From the Associate Vicar's Desk

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

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.

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

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.