Dear St Mary’s,
On Sunday 20th July, Revd Tim Scott will preside and Rob Duddridge, our licensed lay minister, will preach. We’ll celebrate Holy Communion at 9am and again at 10.30am with supervised children’s groups at 10.30am and a Baby Lounge at both services for parents and carers to come and go as needed. For those who are unable to join us in person this week, we’ll livestream the 9am service to our Facebook page.
Our lectionary readings are Colossians 1:15-28 – a passage in which St Paul writes, ‘the Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation’ who ‘is before all things, and in him all things hold together’ – and Luke 10:38-end: Jesus at the home of Mary and Martha, a story in which Jesus commends Mary for her attentiveness to his teaching.
At 6pm, Revd Jacintha Danaswamy will preside at a special Inclusive Church Eucharist which will include a sermon from Revd Vanessa Conant as well as music from Jonathan and Helen Rathbone. All are welcome to attend, especially our local LGBTQIA+ community, allies, and anyone else who has ever been marginalised from church or faith in any way.
We hope to see you this Sunday at St Mary’s!
Thank You From Revd Vanessa Conant
I was deeply touched by the food, the cards and the beautiful speeches you gave me (and Cameron) at our bring-and-share lunch last Sunday. Thank you for such generosity, kindness and love. As I said on Sunday, it is such an enormous privilege to be the priest of this church and one I treasure daily. I give thanks for the opportunity to serve God in this way and to serve you and our wider community. Cameron and I feel so blessed to have been here in Walthamstow for 10 years and look forward to all that is to come. Thank you.
Open Mic Night Tonight: Free Tickets Available
This evening (Thursday 17th July) at 7.30pm, St Mary’s will host its first ever Open Mic Worship Night. This will be an evening of open and reflective worship incorporating spoken word poetry, music and more. Click here to reserve your free ticket, or visit stmaryswalthamstow.eventbrite.com which lists our ticketed events, including tonight’s.
Explore St Mary’s Churchyard as Part of This Sunday’s Walthamstow Garden Trail
St Mary’s Churchyard will be part of a Walthamstow Garden Trail this Sunday 20th July. The organisers are encouraging people to visit nine gardens and green spaces across Walthamstow, including St Mary’s, in an effort to promote gardening for pollinators and wildlife. The organisers are also raising money for butterfly conservation. Learn more about the various stops on this Sunday’s trail by visiting butterfly-conservation.org/events.
St Mary’s at Waltham Forest Pride on Saturday 19th July
Waltham Forest Pride is on Saturday 19th July in Lloyd Park and will feature a range of stalls, with activities for children and families. St Mary’s, along with other inclusive churches, will host a space of Christian welcome, conversation, and prayer. We’d love you to stop by and say hello. We’ll end the weekend with an Inclusive Eucharist at 6pm on Sunday evening in St Mary’s (see separate announcement for details). As with previous years, Waltham Forest Pride is free but ticketed and you will need a ticket if you are planning to attend and not volunteering. Book your ticket here – however, please note that you do not need to answer all of the questions on the form – or Google, ‘Waltham Forest Pride Tickets’.
Waltham Forest Community Choir to Perform at St Mary’s on Saturday 19th July
Waltham Forest Community Choir will perform, ‘This Shining Night: Songs on the Theme of Night’ at St Mary’s Church this Saturday 19th July at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 for adults and £5 for children and can be purchased in advance at singwithus.net.
Inclusive Church Eucharist on Sunday 20th July at 6pm
On the Sunday of Waltham Forest Pride weekend, join us at St Mary’s for a beautiful service of liturgy and song celebrating God’s inclusive love and the lives of LGBTQIA+ people. The Inclusive Church Eucharist – which will be led by Jacintha, with a sermon from Vanessa – is this Sunday, 20th July, at 6pm: a moment to give thanks for every step towards inclusion and belonging in the church and for the allies who faithfully walk alongside LGBTQIA+ people.
Crochet & Knitting Group to Meet Next Saturday, 26th July
Our Saturday drop-in crochet and knitting group will not meet this weekend but will meet on Saturday 26th July; join us from 10am in our Exhibition Space for a relaxed time of conversation and crochet/knitting (with light refreshments) before we take a summer break. After our meeting on 26th July, the group will next meet on 20th September, 10am-12pm.
Heatwave Toolkit Workshop on 28th July at 7.30pm
You are invited to our first community workshop focused on low-cost ways to cool buildings down. This one-hour session will give simple and affordable ideas for keeping your home cooler in hotter temperatures and is a great way to get to know others while learning useful skills. Spaces are limited for this trial workshop and we will be asking you for feedback at the end of the session in order to learn from your experience and prepare for future workshops. Register interest here or email Revd Vanessa Conant at .
St Mary’s to Run Free Events for Children at the End of August: Can You Help? We have decided not to go ahead with a Summer Festival this year but to instead focus on running a series of free events for local children in the final week of August – a time when many other free activities for children have stopped for the summer but the new school term has yet to start. From 26-29 August, we will aim to put on two free sessions per day for children, and our current plan is to run fete games on Tuesday, crafts and gardening activities on Wednesday, retro video gaming with Revd Alan Moss on Thursday, and children’s films on Friday. If you would like to help us develop our programme and/or volunteer for any amount of time, email Louise Wallis at .
Marriage Preparation Course to Begin in September
Are you considering getting married or are you currently planning a wedding? St Mary’s will run a free Marriage Preparation Course for couples on three consecutive Sunday afternoons beginning 7th September, 3pm-4.30pm. The course is a great opportunity for all couples to consider and discuss the building blocks of a lasting relationship. St Mary’s is an inclusive church and our course is open to all couples, including those getting married elsewhere. To register or to learn more, please email Josie Wilson at .
New to Faith or Considering Baptism or Confirmation? Try ‘Discovering Christianity’
We’re offering another opportunity to explore faith with a new four-week course starting 11th September and running for four consecutive Thursdays, 7.30pm-9pm, for people who are looking to explore faith or who are considering getting baptised or confirmation. We will be discussing the book, ‘Discovering Christianity: A Guide For The Curious’ by Rowan Williams, the theologian, academic, poet and former Archbishop of Canterbury. Sign up for the course here or email Revd Vanessa Conant at .
Save the Date:12th October Evening Confirmation Service with Bishop Lynne
There will be a Deanery Confirmation service at St Edmund’s, Chingford, on Sunday 12th October. Confirmation is a special service in which a person confirms the promises that were made for them at baptism (also known as ‘Christening’). If you were baptised at a christening when you were a child, your parents and godparents made these promises on your behalf, however, as a young person or adult, you may now be ready to affirm these promises for yourself and publicly commit to following Jesus Christ, something which happens at a confirmation service. Your friends and family as well as the local Christian community are there to promise to support and pray for you. At the service, Bishop Lynne will also lay hands on the candidates’ heads and ask God’s Holy Spirit to help them follow Christ. Register interest in being confirmed here, or speak to Vanessa to find out more.
Lost Property: Check Our Table This Weekend
As a building open to the public throughout the week, lost property quickly accumulates – everything from children’s shoes and scooters to water bottles and jumpers – and the time has come for us to do another clear-out! From this Friday (18th July) to Sunday (20th July), we’ll display unclaimed items which have been in our possession for many weeks. All of our lost property items will be displayed on a table at the back of church, and if you see an item which is yours, please take it; alternatively, if you see something you could use, please take that as well. Anything left on the table after Sunday will be recycled or taken to charity shops.
EcoTip: High Street Banks are Continuing to Fund Fossil Fuels: Switch Your Bank
After dropping a 2030 emissions-reduction target in February, HSBC has now left the banking industry’s climate coalition and is continuing to fund fossil fuels. Sadly, HSBC is not the only UK high street bank still financing planet-heating fossil fuels – this according to the Banking on Climate Chaos report, which shows Santander, Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest all still funding fossil fuels as well. Nearly 250 Christians around the UK have now pledged to move their bank account from a financial institution that funds fossil fuels to one that doesn’t – and you can, too. Charities are encouraging Christians to join the Big Bank Switch campaign and switch to a greener bank. Learn more at operationnoah.org/BigBankSwitch.
Please pray this week for:
- That many would experience the love of God as they encounter our stall at Waltham Forest Pride and would attend our Inclusive Eucharist the following evening
- Dry conditions around London and the UK, which has led to an increase in fires
- All of those in our parish and community struggling with the cost of living, especially in light of the news that the UK’s rate of inflation is now higher than expected
- Those struggling with their physical or mental health – for hope, healing and support – praying specifically for anyone in hospital, undergoing treatment or awaiting results
- Children, young people, parents, teachers and school staff as the term ends: for encouragement, rest, and support for children/ young people over the next six weeks
- Those travelling this summer and for those staying locally: for safety and rest
- Diplomatic efforts to end the violence in Gaza/ Israel, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Ukraine/ Russia and wherever there is war or conflict
- A new distribution system to get food and supplies to Gazans safely and effectively
- That our politicians would work for the Common Good, prioritising those most in need and would work with local communities to find solutions to our biggest problems
- An end to fossil fuel finance by major banks and insurance companies
- Churches and Christian communities around the world, particularly churches meeting in difficult or dangerous places, including in the West Bank, Gaza and Ukraine
- Leaders of local and national churches, including Pope Leo, and for the Church of England as it searches for a new Archbishop of Canterbury
Next Week in St Mary’s Church and Welcome Centre (21st July – 26th July)
Monday 21st July
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am
St Mary’s Primary School Assemblies, St Mary’s Church, 9am; 11am; 2pm
*‘Mini-Mondays’ Stay & Play Toddler Group to Begin in Welcome Centre on 21st July, 11am-12pm – £8 for adult + child: book now with Jorden: 07301486430
Violence Against Women and Girls Workshop, Welcome Centre, 4.30pm-5.30pm
Ninja School, Welcome Centre, 6pm
Waltham Forest Community Choir, Welcome Centre, 7.30-9.30pm
Tuesday 22nd July
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am
Nicene Creed Course, St Mary’s Church, 7.30pm
Wednesday 23rd July
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am
Walthamstow Welcomes Cafe (free help with confusing paperwork), Welcome Centre, 10am-Noon (stmaryswalthamstow.org/WalthamstowWelcomes)
Ninja School, Welcome Centre, 4-7pm
Centre for Theology and Community, St Mary’s Church, 6pm
Thursday 24th July
Morning Prayer, St Mary’s Church, 8.30am
Baby Massage, Welcome Centre, 10.30am
FoodCycle (free community meal), Welcome Centre, 6.30pm
Singing Room, Welcome Centre, 7.30pm
Friday 25th July
Ninja School, Welcome Centre, 6pm
Saturday 26th July
Crochet & Knitting Group, St Mary’s Church Exhibition Space, 10am-Noon
Reflection: ‘The Wisdom of Ants’
Revd Andrew Stewart, vicar of St Gabriel’s Church, writes:
At both St Mary’s and St Gabriel’s, we’ve been reflecting on the Nicene Creed – that bold, world-spanning declaration of Christian faith, now 1700 years old. St Mary’s has explored it through an evening course; St Gabriel’s, in a Sunday sermon series. Alongside this, St Gabriel’s has also been reading through Proverbs – a collection of vivid, practical sayings that offer clarity for daily life.
You’d be forgiven for thinking the two – cosmic creed and everyday proverbs – don’t quite belong together. One speaks in the language of metaphysics and eternity – God from God, Light from Light – while the other offers short, earthy wisdom: how to avoid laziness and live with purpose, how to be generous without being gullible, and why it’s usually wise to hold your tongue. But in the imagination of the ancient Church, these belong together.
In fact, Proverbs 8 was a key text at the Council of Nicaea. There, Wisdom speaks – not just a concept, but a person: the one through whom God made the world. The global Church recognised here the Eternal Word, the Divine Logos, the Wisdom of God – Jesus Christ himself. He is the Wisdom who shaped the cosmos, inscribing his reality not only into stars and galaxies, but into the daily rhythms of bees, trees, oceans, tides…and even ants.
Yes – ants.
Proverbs 6 and Proverbs 30 both lift up the humble ant as a bearer of divine wisdom. Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. No one gives them a rota. They don’t wait to be told. But each one does what it can, today, for the good of all – planning ahead in a way that’s simple, steady, and wise.
The ant doesn’t try to do everything at once. It just stores what it can find – again and again, day by day. And by the end of the season, all the little acts of gathering have become an abundant store, enough to carry them through the winter.
This, too, is the mind of Christ at work in creation. The ant isn’t paralysed by the size of the task. It simply does what it can, today – faithfully, patiently, with an eye on what lies ahead.
Jesus tells us not to be overwhelmed by the future. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Today is where we’re called to act: to love, to forgive, to speak truth, to do good. We may feel our strength is small – but the ant reminds us what small strength can do when it’s put to steady use.
And here’s the hope at the heart of the Creed: the Jesus who is Lord of all things – eternal, radiant, cosmic – is also the one who holds today in his hands. He’s running the universe. We don’t have to. Because he reigns, we’re free to do the small things with trust and joy, one day at a time.
So let’s follow the wisdom of the ant. Let’s do the right thing today – and then again tomorrow. And perhaps, a year from now, we’ll look back and marvel at what Christ has made of our small efforts – how he has done far more with our little strength than we ever thought possible.