Newchurch Parish Profile

Transcription

1 Newchurch Parish Profile CONTENTS OUR PARISH OUR CHURCH History The Buildings Ministry Services Further Information Plans for the Future OUR CONGREGATION Parish Working Groups Church Organisations Churches Together FINANCES OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY THE RECTORY 1

2 OUR PARISH Newchurch Parish Church serves the area of Culcheth, an ancient village which has expanded considerably in recent years. Culcheth lies to the North-East of Warrington and has a population of about 10,000. Over the past 40 years it has been transformed from a rural community into a thriving village. It is a residential community serving the cities of Manchester and Liverpool and the towns of Warrington and Leigh. Its location close to the motorway network also makes the village popular with those commuting further afield. OUR CHURCH History Newchurch Parish Church was originally a chapel-of-ease of the famous Norman church at Winwick. It was erected sometime around 1528 and was almost certainly originally built of wood. Nothing is known about the dedication of the church and the first record of a Rector is for Henry Abram who came in A new building, paid for by public subscription, was erected on the same site in Sadly this was badly damaged by fire in April The only part of the building not completely destroyed was the tower. The parish registers and the six bells were saved. The Buildings The new Newchurch was opened on 23 rd July 1904 and consecrated a week later. In 1992 the West end of the church building was modernised to create a room with an adjoining kitchen. This is called The Family Room and it provides an excellent meeting room for social activities and groups and is the base for our Junior Church during the morning service each Sunday. The fabric of the church is in good condition and well maintained. There is a large, well-kept, open churchyard surrounding the church. The Parish Hall is located in the centre of the village, a short walk away from the main church, and is a focal point for thriving congregation and community activity. 2

3 Ministry Rector - Vacant OLM Reverend Barbara Alldred OLM in Training Jill Wheatley Readers in Training Jane Simmons and Suzanne Quick The Parish is part of a United Benefice with Christ Church Croft. There is a Shared Ministry Team across the two parishes. Services Services at present in Church Day /Time Type of Service Congregation average Sunday 8am Holy Communion (said) in traditional language 15 Sunday 10.30am Sunday 10.30am - Holy Communion 1 st and 3 rd Sundays - Morning Worship 2 nd and 4 th Sundays - 5 th Sunday as announced. Junior Church in the Family Room Sunday (monthly) 6.30pm Evening Service as announced Including: Christingle, Renewal of Marriage Vows, Healing Services, Taize Services, Palm Sunday and Harvest Evensong, All Souls, Advent and Carol Services, Crib Service Variable Tuesday 9.30am Holy Communion in the Family Room 6 Special Services are regularly held, usually as part of the Sunday Morning Worship and often they include the wider community such as the local schools and families, uniformed organisations and local community leaders. These include:- Education Sunday, Civic Service, Remembrance Service, Parade Services, Annual Walking Day, Nativity Services at present in the Parish Hall Day /Time Type of Service Congregation average Thursday 10.00am Holy Communion 20 5 th Sunday of the month 3pm Café Service (fresh expression) as announced. Lay led worship. Additional Services at present There are several joint services with Christ Church, Croft each year. There are also monthly services in care homes in the village. The Rector leads assemblies in the local Primary schools. The High School and the Primary Schools visit the church for their own Harvest, Christmas and End of Year services. 40 3

4 Further Information During 2013 there were Wedding Bookings for Baptisms Adults Confirmed 2 Weddings Young People Confirmed 3 Weddings 12 Funerals 47 Plans for the Future Based on the Diocesan Growth Planning Framework 2 the PCC intends to.. look at how we can encourage the whole congregation in welcoming and hospitality. This will be achieved through sermons and magazine plus website articles. The Church welcome leaflet will also be adapted to enable visitors to leave their contact details for follow up; look at better facilities for children (including pew bags). This may include reordering of the toilet and entrance area as funds allow; help people to read and reflect upon the Bible. To this end we aim to start a Bible Study group and hold an Away Day during the year; redress the balance between mission and maintenance. The PCC will have mission as a main agenda item for its meetings in the coming year; actively engage with a mission partner outside the UK. This will include regular Prayer support, as well as charitable giving and providing regular information for the congregation; look at our baptism policy and procedures. Can we be better in terms of building good, supportive and ongoing relationships with baptism families? We recognise that there is no quick fix but we intend to explore what other churches are doing to see if we can improve our practice; develop the pastoral group and raise its profile so that other people can share in the care of all members. OUR CONGREGATION There are currently 114 on the Electoral Roll. Parish Working Groups Finance Way Forward Pastoral Charity Parish Hall Management Shared Ministry Grounds Maintenance 4

5 Church Organisations Bellringers Choir MC 2 Christian Musicians of Croft and Culcheth Servers Mothers Union Christian Focus Junior Church meets in the Family room during Sunday service and has approximately 25 on roll aged 3-15yrs Local branches of the Guide and Scout Movement (Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beaver Scouts, Cub scouts and Scouts) have links with the church and are invited to Parade and other services during the year. The church organises many events within the parish. The meeting place is either the Parish Hall or Newchurch Church, depending on the activity. These events and activities include:- Harvest Supper, Pantomime, Christmas Fair, Christmas Tree Festival, Coffee Mornings, Film Nights, Frugal Lunches, concerts and other charitable and social activities. The 2014 pantomime was Treasure Island Jigsaw Festival Flower Festival 5

6 Churches Together Churches Together in Croft, Culcheth and Glazebury is a well-established, ecumenical group made up of the 8 churches in the three villages. Together we run ecumenical activities including joint Services, vigils, fellowship days, social lunch sessions and a very successful Charity Christmas Postal service. The eight Churches represented are - Culcheth Methodist Church - Glazebury Methodist Church - Culcheth Christian Fellowship (Independent Methodist) - Culcheth Community Church (Presbyterian and includes Quench Café and Foodbank) - St Lewis Roman Catholic Church, Croft - All Saints Glazebury (Church of England) - Christ Church Croft (Church of England) - Newchurch (Church of England) FINANCES TOTAL INCOME & RECEIPTS 2013 Other Receipts From Christ Church Croft Parish Magazine Other Income Fund Raising Events & Activities 1, , , , , Total Income & Receipts for 2013 = 103, Individual Donations Planned Giving 9, , TOTAL EXPENDITURE & PAYMENTS 2013 Other Payments 3, Other Expenses 2, Total Expenditure & Payments for 2013 = 85, Dues to Diocese 54, Communication Upkeep of Services Church Building Ministry 1, , , , has been a relatively good year financially and this is enabling Newchurch to gradually recover from previous years, when there were large costs for building maintenance projects. 6

7 OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY Culcheth village has two large supermarkets, Sainsbury s and the Co-op, which along with the many smaller, independent shops in the village create an excellent shopping experience. There are several coffee shops and pubs with restaurants to suit all tastes. The village also supports a Post Office, two banks, a public library and a garage. In the village there are three local authority Primary Schools and one High School with approximately 1200 pupils. There are several pre-school nursery and playgroups. Lifelong Learning is provided at the High School through Culcheth Adult Education Centre. The Culcheth-based charity, the Culcheth Educational Trust exists to provide financial help for young people for educational purposes. The Rector is ex-officio and it meets approximately four times a year. Medical facilities are provided by two doctors surgeries, several clinics, dentists and pharmacies. All these are grouped around the village green where there is a children's playground. Holcroft Grange and High Peak provide residential and nursing care for the elderly in the village; there are also two Retirement Apartment complexes. 7

8 There are many social, sport and cultural activities available in Culcheth. A local authority sports field provides facilities for organised league sports for both adults and children and both Culcheth High School (the Livewire Gym) and Culcheth Sports & Social Club (known as The Daten ) offer a wide range of activities. There are many more clubs and societies active in the community, including: Age UK, Women's Institute (WI), Probus, Parent and Toddler groups, Flower Club, Horticultural Society, Lions, Scouts & Guides, Ramblers' Association, Society of Artists, Rotary Club, Royal British Legion, Dance classes, Karate lessons. Culcheth lies on the main bus route between Warrington and Leigh and there is a regular bus service through the village. The nearest train station is at Birchwood for express trains travelling East/West (approx 1.5 miles away) or Warrington Town Centre stations for all trains including North/South travel (approx 7 miles away). There are many paths in the countryside surrounding the village including Culcheth Linear Park. There are other leisure facilities nearby including Birchwood Forest Park, Risley Moss and Pennington Flash Country Park in Leigh (which provide good opportunities for walking, plus sailing at Pennington Flash). All these hold regular events and activities. Warrington, Manchester, Liverpool and Chester are all within easy travelling distance. 8

9 THE RECTORY A modern detached house in the centre of Culcheth, 0.75 miles from Newchurch and 1.5 miles from Christ Church. It comprises: Ground Floor Vestibule giving direct access to the study Lounge Dining room Large kitchen with separate utility area Cloakroom and toilet First Floor Four bedrooms Bathroom with shower Separate WC Storeroom Hatch into main attic space The Rectory is fully double-glazed with upvc windows throughout and it is heated by gas-fired central heating. There is a double garage and a sizeable garden area. USEFUL LINKS Further information on the villages of Culcheth and Croft and both Parish Churches can be found at the following Websites:

10 Parish Profile Contents Croft Village Our Church Our hall Ladies Fellowship Sunday School Coffee and craft group Worship Worship group Festivals Services Our Congregation Music Plans for the future Churches Together Shared Ministry Team Finances The Rectory

11 CROFT VILLAGE The history of Croft goes back to the 13th century, a ribbon development between Culcheth and Winwick. The village remained a small, mainly rural community until the 20 th century, the population being approximately 970 in During the 1960s and the 1970s two new housing developments resulted in the population making a dramatic increase and at the present time there are just over 3,000 residents. The village benefits from two excellent primary schools, a community primary and a Roman Catholic primary and two preschools. Secondary education takes place at Culcheth High School Community campus. Sixth form education is currently available at Culcheth or at Priestly College Warrington, and Winstanly College Wigan.. The village has an active WI, bowls club and thriving uniformed organisations; Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Air Cadets. The Youth Activity Centre provides a venue for a range of activities and a football academy is to open in September. There is also a village hall used by organisations including pre-school, indoor bowls and WI. Croft is home to three pubs, a small village shop, hairdressers and gallery. The scene of the annual carnival and bank holiday car boot sales is the playing field which has a well- equipped and popular playground and football pitch.. The proximity of the M6 and M62 motorways affords the village excellent communications with airports and rail links close at hand. Liverpool and Manchester are within easy reach. The local town of Warrington is one of the fastest growing in the country. 2

12 OUR CHURCH Our church was built in 1833 by public subscription from the farmers of the area who wanted their church to be situated between the villages of Croft and Risley. Today it occupies a peaceful setting on the outskirts of the village and away from the main road. It is a Grade 2* listed building and it and its grounds, including an open graveyard and large car park, are well maintained by our members. The local Air Cadets have also been involved in ground maintenance. Our parish is part of a United Benefice with Newchurch. OUR HALL The church has been recently renovated and is well used by the community. A Brownie pack and the Rangers meet there and have strong links with the church. The Young Farmers use it as a base and a village art group meets there weekly. The WI holds its monthly reading group there and it is hired out for meetings and celebrations. 3

13 SUNDAY SCHOOL Our Sunday School meets on the first Sunday of the month. It is small but growing and provides a happy environment for children to learn about the faith. We hold an annual Christmas Tree Lighting Service, followed by refreshments, which involves the local school and the Brownies. Our Carols in the Barn Service, held at a local farm, is a popular event for families in the village. LADIES FELLOWSHIP Ladies Fellowship meets monthly for a Service in a friendly atmosphere, followed by coffee and the opportunity for catching up. This is a long established and popular meeting which attracts ladies of other denominations and none. COFFEE AND CRAFT GROUP This group was formed to produce items for the Festival Of Angels in It has continued and grown since then and meets on Monday mornings knitting for charity, fundraising and working on embroidered items for the church. Although the crafters at present are women, we do welcome anyone who wants to drop in for a coffee and a chat. It is a good base for outreach into the village and surrounding areas and the tea and toast mornings have proved to be very popular. 4

14 WORSHIP GROUP A very active Worship Group meets with the clergy to plan Services such as Harvest and Mothering Sunday in which Sunday School, Guides and Brownies are invited to take part, It is currently planning and leading Morning Worship services during the interregnum. A screen and projector were recently installed enabling us to widen the scope of the music we use and offers the facility to download materials for use in worship. FESTIVALS In recent years we have held two major events, a Festival of Angels and a Harvest of Talents which involved many of the community groups in the village including the school, whose pupils made banners to hang in church, and the Brownies who were involved in an all age workshop making lifesized cardboard angels. 5

15 OUR CONGREGATION There are currently 98 on the electoral roll. Our congregation is aged. We have few families and at present no young adults attending regularly. A major and urgent target for the coming year is outreach into the community, particularly towards the young. MUSIC The choir sings at the 10.30am Service. It is, for the most part, a unison choir consisting of loyal members and meets for practice on Friday afternoons. Our organ is a pipe organ which is regularly maintained, SERVICES Time Service Congregation 9 am Communion BCP, said (fortnightly) am Holy Communion 2nd and 4th Sundays 36 Morning Worship 1st and 3rd Sundays 33 5th Sunday as announced 45 Special Services e.g. Education Sunday, Mothering Sunday, Christingle, Carols in the barn 6.30 pm Evening Service as announced, including Variable Songs of Praise, Healing Services and Carol Services In addition there are the following weekday Services: Wednesday 9.30 am Morning Prayer (in the church) Ladies Fellowship am The 1st Tuesday in the month (in the hall) In 2013 there were 12 Baptisms 5 Weddings 10 Funerals We operate a policy of Shared Ministry involving the Worship Group and also embracing the roles of OLM and readers across both parishes. 6

16 PLANS FOR THE FUTURE Following discussions by the PCC on the financial situation and based on Diocesan growth Planning Framework 2 we plan to: review our finances through the Finance Group with the intention of putting the church on a better financial footing, continuing to address our signify cant Parish Share arrears; increase our links with the community; to provide a wide range of social/ fundraising activities that will appeal to a wide range of people and interests; to encourage them to support the church through regular giving of money and time; introduce other means of giving e.g. text and through the website; look at our welcome and hospitality in particular to develop a welcome pack for each household and for newcomers to church and to further develop our website; set up a pastoral group in order to offer effective and supportive care for those going through difficulties; look at the use of creative silence in our services; provide opportunities to receive prayer requests; develop our Wednesday Morning Prayer Service, specifically to develop a Cycle of Prayer for local and other needs; look more widely at our work with families and young people, specifically to offer our buildings for family/youth related activities and to support them where possible; to encourage shared ministry and leadership In addition we intend to develop our links with the wider church and the community by offering the use of our church and hall as an Away Day / meeting centre. We are in the process of getting a WiFi connection. 7

17 FINANCES Financial statement for 2013 Total Income 46,692 Total Expenditure 52,583 Restricted fund (legacy) 90,309 Parish Share debt carried forward 36,000 Our finance group is currently working on and implementing strategies to address our financial situation. 200 Club This operates monthly and has proved to be a regular source of income. In the coming year it is planned to promote it more widely in the community. CHURCHES TOGETHER Christ Church is a part of the local churches together and is in involved in shared Services, lunches and delivering Christmas Post to raise funds for local charities. THE RECTORY This is situated in Culcheth and is shared with Newchurch. SHARED MINISTRY TEAM OLM - Rev Barbara Alldred OLM in training - Jill Wheatley Readers in training - Suzanne Quick and Jane Simmons Church website (under development) 8

18 WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? We are looking for YOU if you are an outgoing person who can engage with both church and community and if you are an inspirational Leader who can - work collaboratively with both colleagues and church volunteers - develop and confidently lead the changes needed to move both parishes successfully into the future - show vision, leadership and enthusiasm in helping to grow our congregations - show commitment to mission within the community