Thought for the day
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!
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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
Preached by Rev Teddy Kalongo, Superintendent of Bristol's Methodist Churches
Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
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
