When I first started thinking about applying for the internship at St Paul’s, there were a few different things that enc ouraged me to take the leap of faith. Having witnessed what previous interns had achieved was certainly part of it, but ultimately, it was much more about following what I felt God was calling me to do. Sometimes life can get in the way of our intentions, and I know that has certainly been true in my own life. There have been many times when I have wanted t

Selah is our women’s ministry here at St Paul’s. Selah is a word used in Psalms, often used to initiate a moment for pause, stillness and reflection. This seemed appropriate for the name of women’s ministry as, stereotypically, we can often be incredibly busy, overscheduled, wearing too many hats, trying to be all things to all people. Selah was created for women of all ages and demographics to come together in our shared experience of womanhood, and most importantly women wh

As a church, through our giving, we are privileged to support the work of Kidz Klub. Kidz Klub started twenty-six years ago with the following vision: ‘ … to see lasting transformation through the love of God for the most vulnerable unreached children, their families and communities in Leeds’ The organisation began with three partner churches and now there are twenty-two churches who support the work amongst children and families in the seventeen most deprived communities in

On 29th July, I went with five of the youth from St Paul’s and 27 from St Matt's Burley to the DTI Festival at Staffordshire Showground. DTI stands for Dreaming The Impossible and is run by Vineyard Churches. It ran for five nights and was attended by over 5,000 people. This year’s theme was discipleship with the key verse being Luke 9:23. Every day, there were two main meetings where everyone gathered, worshipped together and listened to a talk based on the theme. Many of th

I just want to take a moment to say thank you. To this church, to the people who welcomed me before they really knew me, and to the people who listened, encouraged, prayed, supported, and stayed. Thank you for being a place of peace in seasons where life felt heavy. Thank you for every conversation, every prayer, every smile, every kind word, every moment of patience and understanding that probably felt small to you but meant so much to me. Thank you to the people who guided

In times of searching and seeking wisdom, God can often use seemingly ordinary or unexpected things to reveal something of himself to us. Elijah discovered this when he expected God to speak through the wind, the earthquake and the fire, but instead encountered him in the gentle whisper. Moses was completely caught off guard when he came across a burning bush that wasn't being consumed. God has a wonderful way of speaking through the unexpected. Last year, I found myself in a

On 28th June, members and friends of St Paul’s joined together for a day of worship, fellowship, service and laughter. The day started at 9.30 am with a time of prayer. Following this, over 75 people came to enjoy breakfast together. There was also excitement among some of the younger members of our church family as they decided which activities they wanted to do in the afternoon and signed up for them. The morning continued with worship as both congregations joined together

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