique gifts which each of you all bring. I have thoroughly enjoyed discovering the vast knowledge and dedication of the Vestments Conservation Group, the knowledge and hospitality of the Stewarding teams, the compassion and companionship of the pastoral care team, and the vision and dedication of those working towards a Silver Eco Church Award.

Although very brief, working with the team at St Mary Redcliffe has been an absolute joy – I have felt so welcomed, supported, looked out for, and loved during my time here and I wish I could have stayed for longer! I do now hope as I expectantly wait to find out where I will be sent, that the church I’m a curate in is full of talented, dedicated, and welcoming people like all of those I’ve found within this community.

Edward Day

July 2022

< Older Post

Newer Post >

More blog posts

Sermon on Sunday,10th August 2025

By matthew.buckmaster • August 10, 2025

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Interregnum Information

By Laura.Verrall-Kelly • August 7, 2025

Keeping You Updated During the Interregnum As I prepare to go on maternity leave at the end of August, I want to share some important updates regarding our Sunday Services and communication during the Interregnum period. We’ve taken time to consider what is sustainable and meaningful in this season of transition, and while some of the changes have been difficult, they are intended to ensure we can continue to worship together well. Service Changes 8am BCP Eucharist We’ve made the difficult decision to pause this service during the vacancy, following a PCC vote (with 3 votes against). This is due to the limited availability of clergy to cover two Eucharist services on a Sunday. We’re grateful that this decision has allowed us to secure strong cover for the other services. If you’re looking for an early service, the Cathedral offers Morning Prayer at 7.40am and BCP Eucharist at 8am. This change to the 8am will happen from the beginning of October. Mattins & Evensong These will continue with support from a growing team of Lay Leaders. If you're interested in helping lead, please speak to Simon Goodman. Please note: bespoke online orders of service will no longer be produced weekly. Instead, we will use a standard booklet and hymn book in church. Online viewers will receive a standard order of service plus a document with Bible readings and hymns. 10.30am Sung Eucharist Some small changes are being made to simplify things for visiting clergy: Notices will be read by a Church Warden, Duty Warden or Church Representative Communion distribution will return to queue formation A Gradual Hymn will replace the Responsorial Psalm - there is simply not the resource to produce a weekly or termly Psalm hand out in church. We’ll use a standard “Eucharist during the Vacancy” order of service (in booklet form), with hymn books provided in church. As with other services, online resources will mirror this setup. These changes to the 10.30am will happen from the 17th August. Christingle Service Due to the scale of this service and the planning it requires, we’ve made the difficult decision to pause it this year. Without full-time clergy to oversee preparations and lead the service, we don’t believe we can deliver it safely or well. We know this will be disappointing, but this service will be back. Ongoing Communication Thanks to Chris Duncan and Sam Love, we will continue to send out a weekly email during the Interregnum. I’m very grateful to both of them for stepping up to support in this way. We know some of these decisions may not affect everyone, while others may feel them more deeply. We don’t expect universal agreement, and that’s okay — your questions and thoughts are welcome and valued. All we ask is that feedback is offered with kindness and respect for those who have worked hard to make these plans in a short space of time. Thank you for being part of this community and for your ongoing support as we navigate this together.