Our Games Day on 13th June was another great success, bringing together people of all ages for a day filled with games, conversation and community. Across the day we welcomed 87 people, including 20 children. This was our 15th Games Day, building on the successes and lessons learned from previous events while also trying some exciting new ideas. Alongside all the usual Games Day favourites, we introduced game demonstrations, escape puzzle games with the developer, and a socia

I wanted to reflect on the Holy Trinity… Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and why that speaks to me personally. Sometimes the Trinity can sound complicated in theology… but for me, it became something deeply personal. Because I realised that God meets us differently in different seasons of life. God the Father speaks to the part of me that needed safety. The part that needed somewhere steady. Somewhere to belong. A reminder that I am loved not because I’ve earned it, but simply b

On Sunday 7th June we had the joy of celebrating as a church with baptisms and confirmations. In the morning service, one of our young people was baptised and another affirmed their baptismal vows. In the afternoon we were joined by Bishop Arun, along with people from several other churches, for a North West Deanery confirmation service where 10 young people and adults were confirmed. Here’s a brief reminder of what baptism and confirmation are all about: Baptism (Welcome) Ba

School uniforms are one of those essentials every family needs — but they can also become one of the biggest household expenses, especially as children grow so quickly. That’s why the LS16 Community Uniform Exchange has become such an important resource for local families. The exchange provides free, good-quality pre-loved school uniform to families across Ireland Wood, Tinshill, Cookridge, Lawnswood, West Park, Adel, Bramhope and beyond, helping reduce costs while also cutti

My name is Beccy from Leeds Faith in Schools! We are a mission partner organisation at St Paul’s. Across nine different high schools Leeds Faith in Schools work alongside staff to provide support for their students in many different ways! Through one to one mentoring sessions and group work we can ensure that children who are affected by poor mental health are supported and given a chance to journey to positive mental health. Through our lunch clubs we can encourage and suppo

Volunteering isn’t just something we do at St Paul’s - it’s who we are. From Monday 1st to Sunday 7th June, we’re joining the national celebration of Volunteers’ Week, shining a bright and grateful spotlight on every person who gives their time, energy, and compassion to help our church and community flourish. Whether you serve tea after services, run children’s groups, help maintain the building, welcome newcomers, or quietly support others behind the scenes, you are part of

On the 7th May, a group of 24 people, including regular midweek communion attendees and friends, went on a day trip to Newby Hall in Ripon. Claire, the church community worker, and myself went along as the “responsible” adults. It did feel like I was organising a school trip, having to collect “permission slips” (contact detail forms) from everyone and reminding them to bring a packed lunch and some pocket money for the gift shop! On the day, everyone arrived on time for our

Every year the church holds the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), an opportunity to reflect on the previous year, celebrate growth and successes, discuss challenges, review finances and building upkeep, and elect representatives for the church council and wider Deanery and Diocesan councils. Anyone on the church electoral role can vote at the meeting, in the same way that you can only vote in local and general political elections if you are registered on the electoral r

This weekend, 15 of St Paul’s young people headed to Lineham Farm for our annual youth residential. Set just outside Leeds, Lineham Farm gave us the perfect setting to escape the busyness of daily life and feel like a real retreat. Surrounded by countryside, away from school pressures, phones, and routines, our young people were given space. Space to have fun, deepen friendships, and encounter God in fresh ways. From the moment we arrived on Friday, we shared food, explored t

Hello, I want to spend a little time reflecting on growth—not just personal growth, but how growth happens within the church, and how the church becomes a place of love, belonging, and restoration. In Colossians 2:7, Paul writes: “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.” I love that picture of being rooted. A tree doesn’t strain to grow; it grows because it is planted, watered, and sustained. I think that’s what the church can be: a place where

If you’ve ever watched the film Yes Man, you’ll know the premise: what happens when someone starts saying " Yes" to every opportunity? In the movie, that choice leads to an unexpected adventure - and even helps save a life. For St Paul’s Mission Partners Jason & Rachel, saying Yes to God works in a similar way. Their lives - and the lives of many others - have been transformed simply because they decided that when God invites, they respond with Yes . The First Yeses Both Ja

As we approached the end of Lent, we finished our ‘Try’ sermon series, based on Jesus’ sermon on the mount. The last sermon was titled “Try Discernment” – how do we know if we are walking the right path in our life with Jesus? Discernment dictionary definition = to recognise, the ability to judge well There are many decisions that require discernment – what job to apply for, which church to go to, which people to let influence your life, or what God is asking you to do. Most

In my sermon on Sunday 15th March, I spoke on the theme of ‘Try Generosity’ and how our generosity towards others flows from God’s abundant generosity towards us, which in turn leads to thanksgiving to God. I spoke about how we can be generous with what we have, focussing particularly on being generous with what we give financially. You can listen on our website here: https://www.stpaulsirelandwood.org/podcast/episode/295b5ec2/try-generosity When was the last time you had a c

Each year, Christians all over the world embrace Lent, a time of preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus. There is build up and anticipation which concludes in Holy week, the week building up to Easter Day. Most churches, and ours is no different - are full of extra services and events. Holy week, Good Friday and ultimately Resurrection Sunday give us an invitation to retell, remember and relive this culmination of the life and ministry of Jesus on earth. Every ti

Hello, my name is Claire Evans. I recently joined the team at St Paul's as a Community Development Worker. From the moment I stepped through the door for the interview I was made to feel so welcome that when I was offered the role I didn't hesitate to accept it. I'm excited as well as this is a new role for St Paul's with the intention of supporting life in and around St Paul's and its parish through community connections. My journey into community development started in 2019

Following Jesus is not safe ... not now, not ever. But St Paul’s mission partners Jonathan and Laura Beatham see that every day of the week. They live in Leeds, but they provide Scriptures in a country where being known as a follower of Jesus can get you killed. Some of our congregation at St Paul’s came from that country originally, and it breaks their hearts to hear of the terrible things that are happening back home. Jonathan and Laura play their part in encouraging people

If you are anything like me, then I am sure you have also tried many times to fast from something during Lent. Lent is the 40-day period to test our willpower against abstaining from things we love - Chocolate, social media, coffee (hardest one for me!). But somewhere along the 40 days, it becomes tough, and we slip up. We see someone doing a much more amazing thing, and we think '' What's the point of Lent anyway?'' But here is a thought I have had recently: what if my foc

Try simplicity… that can feel like a tall order in a world that feels like it’s getting more complex every day. When I wrote my sermon last week, the threat of war in the Middle East was bubbling. By the time I spoke, and broke open Jesus’s words about what we treasure, the conflict and violence had broken. Ever since, our news bulletins have been full of analysis, questions, second-guessing what global leaders are thinking and intending, and yet more horror. On Sunday, I to

Fasting from food has been a regular part of my walk with Jesus for several years. Most weeks I set aside a day when I don’t eat breakfast or lunch, and then I join in the family evening meal. At different points, I have fasted for a full 24 hours, and very occasionally for 48 hours. During holidays, I usually pause fasting. Recently, I only just started again after recovering from a broken leg, which significantly affected my stamina, resilience, and rhythms. In that season,

I find it hard to make time with God. Between work, kids, school runs, clubs, dinner, bedtime… and then somehow doing it all again the next day, by the time evening comes I’m exhausted. My willpower is gone. I know what usually happens next: a bit of doom-scrolling, half an hour of TV — anything that feels easy. I tell myself "I’ll pray tomorrow." The frustrating thing is, I know that time with God is what actually restores me. Jesus says, “I am the vine; remain in me and you