Dear St Mary’s,

On 13th April – Palm Sunday – Revd Vanessa Conant will lead and Revd Ola Franklin will preach at 9am (Holy Communion) and again at 10.30am (Morning Worship), with no children’s groups due to school holidays but a Baby Lounge in South Vestry at both services. 

On Palm Sunday, we are invited into the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, greeted by a crowd waving palm branches and shouting, ‘Hosanna!’. Yet when Jesus is arrested days later, the crowd turns on him, calling for the inmate Barabbas to be released instead of Jesus. Pilate literally washes his hands of the decision, asking the crowd what should be done. Palm Sunday’s liturgy implicates each of us, making us members of the crowd and forcing us to see ourselves not just followers of Jesus, but also as his betrayers. 

In an overview of the history of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, the Church of England writes: 

‘It is still uncertain when Christians first began to make an annual (as opposed to a weekly) memorial of the death and resurrection of Christ. This Pascha (a word derived indirectly from pesach, Hebrew for ‘Passover’) was at first a night-long vigil, followed by the celebration of the Eucharist at cock-crow, and all the great themes of redemption were included within it: incarnation, suffering, death, resurrection, glorification. Over time, the Pascha developed into the articulated structure of Holy Week and Easter. Through participation in the whole sequence of services, Christians share in Christ’s own journey, from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the empty tomb on Easter. The procession with palms, which was already observed in Jerusalem in the fourth century, is accompanied by the reading or singing of the Passion Narrative, in which the whole story of the week is anticipated.’ 

This Sunday evening at 6pm, we will gather again for sung worship as part of a special Palm Sunday ‘Embers’ service. Themed around Palm Sunday and Easter, the service is a relaxed space for singing, prayer and reflection. For a full listing of our upcoming Holy Week services, see the notice below or visit stmaryswalthamstow.org/HolyWeek.

Holy Week 2025 at St Mary’s and in the Parish 
During Holy Week, join us on Wednesday 16th April at 7.30pm for our Tenebrae service – a retelling of the passion narrative, with the church growing progressively darker as the story progresses. On 17th April, Maundy Thursday, there will be a 7.30pm Holy Communion service at St Gabriel’s Church. And then on 18th April, Good Friday, we will begin the day at St Mary’s with Holy Communion at 8.30am; will later hold a ‘Messy Good Friday’ service for children and families at 10.30am; a ‘Quiet Easter’ service for neurodiverse children at 3.30pm; and a Good Friday service at 7.30pm. On Easter Sunday, 20th April, we will have a 6.30am Sunrise Service with an Easter Fire in St Mary’s Church courtyard followed by Holy Communion at 9am and again at 10.30am. More: www.stmaryswalthamstow.org/HolyWeek. 

Booking Open: Good Friday ‘Quiet Easter’ Service for Neurodiverse Children  
‘Quiet Easter’ is a 3.30pm service on Good Friday for neurodiverse children and their families and our only Holy Week service which requires booking. At least one parent or carer must stay with your child/ children during the service; however, we ask that you only book a ticket for each child, as adults do not need a ticket to attend the service. Book your child’s ticket here, or visit stmaryswalthamstow.org/HolyWeek to find the booking link. 

Join St Mary’s Good Friday Choir: Rehearsal on Maundy Thursday at 7pm 
Our musical director Jonathan Rathbone will rehearse a choir for St Mary’s evening Good Friday service, and anyone from St Mary’s or the wider community is invited to join. The choir will be supported by members of the London Forest Choir and will rehearse just once before Good Friday – on Maundy Thursday, 17th April, at St Mary’s, 7pm-8.30pm. You can practise the music here or by emailing Jonathan at . 

Is St Mary’s Your Church? Join Our Roll by 20th April and Help Us Reach 300 
Every six years, dioceses from around the Church of England ask parish churches to start from scratch and create an entirely new Parish Roll, which is a listing of everyone who considers a particular church to be their church home. If St Mary’s is your church, will you fill out a short form during or after this Sunday’s service (or online, if you’re unable to join us in person)? Our deadline is 20th April and so far we only have about 150 people who’ve signed up, though we estimate 300+ people regularly or occasionally attend services at St Mary’s. If you would prefer to fill out the forms online, it takes less than three minutes, but please note that we would like you to fill out both the Electoral Roll form (link here) and GDPR form (link here) if possible. You can also find the forms at stmaryswalthamstow.org/ElectoralRoll2025. 

New to Faith or Considering Baptism? Register for ‘Discovering Christianity’ in May
We’re offering a four-week course starting 8th May and running for four consecutive Thursdays, 7.30pm-9pm, for people who are looking to explore faith or who are considering getting baptised. We will be discussing the new book, ‘Discovering Christianity: A Guide For The Curious’ by Rowan Williams. Email . 

Newcomers’ Breakfast on Saturday 10th May in the Welcome Centre 
Are you new (or relatively new) to St Mary’s and looking to get more connected? If so, join us for our Newcomers’ Breakfast in the St Mary’s Welcome Centre (our church hall, located just across the churchyard from the church) on Saturday 10th May, 9.30am-11am. Clergy and lay leaders will be in attendance to share more about St Mary’s and answer your questions. We’ll have free tea, coffee, juice, fruit and pastries, and children are very welcome. RSVP by emailing Revd Vanessa Conant at . 

Parish of Walthamstow Annual Meeting on Sunday 11th May at St Gabriel’s Church
Every year, the churches which comprise the Parish of Walthamstow (St Gabriel’s, St Luke’s and St Mary’s) gather to give thanks for the year that has passed and for the service of others, to elect or confirm members of our congregation to roles in the church, and to pray for the future. This year, we will meet on Sunday 11th May at 3pm at St Gabriel’s Church (near the corner of Wood Street and Havant Road). The Annual Meeting is a great opportunity to connect with others from across the parish and to get a sense of the bigger picture. It is also an opportunity to stand for our Parochial Church Council (PCC), which is essentially a Board of Trustees for our church and parish. If you’re interested in joining the PCC, please contact a member of the clergy team, or email .

EcoTip: It’s Easy to Switch to a Fossil-Free Bank 
St Mary’s Cameron Conant, who also works for the Christian environmental charity Operation Noah, writes: ‘Despite the huge increase in global investment in renewable energy, nearly every major fossil fuel company is continuing to explore for new oil and gas and relying on banks to finance their destructive, unsustainable plans. From 2016 to 2023, banks around the world pumped over $6.9 trillion into fossil fuels; in 2023, Barclays provided $24.2 billion and HSBC $12.9 billion. With this in mind, perhaps, like me, you’ve been convinced for some time now that you need to switch banks (I was with HSBC), yet have lingering concerns about how complex it will be to switch and how long it will take. But I’d like to assure you that it is almost certainly easier than you think!’ Read Cameron’s article here about how easy it is to switch to a fossil-free bank, or find it at operationnoah.org. 

Please pray this week for:

• Christians and churches around the world observing Holy Week and Easter 
• Governments and small businesses navigating global trade tensions 
• People of faith and goodwill to oppose the rise of authoritarianism around the world 
• Refugees in search of safety and a place to call home 
• People in Walthamstow and around the world – including those not currently part of a faith community – to experience the love of God this Holy Week and Easter 
• Those in our Parish who are unwell in any way, and for those who care for them 
• International development charities, including Christian Aid and Tearfund 
• Children, young people, parents/ carers, teachers and school staff during this Easter Holiday: for safety, rest and encouragement 
• All who live in war zones and are in constant danger, praying especially for the people of Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine 
• Youth workers in Waltham Forest, Greater London and around the UK: for all they do to help young people see possibilities for themselves and glimpse a brighter future 
• Global investment in green energy and for a fair, fast transition away from fossil fuels 
• People in our Parish who are struggling to afford housing, food or other essentials 

Next Week in St Mary’s Church and Welcome Centre (14th April – 18th April) 

Monday 14th April 
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am 
Daphne & Friends (baby and child loss community), Welcome Centre, 10-11am

Tuesday 15th April   
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am 
Tai Chi, Welcome Centre, 7.30pm

Wednesday 16th April       
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am 
Walthamstow Welcomes Cafe (free help with paperwork), Welcome Centre, 10am-12pm 
Ninja School, Welcome Centre, 4-7pm 
Tenebrae Service, St Mary’s Church, 7.30pm 

Thursday 17th April  
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am 
Baby Massage, Welcome Centre, 10.30am
FoodCycle (free community meal), Welcome Centre, 6.30pm 
Good Friday Choir Rehearsal, St Mary’s Church, 7pm-8.30pm  

Friday 18th April      
Good Friday Holy Communion, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am 
‘Messy Good Friday’ Service for Children and Families, St Mary’s Church, 10.30am 
‘Quiet Easter’ Service for Neurodiverse Children, St Mary’s Church, 3.30pm 
Ninja School, Welcome Centre, 4-7pm
Evening Good Friday Service, St Mary’s Church, 7.30pm  

Reflection: ‘Minefield’ 
Revd Vanessa Conant writes: 

I recently learned about the work of Argentinian director and playwright Lola Arias. For fifteen years, Arias has created a particular type of theatre, working with real people to re-enact their experiences. In 2016, she worked with Argentinian and British veterans of the Falklands War to develop the play, ‘Minefield.’ Together, the veterans workshopped their stories of the war, sharing memories with both comrades and erstwhile enemies in an attempt to revisit and recapture the feelings and events of that time. It’s a technique which has proved to be profound and effective – both theatrically and therapeutically – with child refugees, survivors of sexual violence in Bosnia, and victims of war around the world. 

In the development of ‘Minefield’, the participants noticed something remarkable. As fragments of memories returned for one person, they would trigger memories in others. Recollections that had been suppressed for decades resurfaced; suddenly, things that were stored in the unconscious were made present and real. It wasn’t just that the memories returned, however. It was that re-enacting and symbolically engaging with the past enabled the performers to heal and to move forward with their lives, even in ways they hadn’t known they needed. 

I find myself thinking about Arias’ work – and all those who take part in it – as we prepare for Palm Sunday. On this day and throughout Holy Week, we re-enact the story of Jesus’ Passion and death and each of us is invited to participate in some way. On Palm Sunday, members of the congregation will take the part of different characters in Jesus’ journey to the cross and all of us will find ourselves, at one agonising moment, crying out together: ‘Crucify him!’ 

In our Holy Week Tenebrae service, symbols of light and darkness, together with poetry and music, guide us on the road to Golgotha (‘Calvary’ in Latin), which is ‘the place of the skull’. On Maundy Thursday, we break bread and drink wine and recall the Last Supper in a particular way. The Watch at the Cross and the starkness of our worship on Good Friday give room for raw grief and sorrow before the bursting open of joy on Easter Sunday. 

I am a great believer in entering into the Holy Week experience as far as we are able. It might not be possible to attend every service, but I find myself wanting to encourage every one of us to find an opportunity to participate in the story. Because, just as with Arias’ work, the re-enactment of the Passion can have a profound impact on us – body and soul. I have often been surprised at the way tears might well up at the Passion reading on Palm Sunday or the bewildering power of sitting with others in the silence and total darkness of Tenebrae. Memories and understanding, often stored unconsciously within us, are stirred and, as we revisit the story, new depth of meaning is found. 

It has been my experience, however – and I pray it will be yours too – that it isn’t simply that memories return or that there is some cognitive shift (though new understanding is always a gift). It is also that there is something profoundly healing in bearing witness to the death and resurrection of Jesus, something transformative about hearing the story again, reflecting on Christ’s love and sacrifice, staying with his suffering and joining the disciples in the joy and wonder of Easter Sunday. 

May this coming week be truly holy, and may our worship and our witness draw us closer to Christ who died and rose again and ever-lives to make intercession for us. 

With love 

Vanessa