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Life Events
Information about marriages, baptisms and funerals
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Life Events at St Mary Redcliffe
Life events include marriages, baptisms and funerals.
Our life events contact is Rev Laura Verall-Kelly, who can be contacted via email here: life.events@stmaryredcliffe.co.uk
St Mary Redcliffe would be delighted to be part of your special occasion.
Weddings
For new wedding enquiries please fill out the form here and we will contact you with further information.
You can download a booklet containing relevant information below.
For new vow renewal or wedding blessing enquiries please email Rev Laura Verall-Kelly at the above address.
Baptisms
For new baptism enquiries please email Rev Laura Verall-Kelly at the above address.
Funerals
For any funeral enquiries please contact a Funeral Director in the first instance and they will liaise with us to arrange this on your behalf.
If you have already had a funeral for your loved one and would like to arrange a memorial service in church please email Rev Laura Verall-Kelly at the above address.
Information about historical baptisms, weddings and funerals
If you would like us to conduct a register search for a baptism, wedding or burial of ashes / burial at St Mary Redcliffe Bath Road Cemetery please email Rev Laura Verall-Kelly at the above address.
The Church of England website has lots of useful information about Life Events.
By david.cousins
•
February 20, 2026
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
By sam.love
•
February 10, 2026
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
By matthew.buckmaster
•
February 1, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 31, 2026
Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman
By joe.cryan
•
January 30, 2026
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
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 18, 2026
Preached by Rev Teddy Kalongo, Superintendent of Bristol's Methodist Churches
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By sam.love
•
November 19, 2025
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
By david.cousins
•
February 20, 2026
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
By sam.love
•
February 10, 2026
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
By matthew.buckmaster
•
February 1, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 31, 2026
Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman
By joe.cryan
•
January 30, 2026
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
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 18, 2026
Preached by Rev Teddy Kalongo, Superintendent of Bristol's Methodist Churches
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Revd Simon Goodman
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
By matthew.buckmaster
•
January 11, 2026
Preached by the Canon Dr Stephen Spencer
