Dear St Mary’s, 

On Sunday 28th June – the Fourth Sunday of Trinity – Revd Jacintha Danaswamy will lead and Revd Vanessa Conant will preach at 9am (Holy Communion) and again at 10.30am (Intergenerational Service). We will have a baptism at 10.30am and there will be no supervised children’s groups this Sunday, as all ages will be together. 

Our lectionary readings this week are Romans 6:12-end and Matthew 10:40-end – the concluding verses of a passage in which Jesus sends out his twelve disciples. 

Later on Sunday at 5pm our youth group (Year 6 through secondary school) will meet in the Welcome Centre. And then at 6pm, the St Luke’s Community will say evening prayer in St Mary’s Church and all are welcome to join them. We hope to see you Sunday at St Mary’s! 

Climate Films at St Mary’s Tonight and Saturday 27th June: Tickets Still Available  
From this evening, join us at St Mary’s for a thought-provoking weekend of climate films. We’ll start with the People’s Emergency Briefing tonight (Thursday 25th June) at 7pm – a film featuring contributions from Chris Packham, Deborah Meaden and leading scientific, energy and national security experts with a panel discussion to follow. Tickets are available for a donation of your choice. And then on Saturday 27th June at 7pm, join us for Power Station by Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn, with £6 tickets. This documentary follows attempts by Hilary and Dan to turn their Walthamstow street into an energy-generating collection of solar-powered Power Stations. The film will be followed by an in-person discussion with the filmmakers. We will run a card-only bar at both screenings but will also have plenty of free cold water available. To book, visit stmaryswalthamstow.org/climatefilms. 

No Crochet and Knitting Group on Saturday 27th June
There will be no crochet and knitting group this Saturday 27th June, however, the group will meet again next Saturday 4th July from 10am-Noon in the church Exhibition Space. 

Wedding at St Mary’s on Saturday 27th June: Cafe and Play Area Open 9am-11am
There will be a wedding at St Mary’s this Saturday 27th June, which means our Ruttle & Rowe Cafe and Play Area will both close early, at 11am, in advance of the 1pm wedding. 

Next Vespers Gathering on Wednesday 1st July 
Join us on Wednesday 1st July at 7.30pm for our monthly Vespers gathering – 40 minutes of stillness with Holy Communion celebrated afterwards in the side chapel. Vespers is held on the first Wednesday of every month – a beautiful candlelit space in our ancient building where many have gathered for 10 years to practise contemplative prayer, explore faith or simply sit in silence. Whether you’re looking to deepen your prayer life or just need a quiet place to sit, please come along to Vespers; it would be wonderful to have you. 

‘House Meeting’ on Sunday 5th July after the 10.30am Service
St Mary’s has been invited to work with other local community groups to campaign for a safer, slower Wood Street and we would love to hear your thoughts. If you regularly travel across or along Wood Street and would like to share your hopes and concerns, as well as any ideas for making it safer, we are holding a 45-minute ‘house meeting’ in church after the 10.30am service on Sunday 5th July. A house meeting uses a simple community organising approach to enable attendees to share their stories and to workshop solutions. Register your interest here or email . 

St Mary’s to Host East London Brass Band on Saturday 11th July 
Join us at St Mary’s on Saturday 11th July at 7pm for an evening of Summer Brass with the award-winning East London Brass Band. Tickets are available for £10 (+ processing fee) for adults or £5 (+ processing fee) for children and young people, and we will run a card-only bar on the night. Based in Walthamstow, East London Brass is a championship section brass band with a reputation that extends far beyond our local area. You can purchase tickets online here or by going to stmaryswalthamstow.org/SummerBrass. 

Sponsor a Bible for School Leavers: Donate via Tap-and-Go Machines in Church 
Every year we give a Bible to Year 6 leavers of St Mary’s Primary School, and for many children, it will be the only Bible they have ever received. If you would like to sponsor a Bible for £10, you can now give via the tap-and-go machines in church, via stmaryswalthamstow.org/donate (write in the notes section that your donation is for a St Mary’s School Leavers’ Bible), or you can also make a bank transfer, noting the reason for your donation. Our bank details are: Co-operative Bank, St Mary’s Church, Parish of Walthamstow; Account Number: 65579372, Sort Code: 08-92-99. If you would like to give cash or to donate via cheque, contact our Parish Office (). 

Spaces Now Available: Summer Saturday Churchyard Volunteer Sessions 
This summer, St Mary’s Head Gardener Tim Hewitt is running free Saturday sessions from 10am-Noon for volunteer gardeners who have struggled to attend Tim’s regular weekday sessions – an opportunity to learn new skills, meet new people and better understand the principles of gardening for wildlife. Due to anticipated demand, Tim is asking people to book in advance as spaces will be limited for each session. The free Saturday sessions will begin on 25th July and run the following five Saturdays through the end of August. Book here or find a booking link at stmaryswalthamstow.org/SummerSaturdays. 

Churchyard Tours in July and August to Raise Money for St Mary’s 
Join us for a tour of the award-winning St Mary’s Churchyard led by our head gardener Tim Hewitt as we raise money for the church. Learn about gardening for biodiversity, explore the stunning planting around the churchyard, and discover some of the wildlife that calls St Mary’s Churchyard home. Finish the tour with a cup of locally-grown herbal tea. Tickets are £10 each (+ booking fee) with three dates to choose from: Wednesday 22nd July at 6pm, Wednesday 5th August at 6pm, or Wednesday 19th August at 6pm. Click here to book a churchyard tour, or visit stmaryswalthamstow.org/ChurchyardTours. 

Men’s Dance Class in the Welcome Centre on Fridays, 5.30pm-7pm 
A men’s Chantraine dance class has recently started on Fridays in the Welcome Centre from 5.30pm-7pm. No previous dance experience is necessary and all men are welcome. For more information about Chantraine dance, visit chantrainedance.com; for more information about the Friday dance classes in the Welcome Centre, email . 

Giving Monthly to St Mary’s 
Your financial support is crucial as we work to keep St Mary’s ancient building open to the whole community throughout the week, to support Walthamstow and to share the love of Christ with all. Your donations make this possible as we receive no direct, ongoing support for the day-to-day running of St Mary’s from the Church of England or from the government. Monthly giving is particularly transformative as it allows us to plan, budget, and even expand our work in the community. If you would like to become a monthly giver, we would encourage you to sign up via the Parish Giving Scheme which you can find here or by going to stmaryswalthamstow.org/donate and clicking on the Parish Giving Scheme link. 

Safeguarding 
St Mary’s takes safeguarding seriously and works hard to ensure that our church is a safe place for everyone. If you see anything that concerns you at St Mary’s, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Safeguarding Officer Emma Clements at . You can also contact the Diocese of Chelmsford at or Waltham Forest Council at 020 8496 2310. 

Please pray this week for:

• Sir Keir Starmer and his family as Sir Keir prepares to step down as Prime Minister, as well as for the good governance of the country and for the next Prime Minister 
• All who are struggling across the UK and Europe during this latest heatwave: for safety for all; for public investment to cool homes/ schools/ businesses/ public buildings; and for all efforts to transition away from planet-heating fossil fuels
• Evidence-based politics that solves real problems, advances the Common Good and promotes collective flourishing rather than a politics of division and misinformation 
• All who are struggling financially, and also that our church might be a community of help and hope for those in need, praying especially for our Walthamstow Welcomes paperwork cafe, the free Thursday evening FoodCycle community meal and the Kindwell Sunday evening foodshare
• All who are unwell in any way, praying especially for those undergoing tests, receiving treatment, or preparing for surgery: for hope, help and healing 
• All who are mourning the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, or are facing some other kind of loss: that they might experience God’s love and peace
• All in our Parish who are lonely or in need of hope – that St Mary’s would be a community of faith that can point people to Christ as well as be a place of connection 
• Places where life is dangerous due to war, disease, oppression or instability, praying especially for the DRC, Ukraine, Lebanon, Gaza, Sudan, Iran and Myanmar 
• The leadership of our church and parish, including our churchwardens Natalie and Ollie, our Rector Vanessa, our Curate Jacintha, our entire PCC, our St Mary’s staff team, and for other leaders and clergy in our parish, including Tim and Andrew 
• Bishops Lynne and Guli, Archdeacon Mike, Archbishops Sarah and Stephen, and for leaders of all Churches, including Pope Leo – for wisdom, discernment and courage 
• Schools in our Parish, praying for Henry Maynard, St Mary’s, Holy Family, Emmanuel, and the Girls’ School: for children/young people, staff and parents/carers 
• Young people not in work or education: for opportunities, direction and support 

Reflection: ‘Sheer Silence’ 
Revd Tim Scott, Associate Priest at St Mary’s and Area Dean, Waltham Forest, writes: 

During the past few days I have walked at a slightly slower pace and more in the shade in an attempt to keep cool. Often around the streets, particularly during daytime, there has been a strange silence, which at one level is a welcome break from lots of noise, but I have also found it to be quite eerie and disconcerting. 

Somehow there seems to be a question in the air: what’s coming next? 

That question is one which is filled with both uncertainty and hope (hope being the faith that, together, we can make things better, as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has written). This combination of uncertainty and hope is running through the politics of this country, with much speculation about what’s coming next. The on/off peace discussions between America and Iran, which have implications across the world, sway between hope and uncertainty. 

The long hours spent alongside a loved one who is ill are often hours filled with uncertainty and hope. For those called to particular ministries in the Church (and at this time of year, we particularly remember those who minister as churchwardens or those called to the Ordained ministry), a combination of uncertainty and hope is not uncommon. 

Being human involves a combination of uncertainty and hope, especially in a context where the very future of the planet is an urgent question and we see the increasing effects of practices which are destroying God’s creation. What’s coming next is a question we live with, whether on large issues or smaller everyday ones – ones that can still loom large at times.

At such times I find myself returning again to the passage in 1 Kings 19, where the prophet Elijah stands on mount Horeb, surrounded by the chaos of fear within and the buffeting of wind, earthquake and fire outside, experienced God in a still small voice or moment of ‘sheer silence’ as the original text says.  It is a palpable moment when it’s not clear what is going to happen and in which Elijah discovers that God has not abandoned him. 

Walking slowly down the street, in the shade, both enjoying the silence but disquieted by it, I draw strength from the picture of God meeting Elijah in a still small voice or sheer silence. 

I feel better able to face uncertainty and focus on what part I can play in being part of a hope which believes things can be better. And I pray that we may all be encouraged by the still small voice of God. 

With my love and prayers, 

Tim