Forthcoming events
Latest News
The Bethlehem Peace Light was received on Saturday 22nd December last year and given to other churches and scout and guide groups.
It will be received again this year on Saturday 21st December at 10.30 am. All welcome.
Partners in the Community of the Cross of Nails
Prayer
God of Life, we give thanks for the diversity of human life.
In encounters with those of different ethnic groups,
may we value dialogue, and inclusivity
of different cultures, to promote
social cohesion in local communities. Amen.
You are invited to tie a leaf to our prayer tree in the church. Prayers will be gathered and offered in our services. You might like to think about how prayer for reconciliation in relationships, working life, financail difficulties, addictions and in the wider world will help. May you know God's reconciling love and peace in your life.
The Community of the Cross of Nails in York organise Reconciliation Events: International Peace Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, Receiving the Bethlehem Peace Light and have plans to hold an annual lecture on Reconciliation. Please e-mail us if you would like to receive prayer updates and details of events.
Since 29 April 2012, the 70th anniversary of the bombing, we have been partners in the international Community of the Cross of Nails at Coventry Cathedral, itself bombed and restored in a new guise alongside ruins of the old. The Community of the Cross of Nails is a Christian network of churches and organisations who, drawn together by the story of Coventry Cathedral, share a common commitment to work and pray for peace, justice and reconciliation through:
- Healing the wounds of history
- Learning to live with difference and celebrate diversity;
- Building a culture of Peace
In particular, we have forged ties with a partner church, St Marien in Lübeck which was bombed just a month before St Martin's on 28 April 1942. We look forward to growing connections with partners in Britain and abroad as part of our shared ministry. A group visited Lubeck at the end of June 2016 to mark the 45th anniversary of St Marien becoming a partner in the Community of the Cross of Nails.
A visit from Coventry .jpg)
In April 2016 we welcomed 4 interns from Coventry Cathedral, briefly joined by Elena Launer from Lubeck.
They made a short film about the Community of the Cross of Nails in York.
Monica Lawrence
Monica is an active member of the Community of the Cross of Nails at St Martin and she features in the Living Reconcilation website. Monica is responsible for the monthly prayer sheets in St Martin's. In Lent 2016, she chose prayers about Living Reconciliation.
- ‘Living Reconciliation’ shows how God calls us to live in a renewed relationship with him, looking outwards with him in love to others in the diverse world he has created. (That is my understanding of one purpose we can take on for Lent).
- Sometimes people ask:”What is this life all about?” ‘Living Reconciliation’ answers that question for those who are searching, because it acknowledges our vulnerability, offers hope, and a way to live.
- We cannot ignore local, national and international conflict realities of our time. ‘Living Reconciliation’ is active mission that involves us in conversation and listening with an open mind to gain better understanding of ‘the other’.
- ‘Living Reconciliation’ helps us to bring about change in ourselves that enables us to move forward. We may not agree, but we often find we have a lot in common that keeps us together so we can press on with realising God’s Kingdom
Beginnings to the present
St Martin's dedication to peace and reconciliation, and as a shrine of remembrance, originates from its re-hallowing in 1968 after being bombed in an air raid in 1942. By an extraordinary coincidence, 11 November, which is marked nationally as Remembrance Day, is also the feast day of St Martin of Tours, patron saint of soldiers and of this church in Coney Street. More recently, peace and reconciliation at St Martin's has generated not only from world events, but also from the many prayer requests left in the church by visitors from all over the world, as well as from those who may find it a quiet space for regular, private prayer.
Our ethos of peace and reconciliation
The Church regards peace and reconciliation as a ministry in itself, of which healing is very much a part. At St Martin's we believe it is essential to understand that when we endeavour to be reconcilers and peacemakers, we do not support one group over another, nor one person over another. We believe it is our role to respect and listen to both points of view in order to enable peaceful unity to come about. Long processes of dialogue, healing and prayer, based on truth and trust, with loving respect of one another, may be involved. Wide issues such as poverty and discrimination, depend on justice for peaceful reconciliation.
What else is happening at St Martin's?
- St Martin's is a focal point for prayer. There is opportunity for prayer or quiet meditation at any time during the day.
- There is a short Eucharist (Holy Communion) service on Wednesdays at 12.15. That on the first Wednesday of the month has a special focus on healing.
- Community of the Cross of Nails Prayers are offered each Friday at 12 noon. This time of reflection and prayer lasts just under 30 minutes and, like most of the services at St Martin's, includes the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation.
- An Amnesty Group meets on the second Saturday of the month at 11.00. Street Angels, volunteers who are available to befriend young people in distress on the streets during the night at weekends, use the church.
Friday Reflections
- 12 May 2017 Peaceful Places
- 19 May 2017 Families
- 26 May 2017 Manchester Arena Attack, Monday 22 May 2017
- 2 June 2017 Children and the Vulnerable
- 9 June 2017 London Bridge Attack, Saturday 3 June 2017
- 30 June 2017 The Devastation of War
- 7 July 2017 7/7 Twelve Years On
- 14 July 2017 Change: Means and Ends
- 21 July 2017 International Justice
- 28 July 2017 Friendship
- 4 August 2017 Health and Healing
- 11 August 2017 Youth Building Peace
- 18 August 2017 St Maximilian Kolbe
- 25 August 2017 Danger and Safety
- 1 September 2017 Stewardship of the Environment
- 8 September 2017 Mothers' Pain
- 15 September 2017 Democracy
- 22 September 2017 Places of Peace and Retreat
- 29 September 2017 Michael and All Angels
- 6 October 2017 Dissent
- 13 October 2017 Natural Disasters
- 20 October 2017 Fake News / Good News and Reconciliation
- 27 October 2017 Church and State
- 3 November 2017 The Balfour Declaration
- 10 November 2017 From War to Peace
- 17 November 2017 Inter Faith Week
- 24 November 2017 The Kingdom of God
- 1 December 2017 Modern Slavery
- 8 December 2017 Genocide
- 15 December 2017 Advent Hope and Expectation
- 22 December 2017 Bethlehem
- 5 January 2018 New Year Resolutions
- 12 January 2018 Power and Responsibility
- 19 January 2018 Christian Unity
- 26 January 2018 Violence Against Aid Workers
- 2 February 2018 Intolerance and Diversity
- 9 February 2018 Universal Suffrage
- 16 February 2018 Lent
- 23 February 2018 Linguistic Diversity
- 2 March 2018 Our Lenten Journey
- 9 March 2018 International Women's Day
- 16 March 2018 Happiness
- 23 March 2018 World Water Day
- 6 April 2018 Martin Luther King
- 13 April 2018 Easter Peace
- 20 April 2018 St Alfege
- 27 April 2018 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- 4 May 2018 English Saints and Martyrs of the Reformation Era
- 11 May 2018 Thy Kingdom Come
- 18 May 2018 International Day of Living Together in Peace
- 25 May 2018 Remembering
- 1 June 2018 Peacekeeping
- 8 June 2018 World Oceans Day
- 15 June 2018 The Good Old Days
- 22 June 2018 Refugee Week
- 29 June 2018 Prophecy
- 6 July 2018 70 Years of the NHS
- 13 July 2018 Hope
- 20 July 2018 Nelson Mandela
- 27 July 2018 Climate and Conflict
- 3 August 2018 Human Trafficking
- 10 August 2018 St Lawrence
- 17 August 2018 Magnificat
- 24 August 2018 Stereotypes
- 7 September 2018 Nuremberg
- 14 September 2018 The Cross
- 21 September 2018 International Day of Peace: The Right to Peace – The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70
- 5 October 2018 Community of the Cross of Nails International Gathering
- 12 October 2018 Edith Cavell
- 19 October 2018 Service and Power
- 26 October 2018 The United Nations
- 2 November 2018 All Souls
- 9 November 2018 Remembrance
- 16 November 2018 International Day for Tolerance
- 23 November 2018 Consumerism
- 30 November 2018 Chemical Warfare
- 7 December 2018 Community
- 14 December 2018 United Nations International Days
- 21 December 2018 An Advent Poem by Oscar Romero
- 4 January 2019 Hopes for 2019
- 11 January 2019 Walls and Barriers
- 18 January 2019 Christian Unity
- 25 January 2019 The Conversion of Paul
- 1 February 2019 Darkness and Light
- 8 February 2019 Happiness and Faith
- 15 February 2019 Grief and Loss
- 22 February 2019 Social Justice
- 1 March 2019 Borders
- 8 March 2019 International Women's Day
- 15 March 2019 The Wider Picture: All Are One
- 22 March 2019 Good News / Bad News
- 29 March 2019 The Diaconal/Transforming Church
- 5 April 2019 Forgiveness
- 12 April 2019 South Sudan and Rwanda
- 26 April 2019 Suffering for the Easter Faith
- 3 May 2019 World Press Freedom Day
- 17 May 2019 Signs of Humanity in Recent Events
- 24 May 2019 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- 31 May 2019 Global Day of Parents
- 7 June 2019 World Environment Day
- 14 June 2019 Creativity
- 21 June 2019 Refugee Week
- 28 June 2019 Humility
- 7 July 2019 St Thomas the Apostle
- 12 July 2019 Who is My Neigbour?
- 2 August 2019 Lessons from the Past
- 9 August 2019 International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
- 16 August 2019 Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
- 23 August 2019 Peace and Division
- 30 August 2019 International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
- 6 September 2019 Charity
- 13 September 2019 International Day of Democracy
- 20 September 2019 Global Climate Strike
- 27 September 2019 Cross of Nails Sunday
- 4 October 2019 Francis of Assisi and Creation
- 11 October 2019 Working Together
- 18 October 2019 St Luke
- 25 October 2019 United Nations Day
- 8 November 2019 International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
- 15 November 2019 Inter Faith Week
- 22 November 2019 Archbishops' Advent Pastoral Letter
- 29 November 2019 Christians Persecuted for Their Faith
- 6 December 2019 St Nicholas