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Solitude
Solitude During Lent 2025 we looked at the practice of Solitude, as part of our ...
Lent 2025
Lent began with our Ash Wednesday Communion Service on 5 March at 7.30pm in church. ...
Repair Cafe
Do you have something at home which is broken but you don’t quite know how ...
Electoral Roll
Electoral Roll CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE ONLINE FORM Join the St Michael’s ...
Mission: Possible - International Lunch
Mission: Possible - International Lunch Do you love a good takeaway and food from other ...
St Michael's Summer Club
St Michael's Summer Club Summer Club is our annual club that runs for one week ...
Men's Ministry Beer Tasting
Our next Men's Ministry event is a Beer tasting evening on Saturday 1 February 2025 ...
Thanksgiving Service for the life of Charlotte Kingsley
Thanksgiving Service for the life of Charlotte Kingsley Charlotte's funeral service is on Wednesday 4 ...
Day of Prayer
Day of Prayer ...
All Saints Day Service of Thanksgiving & Remembrance
All Saints Day Service of Thanksgiving & Remembrance Join us on Friday 1 November at ...
Parenting for Faith: Babies and Toddlers
Parenting for Faith: Babies and Toddlers Parenting for Faith are running their wonderful Babies and ...
Harvest 2024
Harvest 2024 Each year when we celebrate Harvest, we collect non-perishable food items to donate ...

Solitude

Solitude

During Lent 2025 we looked at the practice of Solitude, as part of our teaching series, Practicing the Way, where we learn habits to help us become more like Jesus, and develop a Rule of Life.

Distraction is one of the greatest threats to spiritual health in the modern world.

We all feel it — we’re bombarded by noise like never before. 

Jesus has an invitation for us: Step away from it all (for some moments) to be alone with him, for the sake of our souls and the sake of others. 

Jesus, scripture tells us, withdrew to the quiet places to pray. (Luke 5:16) If Discipleship involves following Jesus, doing the things that He did, what might this Solitude practice look like for us?

What can we expect?

We will be exploring the theme of Solitude and following individual sermon titles each Sunday

  1. Introducing Solitude
  2. The Quiet Place
  3. Encounter with self
  4. Encounter with enemy
  5. Encounter with God

There will be a series of resources, including weekly exercises and readings, and additional resources to help us create life-changing daily rhythms.

This Practice is also perfect to use with Lifegroups with detailed videos and resources available.

1. Introducing Solitude

Watch Tom’s talk here

Tom recommends we read 1 Kings 19:18-20 again and adds:

–He rests

What might rest look like for you before you enter solitude?

–He’s real 

 ‘What are you doing here Elijah/[insert your name]?

Like Elijah can you answer this question honestly before God? You may want to write some things down.

–God renews

 Elijah’s purpose and calling is reaffirmed  at the end, but it takes time and a lots of waiting (40 days!).

Take time in the quiet and stillness to simply wait on God, with no agenda. You may hear his still small voice, you may not. At this stage just practise ‘waiting’ in the quiet for a five minutes or so, and enjoy His presence.   

2. The Quiet Place

Step-by-step solitude exercise- click here

Watch Ellie’s talk here

Watch Laura’s talk here

  

3. Encounter with Self

Watch Julie’s talk here

Watch Sara’s talk here

  

4. Encounter with the enemy

Watch Simon’s talk here

  

5. Encounter with God

Watch Tom’s talk here

  

Lent Reading

This year’s recommended Lent reading is “An Invitation to Solitude and Silence – Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence” by Ruth Haley Barton (ISBN-13: 9780281085781, 9780281085989)

Ruth also has a podcast on leadership, and in Season 5 she focused on this book. The first episode of that series can be found on Spotify here or on Apple podcasts here

Additional Reading on the Solitude Practice

The Practice of Silence – a pdf sheet from the Diocese of Bristol

Silence – Gateway to God, a Grove Booklet by David Runcorn

Going on Retreat – How to make the most of Time Out with God – A Grove Booklet – Liz Hoare 

Into the Silent Land – The practice of contemplation  by Martin Laird 

Grove booklets related to the topic: 

Solitude and Community – Open to God: Open to others By Helen Marshal 

Seeking Spiritual Direction – How to find support for your spiritual life, By Nick Help and Liz Hoare 

Rivers in the desert – finding spiritual renewal in barren times – Nigel Scotland

If you haven’t read it it, we also recommend last year’s Lent reading “Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Live as he did: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did” by John Mark Comer This book complements not only our Lent sermon series on Solitude but other spiritual practices that we are looking at as part of the Rule of Life


Presence – Contemplative Prayer Group

This group meets every Tuesday in the Church building at 12.30pm. 

All are welcome as we explore the practice of silence and enjoy God’s presence together. Each session starts and ends with a reading and prayer.

Lent 2025

Lent began with our Ash Wednesday Communion Service on 5 March at 7.30pm in church.

This lovely service included the opportunity to be signed with the cross in ash, as we began this season of reflection.

Lent Sermon Series

This Lent we are looking at the practice of Solitude as part of our long-term teaching series, Practicing the Way, where we learn habits to help us become more like Jesus, and create our own Rule of Life

We will be looking at it under the following individual sermons

  1. Introducing Solitude
  2. The Quiet Place
  3. Encounter with self
  4. Encounter with enemy
  5. Encounter with God

Read more about the practice of Solitude here

Lent Reading

This year’s recommended Lent reading is “An Invitation to Solitude and Silence – Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence” by Ruth Haley Barton (ISBN-13: 9780281085781, 9780281085989)

Ruth also has a podcast on leadership, and in Season 5 she focused on this book. The first episode of that series can be found on Spotify here or on Apple podcasts here

Other Reading

If you haven’t read it it, we also recommend last year’s Lent reading “Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Live as he did: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did“ by John Mark Comer This book complements not only our Lent sermon series on Solitude but other spiritual practices that we are looking at as part of the Rule of Life

Also available are Daily Lent Reflections from the Church of England. Head to the Church of England website to sign-up for daily emails or purchase a booklet. Or you can access all the content on the Everyday Faith App

Do you have something at home which is broken but you don’t quite know how to fix it? Well, the Repair Café may be for you! We have people fixing textiles, small electrical items, bikes and much more!

Do you use Ecover washing up liquid? Would you like to get a refill to avoid getting a new plastic bottle? If you do then come along to the Repair Café and we can sell you a refill. Please bring along your old bottle and we can refill it for you.

Our next Repair Café is below

The next events for Repair Cafe are:

Repair Cafe runs from 10am til 12pm

If you have things to repair or you’d like to get involved in repairing things do come along. Please contact Mike Watkivs via email 

Electoral Roll

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE ONLINE FORM

Join the St Michael’s Electoral Roll

At St Michael’s we want to live to make a difference, by being a Christian heart at the centre of our communities.  If St Michael’s is your home church we encourage you to join the electoral roll.

The Electoral Roll is the Church of England’s official register of who worships with us here at St Michael’s.

Every sixth year, instead of a revision, a completely new Roll has to be prepared. In 2025 we have to prepare a new roll. This means EVERYONE has to rejoin, even if you have signed-up before.

The application deadline is Sunday 6 April to ensure it is completed by our Annual Meeting on 23 April.

Why have an Electoral Roll?

It is the list of those qualified to attend and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting where the elections take place for the Parochial Church Council and the parish’s representatives on the Deanery Synod.  Any person entitled to attend the Annual Church Parochial Meeting may raise any question of parochial or general church interest.

How do I join the Electoral Roll?

You can join the electoral roll online by filling in the form below.
Alternatively, you can complete a paper form and return it to the church office.

How do I know if I qualify?

To join, you must 16 (or turn 16 in the next 12 months), be resident in the parish (or be a regular worshipper at St Michael’s), and be Baptised.

How do I know if I am resident in the parish?

You can use a Church Near You to determine whether your home address falls within St Michael’s parish boundaries or not.

Click here to use a Church Near You

I still have questions!

If you still have questions or would like some help, you can contact us.

Electoral Roll Form

CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE ONLINE FORM

Alternatively download a paper copy and return to the Church Office

St Michael’s Electoral Roll Privacy Notice

Mission: Possible – International Lunch

Do you love a good takeaway and food from other countries? Have you been inspired by our sermon series Mission:Possible? Are you intrigued to find out more about our mission partners?

Please join us for our Mission:Possible lunch on Sunday 23 February after our 10.30 celebration in the Lower Hall. We’ll have a selection of home-cooked international foods to enjoy and reflect together on how we can continue to respond to the ideas raised during the sermon series.

We’re asking for a suggested donation of £5 per adult, £2 per child to cover food costs. We expect to finish by 2pm.
Please sign up by Sunday 16 February for catering purposes

CLICK HERE

St Michael’s Summer Club

Summer Club is our annual club that runs for one week during the school holidays. We aim to have fun and grow in our faith.

If you have any queries please email summerclub@stmichaelsbristol.org and one of the team would love to help you.

Our next Men’s Ministry event is a Beer tasting evening on Saturday 1 February 2025 (Lower Hall).

The evening will involve the tasting of 12 beers including IPA, and craft beers etc. Each will have a description and an opportunity to give your assessment.
Half-time refreshments are beef or pork, in Bristol’s famous fresh cobs/baps.
Cost £10, incredible value!

BOOKINGS CLOSE THURSDAY 30 JANUARY


Thanksgiving Service for the life of Charlotte Kingsley

Charlotte’s funeral service is on Wednesday 4 December at 1pm in church. All are welcome. Charlotte requested that people wear bright colours. You are also welcome to join the family for refreshments at Memorial Woodlands, Earthcott Green, Alveston, Near Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 3TA

A live stream link is available on youtube (see below)

Day of Prayer

Day of Prayer

8:30am-8:30pm on Tuesday 3 December.

As we make time and space to pray, God does immeasurably more than anything we could ask for or imagine. We are inviting you to be part of a day of prayer in our church building on Tuesday 3 December. You can sign up for an hour slot (or more!) as we lift our world, our communities and ourselves before God and make space to hear his voice.

Between 12:30pm-1:30pm we’ll join together with Presence, a weekly gathering focused on spending time with God in silent prayer

Sign up to a prayer slot by clicking the button below.

Day of Prayer

All Saints Day Service of Thanksgiving & Remembrance

Join us on Friday 1 November at 7.30pm in church or online.

This simple service enables those who have experienced the loss of someone they love, to give thanks and remember their loved ones before God.

It may be that you have been bereaved in the recent or distant past… or maybe you know someone who is still struggling to come to terms with a loss – why not think about inviting them to come along?

If you are unable to make it in person, you can watch the live stream here

Parenting for Faith: Babies and Toddlers

Parenting for Faith are running their wonderful Babies and Toddlers online course on Thursday evenings: 7, 14, 21, and 28 November from 8 – 9pm on zoom!

They are inviting churches or groups to sign up and invite as many parents/carers of under-fives as they like and we would love to have a group from St Michael’s included!

If we have lots of interest, we will purchase a church ticket so as many of us as we like can attend.

This is a great opportunity for parents and carers in your church to get to know each other better and to explore what parenting for faith looks like with a little one.

If you would like to be part of this course, please register your interest by signing up here:

Harvest 2024

Each year when we celebrate Harvest, we collect non-perishable food items to donate to the local foodbank.

We are celebrating Harvest on Sunday 6 October this year, so please bring along non-perishable, in-date food items. The most-needed items are listed below.

North Bristol Foodbank have also provided a prayer update sheet so that we can support them prayerfully too. You can download the pdf here

You may also wish to consider donating directly to North Bristol Foodbank either financially or items that are needed. On this link you can purchase specific items that go directly to the foodbank