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"From the Vicar"
Regular reflections from the Great St Mary's clergy team. You can also read these reflections by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, the eMag:
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To live is to change
I have been blessed to work for some very good bishops in the dioceses of Lichfield, Coventry, and Oxford. My beloved Bishop (and friend)...
amd215
Sep 1, 20212 min read
The heat is on
As this is a double edition of the eMag, I am writing my letter early — and I happen to be writing it on what is technically the last of...
amd215
Aug 18, 20212 min read
Be kind to one another
Last Sunday I was worshipping in York Minster. The words of the Epistle, as always, struck at my heart: Be kind to one another,...
amd215
Aug 11, 20211 min read
Running the Race
I was pinged on Sunday last — and thus began four days of hardship and suffering as I was forced into self-isolation. However, to...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Jul 29, 20212 min read
Inclusion and change
Today's reflection is from the Associate Vicar, Rev'd Devin McLachlan "It's not inclusion if you invite people into a space you are...
Rev Devin
Jul 14, 20212 min read
Ponder anew
In a PS at the end of last week's 'From the Vicar' I said that in the Hebrew Scriptures, the word for 'glory' derives from the Hebrew...
Devin McLachlan
Jul 8, 20212 min read
Heavy stuff
Last September - which feels like a very long time ago indeed - Shirley was ordained priest and David deacon. This coming weekend, David...
Devin McLachlan
Jun 30, 20212 min read
On the avoidance of spiritual bunions
I enjoyed sharing a piece from The Times with my ordained colleagues a couple of weeks ago. Titled 'Clergy were martyrs to medieval...
Devin McLachlan
Jun 24, 20212 min read
Refugee Week 2021
This week's reflection is written by our curate Andrew Day ‘God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble’ [Ps. 47.1]...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Jun 16, 20212 min read
Earthly Powers
Tomorrow is the beginning of the G7 summit in Carbis Bay in Cornwall. The UK Government's stated aim is to 'use the UK’s G7 Presidency to...
Devin McLachlan
Jun 9, 20212 min read
Get me to the church on time
This week's reflection is from the Associate Vicar My family was notoriously late for church. All the time. Notoriously, because my...
Rev Devin
Jun 2, 20212 min read
... also the Holy Ghost, The Comforter
Scripture seems to assert that the Spirit is fire - 'flame of incandescent terror' if T. S. Eliot is to be believed. Moses and his...
Devin McLachlan
May 20, 20212 min read
Zoom
Join me, if you would, in my liturgical TARDIS. The clock is set for exactly 500 years ago today. It’s Ascension Day 1521, and we find...
Devin McLachlan
May 13, 20212 min read
Being Nuts
Human beings are a work-in-progress. There is no point at which we are ‘sorted’, finally formed and fully fledged. Physically,...
Devin McLachlan
May 6, 20212 min read
Three Holy Days
We enter the Paschal Triduum this evening — those holy three days from the Last Supper to the Day of Resurrection. How Thursday through...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Apr 1, 20212 min read
Feast of the Notices
It's Lady Day today, the Feast of the Annunciation. When you're next inside Great St Mary's take a moment with the illustration of the...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Mar 25, 20212 min read
Sure and His Was a Wonderful Life
This week's reflection is from our curate Revd Shirley Holder Yesterday was St Patrick’s Day, so what can I tell you about ‘my’ patron...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Mar 18, 20212 min read
Love, Joy, Peace.
This week's reflection is from the Rev'd Shirley Holder, one of our curates Today, 11th March, would have been a dear friend’s 90th...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Mar 11, 20212 min read
Digging Out in Lent
This week's reflection is from Revd Devin, Associate Vicar At the back of our garden stands a pile of sewage-soaked clay and soil a meter...
Great St Mary's Ministry Team
Mar 4, 20212 min read
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good
I'm writing this at what I hope is the tail end of a six hour argument between my twins, who have learned a new coding language and are...
Rev Devin
Feb 25, 20212 min read
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