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Dear friendsSomeone very wise once said "change is the only constant". Our life experiences over recent times would probably result in all of us saying "Amen" to this!!We are seeing this on a global scale as well as in the life of our church, and no doubt in each of our personal lives as well.Here at St Martin's, although we have named this season a time of consolidation, we are also seeing changes in our ministry team. This month, Steve Purnell is on placement as part of his Licensed Lay Ministry formation. He goes with our prayers and blessing to a different church in a different Deanery, and we look forward to all he will share with us on his return. We are joined this month and throughout June by Simon Atkins, who is an ordinand from Sarum college, and who will be spending time on placement with us. Please give him, and his wife Nicky, our usual wonderful St Martin's welcome.Laura has begun her transition time in her move to St Luke's Brislington as Curate in Charge. We will therefore only see her on the 4th Sunday of each month, however she is with us during the first part of each week until the end of July.Rosemary is in her final stages of her training before her ordination, and our prayers are with her as various deadlines loom!We will be joined in June by another ordinand, Susanna Rosemeyer. Susanna is training at Trinity College - more about her in future weeks.We are also in the process of recruiting a new Musical Director, and will shortly be advertising for a new administrator and Assistant to the Area Dean, as Sophie prepares to explore new ventures.Please join me in praying for all of those named here, and all of these changes. Please also join me in finding those moments of joy in simple things - and this evening the Unity Singers are coming to St Martin's, bringing their gift of song in "Musical Melodies". Why not come along - it's free to attend, with a retiring collection for St Peter's Hospice and the ongoing work of the church here at St Martins.The season of Eastertide reminds us of God's sure and certain presence in times of turbulence and uncertainty. For those disciples and early followers who were trapped in their Good Friday experience, afraid, doubtful, uncertain, hopeful perhaps, it was those revelations of God in Jesus, those appearances that brought peace, the promise of new life and hope. As I take note of the news, the situation in the Ukraine, the uncertainty and anxieties for many, I hold that promise again and again in my prayers. God is sure and certain, God does not give up on us, and promises restoration and transformation all the more as we move further into the work of the kingdom: Jesus is with us, making all things new.With love in Christ, as everBecky
Is God calling you to be our new Musical Director at the Parish Church of St Martin's Knowle, in the Diocese of Bristol?We are looking for someone to work with our Vicar to enable the ongoing and growing worshipping life of the church and to lead our talented, robed choir. We have a choral tradition that we are seeking to enhance, and a worship pattern that has emerged as a result of the pandemic which offers flexibility and creativity. The Musical Director would lead on the 1st, 3rd and 4th Sundays of each month, as well as holding a weekly choir rehearsal.Remuneration is in line with RSCM recommended rates: £50 per service plus 50% of the fee for a week-day rehearsal. Occasional office fees are £90 per wedding and £70 per funeral. For an application pack, which details the role description and person specification, please contact the Parish Administrator, Sophie Boyce Couzens: stmartinsknowle@gmail.com.Date for applications: Monday 9th May 2022, interviews Saturday 28th May 2022
Dear friendsI have found myself saying many times over the last few weeks "I love church". This has been at times of worship, prayer or conversation, where there has been a profound sense of God's presence as we've been in community, or where there has been vulnerability in the way we have been able to share our lives with each other, or where I have been privileged to pray for someone, or known that I have been prayed for. It has also been during times of hilarity, where it is only in a church community that we will find diverse personalities, or life experiences, or those "Vicar of Dibley" moments that are the quirks and joys of what it is to be church! I know I have said before that I love what it is to be church - where all ages, all personalities, all experiences, can find a common, shared place to belong. And I love our church, here at St Martin's. So many people have commented on the journey of Holy Week through to Easter Day, how wonderful it was to have such variety, and "ways in" for people to engage with the story and Easter experience, as well as the High Altar experience of Easter Day with so many different ages present.Over the last week there was a tangible sense of the Spirit, and the extremes of the journey from lament to light, which for me meant that Holy Week truly felt Holy, and Easter Day was truly full of the joy of the resurrection (as well as plenty of chocolate for those present at the 10.30am service who witnessed me smashing Easter Eggs with a mallet!). God is moving in this place, in the world that He loves, and in the place where we are called to worship Him and witness to our lives lived through a relationship with Him.We are now in the season of Eastertide, where we encounter those resurrection moments for Jesus' followers who each needed to move from their Good Friday to Easter Day over the coming weeks where Jesus appeared to them.I pray that you will be able to experience that encounter yourself - I hope that will be in a form of gathering as church, however I also believe that those revelations happen in the ordinary and every day experiences of our lives.May you know the presence of the Risen Lord, who breaks into our Good Fridays with that promise of love, hope, joy and peace.With every blessing as everBecky
