PROFILE. of the. Bishops Hatfield Team Ministry. and for the appointment of a. Team Rector. in the Parish of

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1 Diocese of St Albans Archdeaconry of Hertford Welwyn Hatfield Deanery PROFILE of the Bishops Hatfield Team Ministry and for the appointment of a Team Rector in the Parish of Bishops Hatfield St Etheldreda with St Luke 1 of 27

2 INTRODUCTION This document is in 5 parts. 1. Summary of the Bishops Hatfield Team and general information 2. About our team - who we are, what we offer and who we need 3. Profile for Bishops Hatfield St. Etheldreda with St Luke 4. Summary profiles: 4.1 St John South Hatfield 4.2 St Michael and All Angels Birchwood 4.3 St. John the Evangelist Lemsford 4.4 St Mary North Mymms 5. Sources of further information 2 of 27

3 1. SUMMARY OF THE TEAM AND GENERAL INFORMATION The Bishops Hatfield Team Ministry 1.1 This consists of five parishes and six churches centred on the town of Hatfield which was the original benefice. The Bishops Hatfield benefice was divided into three parishes at the beginning of It comprises: St Etheldreda s in old Hatfield with St Luke s adjacent to the town centre, St Michael s Birchwood to the north and St John s to the south of the town. 1.2 The two parishes of St John s Lemsford and St Mary s North Mymms which lie respectively to the north and south of Hatfield had earlier been comprised into a team ministry. 1.3 The Team Rector has been and will be based at St Etheldreda s and has responsibility also for St Luke s church. There are currently two Team Vicars, the Rev Amanda Duncan based at St John s South Hatfield and the Reverend Julia Boothby based at St Mary s North Mymms. The Bishop had directed that there be one further full time appointment of a team vicar to be priest in charge of St Michael s Birchwood and St John s Lemsford and that vacancy is in the process of being filled with the recent appointment of the Rev Paul Seymour. There are prospects for further appointments in the future if circumstances permit. 1.4 The team ministry is further supported by the Reverend Susan Stilwell, and four Readers exercising ministry across the team. Lord Salisbury s chaplain, the Rev Canon Carl Garner also provides support to the team. 1.5 Strong ecumenical links are maintained with the University of Hertfordshire and the local Methodist minister attends the team meetings and is responsible for the leadership of the De Havilland Community project, an Anglican/Methodist joint initiative. We also work with one of the local Catholic parishes. 1.6 One of the future tasks for the team will be to propose the redrawing of the boundaries of the parishes within the team in particular those of St Michael s Birchwood and St John s Lemsford to accommodate new residential areas and the implementation of a Local Plan when it is in place. Current Team Initiatives The Root Group 1.7 The aim of this project is to encourage young people thinking of ordination to gain a year s experience working with both University of Hertfordshire Chaplaincy and the Bishop s Hatfield Team but focused at St John s Hatfield. Our aim was to recruit four students, but only one suitable candidate emerged this year and started in September. The Rector s role is to be the personal development supervisor of the students. The Rev 3 of 27

4 Amanda Duncan and Rev Allan Smith, the University Chaplain are the placement supervisors. 1.8 The Diocesan Vocations team has tapped into new initiatives from Church House that are promoting schemes such as ours across Church of England and this has developed funds for the project. The De Havilland Project 1.9 This is an ecumenical venture with the local Methodist Church who have taken the lead. It began about 7 years ago to work in the new housing developments on the former airfield in particular based on Salisbury Village and in the Garden Village. Initial funding for 5 years enabled Rev Nina Johnson a local Methodist minister to be rehoused to be based on the project and it employed a full time community worker and a part time youth worker in the project. After the 5 years funding was not renewed. However some groups were established and continue including youth groups and a Saturday morning neighbourhood club Some Anglican money has been found to supplement the Methodist contribution to continue the work of building up a church group Journey Light led by Nina which meets once a month on Sunday evening. This is the part of the project with which Rev Sue Stilwell is involved. The plan is to expand work with this group and for Nina and Sue between them to lead it to a point when it can become a full ecumenical project. The group has the potential for establishing a foundation which could lead to a second initiative of planting church in this housing area which is likely to expand under the future Local Plan when this becomes a reality. Hatfield 1.11 Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It is a diverse community dating back to Saxon times. It was originally focused on the Hatfield House estate and the town grew from that. With the coming of the railways the town centre shifted to the west and grew significantly with the opening of the de Havilland aircraft factory prior to the Second World War, and even more so when it was designated one of the eight new towns to ring London after the war. In the post-war years the aerospace industry grew and became the largest employer in the area It has a current, and fast growing population of approximately 50,000. It is 20 miles (30 kilometres) north of London. A train service runs directly from Hatfield Station to Kings Cross, taking approximately 20 minutes on the fast service. It also has easy connections to the M25 and M The focus of the centre of the town shifted twice. Once with the coming of the railway and then, more significantly, from the 1930s, when de Havilland opened a factory. Until the 1990s when the then British Aerospace factory closed, Hatfield was associated 4 of 27

5 with aircraft design and manufacture which employed more people than any other industry. The closure was a cruel blow to the town As a post-war New Town it has much modernist architecture from the period. Effort has been made to keep alive some significant examples of this heritage. In the last decade the redevelopment of the old airfield site echoes that heritage - our new Police Station and Magistrates Court look suspiciously like fifties airport buildings! 1.15 The closing of the British Aerospace business in the town in 1992 had a serious impact on the area. In recent years the expansion of the University and the establishment of the Hatfield Business Park along with redevelopment of the former airfield site have meant that the town has continued to grow in population and there has been a revival of commercial activity.the popular Galleria Outlet bridges the south end of the A1(M) tunnel with a Tesco Extra at the northern end. Other shopping is found nearby in London Colney, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City. The nature of the local community is reflected in the town centre where Polish and Chinese supermarkets sit next to Halal butchers near the Asda superstore along with the plethora of fast-food outlets that can be found in many student influenced towns years ago the town became the focus of the world s attention with the tragic events of the Hatfield Rail Crash. The playwright Sir David Hare wrote a play on the state of the railways called The Permanent Way. The pivotal moment in the play focuses on the events of the crash which provided a watershed in demand for radical improvements in our privatised railway system. Interviewed by the playwright, our then Rector said If Hatfield is in a play, I d like it to be mentioned as a town of determined people. I would like to see a drama of people who make things work. This town will regenerate and rebuild and rise out of all this We are now beginning to see evidence of Hatfield s can do spirit. The Old Hatfield Charette plans (see section 3) are changing the landscape of the old town month on month. A proposal to redevelop the town centre foundered due to the recent past economic situation; however smaller- scale development has continued with a spirit of optimism and positive action from the town and borough councils The University of Hertfordshire is the UK s leading business-facing university and has a diverse community of staff and students. The student community, including overseas students drawn from more than 85 countries, study on two modern campuses in Hatfield and across the globe in partner institutions and through online study. This global community represents all the major world faiths. With over 2,650 staff, it is one of the region s largest employers and has been ranked as one of the top 100 universities under 50 years old. There are a range of student faith societies and The University s multi-faith centre, The Key, sees over 1000 visitors each week during term-time serving as a focal point for the spiritual life of this diverse community. 5 of 27

6 Church of England Schools 1.19 The Team has responsibility for three Primary schools : Countess Anne, Hatfield, St Johns, Lemsford and St Marys, North Mymms. Church involvement with them is described in the profiles below. 2. ABOUT OUR TEAM How we see ourselves 2.1 Our team can be characterised and described in several ways. We are a prayerful community, friendly, flexible and willing to work to build up the church of God s people in this place. We are eager and want be stretched and challenged to succeed in bringing about God s purpose. Our parishes comprise a diverse community, with a large student population but a significant elderly population as well. There is a sizeable Polish community. Hatfield has an important historical context and is a place of new homes and businesses and growth. 2.2 We value our team structure as supportive of all, its sense of togetherness and as an opportunity to share talents, skills and ideas. We want it to give us the opportunity to discuss ideas and develop our potential for wider outreach to all who live in or visit our parishes and to build up our sense of belonging. Our Needs 2.3 We recognise that we need to refresh our team structure, to gain a renewed sense of direction as a team, to create a team MAP and to work out how to achieve our priorities for growth. We see these priorities: looking to the next generations, being a more welcoming group of Christians, finding new ways of doing church and going out in mission with confidence. We need to find ways to be more flexible in our worship arrangements in order to ease the task of our clergy team, to work collaboratively with one another and to seek a vision of our team purpose. Who do we Need? 2.4 We need a leader who will help us create a team identity. We would like to be able to use at least some of the following words when we are asked to say something about our new Rector - we don t imagine we can use them all: Christ focused; a person of prayer and spirituality; energetic; resilient; youthful; inspirational; charismatic; a communicator (including competence with IT); a person of vision, imagination and courage; a person who can empower and enable others; ecumenical; a training incumbent for future clergy. 6 of 27

7 2.5 We hope to find a person who would describe themselves in some of these ways: Leader; listener; delegator; someone who can help the laity to develop a sense of identity as Christians; who could help us form a Team Council and develop a Team MAP; who would provide pastoral care to team ministers; who would focus on building up the young and foster partnerships with our church schools. What We Can Offer 2.6 We would offer :support; encouragement; friendship; hospitality; care; realistic expectation; a willingness to share the work; to say Yes more than we say No ; eagerness and a positive attitude. 3. PROFILE FOR BISHOPS HATFIELD ST. ETHELDREDA WITH ST LUKE Bishops Hatfield 3.1 The old town was built up over the centuries around the church and was a major coaching stop for travellers along the Great North Road. 3.2 Hatfield House, the home of the Marquess of Salisbury, is the nucleus of the old town. In October 2008 Lord Salisbury set up an initiative to revitalise Old Hatfield, parts of which had been a little neglected during the previous 30 years. A plan was developed by residents, local businesses and stakeholders working together with architects and planners and the local authority in a new way. The process, known as a Charette, identified specific regeneration goals. These plans are bearing fruit now and significant improvements can be seen locally, the recent refurbishment of the station being a very good example. The redevelopment of Salisbury Square shopping precinct is the next project of note. It has been granted consent and it is hoped work will commence during the course of the next year or two. ST ETHELDREDA S CHURCH 3.3 The site for St Etheldreda s Church, which was built for the Bishops of Ely around the year 1100, is thought to have been selected as it was a day s ride on horseback from London. 3.4 One of the few churches dedicated to this Saxon Princess who founded a double monastery at Ely and who was renowned for her untiring care for the poor and needy and her devotion to God, the oldest parts date back to the C13. The tower and Brocket chapel date from the C15 (when the Old Palace of Hatfield House was built) and the Salisbury Chapel was built in 1618, just after Hatfield House. This houses the tombs of Robert, first Earl of Salisbury and son of Lord Burghley who was Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I and also the cenotaph of Robert Gascoyne Cecil, third Marquess of Salisbury 7 of 27

8 and thrice Prime Minister to Queen Victoria. There are other significant memorials of notable interest such as plaques commemorating the attendance of Charles I whilst a prisoner at Hatfield House and the burials of Lord Melbourne and his wife, Lady Caroline Lamb. 3.5 The church was extensively restored in the 1870s. Tower stonework was repaired in the 1980s and in 2005 a new heating system was installed. Part of the vault of the Brocket Chapel collapsed in the course of that work. In the last 6 years we have refurbished the plasterwork and redecorated the nave, crossing and transepts, installed a new sound system and repaired the Brocket Chapel vault. Further repair work is needed to complete the redecoration of the East end and we are working towards raising funds for installing a WC and associated reordering to provide community space. Mission Action Plan ( MAP ) 3.6 St Etheldreda s MAP vision is to be: A church that truly will Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and strength and our neighbour as ourselves Our priorities in 2012 and 2013 were: To grow our Family Service; to finalise and consolidate Parish and Team re-structuring; to work towards re-ordering our church and installing a WC 8 of 27

9 Our goals were: to revitalise our worship; Outreach, Growth; Pastoral Care 3.7 We have achieved our first priority to a significant degree. We have finalized the parish re-structuring but not that of the Team. We are still on the road to re-ordering our church and creating much-needed facilities. We have revitalized our worship to some extent and we have grown, albeit slowly. 3.8 At a parish weekend in 2015 we considered some of these points and a range of others. We need to revisit and review our MAP at an early stage of our new Rector s time with us. We describe our understanding of our priorities further below. Services 3.9 At St Etheldreda the primary focus is the celebration of the Eucharist. On Sundays there is an 8.00 am service of Holy Communion (BCP) and a 9.30 am sung Parish Communion (CW) which is celebrated as an All Age service on the third Sunday of the month. On the first Sunday we also offer a Young Families Service at am which includes worship and shared lunch. This has significant lay leadership and participation. There is Holy Communion each Wednesday at 9.15 am and Evening Prayer said each Saturday at 5 pm (both CW). Our average Sunday attendance (as measured in October 2015) is 77 of whom 18 were under There are baptisms on the 3rd Sunday of the month after Parish Communion or during the Eucharist and the church is in demand for weddings. Between 2013 and 2015 there was a total of 41 weddings (12, 15 and 14). We hold annual services for Remembrance, Advent Carols, Nine Lessons and Carols as well as the Burghley Sermon each October when a visiting preacher attends choral evensong and leads prayers for the first Lord Burghley. Services for Ash Wednesday and Ascension Day are rotated around the team churches as well as Sunday evensong during August. Services are also held for the elderly residents at nearby St Audrey s residential home. We have also held a Nativity Play in advent in the last few years with adults and children participating. This takes place in the rare breeds farm at Hatfield House and has begun to attract a large congregation/audience. Our mission and outreach can develop in ways we might not imagine 9 of 27

10 3.11 Although the average age of the congregation remains high, two initiatives in particular have led to a resurgence in the participation of younger families and children in church life. For about 6 years we have offered the monthly family service in the church hall mentioned above which has been well attended and has led to some families joining in the weekly family communion service; and we have started a children s choir (see below) We have begun in the last year to engage with the process of admitting children to Holy Communion before Confirmation and this is still work in progress. Music 3.13 There is a long and firmly established musical tradition and life at St Etheldreda s. In 2013 we appointed Jill Knight as our organist and music director. She started and has nurtured a children s choir, YES (Young Etheldreda Singers) which has grown to the point where it now has a waiting list for new members. As well as participation in regular and special services this choir also performs at outside events. There is a robed adult choir which leads the worship of the congregation and regularly performs anthems and motets. A brass group also supports the parish communion once a month. The church is also a venue for a variety of musical events. Some of these have been commercial such as a performance by Harry Christopher and the Sixteen as part of the 2014 Hatfield House Music Festival. Others have been concerts by the Hertfordshire Concert Orchestra and the Welwyn Hatfield Brass Band as well as smaller internal groups and associated performers. We also host an annual Schools Songs of Praise and several Carol Services for local schools. Outreach The Church Hall 3.14 The Church Hall at St Etheldreda is used by the congregation for various events and by the Hatfield public and local interest bodies, such as youth groups, a kindergarten and for social and other meetings. 10 of 27

11 Refocused 3.15 There had long been a monthly parish magazine - Focus - created, printed and sold from St Etheldreda s. About 2 years ago we decided to revitalise and improve on our previous efforts. Due to the leadership and creative energy of a new editor and a dedicated band of distributors the new magazine, Refocused, is funded by advertising and distributed free of charge to around 1,000 of the households in the parish and more widely by and the web site. Community relationships 3.16 St Etheldreda s is the Parish Church and has a part to play in the life of the town as well as the congregations that meet to worship there. It is home to a variety of civic and community services and enjoys a special relationship with Lord and Lady Salisbury and the Hatfield House (Gascoyne Cecil) estate. Notwithstanding the creation of separate PCCs for St John South Hatfield and St Michael, those who live within the combined parish boundary may marry in St Etheldreda s as of right. Many of the congregation live outside the parish boundary but have or retain their links with the church by regular attendance at services and other events. St Etheldreda s is open on weekday afternoons during the period when Hatfield House is open to the public, usually from Easter to September. ST LUKE S CHURCH 3.17 The church formerly a cemetery chapel stands at the border between the old and new town. The building is an intimate, traditional, cruciform church dating back to the 1860's. Services 3.18 We have a Saturday 5pm informal service and a Sunday 12 noon Eucharist service. The church is close to the town centre with a graveyard alongside; kept open, unmanned, on most Saturdays and Sundays, we know that in addition to our regular congregation, many people enter the church for a quiet prayer or out of curiosity, when they visit the graves of loved ones or as they pass on their way in and out of town Our Sunday service time of 12 noon suits our congregation and the occasional visitor who has woken too late for their regular church attendance! 11 of 27

12 The Congregation 3.20 The congregation is diverse and we often attract visitors from other Christian denominations and even from other faiths who wish to know more. We are much involved with the running of the church but we need leadership. We have successfully shared an SSM for ten years and would like to continue to grow the congregation, involve the town and, most importantly to listen. Many of the people who drop in would like to talk as often they are grieving or troubled. There are several residential and nursing homes nearby and Countess Anne C of E school is down the road. St Luke's has regularly hosted school events including school assemblies and church visits to fulfil National Curriculum teaching, as well as seasonal events aimed at children such as a scarecrow festival and Follow the Star during Advent The church is substantially sound and with our small budget we try to be selfsupporting and give to charity. We have a District Church Council, reporting to the PCC (see Governance below) consisting of the Deputy Church Warden and 3 other members who assist in the running of St Luke s. 12 of 27

13 GOVERNANCE 3.22 The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Bishop s Hatfield (St Etheldreda s with St Luke s ) is registered in England and Wales under charity number and the Parish Office is in Goodrich House on Fore Street. 125 parishioners were on the Electoral Roll at 31st December There are two churchwardens, one of whom is vice chairman of the PCC. This has elected and ex officio members including Deanery Synod representatives. We have voluntary office holders who act as secretary to the PCC, Parish Clerk and Treasurer. Our particular objectives over the last year were to consolidate the newly opened Parish Office, to continue to grow the monthly Family Service and to provide extra resources to revitalise our ministry to children and young families, including YES!, our new junior choir. A principal future aim is to raise funds to instal a lavatory in St Etheldreda s Church. All of these aims have progressed in identifiable ways The aim of the PCC is to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of the parish community through worship and prayer and the provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish as well as missionary and outreach work while expanding the present congregations to include newcomers to Hatfield The PCC exercises its full and legal responsibilities to the Parish and receives reports from Finance, Property, Young People, St Luke s DCC and other committees. The PCC has appointed a Safeguarding Officer to have a particular focus on policies relating to children and vulnerable adults, and considers the systems in place to mitigate such risks as have been ascertained to be adequate in normal circumstances. It is responsible for the nomination of governors to the Church of England Countess Anne Voluntary Aided Primary School Both churches, St Luke s and St Etheldreda s, through services and a wide variety of community events, have engaged with the mission of the church and have embraced the Bishop s initiative Living God s Love. FINANCE 3.27 Our parish share for 2015 is 49,446 (covering both St Etheldreda's and St Luke) but we need to dip into our reserves for the first time in several years to meet it in full because of some rather high electrical repair costs resulting from the quinquennial inspection. The increase to over 51,000 in 2016 will be a further challenge. 13 of 27

14 3.28 There is a rolling programme to undertake the essential maintenance of the parish properties and any reserves that exist are held for that purpose. St Etheldreda s is a Grade 1 listed building and sits within a conservation area Donations are made to charities both at home and overseas. COUNTESS ANNE SCHOOL. A CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY ACADEMY 3.30 The Rector is a governor of the school and will continue to offer a ministry of support to Countess Anne and especially the Head-teacher, David Lodge, and to continue a role of pastoral ministry and prayer with the Head and school governors The School has historic links with Hatfield House. We look for someone who will be sympathetic to the present head s faith desire to embed Christian values in the school and foster the growth of Christian influence in the school curriculum. The Rector participates with other members of the team with assemblies, school eucharists and exercises pastoral care to children and staff as and when required. OUR NEW RECTOR, OUR CONGREGATION 3.32 Here at St Etheldreda s and St Luke s we offer our new Rector a warm welcome, care, hospitality, our fellowship and support. We will give our time, encouragement and expertise as best we can We would describe our congregational life as loyal and steady with opportunities for improvement and a growing young profile. This has been a training Parish over the years and in the past and we hope it may be again. Our people give their time and energies to the life of the church and we value our historical links and we would want our new rector to do so too We value also our focus on the Eucharist, our rich musical life and tradition, the warmth of the welcome we offer people visiting our church, our opportunities for fellowship in church and in other activities such as Creative Corner and our Men s Breakfast. We value our diversity, our links with Hatfield House, our growing family and youth participation and the opportunities we have for learning and development e.g. in study groups. 14 of 27

15 Priorities 3.35 We see our priorities for growth as continuing to foster and grow our families and young people s work, making our church more adaptable and user friendly by installing a toilet and a new kitchen and responding to the needs of those occupying new housing in Hatfield More specifically for St Luke s, we see our priorities as to remain open at weekends for quiet prayer and contemplation (as in 3.18 above) ; working toward providing a help corner within the church for those visitors who are drawn into the church for contemplation and when facing difficulties combining spiritual guidance on prayer and sources of practical help (eg helplines and organization information); replacing our inadequate heating system with one more efficient and cost effective So, what are the qualities we look for in our new Rector? We would hope to identify some of the following attributes: a person who is: a pastor, approachable, spiritually mature, a good communicator, energetic and supportive of the existing congregations with heart for building up the whole community from our children and schools, our regular worshippers to those in our community who live in local care homes. a person who has: the ability to help build up and develop the team, an openness to varieties of worship, an understanding of PCCs, discernment and willingness to encourage the congregation in varieties of worship and service. 15 of 27

16 4. SUMMARY PROFILES ST JOHN SOUTH HATFIELD The Church 4.1 The main Church building was completed in Unusual design with the liturgical east end at the west end of the Church. The Church is adjacent to the small district shopping centre. The Church was Listed in approximately 1997 (Grade II Listing). 4.2 There is a Youth and Community Centre, which is attached to the Church, which is linked by a church room (the Farmbrough Room). The District is part of the Hatfield New Town, built in the late 1950s/early 60s. 16 of 27

17 4.3 The Church became the centre of worship for the newly formed Parish of Bishop Hatfield St John in January We were very pleased to welcome our new Vicar the Reverend Amanda Duncan on 12th May The Community 4.4 The area is constantly changing with an increasing number of students attending the expanding University site. Many houses in the area round the Church are owned by landlords, who are buying to let out to students. A growing number of the population is multicultural, multi faith and multi ethnic. Services 4.5 There is Common Worship Family Communion service on Sundays at 10. a.m. and one said Common Worship Communion service on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Additional special services occur for All Souls, Holy Week and especially Christmas Eve. 4.6 We have two readers (one PTO) and several members of the congregation are licensed Chalice Bearers. Members of the congregation also lead Intercessions We have a robed Crucifer and Server/Clerk for our Sunday Services. Outreach 4.7 St John has a caring/friendly congregation and many who attend for the first time note this. There are regular social events as part of the outreach programme including Quiz and folk nights afternoon films, and an annual barbecue to name a few. 4.8 In the Youth Centre attached, there is a Thursday evening disco, this is for 8-11 year olds and staffed by volunteers who are not generally connected to the Church directly. 4.9 Communion is taken to St Christopher s care home. Finance & Governance 4.10 The challenge of becoming a Parish with its own PCC has been successfully met and the Parish Share is approximately 21k, which we met in full for 2013/2014. We also give away a small percentage to mission and charity. Stewardship is practised through our envelope scheme 4.11 Our electoral roll is 54. PCC membership currently 15 (aged from 30 to 83 years). We have formed Sub Committees to the PCC as follows: Finance; Property; Outreach; Youth & Community Centre Management. 17 of 27

18 4.12 Our PCC meetings occur six times a year and we are keen to keep these efficient to help in the running of the Church, but also to give time for pastoral discussion and considerations. MAP and our future 4.13 Our developing mission action Plan includes: identifying people who are willing to develop a Bereavement Visiting Team and to obtain the necessary training and support to enable this vital task to go ahead; re-establishing contact with the local school and strengthening that link by supporting school activities that can include the church visits, projects etc.; encouraging the Church leaders to further develop relationships with the University; establishing an Umbrella Scheme for PCC members to watch and care for other members of congregation; encouraging and developing evenings of meditation and bible study. Our Priorities 4.14 To restore and develop the Mission of this Church to the elderly and bereaved in South Hatfield; to develop worship and parish structures that support and involve our young families;to pursue and develop contacts with the University of Hertfordshire through our ROOT group contact Vanesa working with us in parish and UH. Our Vision, (which is included in our developing Mission Action Plan) is to be: 4.15 A friendly, lively God centred and prayerful Church that is welcoming and outward looking in the South Hatfield Community and beyond. To maintain learning and activity with clear ideas of how existing projects towards elderly and young families. 18 of 27

19 ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS BIRCHWOOD Our Church and Community 4.16 St Michael and All Angels lies to the north end of Hatfield, primarily within the Hatfield North ward of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council district, but also encompasses part of Hatfield Central and Hatfield East Wards The Parish comprises the area once being the extent of the original Birchwood Farm; the original part of the area known as Hatfield Garden Village and the site of the De Havilland Aircraft airfield, now extensively developed, together with an extensive rural area beyond. The congregation is drawn, predominantly, from the local community although some, with previous connection to the church, travel to retain their contact There are three primary schools with which the parish has contact, two within the parish itself, and the third, a Church School lying within St Etheldreda s Parish on St Michael s southern boundary The electoral roll stands at 117 and, before the current vacancy, the number of attendees at a normal Sunday Eucharist was around 65. The church has a robed choir and is considered to be central Church of England from a churchmanship point of view 19 of 27

20 4.20 The buildings comprise the church itself built in 1955 seating 140, and an adjacent church hall, built in 1962, seating 100 in the main hall, with a meeting/committee room seating approximately 20. There is an adjacent vicarage, currently rented out, that we hope one day will once again become the home of the vicar of St Michael s Services 4.21 There is a weekly Sunday Eucharist with Sunday Club for our younger members and a mid-week said Eucharist each Tuesday. There is a monthly Messy Church session in the church, which is helped by the ability to move the seating to create the necessary space. These sessions regularly attract 30 to 50 parents/carers and children. Other special services include a Maundy Thursday service with symbolic washing of feet and a shared meal; a Good Friday devotional service and a traditional Nine lessons and carols service at Christmas and a Crib service on Christmas Eve. Other seasonal services include an All Souls service. Structure of the Parish 4.22 St Michael and All Angels has been a parish since the beginning of Before this it was part of the Parish of Bishop s Hatfield, which also included St. Etheldreda with St Luke, and St John, South Hatfield The management of the parish is by two elected church wardens and a Parochial Church Council (PCC). There are two deputy church wardens, as well as a Secretary and a Treasurer. The PCC meets every other month and, in between, a number of Action Groups have responsibility for planning and carrying out tasks in their specific areas. The Action Groups are composed of members of the congregation not necessarily on the PCC, though the convener gives a report and seeks approval for actions where necessary. The Parish is not a wealthy Parish comprising, predominantly, working class families. It has a share factor of 0.85 but has succeeded in paying its share every year since its formation 4.24 The Action Groups cover the following areas: Children and Young People; Communications; Fund-raising; Mission Action Planning; Pastoral Care; Planning and Property; Social Activities. Mission Action Plan (MAP) 4.25 Three priorities for the next five years are: to provide opportunities for people to deepen their faith; to improve communication with people in the locality; to build on the church s involvement with local people. 20 of 27

21 4.26 Our five specific goals for the next year or more are: to maintain and improve the church premises, in particular the repair of the church roof; to seek ways of extending our connections with those living on the British Aerospace site and reaching out to those living in the relatively new housing on the Hatfield Garden Village extension; working with St John s Lemsford where this is appropriate;to encourage people to assist with the services and visits to Care Homes and to support those called to be Pastoral Visitors; to continue working on the use of and other electronic communication and notice-boards for sharing information;;to continue with the donations to Food Bank. The Future 4.27 St Michael s has not had a stipendiary priest living in the Parish for some years and has had no priest since May Rev Paul Seymour has now been appointed to be a Team Vicar, whom we will share with our friends at St John s Lemsford, and we look forward to his ministry with enthusiasm. ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST LEMSFORD Community 4.28 St John s Church is situated in Lemsford Village. It borders Welwyn Garden City along the A1(M). The small semi-rural parish of about 500 people comprises the village of Lemsford, the hamlet of Cromer Hyde and the residential area of Stanborough. The congregation is best described as gathered predominantly from the surrounding towns of 21 of 27

22 Welwyn Garden City (60%), Hatfield, Harpenden and the new estate in Hatfield Garden Village. Lemsford Fête 4.29 St John s Church and School combine to put on this major undertaking. The cooperative spirit of many volunteers is remarkable and a source of great fun although very demanding. It is the largest village fête in the county. The Church 4.30 The 6th Earl Cowper wished to build a church for his tenants and on his death his wife and children completed the task in Thirteen Vicars have ministered in this church since then; the last two in part-time posts. It seats 180 people and has an Electoral Roll of 121, of which about 20% were living within the Parish (2014). It features the privately owned Brocket Chapel which seats 30, dedicated in The church is described as one where there is a friendly atmosphere and a caring congregation. People are drawn by the pattern of worship, the attractive church building and the welcome extended The church annexe is available for private hire, seats 40 people and was dedicated in There is a Garden of Remembrance, refurbished in Church Services 4.32 In churchmanship, we have always considered our ethos to be broadly central Church of England. Attendance varies between 60 to100 depending on the services and has generally held up over past years. The mix of BCP and Common Worship coupled with a monthly Family Service is attractive in its variety. We hold a weekly 8.a.m. Communion Service, and monthly Morning Prayer, Communion or Family Service at Children are catered for in Sunday Club, with two groups covering all ages from 3 to Monthly we hold an informal Café Church in the evening for all ages, but with a particular focus on teenagers at school. Once a term the school join us for a service with many young people taking part During the week there is a Wednesday morning service, a school s service, a monthly well-attended home group in the village and a weekly one for the more elderly in their home. Once a month there is a short service at Stanborough Lodge, a care home within the parish. 22 of 27

23 4.35 We rejoice in many special services during the year, at Advent, Christmas and Lent, and also on Mothering Sunday, Harvest Festival, All Souls, Remembrance Sunday, a nativity celebration with the children and regular services for Healing A dedicated robed choir of adults and children with the guidance of our Organist/ Choir Director enrich our services with their singing. Laity support worship and teaching, including reading lessons, leading intercessions, organising and leading family services, house groups, assisting at Holy Communion, running Cafe Church and Sunday Club, and monthly Friendship Teas. Outreach 4.37 Stanborough Lodge Care Home monthly service and communion visits as requested; Parish magazine produced bimonthly and distributed to every home in the parish as well as to all parents at St John s School; Carol singing around the parish at Christmastime, visiting the pubs and homes; Hatfield Garden Village leaflets distributed to all the new homes for the Christmas and Easter services; Police Carol service for some years the Hertfordshire Constabulary have held their carol service at St. John s; Annexe sharing although quite small, our Annexe is available for rent and we have a number of regular bookings Lemsford Fête It is held on the first bank holiday in May, and draws in huge crowds from far and wide. The church is open for quiet reflection and music while the school grounds cater for young and old alike. Profits from the day are shared equally between school and church. We use our contribution to enhance our reserves and to make specific charitable donations; 4.39 Brocket Hall some couples marry at St John s and hold their receptions at Brocket Hall. We have a great opportunity of mission to support and strengthen the faith of engaged couples during the months leading to their wedding when they attend St John s Our CMS mission partner, who works in education and development in Pakistan, visits approximately every two years. Finance and Governance 4.41 The church is financially sound and has always paid in full its parish share ( 39,101, in 2015, during the vacancy). The 156 year old building is in good condition (quinquennial inspection September 2014) The PCC is supported by the Standing and Finance Committees, while other groups take a lead on ministry, pastoral care, buildings, and social activities. Volunteers enable the smooth running and welcome in our church, including after-service coffee, social events, flower arranging, bell ringing, church cleaning and grounds maintenance. 23 of 27

24 St John s School 4.43 St John s Church of England JMI School (105 on roll) was opened in 1872 on the adjoining site. School assemblies are held each week in church, plus a special assembly at the end of each term. The Vicar is a foundation governor ex-officio of the school. PCC members also serve on the governing body and there is a close working relationship with the school. Mission Action Plan (MAP) 4.44 In developing our MAP, we carried out surveys with the congregation. What we found was that we were reasonably active in the community area but weaker in the aspects of Going Deeper and Making New Disciples. Our major areas hinged around: (i) prayer and spirituality, (ii) teaching and preaching for our learning, and (iii) music and sung worship. Sharing our faith (evangelism) scored poorly reflecting our need for good Biblebased teaching to instil confidence in our Lord Jesus and to challenge us to share the gospel with others. All this led us to develop over the next five years our Vision: Growing Together in Christ 4.45 Our vision is to be people who worship God enthusiastically; who are growing in faith and numbers by being rooted in the teaching of the Bible and Christian attitudes; who reflect the love of Jesus in our lives and our service; and who are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit in all we do. Our vision is still sound but our SMART goals probably need updating. The Future 4.46 We have had no vicar since the 30th June When Bishop Stephen Venner reported, December 2014, he recommended that: A new Vicar for St Michael and Lemsford will share oversight of both churches with an SSM member of the clergy team so each church and parish will have two priests to share The Rev Paul Seymour has recently been appointed as Team Vicar to work in our parish and St Michael s. We look forward to the commencement of his ministry and the realisation of Bishop Stephen s vision that the two churches share the leadership of two priests. We also look forward to the realisation of Bishop Stephen Venner s vision for the appointment as Rector, to lead and inspire the Hatfield Team, of a top quality, senior person of real calibre who has totally appropriate gifts. 24 of 27

25 ST MARY S NORTH MYMMS 4.48 The Parish of St Mary s North Mymms principally covers an area between the A1000 on the Eastern side, the A1(M) on the West, Hatfield to the North and Potters Bar to the South. St Mary s Church lies slightly outside of those confines but within North Mymms Park which is just West of the A1(M). (North Mymms Park itself contains a Jacobean mansion which is owned by a pharmaceutical company and is used by them as a conference and training centre). St Mary's Church is a Grade ll listed building. The Community 4.49 The main communities which St Mary s serves are Brookmans Park, principally a commuter belt village with high value home ownership, and Welham Green, which is more industrial with commuters and a lot of social housing. There are also the more rural hamlets of Bell Bar and Water End. Services 4.50 There are two main services each week, Holy Communion at 08:00 am following Book of Common Prayer and a 9:30 am Sung Eucharist following Common Worship. Full vestments are usually worn. On the 1st Sunday of each month, an All Age Family Service is held at 10:30 am followed by a short, said Holy Communion. This is in place of the 9.30 am service. The All-Age Service has been running since the beginning of 2015 to attract more young families and those who wish to have their families baptised. Whilst attendance has been encouraging, retaining them remains a challenge. The weekly average number of communicants is between 50/70. In addition, Choral Evensong is held once a month at 6.30 pm. Baptisms are held usually on the third Sunday of each month. There are the 25 of 27

26 usual additional services at Christmas, Easter and for Remembrance. Regular Home Communion is taken to the sick and housebound. Governance 4.51 Close by the church is a modern vicarage where the present incumbent, Rev Julia Boothby and her family reside. Adjacent to the church is a modern Parish Room, called St Michael's Room, in which, inter-alia, church social activities take place. The room is let for use by other churches for conferences and funeral congregations are permitted to use it for social means. Many of the congregation take part in church activities such as bellringers, choir-members, acolytes, chalice bearers, sides persons and prayer leaders, The church is cleaned regularly by a group of members of the congregation The regular maintenance of the church's fabric and churchyard ensures the life of the parish extends beyond its weekly services. St Mary s employs an organist and a part time office administrator St. Mary's currently has 2 Church Wardens and 11 PCC members. The current electoral roll is around 160. The Church is open daily for prayer or the general enjoyment of any passing visitor. The Church is currently financially solvent but has run a deficit for a number of years. A Grade II listed building can at times be a considerable drain on resources. St Mary s also own a 3 bedroom semi detached property in Welham Green, which whilst currently vacant, has been used as a curate s accommodation as well as a commercial let. The School 4.54 There is a Church of England Primary School in Welham Green with regular attendance at the school by the Team Vicar. Two of the congregation are also school governors and every term a service is held in the Church attended by the pupils. There is a further state-owned primary school in Brookmans Park together with a grant maintained secondary school also in that village. 26 of 27

27 5. OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION of 27