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The Sermon on Sunday 19th April 2026

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:24:26 GMT

Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

The Sermon on Sunday 12th April 2026

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:08:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Staff Update: Beth Herbert, Life Events Coordinator

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:41:24 GMT

I'm Beth, Life Event Coordinator. Over the past few months, we have been busy with baptisms, weddings and funerals. From small wedding blessings with only a couple and a priest present to large affairs with over 300 guests we feel glad to have supported people during key moments in their lives.

I've noticed that life event services need cooperation from the whole team at St. Mary's: Cleaners keeping the church spotless; Clergy and Vergers running a seamless service on the day; talented Musicians providing deeply moving music; the Events team rearranging schedules and tours to fit services in the diary; much admin preparation before the day; careful diligence from our Finance Manager to ensure every penny of donations are sent to families charity of choice.

The love and care put in by the team here is apparent to me and hopefully reassures you that St. Mary's will be here for you in both the highlights and hard times that you face.

Beth Herbert

St Mary Redcliffe representing Bristol and England in the age of Empire

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:01:09 GMT

 Kingdoms of Europe card game, circa 1895

Jaques & Son, 102 Hatton Garden, London

A collecting game published in two series: the first series featuring Western Europe and the second series Eastern/Southern Europe.

This collecting game, similar to another game called Counties of England, was published in two series: the first series featuring Western Europe and the second series Eastern/Southern Europe. The city cards are beautifully illustrated with coloured engravings, whilst the Key cards depict national flags.

Europe experienced a period of unprecedented rapid expansion around the globe during the last third of the nineteenth century. European nation-states had become very powerful because of industrialization and the organizational efficiency of the nation-state, which led to easy dominance of non-European areas of the world. This Victorian family card game captures a snap-shot of European nations from this time.

See the full set: https://www.wopc.co.uk/uk/jaques/kingdoms-of-europe

Sermon on Easter Day, 5th April 2026

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:08:59 GMT

Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Sermon on Easter Vigil 4th April 2026

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:18:40 GMT

Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on Maundy Thursday 2nd April 2026

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:51:29 GMT

Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Diocesan Synod Update - March 2026

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:42:54 GMT

The diocesan synod, as well as receiving all the usual reports from bishop's council, general synod and the diocesan board of education, heard that if everyone increased financial giving by the cost of one cup of coffee per week, the diocese's shortfall would be eliminated!

The diocesan strategy, Transforming Church Together, TCT, was also discussed at length. The strategy can be summarised as: following Jesus, serving others, transforming communities. It is intended to enable churches to become more open and inclusive, and thereby, to achieve growth. Good news stories were heard of how the strategy had worked in practice, such as helping to turn a church around to make it much more effective in its local area, and on better terms with its neighbouring schools.

The synod heard that, while, sadly, funding for Carbon Net Zero was paused at the end of 2025, due to financial constraints, work, intentions and commitment in this area has not ceased, and it is saving money on utility bills as a result.

The synod voted to adopt the ten year financial plan.

A written question was submitted about the need to increase diversity: the best we can come up with so far is... choose people to do things who are not like you, ask someone different!

I shall attempt to do a short summary of each synod which I attend. I shall also undertake to write up all of last year's synods, in one document, but this involves condensing every set of minutes into a paragraph or so, and given that each is the size of a small book, that's quite difficult to do.

We need four new deanery synod rep's, so please all put your names forward and be elected at the APCM. Thank you.

Auriol Britton

21.03.2026

Sermon on the 22nd March 2026

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:02:18 GMT

Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Exhibition on Screen

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:58:51 GMT

Whilst my job title here at St Mary Redcliffe may be Governance & Administration Officer, I am always grateful for opportunities to utilise some of the skills – and connections – I gathered when working in the cinema industry. When I was working as the programmer at The Flavel, a small mixed-purpose arts centre in Dartmouth, I made sure that despite only having one cinema screen, we delivered a diverse and mixed programme.

I remember jumping at any opportunity to run any of the Exhibition on Screen films – beautifully crafted documentaries that shed light on artists and their work. Despite barely having enough knowledge of art history to write on a matchbox, I always found these films compelling, and loved the concept of bringing the art gallery experience into a cinema setting. Allowing these magnificent, historic works to be experienced on a large screen, with the ability to zoom and focus in on particular details, always struck me as a wonderful idea. You truly feel like you’re stepping into the paintings. And it seems I’m not the only one taken by these films – a network of over 1500 cinemas regularly screen from Exhibition on Screen’s catalogue of over 40 films in over 60 countries. Their 2023 film Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition even holds the record of the UK’s most successful art film.

It is very exciting, then, that we – myself along with the Heritage, Visitors and Commercial department of Rhys Williams, Rebecca Horry and Lucy Marshall – have begun a relationship with Exhibition on Screen to start showing their films in church! We are thrilled to be showing Easter in Art on Wednesday 25th March, and even more thrilled that Phil Grabsky – who founded Seventh Art Productions, the company behind these films, in 1984 – has provided a special video introduction for the screening.

We really hope that you can come along and support this screening, so that we may show more of their films in the future. There are a great many to choose from, although we are keeping our fingers firmly crossed that one day they might produce one on William Hogarth and show off the wonderful altarpiece that was painted for St Mary Redcliffe in 1755-56, currently housed at St Nicholas Church.

I really hope to see you at the screening, and do keep your eyes peeled for more later in the year.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Sam Love

18.03.2026

Sermon on the 15th March 2026

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 08:44:14 GMT

Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Staff Update: Rebecca Horry, Commercial Manager

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:20:52 GMT

As the new season begins, it feels full of potential as new life appears around us and the days grow longer. Spring brings a natural sense of renewal, and it feels like a particularly special time in the life of our church. I’m delighted that our building will be hosting several events that explore the story and meaning of Easter in different ways.

One highlight will be hosting Riding Lights Theatre Company presenting Night Falls, a new Passion play by Paul Birch, offering a powerful retelling of the Easter story. We hope it will be meaningful for both members of our congregation and visitors who join us. We are also looking forward to a screening from the Exhibition on Screen series exploring Easter in Art, reflecting on how artists across the centuries have interpreted the Passion and Resurrection.

Our church shop continues to welcome visitors and regulars alike. Alongside cards, books, and gifts, I’m pleased to share that we have recently brought a new book supplier on board, helping us widen our range of titles for both children and adults exploring faith and the heritage of the church.

I’ve also been delighted to help recruit several new volunteers to help run church tours, and we hope this will allow us to expand our tour offer and share the story of the church with even more visitors. If you see them in the church please help welcome them to the team.

Behind the scenes, we continue working to welcome concerts and other events into the church. Our beautiful space lends itself wonderfully to music, and these events not only bring people together but also help support the care and future of the building. Over the coming months, we look forward to hosting a range of concerts and cultural events, welcoming audiences from across the local area and beyond. If you know of choirs, ensembles, or promoters looking for a distinctive venue, please do point them in our direction.

Thank you to everyone who supports these activities by volunteering, attending events, shopping in the shop, or spreading the word.

Recca Horry , Commercial Manager

13.03.2026

The Sermon on Sunday 8th March 2026

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 20:04:35 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Sermon on Sunday 1st March 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:34:47 GMT

Preached by Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on the 22nd February 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:34:29 GMT

Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Sermon on Ash Wednesday 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:34:12 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Sermon on the 15th February 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:33:54 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on the 8th February 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:33:37 GMT

Preached by the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Sermon on the occasion of the installation and induction of the Revd Dr Brutus Green

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:33:21 GMT

Preached by the Right Reverend Neil Warrick, Acting Bishop of Bristol

Staff Update: Parish Administrator

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 10:38:02 GMT

In June I stepped away from my role as the life events coordinator at SMR to focus on my work as a self-employed doula: supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal season. I had the privilege of meeting some wonderful people, and had the opportunity to develop a growing network of Christian Birth workers nationwide. However, as many of you who have been self-employed will know, maintaining a steady income was difficult. So, over Christmas, when St Mary Redcliffe found itself without an Administrator, I was glad to return to help with carol service printing and monitoring the parish office inbox. I originally thought it would be temporary, but church admin seems to have a way of drawing me back in, and I am still here- now approaching Easter! I am really enjoying working alongside the SMR staff team again.

I am also in my second year of curacy at St Francis Ashton and St Michael’s Windmill Hill, exploring a pathway as a Distinctive Deacon. (If you are interested in what one of those is- please get in touch and I can explain further!)

Being back at SMR prompted reflection on the connections between my roles as Administrator, Deacon and Doula. Each is rooted in service, attentiveness, and accompaniment, and each requires presence at the thresholds. I strongly believe it is important to be welcoming and compassionate in this role, as many people contacting the church do so feeling as though they are on the ‘outside’ and don’t belong here.

I look forward to seeing what God will do in this new season for SMR, and how I might play my part in that too.

If you would like to get in touch, please contact me via the Parish Office or come and say hello when you are passing by.

Rev Helena Whitwell

26.02.2026

Connecting Older Neighbours in Redcliffe

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 10:27:15 GMT

On a wet winter morning, Andy and I joined four local residents to knock on doors in Broughton and Yeamans Houses with one simple question: “How do we bring our older residents together?”

We heard brilliant ideas –games, book groups, crafts, skittles, bingo, music, outdoor spaces, shared food and conversation. But we also heard about real barriers: fear of coming out, mobility challenges, and the difficulty of walking into a room where you don’t know anyone.

Connection is at the heart of our work. While much of our rightly community focus on activity for children and young people, nearly half (47%) of residents on the Redcliffe Estate live alone. That’s a lot of neighbours who can go days without meaningful conversation, leaving adults isolated and unseen.

Through regular door knocking and personal invitations, we’re helping make those first steps easier.

Our next community meeting is on Thursday 26th February at Faithspace at 12.30pm , where our discussion topic will be ‘What do we want for older people in Redcliffe?’ and we’ll begin trialling the ideas residents suggested. In partnership with Faithspace, we will then be hosting a weekly space every Thursday at 2.30pm to connect older people through activities, tea and conversation.

Sometimes community starts with a knock on the door — and an invitation to belong.

For more information on the community meeting, door knocking, or for tailored support accessing community activities contact Andy Carruthers at andy.carruthers@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk or on 07933 090198.

David Cousins

20.02.2026

In the News: SMR Community Work Recognised

We’re delighted that our work with asylum seekers living in Redcliffe has been featured by Rising Arts Agency. You can read their report here .

St Mary Redcliffe’s community work also features in a national report produced by Churchworks exploring the role of heritage buildings on community wellbeing (you can find us on p.18!). It’s wonderful to see how SMR’s work is contributing to a wider national conversation.

Easter in Art Screening

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:19:22 GMT

Wednesday 25th March

7:30pm

“Anyone who has any interest in art… anyone who has any interest in visual culture … has to be interested in the Christian story.”

Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times

Easter in Art is a stunning film on one of the most significant events in history – the death and resurrection of Jesus. Highlighting artists such as Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, El Greco, and Salvador Dalí the film displays some of the greatest artworks ever produced, all shot on location in galleries around the world.

The story of Christ’s death and resurrection has dominated western culture for the past 2,000 years. It is perhaps the most significant historical event of all time, as recounted by the gospels, but equally as depicted by the greatest artists in history. From the triumphant to the savage, the ethereal to the tactile, some of western civilization’s greatest artworks focus on this pivotal moment. This beautifully crafted film explores the Easter story as depicted in art, from the time of the early Christians to the present day. Shot on location in Jerusalem, United States and throughout Europe, the film explores the different ways artists have depicted the Easter story through the ages and thus depicts the history of us all.

Easter in Art is directed by Phil Grabsky and features Rachel Campbell-Johnston, Dr. Jennifer Sliwka, Dr. David Gariff and the voices of Rupert Farley, Matt Wilkinson, David Rintoul and Glen McCready. It has a running time of 85 minutes.

A musical welcome

This event will feature music performed by members of St Mary Redcliffe Choir prior to the start of the film.

Supporting St Mary Redcliffe

Ticket sales for this event will support St Mary Redcliffe PCC.

Charity number: 1134120

Copy of Sermon on the 1st February 2026

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 20:38:34 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

The Sermon on Sunday 25th January 2026

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 21:57:42 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Appeal for Choir Chaperones

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:08:50 GMT

We Need Your Help! Choir Chaperones – Thursday Afternoons

St Mary Redcliffe has a thriving music department – in fact it is right at the centre of our mission here – singing the song of faith and justice. A key part of this is our work with children who make up our treble line. Over the last year, we have seen a number of families move on from the choir as their children have grown up, and therefore we are in need of recruiting some choir chaperones – maybe you could help us?

A choir chaperone attends rehearsals and is there should a child need some help. This might be that you take them to the toilet, help them find music, or contact their parents should they need it. 99% of the time, you can sit there and read a book or get on with some work, but they are essential for that 1% of the time where something unexpected might happen. We can easily find interesting tasks for you to do alongside this (e.g. covering some copies, tidying up music) but the main responsibility is looking after the trebles in the choir.

At the moment we particularly need them for Thursday Afternoons – from 4:15 through to 5:30 for our Girls Chorister Rehearsals.

We are also looking for people with experience of working with primary school children to help out at Sing Start! which runs from 5:30 till 6:30, also on a Thursday evenings.

Any person who would like to help on this role would be subject to a reference check, attaining a DBS and completing some safeguarding training.

If you feel you could volunteer to help the choir, or want some more information about what it would involve, contact our Director of Music on joe.cryan@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Sermon on Sunday 18th January 2026

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 19:49:10 GMT

Preached by Rev Teddy Kalongo, Superintendent of Bristol's Methodist Churches

The Sermon at Midnight Mass 2025

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:50:02 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Sermon on the 11th January 2026

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:19:16 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on the 4th January 2026

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 20:19:02 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Reflections from Rebecca Horry, Commercial Manager

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 15:28:17 GMT

At the beginning of October 2025, Rebecca Horry joined the St Mary Redcliffe team as our new Commercial Manager. Here, she reflects on her first month in post.

A big thank you for the warm welcome I have received at St Mary Redcliffe as the new Commercial Manager. It has been a genuinely inspiring start, getting to know the team, understanding the rhythm of church life and beginning to explore the many opportunities that sit within our commercial activities. My role is all about strengthening revenue streams and developing our commercial strategy to generate sustainable income for St Mary Redcliffe.

In this short time, I’ve had the chance to listen, learn and to see the heart behind the work we do. It’s clear to me that our commercial activity isn’t simply about generating income, it’s about creating connections, making to most of our unique offer and ensuring our church can continue to flourish for generations to come.

One of the great privileges of my first month has been experiencing the incredible music that fills this place, from intimate recitals to large-scale events. There is something truly special about watching the building come alive with sound, seeing audiences uplifted and feeling the space transformed. Connection to music is one of the many gifts we have to offer and celebrate, alongside the amazing heritage story we have to share with our community.

My aim moving forward is to bring together a commercial offer that is cohesive, purpose-driven, and sustainably profitable. I want us to build something that not only supports by providing much needed funding but reflects our values and feels genuine to the incredible work already happening here. That means shaping a strategy that is smart and responsible, but also bold enough to embrace new ideas and possibilities.

Most of all, I want to help create a commercial offer that feels joined-up, future-focused, and grounded in who we are at St Mary Redcliffe. Much of the work starts with ensuring our foundations are strong, reviewing and ensuring our current offer is working as hard as it possible can for us.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their wisdom, offer encouragement, or simply check in with a friendly word. Your generosity has made this first month fly by and I’m excited for what lies ahead.

- Rebecca Horry, Commercial Manager

19 November 2025

Sermon on Sunday 26th October 2025

Sun, 26 Oct 2025 20:34:37 GMT

Preached by the Canon Guy Wilkinson

St Mary Redcliffe and The Forsytes

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:24:25 GMT

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.

Sermon on Sunday 12th October 2025

Sun, 19 Oct 2025 19:01:10 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

SMR Staff visit Bristol Archives

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:49:33 GMT

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.

Sermon on Sunday 5th October 2025

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 20:34:53 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sermon on Sunday 10th August 2025

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 18:17:34 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Interregnum Information

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 08:16:22 GMT

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.

Sermon on Sunday 3rd August 2025

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 12:42:40 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 27th July 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 27 Jul 2025 17:19:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday, 20th July 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 17:02:32 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

The Sermon at Evensong on Sunday 6th July 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 18:50:24 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday, 6 July 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 13 Jul 2025 18:25:43 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

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12 Bell Striking Competition Winner

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:56:56 GMT

The winning band

The vibrant city of Bristol echoed with centuries of tradition, the joyful sound of expertly rung church bells, and cheers of celebration on last Saturday as Bristol won the National 12-Bell Striking Contest Final here at St Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol.

Often dubbed the “FA Cup of bell ringing”, this prestigious annual event brought together the country’s top teams to compete in the art of change ringing — a unique English tradition that combines musicality, precision, and teamwork. This year was made even more special as it was the 50 ^th anniversary of the contest, which was first held at St Mary Redcliffe in 1975, and this was Bristol’s first ever win, despite numerous close calls.

What’s more, two of the band (Cameron and Gareth) had never rung in a national final before, resulting in more firsts for Bristol.

Nine elite teams from across the UK – including St Paul’s Cathedral and York Minster - earned their place in the final following rigorous qualifiers held earlier this spring. Each team completed a set piece of ringing, judged for timing, clarity, and consistency by an expert panel of judges. Bristol was placed first with an astonishing score of 96% - believed to be the highest ever in the history of the contest.

The Bristol team captain, Chris Poole, said, “To say that I'm delighted that the Bristol team won the competition is an understatement - Bristol has never won it before, and to do so against tough competition from cathedrals and churches across the country, in a historic anniversary year and on home bells, was amazing!”.

Gareth Lawson, the event organiser and one of the 12 winning ringers, said “It was an absolute delight to host the contest 50 years after its birth here in Bristol. Over the years, the contest has evolved so much in style and magnitude, but we’d never won.”

“In 2017, when I was ringing master at St Mary Redcliffe, we realised that 2025 would be a golden anniversary and felt it would be the perfect opportunity to host the final. The team of 12 ringers practiced hard, taking advantage of the familiarity of our home bells, and wanted to win so much. It all paid off and we’re proud to have made this a memorable day for all involved, bringing the coveted Taylor Trophy to Bristol.

Vicar, Reverend Canon Dan Tyndall was delighted with the turnout and how smoothly the event ran. “When the judges declared that the Birmingham team were awarded second place, leaving only Bristol to be announced, the cheers and applause from the hundreds of ringers inside the church was remarkable. What an outstanding achievement for the Bristol team.”

The event was broadcast live on YouTube for those unable to attend and has already been seen over ten thousand times by viewers all around the world. If you’re interested in seeing more, visit https://www.youtube.com/@National12Bell or search National 12 Bell Broadcast on YouTube.

Gareth would like to express his thanks to Dan and all the team here at St Mary Redcliffe for the use of the church and the bells, and to the staff and volunteers who helped make this special day a memorable one.

The Bristol crew who made it all happen

Sermon on Sunday 22nd June 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 18:17:15 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

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The Rush Sunday Sermon on the 8th June 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 18:33:04 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 1st June 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 01 Jun 2025 11:59:18 GMT

Preached by the Canon Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday, 25th May 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 25 May 2025 19:03:18 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday, 18 May 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 18 May 2025 21:02:07 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday 11th May 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 17 May 2025 17:12:39 GMT

Preached by Helena Hoyle King, a congregation member exploring her vocation.

Sermon on Sunday 4th May 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 04 May 2025 18:51:42 GMT

Preached by the Canon Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon at Choral Evensong on Sunday, 27th April 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 19:35:23 GMT

Preached by George Tunnah

George has been on placement here at SMR since the 2nd March and rounds off his time with us by preaching at Evensong.

Sermon on Sunday, 27th April 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 27 Apr 2025 18:23:46 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday the 6th of April 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 17:56:49 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday, 30 March 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 19:10:01 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday, 23rd March 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 23 Mar 2025 13:24:33 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 16th March 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:38:58 GMT

Conversation with Alexia Lizarraga, Partnerships and Climate Fellowship Manager for Amos Trust

Sermon on Sunday 9th February 2025

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:16:25 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Good Friday Three Hours

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 07 Mar 2025 11:38:20 GMT

 Good Friday Three Hours

Friday 18 April

12:00pm - 3:00pm / Nave

Come along for three hours or drop in for as long as you can. The service will include a guest speaker, music from our Choir and time for reflective silence.

Good Friday Guest Speaker

Chris Rose / Director of Amos Trust
The Three Hours will feature, Chris Rose, Director of Amos Trust, who will be sharing stories from the work they do in Climate Justice and Palestine.

Chris Rose - We Do Hope

I often try to avoid churches on Good Friday. Too often the focus of the day is on the brutality of Jesus death and how ‘my sins’ put him on the cross. Fair enough, but that misses so much. For the events of Good Friday, also remind us that: each time we support someone in need, each time we stand up for an ideal , each time we speak out against injustice or seek to prevent people from destroying our planet, we stop people from knowing what it means to be forsaken.

About Chris

Chris Rose is the Director of Amos Trust, a small creative human rights organisation which has three main areas of work: promoting Palestinian rights, creating opportunities for girls and young women on the streets and calling for climate justice.

Chris has travelled extensively to Amos partner projects and led many trips and activities with them, such as home rebuilding, cycling and marathons trips in Palestine. He co-founded the Street Child World Cup in South Africa in 2010 and led Amos’ Just Walk from London to Jerusalem in 2017.

Prior to this he was CEO of Romsey Mill a highly innovative youth project in Cambridge and is an ordained Anglican Minister.

amostrust.org

Good Friday for Families

During the Good Friday Three Hours service, we will be hosting a drop-in session for families, featuring free activities,in Faithspace on nearby Prewett Street.

Sermon on Sunday 5th March 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 13:51:37 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 2nd March 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 21:39:17 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Lent Exhibition: Eden Bleeds

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 15:00:16 GMT

Title of Exhibition:

Eden Bleeds

Date:

7th March to 22nd April 2025

Place:

St Mary Redcliffe Parish Church.

Parish Office, 12 Colston Parade, Redcliffe, Bristol.

BS1 6RA

Opening times

Monday to Saturday 8–5pm

Sunday: 12–4:30pm

Description:

The exhibition Eden Bleeds is a solo exhibition that addresses the problem of ecological devastation. Showcasing for the first time 13 works it asks what is this vision for the planet we have now given to ourselves? What is unique about this exhibition is the abstract style and contrasting forms, which blur the lines between beauty and devastation. As the colours and compositions bleed into one another, so the question of ecology is reimagined anew.

Chantal Meza’s work practice is focus on the the human seen through various forms of disappearance. She uses the ancient form of abstraction as the language that gestures her concerns around the political-scientific sphere by observing the history of power within social constructs and its shifting relations. Her projects are often developed collaboratively with academics, policy makers and member of civil society whose knowledge bring essential perspectives to her work.

Free public Events Accompanying Chantal’s series there is a suite of events to open conversation in an art-led way between artists, experts, and broader publics. The exhibition will provide a contemplative mediation on the subject in a fitting spiritual setting. Leading thinkers from pioneering organizations like The Eco-Leadership Institute, Alameda Institute and Centre for the Study of Violence will participate in a series of public talks and workshops. Tours of the works will be held to inform publics on the importance of art and how we might reimagine social responses to this collective planetary issue and bring new attention to the multiple ways ecologies are endangered.

Chantal Meza is a painter based in the United Kingdom. Her work has featured in exhibitions, auctions and biennials in prominent Museums and Galleries in Mexico, United Kingdom, Paraguay and Germany. She has delivered international lectures and workshops at reputable universities such as Harvard University, École Normale Superiéure, Goethe Univeristät, Goldsmiths Univeristy among others, as well as being commissioned publicly and privately. Her work has received the support of grants, public recognitions, and awards of prominent institutions in the cultural sector. She has written extensively on the links between Art and Politics and featured on prominent news outlets such as the BBC’s news and arts programmes. More recently Her "State of Disappearance" series has been exhibited in Bristol, London, Oxford and is now on display at the Chancellors Building at the University of Bath.

EVENTS

15 ^th March 2025

The soul of Ecological Thinking.

17:00hrs to 18:00hrs

BOOK TICKETS

The Eco-Leadership Institute has been active and influential in humanitarian work supporting those in war zones and natural disasters, engaging leaders in the high-tech and manufacturing sector, and with religious organisations. Its ground-breaking approach provides organisations that are more engaged, purposeful, and adaptive in the face of urgent challenges. In this conversation between artist Chantal Meza and Founder and CEO Simon Western they will discuss how this organisation connects leadership and coaching to ecosystem thinking and how they help create social value beyond profit or growth while providing healthy interconnections between people, organisations, technology, and the natural world.

Dr. Simon Western , Founder and CEO - The Eco-Leadership Institute.

29 ^th March 2025

Energy Transition.

17:00hrs to 18:00hrs

BOOK TICKETS

The launch of the dossier “Energy Transitions: Just and Beyond” by the Alameda Institute will explore contributions from the editors and authors as they connect climate change, just transition, political strategies, and the geopolitics of energy. Eith the presence of Sabrina Fernandes, Rodrigo Nunes and Amir Lebdioui, the panel aims to provide an accessible and comprehensive analysis of tendencies and conflicts to advance a global energy transition within the next years. While a just transition to a low-emissions society requires moving beyond sectoral approaches to mitigation and adaptation, it is clear that bottlenecks in the energy transition present one of the biggest challenges to curb the amount of greenhouse gases we send to the atmosphere. The talk will focus on the challenges of coordinating an internationalist just transition as we race against time.

Sabrina Fernandes is a sociologist and political economist with a PhD from Carleton University, Canada.

Rodrigo Nunes is a Senior Political Theory and Organisation Lecturer at the University of Essex.

Amir Lebdioui is an Algerian development economist, Associate Professor of the Political Economy of Development and the director of TIDE Centre at the University of Oxford

12 ^th April 2025

The weaponization of Ecology.

17:00hrs to 18:00hrs

BOOK TICKETS

This talk will explore the relationship between violence and ecology in the classic Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. It would look at the ways in which Dante understood ecology as a force which not only sustained his life but can be weaponized to bring terrible harm and suffering. This is a free 1hr Event where you will be able to speak with Brad and chat with the artist about her work.

Brad Evans is a Professor of Political Violence & Aesthetics and founding Director of the Centre for the Study of Violence at the University of Bath.

Partners and Supporters:

The Eco-Leadership Institute is a ground-breaking approach that aligns leadership practice with ecosystem principles, creating organisations that are more engaged, purposeful, and adaptive in the face of urgent challenges.

The Alameda Institute is a research institute that connects with social movements to understand how engaged research can respond to contemporary struggles.

The Centre for the Study of Violence pursues dialogues that deepens understanding of the inter-relationships between different forms of violence and share a commitment to the prevention of violence and amelioration of its impact, including through education.

Bristol Fine Art est.1958. For decades we have been a part of the art community of Bristol, supporting artists with a wealth of materials and advice. We have a deep understanding and knowledge of art materials, only stocking Artists favourites.

"It's time to move on"

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 09:47:53 GMT

After 12 years as vicar of "the fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in all England" the time has come for us to move on.

As many of you know, I first came to Redcliffe in 1996 when I spent five years as Associate Vicar. I described that role as “The best job in the Church of England." However, after twelve years as vicar, I have to admit that I think this one is even better … just!

I have been ordained for just over thirty years, which means that I have spent over half my ministry within Redcliffe. It is a community, a building and a place I have always loved for its people, its situation and its mix.

It has been a huge privilege, a real honour and (on the whole) great fun being here, living amongst you and sharing with you in the work of the gospel.

There have been some notable ‘wins’:

a strapline and four key themes that really describe who SMR is
a congregation that has grown in number and diversity
a community team making a real difference
a significant increase in visitor engagement
a far more robust and compliant organisational structure

And there are some notable things that have been left undone:

most notably, our accessible toilet is still down a flight of steps!

I have great confidence in the amazing team within this extraordinary place. I know you will continue to "Sing the Song of Faith and Justice" with hope and expectation. I know you will continue to find new, dynamic and creative ways that honour Redcliffe's traditions. I know you will continue to build on them and so unfold as yet unknown and unseen glimpses of the Kingdom of God.

As for me, as for us, we will be moving to London.

Being a clergy family means that our previous moves have all been determined by me getting a new job. For some time we have had a hankering to live in London and, as many of you know, Sarah has been commuting to the capital for the last ten years. So that's what we're going to do.

In the summer we'll move to London. I'll take my pension and spend my time supporting the work of the local church in new ways.

All this means that my time as vicar of "Bristol's fairest" is drawing to close and our last Sunday will be Sunday 13 July.

Thank you for your companionship along the way and for your commitment to this wonderful place.

Dan Tyndall

23 February 2025

Sermon on Sunday 23rd February 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 20:02:23 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 16th February 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 20:42:22 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Stewardship 2025

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 11:57:59 GMT

Next week, letters will be going to many of us to tell us about where the church council stands financially and to ask us to consider our giving to St Mary Redcliffe.

Samuel Williams, our PCC Treasurer, writes:

The Opportunity of Generosity

Financial giving is not merely an obligation, it is a response to God’s generosity and an integral part of Christian discipleship. From the Old Testament principle of tithing (Genesis 14:20, Leviticus 27:30) to the New Testament’s emphasis on cheerful giving, Scripture presents stewardship as an act of worship, trust, and responsibility. It acknowledges that all we have ultimately belongs to God and calls us to use our resources wisely and generously.

The Apostle Paul reinforces this idea, urging believers to give “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Stewardship is not about fulfilling an obligation but about aligning our hearts with God’s purposes. Giving, whether to the Church, charities, or those in need, strengthens communities, supports ministry, and deepens our reliance on God’s provision.

Rather than seeing generosity as a duty, we can embrace it as an opportunity to reflect God’s character and invest in work that has lasting significance. Every act of giving, large or small, contributes to something greater. As stewards of God’s resources, we are called to give intentionally, faithfully, and with joy, trusting that God will use what we offer for His purposes.

As the letter outlines, the most efficient way of giving to St Mary Redcliffe is through the Parish Giving Scheme. Many people have already moved to that scheme and we are keen to encourage others to move now.

If you are not in the Parish Giving Scheme and want to sign up, click here:

If you have a Parish Giving Scheme account, you can access that here:

Thank you very much

Dan Tyndall

14 February 2025

Sermon on Sunday 9th February 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 13:23:56 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 2nd February 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:43:06 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 26th January 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 20:58:20 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Theatre Workshop

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:42:05 GMT

Katie Bignell, SMR's Youth Community Worker, writes about the Community Theatre activities held over the Christmas holidays:

As part of our Winter Holiday activity and food programme we offered a valuable opportunity to our local community to participate in a two-day Theatre experience. The local children were immersed in a heart-warming adventure when we facilitated a trip to the Bristol old Vic to watch The Little Mermaid.

It was many of our children's first Theatre experience and it was so heartwarming to see them light up as they were swept away into a magical story of dance, music and unique characters touching on some very important themes relevant to our current world.

These themes such as environmental impacts on our oceans, cultural expression and how we build a better world through reaching out, caring and integrating fully with those around us, were further explored when we facilitated a Theatre workshop the following day.

The children had the opportunity to set the scene through set design, developing their own characters and recreating their own version of the story, relevant to them, their cultures and their experience of the world.

They thrived and really flourished in developing new skills and confidence whilst having the opportunity to be creative with Visual arts and Expressive Arts alongside Music and games.

This is the second year we have facilitated a Theatre experience incorporating a trip to the Bristol Old Vic with an interactive Theatre workshop the following day. Each time it happens it is pure magic witnessing the positive growth and the creative capabilities these amazing young people possess.

It is comparable to a Caterpillar turning into a Butterfly. The transformation from this opportunity is beautiful.

Letter about Safeguarding

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:20:32 GMT

As we begin this new year and in light of recent media reports regarding abuse cases and the way they have been dealt with by the Church of England we would like to make the following statement.

As a church family, we are called to reflect God’s love, care, and protection for all His children, particularly the most vulnerable among us. With this in mind, we want to take a moment to reassure you that the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults remains one of our highest priorities.

Our church leadership is deeply committed to ensuring that St Mary Redcliffe is a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and protected. To this end, we have established a robust Safeguarding Policy and rigorously maintain processes and procedures that reflect both legal requirements and best practices in safeguarding. These processes are designed to create a secure environment for all and to uphold the trust that you, as a congregation, have placed in us.

Our safeguarding procedures include:

Comprehensive Policy: We adhere to safeguarding policies that comply with the Diocese of Bristol and Church of England guidelines. This policy is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure it remains effective and current.
Training and Awareness: All staff and volunteers, who work with children and vulnerable adults undergo mandatory safeguarding training. This training equips them to recognise and respond to any concerns appropriately.
Background Checks: Every individual serving in roles involving children or vulnerable adults undergoes a thorough vetting process, including a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check
Clear Reporting Procedures: We have clear and confidential processes in place for reporting and addressing any safeguarding concerns. Esther Keller our appointed Parish Safeguarding Lead is always available to assist with any questions or concerns.
Culture of Accountability: We foster a culture of openness and accountability, encouraging everyone in our church community to speak up if they see or sense anything that does not align with our commitment to safety.

As members of our church family, we all have a role to play in ensuring the well-being of children and vulnerable adults in our care. If you ever have a concern, no matter how small it may seem, please do not hesitate to bring it to our attention. We are here to listen and to act with care and discretion.

We are grateful for your trust and partnership as we work together to create a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for all. Let us continue to pray for wisdom, vigilance, and God’s guidance as we strive to reflect His love and protection.

Thank you for your continued support and prayers for this vital aspect of our ministry. May we remain united in our mission to honour Christ in all we do.

All the best,

Canon Dan Tyndall Esther Keller

Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe Church Parish Safeguarding Officer

Tel: 0776 929 6220 Tel: Tel:07811723427.

Sermon on Sunday 19th January 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 16:03:11 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 12th January 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 18:53:27 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday 5th January 2025

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 19:14:39 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 29th December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 17:53:19 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Christmas day 25th December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 17:53:11 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon at Midnight Mass 24th December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 17:53:04 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday 22nd December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 18:46:53 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

New Head of Operations

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:51:57 GMT

I am delighted to share the news that on Monday, following a rigorous interview process against a strong field of candidates, we offered the post of Head of Operations to Chris Whitwell. Chris has accepted the offer and will start his new job at SMR in early January.

As many of you will know, Chris is currently our Volunteer Co-ordinator and will make great use of the connections and relationships he has built with our volunteer team over the last two years. What you may not know, is that Chris has a background in leading large and complex churches and, before coming to us, had already served on a church Senior Leadership Team. Personally, I am thrilled to have Chris in that role. I feel confident that he will take all that James has done, nurture it and allow it to thrive.

Chris writes:

Hello! Some of you reading this will know me already and some of you won't. My name is Chris and for the last couple of years, I have been working at St Mary Redcliffe (SMR) as part time Volunteer Coordinator and have now been appointed as Head of Operations.

I am experiencing many different feelings and emotions having gone through a very rigorous process for the role. I feel grateful and daunted and also incredibly excited about this opportunity. It is also a real privilege to be able to remain a part of what is an extraordinary team of people who are committed to some absolutely extraordinary work and from whom I have learnt a significant amount in the last two years.

I am so passionate about the work of local church and its potential to impact the world around it. More specifically, I am inspired and captivated by the work of this church to both sing the song of faith and the song of justice and am excited to play my part in the interweaving of these things.

SMR has played an important role in my own faith journey, as a chorister MANY years ago and more recently over the last couple of years. I am looking forward to getting to know more of you as I officially start my role on Monday 13th January.

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Fri, 20 Dec 2024 16:42:21 GMT

If ever you had cause to wonder whether that birth in that little town two thousand years ago is still having an impact today, a walk into the city centre last Saturday might have helped.

At the heart of Broadmead shopping centre there was the eponymous Christmas market. You may be a fan of those huts that spring up every year in an increasing number of cities, selling a range of goods that might prove popular on Christmas Day and a variety of food and drink to tempt you to spend more. You may take the view that they are a blight on the landscape and provide little more than a consumerist hit of adrenaline fuelled spending. Whichever angle you come at it, those market stalls remind us of the celebration that started because of that birth in that little town.

To one side of the market stalls a small group protested outside one of the high street banks. They claim that this bank is investing in aggressive techniques that are being used by national governments, particularly Israel, against embattled communities like Palestinians, especially in Gaza. You may be a regular protestor, on the street every month, writing letters every week. You may feel overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness as the world slides into chaos around you. Whichever angle you come at it, those protestors remind us how much that little town is just as much in the eye of a political storm today as it was two thousand years ago.

And opposite the protestors, with the sounds of one overlapping with the calls from the other, from the brass instruments of a band from one of our local Salvation Army citadels float the tunes of well known Christmas Carols and passers-by pause for a moment to listen, to sing, to donate some money to the cause for which they are collecting. You may find brass bands, even Salvation Army brass bands at Christmas, a little too sentimental, a little reminiscent of a bread advert from 1973. You may hear those familiar harmonies and, reminded of the words, be caught up once again in the story of the Word made flesh. Whichever angle you come at it, that music gives us pause for thought and prompts us to reflect on that birth in that little town of Bethlehem.

I am reminded of what we were told by some Palestinians about how to divide the hours of the day: to pray in the morning, to protest in the afternoon, to party in the evening. It seemed to me that, unknowingly, Broadmead was providing a perfect platform for a well balanced diet!

Merry Christmas.

Dan Tyndall

20 December 2024

St Mary Redcliffe West Nave Window

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:32:01 GMT

During 2025, important restoration work will be carried out on St Mary Redcliffe's magnificent West Nave window. You can read about the history of the window and its place in the great Victorian restoration of the church below.

St Mary Redcliffe Church: West Window

Introduction

The West Window at St Mary Redcliffe is a large and significant feature of the church that has for 150 years in its current form helped to define and beautify the interior of the Nave. Its renovation and installation in 1868 during the final stages of the great C19th restoration of the church, was part of a series of works that erased the last vestiges of the C18th Baroque interior and established a condition, consistent with a Victorian conception of the medieval gothic church, that has broadly persisted to the present day.

Subject

The subject of the West Window is the Annunciation, showing Christ in Majesty above a crowned Mary depicted as the Queen of Heaven. There are ten main lights with trefoil heads and seventeen tracery elements with associated eyelets. The traceries depict scenes from the life of the Virgin, featuring female saints and kings. ¹ It is one of two windows in the church designed by the firm Hardman & Co. – the other, depicting the Ascension, was installed in the North Choir Aisle in 1872.

Background: The C19th Restoration

The major Victorian restoration of St Mary Redcliffe began in 1842, following the removal - under the auspices of the Bristol Improvement Act - of the buildings that once stood to the north of the church and constituted the fragmented remnants of the medieval mansion house and estate that had once belonged to the Prebendary of Salisbury. On the removal of these buildings, the “precarious condition of thew whole edifice was exposed” and the “urgent necessity of doing something on a large scale for the preservation of the church” ² realised by parish authorities, who saw in the dilapidated condition of the fabric both a major challenge and an exciting opportunity.

During these early days of the restoration, the church’s Restoration Committee decided that the grand project should be attempted in stages, with the first effort focusing on the tower and spire; that the need for remedial works to ensure the survival of the structure should go hand in hand with work to reinstate lost or degraded decorative elements; and that the restoration of the structure and external elements afforded an opportunity for the restoration and representation of the church interior, including the “reinstatement of the east and clerestory window” and the removal of “inappropriate attachments”, ³ with particular reference to three panels of William Hogarth’s altarpiece.

By 1847, despite having run out of funds, the Restoration Committee’s ambitions for the reinstatement of stained glass had broadened. Its members became, “desirous to avail themselves of the great improvements which have recently been made in the art of staining glass, and thus to restore within the fabric that gloriously warm colour and tone of which we see faint evidences in the shattered fragments remaining in the casements.” ⁴

Perhaps because of the early difficulties in procuring funds for the restoration, the committee also encouraged, even demanded, the munificence of wealthy individuals in supporting the restoration of the interior, including the reinstatement of stained glass in the church. Referring to the need for funding to realise the proposed scheme to fill the eastern window with stained glass designed by William Wailes, the Restoration Committee,

hoped indeed that some wealthy and well-disposed person will not hesitate to answer the invitation. Formerly these things were done by individuals…of late years many (stained glass windows) have been put up elsewhere and thus ornamental adjuncts of the fabric have been records of devotion and love. This committee, availing themselves of the revival of this practice, offer to any person who may desire to restore a specific portion – a window, or a buttress, say – to point out such as part as would cost a given sum. Thus, in the case of the east window, a noble opportunity is offered to anyone to particularise his donation. We do not wish to point out or prescribe, but we may suggest that there are many about the neighbourhood whose wealth would enable them to do this and more. ⁵

This recognition of the need for additional private money to support the restoration of the church, and the invitation to the wealthy of Bristol to take part by ‘particularising’ or adopting specific projects within the wider programme of works, laid the groundwork for the subsequent significant involvement of individuals, families and societies in restoring parts of the church interior, including those elements at the west end of the church that had been identified as requiring attention.

The Restoration of the West End

It is interesting to note that even in 1842, the restoration of the tower and spire - expressed by the authors of the restoration proposal, Britton and Hosking, as being of primary importance - was conceived as including the re-presentation of the interior west end of the church, which included remedial measures relating to the C18th organ and the infilling of the West Window with stained glass:

In the restoration of the Spire will be involved some alterations, pointed out by them (Britton and Hosking), at the west end of the church, including a new arrangement for the organ; and they express their hope, that as the whole of the lead and glass must be removed from the windows for the restoration of the mullions and tracery, it may, in the principal ones at least, be reinstated with stained glass of an appropriate character. ⁶

The restoration of stained glass at the west end of the church was, then, among the founding principles of the C19th restoration that had been identified as a key ambition in 1842, receiving public expression in the published restoration appeal.

From Baroque to the Gothic

The appeal also refers to a feature and condition that had existed at the west end of the nave since 1726 when the area in front of the West Window was filled by one of the most significant Georgian introductions to the church – the Harris and Byfield organ – “one of the largest English Organs of its day”. ⁷ This nationally significant instrument was mounted on a grand classically screened gallery designed by the architect John Strachan. The replacement of this ‘Corinthian’ screen with one of gothic design in 1840-41 was considered by the vestry the “first step in restoring the church to its original architectural unity”. ⁸ Together, the organ and screen stood fifty-three feet in height, filling the width and height of the west Nave. Contemporary illustrations of the organ ⁹ clearly show its scale and its effect of entirely obscuring the West Window.

At a meeting of the Restoration Committee in 1857, Sholto Vere Hare made a conditional offer to replace the glass in the window:

Mr Sholto Hare kindly intimated, that if the restoration of the West Window could be accomplished, and the Organ was removed so that the window would be open to the Nave, he would present stained glass to fill it, of a design to be approved by the Committee. The architect was subsequently instructed to prepare plans for the restoration of that portion of the Church, but the state of the funds forbids the Committee from projecting any operations in this direction for the present, and they are obliged to content themselves with the hope of such continuous aid from the public as will ultimately place them in a position to accept Mr. Hare's liberal offer. ¹⁰

By the 1860s, frustration had been growing that the ‘new arrangement’ for the organ had yet to be realised. Hare’s offer, being predicated on the removal of the organ, served to exacerbate a general sense of impatience at the slow rate of progress. The following statement from the newly appointed vicar, Randall, makes clear the interconnectedness of the organ’s removal and renovation of the West Window:

Some few years ago Mr Sholto V. Hare expressed a desire to put a stained-glass window in the west end – stipulating, however, that the stonework should be renovated, and the organ removed. The former of these stipulations has been complied with and the latter will be in a short time, so that we may soon hope to see a beautiful window at the west as well as at the east end of the church. ¹¹

Hare’s insistence on the introduction of new stained glass being contingent on the removal of the organ adds to the significance of the West Window in supporting an understanding of the Victorian reimagining of the church: its restoration was predicated on the destruction of one of the celebrated features of the Baroque interior. The process of restoring the west end of the church, can be seen to realise the twin principles of removal and renovation that informed the broader restoration, the former motivated by a determination to remove evidence of C18th ‘inappropriateness’, as expressed in 1842 by the Vicar, Churchwardens and Vestry.

The move from a Baroque to a renewed ‘Gothic’ church, had a transformational impact on the church interior. The major modifications at the east and west ends of the church, that bookended the restoration of the interior both physically and chronologically, would have had a significant impact on the experience of light and space in the church. Prior to its reconfiguration in the 1840s and 50s, which included the removal of a classically styled wooden altar screen, the unblocking and uncovering of the east window, and the removal of the three panels of Hogarth’s altarpiece, the east end of the church would have been a much darker area than it is today. Similarly, the huge organ at the west end would have blocked most of the light from the West Window.

The combined impact of the actions at the west end of the church can be appreciated by an 1868 report from Daily Bristol Times and Mirror, which also makes clear that Hare’s rejuvenated West Window was, initially at least, received favourably:

The interior of the west end of the nave has been renewed and thrown open. The old organ case has been removed from the west end, and the wood and stone screens taken away, this portion of the church being now completely open. The splendid memorial window erected by Mr. Sholto V. Hare to the memory of his father and mother has been completed at very considerable cost, and this has added largely to the beautiful and imposing appearance at this end of the building. ¹²

Sholto Vere Hare

Sholto Vere Hare was a significant figure, both in the context of St Mary Redcliffe and its restoration, and in the wider context of Bristol civic life. Scion of a “notable firm of floor cloth manufacturers”, ¹³ he was Churchwarden of St Mary Redcliffe in the 1850s, Mayor of Bristol in 1862, president of the St Mary Redcliffe founded Colston Parent Society in 1863, Master of the Society of Merchant Venturers in 1866-67, and three-times unsuccessful Conservative candidate for the Parliamentary representation of the city.

In 1845, Hare was present at the opening of Admiral William Penn’s tomb, during which event he made a sketch of Penn’s body. ¹⁴ In 1852, while Churchwarden, he had instigated the investigations that led to the discovery of stellate recesses in the south aisle, which in turn led to the removal of the effigies of William Canynges and his wife Joan to that part of the church. ¹⁵ He played an important role in the church’s commemoration of the poet Chatterton - perhaps the primary cause of the church’s widespread C19th fame - by paying for the reinstatement of Chatterton’s statue in the north churchyard and arranging the memorial stone to Chatterton’s family which can still be seen in the south churchyard. ¹⁶ In 1874 he became the last C19th President of The Canynges Society before its dissolution at the end of the thirty-year process of restoration. ¹⁷ Hare’s obituary, following his death in 1900, made clear his long-standing involvement with the church and its restoration:

He, as a Redcliff man, took a deep interest in Redcliffe church and an active part in its restoration. He gave the beautiful window at the west end of the structure in memory of his mother. He also erected at his own cost the monument to the boy poet Chatterton, a statue still standing in the north-east corner of the churchyard. ¹⁸

The Commission of New Stained Glass for the West Window.

It is worth quoting in full the section on the West Window from Peter G. Cobb’s essay The Stained Glass of St. Mary Redcliffe, ¹⁹ produced under the auspices Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, in which Cobb provides a detailed summary of the process, largely driven by Hare, of commissioning new stained glass for the West Window, including his engagement of Pugin’s student and son-in-law John Hardman Powell to deliver an appropriate design. The essay highlights the significance of Hare’s choice of subject - the Annunciation – which was related to the church’s dedication – details the seemingly tortuous negotiations between sponsor and designer, and provides insight into the determined character of Hare and the prominent role played by powerful, wealthy and ambitious individuals in propelling important parts of the church’s restoration.

As early as 1857 Sholto Vere Hare, a manufacturer of patent floorcloth, had intimated that, if the restoration of the west window could be accomplished and the organ moved so that the window could be open to the nave, he would present the Committee with the stained glass for it. In spite of Canon Madan's efforts, even a fierce threat to have nothing more to do with the restoration if something were not done, the organ was still blocking the west window at the end of his incumbency in 1865. Efforts were made to persuade Sholto Hare to put up a window in the North transept where the Handel Window was originally destined, but he refused to change his plans. In 1866 he renewed his efforts to glaze the west window and the energetic new vicar soon had the organ dismantled and reported that the gallery would be moved 'as soon as Mr Sholto Hare's stained glass window is ready to be put in. Sholto Hare had a mind of his own. He wanted his window to be 'of the richest and most costly kind. 'The glass and colouring must be of the richest and very best, the drawing accurate and the figures well defined, so that the window may be worthy of the most beautiful Parish Church in the West of England. He suggested to the Committee that the subject of the window should be the Annunciation. He explained his reasons more fully to John Hardman Powell who eventually designed it: 'The Church being dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and none of the painted windows already therein exclusively or mainly illustrating her sacred history, it seems to me that this would be a good opportunity of supplying the defect, and if the space to be filled would accord well with prominent features of the New Testament as connected with the Virgin, I should prefer it. However, he did consult the Committee about a suitable firm to design and make the window. They suggested either Clayton & Bell or Lavers & Barraud as being highly spoken of. Hare was not convinced, and a month later was still seeking more information. He seems to have applied to John Hardman & Co. of Birmingham on his own initiative. John Hardman, who lived in Clifton in the last years of his life, had been persuaded by A.W.N. Pugin, the great Gothic Revivalist, to start making stained glass to his design in 1845. The firm produced some very fine glass throughout the century, even after Pugin's death in 1852 when J.H. Powell, his nephew, became chief designer. Hare was very critical of the design which Powell sent him and ordered various alterations. Even then he was not satisfied and became very frustrated: 'I wish it were in my power to draw what I want, a rich beautiful Chorale, charming the Eye and leading it to the Saviour in the centre. The Chorale to be rich with deep tints of purple, ruby and gold, and its circular form well defined. Eventually he was satisfied: he told Powell that he hoped it would be his 'Bristol monument for all generations.' The cartoons were ready for the Restoration Committee's meeting in January 1868, and the window was in for the Canynges Society annual meeting. The cost was £375 for the glass, £20 for the wire guards and £15 for the fitting. Apparently, it did not meet with universal approval. The Vicar reported at a later meeting of the Restoration Committee that 'Messrs. Hardman had sent down and removed several objectionable parts of the West Window and considerably improved it. We can only speculate what was removed as there seems to be no record in the Hardman archive. What is surprising is that the crowned figure of the Virgin Mary survived. The window is not to everyone's taste: a recent writer described it as 'sentimental, theatrical and somehow unAnglican' - but it is nevertheless a fine example of the work of Hardman's studio. ¹⁹

Contemporary reactions

Contemporary reactions to the new West Window seem to have been broadly positive. On June 6 1868, the Saturday Bristol Times and Mirror reported that,

The splendid old building never looked better than it did on Sunday. During the past week, the new memorial window presented by Sholto Vere Hare has been put in at the west end. We have before described the subjects of the illustrations, but we may add that it is a magnificent work of art by Messrs. Hardman of Birmingham. ²⁰

In October 1868, in a detailed report on the restoration at St Mary Redcliffe, The Daily Bristol Times and Mirror included the following note:

The splendid memorial window erected by Mr Sholto Vere Hare to the memory of his father and mother has been completed at very considerable cost. And this has added largely to the beautiful and imposing appearance at this end of the building. ²¹

In December 1869, while reading a paper entitled Painted and Stained Glass, the Rev R. W. Hautenville of Weston-in-Gordano noted of St Mary Redcliffe Redcliffe that, “A very good window by Hardman had lately been placed at the west end of the Nave.” ²²

The Bristol librarian, J.F. Nicholls, in his guidebook, How to See Bristol: A Guide for the Excursionist, The Naturalist, The Archaeologist, and the Man of Business (1874) commented that:

The modern memorial windows are very fine, and from their number and the variety of the artists employed they form a veritable school for the study of this branch of ecclesiastical decoration…The last, and in more senses than one far from the least, of these charming adjuncts to the sacred edifice is the great west window, by Hardman: it was given by Mr. Sholto Vere Hare, for many years one of the churchwardens of the parish. ²³

John Hardman & Co. and A. W. N. Pugin

The aesthetic and religious qualities that were embedded in the window and which inspired the praise of visitors to the church, reflected the experience and skill of the Birmingham-based firm - John Hardman & Co. - that had been commissioned to produce the stained glass. Hardman & Co. was strongly associated with A. W. N. Pugin and the aesthetic and religious principles of the Gothic Revival. The firm’s founder, John Hardman (1766–1844) had produced metalwork designed by Pugin during the 1830s. In 1845, Hardman’s son - another John Hardman (1812–67) - began producing stained glass at Pugin’s request, working alongside Pugin and Hardman’s nephew, John Hardman Powell (1827–95) - the designer of St Mary Redcliffe’s West Window - who had been trained by Pugin as a young man.

Pugin - who acted as chief designer at Hardman & Co. until 1849 - played a pioneering role in the style of the Gothic Revival, developing, “a vision of Gothic architecture that was both romantic and deeply religious.” ²⁴ This pioneering sensibility, rooted in medievalism and the principles of medieval Gothic architecture, and imbued with a Catholic sensibility, also informed the stained glass designed by Hardman, Pugin and Powell. In The Stained Glass of John Hardman and Company under the leadership of John Hardman Powell from 1867 to 1895 (2007), Mathé Shepheard states that:

Before stained glass manufacture was capable of meeting the demands of the Gothic Revival and the renewed religious fervour, the craft had to be relearnt, for the legacy of the Reformation and the systematic iconoclasm that followed, with only a few pockets of resistance, had very nearly annihilated the art of stained glass… Pugin’s contribution to the revival of medieval forms of stained glass had been considerable, his difficulties and successes shared with Powell. ²⁵

Pugin and St Mary Redcliffe

Although St Mary Redcliffe’s commission of stained glass from Hardman & Co. took place more than a decade after Pugin’s death, he was certainly aware of the church during his lifetime. In his early work, Contrasts: A parallel between the noble edifices of the middle ages, and corresponding buildings of the present day (1836), ²⁶ he had chosen St Mary Redcliffe as an exemplar of medieval parochial church building, contrasting it favourably with the C19th All Souls Church in Langham Place, which had been designed by John Nash.

Later, in an 1840 letter referring to St Chad’s Cathedral, which he had designed, Pugin writes, “the great lay contributor to this building is Mr. J. Hardman, a man of Birmingham whom I may truly compare to the pious and munificent Cannyng (sic) of Redcliffe.” ²⁷

It is interesting to think that St Mary Redcliffe may have helped to inspire Pugin’s love of Gothic architecture and medieval craftsmanship, and inform the aesthetic principles that that later found expression in the Pugin-inspired stained glass of John Hardman Powell at the church.

John Hardman Powell

By learning directly from, and later working alongside Pugin, Powell had become a significant figure in the renewal of stained glass art and manufacture in England. In his youth he had lived and studied with his mentor, executing several of Pugin's designs for stained glass and metalwork. In 1849, he succeeded Pugin as the firm’s chief designer and in 1850 married Pugin’s daughter, Ann. Following Pugin's death in 1852, Powell returned to Birmingham and succeeded him in the position of artistic director of John Hardman & Company. Of Powell’s tenure, Shepheard writes:

He was talented and deeply religious, a Roman Catholic like Pugin and his fellow partners in Hardman. Correspondence indicates a personal relationship with Cardinal Newman, some traces of whose influence can be seen in the scriptural interpretations in the glass. Powell travelled in Europe to study stained glass and other sacred art. His work shows a fine discrimination between Anglican and Catholic doctrinal and spiritual positions, the windows designed under his leadership carefully respecting them. Under him the firm enjoyed numerous commissions, with most leading architects including Scott, Street and Woodyer.

By examining the firm’s output, it becomes evident that the windows were individually designed with no repeats, that the knowledge of scripture and use of Christian symbolism allowed the glass to project deeply spiritual messages and that it was aesthetically pleasing to clients who often expressed their appreciation in handsome terms.

There has been much twentieth century criticism of Hardman glass, but Powell was a highly trained and competent artist. After training at Pugin’s studio, the background of study, his own sensitivity, and continental visits equipped him to take the leading role in this enterprise and to give it continuity after the death of Pugin. ²⁸

By the time of the St Mary Redcliffe commission, Hardman & Co, under Powell’s leadership, were respected as one of the leading producers of stained glass in England.

Writer and theologian Patrick Comerford summarises Powell’s output thus:

Powell’s designs are original innovations in the Gothic style. His stained glass recreates the elegance, the refinement, the brevity that is seen in some of the finest examples of glass, sculpture and illumination of the 13th and 14th centuries. He utilises the flowing, curving lines, the flourish of drapery, the calligraphic brush-strokes and pure colour. ²⁹

Conclusion: The significance of the West Window

In 2018, the authors of a report on the stained glass at St Mary Redcliffe described the West Window as follows:

A fine quality window by Hardman depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin with Christ in Majesty…This splendid window is beautifully drawn and used the highest quality cylinder glass with pleasing variation in colour depth between each piece. ³⁰

The window is intrinsically significant because of its aesthetic qualities and its effect of beautifying the interior of the church. It is rich in religious significance, depicting scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary to whom the church is dedicated.

The window is also significant in helping to tell the story of St Mary Redcliffe, because knowledge of its pre-history, commission and reception, as well as its place in the C19th restoration, enhances our understanding of one of the great periods of development in the 800 year history of the church.

Lastly, the window is representative of perhaps the major cultural movement in C19th century England, constituting a fine example of the work of John Hardman Powell, one of the most skilful and celebrated stained glass designers of his age, and acting as a testament to the greatest exponent of the Gothic Revival movement, A. W. N. Pugin.

Rhys Williams - St Mary Redcliffe Heritage Development Manager

References

¹ St Mary Redcliffe Stained Glass Condition Report/Conservation Proposal , Holywell Glass, 2018

² Sixteen Years Doings in the Restoration of Redcliffe Church, St Mary Redcliffe Restoration Committee , 1858

³ Restoration of the Church of Saint Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol: an appeal by the vicar, churchwardens, and vestry; with an abstract of reports by Messrs. Britton and Hosking and engraved plan and views of the church, Rev. M. R.Whish et al. , 1842.

⁴ Report on an address made by the St Mary Redcliffe Restoration Committee, The Bristol Mercury and Western Counties Advertiser, Saturday 4 December, 1847

⁵ Report on an address made by the St Mary Redcliffe Restoration Committee, The Bristol Mercury and Western Counties Advertiser, Saturday 4 December, 1847

⁶ Restoration of the Church of Saint Mary, Redcliffe, Bristol: an appeal by the vicar, churchwardens, and vestry; with an abstract of reports by Messrs. Britton and Hosking and engraved plan and views of the church, Rev. M. R.Whish et al., 1842.

⁷ St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol, Harrison and Harrison, 2020. Accessed at https://www.harrisonorgans.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/StMary-Redcliffe-Full-spec-2020.pdf

⁸ Report on a meeting of the Committee of the Architectural Society, Bristol Times and Mirror, Saturday 14 May, 1842

⁹ The Gothic Organ Screen, St Mary Redcliffe Church (print)

https://collections.bristolmuseums.org.uk/collections/ce698f94-c750-3933-830d-36cf930fce30/

¹⁰ Sixteen Years Doings in the Restoration of Redcliffe Church, St Mary Redcliffe Restoration Committee, 1858

¹¹ Report on the work of The Canynges Society, The Western Daily Press, Monday 19 November, 1866

¹² Report on the Restoration of St Mary Redcliffe, Daily Bristol Times and Mirror, Tuesday 20 October, 1868

¹³ Sholto Very Hare Obituary, Bristol Mercury, Friday 23 March, 1900

¹⁴ The Gentleman's Magazine Volume CCLXXXII, January-June 1897

¹⁵ THE Gentleman's Magazine Volume CCLXXXII, January-June 1897

¹⁶ How to See Bristol: A Guide for the Excursionist, The Naturalist, The Archaeologist, and the Man of Business, J.F. Nicholls, 1874

¹⁷ List of past presidents of The Canynges Society: https://canynges.co.uk/about-the-society/

¹⁸ Sholto Very Hare Obituary, Bristol Mercury, Friday 23 March, 1900

¹⁹ The Stained Glass of St Mary Redcliffe from Transactions of the. Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society CXII, Peter G. Cobb, 1994

²⁰ The Mayor and Corporation at Redcliff Church, Saturday Bristol Times and Mirror, June 6, 1868

²¹ Report on the Restoration of St Mary Redcliffe, Daily Bristol Times and Mirror, Tuesday 20 October, 1868

²² Painted and Stained Glass, Bristol Times and Mirror, 20 December, 1869

²³ How to See Bristol: A Guide for the Excursionist, The Naturalist, The Archaeologist, and the Man of Business, J.F. Nicholls, 1874

²⁴ God’s Architect: Pugin and the Building of Romantic Britain, Rosemary Hill, Allen Lane, 2007

²⁵ The Stained Glass of John Hardman and Company under the leadership of John Hardman Powell from 1867 to 1895,Mathé Shepheard, 2007

²⁶ Contrasts: or a parallel between the noble edifices of the middle ages, and corresponding buildings of the present day; shewing the present decay of taste, AWN Pugin,1836

²⁷ An Oxford College and the Gothic Revival, T. S. R. Boase, Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 18, No. 3/4 (Jul. - Dec., 1955), pp. 145-188 https://www.jstor.org/stable/750178

²⁸ The Stained Glass of John Hardman and Company under the leadership of John Hardman Powell from 1867 to 1895,Mathé Shepheard, 2007

²⁹ Excerpt from An afternoon alone with the windows in Saint Nicholas’s Church, Adare, 28 March 2018 http://www.patrickcomerford.com/2018/03/an-afternoon-alone-with-windows-in.html

³⁰ Stained Glass Condition Report/Conservation Proposal, Holywell Glass, 2018

Sermon on Sunday 8th December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:24:58 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 1st December 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:24:47 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 24th November 2024

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 12:32:15 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Safeguarding Sunday 17th November 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 20:34:01 GMT

Sermon on Sunday 10th November 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 11:24:55 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Christmas at SMR

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:33:58 GMT

Advent & Christmas services, events and concerts

For downloadable Christmas service sheets, visit our services page

Most of our services and carol concerts can be watched online via SMR Live by clicking the red button

SMR LIVE

Sunday 1 December • 5:30pm • Advent Procession

Special service featuring music and Bible readings to reflect the period of anticipation of the birth of the Christ Child.

Monday 2 December • 7:00pm • Nadia Eide in Concert *

Chart-topping soprano and star of The Voice UK, Nadia Eide, presents a spectacular Christmas concert for all ages. Singing festive favourites and classic songs, this show is sure to bring the Christmas joy!

BUY TICKETS

Thursday 5 - Sunday 8 December • 9:00am - 5:00pm

TREEFEST

Annual charity Christmas tree festival with music,

refreshments and a Christmas market.

Thursday 5 December • 1:00pm • Treefest Carols

Christmas carols during Treefest around the piano.

Saturday 7 December • 6:00pm • Treefest Carol Service

Special, family-friendly Christmas carol service surrounded by Christmas trees!

Wednesday 11 December • 6:30pm • Gabrielli Roar *

Join Gabrieli Roar for ‘A Grand Georgian Christmas’, a festive treat featuring the rich harmonies and spirited rhythms that once filled the village churches and parish halls of England.

TICKETS

Thursday 12 December • 7:30pm • Christmas Star Concert *

Join Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity for a magical evening of musical performances and carols and you can spread festive cheer whilst raising vital funds to support patients, their families and amazing NHS staff at ten hospitals across Bristol and Weston. The annual Christmas Star Concert promises to be a Christmas cracker of a concert.

TICKETS

Saturday 14 December • 5:30pm • Nine Lessons & Carols

Traditional candlelit festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Sunday 15 December • 5:30pm • Nine Lessons & Carols

Traditional candlelit festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

Tuesday 17 December • 7:30pm • Salvation Army Carols

Celebration of Christmas with the band of the Salvation Army.

Wednesday 18 December • 6:00pm and 8:30pm

Tribute to Hans Zimmer & Film Favourites Illuminated *

An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer and cinema’s most iconic music with a live chamber orchestra illuminated by light, performed by the London Film Music Orchestra.

TICKETS

Thursday 19 December • 1:00pm • Lunchtime Carols

Carols for all to sing, sacred and secular, with poems

and readings.

Thursday 19 December • 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:15pm)

Children with Cancer Carol Service 

For the very first time, Children with Cancer UK will be hosting an inter-faith carol concert in Bristol to bring together families and supporters to mark the Christmas season. Join in to hear stories of courage and hope the future whilst we raise awareness around the issues faced by children and young people on the cancer journey.

Saturday 21 December • 7:30pm • Vivaldi Four Seasons at Christmas by Candlelight *

The Piccadilly Sinfonietta will treat you to a feast of classical masterpieces! The programme also includes much-loved works by Pachelbel, Bach and Corelli, the perfect additions to our festive programme for you!

TICKETS

Sunday 22 December • 3:00pm • Christingle

Family favourite all-age service with popular carols. An interactive service reflecting on the meaning of Christingle.

Sunday 22 December • 5:30pm • Blue Christmas

This is a service for those who find Christmas difficult. Whether remembering a loved one who has died or finding things tough for any reason; Blue Christmas offers a thoughtful and peaceful space. With gentle music and readings, we hope this service provides space for those

who need it.

Christmas Eve • 4:00pm • Crib Service

Family favourite all-age service with popular carols and a nativity tableau. Come dressed up as your favourite nativity character!

Christmas Eve • 11:30pm • Midnight Mass

Traditional and atmospheric service of Holy Communion

for Christmas night.

Christmas Day • 10:30am • All-Age Eucharist

Family-friendly all-age festival service of Holy Communion. If you open any presents before, bring them along!

* Indicates a ticketed event

Treefest

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:26:54 GMT

Thursday 5 - Sunday 8 December

Thursday: 10:00am - 5:00pm

Friday and Saturday: 10:00am - 8:00pm

Sunday: 12:00noon - 4:00pm

What is Treefest?

Treefest is a spectacular festive display of Christmas trees held within the splendid gothic church of St Mary Redcliffe.

Treefest is an opportunity for local people, schools, businesses, charities, community groups and other organisations to decorate a tree and display it in the atmospheric gothic surrounds of St Mary Redcliffe. It's a good opportunity to tell our 1000s of visitors about your organisation for free, while helping to raise money for local charities.

Musical performances

We have a wonderful festive music programme to entertain you during Treefest, featuring a variety of local musical performers.

Download our Treefest leaflet for this year's programme (available in November)

Treefest market

Better Events will be bringing a taste of local to Christmas again this year, with their festive market in the Undercroft at St Mary Redcliffe. Running from 6-8 December during Treefest, come and join us for Bristol-based artists, craftspeople and gifts, plus a bite to eat! We will be running every day with around 20 stalls, plus workshops and Santa might even pop in to say hi!

Christmas shop

Be sure to visit Jackie in our church shop for a range of cards, jewellery, gifts, books, decorations and festive treats!

Get involved

If you would like to enter a Christmas tree, please let us know by filling out our online form

This year's charities

Sixty One

Sixty -One is a Bristol-based charity that supports people with a criminal conviction to lead meaningful crime-free lives. Drawing our inspiration from the Christian faith and the verses found in Isaiah 61, we inspire, enable and support the local community to provide the relational and practical support people need on leaving prison.

Our Projects:

MentorMe – Trains and equips volunteer mentors from local churches to safely support prison-leavers. The team meet in prison and in the community with men and women who are seeking to make positive life changes away from crime. We match them with a trained volunteer mentor and they continue to meet up regularly in the community to work towards their goals. A lifeline for people leaving prison, last year our mentoring programme achieved a 95% reduction in reoffending rates.

Christmas and Easter Gift Bag Projects - With the support of the local community, churches, mentors and volunteers, we enable all 1,800 residents of our four local prisons to receive a bag of thoughtful gifts. Through these projects we are also able to promote our other support services available to people in, and leaving prison.

Rehabilitative Hubs - Sixty-One’s partner church Hubs provide a community-based meeting place where people with a conviction are welcomed and can find a place of acceptance and belonging. Hubs offer food, friendship and support as well as a space where people can volunteer, attend courses, and receive support.

Partnerships – We work in partnership with local organisations, charities, churches and individuals. In this way, we can deliver programmes in prison as well as referring and advising across a range of interventions such as housing, employment, education, arts, music, volunteering, mental health and addiction.

Quotes:

“You have supported me so much since leaving prison and re-establishing in the community. Having someone there each week is such a comfort to me … and it’s helped me to stay clean and away from substances. It is a brilliant scheme helping ex-offenders rebuild their lives.” – A mentee

“Thank you for not forgetting us!” – A recipient of the Easter Gift Project

“When I first came out of prison, I didn’t feel like I was able to fit into society and I didn’t know whether I was going to actually be able to get back into a normal sort of life. […] I’m not quite as depressed as I was and it also got me out of my comfort zone by helping me get out and about a lot more.” - Mentee and Hub attendee

www.sixty-one.org

www.facebook.com/SixtyOne61

twitter.com/SixtyOneBristol

The Hub

The Hub is a community centre on Redcliffe Hill, near St Mary Redcliffe, that’s operated by the church.

We employ a team of three community workers which operates from The Hub providing key services and facilities to local people:

The team consists of:

David Cousins Youth & Community Manager

Andy Carruthers Community Development Officer

Katie Bignell Youth Worker

Services provided include:

Community space and meeting rooms

Free IT and internet access

Information and advice on local services

Homework club

Lunch club

Your donation will help support this important work.

Safeguarding Sunday

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 10:23:20 GMT

On Sunday 17th during the 10.30 am Service, we will be marking Safeguarding Sunday.

With the release of the Makin Report into the brutal actions of John Smythe, this is very much in the news. I want to reassure everyone that the Makin report is not about safeguarding at parish level but about scrutiny of safeguarding at a national level in the Church of England. I also want to underline how conscientious SMR is around safeguarding: safeguarding can be difficult in any church but for us there is an extra edge. We have a lot of children and older people coming to worship, but we also open our doors to anyone and everyone each and every day and we work within our local community to support and assist people who live in this parish. We take safeguarding very seriously and I think it is fair to say we do it very well under the watchful leadership of Esther Keller and members of our staff team.

Nonetheless, the release of the report will have had an impact on many people who have suffered abuse in the past - or who are living with it now. If that is you - and we shouldn't fool ourselves that "It doesn't happen here" - I want you to know that we are ready to listen or, if you would rather not talk with one of us, to find you someone to talk with. Everyone in the leadership at SMR is dedicated to making the church, The Hub, the parish office safe places for victims and survivors of abuse.

Having said that, our plan to hold this Sunday as Safeguarding Sunday will carry on. This is an opportunity for us to think and reflect more on the important topic of Safeguarding in our Church. There won't be any sharing of abuse stories during the service and the content will be appropriate for all ages, however, we would like to give fair warning in case anyone finds this topic triggering in anyway.

There will be an opportunity after communion to remember those who have suffered abuse and a commitment for us a church to continue to strive for good safeguarding.

Head of Operations

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 09:36:16 GMT

This may not be the best photo of James, but you can't deny that the enthusiasm he brings to his job with us is evident all over his face! However, today we are sharing some great news for him and some sad news for us.

James writes:

A Change of Seasons

I have some news to share. After 3 wonderful years as the Head of Operations with St Mary Redcliffe I will be departing in early 2025. I have been offered the role as Director at the Dr Jenner House and Museum, an opportunity I have found too great a chance to turn down.

When I arrived at St Mary Redcliffe back in early 2022 I was inspired by the vision and ambition of those I met from across the breadth of the Church. There was a determination and be the best the Church could be for the congregation, community, and visitors. This ambition was matched by the magnificent building and fascinating history that I fell in love with as I discovered more and more about it.

The pandemic had obviously caused a setback to the development plans in some areas, with the Parish Office still largely empty and the church not yet fully reopened. In other ways the church had sped up plans, in particular the community team and the development of the Hub was a huge success. There was a lot of work to do.

Since those early days, almost 3 years ago, I am proud of the part I have played in a period of reflection and recovery, followed by significant changes to the fabric of the organisation (both physical and metaphorical!). From light shows welcoming 15,000 visitors, significant changes in financial and compliance management, the restoration of the South Porch, and the national coverage of the new Colston panels as we continue explore the contested heritage of the church. We have invested in the future sustainability of the Church, exploring heating and lighting options that will help contribute to the Church of England’s net zero ambitions. We are working hard to improve the financial outlook for the building, with our events business growing from £7000 to £70,000 in just a few years, changes to our fundraising, and starring roles in TV productions. We continue to realise the amazing heritage potential of the building with increasing visitors, drawn by exhibitions and improved interpretation of the many stories of St Mary Redcliffe. St Mary Redcliffe is deservedly retaking its place in the centre of modern Bristol life.

Most importantly, I am so proud of the incredible team of staff, clergy, volunteers, and contractors that I have had the pleasure of working alongside. The staff team has changed significantly over the last few years as we have sought out the best people to take on the opportunities and challenges of the Church’s mission and vision. Being a part of the Senior Leadership Team with Laura and Dan has been a privilege, and I am confident that the future of St Mary Redcliffe is ambitions but resourced. Change is a part of life, and it is with very mixed feelings that I share my news with you. I genuinely love my job, and I love working with this these incredible people. I am proud of the journey we have come on and know there will continue to be a great future ahead here, hopefully for at least another 800 years.

I will be working hard over next few months with the SLT and churchwardens to find the best possible candidate to fill this role and to ensure a smooth handover process. Although my departure is still a little way off yet, I just want to share how grateful I am to you all for being so welcoming, supportive, and kind. Thank you, this is truly a special place.

We will miss James' boundless enthusiasm and will always be grateful for the amazing journey he has taken us on. However, we cannot stand still and we are now looking for his successor.

Terms & Conditions can be found on the website here: Head of Operations Ts&Cs

Full Job Pack can be downloaded here: Head of Operations Job Pack

Please do share this information as widely as possible.

Dan Tyndall

15 November 2024

Sermon on Sunday 3rd November 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 09:24:03 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 27th October 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 18:42:02 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 20th October 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:24:39 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

The Sermon on the 13th October 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 13:57:52 GMT

Preached by the Revd Richard Pendlebury

Assistant Priest at St Matthew, Kingsdown

High Sheriff of The County and City of Bristol

Speaking the Truth in Love

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:03:30 GMT

Speaking the Truth in Love

It’s 2010 and I’m at university, one of my best friends, my housemate is about to go on a date. She comes bounding into the lounge where I am, she spins around and says ‘how do I look?!’

An easy answer. She looked amazing! As she continued talking to me; telling me about her nervousness, what food to order so it wouldn’t be embarrassing to eat, what questions to ask or not to ask- I noticed something. Bright red lipstick, all over her teeth. I remember vividly thinking ‘Oh no, what do I do?!’ ‘Do I tell her about the lipstick, I don’t want to embarrass her’.

The funny thing is that if it was now, I would have no problem telling someone they had lipstick on their teeth. But rewind nearly 14 years ago (as an aside I am shocked I went to university THAT long ago) I was a complete people pleaser and telling anyone anything like that made me worried: was I being harsh? Is it easier to say nothing in case they react badly and don’t like me? Some of you might relate to this, others will not!

I did say something- I think you’ll be pleased to know. Because, deep down, I knew it was kinder, more loving to say something. I cared about my friend too much to go out and meet her date with lipstick on her teeth.

Let’s rewind even further, 2000 years or so. According to the gospel of Matthew, a man, runs up to Jesus, kneels before him and asks ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ There must have been something so endearing about his man running up to Jesus and falling at his feet because we get this wonderful detail where the passage says ‘Jesus, looking at him, loved him’.

But what follows after Jesus’s moment of intimacy isn’t easy to swallow. Jesus says ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ Wow. Give everything away, the thing you lack is clinging to these possessions too dearly, sell them, give the money away and follow me. But this was too much for the man, we read he gets up, grieving, because he has so many possessions he treasures.

It's so easy to turn this into a reductionist morality lesson. Don’t cling to wealth and earthly possessions. Don’t treasure material items above Jesus. They are of course good lessons, but I’m struck by this interaction and what it means for us.

Firstly, this man who kneels before Jesus is hungry. Upon seeing or hearing about Jesus he knows he needs to run and kneel before him. He recognises a need to follow Jesus in some way, he is hungry for more. This man deserves some credit- it’s hard to admit a need when we have one!

Secondly, it’s out of love that Jesus replies to the man. After the man asks his question to Jesus, Jesus reminds him to observe the Jewish Law. The man is probably slightly relieved by this, ‘I’ve kept all these since my youth’ he replies. Phew. Eternal life? Got it! I’ve just got to observe the law which I already do.

But Jesus’ challenge doesn’t end there, as we know, Jesus looks at him and loves him and gives him a hard truth. Sell everything, give the money away and follow me.

The thing is, like me, observing the law, the 10 commandments is fairly easy – most of the time! Jesus sees this man- it’s not simply enough to follow the law to gain eternal life, you have to believe and trust in Jesus. Jesus sees that what is holding this man back from entering into life in all its fullness is his possessions and wealth. Remember the important detail- it is out of love that Jesus says this- it’s not a judgement or a challenge for challenge's sake, out of love Jesus calls this man to let go of the thing he clings to the most and asks him to trust- that he might find a greater freedom and love if he does so.

Sometimes, speaking the truth in love is hard. It feels controversial, like you’re rocking the boat but ultimately, it is usually for the best. The example I started with about my friend’s lipstick on her teeth seems a bit silly when we compare it to Jesus and this man. But I think the point is the same.

I wonder what for you would be the thing that is so hard to give up? A relationship? Your house? Your job? I can think of many things where to be honest, I’d have the same reaction as the man- leaving in grief because what Jesus has asked feels too much.

In walking away, the young man in Mark’s Gospel chooses a different path. Jesus answers his initial question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” with an offer of companionship. Of friendship. Of shared life. “Follow me,” Jesus says. But that’s not an answer the man can bear. The young man isn’t ready and Jesus lets him go.

He lets him go because that is the terrible and beautiful requirement of love. Love lets go. Love bides its time. Love hopes in absence.

God sees and knows and offers to accompany us as we navigate our way between tough decisions that are laid out in front of us. May we consent to be held in the pleasure and the protection of this God.

Laura Verrall-Kelly, 9/10/24

The Sermon on the 6th October Harvest Festival 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 12:07:38 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

The Sermon on the 29th September 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:49:44 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

St Michael and All Angels

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:42:44 GMT

It might just be me, but having spent my teenage years in Rugby (just down the A45 from Coventry) this is one of the most striking images of St Michael that I know. It is hung on the side of the new Coventry cathedral which is dedicated to St Michael and All Angels.

It's not the only image of St Michael that I know! If we had good photographs of our stained glass windows high up in the clerestory, I could also have shared with you SMR's own image of St Michael. Designed well over a century before this one, it is rather 'Victorian' in feel: however I am told that those windows are rather special. Not only do we have a window of Michael, but he is joined by three other archangels: Gabriel, the messenger of God who visited Mary to tell her about her pregnancy; Raphael, the healer and protector of travellers; and Uriel, the angel of prophecy and wisdom. And Michael? Well, as this image suggests, Michael is the dispenser of justice!

In SMR all four can be found at the highest level of the windows just outside the Lady Chapel. You have to strain your neck and look up to your left as you come out of the chapel. But when you do, you'll see six panels. The two side panels contain an image of a Seraphim and the two central panels bear the image of an archangel. To the left Michael, to the right .. well I think it's Uriel, but I could be wrong. Any why Michael's shield bears the cross of St George, I really have no idea!

I wonder what you make of angels and archangels. I must admit to some scepticism about these heavenly creatures and all things that smack of a pseudo-magical world. Some of you, and many of my colleagues, will baulk considerably at my doubt. You may quote how the angels served Christ after his forty days alone in the desert being tempted by Satan (a period of time we now call Lent); you may want to cite the passage in Revelations when war breaks out in heaven and Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; or, and this is one of the passages that makes me question my doubt, you may say to me that Jesus tells Nathaniel that he will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.

There are many curious elements to the Christian faith: angels and archangels are but one of them. For me, the big question is what their presence or absence, their veracity or duplicity, their materiality or fantasy, does to your knowledge of, trust in and love of Christ.

On the battlements, in the dead of night, Hamlet and Horatio watch for the ghost of Hamlet's father to appear ... or not! Horatio is a practical, down to earth scholar who doesn’t believe in ghosts. On seeing what he believes cannot be seen, he says: “O day and night, but this is wondrous strange.”

Hamlet's reply? Whilst I realise this isn't a biblical source, I find Hamlet's wisdom attractive as it draws us towards wonder, curiosity and possibility:

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Or, as our friends The Friends (or Quakers) put it:

"Always believe you might be wrong."

Dan Tyndall

27 September 2024

Sermon on Sunday 22nd September 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 12:18:48 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Events blog

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 11:39:05 GMT

Ellie Bowes, our Events & Commercial Manager writes:

I would love to take a moment to reflect on everything we, as a community, have achieved in the last six months.

We have orchestrated a wonderful sold out organ concert ‘Interstellar 10’ in February, encouraging new people and audiences into the Church and engaging them with the organ.

We have had an increase in tours, developed ‘build your own boss ‘ workshops for children, provided opportunities to learn about and engage with the medieval church graffiti, hosted a huge production company and became part of the music scene in Bristol, to name a few.

None of this would have been possible without the continued support and engagement from the congregation and volunteers, however the next few months are set to be even more exciting than the last!

As the days grow shorter and the nights begin to draw in prepare for the Church to become alive once again with music and light! As things stand we have 16 concerts or film screenings taking place in October, November and December but I would like to highlight a few.

In November we welcome Shabaka Hutchings as part of his tour showcasing his stunning new album ‘Perceive It’s Beauty, Acknowledge It’s Grace.’

London-born Hutchings spent much of his childhood in Barbados. Beginning at age nine, he studied the clarinet, playing in calypso bands while studying classical repertoire, often practicing over hip hop beats, as well as to the music native to Barbados. These days Shabaka is an award winning British Jazz musician who recently gave up his Sax for the Flute, this concert is set to be totally unique and stunning. If you are interested in knowing more about Shabaka and his work you can read more in this Guardian Article from March this year.

It's also the 10 year Anniversary of Treefest!

From the 5th – 8th of December we welcome back a selection of incredible trees to decorate the Church. This year is set to be particularly exciting with a market downstairs, refreshments, a packed music agenda and mulled wine! Do come and enjoy the festivities, all the while supporting our two charities; Sixty-One (a Bristol-based charity that supports people with a criminal conviction to lead meaningful crime-free lives) and The Hub (a community centre on Redcliffe Hill, near St Mary Redcliffe, that’s operated by the church.) Looking forward to seeing you there!

In December we welcome back the Christmas Star Concert, run by Bristol and Western Hospitals Charity.

This is a fantastic fundraiser to go above and beyond to transform the experiences patients have in local hospitals, wherever the need is greatest. The funds raised will go towards bringing moments of joy, comfort and hope to those who need it most. Expect a fun atmosphere, beautiful carols and heartwarming stories. Last year this was a real highlight of the calendar and the perfect concert to get you feeling festive.

You can download a full list of events and concerts for Autumn 2024 here

Let me know if you are interested in volunteering for any event and for any queries on the upcoming events please do not hesitate to get in contact with me at ellie.bowes@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Whoever welcomes a child

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 10:38:28 GMT

A couple of times in my ministry (well, more than that probably) I have been accused of using my sermons to play with peoples' emotions, being over-simplistic, even being manipulative.

Spoiler alert, if you are one those kind of people, don't read more ...

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus speaks to those gathered round the table with him, those who will share bread and wine with him, those whose feet he has just washed. He says two things:

Unless I wash you, you have no share with me (Jn 13.8)
If I have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet (Jn 13.14)

Last Sunday evening I ended my sermon by saying:

I am humbled by the sheer simplicity of the values we are called to inhabit and the task to which we are called as followers of Jesus: "Do not judge so that you may not be judged" and "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you." (Mt 7.12)

And for those who have listened to too many of my sermons, you may well recall how often I refer to Jesus' phrase in the narrative of the workers in the vineyard: "Are you envious because I am generous?" (Mt 20.15)

This Sunday morning, we are faced with another one of these simple sentences:

Whoever welcomes a child, welcomes me.

The scenario around this simple sentence is instructive, but all too often we devalue the directness of what Jesus is saying by over-layering it with context or interpretation or spirituality.

Of course we need to 'make it real for us'. I don't think Jesus expects us to serve one another always and only by washing one another's feet. Equally, if we're going to allow a breadth of understanding in that verse then, surely, we have to allow a similar breadth of understanding in "Unless I wash you, you have no share in me" as well.

But back to the little child that Jesus took and placed amongst his twelve friends; back to the little child who he took in his arms. The child was now closer to Jesus than anyone else and being held in a way that Jesus probably hugged his friends. When you think of that child, what do you see:

boy or girl?
freckles; ponytail; acne?
smiling or crying?
enjoying the limelight or hating the attention?
gentile or Jew?
quietly sitting on Jesus' knee or having a temper tantrum?
white or black?

Back a few more verses now. Jesus takes the child when he realises that his friends are arguing about who is the greatest. The point seems clear: the greatest is the one who welcomes a child, for when you welcome a child you welcome Christ, and when you welcome Christ you welcome the one by whom he was sent.

One way of exploring the depth of a theory is to flip it on its head and see what it looks then. Turning this phrase upside down, we get

Then Jesus took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever rejects one such child in my name rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects not me but the one who sent me.’

As a thriving, inclusive Christian community, we are called to be welcoming, hospitable and adaptive to each and every person, each and every child, that crosses the threshold of the church. It sounds easy and, most of the time, we are really good at it.

Sometimes, just sometimes, when a child isn't behaving the way we think children ought to behave, we can be just a little too quick to show it. And I guess, in my over-simplistic and manipulative way, I'd like to remind us all, that when we make a child (or their parent) feel unwelcome and unwanted we are, in the words of this Sunday's gospel readying, rejecting Christ.

Dan Tyndall

20 September 2024

Sermon on Sunday 15th September 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 12:28:43 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sing Start!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:38:39 GMT

A fun new signing group for youngsters!

In September, St Mary Redcliffe will be launching a new chorister group for youngsters called Sing Start!

Sing Start! will be open to children aged 5-7 years old. It will be an informal and fun group that will sing in services when the older choristers are on holiday. We will learn though musical games, call and response, and begin to read sheet music.

Rehearsals will be on Thursdays from 5:30pm – 6:30pm (including a squash and biscuit break!) starting at the end of September.

Please contact St Mary Redcliffe’s Director of Music, Joe Cryan for further information:

joe.cryan@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

07565 597 978

Medieval Graffiti

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:22:23 GMT

Medieval Graffiti: the Lost Voices of England’s Churches

On Friday 6 and Saturday 7 September, author, historian, archaeologist and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries London - Matthew Champion - England’s leading expert on Medieval Graffiti, joined us for a talk and workshop on the medieval practice of inscribing marks onto church walls and monuments - a practice that continues to this day.

The talk was entitled Medieval Graffiti: the Lost Voices of England’s Churches after Matthew’s well-known book on the subject.

Matthew has directed the first major project to systematically record church graffiti across multiple sites - the Norfolk and Suffolk Medieval Graffiti Survey - - which received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk

The talk was attended by around 60 people, 20 of whom also joined Matthew for a practical workshop that took place the following day. The workshop instructed attendees in the practical skills needed to find examples of church graffiti, and a provided theoretical grounding in the various types of marks.

Although church graffiti is mentioned in St Mary Redcliffe’s Conservation Plan, and briefly referred to in studies on aspects of the church fabric, the team has only just begun to look in detail at its graffiti as a subject in its own right, after having become aware of Medieval Graffiti Surveys taking place in other areas around the country.

Since the team at St Mary Redcliffe began looking at the church’s fabric and monuments in more detail dozens of examples of graffiti have been found, including compass-drawn and trinitarian symbols, images of churches, mason’s marks, ships, fish, architectural diagrams, ragged staff imagery, scratch-dials and apotropaic marks.

St Mary Redcliffe will now launch its own Medieval Graffiti Survey to record in detail the types and locations of marks. The project will provide insights into how the church was used in the past, allow us to better understand the significance of the church building for parishioners through the ages, and inform wider research into this fascinating subject.

Since th e team at St Mary Redcliffe began looking at the church’s fabric and monuments in more detail dozens of examples of graffiti have been found, including compass-drawn and trinitarian symbols, images of churches, mason’s marks, ships, fish, architectural diagrams, ragged staff imagery, scratch-dials and apotropaic marks.

Sermon on Sunday 8th September 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 11:18:56 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Life Events administration

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:59:07 GMT

Since October 2023, I've had the pleasure of overseeing the Life Events administration for Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals at SMR. It has been such a joy to be part of the friendly SMR staff team, and I have been warmly welcomed by everyone.

From the stunning building to the memorable carol services and concerts, many people feel a deep connection to SMR and wish to celebrate their significant moments here. I really enjoy engaging with those who may not regularly attend church or are unfamiliar with the Church of England's traditions, and a key part of this role is to provide a welcoming and positive experience for everyone interacting with us. If people don’t already have the right connection with the church we aren’t always able to hold their life event at SMR, but for baptisms and weddings there is always an invitation to build a connection by coming along to church services. Of course everyone is warmly welcomed at SMR!

Organising weddings and funerals involves guiding people in seasons of both joy and sorrow, through numerous steps and stages, ensuring everything goes smoothly from the initial enquiry to the event day.

This year I had the opportunity to help Laura lead a marriage preparation session for 6 wedding couples, and also visit a family before a funeral, which was such a privilege, especially as I am now stepping into ordained ministry too.

I look forward to what the next few months will bring here at SMR- we still have 6 more weddings to go this side of Christmas, and plenty more booked in, up until summer 2026!

Helena Whitwell

Three celebrations in one

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:45:19 GMT

This weekend, as always early in September, we celebrate our patronal festival – a celebration of the saint after which the church is named – Mary, the mother of Christ – the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This year, though, we hold two other celebrations in tension with that: Sunday is the second anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and so we mark the accession to the throne of His Majesty King Charles III. We are also remembering the 150 ^th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Holst. Three distinct celebrations which may have more to do with each other than you might notice at first glance.

The accession of King Charles is a new chapter in our national life, marked by tradition, continuity and commitment to service. It reminds us about our own roles within society and within the church and our responsibilities as guardians of faith. Similarly, SMR stands as a beacon of stability and hope in the parish, dedicated to serving both the spiritual and practical needs of our community. However, like the monarchy, our vocation as a church is not just about maintaining tradition but also about adapting and growing in response to contemporary needs while staying true to our core mission.

Celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary enables us highlight the nurturing and protective qualities of Mary. She embodies compassion, faithfulness, and dedication—qualities that continue to inspire many in their daily lives. As a parish church, we live out these virtues, offering a place of hospitality, comfort, encouragement, and spiritual growth. Her example challenges us to deepen our faith with humility and serve our neighbours with love, whilst singing the song of faith and justice.

Which links us to the anniversary of Gustav Holst’s birth which invites us to notice the role of music in worship and community life. Holst’s compositions, particularly his "The Planets," evoke a sense of wonder and transcendence: an invitation to draw ever closer to the divine. The arts enriches our spiritual experiences and foster a deeper connection with God. As we embrace a widening diversity of the arts we are expressing a deepening understanding of the diversity of God and thus not only enhancing our own faith, but also creating a vibrant environment where worship and creativity flourish together.

Maybe these three seemingly unconnected events have more to offer us this weekend than we realise as we weave together tradition, compassion, and creativity into a tapestry of faith, hope and love.

Dan Tyndall

5 September 2024

Sermon on Sunday 1st September 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 14:36:48 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Family film night

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:32:17 GMT

On the 16th of August, we held a family film night for the community of Redcliffe. I got the idea originally from a local community group in Bristol that held an outdoor movie event at Millennium Square. I spoke to David Cousins and Andy Carruthers from The Hub to see if it would be possible for us to do something similar in the South Churchyard, and they gave me the go ahead to organise it. Thanks to Andy, David, Kelly (x) and Katie Bignell’s help, the plan started to come together.

We ran a test in the Churchyard a week before the event to see how the film looked and sounded, but the light from the sun meant we decided to move the screening indoors. We sorted out a public screening license with the fantastic help from Sam Love from the church, and screened Kung Fu Panda 4 on a big screen at the west end of the church. We arrived to set up at 5pm for the start-time of 6pm. We had some more wonderful help from Matthew Buckmaster, one of the vergers at the church. When it came time to start the film we had 8 or 9 children, then Andy put a call into the Mercure Hotel (which currently houses refugees) and lots of children came over with their parents. We had 70 people altogether! It was a fantastic evening - we even ran out of drinks and snacks in the end, and had to go and get more.

It was so nice to see the adults and the children enjoying themselves, we had lots of people from different cultures and different faiths just gathering around enjoying themselves. It made my heart fill up with joy and my eyes fill up with happy tears every time I walked into the church. We are hoping to do another one in November, hopefully with the same outcome. We are planning to show Despicable Me 4 next time and hopefully put on another one in the New Year. With the brilliant help from the volunteers from the Hub and the church it was a fantastic success, and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart because if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have been able to do it.

Alan (Hub team)

Things that come out

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:00:18 GMT

There have been some quite startling words in the readings we have had over the last few Sundays ... many of them from Jesus. And this weekend we are faced with yet another. It's from Mark's gospel and you can read it here .

Facing some scribes and Pharisees, Jesus is challenged about why his disciples do not follow the codes of practice set down by (you guessed it) the scribes and Pharisees. Things like eating without washing their hands; washing food bought from the market; making sure that cups, pots and bronze kettles are all cleaned the proper way. You could argue that there is a lot of practical, common sense in these rules. You might think that these are the kind of things that public health practitioners have been banging on about for years. And you'd be right. But there is a difference: common sense is teaching you how to avoid a tummy bug; and public health practitioners are offering advice about how to maintain and improve your healthy.

To be fair, the scribes and Pharisees may have had those things in mind ... but they didn't use those words and, in the end, words are pretty much all we have to make the world a better place. The scribes and Pharisees saw the disciples eating with unwashed hands and judged them to be contravening the traditions of their elders, of challenging the covenant that bound them to God, of misbehaving by defiling themselves and thus worthy of being judged.

Jesus makes it clear that there is a difference that the scribes and the Pharisees have overlooked: "You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition." But that isn't the startling sentence. We come to that soon enough. But Jesus makes this statement only when he had the attention of all the crowd: "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile. For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

This is the startling sentence. Despite the teaching of the scribes and the Pharisees, despites the traditions of the elders, despite the codification of hundreds of rules over centuries. this young rabbi from a one-horse town with a radical message (which we're still talking about 2000 years later, let's not forget) said two things:

what you eat doesn't defile you
you defile yourself by what you say

I said earlier on that words are pretty much the only way of making the world a better place. Whilst that's true, it's not the entire truth. Words can make the world worse and there are other things that can make the world better or worse for yourself or for others.

So this statement of Jesus needs to be expanded:

what you eat doesn't defile you
you defile yourself by what you say or do or think, or fail to do or say on behalf of your neighbour

Two thousand years on and these words of Jesus still appear to be little more than an aspiration in our world, our neighbourhoods, our parish, our church. Some strides have been made but the trouble is (as they say) it only takes one bad apple to spoil a barrel load. And often it's more about the perception of those looking at us. We think that our little tiff hasn't been noticed, or the unkind word wasn't overheard, or the way we ignored that person was so well done that they didn't even know we'd ignored them.

Most of us, I'm sure, can stand up against Jesus list of those things that defile us: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit and licentiousness.

The trouble is (as some of may know) that's not the end of Jesus' list! What about these: envy, slander, pride and folly.

These are the things that come out when we're not looking, and these are the ways we defile ourselves.

Dan Tyndall

30 August 2024

Final note:

Keen Bible watchers will note that there are significant chunks of Mark's gospel missing in this week's passage. I am sticking to the verses selected for the lectionary reading: if you want to read the whole passage and work out what's missing and why, you can find that here .

Sermon on Sunday 25th August 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 12:14:24 GMT

Preached by the Venerable Canon Guy Wilkinson CBE

Formerly Archdeacon of Bradford (1999-2004) and Archbishop of Canterbury's Secretary for Inter Faith Relations (2005-2011)

Holst - Film Screening

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 11:20:41 GMT

Film Showing: Holst - In The Bleak Midwinter

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been postponed. We aim to reschedule it for the winter months.

If you would like to be kept informed of a new date, please email sam.love@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Summer exhibition

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:50:53 GMT

Our Summer Exhibition is on display in St John’s Chapel, marking 450 years since Queen Elizabeth I’s visit to Bristol in August 1574: a visit that is said to have occasioned the famous description of the church as being “The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England.”

The exhibition provides a fascinating insight into the national context in which the the royal visit took place - a time coloured by domestic rebellion and trade wars - as well as the specific concerns of the Bristol authorities, who were determined to demonstrate loyalty to the monarch while promoting a trade-friendly peace that would allow them to renew their lucrative trade with Spain and Portugal.

The exhibition also looks at St Mary Redcliffe’s links with the Queen. While there is no documentary evidence to prove that Elizabeth visited the church, the churchwarden’s accounts for 1574 suggest that the church authorities were at least preparing for a royal visit. The steps to the North Porch were ‘made’, the interior of the church was painted, significant alterations were made to a Mr Yonge’s chapel inside the church, and the Queen’s arms were painted in the Grammar School that had been founded by Elizabeth by Royal charter in 1571.

John Young, in whose Great House on St Augustine’s Back, the Queen stayed during her visit, was a descendant of the Young or Yonge family that William Canynges II joined through the remarriage of his mother. Canynges’ half brother Thomas Yonge is depicted in the South Transept window. Thomas Yonge’s son - another Thomas - was buried near the crossing of the church (this tomb slab has since mysteriously disappeared). Taking this into account, it seems likely that Mr Yonge’s chapel that was renovated just prior to the Queen’s visit belonged to the family of her host, although further evidence is needed to prove this to have been the case.

The exhibition provides an opportunity to tell our visitors about the Redcliffe’s wider links with Elizabeth - who later (in 1588 and 1590) returned to Redcliffe church lands that had previously been confiscated - as well as the specific events that took place during the summer of 1574: the entertainments for which were written and produced by the soldier poet Thomas Churchyard. An interesting footnote is that C19th historians of the church associated the lines of verse included on the board above Canynges’ effigy with Churchyard - although, beyond stylistic similarities, there is no information about why this association was made.

The exhibition also contains information about Project 450, the church’s facilities development initiative. The project was named in recognition of the anniversary of Elizabeth’s visit to Bristol, the original aspiration having been to open the church’s new facilities this year. Until the early part of 2020, the project was on target for completion within this timescale. However, Covid and its aftermath have had a significant impact on project timescales: society has changed, funding streams have been reconfigured, and in some respects become more scarce, the habits of visitors - domestic and international - have changed. So the project has gone through a process of review and reconfiguration in response to the changing context of the church, the behaviour of church visitors, and the societal challenges of the time.

One benefit of this delay is that the project can now respond to the work of the church’s community team, which took on huge significance during Covid and has gone from strength to strength in addressing community need in the years since. The project is being shaped to ensure that it responds to this need - which in some respects is acute - by making the rich cultural heritage of St Mary Redcliffe - and its potential to improve wellbeing - available to all of the communities of Bristol - including the residents of Redcliffe - as well as our many thousands of visitors from all around the world.

Rhys Williams

20 August 2024

Sam Love on Holst film

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:48:51 GMT

Between 2016 and 2019, I worked as the cinema programmer - among many other positions - at The Flavel Arts Centre in beautiful Dartmouth, Devon. During this time, I made a great number of professional and personal connections across the arts industry, many of whom I am still in touch with today. One of these individuals is Tony Palmer, probably the most fascinating person I have ever had the pleasure to get to know, and am honoured to call a friend. Where do you begin with Tony Palmer? He has won multiple BAFTAs and Emmy Awards, 12 Gold Medals from the New York Film Festival, the Prix Italia twice, is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and an honorary citizen of both New Orleans and Athens! He has directed many films, as well as theatre and opera, and has written several books. Not a bad body of work!

It is a great honour to welcome him to St Mary Redcliffe Church in September for a rare opportunity to see his celebrated Gustav Holst documentary 'In the Bleak Midwinter' on the big screen, with a live introduction to the screening from Tony himself. As we celebrate Holst's 150th birthday this September, there really is no better time to remind ourselves why he is (rightly) considered one of the finest composers in music. And you'll almost certainly come away with a new favourite filmmaker to explore, too!

You can book tickets for this exciting event on September 7th 2024 here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/film-showing-holst-in-the-bleak-midwinter-tickets-851434863597

Reflect, React, Resolve.

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 10:11:30 GMT

This is how we learnt about the riots in Bristol! Our son, Adam, and his choir had taken over the vicarage to use their base for the weekend (they sang the services in church on Sunday 4 August) and we were settling into our annual summer holiday in France. Out of the blue Adam sends us this photo of police in riot gear outside the vicarage kitchen window! Less than four weeks' later, the news from around the country (including Bristol) is of rioters being sentenced for their part in the horrendous acts of violence meted out upon some of the most vulnerable people in society.

This you know. And you know how the Redcliffe community (congregation, staff, residents) worked together in those terrifying hours to protect those in danger and to ensure that when we say we are a welcoming, inclusive Christian community, we really mean it. You know this because Laura has kept you (and me) informed all the way through. She was supported by others who were equally committed and who also acted courageously when the easier path would have been to turn and look the other way.

I am unashamedly proud and humbled by the way 'Redcliffe' reacted when the riot came to our neighbourhood. I am equally proud and delighted to live in a city where, a few days later, the truth of what it means to be a City of Hope and a City of Sanctuary was seen on the streets of Old Market.

"And the word was made flesh and lived among us."

I want to share with you some the things you may not know about what Redcliffe did and how it has been received:

on the Saturday, our community team were already in touch with hotel staff and residents as things were kicking off at Castle Park;
later, our visiting choir was rehearsing in church and the vergers made sure they were secure inside church and got away safely;
we had bell ringing planned between 3.0 & 5.0 and vergers made sure they were clear of the building prior to the rioters arriving in Redcliffe;
as the protestors moved towards us, we were able to warn local residents to stay indoors;
staff were constantly checking on one another's welfare, especially given that we have staff living so close to the hotel;
local residents were texting friends they have made in the hotel to check on their welfare;
community team opened the Hub on Sunday, and a number of the congregation went over to listen and chat and reassure;
on Sunday, the team crafted a statement which was put online by a member of staff who had the necessary log ins but was on holiday in the middle of nowhere - somehow she managed to find Wi-Fi;
The Noise organised a street clean up in Redcliffe;
two girls staying in the hotel have asked Joe about joining the choir and a father and daughter have asked Laura about being baptised;
colleagues in the diocese have been amazed that we managed to be in touch with the hotel so quickly and were surprised when told that we'd been working with them for over a year;
one senior colleague has written "I am immensely grateful for a statement that combined compassion, faith, and commitment to people";
and the bishop has commented that our ability to respond was because of the commitment and hard work that SMR has shown to its parish over the years.

We follow Jesus of Nazareth. Born in backstreet of a nowhere town. Born behind the expected place of hospitality because there was no room for them at the inn. Born in a country under occupation by an external force whose methods of control were brutal. When news reached them that their lives were at risk, that Herod was sending his army to annihilate all those under two years old to assassinate Jesus, Mary & Joseph fled for their lives. There is a technical argument about whether the Holy Family were actually refugees or would today be described as 'internally displaced' - but (to my way of thinking) if that's where your focus is, blimey, are you looking the wrong way.

They fled for their lives from persecution. They fled from a country where they could not live in freedom and dignity. They fled to a place of safety and security.

I am deeply ashamed of my fellow country men and women who behaved barbarically in Bristol and across the country. And I am immensely proud of the way in which St Mary Redcliffe sang the song of faith and justice that weekend. We (well, 'you' actually - I was watching from France!) truly inhabited our calling to be a thriving, inclusive Christian community and a church that makes a difference in the parish and beyond.

And you did it, not to be thanked (though thanks are due); not to be goody-two-shoes (though you were incredibly good); not to be thought of as better than others or showing off or ostentatious. You did it because it was the right thing to do, for the sake of your sisters and brothers, because of our shared humanity.

If you want to wrap that up in some theology - you were incarnational.

"And the word was made flesh and lived among us."

Dan Tyndall

22 August 2024

The Sermon on Sunday 18th August 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 12:06:32 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Autumn Recitals

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 10:02:10 GMT

AUTUMN SEASON

Thursdays / 1:00pm / Free entry

Join us this autumn for an exciting series of free lunchtime recitals in one of England’s finest parish churches.

THURSDAY 12 SEPTEMBER

Keys to the Future: Clifton College

Jude Young | Organ

St Mary Redcliffe has always had a very strong connection with Clifton College, with the Director of Music at SMR often being the Head of Music at Clifton. Therefore we are delighted to welcome Jude as he prepares to leave Bristol to go onto further studies. Programme to include Bach, Dupre and an organ duet with current Head of Music James Drinkwater.

THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER

A Centenary Celebration of Charles Villiers Stanford

Dr Anthony Gritten | Organ

Anthony joins us from the Royal Academy of Music with an exciting programme celebrating the British composer, Stanford in his centenary year. Programme to include his Fantasia (In Festo Omnium Sanctorum) along with other beloved classics.

THURSDAY 26 SEPTEMBER

Listomania!

Connor Fogal | Piano

Connor takes us back to Liszt’s height of fame with an authentic recreation of the type of recitals he was giving in the 1840s. The programme includes Liszt’s arrangements of Weber, Mozart and Rossini.

CANCELLED due to illness

THURSDAY 3 OCTOBER

“Out of the Infinite Morning…”

Organ | Solo Voice

Pavlos Triantaris and Marily Kritikou

THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER

Eroica

Paul Walton | Organ

We are delighted to welcome Paul Walton from across the harbour at the Cathedral to come and give an organ recital here at SMR. Programme will include Stanford, Harris and Tabakova.

THURSDAY 17 OCTOBER

German Connections

David Pipe | Organ

Exploring the rich history of Germany on organ composition, David Pipe brings a programme of music by people who are from or studied in Germany. Programme to include Bruhns, Jackson and Landmann.

THURSDAY 24 OCTOBER

NAME TBC

Caroline Halls | Soprano

Exploring the music of Purcell and Folk Songs, Caroline Halls comes to St. Mary Redcliffe to present a recital of music that focuses on Story Telling. This intimate concert is not one to be missed.

THURSDAY 31 OCTOBER

Songs of Reflection

Mayuri Swaminathan | Soprano

Mayrui presents a introspective programme as we approach All Souls day. The programme is to include Dvorak’s Song of the Moon and Les Roses d’Ispahan by Faure.

THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER

Great Sacred Music

The Choral Scholars of SMR and St Paul’s Clifton

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER

Beauty in Sound

Richard McVeigh | Organ

Richard knows our organ better than most having recently samples every pipe on our world famous organ for a sampling project through his company Beauty in Sound. During the recital he will give an insight into what he has discovered while exploring our fabulous instrument.

The Pipe Walk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 10:51:57 GMT

Celebrating the Gift of Water

This year's Pipe Walk: Saturday 26 October

Start: Coffee at St Barnabas Church, Daventry Road, Knowle, at 9.30am for a 10.00am start on the walk.

Finish: St Mary Redcliffe with coffee

Bells: There will be a full peal of bells on the morning of the Pipe Walk. Find out about bellringing at St Mary Redcliffe here .

Free Exhibition: There will be an opportunity to view our freee exhibition Gloriana in the West: Elizabeth I's Bristol Progress about the royal visit to Bristol in 1574, 450 years ago.

BOOK FREE TICKETS

A short history of the medieval pipe that was given to Redcliffe by the Lord Robert de Berkeley

Every year the Priest, Churchwardens and people of St Mary Redcliffe walk the route of an ancient conduit given to the parish by Lord Robert de Berkeley in 1190 and give thanks for the gift of fresh water. The historic event asserts the church’s right of way along the 2,514 metre (2,750 yard) route of an 824-year-old pipeline linking it with an ancient fresh water spring in the Knowle area of Bristol.

The conduit dates back to 1190 when Robert de Berkeley, Lord of the Manor of Bedminster, granted the right to lay a pipe from the Ruge Well at the top of Knowle Hill through south Bristol to the churchyard of St Mary Redcliffe.

The Pipe Walk route covers just under two miles from the spring near St Barnabas Church in Daventry Road through Lower Knowle and Bedminster to Redcliffe Hill. It takes in Victoria Park where first-time Pipe Walkers traditionally are ‘bumped’ on one of several old stone markers indicating the route. Also in the park is a labyrinth constructed by Wessex Water in 1984 at the point where the pipe is crossed by a twentieth-century foul water interceptor.

Elsewhere the pipe runs through allotments and private gardens. Throughout the walk periodic stops are made for manhole inspections.

Originally made of lead but replaced with cast iron by the Victorians, the pipe was broken as a result of bomb damage during the Second World War.

The pipe ends just inside the church gate on Redcliffe Hill where a Latin inscription commemorates Lord Robert de Berkeley’s philanthropy. This translates as:

For the health of the soul of Robert Berkeley, who gave to God and the church of St. Mary Redcliffe and its ministers the Rugewell and conduit. AD 1190 Erected.

Read an interesting article on the pipe here .

Sermon on Sunday 11th August 2024

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 14:03:07 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:53:55 GMT

What a week we have had!

This week we have witnessed some unbelievable and horrific scenes. Last Saturday a far-right group tried to violently enter into the Mercure Hotel which houses asylum seekers and refugees. It wasn't long before a group, along with the police, came to the hotel and rallied around it.

On Wednesday there were further threats targeted at Immigration Lawyers up and down the country. As a response to this, many counter-protests were planned and there are scenes of people gathering so show solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are Black, minority ethic group or those who have immigrated here to the UK. To see thousands of people gather in Old Market, Bristol to protect the Gya Williams Immigration Lawyers was amazing, people showed up to remind the small few that love, inclusion and acceptance will always win. I took the photo above- which I thought was very Bristol!

I can't help to think of how this was all sparked. By three, innocent, beautiful, care-free girls at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport. The summer holidays ahead of them, their parents signing them up for something they will love. Every time I think of these three girls being murdered I can't help but to cry. It's one of the saddest most inhumane things I have read recently - not withstanding the current wars that are going on. Elsie, Bebe and Alice, may you rest in peace and rise in glory.

The 17-year-old who killed these girls and injured others has Rwandan heritage and was born in Cardiff. The colour of skin caused this out-pouring of hate and anger from far-right groups; giving them an excuse to target this hate towards all immigrants and people of colour. This hate has taken away from the 3 beautiful lives that were lost and uncovered a truth that many people of colour will testify to: racism is lurking beneath the surface, always.

I do think there needs to be spaces where our immigration laws are discussed appropriately. People may be worried and have concerns. That is of course valid. But I would hope we all agree that the violence and hate we have seen pour out from a minority has been abhorrent and doesn't resemble any kind of sensitive discussion around migration.

Despite this darkness, there have of course been glimmers of light. I can only testify to what I've seen this week. The Mercure Hotel Operations Manager told me they have been inundated with flowers, cards, sweets, chocolate, toys from the people of Bristol for the hotel residents- which have been gratefully received. Our community Hub team, David, Andy, Katie, Kelly and Alan have worked tirelessly to provide a supportive space for all those in Radcliffe that are scared. On Wednesday afternoon I sat in whilst the police reassured the residents that they had heightened protection around Redcliffe. And countless companies, groups, churches have been in touch asking how they can support the work of the Hub. The first part of John's gospel has been on repeat in my brain this week: 'The light shines in the darkness and the darkness could not overcome it.'

The lectionary at the moment is asking us to spend 5 weeks in John's gospel, thinking about Jesus being bread. We are asked to reflect on our hungers, how satisfied we are with Jesus and how we might feast on the true bread of heaven. 'I am the bread of life' says Jesus. To me, this can feel a little simplistic that in light of everything we've seen this last week - can we just focus on Jesus being the bread of life and everything will be alright?

And yet, when I think about the Communion table, the table is made better, is richer for having a diverse group of people around it, sharing in the bread of heaven. After all, our Saviour Christ was a brown refugee from the Middle East. Sharing the bread of life with others is vital- we remember the body of Christ and we, the church, are the body- it's not an individual thing its a communal thing. At the Communion table we are all equal, we all get to share despite how worthy we feel and most importantly: everyone is welcome.

In the coming weeks as we recover from this week, let's consider how we share the bread of life with those who need to know that above all else, they are welcome and included.

Statement on Sunday 4th August

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 13:45:44 GMT

“Last November, we installed 4 windows in the north transept which questions this idea. One image is of a refugee boat with Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees with others fleeing for their lives.

Last night saw a protest across the UK, including on our doorstep here in Redcliffe. This was sparked from mass dis-information being spread about 3 children - Bebe, Elise and Alice who were killed at a dance class in Southport. We hold all those affected, especially the families, in our prayers.

As a community we are horrified at the scenes we saw last night at Redcliffe Hill, our community, where the protests took place. SMR are proud of the work we have done over the last few months with the Mecure Hotel, reaching out to asylum seekers and refugees. These are our neighbours, and we stand alongside them now in light of last night’s protests as much as we did before. I am pleased to say that everyone in the hotel was physically safe, although acknowledging the psychological trauma that that may have been experienced.”

“As a response to last night’s protest we are opening our community hub today on Redcliffe Hill - from 10am - anybody from the hotel or community affected are welcome to come in and have a cuppa and there will be listening ears and support offered.

We ask all of us today, in our prayers and thoughts to consider the question: who is my neighbour? And how can we ensure that we continue to sing the song of faith, and most importantly, justice?”

Statement from Rev. Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe on 4th August 2024.

Sermon on Sunday the 4th August 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 19:39:21 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Medieval Graffiti Talk & Workshop

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:07:24 GMT

Heritage Talk & Workshop

Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of England’s Churches with Matthew Champion

DATES & TIMES

Medieval Graffiti Talk: 8:30pm Friday 6 September

Medieval Graffiti Workshop: 1:00pm Saturday 7 September

SUMMARY

Discover the mysterious world of medieval church graffiti: join expert Matthew Champion, author of Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voices of England’s Churches, for a special talk and workshop on this fascinating subject.

DETAILS

During our Friday evening talk, Matthew will discuss the different forms of graffiti, the meaning of the marks and the historical context in which they were made.

During Saturday’s practical workshop, you will learn how to discover and interpret graffiti in your own church building by looking at examples that have recently been discovered in St Mary Redcliffe.

ABOUT MATTHEW CHAMPION

Matthew J. Champion is an award winning freelance buildings archaeologist and historian, who has worked for clients such as Historic England, The Natuional Trust, and the Churches Coservation Trust.

He is also an elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, and advisor on historical graffiti to a number of national and international organisations.

BACKGROUND

Today graffiti is often seen as something that is destructive and anti-social, and certainly not something that we would want to encourage in historic buildings or churches. However, this attitude is a relatively modern one. Prior to the nineteenth century the evidence is that leaving your mark inscribed into the stones of your local church was perfectly acceptable – and carried out by individual from all levels of society. Everyone from the lord of the manor and parish priest, right down to the lowliest commoner, appear to have had no issues with carving graffiti into the very stones of the church.

And those very same stones tell us some strange tales. Here are outlandish medieval beasts, knights battling unseen dragons, ships sailing across lime-washed oceans and demons who stalk the walls. Latin prayers for the dead jostle with medieval curses, builders’ accounts and slanderous comments concerning a long-dead archdeacon. Strange and complex geometric designs, created to ward off the ‘evil eye’ and thwart the works of the devil, share church pillars with the heraldic shields of England’s medieval nobility. Today archaeologists are recording many thousands of previously unknown medieval inscriptions, and in the process revealing a long forgotten hidden history of the medieval parish church. These inscriptions are telling us about the people who lived and worshipped in the magnificent buildings, and reawakening the lost voices of England’s past.

TICKETS

Tickets for the Friday talk and Saturday workshop cost £5.00 each or you can purchase a combined ticket for £10.00

Summer Exhibition

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:43:59 GMT

Gloriana in the West: Elizabeth I's Bristol Progress

Summary: The story of Queen Elizabeth I's visit to Bristol in 1574.

Location: St John's Chapel at St Mary Redcliffe

Time: August - November 2024 8 - 5 Daily

Entry: Free

Sermon on Sunday the 28th July 2024

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 09:21:04 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

The Sermon on Sunday 21st July 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:21:49 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 14th July 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 14 Jul 2024 12:18:28 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Volunteers at SMR

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 08:40:09 GMT

Chris Whitwell, Volunteer Co-Ordinator, writes:

One of the greatest privileges of a role like mine is having the opportunity to spend time listening to and talking with people. I’m sadly not able to do that with as many people as I would like, but I am incredibly thankful for every person who makes the choice to give their valuable time, freely, for the ongoing thriving of the church and its wider mission.

In a place like St Mary Redcliffe (SMR), this choice can be framed in a number of different ways. For some, it is volunteering, for others, it might be serving, discipleship or the outward expression of faith, and there are so many reasons why people make this choice to give their time.

Regardless of how we frame it, ‘volunteering’ is a powerful choice and even in those times where our motivation might be to benefit self, our freely given time is almost always to the benefit of others. I see so many examples of how others benefit from the volunteering of this community every week. Once again, thank you.

Last week, I attended a workshop with one of our Hub volunteers at Bristol University all about engaging young adults in volunteering. They surveyed their students back in 2022 and asked them about what their motivations were for volunteering. Two of the top 3 motivations for volunteering were, ‘helping others’ and ‘making a difference’.

I imagine these motivations chime with many of you too and without wanting to shamelessly start pitching for more volunteers too much, please know that there are lots of opportunities at SMR to both help others and make a difference. Please let me know if you would like to chat more about that!

I understand the pressures of time, how valuable it is and how out of control of it we can feel at times. The impact of volunteering at SMR is significant and it spans right across the day-to-day life of the church and community. No matter the role you play or the amount of time that you give, you are a part of that significant impact and finally, because you can never say it enough, THANK YOU!

The Sermon on Sunday 7th July 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 18:34:01 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 30th June 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 15:31:09 GMT

Preached by the Venerable Canon Guy Wilkinson CBE

Formerly Archdeacon of Bradford (1999-2004) and Archbishop of Canterbury's Secretary for Inter Faith Relations (2005-2011)

Sermon on Sunday 23rd June 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 23 Jun 2024 11:41:59 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Associate Curate

Sermon on Sunday 16th June 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 13:21:19 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

A Sleepy Gardener and A Out of Control Weed

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:03:03 GMT

A few days ago my parcel from Vinted arrived. For those who don’t know, Vinted is an app where you can buy second-hand clothes, you can also sell clothes as well, which is a great side business for anyone interested! I bought a white linen blouse/ shirt type thing for the summer if you’re wondering. Like with anything I order online, I really look forward to delivery day. Seeing if it’s like the pictures, will it suit me etc.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I opened the package to find make-up stains all over the white shirt.

I knew I had to message the seller to ask about the stains. I’d always prefer to avoid conflict but as a recovering people pleaser, I know these are the moments I need to put my big girl pants on and face something particularly uncomfortable and confrontational.

I knew it was right to message the seller because I paid money for something, so in the social norms of our society, I expected to get what I paid for. We live in a transactional, capitalist society where if we give A we want or expect B in return. Whilst this may be the case in society, what I realised after reading the gospel reading is that I may sometimes put that same lens on when thinking about my faith and relationship with God. If I pray for X I would like God to do Y. Hmmm, this is a nice ideal isn’t it? But I would guess that we all might have examples where our prayers, hopes and dreams haven’t worked out how we would like them to be. The reality is that God’s Kingdom is far more nuanced, complex and creative than my ideal of a faith that amounts to a simple equation like X=Y.

This week's gospel reading is from Mark and Jesus is telling two parables that attempt to explain the Kingdom of God. The first parable is about a gardener who scatters seeds, goes to sleep and doesn’t tend or look at the seeds but allows the soil to do its thing, then when there is a bloom, the gardener harvests. The second parable is about a gardener planting a tiny, small mustard seed that grows a large shrub, so big that birds can nest and hide away in its branches.

Something we might miss as we read this in 21st-century England is the complete silliness of these parables. They are, in a way, a big joke. Let me explain.

In the first parable, any gardener will know, you can rarely scatter seeds, go to sleep and ignore them and expect all of them to thrive and grow. The first-century Palestinians would have also found this silly because agriculture was a big part of their life and culture and was not how a good gardener worked. They work, in all weathers, tending, protecting and nurturing seeds in order to produce a good harvest. Who is this sleepy gardener getting great results?!

In the second parable, the joke we might miss is that a first-century gardener would never plant mustard seeds. Mustard seeds were a bit like weeds, they would grow uncontrollably, encroaching and smothering other crops and flowers and most gardeners spent their time trying to pull up these big shrubs.

So this Kingdom of God is like a sleepy gardener and a big, out-of-control weed?

Well, yes it is.

The more I think about it, the more I appreciate these parables Jesus told and that they challenge my simplistic and reductionist faith equation. You see, sometimes seasons of faith seem slow and sleepy, where we might wonder if anything is happening beneath the soil, if God is actually moving, working or being. Or it might even represent an apathy we can sometimes feel in faith- it all just feels like a lot and do we have the energy? And other times it feels like our little offering, or small amount of faith can produce something big, creative and far beyond our expectations or belief.

The Kingdom of God is not a straightforward equation. God doesn’t move or work based on what I do, even if I really want it! This is good news, the Kingdom of God is far more creative, bigger and more mysterious than me doing A and so expecting God to do B. I don’t want to dismiss how hard it can be when we feel like our prayers, our ‘doings’ are being ignored by God. But God’s grace is evident in our gospel reading this week. It’s not dependent on whether I pray the right things or do the right things, our faith is not measured in our output and productivity, it’s measured in God’s love for us which we cannot earn. That’s grace.

If you get a bit lost in the faith equation as I do, I pray that this week’s gospel reading allows you to step back and see a bigger picture of a creative, mysterious and inclusive Kingdom of God we are invited into.

Laura Verrall-Kelly June 2024

Sermon on Sunday 9th June 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 09 Jun 2024 18:43:25 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 2nd June 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 18:57:00 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 26th May 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 18:54:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Lord of the Sabbath

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:47:34 GMT

Many of our leading politicians leave an image in our mind which they may rather wasn't there! Remember Ed Miliband and that bacon roll in 2014? For others, its words that have the same impact. I have to admit that whenever we hear about cornfields (or wheat fields to be more accurate) I am taken back to Theresa May's interview in 2017 when she said that probably the naughtiest thing she'd ever done was running through fields of wheat as a child! And to ensure political neutrality, you may have seen Sir Ed Davey falling from a paddleboard in the last couple of days and some may remember the infamous interview with Green party leader Natalie Bennett on LBC a few years ago.

With the election campaign in full flow, the only thing I will say about politics is ... have you registered to vote?

So back to the cornfield and the image of Jesus and his disciples plucking heads of grain to chew on (Mark 2.23ff). There is no way of knowing whether the disciples were bored and thus wanting something to do, or hungry and needing something to eat. But the Pharisees decided that the disciples were engaged in 'work' which is not acceptable on the sabbath.

Jesus reminds them of their own shared history, their own shared faith story, when David and his companions were hungry. David took some of the bread reserved for the high priest and shared it with his companions. By reminding the Pharisees of this part of their shared history, Jesus is claiming this narrative as his own and is able to conclude that the sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the sabbath. Moreover he concludes that the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.

It's only the second time that Mark has used the phrase 'Son of Man'; the first was just a few verses earlier when Jesus declares "that the Son of Man has authority on earth of forgive sins". There are a further twelve appearances of this phrase culminating in the declaration before Pilate: ‘Are you the Messiah?’ Jesus said, ‘I am; and “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power”.'

It seems that Mark is introducing us to the concept of Son of Man and only at the very climax of his narrative does he reveal that Jesus and the Son of Man are one and the same. Mark is clear from the very outset of his gospel that Jesus is "Jesus Christ, the Son of God" but the concept of Son of Man is one that unfolds in a more nuanced way around stories of the authority the belongs to Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man.

And it is interesting to note that Jesus often uses the authority he has for the benefit of those who are struggling either physically, emotionally or with more everyday things like hunger.

I am reminded of something that Kathy Galloway of the Iona Community often uses:

When my children are hungry

I don't ask them to sing my praises

I don't ask them to tell me how sorry they are for what they have done

I don't ask them to tell me what is important to them

I don't ask them to remember all the troubles around the world

When my children are hungry

I feed them

Because I love them

The work undertaken in the name of St Mary Redcliffe in the parish for those who are struggling is a fantastic testimony to this understanding of our calling to help those around us, not because we're great or because they'll thank us, but because they are hungry or thirsty or in need of some legal help or help filling in a form or an opportunity to get outside and meet others, or meet together to cook some food.

Every time we enable some gentle kindness, some practical goodness, some unconditional love, it is as if we are in that cornfield - not acting naughtily - but challenging the powers that keep people in check and celebrating the freedom we know in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man.

Dan Tyndall

30 May 2024

SMR Governance

Fri, 24 May 2024 18:30:10 GMT

Since joining the wonderful St Mary Redcliffe team in November of last year I have attended a great number of meetings, and consider myself lucky to have this front-row seat to SMR’s governance. These councils, committees and working parties - made up of a mixture of clergy, staff, and passionate volunteers - are integral to achieving all four strands of our mission statement and being the best we can be for the parish and beyond.

Earlier this week, I attended my first APCM. Although disappointingly low in attendance, the meeting offered a valuable opportunity for members of the electoral roll and local residents to hear first-hand updates on various aspects of SMR life including presentations from key staff and an exciting overview of where we are with Project 450. Belinda Phillipson and Richard Dyton were re-elected as Churchwarden and Junior Warden respectively, whilst new PCC members were also elected. The evening drew to a close with a hymn, and a chance to finish off Rush Sunday’s leftover sherry! I certainly recommend next year’s meeting for those who want a greater understanding of what we are achieving together.

PCC member Paul Bassett observed during the APCM what an exciting place St Mary Redcliffe is right now, and I couldn’t agree more - I certainly joined at the right time! I am so amazed by all of the work that happens behind the scenes here, whether in the PCC, SFC, or any of the other various committees and working parties. I am grateful to be a part of the SMR family during this exhilarating era of change and growth, and cannot wait to see what’s coming next as we continue to sing the song of faith and justice together.

Sam Love

24 May 2024

John and Charles Wesley

Fri, 24 May 2024 17:43:01 GMT

Today we celebrate the lives of John and Charles Wesley

Exciting Holiness is a book providing background information and bible readings for many saints and festivals of the Christian year. In the book we read the following about the Wesley brothers:

Born at Epworth rectory in Lincolnshire, John Wesley was the son of an Anglican clergyman and a Puritan mother. He entered Holy Orders and, following a religious experience on this day in 1738, began an itinerant ministry which recognized no parish boundaries. This resulted, after his death, in the development of a worldwide Methodist Church. His spirituality involved an Arminian affirmation of grace, frequent communion and a disciplined corporate search for holiness. His open-air preaching, concern for education and for the poor, liturgical revision, organization of local societies and training of preachers provided a firm basis for Christian growth and mission in England.

Charles shared with his brother John the building-up of early Methodist societies, as they travelled the country. His special concern was that early Methodists should remain loyal to Anglicanism. He married and settled in Bristol, later in London, concentrating his work on the local Christian communities. His thousands of hymns established a resource of lyrical piety which has enabled generations of Christians to re-discover the refining power of God’s love. They celebrate God’s work of grace from birth to death, the great events of God’s work of salvation and the rich themes of eucharistic worship, anticipating the taking up of humanity into the divine life.

John Wesley died on 2 March 1791 and Charles on 29 March 1788.

Here in Bristol we have a particular connection with John Wesley who founded the New Room in 1739. Located in the heart of Bristol it is the oldest Methodist building in the world and became the cradle of the worldwide Methodist movement.

At Morning Prayer this morning, we offered the words of this hymn, by Charles Wesley, as part of our intercessions:

Love divine, all loves excelling
Joy of heaven, to earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesu, thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver,
Let us all thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as thy hosts above;
Pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love.

Finish then thy new creation:
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love and praise.

What's your favourite Wesley hymn?

Dan Tyndall

24 May 2024

Church Closed 4-5 June

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 22 May 2024 09:49:08 GMT

The church will be closed on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 June.

Wednesday's mid-week Holy Communion will take place in Faithspace on Prewett Street, the location of which is indicated below.

Faithspace's address is:

Faithspace, Redcliffe Methodist Church, Prewett St, Redcliffe, Bristol BS1 6PB

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Sermon on Sunday 19th May 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 19 May 2024 18:56:39 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Associate Curate

The Sermon at the Rush Service 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 19 May 2024 18:52:59 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Summer Recitals

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 10 May 2024 18:00:08 GMT

Lunchtime at Redcliffe

Free recitals by musicians from around the world

Thursday lunchtime recitals are a long-standing tradition at St Mary Redcliffe, giving people the opportunity to hear music played in our historic church. The church has a four manual pipe organ by Harrison and Harrison of Durham, which is highly regarded as a masterpiece of the early twentieth century.

SUMMER SEASON

20 June - 15 August

Thursdays / 1:00pm / Free entry

Join us this summer for an exciting series of free lunchtime recitals in one of England’s finest parish churches.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Thursday 20 June

The Heroic Organ

Will Walshe Grey (organ)

St Mary Redcliffe’s organ scholar gives a rousing recital exploring the prodigious nature of our Harrison & Harrison organ. Programme to include Frank, McDowell and Leighton.

Thursday 27 June

Tell Me The Truth About Love

Lucie Tenet (soprano)

Lucie explores mid twentieth century cabaret songs. She will perform songs from both sides of the Atlantic, in what is set to be a very exciting and light hearted programme.

Thursday 4 July

Visions and Memories

Michael Bonaventure (organ)

A stimulating programme of organ music from the 20th and 21st centuries, including a first performance of Preludio e fuga in modo frigio (2022) by Carson Cooman and Michael’s new piece Chains (2024)

Thursday 11 July

Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Katherine Dienes-Williams (organ)

We are delighted to welcome Katherine to Redcliffe as she plays one of the most well-known organ pieces by J. S. Bach. The rest of the programme includes works by Blanche Rozan, Claude Debussy and Noel Rawsthorne.

Thursday 18 July

Welcome Back!

Elin Davies (organ)

Last year’s organ scholar returns to Redcliffe and brings a new recital to our beautiful church. We are so excited to hear about everything she has been up to, and hear her back on our world famous organ.

Thursday 25 July

Arnos Vocale

With Anya Szreter

South Bristol’s foremost chamber ensemble, takes you on a journey of musical delights from the Renaissance to the present.

Thursday 1 August

100 years: Stanford and Dubois

Hayden Payne (organ)

2024 marks the centenary of two greats of classical music: Charles Villiars Stanford and Theodore Dubois. This organ recital will celebrate their music on our famous organ.

Thursday 8 August

A Tale of Three Cities

Colin Andrews (organ)

We are delighted to welcome back Colin Andrews to Redcliffe, as he brings us music associated with London, Leipzig and Paris by Cliss, Howell, Bach and Messiaen.

Thursday 15 August

Pipe up! Exploring the Organ!

Claire Alsop (organ)

A family friendly recital exploring the many wonderful sounds our organ can make. This joint recital with Bristol Beacon will be followed by a workshop where children can have a go on our organ for the first time.

Children and Families Minister

Fri, 10 May 2024 14:24:03 GMT

My role is focused more on Sunday mornings but a typical week leading up to Sunday consists of reflection for the last Sunday. Looking at what went well, what can be improved and floods of ideas for next time. I am still fairly new to SMR. But I have enjoyed getting to know everyone, from the parish office, Children’s ministry leadership team, volunteers at the church and the congregation.

At the beginning of the year, I felt a strong pull to teach on mental health – primarily Depression and anxiety. This had such a great impact on the children we were able to understand our human emotions and put them into visual representations and understand what the word of God says regarding these emotions and feelings.

It was great to hear some of the adults’ feedback on this as well. A few of the children are making the transition to high school this year and emotions can be quite overwhelming. Providing a safe place where it doesn’t feel like school or another institution.

Being a visual learner myself, I feel like it is so important to make sure all ages can get together and use different senses. We have been creative with painting our hands using the 5 prayer fingers. and learning how God hears our prayers. Referencing Ezekiel 34:11-16/20:24 'My Sheep hear my voice' It is so important to in my position to show the Love of God and encourage the children to build on their relationship with God through creativity using the bible.

I am so excited to see how this year progresses as we build up our relationships with each other.

Keilah Ayuba Cadogan

APCM 2024

Fri, 10 May 2024 13:55:07 GMT

The Annual Parochial Church Meeting will be held on Monday 20th May 2024 at 7.30pm in church.

You can download all the legal documents below and read the 2023 edition of A Year at Redcliffe:

Where do you belong?

Fri, 10 May 2024 13:05:09 GMT

I was talking with a man the other day who told me that he grew up in a Christian household but didn’t follow any religion anymore. Along with many other people he is happy to identify as spiritual but not religious. For him, in too many church buildings, he doesn’t see people like him represented and so doesn’t feel that people like him are wanted and welcome.

You may not be surprised to learn that my companion was black and we were standing under the new windows in the north transept. For him, the significance of seeing faces that are more like his in the windows of St Mary Redcliffe cannot be underestimated. For him, seeing faces like his gives him an opportunity to belong not just in this building but within the Christian faith of his youth.

In our gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus is praying with his disciples. He offers these words to his heavenly father about them: “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world … As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”

There is clearly something about “belonging to” and “being in” that are similar but not the same and important to Jesus. My companion is in the world but doesn’t feel like he belongs to this part of the world. Jesus is telling us that we are sent into the world but do not belong to it. So are we saying that my companion is living out the vision that Jesus puts before us?

Absolutely not. There is a fundamental difference between his experience of the world and what Jesus demands of us … and the difference is ‘who chooses’?

We are called to be in the world and to choose to live in a way that does not collude with the shortcomings, failures and exclusions that are self-evident in daily life. My companion did not have that choice. The world to which he was sent chose signs and symbols, words and laws, that defined him as not belonging.

Here at St Mary Redcliffe we have a strapline of ‘singing the song of faith and justice’. We intentionally set out to be inclusive and to celebrate diversity. To that end we have laid aside things which collude with a narrative of power-relationships or that look or feel a little colonial. This is part of our understanding of being in the world, the world to which we have been sent, but not belonging to the world.

The world, even our little part of it, is not as Christ would have it: whilst any fragment of inequality and injustice remains, the world is out of kilter and the heart of Christ is broken.

Dan Tyndall

10 may 2024

Sermon on Sunday 5th May 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 05 May 2024 18:36:35 GMT

Preached by Elizabeth Shanahan

Love one another

Thu, 02 May 2024 16:35:25 GMT

We have a short gospel passage this Sunday which carries on where last Sunday's left off ... and, yes, there is even a little bit of abiding to carry on Laura's message from last Friday. But rather than repeat much of what she said, let's focus on the word of this week instead. In nine verses we are brought face to face with commandments of Jesus some five times:

if you keep my commandments
as I have kept my Father's commandments
this is my commandment
do what I command you
I am giving you these commands

When faced with the prospect of following someone else's commands we often revert to the old familiar motifs of service personnel following the orders of a superior officer, at one end of the scale; or at the other end saying something 'Well would you jump off a cliff is someone told you to.'

Following a command is often reduced to obeying orders or acting foolishly.

Funnily enough, I don't think Jesus wants us to act without taking responsibility for our actions or to act without thinking. Jesus may speak about his commands five times in these nine verses; but he uses the word 'love' nine times:

the Father has loved me
I have loved you
abide in my love
you will abide in my love
[I] abide in his love
love one another
I have loved you
no one has greater love than this
you may love one another

It is equally clear that, whilst what love looks like is not defined, the impact of love should be joy: my joy may be in you and your joy be complete :

the joy of being called friends, by the one we call master
the joy of being chosen
the joy of being appointed
the joy of bearing fruit, fruit that will last
the joy of knowing we are given a simple command, to love one another
the joy of seeing the joy of others knowing they are loved.

Dan Tyndall

2 May 2024

Sermon on Sunday 28th April 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 08:04:00 GMT

Preached by the Revd Peter Dill, Associate Minister

Rush Saturday Community Day

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:28:29 GMT

On Saturday 18 ^th May We will be celebrating all things Rush and Redcliffe by holding a Fun Day at Faith Space and the South Church Yard. Our event will start at 1 pm and go on until 4 pm.

We will start the day making up fresh flower posies for Sunday's Rush and hopefully talking to the community about why and what they are for. Along with that in the same space, We will be decorating cakes with iced flowers, petals .and leaves. This will all be joined together with our arts and crafts tables. As well as all these wonderful hands-on things We will have a bouncy castle and professional face painter to keep the fun rolling along. We will be kicking a few footballs about in the South Church Yard to test your skills in our new goals that We will have there. Our Rush funday just wouldn’t be the same without food and drink, Therefore We will be running a BBQ for meat eaters and non meat eaters alike.

An amazing group of volunteers will be there from 12.30 to help set up and then run the event right up until 4pm and beyond. We know it will be a fantastic day, so come along and enjoy joy the fun,

ITS GONNA BE A GOODIN

Abide in me

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:14:45 GMT

This week's gospel reading is one of my favourites, but I’m pretty sure I say that every time I write this or preach. But this one really is! From John 15, ‘I am the true vine… you are the branches… abide in me and I will abide in you’ This word ‘abide’ is repeated 6 times in just 8 verses, so it seems this is an important message to grasp!

But let’s take a step back and think about a vine or just any plant. I have shared here before my novice garden skills but it still astonishes me how much you have to cut away for a plant to bloom. I remember some years ago a special rose that my grandad gave me, was in some places, blooming and in other places… not so much! I showed my mum, who is basically Monty Don in my eyes and she said it needed a good prune. I stood back and watched on anxiously as she hacked this precious rose back to twigs. ‘What have you done mum?!’ I said, to which she said ‘wait and see.’ You’ll be pleased to know that in the months following this rose bloomed like it had never done before.

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.’ Verses like these make sense when you think about it in the context of gardening and as I commented in my homily last Sunday, Jesus would use relatable everyday metaphors to make his point. There are seasons where it feels like pruning in our own lives is necessary. Lent is a good example of this, is there anything we can cut back on to create room for growth? But this of course isn’t confined to Lent, we may feel at different points in our journey the need to prune and cut back so that we might bloom and hear God.

As well as this intentional pruning there then can be times when perhaps we need a drastic cutting back, like my mum did to my rose. There are things we know would be good to cut off, but it’s hard for a variety of reasons. Or even, it can feel like branches have been ripped from us. There are times in life when the unimaginable happens leaving us exposed and vulnerable, like branches being ripped from us. I want to be clear, I don’t buy into the theology that God sends these as tests to us, rather, life can be incredibly tough and prune us when we don’t want it or ask for it.

In this pruning, whether we are the ones who are initiating it or not- what can we do in this hard and exposing season?

‘Abide with me’ God says.

As I said, repeated in the passage is the invitation to abide in God. To abide in something is to live, or a word I particularly like, to ‘dwell’ within. This rightly captures the image of being safely contained, of residing and inhabiting within God. This is such good news for me. This means that when I am trying to cut back in order to grow, I am never disconnected from the source, I am never left by God.

Personally, I think one of the hardest things to do when things are really tough, maybe those seasons where we feel like branches are being hacked from us, is to remain close to God. And this is for good reason, our questions of ‘why’ can cause a separation, our feeling of mistrust. However, I am reminded this week, of what it is to abide with God whatever we are facing.

A family member shared with me recently that when he had received probably the hardest news of his life, he went for a walk. On most of the walk he was ranting to God- how could you let this happen? Towards the end of the walk, he sensed God say ‘keep talking to me through all this.’ I loved this. We might want assurances that everything will be alright, we might want quick fixes and solutions. And yet what God promises us to be with us, in it all.

God is present, our challenge is to dwell and abide within God in every phase of life because the promise of new fruit is coming.

Sermon on Sunday 21st April 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 18:53:22 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Associate Curate

Bristol Soup Run Trust

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 13:51:14 GMT

It is generally agreed that from late 2021/ early 2022 due to a mix of complex reasons the ‘cost of living crisis’ began. Now, in April 2024 the phrase ‘cost of living crisis’ is well within our vocabulary. We have all witnessed the staggering rise in everyday cost of things; food, bills, petrol etc. I also would surmise that it has affected everyone, whether that means you can still afford to live comfortably or not, I can’t imagine there isn’t a person that hasn’t seen that rise.

Like with most disasters, those who are already vulnerable, economically or socially challenged or oppressed are, once again, the worst affected by it. I could give you a reel of statistics that back this up but I want to share just two real-life stories that I have been a part of recently.

The first story takes place in The Hub on an afternoon I was there working really hard by holding a 1-week-baby who is one the volunteer's new baby (tough work, someone has to do it!) As I was sitting and talking with volunteers and those coming in, a man came in and took a seat on the sofa nearby. He said, ‘I just need somewhere to charge my phone, I can’t do it anywhere else.’ We were able to plug his phone in and do one better, offer him a cup of tea and conversation while he let his phone charge. As I was talking with Andy (Community Development Worker) after I asked if that happens often and he gave a firm yes ‘the cost of living crisis is real’ he said.

The second story takes place in church with Tony Colletto, chair of the Bristol Soup Run Trust. I had organised this meeting to see whether they would consider being our Lent Partner. Before I could pitch this idea to him I was listening to the amazing work the charity does. Every night, rain or shine, they give out warm soup and snacks to those who are homeless. They use Central Church’s carpark as well as SMR’s. I asked if he has seen a rise in people using the service since the cost of living crisis and Tony replied ‘we see people use our service who although have housing, find they can’t afford food prices and so, it is a meal they don’t have to pay for within their week.’ This impacted me, this rising cost of everything, has become so great for many that they are forced to use services such as Bristol Soup Run Trust, who give this out without judgment or question.

Two stories, both of our neighbours, struggling with this crisis.

After my conversation with Tony, it was easy for me to offer them our Lent Partnership because they are serving members of our parish who are in need and providing a service that is much needed in this current crisis.

I intended to enable us to engage with Bristol Soup Run Trust in many ways and importantly, to offer other opportunities other than just give money. Firstly, due to the cost of living crisis, money will be tight for many people and that isn’t the only means of how we can give. I hope you were able to read the amazing display the charity put up in the back of church- with practical and interactive ways of showing what they do. This display, coupled with inviting Tony to come and speak at the 10.30 am was intentional because we must know the reality of what many people are facing. This knowledge empowers us to talk about it more, to be informed, to think creatively about solutions and most importantly, to inform our prayers of petition to God. Someone in our congregation was so impacted by Tony speaking to us that they took it upon themselves to hold a coffee morning in their village to raise money for the charity- amazing!

As well as opportunities to give financially, I wanted us to engage in this practically, a way of gathering people to ‘do’ something to show our love to our brothers and sisters who use the Bristol Soup Run Trust’s service. And so the Big Church Cook-A-Long was born! There were over 30 people who gathered in the Undercroft and peeled, chopped, washed up, boiled, whizzed up and stirred large batches of soup ready to go out that evening to those in need. It was such a brilliant afternoon, I was staggered by everyone’s commitment and enthusiasm and we had so many people that we ran out of jobs for people- a problem which is nice to have! I believe we really showed something of God’s love for justice that day.

The thing is, we can trace the issue of the oppressed and marginalised being adversely affected in times of crisis right back to the Bible. Amongst many examples, the story of the Israelites enslaved in Egypt always impacts me. For just shy of 400 years the Israelites lived under slavery in a harsh regime, where they worked tirelessly to build another empire. Even after their freedom, things weren’t easy after they wandered in the desert for 40years to find the promised land. But I think about Moses’ cry to Pharaoh ‘let my people go’. Moses, who was full of doubt to God that he was the right person to petition the freedom of the Israelites bravely said yes to God. In Moses’ defiant and brave act, he demonstrated God’s heart for justice, God’s desire to lift the lowly and bring freedom to the captives.

Our role, in whatever way we can, is to echo Moses’s prayer today. ‘Let my people go’- to pray people would be let go from hunger, economic disadvantage and oppression. Just as Moses had a role to play, so do we now.

Thank you for all that you gave this Lent to Bristol Soup Run Trust.

Laura Verrall-Kelly

18 April 2024

Sermon on Sunday 14th April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:37:39 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 7th April 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:36:50 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Heritage Day

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 16:25:53 GMT

Saturday 20 April

11:00am - 5:00pm

Free tours / Heritage Talk / Heritage film / Family Trail / Fun activities

PROGRAME

Kids activities in the Undercoft

‘Make your own Medieval Boss’ workshop for kids- this will be using inspiration from the ceiling bosses as a basis for kids to get creative!

There will also be stained glass colouring in for younger kids.

Free Tours - Visit our hidden spaces!

11:00am - 12:00noon

12:30 - 1:30pm

2:00pm - 3:00pm

BOOK TICKETS BELOW

St Mary Redcliffe Heritage Film

3:00pm - A chance to see a new 20 minute film about the fascinating history of the church

Redcliffe Talk

3:30pm - Redcliffe & The Local Area with St Mary Redcliffe Tour Guide Paul Stevens

While they were talking

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 14:15:52 GMT

“While they were talking about this…” is the opening line of Sunday’s gospel reading. I don’t know about you, but for me it begs the question: talking about what!??!

Well, we are in Luke’s gospel, chapter 24, which is the last chapter of the book. Everything in chapter 24 happens on the same day; the day of the resurrection; Easter Day. It starts “at early dawn” (v1) and by the time of our reading (v36) it is late evening. We know that, because of what was being talked about.

The first thing we read about in chapter 24 are the women at the empty tomb. Then we get the Road to Emmaus story, in which the two friends urge their new companion to stay with them “because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over”. (v29)

So the three of them go in and sit down to eat together. As was the custom, the guest gave thanks for the food: “he took bread, blessed and broke it and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened; and they recognised him; and he vanished from their sight” (v30/1). In the four-fold action, which we still enact at the Eucharist ever week, of taking, blessing, breaking and sharing, the two friends recognised their companion. The person they knew to have been “condemned to death and crucified” (v20) dashing their hope that “he was the one to redeem Israel” (v21) was with them, broke bread with them, and had now vanished from their sight.

Putting aside the risk of travelling into the night, they head straight back to Jerusalem. I imagine they expected to be the ones to break the news of the resurrection to the others. But it didn’t work out like that! When they found the others, “they were saying ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’” (v34) Only after that did our guys get the chance to share their news, possibly feeling somewhat deflated!

“While they (the two companions on the road to Emmaus) were talking about this (“what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread” v35), Jesus himself stood among them”.

The same Jesus who had appeared to Simon: though there doesn’t appear to be an account of how and when Jesus met Simon Peter since the resurrection; all we know about Simon Peter is that he went to the tomb, looked in, saw the linen cloths and went home (v12).

The same Jesus whose resurrection had been reported by “two men in dazzling clothes” (v4) to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women and whose disclosure to the apostles “seemed to them an idle tale” (v11) and who don’t get name checked later on.

The same Jesus the walked along the road to Emmaus.

The same Jesus was now in the room with them all, saying "Peace be with you" (v36) "while they were talking".

The way we split up the gospel account into our Sunday readings makes them manageable; but we lose a lot because of it.

Without the context of the opening phrase, we might be left wondering why the idea of Jesus saying ‘Peace be with you’ is so terrifying.

With the context, we begin to understand that, from their perspective, they were just beginning to learn that Jesus had been here, there and everywhere all in one day … but not in the place where he was buried, after being beaten, humiliated and crucified just a day or so ago.

While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them.

Dan Tyndall

12 April 2024

Holy Week for the choir

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 10:28:15 GMT

Easter Morning. All of the choristers have been at St Mary Redcliffe for nearly 5 days straight. We have just said the Lord’s Prayer and we are all quite tired, but still have the Agnus Dei and the ‘small’ task of singing The Hallelujah Chorus to go. I notice a chorister next to me scribbling something onto their music. As I peer over, I read the inscription they have placed at the start of the Angus Dei:

“Juicy bit of lamb!”

A few thoughts cross my mind, all while trying not to laugh: firstly, that we must be doing something right as the chorister correctly knows that the Angus Dei translates to Lamb of God; also, that they have good music taste as Haydn’s Little Organ Mass is rather…well…juicy; although, maybe this is just a reference to their Easter lunch.

Although this bit of ‘graffiti’ may seem funny, it tells me rather a lot about the attitude of the choir to the music they have been singing over Holy Week.

Palm Sunday we had our first “Come and Sing” event at St Mary Redcliffe during my tenure as Director of Music, as we had over 80 singers perform Stainer’s famous oratorio The Crucifixion. We paired this with a world premiere of a new arrangement of God So Loved the World by Bristol based composer Esther Bersweden. This performance brought together all corners of our parish, with the choir consisting of clergy, choristers with their parents and grandparents, vergers, servers, one of our basses bringing his partner and 3-month-old child and people I had never seen before at SMR. This shows the investment that is happening across the church into the music making at SMR.

We had rehearsals both on Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week to prepare for the upcoming Triduum. The choristers turned up ready to learn and work hard, again showing their dedication to the tricky music they were yet to sing as part of the worship being offered.

Thursday night we had all choristers participate in the Eucharist of Maundy Thursday, and after a late finish returning on Friday for the “3 hour service” with Canon Sammy Wainaina. This is a large feat for a cathedral choir, let alone a parish church choir. Holy Saturday the adults returned for the “Out of Darkness” service, and again a choral scholar brought along his mum and dad who joined us in the choir. This sense of belonging and community is something I am so proud of, and further demonstrates the engagement, dedication, and pride to be part of the SMR choir.

Easter Morning. All of the choristers have been at St Mary Redcliffe for nearly 5 days straight and by this point we had sung 29 pieces of music (not including hymns or psalms) since the beginning of Palm Sunday. Yet still, a chorister is so invested and excited to sing a piece of music that they write on their copy that this is a “juicy bit of lamb”. Although this small scribble on a copy may have been intended as a joke, it proves that their active participation and passion for the music was still shining through towards the end of a very busy week.

We’ve now passed probably the biggest week in the churches calendar, and it has been a pleasure working with everyone in the choir. Here’s to singing many more ‘juicy bits of lamb’ in the summer term.

Joe Cryan

12 April 2024

Rush Sunday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:13:03 GMT

Location: St Mary Redcliffe

Date: Sunday 19 May

Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm

About Rush Sunday

Rush Sunday is one of the highlights of Bristol's civic calendar, upholding a tradition which goes back over 500 years.

William Canynges of Redcliffe Street - merchant, five-times Mayor of Bristol, its MP and a principal benefactor of St Mary Redcliffe - was ordained priest after the death of his wife in 1467 and first celebrated Mass in the church on Whitsunday the following year.

To commemorate this, William Spenser, also sometime Mayor of Bristol, made provision in 1493 for three sermons to be preached before the Mayor and commonalty on the days after Whitsun; a change to one sermon on Whitsunday was made at the time of the Reformation.

Those attending carried nosegays and the floor of the church was strewn with rushes, traditions that are maintained to this day in the service held annually ever since and attended by the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the City in their traditional robes and regalia.

The Rush Service is open to anyone who would like to come and take part. As for many of our services, St Mary Redcliffe can be very full.

Please book your free ticket to be certain of your place.

This event will be live streamed

A collection will be taken during the service that will support the mission of St Mary Redcliffe. If you would like to donate online, you can do so here

Please click the link and choose Rush Sunday as your donation option.

Additional access information

The Great Bristol Run will be taking place on 19 May and some roads in Bristol City Centre will be closed as a result. Information about closures in Redcliffe can be viewed here (see Zone 6).

BOOK FREE TICKETS BELOW

My Lord and My God

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 12:06:39 GMT

Looking up a quote for this blog I notice that it is attributed to two people. At the top of the Google search is Anne Lamott , a contemporary American political activist, public speaker, and writing teacher who writes mostly from an autobiographical perspective about alcoholism, single-motherhood, depression, and Christianity.

A little further down the list, the quote is attributed to the twentieth century German-American Christian existentialist philosopher and Lutheran theologian, Paul Tillich .

It's only when I scrolled even further down the page that I came across a link to a Tweet on X that was posted by Anne Lamott in 2014. It read: "Paul Tillich said that the opposite of faith is not doubt - it's certainty. Some of most profound spiritual words ever. Score one for mystery."

If this proves anything of any importance, it suggests that finding our truths may take a little more effort that we first imagined. And that is without either the potential impact of artificial intelligence and fake news, or one of you telling me that it wasn't Tillich that said it first!

Sunday's gospel reading tells us that Thomas is on the same search for a truth: "Unless I place my finger in the hole in his hand, I will not believe".

Often when we are thinking about this passage we focus on Jesus appearing despite the doors being locked; Jesus doing that again a week later and knowing what Thomas needed of him; and Thomas' extraordinary reply - My Lord and My God.

Don't get me wrong, each of those three moments in the narrative are worthy of deep exploration and imaginative contemplation. Particularly those five words - My Lord and My God - in which Thomas declares that his relationship with Jesus of Nazareth is located within both this temporal world (My Lord) and the eternal order (My God).

However, ever since being introduced to (let's call it) Tillich's line - the opposite of faith is not doubt, it's certainty - about twenty years ago by a colleague in Reading, I have been increasingly drawn to Jesus' comment that immediately precedes Thomas' affirmation of faith.

Not so much the well-known bit: "Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side.'" Rather the bit in between Jesus’ invitation to touch his hand and his side, and Thomas declaration of faith in Jesus as Lord and God.

In between, Jesus says "Do not doubt, but believe."

Here is Jesus pre-empting Tillich by a couple of thousand years and affirming the relationship between having doubt and moving beyond doubt. It's not a journey from doubt to certainty; it is a journey from doubt to belief, from doubt to faith.

Contemporary society increasingly demands that we are certain of what is the right thing to do, the right way to behave, the right thing to say, the right manner or culture or values. However, I suspect that I am not alone in often finding it hard to know what is the right thing to do, to say, to align myself with.

In an increasingly fractious world - and one that will become ever more fractious as we go through 2024 with more people than ever before going to the polls in any one year, with wars and insurrections in multiple places, with artificial intelligence and fake news on the rise - I fear the demand for certainty will only be matched by increasing scepticism, cynicism and suspicion of all those who hold, and those who seek to hold, power and authority.

Thankfully, the one in whom we find our truest self, who calls us to be no less than we already are, who loves us enough to walk towards us bearing the scars of crucifixion - isn't looking for certainty, for he has enough certainty for us all.

Thankfully, the one who calls us to himself, simply says:

"Do not doubt, but believe."

Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed.

Alleluia.

Sermon on Easter Sunday 31st March 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 31 Mar 2024 14:00:57 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Christian Community

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:50:55 GMT

A question that does come across my path every now and then and makes me stop and think is: do we really need church? This question often comes from someone who hasn’t been to church in a while and a fairly unique occupational hazard that I have is that people often feel that they need to confess to me the reasons why they haven’t been to church in a while. As an aside, this does make me feel a tad uncomfortable as no one needs to justify anything to me!

So, do we really need church? Is it easier just to pray and worship God in your own way on your own? Do we need to gather, every Sunday and sporadically throughout the week to know God better? I think these are good questions.

Over the last 4 weeks a small group of us on a Monday have gathered together for the Lent group. A brilliant course written by our very own Stephen Spencer where we have been reading the Bible together and reflecting on different journeys of faith. This, of course, has led to reflecting on our journeys of faith and what pointers or ‘waymarks’ have helped us keep the faith and different journey points. These weekly gatherings have been simple and yet powerful. I can honestly say they have been the highlight of my week. All we do is read the Bible together, share what has jumped out to us and then share as much as we want about our own lives and journeys. But in the sharing, in the honesty, in the laughing, in the caring, God’s Holy Spirit has been breathing over our words and conservations and transforming into something much more profound. This small expression of a Christian community has been Church and I feel closer to my brothers and sisters and God as a result.

This question of: do we really need church? Came to me again this week and I thought of the Monday Lent group and felt more confident than I ever have in answering ‘yes’. The Bible mentions a lot about the importance of gathering together, I think something happens when we do that goes beyond our understanding. It echoes something of family, of the joy of ‘being with’ others, of rejoicing when somebody is rejoicing and mourning when someone is mourning. Is it always easy? No. I think we can all testify to that! And I do understand why some people find it easier to find God away from Church. And yet, when we are gathered together we mirror something of the diverse, unique and communal God that we worship. It reminds us that we are body and when we are together we are a richer expression of God’s kingdom.

It is on my heart to look at the importance of the ‘gathered’ expression of our church community. This includes Sunday, but it also strikes me that the mid-week smaller groups are just as important. Having a moment where we can share, pray for and be prayed for, to listen, to input, to journey with others enables us in our faith. I will be sharing more on this in the coming months!

Laura Verrall-Kelly

Calm as swans above the waters

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:57:21 GMT

As many of you will know there is always so much more going on beneath the water than appears on the surface. It certainly has been a busy start to the year. We have seen some amazing success stories in our concerts, growth in the community team, increase in heritage tours, and the seemingly never-ending task list in looking after the three sites we occupy and the people working hard within them.

Two weeks ago I visited Salisbury Cathedral with Rhys, Ellie & Chris to discuss the many opportunities and challenges of managing our extraordinary places. The timing of the visit was particularly important as we are currently writing a SMR Business Plan, which will help steer our decisions over the coming years, particularly in relation to ‘Welcoming Heritage Destination’ strand and our future financial sustainability. We also spent a good deal looking at signs, fixings and information boards (fascinating stuff in certain circles I assure you!), and this work will inform the last stage of the North Transept Window project as we look to install appropriate interpretation and commemoration.

I am delighted to share, on the subjects of both interpretation and sustainability, that the Canynges Society have agreed to support work in a number of key areas including a review of the signage and interpretation of the church for visitors. This support also extends to working on further understanding the archaeological setting of the church (more coming on this soon!) and better understanding our visitors and users of our church and community hub. These studies have short term benefits, but also longer term directly impact our longer-term ambitions to improve the facilities at St Mary Redcliffe.

I am grateful to the staff team at St Mary Redcliffe who continue to go above and beyond in their areas of responsibility and continue to amaze me with their passion, creativity, and drive. As with all teams there is almost always some change, and I can share that Sarah Purdon who has been the Parish Administrator since 2019 has decided not to return to work at SMR since the birth of her second child and so we have thanked her for all her hard work and wish her the very best for the future.

In the here and now I am focussing on several important audits and visits we have taking place at the church, including an energy audit being supported by the Diocese of Bristol, archaeological survey, and familiarisation visits by the fire brigade (not to mention getting to grips with changes to employment law, committee meetings, conservation works etc!). These visits will no doubt generate a list of actions which we will look to address in the never-ending job of looking after our amazing church, for now, and for future generations.

Good Friday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 16:15:00 GMT

Three Hour Service with Canon Sammy Wainaina

Good Friday Three Hour Service

Friday 29 March

12.00 – 3.00

This year our reflections at the foot of the cross will be led by Rev Canon Sammy Wainaina. A Kenyan Clergy for the last 27 years, Sammy was Dean of All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, for ten years before moving to London last summer to become the Adviser of the Archbishop of Canterbury on Anglican Communion Affairs, London. Sammy is married to Beatrice and they have three children.

Sammy will be taking the theme “The Way of the Cross” and will use readings, reflections, music and silence to help us understand more deeply and enter more fully into the experience of Good Friday.

Sermon on Mothering Sunday 10th March 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 10 Mar 2024 19:24:58 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

What a year

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:22:25 GMT

Well, 2023..what a year!

I’m struck by how fortunate we are to live in Bristol, a City that is progressive, creative, full of community and who remain proud to host a myriad of events and festivals every year. Last year was no exception, with the Bristol Balloon Fiesta taking flight to the Harbour Festival delighting visitors from across the globe.

For the first time SMR has decided to actively focus on increasing Events in Church as more than just an income generator, but actually as a way to bring in new audiences and communities and to help us become a world class Heritage Destination and a Church that makes a difference in the parish and beyond.

In February 2023 we hosted ‘Orphelia’ as part of the Bristol Light Festival, since then we have welcomed two film screenings including Bristol Film Festival with the incredible 1920’s silent horror film ‘ the Cabinet of Doctor Caligari.’ Candles have filled our transepts monthly with Fever Up Concerts, and community choirs have echoed through the Nave as part of the Christmas Star Concert, a fundraiser for Bristol and Western Hospitals Charity, the funds of which go to improving the health and happiness of every patient in 10 local hospitals and supporting their families in a very difficult time.

2024 started with a bang! Our first SMR Event ‘Interstellar 10’ in early February was a huge hit, proving that SMR is truly beginning to engage new audiences through the Arts. Coming up we will be working with ‘Exhibition on Film’ to bring the works of Monet to Matisse to Bristol, Its going to be a very exciting year!

Sermon on Sunday 3rd March 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:13:24 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Project 450, Rhys Williams, Heritage Development Manager

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 15:14:32 GMT

Project 450 is St Mary Redcliffe’s major facilities development initiative. The project, which has been in process since 2013, will create a new visitor welcome, cafe and shop at street level alongside new spaces for exhibition and interpretation, improve access to the historical church and open up currently inaccessible areas to the public, revamp the visitor experience and make the church a more attractive place to visit for a wider range of people. A significant heritage component of Project 450 will be to provide a new home for William Hogarth’s St Mary Redcliffe altarpiece, which is currently stored in St Nicholas’ Church.

The overall aims of the project are to present the church and its history to as wide an audience as possible, support the worshipping community, promote music and cultural events in church, provide opportunities and support for local people, and achieve long-term sustainability, helping to secure one of England’s finest churches for future generations.

Project 450 is overseen by the P450 Project Board - a committee of individuals with professional experience in areas pertinent to the project, such as planning, fundraising, architecture, heritage and project management that reports to the PCC (Parochial Church Council).

Since 2020, planning for Project 450 has slowed down to take account of changing financial and social conditions caused by Covid. During this time, work has focused on testing the projects main financial components - the business plan and fundraising strategy - to ensure that the project is realistic and realisable.

Project 450 has made significant progress during the last six months, a period that began with the appointment of Alex Notay - Placemaking and Investment Director at Thriving Investments (formerly PfP Capital) - as Chair of the Project Board. Alex, who is also a member of the congregation and PCC, brings significant international experience of planning, project management and placemaking to achieve tangible benefits for communities.

Since 2020, when a planning pre-app for was submitted to Bristol City Council, the project team has been engaged in a process of iterative consultation with Bristol Planning Office to ensure that the Project 450 scheme that is eventually presented for planning is consistent with planning policy, responds to feedback from statutory stakeholders such as Historic England and has the best chance of achieving planning consent.

During 2022, to support this process, Avison Young was appointed as planning consultant for Project 450. Since then, Sally Davis, Associate Director at Avison Young, and has been offering advice on planning policy, arranging consultation with stakeholders and representing the church consultations with the planning department that will inform Bristol Local Plan.

During autumn 2023, the project team visited City Hall to meet with Bristol City Council’s new Director of Planning, Simone Wilding and Pete Insole, Head of Urban Design and Principal Historic Environment Officer at the council. During this meeting - which was very positive - a series of next steps were agreed, including a geo-spatial archaeological investigation of the churchyard to inform planning for the new buildings.

Also involved in this meeting were Kate Newnham and Julia Carver, curatorial representatives of Bristol Museums - owners of Hogarth’s altarpiece - with whom the P450 project team is working to plan for the rehousing of the work. Discussions are also taking place about displaying some of the many other items from Bristol Musuems’ collections that are pertinent to the history of St Mary Redcliffe, such as the Braikenridge collection of images and archival documents. A further outcome of the workshop at City Hall was that the museums team would support the P450 project team in producing a study that will measure the potential impact on the church’s core and target audiences of plans to improve access to the heritage of St Mary Redcliffe. These findings will inform P450 planning and support funding applications relating to the project.

Since Christmas, The Fundraising Practice, a team of experienced fundraising consultants, has been working on behalf of the church to provide a detailed analysis of the local, national and international funding landscape that will help the church determine a realistic budget for Project 450. This work will form an updated Fundraising Strategy and Plan that will be delivered in March.

In a parallel process, members of the staff team, James Rodliff (Head of Operations), Rhys Williams (Heritage Development Manager) and Ellie Bowes (Visitor Services and Commercial Manager) have recently been working on an updated version of the Project 450 Business Plan, the first iteration of which was completed by Glevum Consultants prior to Covid. Building on Glevum’s work, this document will be key in providing a firm foundation for the development of activities during the coming years as we build towards the creation of our new facilities.

Matthew Buckmaster, Head Verger

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 14:54:28 GMT

Currently weekdays in church are accompanied by the percussive tap, tap, tap of tile conservators working in and around the Chancel crossing. Douglas and Andy, who work for the company Cliveden Conservation, are lifting and resealing floor tiles that have come loose as the mortar that has held them down for the last 200 years has degraded away. This is further exacerbated as the tiles have expanded and contracted due to temperature changes over the years, allowing dust and small bits of stone gravel to get in underneath the tiles.

As always there are more planned conservation projects in the coming months. We are looking forward to the spring when work will hopefully begin on restoring the 18th century churchyard wrought- and cast-iron gates. There are also significant projects elsewhere in church with work planned for the roof, bell tower and west window.

While all this vital work takes place creative solutions are planned to enable normal church life to continue and minimise disruption wherever possible. We hope the tiles will be completed within the next 2 weeks.

Rage and Bodies

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 11:43:11 GMT

How do you respond to anger? Either within yourself or when you see it displayed? I'll go first. I really don't like it. It makes me anxious, I feel a knot in my chest and stomach, like my body readying itself for something bad. My knee-jerk response is to try and smooth the situation or make it calmer. I associate being angry with responding badly to a situation. Okay, I'll be really honest, I actually judge others quite harshly when they get angry- thinking, gosh they really let themselves get worked up by that. It's not a natural emotion for me, I have been taught and it's entrenched within me now to 'not be angry' by upbringing and society.

Some, however, will be more comfortable with this emotion. It's more natural to them, instead of tears or sadness they will feel anger. I have friends and family members who are open about this, they often comment on the fact their anger emotion is often shunned by people and society, it's frowned upon. And yet, these close friends and family and taught an anger-avoider like me something vital. It's okay to be angry.

This week's gospel reading is about Jesus being angry. He's so angry he gets a whip and starts chasing people out of the temple and he throws tables around. You can't sugarcoat this, Jesus is angry. And not just a bit flushed, feeling defensive angry, he's full-on throwing his body around, exerting physical strength angry. And in case you're wondering, yes this does make me feel a tad uncomfortable!

Jesus, the Saviour, Messiah, 'no crying he made' King, meek and mild is errr trashing a sacred and holy building. Over the years I have had to come to terms with the fact that my King and Saviour totally lost it and got angry and so maybe, it's okay for me to do so as well.

There are moments when it's right to get angry. Jesus demonstrates this perfectly. He is in a temple when through his anger he exposes this exploitative and unjust system. People sold doves and animals for people to sacrifice, in other words, exploiting people and made them pay to enter the temple by reminding them of their sins. This system would have stopped the poor from coming in, it would have put money into dis-honest people's pockets and most importantly, through extortionate taxes and tithes, it would block people approaching the Divine and putting themselves into more debt. Hmm... this is even making me angry! Jesus isn't upturning the temple because of some negativity towards Jewish Worship as some have commented, Jesus is up-turning the temple because it has become a place of exploitation, corruption and injustice.

In John's account of this narrative, which we will hear on Sunday, Jesus reveals something more, something deeper about the temple. Jesus says ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ and John then tells us that 'He was speaking of the temple of his body.' Jesus isn't referring to destroying the physical temple they are standing in, but his body.

In this moment Jesus reveals something profound- our bodies are a temple, a holy place within which God chooses to reside and dwell. I don't know whether, sadly, you can talk about bodies without it triggering varying thoughts and feelings. Many of us will struggle with the bodies we are in, wanting to shrink them, and make them smaller to not take up too much space. Others will be ambivalent or don't want to give it much thought. Others would happily change their body for a younger one or feel like their body is betraying them. In religious circles we might have been made to feel shameful about our bodies. And then of course there's the daily bombardment with how the media and world want our bodies to be- more muscly, thinner, curvier, able-bodied, sexy... I could go on.

But our bodies, yours and even mine are holy places of God. How often do we see our bodies as vehicles of grace, hospitality, generosity and worship?

Bodies and anger- it's all linked. It's about feeling, we feel anger in our bodies, this body that God calls home. Jesus allowed this righteous anger to burn in him to expose an unjust system. When we are angry, it impacts us physically, our cheeks go red, and we feel frustration deep in our souls. Similar to when we are joyful, sad, grieving.

I suppose I am struck by the fact that God chooses to dwell in our bodies and so maybe my emotions, even the ones which I try and stop and push down, are holy and sacred.

As we continue in our Lent journey, my prayer is that as we are stripping away all that gets in the way of our relationship with God, all distraction and noise, we will more clearly recognise and un-ashamedly feel our emotions, recognising that our bodies are temples in which God chooses to dwell.

A book that I'd recommend on this topic if you're interested is: This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley

Sermon on Sunday 25th February 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 25 Feb 2024 16:44:28 GMT

with Tony Coletto, Bristol Soup Run Trust and Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

A Bristol Crucifixion

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 13:11:01 GMT

Palm Sunday - 24 March

Join us to sing this wonderful oratorio in the beautiful surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe Church.

This poignant work will be conducted by Joe Cryan(Director of Music at SMR) and played on the world famous St. Mary Redcliffe Organ. It is Free to sign up and music will be provided.

Rehearsal 2:00 – 4:00pm with the St Mary Redcliffe Choir and soloists joining us for a full rehearsal from 4:45pm.

If you'd like to get involved you can sign up via Eventbrite via the button below.

Take Up Your Cross

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 15:07:20 GMT

Our gospel readings for the year are from Mark. Mark, I think, is my favourite gospel (although when I read the others I end up saying the same thing!) Mark's gospel is punchy, no-nonsense and to the point. Mark doesn't waste time with opening his gospel with the classic Nativity story, that's far too many words! Instead, we start with the prophecy of Jesus, with John the Baptist, swiftly followed by Jesus' Baptism and his power to overcome whatever evil or darkness that stands in his way.

Mark wants us to know Jesus' power. Mark wants us to understand that there is much evil and darkness in the world but that we have a God who will overcome it.

In this week's gospel reading, Mark 8:31-38, we have a short and choppy story loaded with emotion. Jesus, for the first time, is predicting his death, Peter tells him off and then Jesus comes back with what feels like a pretty brutal telling-off- ‘get behind me Satan!’

Thank God for Peter. Thank God for speak-first, think later Peter. Peter comforts me in the fact that I often say things without thinking. But in this instance, I completely understand why Peter takes Jesus off to tell him not to predict his death. Jesus is the long-awaited King, the Saviour they have waited for hundreds of years. The One who will liberate them from Roman Rule and establish God’s kingdom. They are just getting going in this mission and their Messiah is lowering the tone by talking about his death? Not exactly going to bring in the followers is it?!

I relate to Peter. It’s like when we don’t want a good thing to come to end but we know it has to. Peter, in telling Jesus to ‘shh’ is saying, please don’t say these things, I am not ready for you to go, I cannot hear this news, it’s too painful, and it’s too hard to consider life without you.

After Jesus replies to Peter, He then turns to the crowd and I think says some of the most profound things about faith. Jesus says, if you want to follow me, take up your cross and follow me, if you want to gain your life, you have to lose it. In other words, to live an abundant life means taking up your cross, it means that suffering and sacrifice will happen, and it means that we might have to lose our life to find it again in Jesus.

This interests me because it doesn’t really fit with our world’s narrative. It doesn’t fit with the beauty, cosmetic, and weight-loss industry that tricks us into thinking that we can obtain immortality. It doesn’t fit with the capitalist narrative that if I buy one more thing, I will be complete. All of this sanitises us from what is really going on, sanitises us from standing with and in the world’s pain.

I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit numb to it all. When I see another report of some dreadful thing happening I don’t stand and weep, I go, ‘oh another one.’ When I see someone sleeping rough in the streets I don’t feel angry at this injustice, I feel numb that I have seen yet another person in need.

I wonder, if when Jesus says take up your cross and lose your life part of what He is saying is: don’t sanitise yourself from what’s going on, feel it, stand with those who are in pain and don’t get too numb.

Too often I’m like Peter, I want to ‘shh’ up the things that are dark and hard and move to a solution. And yet Jesus’ rebuke and then his speech to the crowd rings in my ears. Don’t shy away from the bad stuff, because God wants us to fully understand the pain so that we might know God with us in it all.

This Lent we are partnering with the Bristol Soup Run Trust, a charity that rolls up its sleeves and gets involved with and stands alongside the homeless in Bristol. The invitation to us all in Lent to allow ourselves to be moved by their work, to allow ourselves to feel the pain that others do- to take up our cross, to sacrifice in order that we might actually find life in a more profound and Jesus-like way.

Interstellar

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:44:38 GMT

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Redcliffe Talks: the Matthew

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:03:06 GMT

The Matthew of Bristol with Clive Burlton

Thursday 11 April 5:00pm - 6:30pm

The fourth of our series of talks on subjects pertinent to then history of St Mary Redcliffe.

About the talk

Clive Burlton will tell the story of the modern Matthew, built at Redcliffe Wharf between 1994-1996. Who had the idea? How was it funded? How was it designed? The talk answers these questions and many more and includes a 30-minute film showing how Bristol shipwrights went about building a wooden ship to ‘replicate’ the one sailed by John Cabot in 1497.

About Clive

Following a business career, Clive took to writing and wrote his first book, Trenches to Trams in 2011. This led to the formation of the not-for-profit publisher Bristol Books in 2012. He has gone on to write a further four books and has co-authored another three.

Clive has curated several WW1-related exhibitions including Bristol Women at War for Bristol Cathedral. A volunteer at Bristol Archives, Clive is also a Trustee of the Bristol Museums Friends’ charity and is a regular speaker to local community and history groups.

Heritage Films Launched

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:20:17 GMT

During the last year, we have worked with local filmmaker Nick Street of Street Films to write and reproduce a series of thematic films about the history of St Mary Redcliffe.

The project was supported by a generous grant from The Canynges Society , a charitable organisation that exists to raise funds to support the maintenance and restoration of the church.

The films, we can be viewed here , cover the following:

Introduction
the Story of the Building
the Church and the City
Maritime History
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Sermon on Sunday 18th February 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:58:07 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Ash Wednesday 14th February 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:58:02 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 11th February 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:57:58 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 4th February 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:57:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

David Cousins, Youth & Community Development Manager writes

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:05:41 GMT

In amongst the array of wonderful things happening in Redcliffe it’s sometimes hard to pick out one highlight. However, our community cook-up is providing a huge amount of satisfaction now – not least for Andy (our Community Development Worker)’s stomach!

It combines all the best of what we do through our Youth and Community work. We have nearly 350 of our neighbours living in the Mercure Hotel that are desperate to cook. At St Mary Redcliffe, we have an underused commercial kitchen in the Undercroft. By simply connecting the two it has created something truly inspirational.

We work with the hotel management to form teams from the same region of the world who then cook a meal for up to 40-50 from the hotel to enjoy. So far, we have had Afghan, Indian/Pakistani, Kurdish, Caribbean, Georgian/Ukrainian, Southern African, Brazilian teams cooking dishes that astound us with their restaurant quality taste and presentation.

It is not just about the food though. As the teams come together from different parts of the world you can feel the strength provided by the connection to their culture and the pride in sharing something that they have created. We provide simple activities for parents to do with their children. Families gather around the table and eat, play, and talk together. A feeling of home.

As a simple analogy it beautifully represents what we want to do as a community team at St Mary Redcliffe. When we see people who are hungry the most obvious and natural thing is to give them a meal. However, when we give the ingredients to cook, we are giving them the power to feed themselves.

Jesus the Superhero vs Jesus in the Wilderness

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 15:52:43 GMT

We are at the start of a journey… our Lent journey – On Wednesday, if you were able, we marked the beginning of this journey with Ash Wednesday- a public symbol of the journey we are about to take.

Since the fourth century, Christians have observed the 40 days before Easter as a period of reflection, repentance, fasting, abstinence, and acts of mercy.

In the Bible, forty is a sacred number. The Flood in this week's readings from Genesis 9 and 1 Peter 3 lasted forty days and forty nights. Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Moses spent forty days and nights on Mt. Sinai. Jonah preached to Nineveh for forty days. And in the gospel of Mark this week, Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting, praying, and battling the devil.

Often when I have heard the story of Jesus in the wilderness the thing that’s celebrated or noted is the fact that Jesus wins. And at times, to me Jesus has been pointed out as some muscly superhero over coming a baddie.

Here’s the problem with that understanding of the text: it leaves no room for Jesus’ humanity. It occurred to me, this week, that Jesus actually struggled in the wilderness. That he hurt. That he hungered. That he wept, thirsted, wrestled, and suffered. Instead, I assumed that his triumph over evil was a foregone conclusion — a “trial” that cost him nothing.

Lent isn’t a season for unshakeable superheroes. It’s a season for vulnerable creatures whose wilderness journeys are never easy or straightforward. It’s a season of shadow, a season when our certainties go into the fire and burn down to ash. It is a season of vulnerability, honesty, humility, and penitence.

All of that to say: to read Jesus’s wilderness story as a story of facile triumph is to miss the point. Why? Because we need the Jesus of the desert. We need to know that he wrestled with real demons and real dangers during those forty days of temptation. As alluring as it might be to cling to a divine superhero, we need the Jesus who endured a terrain where the Holy Spirit, Satan, the wild beasts, and the angels resided together. Alone, we’ll never survive such a dangerous place. With a companion who knows the way, though, we will.

Jesus didn't choose the wilderness. He didn’t schedule a expedition, or plan a desert marathon to improve his cardiovascular fitness. The Spirit of God “drove” him, compelled him, forced him, into the desolation of a wild and unsafe place. Jesus didn’t want to go, and it is very possible he resisted. But the Spirit drove him, anyway.

Maybe it’s strange that I find this detail comforting, but I do. Why? Because it rings true to life. Most of the time, we don’t choose to enter the wilderness. We don’t volunteer for pain, loss, danger, or terror. But the wilderness happens, anyway. Whether it comes to us in the guise of a devastating pandemic, a frightening hospital stay, a broken relationship, a hurting child, or a loss of faith, the wilderness appears, unbidden and unwelcome. And sometimes it is God’s own Spirit who drives us there.

Does this mean that God wills bad things to happen to us? That God wants us to suffer? No. Does it mean that God is ready to teach, shape, and redeem us even during the most barren periods of our lives? Yes.

In the startling economy of God, even a dangerous desert can become holy. Even our wilderness wanderings can reveal the divine.

Free Lunchtime Recital Series

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 18:03:39 GMT

Join us for an exciting series of recitals featuring instrumental, vocal and choral performances in the magnificent surrounds of St Mary Redcliffe.

Lent

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:41:01 GMT

New Paragraph

Easter

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 12:55:20 GMT

New Paragraph

Lent Project 2024: Bristol Soup Run Trust

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 11:07:23 GMT

The Bristol Soup Run Trust was founded in 1987, to serve those in greatest need on the streets of Bristol.

We provide a homeless outreach service in Bristol city centre, every night of the year serving outside on the streets in front of Central church and St Mary Redcliffe church. Our dedicated teams provide food, soup, drink, signposting and other essential supplies, free of charge to homeless people and others in need on the streets of Bristol.

Over the past 37 years we have seen thousands of volunteers give their time during the night to prepare soup, sandwiches, hot drinks, then go out and serve the most vulnerable in Bristol on the streets in all-weather 365 days a year, between 9:00pm and 10:30pm.

We help around fifty people each night, and over time we have forged strong relationships where trust can grow, and we can move from just physical sustenance to signposting guests to other services to make their first steps to getting off the street.

The service costs around £100 per night to run, and we are funded solely by the generosity of the general public.

Donations can be made online by scanning the QR code which will be in our order of services or clicking on the link.

https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/Bristol-Soup-Run-Trust

Maria Holcombe, Finance Manager

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:07:05 GMT

A new calendar year also heralds a new financial year, where usually the team would draw a line across old finances and start to work from fresh new year budgets. This year’s budgeting has been particularly challenging, as the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, inflation and general cost increases we are all facing on a day-to-day basis is also being felt within the church’s finances. This has meant a delay in getting the budgets approved, as the budget had to be reworked several times as we seek to find the balance of providing great services for the St Mary Redcliffe community and to strive to make this a great place to live and worship; but are mindful that the church only has finite resources and so need to ensure every pound is being spent wisely.

This time of year also means we are busy reflecting back across 2023 and producing the final management accounts of the year, the financial statements and the Trustee’s Annual report (TAR) in preparation for our annual audit in March. Once audited the TAR and financial statements will be available for circulation at the AGM and will also become a public document celebrating the successes of St Mary Redcliffe.

All the above could not be achieved without the help of our fantastic finance volunteers Dominic Hewitt, Temi Garrick and Pat Stevens whose efforts and assistance are invaluable.

Breaking News! We welcome Janine John, as finance assistant, who will be with us for a year, one day a week, due to the Parish Administrators maternity leave. Janine will assist with managing the high volume of transactions and allow time to ensure processes and policies are in place for the future.

It's beginning to look a lot like... Easter Eggs?!

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 16:12:35 GMT

Am I the only one who is a bit shocked that Lent starts next week? I feel like we have only just celebrated the miracle of Jesus being born, Jesus being incarnate and dwelling amongst us and now we gearing up to mark and remember Jesus’ death.

It seems I’m not the only one confused. Did anyone notice Easter eggs in the shops around late December, or early January? My uncle-in-law (is that actually a relation?!) posted a picture on our family Whatsapp Group on the 27 ^th of December of Easter Eggs in his local Morrisons. I replied with the ‘shocked’ emoji. Now, I like to eat chocolate in any form as much as the next person, but this did seem a little early!

It struck me this week though, that maybe the supermarkets are onto something much more spiritually profound than they think. Sure, Easter Eggs in December is primarily about capitalism and consumption, however, I can’t help to think that Jesus’ birth points towards his death and resurrection. We see this in the gifts the Magi brought to him, the gift of Myrrh, a rich oil used to anoint the dead symbolising death and mourning. Yes, this is a morbid and strange gift for a baby, but it also symbolises the sacrifice that Jesus will inevitably give. In his birth, Jesus’ death is predicted, and what Jesus will do for us and all humanity is revealed. So, Easter Eggs at Christmas? It kind of works… I wonder if Tesco’s have thought of that?

We are about to enter into the season of Lent. A season of stripping back, simplicity and penitence. On Ash Wednesday (14 ^th February) we will hear those familiar words from Joel 2 ‘Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing.’ Return to me with all your heart- I love that. Lent is a season for us to return to God with all our hearts, with our sacrifice and fasting, with our weeping, with our mourning, with our joy- all of it a vehicle, a method, of us drawing closer to God.

Lent is an opportunity for us to sit with unresolved questions and unresolved emotions. It’s a season of sacrifice – and why? Well, because I think it does us good to sit within these emotions. If you’re like me you want solutions and answers and Lent is like a therapist that says- why not just wait a moment, sit within these hard emotions and see what you find here? I believe, when we sit and wait, when we sacrifice and fast, we find God, drawing alongside us amid our sacrifice.

The above photo is taken from my garden. I very much have ‘L’ plates on in the garden, but it is something that brings me joy. The garden still looks pretty wintery, barren and like lots of twigs everywhere. In November I planted a load of Spring bulbs and as I went to look the other day, I can see them poking out. Hope. Months of nothing, and yet something happening and growing in the darkness. And then I stumbled across this Crocus which has somehow found a way to pop up between the cracks of the pathway. Hope. In the un-even, cracked pathway of pretty grey-looking slabs, a burst of life appears. A picture of Lent if you will, in the barren, seemingly bare landscape, little shoots of life are beginning to appear- we’re not at full bloom yet, but we are realising there is growth and life in the darkness.

My prayer and hope for you all is that you can engage with Lent in a way that is meaningful and right for you in whatever season of life you are in. I encourage you to see what we have at Church this season and if there is something you could join or go along to, maybe it’s a sacrifice, but it’s also a way for you to draw closer to God.

Laura Verrall-Kelly

6th February 2024

Medieval Graffiti

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:42:02 GMT

A fascinating new area of historical research at St Mary Redcliffe has been provoked by the discovery of previously unknown examples of medieval graffiti located at various points around the church.

There are lots of examples of graffiti at the church, visitors having carved initials into walls, doors and tombs for centuries. As far as we know, these have never been catalogued or been the subject of a detailed study.

New examples of symbolic graffiti were pointed out in 2021 by a visiting member of the Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey, a project that was established in 2010 with the intention of undertaking the very first large-scale survey of early graffiti inscriptions in the UK.

Small carvings of fish, ragged staffs (a symbol best known through its use in the heraldic emblem of the Earldom of Warwick) trinitarian symbols and Marian marks can be found scratched into the stone panelling on the inside of the main north entrance to the church. The marks would have been obscured by the (presumably) post Reformation painted blackletter text that once covered this area of the walls, remnants of which are still visible.

On the west interior wall of the south porch are compass-drawn circular symbols, scratch-dials (possibly rudimentary sundials) and architectural details.

In the north porch, on the interior of the north-west door to the outer porch, can be found the simple image of a church inscribed with the date 1689 and the initials LM. A similar C17th inscribed image can be seen near the Mede tomb, this time with the initials WH – the W forming a Marian mark or VV symbol.

Like most medieval graffiti, Marian marks are little understood. One discredited theory is that the symbol refers to Latin prayer or phrase ‘Virgo Virginum’, the first line of the sung prayer ‘O Virgo Virginum’, one of the ‘O Antiphons’ which were chanted at vespers in the days leading up to the feast of the Nativity. However, the symbol is much earlier having first been used as a runic symbol in Scandinavian cultures.

Many of these mysterious symbols are thought to have had apotropaic (having the power to ward off evil) significance for medieval people. Symbols are often – though by no means always - found near doors and entrances which perhaps lends some credence to this theory.

The latest find at St Mary Redcliffe is a scratch dial (see image) located on the wall of the stair from the north nave aisle to the North Transept crypt. The dial, which measures approximately 6-7” across consists of a compass drawn circle containing a central depressed point from which radial lines divide the circle into twenty-four equal portions. Scratch dials are thought to have functioned as sun dials, with the depressed point acting as the location for a projecting element that would have cast a shadow in relation to the sun. However, they do appear in places that receive little light – the stair to the crypt being a good example - a circumstance that casts doubt on their assumed use. Consequently, researchers and theorists have speculated that they may have had a symbolic, as well as a practical purpose.

Rhys Williams

2 February 2024

In the beginning

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 15:23:04 GMT

On Sunday morning you might be forgiven for thinking: “What – it’s not Midnight Mass!” as you hear the gospel reading from John’s gospel. The opening section of the gospel is always read at the dead of night as Christmas Eve retreats and Christmas Day emerges with its promise of ‘light that shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it’.

Yet, this passage is the gospel of the day on the 2 ^nd Sunday after Christmas … when there is one! With Epiphany on 6 January, we only have two Sundays after Christmas when Christmas Day is late in the week! And then, once every three years, we also have the very same passage on the second Sunday before Lent, which is this Sunday.

For such a fabulous passage, redolent with meaning and abounding in mystery, it’s good to encounter it more than once a year. But three times in six weeks! And then not again for another ten and half months! The mystery of this passage is matched only by the mystery of the Liturgical Commission which has the unenviable job of deciding which passages of scripture are to be read in three services every Sunday over a three-year rolling programme !!

Maybe it’s got something to do with the darkness of the winter months? Maybe that’s why it is our set passage more than once at this time of year? But if it is, I do wonder if we’re missing something quite significant?

Those opening words about the Word, about God, about being with; the concepts of all things coming into being with the Word and no thing coming into being without the Word; the definition of the Word as the life and the light; and the summation of this extraordinary fragment that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

Sublime poetry which seeks to define the indefinable and describe the indescribable events of the very beginnings of life, of creation, of light and hope and love.

So that’s the ‘What?’. Even if it is a partial, imperfect, and fragmentary attempt, the author starts by trying to answer the question ‘What happened?’

But what about the ‘Why?’

I think there is a clue to that. But it can get overlooked because of grand sweeping nature of the language and the powerful images being painted. I also can’t help wondering whether there is a moment in this passage where the author runs away with their own enthusiasm. It’s in the last short paragraph:

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

There is a real chance that the author of these words didn’t write them down. In the oral tradition of the day, these narratives would have been past down from mouth to mouth, ear to ear. They may have been subject to (intentional or unintentional) modifications in the telling. I have no proof to support this theory, but it’s always struck me that the sentence above contains one such interruption.

In the excitement of knowing this truth and the eagerness to convey it to others, I can’t help wondering if these words found their way into the narrative:

and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son.

If so, we are left with a concise answer to the question ‘Why?’

And more than that, we’re faced with an answer to the next question: ‘So what?’

If that’s what the Word made flesh is full of, then presumably that’s my calling as well.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us,

full of grace and truth.

Dan Tyndall

2 February 2024

Joe Cryan, Director of Music

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 15:30:02 GMT

I was rather shocked over my morning coffee the other day as I read reactions on “X” (formerly Twitter) to celebrated cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s recent Dessert Island Discs . The presenter spoke to Sheku about his involvement in The Last Night of the Proms in September last year, and asked him about the “conversations” around the traditional involvement of the song “Rule Brittania” in the proms:
“I don’t think it should be included and I didn’t stay for that bit […] I think maybe some people don’t realise how uncomfortable something like that can make a lot of people feel even if it makes them feel good”

This remark led to a barrage of racist abuse hurled at Sheku, with his mother even having to tweet the following:

“Replying to the barrage of racism against my son […] this week. So many feel it’s ok to call for deportation, flogging, sending him ‘back to Africa’ and to use ‘Ni**er’ against someone trying to engage in a conversation about music and inclusion. Horror, rage, heartbreak.”

How does this relate to our own musical mission here at St. Mary Redcliffe, and how can we better engage with “a conversation about music and inclusion”?

We have made certain strides with the checkered history of our building, with the removal of the Colston window, but as Dan remarked in one of his sermons, “this is merely the beginning, and not the end”. Music can be particularly powerful in helping us change that narrative.

The choice of repertoire is important and ensuring that the music comes from a variety of cultures offers a powerful way to promote diversity. Over the past few months, I have strived to add music by composers with global majority heritage, including Betty Jackson King, Moses Hogan, Yshani Perinpanayagam and Christopher Harris. Promoting a culture that values and appreciates all types of music encourages us to feel confident in our enjoyment, acceptance and sharing of music that is significant to everyone.

Church music has a difficult balancing act; it is steeped in a tradition that is overwhelmed with music by white, heteronormative, cis-gendered men, and I do not ignore the fact that I sit here writing from a position where I fulfil three of those characteristics. But, by investing through this tradition in new ways, and seeking any opportunity to help promote the full diverse range of creativity, we can better sing the song and faith of justice, for all people regardless of race, creed or colour.

I will leave you with a recording of one of the pieces of music that I have introduced to the repertoire, written by Christopher Harris with words by Langston Hughes. I hope these words resonate with you:
Bring me all your dreams you dreamers
That I may wrap them in a blue cloud cloth away from the too-rough fingers of the world.

The Presentation of Christ

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:45:02 GMT

If you have ever wondered about the timeline of Jesus early life, and then tried to plot that against the weeks following Christmas, you may well have found yourself rather confused!

In the last few weeks we have read about or The Church has marked:

25 Dec: the birth of Jesus
28 Dec: as a consequence of the Magi's visit to Herod (which we haven't heard yet) he sends orders to kill all boys in Bethlehem who were two years old or younger, suggesting that Jesus was about two years old by then
1 Jan: the circumcision of Jesus, which was usually done when boys were eight days old
6 Jan: the Epiphany or the visit of the Magi to Jesus in a house, which suggests that Mary, Joseph and the baby, whilst no longer in the stable are still in Bethlehem, which is why it is thought Jesus was about two years old by then
7 Jan: the baptism of Jesus which is after the 'flight into Egypt' because Jesus comes from Nazareth and it is generally accepted that, by now, he is an adult and just about to start his earthly ministry and thus about thirty years old
14 Jan: Jesus is calling some of his disciples, so by now he is clearly into his years of ministry which started when he was around 30
21 Jan: Jesus and his mum go to a wedding where Jesus performs 'the first of his signs'
2 Feb: Presentation of Christ at the Temple - we're marking this on Sunday, but the Feast Day is next Friday, 40 days after Christmas Day, when Jesus is 40 days old!

I fully accept that churches like SMR who move some of the significant feast days to a nearby Sunday add further complication to this timeline .. nonetheless in the space of forty days we are slipping back and forth between Jesus as a baby and Jesus as an adult. The only thing that could have been added to make it even more confusing would have been to add the only story of Jesus as a teenager when he remained in Jerusalem talking the people in the Temple and wasn't missed until the end of a day's journey. (Luke 2.41-47)

I guess the question is: so what? why does it matter?

At one level it doesn't matter at all. There is nothing in this confusion that challenges any of the core tenets of our faith: these are all episodes in the narrative of the life of Jesus of Nazareth and whether we hear them in chronological order or not is immaterial.

But, for some people, I wonder if the lack of consistency, the lack of story to follow, the lack (to pick up that word again) of any logic to the chronology, leaves a sense of unease or disbelief:

How can this be true if they can't even tell a methodical and well-organised story?
How can I begin to accept that this story has meaning for me, if I can't even get my head round how things fit together?

For those of us who have grown up within this confusion, who accept without too much thought that this year we'll be marking the crucifixion of the Jesus whose birth we celebrated at Christmas 1991, who are able to either not think about these things too much or whose thinking is within what we call the 'ancient core themes' of the bible and the unfolding of our faith, for us this is just one of tensions of the faith we claim.

Which is why The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (or Candlemas if you rather: another confusion to unravel!) is significant and worth staying with for a while.

Here is one of the only episodes in the bible which happens in 'real time' forty days after the birth of Jesus (by the way, for those who will check my maths, Jewish counting includes the first day, whereas western counting would exclude the first day and so you're likely to get to 39!) ..

We are forty days after the birth of Jesus. Mary and Joseph travel to Jerusalem. In the Temple they are met by Simeon, an old man who had been promised by God that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah, and by Anna, an old female prophet who saw in the baby the redemption of Jerusalem.

At forty days old, Jesus was recognised by strangers for who he was, who he is. The shepherds had been told about Jesus; the wise men ... well, they don't appear in Luke's gospel so let's leave that confusion to one side!

Here, Jesus is recognised by an old man and an old woman; he is named as the Lord's Messiah, the one who will bring the redemption of Israel; and he known as the light that will bring revelation to the Gentiles (all those who are not Jews) as well as the glory of people of Israel.

There is much that might confuse us in these weeks beyond Christmas: but this weekend we celebrate in real time.

Dan Tyndall

26 Jan 2024

Epiphany Procession

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 15:20:45 GMT

On Sunday at 5.30pm we shall be holding a special service to celebrate the arrival of the Magi at the Manger: The Epiphany Procession.

As the Bidding Prayer puts it:

We meet to celebrate the coming of Christ into the world. With the Magi we shall journey to Bethlehem to see the child Jesus; we shall honour in the infant king with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; and we shall wonder at the manifestation of God in human form.

However, unlike the Magi, we shall not depart by another road nor shall we turn our attention to later moments in the life of Christ often celebrated in this season: the baptism of Jesus by John; the first of the signs of Christ at the wedding in Cana.

Instead we shall stay in Bethlehem, watching and waiting for the consequence of the visit of those Wise Men to Herod; we shall acknowledge the cruelty of power and the pain of grief; and we shall stand with all Holy Innocents past and present.

And, having journeyed to Bethlehem and remained in Bethlehem, we shall commit ourselves that, journeying on, God will take us and use us in God’s service; that God will open our eyes to see the divine glory; that God will equip us to bless all people made in the image and likeness of God; and that will encourage us to shine with the light of Christ in the darker places of our world.

With readings from the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospel of Matthew, we shall hear again of the expected visitors bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh.

With music by Betty Jackson King, Peter Warlock, Peter Aston, Herbert Howells and Kenneth Leighton and singing the extra verses of 'We three kings' we shall mark the encounter and the impact of The Epiphany.

With silence and in prayer we shall remember The Massacre of the Innocents, past and present:

Heavenly Father,
whose children suffered at the hands of Herod,
though they had done no wrong:
give us grace neither to act cruelly
nor to stand indifferently by,
but to defend the weak from the tyranny of the strong;
in the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for us,
but is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Lots of incense will be used.

As always, everyone is welcome.

Dan Tyndall

19 January 2024

Sermon on Sunday 14th January 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 19:56:59 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

The next day

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 16:13:28 GMT

It is often Mark’s gospel that cited as the one that hurries along. And indeed it does: the word ‘immediately’ appears 28 times in 16 chapters. But it’s not only Mark whose gospel account has a sense of urgency.

This Sunday’s gospel comes from John and begins with “The next day …”. The paragraph before begins “The next day …” and the one before that starts with “The next day …” And if we look at the paragraph after this Sunday’s gospel, it starts with “On the third day…”. We’ll get to that next weekend. For now, we are left with this theme of unrelenting forward momentum.

We are in the very first chapter of John’s gospel. We’ve heard that extraordinary prologue which declares that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never overcome it. We’re told about the testimony of John the Baptist who came as a witness to the light. All of which culminates in the almost unbelievable claim that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John the Baptist explains that he is not the Messiah, that he baptises with water and that someone stands among them, whom they do not know, who is the one coming after him.

The next day … Jesus comes to be baptised by John the Baptist.

The next day … John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims “Here is the Lamb of God!”

The next day … Jesus decides to go to Galilee (which is this Sunday’s narrative)

On the third day … Jesus goes to a wedding in Cana of Galilee

Later in John’s gospel we encounter a narrative that is slow, reflective, even ponderous. But not here: not yet. In these early passages, the gospel writer has so much to fit in that the writing is insistent and unyielding. And it is all leading up to the truth that reveals the full nature of Christ, made known in ‘the first of his signs’ at that wedding when water was turned into wine.

On the third day … does that phrase ring a bell?

We could get hung up on the maths or the exact chronology of events. If we did, I wonder if we’d be falling into the trap of looking at all this through the lens of our 21 ^st century, western context. Whether or not that’s true, we’d certainly be looking at the wrong ‘thing’.

John, the write of the gospel, isn’t seeking to teach us to add up or map out Jesus’ diary for that week: John’s focus is theological, the study of God, and in particular the divine truth of God incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth.

In the beginning was the Word … and the Word became flesh.

Here is the Lamb of God, says John the Baptist.

You are the Son of God, says Nathanael

All within the first fifty verses!

And then ‘on the third day’ the gospel writer presents us with evidence that this Jesus is not just for the poets and literary elite who find their truth in finely honed language; not just for the fore-runners and followers who find their truth in direct personal interaction; but it also for those who aren’t looking for it. It’s for the steward, who recognised good wine when he tasted it. It’s for servants, who were the only ones to hear what Jesus said. It’s even for the guests, who may not even have known that more wine was needed.

And the fact that we’re told it took place ‘on the third day’ is no coincidence.

Dan Tyndall

12 January 2024

We three kings

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:41:21 GMT

John Henry Hopkins was a prolific hymn writer. He was born in 1820 and wrote over 50 hymns in his 70 years. However, you won’t have heard of most of them! On one website which lists his hymns, you can sort them by ‘instances’: the second highest is “Why sleep ye, my brethren” with a score of 28. At the top of the list, with a score of 266 – almost ten times more than then next most well-known – is Epiphany’s most famous carol: We three kings of Orient are.

Apart from the fact that the carol falls into the popular misconception that, because there were three gifts, there must have been three kings or wise men or magi; and the fact that there is nothing in the bible to suggest that those kings spent any time by a fountain; apart from those two minor details, the words of the carol is faithful to the story and offers some sound theology.

And that’s not the case for all our favourite Christmas carols!

For instance, it’s been long acknowledged that “Hark the herald angels sing” contains a line of pure heresy:

veil’d in flesh the godhead see

This is not what we believe. The godhead was not veiled in flesh, but enfleshed, fully human. Try telling that to a carol service congregation and see what happens!

However, back to We Three Kings …

It tells the story:

they come from the east; so the star is westward leading

It is good on the theology of the three gifts:

gold is for a king; and Christ is a king forever, ceasing never
incense is for a god; a deity is indeed nigh who calls for our prayers and praises
myrrh has a bitter perfume and does point towards that gathering gloom of death

And it reviews accurately that the three gifts point to the three fold truth of God in Christ: King and God and sacrifice

However, the carol colludes with a comfortable account of the visit of the Magi and a cosy version of the Christian faith.

I don’t blame Hopkins. It would be interesting to know where this separation of the comfortable and the confronting elements of the Christmas story and of the Christian faith first occurred:

how did we end up with Nativity Plays which cherry pick bits of gospel accounts of Luke and Matthew and mash them into one narrative
when did someone decide that (on the Feast of the Epiphany) it’s ok to read only half of the story about the Magi
and did you know that we remember the second half of the story on 28 December

So, in an attempt to tell the whole story, not just the cosy bit, The Epiphany Procession (a service on Sunday 21 January at 5.30pm at which incense will be used) won’t stop with the magi at the manger. We’ll carry on; we’ll tell the rest of the story; we will acknowledge the pain and anguish of what we now call Holy Innocents.

And because we are so often focussed on the rising note at the beginning of the refrain ( Oh ... Oh ) that we miss the words we're singing, and with apologies to Hopkins, I have taken the liberty to add a few verses.

Have a read. Have a think.

We three kings of Orient are;

bearing gifts we traverse afar,

field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,

gold I bring to crown him again,

King forever, ceasing never,

over us all to reign.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Frankincense to offer have I;

incense owns a Deity nigh;

prayer and praising, voices raising,

worshiping God on high.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

breathes a life of gathering gloom;

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

We three kings, our gifts now bestowed,

heard in dreams of things that forebode

death, deception, Christ’s rejection,

left by another road.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Angels sent the fam’ly away.

Herod’s fury stank with foul play.

He demanded, he commanded:

Kill ev’ry child today.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Prophecy speaks words which abhor:

Rachel weeps in Ramah uproar;

consternation, lamentation;

children, they are no more.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Glorious now behold him arise;

King and God and sacrifice:

Alleluia, Alleluia,

sounds through the earth and skies.

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Dan Tyndall (and John Henry Hopkins)

Epiphany 2024

Sermon on Sunday 7th January 2024

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 07 Jan 2024 16:45:24 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon at Midnight Mass 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:17:49 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Interstellar Concert

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 12:43:44 GMT

Marking the 10th anniversary of the film Interstellar, musician Roger Sayer performs music from the film on our world class church organ.

About the concert

It’s been 10 years since the r elease of the groundbreaking Christopher Nolan blockbuster “Interstellar.” It won various accolades, including being nominated for Best Original Score at the Academy Awards. Now is your chance to hear this phenomenal soundtrack played by the original performer on the world-renowned St. Mary Redcliffe Organ.

St Mary Redcliffe is hosting a unique concert showcasing music from the film. This will be performed by celebrated musician Roger Sayer, the primary organist working alongside Hans Zimmer to create the iconic soundtrack for Interstellar's release in 2014.

Originally recorded in Temple Church in London, Roger collaborated with Zimmer and Nolan to craft the moving score using the power and creativity of the organ. The performance will take place at the extraordinary St Mary Redcliffe Church, the home of “Britain's finest organ”. This is a special opportunity to experience the incredible soundtrack and celebrate the wonder of space travel and its boundless capabilities.

“ROGER IS, WITHOUT EXAGGERATION, AN EXTRAORDINARY ARTIST, WHOSE HUMANITY SHINES IN THE IMPECCABLE ARTISTRY THAT FLOWS FROM HIS HANDS…” HANS ZIMMER

There will be opportunities to hear Roger reminisce about working with Hans Zimmer as well as the chance for audience members to ask questions about the making of the soundtrack.

Join us on February the 8th for an out-of-this-world experience.

Pricing

Tickets range from £8.00 - £32.00

We are ado pting a Pay What You Can system for this event.

Therefore you can change the price of your tickets accordingly:

Standard - if you can afford to, please book this standard rate. Simply just continue through to the checkout without any promo code and pay the full value of the ticket.
Open Concession - if for any reason you don't have the abilty to afford the full value of the ticket at the moment, enter the code "OpenConcession" when buying your ticket and get 10% off the value of the ticket; let us welcome you to the event without any questions being asked as to why you need it.
Pay It Forward - If you are able and feeling generous, please consider choosing one of our add ons to Pay It Forward. This will add 10% onto your ticket price to help us subsidise our open concession rates and allow everyone to enjoy this event.

Access

We want everyone to be able to access this event and make sure it is as enjoyable and comfortable as possible. Therefore, if you have any access issues or are a wheelchair user, please contact the Parish Office in order to discuss the best way to book your tickets.

Parish Office - 0117 231 0060

Festive Family Christmas Trail

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 15:41:05 GMT

If you're looking for free activities for kids this Christmas, why not try our Festive Family Fun Trail?

Follow the trail, solve the clues, learn about history and have fun!

The Family Trails are available to pick up at the back of church. Just ask a member of staff or volunteer for your copy.

Happy puzzling!

Sermon on Sunday 17th December 2023

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 23:08:35 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

A thriving Inclusive Church

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 16:37:42 GMT

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

Waiting

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:41:48 GMT

Are you good at waiting? Or do you loathe it?

I wonder if with the task of 'waiting' we fall into two distinct categories, we're either good at it, or it takes all our strength to grit our teeth and get through it... if we're confessing, I more often fall into the later category.

I like to know what is happening. I like to know where I stand with things. And whilst I acknowledge that there are some things where anticipation and waiting are good, generally I find those limbo, in-between phases hard.

The season of Advent is upon us. On Sunday we enter into a new season, a new church year. Advent. For many it's the build up to Christmas- running around ordering food, getting presents, decorating houses and so on. However, for Christians, as well as all that good stuff, it's also a season where we are invited to enter into what it is to watch and wait. Bit of a hard sell ay?

During Advent we are asked to embody, to empathise with those who waited and longed for Jesus' birth. To endeavour to understand the pain of what it is to wait to see if the promises and prophecies would be fulfilled, that a King would come, a Saviour would walk the earth. Not forgetting also, there was around a 400 year gap between the Old and New Testament... hundreds of years of people waiting, desperately hoping and longing for a King and Saviour. This puts my frustration of how long my laptop takes to load into perspective! And yet, I suspect many of us can relate to the pain of waiting, the pain of longing for something to happen, for God to come through on a promise or to move.

I do think it is good for us to enter into this season of watching and waiting. It reminds us that within our limbo phrases, God is with us. It also reminds us of what we are currently waiting for now- for Jesus to come again. And I hope, it's a comfort to all who are currently waiting- for those health results, for that decision at work, for that situation to change- that God does answer eventually.

I want to add here that the answer might not be what we want! Israel was promised a King and yet Jesus was born as a baby, in a town in the middle of nowhere to an ordinary couple. Not quite the King they expected. And yet, through Jesus we are reminded of the promise- God with us. God is with us.

Please do throw yourselves into the build up to Christmas with family, friends and neighbours but also, give space to enter into this season of waiting. Wait with us and feel the joy on Christmas Day as we celebrate the promises fulfilled in Emmanuel, God with us.

Please do see what services we have to enable you to enter into this time of waiting and join with us in prayer and song, saying: O come, O come Emmauel.

Laura Verrall-Kelly

December 23

Sermon on Sunday 26th November 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 14:51:36 GMT

Preached by the Revd Anthony Everitt, Associate Minister

Corporal Acts of Mercy

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 15:40:34 GMT

I was hungry and you gave me food.

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.

I was a stranger and you welcomed me.

I was naked and you gave me clothing.

I was sick and you took care of me.

I was in prison and you visited me.

These six actions are listed by Jesus in Sunday’s reading from Matthew’s gospel. They are known as the corporal acts of mercy and they can be seen set out in stained glass in the huge north transept window.

Jesus listed these actions as a way of separating the sheep from the goats, stating that some “will go to eternal punishment” and “the righteous into eternal life”. And often the discussion unfolds into that part of the story: just who is going to end up where?

But what if we stop worrying about where our actions may lead us in the end, and focus more on what Jesus wants of us here and now? Even this isn’t as straightforward as it may at first appear.

On first glance, offering food, drink and hospitality, sharing some food or visiting those in need doesn’t sound like too much to ask. But two thousand years ago, food, drink and clothing was more difficult to come by than it is now; the country was under occupation and you didn’t know which stranger was on your side and which was your enemy; helping the sick wasn’t about calling an ambulance or getting a taxi to the Minor Injuries Unit; and those who visited prisons were really siding with the destitute and outcasts.

When we consider the cost to us of inhabiting these corporal acts of mercy, we may be guilty of rather missing the point. For us the cost could be counted in pounds, shillings and pence. For those listening to Jesus, the cost was often far more personal, in terms of time, risk and status … as well as money!

If these are the actions of a loving community, then surely we should be asking ourselves how we measure up. And, honestly, I think we’re doing pretty well. As a community we’re offering support to our neighbours and to new comers to the local area. We welcome strangers, some of whom can be very challenging, into the open church seven days a week. I could go on. And we should be rightly proud of the exceptional work we do as a community for the community around us.

But that begs the question about each of us as individuals. Being honest with yourself, how do you respond to those six actions? I don’t think Jesus expects us to take them literally, nor to mark ourselves in some kind of OFSTED kind of way. But I do think Jesus yearns for us, individually and as a community, to look out for those who are in physical need or emotional need, those who have never been part of the community or who used to be but for whatever reason are now ostracised.

The corporal acts of mercy is one of the three themes that permeate the north transept window. The second is the story of the Good Samaritan. The third challenges us all, at all times, to consider that most fundamental question: And who is my neighbour?

Dan Tyndall

23 November 2023

Sermon on Sunday 19th November 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 09:11:06 GMT

Preached by Esther Keller, Safeguarding Officer

Safeguarding Sunday

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:30:20 GMT

Rev Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar, writes:

This Sunday is Safeguarding Sunday and the 10.30 am Sung Eucharist will reflect this theme. We will have slightly different liturgies at certain points, as well as hearing from our Parish Safeguarding Officer, Esther Keller to enable us to engage and prayerfully reflect on the theme. Esther will have the space to share what Safeguarding is and why it’s important to have such a service in church.

Safeguarding can be a sensitive and triggering theme for some and although detailed accounts of vulnerable adults and children will not be shared, if for whatever reason you feel this service isn’t for you, please know it is okay not to attend or attend another one of our services that day.

Esther Keller, our Parish Safeguarding Officer, writes:

God cares about protecting vulnerable people, and so do we. Safeguarding Sunday, an awareness-raising campaign organised by Christian safeguarding charity Thirtyone:eight, is taking place this Sunday. St Mary Redcliffe is taking part to highlight the importance of creating safer places for all.

We will be joining thousands of other churches across the UK to share this message and demonstrate unity.

We also want to take this opportunity to thank and pray for those who have stepped up to coordinate safeguarding in our church so we can protect vulnerable people together.

We believe that safeguarding is an outworking of our faith in a loving and just God – the God who calls us to speak up on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves and to defend the rights of the vulnerable (Proverbs 31:8).

Justice and hope are at the heart of the Christian message. Or, as we put it at SMR, "singing the song of faith and justice".

Let’s gather and celebrate those who work behind the scenes to protect vulnerable people and make our church a safer place for all.

Please do get in touch with Esther or Laura if you have any questions.

Sermon on Sunday 12th November 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:35:56 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Remembering the horror of war

Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:56:26 GMT

Sitting in the heart of Bristol on a Friday afternoon feels totally removed from the horror of war. Most of us do not know the horror of war: yet the freedom we enjoy was won by those who did and by some who do still. This weekend we honour them and we thank them for their service.

Our service on Sunday morning will, as always, include the national two minute silence as we stand around one of our war memorials. Hopefully the weather won't deter us from being outside. If it does we shall stand under the list of the names of the men, from this parish, who died during the First World War: men who truly understood the horror of war.

Increasingly we are faced with additional complexities to our Remembrance: can we really remember "the fallen" without coming face to face with the current horror of war? This time last year we remembered the fortieth anniversary of The Falklands and the Russian invasion of Ukraine that happened in February 2022. Another year on and that war still continues.

More recently Hamas has broken out of Gaza and inflicted carnage on the people of Israel. I was very struck by the fact that more people per head of population died in Israel that day than died in 9/11 attacks on USA. It has been described as the worst atrocity carried out on Jews since the Holocaust. Every murder, all mass killings, are wrong and leave behind a trail of loss and grief and anger. For Israeli's though, it also brings into sharp relief an image that has faded but not faded away. I cannot comment on the recent events in Israel and Gaza without acknowledging this visceral link between the deaths of 7 October and the deaths in Nazi concentration camps. There is a corporate memory of the horror of war that lingers and, as I say, has been brought into sharp relief once more.

However, if Remembrance Sunday requires us to face the horror of war, then we cannot ignore the scenes coming from Gaza. The United Nations tells us that Israel has the right to defend herself; but also describes Gaza as 'a graveyard for children'. And if the mass killings of Jews evoke memories of the Holocaust, then the Israeli government urging of Palestinians to flee from their homes and head south evokes memories of the Nakba.

Just after the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps the whole world understood the need for a Jewish homeland. Palestinians were driven from their homes and out of their land to make way for the state of Israel. This is the Nakba: the Catastrophe. It was organised and orchestrated by the British Army. These two events happened just a couple of years apart. So it is possible, just possible, that British soldiers who were following orders to create a Jewish state were the very same British soldiers who had entered Bergen-Belsen, Auschwitz and other camps to be confronted by death, emaciated individuals and the depths of the horror of war.

None of this changes the past or the present. Both communities know what it is to suffer and to inflict pain. Both communities have utterly innocent people who get caught up and dragged into the arguments, the politics, the fighting that others are waging, apparently on their behalf. Both communities understand what it is to be reviled, to be caged and to yearn for freedom - freedom from fear and want; freedom to choose and engage; freedom for hope and love.

This Sunday, in the comfort of a beautiful building, in company with people that do not wish me harm, with all the food and drink I need, without any fear of attack or reprisal and with no knowledge at all of the horror of war ... I shall remember them.

Dan Tyndall

10 November 2023

Sermon on Sunday 5th November 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:58:41 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday 29th October 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:58:37 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sunday Sermon 22nd October 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:04:56 GMT

Preached by the Revd Anthony Everitt, Associate Minister

Love Your Neighbour

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 14:15:21 GMT

I felt quite shocked when I read this week's Bible readings. As a church we follow the lectionary... a set of recommended Bible passages for each Sunday from Common Worship. It's good because you never quite know what you're going to get and also it tends to follow a narrative.

For this week we have Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and Matthew 22: 34-end. I was shocked because the Leviticus reading is "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself." And the Matthew reading is Jesus quoting this to the Pharisees and Lawyers who have asked him 'what is the greatest commandment?' Perhaps you're still not understanding my shock...

I guess it just feels so timely. Those who decide on the readings, years in advance, could have never known or predicted what we would have watched or listened to this week. They could never have known the devastation in Israel and Palestine that has been on our screens. I found myself thinking simultaneously, what on earth does 'love your neighbour' look like to an ancient war and deeply complex situation and yet, it feels so relevant and important.

The risk I run here is over-simplifying a, as I said, deeply complex and tense situation. I also feel like what business do I have to even attempt to comment on a situation which I not only find hard to understand but that I also feel wildly under-qualified to do so. And yet, I am always challenged that ignorance is a choice and it's my job to become educated. I also believe that in the most complex and hard situations, simply not commenting is also not okay.

My issue is also that this week's reminder to love your neighbour feel like it's over-simplifying things. Did Jesus really consider the intricacies of what it is to love our neighbours? Neighbours can be our physical neighbours, who live next door to us, but it's also metaphorical to all who we interact with. The person who pushes in front of me at Asda, I'm to love them? The difficult family situation where I feel hurt and misunderstood, I'm to love them? The people who I disagree with in nearly everything to do with politics and how they see the world, I'm to love them? The people that have been mean to me, I'm to love them? Come on, Jesus, really?

Well, yes, Jesus did get the intricacies and the pain that goes hand in hand with loving people. The Matthew reading where Jesus is being questioned by Pharisees and Lawyers is the Monday of Holy Week. They are trying to catch him out, find a reason to hand him over to the Roman authorities to be killed. He's just come in to Jerusalem triumphantly, with the crowd shouting 'Hosanna!' and just a few days later they'll be yelling 'kill him.' Jesus literally stood in a group of people who hated him, who wanted him dead and who will later murder him and said 'love your neighbour.' In other words, I'm to love these people.

The situation with the Israeli Government and Hamas will continue to move at a pace that scares us, breaks our hearts and leaves us feeling helpless. And yet, this week the passages have reminded me that perhaps starting with the obvious, the basic truth is where we begin. Calling out from a place of safety, 'love your neighbour' reminds us of our privilege right now in the UK. It reminds us also of the hand the UK government have had in these atrocities. And yet, however simple and small it might feel, to call out 'love your neighbour' in the face of this war is a prayer, is a chance to intercede for peace, a yearning for a better life for our brothers and sisters.

We intercede with our Palestinian and Israeli brothers and sisters, love your neighbour.

Laura Verrall-K elly, October 2023

Gaza - The Al-Ahli Hospital Tragedy

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 16:39:47 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe has a special connection with the Gaza hospital that suffered that devastating rocket blast earlier this week. Martin Lee explains:

The appalling rocket blast on Tuesday evening, 17th October, in the car park at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, killing hundreds of people sheltering there for safety, demands our attention. Whilst responsibility remains a matter of controversy, nevertheless members of the St Mary Redcliffe congregation may wish to know how to respond – as we have consistently done in the past when disasters have happened.

Redcliffe and Al-Ahli – what is special?

Al-Ahli Hospital was founded by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in c.1882. It was looked after for a time by the American Southern Baptist Church but eventually came under the management of the Jerusalem Bishopric; it is thus very much an Anglican institution although it is known as “the Baptist Hospital” by some. Loosely translated “Al-Ahli” means “the Family” hospital. No discrimination is made and the majority of patients are inevitably Muslim. The annual throughput is some 45,000 in-patients and out-patients. This is part of our humanitarian outreach.

Redcliffe has always sought to support the church overseas – including the Middle East. Some years ago we provided the hospital with an ECG machine and on a subsequent visit by two Redcliffe folk (when times were quiet) it was seen in use. We had thought to establish an on-going link with the hospital as a commitment to the Jerusalem Diocese but unfortunately this initiative never came to fruition.

Damage to the hospital by a missile strike had occurred earlier in the weekend. A hole was blown in the wall of one department, injury was caused and debris was scattered about. Tuesday’s rocket fell in the car park and although the hospital buildings were at first thought to have been hit this may not have been so, but damage is clearly extensive and serious, with hundreds of people being killed. How the hospital will continue to function in the immediate future is not at present known but is likely to require a lot of outside help. This is where any appeal to Redcliffe may arise.

Gaza is said to be the most densely populated place on Earth. Its situation is desperate. The reasons for this are exceedingly complex. We at St Mary Redcliffe, although in no position to resolve these complexities, might nevertheless try to respond effectively once an appeal is made.

Martin Lee

19 October 2023

===========================================================================================

One of the charities SMR has partnered with over recent year is Amos Trust which works extensively in Al-Ahli Hospital.

Below are two ways to learn more about the current situation in Gaza, an opportunity to donate to the Gaza Appeal that Amos Trust is now running and a link to Amos Trust website.

Free Exhibition

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:13:44 GMT

Celebrating the Gift of Water: Redcliffe's Medieval Pipe

Saturday 21 October - Friday 29 March

Every year the Priest, Churchwardens, and people of St Mary Redcliffe walk the route of an ancient conduit given to the parish over 800 years ago.

The conduit dates back to 1190 when Robert de Berkeley, Lord of the Manor of Bedminster, granted by deed the right of St Mary Redcliffe and its ministers to lay a pipe from the Rugewelle - an ancient freshwater spring in the Knowle area of Bristol - through south Bristol to an outlet

in the churchyard.

The annual Pipe Walk, which has been undertaken by generations of parishioners, asserts the church’s right of way along the route of the pipeline, and is an opportunity forthe

people of Redcliffe to give thanks for the gift of fresh water.

Visit our free exhibition to find out more about the fascinating history of Redcliffe’s medieval water supply.

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All Souls Service

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:10:26 GMT

Dedication of New Windows

At this time of year the church remembers those we love but see no more. This year, at a special service, St Mary Redcliffe will be remembering not just those who we know and wish to remember, but also those who were trafficked during the transatlantic slave trade. Four new window panels have been installed to replace those dedicated to the slave trader Edward Colston. These windows will be dedicated by the Bishop of Bristol. We will lament our history and commit ourselves to a different future. The address will be given by Peaches Golding, the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol. No tickets are being issued for the service. All are welcome and refreshments will be served after the service.

Sermon on Sunday 15th October 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 08:24:38 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Sermon on Sunday 8th October 2023

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 14:09:39 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Treefest Returns!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:14:55 GMT

This year's Treefest will take place from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 December at St Mary Redcliffe.

This year we'll be supporting local charities Freewheelers EVS and Redcliffe Foodbank.

For further information and to find out how to enter a tree, click here.

Christmas Events and Services

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 14:10:46 GMT

Advent & Christmas Events, Services and Carol Concerts

Sunday 3 December

5:30pm Advent Carols

Special service featuring music and Bible readings to reflect the period of anticipation of the birth of the Christ Child.

Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 December

Treefest

Spectacular festive display of Christmas trees held within the splendid gothic church of St Mary Redcliffe.

Thursday 7 December

1:00pm Treefest Contemporary Carol Service

Christmas carols around the piano

Saturday 9 December

6:00pm Treefest Carol Service

Christmas carol service, surrounded by trees!

Saturday 16 December

3:00pm Christingle (Please note this service will not be live streamed)

Family favourite all-age service with popular carols. This is an interactive service with space to reflect on the meaning behind Christingle.

Saturday 16 December

5:30pm Nine Lessons & Carols

Well-known Christmas hymns, Bible readings and choir carols to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

Sunday 17 December

5:30pm Nine Lessons & Carols

Well-known Christmas hymns, Bible readings and choir carols to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child.

Tuesday 19 December

7:30pm Salvation Army Carols

Celebrate Christmas with the band of the Salvation Army.

Thursday 21 December

1:00pm Carols at Lunchtime

Carols for all to sing, sacred and secular, with poems and readings.

Sunday 24 December – Christmas Eve

4:00pm Crib Service (Please note this service will not be live streamed)

Family favourite all-age service with popular carols and a nativity tableau. Children are invited to come dressed in costume.

11:30pm Midnight Mass

A traditional, atmospheric late-night Christmas service.

Monday 25 December – Christmas Day

10:30am Christmas Day Eucharist

Family-friendly all-age festival service of Holy Communion, telling the story of the birth of Jesus with help from the congregation.

Bristol Film Festival

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:32:08 GMT

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

with live music

Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Time: 19:00 21:00

Venue: St Mary Redcliffe

Address: Redcliffe Way, RedcliffeBristol, BS1 6RAUnited Kingdom (map)

“Arguably the first true horror film, ‘The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari’ set a brilliantly high bar for the genre – and remains terrifying over a century after it first stalked the screen”

— ROTTEN TOMATOES

DOORS: 19:00 FILM STARTS: 19:30

After the centenary screening of Nosferatu last year, we’re returning to St Mary Redcliffe this Halloween season for a special showing of another masterwork of early horror cinema, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, with an original accompanying score performed live.

The quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, the film is a nightmarish, visually striking descent into madness at the hands of a twisted hypnotist and his sleepwalking protégé. It’s widely regarded as one of the most influential films ever made, with a huge impact on the development of horror, film noir and arthouse cinema.

The live soundtrack will be performed by Bristol-based quartet Minima, who specialise in spellbinding contemporary accompaniments to silent films. Their score for this seminal film is an event not to be missed!

Christmas Concerts

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 11:29:39 GMT

Vivaldi and Handel with The Piccadilly Sinfonietta

Vivaldi Four Seasons at Christmas

Date/Time: Wed 13th Dec 2023, 7:30pm – 9:30pm (Doors from 6:45pm)

Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cm/vivaldi-four-seasons-at-christmas/e-xrkavk

Email: info@citymusicpromotions.co.uk

Phone: 0333 666 33 66

Ticket prices

Band AA £42 (front two rows with free CD/programme)
Band A £38
Band B £28
Band C £19 (Some restricted views)

Description

Enjoy an outstanding musical evening in the run-up to Christmas with a performance of Vivaldi's timeless classic, The Four Seasons, in the spectacular candlelit setting of St Mary's Redcliffe Church in Bristol. Featuring some of the UK's most exceptional performers, the The Piccadilly Sinfonietta will treat you to a feast of classical masterpieces! We are also delighted to include a performance of Mozart's famous piano concerto in C Major, a favourite with audiences around world and also Corelli’s exquisite Christmas Concerto, the perfect additions to our festive programme for you!

'Stunning' Classic FM

Programme
Corelli – Christmas Concerto
Mozart – Piano Concerto in C major, K467
(Interval)
Vivaldi – Four Seasons

Featuring
The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
Warren Mailley-Smith (Piano)
Violin soloist to be confirmed

The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
Since its formation in 2017, the Piccadilly Sinfonietta have become a regular feature on the UK concert scene, giving up to 100 performances a year in some of the country’s most beautiful and prestigious venues. The ensemble comprises some of the most prodigious musical talent and performs exclusively with leading virtuoso soloists. The group performs under the artistic direction of its founder, concert pianist Warren Mailley-Smith and focuses on the virtuoso concerto repertoire of the baroque, classical and early romantic periods.

Here's a short video extract of the Piccadilly Sinfonietta performing Vivaldi:

https://youtu.be/96PzKgCnrlA

Handel’s Messiah (Highlights) at Christmas by Candlelight

Date/Time: Mon 18th Dec 2023, 7:30pm – 9:30pm (Doors from 6:45pm)

Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cm/handel-s-messiah-highlights-at-christmas-by-candlelight/e-xrpyop

Email info@citymusicpromotions.co.uk

Phone: 0333 666 33 66

Ticket prices

Band AA £42 (front two rows with free CD/programme)
Band A £38
Band B £28
Band C £19 (Some restricted views)

Description

Enjoy an outstanding musical evening in the run-up to Christmas with an exquisite selection of arias and choruses from Handel's masterpiece, The Messiah. Brought to you by the phenomenal musicians of The Piccadilly Sinfonietta accompanying some of the most accomplished and talented singers in the UK today. In addition, the programme will include some of Bach's finest violin concertos and his much loved Air on the G String

Set in the beautiful candlelit location of St Mary Redcliffe Church in Bristol , this will be a festive evening to remember!

'Stunning' Classic FM

Programme
Bach - Air on a G string
Bach - Violin Concerto in A minor
Bach - Double Violin Concerto in D minor
(Interval)
Handel – Messiah (selected arias and choruses)

Featuring
The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
Susan Parkes - Soprano
Other string and voice soloists to be confirmed

The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
Since its formation in 2017, the Piccadilly Sinfonietta has become a regular feature on the UK concert scene, giving up to 100 performances a year in some of the country’s most beautiful and prestigious venues. The ensemble comprises some of the most prodigious musical talent and performs exclusively with leading virtuoso soloists. The group performs under the artistic direction of its founder, concert pianist Warren Mailley-Smith and focuses on the virtuoso concerto repertoire of the baroque, classical and early romantic periods.

Here's a short video of the Piccadilly Sinfonietta performing:

https://youtu.be/96PzKgCnrlA

-----------------

Harvest Celebration Sermon on Sunday 1st October 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:32:14 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 24th September 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 11:24:27 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 17th September 2023

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:05:48 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

How often should I forgive?

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:24:44 GMT

This weekend's gospel supplies an absolute answer to this question "How often should I forgive?"

Peter asks Jesus how often we ought to forgive a member of the church that 'sins' against us and suggests what he believes to be an outrageously high number: "As many as seven times?"

Jesus answers: "‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times."

So there we are. All we need to do is run a tally card or spreadsheet (there's probably an app for this somewhere on the web) and count from 1 to 77. Then on 'sin' number 78 we can justify ourselves with the response: "That's a step too far, you are now someone I can no longer forgive" and feel OK with ourselves for taking the moral high ground.

Of course, we have to remember that it's not 77 times we are sinned against by members of the church, but 77 times we are sinned against by each member of the church.

Our Electoral Roll at SMR currently stands at 283: if you don't know what the Electoral Roll is or want to know about how to join it, please do contact me . Assuming that everyone 'sins' at the same rate (we are all human after all) we would need to be 'sinned against' 21,791 times before we are able to claim that moral high ground. Again, assuming we are 'sinned against' twice a month, then it will take about 75 years before we get the moment when we are able to take a stand and proclaim "I can no longer forgive those who 'sin' against me!"

Does this literalistic, transactional way of living accord with who you know Jesus of Nazareth to be?

It's worth remembering that there is at least one other moment in the life of Christ when he is very clear about what he expects of his followers. Earlier in Matthew's gospel (Ch 5) we hear Jesus say: "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile". Those around Jesus would have known only too well that the 'anyone' in that sentence was the Roman occupying forces. Any soldier could compel anyone to carry their pack for one mile. Jesus instructs us to carry the pack for two miles and then, presumably, drop the pack and walk away.

So, to be a good Christian, all we need to do is administrate a complex spreadsheet and carry a pedometer at all times.

Clearly this is nuts. Anyone who looks to Jesus expecting to be told how to behave in any given situation is going to be disappointed. The bible is not a recipe book, or a Hayes car manual, or a Dummy's Guide to salvation.

This weekend's story can be explored around the importance of the number 7. That's the number of days of creation, making it one of the most holiest of numbers for Jews. Seven baskets for leftover food were collected after the feeding of the four thousand. Emmaus is seven miles from Jerusalem. That's why Peter offered it as an outrageously high number of times we should be prepared to forgive: it represents the holiest number of forgivenesses we can offer.

Jesus comes back with seventy seven. This isn't a mathematical problem to be solved, but truth to be embodied. The holiness concept of seven is multiplied and magnified and manipulated into a mind-blowing expression of the truth that Jesus is sharing with Peter and with us: it's not the laws of behaviour decided by others that determine what is right and what is wrong, it's about the law of love by which we each called to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Dan Tyndall

15 September 2023

Sunday Sermon 10th September 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 11:46:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Anthony Everitt, Associate Minister

Sermon on Sunday 3rd September 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:55:56 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Gardening Club News

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:34:26 GMT

Two years ago the club received a grant from Love Your Park:

Angela Hogg reports on progress since then:

Passers-by and local residents stop to tell us how they appreciate the gardens; they walk by deliberately to see what's new each week.
The funding has spurred others to raise funds for a wildlife garden on the estate. This includes raised beds so that club members with access issues can join in fully.
Redcliffe Church, Community Hub and FaithSpace jointly ran a Fun Day 2 weeks ago. Children made bird feeders for the gardens and a one-off volunteer did sterling work on the rock garden with me.
We have new group members
The wonderful thing: in winter when the summer growth goes we will still have all the shrubs with their berries, colourful foliage and diverse shapes to maintain interesting gardens to enjoy till next Spring.

New Windows Revealed

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 09:21:52 GMT

We hosted one of the most important events in the city this year: the sixtieth anniversary of the ending of the Bristol Bus Boycott, paving the way for the Race Relations Acts and then the Equalities Act of 2010 which provides rights for people with Protected Characteristics.

Since then I have been asking if people have heard of either Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech or the Bristol Bus Boycott. Pretty much everyone has heard of the first and very few the second. There is a real need to reset this to show that both of these events are equally significant in the unfolding development of race relations in UK and abroad.

We welcomed Pioneers and Elders of the black community, some of whom organized and ran the original protest. It was a thrill to see the delight in their eyes when they saw the new window panels for the first time.

Jesus was asked "And who is my neighbour?" by the lawyer and Jesus tells the story of The Good Samaritan. The lawyer could not conceive of the possibility that any Samaritan might be 'good'. We are now faced with that same story and three others - the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans, the Bristol Bus Boycott and Small Boats migration - with that same question ringing in our ears: And who is my neighbour?

And, as someone said "Of course, the power of that question is what happens when you flip it round and ask 'And who do we exclude?'"

Heritage Film Premiere

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:34:42 GMT

Location: St Mary Redcliffe Church

Date: Saturday 7 October

Time: (Arrival from 6pm) 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Refreshments: Drinks and nibbles

Join the team at St Mary Redcliffe for the premiere of five thematic films about the church and its heritage. The films will be accompanied by a Q&A with film-maker Nick Street as well as an opportunity to tour the building with one of the church's volunteer guides.

Background

For the past year, the team at St Mary Redcliffe has been working with acclaimed heritage film-maker Nick Street to produce a series of short thematic films about the church building and its rich heritage.

The films were commissioned after receiving funding from The Canynges Society, a charitable organisation that has supported St Mary Redcliffe since its inception at the beginning of the great C19th restoration of the church, during the Presidency of Richard Clarke.

There are five films, covering different aspects of the church's history:

Film 1 – The story of the building

Film 2 – The church and the city

Film 3 – Maritime history

Film 4 – Art and literature

Film 5 – Music

As well as providing material for interpretation and exhibition within the church, the films will support a new improved presentation of the church building on St Mary Redcliffe and The Canynges Society's digital platforms, encouraging more people to visit Redcliffe and discover the history of the church. In the long-run improved storytelling and presentation will help support organisational sustainability ensuring that St Mary Redcliffe and its rich history are available to future generations.

After the film showing, there will be the opportunity to take a tour of the church, including a visit to the Chatterton Room.

Sermon on Sunday 27th August 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:27:04 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

The Pipe Walk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 17:50:37 GMT

Celebrating the gift of water

This year's Pipe Walk: Saturday 21 October

Start: Coffee at St Barnabas Church, Daventry Road, Knowle, at 9.45 am for a 10.00 am start on the walk

Finish: St Mary Redcliffe with coffee

BOOK FREE TICKETS HERE

A short history of the medieval pipe that was given to Redcliffe by the Lord Robert de Berkeley

Elsewhere the pipe runs through allotments and private gardens. Throughout the walk periodic stops are made for manhole inspections.

Originally made of lead but replaced with cast iron by the Victorians, the pipe was broken as a result of bomb damage during the Second World War.

The pipe ends just inside the church gate on Redcliffe Hill where a Latin inscription commemorates Lord Robert de Berkeley’s philanthropy. This translates as:

For the health of the soul of Robert Berkeley, who gave to God and the church of St. Mary Redcliffe and its ministers the Rugewell and conduit. AD 1190 Erected.

Read an interesting article on the pipe here .

Medieval Graffiti Discovery Session

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 13:38:46 GMT

Friday 25 August from 2:30pm - 5:00pm.

Did you know that medieval churches are often covered in strange, enigmatic signs and symbols, the full meaning of which has often been lost or become obscure with the passage of time.

Some are believed to have been apotropaic (having the power to avert evil) in purpose, while others are more pictorial, like the above image of a church from our Outer North Porch - a part of the building that dates from 1325.

Join us on Friday 25 August to help us find more - free tickets are available through Eventbrite by following our link in bio.

Sign up here

Sermon on Sunday 20th August 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 15:12:22 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Changing the perspective

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 10:03:37 GMT

For me, this Sunday's gospel passage is one of the most significant ones we read. Let's remember the context first. Jesus was born into a Jewish family in the first century and raised within that socio-political context. We know he was aware of the issues of the day, of the enmity between different groups and of the dangers that accompanied people on various routes out of Jerusalem: all this is made clear in (what we know as) The Story of the Good Samaritan.

As a fully human being, it is not unreasonable to assume that the way he was raised and the community that raised him, formed him to be much like many other people of his day - notwithstanding the extraordinary nature of his being 100% divine as well and the Son of God! But let's focus on his humanity for the moment.

In the gospel for Sunday, ( Matthew 15.21–28 ) Jesus is confronted by a Canaanite woman who pleads for the healing of her daughter. She is not surprised, or defeated, by what happens next: the disciples urge Jesus to get rid of her and Jesus, rather than being filled with pity or compassion, dismisses her by saying "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

Not surprised and certainly not defeated, this woman, this foreigner, who is unnamed (each element of which would put her further towards the edge of society) seemed to know that would be Jesus' response. It's probably the kind of thing she had been hearing all her life: Who am I that I should be bothering with you!

She will not be cowed, and she pleads again: "Help me".

And it is at this moment where, some argue, we see the unvarnished humanity of Jesus. A humanity belies "Gentle Jesus meek and mild" and betrays his upbringing, his culture, his understanding of who he is in society. His second word to this desperate woman is little short of brutal: "It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs"

But her daughter is troubled by demons. And, driven by a mother's love, somehow seeing or knowing or perceiving that her daughter's wholeness can be found in Jesus, she speaks from the edges of society to the heart of power and authority: "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table."

Some argue that this is all about Jesus setting a test to see just how much the mother loves her daughter, just how far she is prepared to go to bring about the desired outcome. Others claim that this is Jesus being confronted with his past and, possibly through the influence of divine imagination, changing his perspective on life and thus changing his mind.

We've heard a lot about Michael Parkinson over the last couple of days. Last night I watched " Parkinson at 50 " made a couple of years ago to mark the anniversary. In it he says that his favourite interview was with Jacob Bronowski who, in 1973, made the documentary series "The Ascent of Man". A clip was played of the interview in which Bronowski described how he decided what he would say at the end of a segment filmed in Auschwitz. In the end, all he said was a quote of Oliver Cromwell: "I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken."

Dan Tyndall

18 August 2023

Cary Comes Home

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 10:22:47 GMT

A film festival that aims to celebrate Cary Grant’s Bristol roots, develop new audiences for his films and recreate the golden age of cinema-going.

Night and Day (dir. Michael Curtiz, 1946)
St Mary Redcliffe Church , Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6RA
Saturday 21 October 2023, doors 6pm, film 7pm

Rating: U
Running time: 2hrs

Tickets: Pay What You Can Afford Sliding Scale

Cary Comes Home - Bristol's Cary Grant focused film festival - will be screening the technicolor Cole Porter biopic, Night and Day – the first picture in which Cary Grant appeared in colour - at St Mary Redcliffe in October.

Watch a trailer for the film below

Sermon on Sunday 14th August 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 10:12:11 GMT

Preached by the Revd Anthony Everitt, Associate Minister

Sermon on Sunday 6th August 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 10:19:24 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Take Heart

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:22:49 GMT

Hi SMR family,

This week, I want to take a closer look at our gospel reading, Matthew 14: 22-33.

This passage tells us about a big storm on the sea, the disciples being afraid, Jesus walking on the water and Peter going out to meet him. I suspect for some of us, we know this story, we've heard it before. When we know certain Bible passages very well I wonder if can glaze over when we hear them again - ' ah yes, I've heard this before, I know what this is about...'

If you're anything like me the headline message or teaching from this passage is: Don't be afraid! As Jesus says to Peter 'You of little faith! Why did you doubt?' In other words, in faith I mustn't be afraid or doubt.

I'm not sure I agree with that anymore. If I can, I'd like to re-frame this account and offer another message- although please note, I'm not claiming what I write to be totally original!

Let's picture the scene. The disciples get into boat, as Jesus instructed, whilst He goes off to pray. It had got dark and the disciples were out on a boat in the sea and the worst happens- a storm starts to rage. Rain, high winds, boat sails flapping around, waves crashing in on the disciples. It wasn't until early morning, presumably the disciples had battled with this storm all night, that a figure appears on the water.

Let's pause here.

Who wouldn't be afraid? The storm is bad enough, but then to see a ghost like figure coming towards you on water- well, that might just finish me off. The disciples cry out in fear and 'immediately' as Matthew puts it, Jesus replies ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Jesus immediately reassures them that He is with them, He wastes no time in trying to comfort the disciples. As far we know 11 disciples say nothing, frozen with fear but Peter- brash, talk first think later, action over consideration, proposes a dangerous test to see whether it really is Jesus.

Peter walks out on the water and perhaps realising what he is doing, he begins to sink. Once again, Jesus 'immediately' reacts and reaches out to grab him. As Jesus gets him to the boat, the storm ceases and suddenly the disciples realise who Jesus is- the Son of God.

Two things i'd like us to consider:

Firstly, where else do we read about water and creation being tamed and controlled? Well, right back in Genesis 1:7, in the creation story, God controlled what was chaotic and pulled apart the water and land. And then later on with the story of Noah, God shakes up creation to start again. How did the disciples know Jesus was the Son of Man? Because, like God, like the Torah stories they would have known, Jesus was able to control the elements.

The account of Jesus walking on the water is, I think, far more about Jesus revealing himself as the Son of God, fully God and fully human, than it is about seemingly rebuking Peter. I wonder if we miss this because we know who Jesus is and read this account with that lens?

Secondly, the issue that Jesus and Peter have is not about Peter feeling fearful, it's about where fear leads him. Of course the disciples are scared! We've established it would be more strange to not be afraid. I think the issue is that Peter's fear leads to a mistrust in who Jesus is. Peter can't take Jesus' words of comfort at face value, out of fear, he questions who Jesus is and wants to have Jesus' identity proven to him so he has no doubt.

Gosh, isn't that relatable? When the going gets tough, I want certainty from God, I want to know a plan of what God is doing to get me out of the tough time. In my fear I forget a relationship with God is complex, deep and often full of juxtaposition. Yes, Jesus shows up in powerful and miraculous ways but He also in the Incarnation, showing up in subtle and quiet ways.

I wonder if Jesus says to Peter 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' not because it was wrong for Peter to be afraid and scared but because his doubt made him request a foolish mission. In other words Jesus says, 'I told you who I was, I told you I was here, why did you need to test?'

So for this this week, I wonder if we need to know that Jesus, who is the Son of Man, is with us. Even when it's hard to see or trust, Jesus says ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

Laura Verrall-Kelly

August 2023

Faith on the Mountain Top

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:30:05 GMT

Image: Augustin Kolawole Olayinka: The Transfiguration of Jesus (1997). From: missio-Kunstkalender 2002 no. 5 © missio Aachen.

SMR family,

I want to focus this week on the gospel reading which is Luke's account of the Transfiguration of Christ (Luke 9.28-36).

If you're anything like me, the transfiguration is one of those accounts that when you take a minute to consider and reflect, the harder it is to understand. It just seems so... crazy (for want of a better word!) Jesus goes up a mountain with some of his friends to pray when this miraculous experience happens. Luke is descriptive in his account; Jesus' face changes, flashing lights, a kind of angelic conversation between Moses, Elijah and Jesus and Jesus' clothes become bright. It sounds like a dream rather than reality, but then, we are encouraged this week to consider the miraculous power of God.

To be clear, I do believe this happened- but that doesn't mean I can't question it or even doubt it. However, the more I have reflected, the more I can identify moments in my own life that have been hard to explain. I've found things that I swore were lost forever, in times of need family or friends have given money when I hadn't asked, something has fallen into place when I didn't think it could and just when I have felt all hope was lost, I've heard something or seen something that allowed me to keep going. So maybe I do know God's miraculous power in my life?!

These moments, although smaller, are similar to what Peter, John and James experienced on the mountain with Jesus. Miraculous, powerful, encouraging and hard to explain or understand. But then, if we could explain everything about God and how God works- God wouldn't be God and faith would be a little pointless. There are moments in life and faith where are on the mountaintop, lost in wonder, awe and majesty - and we do well to stop and savour these moments.

I've not done lots of big mountain climbs in my life, but I have done a few. And anyone who has also done a climb will know that feeling when you get to the top and look out at an incredible vista in front of you- reminding you of just how beautiful and big our world is and pausing to drink in as much creation as you can. It's an incredible feeling.

Jesus' transfiguration was important for many reasons- it is the moment he shows his friends who He is, the Son of God, the Saviour. That He is both fully human and fully God. And for three of Jesus' friends to witness this- I can only imagine how special and awe-inspiring it was.

However, we know all too well that mountain-top experiences don't last forever- we have to come down at some point. We can desperately try and hold on to these experiences, trying to make them last longer. It's nice to be on the mountain top- right? Peter demonstrates this beautifully and I find it so relatable. He asks Jesus 'Can I build three shelters for you, Moses and Elijah, here on this mountain?' In other words, can I try and capture this moment and hold on to it and box it, so I don't have to go down the mountain?

But the disciples don't go back down the mountain alone, Jesus is with them. Even when we are coming back down from a high, in the everyday mundane life and even in the hard times, the good news is that Jesus is with us. As scholar Debie Thomas warns, “Desperate for the mountain, we miss the God of the valley, the conference room, the pharmacy, the school yard. The story of the transfiguration of Jesus loses its power if [the transfiguration] does not include that moment when Jesus and the disciples come down from the mountain.”

So, let's enjoy those amazing mountain top moments of faith but let's also try and notice God's glimmer of hope and love in the everyday.

Laura Verrall-Kelly

August 2023

Sermon on Sunday 30th July 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:53:13 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Small faith?

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 09:44:27 GMT

SMR family, it's lovely to be writing to you this week (you'll be stuck with me for the next few weeks!)

The lectionary readings for this Sunday are great- Romans 8: 26-39 and Matthew 13: 31-33,44-52 and whilst I don't want to give too many spoilers for my sermon on Sunday I am struck particularly by the parable of the mustard seed.

The image above is a helpful reminder of just how small a mustard seed is. Just one of those seeds, Jesus says, is like the Kingdom of heaven; if we have faith even as small as that, God can still use it to grow something much bigger, stronger and nutritious.

Here's what Jesus actually says:

‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds , but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. ’

I have been reminded this week, once again, that we are consistently invited into a topsy turvy, upside-down kind of faith. The kingdom of heaven isn't compared to a massive grand beautiful looking tree- or one of the biggest seeds that we might think are better. No, it's a tiny mustard seed - hard to see if it's on its own and hard to loose. Jesus is telling us again here that the first will be last, the least will be the greatest. Where we usually think bigger is better, God sees the small, the seemingly insignificant and chooses that to demonstrate God's love and 'power'.

This brings great comfort and relief to me. When I am feeling that my faith is small or even insignificant at times, God reminds me - and all of us- that it's enough. And, as the passage says, even more than enough! A small amount of faith becomes something more beautiful and greater when we offer it to God 'but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’

When we allow God to take the seemingly small offering we feel like we have, we forget that with growth, with love, it becomes something far bigger and better- and even a place where other's can come and share in that love and growth.

Feeling like you have little to offer or little faith? Take heart, the readings this week are to remind you and all of us, that it's good to offer something small because God can do something big and beautiful through our little offering.

Laura Verrall-Kelly

27 July 2023

Sermon on Sunday 23rd July 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 18:39:32 GMT

Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Mind the Gap

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:14:38 GMT

I don’t know if you found my argument last week about Jesus’ sense of humour convincing or not, but this week and last week have something in common which is worth pointing out.

Let’s start by noting the two bible references that we have for the two gospel readings: one for this coming Sunday and the one for last Sunday:

- last Sunday was Matthew 13.1-9,18-23

- this coming Sunday is Matthew 13.24-30,36-43

The first thing to note is that they follow on from one another. Last Sunday’s text ends with Jesus explaining the Parable of the Sower to his disciples, saying “ But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. ”

And this continues with our reading this coming Sunday with: “ Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field ”. This then leads into the Parable of (in old money) The Wheat and the Tares or (in new money) The Weeds in the Wheat.

It’s not clear who the “them” is in this context. Is it the crowd? T

This would make sense as the parables in this chapter of Matthew’s gospel are clearly told to the crowd (Parable of The Sower, of the Mustard Seed, of the Yeast, of the Treasure in the field, of the Pearl). However, the ending of last Sunday’s text is Jesus speaking privately with the disciples. We know this because (and this is where the common element between the two readings emerges) of the missing sections!

Last week verses 10-17 were left out.

This week we are not hearing verses 31-35 .

As many of you know, it’s not my decision to miss out these few verses. We follow the national church Lectionary, a word defined as “a book or a list of lections for reading in a divine service”, which doesn’t help much in understanding why certain passages are read and why certain parts are missed out.

For most people it’s enough to know that we are following the same list of readings as many other churches, both Anglican and other denominations, and that this is one of the ways we express the truth that we are one body across many divides as we read the same scripture in worship at the same time.

But this doesn’t help us with the commonality between last Sunday’s missing section (which is significant) and this Sunday’s (which is more inconsequential).

This Sunday the missing section has Jesus giving three other short parables to the crowd. We know they are to the crowd because it says so in verse 34. And that doesn’t really impact on the context of the second half of this Sunday’s gospel reading which starts “ Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field’ .”

Given the fact that Jesus, just 8 verses earlier, had to explain the parable to the Sower, you might forgive Jesus for feeling a little despondent with this best friends … but that’s for another day!

The significant thing is that last week’s gospel reading left us thinking that Jesus told the parable of the Sower and its explanation to the whole crowd – but he didn’t. In the missing section we read (from verse 10) Jesus tells his disciples “ To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given ”.

My point?

There’s been a lot of chat about Chat GTP, Open AI and other artificial intelligence this week all of which will add to the fake news, conspiracy theories and disinformation that circulate and permeate our public and personal news feeds. Learning to read between the lines and to see what is not there, to mind the gap, is necessary now more than ever and is a skill we would do well to bring to our bible study as to our news reading.

Dan Tyndall

21 July 2023

Sermon on Sunday 16th July 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:38:43 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

Mythical Beasties Family Trail

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:52:19 GMT

Find our beasties this summer!

Did you know that St Mary Redcliffe is full of superb stone carvings of wonderful beasties dating back to medieval times?

This summer, we've created a fun Mythical Beasties Trail for all the family! ��

Pick up a trail in church and start hunting the beasties!

It's free!

Jesus jokes

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:22:17 GMT

Don't let anyone ever convince you that Jesus is always serious. Granted, there are moments in the gospels when he is very serious: more often about money than anything else, despite the topics that we argue about on the basis that they matter greatly to Jesus. On a side note, it is worth correlating how much 21st century air time is given to any given topic against how many times the gospels have Jesus talking about the same subject. All too rarely do we spend our time in discussions and debates that were at the top of Jesus list of important topics, values or behaviours. But back to today's theme: Jesus jokes ..

The fundamental truth is that Jesus is a story teller. The gospels are peppered with stories that we, for some reason, possibly because we think of stories as fairy-tales of fantasy or obfuscations around the truth, call parables. But they are stories: the story of the Good Samaritan, the story of the Lost Coin, the story of the Sower.

These are accounts of events that happen on regularly, if not every day; but they are not accounts of an actual event. They are invented constructs to carry a message.

None of this is news to you, I'm sure. But, push that ability to tell stories one step further and it's not difficult to begin to accept that Jesus could spin a yarn or tell a joke. After all, all this happened a mere two thousand years ago which is but a drop in the ocean of time: human being haven't evolved much, if at all, since then. We can fly to the moon and fall in love with someone on the other side of the planet, but (as Shakespeare wrote 400 years ago) "If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die?"

We are, in essence, no different to the women and men gathered around Jesus hearing him tell the story of the Sower and the seed. And, I would imagine, at the end of the story there would have been a grown from the crowd as the realisation spread that he ended the story with a terrible pun: "Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!"

Comedians come in all shapes and sizes: not all of us find Victoria Wood funny; not all of us laugh with Alan Carr. You may not appreciate the jokes that Jesus tells, but for me it is another insight into both the humanity of Jesus and the nature of the divine who creates us, loves us and laughs with (and not at) us.

Dan Tyndall

14 July 2023

Sermon on Sunday 10th July 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:37:20 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

My yoke is easy; my burden is light

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 09:09:39 GMT

There is no suggestion from Jesus that there won't be a yoke and there won't be a burden. We set our sights on God in Christ, who calls us to walk in his ways and to carry his light into the darker parts of the world and even the darker places of our own lives. When we align our lives with the life of Jesus of Nazareth it is as if we take on the mantel of his calling, we are 'clothed with Christ', we live for him and with him and in him. When we share in the broken bread of communion we become the body of Christ.

We are tied to Christ and we bear the expectation of living for him. There is a yoke and there is a burden.

Too often too many people seek to make things better for others by denying the other's painful experience or downplaying the feelings those experiences leave behind. In other words, we are too good at colluding with a kind of kindness that isn't very kind.

True kindness is honest and sits with the pain and hurt that others feel rather than seeking to dismiss it or move on from it. It's totally understandable why we do this: we don't like the pain that we feel coming from the other person, we want to make the situation better, we want a life that is more comfortable than the one we experience in those moments of discomfort. We are, with the best will in the world, acting as if there is no yoke and there are no burdens.

Whilst it is totally understandable, it is not what Christ calls us towards. Rather, we would do well to accept the yoke and the burden. Only then, when we allow the yoke to sit on our shoulders, when we lean into the burdens we see, know and feel, then it will begin to emerge that, as Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light".

The Christian faith is not about taking away the pains, troubles and difficulties of life; nor is it about making our own way through life on our own for our own. The Christian faith calls us into community, names us as The Body. When we can inhabit that truth we begin to understand more the paradox of faith: the more we lean into the yoke, the more comfortable it sits; the more weight of the world we carry, the lighter the burden becomes.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Dan Tyndall

7 July 2023

Sermon on Sunday 2nd July 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 14:22:15 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 25th June 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 19:23:15 GMT

Preached by Sam Saeedipoor, Aid Box Community and the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 18th June 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 18 Jun 2023 16:32:42 GMT

A Conversation with Andy Carruthers, Community Development Officer at the Redcliffe Hub

Sermon on Sunday 11th June 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 11 Jun 2023 13:56:11 GMT

Preached by Laura from the Charity Beloved

SMR given permission to install new stained glass

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:54:02 GMT

We are delighted delighted to announce that permission has been given to install new stained glass panels to replace those commemorating the slave trader Edward Colston.

In his judgement, the Chancellor agreed that the original Victorian panels hinder the church from its mission of “ singing the song of faith and justice ”. The new panels, which depict Jesus “ in multiple ethnicities to counter the anglo-centric narrative of ‘white Jesus’ ” are designed by local doctor Ealish Swift. These are the first images of a non-white Jesus to be installed in St Mary Redcliffe Church and join two other windows which feature non-white characters.

Background

In June 2020 the statue of Colston was tipped into the harbour following the death of George Floyd in the USA. By then the church had already stopped using artefacts that were not aligned with its values of compassion, inclusivity and justice. The Victorian glass that was removed quoted Colston’s family motto of "Go thou and do likewise". The quote comes from the end of the story of the Good Samaritan which is pictured in the main window. The new panels will also have a quote from the same story: And who is my neighbour? Each of the four new panels encourage the viewer to consider that question for themselves.

Who was Edward Colston?

Edward Colston was a senior figure in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans. He made his fortune trading in human suffering. Accordingly, the presence of a memorial to Colston has been described by the Chancellor in his judgement as, “ not only grotesque but entirely contrary to the Gospel command to love one another ”.

Colston was philanthropic towards Bristol but there is no evidence to suggest that his philanthropy arose from any sense of regret or penitence. As a slave trader and senior official in the Royal African Company from 1680 to 1692, he is estimated to have been involved in the transportation of over 84,000 slaves from West Africa to the Caribbean and Americas.

St Mary Redcliffe’s stained-glass design competition

During 2021, the church ran an open competition for four new designs to replace the four panels of glass that commemorated Colston. The purpose of the competition was to:

· help us remember and reconcile with our past

· enable everyone to encounter the gospel

· promote a sense of hope in our shared future

St Mary Redcliffe requested creative and imaginative designs that reflected the question that prompted Jesus to tell the story – ‘Who is my neighbour?’ The designs also needed to work well within the whole window and complement the architecture of this area of the church.

Dozens of people from a variety of backgrounds entered the competition and five shortlisted designs were displayed during an exhibition that took place at St Mary Redcliffe during the summer of 2021. Members of the public were invited to provide feedback on the five designs and their comments were included in the decision-making process.

The winning entry

Local Junior Doctor Ealish Swift won the competition with four designs that referred to Bristol’s rich multicultural past and present.

On winning the competition, Ealish said:

" I am deeply honoured that my design has been chosen for this wonderful space that means so much to me. I'm thrilled that my design seemed to resonate so much with the local community and I hope everyone will come to visit to see the final piece and experience everything this wonderful church, and community, has to offer! "

Permission to install the designs

In order to actually install the new windows, the church had to get permission from The Consistory Court of The Diocese of Bristol.

As part of its submission of evidence the church presented information about Edward Colston and made the case that continued commemoration of a slave-trader though stained glass containing the phrase ‘go thou and do likewise’ was inappropriate.

In his judgement Justin Gau, Chancellor of the Diocese of Bristol, stated that:

“ The Church of England and the historical behaviour of this parish Church in excusing the life of Colston have a journey of repentance to make. To excuse or ignore the slave trade is a sin. To encourage parishioners to look at a memorial to a slave trader and to be encourage to ‘Go thou and do likewise’ is not only grotesque but entirely contrary to the Gospel command to love one another… ”

A significant step forward

The ruling marks an important step in St Mary Redcliffe’s journey towards becoming a church that is welcoming to all members of the community, regardless of ethnicity, creed, gender or sexual identity and in realising it’s missional aspiration to sing the song of faith and justice.

These aspirations are central to St Mary Redcliffe’s multi-million pound facilities development initiative, Project 450, which will create significant new visitor, exhibition and community spaces around this nationally significant church. The church hopes to welcome around 100,000 visits in 2023.

The Vicar of St Mary Redcliffe, Canon Dan Tyndall says:

“ The toppling of Edward Colston turned an international spotlight onto Bristol and its entangled history profiting, as it most certainly did, from human trafficking. The opportunity to reimagine how we can tell the story of the Good Samaritan was grasped enthusiastically by the church. By then we had already laid aside a cope with a Moor’s Head symbol, a modern nativity set had been commissioned to replace a staid Victorian model and we had welcomed the artist collective alldaybreakfast with their installation on journeys, helping us reflect on both modern and historic slavery. As part of our response we have grown our social action programme and now run Redcliffe Community Hub in a local shop unit, providing information, advice, clinics and, throughout the winter, a warm space in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country. "

Dan Tyndall

7 June 2023

Sermon on Sunday 4th June 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 13:23:24 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Assistant Priest

Sermon on Sunday 28th May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 29 May 2023 10:48:15 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman, Curate

The Rush Service Sermon on Sunday 28th May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 29 May 2023 10:47:55 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on Sunday 21st May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:21:07 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Fever Up Candlelit Concerts

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 23 May 2023 09:42:27 GMT

A regular series of atmospheric concerts featuring string quartets from around the country.

Concerts take place on Saturdays through the year.

For concert information and tickets click here

Bristol Bach Choir

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 23 May 2023 09:00:10 GMT

Celebration of British Music

Saturday 17 June 7:30pm

Featuring

David Bednall – Conductor – Nigel Nash – Accompanist

Programme

Byrd – Ad Dominum cum Tribularer ;In Felix Ego

Handel – Coronation Anthem: My heart is inditing ; The King shall Rejoice

Finzi – Magnificat

Finzi & Bednall – Nunc dimittis

Parry – Blest Pair of Sirens

Britten – Rejoice in the Lamb

Howells – Behold O God our defender

Rush Sunday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 22 May 2023 10:18:14 GMT

An ancient civic tradition

Rush Sunday is one of the highlights of Bristol's civic calendar, upholding a tradition which goes back over 500 years.

Rush Sunday 2023 will take place on Sunday 28 May.

If you would like to attend this year's service, please order via the button below or email us at:

parish.office@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Sermon on Ascension day 18th May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Fri, 19 May 2023 09:54:35 GMT

Preached by the Revd Becky Waring, Area Dean of Bristol South Deanery

That they may be one

Thu, 18 May 2023 10:30:53 GMT

One of the great coronation anthems, Parry's "I was glad", builds to significant moment when the choir sings

Jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity in itself.

The words of that anthem are taken from Psalm 122 which was probably written about a thousand years before the birth of Jesus. Jerusalem was not at unity in itself then, and three thousand years later that city remains more a symbol of division and conflict than unity and peace.

The yearning for unity, named by the psalmist and prayed for still, is central to our understanding of our faith: and not just the unity of Jerusalem.

In Sunday's gospel reading ( John 17. 1- 11 ) Jesus is speaking with his disciples at the Last Supper. Shortly, they will leave the upper room and head across the Kidron valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. In that garden we will witness, not just an act of betrayal, but evidence that even Jesus' closest friendship group was not "at unity in itself" when Judas approaches Jesus with a "detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees ... with lanterns and torches and weapons".

Some people probably get disheartened when pondering our inability to enjoy unity with one another. There is certainly a lot of disunity about which is very disheartening: in UK politics, in world conflicts, in climate change and, of course, closer to home in the Church of England. Whilst the House of Bishops has approved the idea of prayers and blessings for same sex unions, many of our Anglican sisters and brothers are outraged: some because this is a step too far and others because it doesn't go far enough!

Whatever our differences, wherever we see evidence of disunity, there is one place that symbolises that unity which is the will and the gift God has for us - and its cost. That is at Communion.

When the president ... we use that term now to demonstrate that the priest at the altar is not a pair of 'magic hands' but someone presiding over the prayers of the whole people of God gathered in that church

When the president holds up the large wafer and snaps it into two and then into smaller pieces, these words are often said:

We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.

Though we are many, we are one body,

because we all share in one bread.

Beyond the distinctions of class, colour, income, status, race, language, skills, gender, sexuality, favourite flavour ice-cream

... beyond all those distinctions and divisions which we have created over centuries and perpetuate every day

... beyond all that "we are one body because we share in one bread"

And we can only do that when and because the bread is broken.

Our unity in Christ comes at a cost: and we see the price of that cost in the broken body on the cross.

If that is the cost of our unity in Christ, it's not surprising that it is hard to pay the price of being "a city that is at unity with itself" - let alone a nation, a world, a creation, a cosmos!

Dan Tyndall

18 May 2023

Lunchtime at Redcliffe

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 18 May 2023 10:04:39 GMT

Free Organ Recitals

Thursday 18 May - Thursday 6 July

1:00pm - 1:50pm

Thu 8 June – Will Walshe-Grey (St Mary Redcliffe) programme

Thu 15 June – Elin Davies (St Mary Redcliffe) programme

Thu 22 June – Marc Murray (Bury/Bolton) programme

Thu 29 June – Callum Alger (Wolverhampton) programme

Thu 6 July – George Castle (Winchester) programme

Sermon on Sunday 14th May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 14 May 2023 15:35:50 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Sermon on the 7th May 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 14 May 2023 15:35:40 GMT

Preached by Canon Stephen Spencer, Associate Minister

If you love me

Fri, 12 May 2023 09:03:42 GMT

For those who like their church music traditional, there is a fair chance that you hear those words to the music of the 16th century English composer Thomas Tallis. For those who don't, click here to hear the sublime anthem he wrote 500 years ago.

It is both totally unsurprising and utterly astonishing how much we take of ourselves into our understanding of life ... and, given that this blog comes from a priest, our faith. We cannot extract ourselves from our past. We cannot hear these words without all the subliminal messages welling up within us. We are not empty vessels waiting to be filled with the Good News of God in Christ.

Acknowledging this truth is significant. It helps us realise that we are seeing the world (and our faith) through our own unique lens. Then it becomes a matter of choice for each of us to decide whether to make space for new insights.

Philip Wilby is a contemporary British composer who used to live here in Bristol before moving north a decade ago. There is no way that he was unaware of the Tallis anthem, how beautiful it is and how loved it is. Yet, knowing all that, he chose to enter that space and, through his own composition which you can listen to here , opened up new insights into this text.

These gorgeous anthems reveal two things:

that there is always more for us to experience, to take into ourselves and to allow ourselves to be shaped by; and
that we have to decide, either to embrace the new knowing that we will be reshaped by it, or to ignore the new and to hold fast to our current shape that we know, trust and love.

C.S. Lewis challenges that final option as not being an option at all. In his book 'The Four Loves' he not only acknowledges the potential cost of choosing to embrace the new, but he also warns of the impact of holding fast to our current shape:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

Sometimes when I'm talking the families about funerals they are having to plan, and especially if I get to talk with young people, I offer them a range of coins from my pocket. With some pennies, ten pence pieces and a two pound coin, I ask them to choose a coin which they can keep. Not surprisingly the highest value coin is the one selected. This opens up a conversation about the value of the love they have experienced with the person who has died. I then ask them to turn the coin over and we talk about the fact that life, like the coin, has two sides. The highest value coin represents both the greatest experience of love and deepest experience of grief. For myself, I conclude, I would rather choose life with love and grief over a life without either grief or love ... that is an experience of life truly to be spared.

"If you love me" says Jesus "you will keep my commandments".

These are not the words that either Tallis or Wilby set to music. Both of them omitted the two simple words "you will". The music we know so well, has Jesus making a suggesting or asking us a question: If you love me, keep my commandments. The text is more blunt and is, in itself, a commandment: If you love, you will keep my commandments.

It is the choice of each of us, to decide whether to make space for that difference.

Dan Tyndall

12 May 2023

Annual Meetings 2023

Fri, 05 May 2023 14:04:24 GMT

The Annual Meetings will be held on Monday 22 May in Church at 7.30pm

All the papers you will need can be downloaded here:

Celebrating the Coronation

Fri, 05 May 2023 12:54:06 GMT

Celebrations at SMR this weekend

Saturday Afternoon

Community groups have joined forces with local firms to host a afternoon of food, sports, games, bouncy castle and music. Everyone welcome to Somerset Square from 1.00pm

Sunday

The 10.30 Sung Eucharist will be a celebration of the Coronation. Dan Tyndall is presiding, Stephen Spencer is preaching and Children's Church will be taking the song written especially for the coronation and "creatively expressing their responses!" And there will be cake!

Monday

We are launching a new Children's Guide to SMR called 'Powerful People!' An opportunity to follow a trail exploring the influential individuals that have shaped the history of St Mary Redcliffe, learn fun facts and answer questions on the way.

Sermon on Sunday 30th April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Tue, 02 May 2023 09:03:12 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar

Vacancies

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:55:35 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol

a landmark building and a thriving, inclusive church making a positive difference at the heart of vibrant Bristol

Children’s and Families Minister & Youth Minister

We seek enthusiastic, skilled and creative individuals to fulfil both our Children’s and Families Minister and our Youth Minister roles. The individuals will continue our amazing established ministry, as well as pioneer new initiatives to take us to new places.

Join a strong staff team with high ambition to enact our vision of ‘singing the song of faith and justice.’

The Children’s and Families Minister post is 15 hours per week, FTE £28,325.

The Youth Minister post is 7.5 hours a week, FTE £28,325.

If applicant is successful in developing youth work at SMR we will seek, with the Youth Minister, to secure extra funding from external sources for more hours

More info and application packs : www.stmaryredliffe.org.uk

Informal Conversation: laura.verrall-kelly@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Applications to be sent to: jobs@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Closing date: Friday 19 May 2023 at 12 noon

Familiarisation and Interviews: by arrangement

Downloadable documents:

The Children’s and Families Minister

Youth Minister Job Pack

Application Form

Please note, if you feel able to fulfill both roles there is an opportunity to combine them. Please indicate this after ‘Position applied for’ on the top of the application form.

The abundance of life

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:40:13 GMT

John 10.10, the last verse of Sunday's gospel, is one of those iconic bible references, like John 3.16. It's interesting to note how people refer to these verses, how they put them to use, often to support a pre-formed theory or position. Who was it who coined the phrase: a text without context is little more than a pre-text?

John 10.10 is that famous line: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly". And who could suggest that, when Jesus offers us life in abundance, we might sneer at the offer. However, this phrase bears a little more investigation.

Immediately before we read "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly".

This raises two further thoughts. First, who are 'they'? The passage is all about sheep who follow their shepherd; sheep who come into the sheepfold by the gate; sheep who know the voice of the shepherd. Secondly, what is the 'life' that Jesus promises. The passage makes it clear that the sheep are protected from "thieves and bandits" who "steal and kill and destroy".

All too often, it seems to me, this phrase of Jesus is used to confirm some soundbite theology that all those who are in the sheepfold are - or should be - protected from sadness, grief, loss and pain: 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'. The theory goes that faithful sheep will be wrapped up in some kind of Christian cotton wool, cocooned from the unhappier realities of life.

I don't think that is what Jesus is saying. There is an offer of protection from malice and evil. But even this is figurative and doesn't seek to deny the truths that we all know and experience ... that some people do do bad things. So, for me, this is in the same realm as the words of the Lord's Prayer when we pray "deliver us from evil".

The shepherd image is well known throughout the Hebrew and Christian scripture. Maybe the most emblematic passage which informs our understanding of the Lord being our shepherd is Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd, therefore can I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.

He shall refresh my soul and guide me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

A delightful, comforting, idyllic image of the Lord as our shepherd. But - as I'm sure many have spotted - that's not the whole psalm; that's not the whole message; that's not the whole theology.

Again, we are in danger of falling prey to soundbite theology.

It is in the two missing lines that the roundedness of human existence - "the abundance of life", if you like - is acknowledged:

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You spread a table before in the presence of those who trouble me; you have anointed my head with oil and my cup shall be full.

Dan Tyndall

28 April 2023

Sermon on Sunday 23rd April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 23:47:01 GMT

Preached by Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Sermon on the 16 April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 22 Apr 2023 14:17:41 GMT

Preached by Canon Stephen Spencer, Associate Minister

Hogarth Exhibition

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 13:05:34 GMT

Bristol's Hidden Treasure: Hogarth's Redcliffe Altarpiece ( with Artist in Residence Eleanor Jane Lee)

Monday 24 April - Wednesday 11 October

In 1755, St Mary Redcliffe Vestry commissioned William Hogarth, the most famous artist in England, to paint a vast tripartite altarpiece to decorate the east end of the church.

The commission marked the culmination of a 50-year process of internal beautification that had begun in 1709.

This exhibition tells the story of the altarpiece in the context both of the church's C18th renovation and Hogarth's career.

It all charts the Victorian removal of the paintings and their subsequent history, and provides information about the church's plans to rehouse the work in a purpose-built new gallery as part of its facilities development initiative Project 450 .

Artist in Residence - Eleanor Jane Lee

During the final weeks of the exhibition, artist, congregation member and volunteer Eleanor will be in church talking to visitors about Hogarth's altarpiece and her own practice based on the work. She will also be exhibiting sketches that have been produced in response to Hogarth's work.

Eleanor will be in residence on the following dates:

Friday 19th September
Saturday 30th September
Sun 1st October (12.30-4pm)
Mon 2nd - Friday 6th October (10am-5pm)

Eleanor has produced written information to accompany her residency, including exhibition notes and a handout .

Feel free to approach Eleanor if you have any questions about Hogarth, the altarpiece or her won work. She will be sketching while in residence and is very happy to talk to visitors about the exhibition, Hogarth's work, art in general and creative practice.

Road to Emmaus

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 18:24:18 GMT

There are a number of ways of entering into Sunday's gospel story. The one I want to explore this week is that of 'every road being an Emmaus Road'.

It seems to me that there is a cultural thing going on at the moment by which we spend our lives waiting for 'the big one', for the revelation of some kind of mysterious truth, for the moment of radical transformation. And I don't deny that some people, some times, have some such moments.

Preachers often mention John Wesley's moment when "I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ." But many people, myself included, have never had such a heart warming moment; we have never encountered Christ in the way that Saul (or Paul) did on the Road to Damascus. Despite that, because of our teaching or our upbringing or the way the church / world is around us, we accept that we have been taught to think about the great revelation or nurtured to yearn for that special moment when God, in Christ, meets us in our humanity.

As I say, that is some people's experience and I am delighted for them to have had that experience. But this is not a zero-sum game whereby what one person doesn't experience is, in some way, a reflection of a lesser faith or a more shallow relationship with Jesus of Nazareth. What if we looked at this Sunday's gospel narrative as a way in to seeing every road as a road to Emmaus, every journey as pathway to the deeper faith, every shared meal as a moment of deepest communion?

If this is a novel concept for you, you might like to start to contemplate your journey to church on Sunday (or Wednesday!) as a road to Emmaus. After all, it will reach it fulfilment in the breaking of bread in the same way that it did two thousand years ago. And, along the way, we will have the scriptures opened to us as it was then. And, after we have encountered Christ in the broken bread and the spilt wine, we will leave changed forever: having participated in the bread and the wine, having seen and touched and tasted Christ incarnate, we can never be the same as we were before.

This is where the deficiency of every analogy emerges! For in Sunday's account the two people are so excited they turn round and head back in the direction they came from.

Today, for us, after our road to Emmaus encounter, we journey on with the Good News of the resurrected Christ in our hearts and on our lips:

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Dan Tyndall

20 April 2023

Sermon on Easter Day 9th April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 15:23:13 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Sermon on Maundy Thursday 6th April 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 09:09:02 GMT

Preached by Laura Verrell-Kelly, Associate Vicar

The Passion Gospel 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 16:28:03 GMT

New Paragraph

Sermon on Sunday 26th March 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 13:06:52 GMT

Preached by Canon Stephen Spencer, Associate Minister

Sermon on Sunday 19th March 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 15:50:10 GMT

Preached by Becky James, Ordinand

Lazarus from Bethany

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:14:25 GMT

We have a long passage set for our gospel reading on Sunday: 45 verses of chapter 11 of John's gospel. It recounts the importance of the relationship between Jesus and Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha; it tells us of Lazarus' illness and death; and we hear Jesus' weeping at the tomb and calling Lazarus out from death.

But it is so much more than a narrative around friendship, loss and hope. In these verses we hear the Jesus of John's gospel declaring that Lazarus' illness will not lead to death to but to God's glorification. We learn that Jesus might be considered to be stubborn when, despite having love for Mary and Martha, he stayed two more days where he was: presumably to ensure that Lazarus would be in the tomb by the time he gets there. There is, yet again, as is so often throughout John's gospel, an echo of the great prologue about darkness and light. Here Jesus tells those around him: those who walk in light do not stumble, but those who walk at night stumble because the light is not in them.

There are the disciples who need to have the information conveyed to them in plain language; there are the sisters who are angry with Jesus for not coming sooner; there are tears, there is grief, there is love. The humanity of Christ runs throughout this passage. And not just Jesus' perception of his own humanity but how his humanity is known and embraced by others and how he relates to others in very human ways.

And still there is more. There is teaching about the beliefs they (and we) hold; there is affirmation of faith that is explained; and there is an assertion by Jesus of who he is beyond his humanity: I am the resurrection and the life, he says.

In this more complex language, John describes wrestling with the hope that was expected to be found within the divinity of Christ ("Couldn't he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying"); there is what might be an assertion of the truth of his divinity ("If you had been here my brother would not have died"); and there is Jesus' declaration of his role and purpose which culminates in the cry "Lazarus, come out".

And Lazarus emerged from tomb, bound with strips of cloth.

And in this moment two of John's central theological themes come to life:

* Lazarus walks from darkness into light

* Lazarus is unbound and set free.

Dan Tynda ll

23 March 2023

Vale Royal: Poetry Reading

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 13:05:45 GMT

Saturday 20 May 6:00pm

St Mary Redcliffe Undercroft

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Celebrated poet Aidan Andrew Dun reads selections from his epic poem, Vale Royal , featuring Bristol's C18th literary prodigy Thomas Chatterton.

Aidan spent a fantastical childhood and adolescence in the West Indies and knew his calling for poetry from an early age.

Returning to London as a teenager to live with his inspirational grandmother, dancer Marie Rambert, he attended Highgate School but left without A-levels after taking (perhaps too seriously) the role of the rebel-chieftan Aufidius in Coriolanus.

After several years travelling the world with a guitar Aidan was drawn back to London to explore the psychogeography of Kings Cross, magnet to other visionaries before him. Vale Royal (published by Goldmark, 1995) written and recited in the form of a quest, dreams of transforming an urban wasteland into a transcultural zone of canals at the heart of London.

Vale Royal was launched to critical acclaim at the Royal Albert Hall and earned AAD the title Voice of Kings Cross. In following years AAD has recited at the Royal Festival Hall, the Ledbury, Cheltenham, and Swindon literary festivals.

Vale Royal features the Bristol-born literary prodigy Thomas Chatterton, who was inspired by the gothic grandeur of St Mary Redcliffe to write a body of faux medieval verse that he claimed was written by a C15th monk named Rowley.

During this special literary evening, part of a series of events and activities held at the church to commemorate the bicentenary of Chatterton's early death in 1770 , Aidan will be reading the Chatterton sections from Cycle Two of Vale Royal .

An enduring mystical epic has been added to our literature .

Michael Moorcock

He has an extraordinary sense of the past. He's one of those people, along with Blake and Chatterton, who are like a divining rod for history. Peter Ackroyd

New Visitor Services and Commercial Manager

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:20:25 GMT

James Rodliff, Head of Operations, writes:

I can finally formally announce our new appointment for Visitor Experience and Commercial Manager! Ellie Bowes will be starting with us on the first week of April. I asked her for a bio to share and this is what she wrote:

Hello Everyone! My name's Ellie Bowes and I am excited to take up the post of Visitor Experience and Commercial Manager for St Mary Redcliffe. I have been working in Visitor Experience specifically within Heritage sites for the last 10 years, starting my career at the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust.

Since then I have developed my skills at the SS Great Britain, the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey managing large teams of staff and volunteers, growing donations and income and delivering visitor experience improvements.

I am passionate about making history and heritage more accessible and using additional income to go back into supporting the local community.

Personally I am energetic, friendly and dedicated. In my spare time I love to hike, travel, paint and I've recently taken up climbing (what I lack in skill I make up for in enthusiasm!) I am due to start in early April.

Greatly looking forward to meeting you all. Best wishes, Ellie,

South Porch Works

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:24:24 GMT

Music and Readings for Passion Sunday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 15:05:30 GMT

Sunday 26 March 5.30-6.30pm

A special service for Passion Sunday featuring saxophonist Christian Forshaw, choir and organ.

The choir items accompanied by saxophone include:

O Nata Lux – Thomas Tallis

Drop drop slow tears – Orlando Gibbons

Psalm 121 – Walford Davies

Te Lucis ante terminum – Thomas Tallis

The Reproaches – Andrew Kirk

There will also be hymns for Passiontide for everyone to sing.

NOTE: This event will not be live streamed

Book free tickets via Eventbrite here

Sermon on Sunday 12th March 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 20:34:56 GMT

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Andrew Kirk Farewell Recital

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 10:27:06 GMT

Thursday 23 March 1:00pm-1:50pm

Andrew Kirk has been Director of Music and Organist at St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol for 20 years. He has responsibility for several choirs at the church. He regularly gives recitals on the famous four manual 1912 Harrison and Harrison pipe organ. He recorded an organ CD Redcliffe Restored which received a Gramophone Award. In the past 5-10 years, his recitals have included Coventry, Derby, Leicester, Blackburn, Gloucester, Llandaff Cathedrals, Tewkesbury Abbey, St Mary’s Warwick and Temple Church, London.

He was previously Director of Music at St John’s Church, Ranmoor, Sheffield where he directed two choirs. Andrew has also taught class music at three secondary schools, including Lady Manners School, Bakewell. He has been an external consultant for the appointment of Directors of Music in some of the larger churches in the UK.

Born and educated in Leicester, he won an Organ Scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford where he studied organ with David Sanger. He spent two years in Western Australia as Assistant Organist at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Perth. He holds the FRCO Diploma, gaining the Turpin and Durrant prizes for organ playing.

At the end of April 2023 Andrew is leaving his position as Director of Music at St Mary Redcliffe Church. His final services are on Sunday 30 April; you are warmly invited to attend Choral Evensong at 5.30pm.

A message from Andrew:

It’s with a great mixture of emotions that I am leaving St Mary Redcliffe after 20 fulfilling and rewarding years here. It’s now the right time for a change and to pass on the baton to someone else. I will be staying in the Bristol / North Somerset area for the time being, to pursue a freelance musical career in organ playing, and also accompanying and directing choirs.

It’s been an enormous privilege to have been custodian of this marvellous Harrison & Harrison organ –one of the finest instruments in the UK. I have many happy memories over the past two decades of the Thursday concerts and the players who bring this wonderful instrument to life and make it sing! Thank you for your support of these organ concerts over the years, and please continue to support the concerts next term and beyond.

Programme

Fanfare – Percy Whitlock

Suite Modale – Flor Peeters

Koraal-Scherzo-Adagio-Toccata

Andantino in Db – Edwin Lemare

Fantasia in F minor – W A Mozart

Largo, Allegro, Aria and Two Variations on a theme

by Michael Festing, arranged by George Thalben-Ball

Finlandia – Jean Sibelius

Licensing of Laura Verrall-Kelly

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 15:26:34 GMT

Wednesday's service of Welcome and Licensing of Laura Verrall-Kelly was marvellous. We were delighted to see people from St Martin's Knowle, where Laura served her curacy, St Luke's Brislington, where she has been curate-in-charge for the last few months, and friends of hers and her husband Jack from across the city and beyond.

As well as people in church, thanks to the wonders of our live streaming, we also had about 40 screens 'on' throughout the service. So a great gathering of people in church and across the ether, praying with and for Laura as she starts her time with us.

The service was led by Bishop Lee, in probably his last visit to SMR before he retires as Bishop of Swindon at the end of April, and the sermon was preached by the Archdeacon of Bristol Neil Warwick.

Lots of SMR people helped in various ways, including most of the young people who made up the Youth Panel which interviewed the candidates for the post back at the end of November. The service included a procession around the church to various points of symbolic importance where Laura confirmed her commitment to ministry and we dedicated ourselves to share in that ministry with her.

After the service refreshments were served so that we could meet people from other churches and offer a hand of friendship and fellowship to those we were getting to know.

Laura said of the evening: "It was really affirming and exciting." And who could disagree with that!

You can watch the whole service here

Sermon on Wednesday 8th March 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 21:45:32 GMT

Preached by the Venerable Neil Warwick, Archdeacon of Bristol

Sermon on Sunday 5th March 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 19:44:16 GMT

Given by Emma Harvey from Bristol Law Centre

Nicodemus comes to Jesus

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 16:31:32 GMT

It is often the last but one line that gets the attention of Sunday's gospel reading. It is a significant line of scripture in its own right. Moreover, for a sizeable portion of society, it was made hugely significant when brought into John Stainer's 'Crucifixion'. A quintessentially English Victorian hymn tune of haunting simplicity conveying the cost of the cross, borne by Jesus "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

What is not so often discussed is the context of this declaration. It is in John's gospel, where, from the very start, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it. Nicodemus is the character that seeks out Jesus. Nicodemus is a Pharisee, part of those who looked to the oral tradition - to stories handed down from generation to generation - to pass on truths about God and the place of humanity in the world. We know he comes to Jesus 'by night' because the teachings of the young rabbi are not greeted favourably by his colleagues.

At night, Nicodemus is presented with a very different story: to gain access to the kingdom of God is not about leaning on and learning from stories of past generations and former glories. Instead he is called to believe that the kingdom of God is open to all those who are born from above. Whatever is "above" cannot be part of our past. The requirement is to lean into and rely on a future yet unknown; to lean into and rely on that which will be rather than that which has been; to lean into and rely on a story that is being written now and in the future, a story with each one of us as its central character, not a recitation of someone else's story which had someone else as the central character.

And there is one more thing we know about Nicodemus. We don't know where he went after this encounter with Jesus. We don't know how we managed his relationships with his Pharisee colleagues. But we do know that these words of Jesus had a significant impact on him. This encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus takes place in chapter 3 of John's gospel. Fast forward sixteen chapters and Nicodemus makes one more appearance in John's gospel. With Jesus dead on the cross, Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate for permission to take away the body. Pilate gives this permission and Joseph removed Jesus' body.

Then we read: "Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there."

It was probably night time the second time Nicodemus came to Jesus, as it was the first time. And the difference? The first time Nicodemus came with questions. The second time he came with gifts. And on both occasions, one of them shone the light in the darkness for the other and the darkness did not have the last word.

Dan Tyndall

3 March 2023

Sermon on Sunday 26th February 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 13:44:13 GMT

Preached by Becky James, Ordinand

Sermon on Ash Wednesday 22nd February 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 11:42:44 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Gesualdo Six in Concert

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:20:53 GMT

The Canynges Society presents Gesualdo Six in Concert

The Canynges Society Presents

THE GESUALDO SIX: LUX AETERNA

St Mary Redcliffe Church

Wednesday 19 April 7.30pm

Tickets £20 and £15 via Eventbrite

A poignant, hopeful sequence of music commemorating the departed.

Grief touches all of us at some point during our lives, affecting each person in different ways.

The music in this programme is intended to illustrate some of these emotions, exploring musical responses to mourning and loss. In broad terms, we focus in on three perspectives: uncertainty, acknowledgement and hope. If you like, this is a sequence for the

souls of the departed, to be heard by those who remember them.

Cristóbal de Morales Parce mihi Domine

John Tavener Funeral Ikos

Orlande de Lassus Libera me, Domine

William Byrd Peccantem me quotidie

Thomas Tallis In jejunio et fletu

Howard Skempton And there was war in heaven

Donna McKevitt Lumen (Nunc Dimittis)

Owain Park Sequence: In Parenthesis

Eleanor Daley In remembrance

Cristóbal de Morales Lux aeterna (Communio)

Richard Rodney Bennett A Good-Night

Approximate duration: 1 hour 10 minutes

Sermon on Sunday 19th February 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 19:34:53 GMT

Preached by the Revd Canon Dan Tyndall

Waymarks on the Christian journey

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:28:12 GMT

The Christian life is a journey

* from darkness to light,

* from isolation, alienation, injustice, fear, environmental destruction, rootlessness, lack of purpose, lack of confidence;

to being connected with others in community, finding purpose, pursuing justice, caring for creation, discovering gifts and callings, gaining confidence and independence, finding grace in life and death.

It is a journey into the faith, hope and love of God’s kingdom.

But how can we find our way along it? There are so many distractions and hindrances that get in the way. It is easy to be knocked off course, to become preoccupied, to lose the vision and a sense of direction.

This course is all about paying attention to a number of waymarks that point the way. Like walkers who depend on piles of stones or other landmarks to find their way through wild landscapes, so the Bible and the Church in its worship and wider life provide us with a set of signs that point towards God’s kingdom and help us move forward in the company of others. But these waymarks are not just signposts to look at – they are lived experiences that help us not only see the way forward but know and feel it in our lives in positive ways. They can be described as Marks of Mission i.e. marks of Christ’s mission of telling and living the grace of the Kingdom of God.

In the Anglican Communion five of these marks have been highlighted and widely summarised with a word beginning with ‘T ’ -

- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom – Tell

- To teach, baptise and nurture new believers – Teach

- To respond to human need by loving service – Tend

- To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation – Transform

- To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, and sustain and renew the life of the earth - Treasure

www.anglicancommunion.org/mission/marks-of-mission.aspx

This course explores these ‘Five Marks of Mission’. It includes some bible study, of the early chapters of Mark’s gospel, to the waymarks in Christ’s mission, and then looks at the different ways they are expressed in the life of the church especially in the liturgy of the Eucharist. Finally it asks us to explore how each Mark of Mission might be more intentionally expressed in our own lives.

Stephen Spencer

February 2023

Lent Appeal - Bristol Law Centre

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:54:50 GMT

You may think everyone has access to free legal advice when they need it – but sadly you are wrong. Paying for legal advice is out of the reach of many of those most disadvantaged in our society, who need to understand their rights and challenge decisions affecting them and their families.

Bristol Law Centre is a local charity providing free legal advice in social welfare law including housing & homelessness, immigration & asylum, welfare benefits, mental health, employment & discrimination. We prevent poverty, keep people in jobs and homes, reinstate benefits, keep families together, give people independence and dignity. We enable people to understand their rights and challenge decisions.

“I had no idea what to do about them stopping my benefits ….
If Law Centre have not helped me I would lost my home and be crazy now. Thank you so much for saving me.”

We help over 1,200 people a year access justice. We represent clients in court – ‘the other side’ being well resourced – without representation people are often unable to uphold their rights and get on with their lives.

We also help more than 3,000 enquirers, working closely with other charities, support organisations, community organisations and others to promote equality and justice. Most recently we have worked with the council, mental health charities and Hubs like the one here, to improve both understanding of rights and access to advice via community spaces.

The need for legal advice has never been greater and we are reliant on funding from trusts & foundations and from donations like yours. Thank you.

Karen Bowers

CEO, Bristol Law Centre

This is my beloved

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:39:45 GMT

At the top of a high mountain, Jesus, Peter, James and John have an encounter with God that we call The Transfiguration. It is this part of Matthew's gospel that we are having this Sunday. Jesus clothes become dazzling white and his face shines like the sun: he is transfigured.

This is not dissimilar to Moses' experience. He too went up a mountain and encountered God: but whereas Moses face reflected the glory of God, Jesus' face shone like the sun. Peter, as is so often the way with Peter, tries very hard to do the right thing ... either that or, as one commentator puts it, "said perhaps the first thing that came into his mind". He wants to build three shelters: one for Jesus, the other two for Moses and Elijah who made their presence felt in this mountaintop moment. Again, it wasn't shelters that covered them but a cloud, like the cloud that filled the Tent of Meeting and Holy Place in Solomon's Temple.

Then, from out of the cloud, just like at the baptism of Jesus 13 chapters before, the voice of God is heard saying once again: "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" Actually, it's not quite the same thing. God expands on the original statement. God turns it from a declaration to an instruction. From "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased" to "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"

Maybe I'm reading too much into those three extra words. But in those 13 chapters we've had Jesus calling people to follow him, with some following and some not; we've had Jesus teaching and healing people; we've heard difficult questions being asked of him; some people have started to demand signs and wonders from him; John the Baptist has been put to death; and, most recently, Jesus has started talking plainly about the suffering he must endure and the death he has to face in Jerusalem.

"Listen to him" God adds at the Transfiguration. All too often, we are keen to be grateful for the comfort that Christ brings, keen to accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit, keen to rest in the love of God. All that is there: ours for the asking and the taking. There is nothing we have to prove to know that comfort, that guidance and that love. But there is more to the Christian faith than that.

If we "listen to him" in the fulness of the message of Christ, we know that only too well. The transfiguration of Christ, the glory of Jesus revealed on the mountain, is at least undermined if the humiliation of the cross is overlooked. The two go together.

As that commentator concludes: "Any theology that denies that Jesus' disciples will suffer is deficient, and stands in opposition to Jesus' experience, biblical teaching and human experience".

Dan Tyndall

17 Feb 2023

Vacancy: Director of Music

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:29:03 GMT

Director of Music

We seek an ambitious individual keen to expand their own experience by developing our music making

A creative staff team with high ambition is looking for an inspiring colleague to develop our wonderful 50 strong choir bridging traditional excellence with modern developments and all accompanied by our superb Harrison & Harrison organ.

This is a full time post at £32,000pa plus fees.

We are open to creative ideas within the overall budget.

Join us ‘Singing the song of faith and justice’

Download Job Pack

Download Application Form

Informal conversation: dan.tyndall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Applications to be sent to: jobs@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Closing date: Fri 10 March at 12.00 noon

Familiarisation and Interviews: Fri 24 & Sat 25 March

Sermon on Sunday 12th February 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Sun, 12 Feb 2023 20:02:48 GMT

Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman

Lilies of the field

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 15:03:48 GMT

The commandment most often prescribed in the bible - in both our New Testament and in the Hebrew scriptures - is not one that demands we do this or believe that. No. Rather it is one that addresses an element of humanity that has haunted us for generations. Since before Abraham was Abraham, God has been trying to assure us that we do not need to be afraid ... of God, of what God wants from us and for us, of our relationship with God.

We hear it again in this Sunday's gospel passage. Jesus is saying to the crowd: Do not worry about what you will eat or what you will wear. He uses the image of the lilies in the field and the birds in the air to make his point. They don't sow or reap, they don't toil or spin, and yet "even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these." Here is Jesus, the comforter, assuring us that we need not worry, after all no-one by worrying has added an inch to their height or an hour to the length of their life. Here is Jesus, the comforter, assuring us that we need not worry ... about tomorrow, for today's troubles are enough for today.

If ever we need to see this truth lived out in action: look at Syria and Turkey following the devasting earthquake. You will have heard that the Disasters Emergency Committee has launched an appeal to aid this extraordinary humanitarian crisis. If you haven't already, I urge you to give what you can to the DEC or one of its partner charities. DEC APPEAL

Today's troubles are enough for today. If this is Jesus' philosophy, then this passage is not about not worrying, but about not worrying about the wrong things. If Jesus is acknowledging that today brings troubles and concerns that we should acknowledge and face and address, then he's not telling us to rise above the realities of life and somehow inhabit an existence of unalloyed joy and harmony.

I fear that our interpretation of Jesus, making him be what we want him (or need him) to be, can sometimes be a distortion: "Gentle Jesus meek and mild" may sound sweet when prayed, but is readily contradicted when the pages of the gospel narratives are examined with open eyes and open hearts.

The worries of today - be that personal grief, anxiety or tension in relationships; be that larger concerns like the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine or the earthquake in Syria and Turkey - the worries of today are real, they do exist and Jesus is not telling us to live as if they don't.

Indeed, it seems to me that he is doing the opposite. Rather than pretending today's troubles are imaginary, Jesus is encouraging us face them, address them and (when possible) overcome them. But not to do this out of our own self-interest or in the expectation of personal gain. Again, no. Rather, Jesus bids us "strive for the kingdom of God and God's righteousness": not just when we consider the troubles of tomorrow but also when we address the troubles of today.

Dan Tyndall

10 Feb 2023

You are the salt of the earth

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:04:08 GMT

Jesus is up a mountain, talking to the crowds. Had we been there, we would have just heard him say words what some might describe as puzzling or mystifying. We are in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus has just been saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;

blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God

As they develop, these beatitudes become more down to earth and matter of fact:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of God;

blessed are you when people revile you, persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against your falsely on my account.

It is this point that we move into Sunday's gospel reading:

You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world

Yes, Jesus is still talking in metaphor (or is it simile) but, for those who didn’t have access to fast food, frozen meals and Deliveroo, for those whose only light was a lamp on a lampstand, these two images must have carried a very practical and pragmatic message.

It may be a clear message, but that doesn't mean it is easy to adopt and inhabit. This message from Jesus is not a simple message to live out; but neither is it a difficult message to understand.

The clue is in that first word: “you”. It’s not "her" job to be the light of the world; it’s not "his" job to be salt of the earth. And whether you want to take the word ‘you’ as being in the singular or the plural ... it still includes you.

And Jesus is addressing me as much as he is anyone else!

Dan Tyndall

3 Feb 23

Sermon on Sunday 29th January 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:07:34 GMT

With Becky James, Ordinand

Aggy ... Vicar of St Francis

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 21:40:02 GMT

On Tuesday twenty one Redcliffe folk set out from SMR on a coach to travel to St Francis of Assisi, North Radford, Coventry for the Collation, Induction and Installation of Aggy by The Bishop of Coventry, The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth and The Reverend Tim Cockell, Associate Archdeacon.

All was well with our journey and, although I think we were a bit concerned that we might not be on time, we arrived with time to spare and were greeted with a welcome cuppa in the church hall before we went to the seats reserved for the ‘Bristol people’. By then there were 24 of us, three people having made their own way there.

A significant number of Clergy from the Diocese of Coventry were there and Dan was robed and took part in the service. All the legal requirements were met. Aggy responded to the requests made of her by different people by asking her own questions of the congregation and the reply to both was – With the help of God I (or ’we') will. She was serene and appeared confident throughout what several of us thought was a very moving service.

Afterwards everyone enjoyed a super spread which was provided in the church hall and Chris Duncan took photos before we returned to the coach arriving back at SMR around 11.15 pm. We set off home with a lovely service to look back on, having seen Aggy very much welcomed by her congregation and assured of our continuing love and interest in her future as a Vicar.

Marion Durbur, Alison Ranken , Denise Reynolds

Andrew Kirk announcement

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 21:30:55 GMT

Director of Music is moving on

After almost twenty years in post, having endured Covid with some imaginative music-making and having revived the choir to the fabulous standard we enjoyed at Christmas; Andrew Kirk, like many others emerging from the pandemic, has decided it is time for a change. So it is with real sadness that I am announcing Andrew has resigned his post and will leave St Mary Redcliffe at the end of April. He is planning to have a rest over the summer and we look forward to hearing about how his new plans take shape in the autumn.

All about love and faith

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 21:24:49 GMT

Same-sex marriage in the C of E? Taking a longer view

The C of E has been making headlines again. The bishops have said ‘Yes’ to praying for and blessing people in same-sex civil partnerships, but ‘No’ to changing the doctrine of marriage and allowing same-sex weddings in church. Probably most of us are dissatisfied and unhappy with this outcome, from both sides of the divide, and some may be wondering whether they still want to be part of the C of E.

What I want to do is put all this in a wider context, based on the history of the Anglican Communion across the world, as a student of Anglican history.

Firstly, the Anglican Communion does not have a settled view on this. It’s fair to say that a majority of Anglicans across the world, especially in the global South, are against same-sex marriage. But there are significant numbers who are in favour, including some of the member churches of the Anglican Communion in their official doctrine. And we have lived with this now for 20 years.

Of course, there is sharp tension in some quarters and people have left. This is often because of fear that one side or the other will somehow ‘win’ and force the others out of the church. There is a struggle for supremacy, which we see in the passionate rhetoric from both sides of the argument. For some it is all about equality and justice - that same-sex couples should have access to all that heterosexual couples have access to. For others it is all about remaining true to the teaching of scripture as they understand it. The stakes are high.

But let’s stand back from the boxing ring for a moment. Anglicans have disagreed passionately with each other since the Reformation. For example in the C19th it was over how to read and interpret the Bible; in the early C20th it was over allowing polygamists to be baptised; then whether to have unity with Protestant denominations; then contraception. More often than not, politics has often divided us and, of course, the question of women’s ordination.

Each issue has brought deep and passionate division. But, thank God, this has not resulted in a major schism. In most cases it has become possible to accommodate the differences - to show that both points of view have a place, that no one has ‘won’, no one is to be drummed out, and we still all belong in the Anglican Communion.

Indeed, as we face the great challenges of our time - the climate emergency, shocking inequality, war and pandemic… we need to stand and act together on the basis of our faith in Jesus Christ - in solidarity across difference.

This was probably the chief outcome of the Lambeth Conference - that bishops who arrived in Canterbury disagreeing over same-sex marriage, and other issues, found that through praying together, studying scripture together, listening and talking, they found friendship, encouragement and then solidarity across their differences. As they left many were saying what a good and positive time they had had despite their initial forebodings. The same is true of their spouses.

I expect the C of E is on a similar journey. What has happened this week is a step along the way. Same-sex couples can now have prayers and blessings in church (if General Synod accepts the bishops’ guidance). But Anglican history suggests this will not be the end of the matter and the deeply held conviction of many, that same-sex couples should be allowed to get married in church, will come about in due course in certain parishes across the country, probably led from the grass roots rather than by the bishops. Pastorally it seems very likely.

But the views of those who believe this is not part of Christian faith are still part of the church and their views will have to be respected and validated and their place secured within the C of E.

So a crucial outcome, the one we should work and pray for, is that the C of E should get to a point where both sides of the divide can know they have a secure and authentic place in the Church and are not in danger of being drummed out - that there is recognised differentiation across our faith and practice.

Also, beyond this, that members of the C of E can come together as they face the tremendous challenges of our time and walk together, serving the mission of Christ in the world - that they can find deep and affirming solidarity in this, alongside awareness that we are all on a journey ultimately towards complete unity in Christ.

The Lambeth Conference showed that Anglicans from across the world can do this. Let’s pray that the Church of England will also find its way to this kind of solidarity across difference.

Canon Stephen Spencer

Associate Minister

27 Jan 2023

Public Notice - North Transept Window

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 15:32:18 GMT

NOTICE IS GIVEN that we are applying to the Consistory Court of the diocese for permission to carry out the following:

(1) a confirmatory faculty for the removal of the four stained glass panels in the North Transept window containing the Colston family motto ‘ Go thou and do likewise’, a dedication to and shield of EdwardColston;

(2) an application for:

2.1 the permanent removal of those panels;

2.2 the installation of four modern stained glass panels in place of the removed panels;

2.3 the relocation of a plaque on the wall to the bell tower which marks an occasion when the bells were

rung to commemorate the 200 year anniversary of the abolition of slavery to beneath the window;

2.4 the installation of an interpretation board beneath the window to explain the removal of the panels and

how the new panel designs were arrived at; and

2.5 the installation of a stainless steel (powder coated black) protective grill on the outside of the window

Copies of the relevant plans and documents may be examined at:

The Parish Office St Mary Redcliffe Church

12 Colston Parade

Bristol

BS1 6RA

by appointment Monday to Thursday

Tel; 0117 231 0060

Read and the full notice below. You can download a copy here .

Sermon on Sunday 22nd January 2023

matthew.buckmaster@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 09:48:54 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Closed to visitors this Sunday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 22:26:02 GMT

Due to staff shortages, the church will be closed to visitors on Sunday 29 January.

Sunday worship will go ahead as usual.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Follow me

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 11:33:45 GMT

"Follow me" - how simple is that!

"Follow me". According to Matthew's account of Jesus' encounter with some fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, that's all it took for them, in the first case, to 'leave their nets', and, in the second case, to 'leave their boat and their father'.

What was it about Jesus that gave these people who grafted for their living on the rough waters of the Sea of Galilee such confidence that, without a word of goodbye or a backward glance or a second thought, they did follow him. And, of course, we can't be sure. It may have been Jesus' presence in the moment; it may have been the sense of authority that they felt in him; it may have been the teaching and the healing that they had witnessed. Or it may have been more about the fishermen than Jesus: maybe they were just looking for way out of the day-in day-out hard work of fishing on the Sea of Galilee. It probably wasn't the latter, but we human beings are complicated beings and arrive at decisions via a whole host of reasons, causes and purposes.

But I am more drawn to how The Church - people like you and me down the ages - have taken that simple statement, "Follow me", and developed it, shaped it and, if we're honest with ourselves, moulded it so that it now looks and feels so very different.

Over the centuries we have turned "Follow me" into "Once you can get over this, round that and under the other; when you can assent to some things and believe others; and after you have learnt and understood The Creed (let's not mention The Athanasian Creed) .. then, follow me".

It's sometimes suggested there are three B's that are important to those who seek to be followers of Christ: belonging, behaving, believing. It is a neat summary of how we are in a relationship with God in Christ that leads us to hold certain things to be true and generates within us a set of values / ethics / morals which informs how we engage with one another and the world around us. It is important to acknowledge that these three B's develop in different ways and at different times for different people.

However, it feels to me that "Follow me" starts with belonging, leads through behaving to believing. Whereas The Church now expects us to believe and to behave before we may belong. It feels to me that we have turned the chief cornerstone of faith into a stumbling block or stepping stone.

For those who have been following the deliberations of the House of Bishops this week and are wondering if they are reading too much into my musings ... you're not. There is a sadness in my soul that we have missed an opportunity to reclaim that fundamental offer to "Follow me" and reasserted a set of behaviours and beliefs that need to be evidenced before some people are counted worthy of belonging.

Why is it so difficult?

"Follow me"

Dan Tyndall

20 Jan 2023

Sunday Sermon 15th January

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 13:21:52 GMT

With Rev Simon Goodman

Come and see

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 16:41:04 GMT

With these words Jesus addresses two of the disciples of John. They had come to Jesus to check that his overnight accommodation was going to be OK: OK for whom, we're not sure; what standard of accommodation they were expecting to find, we're not told; why they asked him about his B&B arrangements in answer to Jesus' question "What are you looking for?" ... you've guessed it, we don't know. History, as they say, does not relate.

"What are you looking for?" is still a pertinent question. And maybe the disciples of John were just as confused about the purpose of existence, about the meaning of life, about just what they were looking for, as many people still are. Asked that question by someone with wisdom and authority (and we know those two people did feel that Jesus had both wisdom and authority, because they addressed him as 'Rabbi') it appears they didn't know what to say. Maybe they would have coped better with the question "Who are you looking for?" Then they could have repeated the words used by John of Jesus and said "We're looking for the Lamb of God". Whatever John meant, whatever those disciples thought, however we interpret The Lamb of God, I suspect we all expect it to be framed around a relationship rather than a commodity, a person rather than an object, a 'who' rather than a 'what'.

And still that question persists: what are you looking for? And still Jesus answer holds sway: come and see.

St Paul (in one of his letters) asserts that we should be ready to give account of the hope that is within us. And who am I to disagree with St Paul! However, that readiness does not need to be a theological account of the purpose of existence, the hope of resurrection and the certainty of eternal life. It doesn't need to be framed about a personal encounter with Jesus which 'warmed the heart' and instantaneously turned life upside down and inside out. It doesn't have to be confident or certain or sure. But we do need to be prepared and have something to say up our sleeve.

Many of us (possibly most of us) find it hard to put into words the difference that having faith in God through Jesus Christ makes to us in our daily lives. To speak of the cosmic feels too grand, to speak of the day-to-day seems too glib.

So, if Jesus is our role model, which I would argue he is, then perhaps we could do worse than to be ready to use the line he used when someone asks us a question about the way we live our lives that seems as nonsensical as those disciples of John asking Jesus about his overnight accommodation.

We could to worse than to hear the question that is struggling to find its voice and to answer, as Jesus does, "Come and See".

Dan Tynda ll

13 Jan 2023

Sunday Sermon 8th January

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 14:58:32 GMT

With Revd Anthony Everitt

SMR's new Associate Vicar

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:57:01 GMT

Laura Verrall-Kelly

Hullo, I’m Laura!

I am so excited about coming to join the St Mary Redcliffe family as Assistant Vicar. I have been in the South Bristol Deanery for a few years now, completing my Curacy at St Martin’s Knowle and then spending 8 months as Curate in Charge at St Luke’s Brislington. I love South Bristol, it’s diversity and life excite me and I am thankful to God that I am able to stay around.

A little about me… I am married to Jack and we have been married for 5 years and been together a decade now. I have been part of various church communities since I was 8 years old when we started going to church because my Dad sadly passed away. Although I have had seasons where I haven’t been as involved in church, I have always felt and been convinced by God’s steadfast love- even when I haven’t given it a place in my life. I studied Youth and Community Development at Demontfort Uni in Leicester and this was always what I wanted to do, work with teenagers and be involved in community- the Vicar thing was a bit of shock! But I think this describes me best, I’m someone who has always loved people, working with and being with people and trying to ensure all feel included are passions of mine. I feel motivated to be involved with the local community and so I am excited to get to know the Redcliffe area better.

I never know what to say when someone asks for an interesting fact about me... I enjoy being with friends, seeing family and taking time to explore- either local areas or abroad. I also enjoy trying new beers and love a cold IPA chatting with friends- if you fancy joining me in this then please do say!

Jack and I are so excited for this new chapter with you all. The journey we will go on together and the things we will learn from each other. I know in time we will get to know you all and the wider community. I love that God describes Church as ‘family’- meaning we laugh together, cry together, win together and lose together. I am excited to discover what it means to be family in Redcliffe, knowing that God is with us and guides us.

With love and prayers,

Laura

Lunchtime at Redcliffe: Spring programme

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 10:13:33 GMT

We have sixteen free lunchtime organ recitals taking place on Thursdays from 1:00pm - 1:50pm during Spring and Summer 2022

No booking is required.

Next recitals

Spring Series

Feb 2- James Hicks (USA) download programme

Feb 9 – John Keys (Nottingham) download programme

Feb 16 – Alison Howell & Andrew Kirk (Organ Duets)

Feb 23 – Paul Carr (Birmingham)

Mar 2 – Paul Walton (Bristol)

Mar 9 – William Saunders (Suffolk)

Mar 16 – Carleton Etherington (Tewkesbury)

Mar 23 – Andrew Kirk (St Mary Redcliffe)

Summer Series

May 18 – Hans Hielscher (Germany)

May 25 – Martyn Rawles (Lichfield)

Jun 1 – Jonathan Hope (Gloucester)

Jun 8 – Will Walshe-Grey (St Mary Redcliffe)

Jun 15 – Elin Davies (St Mary Redcliffe)

Jun 22 – Marc Murray (Bury/Bolton)

Jun 29 – Callum Alger (Wolverhampton)

Jul 6 – George Castle (Winchester)

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 15:07:01 GMT

Click to read "From the Vicar's Desk" for Friday 23 December 2022

Christmas Eve Midnight Mass

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 13:21:09 GMT

An atmospheric service for Christmas Eve

Our popular #midnightmass Eucharist Service takes place at 11:30pm on #christmaseve - celebrate #christmas with a wonderful atmospheric night-time service in the magnificent gothic interior of #stmaryredcliffe - one of England’s finest #parishchurches

Click here for Christmas service information

Bristol Light Festival

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 13:09:16 GMT

Friday 3 - Sunday 12 February

bristollightfestival.org

Read about Davy & Kristin McGuire's work Ophelia , which will be hosted by St Mary Redcliffe here

About the festival

Bristol Light Festival fills the city with light and colour, showcasing Bristol as the vibrant, playful and creative city that we know and love.

Each edition of Bristol Light Festival feature world premier works alongside some of the best of the UK’s talent, all making their Bristol debut at carefully selected locations across the city centre. Visitors can wander and explore the city’s streets to see the light art works come to life and enjoy Bristol’s wonderful retail and hospitality businesses along the way.

Bristol Light Festival appears along some of the city centre’s well-trodden paths as well as in some unexpected locations. At each spot visitors will be able to see, experience and play with installations that are visiting the South West for the first time.

By day and night, the event is the perfect opportunity for friends, colleagues, and families to meet. All Bristol Light Festival events are free to attend and open to everyone across the full duration. We can’t wait to welcome you to explore Bristol through light.

Bristol Light Festival at St Mary Redcliffe

This year, St Mary Redcliffe will be taking part in Bristol Light Festival for the first time, hosting the work Ophelia by Davy & Kristin McGuire

A show stopping addition to this year’s Bristol Light Festival, Ophelia is a stunning light installation that creates a life-size hologram of Shakespeare’s famous character. The installation references Millais’ famous painting of the drowning Ophelia, recreating the scene with intense colour, gentle movement, air bubbles and swimming fish, this piece is emotive and mesmerising.

Set in the stunning surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe Church, visitors to the festival will be able to have a rare opportunity to enter this historic venue at night and view ‘Ophelia’ – an experience that is sure to give goose bumps!

Christmas Eve Crib Service

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 11:25:35 GMT

Christmas Eve afternoon service

Join us at 4:00pm on Saturday for our family-friendly Crib Service, featuring well-known carols celebrating the birth of Jesus. All are welcome to celebrate #Christmas in the wonderful #stmaryredcliffe church!

Click here for Christmas service information

Civic Carol Service

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 11:01:30 GMT

The church was packed once again for our annual Civic Carol Service. We were delighted to be joined by The Lord Mayor of Bristol, Cllr Paula O'Rourke and to welcome Rev Teddy Kalonga as our preacher.

Teddy is the Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Circuit of Bristol and South Gloucestershire and as he has only been in the city since September it was a real joy to have him share with us a message of hope this Christmas.

We were also joined by the Band and Songsters of the Easton Citadel of the Salvation Army who, along with our own choir, accompanied the lusty singing of some well known carols.

A great celebration of the Light of Christ this Christmas.

You can watch the whole service here

Candlelit Concerts

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 14:00:30 GMT

We'll be hosting two candlelit tribute concerts on Saturday 18 February.

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations never before used for this purpose in Bristol.

Buy your tickets now to discover the music of ABBA and Taylor Swift at St Mary Redcliffe Church under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Reviews of Candlelight Concerts

Pamela J. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: "Wonderful performances and stunning atmosphere."
Dietra A. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: "It was amazing. From beginning to end we were excited. The staff that greeted us were pleasant and professional with a smile."
David S. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: "We had a wonderful time and the venue was perfect for an intimate gathering."

Candlelight: A Tribute to Taylor Swift

Saturday 14 January 6:30pm - 7:30pm (doors open at 6:00pm)

Programme

Lavender Haze
Love Story
Cardigan
Blank Space
Enchanted
Anti-Hero
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
All Too Well
Wildest Dreams
Lover
I Knew You Were Trouble
You Belong With Me
And more!

Performers

String quartet - to be announced!

BOOK TICKETS

Candlelight: A Tribute to ABBA

Saturday 14 January 9:00pm - 10:00pm (Doors open at 8:15pm)

Programme

Dancing Queen
Mamma Mia
Gimme Gimme Gimme
Take a Chance On Me
The Winner Takes it All
Waterloo
Lay All Your Love On Me
Chiquitita
Money, Money, Money
Thank You For The Music
Voulez Vous
Fernando
Does Your Mother Know
SOS
Knowing Me, Knowing You
Super Trouper
Honey, Honey
I Have A Dream

Performers

String quartet - to be announced!

BOOK TICKETS

Job Vacancy

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 18:08:07 GMT

Visitor Services & Commercial Manager

St Mary Redcliffe Church is looking for a Visitor Services & Commercial Manager to join the Operations Team at an exciting time in the church's development.

For further information and to download a Job Pack click here .

Lunchtime Carol Service

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:28:13 GMT

Thursday 23 December at 1:00pm

Join us for thirty minutes of well known carols and a surprise or two!

Christmas service information here .

TreeFest 2022

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 16:04:45 GMT

Treefest 2022 was a huge success with more trees, more visitors and more choirs. It was wonderful to see the church full of smiling happy faces as they enjoyed the creativity on show and the church full of glorious music. 61 trees, were entered by local charities, children’s groups, church groups, businesses and individuals, with lots from new organisations. Many regular participants were unable to take part this year due to staff shortages or lack of volunteers to decorate their trees. The winning tree was from Respiratory Physiology department of the North Bristol NHS Trust .. congratulations to them!

Visitor numbers were 4160 but in reality, probably much higher, it’s hard to count them all at really busy times. We raised £5790.21 which will be divided equally between the Freewheelers charity (Blood Bikes) and the Redcliffe Food Bank, which is managed by the North Bristol Food bank. This figure may increase as we are still waiting for some card payments to clear.

Every day the church was filled with music provided by local choirs and musicians, who love performing in such a special place. They are all looking forward to returning in 2023. Special thanks to St Georges who put me in touch with new choirs this year.

As with any event like this there are many people to thank for their hard work & support. TreeFest would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors, this year being Redcliffe & Temple Business Improvement District and Evelyn Partners. Their generosity helped to make TreeFest 2022 a huge success.

Special thanks must be given to all the people who volunteered to welcome visitors as stewards during TreeFest. It was so lovely to see new faces volunteering to be stewards alongside our regular stewards. A big thank you, must be given to The SMR Refreshments team who provided tea, coffee plus cake from Cakesmiths, a local baker, to visitors, every day. Finally, thanks to all the SMR staff who provided support during TreeFest.

It may surprise you to know we have already started planning TreeFest 2023, with our first meeting in January. We need you to consider how you might help, I need more help organising the event, if you can offer time to work on planning TreeFest 2023 please contact me to discuss what you can offer.

Treefest Returns!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 08:49:05 GMT

This year's Treefest will take place from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 December at St Mary Redcliffe.

This year we'll be supporting local charities Freewheelers EVS and Redcliffe Foodbank.

For further information and to find out how to enter a tree, click here.

Festive Film Screening

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 09:13:46 GMT

Ultimate Christmas movie The Bishop's Wife starring Cary Grant showing Friday 18 November at St Mary Redcliffe Church

Opening Night: The Bishop’s Wife (dir. Henry Koster, 1947)
St Mary Redcliffe Church , Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6RA
Friday 18 November 2022, doors. 6pm, film 7pm

Running time: 1hr 49mins; Rating: U

The ultimate Christmassy film with the famous ice-skating scene, starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven, screened in the glorious nave of St Mary Redcliffe Church, which Queen Elizabeth I dubbed “The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England” during her 1574 visit to Bristol. Including a cocktail bar from Espensen Spirit , a festival welcome from Cary Grant Comes Home festival director Charlotte Crofts and an introduction from the last surviving member of the cast Karolyn Grimes, who appeared in this film and the similarly feel-good It’s a Wonderful Life , aged six.

BOOK TICKETS HERE

Vivaldi's Four Seasons at Christmas

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 12:29:47 GMT

Date/Time: Wed 7th Dec 7.30pm-9.15pm
Tickets £19, £29, £38
Phone 0333 6663366

Buy tickets

Description

Enjoy a magical Christmas concert by candlelit in the beautiful setting of St Mary Redcliffe. The exceptional musicians of the Piccadilly Sinfonietta will perform masterpieces by Chopin , Corelli and Vivaldi, including the epic Four Seasons.

'Stunning' Classic FM

Featuring
The Piccadilly Sinfonietta
Warren Mailley-Smith (Piano)
Victoria Sayles - Violin soloist/Guest Leader

Programme
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Chopin - Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor
Vivaldi – Four Seasons
Corelli – Christmas Concerto
INTERVAL

Since its formation in 2017, the Piccadilly Sinfonietta have become a regular feature on the UK concert scene, giving up to 100 performances a year in some of the country’s most beautiful and prestigious venues. The ensemble comprises some of the most prodigious musical talent and performs exclusively with leading virtuoso soloists. The group performs under the artistic direction of its founder, concert pianist Warren Mailley-Smith and focuses on the virtuoso concerto repertoire of the baroque, classical and early romantic periods.

Here's a short video extract of the Piccadilly Sinfonietta and Warren Mailley-Smith performing Vivaldi:

This week's services

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 17:09:00 GMT

Services on Sunday 30 October

All Saints & All Souls

(Click here for further information and order of service)

This week's services

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:44:51 GMT

Services on Sunday 30 October

All Saints & All Souls

(Click here for further information and order of service)

All Souls Candlelit Service

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 10:42:18 GMT

Join us at 5:30pm on Sunday 30 October

On All Souls' Day it is very appropriate to remember those who have died. At our service on Sunday 30th October at 5.30pm, we shall be remembering in prayer loved ones and friends who have died both recently and longer ago.

Please click here to provide names.

Sunday Sermon 23 October

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:02:20 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday Sermon 16 October

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 13:30:55 GMT

With The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Autumn/Winter Events

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 16:48:43 GMT

Upcoming events in November and December

Saturday 5 November 2022

FILM SCREENING

Nosferatu (1922): Centenary Screening at St Mary Redcliffe with Live Music

DOORS: 19:00 FILM STARTS 19:30

Join us for our inaugural screening at St Mary Redcliffe this November for a spine-chilling screening to celebrate 100 years since the release of Nosferatu.

This cornerstone of German Expressionist silent film is a thinly veiled retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula – and the first ever screen adaptation of the story – with the famed actor Max Schreck delivering a truly ghoulish performance as the titular vampire.

The film will be accompanied by a live soundtrack courtesy of Bristol-based quartet Minima, who specialise in spellbinding contemporary accompaniments to silent films. Their performance for the centenary of this seminal film is an event not to be missed!

BOOK TICKETS

Friday 11 November 2022

MEET THE AUTHOR

An Evening with Maggie O'Farrell

Friday 11th November 2022, 7:30pm, £10-£25

This event has been rescheduled from September 22nd: the new date is November 11th.

We are beyond thrilled to welcome bestselling and award-winning author of endless iconic novels Maggie O’Farrell to Bristol for a very special in-conversation event to mark the release of her new novel, The Marriage Portrait.

We are equally delighted that Maggie will be in conversation with none other than Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of The Mermaid And Mrs Hancock. In the spectacular gothic surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe Church, this is going to be a special one!

Pre-order your hardback copy of The Marriage Portrait (rrp £25) for a special discounted price with your ticket, then collect on the day! Copies will also be available at the event.

Sold Out

Friday 18 November 2022

CARY COMES HOME FILM FESTIVAL SCREENING

Opening Night: The Bishop’s Wife (dir. Henry Koster, 1947)

Friday 18 November 2022, 7pm

Running time: 1hr 49mins; Rating: U

BOOK TICKETS

Saturday 19 November 2022

CONCERT

Remembering - A Concert Celebrating Eric Wetherell

Join us on November 19th 2022 at 7.30pm in the glorious surroundings of St Mary Redcliffe Church, Bristol for a special celebration of the life and music of renowned composer Eric Wetherell, performed by an array of choirs and orchestras who knew and admired his work.

BOOK TICKETS

Wednesday 7 December 2022

CONCERT

Vivaldi's Four Seasons at Christmas

Enjoy a magical Christmas concert by candlelit in the beautiful setting of St Mary's Redcliffe Church, Bristol. The exceptional musicians of the Piccadilly Sinfonietta will perform masterpieces by Chopin , Corelli and Vivaldi, including the epic Four Seasons. This spectacular concert will ensure you celebrate the festive season in style! 'Stunning' Classic FM

Featuring

The Piccadilly Sinfonietta

Victoria Sayles - Violin soloist/Guest Leader

Warren Mailley-Smith (Piano)

Programme

Pachelbel - Canon in D

Corelli – Christmas Concerto

Chopin - Piano Concerto No.2 in F minor

INTERVAL

Vivaldi – Four Seasons

BOOK TICKETS

Sunday sermon 02/10/22

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 07:25:18 GMT

Harvest Festival All-age Eucharist

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Vacancy: Associate Vicar

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 18:11:13 GMT

We have a vacancy for an Associate Vicar.

For more information click here .

Wild Meadow Creation

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:14:15 GMT

Tuesday 18 October 12noon

Join Redcliffe & Temple BID as they create a wildflower meadow in front of St Mary Redcliffe Church.

An opportunity to get involved in some gentle raking and seed sowing!

We've won a Trip Expert award!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 09:47:23 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe Church has won a 2022 Experts' Choice Award.

Experts' Choice is the only accolade based on professional reviews, drawn from 100+ publications including leading travel guides, magazines and newspapers.

The award, now in its sixth year, has received coverage in major outlets including The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph and GQ.

Learn more about the awards

The award recognizes St Mary Redcliffe Church as one of the very best attractions in Bristol. Fewer than 2% of businesses receive an award.

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Stained Glass Competition Winner Announced

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 24 Sep 2022 09:58:43 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe Church announces winning design to replace four stained glass panels dedicated to Edward Colston, that were removed in 2020.

View the winning designs here .

St Mary Redcliffe today announced the winner of its stained glass window competition. Members of the public were invited to submit designs to replace the four panels. The purpose of the competition was to:

· help us remember and reconcile with our past

· enable everyone to encounter the gospel

· promote a sense of hope in our shared future

The window tells the story of the Good Samaritan. St Mary Redcliffe asked for creative and imaginative designs that reflected the question that prompted Jesus to tell the story – ‘Who is my neighbour?’. The designs also needed to work well within the whole window and complement the architecture of this area of the church.

The competition is part of an ongoing process of reflection and action to ensure that today’s church building echoes St Mary Redcliffe’s stated values and is welcoming to all.

And the winner is… Ealish Swift

Behind the winning design is Bristol-based junior doctor and artist Ealish Swift. Ealish was unable to be at the unveiling of her design as she was performings surgery, but was delighted to find out she was the winner and said:

"I am deeply honoured that my design has been chosen for this wonderful space that means so much to me. I can't wait to work with the amazing Steve Clare to bring my ideas to life. I'm thrilled that my design seemed to resonate so much with the local community and I hope everyone will come to visit to see the final piece and experience everything this wonderful church, and community, has to offer!"

St Mary Redcliffe were delighted to receive 21 entries submitted by people from across the UK, from a wide range of backgrounds, and of different ages and professions. The entries were thought-provoking, imaginative and well-designed , and they would like to thank everyone who entered.

The competition judges shortlisted five designs that best responded to the brief. These were displayed in an exhibition in the church. Members of the public were invited to comment on which one should win and why. In the end there was huge public interest and hundreds of comments , which were taken into account by the judges while m aking their final decision.

What next?

The winning design is on display in a small temporary exhibition until 9th October 2022 and next year will be created in stained glass . Subject to legal permissions, the design will replace the clear glass panels currently installed in the window. In due course, the original panels will be put on public display. In the meantime, they will soon be available to view by appointment.

Although prompted by the toppling of the Colston statue, the removal of the stained glass dedicated to Colston is part of a larger process at St Mary Redcliffe in the ongoing exploration of and engagement with contested heritage which will continue over the coming months and years.

Canon Dan Tyndall said, “The successful design will help us to remember our past, enable everyone to experience the gospel and leave us all feeling a sense of hope in our shared future.

Reaction

Canon Dan Tyndall said, “The winning design is powerful and imaginative, managing to resonate with contemporary issues and yet will also stand the test of time. Ealish's concept was very popular with visitors to the church and will sit well within the current Victorian window".

With nearly 300 comments from the public the judges were struck by the overwhelming positivity in the proactive approach to this piece of contested heritage. Some comments from visitors:

Amazing initiative; great exhibition; so struck by the democracy of the competition
Thank you to the church for taking accountability and reconciling with the past in such beautiful community led way
I would like to congratulate you for holding the competition and gripping the Colston issue (before it gripped you).
I am not a Christian, and for a long time I've had a biased view that religion is something old fashioned and controlling. My visiting to your church today and the replacement panels has really changed my mind. I see your church as a modern progressive place that recognises Bristol and its multicultural heritage

Details for Visitors

There is no charge to visit the exhibition or the Church. The temporary exhibition in church will be on display from 22nd September until 9th October. It will be available whenever the church is open:

Monday – Saturday: 8:00am – 5:00pm

Sunday: 12:30pm following morning worship

The Commemoration of HM Queen Elizabeth II

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 10:29:50 GMT

Sermon by Rev Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe.

I was surprised to find myself moved to tears at the death of the Queen.

For some, her death touches a raw nerve of personal grief. For others, it adds another layer of uncertainty in a world that is feeling increasingly uncertain. And then there are those who have been moved to tears by the flowers, the candles, the pictures that have filled our TV screens.

And me? Well, like many others, I was glued to the coverage on Thursday evening. At some point they showed the Platinum Jubilee sketch of Her Majesty having tea with Paddington Bear. At first it made me smile, recalling the delight of the moment it was first seen back in June. Then, after The Queen has put her marmalade sandwich back in her handbag, there’s a very still moment when Paddington says “Happy Jubilee Your Majesty – and thank you – for everything!” That’s when I wept.

At one level, it is extraordinary that the death of a 96 year old has caused this sense of loss and bewilderment: after all, we’ve all known this day would come. But at another level, it is not at all surprising that this historic moment upsets and disturbs us. Through 70 years she has been the one constant in our national life: through the evolution of television and the internet; through the Windrush generation and the death of Stephen Lawrence; through the joining and the leaving of the European Union; through her Annus Horribilis and the death of Diana; through the swinging sixties, the introduction of Civil Partnerships and now Same Sex Marriage; through fifteen Prime Minister’s, seven Archbishop’s of Canterbury and six Vicar’s of St Mary Redcliffe.

It could be argued that that constancy is just as constant now as it ever has been. The Royal Standard, the flag that is always at full mast over the royal palace whenever the monarch is in residence, would have been flying – in its Scottish variant – over Balmoral at full mast throughout the time Elizabeth was alive and on until Charles left to return to London. This ritual of royal succession is well known and well attested. We just haven’t seen it played out for 70 years.

And the ritual knows that the Royal Standard, representing both the sovereign and the United Kingdom, never flies at half-mast for there is always a sovereign. In that way, the constancy that we have delighted in with our Queen continues with our king.

However, that is to over-simplify the complexity of our human nature; that in our very humanity we connected, each in our own way, with the humanity of the Queen. Whether it was that smile that lit up a room; that she was thoughtful, wise, curious and funny; the way she behaved with dignity and grace; her devotion to duty sustained by her faith; or her love of horses and how she always carried biscuits to feed to the corgis.

But if her humanity connects with our own – and if her mortality reminds us of our own – then maybe the faith which so publicly sustained her throughout her life, can sustain us as well in her death.

There is little doubt that Queen Elizabeth’s understanding of the nature of her service to her country, of which she spoke most eloquently when she addressed the Commonwealth from South Africa on her 21st birthday, came from her faith in God. She regularly spoke about her faith in her Christmas broadcasts. From 2002:

I know just how much I rely on my own faith to guide me through the good times and the bad

A sentiment echo’d by William, Prince of Wales, in his statement about “his Queen and his grannie”.

And even when the Queen wasn’t explicit, her faith was often there in the background. As in 1957:

We need a special kind of courage, not the kind needed in battle, but the kind that makes us stand up for everything that we know is right, everything that is true and honest.

The courage to stand up for what is right and true and honest is indeed a call to constancy. And for her, and for all those of us who call ourselves Christian, that is about more than what is good and true and honest in this world. It also embraced her hopes and expectations of whatever befalls us when we have shuffled off this mortal coil. It is a statement about faith, faith in life and faith in death.

A faith that is right and true and honest means, as Paul writes to the church in Corinth:

we do not lose heart; For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

This is the faith to which Queen Elizabeth held. She believed it to be true and right and honest. And I can’t help wondering if this was behind her broadcast at the start of the pandemic:

we will be with our families again; we will be with our friends again; we will meet again

In the light of the Prime Minister's stark warning about many of us facing the death of loved ones, I can’t help wondering whether these words were not just a declaration of hope but also a statement of faith.

The constancy of Her Majesty has been noted by many over the last few days: it encouraged many; it inspired many; it moved many to tears. However, it is interesting to note that when the writer of Lamentations wanted to described the love of God that never ceases, the word selected was not ‘constant’ but ‘steadfast’:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

As The Dean of Westminster said in his sermon on Radio 4 on the Sunday after her death

To be constant, is to be sure, to survive, to be certain. But to be steadfast is bolder and braver than to be constant, for it is about more than surviving and sustaining. To be steadfast is to fix mind and eye on truth and then pursue it; to live out a confidence that life has purpose and meaning

So perhaps the best way for us to express our gratitude for Her Majesty’s steadfastness is to pick that baton and to decide to be steadfast ourselves:

Steadfast in faith: choosing to believe that nothing and no-one is beyond the love of God

Steadfast in service: loving our neighbour, no matter what race, creed or colour. As the queen said in 2004:

The need to look after a fellow human being is far more important than any cultural or religious differences

Steadfast in support: now, as the mantel passes imperceptibility and invisibly, as it has for more than a thousand years, carrying with it the serious weight of responsibility and expectation, to rest on the shoulders of our new sovereign, King Charles the Third.

God save the King.

Harvest Festival

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 21 Sep 2022 11:24:32 GMT

Join us on Sunday 2 October at 10:30am for our Harvest Festival All-Age Eucharist. All are very welcome.

Service information will be available here before the service.

Bells to ring in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 18:59:59 GMT

On Monday, 19th September the bells of St Mary Redcliffe will ring in honour of HM Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her funeral in London.

There will be ringing from 10am with tolling of our tenor bell for fifteen minutes leading up to the start of the 11am service at Westminster Abbey.

Following the funeral and two-minutes silence, the St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers will begin a peal attempt starting at midday and continuing until around 4pm.

The bells will be fully muffled with the tenor open at backstroke. This is a British tradition that has lasted for centuries, and ringing for the death of a monarch is one of the very few occasions when this type of ringing can be heard.

A muffle is a leather pad which is strapped to the clapper of each bell. When the clapper strikes the bell it makes a softer, somber sound rather than the usual loud sound a bell makes. The tenor bell, however, which is the largest bell and has the lowest note, only has a muffle on one side of the clapper. This means it alternates from sounding softly to sounding at full volume while being rung, and this provides a tolling effect.

A peal is the bell ringers’ equivalent of a marathon, requiring concentration and stamina. It is a ‘gold standard’ ringing performance during which the bells are rung continuously in over 5,000 unique sequences. Such ringing starts and ends with rounds, having meanwhile visited only a subset of the possible permutations.

Each bell requires one person, so for this peal attempt for The Queen there will be ten bells being rung by ten ringers. They will be ringing 'Grandsire Caters'.

For further information about bellringing at St Mary Redcliffe click here .

Vacancy: Youth Worker

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 10:01:14 GMT

Youth Worker

We're seeking an experienced and committed Youth Worker to develop youth provision in the Redcliffe area of Bristol

12 hours per week

£23,000-25,000 pro rata (£7,360 - £8,000)

Are you

Passionate about working with young people in the community?
Experienced at delivering face-to-face and detached youth work?
Able to inspire young people to participate in community life in Redcliffe?

If so, we would love to hear from you.

Download an application pack here or email david.cousins@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Informal conversations: 07928249523

Closing date: 9am Thursday 20 Oct 2022

Interviews & Assessment: Late Oct – Early November

Appointment is subject to Enhanced DBS Disclosure

Bank Holiday Bell Peal

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 10:16:17 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers will attempt a peal of bells on Bank Holiday Monday from 10:00am until 2:00pm.

A peal is the ringers’ equivalent of a marathon, requiring concentration and stamina. It is a ‘gold standard’ ringing performance during which the bells are rung continuously in over 5,000 different sequences. Such ringing starts and ends with rounds, having meanwhile visited only a subset of the available permutations.

For further information about bellringing at St Mary Redcliffe click here .

Stained glass design exhibition

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 08:44:37 GMT

Exhibition of shortlisted entries

An exhibition of five shortlisted designs to replace four panels of the North Transept Window

Exhibition dates:

Saturday 20 August - Monday 19 September

Location:

The North Transept, St Mary Redcliffe Church

Opening times:

Mon - Sat 8:00am - 5:00pm / Sun 12:30pm - 5:00pm

Entry:

Free

Visitor feedback:

Members of the public are invited to fill our a physical or digital coment card (for the latter scan the qr code on the physical comment card)

What next:

The winning design will be announced on Wednesday 22 September and displayed in church from this date until Sunday 9 October

Download the exhibition flyer here .

Find more information about the competition here .

Work with us!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 10:34:03 GMT

Volunteer Coordinator (Part Time)

Hours per week: 18.75 hours over not less than 3 days (some flexibility may be required)

Salary: £27,400 per annum, pro-rata (full working week is 37.5 hours)

Post: Initially a 2 year Fixed Term Contract with the possibility of extension

Pension: Employer Contribution of 8%

Employer: St Mary Redcliffe Parochial Church Council (SMR PCC)

Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays, pro-rata

Flexibility: Flexible working is negotiable, however the needs of the organisation must be considered.

Summary

St Mary Redcliffe is a major parish church in the heart of Bristol, singing the song of faith and justice as:

a thriving, inclusive Christian community
a welcoming, recognised heritage destination
a church that makes a difference in the parish and beyond
a progressive and sustainable organisation

The church is on the cusp of a major development initiative that will transform our operations, enabling us to expand and improve in all these areas.

We are now recruiting a Volunteer Coordinator to play an important role in this process by managing, expanding and diversifying our team of volunteers at this exciting time in the life of the church.

The post-holder will be enthusiastic about supporting the changing dynamic of an organisation through comprehensive support of our varied volunteer teams.

We are looking for someone who understands the journey we are on as a parish church, community hub and heritage destination, and who is enthusiastic about having a significant part to play

For further information about the role and instructions on how to apply, download the job pack .

Sunday Sermon 7 August

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:09:21 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Be dressed for action

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 13:00:10 GMT

Roy Hackett died this week. He was 93 years old. Sixty years ago he was one of the four men who organised the Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963. He came to Bristol from Trench Town, Jamaica, in 1952 and found a city - and a nation - where the colour bar was, not only legal, but also widespread.

Not long only ago in a TV interview, he commented on the difficulty he had finding a job and a place to live. He said "I walked down Ashley Road looking for housing and found one that didn't have a sign in the window saying 'no gypsies, no Irish, no dogs, no coloureds'. The lady opened the door, saw me, and without saying a word, just slammed the door. It was a struggle: people were blatantly racist."

It wasn't just the householders. The then Bishop of Bristol is on record as describing the action of Hackett's West Indian Development Council as "being too militant"!

Some people choose to put themselves in the place of the struggle for justice. Others (like this church in our relationship to Edward Colston) find themselves in the eye of the storm whether they like it or not. Their choice (our choice) is not so much whether to stand up for justice, but more about what to stand up for, who to stand alongside, how to be seen and known for being on the side of truth and justice.

Sunday's gospel urges us to be dressed ready for action, to have our lamps lit and to open the door as soon as the master knocks. In other words, to be ready: ready to stand up in the face of intolerance and to stand for justice, truth and righteousness.

Roy Hackett provides us with a role model of someone who shows us what it means to get ready and to be ready; and shows us what a huge difference it can make when we are ready.

Dan Tyndall

August 2022

Animal Day

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:11:11 GMT

Teacher, tell my brother ...

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 11:37:27 GMT

There is something innate in our human nature to want to drag someone else in to advocate for us in our battles. As children, most of us at one time or another will have cried to a parent, a carer, an older sibling: It's not fair. And, looking at this week's image, many of us will remember being, either the younger child when the older one won't let go, or the older child enjoying winding up the younger: and some of us will have had the experience of being both!

And what's true for us in our age, is no less true for those who walked with Jesus two thousand years ago: we may be able to fall in love with someone on the other side of the world and take photos of stars that died thousands of years ago, but, fundamentally, humanity hasn't evolved much since then. Borrowing the words of Shylock from Merchant of Venice, whether now or then: "If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?"

Jesus has been surrounded by a huge crowd, so big "that they trampled on one another" (Lk 12.1) He has been speaking with his disciples about the temptation of hypocrisy that he sees in the Pharisees. He contrasts this with the fearless exhortation he expects from his followers of what they have heard and seen; and promises in return that two-a-penny sparrows are not forgotten in God's sight.

Into this chaotic scene of surging crowds and blunt teaching, a voice is heard above the tumult: "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." This unknown character from amongst the crowd did get noticed, his plea was heard and his case was addressed by Jesus. But, as is so often the way with Jesus, the question is answered with a question: Who made me your judge?

We know nothing about the person in the crowd: perhaps it is an older sister who would be overlooked when any family inheritance is shared out; perhaps it is a brother who has heard Jesus' story about (what we call) the Prodigal Son and fancies a bit of that himself (even though we won't hear that story for another couple of chapters!); perhaps it is as the scholars suggest: "according to Jewish custom the older son of a family of two would receive two-thirds of the father's possessions and here the person is probably the younger brother who has an older brother who not followed that custom and thus the younger brother is left with nothing". Whatever the scenario, Jesus takes the question and responds to it, not just for the person who asks, but for everyone.

In current theological discourse, some of the more clear yet less palatable teachings of Jesus are discussed less often than some others. This is a case in point. There is little room for manoeuvre around Jesus point that storing up grain and goods in bigger and bigger barns is not a recipe for happiness and contentment into the future if, for no other reason, we have no way of knowing how long our future will last. I am reminded of the phrase: live today as if it is your last.

In the next section of the narrative, Luke goes on to record Jesus telling us not to worry about those things we cannot control and compares our frantic activity to the lilies of the field. It is at the end of this segment that Jesus returns to the theme of storehouses on earth and treasurers in heaven with the statement: "where your treasure is, there you heart will be also."

Dan Tyndall

July 2022

Niall Blackburn Reflection

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 10:18:35 GMT

I came to St Mary Redcliffe expecting to experience a different worshiping tradition, and I was genuinely excited to engage with it and gain an appreciation for a part of the Church of England that was brand new for me. What I’ve come away with is so much more.

I’ve been honoured to participate in leading you all in worship through Deaconing at the Eucharist, and leading at Choral Evensong and Morning Prayer. More than this, I will take away the inclusive spirit that has permeated every aspect of my time with you. It’s been such a pleasure to see how faith is demonstrated in action and unconditional love.

Spending some time in the community hub/pop up, I loved hearing the ways in which space is being created to help others, and the way this is driven by a desire to see the community support each other. It was also encouraging to see and hear how the church was involved in the planning stages of building projects in the area, and that there was a real desire to ensure that new housing catered for all.

I was delighted to see that both primary and secondary schools have such close links with the church, being invited in for an assembly at the former and attending the end of year service for the latter. Whatever the faith of those who attend the schools, it was a pleasure to see that the values which underpin all they do are loving and seek to give the children the best start in life.

There is such a wealth of history to the church, which is rightly being preserved by the wonderful and dedicated work of the Vestments Conservation Group, but also a commitment to the future and a desire to see the church prosper and have a positive impact in the community for many years to come. This is exemplified in the desire to care for those in the community through pastoral care, the community hub, and also striving to be better stewards of creation.

The church has obvious significance as a historical site, and it’s wonderful to see hospitality that is shown to visitors and the way they are incorporated into the prayer life of the church. It’s a reminder that behind all of the bricks, stonework, vestments, and fabric of the church there are people who are loved, accepted and welcomed because they are made in God’s image.

I would like to take the opportunity to say a heartfelt thank you to the staff and community, who have been so welcoming and encouraging during my time with you. You’ve let me ask questions, try my hand at new things and make mistakes. All of this has been done with a spirit of love and grace, and I am very grateful.

Niall Blackbur n

July 2022

Book a Guided Tour

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 19:45:27 GMT

Multiple dates available

BOOK HERE

Discover over 800 years of history and enjoy the magnificent interior of this masterpiece of gothic architecture.

About this event

Over 800 years of history

Join us for a guided tour of this superb church, once referred to by Queen Elizabeth I as "The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England”.

The Christian community has worshipped continuously on the site occupied by St Mary Redcliffe Church for well over 800 years. The first church may have built here in Saxon times, when Bristol first became a port – the original quayside was just across the road, below the red sandstone cliff from which this area gets its name, located on what is now Redcliffe Quay.

The present church is a treasure of international importance, a Grade I listed building that has been described as a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. All the features of St Mary Redcliffe speak clearly of the beauty and the infinite variety in God’s world.

St Mary Redcliffe sits at the centre of Redcliffe, on a spur of red cliff that gives the church its name. Redcliffe, once separate from Bristol and part of the manor of Bedminster, like the wider city is an area with strong links to the sea, maritime trade and industries such as glass-making and pottery. The history of the church is peopled with characters associated with the early modern expansion of Bristol, such as John Cabot and William Canynges, but also later political and cultural figures such as Admiral William Penn, William Hogarth and Thomas Chatterton, Wordsworth's "marvellous boy", whose formative years were spent contemplating the gothic splendour of the church.

Meet your guide Paul Stevens inside the main entrance to the church five minutes before the tour start time.

Accessibility

This tour will include a visit to the Chatterton Room, which is only accessible via a flight of stairs (a 75 step spiral staircase) and is therefore not accessible for those who are unable to climb the staircase. Most of the tour, however, will take place in the main body of the church, which is accessible via the south entrance and on a level. We welcome bookings from those who are unable to visit the Chatterton Room, but would like to join us for the main part of the tour.

Sunday sermon 24 July

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:02:45 GMT

With The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Chatterton! The Sleepless Soul

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 15:43:08 GMT

Free exhibition

Where: St John's Chapel

When: July and August (until Wednesday 31 August)

During July and August we’ll be displaying Chatterton! The Sleepless Soul - an exhibition investigating the life, work and legacy of Bristol’s genius ‘boy’ poet.

Chatterton has a particularly strong association with #stmaryredcliffe having been inspired by the gothic grandeur of the church to write an astonishing body of faux medieval verse.

Chatterton died tragically young at 17, but not before creating hundreds of poems as well as historical, political and satirical writings that distinguished him as one of the great geniuses of English literature.

He was also one of the first anti-slavery poets and pamphleteers - these writings speak to his spirit of non-conformity and moral seriousness.

The exhibition was created as part of the @bristolideas #BristolPoeticCity project that was supported by @heritagefunduk

Edward Day Reflection

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 15:35:37 GMT

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

Lord, teach us to pray

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 15:01:36 GMT

How do you prayer?

How often do you pray?

Do you pray?

And, what would you say if a friend said "Teach me to pray".

The passage for this week's gospel comes from Luke and follows on from the story we had last Sunday: Martha (polish those tables ... for those who were with us last Sunday morning) and Mary (put your hand to your ear). Martha begs Jesus to tell Mary to help out with the household chores, but Jesus replies by telling Martha that Mary has made a good choice and that that shouldn't be taken away from her. Then in the very next verse we are in "a certain place", Jesus is praying and one of his disciples says to him: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

I've always been slightly struck by this request as the gospel stories seem to be populated by people who know - or who should know - how to pray. Yet, in the light of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, any prayer life that they did have, any spiritual discipline that there were following, appears to fall short of the ideal that they find in him.

And what do we get from Jesus? What does he say in reply? Again, this has always struck me by its sheer simplicity:

- name the God to whom you pray

- honour the God to whom you pray

- yearn for that which God wishes for all creation

- accept that you provide for you own needs

- acknowledge the harm you have done

- agree to live forged by forgiveness

- plead for strength to withstand temptation

It's about God and our relationship with God

It's about our history and our impact on others

It's about our future and our intentions towards others

As I said, this episode in Luke's gospel follows on from the supper Jesus had with Mary and Martha. And just before that, we hear Jesus' interaction with the lawyer wishing to inherit eternal life. That questions prompts Jesus to tell the Parable of Good Samaritan which ends with 'Go and do likewise'.

We complicate our faith too often too much. I am not saying the being a person with an active and demonstrable Christian faith is easy, but I am saying that it isn't complicated. How we get those pictures from the James Webb telescope is complicated. How we manage to get our new facilities built or new window panels into the north transept window is complicated. But being a practicing Christian isn't complicated.

And maybe the word to focus on there is 'practicing'. If we want to learn a new skill, be it needlecraft or orienteering or keyhole surgery, we need to learn the basics and then practice, practice, practice. Some people call their prayer lives a spiritual discipline: a word which reminds us, through its root of 'disciple', that we have a teacher and we are engaged on a learning process. Others talk of their spiritual exercises, which bring to mind those patterns of behaviour which we adopt to keep our bodies healthy by running, swimming or going to the gym.

It's not complicated to do physical exercise but neither is it easy to get into the habit. It is, simply, a matter of making a decision and sticking to it, learning the basics and then practice, practice, practice.

Prayer is not complicated: it's not necessarily easy, but it is really isn't complicated. If you find it too complicated, then wind back to the words of Jesus in Luke 11. If you don't find it easy, join the club!

Dan Tyndall

July 2022

Who is my neighbour?

Fri, 08 Jul 2022 13:34:43 GMT

In his answer to this question, Jesus shows us what our humanity could be. This is the courage that Christ calls us to exercise: courage to serve; to serve one another and not ourselves.

When asked this question by a lawyer keen to know how he could work his way into heaven, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan: of a Jew, beaten up, ignored by his own people and cared for by his nemesis, by a Samaritan. The story is told in the stained glass window of the north transept of the church.

At the end of the story Jesus challenges the lawyer to be like the Samaritan with his final words to the lawyer being “Go and do likewise”.

Sixteen centuries later, Edward Colston took that phrase as his motto. A hundred a fifty years after his death, that window was installed in his memory. It’s the first of the major memorials to Colston in the city; and, interestingly, the records show that the idea of memorialising Colston (even back then in the 1860s) “was received coolly”

Now the four panels at the base of the window are missing and there are just two more days to enter the competition for a new design for those four windows which will

… help us remember and reconcile ourselves to our past;

… enable everyone to encounter the gospel, the good news of God in Christ;

… and promote a sense of hope in our shared future

The concept of “the global village” was first coined by a Canadian in the 1960s and gained traction for the following two decades. We are keen that these new windows capture that growing, developing, evolving, significance of the question posed by the lawyer trying to justify himself to Jesus: “Who is my neighbour?”

Do not doubt but believe

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 10:02:59 GMT

The celebration of St Thomas has, until quite recently, been held on 21 December. This is the shortest days of the year and one of the darkest as well. Whilst you will find references to Thomas dying on 21 December, I suspect the date emerged because of its association with the darkness of doubt: what better day to remember Doubting Thomas than a short day in the depths of winter. Now we mark his Feast Day on 3 July: from the depths of winter Thomas has been brought into the bright sunny uplands of mid-summer!

This brings the western church into line with the Roman and Syrian Catholic Churches, although the Greek church remains loyal to their own feast day for Thomas of 6 October!

I quite liked having Thomas in the midst of winter. Amidst the run up to Christmas, including all those carol services, presenting a pure and innocent faith in the child in the manger, for one day (and probably only at Morning & Evening Prayer, if we're honest) we are brought face to face with good, honest doubt! And that is a good thing: even the best of Christians (whatever we mean by 'best') are sometimes confronted with doubt; most of us encounter doubt regularly; and some of us our faithful despite the doubt that hedges us in on every side. So to have a moment, in the midst of the celebrations of Christmas, that allows for some doubt was (undoubtedly!) good.

Bringing this feast day into July is about more than aligning ourselves with some of our Christian sisters and brothers around the world. It doesn't stop us acknowledging the doubt: but it does stop us stopping at the doubt. It tells us that the story moves on.

Doubt is not a destination. Whilst doubt is undeniable, and doubt brings us to a place where we can linger as long as we need or wish, in the end doubt leaves with a choice to make. For Thomas the choice was to believe or not to believe: a choice of two possible options. Some of our doubts will present us with many more possible options. There may be times when we even wish for a doubt like Thomas' and a simple decision between one choice and the other. But we all know life is rarely as straightforward as that.

Thomas did doubt: but his nickname of Doubting Thomas is untrue and unfair, for doubt is not a destination but a place of choice. Thomas acknowledged his doubt, and faced with a choice he resolved his doubt which led him to the most extraordinary proclamation of the Good News of God in Christ: My Lord and my God.

My Lord - here is a human being to whom I offer my earthly allegiance

My God - here is a divine being to whom I offer my past, my present and my future

Dan Tyndall

30 June 2022

City of Bristol Choir: Songs of Celebration

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:47:47 GMT

Date and time: Saturday 2 July at 7:30 pm

Location: St Mary Redcliffe ChurchBristol

Ticket price: £ 18.00

Click for tickets

G. F. Handel Zadok the Priest
Amy Summers Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (first performance)
John Rutter Psalm 150
Cecilia McDowall I know that my redeemer liveth
William Walton Coronation Te Deum
Philip Moore Lo! God is here
Johannes Brahms Geistliches Lied
Hubert Parry I was glad
Richard Barnard I am the song
Ēriks Ešenvalds O salutaris hostia

A celebratory concert marking City of Bristol Choir’s 30th anniversary season, as well as HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, featuring music with royal connections, including a jubilant setting of Psalm 150 by the choir’s Patron John Rutter. The concert features a brand new commission from the up-and-coming composer, and former choir member, Amy Summers. Her work is a beautiful setting of the poignant text of the Magnificat , words of acceptance of duty, mirroring the lifelong service Queen Elizabeth II has given to the United Kingdom.

The magnificent setting of St Mary Redcliffe, with its fantastic acoustic, beautiful architecture and mighty organ, is a perfect venue for this concert. Come and experience a feast of jubilant and thrilling music as it resounds around every corner of the building described by the Queen’s namesake Elizabeth I as ‘the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church In England’.

The programme includes some City of Bristol Choir favourites, that have been sung over the years on European tours and closer to home, which will sound particularly spectacular in the resonant acoustic of St Mary Redcliffe.

Tickets £18 including a glass of fizz, £5 for students in full time education and under 18s and can be booked online at the City of Bristol Choir box office .

Parker's Adventure

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 27 Jun 2022 09:54:07 GMT

This summer, we're delighted to be supporting Parker's Adventure - an interactive city-wide trail this summer brought to you by Bristol Animal Rescue Centre that's running from 27 June – 31 August.

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with the kids this summer why not get involved?

You can join the fun for free at parkersadventure.org

And take a look at the trailer below for more information.

No-one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back ...

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 14:24:27 GMT

Jesus wasn't to know about GPS satellite navigation and how ploughing a field in a straight line doesn't even need a driver any more ... let alone one who 'keeps their eyes on the road'. It was very different just a few years ago and much more like it was in Jesus' time. It didn't really matter if you were pushing your hand-held plough, driving a pair of oxen or in the cab of a basic tractor: if you turned round, if your looked back, it is highly probable that you would not plough in a straight line.

Nevertheless, Jesus wasn't really talking about ploughing or about those who plough. He was talking about those who are unable or unwilling to fully commit. That's what this Sunday morning's gospel reading is about ( Luke 9.51-62 ). To one person who declares an intention to follow him, Jesus suggests that they won't get the room service they are used to. To another Jesus response seems really cruel: let the dead bury their dead. To the third, who wants to nip home and say "Cheerio" to the family, Jesus replies ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

This image of Jesus as unsentimental, dispassionate and uncaring is at odds with the image of the shepherd, the pastor, the teacher. Here Jesus seems to be entirely lacking in emotional intelligence which is a characteristic highly prized today and searched for in those who would become clergy.

Maybe the answer is to be found either side of this extract from Luke's gospel. At the start of the reading we learn that Jesus is "setting his face towards Jerusalem" and we, who know how this story pans out, knows what will happen there. In the scenes leading up to this, Jesus encounters an exorcist, has to settle a squabble about greatness between two of his disciples and has had to tell them all "Let these words sink in: the Son of Man is going to be betrayed".

And immediately after this passage, Jesus sends out seventy of his followers to every town and place where he is going to go. He tells them that the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. He tells them that he is sending them out like lambs into the midst of wolves. He tells them to take no purse, no bag and no sandals. He tells them to expect some of the places they visit to reject them. And he tells them to say to everyone: "The kingdom of God has come near to you."

This is not a place for the faint-hearted, for those lacking in commitment to the cause and for those who, with a hand on the plough, might look back.

Dan Tyndall

June 2022

'Imploded, burned, turned to ash' by Issam Kourbaj

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 14:12:42 GMT

View in church and online during Refugee Week

Monday 20 - Sunday 26 June.

During Refugee Week 20-26 June 2022 , St Mary Redcliffe will be displaying Imploded, burned, turned to ash, a drawing and sound performance by Syrian-born and Cambridge-based artist Issam Kourbaj, in The Lady Chapel at the east end of the church.

This performance by the Syrian-born and Cambridge-based artist Issam Kourbaj was created to mark one decade of the Syrian uprising. It was performed and livestreamed on 15 March 2021 – the tenth anniversary of the first day of unrest. Filmed during the second COVID-19 lockdown at The Howard Theatre at Downing College, Cambridge, it was watched live across the world. In collaboration with the composer Richard Causton and the soprano Jessica Summers, as well as Kettle’s Yard, The Heong Gallery and The Fitzwilliam Museum, the original performance also coincided with the artist’s display of 366 eye idols created from Aleppo soap ( Don’t Wash Your Hands: Neither Light Agrees To Enter The Eyes Nor Air The Lungs, 2020 ) at the Fitzwilliam Museum (2 December 2020–5th September 2021).

In March 2021, Kourbaj said:

“To mark the tenth anniversary of the Syrian uprising, which was sparked by teenage graffiti in March 2011, this drawing performance will pay homage to those young people who dared to speak their mind, the masses who protested publicly, as well as the many Syrian eyes that were, in the last ten years, burnt and brutally closed forever.”

This performance is currently being screened in multiple locations worldwide, including cultural institutions and churches across the UK, Europe, Middle East and USA, throughout Refugee Week (20–26 June 2022). The ash produced during the original performance will also be installed in a glass vessel next to the screen at selected locations, including St James’s Piccadilly, London, and Great St Mary’s Church, Cambridge. The performance will also be available to watch virtually on associated websites that will be accessible to anyone unable to make it to one of the physical locations.

The idea of screening it in multiple locations and on the internet reflects the diaspora of many Syrians forced to leave their destroyed homes and erased cities, who are now scattered across the world, while the glass vessel of ash casts light on war’s terrible continuity (even when it is no longer mentioned in the media) and the destruction of all cities and livelihoods, which we see repeated time and again (as is now tragically happening in the Ukraine) and throughout human history.

SCREENING LOCATIONS WORLDWIDE:

Aldeburgh, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Hastings, Leiden, London, Newcastle, Peterborough, Philadelphia.

ONLINE SCREENING:

alserkal.online , Art and Christianity, Atassi Foundation, Counterpoint Arts, Fitzwilliam Museum, Heong Gallery, Kettle’s Yard, Qisetna, Scènes blanches, Scottish Refugee Council, St Mary Redcliffe, The Markaz Review, The Refugee Week.

Lunchtime at Redcliffe

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 16:51:26 GMT

We have sixteen free lunchtime organ recitals taking place on Thursdays from 1:00pm - 1:50pm during the first half of 2022.

No booking is required.

Next recitals

Thursday 16 June Elin Davis download programme

Thursday 23 June Laurence Caldecote download programme

Thursday 30 June Norman Harper download programme

View and download the Lunchtime at Redcliffe flyer below or click here for a pdf version.

Conservation work during June

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 11:22:06 GMT

Pentecost Eucharist Sunday 5 June

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 10:44:46 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Bells ring for the Queen's Jubilee

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 18:27:07 GMT

On Friday 3rd June, thousands of bellringers across the UK took hold of the ropes to ring the bells in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

There was no exception in Bristol as the St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers rang a peal lasting 3h 54m to mark the occasion.

A peal consists of over 5,000 unique permutations of the bells without stopping. The band rang Bristol Surprise Maximus to coincide with The Service of Thanksgiving at London's St Paul's Cathedral.

Below are the details of the Redcliffe peal and the ringers who took part.

For more information at the bells of St Mary Redcliffe click the Bellringing section on the About menu.

Where were you when you heard the news that Princess Elizabeth was now Queen?

Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:52:40 GMT

A number of you responded when I asked that question and here are your replies (with many thanks for the front page of The Star):

Marjorie writes:

I remember 6th February1952 vividly. I was a little girl of 9 years old I was attending the Church Primary School in Ilfracombe, N. Devon where I grew up. I recollect that we were all called into the Assembly Hall where the Headmaster and teaching staff were lined up to make the solemn announcement that our dear King had passed away and that Princess Elizabeth was now our Queen. We were then released into the playground but I do not recollect that any children were playing but rather think there was a muffled silence.

Of course we did not have television back then our main source of news was from an old valve radio where we listened to crackly announcements from the BBC. I was a member of the First Ilfracombe Brownie Pack. We use to meet every Thursday in the Vicarage Rooms based in the enormous gardens of the Vicarage. Our vicar then was the Rev. Arthur Chandler. I was an Elf in the Brownies and the thing to remember most was to say in the Brownie Oath to God and the Queen and not God and the King as Brown Owl had taught us girls.

Geoffrey writes:

It was just another day at Clifton College for this 16 year old. When the announcement came, I remember an air of sadness enveloped the school but when it sank in that the Kingdom was henceforth to be a Queendom there was excitement that there was going to be “a new Elizabethan Age”, as the newspapers said at the time, but otherwise, with no TV and only B&W pictures in the papers it was all much more subdued.

Grace writes:

I was in the hall at my school. We were doing "Music and movement" with the aid of a massive Department of Education radio. The music stopped and an announcement was made that an important message would be played shortly. The doors opened and the whole school came in with their teachers. The children all sat down, cross legged and the announcement was made that the King had died. We were very shocked, some of the girls were moved to tears. I also remember my first visit to a sweet shop. We were able to buy sweets, without coupons, as sugar was no longer rationed to celebrate the coronation of our lovely new Queen.

Anthony writes:

On 6th February 1952 I had recently turned 4 and was very excited as my friend Rex Norris’s parents had just bought a tv – the first ever in Loughborough Road, Bunny, and my elder brother and I were invited to go and watch Children’s tv with Rex. But that afternoon Mrs Norris came round and said “I’m afraid you won’t be able to come – the King has died. The television has been cancelled”. I think there was just solemn music instead. I remember feeling puzzled how we would manage without the King. A few weeks later my father took me in his motorbike and sidecar to my grandparents nr Leeds for 3 weeks while my younger brother was born and the first thing I said when we arrived was “Granny, did you know that your King has died?” This was retold whenever we saw my grandparents after that.

Mandy writes:

The King's death on February 6 1952 had a profound effect on me. It was the culmination of three memorable events in quick succession and the end of an era. I was a war baby; my first memories were of being bombed by the Italians in Cyprus, where I was born and where my father was the headmaster of the English School teaching Greek and Turkish Cypriots. By 1952 we were living in Suva, the capital of Fiji, on Viti Levu, the largest of the many Fijian islands and my father was in charge of education for the South Pacific. Two weeks before the king died I turned 12. One week before, we experienced the most devastating hurricane Fiji ever experienced, centred on Viti Levu, with winds well over 150mph, loss of life, roofs torn off the houses, ships blown from Suva harbour onto the street and trees uprooted for miles around. Aid poured in with great generosity from all over the Empire and from Britain ,in spite of their struggles to cope with the long aftermath of the war, including winter clothes for a very hot and steamy country !

Then the news broke of the king's death a week later. It came, as all our news did, from the BBC on the radio. I was devastated. We knew what the king looked like from official portraits and his head on the exotic stamps we collected for our stamp albums and we had heard him speaking on the radio, but to us children he was also the greatly admired war hero, who, with Winston Churchill, had led us all to victory in a long and devastating war. In 1952 all our reading was books of recollections of fighting in Europe and the Far East - " now it can be told." My godfather had been killed in a Japanese prisoner of war camp and I still flinched every time the sirens in Suva sounded the end of work for the day because it was exactly the same sound that would warn us of approaching enemy aircraft in Cyprus.

So I wept for the death of the king. But I remembered too that in 1947 my parents had gathered us five children together round the radio in Cyprus to listen to the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip of Greece and the future looked exciting and more hopeful in a now peaceful world.

Jean writes:

I arrived at Paddington Station on 6th February 1952 and the first thing I saw was a placard which read “THE KING IS DEAD”’. My friend and I were meeting two older girls we had met in 1946 on holiday on a farm in Tintern. One of these had become a GI bride and gone to the USA but was back in the UK on a visit. We were looking forward to reminiscing about Tintern but everywhere we went in London we saw placards telling us that the King was dead which rather marred the reunion!

And finally

Alan reminds us that an SMR treble called Malcolm Tanner was one of the 350-strong Coronation choir at Westminster Abbey in 1953

Thank you for sending me your memories.

Bells to peal out for the Queen's Jubilee

Mon, 30 May 2022 19:07:56 GMT

To celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, the St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers will be attempting to ring a peal on Friday 3rd June starting just after 10am.

The date and time for the peal - which is expected to last around four hours - has been chosen to coincide with the Service of Thanksgiving being held at London's St Paul’s Cathedral.

A peal is where over 5,000 unique combinations of all twelve bells are rung non-stop. It's the marathon of bell ringing and requires huge concentration by each of the twelve ringers to make the bells sound as even and rhythmical as possible.

Rush Sunday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 27 May 2022 10:35:35 GMT

An ancient civic tradition

Rush Sunday is one of the highlights of Bristol's civic calendar, upholding a tradition which goes back over 500 years.

This year's event took place on Sunday 5 June.

You can watch Canon Dan Tyndall's Rush Sunday sermon below:

Find your welcome

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 18 May 2022 08:01:45 GMT

We are delighted to announce that our ‘Find Your Welcome’ video is now available in Ukrainian.

This video is for refugees and asylum seekers across the UK to introduce them to the UK church.

Major Churches Newsletter

Mon, 09 May 2022 14:56:02 GMT

The Major Churches network has issued its first newsletter in a long time!

Click here to download

Bristol Noise: Community Fun Day

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 17:16:50 GMT

Join us with the Noise 2022 for a family fun day this May bank holiday weekend here at SMR. We seek to show God's love to our community and to get to know the Redcliffe community better as we celebrate the Queen's platinum jubilee together.

Notice of works at Temple Church

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 18:38:54 GMT

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Bells will peal out on Easter Monday

Sun, 17 Apr 2022 14:12:50 GMT

There will be a full peal attempt on Bank Holiday Monday starting just after 10am.

It will be the first peal attempt of its kind in over two years at Redcliffe due to Covid.

A peal is where over 5,000 unique combinations of all twelve bells are rung non-stop. Call it the marathon of bell ringing! It requires much concentration by each of the twelve ringers and is expected to take about four hours to complete.

We wish the visiting band, which has a connection with Exeter, the very best of luck.

I heard the voice of Jesus say

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 15:53:05 GMT

Good Friday Hymn

This hymn has been written especially for the Good Friday service at St Mary Redcliffe by the Vicar, Canon Dan Tyndall. A verse is sung as part of each section as we reflect on the Seven Words of Christ on the Cross.

I heard the voice of Jesus say: “Forgive them all, forgive;

they know not what their actions mean, forgive them, let them live”.

We hear the calling to forgive, to live in ways that heal;

so help us now and everyday forgive and love reveal.

I heard the voice of Jesus say: “I say truly to you;

This day to Paradise I go; with me you will be too.”

We hear the words that break apart our narrow-minded view;

an offer of eternal life for all, not just the few.

I heard the voice of Jesus say: “My mother and my friend;

Be each to each, a mother, son, on whom you will depend.”

We hear Christ form relationships, a chosen family;

so may our bonds of truth and trust forge true community.

I heard the voice of Jesus say: “Why, Lord, forsake me now?

My body broken, strung up high, stain’d blood upon my brow?”

We hear the constant cries of pain from refugees in war:

and still the self-same plea goes up: Why, Lord, do you ignore?

I heard the voice of Jesus say, for so it was foretold:

“I thirst, my throat is dry and parched, I wait at death’s threshold.”

We hear him rasping, turn away, hearts fractured, on the brink:

then pray for his eternal soul, when what he craves is drink.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, shown vinegar not wine:

“All is now ended, finished, done; this work of love divine.”

We hear these words of Christ define how incarnation ends;

Then, all accomplished on the cross, his love is lived by friends.

I heard the voice of Jesus say: “Here, Father, I commend

my life, my spirit, all I am; on you, through death, depend.”

We hear such trust, may we repeat those words with our last breath;

commending all we are to God as life gives way to death.

Dan Tyndall

Good Friday 2022

Easter & Holy Week

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 16:36:05 GMT

Our programme of services during Holy Week can be viewed below or via the orange button, where orders of service can be downloaded.

Tarnhelm Opera: Wagner Highlights

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:34:44 GMT

Saturday 23 April 7:30pm

Sunday Sermon 3 April

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 16:16:16 GMT

With Rev Simon Goodman

May Music List

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:58:41 GMT

Download a pdf version here

Six days before the Passover

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 15:52:02 GMT

The tension is building in the passage of St John's gospel set for Sunday morning. We are six days before the Passover; we are with Mary and Martha and Lazarus "whom he raised from the dead"; we are with Judas "the one who was about to betray him"; and we are about to be enfolded by the unctuous scent of perfume made of pure nard ; by the distinct aroma of suspicion, doubt and greed; and by the troubling truths of Jesus: "You will always have the poor: you won't always have me."

But the tension that is building doesn't start where our reading starts. In the previous paragraph we read that "the Passover of the Jews was near" and many people from the surrounding countryside where heading up to Jerusalem to purify themselves in time for the great celebration of Passover. And there was one question in the air: "Will he be there: the miracle worker that raised Lazarus from the dead? Surely he won't come to the festival? What do you think?"

Jesus had caused such a stir at the tomb of his friend Lazarus that many god-fearing Jews became followers of Christ, turning away from the Pharisees and undermining their authority held under the occupying forces from Rome. Such was the tension at that time that the Pharisees planned to put Jesus to death; such was the fear that Jesus no longer walked about openly; such was the chaos that Jesus withdrew to the wilderness town of Ephraim.

In this context, countryfolk were heading up to Jerusalem asking their questions. In this context, six days before Passover Jesus leaves Ephraim and heads to Bethany, the home of Lazarus "whom he had raised from the dead" ... a trip to see friends on the way to the festivities or a provocation as he set his face to Jerusalem? And the meal is served and Mary uses the nard and Judas berates her folly and Jesus reminds them all of deeper truths about himself and about the life we live today.

And then great crowds appear at the door not just to see Jesus, but to see Lazarus "whom he had raised from the dead". The author is hammering this home: three times in seventeen verses we are told that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead ... and that doesn't include the moment when Jesus actually did raise Lazarus from the dead with the words "Lazarus, come out!" There is little doubt that the author is using the repetition to drive home a point and to increase the tension between the authority of Jesus and that of the Pharisees.

And then it all ramps up another notch or two.

After the meal and the nard, after the Jews believing in Jesus, after the chief priests planning once more to put Jesus to death ... what happens?

"The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,

‘Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord"

What we now call Palm Sunday has dawned: which isn't that surprising if you think about it .. after all, Sunday's gospel reading starts with "six days before Passover".

Dan Tyndall

1 April 2022

Sunday sermon 20 March

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:05:17 GMT

With Becky James

He put his arms around him

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 14:25:28 GMT

Sunday is both Lent 4 and Mothering Sunday and I've chosen the gospel reading for Lent 4 for this week's reflection. It's one of the most well known stories in the bible: The Parable of the Prodigal Son. Many people argue that this historic title misses the point of the story: that it's not about the decision of the son who has taken his share of the wealth, lived a lavish, dissolute and reckless life, then come home cap in hand with his tail between his legs; rather it's about the father who hears the wishes of the son and makes them happen, whose heart is broken as the son heads off to pastures new but who doesn't try to stop him, and who - as the son approaches the family home and knowing the temptation of the neighbours to scorn and mock and deride - runs headlong to meet him and gathers him to himself, enfolds him with love, and restores him to the heart of the family.

Others argue that this still misses the point: the true focal point of the story is the elder son who remains loyal, obedient and faithful; amidst the ups and downs of the narrative taking place on the other side of the world, he remains constant, steadfast and true. For him there is no need or rescuing, for the neighbours are impressed by his devotion. For him there is no need for restoration, for he has always been at the heart of the family and at the hearth of his father. However, there is one thing he has yet to learn ... which links us back to last week's reflection ... he sees the world through very human eyes and his understanding of the world is based upon scarcity, that there is only so much to go round, that with his brother back in the family home he will have less of their father's attention, acceptance, love.

So what is this parable, this story:

- is it about a runaway son

- is it about a stay-at-home son

- is it about a father's care of his children

Almost as famous as the story itself, is Rembrandt's picture based on the story (although not to be confused with Rembrandt's other painting of this story " The Prodigal Son in the Brothel "!!) a part of which you can see above. To see the whole of Rembrandt's " The return of the Prodigal Son " painting click here .

It is an evocation of the welcome the runaway son receives from his father ... and is that the other brother standing in the shadow behind the father's left shoulder? The son has one shoe on and one bare foot; his clothes are in rags and his head is shaved. However, many scholars and artists would draw our attention not to the figures on the right, not the father or the son, but to the hands of the father resting on the shoulders of the son.

Yes, there is tenderness in the touch. Yes, there is warmth in the embrace. But look at those hands: they are not a pair. Those hands do not belong with one another. The left hand is weathered, the skin is red, the bones show through and the nails are dirty. The right hand is smooth and unblemished, the fingers are slender and possibly longer, the nails are clean. I don't accept that Rembrandt couldn't paint pairs of hands: so there must be a reason for these two very different hands with very different stories to tell.

If the father is meant to represent God who rescues the runaway and restores him to the heart and hearth of home; if the father is meant to represent God who reminds the stay-at-home that nothing he has is really his own any more (which has more than a subtle link to the notion of human beings being co-creators with God .. not that we're doing that very well at the moment!); if the father is meant to represent God .. then the choice of hands would strongly suggest that Rembrandt is wanting us to consider that the notion of God embraces the characteristics of those who have hands not just like the father's left hand, but also like his right hand.

Some simply say that this picture shows us that God is both father and mother to the runaway, to the stay-at-home, to me and to you.

Happy Mothering Sunday.

Dan Tyndall

25 March 2022

Let it alone for one more year

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 17:55:13 GMT

This line comes from the Parable of the Fig Tree in Luke's gospel, and it's part of Sunday morning's reading. The story goes that a man has decided that the fig tree in his vineyard should be cut down because there is no fruit growing on it. His gardener says, "Let it alone for one more year". He promises to prune it, manure it, mulch it and then, if nothing happens after another year, cut it down then.

The first question this brings to mind is why is there a fig planted in a vineyard? Some suggest that they make good use of the corners of fields where you can't grow vines: but, if so, why not leave it there? Others say that, because figs and grapes ripen at the same time and birds tend to prefer the sweeter taste of figs, the vines produce more fruit. In the Beaune region of France roses are planted amongst the vines because they are both susceptible to the same diseases, but roses react more quickly and thus give farmers warning that the vines are in danger of being affected. Whatever the reason, we can assume that the farmer in the story (and of course the storyteller, who is Jesus) as well as all those listening in would not be surprised to hear about fig trees being planted, pruned and uprooted in vineyards.

So, perhaps that's not where the truth of this little parable is to be found. Fast forward a year and the farmer and the gardener are talking about that fig tree once again: if we've given it one year (says the gardener) why not give one more year?

This is a theme that runs through the Hebrew scriptures. Take as an example Abraham bargaining with God for the people of Sodom: Abraham starts by suggesting that God wouldn't really destroy the whole of the city if fifty righteous people could be found within it. And God agrees. Within a very short exchange God has been bartered down and agreed that he will not destroy the city if ten righteous people can be found. And in other gospels, Jesus tells his followers that if someone asks for your coat to give your shirt as well, and if a soldier compels you to carry his pack one mile to carry it two.

The point is that we are being faced with an economic model that doesn't align with our (or pretty much any) understanding of prudent economics. This economic model doesn't add up because the starting point is usually about slicing and dicing what we have: it's a model based on scarcity. We only have this much and it has to do this and that and that and this.

God's economy is not based on scarcity but not generosity; not based on slicing and dicing but magnifying and amplifying. The cake taken to a party can only go round a limited number of people no matter how small a slice each person has: the flame from the first candle can light every guest's candle and carry on lighting the candles of every person each guest knows.

If we come to this parable with the economy of scarcity in mind, the fig tree will soon be gone. If, however, we come to this parable on the basis of the economy of generosity, the fig tree will be let alone for one more year, and one more year, and one more year.

Which is good news for us all.

Dan Tyndall

18 March 2022

Redcliffe Peace Feast

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 16:19:26 GMT

On Wed 30 March Bridges for Communities and Bristol's Somali Kitchen will be joining us to host a Redcliffe Peace Feast , offering guests a delicious meal, with inspiring stories and live music.

Food is halal and no alcohol will be served. Vegetarian and vegan options are available.

The Menu is as follows:

Starter: Fragrant Lentil Soup

Main Course: Suukar (A flavoursome Somali curry with fluffy rice)

Dessert: Basbousa (A traditional Middle Eastern Dessert)

Tickets for sale now! £10 for adults, £5 for under 15s. There is the option to buy a ' pay it forward' ticket which will help us to enable somebody from a refugee or asylum-seeking background to attend.

More information and tickets available here :

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Watch Redcliffe Talks #3: The North Porch

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 17:34:44 GMT

Discover the fascinating history of the North Porch at St Mary Redcliffe Church.

One of only three extant medieval porches to have been built on a hexagonal ground plan, the North Porch at St Mary Redcliffe stands out from the crowd. In the third Redckliffe Talk, writer and academic Dr Helen Lunnon printed a talk on the two North Porches (inner and outer) and their medieval contexts.

Below is a video presentation based on the talk that has been prepared by Dr Lunnon.

Sunday Sermon 13 March

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 15:39:02 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

Sunday Sermon 6 March

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 09:40:14 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

And Jesus answered the devil

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 14:44:42 GMT

This Sunday's gospel reading will be well known to many of us. It's from Luke's gospel and the narrative starts just after Jesus has been baptised and we have heard the voice of God saying "You are my son, my beloved: with you I am well pleased". For the pedants amongst us, there are a few verses between those words of God and the start of our reading which provides a genealogy showing how, as the text puts it, Jesus was the son (as was thought) of Joseph and son of God.

Then we read: "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil". You may recall that the devil visited Jesus three times, each time with a different tempting offer: to turn stones into bread; to be given authority over the kingdoms of the world; to test just how beloved of God he was by throwing himself off the pinnacle of the temple.

And Jesus deflects each of these suggestions: we cannot live by bread alone; worship the Lord and serve only him; do not put the Lord to the test. He declines the invitation. He resists temptation.

But he doesn't deny that the options exist. He doesn't suggest that they exist only the imagination of the devil. He doesn't imply that the devil has gone beyond his dominion. Jesus acknowledges the reality and power of evil; he accepts that there are routes open to him to overcome those realities (for himself in the present at least, and possibly for the whole of humanity for all time); and yet he speaks words of truth, integrity and authority which are heard and known and recognised by the devil who then "departed from Jesus until an opportune time".

At moments like this, an 'opportune time' seems to be upon us. As we watch Russia slowly but surely overwhelm another independent, sovereign nation, described by one person on the radio earlier today as "creating a desert and calling it peace", we might wish that Jesus had acted to save himself and the rest of us: but if he had the world would not be as it is now. If he had, there is a very real chance that we would be like those who have only Russian news to watch and only Russian politicians to listen to.

Much as we may wish it were not so, our faith does not provide us with a shield against the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; or, in more contemporary imagery, no matter how much we "go compare" or consult the meerkat, our faith provides no insurance policy against the realities of malevolent power or the dominion of those who give voice to the devil.

Last Wednesday, on the first day of Lent, we were told that the fasting the Lord desires is to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free; elsewhere in scripture we read that we are to beat our spears into pruning hooks and how blessed are the peacemakers; and Sunday's gospel reminds us of the awful truth of the realities of evil and to acknowledge they exist without colluding with them or yielding to them.

Lord, give us grace

neither to act cruelly nor to stand indifferently by

but to defend the weak from the tyranny of the strong.

Dan Tyndall

4 March 2022

Sunday Sermon 27 February

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 19:18:51 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

Ash Wednesday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 20:34:42 GMT

Ash Wednesday - 2nd March

We're having two services on Ash Wednesday and at both services we'll be having Communion and the option of 'being ashed':

- 11.00am said Communion service

- 7.30pm sung Communion service

If you have any palm crosses from previous years please do bring them into church for the spectacular moment at the start of the evening service when the palm crosses are burnt to create the ash used later.

Service sheets will be available here early next week.

Lent: Caring for Creation Fair

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 15:54:12 GMT

Saturday 5 March 2 - 4:30pm

Join us for a special event for all ages to help us start thinking about our themes for Lent.

This year's Lent programme is in partnership with the John Ray Initiative - an educational charity with a vision to bring together scientific and Christian understandings of the environment in a way that can be widely communicated and lead to effective action.

jri.org.uk

Lent Appeal

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 14:48:50 GMT

For details of this year's Lent Appeal programme click here

Even the winds and waves obey him

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 15:32:34 GMT

There aren't often white horses on Bristol's floating harbour .. but as I write on Friday lunchtime, the water is swirling around, being pushed further upstream by the wind, and white horses are dancing on the surface of the water. It's hard to imagine what is must be like for those on the coast caught the grips of one of the most powerful storms we have had for decades.

Lake Tiberias was well known for its squalls. But let's get a couple of things straight at the off: this 'lake' is no ordinary lake. It's 13 miles long and 8 miles wide: that's roughly the length of the River Avon from SMR to Avonmouth - and as wide as SMR is from Hartcliffe. So Lake Tiberias is no ordinary lake and is probably better named as The Sea of Galilee.

As one website puts it:

The sea's location makes it subject to sudden and violent storms as the wind comes over the eastern mountains and drops suddenly onto the sea. Storms are especially likely when an east wind blows cool air over the warm air that covers the sea. The cold air (being heavier) drops as the warm air rises. This sudden change can produce surprisingly furious storms in a short time, as it did in Jesus' day.

So the idea of a sudden squall, or even a howling gale, can't have been out of the ordinary for those disciples we read about in Sunday's gospel ( Luke 8. 22-25 ). To be fair, we don't know which disciples were in the boat with Jesus and it is possible that they were all tax collectors and carpenters: but given the number of fishermen Jesus called to follow him, and given that we're on the sea where many of them would have spent days and nights fishing, I can't help but assume that some of them at least were used to be out in a boat on that water when storms dropped down onto the sea. The normality of Jesus being asleep suggests the usualness of the event.

And then, in an instant, it turns from chaotic to catastrophic: the boat is filling with water and they are in fear of their lives. They wake Jesus, which seems like the right thing to do as he immediately rebukes the wind and raging waves and everything turns to calm. "And then Jesus said to them....

not "Good call waking me up: I'm here to help"
not "I was beginning to wonder if you really believed in me"
not "What did you expect .. I'm Jesus!"

but Jesus says to them: "Where is your faith?"

Surely, the disciples had shown faith:

faith in Jesus by calling on him to act
faith in his power to command the wind and the waves
faith in his love that he would save them

Apparently, Jesus had faith in something or someone else in mind: otherwise why ask "Where is your faith?"

And, again, when confronted with the power of Christ and the wisdom of Christ, the reaction is fear and amazement. They thought they knew this man; they called him teacher; yet here was another lesson from a totally different text book ... "Who is then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?"

Dan Tyndall

18 Feb 22

Blessed are you .... Woe to you

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 15:38:36 GMT

I mentioned in an earlier one of these that, in the ordination service, bishops commission priest "to teach and to admonish" and on Sunday we see where the idea might have come from. For those who value teaching over admonishing you might like to (as they say when football scores are about to be shared just before Match of the Day) look away now. This Sunday's gospel has Jesus surrounded by a crowd of disciples and a multitude of people from across Judea and as far away as Tyre and Sidon ... and that's a stretch of some 250 miles of Mediterranean coastline. He has just spent the night on the mountain in prayer, at the end of which he gathers his disciples (presumably a great crowd) and names twelve of them who will become known as Apostles.

Having chosen his top team (more successful than the recent English cricket tour of Australia, let's hope!) he comes down the mountain and, speaking to all his disciples, he names the blessings we recognise from the version in Matthew's gospel. But then he carries on and moves from teaching about blessings to admonishing those who are rich now, who are full now, who are happy now and who are thought well of now. For those of them - for those of us - enfolded into this group by our wealth, our lifestyle, our humour, our place in society, we are left dangling. Words that will come later as we head towards the Passion of Christ might ring in our ears: Do you mean me, Lord; Surely, not me, Lord!

But, in the cold light of day, there appears to be no place to hide, no escape route, no conscience clause: you will be hungry; you will weep; you will mourn.

However, there are two significant points to make here.

There is a pattern in the blessings and the woes. The second, third and fourth of each points to a future outcome, where the hungry will be filled and the weep will laugh; where the full will be hungry and those who laugh will weep. On the other hand, the first ones are in the present tense and point to the situation as it is now: blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God; woe to the rich for they have had their blessing.

For my second point you have to look beyond this week's text to the next section of chapter 6 of Luke's gospel. We're still in the same place, with the same crowd and it's still Jesus speaking. And his very next word, after saying "for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets" is "but ...

"But" suggests an alternative way of looking at things. More than that it clearly indicates that this week we cut Jesus off mid-train-of-thought. Pedantic linguists might argue we're cutting him off mid-sentence as I seem to remember being taught that it is unacceptable to start a sentence with "but": but then again, we have to remember we are not looking at this in the original language nor with their sense of grammatical correctness!

These are the blessings, some for now and some for a future; these are the woes, some for now and some for a future; but I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. And do to others as you would have them do to you.

Theology Book Club

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 13:26:52 GMT

The Theology Book Club meets again on Thursday 10 February.

Contact Simon Goodman for more information.

70th Anniversary of the Accession

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 14:07:50 GMT

Calling Nonagenarians, Octogenarians and Septuagenarians!

If I was to ask you what you were doing on Wednesday 6 February 1952 you might scratch your head and wonder why I was asking. On the other hand, it might feel like a very different question to ask if you remember where you were when King George VI died.

If you do have a memory of the moment you first heard "The King is dead. Long live the Queen" I would love to hear from you. Maybe our young members might like to ask their grandparents or older relatives and friends ... and our middle-aged readers can take their cue from that as well !!

It's well known that Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were staying in Treetops Hotel in Kenya when her father died. She went to bed a princess and woke up Queen. It would be fascinating to hear from you about how you learnt that King George had died: how old were you, where were you, who told you, what happened next and, if you can recall, how did you feel?

She was 25 when her father died: very young for any daughter to mourn the death of her father. That means she was just ten years older than Prince William was when his mother, Diana, died. I know there are many elements of the two events that are very different: but I find the ages interesting.

The history books tells us that it wasn't long before crowds began to gather outside Buckingham Palace and they grew so large that the police had to be called in to keep them to the pavement. Flags flew at half mast, cinemas and theatres closed and the BBC cancelled all its programmes except for news bulletins.

This Sunday, as is also well known, she will reach the milestone never before achieved by a British monarch: a platinum jubilee. Seventy years of loyal duty and public service all in the eyes of increasingly sharp focussed public gaze. In 1952 there was the print media and the BBC which had only one TV channel and (I think) three national radio stations. Now we are all 'citizen journalists' giving our views - educated or not - across many digital platforms to anyone who will take any notice.

The last two years have been historical in their own right. This weekend (and the Bank Holiday weekend later in the year) offer us an opportunity to balance the trauma and the challenges we have faced together with an equally significant opportunity to celebrate together. And so on Sunday, with churches and with people of goodwill up and down the land, we shall pray for Her Majesty the Queen, give thanks for her life of service and recognize this remarkable moment in our shared history.

Dan Tyndall

4 Feb 2022

Sunday Sermon 23 January

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:36:13 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

The eyes of all in the synagogue ...

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 17:33:26 GMT

Who is your favourite director of motion action films? Cecil B DeMille? Kathryn Bigelow? Steve McQueen?

Whenever I hear this Sunday's gospel passage ( Luke 4. 14 -21 ) I find myself wondering what an inspirational and creative director would 'do' with it. The first time I remember having this thought it was Stephen Spielberg who came to mind.

We're in Nazareth, where Jesus spent his childhood. We're in the synagogue, surrounded by those who knew the family and knew Jesus when he was growing up. We're at the point in the liturgy when the attendant hands over the scroll of the scriptures and a passage is found to be read aloud .. and it's going to be read by Jesus of Nazareth.

The text says that Jesus 'found the place where it was written': did Jesus decide this was the passage he wanted to read and was scrolling through until he found it; or (like many of us when we are presented with a reading from one of the more obscure books of the Apocrypha) was it the reading set for the day which he was scrolling through to locate. And then he says: "The spirit of the Lord is upon me".

By this point the author has already narrowed the scene down from town, to synagogue, to Jesus; and slowed the pace of the narrative until we're just watching an individual scrolling through a scroll. And then, at the end of the quotation from Isaiah, the narrative comes to total full stop: "he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him."

Then, and only then, when the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him; then, and only then, the full stop shatters and fragments of history and prophecy, present and future, theology and (what will become known as) ecclesiology sway with surprise, dance with delight and weave themselves into a known unknown future made present in their very midst: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

What would Cecil B DeMille, Kathryn Bigelow or Steve McQueen do with that? I'd love to see.

Dan Tyndall

21 Jan 2022

Sunday Sermon 16 January

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:03:56 GMT

With Rev'd Simon Goodman

And his disciples believed in him

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:24:07 GMT

I remember a visiting preacher giving the sermon on The Wedding at Cana (the gospel reading for this Sunday which comes from John 2) at SMR a few years ago. He started with some maths. Each of the six stone jars held twenty to thirty gallons of liquid. There were six stone jars which (if we average the size of the jars to 25 gallons) equates to 150 gallons of liquid. That is the same as 700 litres which will take 750 standard size bottles to fill. We know it was 'good wine', so let's say (in today's money) that 'good wine' costs ... well that's where it gets subjective!

For some of us, 'good wine' is anything that has a taste we like; for some of us, 'good wine' comes at a price that some others of us would consider overpriced for something that's not going to last long .. especially when shared around at a wedding!

But whether that wine would cost us a few thousand pounds or - to quote the preacher that day - somewhere around a million and a half (he clearly had expensive taste!) the point of the miracle is ... well, what is the point?

We're often told that the point is either that Jesus is revealing himself to others as his mother knows him, or that we are encountering the overwhelming generosity of God, or even that the relationship between Jesus and Mary was just as human as any mother and son relationship.

As I read it today, I am caught by the final phrase ... Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

This narrative does offer us a glimpse of the 'signs' to come, as well as a glimpse of the unwarranted, awe-inspiring generosity of God that those 'signs' reveal. And yet it concludes that, having experienced all this, Jesus' disciples believed in him. Whilst it doesn't explicitly say that they didn't believe (or didn't quite believe) in him before this point, it's not hard to read that suggestion into the text. Prior to going to this wedding, noticing the wine running out, and then enjoying the superfluity of that superb fluid (let's not kid ourselves ... I'm sure Jesus' friends made good use of that 'good wine'!) ... prior to going to this wedding, I wonder how just how much they now believed in him as well as liked him, followed him and respected him.

The theme of 'seeing and believing' appears in other places in John's gospel: the woman of Samaria (John 4); the raising of Lazarus (John 11), at the empty tomb (John 20) and in Jesus' appearance to Thomas (John 20).

It is interesting to note that The Wedding at Cana is one of the first narrative episodes in John's gospel and the encounter between the risen Christ and Thomas is one of the last. In the earlier encounter, we read Jesus did this ... and his disciples believed in him; and in the latter Jesus says to Thomas Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.

Dan Tyndall

14 Jan 2022

Sunday Sermon 9 January

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 11:53:07 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

You are my beloved child

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 15:33:08 GMT

The Baptism of Christ

Epiphany is the season of light bulb moments, pennies dropping, scales falling from eyes. Suddenly people understand just who Jesus is.

For the people by the river Jordan that day, according to Luke, that epiphany came with the help of a voice from heaven and the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in bodily form like a dove. And the voice said, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." What an affirmation!

When we are baptized, we are following in Jesus' footsteps. And through him, we too are God's beloved children. We may be quite used to thinking of God as our Father or Mother, but not necessarily logically follow it through - if God is your parent, you are God's child. For some that will be a light bulb moment, a penny will drop, and suddenly you understand something new about who Jesus really is, and who you are.

And so I often use this passage at baptisms, and claim these words from heaven for every person I baptize: "You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased"

If you are baptized, there's a strong chance you were too young to remember. But you may like to imagine the voice of God saying these words to you today. An affirmation that you are God's child that you are loved, that God is pleased with you. If you are not baptized, perhaps now is the time to listen to the voice of God and see if God is calling you to take that step of faith.

Sunday Sermon 2 January

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 16:54:13 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

In the shadow of Christmas

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 11:56:07 GMT

I often wonder about those "Days of Christmas" and about who (and what) we 'celebrate' in those days that lie in the shadows of Christmas.

Christmas Day ... we celebrate the incarnation, God in human form, the divine breaking through into the realm of mortals. We as say at Midnight Mass:

Welcome all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span.

Summer in winter, day in night,

heaven in earth and God in man.

Great little one whose all‑embracing birth

brings earth to heaven and heaven to earth.

Boxing Day ... in church-speak December 26th is reserved to mark St Stephen; as the carol goes

Good King Wenceslas last looked out

on the Feast of Stephen

In some countries, no doubt, snow does indeed lay deep and crisp and even. However, this is the day that the celebrates Stephen's death: known as the first martyr for the Christian faith, Stephen was stoned to death after he denounced the religious people as 'stiff necked' and resistant to the Good News of God in Christ. On Christmas Day we celebrate the divine becoming mortal; on Boxing Day we mark the moment when the mortal was embraced by the divine.

St John, Apostle and Evangelist, is celebrated on 27th December (though whether John the apostle is the same person as John the evangelist we're not entirely sure!). Nonetheless, the church reserves this day to commemorate the one who wonders about the Word made flesh and so we deepen our reflections on the relationship between humanity and divinity into something more timeless than one moment in history for the word was made flesh and lived among us, whilst at the same time all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. More than that, for those who have ears to hear, we are offered an insight into the pain and suffering that Christ will endure and that tomorrow will bring: the world did not know him and his own, and his own people did not accept him.

Then, on the fourth day of Christmas, we are introduced to the travellers , the star gazers, the magi from the east who bring gold for a king, incense of a god and myrrh for a burial to the child Jesus. But that's not the focus of the commemoration on 28th December : for the celebration of the Epiphany we have to wait another nine days. On this day, folded away after celebrating the incarnation, marking the martyrdom and wondering on the word - shrouded by the shadows of Christmas - we stumble on the death, the murder, the execution of somewhere between sixty and two hundred young children on the orders of Herod and as a direct result of the visit of those so-called Wise Men. As many of you will know, the feast day of The Holy Innocents is, for me, one of the most significant yet forgotten, overlooked and ignored days in the Christian calendar; and, if I had my way, I'd move it to autumn and cause it to be marked on a Sunday every year.

In four days we are brought face to face to:

- with God becoming mortal

- with a mortal returning to God

- with the wonder of the word made flesh

- with the brutality that flesh is capable of

Four days in which we wonder about our relationship with God, our relationship with one another and how we live out the love of God to which we are called.

As the Collect for Holy Innocents from the Alternative Service Book (which was criticised for being too political but seems to chime more with the contemporary issues facing both society and the church) puts it:

Heavenly Father,

whose children suffered at the hands of Herod,

though they had done no wrong:

give us grace neither to act cruelly

nor to stand indifferently by,

but to defend the weak from the tyranny of the strong;

in the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for us,

but is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

The light shines in the darkness

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 14:41:10 GMT

I guess many of us thought, this time last year, “Well, at least we’ll never have to go through this again” as we settled down to Christmas without the friends and family we had hoped to be with. For most of us, that meant waiting longer to share Christmas presents. For others, it meant missing the last Christmas we could share with a person because they died this year. For some, it meant that their final Christmas was spent alone. For pretty much everyone, it was a very Silent Night when we celebrated that Holy Night.

And we hoped that we would never be facing such a Christmas again: but we are. Cases of omicron are rising fast, and whilst we don’t know how poorly people will be, we need to be realistic about the potential impact on the NHS. Those of us who follow Jesus, who call ourselves Christian, try hard to follow the fundamental law: love God and love your neighbour. As never before, we are having to practice what we preach: working out how our behaviours, our actions, our choices are going to impact on ‘our neighbour’. Those neighbours might be the people who care for us, shop for us or do our hair; they might be our ambulance drivers, doctors and hospital porters; they might be politicians, scientists and those who work out how to get a million jabs into a million arms every day. These are all ‘our neighbours’ and, whilst it’s very difficult to be certain about how best to ‘love our neighbours’, the call from Christ is to try, to imagine how it will be for them, to think of others before ourselves.

The second thing we Christians are good at is holding onto hope. There’s a big difference between optimism and hope. Optimism is sitting down with your lottery ticket and hoping for a win. Hope is trusting, believing, knowing that the truly awful things of this world, whether they are highly personal to you or the impact of a global pandemic, will not have the final say. Hope knows that the darkness is real. But hope also knows – and knows just as passionately – that light that shines in that darkness. We may feel that it’s not bright enough, that it’s flickering, quavering in the gloom.

But faith is not determined by our feelings, but our decisions. The decision to follow Christ, to kneel in wonder at the babe in the manger, to sing “Glory to God on high” with shepherds and angels, means we have hope and together can we proclaim:

the light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall never put it out.

Sunday sermon 19/12/21

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 12:16:05 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 12/12/2021

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 13:49:04 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

Covid Update

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 12:31:40 GMT

Read the latest updates on Covid and how this will affect services below. For information about services and orders of service click here .

Please download an order of service to use on your phone or tablet before you come to church.

Wearing masks in churches is now compulsory (unless you are exempt) and we are expecting masks to be worn throughout services even when singing. Those taking the service will only take off their masks for the parts they are leading.

Please take a lateral flow test a few hours before coming to church and do not come if there is any doubt about it being a clear negative result .

And don't forget you can join us online for most of our services.

“The light shines in the darkness and no darkness will ever put it out”

Community Christmas Gathering!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:40:18 GMT

Join our Community Team for a special Christmas event!

A free community celebration, featuring festive fun activities and presents for the kids !

Contact david.cousins@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk for further information

With many other exhortations

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 09:55:41 GMT

"Away in a manger, no crib for a bed; the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head". This gentle lullaby will be sung hundreds of thousands of times over the next couple of weeks in churches and schools, care homes and prisons all over the world. Although the words may have originated from Martin Luther, it became popular in the late 19th century and (to my ears at least) is the epitome of the Victorian "gentle Jesus meek and mild", somewhat over-sentimentalised expression of the Christian faith. And, as might be said in a TV court room drama, I offer as Exhibit A the gospel passage for this coming Sunday: Luke's version of John the Baptist.

There is very little room in John's understanding of the coming Messiah for schmaltz or romantic idealism. The crowds are attracted by his oratory and the way he quotes from the Hebrew scriptures: "Prepare the way of the Lord"! But when they follow him he names what he sees: "a brood of vipers trying to save your own skins". I don't doubt for one minute that our faith calls us to kindness, gentleness, grace and contemplation: but it doesn't leave us there. If nothing else, John reminds us that our faith has a much more pragmatic edge to it as well: "if you have two coats share with someone who has none; if you are a tax collector collect no more than is due; if you are a soldier, do you not abuse your power and authority; if you are a politician ... I wonder what John would have said about this generation of politicians?

"And, with many other exhortations, John proclaimed the good news!" That good news which is about both our private, personal devotional faith and our shared, public functional faith. A quick scan of a list of synonyms for 'exhortation' suggests that John might have been using any or all of the following to proclaim this good news: urging, encouraging, persuading, pressuring, pushing, beseeching, admonishing.

As a bit of a side note, I am always struck that, in ordination services, bishops instruct those they are ordaining as priest (amongst other things) "to teach and to admonish". We priests often get requests to be better teachers; rarely, if ever, have I heard of a priest being encouraged to be better at admonishing!

Christmas, with all its much loved yet rather sentimental trappings like Christmas trees from the Renaissance, greetings cards from Victorian era and red-cloaked Santas from Coca-Cola, is about both our personal devotion and our functional faith - it must be, as it is all about love. The love that God has for us to send his son into the world to live as we live; which is the self-same love which draws us to behave in certain ways towards one another to towards our neighbours.

Ironically, this is encapsulated very well by another Victorian author, Christina Rossetti when she wrote: Love came down at Christmas .

Dan Tyndall

December 2021

Watch Redcliffe Talk #2: Bristol Beyond the Bridge

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:44:08 GMT

Watch Bristol writer and historian, Michael Manson, tell the fascinating story of Redcliffe, Temple and St Thomas from the Middle Ages to today.

Sunday sermon 5 December

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:17:52 GMT

With The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sunday sermon 28 November

Sat, 04 Dec 2021 13:23:35 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon 21 November

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 14:47:13 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

In the fifteenth year

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 07:51:05 GMT

In the first chapter of his gospel Luke has told us about the forthcoming births of Jesus and John and about how Mary and Zechariah responded to the news.

In the second, we have the birth of Jesus, the shepherds and angels (no wise men!), the dedication of the child just a few days old and the trip to Jerusalem for Passover when he was twelve.

And then, just in case we need convincing about the time and place of what happens next, Luke opens chapter 3 - the chapter that has John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness, the baptism of Jesus and Luke's version of the ancestry of Jesus - cross-referencing seven different (probably) indisputable historical facts.

By creating this Venn diagram of events, Luke seems to me to be wanting to underline his view that it is inconceivable that this event did not happen. Some may suggest the story of John crying out in the wilderness is fanciful. In today's terminology some may dismiss it as part of some conspiracy or simply as 'fake news': but for Luke, the events he recounts about John in chapter 3 of his gospel really did take place. And he 'proves' it by cross referencing no less than seven historical pieces of information.

Now whilst that is interesting in itself, it is not unreasonable to wonder why this is so important to Luke: if there is truth at the heart of what he is saying, why does he work so hard to convince his readers?

The answer to that question may be partly to do with John the Baptist and the likelihood that, even just a couple of decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the nature of a character like John might well have evolved into myth and legend and that Luke is very keen to reclaim the full reality of John the Baptist.

There is though, I suspect, another motive to the list that starts chapter 3 - and that's the list that ends chapter 3.

That list is, again for Luke, 'proof' that Jesus is not just the "son (as was thought) of Joseph" but the direct descendent, by a further 76 generations, of God.

In these first three chapters Luke is building his credibility as a narrator of the story of Jesus of Nazareth: the more he can provide evidence of the fundamental elements of the life of Jesus, the more we are likely to accept the more bold claims .... like the one in chapter 3 where, at Jesus' baptism, the heavens open and a voice is heard saying: "This is my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased".

Dan Tyndall

3 Dec 21

December Music List

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:46:02 GMT

Download a pdf version here

Christmas at St Mary Redcliffe

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sun, 28 Nov 2021 16:34:54 GMT

Click here for a list of services, carol concerts and special events that are taking place in church this year.

There will be signs

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 09:28:17 GMT

So says Jesus in this Sunday's gospel reading: "signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves."

The roaring sea and the waves have certainly caused distress among the nations this week. The death of around thirty people so close to our homes brings into ever sharper relief both the reality of the migrant situation and the fragility of life.

I'm sure I'm not alone in being reminded of the image of the lifeless body of three year old Alan Kurdi being carried up the beach by a Turkish police officer six years ago. What has changed in the last six years?

The latest UN figures suggest that "some 79.5 million people had been forced from their homes due to persecution, conflict, and human rights violations." That number includes 29.6 million refugees, 4.2 million asylum seekers, as well as 45.7 million internally displaced people. What's changed?

And going back even further, we are all too aware that Jesus and his parents became refugees in Egypt, forced into exile by Herod's persecution. And even further back, the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt and were left wandering and homeless for years before entering The Promised Land. What's changed?

Some people suggest that it was Einstein who first said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Whoever it was, I can't help wondering if we - globally and historically - have got ourselves caught in this endless loop of unrealisable expectation. Something needs to change.

Was it Aldous Huxley who coined the phrase: I wanted to change the world, but I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing Is oneself.

Maybe we need to look, not to 'them' to do something, but to 'us' to adapt, respond, change. It is impressive how much is going on here in Bristol to assist refugees and asylum seekers who are brought here, so I am not suggesting that nothing is happening. Far from it.

Many of you will know that I am a great fan of the TV series West Wing - it's about a fictional US president and his key staff and very well worth watching! In one episode the president says to his senior team: “Naval Intelligence reports approximately 1200 Cubans left Havana this morning. Approximately 700 turned back due to severe weather, some 350 are missing and presumed dead, 137 have been taken into custody in Miami and are seeking asylum. With the clothes on their backs, they came through a storm. And the ones that didn’t die want a better life. And they want it here. Talk about impressive.”

And Jesus says: "When you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near."

Dan Tyndall, Vicar

What have you done

Sat, 20 Nov 2021 10:59:20 GMT

So demands Pilate of Jesus in Sundays' gospel reading. One of the challenges of any public rendition of this passage, in a film or a play or a reading in church on a Sunday morning, is to decide just what Pilate is saying.

What have you done

.. what of all these actions are you specifically responsible for ... what, in all this mess, is your fault?

What have you done

... have you any sense of the trouble you have stirred and the effort it will take to sort this out?

What have you done

... what is it that you are sorry or ashamed of and you don't want to speak about?

What have you done

... have you seen all that I have done and all they have done .. tell me, what have you done?

The decision on how to 'play' this question makes all the difference in the world: two of them focus on the person being questioned (what is your fault, what are you ashamed of) and two on the person asking the question (what I will have to do, what I have already done).

And it's not the only question Pilate asks Jesus in this reading. When Jesus is brought to Pilate, summoned by the Roman governor to his headquarters, the first thing Pilate says is: "Are you the King of the Jews?" Exasperated by Jesus reply, Pilate then puts a rhetorical question and a very real question to Jesus: "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own people, your own chief priests have handed you over: what have you done?"

Further confused by Jesus' response, Pilate then asks: "So you are a king?". And our passage ends with Jesus' response: "You say that I'm a king. But I'll tell you this: I was born - I came into the world ( there's an interesting thing to explore here, by the way ... why does John, who has no birth narrative, have Jesus say "for this I was born and for this I came into the world" .. but that's for another day !)

Our passage ends with Jesus' response: "You say that I'm a king. But I'll tell you this: I was born - I came into the world - to testify to the truth and everyone who belongs to the truth listens to me."

That's where our passage ends on Sunday .... and what's the very next verse? Pilate, asking another question: "What is truth?", going out to the crowd and handing the decision as to what to do with Jesus to the baying mob.

Sunday sermon 14 November

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 20:27:04 GMT

With Simon Goodman

Chatterton Room Open Day - 12 December

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 19:09:59 GMT

Book free tickets below via Eventbrite

Lest we forget

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 09:39:41 GMT

Whilst Remembrance Sunday is this weekend, Armistice Day itself falls on 11 November when, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we are told that the guns stopped firing, that silence descended like a fog over the battlefields of France and a state of peace replaced the state of war.

11 November is also the day when the church remembers Martin of Tours , a fourth century soldier, monk and bishop who was born in modern-day Hungary and died in France in 397. So it is, that every 11 November we remember both the sacrifice of the fallen of Armistice Day and the life, ministry and witness of St Martin of Tours.

And, by virtue of the vagaries of the lectionary, the second reading at Morning Prayer on 11 November this year was not about laying down one's life for one's friend or praying for those who persecute you, but (from Matthew 5) turning the other cheek and, in particular, Jesus saying to the crowds, ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer."

On the day when nations around the world stand still (metaphorically speaking at least) for two minutes to remember those, to borrow a phrase from St Paul, who were prepared to "stand firm and hold fast" against evil atrocities that would seek to impose an alternative governance structure that would demean and dehumanize generations of those yet unborn ... on that day, in churches in nations around the world we read "Do not resist an evildoer."

There is no doubt in my mind that resisting evil is good, just and morally courageous: so this is in no way a call for pacifism. Indeed, many of you will know that one of my most treasured prayers comes from the now-redundant Alternative Service Book which provided this collect for the Feast of Holy Innocents:

Heavenly Father,

whose children suffered at the hands of Herod,

though they had done no wrong:

give us grace neither to act cruelly nor to stand indifferently by,

but to defend the weak from the tyranny of the strong.

Along with hundreds of thousands of others, I am grateful for the men, women and children (many under age children volunteered to serve in the first world war) who, in conflicts throughout the years, have chosen to serve their nation and to defend what is right and good. And, if I'm really honest, I have spent much of my life simply hoping that I am never called on to make the same kind of sacrifice and wondering what the impact would be on me of being 'called to serve my country'.

The tension between Armistice Day and, what is known in some parts of the world as, Martinmas is, for me, yet another indication of the strain between how some people seem to think the Christian faith is and how I see the Christian faith. In other words, there are some followers of Jesus who hold fast (there's that phrase again) to what I see as an indiscriminating excavation of our historic biblical texts to uphold a predetermined view of their theology position or their faith in God. I suspect they would say something similar about me: that I do not 'hold fast' enough to my understanding of who I am 'in Christ' and that I am too easily nudged around from one place to another by every encounter with complexity that seems to pepper our biblical narratives.

We all know this to be true: that followers of Christ come in all shades of opinion, including how to interpret the bible. However, we also know that we are all sisters and brothers in Christ, adopted as children of the God, limbs and organs of the same body. And thus there is much more that unites us than divides us ... including and especially Remembrance Day.

Lest we forget.

Watch Redcliffe Talk #1: The Real Thomas Chatterton

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:55:38 GMT

The Real Thomas Chatterton with Professor Nick Groom - hosted by Iona Keen

The first in a series of heritage talks on subjects relating to St Mary Redcliffe.

Come and see

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:57:46 GMT

There are two pithy sayings that are often used to encourage people to contemplate the significance of Jesus of Nazareth and/or the importance of the Christian faith in their lives. One is "Follow me". An instruction or suggestion or invitation spoken by Jesus on a number of occasions to a number of people. There is little ambiguity and the context is clear: I am heading in this direction, are you? might you? will you?

The other is "Come and see". This seems very similar and could be taken as an instruction or suggestion or invitation spoken by those who have met Jesus or who know the centrality of the truths he speaks. Again, there seems little ambiguity ... until you look at the context. We are close to a grave; we are in the midst of mourning; we are surrounded by the sights and sounds and smells of death.

Far from being an invitation to anyone and everyone to engage in "life in all its fullness", this is an invitation to one person to be immersed in the very human realities of pain, grief and death. And his response is a very human one as well: Jesus wept.

When talking about funerals with children, I often take coins out of my pocket and ask them to select one. This works best when they chose the coin of highest value and, children being children, that's what most of them do. We then talk about the value of the coin; we noticed that it has two sides; and we explore the depth of love that one sides represents and depth of grief of the other. The message is simply: the deeper the love, the greater the grief.

As it is with us, so it was with Jesus. "So they said: See how he (Jesus) loved him (Lazarus)." This is a very human moment in the life of Christ and one which affirms his own humanity. And it is soon followed by another human moment. When instructed to remove the stone from the tomb, Martha (Lazarus' sister) who was presumably as grief struck as everyone else, suddenly sees a very human consequence of opening the tomb ... the stench will be overwhelming as Lazarus has been dead for four days.

And yet, in the end, it's not the stench that overwhelms those who close at hand, it is Lazarus as he emerges alive from the tomb. Indeed it is so overwhelming that, as we read next in John's gospel, some of those there believe in Jesus whilst others go to the Pharisees one of whom, named Caiaphas, says "It is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed."

I'd like to think I know how I would have responded had I been at the tomb of Lazarus that day!

Sunday sermon 17 October

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 11:45:21 GMT

With The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer

Sunday sermon 10 October

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 09:32:31 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

What do you want me to do for you?

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 14:54:34 GMT

Last week James and John asked Jesus, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask" and I doubt they weren't expecting the reply they got or the lesson they were taught.

This week we are still in the Gospel of Mark, and still in chapter 10. Last week the passage ended at verse 45 and this week the passage starts at verse 46. And, fresh from pushing back at James and John, fresh from confirming that they will drink from the same cup as him, fresh from upending their expectations about rulers and power, about servants and service, suddenly we are in Jericho and blind Bartimaeus is sitting by the roadside aware that something, someone special is passing by.

His cries are decried by the crowd who tell him to be quiet; but his persistence is rewarded and he is called forward to be with Jesus.

Last week James and John asked Jesus, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask" and this week Jesus asks Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?". Bartimaeus doesn't hesitate for a second, receives his sight and becomes a follower in the Way.

The arrangement of passages of scripture is not haphazard: we've made it look like that with the introduction of chapter numbers and verses; we've made it sound like that by having bite size chunks read out at services. But here, if ever there was one, is an example of the quality of story telling in Mark's gospel: one moment Jesus is telling his disciples what to do; the next he is showing them what to do. Another example, perhaps, that the 'new' understanding of different learning styles is not so much something we have recently learnt but something we have recently re-discovered.

The stark contrast between "We want you to do for us whatever we ask" and "What do you want me to do for you?" is almost as stark as the outcome for Boanerges and for Bartimaeus.

We want you to do for us whatever we ask

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:48:33 GMT

It's not a great start to a conversation: redolent with passive aggression, prior collusion and unreal expectation. Not really a conversation starter at all, more a thinly veiled threat that, unless I get my way, toys will soon be spinning their way out of the cot! Not a way of opening up a discussion that many would choose when talking with friends or family.

So it is startling to read in Sunday's passage from Mark's gospel that this is precisely how James and John, the sons of Zebedee, start their conversation with Jesus: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask."

I think today we might say that this evidences a real lack of self-awareness: asking the one you name as your teacher to do as they are told. I also suspect that, today. certain personality types would respond by saying: "Not likely", or "On yer bike, sunshine"!

But not Jesus. From my perspective, there is at the heart of Jesus, not just a focus on 'the other', not just compassion for the outcast and downhearted, but genuine curiosity: how many times does he answer a question with a question?

A lot of the training we get (and do) is focussed around asking good questions, about being curious and about wondering out loud. We are often sold this as new wisdom: like we are encouraged to embrace the 'new' wisdom of meditation! But it's not new and I doubt that Jesus invented it either.

Wonder and curiosity have been around for eons and Jesus makes very good use of them: as he does in this passage. To that thinly veiled threat - "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask." - Jesus wonders out aloud: "What do you want me to do for you?" The wisdom of this question is that it reveals not just the questionable nature of the request but also the underhand manner in which it is posed.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were nicknamed by Jesus earlier in Mark's gospel as 'Boanerges' - sons of thunder. I can't help noticing that this brings Macbeth's speech to my mind: "It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Having gently, even lovingly, undermined the presumption of Boanerges, Jesus then does that which they had named in him: he teaches. And what he teaches them, and us, is still as counter-cultural now as it was then; it is still as breath-taking in its expectations of how to behave within society; it is still as easy to understand as ever it was and just as hard to live out. "Those who wish to be great must be a servant; and those who wish to be first must be slave of all".

And, in our current context, that raises all sorts of other questions!

Visit Treefest!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 11:16:48 GMT

Treefest 2021

A spectacular festive display of decorated Christmas trees

Thursday 2 - Sunday 5 December 2021 at St Mary Redcliffe Church

Opening times

Thursday to Saturday 10:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Treefest is a spectacular festive display of Christmas trees held within the splendid gothic church of St Mary Redcliffe. The festival is a fabulous celebration of the diversity of creative talent in Bristol and a chance to learn more about the groups behind the trees plus an opportunity to support two of the charities via making donations to help support their work.

Find more information about this year's event here

Concert: Rutter's 'Magnificat' by Phoenix Choir

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 11:01:32 GMT

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 12:54:21 GMT

I wonder if this is in the same territory as the response to those who ask whether the amount we should tithe should be calculated before or after tax? And what is that response? "If you're asking that question, you're missing the point."

This question is asked by a man who runs up and kneels at Jesus' feet. In my mind, I see a kind of "doorstopping" going on: one of those moments where journalists are camped outside a politician's or celebrity's house waiting for them to emerge so that they might shout out a question and hopefully get a soundbite for their news report which, in an ideal world, will undermine the politician or celebrity by showing them up to be deceitful, dishonest or disloyal. Just as Jesus is setting out on a journey, so our fictitious celebrity is heading out; just as Jesus is pounced upon by this man, so our celebrity is bombarded with questions and demands for comment.

So the doorstepper shouts out "What must I do to inherit eternal life" and Jesus remarks "You know what you must do." This doesn't seem to answer the question well enough for this man; he is not convinced that these actions (despite being listed by the Son of God) is a sufficient checklist for a one way ticket to eternity. We then read that Jesus looked at him, loved him and then said he must sell everything, give the money to the poor and then follow him. "When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions."

There is a very real difference between the verbs to look, to speak and to love. Jesus does indeed tell the man what he must do, but in doing so he demonstrates how we are in the same territory as my opening paragraph about tithing and taxation. It's all very well to look and to speak: those are rational and pragmatic words describing actions that are functional and transactional. That third verb, sandwiched between the two others, is the key, the gamechanger: to love.

Anyone who has ever been in love knows that it fails the test of rationality and releases activity way beyond the scope of the transactional. To love may be a verb, it may be something we do, but not in the same way as we do our looking and speaking. The way we do our loving is by being in love, or (in the Christian sense) by deciding that we shall, no matter how we feel, love one another as Christ has loved us.

Question: "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Answer: "If you're asking that question, you're missing the point."

Toddler Church

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 13:30:28 GMT

From Becky James, Youth & Families Minister

“Find a job you enjoy doing and you never have to work a day in your life” – that’s something I quote quite regularly when I describe my role at St Mary Redcliffe. Of course, my job isn’t perfect, because life isn’t perfect – but there are moments when it doesn’t feel like work at all – but instead a great privilege – and that’s how I would describe our weekly Toddler Church.

Toddler Church takes place every Friday at 10am. We have created our own style of worship based on who we are. We sing songs and read books from the Bible. We read the same book (the book of the moment) for about a month, which enables our children to join in with the words and explore the themes in detail. Woven into the service are aspects of the Early Years Curriculum, especially Communication and Literacy and Numbers. We also learn a bit of French! In dry weather (even in the winter) our Toddler Church takes place outside in the churchyard, in the form of Earth Church and in wet weather, we go inside our beautiful church building. Toddler Church, like our Children’s Church, runs throughout the year.

Since we started a couple of years ago, we have welcomed people from our local community and surrounding area. I find the Early Years a fascinating time – with lots of developmental changes – and it is a great delight to watch our younger members blossom and grow.

Snack-time is always a highlight of our sessions, for us adults as much as the children! This is the moment we sit down together and sing, read our story, and discover a bit about each other. One of my greatest pleasures is to learn how to say words in each other’s languages and to incorporate this into our service. For me, liturgy is all about participation.

Of course, as with all our church activities, our Toddler Church would not be possible without the help, support and generosity of our church community. Our materials and resources have been donated by members of our church community. It is greatly appreciated. Any resources we have bought have been funded by your donations. We value this greatly. Each time we have a new child join us, they’ve been given a knitted teddy, especially made for them by Barbara. Every session I am joined by Richard, who gives his time and energy in helping me set up and pack away, and providing those much appreciated cups of tea and coffee.

I thank you all for your gifts. As the African proverb goes, it takes a whole village to bring up a child. I think we can say the same for the life of faith.

What God has joined together

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 13:07:33 GMT

What God has joined together let no one separate.

There's no doubt that those words come at a most special moment in a wedding service. We have heard the couple give their consent, heard them make their vows to one another and witnessed the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings: and then, and only then, the cleric pronounces that they are husband and wife and rounds off the words and actions by which the couple get married by saying: "What God has joined together let no one separate".

And yet those words, as we will hear on Sunday, are brought into a discussion with some Pharisees by Jesus when he is asked by them: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Jesus' answer to that question seems to point to an explanation which differentiates the time when we had to live according to the law and commandment (the days of Moses) and the days which are being birthed by the death and resurrection of Christ when we shall live according to grace (the days of Christ).

However, in the next verse when "in the house with his disciples", Jesus seems once again to be very clear about his attitude to divorce, saying: "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery."

Without rehearsing the theological arguments around same-sex marriage (though let's delight in the news that Switzerland voted overwhelmingly last weekend to approve same sex marriage) we are faced with another difficult passage from scripture which poses questions about our attitude to marriage, divorce and re-marriage.

And, just in case you don't know me well enough, I am not one of those who believes that marriages should be held together at all costs and I am one of those who willingly conducts wedding services for those who are divorced.

Nonetheless, this gives even me pause for thought about what Jesus was wanting his disciples to know and to experience; and how we should be living out that knowing and that experiencing in the first quarter of the 21st century as we emerge from a global pandemic. After all, if the context into which Jesus was speaking is important to understanding the meaning of what he is saying, then surely the context in which we are living is just as important in understanding the way in which we should be living.

Paragraphs didn't exist in the bible, nor did verses or chapter numbers: not until we put them there! If we ignore those inserted breaks, the narrative moves directly on from Jesus talking about adults committing adultery to parents bringing children for healing and his disciples trying to stop them. The words Jesus speaks next, after speaking about adultery, is "Let the little children come to me: for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs."

Is it too far fetched to wonder if the writer of this gospel was wanting us to draw some comparisons:

between the days of Moses and the days of Christ;
between living according to the law and living according to grace;
between relationships where the focus is on adultery and where the focus is on healing;
between the kingdom of this world which demands our attention and where we fight for our rights and and battle for our supremacy, and the kingdom of God which yearns of our devotion, where we are taken up, nurtured, healed and blessed.

Whoever is not against us is for us

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 12:35:03 GMT

Jesus' disciples seemed to be keen on rules: rules that define some as 'in' and others as 'out'. This is the position in Sunday's gospel reading. The disciples had tried to stop someone casting out demons in the name of Christ because "he wasn't following us". He wasn't part of the in-crowd, one of the clique, a signed-up member of the Jesus squad.

As a side note, I find it intriguing that the disciples came to Jesus saying "we tried to stop ... " rather than "we stopped someone casting out demons in your name"; suggesting that their powers of persuasion could have been better!

However, back to my main point: the disciples liked their rules. And why not?

Their experience of a vibrant, living faith was quite rule-bound: wash in this way, at this time, before saying this prayer. And it was at a point when their way of life (and indeed their very lives and livelihoods) were threatened by oppression from Rome. When we feel threatened, it is not unusual to take solace in rules: rules keep you contained, help you feel safe, and, somewhat ironically, in the boundaries that rules provide a freedom can be found.

And, once again, the disciples who come to Jesus to be praised and thanked and rewarded for their proactive defence of those boundaries, find themselves not praised or thanked or rewarded, but clearly challenged and even possibly gently chastised: Do not stop them: whoever is not against us is for us.

There are two things worth noting here. First, Jesus is clearly redrawing the line between those who are 'in' and those who are 'out'. I don't think he is rubbing out the line, but he is both putting the line in a different place and giving away the chalk.

In other words, the line which is drawn around the in-crowd, the clique, draws in far more people than a rule bound way of looking at life would allow for; and, more than that, the power to draw the line is given away.

It's not up me to draw the line for you: it's up to you to draw the line for you. You have the chalk. It is your choice to draw yourself within the circle of Christ's disciples, of his acceptance and of his love. But that also gives you the right and the power to draw yourself outside of that circle as well.

It's not anyone else's role to define you or to define your place within the orbit of Christ's unconditional love: that's your call.

And secondly. hear those other words Jesus says: No one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me .

There are many ways of crossing the threshold from suspicion to hope, from scepticism to conviction, from doubt to faith. Some will meet Christ as Paul did on the Road to Damascus; others will see Christ as he was seen on the Road to Emmaus; and, as Jesus points out here, there are some who by acting in the light of this truth, come to believe in the one who is the life, the light and the truth.

What are you arguing about?

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 15:38:14 GMT

The parental version of this has the word "two" inserted: What are you two arguing about? But the force of the question as posed by parents to their children is much the same as the question posed by Jesus to his disciples in this Sunday's gospel passage. They'd been travelling through Galilee, had arrived at Capernaum and were now inside the house. Here, able to be discreet with his friends, not wanting to 'call them out' in public, but no longer able to contain his .. well, was it curiosity or irritation ... here Jesus puts the question: what were you arguing about on the way?

Often our thoughts about the passage turns to the next episode when Jesus takes a child and brings her into the midst of the group and chastises the grown ups with their arguments about power and authority and greatness. Often our thoughts are taken towards Jesus' words about being a servant, about welcoming all, and about those who welcome the last and the least are welcoming the one in whose image they are made.

And all this is well and good, right and proper for our learning and discipleship. But it strikes me that, by doing that, we have turned our attention towards the object (grammatically speaking) of Jesus' tutorial and thus turned our back on the subject (grammatically speaking) of the lesson: argumentative adults!

The attraction of the little child, no doubt looking rather bewildered, can so easily distract us from the reason the little child was needed. Some might suggest that the point of the arguing adults was to enable Jesus to provide this lesson: some might even go so far as to suggest that argumentative grown ups were divinely inspired to have that particular quarrel at that particular time. I find that unlikely and, if I'm honest, I would rather God felt that there were enough arguments that needed resolving without generating more.

So, yes, let's learn the lesson that Jesus puts before us; let's ensure that we seek not to be first but to be last, to be of service to others and to be welcoming of all those who cross the threshold. And let's remember as well that all this happened because of an argument between adults!

All of us make many mistakes

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:36:46 GMT

In this Sunday's epistle, St James uses the image of a bit and bridle, of a rudder and of a tongue to demonstrate how horses, ships and people are led by something that, when taken away from its context, is small, weak and meaningless. It is a powerful image that travels the time and space between first century Palestine and twenty-first century Bristol with ease.

Horses, whether galloping round Cheltenham racecourse or being used to keep one group of protestors away from another; boats, from dinghy's at the far end of the harbour to ocean going liners and warships; people, whether (as James' puts it) speaking words of blessing or cursing; all are still directed by those small and hidden yet ultimately powerful and authoritative gizmos.

"With (our tongue) we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God: from the same mouth some blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so."

We all know that it ought not to be so; and yet we all know that it is so for we all know that all of us make many mistakes. Perhaps the analogy doesn't follow through all the way as bits and rudders are controlled by someone outside the body of the horse or the hull of the ship. On the other hand, we are the ones who control our tongues - and fail to control our tongues from time to time.

There is much merit in remembering that we all make many mistakes, knowing that our past doesn't overshadow our future and yet not allowing that to stop us from wanting to leave our past behind us and to walk into a different, more loved and more lovable, future.

The God that calls us to a better, brighter tomorrow loves us no matter what our yesterdays look like, no matter how much our tongue has been used for cursing rather than blessing, no matter how many mistakes we have made. However, that self same God doesn't want us to live on that "rinse and repeat" cycle whereby nothing ever really changes.

The God who is faithful and ever constant by our side, is much more focussed on (and calls us to set our eyes on) the hope of today and the potential of tomorrow and to let go of the mistakes of today.

Vacancy: Operations Manager

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:13:24 GMT

Operations Manager

We are seeking to appoint an experienced Operations Manager who will lead on, and have strategic oversight of, developing and delivering a programme to enable the vision of the church to be realised as we:

turn our priorities into plans
recover from the impact of Covid
develop a range of income streams
work hard to work better

You will also have a critical role in “Project 450” (our £10m facilities development project) with a focus on planning for the transition and commissioning of the new buildings.

Download a Job Pack for this role here .

Download the Application Form here .

Hours per week Full time at 37.5 hours per week. Flexibility is to be expected as evening and weekend working is required.

Salary £35,000 per annum

Relocation Allowance A contribution towards the costs of relocation may be awarded, subject to negotiation

Post Permanent (following a 3 month probationary period)

Pension Employer Contribution of 8%

Employer St Mary Redcliffe Parochial Church Council

Holiday 33 days (including eight bank holidays or eight days taken in lieu thereof as some bank holiday working may be needed)

Notice period 3 months

For an informal conversation with the vicar, Dan Tyndall, please ring: 0776 929 6220

Closing date: 11.59pm Sunday 3 October

First interviews: Thursday 14 October in Bristol

Vacancy: Community Development Worker

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:10:49 GMT

Community Development Worker

We are seeking an experienced and committed community development worker to join our team at an exciting moment for Redcliffe.

The Community Development Worker will be responsible for supporting and developing community provision in response to and in partnership with local residents, community groups and other agencies working in the Redcliffe area.

The role involves management and development of a new community centre (developing it as a resource with the wider community) but also connecting with people outside of the centre.

Hours per week 30 hours per week

Salary £25,000 pa pro rata (£20,000 gross)

Post Permanent (following a 3 month probationary period)

Pension Employer Contribution of 8%

Employer St Mary Redcliffe Parochial Church Council

Annual Leave 25 days plus bank holidays, pro-rata

Download the Job Pack for further information.

Download the Application Form here .

Contact aggy.palairet@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk for further information

Deadline for applications is Monday 11th October.

Sunday sermon 5 September 2021

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:52:21 GMT

With Simon Goodman

September Music List

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 08 Sep 2021 10:59:54 GMT

Download a pdf version here

International Chorister Day

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 16:29:22 GMT

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Even the dogs eat the crumbs from the table

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 16:09:29 GMT

"Even the dogs eat crumbs fallen from the table"

There are moments of synchronicity which make me sit up and take notice: today is one such day! You will see below that I'm starting a new feature in this newsletter called "Getting to know you ... (again)" in which we are (re)introducing members of the ministry team. If you click on the link here to read about this week's person you'll see that the woman at the heart of Sunday's gospel story from Mark's gospel, unnamed and unknown, makes an appearance.

In the gospel story she begs Jesus to heal her daughter, but she is a foreigner and Jesus responds to her in such a way as to remind her of 'her place'.

At this point, the woman does not do what those around her would expect of her: she does not slink off into the background never to be thought of again. Had she done so her story may well not have been remembered and retold down two thousand years of history. Instead, she girds her loins and rebuts Jesus: ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’

We have no definitive understanding of this encounter, no sure way of knowing why Jesus said what he said or why he then said: "‘For saying that, you may go — the demon has left your daughter.’ I favour the train of thought that allows for Jesus to be changed by this encounter.

Growing up in first century Palestine he would have lived all his life with suspicion and antipathy towards foreigners all around him. If Jesus is fully human then he would have been drawn into that mindset and culture. It's not his fault that he - it's not our fault that we - grow up with blinkers, blind-spots and prejudices. It is, though, our responsibility to be open to be changed by encounters that challenge our prejudices and encourage us to remove our blinkers.

My reading of this gospel passage allows for this; allows for a Jesus who is of his time, who listens to those around him, who learns from those he was educated to dismiss and who changes his mind when he learns that his view, his opinion, even his theology, is wrong.

How that woman knew what to say is one of the most interesting questions that arises from this passage: that's why she makes an appearance in this week's "Getting to know you". The groups working through the Pastoral Principles over the last few weeks have shared with one another how difficult it is to know how to challenge other people in the face of language or behaviour that betrays a blind-spot or a prejudice or that is not as inclusive as we would like this world - this church - to be.

It's not easy and there is no quick fix or magic phrase that will help in all situations. Perhaps one thing we can each do is to listen more attentively, to tune in to what someone is really saying to us, to hear when we are being gently challenged about our behaviour or our language and to change what we do ... and to that before we seek to change others.

Chatterton Room Open Day

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 17:23:17 GMT

Saturday 11 September

Thomas Chatterton and St Mary Redcliffe

St Mary Redcliffe Church provided the primary inspiration for Bristol's 'boy poet', Thomas Chatterton, from its magnificent Gothic architecture to its memorials to Bristol’s dignitaries. Chatterton wrote about the church in his quasi-medieval poems and prose, and he also composed modern poems, satires and social sketches.

The Chatterton Room, located above the main entrance to the church, was home to the medieval church records that influenced Chatterton, inspiring his invention of the medieval monk Thomas Rowley and the writing of mock medieval verse in his name. Some of the wooden trunks that contained the ancient parchments are still here.

Ordinarily, the room is closed to visitors. However, this weekend you can gain access to this evocative and unusual space and enjoy an exhibition about Chatterton, his work and his legacy.

Ticket information

Free tickets are available for six 30 minute time slots through the course of the day. As we are restricted in terms of how many people are allowed in the Chatterton Room at one time, there are limited tickets (six) available for each 30 minute time slot. You can book tickets at the bottom of this page or directly on Eventbrite by clicking here .

Face masks

To ensure the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers, the church is asking visitors to wear a face mask while inside the church building.

Location

The entrance to the Chatterton Room is located in the north porch, which is the main entrance to the church. Please arrive five minutes prior to you time slot to facilitate the check-in process.

Accessibility

Unfortunately, because the Chatterton Room is located at the top of a spiral staircase, the tour is not accessible to all. There are around 70 steps to climb so please consider whether the climb will be possible for you before booking. The exhibition panels that will be shown in the Chatterton Room will also be on display in St John's Chapel. The nearest accessible entrance to St John's Chapel is the south porch of the church, which can be accessed via the south churchyard.

Visiting hours

Friendly note: Please be aware that the church is currently operating limited hours and will close to visitors at 3pm. If you book tickets for one of the later afternoon slots and would also like to look around the church building, you might want to look around first before you arrive for your visit to the Chatterton Room.

You must understand this, my beloved

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 14:48:49 GMT

Whatever it is that St James wants us to understand - this quote is from the first chapter of his Epistle - he wants us to understand it in the context of being 'my beloved'. He's not rounding on those he finds disagreeable; he's not arguing with people from an opposing camp; he is speaking to those whom he loves: you must understand this, my beloved. This is a plea from the heart, that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak.

Many of us, including but not restricted to those who have been part of the groups working through the Pastoral Principles, will recognise this hope, this longing, this plea. It goes hand in hand with that old adage about troubled lives: "What this child needs is a good listening to!"

It is two thousand years since St James wrote be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness and If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless and yet those wise words are still as relevant to us today as they were then. It's not surprising that they travel through time with ease: we are, fundamentally, the same as the people James had in mind when he wrote his letter. We may be able to communicate with Mars and fall in love with someone on the other side of the world, but we still find it hard to bridle our tongues and to listen, listen and listen again.

And to those who want to say "You're a fine one to talk, Vicar!", I say: "You're right. I need, but then we all need, to pay attention to these things because, in the end, they are about power and the abuse of power; they are about prejudice and exclusion; they are about hypocrisy and ignorance. These are the themes of the pastoral principles and the themes at the heart of the community to which James was writing and the themes at the heart of the church - and our church - today. I'm not having a go at SMR, and it is important to acknowledge that we are doing so much better than we were a few years ago. However, we can't take our eyes off this, otherwise inertia will mean that we start going backwards.

One of the questions that arose in the Pastoral Principles group I was part of was how do we speak into this, how do we challenge behaviour that isn't OK, how do we name inappropriate use of power? It was clear to the group that if we don't do that, if we stay silent (which is very different from actively listening), we are colluding with that ignorance or hypocrisy or prejudice. I would encourage us all to do two things:

1. notice it

2. name it

Noticing it is the internal moment of realising that we are feeling uncomfortable with what's just been said, that it's racist or sexist or simply nasty, that we know it's not OK but we don't know what to do or what to say.

Naming it is the external moment of expressing that feeling of discomfort to someone else: it may take both courage and practice before you feel able to name it to the person who said it, but - you must understand this, my beloved - naming it to the clergy or the wardens will help you help us help the church be and become what we know we want it to be: a place of welcome for all and a community of inclusion of all.

Sunday sermon 22/8/21

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 18:51:33 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 15 August

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:11:16 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Public Notice

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 19:44:33 GMT

A public notice regarding relighting of the chancel, choir and sanctuary.

Whoever eats me will live for ever

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 13:10:38 GMT

The former bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, now Lord Harries of Pentregarth, once wrote that the Eucharistic language of eating the Lord’s Body and drinking his Blood was so off-putting to the way twentieth century people think, that Christians should stop using it. He wonders whether Jesus’ words in John 6:51–58 (our gospel reading for Sunday) come across as deeply shocking and offensive to those for whom such language is utterly foreign.

In his book God outside the box he argues that Eucharistic imagery can be disturbing. In a chapter entitled, "Christians Eat God", Harries says: "People who are groping their way into Christianity can suddenly find themselves shocked and horrified, though they may be too polite to express such feelings, at the sacrificial, cannibalistic language of the Eucharist".

And in an interview with The Times, he said: "Christians do not take seriously enough people’s sense of horror at going to a Eucharist or Mass, if they have never been before, and hearing the imagery of sacrifice and eating God. It is very shocking imagery and needs a lot of explaining. But the Church takes it for granted and does not realize that people can find it shocking and offensive....

[S]uch an idea can seem, literally, revolting to many people today, and this reaction has to be honestly faced.I think we should qualify the imagery in order to help people realize that this is metaphor. We should use images like ‘the food of angels’ and ‘the bread of life’ instead".

Food for thought?

Coming Soon - Redcliffe Workers' Lunch

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 10 Aug 2021 17:59:29 GMT

Join us from Tuesday 14th September for Redcliffe Workers' Lunch

A meeting space for those who work in the Community of Redcliffe, paid and unpaid.

The meeting tales place via Zoom on the second Tuesday of each month.

Contact Becky James for Zoom logins and further information: becky.james@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

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Sunday sermon 8 August

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 08:56:36 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

Transfiguration

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:50:12 GMT

Today the church marks the Feast of the Transfiguration. The story is told in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke and there is a reference in Peter's second letter. Jesus, in the presence of chosen witnesses, appears on the mountain with Moses and Elijah and begins to shine with bright rays of light. The event, for all those who write about it, is clearly a message that God's salvation is for all and that the way to salvation is through Christ.

However, today also marks another historic, and more human-made, moment of transfiguration.

Why Monday, 6 August 1945, was chosen as the date to drop the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, or whether anyone in the planning of this event made the connection with the Transfiguration of Christ, I do not know. If you have any information about this, I would be really interested to hear from you. Three days later a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki and, together, these two bombs were instrumental in bringing the war in the pacific to an end whilst inflicting a transfiguration of their own.

So, let us join in prayer on this day of remembrance for Hiroshima, to recall the past, to be challenged in the present and to seek hope for the future.

O God of power, gracious in love, you have given humankind responsibility to care for all the earth. We have put our faith in military power, while you call us to build a community of trust and love. By our actions and by our inaction, and by our participation in the systems of society we often become agents of violence and destruction.

O God of us all, let Hiroshima become for us a symbol of hope that nuclear weapons will never again be used to kill and destroy. Let us remember Hiroshima as a beacon to commit ourselves to find ways to live together in peace, that we may not be just peace lovers, but peacemakers.

O God of infinite possibility, transform our hearts and minds and give us courage to use our skills and technology to transform weapons that destroy into all that upholds life. As Isaiah said: “It shall come to pass that the peoples shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks".

We pray for the time when “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Source: Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice

We have reopened to visitors!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:00:48 GMT

Redcliffe Summer Holiday Activities

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 26 Jul 2021 16:09:01 GMT

Sunday sermon 25 July 2021

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 09:56:14 GMT

With Simon Goodman

Pastoral Principles

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:22:13 GMT

For living and learning well together

Over the summer you are invited to participate in a 5-week course about how we live and learn together in the face of difference and diversity.

The Pastoral Principles identify six ‘pervading evils’: prejudice, silence, ignorance, fear, hypocrisy and power. These ‘evils’ hinder our personal growth as Christians, hurt other people, and create barriers that stop our churches from growing into Christian communities of welcome and belonging.

Groups will be led by our clergy team and you can attend different groups to fit around other commitments.

SESSION 1: Listening and speaking – addressing IGNORANCE and paying attention to POWER
SESSION 2: Talking about confidence and casting out FEAR
SESSION 3: Talking about respect and acknowledging PREJUDICE
SESSION 4: Talking about openness and speaking into SILENCE
SESSION 5: Talking about integrity and admitting HYPOCRISY

Sundays 11.30 in St John’s chapel led by Rev'd Aggy Palairet and Canon Stephen Spencer

Session 1: 18th July
Session 2: 25th July
Session 3: 1st August
Session 4: 8th August
Session 5: 15th August

Fridays 2.30 on zoom led by Canon Dan Tyndall and Rev'd Simon Goodman

Session 1: 23rd July
Session 2: 30th July
Session 3: 6th August
Session 4: 13th August
Session 5: 20th August

Wednesdays 7.30pm, on zoom , led by Rev'd Anthony Everitt and Rev'd Kat Campion-Spall

Session 1: 28th July
Session 2: 4th August
Session 3: 11th August
Session 4: 18th August
Session 5: 25th August

You can see the course material here

Please sign up here

Sunday sermon 18 July 2021

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:02:08 GMT

With Becky James

A new poem inspired by Thomas Chatterton

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 15:21:37 GMT

A new poem by Rebecca Tantony

During autumn 2020, as part of the A Poetic City project to commemorate 250 years since the death of Thomas Chatterton, award winning poet Rebecca Tantony undertook a week's residency in the Chatterton Room at St Mary Redcliffe to produce and new poem inspired by the spirit of Chatterton and the atmosphere of the church.

You can watch a video of Rebecca reading her poem, Thomas , and read the text of the poem here .

We'd like to thank Rebecca for taking part in the project and congratulate her on producing

a fine poem.

You can read more about Rebecca and her work here

From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 14:53:47 GMT

Welcome to "From the Associate Vicar's Desk" for Friday 16th July

Changes to covid measures in church
Last week I said I hoped I'd be able to tell you in this message what changes we will make in church following 19th July; I'm afraid that as I write we still haven't had the Church of England guidance so we're still waiting to confirm. We do have an internal plan waiting to be checked against the guidance, when it comes, and I'd like to assure you we are planning to do this slowly and gently and with an eye on local infection rates. We will definitely ensure you know what to expect before coming to church on 25th July!

Journey back to church together

This weekend we are reflecting on all that has happened over the last year and a half or so, as we prepare for the next step. And we'll be remembering that, through our sorrows and our joys, God is faithful.

To join our gentle, quiet pilgrimage around the church on Saturday, please book here , call the Parish Office, or just come to church between 10.30 and 2.30 (you may have to wait for a free slot).
To join our all-age service at 10.00am, with time for tears and laughter and a very special surprise to remind us of God's faithfulness, please book here .
If you're still feeling nervous about coming to church, or are isolating, or can't come for any other reason, we can still worship together, please do join us online on Sunday!

Difference and diversity - living and learning well together

Over the summer we will be running a 5-week course about how we live and learn together in the face of difference and diversity. There will be time for prayer, Bible reading, reflecting on our experiences and listening to each other. Three separate groups will be led by our clergy team and you can "mix and match" to fit around other commitments.

Sundays 11.30am in church, from 18th July

Fridays 2.30pm on zoom, from 23rd July

Wednesdays 7.30pm on zoom, from 28th July

Sunday sermon 11 July 2021

Thu, 15 Jul 2021 09:24:02 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Journey Back to Church Together

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 18:05:44 GMT

Saturday 17 July

Journey back to church together

Welcome back to St Mary Redcliffe. Whether you've been worshipping in church, online, or in your own way over the last year or so, we are making our way towards coming back together in church. We are marking this stage on the journey with a pilgrimage through the church.

You will have the opportunity to reflect prayerfully on all we have lost, on how God has sustained us, and on what we rejoice in. You can pray quietly in the church and light a candle. And, if you'd like to, you can reconnect with old friends over a tea or coffee at the end. All of this is suitable for adults and children alike, with interactive prayer activities to suit a range of needs and preferences.

We're keeping it COVID-secure, as we know coming back is a big step for some of you, and we need to continue to do our best to keep each other safe. So we're having timed slots for a staggered start, with just a small group on each step of the pilgrimage at any time.

If you know someone who might be feeling anxious about coming back to church after a long break, why not invite them to come with you? This is a really gentle, prayerful way to come back to church after all that has happened, and it's important that as many of us as possible make this journey together.

Please use the booking form here to book your time slot.

If you have any questions or queries about our pilgrimage, please get in touch .

Every blessing,

Kat

Revd Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar

St Mary Redcliffe

kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Sunday 18 July

10.00 Redcliffe Sunday: Journey back to church together (in church and online - doors open from 9:30am)

Please do come for our special all-age, reflective Eucharist service, following our pilgrimage through the church on Saturday.

This time of year, we usually celebrate the life of our church in a special end of term service. This year it will have a slightly different feel, following on from our pilgrimage on 17th, as we reflect together on all that has happened since we were last able to all meet freely and safely in church. An important opportunity to gather, to lament, to give thanks, to rejoice, together; and to welcome our children's church back to worship indoors at our main service for the first time this year. The booking form will be emailed on Monday as usual.

If you want to be certain of getting a seat, then you need to book either on line or via the phone line. However, there will always be a limited number of seats available on the day on a first-come-first-served basis.

Please ensure that you arrive for the service in plenty of time and no later than 10 minutes before the service is due to start .

Advance booking

Book places for Redcliffe Sunday service here

Service documents

Download the Order of Service here

Attending church

Information regarding filming for those attending worship :

Interim Protocol for LIvestream Public Worship

Taking part online

To join the service online click here

From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 15:35:23 GMT

Making the journey together

Welcome to "From the Associate Vicar's Desk" for Friday 9th July

Easing of restrictions

I'm sure that the Prime Minister's announcement earlier this week has raised a lot of questions and stirred a lot of emotions, which will be different for each of us. The Church of England guidance is not likely to be published until later next week.

I very much hope to be able to let you know this time next week what and when our next steps will be in terms of relaxing some of our safety measures at church. However, this is a journey we will make gradually, and make together. We want everyone to feel safe at church, so we will not be reverting "back to how it was" straight away, but will most likely make some adjustments later this month or early August, and then further adjustments at the start of September.

Journey back to church, together - Saturday 17th July 10.30-2.30

Our church pilgrimage, to welcome you back into our church building in a safe, reflective and prayerful way. Timed slots, very small groups, guided prayer activities, tea and cake. This event is suitable for all ages. Please do come along to this important resting place on our journey through this pandemic. Book here .

St Mary Redcliffe Festival - Sunday 18th July 10.00am

Prayer and study groups: "Pastoral Principles for living and learning well together"

Over the summer we will be running a 5-week course about how we live and learn together in the face of difference and diversity. The Pastoral Principles identify six 'pervading evils': prejudice, silence, ignorance, fear, hypocrisy and power. These hinder our growth as Christians, hurt other people, and create barriers that stop our churches from growing into Christian communities of welcome and belonging.

Groups will be led by our clergy team and you can "mix and match" to fit around other commitments.

Sundays 11.30am in church, from 18th July

Fridays 2.30pm on zoom, from 23rd July

Wednesdays 7.30pm on zoom, from 28th July

Journey back to church

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 11:33:00 GMT

Journey back to church together - 17th July

Please use the booking form here to book your time slot.

If you have any questions or queries about our pilgrimage, please get in touch .

Every blessing,

Kat

Revd Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar

St Mary Redcliffe

kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Sunday sermon 4 July

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 07:27:29 GMT

With Rev'd Aggy Palairet

Isn't this the carpenter's son?

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 07:10:10 GMT

I don't know whether it is comforting or demoralising to know that prejudice was evident in Jesus' day as much as it is today?

Jesus is in the synagogue in his home town where he is known, not so much for being a preacher, but for being the son of Mary (and presumably Joseph ... discuss!) and for the things children get up to as they grow up.

If we are committed to Jesus being both fully human and fully divine, then the human Jesus would have fought with his brothers, irritated his sisters and - given the level of wisdom and knowledge that scripture suggests he had in his youth - come across as rather arrogant to his neighbours.

All these things they had learnt to live with: but this was something new. Here he was, now a man but still the boy from the backstreet carpenter's shop, teaching with wisdom, performing deeds of power, such that people were left astounded.

But it doesn't take long for that astonishment to turn into offence. It doesn't take long for the wonder of "How" to transition into the animosity of "Why". We know this lad, we understand this lad, his heritage, his prospects, his potential ... and it doesn't include wisdom and power at this level.

This is prejudice: reducing someone else to fit the model of who you (we) expect them to be. We see it still: we do it still. One of the major steps - and one we need to take again and again - of challenging prejudice is to acknowledge those moments when our own prejudice creeps up and surprises us: when we find ourselves reducing another persons capacity, potential and humanity to fit the model of who we expect them to be.

As you know, prejudice comes in many forms: racism and sexism, around class and intellectual ability, in matters of gender identity and sexuality.

Here at St Mary Redcliffe we are proud - rightly proud - that we proclaim a gospel that celebrates diversity and inclusion: you can read the welcome statement on our website here . And this month we have a particular opportunity (in the words of St Paul) "to stand firm" with one section of society that is still marginalised and that still suffers significant discrimination as Bristol Pride 2021 takes place over the next two weeks.

Despite 'society' moving on a huge amount in the last decade (from women talking about their wives and men about their husbands on TV game shows to the Methodist Church voting overwhelmingly this week to allow same sex marriages in their churches), not everyone in society has made that journey.

Our LGBT+ sisters and brothers will, according to the Bristol Pride website, be "showcasing our wonderfully diverse community ... overcoming prejudice, hatred, reducing isolation and showing members of the LGBT+ community that they are not alone".

They are - you are - not alone. You are made in the image of God, God has declared you "very good" and God showers upon you that unconditional sunshine of love ... and we all know that sunshine in showers produces a rainbow.

Bristol City Council representatives and Pride Festival organisers opening the rainbow crossing

From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 14:02:10 GMT

Welcome to "From the Associate Vicar's Desk" for Friday 25th June

Journey back to church together

Plans are coming together for our weekend on 17th and 18th July bringing our church family back together in church. Please think if anyone you know is feeling nervous about returning, and see how you can encourage or support them to come along. We will have a chance to prayerfully reflect on all we have lost, on how God has sustained us, and on our hope for the future, concluding with a chance to enjoy some refreshments. All in a COVID-secure environment, as we continue to do our best to keep each other safe.

Having promised you a booking form this week, we're having a couple of problems setting up the system in the way we need to, so I will email again next week!

Thanks to those who have already offered to help, we could do with some more people to welcome people, help guide them through the church and to wipe down seats between pilgrims, so please let me know if you can spare an hour or two on the day.

Hello from Belinda!

We're all looking forward to the time when we can socialise safely at church. In the meantime, our new Junior Warden Belinda wanted to introduce herself to those of you she hasn't yet properly met. Read her message here.

Opening up again

Our staff team are working on a plan to open our doors more over the summer. As we prepare to welcome more people back into our beautiful church, it is more important than ever to have a great team at the door ensuring everyone is safe and welcome.Our Stewards and Sidesmen are preparing to resume their duties, and both teams would love to have some new members. Stewards welcome visitors during the week, and Sidesmen welcome people to services. If you would like to find out more or get involved with either of those roles, please let me know.

Congratulations to Ned

On Sunday we said thank you and farewell to Ned Tennet, one of our Choral Scholars. We found out this week that he has just been appointed Chorister Chaperone at St George's School/Chapel, Windsor. A wonderful opportunity for him, especially after a very challenging few terms for all our students. Congratulations!

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

Kat

Reverend Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

07506 310564

Services this Sunday

8.30am : Morning Prayer

: live streamed only

: live stream here : words here

10.00am : Holy Communion

: live streamed public worship

: live stream here : Order of Service here : weekly sheet here

Tuesday 29th

12.30pm : Holy Communion

: live streamed public worship

: live stream here : Order of Service here

Sunday sermon 20/6/21

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 11:03:13 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Vacancy: Community Pop Up Manager

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 14:13:57 GMT

Redcliffe Community Pop-Up Manager

Purpose

The Redcliffe Community Pop-Up Manager will provide oversight to ensure the management and smooth running of drop-in community, developing it as a resource for and with the wider community.

They will work closely with the Youth Community Development Worker, and other members of the SMR Outreach Team.

Click here for more information

Speaking in parables

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:33:11 GMT

Speaking in parables

I've always been interested in the way that the gospel writers (Mark, this Sunday) comment on the fact that Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables but explained everything in private to his disciples. There is something going on here: but is about insiders and outsiders, or about Jesus being badgered by his closest friends along the lines of "What on earth was that story about, Jesus?", or about Jesus' expectations of those disciples?

There is also the option of interpreting the crowds as generally more bright and intelligent than the disciples: the crowd 'get' the meaning without explanation, whereas the disciples need everything explained in full. Now whilst there is some corroborative circumstantial evidence elsewhere in the gospels, especially in the actions and reactions of Peter, I suspect that that interpretation makes for a good line in a sermon but doesn't bear much proper scrutiny!

Philip Pullman, the author of, amongst other things, His Dark Materials, understands the power of stories. In an article from 1996 about moral education he writes: Stories work secretly, and almost never in ways we can predict. And certainly never for the whole class at once. They work in silence. They work when they're given time, and when they're not harried to death by teachers desperate to get the kids past this test or that. They work when they're left alone. They work when they're not explained, when teachers have the confidence to accept a degree of mystery without flattening out the shadows in a bright neon blaze of explanation. They work when a reader encounters a character whose fate rings true, and when a thrill of recognition makes the skin prickle or the heart pound. They work in ways we can't even explain to ourselves.

Philip Pullman may, of course, be wrong: and that stories only really work when they are explained and the 'correct' understanding passed from one generation to another. But my sense is that Pullman is onto something and that stories - with their power to astonish, delight and horrify - are some of our best teachers.

Which leaves the question hanging in the air: why did Jesus tell the story to the crowd and explain everything in private to his disciples?

A Handbook to St Mary Redcliffe Church 1848

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 07:28:07 GMT

A Handbook to St Mary Redcliffe Church , J. Chilcott 1848

(Click below to read)

Sunday sermon 6 June

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 07:14:16 GMT

With Rev Aggy Palairet

Do not lose heart

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 12:44:39 GMT

So says Paul, writing to the church in Corinth. Easy to say, less easy to live by. When the world around us seems full of loss and anxiety and fear; when we are still held captive by an unseen, yet ever present, virus which might be getting worse; when the lifting of restrictions which has seemed likely are now retreating to the edge of the horizon .. it's all very well to say "Don't lose heart".

Many of you will know of Julian of Norwich , a fourteenth century anchoress living in Norwich whose writings and reflections travel the centuries with consummate ease. In one of her 'shewings' (or visions) she reports the words of Jesus as: "He did not say, 'You shall not be tempest-tossed, you shall not be work-weary, you shall not be discomforted'. But he said, 'You shall not be 'overcome.' God wants us to heed these words so that we shall always be strong in trust, both in sorrow and in joy."

At the heart of our faith we are called to live in the world as it is, in the kingdoms of this world, for Christians have no exemption from the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'. At the same time we are called to inhabit the world as it will become, to live as if within the kingdom of heaven, to have confidence in that prophetic imagination which calls to a place of righteousness, hope and joy ... or, to pick up on our vision statement, we are called to sing the song of faith and justice.

When we read of - or experience - sexism, racism, homophobia and the like, we can, and we should, denounce and lament: not just for the actions themselves, but also for the sluggish speed of change towards equality in diversity. But we should also do our very best not to lose heart.

65 years ago, in Montgomery, Alabama, a federal court ruled that racial segregation of buses was unconstitutional. Progress is lamentably slow, but things have changed.

40 years ago, again in the USA, the first official cases of AIDS were reported. The trauma of the times were captured horrifyingly well in Channel 4's drama It's a Sin and yet now gay marriages are lawful and on programmes like Bake Off women talk about their wives, and men their husbands, with batting an eyelid.

Closer to home, it's one year since the statue of Edward Colston was toppled from its plinth and tipped into the harbour. M-Shed has just opened an exhibition The Colston statue: what's next? and is wanting comment and opinion. The Church of England has just released its own thinking about how churches and cathedrals should consider the Contested Heritage within church buildings, and our own Project 450 is actively investigating how we will tell the untold stories of the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans.

There is much more to do, and we could be overwhelmed by the challenges of the present fuelled by the failures of the past. Yet we are enjoined: Do not lose heart.

As we contemplate the magnitude of the pandemic or the seemingly intractable issues in society, we are encouraged to hold fast, to not lose heart and to believe that there are better days to come.

More than that, we not only know that there better days to come in this world; but also we, of all people, have hope in something more than those better days; something which is known and yet not seen, something which is true and yet not proven, something which is eternal: that love of God which calls us to have hope, calls us to sing of faith and justice, and will, in the end, call us home.

Children's Church Sunday 30th May

Sun, 30 May 2021 07:47:16 GMT

Children's Church with Becky & team

Service times are changing

Fri, 28 May 2021 14:44:47 GMT

Service pattern is changing

From Sunday, 6 June, we are moving to one morning service at 10.00am which will be Live Streamed Public Worship, which means the 'live' service in church will be streamed online as it happens.

Choral Evensong is also returning, also as Live Streamed Public Worship, at 5.30pm on the following dates:

- Sun 6 June

- Sun 20 June

- Sun 4 July

- Sun 18 July

Bookings for morning and evening services will continue for the time being.

We light three lights

Fri, 28 May 2021 14:26:38 GMT

Since we went into lockdown we have been lighting candles together at the beginning of our services not just to bridge the gap between those leading the service and those at home; not just to help us enter into the presence of an active, creator God; but also to remind us that we are children of God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit; children of God who is before us and behind us, above us and beneath us, the beginning, the end and the everlasting one; children of the Trinity, who knows our needs, hears our cries, feels our pain and heals our wounds.

In the midst of pain and grief, anxiety and sorrow, we have - intentionally - brought the truth of the Trinity to the heart of our worship week by week for over a year. Of course, the Trinity has always been at the heart of our worship: at Mattins and Evensong when we say (or sing) "Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost .. "; and at the Eucharist when we recite The Creed and give voice to our theology of the Trinity. I felt that in the extraordinary needs of the moment, lighting candles together might help affirm the place of each one of us at the heart of the community of this church, even though dispersed, and our place at the heart of our God: maker, redeemer and sustainer.

The Creeds we regularly use in church are The Apostles Creed and The Nicene Creed. There is a third: The Athanasian Creed. In this creed, named after Athansasius, seeks to explore the nature of the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit "neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence". You can read the BCP version here and a modern version here . The image here tries to embody the truths of which the Athansian Creed speaks.

Happy Trinity !

Watch Rush Sunday 2021

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sun, 23 May 2021 14:27:36 GMT

Rush Sunday is one of the highlights of Bristol's civic calendar, upholding a tradition which goes back over 500 years.

This year's event took place on Sunday 23 May.

You can watch a video of this year's event below

Image: The Rush Sunday service in 1910

RIBA 2-3 Design Review

Fri, 21 May 2021 10:02:53 GMT

During December 2020 a design review to analyse options for the configuration of new buildings at St Mary Redcliffe took place. The findings can be viewed in the report below.

Sunday sermon 16/05/21

Tue, 18 May 2021 17:23:27 GMT

Children's Church Sunday 16th May

Sun, 16 May 2021 06:26:28 GMT

Children's Church with Helena

Bristol Noise in Redcliffe

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 14 May 2021 14:25:29 GMT

This year, the SMR local residents, SMR church community and a group from Woodland church had teamed up with the Redcliffe gardening club to transform the communal garden spaces in Redcliffe.

It was gre at to converse with people who passed us by. Local people have commented on the joy of seeing their communal areas transformed. There were over 420 volunteers from 34 churches and groups across Bristol, with over 25% volunteers under 18, and over 25% volunteers over 50.

A comment about the Redcliffe garden club:

"A huge thank you to all volunteers who helped us beyond our wildest dreams yesterday on the 2 garden sites in Redcliffe."

Rev Aggy Palairet

Curate

APCM 2021

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 13 May 2021 16:26:09 GMT

This year's Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place at 7pm on Monday 24 May

The meeting papers can be accessed here .

Sunday sermon 9 May 2021

Tue, 11 May 2021 14:37:45 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Children's Church Sunday 9th May

Sun, 09 May 2021 06:50:01 GMT

Children's Church with Kat

From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 07 May 2021 15:16:18 GMT

Friday 7 May

With Dan on a birthday break, this week's email comes from the Associate Vicar's desk for a change!

Opening up - all hands on deck!

As Covid restrictions ease, a lot of people have been asking "when will we be back to normal at church?" It's going to take us a while to find our way towards the settled pattern that becomes our "new normal" but there are two main factors that will drive this: externally, the restrictions that are imposed on us; and internally, our capacity to make things happen. Lots of things require extra person-power at the moment - for example, everyone entering the church needs to register for Test and Trace, which requires someone to supervise and assist them. As we open up we all need to work together to enable us to welcome people on the scale we used to and long to once again!

So, can you offer some time over the coming months, during the week or on Sundays, to be part of our opening up effort? Over the next weeks I'll be sharing more details of different opportunities to get involved, but in the meantime, please have a think about what you could do, and get in touch to let me know how you can be part of this team effort.

Christian Aid Week 10th - 16th May 2021

Christian Aid Week begins on Monday, and this year is focusing on the impact of climate change on some of the poorest people in the world.
This climate crisis hurts us all. But people living in poverty fight the worst of it every day. From drought to flooding, climate change robs people of control over their lives. Extreme weather means people like Rose are struggling to survive without a reliable source of water.

Your gift could help a community build an earth dam, so when the rains do come, they will have the water they need to live. A reliable source of water will help families withstand long drought or relentless rainstorms. Find out more about Christian Aid Week here , and donate here . Many thanks.

Ascension Day Eucharist - Thursday 8.30am

We will be celebrating Ascension Day with a Eucharist service at 8.30am on Thursday 13th May. This will be livestreamed public worship so please do join us either in church or online. Booking is not required for this service. You can find the order of service here .

Staffing Update

We will see a few changes in the staff team at the end of the month. Rachel Varley (our Community Development Officer) and Roseanna Wood (our Head of Operational Development) will be leaving at the end of the month - both have brought a huge amount of experience, passion and commitment to their roles and have been a delight to work with, and will be greatly missed. SMR is committed both to our community engagement and our organisational development, and we'll keep you posted on how Rachel and Roseanna's excellent work will be continued and built on. Read more from Rachel here .
And Sarah Purdon (our Parish Administrator) is expecting a baby in July and will begin her maternity leave at the end of May - wonderful news for Sarah and Rich although we will very much miss Sarah in the meantime! Again, watch this space for details of what will be happening in the Parish Office while she's away.

Choir News

At the end of the 12pm service on Sunday, we say thank you to one of our boys trebles, Hal, who completes his time as a treble, after almost five years in the choir. Thanks also to his parents for their support. Today marks the first time in 2021 when the boys sing at a Sunday service - it is good to be back. Next week will be the girls turn.

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

Kat

Revd Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

07506 310564

What's On this Sunday (9 May)

8.30am : Morning Prayer

: live stream here : words here

10.00am : Holy Communion

: live stream here : Order of Service here : weekly sheet here

12.00 : Holy Communion

: public worship : Order of Service here : weekly sheet here

: some seats will be available for those who turn up on the day

Sunday sermon 2/5/21

Wed, 05 May 2021 08:34:52 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Children's Church Sunday 2nd May

Sun, 02 May 2021 07:45:30 GMT

Children's Church with Becky and team

"Abide in me as I abide in you"

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:15:42 GMT

These words of Jesus, from John's gospel, remind us to what we are called: we are called to abide.

This isn't necessarily a word that sits comfortably with everyone. Those who are activists or campaigners for change, who advocate or champion particular causes, who strive and hustle, nudge and prod people and society into a different shape ... we're not necessarily very good at abiding.

That doesn't mean we don't recognise its importance, indeed its centrality to our faith. It just means that it doesn't come as naturally to us, as the call to sing and proclaim and make real 'Magnificat': scattering the proud, pulling down the mighty, exalting the humble and filling the hungry.

Abiding, though, is more than being with.

When we sing 'Abide with me' we are drawing ourselves into, and calling on God to come towards, a deeper, more substantive, relationship than simply being alongside.

When, on the road to Emmaus, the two disciples invited the unknown traveller to 'abide with us for night is near', they are (maybe unbeknownst to them) grappling for words to describe something more than bed and breakfast.

And when Christ whispers into our hearts, "Abide in me as I abide in you" we are called back toward that relationship of unconditional love and mutuality, where each abides in the other, where each can only be and become who they truly are by that sense of deepest abiding.

Is there yet, though, another aspect of this seemingly simple yet most dramatic of phrases?

Checking a dictionary, you'll notice that "to abide" is defined not just as to continue, to await in expectation, to dwell ... all of which points to that deeper, more substantive, relationship. The notion of abiding is also to be found in remaining faithful to promises made and complying with decisions agreed.

This, then, reminds us of our promise to follow Christ, to be faithful to the promises made (for instance at our baptism) and to do those things which are part of Christian witness: to love God and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

"Abide in me as I abide in you" is, then, more than a call to a deep, personal and spiritual relationship with God in Christ: it is a reminder that Christ abides in his promises and in his decisions, and our activism, our advocacy and our nudging is witness to our abiding in our promises and in those decisions.

It's not an either / or option: it is a both / and invitation to abide deeply in the unconditional love of God and to abide deeply in our promises by loving our neighbour.

Sunday sermon 27/4/21

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 12:35:33 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 27 April 2021

From the Vicar's Desk - 23 April

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 08:16:01 GMT

Welcome to "From the Vicar's Desk" for Friday 23 April

"one flock, one shepherd"

Living in Love and Faith

The Church of England is currently engaging in a national engagement, listening and learning process around questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, and how these fit within the bigger picture of Christian Faith. We will have an opportunity to explore this together later in the year, but our engagement with this as a diocese will begin with two half-day conferences (both the same programme) which you are invited to attend, both on zoom.

Saturday 8 May: 9.30am - 1.30pm
Saturday 22 May: 9.30am - 1.30pm

You can book here and please contact Kat if you have any questions about Living in Love and Faith.

Lewis & Elizabeth Cobb

Following news of Elizabeth's death, I got this message which is rather lovely and definitely worth sharing:

The Cobbs served SMR very well indeed. Lewis was Assistant Verger alongside Brian Spencer and they were, as far as I know, a good team and worked very well together. They did many things that today's Vergers are not allowed to do (due to Health & Safety legislation) like cleaning the chandeliers - and there are many of them. What may be less well known is that Lewis spent over a dozen years in Dar es Salaam heading the Mission to Seafarers' work there after his stint at SMR. Elizabeth did stalwart work on the flowers front and has for some time been laid low by spinal problems.

SMR's Annual Meeting

This will be held at 7.30pm on Monday 24 May. Please email email me for the Zoom link.

Thank you to those who have notified me of changes to the Electoral Roll: interestingly I have not yet had any applications to join the roll. You can see last year's roll here . If your name is not on the list and you consider yourself to be a member of SMR church you can download an application form here which can be sent in by email here . If you have moved recently or need to check the address we have on file for you click here to send me an email.

Celebrate your vaccine

Final chance to make a donation to the World Health Organisation's Arm in Arm vaccination programme. Just click here . We've raised over £2000 which is magnificent. Thank you.

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

one shepherd, one flock

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 10:31:07 GMT

It's not been an easy week for the Church of England: a Panorama programme and an official report which leaves little room for doubt that we are not doing well when it comes to racial equality in the church. The report "From Lament to Action" can be read here and the programme "Is the church racist?" watched here .

Last year, the church was highly criticised by IICSA (the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse) and we are also very aware that many people - possibly due to their gender, sexuality, differing abilities or status - do not feel that The Church of England is "for them". So it's not an easy week for us to have this passage from John's gospel: "There will be one flock, one shepherd".

Week by week we proclaim "We are the body of Christ". This idea is based on imagery from St Paul whose vision is of each person being an essential, integral and unique member of that body. In South Africa's apartheid years, Desmond Tutu called for a rainbow nation and insisted that whilst anyone suffered, everyone was suffering. I wonder if we need to start yearning to be a rainbow church where black, brown and white people; gay, straight and binary people; differently able people and people from across the nation’s social spectrum are celebrated as essential ligaments and sinews of the one body of Christ.

It is so very sad and deeply troubling that the Church of England is in this state. But we are the Church of England - me and you - and reform needs to happen at both the national level and at the parish level. Over the last few months, since the events of last summer when the statue of Edward Colston was toppled, Aggy has been having conversations with BAME members of SMR church community. Her report will be discussed at PCC on Monday evening. I'm delighted to say that, on the whole, SMR gets a good write up from those who are part of the church: but then that's not really surprising, as those who found the church to be unwelcoming or unfriendly, racist or homophobic, would not have remained here.

We have identified equality and diversity as one of the key themes for The Redcliffe Plan - our new development plan - alongside sustainability and our use of technology which is clearly here to stay. Over the coming months there will be more about this new plan on our website and published in places like this. As part of this plan, Aggy has taken on the role of Diversity Champion and will be encouraging us all to consider how each one of us can take a step towards someone who is not like us and to share with them the love of the good shepherd who yearns for us all to be one flock.

==================

Saturday 8 May: 9.30am – 1.30pm
Saturday 22 May: 9.30am – 1.30pm
You can book on https://bristoldiocese.eventbr...

Please contact Kat if you have any questions about Living in Love and Faith.

Redcliffe Community Pop-up Newsletter

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 21 Apr 2021 09:39:57 GMT

From the Vicar's Desk - 16 April

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 17:02:01 GMT

"Have you anything to eat?"

Welcome to "From the Vicar's Desk" for Friday 16 April

Have you anything to eat?

This is such a fundamental question: asked by children of their parents and by those on the street of those who pass by. It is about one of our most basic human needs and demonstrates one of the fundamental aspects of our humanity. Kathy Galloway (Scottish theologian, poet and hymn writer) says: When my children are hungry, I don't ask them if they love me, I don't ask them to tell me what they have done wrong, I don't ask them to tell me how wonderful I am: when my children are hungry I feed them because I love them.

Interestingly, in this form, it is unclear who is hungry. Is it the person asking the question: as in, 'Have you anything to eat, please?' Or is it the person being asked the question: as in, 'Have you had anything to eat?' Out of context this simple question could be taken either way. But, whichever way you read it, we are invited to contemplate the importance of food, or the lack of it, which is at the heart of the gospel. And more than that, its importance at the heart of the resurrection narratives.

"Have you anything to eat?" asks Jesus of his disciples who had just been hearing about the appearance of this same Jesus on the road to Emmaus and how he was made known in the breaking of bread. There is something deeply spiritual, scared, faith-ful about the taking, blessing, breaking and sharing food. In the most ordinary of activities, designed simply to keep the body functioning, we are invited to embrace, and be embraced by, a truth that raises earth to heaven and brings heaven to earth. The resurrected Jesus is not a ghostly figure that startles and terrifies; he is a mysterious figure that gets hungry and eats.

"Have you anything here to eat?" asks Jesus and they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

HRH Duke of Edinburgh

The Church of England has established an online Book of Condolence: you can leave your message here and other contributions can be read here .

Thank you to those who took the time to write your thanks to the team who compiled last Sunday morning's service at such short notice. This was typical: I want to offer my congratulations to everyone who was involved in any way with yesterday's streamed service of Commemoration of the life of the Duke of Edinburgh. I thought it was extremely fitting and I particularly liked the emphasis on the leader who had to become a follower. The photos shown at the end brought back many memories because I'm old enough to remember his marriage and the Coronation and in more recent times I've visited Mon Repos in Corfu where he was born! Considering that the news didn't reach the public until midday on Friday such a superb tribute was a tremendous achievement. Well done!

A lovely article

Thank you for sending me the Bristol Post article about our very own Mildred Ford. You can read it here .

SMR's Annual Meeting is coming

It feels as if we've only just had an annual meeting, but the next one is just around the corner on Monday 24 May. Information will start to come out in the next few weeks, but for the moment please note the date and time (7.30pm) and that it will be on Zoom here .

The first thing we do is revise our Electoral Roll. You can see the official notice of the revision here . You can check if your name is on the roll here . If your name is not on the list and you consider yourself to be a member of SMR church you can download an application form here which can be sent in by email here . If you have moved recently or need to check the address we have on file for you click here to send me an email.

Celebrate your vaccine - let's get to £2000!

To donate to the World Health Organisation's Arm in Arm vaccination programme click here . We've raised just under £2000: let's nudge it over that this weekend. Thank you.

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

Sunday sermon 18/04/21

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 13:44:54 GMT

With Simon Goodman

Sunday sermon - 18 April 2021

Sunday sermon 11/04/21

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 10:07:44 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon - 11 April 2021

Prince Philip 1921 - 2021

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:26:52 GMT

It was with a deep sense of sadness that we learnt of the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on Friday 9 April. There will, no doubt, be an outpouring of grief and sorrow at his death. That outpouring will be for our sadness at his death and for the sorrow that his wife, our Queen, is bearing. Possibly it will also come to stand for all the deaths of this last year and for all that we have lost during this pandemic.

Whatever the greater symbolism that his death may carry, at the heart of this death – like at the heart of all deaths – are those who loved and were loved by the person who has died. So, yes, let us acknowledge that this might be a moment of national grief for our nation has much to mourn at the moment.

But let us also recognise the personal grief of his family and, in particular, of Her Majesty The Queen after 73 years of marriage. As we pray for the repose of his soul, we pray also that God will surround and sustain them in their grief.

In Commemoration of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Remembering Prince Philip

There are two services at St Mary Redcliffe tomorrow (Sunday 11 April) at which His late Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh will be remembered.

10.00 am Live Stream service of Holy Communion

** order of service can be downloaded here

** everyone is welcome to join us on SMR Live

12.00 noon Public Worship service of Holy Communion

** order of service can be downloaded here

** tickets for the service are 'sold out' but there will be a few seats available at the door on a first-come-first-served basis

Book of Condolence

You can add your message to Her Majesty The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family at the national online book of condolence here

Let us pray

God of our lives,

We give thanks for the life of Prince Philip,

For his love of our country,

and for his devotion to duty.

We entrust him now to your love and mercy,

through our Redeemer Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Dan Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

Children's Church Easter Sunday 2021

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 05:54:13 GMT

Children's Church with Becky and team

Choristers performance of 'Drop, drop slow tears'

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:11:13 GMT

For Monday in Holy Week, our Choral Scholars offer the hymn 'Drop Drop slow tears', with text by Phineas Fletcher (1582-1650) and music (Song 46) by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)

Teddy Church Easter Special

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 07:09:51 GMT

Teddy Church with Esther and her team

Children's Church Sunday 28th March

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 07:06:40 GMT

Children's Church with Helena

From the Vicar's Desk - 26 March

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 21:28:39 GMT

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

A Short Guide 1921

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:57:19 GMT

A short guide to St Mary Redcliffe Fourth Edition, William Nigel Madan 1921

(Click below to read)

Morning Prayer change to start time

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 12:19:35 GMT

From Sunday 28 March, Morning Prayer will revert to its traditional start time of 8:30am.

The service will be available to view on SMR Live and Facebook as usual.

This week's service information can be found here .

Easter service information can be found here .

School of Prayer week 5

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:52:16 GMT

Week 5 handout and prayer exercises

Download the handout for Week 5 of the School of Prayer here, with the prayer exercises from our fifth session.

Sunday sermon 21/03/21

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:38:21 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday 21 March 2021

Children's Church Sunday 21st March

Sun, 21 Mar 2021 07:55:53 GMT

Children's Church with Esther

Unless a grain of wheat ...

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 15:46:30 GMT

Unless a grain of wheat ...

It's in the run up to Passover, Jesus has just ridden into Jerusalem on a donkey, hailed by the crowds as the coming King of Israel. There are some Greeks (Gentiles, foreigners) in the city for the festival who come up to Philip, from Bethsaida in Galilee - why him? I'm not sure, but for John to give us that detail suggests there must have been a reason - and asks "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

This simple request set in motion a series of conversations that do not seem to have ended with the Greeks meeting Jesus. Of course, lots of things happened around Jesus that are not recorded in the Gospels: but what we read is that Philip told Andrew and they went to tell Jesus and Jesus answers them: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

This simple request, from a foreigner to meet with Jesus, seems to have sparked an understanding in him that now is the moment to speak out, now the hour has come, now it is time for him to be glorified. All of this will unfold from here on in: over the course of the next seven chapters of John’s gospel and over the course of the next two weeks as we experience Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter.

More than that, if we accept that being glorified is a way of bearing much fruit, Jesus is clearly indicating that the hour has come for this particular grain of wheat to fall into the earth and die; and pushing that one step further, it seems clear that Jesus is informing those with ears to hear that death is a necessary prelude to bearing much fruit.

We are not good at talking about death. We have taken it from the front room and consigned it to the quiet corners of hospitals and care homes. We have turned it from being a personal, family affair to a professional, business transaction. We have left the dead behind and now live with memories of those who have passed on, departed, gone. I’m not criticising these shifts in language: but I do think it’s a shame and, especially at this moment in human history, we would do well to talk more and more easily about death.

In Jesus words: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Prayer Laboratory Week 5 - Sunday 21st March 4pm

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 15:27:14 GMT

God in our loving

This week's Prayer Laboratory will include overflowing love prayers; scavenger hunt prayers; and envelope of love prayers. All you'll need, apart from plenty of imagination and curiosity, is a sheet of paper, scissors and pen or pencil!

Last week we asked our prayer experimenters to share a word or two that summed up the best thing about the Prayer Laboratory. They said

senses - thinking - togetherness - imagination - chocolate - fun - tasty - innovative - creativeness - language of love - diversity . Why not come and explore with us?

Come and join us on Sunday at 4pm - contact Kat for zoom details. Everyone is welcome

School of Prayer Week 4

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 14:46:17 GMT

Week 4 handout

Download the handout for Week 4 of the School of Prayer here, with the prayer exercise from our fourth session.

From the Vicar's Desk - 12 March

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:48:24 GMT

Welcome to 'From the Vicar's Desk' for Friday 12 March

Fear for the future and the pain of loss

Let there be light

On Tuesday 23 March there will be a National Day of Reflection (organised by Marie Curie ) to reflect on our collective loss, support those who've been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future. In church we are planning an event which is neither an act of remembrance nor a service: think of it as an art installation during which we shall light one candle every minute for a little over six hours: one candle for every day of the year since the first lockdown. The whole event will be streamed live on SMR Live and our Facebook page and should end a little after 3.30pm if you want to join us for the final moments and a closing prayer.

Holy Week and Easter

Our plans are progressing well and you can find the latest version of the Holy Week timetable here . We still haven't made a final decision about when we can - or shall - open again for Public Worship. Once that decision has been finalised (hopefully in the next few days) I will send out another note to ensure that you have full details of all our services for this most important of weeks in the Christian year.

Lent carries on

A journey of prayer continues with more info here

Prayer Laboratory also continues with more info here

Sunday Evening Service with more info below

As does our

Liturgy and Worship review: more information here and the form to fill in is here .

Send on / Contact me

Please forward this email on those who might be interested in SMR and contact me here

With my best wishes

Dan

Canon D F Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

0776 929 6220

Week 4 - God in who we are

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 15:06:13 GMT

God in who we are

Our theme for the third week of Lent is God in who we are

Bible reading: Psalm 139.13-16

For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.

Prayer

Thanks be to Thee, by Lord Jesus Christ,

For all the benefits that Thou hast won for us

For all the pains and insults that Thou hast borne for us.

Most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,

May we see Thee more clearly,

Love Thee more dearly,

And follow Thee more nearly.

Amen

Reflection by Anthony Everitt

It is as though the penny has finally dropped for the psalm-writer; “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”, and he ascribes this to God; “you knit me together in my mother’s womb, my frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret”. However we view science or creation, the world, the universe in which we dwell is wonderfully constructed. The fundamental building blocks of physical existence are indeed wonderful; the complexity that is built up from such simplicity at the core of basic physics and chemistry. We could sit for hours simply beholding the wonder of the universe, and of what it is to be human. Observe, remember that we are living beings with more independence, sheer will and freedom than any animal on earth. Maybe it is that independence, that freedom, that will, that makes us in the image of God? It is that freedom and will that are an especial gift to humankind, that makes us human.

Then wonder all the more that God blessed our humanity by becoming human in Jesus. He shared in what we are, that we might share in what He is; so humankind is restored to be fully what it should be; for we are what God made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared to be beforehand to be our way of life.

Children's Church Sunday 14th March

Sun, 14 Mar 2021 08:06:09 GMT

Children's Church with Kat and her team

Holy Week & Easter

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 18:36:57 GMT

This list of services is being updated often so please check back here regularly until we finalise our Holy Week and Easter plans.

Palm Sunday - 28 March

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live (note earlier start time as we return to the pre-Covid time for Morning Prayer)

10.00am : Eucharist for Palm Sunday : SMR Live

6.30pm : Evening Service : SMR Live : a quiet service based around the Passion Narrative, with hymns and prayers

Monday - 29 March

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

8.00pm : Night Prayer : Zoom

Tuesday - 30 March

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

8.00pm : Night Prayer : Zoom

Wednesday - 31 March

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

8.00pm : Night Prayer : Zoom

Maundy Thursday - 1 April

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

8.00pm : Maundy Thursday service : Zoom : a service which allows for signing and tells the story of the Last Supper

9.00pm : Stripping the Altar : SMR Live and Zoom : as the disciples forsake Jesus the altar becomes stark and bare

Good Friday - 2 April

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

12.00noon : 'Via Crucis' : SMR Live : a new piece for organ and spoken voice takes us through the Stations of the Cross

Holy Saturday - 3 April

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

8.30pm : Lighting the new fire : SMR Live : the hope of the world (needed more than ever) is kindled and celebrated in the resurrection

Easter Day - 4 April

8.30am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

10.00am : Eucharist for Easter Day : SMR Live

6.30pm : Songs of Praise : Zoom : join us to sing Easter hymns and songs of praise from the safety of your own home

Fear for the future and the pain of loss

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 17:57:35 GMT

Sunday is Mothering Sunday and the two gospel readings that the Church of England offer for the main service when marking Mothering Sunday are The Presentation of Christ at the Temple and Jesus on the Cross: in the former Simeon says to Mary, "a sword will pierce your own soul" and in the latter Mary stands at the foot of the cross onto which her son is nailed. I can't help noticing that when we're encouraged to think about mothering, we're faced with fear for the future and the pain of loss.

The experience that Mary had, soon after the birth and just before the death of her son, are hardly unique. These moments of piercing truths are all too common for many women:

* what will become of my child: born into poverty, war, servitude, pandemic?

* how did my child end up like this: was it ignorance, power, politics, obedience?

For too many women (and men) their experience of their children is overshadowed by fear for the future and the pain of loss.

It could be said that Mary's experiences are somehow greater, deeper, more magnified because her child is Jesus, the Son of God. On the other hand, we are all Imago Dei, made in the image and likeness of God so when we witness the suffering of another individual, it is as if that suffering is being endured within that image and by that likeness; as if the suffering is known and felt deep within the heart of God.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian and staunch anti-Nazi campaigner who was arrested in 1943 for his vocal opposition to Hitler and executed in April 1945 as the Nazi regime was collapsing. In a letter written from prison in July 1944 he writes: “The Bible directs (people) to the powerlessness and suffering of God; only a suffering God can help”.

Commenting on this, Martin Lind (a Swedish Lutheran Bishop) writes: "It may be said that Bonhoeffer here maintains that in the powerlessness of God there is in reality the help which women and men need. In the end there is no help to be gained from positions of power. Only weakness can open the deepest room for human beings. Only in the fragility of human beings may they find their deepest identity."

Mary in the Temple experiences that fragility in her fear for the future. Mary at the cross experiences that weakness in her pain of loss. In our fear for the future and in the pain of loss, only a suffering God will do.

Prayer Laboratory Week 4 - Sunday 14th March 4pm

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:35:00 GMT

God in who we are

This week's Prayer Laboratory will include Bible imagination adventure prayers; chocolate prayers; and Guess Who? prayers. All you'll need, apart from plenty of imagination and curiosity, is some chocolate, and, if you have it, the game "Guess Who?" or similar!

Last week we asked our prayer experimenters to share a word or two that summed up the best thing about the Prayer Laboratory. They said happy - joyful- included - exhuberant - spiritual - creative - cuddly - exciting - different - loving - tiger - symbolism . Why not come and explore with us?

Come and join us on Sunday at 4pm - contact Kat for zoom details. Everyone is welcome

School of Prayer Week 3

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 21:36:11 GMT

Week 3 handout and prayer exercise

Download the handout for Week 3 of the School of Prayer here, with the prayer exercise from our third session.

Week 3 - God in our choices

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 08 Mar 2021 21:42:34 GMT

God in our choices

Our theme for the third week of Lent is God in our choices

Bible reading: Isaiah 30.20,21

Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’

Prayer

O Spirit of God, we ask you to help orient

all our actions by your inspirations,

carry them on by your gracious assistance,

that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from you
and through you be happily ended.

Amen

Reflection by Aggy Palairet

A reflection on from Sunday’s gospel: John 2.13-22

Our passage took place near the time of Passover, a celebration where God’s people retell the story of their ancestors, of their experiences of God’s mighty deliverance. At the temple, with zeal, Jesus drove out the money changers, the traders and the animals from the court of the gentiles and hence re-established the place of worship and prayer.

Some of the people there challenged him, asking: ‘with what signs can you show us for doing this?’ And the disciples remembered Jesus words after his resurrection: ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’. Speaking of the temple of his body and referring to his death and resurrection.

Scripture tells us that it was only after these two events, and upon remembering what had happened, did the disciples realise that Jesus was referring to the temple of his own body and not the temple in Jerusalem. This show us that sometimes we have to allow God to journey with us for a period of time, before we can put all the pieces together; that will enable us to see the bigger picture, to gain that understanding and discernment of what God might be saying to us.

So let us be watchful and humble ourselves before the presence of God, to reflect upon God’s presence in our experiences, and asking God to help guide us in our choices on our journey of faith and discipleship.

Sunday sermon 7/03/21

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:40:17 GMT

Children's Church Sunday 7th March

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 08:47:57 GMT

Children's Church with Becky and team

What is Wisdom?

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 15:40:57 GMT

Our readings on Sunday leave this question hanging in the air: from the simple directive of the Ten Commandments, through the confusion of the Jews as Jesus turns over the tables of the money lenders, all the way to Paul's letter to the Church in Corinth where he displaces strength with weakness and wisdom with folly.

What is wisdom?

If it is simply doing what we're told, then there's no excuse for any of us to be anything but wise. If it's accepting the strength that comes from weakness, the wisdom that arises out of folly, then many will struggle with the purpose of attaining wisdom.

Most of us, I suspect, are somewhere in between: knowing that rule-following isn't enough, yet not quite ready to forego the human strength (or power or influence) we have to allow the divine wisdom within us to flourish.

We are in a similar position to those who found themselves in the Temple when Jesus arrived with his whip of cords and that zeal for his father's house: highly uncomfortable, yet knowing instinctively that what was going on around them was, at some deep level, good and right and true. Even then they demanded proof, a sign, wisdom beyond what their eyes could see.

I wonder what is going on in the world at the moment that leaves you feeling highly uncomfortable and yet knowing instinctively that it is, at some deep level, good and right and true. And I'm curious to know whether, in that moment, we demand a sign or allow the divine wisdom within us to flourish.

From the Vicar's Desk - 5 March

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 11:44:15 GMT

What is wisdom? Dear Rhys,

Welcome to From the Vicar's Desk for Friday 5 March

What is wisdom?

Our readings on Sunday leave this question hanging in the air: from the simple directive of the Ten Commandments .. Read more ...

Lockdown - one year on

Next week we will be able to share the full details of "Let there be light" a special event to mark the turning of the year since the first lockdown. We aim to light one candle in church for every day of the year throughout the day and to share that with whoever wants to join us on our live stream feed on the website. Full details next Friday.

Holy Week

Plans are beginning to come together for Holy Week and Easter. As with Christmas we are planning for a 'blended' liturgical week with some services on line, some on Zoom, some in the churchyard and, yes, some in church. Full details will come out as soon as we have something definitive to share.

Lent carries on

A journey of prayer continues

Prayer Laboratory also continues

As does Sunday Evening Service

Contact Kat: kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk for further details about lent services and events.

Grief and Sandwiches

Thank you to the person who pointed me to this article by Grace Dent ... she is one of the judges on Masterchef who I like ... and writes beautifully here about the intrinsic link between coping with loss and the making of sandwiches. Read more ...

Liturgy & Worship Consultation

Thank you to those who have already filled in one of the consultation forms. The next consultation meeting is on Sunday at 11.30am. Contact me for further details: dan.tyndall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Live Stream kit

Almost a year ago we started live streaming Sunday services from the Vicarage basement .. ah, those were the days! Now, thanks to the Canynges Society and the work of Conferex and our vergers, the full kit is now ready to be used for the first time this Sunday morning. Once they've mastered the art, the vergers will be panning, tilting and zooming with any (or all) of the cameras installed in church!

Finance Officer post

We are now advertising for the post of Finance Officer. It's part of the ongoing work to ensure that we are ever more efficient in our use of resources and resilient as an organisation. Please do encourage anyone you know who might be interested to have a look at the paperwork which you can find here .

Tidying up we found ...

As you may remember we've recently had an upgrade on our IT system in the office which means that we've (well, other people, to be honest!) have been tidying up the files and folders on the old server. And amongst the files "Ruth's Marinades" was found. Click here to download a copy. It was compiled in 2006 by Anita Herod and contains 10 pages of recipes by Ruth Roche. We're not charging now and if you'd like to make a donation in memory of Ruth and in thanks for Anita, please click here

Grant award

I'm delighted to say that in recognition of the work we have done over the last year in partnership with the City Council, SMR has been awarded a significant grant towards our community work as a 'thank you' for all that has been done. Huge thanks are due to Rachel, David and all those who have worked with them, and to all those who have helped keep our community outreach team up and running this year.

Laptops and Teachers

To help bridge the digital divide, our community team is looking for more laptops and some teachers (online or social distancing). If you have a laptop less than 3 years old or some teaching skills please click here to let David know. Otherwise please help us raise the necessary funds for new laptops (c.£200 each) by clicking here . Thank you very much.

SMR Online Shop

Our online shop is now up and running with an efficient postal service to ensure everything arrives quickly. Check out the new book list here and buy them (as well as CDs and other gifts) in the shop here .

Construction around Redcliffe

The development known as Redcliffe Quarter (opposite the Co-Op on Redcliffe Street) is gone through a fairly substantial re-think. If you would like to see what is being proposed now and to make any comments click here .

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

Payer Laboratory Week 3 - Sunday 7th March 4pm

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 18:17:48 GMT

God in our choices

This week's Prayer Laboratory will include dancing prayers; sing-along praise prayers; and paper plane prayers. All you'll need, apart from plenty of imagination and curiosity, is some paper.

Last week we asked our prayer experimenters to share a word or two that summed up the best thing about the Prayer Laboratory. They said surprising - expressing - s crunchy - creating - playdough - f un - creative - zooming . Why not come and explore with us?

Come and join us on Sunday at 4pm - contact Kat for zoom details. Everyone is welcome

School of Prayer Week 2

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:45:56 GMT

Week 2 handout and prayer exercises

Download the handout for Week 2 of the School of Prayer here, with the prayer exercises from our second session.

Week 2 - God in the brokenness

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 17:16:56 GMT

God in the brokenness

Our theme for the second week of Lent is God in the brokenness

Bible reading: Jeremiah 18. 3-6

So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Prayer

O Christ Jesus,

when all is darkness, and we feel our weakness and helplessness,

give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength.

Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power,

so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. Amen.

Reflection by Kat Campion-Spall

I wonder how many of us have struggled to find God in the midst of this pandemic, or felt like the world is so broken that it is hard to see God at work at all? We all know well enough that whether or not we’re between Ash Wednesday and Easter, life has Lenten periods, which require a space for us to bring the sin and suffering – our own, or the world’s - and lay them at the foot of the cross.

Jesus points us firmly towards the cross when he says “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Crosses were places where not just bodies but also wills, resistance, hope were broken. As Christians we’re called to carry that brokenness. But the empty cross is followed by the empty tomb. And so the brokenness, the pain, the suffering, even the death that the cross encapsulates, become part of a much bigger reality: that the power of God’s love is greater than the power of human sin and despair.

When we look at the world and see a mess, it is really hard to see where God is. But instead of looking for God in the brokenness, look with God at the brokenness. Because then, rather than starting with suffering, we start with God’s immeasurable love. The world is still broken, but we begin to understand more deeply that God could never abandon God’s precious and beloved creation, whatever we might do to it, and to see God remaking what is broken into something beautiful.

Sunday sermon 28/2/21

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 10:54:53 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 28 February 2021

Children's Church Sunday 28th February

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 12:29:40 GMT

Children's Church with Helena

Job Opportunity

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 09:08:10 GMT

We have vacancy for a Finance Officer

Introduction

St Mary Redcliffe is an iconic church building of European significance, offering thousands of visitors a friendly welcome: our future plans will substantially increase the numbers of visitors, transform the experience on offer and provide level access to the majority of the site. However, St Mary Redcliffe (‘SMR’) is also an inclusive church with a growing and diverse congregation. It is a parish church serving a highly diverse area where urban deprivation sits alongside warehouse conversions and regional offices of international companies. Our plans to develop will substantially increase income from visitors and events, transforming our funding model so that we can be more strategic in our engagement with the parish. Read more about the plans here .

Over the last few years, SMR has developed an understanding of its mission and purpose as “Singing the song of faith and justice”. We see this rolling out in four key themes: “as a thriving inclusive Christian community; as a recognised, welcoming heritage destination; as a church that makes a difference in the parish and beyond; all animated by a progressive and sustainable organisation.” We acknowledge that these themes are both ‘now’ and ‘not yet’: both accurate in what we are today and a challenge that we can do better tomorrow. We are developing an organisation that will be ready take over our new facilities in the years to come.

The Finance Officer will undertake a new role here at St Mary Redcliffe. The post-holder will join the Operations team which sits within the wider staff team. The post-holder will be enthusiastic about supporting the changing dynamic of an organisation through comprehensive management of financial processing. We are looking for someone who understands the journey we are on as a parish church, and who is enthusiastic about having a significant part to play.

Download the Job Pack and Application Form, using the links below, for full details about the Finance Officer role, including:

Key responsibilities
Person specification
Application and selection process

Job Pack

Application Form

From the Vicar's Desk - 26 February

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 09:05:36 GMT

- become - deny - take - follow -

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

A play in four acts

We live in an age when our feelings dominate our reactions and responses to things. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a man of a certain age (and quickly heading for the next age!) who has had to learn the importance of emotional intelligence, of how our instincts can teach and guide us, and of listening to the whispers of the spirit - so I'm all in favour of feelings taking their rightful place in how we live our lives. But I am struck by the words of Jesus here: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." There isn't a feeling anywhere to be found here. Instead there are four decisions and four actions:

* a decision of the heart ... to want to become ... an act of renewal;

* a decision of the will ... to deny themselves ... an act of letting go;

* a decision of the mind ... to take up the cross ... to act in public; and

* a decision of the body ... to follow Christ ... to move forward

So much of the language of faith comes wrapped in a veneer of poetry which, when seen in the cold light of day, is straightforward, if challenging, prose.

Lent: A journey of prayer

Each week in Lent, throughout the week, we will be sharing reflections, prayers and other resources for our shared Journey of Prayer here on our website.

Lent: Prayer Laboratory

Lent: Sunday Evening Service

Throughout Lent, as well as Morning Prayer and the main Sunday service, we are holding a service of Night Prayer which you can download here . The service will be held on Zoom and you can join by clicking here here just before the service starts at 6.30pm

SMR Consultation

As I mentioned in my sermon last Sunday (which you can watch here ) we are launching a consultation into the liturgy and worship that we offer at SMR. The consultation will run until the end of March and the aim is to present a paper to PCC at the end of April in order to present the final decisions to the APCM on Monday 24 May. There is no expectation that there will, or will not, be any changes but this time of difference offers us an opportunity to step back, have a think and to ask ourselves .. where is God leading us for the next phase of life at SMR? More information here ....

Laptops and Teachers

SMR's Community Team, as part Redcliffe Community Pop-Up on Redcliffe Hill, are becoming increasingly aware of the digital divide on our doorstep and we are keen to help supply laptops to a number of local families. If you have a laptop less than 3 years old that you are willing to donate, click here to let David know; if not, you can help us raise enough funds to buy some (they are about £200 each) by clicking here . More than that, there are an increasing number of requests for help and support from the volunteer teachers running the homework club. Offers from anyone with a background in primary or secondary education to help with online learning (or whilst on an outdoor walk) would be great. Again, please contact David here . Thank you very much.

PCC Meeting - John Steeds writes:

The meeting was very well attended and I think we were very happy to be able to meet again if not yet in person. For the longest item on the Agenda, Liturgy and Worship, we broke out into small groups of four to remind ourselves about what innovations had been introduced during the duration of the pandemic and to use these reminders to decide how we would wish to proceed when we were able to choose again. The group that I attended was unanimous: we simply wanted to get back to where we were before the virus struck. That was why we had chosen to worship at St Mary Redcliffe in the first place. However, we were conscious of how much more aware we had become of our neighbours and felt that this important development should be built on and enhanced. Those who had attended Children's' Church thought this was worth continuing and spoke warmly of Becky's achievements. Finally, if the IT enhancements had greatly facilitated the recording of services, why not make them, or at least some of them, available online. Another major concern of the meeting was the state of our finances. Dan was complimented on has Trojan efforts to secure more direct access to the Tucker Fund and the Temple Ecclesiastical Charity. Elizabeth was asked a few points of detail on the Finance and Budget paper and, as always, was right on top of the detail. There was universal gratitude and relief that a well-qualified Treasurer had now been found It was a well-planned, efficiently managed and convivial meeting.

SMR Online Shop

Our online shop is now up and running with an efficient postal service to ensure everything arrives quickly. Check out the books, the CDs and gifts available here .

Standing Order info request

Thanks to those who provided the requested information last week: if we need anything else we will be in touch with individuals direct. By the way, over the year the number of people giving by Standing Order has gone up from around 60 to around 75 and some people using Standing Order have moved over to Parish Giving .. so a big "thank you" to all those who have started, switched or amended their regular giving.

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

Prayer Laboratory week 2 - Sunday 28th February 4pm

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:55:33 GMT

God in the brokenness

This week's Prayer Laboratory will include praying through God's telescope; scrunchy stretchy prayers; and playdough prayers. All you'll need, apart from plenty of imagination and curiosity, is some playdough (or plasticine, modelling clay or even a big blob of bluetack)! There's a recipe below if you'd like to make your own.

Last week we asked our prayer experimenters to share a word or two that summed up the best thing about the Prayer Laboratory. They said new, revived, conversation, meeting new people, space, wonderfully different, love, fun, think, noticing things differently. Why not come and explore with us?

Come and join us on Sunday at 4pm - contact Kat for zoom details. Everyone is welcome!

Playdough recipe:

Ingredients

8 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp table salt
60ml warm water
food colouring
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add the water, food colouring and oil into the flour mixture and mix with a spoon until it comes together.

3. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Knead together until it forms a smooth dough. You can add a few extra drops of food colouring or a sprinkling of glitter at this stage, and knead it in.

4. Store in a plastic sandwich bag (with the air squeezed out) and keep in the fridge.

5. Bring it along to the Prayer Laboratory!

100 Tolls for Captain Sir Tom Moore

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:46:45 GMT

T his Saturday at 12 noon the St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers will toll a bell 100 times in honour of Captain Sir Tom Moore - the retired British Army officer who raised millions for NHS Charities Together - on what will be the day of his funeral. #CaptainTomMoore

School of Prayer Week 1

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 17:42:58 GMT

Week 1 handout and prayer exercise

Download the handout for Week 1 of the School of Prayer here, with the prayer exercise from our first session.

Week 1 - God in all things

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 12:46:14 GMT

New Title

Our theme for the first week of Lent is God in all things.

Bible reading: John 1.1-3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.

Prayer

I ask God, the Father, to give me an intimate knowledge of the many gifts I have received,

so that filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty.

Reflection by Dan Tyndall

The journey we are on through this pandemic is to name and to know God in all things: when we feel supported and sustained; when we feel hurt, damaged, betrayed; when we hurt, damage or betray; when we support, uphold and sustain.

God is not selective in where the divine spark is kindled; God is not selective in whom the divine spark is kindled; God is not selective in the hoping and the yearning for a future that is not determined by your past, for a future that embraces and reconciles everything that you are, a future that is unfolding before you; a future that has yet to be defined

For God is neither the beginning of our journey nor our journey’s end – rather the journey is travelled in and with and through God, and God is both our origin and our destination, our creation and our re-creation – for all we are is found deep in the heart of God and the heart of God is to be found deep in the heart of you and me.

Which is why the invitation to the journey of faith challenges innate cynicism, scepticism and pride with an invitation to an adventure in creativity, curiosity and wonder at discovering God in all things.

From the Vicar's Desk - 19 February

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:24:39 GMT

Whenever the rainbow is in the clouds ...

Remember the Covenant

First, a heartfelt "thank you" to the crane driver who took this photo yesterday. I'm sorry I can't credit you by name, but it's so amazing I couldn't resist: especially as our Old Testament reading this coming Sunday is of God and Noah talking about the rainbow as the everlasting covenant established between the Creator and all creation to confirm and ensure that God's love is creative not destructive and (to pick up on Paul's letter to the Romans) that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord". Whichever way we look at it, God's love for us is assured.

Lent: A journey of prayer

Each week in Lent, throughout the week, we will be sharing reflections, prayers and other resources for our shared Journey of Prayer here on our website.

Prayer Laboratory

The Prayer Laboratory will be taking place each Sunday in Lent at 4pm and there will be different breakout rooms with a choice of creative and interactive prayers for all the senses. Some prayer activities will require some resources - but this week all you need is an item of food from your cupboard! Read more here ...

Heart Garlands

We had a very encouraging 'turn out' to our two Ash Wednesday services this week. At the earlier service, we spoke about Sharing God's Love, using heart shaped objects around us. Liz shared her artistic talents to produce a video and guide for us on how to make a heart garland with recycled materials. We are being encouraged to engage with this during Lent, as a symbol of our love for all God's creation. How many hearts we can collectively make between now and Easter??

Sunday Evening Service

Covid-19 Vaccine

As you no doubt know, all those over 70 and those on the clinically vulnerable list should have been invited to have their Covid job by now. If you are in one of those groups, or know someone who is, who has not yet been vaccinated I would like to encourage you to make an appointment by clicking here or ringing 119.

Constructing the church building

If you're interested in dundry stone, how mortar cures and the deviation / settlement of SMR you might be interested to read more ...

Standing Orders request

Thank you to all those who have set up standing orders in the last few months: it is great to know that we have such a committed group of people seeking to maintain the church and build the kingdom. To all those who have a standing order, we have a little problem ... many of the donations come in without your name attached so we don't know if we're missing out on additional Gift Aid funds. Can I ask if you have a standing order set up for SMR please click here to provide some information to help us out. Thank you.

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

Sunday sermon 21/02/21

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:08:02 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon during Lent - 21 February 2021

Children's Church Sunday 21st February

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 08:30:16 GMT

Children's Church with Esther

Sharing God's Love

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:58:48 GMT

Sharing God's Love with Liz

Kids activity: How to make a heart garland!

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 13:11:05 GMT

You can download these instructions here .

Ash Wednesday

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 10:09:48 GMT

Ash Wednesday services

Today is the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday and we are offering three ways of participating in the traditional 'ashing' service this year.

4.00pm - A Service for Children and Families on Zoom

Contact dan.tyndall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk for Zoom details

Order of Service here

7.30pm - A Service with Hymns and Reflections on Zoom

Contact dan.tyndall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk for Zoom details

Order of Service here

Prayers for Ash Wednesday to use at home

Acknowledging that not everyone who has access to these email newsletters is able to join us on Zoom, you can download an Order of Service here to use at home on your own or with others.

The sign of the cross

For all these services you will be encouraged to mark on your forehead the sign of the cross. Traditionally this is done in ash which you can create by burning a match (wait till it cools though before using it!) or get from the grate if you have an open fire. Other options are make-up, face-paints, dust from behind the radiator or dirt from the plant pots. If none of those are available, then a simple finger or thumb will suffice to make the mark of the cross at the appropriate moment.

A sign and a symbol

The sign of the cross is both a reminder of our mortality and a symbol of our intention to, once again, turn to Christ and to rest in the love of God that knows no bounds and no boundaries; that longs to reach out to gay and straight, black and white, poor and rich, to embrace those with different understandings, expectations and experiences of life; that welcomes the lost, that nurtures the wounded, that heals the broken.

Lenten resolves

Finally, the whole of 2020 has had a Lenten feel to it, so, if you're wondering how to mark this season, can I suggest that we set aside the tradition of giving up something that is helping us through this pandemic and thus refrain from 'beating ourselves up for being failures'. Instead, may I suggest focussing on being kinder to ourselves, intentionally, and thus being kinder to one another - that's my Lenten resolve this year.

School of Prayer

Don't forget the School of Prayer which is part of our Lent programme this year - you can read more that here .

With my kinder wishes for Ash Wednesday and for this season of Lent,

Dan

Canon D F Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

0776 929 6220

Prayer Laboratory week 1

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 21:15:42 GMT

God in all things

This week's Prayer Laboratory will include daily detective prayers; heads, shoulders, knees and toes prayers; and kitchen cupboard prayers. All you'll need, apart from plenty of imagination and curiosity, is a food item from your kitchen cupboard!
Come and join us on Sunday at 4pm - contact Kat for zoom details. Everyone is welcome!

Children's Church Sunday 14th February

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 08:27:05 GMT

Children's Church with Greca

From the Vicar's Desk - 12 February

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 09:40:01 GMT

Welcome to From the Vicar's Desk for 12th February

Seeking Transfiguration

This Sunday is Racial Justice Sunday , February is LGBT+ History month and the Gospel reading for this weekend is an account of the transfiguration . How are we shaping our lives together, as a church seeking to be and become a thriving, inclusive Christian community? Read more ...

Lent - A Journey of Prayer

Our focus this Lent will be on prayer, to help us move forwards on our journey, whatever our starting point. The full programme can be found here , but please note:

School of Prayer from 23rd February

either Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm

or Wednesdays 7.30-9.00pm

A safe space to learn and strengthen the foundations of our prayer lives, where we'll be learning different ways of praying, and reflecting on our experiences. Each week involves a group session on Zoom and a 20-30-minute 1:1 time of spiritual accompaniment. Please contact Kat here by Tuesday 16th February to sign up.

Christian Meditation

Introductory session Thursday 18th February 6.00-6.45pm

You're invited to come to an introductory session to learn about this way of praying. Please contact Liz Hewitt here for the Zoom details

Ash Wednesday Services

We are holding two services this year, both on Zoom; the early one is designed with children and fam ilies in mind and the later one has a more meditative theme

4.00pm - Ash Wednesday Service for Children and Families - contact me for Zoom link - dan.tyndall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

7.30pm - Ash Wednesday service with hymns and reflections - contact me for Zoom link - order of service here .

Joyce Tyley's funeral

We had a lovely service for Joyce during the week, which you can watch here (fast forward 14 minutes) and donations, in her memory for SMR's mission and ministry can be made here .

Lady Chapel lighting

The lighting in the Lady Chapel is finished (except for the chandelier which will be back soon) and it looks amazing: here are a couple of snaps I took.

Bristol Churches Winter Nightshelter

Thank you for your generosity: we raised almost £1100 this year which is great. For the latest BCWNS newsletter click here .

Redcliffe Gardening Club

Thanks to all those who support the Gardening Club .. some lovely feedback here (thanks for sending this on to me - I love to see things like this).

SMR Quiz

Thanks to Liz, Belinda and Chris for a fun evening ... it wasn't fun just because I did so well ! If you would like to organise a social event let me know.

Bristol Charity "Beloved"

Beloved is one of our partner charities and it's looking for a new Director .. advert here and job description here . Please share widely.

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

Services this Sunday - Sunday next before Lent.

9.00am : Morning Prayer : live stream here : words here

10.00am : Holy Communion : live stream here : Order of Service here : weekly sheet here

Racial Justice Sunday

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 10:45:18 GMT

This Sunday is Racial Justice Sunday and has especial resonance this year: not just for the events of last summer (the killing of George Floyd, the increasing cry that Black Lives Matter and, here in Bristol, the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston) but also for the ever more evident truth that Covid-19 is widening inequality and having a disproportionate impact on black and minority ethnic communities.

Sunday's Gospel , an account of the transfiguration, reminds us of the hope we have in Christ, even if we're left babbling like Peter not knowing quite how to respond. And Paul, in his letter to the church in Corinth , quotes God to encourage us to see beyond the darkness of troubled times: "Let light shine out of darkness".

And yet, on Racial Justice Sunday, another perspective hangs in the air: both these readings could be (and probably have been) used to suggest, not only that being bleached dazzling white is the best way to be, but also that darkness needs light to make it acceptable.

Language is the only way we have to communicate our understanding and if we are serious about learning the language of racial justice, of diversity and inclusion for every individual, each one made in the image and likeness of God, then we need to listen to how our words impact and affect those whose voices are often ignored or unheard.

This month is LGBT+ History month as well: what is true for our BAME sisters and brothers is no less true for our LGBT+ sisters and brothers as well. St Mary Redcliffe declares itself to be "Singing the song of faith and justice as a thriving, inclusive Christian community" ... and so we are; and yet we aren't as good as we could be.

What do we need to do more of ...

what do we need to be better at ...

what do we need to stop ...

so the entry to our church community is as open as the arms of the Christ we proclaim?

LGBT+ History Month

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 12:20:40 GMT

It's LGBT+ History Month during February, promoting equality and helping to make LGBT+ people, in all their rich diversity, visible. This year's theme is ‘Body, Mind, Spirit’ Find out more and download resources here https://buff.ly/2RPNrJI #LGBTHM21

From the Vicar's Desk - 5 February

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:40:08 GMT

Welcome to From The Vicar's Desk for 5th February

In the beginning was the Word ...

It may seem odd, so soon after Christmas and the (usually) magical reading of this gospel passage to a packed church in the middle of that night that ushers in the incarnation, to hear it read once again on a potentially wet and windy February morning. We have left Christmas with Candlemas last weekend and we await the arrival of Lent on Ash Wednesday. We are in a liminal space between significant events in the church's calendar; we are in a waiting zone between the celebration of the incarnation and a period of preparation prior to Easter, between the abundance of Christmas and simplicity of Lent .. and into this waiting room walks the Word, to underline the truth of the waiting, the difficulty of the waiting and the experience of waiting whilst "all things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being".

Ash Wednesday : 17 February

Do join us for a special service on Zoom (details to come) and click here to sign up to receive some ash for the service which was created at the end of the Service for Candlemas .

Lent Journey of Prayer

For full details about our Lent programme on Prayer, click here .

Joyce Tyley funeral

Joyce Tyley's funeral will be in church at 2.30pm on Tuesday 9th February. Under the current restrictions we are limited to the number of people who can attend in person. The service will be live streamed on SMR Live and the order of service is here .

Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank

We are continuing to sup port neighbours in Redcliffe who are facing financial crisis with food parcels. Can you help by donating some food? Donations are currently being accepted at Faithspace Flat (at the back of the centre) on Wednesdays between 10am - 1pm. We are currently low on the following items:

- tinned fruit

- tinned vegetables

- tinned meat or fish

- jams

If you are not able to deliver your donation on a Wednesday, please click here to see alternative donation points.

Virtual Quiz Night : Wednesday 10 February

An opportunity to meet with others from church and to get our "little grey cells" working. The quiz is free to enter and will be on Zoom. If you'd like to know more drop an email to smrquiz@needlevision.co.uk . We look forward to quizzing with you and giving your little grey cells a work out.

Liz Hewitt; Chris Duncan; Belinda Phillipson

If anyone else would like to organise another online church social event (coffee morning, wine tasting or anything else) please do get in touch with Kat - it's good to things to look forward to!

Night Shelter appeal

Thank you to those who have already given generously in support of the Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter: we topped £1000 mark this week. If you haven't yet donated, and would like to, the link is here .

Parish Giving Scheme - it's gone digital

Until a week or so ago, I had no idea that it has been very difficult to get through the PGS on the phone! For those of you who have been persisting (or have given up!) the good news is that PGS has gone digital!! Click here to start the process which (I've been told) is "an easy process and much quicker and easier than by phone. Clear info section answers all questions about security, comms etc" Just keep an eye on your spam folder for the activation link!

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

Sunday sermon 7/2/21

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 10:20:31 GMT

With The Rt Revd Vivienne Faull

Sunday sermon 7 February 202 1

Children's Church Sunday 7th February

Sun, 07 Feb 2021 09:24:54 GMT

Children's Church with Becky and team

Lent 2021 - A Journey of Prayer

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 14:39:38 GMT

Prayer. At the heart of our relationships with God, and our life as a church, and yet it can seem so hard to talk about, let alone do. But prayer is an invitation from God, for each of us - whether we feel like a complete novice or a seasoned traveller.

This year, for Lent, as I explained in my sermon on Sunday, we will be focussing as a whole church on prayer, to help us move forwards on that journey, whatever our starting point. There are several different ways for you to engage, but they are all offered as a gift, to help you deepen your roots and replenish your soul. I hope you will be able to join this journey of prayer, this Lent.

School of Prayer
Tuesdays 8.00-9.30pm or Wednesdays 7.30-9.00pm, starting 23rd/24th February

A safe space to learn and strengthen the foundations of our prayer lives. Based on the teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola, together we'll be learning different ways of praying, and reflecting on our experiences. Each week involves a group session on Zoom (choose Tuesday at 8 or Wednesday at 7.30) and a 20-30-minute 1:1 time of spiritual accompaniment with one of our clergy team (at a mutually convenient time), to reflect more deeply on your experiences. Please contact me by 16th February to sign up.

The Prayer Laboratory
Sundays 4.00-4.45 starting 21st February
An all-age Zoom every week where we can experiment with new and fun ways of praying at home. Praying with chocolate? Praying in a blanket den? Praying with Lego? Praying with water? Come along and try it! Each Sunday will include a range of experiments to choose from, and the resources you need will be listed on our website ahead of the session. Join the Prayer Laboratory here - Meeting ID: 868 6138 6830, Password: experiment

Contemplative Evening Prayer

Sundays 6.30pm starting 21st February

A peaceful, reflective service for Lent, on Zoom, with music, readings, and plenty of space for silence. Join the service here - Meeting ID: 829 1064 8326, Passcode: reflect

Christian Meditation

Introductory session Thursday 18th February 6.00-6.45pm
Tuesdays 6.00-7.00pm, year round

A weekly time of silent meditation in prayerful company, currently gathering on Zoom. If you are new to the practice of Christian Meditation, you're invited to come to the introductory session to learn about this way of praying. Please contact Liz Hewitt for the Zoom details liz.textileartist@googlemail.com

I hope you will be able to accept one or more of these invitations as part of your observance of Lent, as we make this Journey of Prayer together.

Every blessing,

Kat

Revd Kat Campion-Spall
Associate Vicar

St Mary Redcliffe Church

Sunday sermon 31/1/21

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:49:31 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 31 January 2020

St Valentine's Day Gifts

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 12:07:31 GMT

If you're looking for a special gift for St Valentine's Day, take a look at the range of gifts in our online shop.

Children's Church Sunday 31st January

Sun, 31 Jan 2021 08:07:58 GMT

Children's Church with Helena and team!

Children's Church Sunday 17th January

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 10:53:47 GMT

Children's Church with Kat and team!

Skelton's Antiquities of Bristol

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:41:19 GMT

'Monuments of Canynge in the South Transept of Redcliff Church', engraved by J.Skelton. Copper engraved antique print published in Skelton's Etchings of the Antiquities of Bristol, in about 1825.

A digitised version of the book - containing a number of plates showing illustrations of the church - can be viewed below the image.

Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:43:58 GMT

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From the Vicar's Desk - 22 January

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:26:22 GMT

Welcome to "From the Vicar's Desk" for 22 January 2021

Water into Wine

The Wedding at Cana, the first of Jesus' signs as recorded in John's gospel, is remembered most for the miracle that turned six stone jars of water, each containing 20 to 30 gallons of water, into the most exquisite, fine wine. At one level, that shows us that those who follow Jesus should not be shy of a good party and can feel encouraged to celebrate important family events. At a deeper level, this miracle turns the water of purification into the wine of celebration, thus turning upside down the expectations of how we approach the divine: not so much a process of making ourselves good enough, but an unfolding desire to join the celebration.

We're praying for you

Both individual church members and the congregation as a whole are always in our prayers. During this time of lockdown, however, we wanted to pray by name for everyone on our Electoral Roll. Today at Morning Prayer we started at A (by surname) and we will be working through a dozen or so a day between now and Lent, using your first names only to protect your privacy. If you'd like to join us in praying through our electoral roll you can find our weekly prayer list here and you can join us every day at 9.0am for Morning Prayer on SMR Live . If you ever have any specific prayer requests, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Corinne Rees funeral

Corinne's funeral will be held in church on Tuesday 26 January at 1.30pm. As with all our recent funerals, only those who have been invited can come to church for the service. If you wish to join us for the service please go to this link https://vimeo.com/event/621321 . And the order of service can be downloaded here .

Home Schooling for Parents

Our Outreach team is organising sessions to give some support to local parents about how to home school. The team would greatly appreciate donations of rulers, pencils, A4 card, Rigatoni pasta, string or cord and empty egg cartons of 10. If you can help, can you contact David Cousins . Thank you.

Could you foster children?

In the earlier lockdown, leaders of the faith communities across the city came together to seek foster parents. The plea has come again from Bristol City Council and Home for Good for foster parents for at least five sibling groups. If this sparks an interest in you please watch this video and contact Claire Walker from Home for Good.

Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter

This year Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter is running in a Bed and Breakfast property close to SMR Church. We have rooms for seven guests and are providing three meals a day for them. SMR has responsibility for providing food each Friday. Click here to make a donation to help pay for these meals as well as other essentials for the guests. Thank you.

Live Stream kit installation

Further work has been done this week but, at the time of writing, we're still not quite there yet!

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)

Finally ...

I'm on BBC Radio Bristol on Sunday morning just after 8.30am being interviewed by Lucy Tegg about church life in the third lockdown.

With my best wishes

Dan

Canon D F Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

0776 929 6220

Looking ahead

Sunday Services:

9.00am : Morning Prayer : Live Stream here : Words here

10.00am : Holy Communion : Live Stream here : Words here

We Are Bristol phone line is available for people who need support during lockdown: 0800 694 0184 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)

Sunday sermon 17/01/21

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 09:35:16 GMT

With Rev Aggy Palairet

Music with Helena

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:39:01 GMT

Music with Helena

Children's Church Sunday 10th January

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:33:14 GMT

Children's Church with Kat and her team

Dolly Church Epiphany

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:29:26 GMT

Dolly Church with Becky and her team

Children's Church Sunday 3rd January

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:25:14 GMT

Children's Church with Esther

Children's Church Sunday 20th December

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:21:48 GMT

Children's Church with Helena

Coronavirus update - Pausing public worship

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:46:02 GMT

Yesterday evening, a week after the Prime Minister's announcement of the third national lockdown, the PCC Standing Committee resolved that we should close for public worship, as we have done in the previous two periods of lockdown.

Although I know that this will be a disappointment to some, the committee felt that the message from the government is clear: stay at home; and that we as a church should be supporting that message. With this highly transmissible new variant of the virus, the safest thing for all of us - congregation, volunteers and staff - is for our worship to be online only for the time being.

Our regular pattern of online worship continues here as it has since March:

9.00am daily - Morning Prayer

10.00am Sundays - Eucharist, followed by Zoom coffee and chat

And on Zoom:

4.00pm first Sunday of the month - Family Service

In addition, this coming Sunday we will have an Epiphany Carol Service at 6.30p m.

Over the last year we have all learnt more than we thought possible about how to care for each other, how to worship and pray, how to be a church, without being together in the same place. We enter this new lockdown better prepared and better resourced than before. For now, let's do all we can to keep each other safe and well, so we can all be together again the other side of this. I hope and pray for that day to come soon.

Every blessing,

Kat

Rev'd Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar

St Mary Redcliffe Church

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 12:27:21 GMT

Dylan Thomas', Do not go gentle into that good night , read by Richard Wallace

And Death Shall Have No Dominion

BY DYLAN THOMAS

And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan't crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashore;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Through they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.

Treefest

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:15:35 GMT

Thanks to everyone who took part in this year's special online version of Treefest. The winning tree, with 43% of the vote , was AGE UK Bristol’s.

Overall, 478 votes were cast during December, and the amount raised so far is £80 0.00, which is a magnificent effort from those who took part and a great response from the public. Thanks to all who submitted a tree this year, to those who vote d and those who have donated.

You can take a look at the winning tree along with all of the other entries here . And find out about the causes that will be supported by this year's event, here .

Thanks again to all who took part!

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From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 18:02:41 GMT

Further to my message earlier in the week, a reminder that there is no public worship in church on Sunday. We hope to reach a decision early next week on whether we can safely offer public worship over the coming weeks, and will let you know as soon as possible. Please bear with us while we give this important decision the time it deserves.

Night Shelter

On a positive note, the Bristol Churches Winter Night Shelter opened this week (now hosted in a large B&B property in South Bristol), and we are supporting it once more. Our volunteers are providing food on Fridays but if you would like to help in another way, donations are still being collected and sorted by Emmanuel Church. We are particularly short of the following items (BRAND NEW ONLY PLEASE):

Socks, pants, hats, gloves, tea (normal, decaf and herbal), coffee (instant), biscuits, puzzle books/single player games etc to keep guests occupied

You can drop donations off at Emmanuel this Sunday between 3pm-4pm at Emmanuel Meeting House, Narrow Lewin's Mead, BS1 2NN (the church on The Centre).

Any questions to Sarah Yates: sarah.yates@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Worship this Sunday, 10th January

9.00am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

10.00am : Holy Communion, live streamed : SMR Live

Order of Service here , readings and hymns here

Once again, if we can support you in any way through these strange and difficult times, please do get in touch.

Every blessing,

Kat

The Rev'd Kat Campion-Spall
Associate Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe Church
03301 594919

We Are Bristol phone line is available for people who need support during lockdown: 0800 694 0184 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)

Public worship - Coronavirus update

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:47:00 GMT

The light shines in the darkness

Although at one level, we were expecting a January lockdown, nonetheless, yesterday evening's announcement will have been a shock to many of us.

Unlike during the previous lockdowns, you may have heard that places of worship are allowed to remain open. However, the Bishop has made it very clear that the leadership of each church should make their own decision about whether it is safe and appropriate, in their context, to offer public worship.

There are a number of factors to take into consideration, and the safety of our staff, volunteers and congregations is paramount. In that light, the senior leadership team of the church have made the decision not to open for public worship this Sunday, to allow us to take the time to make an informed and considered decision about what to do in the coming weeks. It is already clear that we will not be able to offer Earth Church or Toddler Church under the current restrictions.

We will, as we have since March, continue to offer live streamed morning prayer at 9am every day, and a live streamed service of Holy Communion every Sunday at 10am which you can find on our Facebook page or here on our website. So while we cannot gather in person, we can still gather in prayer and worship.

This new lockdown will be challenging, at a practical and emotional level, for many if not all of us. If there is anything our church community can do to support you, please do contact your ContacTree caller, or the Parish Office on 03301 594919, or me on kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

In these difficult times, the words of John's gospel speak to us even more profoundly: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. My prayer for you is that you will see glimpses of that divine light in the darkness, and that it will give you the hope you need to see you through to better times. God be with you.

Every blessing,

Kat

The Rev'd Kat Campion-Spall
Associate Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe Church

Sunday sermon 20/12/20

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 10:59:20 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon 20 December 2020

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 13:46:04 GMT

George Herbert's Death read by Richard Wallace

Death

BY GEORGE HERBERT

Death, thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing,

Nothing but bones,

The sad effect of sadder groans:

Thy mouth was open, but thou couldst not sing.

For we considered thee as at some six

Or ten years hence,

After the loss of life and sense,

Flesh being turned to dust, and bones to sticks.

We looked on this side of thee, shooting short;

Where we did find

The shells of fledge souls left behind,

Dry dust, which sheds no tears, but may extort.

But since our Savior’s death did put some blood

Into thy face,

Thou art grown fair and full of grace,

Much in request, much sought for as a good.

For we do now behold thee gay and glad,

As at Doomsday;

When souls shall wear their new array,

And all thy bones with beauty shall be clad.

Therefore we can go die as sleep, and trust

Half that we have

Unto an honest faithful grave;

Making our pillows either down, or dust.

Sunday sermon 13/12/20

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 11:32:31 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 13 December 2020

Children's Church Sunday 13th December

Sun, 13 Dec 2020 09:32:05 GMT

Children's Church with Greca

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 14:22:02 GMT

Emily Dickinson's, 'I heard a fly buzz' and 'Because I could not stop for death' read by Richard Wallace

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died

BY EMILY DICKINSON

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -

The Stillness in the Room

Was like the Stillness in the Air -

Between the Heaves of Storm -

The Eyes around - had wrung them dry -

And Breaths were gathering firm

For that last Onset - when the King

Be witnessed - in the Room -

I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away

What portion of me be

Assignable - and then it was

There interposed a Fly -

With Blue - uncertain - stumbling Buzz -

Between the light - and me -

And then the Windows failed - and then

I could not see to see -

Because I could not stop for Death

BY EMILY DICKINSON

Because I could not stop for Death –

He kindly stopped for me –

The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

And I had put away

My labor and my leisure too,

For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove

At Recess – in the Ring –

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us –

The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

For only Gossamer, my Gown –

My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground –

The Roof was scarcely visible –

The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' Heads

Were toward Eternity –

Treefest 2020 launched!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 10:02:14 GMT

This year's online event is now live and you can view a superb range of originally decorated trees by a range of local organisations here.

This year's event, which has been arranged by Liz Hewitt, will be supporting the work of the church's Community Team, which has recently launched the Redcliffe Communty Pop-Up on Redcliffe Hill, and loca charity Treeaid, which works with people in the drylands of Africa to tackle poverty and the effects of the climate crisis by growing trees.

Find out more about the important work of both organisations here and, if you are able, please make a donation via the orange button.

Teddy Church Christmas Special

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 09:05:41 GMT

Teddy Church with Esther and her team

Children's Church Sunday 6th December

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 09:00:14 GMT

Children's Church with Becky and team

Children's Church Sunday 29th November

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 08:56:29 GMT

Children's Church with Esther

Christmas Gift Packs for Seniors

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 13:05:39 GMT

Normally, at this time of year, we would be busy planning for a Christmas Day lunch for those in our community who would otherwise be alone. Unfortunately, due to the restrictions with Covid-19, it is not possible to plan for this occasion in the same way.

From the Vicar's Desk - 18 December

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 20:19:41 GMT

Welcome to "From the Vicar's Desk" for 18 December 2020

Services this weekend

Saturday

9.00am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

4.00pm : Carol Service, public worship : a few tickets will be available on the door

7.00pm : Carol Service, public worship : a few tickets will be available on the door

Sunday - 4th Sunday of Advent

9.00am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

10.00am : Holy Communion, live streamed : SMR Live

12.00noon : Holy Communion, public worship : Book here and Earth Church for children (more information about that from Becky James )

4.00pm : Carol Service, public worship : a few tickets will be available on the door

7.00pm : Carol Service, public worship : a few tickets will be available on the door

Christmas Services during the week

Everything about our Christmas service plan is on the website here for both public worship and live streamed worship.

This is where you will find

- what is happening, where and when

- Orders of Services / Hymn Sheets to download

- how to get the right code for those services being held on Zoom

- how to book tickets for Christmas Day Communion service (all other services are fully booked now)

All services in church (so that excludes Tuesday's Carols with the Salvation Army and Wednesday's Nativity Trail in the churchyard) do have a few tickets available on the door on a first-come-first-served basis.

This is why we really need to know if you cannot make use of tickets that you have been allocated: we can then give your seats to people waiting in the queue. Please do contact the me or the vergers (0117 231 0061) if you are unable to use your tickets.

And, let's remind ourselves, please stay at home if you are suffering from any Covid-19 symptoms.

Looking further ahead

Sunday 27 December

9.00am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

10.00am : Holy Communion, public worship : booking form here will open on Tues 22 Dec

No Live Stream Communion service today

Sunday 3 January

Back to what has become our standard pattern of worship:

9.00am : Morning Prayer : SMR Live

10.00am : Holy Communion, live streamed : SMR Live

12.00noon : Holy Communion, public worship : booking form here will open on Tues 29 Dec

Community News

It is with a heavy heart that I share some sad news with you. You may well have heard that Liz Scott died last week. Her funeral has now been arranged for Thursday 14 January. More recently, I heard in the last couple of days that Corrine Rees has also died: no plans have yet been made for her funeral. We remember their families in our prayers. May they rest in peace and rise in glory.

Bishop's Appeal for the clergy of Uganda

You may remember that back in November, Bishop Viv made an appeal for the Church in Uganda (read it here ). I heard today that this has raised £33,000 and the bishop sends her thanks to all those who helped. The appeal is still alive and you can donate here .

Don't forget ...

TreeFest 2020

TreeFest has been launched as online event. Click here to see the entries and to read about the projects we are supporting this year.

Carols for All (aka Carols by Zoomlight)

On Monday 21 December at 7.30pm.

Zoom link here and Order of service here

Dial In Worship - 0117 427 0104

Don't forget to pass on details of our listen-in live streamed services from Sunday afternoon.

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

We Are Bristol phone line is available for people who need support during lockdown: 0800 694 0184 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 15:31:51 GMT

John Donne's Death, be not proud read by Richard Wallace

Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud

JOHN DONNE

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

For those whom thou think'st thou dost overthrow

Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee do go,

Rest of their bones, and soul's delivery.

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

And better than thy stroke; why swell'st thou then?

One short sleep past, we wake eternally

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Children's Church Sunday 22nd November

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 08:18:20 GMT

Children's Church with Helena

Sunday sermon 15/11/20

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 17:12:36 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 15 November 2020

From the Associate Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:23:39 GMT

As we all wait to find out what will happen at the end of this 4-week lockdown, we are also preparing for our Christian season of Advent waiting, when we keep watch for signs of Christ coming among us. For the moment, our church building remains closed, but we have a whole host of opportunities online for us to gather as a church, to support and encourage one another, to deepen our faith, and to worship together.

During this lockdown we have a regular pattern of gatherings you are most welcome to join with:

Tuesdays 10am - Coffee and chat Zoom link

Wednesdays 12.30 - Lunchtime prayers Zoom link

Thursdays 8.00pm - Chat and compline Zoom link

Fridays 10am - Toddler and Children's Church families coffee and chat Zoom link

We also have Morning Prayer at 9am every day on our website here and on Facebook.

Advent Quiet Day

Our Advent season will begin with a quiet day at home over zoom on Saturday 28th November, 10-3.30 - more info here . Please let me know by the end of Sunday if you'd like to attend.

Advent worship

Our Advent Carol service will be live streamed on Sunday 29th November at 7.00pm.

On Sunday 6th and 13th December we will have live streamed Advent Evening Reflections at 7.00pm.

Advent Group - Mondays at 8pm

This Advent we have an opportunity to explore some of the "Big Questions", on Mondays on zoom, 8.00-9.30pm.

30th November: Why should I believe in God?
7th December: Does prayer make a difference?
14th December: Why is there suffering?

Join using this link , or use the meeting code: 817 3293 8898 and passcode: 207850

All are welcome. Please contact Simon Goodman for more details.

Christmas - ballot for seats at services

Rather than taking bookings for our Christmas services on a "first come first served" basis, we are using a ballot to share out as fairly as possible the opportunities to attend a service in church. If you would like to attend any of our Christmas services in the church and churchyard, please request tickets using the form here which will be open until Sunday 29th November.

Take care, and God bless,

Kat

The Rev'd Kat Campion-Spall

Associate Vicar St Mary Redcliffe Church

07506 310564

We Are Bristol phone line is available for people who need support during lockdown: 0800 694 0184 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm)

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 15:09:58 GMT

Arthur Hugh Clough

The Latest Decalogue

Thou shalt have one God only; who
Would tax himself to worship two?
God's image nowhere shalt thou see,
Save haply in the currency:
Swear not at all; since for thy curse
Thine enemy is not the worse:
At church on Sunday to attend
Will help to keep the world thy friend:
Honor thy parents; that is, all
From whom promotion may befall:
Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive
Officiously to keep alive:
Adultery it is not fit
Or safe, for women, to commit:
Thou shalt not steal; an empty feat,
When 'tis so lucrative to cheat:
False witness not to bear be strict;
A nd cautious, ere you contradict.
Thou shalt not covet; but tradition
Sanctions the keenest competition.

British Art Studies Article - Inventio Porticus

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 14:56:03 GMT

Inventio Porticus—Imagining Solomon’s Porches in Late M edieval England by Helen Lunnon

Article published in British Art Studies

A Poetic City - Thomas Chatterton

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 10:50:45 GMT

2020 marks 250 years since the death of Bristol's famous 'boy poet'. We working with heritage and cultural partners across the city as part of the Bristol: A Poetic City project

Click here to visit our Thomas Chatterton A Poetic City page to find out how we're involved and find information about Chatterton's life and work.

Chatterton Comic Published

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:49:48 GMT

The Poetic City comic-book telling the story of Thomas Chatterton’s life and legacy has now been published.

Copies will be available to collect for free from venues across the city including Bristol City Council’s libraries and museums; Bristol Cathedral; Glenside Hospital Museum; St Mary Redcliffe; the Tourist Information Centre at the Galleries; and the Royal West of England Academy.

They have also been given to relevant departments at the University of Bristol and UWE Bristol to distribute to students and staff. (see the Poetic City Facebook page for the latest news on availability).

If you are unable to obtain a hard copy, you can read the PDF here: Bristol Poetic City Comic Low-res PDF

Click on the image to read the comic...

Project 450 Planning Pre-App Submitted

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 15:06:12 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe has recently submitted a Planning Pre-App for Project 450 - the church's facilities development project. This document represents the planning and consultation that has been carried out over a number of years and will form the basis for further development work that will take place during the next year.

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:33:09 GMT

Jesus and his Mother

Thom Gunn

My only son, more God’s than mine,
Stay in this garden ripe with pears.
The yielding of their substance wears
A modest and contented shine,
And when they weep with age, not brine
But lazy syrup are their tears.
‘I am my own and not my own’.

He seemed much like another man,
That silent foreigner who trod
Outside my door with lily rod:
How could I know what I began
Meeting the eyes more furious than
The eyes of Joseph, those of God?
I was my own and not my own.

And who are these twelve labouring men?
I do not understand your words:
I taught you speech, we named the birds
You marked their big migrations then
Like any child. So turn again
To silence from the place of crowds.
‘I am my own and not my own’.

Why are you sullen when I speak?
Here are your tools, the saw and knife
And hammer on your bench. Your life
Is measured here in week and week
Planed as the furniture you make,
And I will teach you like a wife
To be my own and all my own.

Who like an arrogant wind blown
Where he may please, needs no content?
Yet I remember how you went
To speak with scholars in furred gown.
I hear an outcry in the town;
Who carries that dark instrument?
‘One all his own and not his own’.

Treading the green and nimble sward
I stare at a strange shadow thrown
Are you the boy I bore alone
No doctor near to cut the cord?
I cannot reach to call you Lord,
Answer me as my only son.
‘I am my own and not my own’.

Thom Gunn's Jesus and his Mother , read by Richard Wallace

St Mary Redcliffe Online Shop Launched

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 14:11:13 GMT

Shop for gifts, decorations, jewellery, music and more in our newly launched online shop.

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 16:24:05 GMT

John Milton's Samson Agonistes (excerpt) read by Richard Wallace

Children's Church Sunday 15th November

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 20:11:28 GMT

Children's Church with Esther

Rev Aggy Palairet - race, ministry and me

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 10:12:14 GMT

Rev Aggy Palairet reflects on her journey through faith and life.

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 12:51:00 GMT

T.S. Eliot's 'A Song for Simeon' read by Richard Wallace

T.S. Eliot

A Song for Simeon

Lord, the Roman hyacinths are blooming in bowls and
The winter sun creeps by the snow hills;
The stubborn season has made stand.
My life is light, waiting for the death wind,
Like a feather on the back of my hand.
Dust in sunlight and memory in corners
Wait for the wind that chills towards the dead land.

Grant us thy peace.
I have walked many years in this city,
Kept faith and fast, provided for the poor,
Have taken and given honour and ease.
There went never any rejected from my door.

Who shall remember my house,
where shall live my children’s children

When the time of sorrow is come ?
They will take to the goat’s path, and the fox’s home,
Fleeing from the foreign faces and the foreign swords.

Before the time of cords and scourges and lamentation
Grant us thy peace.
Before the stations of the mountain of desolation,
Before the certain hour of maternal sorrow,
Now at this birth season of decease,
Let the Infant, the still unspeaking and unspoken Word,
Grant Israel’s consolation
To one who has eighty years and no to-morrow.

According to thy word,
They shall praise Thee and suffer in every generation
With glory and derision,
Light upon light, mounting the saints’ stair.
Not for me the martyrdom, the ecstasy of thought and prayer,
Not for me the ultimate vision.
Grant me thy peace.

(And a sword shall pierce thy heart,
Thine also).

I am tired with my own life and the lives of those after me,
I am dying in my own death and the deaths of those after me.
Let thy servant depart,
Having seen thy salvation.

From the Vicar's Desk

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 09:21:55 GMT

We will remember them; we will be together again.

Lockdown 2.0

So, here we go again! It may not be quite the same as earlier this year but it still feels as though things are pressing in on us and that may well leave us with feelings of anxiety and fear. This is only to be expected as these are anxious and fearful times. At moments like this we could do worse than to draw deep from the well of hope and expectation that we find within the pages of scripture and other writings of the Christian faith. Hope for tomorrow as well as for today; the Advent hope of new births, new beginnings and even a new Jerusalem. Expectation that, as Julian of Norwich puts it, "all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well".

The hope that we have in Christ, the expectation that we have for our future, is named and known in the commandment most frequently quoted in the bible: to Abraham and Hagar, to Moses and Joshua, to Judah and Israel, and to Mary and the women at the tomb ... "Do not be afraid". Above the commandments to do this and not to do that, is the commandment to be not afraid.

In these few short words is the full acknowledgement of the reality of fear and anxiety, whilst at the same time an equal acknowledgment that we are known and held and loved ... for it is those who know us and hold us and love us who seek to absorb our anxiety and whisper into our lives: Do not be afraid.

I hope and trust that over these next few weeks each one of us can take those words to heart and lean into the God who knows our needs, hears our cries, feels our pain and heals our wounds.

Church Opening and Public Worship

As you will know by know, along with places of worship across the land, we have been told to cease public worship for the time being. I want to commend all those who have worked so hard over the last few months to ensure that public worship at SMR has been held safely and sensitively. Like many other clerics, I would like to see the evidence which has led the government to think that places of worship pose too high a risk of transmission and I am aware that strong representation has been made to the highest levels. So we wait and see. Meanwhile, worship is back on line only: so please do join us for our live streamed services at 10.00am on Sundays and don't forget Morning Prayer every day at 9.00am. Alongside this, the restoration work in the Lady Chapel is taking longer than anticipated so the church will remain entirely closed for the whole of next week.

Remembrance Sunday Services and Activities

8.00 am Children's Church Newsletter

9.00 am Morning Prayer, live streamed

10.00 am Remembrance Service, live streamed

-- Children's Church message and sermon from Kat Campion-Spall

-- Anthony Everitt will lead the service

-- Dan Tyndall will lead the Act of Remembrance at 11.00 am.

-- special order of service here

-- join the service on SMR Live or Facebook .

4.00 pm Online Youth Church with Becky and Chris

Remembrance Day Hymn Singing

Andrew Kirk and the choir have organised a second hymn sing, this time on the theme of Remembrance. It is happening on Wed 11 Nov, Remembrance Day, at 7.30pm on Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link and here to download the words of the hymns .

Archbishops' call to prayer

Earlier this week, in response to the news of the lockdown, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York wrote: "Bearing in mind our primary vocation as the Church of Jesus Christ to pray and to serve we call upon the Church of England to make this month of lockdown a month of prayer. More than anything else, whatever the nation thinks, we know that we are in the faithful hands of the risen Christ who knows our weaknesses, tiredness and struggles and whose steadfast love endures for ever." Join the nation in prayer every day of this lockdown for our nation and leaders, for those in key roles and for those who suffer and mourn. A prayer leaflet can be downloaded here and more information can be read here .

Bishop's Appeal for the clergy of Uganda

Bishop Viv has written about what she has learnt about how Covid-19 is affecting the clergy of the Church of Uganda (our link province in the Anglican Communion) which you can read here and has launched an appeal to which you can donate here .

Project 450 update

Following a very encouraging meeting with senior officers of the City Council and on the unanimous recommendation of the Project Board, we have submitted a pre-application planning document for our major facilities development project. This project started back in 2008, so this a major milestone and very exciting. You can download the document that we submitted here (it's big, it may take some time!)

Redcliffe Voice

For latest news and views on all things Redcliffe click here and subscribe here .

North Bristol Foodbank - looking for a new manager

If anyone is interested in this full time job click here for more information.

SMRT Sixth Former Request

Lily is a year 13 student doing some geography coursework around the (historic) idea to pedestrianize Redcliffe Way. She'd be very grateful if we would fill in her 16 question questionnaire which you can access here .

And finally, how well do you know SMR staff?

Click here for a quick quiz!

Dial In Worship - 0117 427 0104

Listen to our live streamed services from Sunday afternoon.

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 929 622 0New Paragraph

Poetry with Richard Wallace

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 11:31:27 GMT

John Milton's Paradise Lost (conclusion) read by Richard Wallace

Paradise Lost (conclusion)

by John Milton

High in Front advanc't,
The brandisht Sword of God before them blaz'd
Fierce as a Comet; which with torrid heat,
And vapour as the Libyan Air adust , [ 635 ]
Began to parch that temperate Clime; whereat
In either hand the hastning Angel caught
Our lingring Parents, and to th' Eastern Gate
Led them direct, and down the Cliff as fast
To the subjected Plaine; then disappeer'd. [ 640 ]
They looking back, all th' Eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late thir happie seat,
Wav'd over by that flaming Brand, the Gate
With dreadful Faces throng'd and fierie Armes:
Som natural tears they drop'd, but wip'd them soon; [ 645 ]
The World was all before them, where to choose
Thir place of rest, and Providence thir guide:
They hand in hand with wandring steps and slow,
Through Eden took thir solitarie way.

November's Dolly Church

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 09:09:00 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James. November

Children's Church Sunday 1st November

Sun, 01 Nov 2020 07:47:57 GMT

Children's Church with Monkey and Mo!

Sunday sermon 24/10/20

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 17:01:02 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 13 September 2020

Church closed this week and next

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 14:54:28 GMT

Church closed to the public

The Church will be closed to the public during the week's commencing 2 November and 9 Novembe r due to restoration work.

Following a fire back in February, work to restore the North-East corner of the Lady Chapel will be commencing, restricting our ability to open to the public. The church lighting system is also undergoing the second phase of upgrade and this may lead to additional closures between now and Advent.

Please continue to check our social media and website for opening times, should you wish to visit. If you do not have access to either of these channels, please call the Parish Office number for more information.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Coronavirus

Over the weekend, the government announced new measures to combat Coronavirus. Once the implications of this become clear, we will provide updated information on our website about access to the church for private prayer and worship during the next month.

If you would like to keep up to date with the latest news, click here to sign up to our From the Vicar's Desk weekly email.

Children's Church Sunday 25th October

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 20:26:43 GMT

Children's Church - with Greca

Children's Church Sunday 18th October

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 20:23:28 GMT

Children's Church - with Peter and his friends!

Teddy Church - October

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 08:04:26 GMT

Teddy Church with Esther and her team

New nativity set commissioned

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 15:34:13 GMT

New nativity set commissioned for St Mary Redcliffe

Local landmark and historic church, St Mary Redcliffe, has commissioned a new nativity set fit for 21 ^st century Bristol. Every Christmas, a nativity scene is set up in the church so visitors and worshippers can see the Christmas story. The church wanted a new nativity set that reflects key Christian messages for today, so put a call out to local artists and craftspeople for proposals.

The chosen design is by Tony Hitchcock, a Bristol and Bath based prop and modelmaker, artist and illustrator. The church is keen for the diversity of Bristol to be reflected in the new nativity set, which will come across in the different colours of the materials - reclaimed wood and Bath stone. These also reflect the church’s desire for an environmentally friendly set of characters.

This commission has been made possible by a grant from St Mary Redcliffe Church Lands Charity.

Comments from Rev’d Kat Campion-Spall, the Associate Vicar at St Mary Redcliffe who is overseeing this project:

“We loved how Tony’s design uses a mixture of natural materials that reflect both what we see around us in the church, and the beauty of God’s creation. The use of reclaimed wood and stone reminds us of how in the Christmas story, God used Mary, just an ordinary young woman, for something really special. We want everyone who sees the figures to find something to connect with personally, and Tony’s use of different materials and woods will mean that our nativity characters have lots of different shades and tones to them, which is perfect. We’re really grateful for this grant which gives us this fantastic opportunity not only to have a new nativity set in the church but also to support the local creative community in these challenging times.”

Comments from Tony Hitchcock:

“I feel genuinely honoured to have been chosen to carve these figures for St Mary’s Church, a building which is a breathtakingly beautiful piece of sculpture in its own right. It’s rare that I get a chance to express my faith through my work, and I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to do so now.”

www.tonyhitchcock.co.uk

Photo: Rev Kat Campion-Spall and Tony Hitchcock in front of the altar where the nativity set will be displayed

Calling all music lovers!

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:22:19 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe Choir is recruiting! Do you have a son aged 8 to 14 or a daughter aged 9 to 16 who is interested in developing their musica l skills?

There is no formal audition to enter – simply come along to a couple of sessions to see if choir is for you.

Here is what one choir parent says: “Our son has been in the choir for over a year and he loves it. The musical training is fantastic – they learn to read music and to sing with other children and adults. They can take national music exams, win awards, and apply for a bursary towards learning a musical instrument. And they even get paid to attend! He enjoys the social life as much as the singing. The boys play football outside before choir practice starts, they have pizza and bowling nights, and once a year they go to Center Parcs for the weekend. He loves being with boys of other ages, and the older boys look out for the younger ones. Everyone is welcome – Christians, people from other faiths or no faith.

Watch these videos to see what the current boys and girls say about choir:

T o find out more, contact the Director of Music, Andrew Kirk:

andrew.kirk@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Sunday sermon 18/10/20

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:29:01 GMT

The feast day of St Luke the Evangelist

With Rev Aggy Palairet

Ordination of Rev Aggy Palairet

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 16:36:58 GMT

Bishop Viv ordains Aggy, Laura and Pippa

It was a great to be alongside Aggy as she was ordained priest.

Sunday sermon 11/10/20

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 09:12:34 GMT

What does vocation mean to us?

With The Rev Dr Minty Hull, Chaplain for Spirituality at Bristol Cathedral

Children's Church Sunday 11th October

Sun, 11 Oct 2020 08:06:40 GMT

Children's Church - with Becky and her team

Annual Parochial Church Meeting 2020 - Results & Information

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Sat, 10 Oct 2020 12:09:48 GMT

This year's Annual Meeting was held on Monday 5 October at 7:30pm and was attended by over 50 people which is about a dozen or so fewer than we would normally expect. Given the current circumstances, and that the meeting was held on Zoom, we felt that the meeting was very well attended.

At the Annual Meeting of Parishioners Elizabeth Shanahan and Richard Wallace were elected as Wardens for a further year.

Then at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting :

- SMR's Electoral Roll was reported as being 286 (up from 272) with 42 resident in the parish

- Eleanor Vousden, Janet Hagan and Richard Dyton were elected to the Deanery Synod

- Adam Lloyd, Eleanor Vousden, Esther Keller, Hayden Shackell and Liz Hewitt were elected to the PCC

Congratulations to all those elected to serve this wonderful church and amazing parish.

Our thanks go to Becky James, Bea Purser-Hallard and Greca Warr for the time they sat on Deanery Synod and to them and Christine Bush, Ruth Jones and Sarah King for their contribution to the work of the PCC over the last three years.

You can download the formal Trustees Annual Report and the informal overview of life at SMR "A Year (and a bit) at Redcliffe 2020" here:

Trustees Annual Report

A Year (and a bit) at Redcliffe 2020

All being well, our next APCM will be on Monday 24 May 2021.

All Souls Service - Sunday 1 November

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 06:49:49 GMT

Have your loved ones remembered

We will be holding this year's All Souls Service on Sunday 1 November at 4.30pm.

Due to Covid-19, seating in church will be rather limited, but you can still have your loved ones remembered at the service.

Those you love, both those who have died recently and those who died longer ago, are loved by God as much (even more???) as they are loved by you. Remembering them in prayer is most appropriate: in this way we acknowledge their contribution to our lives, how they shaped and formed us, and we offer their memory back into the everlasting love of our Creator and Redeemer.

This year we are asking all those who have access to the internet to provide us with the names of those they wish to have remembered using this form.

Thank you

Harvest fundraising campaign

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 09:42:34 GMT

Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank

Can you help?

We're raising funds for Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank as part of our Harvest Festival, this year.

If you are able to help financially, you can donate here .

Donate food

If you're l ooking for a practical way to support those who are struggling at this time? We could do with some extra donations of tinned fruit and tinned fish at the Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank!

Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank

The Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank was set up in April to ensure that those struggling financially in our neighbourhood would be able to access food. We have worked closely with North Bristol Foodbank and Faithspace, the community centre in the heart of Redcliffe, to set up this support.

The Foodbank has been accepting donations of food from the general public, local businesses and churches, which is then made into emergency food parcels for individuals and families who have been referred for this support. So far, we have received an amazing

778.3kg in donations of food from the local community!

The parcels include enough food to cover meals for three days, plus toiletries and cleaning products as necessary. Each one is tailored to the individuals who will be receiving it.

In the past, Foodbanks have operated a drop-in session so that individuals accessing this support would come to collect their food and, at the same time, have some social interaction with Foodbank volunteers and the opportunity to be signposted to further support.

This has not been possible during the Covid-19 and so, instead, food parcels have been delivered directly to recipients by Foodbank volunteers so that they do not have to leave their homes. Despite that, the doorstep has provided a good opportunity for volunteers to check in with people and offer that social interaction.

Food donations can be dropped to Faithspace on Prewett St between 10am - 1pm on Wednesdays.

Thank you!

Food photo created by freepik - www.freepik.com

Sunday sermon 27/9/20

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:24:48 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 27 September 2020

Church Times - Chorister Crisis is Pressing

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 11:19:26 GMT

N ovel solutions to be sought to save the non-cathedral choirs.

Sunday sermon 20/9/20

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 14:39:29 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon 20 September 2020

Children's Church Sunday 30th August

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 06:35:27 GMT

Children's Church - with Peter

Dolly Church - September

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 06:35:09 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James and her team

Children's Church Sunday 20th September

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 06:30:56 GMT

Children's Church - with Helena, our Children's Church Deputy

Children's Church Sunday 23rd August

Sun, 20 Sep 2020 06:22:16 GMT

Children's Church - with the Hagan-Bassetts

Sunday service ringing in Covid times

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 10:44:13 GMT

From St Mary Redcliffe Guild of Ringers

Ringing some of Redcliffe's bells before the midday service on Sunday 30 August.

This is only the third time we have been able to ring since lockdown began in March and we are subject to various restrictions - including alternate bells except where ringers are a couple or from the same household.

£48,000 grant from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 08:54:42 GMT

St Mary Redcliffe has received a grant of £48,000 from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund, towards a project to respond to COVID-19 in the local community.

The project, Redcliffe Together, is a community-led response to Covid-19 led by the church and supported by our partners Redcliffe Children’s Centre, Bristol Horn Youth Concern, Kobciye and BCC’s Community Development Team that will reach all sections of the community. The project will continue the successful work of the church responding to COVID-19 in Redcliffe as well as integrating some new elements will support emerging needs in the local area. Thank you to the Government for making this possible.

The comprehensive community support will include:

food provision through a foodbank and food club
activity packs for children and families
a befriending/mentoring service for young people and the elderly
an information, advice and guidance service
a community mural
a technology library that will be able to lend laptops and provide internet for those in digital poverty
a celebration of community heroes
mental health training for local community workers.

We will spend time and money specifically targeting people who are at high risk from COVID-19, such as the elderly and BAME communities. We also know sections of the community are already facing challenges due to lockdown measures (e.g. large families, self-employed, closure of services etc.) and have designed our response to meet their support needs.

Our project still requires an additional £7,500 to make all elements possible if you would like to make a financial contribution please contact church.wardens@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk .

Sunday sermon 13/9/20

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 08:06:48 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everitt

Sunday sermon 13 September 2020

Thought for the day

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 13:54:08 GMT

George Herbert's Sighs and Grones read by Richard Wallace

Sighs and Groans

by George Herbert

O do not use me

After my sins! look not on my desert,

But on thy glory! then thou wilt reform

And not refuse me: for thou only art

The mighty God, but I a silly worm;

O do not bruise me!

O do not urge me!

For what account can thy ill steward make?

I have abused thy stock, destroyed thy woods,

Sucked all thy magazines: my head did ache,

Till it found out how to consume thy goods:

O do not scourge me!

O do not blind me!

I have deserved that an Egyptian night

Should thicken all my powers; because my lust

Hath still sewed fig-leaves to exclude thy light:

But I am frailty, and already dust;

O do not grind me!

O do not fill me

With the turned vial of thy bitter wrath!

For thou hast other vessels full of blood,

A part whereof my Saviour emptied hath,

Ev'n unto death: since he died for my good,

O do not kill me!

But O reprieve me!

For thou hast life and death at thy command;

Thou art both Judge and Saviour, feast and rod ,

Cordial and Corrosive : put not thy hand

Into the bitter box; but O my God,

My God, relieve me!

Sunday sermon 30/8/20

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 13:47:40 GMT

With Rev Aggy Palairet

Sunday sermon 30 August 2020

NOTICE: Redcliffe Parish Charities - Closure and Transfer

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 15:57:03 GMT

The Redcliffe Parish Charity Trustees intend that, after making appropriate provision for The Redcliffe Parish Charity's ecclesiastical objects, the remainder of its property on closure should be transferred to the Bristol Municipal Charities Relief in Need Charity (Bristol Charities). Like The Redcliffe Parish Charity, Bristol Charities is a longstanding Grant making Charity in the City whose purpose also is to relieve people resident in the City of Bristol who are in need, hardship or distress.

The Trustees of The Redcliffe Parish Charity would like to receive your comments on the above merger proposal. They would also welcome feedback, if you have any, on the similarity of the two Charities` purposes, the preference that Bristol Charities proposes to adopt in respect for the funds for residents of St Mary Redcliffe with Temple and St John the Baptist, Bedminster, and finally if you have any comments on the Bristol Charities Application process.

Download the full public notice here .

Please address any comments you may wish The Redcliffe Parish Charity Trustees to consider to the Charity Chair - Mr G Briscoe, c/o the Parish Office, 12 Colston Parade, Bristol, BS1 6RA. (14th August 2020)

SMR Live streamed Holy Communion

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:47:40 GMT

This week's service information can now be found on the Service Information page, which is also accessible from the homepage of the website and the Church Life menu. Click here

Welcome back to public worship

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 24 Aug 2020 12:58:04 GMT

Service of Holy Communion this Sunday

This week's Service information can now be found on the Service Information page, which is accessible from the homepage and also from the Church Life menu. Click here .

Sunday sermon 23/8/20

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 08:54:27 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon 23 August 2020

Children's Church Sunday 16th August

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 12:52:29 GMT

Children's Church - with Helena (Children's Church Deputy) and Toby

New set of Nativity figures for St Mary Redcliffe Church

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 08:40:22 GMT

We are seeking an artist/craftsperson to design and create a new set of nativity figures for our church.

The nativity scene is a focus for devotion and a key part of how we share the Christmas story with thousands of people who come into our church at Christmas, so it’s important that it reflects what we believe are key gospel messages.

We are particularly looking for a set that

• Reflects the diversity of God’s people and enables all those who come to see themselves reflected among the characters of the Christmas story.

• Shows God’s love for all creation, perhaps by its use of natural materials, for example wood from native trees or reclaimed/recycled wood.

• Is robust enough to be handled by worshippers who are younger and/or would value a more tactile engagement with the Christmas story. Currently our Mary, Joseph and donkey figures travel round people’s homes during advent.

• Sits comfortably within our glorious medieval gothic church setting.

We have space for lots of figures so would like as a minimum

• Mary and Joseph

• A donkey

• Baby Jesus

• A manger

• Shepherd and sheep

• 3 magi

• Angel

• Star

But there is scope for more animals, shepherds, angels etc! As we keep the nativity scene in church until Candlemas (2nd February) a “toddler Jesus” would also be welcome. We currently make our nativity scene in our altar, which is approx. 110cm high, and generally viewed from a distance. Our current figures are approx. 40cm high. While we would be open to larger figures, they shouldn’t be too large or heavy to be easily handled.

Timescale

We would like to use the new set this Christmas, so would expect that at least the main characters would be ready by then – Mary and Joseph by late November, and others by mid-December.

Budget

We have a budget of £1,500-£3,500 for this project to include material costs and time.

Process

A shortlisting panel will select up to 3 people to be given an honorarium of £200 to work up some designs, from which the appointment will be made.

Expressions of interest

We are now inviting expressions of interest for this project.

We are particularly keen to support the local creative community, and to hear from a wide range of people including younger and/or emerging artists and BAME artists.

We will be making slots available by appointment to visit the church on the morning of Tuesday 1st September.

If you would like to discuss the project please contact Kat Campion-Spall kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

(NB I am on leave 24th-31st August); to arrange a visit please email sarah.purdon@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Please send

• A portfolio of 10 - 15 images/up to 8 sides of A4 of previous work (which may include work completed as part of a course)

• Either, if you have done other relevant projects, please give details of up to 3, including contact details for your client; or please give details of 2 referees. We will only contact referees if you are shortlisted.

• An outline budget for the project within the limits specified above including an indication of material costs and the cost of your time

All expressions of interest should be sent to Kat Campion-Spall at 12 Colston Parade, Bristol BS1 6RA or kat.campion-spall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Please note, our email system has a file size limit of 25MB

Submissions by Thursday 10th September 5pm Shortlisting w/c 14th September

Final appointment w/c 21st September

Get creative with St Mary Redcliffe

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 09:02:56 GMT

Doing art activities help reduce anxiety, and builds confidence as well as being fun!

If you have trouble viewing the flipbook, you can download the activity sheet here .

Sunday sermon - A greater vision of God's love

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 08:40:04 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 16 August 2020

Electoral Roll Revision

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 14:03:29 GMT

Revision of the Electoral Roll is now open

The date of this year's APCM has now been arranged and will be held via Zoom on Monday 5 October at 7.30pm. Clearly this will be APCM like no other and yet we will work hard to make it as engaging and interactive as possible. Please note the date in your diary.

The first step towards the APCM is the revision of the Electoral Roll. Formal notification of the revision of the roll can be downloaded here .

This year, thankfully, it's only a mini-update. If you are on the Electoral Roll you will get an email next week asking to you update any personal details that have changed in the last 18 months or so.

If you don't get that email then you are not on our Electoral Roll. If you wish to apply for membership please email:

parish.office@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

The role will close on Sunday 13 September.

Sunday sermon - The sound of sheer silence

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 11:28:42 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everett

Rev Anthony Everett's sermon from Sunday 9 August

Children's Church Sunday 9th August

Sun, 09 Aug 2020 08:51:44 GMT

Children's Church - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James

Sunday sermon - God's great abundance

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:45:39 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

Sunday sermon 2 August 2020

'A Poetic City' project Writer in Residence appointed

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 08:44:16 GMT

A Poetic City is a multi-partner, city-wide programme led by Bristol Cultural Development Partnership (BCDP) that will explore the legacy of the iconic literary figure of Thomas Chatterton who died in 1770. It will build on existing knowledge of Chatterton’s life and times; celebrate Bristol’s current vibrant and diverse poetry scene; and inspire poets of the future. Chatterton lived not far from the site of St Mary Redcliffe and was entranced with its medieval stories, gothic architecture and historical manuscripts. One of the features of the project will see writers in residence working at Royal West of England Academy, St Mary Redcliffe, Glenside Hospital Museum and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery.

In partnership with BCDP, St Mary Redcliffe has appointed Rebecca Tantony to produce an original poem based on the life and work of Thomas Chatterton. Rebecca will be based in the Chatterton Room at St Mary Redcliffe during the first week of September running workshops, researching and creating a new piece of writing.

From Rebecca's website :

I am a writer and facilitator driven to understand the messy and wild human experience in greater depth. I am committed to exploring, peeling back layers, narratives, and behaviors, so to example and celebrate.

I’ve been commissioned by Radio 4, read my work on the BBC and my writing has been described as ‘mesmerising’ in the Guardian. I have performed in numerous venues, including the Royal Albert Hall, the Natural History Museum and Southbank Centre, at music and literary festivals throughout the UK, and poetry readings have taken me to Turkey, Romania, America, Sweden and South Africa. I am the author of collections Talk You Round Till Dusk (Burning Eye, 2015), All the Journeys I Never Took (Burning Eye, 2017) and my latest book, Arts Council funded Singing My Mother’s Song ( Burning Eye, 2019). In 2016 I received an MA in creative writing and a distinction for my final manuscript. In 2017 I toured an Arts Council funded one-on-one immersive spoken word show, under the same title as my second collection. My work has been published in Magma, Oh Comely, Ink, Sweat and Tears and Mslexia.

I’m currently teaching the Performance Poetry module and Creative Writing to BA students at Bath Spa University. I have been writer in residence for various institutes and organisations, including First Story and Wits University, Johannesburg. I have taught workshops in schools as part of the secondary curriculum, and outside schools to those excluded from education, ex-offenders, refugee groups and the elderly. I wholeheartedly believe that everyone has a story that deserves to be heard.

“I’m very excited to create a new piece of writing inspired by Chatterton’s life, as well as the poetic meter and verse he used. And equally moved to be inside the grandeur and inspiration of St. Mary Redcliffe Church– pen in hand, heart in mouth.” Rebecca Tantony, Writer in Residence at St Mary Redcliffe

“St Mary Redcliffe is delighted to have appointed Rebecca Tantony as its Poetic City Writer in Residence. Rebecca is a hugely accomplished poet, performer and teacher who understands Bristol, its history and culture and has been involved in a great many creative projects in the city. We’re very much looking forward to working with her on this exciting project, which will help raise awareness of Thomas Chatterton’s work and encourage members of the community to get involved in reading and writing poetry. We also hope that Rebecca’s residency will offer inspiration to local people who wish to give voice to their own creativity.” Rhys Williams, St Mary Redcliffe

Public notice

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 09:39:08 GMT

An important notice regarding proposed work to the church:

Thought for the day

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:57:40 GMT

The Cloud of Unknowing (Anon) Chapter 40 read by Richard Wallace

The Cloud of Unknowing (Middle English: The Cloude of Unknowing) is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. The text is a spiritual guide on contemplative prayer in the late Middle Ages. The underlying message of this work suggests that the way to know God is to abandon consideration of God's particular activities and attributes, and be courageous enough to surrender one's mind and ego to the realm of "unknowing", at which point one may begin to glimpse the nature of God.

Sunday sermon - A golden thread

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 10:18:47 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Sunday sermon 26th July 2020

Canon Dan Tyndall discusses the journey towards the next new normal

Thought for the day

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:13:25 GMT

Fulke Greville's Wrap't up, O Lord read by Richard Wallace

Sunday sermon - plants and weeds

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 13:49:20 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everett

Rev Anthony Everett's sermon from Sunday 19 July.

Dolly Church - Friday 17th July

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 15:09:04 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James - Friday 17th July

Thought for the day

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 15:07:24 GMT

Julian of Norwich's Revelations of Divine Love 13 read by Richard Wallace

Revelations of Divine Love 13

BY JULIAN OF NORWICH

After this the Lord brought to my mind the longing that I had to Him afore. And I saw that nothing letted me but sin. And so I looked, generally, upon us all, and methought: If sin had not been, we should all have been clean and like to our Lord, as He made us.

And thus, in my folly, afore this time often I wondered why by the great foreseeing wisdom of God the beginning of sin was not letted: for then, methought, all should have been well. This stirring [of mind] was much to be forsaken, but nevertheless mourning and sorrow I made therefor, without reason and discretion.

But Jesus, who in this Vision informed me of all that is needful to me, answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.

In this naked word sin, our Lord brought to my mind, generally, all that is not good, and the shameful despite and the utter noughting[2] that He bare for us in this life, and His dying; and all the pains and passions of all His creatures, ghostly and bodily; (for we be all partly noughted, and we shall be noughted following our Master, Jesus, till we be full purged, that is to say, till we be fully noughted of our deadly flesh and of all our inward affections which are not very good;) and the beholding of this, with all pains that ever were or ever shall be,—and with all these I understand the Passion of Christ for most pain, and overpassing. All this was shewed in a touch and quickly passed over into comfort: for our good Lord would not that the soul were affeared of this terrible sight.

But I saw not sin: for I believe it hath no manner of substance nor no part of being, nor could it be known but by the pain it is cause of.

And thus pain, it is something, as to my sight, for a time; for it purgeth, and maketh us to know ourselves and to ask mercy. For the Passion of our Lord is comfort to us against all this, and so is His blessed will.[Pg 57] And for the tender love that our good Lord hath to all that shall be saved, He comforteth readily and sweetly, signifying thus: It is sooth that sin is cause of all this pain; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner [of] thing shall be well.

These words were said full tenderly, showing no manner of blame to me nor to any that shall be saved. Then were it a great unkindness to blame or wonder on God for my sin, since He blameth not me for sin.

And in these words I saw a marvellous high mystery hid in God, which mystery He shall openly make known to us in Heaven: in which knowing we shall verily see the cause why He suffered sin to come. In which sight we shall endlessly joy in our Lord God

Redcliffe Festival - Order of Service - Sunday 12 July

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 14:45:13 GMT

Download your Order of Service today - click here

Join us for The Redcliffe Festival: our annual celebration of the life of this church. Normally we would have some baptisms and we would be admitting people to the fellowship of Holy Communion. Normally we would have a procession of banners and other signs and symbols of the groups that make up this amazing church community. Normally we would have lunch together afterwards. Normally!

But normally we wouldn’t start the service from Redcliffe Wharf. Normally we wouldn’t have been gathering comments and photos to celebrate ‘being in good soil’. Normally we wouldn’t have parts of the service coming from different parts of the city. So welcome to this different yet just as celebratory Redcliffe Festival.

Dolly Church - Friday 10th July

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 15:11:33 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James - Friday 10th July

Thought for the day

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 16:56:35 GMT

John Donne's To Christ read by Richard Wallace

A Hymn to God the Father

BY JOHN DONNE

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,

Which was my sin, though it were done before?

Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,

And do run still, though still I do deplore?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won

Others to sin, and made my sin their door?

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?

When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun

My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;

And, having done that, thou hast done;

I fear no more.

Children's Church Sunday 5th July

Sun, 05 Jul 2020 06:48:36 GMT

Children's Church - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James

The Story of Moses the Shepherd

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:54:07 GMT

The Story of Moses the Shepherd, read by Yasmin

The Sower and the Seed

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:50:28 GMT

The Sower and the Seed, read by Esther

Baby Moses

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:48:05 GMT

Baby Moses, read by Esther

Sand, Rock and Two Builders

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:44:54 GMT

Sand, Rock and Two Builders, read by Esther

The Three Trees

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:39:55 GMT

The Three Trees, read by LIz Hewitt

David and Goliath

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:37:04 GMT

David and Goliath, read by Sarah Purdon

Jesus Blesses the Little Children

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 18:27:55 GMT

Jesus Blesses the Little Children read by Sophie

Thought for the day

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 18:00:11 GMT

Be Jonson's A Hymne to God the Father read by Richard Wallace

A Hymn to God the Father

BY BEN JONSON

Hear me, O God!

A broken heart

Is my best part.

Use still thy rod,

That I may prove

Therein thy Love.

If thou hadst not

Been stern to me,

But left me free,

I had forgot

Myself and thee.

For sin's so sweet,

As minds ill-bent

Rarely repent,

Until they meet

Their punishment.

Who more can crave

Than thou hast done?

That gav'st a Son,

To free a slave,

First made of nought;

With all since bought.

Sin, Death, and Hell

His glorious name

Quite overcame,

Yet I rebel

And slight the same.

But I'll come in

Before my loss

Me farther toss,

As sure to win

Under His cross.

Dolly Church - Friday 3rd July

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 12:52:21 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James - Friday 3rd July

Thought for the day

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 15:36:16 GMT

John Donne's Batter my heart, three-person'd God read by Richard Wallace

Holy Sonnets: Batter my heart, three-person'd God

BY JOHN DONNE

Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you

As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;

That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend

Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

I, like an usurp'd town to another due,

Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;

Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,

But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain,

But am betroth'd unto your enemy;

Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,

Take me to you, imprison me, for I,

Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,

Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me

Redcliffe community response to Covid 19

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 15:25:48 GMT

Read a project update from the community team at St Mary Redcliffe.
A pdf of the report can be downloaded here .

Thought for the day

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:59:09 GMT

R.S. Thomas' ' In Church read by Richard Wallace

In Church

R. S. Thomas

Often I try

To analyse the quality

Of its silences. Is this where God hides

From my searching? I have stopped to listen, After the few people have gone,

To the air recomposing itself For vigil. It has waited like this

Since the stones grouped themselves about it. These are the hard ribs

Of a body that our prayers have failed

To animate. Shadows advance

From their corners to take possession

Of places the light held

For an hour. The bats resume

Their business. The uneasiness of the pews Ceases. There is no other sound

In the darkness but the sound of a man Breathing, testing his faith

On emptiness, nailing his questions

One by one to an untenanted cross.

Sunday sermon - The slavery of sin

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 08:57:12 GMT

With Rev Anthony Everett

Rev Anthony Everett discusses references to slavery in Paul's letter to the Romans.

Children's Church Sunday 28th June

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 18:58:23 GMT

Children's Church - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James

Dolly Church - Friday 26th June

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 18:54:30 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James - Friday 26th June

Thought for the day

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:17:24 GMT

George Herbert's Prayer read by Richard Wallace

Prayer (I)

BY GEORGE HERBERT

Prayer the church's banquet, angel's age,

God's breath in man returning to his birth,

The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage,

The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth

Engine against th' Almighty, sinner's tow'r,

Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear,

The six-days world transposing in an hour,

A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;

Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,

Exalted manna, gladness of the best,

Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,

The milky way, the bird of Paradise,

Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood,

The land of spices; something understood.

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:24:15 GMT

Claire plays:

John Barry - Out of Africa

Dave Grusin - Memphis Stomp (The Firm)

Howard Shore - Concerning Hobbits (Lord of the Rings), in memory of Ian Holm who died recently

Alan Silvestri - Feather Theme (Forrest Gump)

Thought for the day

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 14:17:19 GMT

Robert Southwell's The Burning Babe read by Richard Wallace

The Burning Babe

BY ROBERT SOUTHWELL

As I in hoary winter’s night stood shivering in the snow,

Surpris’d I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;

And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,

A pretty Babe all burning bright did in the air appear;

Who, scorched with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed

As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.

“Alas!” quoth he, “but newly born, in fiery heats I fry,

Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!

My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,

Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;

The fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals,

The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defiled souls,

For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,

So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.”

With this he vanish’d out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,

And straight I called unto mind that it was Christmas day.

Thought for the day

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 16:35:00 GMT

Edward Taylor's Huswifery read by Richard Wallace

Huswifery

BY EDWARD TAYLOR

Make me, O Lord, thy Spining Wheele compleate.

Thy Holy Worde my Distaff make for mee.

Make mine Affections thy Swift Flyers neate

And make my Soule thy holy Spoole to bee.

My Conversation make to be thy Reele

And reele the yarn thereon spun of thy Wheele.

Make me thy Loome then, knit therein this Twine:

And make thy Holy Spirit, Lord, winde quills:

Then weave the Web thyselfe. The yarn is fine.

Thine Ordinances make my Fulling Mills.

Then dy the same in Heavenly Colours Choice,

All pinkt with Varnisht Flowers of Paradise.

Then cloath therewith mine Understanding, Will,

Affections, Judgment, Conscience, Memory

My Words, and Actions, that their shine may fill

My wayes with glory and thee glorify.

Then mine apparell shall display before yee

That I am Cloathd in Holy robes for glory.

Church reopens for private prayer from Wed 24 June

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:17:07 GMT

The church will reopen for private prayer only from Wednesday 24 June

I am delighted to say that the church will re-open next Wednesday. As with all churches, working in accordance with government guidelines, we shall be opening for private prayer only. We are opening the Lady Chapel which will be accessed by the priest's door and there will be a marked route to the west end of the church where there will be an opportunity to light candles in remembrance of those who have died and for other prayer intentions. As we are uncertain what impact this will have, and in order to follow necessary hygiene expectations which keep everybody safe, we shall be opening for a few hours (10.00 til 2.00) on four days week (Wed - Sat) to begin with. We can relax this and open for longer and on more days as we get used to how this works.

We felt that the Lady Chapel is the place that most people would wish to have open and we will monitor the numbers coming in and revise our plans if we need to. There will be very clear signage from outside (both north and south sides) to ensure everyone knows how to get in.

This is a wonderful moment in the life of SMR: a real visible sign of the recovery from the turbulent times we have been living through. I am very aware that some people (possibly many people) had hoped we would open earlier, and it's marvellous that everything is on track (despite significant floods in the Undercroft and parish office yesterday) for Wednesday morning.

DIY Evensong

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 17:00:42 GMT

Home-made DIY Evensong on the Second Sunday after Trinity.

Lessons and prayers read by members of the SMR community, sung by the Alsop family.

Thought for the day

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 16:53:16 GMT

R.S. Thomas' ' A line from St Davids read by Richard Wallace

Sunday sermon - What we are for

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 10:00:17 GMT

With Canon Dan Tyndall

Canon Dan Tyndall discusses the Windrush Scandal, Edward Colston and Bristol's links with slavery, underlining the importance of making a positive statement about our beliefs in relation to these important issues.

Sunday 21st June Teddy Church with Esther, Oscar and Arthur

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 09:01:52 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 29th May

Children's Church Sunday 21st June

Sun, 21 Jun 2020 08:07:17 GMT

Sunday 28th June - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky James

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:11:28 GMT

Claire plays Debussy's Hommage a Haydn , Ravel's Menuet sur le nom d’Haydn and Dukas' Prelude Elegiaque.

Thought for the day

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:05:54 GMT

William Butler Yeats' The Ballad of Father Gilligan read by Richard Wallace

The Ballad Of Father Gilligan

William Butler Yeats

The old priest Peter Gilligan

Was weary night and day;

For half his flock were in their beds,

Or under green sods lay.

Once, while he nodded on a chair,

At the moth-hour of eve,

Another poor man sent for him,

And he began to grieve.

'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,

For people die and die';

And after cried he, 'God forgive!

My body spake, not I!'

He knelt, and leaning on the chair

He prayed and fell asleep;

And the moth-hour went from the fields,

And stars began to peep.

They slowly into millions grew,

And leaves shook in the wind;

And God covered the world with shade,

And whispered to mankind.

Upon the time of sparrow-chirp

When the moths came once more.

The old priest Peter Gilligan

Stood upright on the floor.

'Mavrone, mavrone! the man has died

While I slept on the chair';

He roused his horse out of its sleep,

And rode with little care.

He rode now as he never rode,

By rocky lane and fen;

The sick man's wife opened the door:

'Father! you come again!'

'And is the poor man dead?' he cried.

'He died an hour ago.'

The old priest Peter Gilligan

In grief swayed to and fro.

'When you were gone, he turned and died

As merry as a bird.'

The old priest Peter Gilligan

He knelt him at that word.

'He Who hath made the night of stars

For souls who tire and bleed,

Sent one of His great angels down

To help me in my need.

'He Who is wrapped in purple robes,

With planets in His care,

Had pity on the least of things

Asleep upon a chair.'

BS3 Community Larder

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 14:16:20 GMT

Project update from St Mary Redcliffe Education Officer, Sarah Yates

Dolly Church - Friday 19th June

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:02:49 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 29th May

Thought for the day

Wed, 17 Jun 2020 17:09:15 GMT

George Herbert's The Pulley read by Richard Wallace

The Pulley

BY GEORGE HERBERT

When God at first made man,

Having a glass of blessings standing by,

“Let us,” said he, “pour on him all we can.

Let the world’s riches, which dispersèd lie,

Contract into a span.”

So strength first made a way;

Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honour, pleasure.

When almost all was out, God made a stay,

Perceiving that, alone of all his treasure,

Rest in the bottom lay.

“For if I should,” said he,

“Bestow this jewel also on my creature,

He would adore my gifts instead of me,

And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;

So both should losers be.

“Yet let him keep the rest,

But keep them with repining restlessness;

Let him be rich and weary, that at least,

If goodness lead him not, yet weariness

May toss him to my breast.”

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:57:29 GMT

Claire plays a selection of Anniversaries (Aaron Stern, Felicia Montealegre, Stephen Sondheim, Aaron Copland, Johnny Mehegan) by Leonard Bernstein

Thought for the day

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 15:47:33 GMT

George Herbert's Antiphon read by Richard Wallace

Antiphon

George Herbert

Chorus: Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing

'My God and King.'

Verse: The heav'ns are not too high,

His praise may thither fly:

The earth is not too low,

His praises there may grow.

Chorus: Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing,

'My God and King.'

Verse: The church with psalms must shout

No door can keep them out:

But above all, the heart

Must bear the longest part.

Chorus: Let all the world in ev'ry corner sing,

'My God and King.'

References to Edward Colston removed from church

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 08:00:26 GMT

Thought for the day

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 18:12:15 GMT

Gerard Manley Hopkins' Pied beauty read by Richard Wallace

Pied Beauty

BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

Glory be to God for dappled things –

For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;

For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;

Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;

Landscape plotted and pieced – fold, fallow, and plough;

And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;

Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)

With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;

He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:

Praise him.

Bristol advice charities

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 14:15:53 GMT

Don't suffer alone. There are people who can and want to help!
Our friends at Bristol Law Centre kindly made this flyer with information about advice & support organisations in Bristol.

Help your friends and neighbours by sharing this on your timeline. You never know what difference it might make to someone who is struggling in silence.

Sunday sermon - Inbetween times

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 10:59:42 GMT

With Simon Goodman

Children's Church Sunday 14th June

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 07:11:59 GMT

Sunday 31st May - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

The Tower of Babel

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 07:09:58 GMT

The Tower of Babel read by Esther

Friday 12th June Teddy Church with Esther, Oscar and Arthur

Fri, 12 Jun 2020 08:18:08 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 29th May

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:52:46 GMT

Claire plays Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Art Tatum/ Fats Waller

Thought for the day

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:48:57 GMT

George Herbert's Praise (II) read by Richard Wallace

Praise (II)

BY GEORGE HERBERT

King of glorie, King of peace,

I will love thee:

And that love may never cease,

I will move thee.

Thou hast granted my request,

Thou hast heard me:

Thou didst note my working breast,

Thou hast spar'd me.

Wherefore with my utmost art

I will sing thee,

And the cream of all my heart

I will bring thee.

Though my sinnes against me cried,

Thou didst cleare me;

And alone when they replied,

Thou didst heare me.

Sev'n whole dayes, not one in seven,

I will praise thee.

In my heart, though not in heaven,

I can raise thee.

Thou grew'st soft and moist with tears,

Thou dissentedst.

Small it is, in this poore sort

To enroll thee:

Ev'n eternitie is too short

To extoll thee.

Bedtime Bible Story Thursday 11th June

website@sitemodify.com (Website Editor) — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:39:55 GMT

Today's bedtime story is told by Peter Morgan

Bedtime Bible Story Wednesday 10th June

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 18:07:56 GMT

Wednesday 10th June Today's bedtime bible story is "Jesus turns water to wine" read by Sarah Purdon

Thought for the day

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 16:21:42 GMT

John Milton's At a Solemn Musick read by Richard Wallace

At a Solemn Musick

BY JOHN MILTON

Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of Heav'ns joy,

Sphear-born harmonious Sisters, Voice, and Vers,

Wed your divine sounds, and mixt power employ

Dead things with inbreath'd sense able to pierce,

And to our high-rais'd phantasie present,

That undisturbèd Song of pure content,

Ay sung before the saphire-colour'd throne

To him that sits theron

With Saintly shout, and solemn Jubily,

Where the bright Seraphim in burning row

Their loud up-lifted Angel trumpets blow,

And the Cherubick host in thousand quires

Touch their immortal Harps of golden wires,

With those just Spirits that wear victorious Palms,

Hymns devout and holy Psalms

Singing everlastingly;

That we on Earth with undiscording voice

May rightly answer that melodious noise;

As once we did, till disproportion'd sin

Jarr'd against natures chime, and with harsh din

Broke the fair musick that all creatures made

To their great Lord, whose love their motion sway’d

In perfect Diapason, whilst they stood

In first obedience, and their state of good.

O may we soon again renew that Song

And keep in tune with Heav'n, till God ere long

To his celestial consort us unite,

To live with him, and sing in endles morn of light.

Sunday sermon - God in whose image?

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:52:23 GMT

With Rev Kat Campion-Spall

God in whose image? On Trinity Sunday, we have an opportunity to reflect on what God reveals of God's image, and how much we make God in our own image. In the context of Black Lives Matter, do we see God as one who wields power to control and punishes? Or does God's Trinitarian nature show us something else about God?

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 17:18:46 GMT

Claire plays WORLD PREMIERE PERFORMANCE

Percy Reeve (1855-1902) - Fugue on ‘The Girl I Left Behind Me’

Transcribed and Edited by Peter Leech, 2020

St Mary Redcliffe Choir: Jubilate

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:53:33 GMT

The Altos, Tenors and Basses of St Mary Redcliffe choir sing a setting of the Mattins Canticle 'Jubilate' (Psalm 100) which was used in the Rush Sunday (Pentecost) civic service on Sunday 31 May 2020. All the videos were individually recorded and then edited by Colin Rae.

Thought for the day

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:45:31 GMT

Andrew Marvell's Bermudas read by Richard Wallace

Bermudas

BY ANDREW MARVELL

Where the remote Bermudas ride

In th’ ocean’s bosom unespy’d,

From a small boat, that row’d along,

The list’ning winds receiv’d this song.

What should we do but sing his praise

That led us through the wat’ry maze

Unto an isle so long unknown,

And yet far kinder than our own?

Where he the huge sea-monsters wracks,

That lift the deep upon their backs,

He lands us on a grassy stage,

Safe from the storm’s and prelates’ rage.

He gave us this eternal spring

Which here enamels everything,

And sends the fowls to us in care,

On daily visits through the air.

He hangs in shades the orange bright,

Like golden lamps in a green night;

And does in the pomegranates close

Jewels more rich than Ormus shows.

He makes the figs our mouths to meet

And throws the melons at our feet,

But apples plants of such a price,

No tree could ever bear them twice.

With cedars, chosen by his hand,

From Lebanon, he stores the land,

And makes the hollow seas that roar

Proclaim the ambergris on shore.

He cast (of which we rather boast)

The Gospel’s pearl upon our coast,

And in these rocks for us did frame

A temple, where to sound his name.

Oh let our voice his praise exalt,

Till it arrive at heaven’s vault;

Which thence (perhaps) rebounding, may

Echo beyond the Mexic Bay.

Thus sung they in the English boat

An holy and a cheerful note,

And all the way, to guide their chime,

With falling oars they kept the time.

Bedtime Bible Story Tuesday 9th June

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 16:40:29 GMT

Tuesday 9th June Today's Bedtime Bible Story is called 'Coats & Dreams', read by Aggy Palairet

Bedtime Bible Story Monday 8th June

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 18:55:29 GMT

Monday 8th June. Today's bedtime bible story is read by Cecile

Children's Church Sunday 7th June

Sun, 07 Jun 2020 07:20:16 GMT

Sunday 31st May - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

Dolly Church with Helena and Toby - Friday 5th June

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:49:31 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 29th May

Bedtime Bible Story Friday 5th June

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 18:38:03 GMT

Friday 5th June Today's bedtime bible story is Jacob's Ladder, read by Esther and her helpers!

Thought for the day

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 19:24:26 GMT

William Blake's The Lamb read by Richard Wallace

The Lamb

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

Little Lamb who made thee

Dost thou know who made thee

Gave thee life & bid thee feed.

By the stream & o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing wooly bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice!

Little Lamb who made thee

Dost thou know who made thee

Little Lamb I'll tell thee,

Little Lamb I'll tell thee!

He is called by thy name,

For he calls himself a Lamb:

He is meek & he is mild,

He became a little child:

I a child & thou a lamb,

We are called by his name.

Little Lamb God bless thee.

Bedtime Bible Story Thursday 4th June

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:33:33 GMT

Thursday 4th June Today's Bedtime Bible Story is David and Goliath, read by Julia

Thought for the day

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:58:56 GMT

DH Lawrence's Snak e read by Richard Wallace

Snake

BY D. H. LAWRENCE

A snake came to my water-trough

On a hot, hot day, and I in pyjamas for the heat,

To drink there.

In the deep, strange-scented shade of the great dark carob tree

I came down the steps with my pitcher

And must wait, must stand and wait, for there he was at the trough

before me.

He reached down from a fissure in the earth-wall in the gloom

And trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft-bellied down, over

the edge of the stone trough

And rested his throat upon the stone bottom,

And where the water had dripped from the tap, in a small clearness,

He sipped with his straight mouth,

Softly drank through his straight gums, into his slack long body,

Silently.

Someone was before me at my water-trough,

And I, like a second-comer, waiting.

He lifted his head from his drinking, as cattle do,

And looked at me vaguely, as drinking cattle do,

And flickered his two-forked tongue from his lips, and mused

a moment,

And stooped and drank a little more,

Being earth-brown, earth-golden from the burning bowels

of the earth

On the day of Sicilian July, with Etna smoking.

The voice of my education said to me

He must be killed,

For in Sicily the black, black snakes are innocent, the gold

are venomous.

And voices in me said, If you were a man

You would take a stick and break him now, and finish him off.

But must I confess how I liked him,

How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink

at my water-trough

And depart peaceful, pacified, and thankless,

Into the burning bowels of this earth?

Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?

Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him?

Was it humility, to feel so honoured?

I felt so honoured.

And yet those voices:

If you were not afraid, you would kill him!

And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid,

But even so, honoured still more

That he should seek my hospitality

From out the dark door of the secret earth.

He drank enough

And lifted his head, dreamily, as one who has drunken,

And flickered his tongue like a forked night on the air, so black,

Seeming to lick his lips,

And looked around like a god, unseeing, into the air,

And slowly turned his head,

And slowly, very slowly, as if thrice adream,

Proceeded to draw his slow length curving round

And climb again the broken bank of my wall-face.

And as he put his head into that dreadful hole,

And as he slowly drew up, snake-easing his shoulders,

and entered farther,

A sort of horror, a sort of protest against his withdrawing into

that horrid black hole,

Deliberately going into the blackness, and slowly drawing

himself after,

Overcame me now his back was turned.

I looked round, I put down my pitcher,

I picked up a clumsy log

And threw it at the water-trough with a clatter.

I think it did not hit him,

But suddenly that part of him that was left behind convulsed

in an undignified haste,

Writhed like lightning, and was gone

Into the black hole, the earth-lipped fissure in the wall-front,

At which, in the intense still noon, I stared with fascination.

And immediately I regretted it.

I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!

I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education.

And I thought of the albatross,

And I wished he would come back, my snake.

For he seemed to me again like a king,

Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,

Now due to be crowned again.

And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords

Of life.

And I have something to expiate:

A pettiness.

Taormina

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 11:03:31 GMT

Claire plays Bartok's Six Romanian Folk Dances

Old picture of the day

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:30:59 GMT

A C19th view from the north west

A painting of St Mary Redcliffe from the north west. Date unknown but probably nineteenth century. Attributed to an artist called Howre.

New Dean of Bristol Cathedral announced

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:05:39 GMT

It’s been announced that the new Dean of Bristol cathedral will be Canon Dr Mandy Ford. Mandy comes to the cathedral from Southwark Cathedral and will take up her new role in the autumn.
Canon Dan Tyndall, Vicar, says, “This is very good news for the city, the diocese and the cathedral. I look forward to working with Mandy and seeing how the excellent relationship between the cathedral and SMR continues to grow and thrive, nourishing the life of the city and building the kingdom”

Thought for the day

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 19:00:17 GMT

Edward Thomas' The Combe read by Richard Wallace

The Combe

BY EDWARD THOMAS

The Combe was ever dark, ancient and dark.

Its mouth is stopped with bramble, thorn, and briar;

And no one scrambles over the sliding chalk

By beech and yew and perishing juniper

Down the half precipices of its sides, with roots

And rabbit holes for steps. The sun of Winter,

The moon of Summer, and all the singing birds

Except the missel-thrush that loves juniper,

Are quite shut out. But far more ancient and dark

The Combe looks since they killed the badger there,

Dug him out and gave him to the hounds,

That most ancient Briton of English beasts.

Bedtime Bible Story Tuesday 2nd June

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 17:28:22 GMT

Tuesday 2nd June Today's bedtime bible story is read by our vicar, Canon Dan Tyndall

Bedtime Bible Story Monday 1st June

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 17:24:58 GMT

Monday 1st June Today's bedtime bible story is the story of Hannah read by Esther

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:31:13 GMT

Claire plays Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata (1st movement)

The stained glass of St Mary Redcliffe

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 11:12:11 GMT

Read Peter J Cobb's 1994 article for Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society on the stained glass in the church.

Redcliffe Voice

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:46:56 GMT

Catch up with all the Redcliffe community news for June.
Scroll down to read more.

Thought for the day

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:25:57 GMT

Christopher Smart's Jeoffry read by Richard Wallace

from Jubilate Agno

BY CHRISTOPHER SMART

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.

For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.

For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.

For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.

For he rolls upon prank to work it in.

For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.

For this he performs in ten degrees.

For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.

For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.

For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.

For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.

For fifthly he washes himself.

For sixthly he rolls upon wash.

For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.

For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.

For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.

For tenthly he goes in quest of food.

For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.

For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.

For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.

For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.

For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.

For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.

For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.

For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.

For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.

For he is of the tribe of Tiger.

For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.

For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness he suppresses.

For he will not do destruction, if he is well-fed, neither will he spit without provocation.

For he purrs in thankfulness, when God tells him he's a good Cat.

For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.

For every house is incomplete without him and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.

For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats at the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.

For every family had one cat at least in the bag.

For the English Cats are the best in Europe.

For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.

For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.

For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.

For he is tenacious of his point.

For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.

For he knows that God is his Saviour.

For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.

For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.

For he is of the Lord's poor and so indeed is he called by benevolence perpetually—Poor Jeoffry! poor Jeoffry! the rat has bit thy throat.

For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeoffry is better.

For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.

For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.

For he is docile and can learn certain things.

For he can set up with gravity which is patience upon approbation.

For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.

For he can jump over a stick which is patience upon proof positive.

For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.

For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.

For he can catch the cork and toss it again.

For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.

For the former is afraid of detection.

For the latter refuses the charge.

For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.

For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.

For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.

For he killed the Ichneumon-rat very pernicious by land.

For his ears are so acute that they sting again.

For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.

For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.

For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.

For the Electrical fire is the spiritual substance, which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.

For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.

For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.

For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.

For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.

For he can swim for life.

For he can creep.

The sounds of St Mary Redcliffe organ

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:00:47 GMT

With Director of Music Andrew Kirk and Mark Venning, Chairman of organ builders Harrison & Harrison.

Taken from a talk given in October 2015 for the South West Organ Day, Mark Venning (Chairman of Harrison & Harrison) explains the colours of the famous 1912 organ at the church, with excerpts played by Andrew Kirk, Director of Music. The organ has four manuals and pedals, with 4327 pipes and is one of the best examples of British organ building in the early 20th century. Photo Credits: Paul Hale and Andrew Kirk.

Children's Church Sunday 31st May

Sun, 31 May 2020 07:07:23 GMT

Sunday 31st May - with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

Bedtime Bible Story Friday 29th May

Fri, 29 May 2020 16:29:49 GMT

Friday 29th May Today's bedtime bible story is The Prodigal Son, read by Esther

Dolly Church - Friday 29th May

Fri, 29 May 2020 07:52:34 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 29th May

Thought for the day

Thu, 28 May 2020 19:28:52 GMT

William Blake's The Tyger read by Richard Wallace

The Tyger

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp,

Dare its deadly terrors clasp!

When the stars threw down their spears

And water'd heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Thought for the day

Wed, 27 May 2020 16:59:38 GMT

George Herbert's Love (III) read by Richard Wallace

Love (III)

BY GEORGE HERBERT

Love bade me welcome. Yet my soul drew back

Guilty of dust and sin.

But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in,

Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,

If I lacked any thing.

A guest, I answered, worthy to be here:

Love said, You shall be he.

I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah my dear,

I cannot look on thee.

Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,

Who made the eyes but I?

Truth Lord, but I have marred them: let my shame

Go where it doth deserve.

And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?

My dear, then I will serve.

You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:

So I did sit and eat.

Life Cycle UK

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 27 May 2020 09:43:28 GMT

Life Cycle UK is now offering FREE, one-to-one cycle lessons to adults in #Bristol. The training is aimed at #keyworkers wanting to cycle to work safely, or those using two wheels to exercise during #lockdown. Lessons are tailored to your level and move at your own pace. Whether it’s finding the safest route to work, tips for tackling that tricky junction, or general road skills support – they can help. All lessons will follow strict COVID19 safety measures, including social distancing. For safety reasons, Life Cycle can't teach beginners or groups at this time.
For more information and to book, visit our website: https://www.lifecycleuk.org.uk/cycle-training

#hereforbristol

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Wed, 27 May 2020 09:24:14 GMT

Claire plays Kim Fowley's Nut Rocker and Billy Joel's Root Beer Rag

Thought for the day

Wed, 27 May 2020 08:37:58 GMT

Sir Walter Raleigh's (attributed) As you came from the holy land read by Richard Wallace

As You Came from the Holy Land (attributed)

BY SIR WALTER RALEGH

As you came from the holy land

Of Walsingham,

Met you not with my true love

By the way as you came?

“How shall I know your true love,

That have met many one,

I went to the holy land,

That have come, that have gone?”

She is neither white, nor brown,

But as the heavens fair;

There is none hath a form so divine

In the earth, or the air.

“Such a one did I meet, good sir,

Such an angelic face,

Who like a queen, like a nymph, did appear

By her gait, by her grace.”

She hath left me here all alone,

All alone, as unknown,

Who sometimes did me lead with herself,

And me loved as her own.

“What’s the cause that she leaves you alone,

And a new way doth take,

Who loved you once as her own,

And her joy did you make?”

I have lov’d her all my youth;

But now old, as you see,

Love likes not the falling fruit

From the withered tree.

Know that Love is a careless child,

And forgets promise past;

He is blind, he is deaf when he list,

And in faith never fast.

His desire is a dureless content,

And a trustless joy:

He is won with a world of despair,

And is lost with a toy.

Of womenkind such indeed is the love,

Or the word love abus’d,

Under which many childish desires

And conceits are excus’d.

But true love is a durable fire,

In the mind ever burning,

Never sick, never old, never dead,

From itself never turning.

Thought for the day

Fri, 22 May 2020 19:08:27 GMT

William Shakespeare's Sonnet 116, Let me not to the marriage of true minds read by Richard Wallace

Sonnet 116: Let me not to the marriage of true minds

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Let me not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments. Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove.

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come;

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error and upon me prov'd,

I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.

Old picture of the day

Fri, 22 May 2020 13:34:47 GMT

A C19th view from Redcliffe Wharf

A historical photograph of Midland Railway Wharf (now referred to as Redcliffe Wharf) with the church spire in the background.

Queen Elizabeth I

Fri, 22 May 2020 13:24:18 GMT

“The fairest, goodliest and most famous parish church in England.”

The famous remark by Queen Elizabeth I on her visit in 1574 suggests she was as impressed by the building as its many modern visitors are. Certainly she did the church a great favour by grants of Letters Patent in 1588 and 1591, restoring some of the funds previously confiscated during the Reformation period. These funds have remained in the custody of the St Mary Redcliffe Church Lands Charity ever since.

St Mary Redcliffe School

St Mary Redcliffe school was founded as Queen Elizabeth's Free Grammar and Writing School by letters patent on 30 June 1571 when it was granted a Royal charter by Elizabeth I. The charter granted the parishioners of St Mary Redcliffe Church the Chapel of the Holy Ghost for the establishment of the school; the building had previously belonged to the Hospital of St John the Baptist, a religious foundation in Redcliffe, but had been confiscated by the Crown during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The building was located in the Churchyard of St Mary Redcliffe, near the south porch, and was sized 56 feet by 26 feet. The charter made the provision for one master and one under-master, supervised by twelve governors and for the 'education, teaching and instruction of boys and youth in grammar and learning'. It received an endowment from John Whitson in 1627. In the 1760s the school building was torn down as it was felt it spoilt the view of the church, and with the acceptance of the Bishop of Bristol, Thomas Newton, the school moved into the Lady Chapel in the east end of the church. The school was recorded in 1839 as possessing a statue of its founder Elizabeth I. This statue - said to be one of the few extant contemporary statues of Queen Elizabeth - is still in existence and now located in St John's Chapel.

John Cabot

Fri, 22 May 2020 12:53:02 GMT

Voyages of discovery

Under Royal commission, in 1497 Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) and his crew set out from Bristol in the little wooden ship “The Matthew” seeking an alternative sea route to the east for spice trading.

Sailing west, they discovered Newfoundland, the North American continent, and the rich North Atlantic cod fishing grounds.

This extraordinary adventure is celebrated in the church by a whalebone, brought back by Cabot, a fine model of the Matthew (above the north door) and a stained glass window showing John, three of his sons who sailed with him, and their brave little ship .

Dolly Church - Friday 22 May

Fri, 22 May 2020 11:19:52 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 22 May

Thought for the day

Thu, 21 May 2020 13:14:30 GMT

Philip Larkin's An Arundel Tomb read by Richard Wallace

An Arundel Tomb

BY PHILIP LARKIN

Side by side, their faces blurred,

The earl and countess lie in stone,

Their proper habits vaguely shown

As jointed armour, stiffened pleat,

And that faint hint of the absurd—

The little dogs under their feet.

Such plainness of the pre-baroque

Hardly involves the eye, until

It meets his left-hand gauntlet, still

Clasped empty in the other; and

One sees, with a sharp tender shock,

His hand withdrawn, holding her hand.

They would not think to lie so long.

Such faithfulness in effigy

Was just a detail friends would see:

A sculptor’s sweet commissioned grace

Thrown off in helping to prolong

The Latin names around the base.

They would not guess how early in

Their supine stationary voyage

The air would change to soundless damage,

Turn the old tenantry away;

How soon succeeding eyes begin

To look, not read. Rigidly they

Persisted, linked, through lengths and breadths

Of time. Snow fell, undated. Light

Each summer thronged the glass. A bright

Litter of birdcalls strewed the same

Bone-riddled ground. And up the paths

The endless altered people came,

Washing at their identity.

Now, helpless in the hollow of

An unarmorial age, a trough

Of smoke in slow suspended skeins

Above their scrap of history,

Only an attitude remains:

Time has transfigured them into

Untruth. The stone fidelity

They hardly meant has come to be

Their final blazon, and to prove

Our almost-instinct almost true:

What will survive of us is love.

Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Thu, 21 May 2020 12:19:42 GMT

Can you help?

Looking for a practical way to support those who are struggling at this time? We could do with some extra donations of tinned fruit and tinned fish at the Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank!

Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank

778.3kg in donations of food from the local community!

The parcels include enough food to cover meals for three days, plus toiletries and cleaning products as necessary. Each one is tailored to the individuals who will be receiving it.

Food donations can be dropped to Faithspace on Prewett St between 10am - 1pm on Wednesdays.

You can also support the Foodbank financially by donating here .

Thank you!

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Thu, 21 May 2020 12:09:24 GMT

Claire plays Bach's Prelude in C major and Edward MacDowell - To a Wild Rose

Thought for the day

Wed, 20 May 2020 18:17:47 GMT

Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach read by Richard Wallace

Dover Beach

BY MATTHEW ARNOLD

The sea is calm tonight.

The tide is full, the moon lies fair

Upon the straits; on the French coast the light

Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,

Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.

Come to the window, sweet is the night-air!

Only, from the long line of spray

Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,

Listen! you hear the grating roar

Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,

At their return, up the high strand,

Begin, and cease, and then again begin,

With tremulous cadence slow, and bring

The eternal note of sadness in.

Sophocles long ago

Heard it on the Ægean, and it brought

Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow

Of human misery; we

Find also in the sound a thought,

Hearing it by this distant northern sea.

The Sea of Faith

Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore

Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.

But now I only hear

Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,

Retreating, to the breath

Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear

And naked shingles of the world.

Ah, love, let us be true

To one another! for the world, which seems

To lie before us like a land of dreams,

So various, so beautiful, so new,

Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,

Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;

And we are here as on a darkling plain

Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,

Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Wed, 20 May 2020 16:19:54 GMT

Claire plays Mozart's Sonata in A Minor (i)

Children's Church

Tue, 19 May 2020 08:45:39 GMT

Sunday 17 May - with Children's and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

Thought for the day

Mon, 18 May 2020 19:01:28 GMT

Edwin Arlington Robinson's, Eros Turannos , read by Richard Wallace

Eros Turannos

BY EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON

She fears him, and will always ask

What fated her to choose him;

She meets in his engaging mask

All reasons to refuse him;

But what she meets and what she fears

Are less than are the downward years,

Drawn slowly to the foamless weirs

Of age, were she to lose him.

Between a blurred sagacity

That once had power to sound him,

And Love, that will not let him be

The Judas that she found him,

Her pride assuages her almost,

As if it were alone the cost.—

He sees that he will not be lost,

And waits and looks around him.

A sense of ocean and old trees

Envelops and allures him;

Tradition, touching all he sees

Beguiles and reassures him;

And all her doubts of what he says

Are dimmed with what she knows of days—

Till even prejudice delays

And fades, and she secures him.

The falling leaf inaugurates

The reign of her confusion;

The pounding wave reverberates

The dirge of her illusion;

And home, where passion lived and died,

Becomes a place where she can hide,

While all the town and harbor side

Vibrate with her seclusion.

We tell you, tapping on our brows,

The story as it should be,—

As if the story of a house

Were told, or ever could be;

We’ll have no kindly veil between

Her visions and those we have seen,—

As if we guessed what hers have been,

Or what they are or would be.

Meanwhile we do no harm; for they

That with a god have striven,

Not hearing much of what we say,

Take what the god has given;

Though like waves breaking it may be,

Or like a changed familiar tree,

Or like a stairway to the sea

Where down the blind are driven.

Plans to pedestrianise one of Bristol's main dual carriageways

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 18 May 2020 10:21:29 GMT

Ambitious proposals to turn one of Bristol’s dual carriageways into a ‘shared space for all’ have been revealed.

The plan, put forward by the local residents themselves, would see the Redcliffe Way dual carriageway from Temple Meads to St Mary Redcliffe Church completely transformed into something more like Wapping Wharf with affordable homes, local shops and a ‘playful, green public space’.

Read the full article on Bristol Post here .

Image: James Beck/Freelance)

Stitching back together a divided neighbourhood

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 18 May 2020 09:36:08 GMT

STITCHING BACK TOGETHER A DIVIDED NEIGHBOURHOOD

An ambitious vision to transform one of Bristol’s busiest roads has been put forward by residents working together with design consultants.

The residents are calling for “a bold reclaiming” of Redcliffe Way that currently slices the Redcliffe neighbourhood and the city centre in half.

Read the full article on Bristol 24/7 here .

Image copyright LDA Design

We Are Bristol Cornavirus Hotline

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Mon, 18 May 2020 08:16:04 GMT

A dedicated free telephone hotline has been launched in Bristol to help the city’s most vulnerable citizens during the coronavirus pandemic.

The We Are Bristol support phone number – 0800 694 0184 – is now live today and is free to use. It will offer a potential lifeline to isolated and worried residents across the city.

Call handlers will be available from 8.30am-5pm, Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays to provide support for people with a wide range of needs, including obtaining food supplies, other essential items and medication. They can also help arrange follow-up support with different organisations.

Deaf BSL users can contact the phoneline through a BSL Interpreter using SignVideo.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said:

“The free hotline is in place to ensure we have a non-digital way for our most vulnerable residents and those at risk to access the help they may need, wherever we can. The coronavirus pandemic means many of us are worried, anxious and need help. Here in Bristol we have volunteers who are waiting to help you – when you most need it.

“Anyone concerned about feeling isolated, getting food, essential items or medicine they need could benefit from the phone line. Even if you simply need someone to walk your dog or a person to talk to once a week. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved.

“Call the We Are Bristol support hotline on 0800 694 0184. Together we are stronger. Together We Are Bristol.”

The line will be answered by up to 30 staff who are all trained to handle calls and refer those with specific needs to the right areas.

There will also be a call back option to limit waiting time during busy periods and ensure everyone who needs help can access it.

Thought for the day

Fri, 15 May 2020 19:24:54 GMT

Gerard Manley Hopkins', Lord thou art indeed just , read by Richard Wallace

'Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend'

BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

Justus quidem tu es, Domine, si disputem tecum; verumtamen

justa loquar ad te: Quare via impiorum prosperatur? &c.

Thou art indeed just, Lord, if I contend

With thee; but, sir, so what I plead is just.

Why do sinners’ ways prosper? and why must

Disappointment all I endeavour end?

Wert thou my enemy, O thou my friend,

How wouldst thou worse, I wonder, than thou dost

Defeat, thwart me? Oh, the sots and thralls of lust

Do in spare hours more thrive than I that spend,

Sir, life upon thy cause. See, banks and brakes

Now, leavèd how thick! lacèd they are again

With fretty chervil, look, and fresh wind shakes

Them; birds build – but not I build; no, but strain,

Time’s eunuch, and not breed one work that wakes.

Mine, O thou lord of life, send my roots rain.

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Fri, 15 May 2020 16:45:38 GMT

Claire plays J.S.Bach's - English Suite no 3 in G Minor i) Prelude

William Canynges II

Fri, 15 May 2020 16:05:24 GMT

Merchant benefactor
The tomb and effigy of William Canynges the Younger (1399 – 1474) lie in the south transept of the church. The elaborate coloured tomb demonstrates a successful, wealthy man, whilst the plain alabaster effigy is in priestly robes.

One of Bristol’s most successful medieval merchants, by 1461 Canynges had a fleet of nine ships crewed by 800 sailors. In an extraordinary career he was an MP, five times Mayor of Bristol and, after the death of his wife, took holy orders as a priest. Canynges said his first Mass in St Mary Redcliffe on Whitsunday 17 May 1468.

The scale and brilliance of the present church are said to be largely due to this generous benefactor. To this day, one of the main charities that supports the care and embellishment of the church bears his name: the Canynges Society.

The church has many merchant marks (medieval corporate logos) reminding us of the generosity of Canynges and others whose gifts enabled this wonderful building to be built to the glory of God.

Read a detailed biography of Canynges below

Old picture of the day

Fri, 15 May 2020 15:18:23 GMT

Rush Sunday

A great old photograph of Rush Sunday in 1920. This year, due to Cornavirus, we're unable to hold the usual procession and service. Instead, we'll be broadcasting the service - which will take place from 11am on Sunday 31 May - from Church via our Rush Sunday webpage, which can be accessed here .

Old picture of the day

Fri, 15 May 2020 12:17:03 GMT

A nineteenth century view of the church from Redcliffe Street

An antique lithograph by Day & Son, Lithographers to the Queen, after Charles Wickes. Originally published in Illustrations of the Spires and Towers of the Mediaeval Churches of England Circa 1858.

Thought for the day

Thu, 14 May 2020 17:55:26 GMT

Dylan Thomas', Do not go gentle into that good night , read by Richard Wallace

ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN PIEDMONT

by: John Milton (1608-1674)

AVENGE, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones

Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold;

Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old,

When all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones,

Forget not: in thy book record their groans

Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold

Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that rolled

Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans

The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow

O'er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway

The triple Tyrant; that from these may grow

A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,

Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

Redcliffe Nursery & Children's Centre

Thu, 14 May 2020 14:36:31 GMT

Please help us to win ⭐️ £1000 ⭐️ for the centre!

Click ‘nominate now’ on the website movementforgood.com and enter our charity number 1105280

The more nominations we get, the greater our chance of winning, so please spread the word

Thanks for your support!

Redcliffe Stories

Thu, 14 May 2020 14:27:48 GMT

We spoke to Redcliffe resident, Yvonne, to find out about her involvement in our local community and why she recently received the Lord Mayor's medal.

Old picture of the day

Thu, 14 May 2020 11:39:44 GMT

An eighteenth century view of the church

The South Prospect of the Parish Church of St. Mary Redcliff, in the City of Bristol 1745

For more information and a closer look at the print visit:

sculpt.http://george3.splrarebooks.com/collection/view/the-south-prospect-of-the-parish-church-of-st.-mary-redfliff-in-the-city-of

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:59:20 GMT

Claire plays Beethoven's - Sonata Pathetique in C minor (1st Movement)

Thought for the day

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:53:10 GMT

Dylan Thomas', Do not go gentle into that good night , read by Richard Wallace

Do not go gentle into that good night

BY DYLAN THOMAS

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieve it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Old picture of the day

Tue, 12 May 2020 19:14:25 GMT

A Tudor map of Bristol

A C16th century map of The Famous City of BRISTOLL with its Suburbs, showing the spireless St Mary Redcliffe - the spire was destroyed in the late C15th century and not rebuilt until the C19th - sitting outside the city walls.

Bedtime Story Tuesday 12 May

Tue, 12 May 2020 18:56:58 GMT

Julia Harrow reads today's bedtime story

Thought for the day

Tue, 12 May 2020 18:50:32 GMT

George Herbert's, The Collar , read by Richard Wallace

The Collar

BY GEORGE HERBERT

I struck the board, and cried, "No more;

I will abroad!

What? shall I ever sigh and pine?

My lines and life are free, free as the road,

Loose as the wind, as large as store.

Shall I be still in suit?

Have I no harvest but a thorn

To let me blood, and not restore

What I have lost with cordial fruit?

Sure there was wine

Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn

Before my tears did drown it.

Is the year only lost to me?

Have I no bays to crown it,

No flowers, no garlands gay? All blasted?

All wasted?

Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,

And thou hast hands.

Recover all thy sigh-blown age

On double pleasures: leave thy cold dispute

Of what is fit and not. Forsake thy cage,

Thy rope of sands,

Which petty thoughts have made, and made to thee

Good cable, to enforce and draw,

And be thy law,

While thou didst wink and wouldst not see.

Away! take heed;

I will abroad.

Call in thy death's-head there; tie up thy fears;

He that forbears

To suit and serve his need

Deserves his load."

But as I raved and grew more fierce and wild

At every word,

Methought I heard one calling, Child!

And I replied My Lord.

Piano recital with Claire Alsop

Tue, 12 May 2020 15:27:14 GMT

Claire plays Claude Daquin's - Le Coucou

Thought for the day

Mon, 11 May 2020 19:14:35 GMT

William Blake's, The Garden of Love , read by Richard Wallace

The Garden of Love

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

I went to the Garden of Love,

And saw what I never had seen:

A Chapel was built in the midst,

Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut,

And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;

So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,

That so many sweet flowers bore.

And I saw it was filled with graves,

And tomb-stones where flowers should be:

And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,

And binding with briars, my joys & desires.

Children's Church

Mon, 11 May 2020 08:50:47 GMT

Sunday 10 May - with Children's and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

Thought for the day

Sun, 10 May 2020 18:56:13 GMT

Thomas Hardy's, The Darkling Thrush , read by Richard Wallace

The Darkling Thrush

BY THOMAS HARDY

I leant upon a coppice gate

When Frost was spectre-grey,

And Winter's dregs made desolate

The weakening eye of day.

The tangled bine-stems scored the sky

Like strings of broken lyres,

And all mankind that haunted nigh

Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be

The Century's corpse outleant,

His crypt the cloudy canopy,

The wind his death-lament.

The ancient pulse of germ and birth

Was shrunken hard and dry,

And every spirit upon earth

Seemed fervourless as I.

At once a voice arose among

The bleak twigs overhead

In a full-hearted evensong

Of joy illimited;

An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,

In blast-beruffled plume,

Had chosen thus to fling his soul

Upon the growing gloom.

So little cause for carolings

Of such ecstatic sound

Was written on terrestrial things

Afar or nigh around,

That I could think there trembled through

His happy good-night air

Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew

And I was unaware.

Thought for the day

Thu, 07 May 2020 19:16:16 GMT

Ted Hughes', Hawk Roosting , read by Richard Wallace

Hawk Roosting

TED HUGHES

I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed.

Inaction, no falsifying dream

Between my hooked head and hooked feet:

Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.

The convenience of the high trees!

The air's buoyancy and the sun's ray

Are of advantage to me;

And the earth's face upward for my inspection.

My feet are locked upon the rough bark.

It took the whole of Creation

To produce my foot, my each feather:

Now I hold Creation in my foot

Or fly up, and revolve it all slowly -

I kill where I please because it is all mine.

There is no sophistry in my body:

My manners are tearing off heads -

The allotment of death.

For the one path of my flight is direct

Through the bones of the living.

No arguments assert my right:

The sun is behind me.

Nothing has changed since I began.

My eye has permitted no change.

I am going to keep things like this.

Thought for the day

Wed, 06 May 2020 18:27:35 GMT

John Clare's, Little Trotty Wagtail , read by Richard Wallace

Little Trotty Wagtail

BY JOHN CLARE

Little trotty wagtail he went in the rain,

And tittering, tottering sideways he neer got straight again,

He stooped to get a worm, and looked up to get a fly,

And then he flew away ere his feathers they were dry.

Little trotty wagtail, he waddled in the mud,

And left his little footmarks, trample where he would.

He waddled in the water-pudge, and waggle went his tail,

And chirrupt up his wings to dry upon the garden rail.

Little trotty wagtail, you nimble all about,

And in the dimpling water-pudge you waddle in and out;

Your home is nigh at hand, and in the warm pig-stye,

So, little Master Wagtail, I'll bid you a good-bye.

Rewatch Redcliffe Online Family Fun

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Wed, 06 May 2020 16:48:00 GMT

As a church, St Mary Redcliffe were going to be involved in the 20th anniversary of The Noise in Bristol on the May Day Bank Holiday. However, with the lockdown currently upon us, plans for a family fun afternoon in Somerset Square on that weekend had to change.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, they have decided to take the family fun ONLINE, with a video compilation to be live-streamed for the Redcliffe community to enjoy!

The compilation featured games, music, interviews, VE Day memories and more...

Watch the video below

#thenoise2020

The Spire

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:17:33 GMT

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The South Churchyard

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:03:00 GMT

Read our South Churchyard Historic Landscape Survey

The south churchyard has a rich and fascinating history, from the medieval era, through to the industrial revolution and beyond to the Second World War.

The North Porch

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:53:31 GMT

The hexagonal North Porch is one of only three such buildings known in England and by far the most significant. Read Writer and Historian, John Cannon's detailed study of this unusual porch-in-front-of-a-porch, historically renowned because it houses the 'Muniment Room ' AKA the 'Chatterton Room', in three parts below.

Admiral William Penn

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:43:14 GMT

Bristol's 'boy poet' Chatterton

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Thomas Chatterton

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:29:14 GMT

Thomas Chatterton ~ The Boy Poet (1752 – 1770)

St Mary Redcliffe Church provided the primary inspiration for Thomas Chatterton, from its magnificent Gothic architecture to its memorials to Bristol’s dignitaries. He wrote about the church in his quasi-medieval poems and prose, and he also composed modern poems, satires and social sketches.

Chatterton was born in the writing-master’s house of Pile Street School just a stone’s throw from St Mary Redcliffe Church. His father, the writing-master, sadly died before Chatterton himself was born, but among his belongings were various medieval documents (considered worthless) he had rescued from a chest in the muniments room above the north porch of the church. It is thought that these ancient documents encouraged Chatterton to imitate medieval language and literature which he attributed to a fifteenth century monk, Thomas Rowley.

Chatterton’s fictional Thomas Rowley was portrayed as a friend of William Canynges (1399-1474) benefactor of Saint Mary Redcliffe and five times Mayor of Bristol. Chatterton presented his poems, some inscribed onto genuine ancient parchments, as if they were actual antiquities. Although close scrutiny of the poems by antiquarians of the time pronounced them to be modern, few believed that they could be the work of a mere fifteen-year-old boy.

So it was that, after his untimely early death, there was a fierce literary controversy over the authorship of the work. After years of dispute, the Rowley poems were accepted as the work of Thomas Chatterton, and it is upon this work, as well as his satirical verse and anti-slavery poems, that Chatterton’s literary legacy now rests.

Chatterton had a huge influence on the subsequent Romantic movement - inspiring writers such as Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey, Shelley, Keats, Rossetti, Browning and Wilde during the nineteenth century, as well as visual artists, such as the Pre-Raphaelites.

Listen to a recording of one of Chatterton's poems about St Mary Redcliffe below.

On the same (our Ladies Chyrche) by Thomas Chatterton, read by Richard Wallace

On the same (Our Ladies Chyrche)

THOMAS CHATTERTON

STAY, curyous traveller, and pass not bye,

Until this fetive pile astounde thine eye.

Whole rocks on rocks with yron joynd surveie,

And okes with okes entremed disponed lie.

This mightie pile, that keeps the wyndes at baie,

Fyre-levyn and the mokie storme defie,

That shootes aloofe into the reaulmes of daie,

Shall be the record of the Buylders fame for aie.

Thou seest this maystrie of a human hand,

The pride of Brystowe and the Westerne lande,

Yet is the Buylders vertues much moe greete,

Greeter than can bie Rowlies pen be scande.

Thou seest the saynctes and kynges in stonen state,

That seemd with breath and human soule dispande,

As payrde to us enseem these men of slate,

Such is greete Canynge's mynde when payrd to God elate.

Well maiest thou be astound, but view it well;

Go not from hence before thou see thy fill,

And learn the Builder's vertues and his name;

Of this tall spyre in every countye telle,

And with thy tale the lazing rych men shame;

Showe howe the glorious Canynge did excelle;

How hee good man a friend for kynges became,

And gloryous paved at once the way to heaven and fame.

William Hogarth

Wed, 06 May 2020 15:10:45 GMT

In 1755 William Hogarth, the greatest English painter of his age, was commissioned by the Vestry of St Mary Redcliffe to paint a vast altarpiece.

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Project 450 RIBA Stage Two Report

Wed, 06 May 2020 12:44:20 GMT

In 2019, Lead Architect Dan Talkes produced a Project 450 RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) 2 Stage End Report, providing further detail on the emerging plans for new buildings at St Mary Redcliffe.

Read the report below.

Project 450 RIBA Stage One Report

Wed, 06 May 2020 12:13:41 GMT

In 2019, Lead Architect Dan Talkes produced a Project 450 RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) 1 Stage End Report, providing detail on the emerging plans for new buildings at St Mary Redcliffe.

Read the report below.

Hogarth altarpiece Feasibility Study

Wed, 06 May 2020 12:02:11 GMT

In 2019, Lead Architect Dan Talkes produced a Hogarth Feasibility Study to look at the possibility of rehousing Hogarth's St Mary Redcliffe altarpiece as part of Project 450.

Read the report below.

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Interpretation Design Strategy completed

Wed, 06 May 2020 11:37:45 GMT

In 2018, Interpretation Design consultants Imagemakers completed an interpretation design strategy for Project 450.

Read the report below.

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Project 450 Options Appraisal published

Wed, 06 May 2020 10:53:12 GMT

In 2018, Purcell architects completed an initial Options Appraisal for the new built facilities at St Mary Redcliffe.

Read the report below.

Thought for the day

Tue, 05 May 2020 20:05:45 GMT

Gerard Manley Hopkins', The Windhover , read by Richard Wallace

The Windhover

BY GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS

To Christ our Lord

I caught this morning morning's minion, king-

dom of daylight's dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding

Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding

High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing

In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,

As a skate's heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding

Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding

Stirred for a bird, – the achieve of, the mastery of the thing!

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here

Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion

Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion

Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,

Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.

Project 450 architecture competition

Tue, 05 May 2020 11:18:16 GMT

In 2016, the church ran an architecture competition to appoint a team of architects with which to work on it facilities development project.

See the winning scheme from Purcell, below.

Music scholarships

Tue, 05 May 2020 10:38:54 GMT

Choral and instrumental scholarships

The Harris & Byfield organ of 1726

Tue, 05 May 2020 10:21:43 GMT

Harrison & Byfield's built a three-manual organ in the church in 1726.
It stood on a west gallery, and was one of the largest English organs of its day.

Harrison & Harrison Organ

Tue, 05 May 2020 10:07:51 GMT

A brief history of the organs at St Mary Redcliffe

Concerts

Tue, 05 May 2020 09:39:39 GMT

Concerts are currently suspended due to Cornavirus

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Lunchtime at Redcliffe

Tue, 05 May 2020 09:25:57 GMT

Lunchtime at Redcliffe, programme of free organ recitals, is currently suspended due to Cornavirus.

This month's music

Tue, 05 May 2020 09:18:28 GMT

Church music is currently suspended due to Coronavirus

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Organ Recital with Andrew Kirk

Tue, 05 May 2020 09:01:57 GMT

Lunchtime recitals

SMR Hymn Requests: ‘Michael’

I hope I’ve saved one of the best choices for last. Out of the 18 hymns I managed to record before lockdown, here is ‘All my hope on God is founded ’ to that wonderful tune Michael by Herbert Howells (1892-1983), set to the text by Robert Bridges (1844-1930).

This is one of my very favourite hymns, which is why I’ve saved it till last!

Thought for the day

Tue, 05 May 2020 08:20:27 GMT

Edward Thomas', Adelstrop , read by Richard Wallace

Adlestrop

BY EDWARD THOMAS

Yes. I remember Adlestrop—

The name, because one afternoon

Of heat the express-train drew up there

Unwontedly. It was late June.

The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.

No one left and no one came

On the bare platform. What I saw

Was Adlestrop—only the name

And willows, willow-herb, and grass,

And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,

No whit less still and lonely fair

Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

And for that minute a blackbird sang

Close by, and round him, mistier,

Farther and farther, all the birds

Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

Children's Church

Tue, 05 May 2020 08:14:29 GMT

Sunday 3 May - with Children's and Youth Minister, Becky Macron

Children's Church

Mon, 04 May 2020 15:19:12 GMT

Sunday 3 May - Jon Ross reads the Parable of the Shepherd from his allotment!

Organ Recital with Andrew Kirk

Mon, 04 May 2020 08:49:32 GMT

Aria by David Coram

Here is an organ piece from St Mary Redcliffe which I recorded in February 2019.

Thought for the day

Mon, 04 May 2020 07:53:45 GMT

T.S. Eliot's, The Journey of the Magi , read by Richard Wallace

The Journey Of The Magi

T.S Eliot

A cold coming we had of it,

Just the worst time of the year

For a journey, and such a long journey:

The ways deep and the weather sharp,

The very dead of winter.'

And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,

Lying down in the melting snow.

There were times we regretted

The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,

And the silken girls bringing sherbet.

Then the camel men cursing and grumbling

and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,

And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,

And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly

And the villages dirty and charging high prices:

A hard time we had of it.

At the end we preferred to travel all night,

Sleeping in snatches,

With the voices singing in our ears, saying

That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,

Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;

With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,

And three trees on the low sky,

And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.

Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,

Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,

And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.

But there was no information, and so we continued

And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon

Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,

And I would do it again, but set down

This set down

This: were we led all that way for

Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly

We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,

But had thought they were different; this Birth was

Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.

We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,

But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,

With an alien people clutching their gods.

I should be glad of another death.

Thought for the day

Sun, 03 May 2020 06:17:53 GMT

Sir Walter Raleigh's, The Passionate Man's Pilgrimage , read by Richard Wallace

The Passionate Man’s Pilgrimage

BY SIR WALTER RALEGH

[Supposed to be written by one at the point of death]

Give me my scallop shell of quiet,

My staff of faith to walk upon,

My scrip of joy, immortal diet,

My bottle of salvation,

My gown of glory, hope’s true gage,

And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.

Blood must be my body’s balmer,

No other balm will there be given,

Whilst my soul, like a white palmer,

Travels to the land of heaven;

Over the silver mountains,

Where spring the nectar fountains;

And there I’ll kiss

The bowl of bliss,

And drink my eternal fill

On every milken hill.

My soul will be a-dry before,

But after it will ne’er thirst more;

And by the happy blissful way

More peaceful pilgrims I shall see,

That have shook off their gowns of clay,

And go apparelled fresh like me.

I’ll bring them first

To slake their thirst,

And then to taste those nectar suckets,

At the clear wells

Where sweetness dwells,

Drawn up by saints in crystal buckets.

And when our bottles and all we

Are fill’d with immortality,

Then the holy paths we’ll travel,

Strew’d with rubies thick as gravel,

Ceilings of diamonds, sapphire floors,

High walls of coral, and pearl bowers.

From thence to heaven’s bribeless hall

Where no corrupted voices brawl,

No conscience molten into gold,

Nor forg’d accusers bought and sold,

No cause deferr’d, nor vain-spent journey,

For there Christ is the king’s attorney,

Who pleads for all without degrees,

And he hath angels, but no fees.

When the grand twelve million jury

Of our sins and sinful fury,

’Gainst our souls black verdicts give,

Christ pleads his death, and then we live.

Be thou my speaker, taintless pleader,

Unblotted lawyer, true proceeder,

Thou movest salvation even for alms,

Not with a bribed lawyer’s palms.

And this is my eternal plea

To him that made heaven, earth, and sea,

Seeing my flesh must die so soon,

And want a head to dine next noon,

Just at the stroke when my veins start and spread,

Set on my soul an everlasting head.

Then am I ready, like a palmer fit,

To tread those blest paths which before I writ.

Thought for the day

Fri, 01 May 2020 15:40:36 GMT

George Herbert's, The Pilgrimage , read by Richard Wallace

THE PILGRIMAGE

by George Herbert

I travell'd on, seeing the hill, where lay

My expectation.

A long it was and weary way.

The gloomy cave of Desperation

I left on th'one, and on the other side

The rock of Pride.

And so I came to Phansies medow strow'd

With many a flower:

Fair would I here have made abode,

But I was quicken'd by my houre.

So to Cares cops I came, and there got through

With much ado.

That led me to the wilde of Passion, which

Some call the wold;

A wasted place, but sometimes rich.

Here I was robb'd of all my gold,

Save one good Angell, which a friend had ti'd

Close to my side.

At length I got unto the gladsome hill,

Where lay my hope,

Where lay my heart; and climbing still,

When I had gain'd the brow and top,

A lake of brackish waters on the ground

Was all I found.

With that abash'd and struck with many a sting

Of swarming fears,

I fell, and cry'd, Alas my King;

Can both the way and end be tears?

Yet taking heart I rose, and then perceiv'd

I was deceiv'd:

My hill was further: so I flung away,

Yet heard a crie

Just as I went, None goes that way

And lives: If that be all, said I,

After so foul a journey death is fair,

And but a chair.

North Bristol Food Bank

Fri, 01 May 2020 15:22:53 GMT

Rachel Varley from St Mary Redcliffe & North Bristol Foodbank talks about the #foodpoverty work in her area of #Bristol.

Donate to support it at http://churchescityfund.org/donate or donate by texting 70460. To donate £XX text 'CITYFUNDFOOD XX'. Texts cost the donation plus standard rate message.

Dolly Church - Friday 1 May

Fri, 01 May 2020 08:47:01 GMT

Dolly Church with Families and Youth Minister, Becky Macron - Friday 1 May

Bedtime story Thursday 30 April

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:53:34 GMT

Bedtime story Thursday 30 April

Thought for the day

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 18:48:28 GMT

Robert Lowell's Our Lady of Walsingham , read by Richard Wallace

Our Lady of Walsingham

by Robert Lowell

There once the penitents took off their shoes

And then walked barefoot the remaining mile;

And the small trees, a stream and hedgerows file

Slowly along the munching English lane,

Like cows to the old shrine, until you lose

Track of your dragging pain.

The stream flows down under the druid tree,

Shiloah’s whirlpools gurgle and make glad

The castle of God. Sailor, you were glad

And whistled Sion by that stream. But see:

Our Lady, too small for her canopy,

Sits near the altar. There’s no comeliness

At all or charm in that expressionless

Face with its heavy eyelids. As before,

This face, for centuries a memory,

Non est species, neque decor.

Expressionless, expresses God: it goes

Past castled Sion. She knows what God knows,

Not Calvary’s Cross nor crib at Bethlehem

Now, and the world shall come to Walsingham.

Bedtime story Read by Aggy Palairet

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 18:57:06 GMT

Thought for the day

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 18:52:35 GMT

John Bunyan's To be a Pilgrim , read by Richard Wallace

The Pilgrim

BY JOHN BUNYAN

Who would true Valour see

Let him come hither;

One here will Constant be,

Come Wind, come Weather.

There's no Discouragement ,

Shall make him once Relent ,

His first avow'd Intent ,

To be a Pilgrim .

Who so beset him round,

With dismal Storys ,

Do but themselves Confound;

His Strength the more is .

No Lyon can him fright,

He'l with a Gyant Fight,

But he will have a right,

To be a Pilgrim .

Hobgoblin , nor foul Fiend ,

Can daunt his Spirit:

He knows, he at the end ,

Shall Life Inherit .

Then Fancies fly away,

He'l fear not what men say,

He'l labour Night and Day,

To be a Pilgrim .

Children's Church

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 12:12:47 GMT

Children's Church with Children's and Youth Minister, Becky Macron.

Organ Recital with Andrew Kirk

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 11:31:05 GMT

Hymn Requests - Two to go!

I hope I’ve saved some of the best choices for last. Out of the 18 hymns I managed to record before lockdown, here is ‘Guide me O thou great redeemer’ to that great welsh tune Cwm Rhondda by John Hughes 1873-1932 and text by William Williams 1717-91.

I dedicate this hymn to the members of our congregation who have some welsh blood!

Bedtime story Read by Sarah Tyndall

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 11:15:47 GMT

Today's bible bedtime story, read by Sarah Tyndall.

We Are Bristol Hotline

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:55:47 GMT

Support for vulnerable people during the Cornavirus crisis

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, MindLine will be open 7 nights a week, 7pm-11pm. This will remain the case until further notice.

For further information visit about We Are Bristol, visit their website .

Thought for the day

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:26:04 GMT

John Donne's Conclusion to sermon CXLVI , read by Richard Wallace

John Donne, Sermon CXLVI

PREACHED AT WHITEHALL, FEBRUARY 29, 1627.

Genesis 28.10-19; Acts 6.8-15; 7.51-60

Acts vii. 60: And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Is there any man, that in his chamber hears a bell toll for another man, and does not kneel down to pray for that dying man? and then, does he not also reflect upon himself? We begin to hear Christ's bell toll now, and we must say as [Stephen] said, Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit. You would not say to yourselves, ‘We shall have warnings enough, many more sermons before it come to that, it is too soon yet;’ you are not sure you shall have more; not sure you shall be affected with any. I take Christ's earliest witness, his proto-martyr, St. Stephen, and that which especially Made him our example is his death, what he did, what he said, so far as is knit up in those words, When he had said this, he fell asleep. From which example, I humbly offer two considerations; first, every man is bound to do something before he die; and then, to that man who hath done those things which the duties of his calling bind him to, death is but a sleep. Every man is bound to be something, to take some calling upon him. The better to perform those duties, every man shall do well to propose to himself some pattern, some example whom he will follow and imitate in that calling. We shall see that to them that do not settle their consciences so, death is a bloody conflict, and no victory at last, a tempestuous sea, and no harbour at last, a slippery height, and no footing, a desperate fall and no bottom. First, then we begin with our beginning, our birth; Man is born to trouble. How honourable soever his station be, he must do his day's labour. How far is he from doing so, that never so much as considers why he was sent into this world! But God might have shut thee up in the prison of a bare being and no more, without life or sense, as he hath done earth and stones; or if he would have given thee life and sense, he might have left thee a toad, without the comeliness of shape, without that reasonable and immortal soul, which makes thee a man. Thou passest through this world as a flash, as a lightning of which no man knows the beginning or the ending; and thou passest out of the world, as a hand passes out of a bason, or a body out of a bath, where the water may be the fouler for thy having washed in it, [even though] the water retains no impression of thy hand or body, so the world may be the worse for thy having lived in it, [even though] the world retains no marks of thy having been there. God made every thing something, and thou makest the best of things, man, nothing. God's own name is ‘I am’: ‘Being,’ is God's name, and nothing is so contrary to God as to be nothing. Be something, or else thou canst do nothing; thou canst not sleep Stephen's sleep, not die in peace. Determine thyself upon something, be, profess something; then, do seriously, do sedulously, do sincerely the duties of that calling. Be something: then, be somebody, be like somebody, propose some good example to imitate. It was the counsel of that philosopher Epictetus to consider what a Socrates, or a Plato; what a good and a wise man would do, and to do conformably to that. One great orator proposed to himself Cicero for his example, and Cicero propounded Demosthenes, and he Pericles, and Pericles Pisistratus. In every calling, a man may find some exemplar to follow. Men of the best faculties, the best education, owe themselves to God by most obligations. Him that dies to-day, God shall ask, Where is that soul? Is it as clean as I made it at first? or is it as clean as I washed it in baptism? or is it as clean as I left it when we met last at the sacrament? God shall not only ask for that soul and that body, but also, Where is that wit, that learning, those arts, those languages which by so good education I afforded thee? Thou art yet to learn thy first letters, if thou know not that Christ Jesus is Alpha and Omega: thou hast studied thyself into a dark and damnable ignorance, if thou have laboured for much learning only to dispute against the person of Christ Jesus. Propose to thine imitation Stephen, who applied himself early to Christ as a disciple, and as a deacon, a lower degree in the service of Christ, which very name signifies service, and ministration. Christ Jesus himself calls himself, by that name, The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister; there is this word ‘ministration’, the name of ‘deacon’ imprinted upon Christ himself. And let us accept the name and office of deacon, of ministration, upon ourselves: for as every man is a world in himself, so every man is a church in himself too: But the height of Stephen's exemplariness, is not so much in his active as in his passive part; not so much in that he did, as in that he suffered. God exalts and improves every good thing, every blessing that was in me before, and makes even my creation glorious, and my redemption precious; and puts a farther value upon things inestimable before, that I shall fulfil the sufferings of Christ. In [the] words of our Saviour, the suffering of crosses in our life entitles us to the reward of martyrdom. All martyrdom is not a Smithfield martyrdom, to burn for religion. To suffer injuries, and not to revenge those injuries, is [also] martyrdom. All fighting of the Lord's battles, all victory over the Lord's enemies, all cheerful bearing of God's crosses, and all watchful crossing of our own immoderate desires is a martyrdom acceptable to God, and a true copy of our pattern Stephen. And we shall pass now to [the] part which we must all play, and play in earnest, that conclusion in which we shall but begin our everlasting state, our death, When he had said this he fell asleep. Here I shall present to you two pictures, of dying men; and every man is like one of these, and may know himself by it; he that dies in the bath of a peaceable, and he that dies upon the wreck of a distracted conscience. When the devil imprints in a man, the sadness of his soul shall aggravate the sickness of his body. His physician ministers, and wonders it works not; he imputes that to phlegm, and ministers against that, and wonders again that it works not: he goes over all the humours, and all his medicines, and nothing works, for there lies at his patient's heart a damp that hinders the intention of the physician, the virtue of the physic. To see Christ crucified, and not crucified for thee, but crucified by thee; this is his picture that hath been nothing, that hath done nothing. Now of this dying man, that dies in Christ, that dies the death of the righteous, that embraces death as a sleep, must we give you a picture too. There is not a minute left to do it; Is there a minute's patience? remember that those pictures which are delivered in a minute, from a print upon a paper, had many days', weeks', months' time for the graving of those pictures in the copper; so this picture of that dying man, that dies in Christ, that dies the death of the righteous, that embraces death as a sleep, was graving all his life; all his public actions were the lights, and all his private the shadows of this picture. And when this picture comes to the press, this man to the straits and agonies of death, thus he understands God's purpose upon him, and he would not have God's purpose any other way; he sees God will dissolve him, and he would fain be dissolved, to be with Christ. And his soul shall go forth, not as one that gave over his house, but as one that travelled to see and learn better architecture: and as those thoughts which possess us most awake, meet us again when we are asleep; so [too {do}] his holy thoughts, all his life, when he is fallen asleep in death, all his dreams in that blessed sleep, all his devotions in heaven. So then, the death of the righteous is a sleep. Those that sleep in Jesus Christ will God fetch out of the dust, but declare that they have been in his hands ever since they departed out of this world. They shall awake as Jacob did, and say as Jacob said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and this is no other but the house of God, and the gate of heaven, and into that gate they shall enter, and in that house they shall dwell, where there shall be no cloud nor sun, no darkness nor dazzling, but one equal light, no noise nor silence, but one equal music, no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession, no foes nor friends, but an equal communion and identity, no ends nor beginnings, but one equal eternity. Keep us Lord so awake in the duties of our callings, that we may thus sleep in thy peace, and wake in thy glory, and change that infallibility which thou affordest us here, to an actual and undeterminable possession of that kingdom which thy Son our Saviour Christ Jesus hath purchased for us, with the inestimable price of his incorruptible blood. Amen.

Bristol Mindline

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 10:00:38 GMT

Access emotional support during the Cornavirus crisis

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, MindLine will be open 7 nights a week, 7pm-11pm. This will remain the case until further notice.

For further information visit the MindLine website .

From the Vicar's Desk

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 09:42:21 GMT

Friday 24 April

Sunday Service

I hope you will join me in the basement for our Live Sunday Service at 10.00am. There's a new Order of Service which you can get by clicking here: please download that before Sunday. As we are now in Easter Season it does contain a few changes and, chief amongst them is that we are going to do some singing together! I have introduced three songs, two of which will be same every week and the words are included in the order of service; the third will be chosen each week and is available along with the music for the other two by clicking here (next week's should look tidier).

Live Streaming Problems

You may well be aware that I have had some internet connectivity issues and I am working hard to ensure that interruptions to the streaming are as unlikely as possible. There are a number of complications which I am working to overcome, one of which you can help with if you are watching on the website (rather than through Facebook or YouTube). We have realised that often, when a live stream 'drops out', viewers are sent to the most recently uploaded video. So on Sunday morning that can mean that you suddenly find yourself watching Morning Prayer instead. This should be a simple matter of switching a setting in our account with the software we use - but that hasn't worked. So we've raised the issue with the company who are looking into for us. Meanwhile, if the live stream disappears, please go back to the SMR Live page and load the page again - this should bring you back to the live event. And thank you for your patience.

Connecting with the Community - Food Banks

We have run the pop-up Redcliffe Emergency Foodbank for two weeks now and it's good to be able to make a real contribution to the lives of some of those most impacted by Covid-19 itself or by the effect it is beginning to have on the economy. We are always keen to receive donations (click here to see what we are looking for) either at FaithSpace or at Ebenezer Church in Horfield as we are partnering with North Bristol Food Bank. If you can't get out, could you consider making a donation to the North Bristol Food Bank which is supporting our food bank, or to Churches City Fund which is coordinating financial contributions to food relief across the city.

Connecting with the Community - Foster Care

The response to the plea for more foster carers has been astonishing: thank you if you have offered yourselves to this programme. This is being run with the City Council and in partnership with the churches across the city. Over 30 people have come forward in response to the plea for temporary foster carers, a dozen of which have come through appeals made by church leaders. If you feel drawn to help with this major piece of work with some of the city's most vulnerable young people, please click here to find out more.

Caring for the Congregation - ContacTree

The work of the ContacTree continues: thank you to all those who have offered to make phone calls or contact people in other ways. It's great to hear that so many people are well and being well supported by friends, neighbours, family and church.

Caring for the Congregation - Study Groups on line

Following the successful transition from real-world to virtual-world of the Lent Group, Aggy and Becky are starting an online bible study group, starting at 8pm on Monday 4th May. The topic is Wisdom and Ministry, and the first session will be focusing on Leadership and Collaboration. The study sessions will run every two weeks. Please click here if you'd like to know more about being part of this on-line learning group.

In future weeks we want to start up other on-line fellowship groups and I am keen to hear what you think would help you in your spiritual growth in this difficult time. My contact details are below.

The return of the plea for a treasurer

Despite the arrival of Covid-19 and the postponing of the annual meeting, David Harrowes (our current PCC treasurer) has a new role that he has agreed to take on for a national organisation at the beginning of May which means he really does need to hang up his spreadsheet very soon. The Wardens and I are very keen to find a new treasurer and would ask anyone who might be able to help to contact me (see below) very soon.

Contact me

If you would like to comment on anything in this newsletter, please email me: dan.tyndfall@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

Look forward to being seen by you soon !!

Dan

Canon D F Tyndall

Vicar, St Mary Redcliffe

0117 231 0067

0776 929 6220

Thought for the day

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 13:46:33 GMT

Henry Vaughan's poem, The World , read by Richard Wallace

The World

BY HENRY VAUGHAN

I saw Eternity the other night,

Like a great ring of pure and endless light,

All calm, as it was bright;

And round beneath it, Time in hours, days, years,

Driv’n by the spheres

Like a vast shadow mov’d; in which the world

And all her train were hurl’d.

The doting lover in his quaintest strain

Did there complain;

Near him, his lute, his fancy, and his flights,

Wit’s sour delights,

With gloves, and knots, the silly snares of pleasure,

Yet his dear treasure

All scatter’d lay, while he his eyes did pour

Upon a flow’r.

The darksome statesman hung with weights and woe,

Like a thick midnight-fog mov’d there so slow,

He did not stay, nor go;

Condemning thoughts (like sad eclipses) scowl

Upon his soul,

And clouds of crying witnesses without

Pursued him with one shout.

Yet digg’d the mole, and lest his ways be found,

Work’d under ground,

Where he did clutch his prey; but one did see

That policy;

Churches and altars fed him; perjuries

Were gnats and flies;

It rain’d about him blood and tears, but he

Drank them as free.

The fearful miser on a heap of rust

Sate pining all his life there, did scarce trust

His own hands with the dust,

Yet would not place one piece above, but lives

In fear of thieves;

Thousands there were as frantic as himself,

And hugg’d each one his pelf;

The downright epicure plac’d heav’n in sense,

And scorn’d pretence,

While others, slipp’d into a wide excess,

Said little less;

The weaker sort slight, trivial wares enslave,

Who think them brave;

And poor despised Truth sate counting by

Their victory.

Yet some, who all this while did weep and sing,

And sing, and weep, soar’d up into the ring;

But most would use no wing.

O fools (said I) thus to prefer dark night

Before true light,

To live in grots and caves, and hate the day

Because it shews the way,

The way, which from this dead and dark abode

Leads up to God,

A way where you might tread the sun, and be

More bright than he.

But as I did their madness so discuss

One whisper’d thus,

“This ring the Bridegroom did for none provide,

But for his bride.”

Old picture of the day

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 12:52:31 GMT

An historical view of the nave

An late eighteenth/early nineteenth century view of the church from the west end of the nave, showing William Edney's iron gates in their original position at the back of the aisle (they are now positioned in the south entrance to St John's Chapel) and William Hogarth's altarpiece, The Sealing of the Tomb, in situ. The central panel, The Ascension, is visible. The two side panels, The Three Marys at the Tomb, and The Sealing of the Sepulchre, were hung at right angles on each side of the chancel.

Test

rhyssmr@icloud.com (Rhys Williams) — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 09:19:09 GMT

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