St Mary Redcliffe A Year at Redcliffe Magazine 2022

Leadership
Letter from Stephen
As we have come out of lockdown it has
been a privilege and a pleasure for me to
become part of the Ministry Team at St
Mary Redcliffe.
While I have a full-time job working for the
Anglican Communion Office in London, as
its director for theological education, I am
by training and calling a parish priest as
well as a tutor and have been the incumbent
of a number of different parish churches
over the years.
Soon after my wife and I moved to Bristol,
however, the pandemic started, and I was
confined to home. Then in the Spring of
2021 I was given Permission to Officiate by
the Bishop of Bristol and Dan very kindly
welcomed me onto the team as an extra pair
of priestly hands to help out when available
and wherever needed.
occasions. celebrated at 8am and assisted at
10.30 very occasionally, and been a member
of the Theology Book Club, which has
been enriching. I also write the Prayers for
the Anglican Communion paragraph each
week.
I cannot do much at SMR because of the
constraints of my daytime job but am very
happy to lend a hand and to do so at other
churches around the deanery when needed.
Looking ahead, I hope I can get to know
parishioners better and would like to offer
my teaching skills to the parish in some way
when the time is right.
Revd Canon Stephen Spencer
Asssistant Priest
Since then, I have led Morning Prayer
from church once a week or so, presided
and preached at Choral Evensong on a few
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