Supporting Ukraine

Information on the Bristol response to Ukrainian Refugees – click here

Information on volunteering with Love Bristol helping refugees with the visa process – click here

We are currently in discussions with Bristol City Council and South Glos Council about becoming a Welcome Hub for providing support and space for Ukrainians to access. One of the requirements of a Welcome Hub is that they have a Welcome Hub Leader – if you feel that this is an area of Ministry that you would like to be involved in please get in touch.

If you are interested in hosting a refugee please go to the Gov website to register your interest.

 


Donate items via Barnabus Fund Food Gives Appeal

Thank you to all those who have bought items in and those who have taken them to the Swindon collection point for the Ukraine Barnabus Fund appeal. We have taken lots of full car loads of essential items so far which is fantastic! 

The current need is for the following:

Food  tinned food with pull lids, energy bars and food you can eat on the run.

 


Donate Financially

Donating financially is one of the quickest ways to practically help. Below are four different ways.

Donate to the UK Disaster Emergency Committee Fund Click here

DEC charities are in Ukraine and neighbouring countries meeting the needs of all refugees and displaced people: By donating to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, you’ll help DEC charities provide food, water, shelter and healthcare to refugees and displaced families.

  • £30 could provide essential hygiene supplies for three people for one month
  • £50 could provide blankets for four families
  • £100 could provide emergency food for two families for one month

Donate to Moldovan Mission

Moldovan Mission’s CEO, Mark McCormick, is the founder and former leader of Gotesti Baptist Church. He works closely with St Michael’s Mission Partner Ruslan Telpiz and other Pastors throughout Moldova.  Click here

Message from Mark: “We are at this moment supporting our Pastor Partners, as they help those who are fleeing the Ukraine. They are meeting the refugees on the border and giving food and accommodation. If they wish to go to Romania then they are transporting them. All this they are doing at their own expense. So we are trying to raise funds for them. If you would like to help please use our donations page and mark your donation Refugees. Thank you“.

Donate to Epaphras Trust

Epaphras Trust works in four countries: Kenya, India, Nepal and Ukraine and is a Mission Partner of St Michael’s Church. Trustee and church member Ken Hart has been to Ukraine around 20 times in the last 18 years. More info and details on how to give: Click here

Donate to the #HelpUkraine Emergency Appeal. Click here

This campaign is being organised by a community partnership of Ukrainian churches and organisations in Great Britain,  and the funds raised will provide accredited and registered Ukrainian charities with medicine, food and vital services. Donations can also pay for blankets, hygiene packs and trauma counselling.
  • The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London
  • Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Great Britain
  • Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB)
  • Association of Ukrainian Women (AUW)
  • Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM)
  • Plast Ukrainian Scouts in Great Britain
  • Association of Ukrainian Teachers (AUT)
 

Prayer

A Message From Vicky

Hello!
I hope that you are doing OK – and that you are able to enjoy some of the sun that has been shining recently. It makes things a bit easier, doesn’t it? Although sometimes it feels too hot –but I really don’t want to complain!

As I write lockdown restrictions are beginning to ease… I wonder how that makes you feel? Perhaps you feel relieved and joyful at being able to meet friends and family again. Or maybe it makes you feel a bit anxious – after being told for so long that it’s not safe to go out, it’s a big change of our mindset to feel free to go out again. And, speaking as one who is more ‘relieved’than ‘anxious’, I still find it all quite exhausting!

But neither is right or wrong, so let’s go gently on ourselves and acknowledge how we’re feeling. Let’s take it one step at a time and do asmuch as we can manage – and allow ourselves time to recover too. I’m reminded of this verse from Isaiah 41:10, which is a great verse, however we’re feeling:


So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

One thing I am looking forward to in the next month is being ordained Priest. I was ordained Deacon last year (in a slightly delayed ceremony!); being ordained Priest is the next step in the journey. One of the things that Priests are called to do, together with the whole church, is ‘tell the story of God’s love’ and I am really looking forward to doing that not just through words, but through who I am and what I do. I am sure I will meet many of you as I do that and as church begins to open up more, and I would be grateful for your prayers. The ordination service itself is on 3 July at 3.30pm in Bristol Cathedral. Numbers of people who can attend are still limited, but this time my family and close friends will be able to be there.

I’m looking forward to seeing you in person as things begin to open up, and if and when you are ready to join in. The Coffee Shop is already open again (from 10am till 4pm Monday to Friday), so do come for a cuppa when you can.
God bless and love to you all

Emerging Stronger – Counselling for those on very low income

In response to the Covid crisis and the widely felt impact it has had both on mental health and people’s financial circumstances, Network Counselling and Training is significantly increasing the number of counselling sessions available to people on very low incomes.

If you are, or someone you know is:

  • having difficulties with any aspect of mental health, and
  • on an income of less than £750 a month

Network’s Emerging Stronger project can offer 6 sessions of counselling at an expected contribution of £5 per session.

To arrange an appointment to explore whether counselling might help you please call 0117 9507271 or email info@network.org.uk 

Digital Flyer

Drive-in Carols

We’re so excited to bring Comfort and Joy to the Drive-in this Christmas time!

We had a fantastic time for Drive-in Carols at Sainsbury’s Car Park on Sunday 20 December 2020

Thank you for your dontations on the night. We are donating just over £750 to Caring at Christmas.


HOW TO BOOK:

There are two identical services. One at 6.30pm and one at 8pm. Please book for the service you want to attend, tickets are not transferable.

Please note there will be no toilet facilities on site.

This event is intended as Drive-in only.

After you have booked, please watch out for a further email on the Friday before the event.

PLEASE NOTE: Your booking is per car. You add names of people attending at the next stage of the booking. 

Please note: this event is compliant with Government guidance and a full risk assessment has been undertaken. You must only attend with members of your own household/support bubble and keep socially distanced from others

Christmas Float

We want to share Comfort and Joy with everyone this Christmas, to bring light to what for many has been a difficult year

So we’ve made a float, with lots of lights and Christmas joy, to take around the streets of the parish!

Our parish is large – covering Stoke Gifford, Cheswick, Stoke Park and Scholars Chase – and we will be taking the float to all these areas throughout December.

Do listen out for the carols and come out and wave at us and join in singing to the carols being played if you would like to!


Dates and times:

Cheswick, Stoke Park and Scholors Chase:
Monday 7 December 5.15pm-7.15pm Scholars Chase
Tuesday 8 December 5.15pm -7.15pm Stoke Park
Wednesday 9 December 5.15pm-7.15pm Cheswick (BTP down towards MOD)
Thursday 10 December 5.15pm-7.15pm Cheswick (BTP upwards towards UWE)
Friday 11 December 5.15pm-7.15pm  Brooklands Park/Highbrook Park

Sainsbury’s Car Park (Fox Den Road)
Saturday 19 December 9.15am – 5.15pm

Stoke Gifford : For more detail on the routes for Stoke Gifford Click here

Monday 14 December 5.15pm-7.15pm
Tuesday 15 December 5.15pm-7.15pm
Wednesday 16 December 5.15pm-7.15pm
Thursday 17 December 5.15pm-7.15pm
Friday 18 December 5.15pm-7.15pm

Sainsbury’s Car Park (Fox Den Road)
Saturday 19 December 9.15am – 5.15pm

If you are a member of St Michael’s who would like to volunteer an hour or two to walk with the float w/c 14 December, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you

For details on how to dontate towards the ministry and mission of St Michael’s, head here

See some fantastic photos of the Christmas Float!

Drive-in Church


Drive-in Church 13 September 2020

We had a fabulous time at Drive-in Church! Here are a few photos….  

Below, you can view the Youtube Live stream


Drive-in Church 26 July 2020

We had a fabulous time at Drive-in Church! Here are a few photos….  

Below, you can view the Youtube Live stream and also the Facebook Live

Stoke Gifford Community Defibrillator

The Stoke Gifford Scouts have successfully fundraised to provide the community of Stoke Gifford with a 24 hour defibrillator.

The idea came after a first aid session back in June 2016 where the scouts learnt how to use a fully automatic defibrillator unit.

The defibrillator has been provided by The Community Heartbeat Trust Charity who will provide maintenance for the unit ongoing This bright yellow circular box has been fixed to the outside wall of the Old School Rooms. The code to the locked box is available from South West Ambulance Service by ringing 999 or 112 when a resident is suffering from a suspected cardiac arrest. 

The Community Heartbeat Trust are providing a seminar for the community on Thursday 20th April 2017 at 1pm.  

Spaces are limited, so booking is essential. Please sign up here.

 

 

 

 

 

Heart of the Community Gift Day – May 2016

The Heart of the Community project is integral to the vision of St Michael’s Church. Every part of the project will resource, enable and advance our work as a Christian heart at the centre of the community. Last year, we celebrated the opening of our new church and community centre. But the Heart of the Community project is not about community buildings.

It’s about building community, locally, regionally and — through our tithed giving — internationally.

We have pledged to:
– Preserve, protect and increase the use of our historic church building
– Refurbish the Old School Rooms
– Complete the new centre, and
– Give a tenth of money gifted by church members to support building and development projects undertaken by our mission partners.
We have raised £2.73m through the generous and sacrificial giving by church members. We need £4.04m to repay the loans and complete the project.
As we use the new premises and see the church grow, we give thanks for what God is doing and pray to see His Kingdom come in this place.
Sunday 22nd May is our Heart of the Community project Gift Day. Please pray and seek the Lord about how we can give to His service and leave a lasting legacy of God’s love for future generations.
Thank you for your continued support, faith and generosity.

Simon Jones, Team Rector

Gift Day Leaflet and Response Form

Heart of the Community Spring Update

 

ChurchCentreFirstSunday-9079