Author: Laura Thomas

The Gifts of Mindfulness for Silent Prayer

Posted on by Laura Thomas

The Gifts of Mindfulness for Silent Prayer

Saturday 10 May

Our culture can seem very noisy and busy sometimes, pushing us towards endless activity as if it is not enough simply to be here, to appreciate the beauty all round us and to offer love and kindness.

Using examples from the Bible of how Jesus lived in desert places and alone in the hills, together with guided mindfulness practices and reflections, this one day workshop explores how we can make more space for God in our lives. 

This one-day workshop is on Saturday 10 May from 10am to 4.15pm and tickets are £20. Spaces are limited and must be booked in advance. Click here to book

Please bring your own packed lunch, refreshments will be provided.

This is our 4th day led by Tim Stead at St Michael’s Church, Stoke Gifford. Tim has been an ordained Anglican priest for 20 years in the Oxford diocese. He is currently a freelance mindfulness teacher and writer having trained with the Oxford Mindfulness Foundation. He has written several books, as well as running 8 week mindfulness courses and training for healthcare professionals:www.timsteadmindfulness.org

Prayer Gathering

Posted on by Laura Thomas

Prayer Gathering

On Thursday 1 May at 7.30pm we are gathering in St Michael’s Centre for a whole church prayer gathering.

Prayer is key to everything we do, and an important part of our individual lives. This is a wonderful opportunity to gather and pray as a church, and listen to God together.

Why not count yourself in and come along for an evening of prayer and worship?

The Alpha Course

Posted on by Laura Thomas

The Alpha Course

We’ve been running Alpha at St Michael’s for many years, and hundreds of people have enjoyed the space to ask the big questions of life in a relaxed and open environment.

Alpha is a place where no subject is off-limits, and no question is too silly, difficult, or controversial (really!). It’s a place to find out what Christians believe, to see whether any of it adds up in practice, to decide what you think and – if you’re up for it – to give some of it a go.

Our next Alpha course begins with a taster session on Wednesday 1 October 2025. Express an interest in coming along here

Our next in-person course will be in the autumn.

if you have any questions please email Alpha@stmichaelsbristol.org.

How Alpha works:

We meet once a week, on a Wednesday, for 8 weeks. There is a Saturday together in the middle for a slightly longer time of food and discussion.

  • Alpha always starts with food.
  • There’s usually some live music.
  • Then there’s a 30-minute presentation on different aspects of faith and Christianity, covering topics like, Who is Jesus? How and why should I pray? How does God guide us?
  • We then get to respond to what we’ve heard, share our own thoughts and experiences, and chew over any questions raised. These discussions are often the best part of the session, and we get to hear from others as well as contribute our own perspective – if we’re up for that.
  • The evening finishes at 9.30pm

Please get in touch

To find out more about Alpha, or to sign up for the next course, please contact us!

Service of Celebration for the Life of Dave Carey

Posted on by Laura Thomas

Service of Celebration for the Life of Dave Carey.

Dave Carey – a much-loved member of our Church Family –  sadly passed away last month.  Dave was the Buildings Manager at St Michael’s for many years before his retirement in 2019. His hard work was integral to the vision and building of St Michael’s Centre, and the development of the Old School Rooms.  


A Celebration of Life for Dave will be held on Wednesday 16 April at 10.30am in Church. There will be refreshments afterwards in the Auditorium in St Michael’s Centre.  To help the family plan, we would like to get an idea of the number of people planning to attend. If you plan to come, please fill in this short form here.


Dave’s family have placed a book at St Michael’s Centre reception for people to share stories and memories of Dave. The family would love to read what Dave meant to people, so please do pop in to share yours.
Please do continue to pray for Dave’s wife Kim and their children – Becky, Sarah and Toby.

For those who are not able to attend, the service will be live-streamed via our YouTube channel. Click here for the direct link