Hello to you all, 

As we continue into autumn, with shortening days and turning leaves, I am struck again by how there are seasons for a reason - to help mark out the passing of time but also to give us space to focus in different ways throughout the year. Autumn can be a time of celebration, with fireworks and meals together but it can also be a time of remembering and thinking back. At St Martin’s this autumn we will do both and you are welcome to join us for as much as you would like, you are so welcome. Do check the events coming up soon including opportunities to eat together for Harvest and St Martin’s day as well as opportunities to help serve in our community through pastoral care, Safe Families, MentorMe and our new Warm Space Cafe initiative. All of these things are a great way to put our faith into action and support one another in love. If you would like to sign up to help with any of these things please let me or Becky know or look out for a sign up sheet at the back of church on a Sunday. 

Our Sunday morning worship continues to be exciting and varied with Prisons week this coming Sunday at our 8:30 Communion and Cafe Church followed by an opportunity to reflect together on the goodness of God’s creation and provision but also lament our part in its destruction through our Harvest celebrations. In her excellent new book, Revd. Sue Parfitt describes how penitence (repentance) plays an important part in helping us to manage our anxiety, fear and depression around climate change as it helps us to move into action. Whilst it can feel like a heavy topic sometimes, it is important for us to face up to reality in order to move forwards through the transforming “workings of God’s grace”. In action and partnership we will find hope and new life as God’s spirit moves amongst us. Bodies on the Line (2023) - Sue Parfitt. 

As the weather turns and the nights draw in closer we have all the more reason to come together and share what we have, our food and our smiles, our struggles and our joys. We hope that St Martin’s can be a place where we can do all of those things as we are drawn together in community around our shared love of God, our parish and all who live and work here. 

Grace & peace, Rev. Phil