St Chad s Church Parish Profile 2018

Transcription

1 The Churches of St Chad and St Alkmund in Shrewsbury St Chad s Church Parish Profile 2018 The Civic Church of Shrewsbury The Military Church of Shropshire A Member of the Greater Churches Network The churches of St Chad's and St Alkmund's seek to be a welcoming, inclusive community of love and service in Shrewsbury, open to God in the adventure of Christian faith. 1

2 CONTENTS Introduction Page 3 St Chad s Ministry Page 8 St Chad s Worship Page 15 Music Page 17 The Wider Community Page 19 Organisation and Administration Page 19 Mission and Outreach Page 23 The Vicarage Page 25 Our Vision Page 26 The New Incumbent Page 29 St Chad s and St Alkmund s are part of the Diocese of Lichfield, whose mission themes are: Discovering the Heart of God Growing Disciples Reaching New Generations Transforming Communities Practising Generosity 2

3 INTRODUCTION The town of Shrewsbury is an attractive mix of Tudor and Georgian. The River Severn encircles the town, forming an oxbow. Within this loop of the river there are more half-timbered Tudor buildings in Shrewsbury than any other town in England, and the western end of the area inside the loop is predominantly Georgian. The town was once a major agricultural and administration centre but now has become an area of limited manufacture and extensive distribution. Tourism is an important part of its economy, with two cinemas, a theatre and increasing numbers of eating places. A significant number of residents commute to the West Midlands. Shropshire has no cathedral city and Shrewsbury is the County Town. The county is divided into two dioceses, to the south is the Diocese of Hereford and the rest of the county is in the Diocese of Lichfield. The Diocese of Hereford begins about 4 miles south and west of Shrewsbury. The United Benefice, which is situated in central Shrewsbury, came 3

4 into being in 2007 out of the four original Saxon Parishes in the town. St Chad s is the oldest foundation in the town dating from c770, though the current building is Georgian. The interior of St Chad s Church St Chad s has been the focal church in Shrewsbury for centuries. The current building, the third church dedicated to St Chad, stands in a commanding position on a hill above the Quarry, the town s 29 acre park leading down to the River Severn and which is much used by families and others for relaxation. St Chad s is an iconic Grade I listed Georgian building with a circular nave. St Chad s has the largest seating capacity (although not the largest footprint) of any building, sacred or secular, in the county of Shropshire and seats around 1200 people. The current church replaced a huge mediaeval cruciform structure which collapsed in 1788, the remains of which can be seen some 400 yards to the east of the present building. St Aidan s Chapel 4

5 In terms of churchmanship St Chad s would describe itself as Liberal Catholic but welcoming a wide diversity of views amongst its congregation. St Chad s has a reputation for the quality of its worship which attracts people from an extensive area beyond the Benefice itself. The Benefice could be described as sacramental and Eucharist-centered with vestments being worn. The sacrament is reserved in St Aidan s Chapel which is also a memorial chapel to the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. Incense is used at some services. St Chad s has a reputation for quality preaching. St Alkmund s is the newest of the three churches, founded in 912. It has a mediaeval spire, but a Georgian interior. The incumbent is the Vicar of St Chad s, who chairs St Alkmund s PCC. St Alkmund s Church 5

6 Parish boundaries were changed ahead of the birth of this new benefice. The parishes cover the town centre (within the river oxbow) as well as some varied and well-established housing, much of which is located to the west of St Chad s in Shrewsbury s premiere residential area. The parish population is around 3,000, but this is growing as former retail and business premises in the centre of the town are being made into apartments. The Benefice is divided into two parishes: St Chad with St Mary, and St Alkmund, both retaining their own PCCs and particular identities. St Mary s, a magnificent mediaeval church with world class stained glass, was made redundant in 1987 and is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. However the PCC of St Chad s retains responsibility for the church yard and the incumbent is responsible for carrying out a strict policy on permission to hold services in the building. Traditionally around six services are held in the course of any one year: the Friends of St Mary s hold an annual Eucharist in July. The St Chad s community holds a service in St Mary s each year on or near to the Nativity of Our Lady on 8 th September. The Shrewsbury Drapers Company, a mediaeval livery company, holds tow services in the church (one on Trinity Sunday, and a Christmas carol service). Shrewsbury School (also in the parish) holds its annual Founders Day Service in St Mary s on the first Sunday of the 6

7 academic year. The interior of St Mary s Church Shrewsbury School There are four educational establishments within the Benefice: University Centre Shrewsbury - with whom St Chad s has a good relationship, holding their annual Graduation Ceremony and Carol Service in the church. Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology - who also hold their annual Graduation Ceremony in the church. Shrewsbury School - an independent boarding school with 7

8 its own Chaplain and Chapel and with whom relations are also good, but by necessity, generally rather separate. Shrewsbury High School - a Girls Day School Trust school very close to St Chad s and with which St Chad s has excellent links. Shrewsbury High School holds almost all of its events (concerts, services, Speech Day, etc.) in the church and the incumbent takes occasional assemblies in the school. The incumbent has traditionally held a Confirmation Group from this school each year when a number of girls have been confirmed at the annual Confirmation service in St Chad s. ST CHAD S MINISTRY We are most fortunate to call upon the services of several retired clergy who have made St Chad s their home. St Chad s has a Licensed Lay Reader and an Authorised Lay Minister who undertake some of the pastoral ministry. Over 70% of the congregation live outside the parish boundaries. They are attracted by the high quality of music, formal and imaginative use of Common Worship liturgy, and preaching. We strive to look out towards the needs of others and support the church s outreach through active participation in initiatives such as the Ark, Street Pastors and support of overseas and home mission. The remarkable circular building provides a 8

9 wonderful space in which to offer corporate worship. In 2016 we signed the Armed Forces Covenant. The covenant sets out the relationship between the nation, the government and the armed forces. It recognises that the whole nation has a moral obligation to members of the armed forces and their families, and it establishes how they should expect to be treated. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York signed the covenant on behalf of the whole of the Church of England in February 2015 and St Chad s was the first church to follow their lead. Baptisms are followed up by visits to the newly baptised and cards are sent on the anniversary of baptism. The Confirmation service has included girls from Shrewsbury High School as well as adults and young people from within the congregation. Many of those seeking baptism or marriage live outside the parish boundaries, including members of the Armed Forces, but C of E guidelines are followed closely in relation to all our weddings. St Chad s has, for many years, had a policy of remarrying divorced persons subject to the guidelines of the House of Bishops. At present, approximately a dozen people receive the sacrament at home each month. The clergy are joined in this ministry by a team of Lay Eucharistic Ministers, and the Eucharist is also celebrated 9

10 monthly in local nursing homes and sheltered housing complexes. Children and Young People We have a Junior Church every Sunday morning during the 10 a.m. Eucharist, run by well qualified adult members of the congregation. Currently only a small group of children attend and not necessarily on a regular basis. It will be a priority for the new vicar that he or she helps us reach the next generation with the Gospel. A programme of themed activities covering periods such as Epiphany and Lent has been introduced so that readings and stories can be repeated and built upon and the children can pick up activities when they do attend Church. Helping the Verger to ring the bell during the Eucharistic prayer is always popular! At Christmas and Easter, many more families attend Church and on these occasions special activities are always planned for Junior Church. At the last Christmas Eve crib service, very large numbers of families attended and knitted animals, stars and glow sticks were distributed to the children who took the figures up to the crib and held aloft their stars and glow sticks at the appropriate parts of the service. The children s Nativity which takes place during the Christmas Day morning service is always a high point for the children and congregation alike. At Easter the children decorate the large 10

11 cross and carry it into the Church during the final hymn, which is always very moving, and after the service the children enjoy an Easter egg hunt in the churchyard. Special activities are also arranged for Mothering Sunday and Harvest services. We are lucky to be assisted by our first two Duke of Edinburgh volunteers who helped with Junior Church last summer as well as serving coffee after morning service. They returned to help at the Crib service and again at Easter. We look forward to developing this association with local Duke of Edinburgh students. St Chad s Services St Chad s is Shrewsbury s Civic Church and there is a strong commitment to the life of the town. Our new Vicar will be Chaplain to the Town Council and will be willing to foster civic and official links. St Chad s is used for a number of major Civic and Military events which include the following: Annual Mayor-Making service. Battle of Britain County Remembrance Service usually filling in excess of our 1200 seats Shropshire Council Civic Service (quadrennial) As Shropshire s largest performance venue seating 1100, St Chad s also receives requests from many different organisations to hold carol services in the building including: Local schools University Centre Shrewsbury 11

12 BBC Radio Shropshire The Severn Hospice Over the years, St Chad s has hosted a number of Diocesan and Archdeaconry occasions including services of Ordination, welcome and farewell to Bishops and Archdeacons, confirmation and other services which might be viewed as being for the diocese as a whole. From April to October each year a team of volunteers welcome visitors to St Chad s, distributing guides available in several languages. This is supplemented by a recently installed plasma screen which displays of information including the history of the church and details of services, together with other points of interest. St Chad s regards its ministry to visitors as a vital part of its outreach. Palm Sunday Walk of Witness Sustaining the ministry of outreach Sustaining the ministry of outreach and maintaining the resources of St Chad s has been achieved by congregational support of stewardship and Gift Aid, but St Chad s, like many other churches, faces ever increasing costs of running and maintaining its iconic building. 12

13 Major Church Repairs Following the Quinquennial Report in 2008, it was apparent that critical external repair work was required on the 150ft high tower and its dome estimated to cost over 1 million pounds. A development team was formed to oversee fundraising and implementation of this work and to ensure a 3 phase strategy to ensure the future of our grade 1 listed building and to make it suitable for our ministry in the 21 st century. A Heritage Lottery Grant of 650,000 was secured for phase 1 in 2010 and over 300,000 was raised by contributions from the congregation on Gift Aid, and further grants secured from charities including The National Historic Churches Trust, Shropshire Horticultural Society, The Friends of St. Chad s, and a number of other trusts. This work was successfully completed in 2012/13, including re-gilding of the 20ft cross surmounting the dome. At the same time the superb Norman and Beard Organ ( first installed in 1904) required major refurbishment costing another 300,000 and this had been previously booked some years before for 2011 with Harrison & Harrison of Durham, 200,000 of this was paid out of church reserves but over 100,000 had to be raised by public subscription or loans. This work was undertaken and completed by late Having completed phase 1, the development team received in 2013 a new quinquennial report, which pointed to major repair work required on the lead flashing, balustrades and stonework surrounding the roof of the nave. Further investigation showed the need for insulation in the roof space above the nave ceiling. 13

14 A second HLF grant was applied for in 2014 for phase 2 but was not successful, however, after English Heritage placed St. Chad s on the At Risk Register a subsequent application was successful in 2016 and a grant of 207,000 was made assuming that the church could raise a further sum of 60,000 of matched funding from the Friends of St. Chad s, a Private Family Trust and the Listed Places of Work Grant Scheme. The grant included an allowance of 15% towards the development of Education, Community and Tourism projects, including a new sound system. This building work was carried out in 2017 as well as associated projects and completed in March A phase 3 development project has been discussed and 2 alternative schemes considered to provide a refectory, new toilet facilities, music practice and meeting rooms. This would further enhance St. Chad s ability to extend its outreach and serve the community of Shrewsbury and beyond. We have a loan from the Diocese which we have been repaying at the rate of 5000 per annum, as a result of which the outstanding balance the outstanding balance has been reduced to a figure of 19,

15 Image of St Chad from the main door window of St Chad s Church ST CHAD S WORSHIP The average Sunday attendance is around 160 with larger congregations at Christmas and Easter; both the children s Crib Service on Christmas Eve and the annual traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols attract i n e x c e s s o f a t h o u s a n d people. Worship is at the heart of the life of St Chad s and there is a broad range of services in both modern and traditional language from Common Worship and The Book of Common Prayer. 15

16 Sunday The 8.00am Eucharist, with about 35 communicants is celebrated in the church and uses the traditional language version of Order 1 The 10.00am St Chad s Eucharist, with about 95 communicants, uses the modern language of Order 1 and lay assistance with readings, intercessions and the administration of Holy Communion. Junior Church and Crèche take place in this service from the Gradual Hymn until children return into church to join their parents at the altar rail. On the first Sunday of the month there is a congregational Eucharist which aims to be shorter. Apart from the first Sunday of the month, the remaining Sundays the choir sings a rich diet of choral music, alternating with music of a more congregational nature. St Chad s Choir singing Evensong at Hereford Cathedral 16

17 Choral Evensong is sung at 6.00pm on Sundays with the exception of the first Sunday of the month when a congregational service is held. Choir rehearsal on Easter Sunday Weekday Worship The Eucharist is celebrated on Wednesday (10.30 a.m.) and Friday (8.20 a.m.). It is a general wish that the lapsed Morning and Evening Prayer (8.00am and 5.00pm) which were said daily be reinstated. Confessions are heard by appointment or after the Friday 8.20 a.m. Eucharist. Ecumenical work St Chad s is keen to foster Ecumenical links. Our nearest non- Anglican church is Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Cathedral, with whom we have strong ties. Most of the non- conformist churches are now out of the town center, but we still regard our links with them as essential. Diocese and Deanery Over many years we have enjoyed a close working relationship with both the Diocese and the Deanery. MUSIC Music plays and important role in the worship of St Chad s and is the responsibility of the Director of Music in consultation with the Vicar. This area of St Chad s ministry has seen considerable growth in the recent years and the choir not only sings a wide range of choral music within 17

18 services at St. Chad s but undertakes visits to Cathedrals to sing on at least an annual basis, most recently at Hereford Cathedral and Tewkesbury Abbey. The Choir has some very accomplished singers and produces music of high quality. The Girls Choir developed into a youth choir with both boys and girls but is currently in abeyance. It is hoped that this will be addressed in the near future. On Fridays from February to Christmas there is a lunchtime concert usually featuring visiting musicians and sometimes the Director of Music and Assistant Director of Music which attracts a weekly audience of 130 people and often more. This is followed by a light lunch in the church hall. The concert series is arranged by the Assistant Director of Music. Many of the attendees have become regulars and, although only a few of them attend services, this group is seen as a very important part of the wider mission of St Chad s. St Chad s also welcomes a number of highly acclaimed international performers, both organists and instrumentalists, and plays host to a number of local, national and international groups, such as The Sixteen, Ex Cathedra, Cantata Choir, Voskresenije Choir of St Petersburg, Shrewsbury Choral Society, many of whom return to the church year on year for concerts. Close links are evident between St Chad s and the Shropshire Music Trust who promote many of these concerts. Music Staff Director of Music Assistant Director of Music Tony Pinel, BA; ARCO; ARCM Richard Walker, MA; FRCO The Bells of St Chad s There is also an excellent ring of 14 bells famed throughout bellringing circles. They are reputed to be the oldest tuned ring of bells in the world. An enthusiastic team of ringers ring for both the Sunday 18

19 services and practice on Tuesday evenings, and the Incumbent chairs the Bell Ringers Association AGM. Many visiting bands of ringers come to the church to enjoy ringing peals and quarter peals. ENGAGING WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY St Chad s benefits from its membership of the Greater Churches Network. This group, founded in 1991 is an informal association of non-cathedral churches, which, by virtue of their great age, size, historical, architectural or ecclesiastical importance, display many of the characteristics of a cathedral. Most churches in the group fulfil a role which is additional to that of a normal parish church. The group aims to provide help and mutual support in dealing with the special problems of running a cathedral-like church within the organisational and financial structure of a parish church; to enhance the quality of parish worship in such churches; and to promote wider recognition of the unique position and needs of churches in this category. St Chad s has worked assiduously to establish contacts in the wider community and the role of St Chad s as the Civic Church remains an important facet of its life and ministry. ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION It is recognised that St Chad s has become a complex organisation. Improving the management functions of the Church has begun and requires further development to bring greater efficiency. At the core of our work is the Ministry Team which is chaired by the incumbent and has, as members, the other clergy and readers, the Director of Music and Liturgy, and representatives of the Churchwardens. The Standing Committee meets periodically and 19

20 the governance of St Chad s is in the care of the PCC which meets 6 times per year, and has 12 members in addition to the clergy and Church Wardens of whom 3 represent St Chad s on the Deanery Synod, and 1 represents Shrewsbury Deanery Synod on the Diocesan Synod. In addition the PCC Standing Committee meets periodically. St Chad s is keen to train and has enjoyed working with a number of trainee ordinands. Two of our recent trainees are shortly to become ordained. Administration is carried out from the Church Office (located close to the church) by a part time Parish Administrator answerable to the Vicar and the Churchwardens. St Chad s and St Alkmund s share a Verger (a paid position) and a volunteer part time Verger. There is a car park fronting the church which is supervised by a team of Car Park Attendants. St Chad s employs two part time cleaners for the church and Church Hall. Liaising with staff is an important part of the role of incumbent. The PCC has a number of Working Parties taking specific responsibility for all aspects of our corporate life. Very recently the remit of some of these groups has been adapted to take account of St Chad s current and future aspirations. 20 St Chad s is blessed with experienced and clear thinking Churchwardens. They are supported by an established guild of servers and an impressive array of volunteers who undertake a variety of

21 tasks including the maintaining of the fabric of the Church, and the welcoming of visitors, as well as providing weekly lunches after each Friday concert. The primary functions of St Chad s are Worship, Pastoral, Nurture and Outreach. These include Finance, Administration, Strategic Development, Fabric, Hospitality, Music and Cultural Activities. Further work is required in implementing this improved structure. Members of the congregation involved in this administration review are keen to work with the new incumbent to see its further successful implementation. The Four Primary Teams are: Worship Nurture Pastoral Outreach There are also Six Supporting Teams: Music Finance Administration Development and fundraising 21 Reredos of St Chad s Church

22 Fabric (The next Quinquennial is due in 2018) Hospitality Health and Safety In addition there is a Safeguarding Officer St Chad s Christmas Tree Festival 2017 The Development Team meets 6 times per year to plan the strategic development of the church and to work on major projects, some of which relate to the buildings and general fabric. The architect, Tim Ratcliffe, is an ex-officio member of this team. The team also initiates projects and other works of a capital nature. The Christmas Tree Festival, first held in 2012, has now become a regular event, with the number of sponsored trees increasing from 20 to 54. Sponsorship is provided by many local businesses and organisations. Many people who may not come to the church for any other reason attend this festival to admire the display of trees and to attend school concerts and other musical performances that form part of the festival. This illustrates in another branch of our outreach. 22

23 There are also two groups who meet regularly in the church s name: St Chad s Musical and Festival Committee (and sub committees) This is a separate charitable organisation working apart from the PCC structure. The Director of Music, in his role as the Festival s Artistic Director, is an ex-officio member of this group. A Churchwarden is one of the Trustees exercising 51% of the voting rights. The Friends of St Chad s Similarly, this group is a separate charity from the PCC. Fabric projects are supported by grants from the Friends of St Chad s, of which the Vicar is a Council member. The Friends work very closely with the Development Team through the latter s responsibility for a number of capital projects, some of which have been completed (organ restoration and church tower repair and refurbishment) and some of which are ongoing and still at the planning stage. MISSION AND OUTREACH Social justice is a key element of our outreach. This is reflected in St Chad s support for the Ark a drop in centre giving support to the most vulnerable members of our society, the Street Pastors Scheme, hospital and hospice visiting, Amnesty International, Christian Aid and Fairtrade. In addition, our cultural and musical activities provide audiences with opportunities to reflect and engage with the wider dimension that St Chad s seeks to offer its community. 23

24 A number of organisations both at home and abroad are supported through St Chad s by way of special collections, such as USPG and the Bishop s Lent Appeal. The church also supports Signal, a local Deaf and Hard of Hearing Charity, and the Young Health Champions. There is much contemporary and innovative thinking among our congregation as to those events, activities and initiatives which could actively be pursued in our quest to ensure that St Chad s increasingly becomes a seven day a week church, reaching out to as broad a spectrum of the community as possible. St Chad s already has a varied array of other activities and groups, including social events, and two house groups which meet weekly. Other groups include the following: The Wednesday Group - a monthly meeting who socialise in diverse ways from watching films to organising talks, walks and trips to the pub. The Breakfast Group - meets for breakfast about once every 5 to 6 times a year where visiting speakers talk on a variety of subjects. Mothers Union. meets in church 4 times for deanery prayers. Flower Arranging Team a talented and enthusiastic group always looking for new recruits to assist in arranging the glorious array of flowers to which we are accustomed. Bible Study Group meet every other week in the home of a leading member of the congregation. 24

25 THE VICARAGE The Vicarage is a purpose built 1960s building adjacent to St Chad s. There are 4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and dining area and downstairs WC, a garden and ample car parking. The property is superbly situated in a highly desirable and central location of Shrewsbury within walking distance to all of the varied amenities of the town centre and excellent schools, and situated close to the Quarry Park. 25

26 OUR VISION St Chad s congregation feel privileged to have a unique building. Whilst ensuring its conservation for future generations we wish to use it to the greater glory of God, to attract people to our church and welcome them into our community. Although we believe we are already a welcoming church, we want to deepen and improve this welcome. There are opportunities to do this both in terms of fabric improvements to the facilities for visitors and those who use the building, and in improving our communication with the town and wider public. Improvements to our facilities are subject to many constraints, but we are determined to make essential improvements as we are able. In terms of communications, we have begun with an improved website as well as widening our invitations to people to attend our major annual services. We also aim to put regular updates on Facebook and Twitter. Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds Looking to the Future with our New Vicar Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds is at the core of what we do at St Chads. However, whilst much has been achieved over recent years, there is still hard work to be done to fully translate this into our daily mission and outreach. Our two key challenges are to deepen the spiritual life of the church 26

27 community and to reach out and share that spiritual life with others, through the development of worship and pastoral care, social responsibility and the arts. Specifically we consider it important to maintain and develop the following areas: Worship and Spiritual Life Encourage and support all to strengthen Christian belief, to make and grow discipleship and build up the family of the Church through pastoral, social and spiritual connection. Maintain and develop St Chad s high standards of worship and preaching so that St Chad s becomes a centre for theological and musical scholarship. Increase and develop family and young people s engagement with St Chad s. Develop appropriate models of Lay Ministry. Social Responsibility Promote an active and thriving extended ministry which touches those areas where there is poverty, loneliness, isolation, frustration and discontent. Make the church building available for the whole community, including other faiths and those of no faith. Ensure that our outreach is modern and up to date in its purpose and action 27

28 The Arts Develop St Chad s as an arts venue, offering a diverse programme of concerts, exhibitions, installations, workshops and lectures. Armed Forces Day Son et Lumiere 28

29 THE NEW INCUMBENT We hope and pray for: A prayerful leader who will love St Chad s and its people, aiding and guiding us in our journey together A skilled leader who will direct our activities in a collegiate way, working as part of a strong, supportive team. A person who is able to relate and engage with the members of the congregation. A person who will value ordered worship and affirm the musical and liturgical tradition of St Chad s. An able and experienced preacher. A person who will value, use and bring together our various gifts and strengths. Someone who will play a full and active role, both spiritually and physically, in the church s commitment to provide pastoral support. Someone who will focus our energies such that St Chad s, working together with St Alkmund s and other churches, may become a beacon for the town of Shrewsbury and the County of Shropshire. A person who understands the need and has experienced of reaching a younger generation with the Gospel. 29

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32 For more information please contact: St Chad s Church Office 1, St Chad's Terrace Shrewsbury SY1 1JX Tel: info@stchadschurchshrewsbury.com Follow St Chad's on Facebook and Twitter Registered Charity Number Acknowledgements to RJL Smith and Associates, Much Wenlock Shropshire for certain photographs. All photographs require written consent from St Chad s Church to be reproduced. 32