Dear St Mary’s, 

It has been a joy journeying through the season of Epiphany with you, and this week, we mark another ‘epiphany’ in the life of Christ: Jesus standing up in the synagogue at the beginning of his ministry and reading the following passage from the book of Isaiah: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.’ 

Join us on the Third Sunday After Epiphany (26th January) as we explore this moment from the life of Jesus and what it says about being a disciple. We’ll celebrate Holy Communion at 9am with Revd Jacintha Danaswamy presiding and Revd Tim Scott preaching, while at 10.30am, we will have our monthly intergenerational service led by Jacintha. 

There will be a Baby Lounge in the South Vestry at both services, however, there are no children’s groups at 10.30am as all ages are together. For those unable to join us in person, we’ll livestream the 9am Holy Communion service to Facebook (facebook.com/StMarysE17). 

We hope to see you this Sunday at St Mary’s! 

Make Church Happen: Join a St Mary’s Rota in 2025 
Will you consider joining a rota in 2025 and commit to serving in church every 4-6 weeks? We need your help serving refreshments after Sunday services, leading children’s groups, welcoming people, reading scripture, running AV and more. Church happens because we make it happen! To volunteer or to learn more, email .

What’s Important to You? Join Our Zoom Listening Meeting This Tuesday, 8pm 
Climate Change, Youth Safety, Air Quality, Affordable Housing, London Living Wage, Supporting Refugees – what’s important to you? Community Organising is more than public action: the methods and techniques of organising also shape our life as a church and help us to live out our faith as Christians. We are currently in the process of holding a series of congregational listening meetings, and our next one will be on Zoom this Tuesday 28th January at 8pm. To reserve your place, email: . 

Revd Vanessa Conant to Return to Work on Sunday 2nd February 
Revd Vanessa Conant, who has been on parental leave for the past year, will resume her role as Team Rector of St Mary’s and the Parish on 2nd February. Vanessa will respond to emails from 3rd February and can be contacted at . 

St Mary’s Knitting and Crochet Group to Restart on Saturday 15th February 
Last year we started a drop-in crochet and knitting group which met on Saturdays in our Exhibition Space and was extremely popular! The group has been on pause in January but will start back up again on Saturday 15th February, 10am-12pm. Bring wool, needles, crochet hooks and whatever you’re working on. Details: . 

Volunteering or Adopting a Grave in St Mary’s Churchyard 
Though many people regularly visit our award-winning churchyard, some may not know that there are weekly opportunities to volunteer as well as the opportunity to ‘adopt’ a neglected grave. Head Gardener Tim Hewitt oversees all aspects of our churchyard and can provide instruction and help getting started. Weekly volunteering sessions happen Tuesday-Friday, 1-4pm – just drop in! To adopt a grave, email Tim at . 

EcoTip: ‘No Faith in Fossil Fuels’ Webinar on Thursday 6th February at 7pm 
As the government consults on whether to end drilling for new oil and gas in the UK, join Operation Noah, Christian Climate Action, Christian Aid, Laudato Si Movement and Green Christian for a ‘No Faith in Fossil Fuels’ webinar on Thursday 6th February, 7pm-8pm. Learn more about how to get involved in campaigning with other Christians to bring an end to the destructive fossil fuel era, ushering in an era of clean and affordable energy. Register for the webinar here or visit the Green Christian website (www.greenchristian.org.uk). 

Please pray this week for:

• Christian unity, which is a focus of prayers around the world this week 
• Candidates from St Mary’s and elsewhere being confirmed on 2nd February 
• Our PCC (parish and church trustees) meeting on 3rd February
• Human rights to be upheld in places where those rights are being tested 
• Peacemaking efforts in Gaza/ Israel: for the ceasefire to hold and lives to be rebuilt
• The brave stance taken by US Bishop Mariann Budde: for her witness and protection 
• A strengthening of churches and civil society in a polarised and chaotic world 
• The witness of the Church: for bravery in speaking truth and confronting injustice 
• St Mary’s in this time of transition, and for Revd Vanessa Conant as she returns 
• Our listening meetings, that we would listen deeply and well to one another 
• All who are unwell in body, mind or spirit: for hope, healing and support 
• The Holy Spirit to move among us, inspiring love of God and love of neighbour 

Next Week in the Welcome Centre (27th January-1st February) 

Monday 27th January
Waltham Forest Community Choir, 7.30pm 

Tuesday 28th January  
Hula Fit, 6.30pm 
Tai Chi, 7.30pm 

Wednesday 29th January   
Ninja School, 4-7pm 

Thursday 30th January  
Baby Massage, 10.30am
FoodCycle (free community meal), 6.30pm 
The Singing Room, 7.30pm 

Friday 31st January   
Sing and Sign, 10.15am & 11.15am 
Ninja School, 4-7pm 

Saturday 1st February 
Walthamstow Welcomes Cafe (free help with confusing paperwork), 10am-Noon

Reflection: ‘Good News for a Fragile World’ 
Revd Jacintha Danaswamy writes: 

We continue in our season of Epiphany, a season we associate with God being revealed, recognised, and made known in Jesus Christ. In last Sunday’s gospel reading, we reflected on the Wedding at Cana and Jesus’ first miracle, or sign as John describes it: the turning of water into wine. The water and wine is an illustration of the human and divine that we encounter in Christ, pointing us to the baptismal waters in which the old is washed away and we are invited into the new, where all are cared for and loved by God. 

Jesus’ hospitality, the wine he provides, is a reminder of God’s abundance and radical welcome, and the acknowledgement of the giving of himself to reconcile us with God.

This coming Sunday, in our reading from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus reveals who he is in Nazareth, his hometown. He begins his ministry by standing up in the synagogue on the Sabbath, unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, choosing a section, and reading: 

‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ (Luke 4:14-20)

Here, Jesus not only reveals who he is – a fulfilment of God’s ancient promise – but also his ministry, what he will do and how he will live and act in the world. This passage from Luke is one of comfort and hope and sets the tone for us to follow, to be people of mercy and justice.

Over the past few days, I have been preparing for our Listening Meeting this coming Tuesday. As part of St Mary’s Listening Campaign, we will gather online and share a little about what is important to us and where we would like to see change in our community and wider world. We will reflect on climate change, youth safety, affordable housing, health, supporting refugees – as well as other important issues. As I prepare for this meeting, I have also been reflecting on this week’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, a powerful reminder of who Jesus is, and who we, as Christians, are called to be.

Recalling these words is helpful in a week when the world feels fragile: rebuilding from devastating fires in Los Angeles, the early days of a ceasefire in Gaza/Israel, and the inauguration of a world leader who has brought fear to so many, including the most vulnerable and marginalised, from migrants to LGBTQ+ communities. I am grateful for the comfort and hope in our verses from the Gospel of Luke, grateful for our inclusive community at St Mary’s, grateful for Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde – who courageously and thoughtfully challenged Donald Trump this week – and grateful for all who speak truth to power.

I pray that you too will find comfort and hope in our reading from the Gospel of Luke, and that, in this season of Epiphany, you will see God revealed in Jesus and his ministry, and that you will be encouraged in the week ahead.

Much love,

Jacintha