Dear St Mary’s, 

On Sunday 13th September, we will share Holy Communion at 9am followed by Morning Worship at 10.30am. Revd Vanessa Conant will preach and lead at both services. 

At 10.30am, we will have supervised children’s groups in the Welcome Centre with a Baby Lounge in the South Vestry at both services. Our lectionary readings this week are Romans 14:1-12 and Matthew 18:21-35 – Jesus’ Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. 

And then at 6pm, the St Luke’s Community will say evening prayer in the church and all are welcome. We hope to see you this Sunday at St Mary’s! 

‘Discovering Christianity’ Book Group Begins This Evening, 10th September 
If you are considering being confirmed this autumn, are preparing for baptism or would simply like to explore the Christian faith, we would love to have you join us as we read and discuss the book ‘Discovering Christianity: A Guide for the Curious’ by Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury – and there’s still time to join us. We will meet over four consecutive Thursdays in church starting this evening, 10th September, at 7.30pm. To register for the ‘Discovering Christianity’ book group, sign up here; you can also find the link on our website (stmaryswalthamstow.org) by clicking on ‘Learning Community’. 

Crochet & Knitting Group Returns on Saturday 12th September 
After taking a summer break, our Saturday crochet and knitting group will return this Saturday 12th September. During term time, our drop-in crochet and knitting group meets every Saturday, 10am-12pm, in St Mary’s Exhibition Space. Whether you’re a total beginner or have years experience, bring whatever you’re working on – or just stop in for a chat. For details, email Revd Jacintha Danaswamy at . 

Cafe and Play Area Closures 
Please note that on Tuesday 15th September, St Mary’s cafe and play area will both close early, at 1.30pm, for an afternoon wedding. And then on Thursday 17th September, the cafe and play area will be closed all day for a funeral. We apologise for any inconvenience. 

Notice About School Forms: 1st December Deadline and Attendance Requirements 
If you have recently started attending services at St Mary’s with the intention of putting in a school form to St Mary’s CofE Primary – our church school – welcome! Please be aware that school forms must be handed into our Parish Office by 1st December 2026 if at all possible. 

School forms should not be handed to a member of the clergy on a Sunday morning but should instead be given or emailed to our administrator, Josie Wilson, during the week; Josie will then have your school form signed by a clergy member. Once your form has been signed, Josie will then contact you to come and pick up your signed form. Please note that selecting ‘at the heart of the church’ on your form reflects a longstanding commitment to our worshipping community and will need to be confirmed by a member of our clergy team. 

Women’s Interfaith Network Food and Friendship on Wednesday 16th September 
St Mary’s is delighted to welcome the Women’s Interfaith Network (WIN) as they host a Food and Friendship meal on Wednesday 16th September from 6-9pm in the church. Drop in or stay to swap stories and make new local connections in our ‘story café’ session. The Women’s Interfaith Network believes that sharing food breaks down the barriers and helps us find common ground. Learn about the network more here or at www.wominet.org.uk. 

Vestry Sessions Presents Dramatised Work of Dylan Thomas on 18th September
The Welsh writer and poet Dylan Thomas’s ‘Under Milk Wood’ is a celebration of language, people and place. Adapted for the stage by director David Abramsky, this version – which will be performed at St Mary’s on Friday 18th September at 8pm (doors at 7.30pm) – reimagines this dream about a long-remembered homeland as a parable of what it means to be a migrant, refugee or anyone who ends up far from where they started. As part of this special evening, Vestry Sessions are partnering with Waltham Forest Migrant Action to promote the charity’s important work. Expect beautiful language, charismatic performance, live music and a chance to connect with one of the classics of British literature. You can purchase tickets here or by visiting wegottickets.com and searching ‘Vestry Sessions’. 

Confirmation Service with Bishop Guli on 4th October 
Confirmation is a special service in which a person confirms the promises that were made when they were baptised, and there will be a confirmation service on 4th October at St Andrew’s Leytonstone at 3pm with Bishop Guli. If you were baptised at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made promises on your behalf; however, at a confirmation service, you make these promises for yourself in front of your friends and family as well as before the local Christian community which promises to support and pray for you. If you are interested in being confirmed on 4th October – or simply interested in exploring confirmation – speak to Revd Vanessa Conant or email . 

Vestry Meeting Rooms for Weekday Meetings: £75 for Half-Day, £150 for Full Day
We are keen to promote our North and South Vestry rooms as weekday meeting spaces in an effort to increase revenue to cover operating costs and help fund ministry – can you help? We have a new web page (stmaryswalthamstow.org/weekdaymeetings) dedicated to these spaces which can accommodate weekday meetings of 8-10 people (South Vestry) or 2-4 people (North Vestry). These are great meeting spaces for teams that want to get off-site, and both Vestry rooms are equipped with tea/ coffee-making facilities, TV screens for presentations and their own private toilets. Rates are £75 for a half-day or £150 for a full day. 

Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter Treasurer Needed
Corinna Creasy, a member of St Mary’s and Vice Chair of the Night Shelter, writes: ‘Forest Churches Emergency Night Shelter is looking for a trustee treasurer. We know how difficult it is to find volunteer treasurers, and that many faith organisations have the same problem. Our charity has always been open to all faiths and none; however, we would love to have a treasurer from within the faith community. I attach a link to the recruitment pack and application…in the hope that you know someone drawn to this work or you can pass the information to someone who might apply.’ Learn more about the volunteer role here, by visiting www.forestnightshelter.org.uk, or by emailing . 

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. 

EcoTip: ‘Faith. Politics. Planet: Hope in a Divided Age’ 
Tickets are now available for an evening of deep conversation, reflection and worship at St John’s Waterloo in London on Tuesday 10th November. Called ‘Faith. Politics. Planet: Hope in a Divided Age’, and delivered in partnership with the Greenbelt Festival, speakers will include Dr Ruth Valerio – a theologian, writer, environmentalist and activist – and Andy Flannagan, a singer-songwriter and the Executive Director of Christians in Politics. The event will focus on how Christians can respond to the rise of the far right and the backlash to net zero policies and climate action. The 7.30pm event will be followed by a drinks reception. Click here for tickets or visit operationnoah.org and click on ‘attend an upcoming event.’ 

Please pray this week for:

• Attempts to stop illegal Israeli settlements and the violence associated with them alongside efforts to condemn all anti-semitism in the UK and around the world  
• More Christian leaders, and leaders of all backgrounds, to denounce the people who are wearing balaclavas and intimidating local communities and asylum-seekers 
• Politicians to work with experts, community leaders and local people to solve the problems we face as a country, from lack of affordable housing to polluted waterways 
• The government to say no to new fossil fuel developments in the North Sea – that we would invest in renewable energy, not oil and gas which are overheating the planet 
• The people on the Nepal-China border in the wake of the devastating floods that killed so many, as well as for all ongoing relief and rescue efforts there 
• All in our church and parish who are unwell in any way, praying for hope and healing 
• All in our parish who are lonely, depressed or facing other mental health struggles – that St Mary’s would be a community of connection, support and healing, and that those who are suffering would get the medical and professional help they need 
• More people to join our upcoming ‘Discovering Christianity’ book group, praying for all who are exploring faith or preparing for confirmation
• For Christ to be near to all who are hurting or worried, praying for those in financial need, are experiencing relationship breakdown, have health concerns or are grieving 
• The RNLI, which is non-partisan and dedicated to preserving all lives at sea but is facing abuse and criticism for simply rescuing migrants/ asylum-seekers in danger 
• Our clergy and staff team at St Mary’s and in the wider parish – for their health and wellbeing – as well as for all who lead ministries at St Mary’s or serve in any capacity 
• For Christ to be near to people around the world who are living in places of open, armed conflict – including Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Iran – and for all churches and aid agencies that serve there 

Reflection: ‘Magnifica Humanitas’
Revd Vanessa Conant, Rector of St Mary’s and the Parish of Walthamstow, writes: 

I met someone at an event recently who told me that a third of the employees in his company were about to lose their jobs. They were being replaced by new AI systems. I realised, as we were having this conversation, that I have this conversation a lot. Or versions of it. Job losses, radical job changes, the sudden loss of business for designers or web developers or software engineers. Perhaps this is impacting you too. 

Alongside this transformation of labour is the environmental impact of AI. The data centres that draw huge amounts of power, demand water in increasingly water-stressed environments and emit worrying amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, present new and developing risks to an already fragile climate. 

Today, an article in The Guardian had the headline: ‘AI could kill all humans in a decade, experts warn’. The headline was followed by an alarming exploration of the technology’s devastating potential. It’s not bedtime reading. 

Amidst these tectonic shifts in the way we live and work and connect, I am finding huge comfort in Pope Leo’s papal encyclical, ‘Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence’. As you may already know, an encyclical is a letter written to the Church to offer guidance and spiritual support. ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ is a work of profound wisdom, deep compassion and sharp social analysis which calls us all to responsibility, prudence and solidarity in the face of our changing world. I commend it to you. 

Throughout the New Testament, we see Christian communities bewildered by the world around them. The Holy Spirit is at work, bringing new life and new ways of being but with that come the challenges involved in developing a mature community, in addressing conflict and in enduring persecution. The New Testament epistles come to the first churches as ethical guidance and exhortation to hold fast to the love and mercy that has been shown to them in Jesus Christ and must now shape their actions and their living, even in the midst of danger and trouble. From St Paul to St Peter, St James to St John, the New Testament letters brought deep theology into dialogue with the real circumstances in which the first believers found themselves. And offered them hope. 

So it is for us. The world is often bewildering. Change and crises seem to present themselves at an ever-quickening pace – existential threats seem to lie around every corner. But we are not abandoned. As has happened throughout the ages, the Holy Spirit guides us into wisdom and into the love of Jesus. 

In ‘Magnifica Humanitas’, Pope Leo writes: ‘A subtle temptation may emerge, namely the thought that the problems are too big and we are too small, and that our choices, therefore, cannot make a difference. This is a polite form of resignation, often disguised as realism…Yet no one is without responsibility. We all have our own areas for action, and it is precisely there – and nowhere else – that we must choose whether to fuel the mentality of force (even if only through indifference, cynicism, lies of hatred) or preserve the mindset of peace (with truth, moderation, closeness and care)…The civilisation of love will not arise from a single or spectacular gesture, but from the sum total of small, steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanisation.’

There are many potential goods of AI of course, too. In Kenya, AI is helping to ensure that women without access to ultrasound machines during pregnancy are able to be scanned using new technologies, reducing infant and maternal death. Vaccine and medical research has seen huge advancements thanks to AI’s capacity to write genomes. In the Mediterranean, AI robots are helping to clean the sea of rubbish. 

There is great possibility for good.

Pope Leo writes, ‘In the humble fidelity of daily life, even the era of AI can become a time in which the Holy Spirit brings the civilisation of love to fulfilment in our lives. The Lord continues to make all things new. Let us never tire of praying for peace.’ 

I pray that we, at St Mary’s, might not be overwhelmed with bewilderment, not uncritically enthralled by new technology, nor despairing at an unknown future. May we, instead, receive wisdom where it is offered, root ourselves in the love of Jesus and learn together how to be human in an age of AI. May we be courageous, responsible, tenacious and compassionate in our determination to build a world founded on love. For nothing is impossible with God. 

With love 

Vanessa