Safeguarding Sunday

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.

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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.