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Sunday 21st February 2010 Introduction My relationship with the Parish began in February 2009 when I came with Helen for interview. That day had some of the hallmarks of St Nicolas that made the decision to come an easy one. The day began with Holy Communion. The Parish Profile was excellent in its open and honest description of the Church, its mission and people. Many people were involved in the day, including the Youth Wardens. The interviews were demanding. The whole day demonstrated that the Church was true to its vision statement to be open to God, each other and the community. It is appropriate at this point to acknowledge the legacy of my predecessor Rev Dan Tyndall and to express my thanks to everyone from St Nicolas for the progression in the Parish during the interregnum. Things were not left to ‘tick over.’ People sought and accepted leadership responsibility in many areas of the Church’s life. This was very healthy for St Nicolas and something that the Bishop and Wardens wanted the new vicar to build upon. Thank you to everyone who made the interregnum a positive experience, especially Rev Maureen Devine and Rev David Webster and the Wardens: Richard Perry, Lindsey Sharpe and latterly Andy Barnes. Pauline Ives has done a vital job in chairing the PCC meetings. Thanks also to Wendy Neale whose proactive and diligent work in the Parish Office enhances the mission of our Church and releases me for the ministry you called me here to do. Finally, thanks to everyone from St Nicolas and the wider community who made my arrival such a positive experience. What follows covers the half of the Church year since I was Inducted and Licensed as the Vicar of the Parish on 19th July 2009. This was a period of getting to know people and building trust. It was a time of listening and learning. A primary observation is that the assessment of the Church and Parish in the Parish Profile was accurate. This is good news. There is no need for a major overhaul or revolution in our ways of being Church. That is not to say that things will not change, grow and develop. In 2010 I will complete with you a mission plan for the next three years. This will connect the ideas and values expressed in Bournemouth with the very good things we are doing day-to-day. It will state who we are, what we do, for whom and why. It will have an outline of the characteristics of the community we serve. Clear priority areas will be set out (which will include current activities) and there will be ways in which we can monitor and measure what we are doing. Therefore in this Report I ask some questions about our future development. In this spirit I will focus here on key aspects of the strengths and challenges that were outlined in the Parish Profile, leaving the operational detail to be recorded elsewhere. Building on our strengths Welcoming, neighbourly and friendly A number of new people have joined St Nicolas in the last six months and stayed. The 11.30 congregation has grown back to a sustainable level of around 20-25 people. I am not aware of any people who have left since August (always a risk when a new vicar begins). I have noticed a ‘deep welcome’ at St Nicolas – a number of people welcome newcomers and do so consistently beyond the first visit. The atmosphere at services continues to be warm and sincere. The Adult Discipleship team are working on a nurture course to introduce people to the Christian faith and the life of St Nicolas. This is vital if we are to keep growing. We will also need to review our provision of services to ensure that our worship is open to the community. This will not mean a move from being Eucharistically centred in worship. It may mean the provision of new services – i.e. something for mothers/carers and toddlers in midweek or changes to our Sunday pattern in 2011. Any changes would be made with the full consultation of the PCC. I will ask a small group to spend a few months reviewing our worship provision and making recommendations on developments that build on our undoubted strengths. The worship at St Nicolas is quietly and faithfully facilitated by our Sacristan, Maggie Carter, and our Servers led by Philip Olney. The sacred space that is St Nicolas is enhanced by the group of people who are part of the cleaning rota, thank you. The Church is made beautiful by the beauty of the flowers arranged by Jane Olney and others. All that is good within St Nicolas should overflow into the community of Earley. We need to complete a review of the community we are here to serve as a Church. What is the composition of the population in the Parish, what are people’s values and needs? What can and/or should we do in response to these? How are we reflecting an increasingly multi-faith environment? How do we reach the majority of parishioners who live in Lower Earley when we are physically situated at one end of the Parish? All individuals are valued I have seen good relationships between all segments of congregation across age/churchmanship/service preference. I asked at interview how a Church with such a wide range of churchmanship held together. The Bishop said it was because people put Christian discipleship before any specific churchmanship and this has been my experience. It is a healthy mark of a mature church and evidence that every individual is valued. I have invested a lot of time since arriving, and will continue to do so, in meeting people one-to-one. More shared leadership There are many gifted and talented people at St Nicolas – ordained and lay. A number of these are already in designated leadership roles. It has been a pleasure to get to know them and understand more about their calling and gifts and to explore and provide pastoral, strategic and practical support. I am actively involved in the supervision and support of Libby Newman in her training for ordination and Emma Major as she works towards being a Licensed Lay Minister. I will work with team leaders so that by the end of 2010 they all have individual mission plans – this is the detail that will back up the overall plan for the Church that I mentioned earlier. Young people The leadership and participation in this area is very committed and strong. We have a healthy range of ages. I have been particularly blessed by the sharing of our young people at the end of services. This goes well beyond ‘show and tell’ from Sunday School to be an integral part of worship in illuminating aspects of God. It leads me to consider how we can give a voice to more people in this way in our worship? I will work with team leaders so that by the end of 2010 they all have individual mission plans – this is the detail that will back up the overall plan for the Church that I mentioned earlier. Links with schools REInspired is a gem. The trust built with local schools and the quality of their work in supporting the RE curriculum is exemplary. I am participating in their sessions for the schools in the Parish. I am becoming a Trustee. The role of many at St Nicolas – in participating and giving – is appreciated and special mention must go to Julia Jones who does an outstanding job with RE Inspired and Sunday School. She is an ideal ambassador for us in the school community. I will also be in the primary schools in the Parish for one day a month - a key way to serve and build community relationships in a suburban setting. Bishop Stephen has agreed to visit Loddon and Hawkedon schools in the Spring. Responding to the challenges Finance We faced a significant deficit at the end of 2009. Through your generosity to special appeal, a creative fundraiser called Gift Traid and a well-run and enjoyable St Nicolas Fair we yielded over the target of £17,000. We turn the year with a small surplus. I said we did not want to find ourselves short like that again. To that end a stewardship campaign will be launched on 28th February 2010 to consolidate and increase committed giving to a level that covers our annual fixed costs. Thanks to Ollie Dillon for his diligence and skill as our Treasurer. Prayer/going deeper A group has been invited to a training session in March which will lead to the provision of prayer ministry after every 9.30 and 10 services. We are in the early stages of planning a church away day in the summer with a focus on prayer. Pastoral care The Pastoral Team are working hard to make excellent pastoral work more co-ordinated and increase the involvement of those called to this area. Karen, Maureen and I meet monthly to discuss this vital work. Music Music is vitally important in our worship. The importance to the congregation was reflected on my arrival, when music was the most popular topic that people expressed a view on. In Peter Durrant we have a reflective, theological and gifted organist. I enjoy working with Peter on music and worship. He is supported faithfully by Pat Cocks and Ruth Parker. Caroline Peters brings another welcome dimension through her leadership of the music group. I have discussed with Peter and Caroline the need to have a wider range of music in worship that reflects the diversity in the congregation and the churchmanship at St Nicolas. We need to have the best of the traditional alongside the best of the contemporary in all aspects of our worship. Importantly, we will work together to develop the music at St Nicolas ensuring that peoples gifts are expressed and included. We will be thinking of music in a broader sense than simply hymns and songs and would like to feature musicians from within the congregation and from without to enhance worship. We will be installing a data projector and screen in the coming months which will allow us to chose and sing hymns and songs from a wider range of sources. Youth work The calling and dedication of the leaders in this area is an inspiration. However, the leadership team is overstretched and we have recently added a new 16-18 age group. There are good initiatives planned with new leaders on board but we need more. As key members move on we need to ensure we have new people coming through. I have valued the contribution of the Youth Wardens, Siobhan Koefman and Nico Seal – always encouraging and insightful. Other churches I have met one-to-one with the leaders of all the denominations in Earley. Maureen and I are enthusiastic member of Churches Together in Earley and East Reading, which is moving from simply ‘doing things together’ to a unified mission focus in the local community modelled on the work done by Reading Churches Network. I meet regularly with my neighbouring Anglican priests. Ministry to men The Men’s Curry Club begins in March. Social action World Issues group is engaged on four key issues for us to engage with. They are preparing an environmental audit on the Church. A possible link with Ndola, Zambia is being explored. 2010 Priorities We will produce a mission plan for the next three years at St Nicolas. This will include a church health check, following the Diocesan model for Living Faith. In the autumn I will ask home groups and then a congregational group to contribute their knowledge of the Parish and its people. We will launch and run a Stewardship campaign. The ongoing review of our worship and music will continue. We will install a data projector and screen in Church. A feasibility study will be completed by May on an extension connecting the Church with the Hall. There will be a Church away day in the summer on Prayer. Conclusion I am to be delighted to be the Vicar of Earley St Nicolas. There are many good things going on amongst an open, faithful and generous group of people. We can develop and grow and be exciting about being part of God’s plan for this place. I will continue to empower people here to use their gifts within the life our Church and the community. Let us encourage one another to discern where we each have a role to play. I want to be open and receptive to feedback and suggestions from everyone as we go forward together. The diversity of our Church community is a key strength and I am committed to St Nicolas being open to all people in our community. I am confident that as we pray and work together on the priorities highlighted
for 2010, including our three year mission plan, that we will end the year with
a positive and clear vision for our next steps as a Church. Rev Neil Warwick |