WELCOME TO ST PAUL'S CHURCH KEWSTOKE

Where the spirit of the Lord is all around you

Our centuries-old parish church of St Paul, nestling under Monks’ Hill and its landmark steps at Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare, is and always has been at the heart of this community.

Although the parish and this part of north Somerset is rich in history, with 13th-Century Woodspring Priory viewed from the approaches to St Paul’s, the church today is very much alive, providing a centre of worship for all and hub for the spreading of the Christian faith.

St Paul’s is part of the Benefice by the Sea, linked with Wick St Lawrence, and led by our vicar, the Rev Gail Thomas. It is within Locking Deanery, part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and the parish stretches over Worlebury Hill to the edge of Weston town, to the east embracing part of Worle and to Sand Bay and the Severn Sea, running out to the west.

Special atmosphere

Our church family is drawn from across this area and from further afield – worshippers who are inspired by the special atmosphere of the church and its surroundings, by the friendliness of the people they meet and pray with, and the wide range of our services here.

Our Sunday services are core to church life and marriages, baptisms, and funerals take place during the year. House groups meet for further Christian study as well and there are coffee mornings to enjoy. Whether a long-time resident of the area, a newcomer, or perhaps just a visitor to this beautiful part of the West Country, do come and join us.

How to find us: satnav - 25 Kewstoke Road, Kewstoke, Weston-super-Mare, BS22 9YD.

Easy way to help our funds

Easyfundraising is an easy way to raise money for our churches, as it donates money to the church each time you buy online from selected stores.  You basically download the app onto your computer and each time you use one of these sites it takes you through the link for your church. So far £1,770 has been raised.

This is the app for St Paul’s http://efraising.org/BfcHgZsz n7

The importance of safeguarding

Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is taken very seriously across the Church of England.

A copy of St Paul’s safeguarding policy can be found on the Contact Us page.

The safeguarding officer for St Paul’s Church is Alison Withers. She can be contacted by telephone, 07706063272.

Diocesan safeguarding adviser is Ben Goodhind, tel. 01749 588917. Email: ben.goodhind@bathwells.angl ican.org. Address: The Diocese of Bath and Wells, Flourish House, Cathedral Park, Wells, BA5 1FD.

May August be a time of rest and of prayer

Donations for the Foodbank

St Paul’s Foodbank continues to help those in need in the Weston area and donations are gratefully received. The donations box is beside the font. We have been advised that items particularly needed at present include tinned soup, tinned tomatoes, tinned meat, fruit juice and squash, honey, jam, shampoo and deodorant.

All items are gratefully received, but if you could contribute any of these it would be really appreciated.

If you would like us to pray for you, or for a friend or a situation, please get in touch.

You can email Reverend Gail at revgailthomas@gmail.com or speak to her after a service.

Prayer requests

St Paul’s first Easter Fair set the scene for the approach of Holy Week, a joyous event at the church hall that attracted visitors of all ages and raised more than £500 for church funds.

Church supporters arranged a variety of stalls offering Jewellery, fancy goods, toiletries and clothing while others were kept busy offering cakes and refreshments. Visitors also tried their luck at a prize competition.

Our pictures capture the scene.

Enjoying all the fun of the church fair

August is a time when we take a breath.

The schools have broken up, the weather is generally good and we take a break from many of our regular activities.

Of course we have our holiday club in church but even that takes on a more relaxed vibe. And this is Biblical. After busy periods Jesus often took himself off somewhere quiet on his own to pray, to regroup, to prepare for what was ahead. And so it is for me as I take stock, plan for Christmas, and spend time in prayer.

May this summer be for you a restful, prayerful time.

With every blessing

Rev Gail

Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest - Mark 6:31-32.

Summer activiies

During August at the chuch hall there are Monday activity drop-ins, the usual coffee mornings on Tuesdays and Wednesday movies. See the What’s On page for details.

Woodspring Wordsmiths

Woodspring Wordsmiths is a get-together on Wednesday 5 August for Christians who write in any genre - whether hoping to be published, already published, or writing just for fun.

It is a friendly, supportive place to encourage one another, discuss problems and share experiences.

It takes place 7:30pm-9:00pm at Uphill Methodist Church,4 Uphill Rd S, Weston, BS23 4SD

Meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month. Affiliated with the Association of Christian Writers - membership is not required. Please share with any writerly friends.

A prayer for the closing of the day

Lord grant me a quiet night so that I can awake refreshed and ready to begin another day with you. Forgive me for the things I did today that did not honour you. Thank you for giving me the strength to get through the hard things. Bless our family and friends and keep us all safe through the night. Amen

Prayers and visits

For prayer, a home visit, baptism, wedding or funeral enquiries, please contact Rev Gail.