THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM YOUR DEANERY TEAM - April 2026
April 2026
Welcome to our April mailing. This is where we share encouragement and inspiration from around the Deanery.
Thanks to all who have sent contributions which give a glimpse of the different initiatives and approaches taken across the deanery parishes to grow inwardly and outwardly. Please be encouraged to keep on praying and inviting friends and neighbours to the 2026 Alpha Course which will begin on 28th April and will run during the long days and light evenings of spring and summer. All our churches have benefited over the years from the leadership of Rev Ian in running Alpha and we pray this next course will be attended in record numbers as more people than ever before are spiritually hungry to find that Jesus is the only one in whom all of life makes sense.
As always, please distribute this newsletter to your PCCs and throughout the Deanery, as it’s a great place to let others know about what has inspired us and new ideas being tried in our churches.
Synod members, please send contributions – including good quality photos – for the next newsletter, and any updated contact details to me at msndeanery@gmail.com
Thank you. Kate Mayo
New Deanery Alpha Course beginning in April, St Nicholas Church Radstock
Deanery Alpha Course 2026
Many people think about the big questions of life.
Why am I here? Why is all this happening?
What is my purpose? and What can I do?
The Alpha Course considers many of these questions from a Christian perspective in a relaxed no-judgment environment.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE ALPHA COURSE?
After sharing a meal together, there will be a presentation on a topic about the Christian faith. Individuals are then given an opportunity to discuss informally in groups what they thought about the presentation. Some people ask questions, some don’t; the choice is yours. No one will call on you to answer questions, but if you do have questions about the topic,
or would like to share differing perspectives, this is the time.
WHAT DOES THE ALPHA COURSE COST?
The course is free! The only thing it requires is an investment of your time.
DO I HAVE TO COMMIT TO ALL THE WEEKS?
No! But we do recommend that if you decide to attend Alpha you attend the first three weeks to get a taste of the Alpha course.
The Alpha Course is held over 12 weeks at St Nicholas Church centre in Radstock. Beginning on the 28th of April 7 – 9.30pm
To book on the course
or obtain more information please contact
Revd Ian Rousell – rev.ian.twb@gmail.com
Revd Rosanna Blewitt –rosannablewett@gmail.com
Revd Rachel Howlett –rachel.howlett@stjsgroup.church
For a long time now we’ve been struggling to close the gates at Saint Peters Westfield. We thought maybe the gate had become distorted, twisted, and needed replacing.
So we spoke to somebody who knows somebody, somebody who is more informed than we are. It turns out it was the fence posts that had sunk slightly and so we had them renewed at half the cost of a new gate, and now they open and close so easily. All very trivial on the surface of things, not very newsworthy possibly in all that we see and hear today, but the more I though about our gate the more it struck me: about firm foundations, the right footing, the right support, it can make such a difference, in this case to a gatepost. But what about in our personal life journeys, do we need support, are we being a support, are we providing a firm foundation? Revd Ian Roussell
Diocese Year of Prayer
