Lent 2021 - A Journey of Prayer

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

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Sermon on Sunday,10th August 2025

By matthew.buckmaster • August 10, 2025

Preached by the Revd Laura Verrall-Kelly, Associate Vicar

Interregnum Information

By Laura.Verrall-Kelly • August 7, 2025

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