Norton Parish
Contents St Georges' and St Nicholas, Norton, Letchworth Garden City Introduction... 3 Our Vision... 4 Worship... 7 Children and Youth... 13 Teaching... 17 Our Buildings... 19 Supporting our Church Community... 22 Our Community... 25 Finance... 33 The next Vicar of Norton... 37 A note on quotes Throughout this profile you will find quotes from members of our congregation and the community. These were collected during the consultation period that preceded the writing of the document. Some were given in person, others on feedback sheets. 2
Introduction Who we are We are a growing, Eucharistic based church which is traditional in worship style and broad in our outlook. Our congregation is diverse and vibrant and we have a strong Sunday School. As an active group, we encourage diversity and we are enquiring in our approach to faith. We are progressing as a teaching Parish, helping people to explore and become more secure in their faith. This is a training parish and normally has a curate in training We have close links with the local Church of England school and have a presence in the community. Our reasonable sized congregation support a broad range of activities. There is a good base of volunteers and a PCC who are engaged and committed to God's work in the Parish. 3
Our Vision Our Vision What is in this Section? Our vision What is important to us Mission Action Plan (MAP) Our areas for development 4
Our Vision Our Vision We in the parish of Norton believe our main focus should be to build our community on the teachings of Christ. Although we are numerically strong, we must develop our spiritual lives. Our vision is to be a place where people can come to know Christ. What is Important to us Being Christ centred is most important and everything emanates from our faith The church being a space where people can be comfortable with themselves and being with God Becoming a beacon to the local community Developing strong pastoral care for the community look into what we as a church do. This has been reviewed and updated each year since. Having identified that we are a numerically strong parish we are aware that there is work to do on teaching and mission. We have developed our teaching to reflect this, setting up Bible Study and House Groups. We identified people were happy in the Parish but there was a need for a higher quality of Worship and we have made changes to the format of our services and reintroduced a robed choir. Mission Action Plan (MAP) In 2011 the church set out to produce a comprehensive Mission Action Plan in line with the Living God's Love programme in the diocese of St Albans. This involved a consultation of the congregation as well as an in depth 5
Our Vision Areas for development Although the MAP is nearly at the end of its five year cycle, we are aware of challenges not yet overcome and new challenges we need to face. We will work hard with the new vicar to engage with these issues. Having a larger profile in the wider community and bringing more people to faith Developing a stronger prayer life in the Parish Improving our Pastoral support for all sections and ages of our community Managing the churches finance in line with God's will and balancing the books 6
Worship What is in this Section? Worship A general description of the worship in the Parish Services at St George's Church Services at St Nicholas Church Music groups 7
Worship Worship in the Parish of Norton We follow the seasonal worship of the Church of England and celebrate significant feast days. We normally transfer major festivals to the nearest Sunday. Praising God is at the centre of what we do as a Parish, with the Sunday morning services at the heart of this. The services are traditional and eucharistically based with full vestments being worn. The church has services during the week so the worship of God can continue and to provide opportunities to people who are unable to attend the Sunday morning services. 8
Worship Seasonal Worship Advent, Lent, Christmas and Easter are busy times for the churches with services to allow reflection and services which are significant events for the community. During Advent, both churches are used and we see a large number of members of the wider community attending these services. Several carol services take place with the Community Carol Service bringing over two hundred people to St Georges and Carols by Candlelight seeing St Nicholas church full. A major service is held on Ash Wednesday to start Lent. Services are held every day during Holy Week which are well attended, particularly the Maundy Thursday service. Easter is bright and powerful with a service of the new light and a well attended Eucharist. Another popular, though more reflective service, is the all Souls Service. Families who have lost loved ones in the last year are invited to a service to remember the departed. 9
Worship Sunday morning Regular Services at St George's The Sunday morning Eucharist at St George's has a typical attendance of between 100 and 150. It is normally supported by a choir and the congregation is involved in many parts of the service. This traditional approach is enjoyed by most members of the congregation across all age ranges. On the third Sunday of the month there is a Contemporary Worship service after the Eucharist, which has a different format and more modern music led by the Music Group. The first Sunday of the month was historically a Family Service and the parish hopes to bring this back. the week for members to worship God and allow those who are unable to attend the Sunday services to receive Communion. Quote from the Congregation "We enjoy the traditional style of worship at St Georges." Parent of young children. Weekday Services Morning Prayer is said every day in the Church. On Wednesday mornings there is a Eucharist service and another on Thursday evening. Whilst these services do not have large numbers attending they both give time in 10
Worship Quote from the Congregation "St Nicholas provides a peaceful, tranquil environment for reflection during the service." Member of the congregation Sunday Morning Regular Services at St Nicholas' The Sunday service at St Nicholas is a quiet service, enjoyed for its stillness and time for reflection. It is attended by 10 to 20 people each week with a range of ages. Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals St Nicholas is often used for baptisms, weddings and funerals, it is often considered the prettier of the two churches and a more desirable location for these events. This provides the Parish with an opportunity to share God's love with more people than we would with just St George's church. 11
Worship Music Music is a great way to praise God and focus on his word. The Parish is fortunate to have three groups to lead us, the Parish Choir, the Ladies Choir and the Music Group Parish Choir The Parish Choir is a traditional robed choir. It has two sections: the choristers, seven children who sing the treble line, and the adult section, with ten members, which sings in four part harmony. The choir sings three Sundays of the month. The choir also sings at the carol services, Ash Wednesday service and Maundy Thursday. Each summer the choir holds a fund raising concert. Organs Both churches have well maintained organs to provide accompaniment to singing. Quote from the Congregation "Traditional services is a special feature of St George's, as is the choir." Congregation member. Ladies Choir The ladies choir is the longest running of the three groups, originally starting out as a Summer Choir they took on more responsibilities as the former Mixed Choir began to struggle. Currently they sing fifth Sunday of the month, and in the summer holidays. Music Group The music group is the newest group, bringing music of a more modern style to the church worship. Originally responsible for music on the first Sunday of the month, they now lead the Contemporary Worship service on the third Sunday of every month. They use a range of instruments including guitar, keyboard and Djembe drums. 12
Children and Youth Children and Youth What is in this Section? Sunday School Youth Groups 13
Children and Youth Sunday School The Sunday School is a particular strength of the Parish. With attendance regularly in the mid thirties with a range of adult helpers it is able to bring teaching of God's love to many children. There are currently 89 children on the register. There is a great buzz in the Sunday school, the children enjoy it and parents are very happy with what it achieves. The sessions are well organised and, after a prayer and a song at the start, the children complete activities appropriate to their age and ability. The children return from Sunday School at the start of the communion and at the end of the service show the rest of the congregation what they have done. Quotes from the Congregation "Sunday School is relaxing." Sunday school member aged:12 "I like the songs" Sunday school member aged:4 "I love the crafts" Sunday school member aged:10 "We have nice leaders" Sunday school members 14
Children and Youth Norton In-betweeners This is the oldest age range, catering for school year seven and over. Children engage in a range of activities and Christian fellowship. The sessions are fun, energetic and lively. Members find the group interesting, character building and relaxing. They have freedom to develop their ideas and mix with different ages. Quotes from the Congregation Inbetweeners is "Interesting", "Character building" and "builds relationships with friends and adults." Teenage members of the congregation Street Dragons Friday evening Street Dragons is an active group for children in school years four to six. Sports, games and craft activities form the main activity with Christian teaching built in to each session. This group helps support strong links between the church and the community The group is very popular and not just among church families. it has a maximum size of 40 and currently has a waiting list for these places as the register is full. 15
Children and Youth Crèche A crèche runs alongside the Sunday service in the lady chapel to support young families. There is a buggy parking area next to the crèche and a speaker inside allows parents to hear the main service whilst in there. Tuesday Cherubs Tuesday Cherubs is a weekly worship based playing and praying service for preschool children accompanied by their parent or carer. The children enjoy singing, praying, making things, and learning to be part of the Parish family. Norton Nippers Norton Nippers is a group for toddlers, with twenty to thirty children attending each Thursday afternoon. It is a welcoming group which the parents enjoy coming to as much as the children. It is an opportunity to provide pastoral care and to interact with non-church members of the community. Everyone enjoys its relaxed atmosphere and the chance to get a cup of tea. The attendance of the clergy at this groups is always much appreciated. Quotes from the Community Norton Nippers is "welcoming" "friendly" and has a "relaxed atmosphere." Non-church parents in the Norton Nippers group 16
Teaching Teaching What is in this Section? Bible Study Groups House Groups 17
Teaching Quote from the Congregation "We like the range of study groups, we can find something we like." Member of the congregation Bible Study Groups Teaching Learning about and exploring the Christian Faith has been a significant growth area in our church over the last five years. From very little outside of church service teaching, there are now six regular groups exploring God's word. House Groups These groups use a wider range of materials and discuss how to live out the faith in everyday life. The house groups are currently: Monday Evening: Discussing the Gospel of John. Tuesday Evening: Discussing 'Sacred Daily Readings' by Jesuit priests Wednesday Evening: Pilgrim Course on the Bible Friday Afternoon: Exploring the Eucharist These groups study books in the Bible and discuss what can be learned from them about being modern Christians. Our study groups are currently: Tuesday Morning: Discussing the Book of Revelation. Tuesday Evening: Discussing the Gospel of John, using Tom Wright's 'John for Everyone' Christianity Explored has also been run biannually. 18
Our Buildings Our Buildings What is in this Section? Details of our two Churches The Parish Centre Parish owned house 19
Our Buildings St George's Church St George's Church is the parish church for Norton and is situated on one of the main roads through Letchworth. It was built in 1964 and enjoys a unique design. The most striking features include the 120 foot spire and the sculpture of the Ascending Christ in the Sanctuary. It is used regularly for Sunday and weekday worship, baptisms, funerals, and festival services. It is rare for weddings to be held in this church. The church is also used by the school for services as its size enables all the children and their parents to attend. Services have been held in the main part of the church which have included over 400 people. The church also has a Lady Chapel which is used for smaller services and meetings. A Serbian church also uses the building on a monthly basis. St Nicholas Church Now designated a Chapel of Ease, this is the historic village church and the oldest building in Letchworth. The recent addition of heating has allowed its use to be extended throughout the year. St Nicholas' is used for regular Sunday Worship, baptisms, weddings and funerals throughout the year, and special services at Christmas and Easter. The church is also used by the school for both teaching and services to mark significant events. As the Church dates to at least the Twelfth Century, maintenance is regularly needed. Fortunately the church is well supported by both the Friends of St Nicholas and the St Nicholas Preservation trust who assist in keeping the church in a good condition. A dedicated group of competition winning bell ringers conduct regular peals on the eight bells in the tower. 20
Our Buildings Norton Parish Centre and badminton. Additionally nine church groups have regular bookings. The hall is utilised for 62.5 hours during weekdays and 6 hours during weekends. The Parish Office is situated in the Centre by the main entrance. There is a caretaker who is responsible for the maintenance and preparation of the hall. There is a car park with 32 spaces, including 3 disabled access spaces which services both the Church and the Parish Centre. 2 Common View The Parish Centre is situated across the car park from St George's church and has three main rooms: the main hall which has a capacity of 300, the Clulow room with a capacity of 140 and the Loft with seating for up to ten. It has a fully equipped kitchen with serving access to both the hall and the Clulow room. Twelve separate community organisations have regular bookings including a pre-school, yoga classes, kick boxing The Parish also has a parsonage with three bedrooms. This is located behind the Parish Centre and has easy access to the Parish Church. This house provides accommodation for the curate when we have one and a supply of income when we do not. It is ideal accommodation for a medium sized family. 21
Church Community Supporting our Church Community What is in this Section? Pastoral Support provided by the church Social life in the parish 22
Church Community Pastoral Committee Living God's love requires us as Christians to support those around us. The group is chaired by a member of the PCC and provides support where needed to members of the community. They engage in a range of activities and work closely with the ministry team. In addition to providing specific support to individuals activities of the Pastoral Committee include: Providing Support to the housebound Home Communion Supporting the Food Bank Transport/Drivers Catching up with people Greeting newcomers Memorial service in November for families who have had funerals that year Coffee Shop Every Wednesday morning a coffee shop is run as an opportunity for people to socialise. Funds raised are split between the church and a variety of charities. Friday Lunch A simple lunch prepared by volunteers each Friday aimed at older members of the parish. It is hoped this will be an event that grows over the next few years. Care homes The church works with two local care homes providing monthly services and pastoral visits. There are two further care homes in the parish where more support could be provided. 23
Church Community Church Social Life The Church organises many social events to share and celebrate the love of Christ, aiming for one per month reaching a range of interests within the church. This is managed by the social committee, a group of volunteers who are responsible to the PCC. Recent events have included: Harvest Supper Fundraising Dinner Quiz Night Mid-Winter Pudding Party Pyjama-Party (Children only) Beetle Drive 24
Our Community Our Community What is in this Section? Some details on who our congregation are and what we do St Nicholas School What the Parish community is like What is in Letchworth and the surrounding area 25
Our Community Who are we? Parish Community Whilst we are all here to worship God, people choose to attend our churches for a range of reasons, some have recently moved to the area whilst others have been worshiping here all their lives. Some key facts about our congregations are: We have an Electoral Roll of 203 51% live within the parish Average weekly attendance is 180 across all services High number of professionals (both local and London commuters) Slightly less ethnically diverse than the wider community Slightly higher average income than the wider community Broad age range 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Age of the Congregation 0-14 years 15-29 years 30-44 years 45-59 years 60+ years Age Bracket Quote from the Congregation "St George's is very welcoming for families." New member of congregation 26
Our Community Our Groups The church is a strong community which supports its members. There is a growing ethos of volunteering which the church hopes to encourage. There are a number of groups which operate within this community including: Social Committee Website and Media Bible Study Groups Youth Groups Sunday School Servers Tuesday Club Pastoral Committee Choirs and Music Group Mission Committee House Groups Finance Committee The church does not want to limit itself to these groups and is willing to expand beyond these. Prayer groups have been identified as an area that needs development. 27
Our Community St Nicholas School St Nicholas School is a Church of England (VA) primary school which has 238 students aged 4 to 11. It enjoys close links with the Parish of Norton and the Diocese of St Albans. It is rated as 'Good' by OFSTED and 'Outstanding' by SIAMS. The school places a strong emphasis on teaching Christian values. It is housed in modern and traditional buildings; the school is well equipped and resourced to teach a modern and creative curriculum; externally the school has an environmental study area and a large playing space with a field, a playground with an activity trail and a dedicated Willow Chapel for an outside space for reflection. The Parish supports the school in a number of ways. Members of the church produce and deliver assemblies, this is not just the priests but members of the congregation as well. Six of the governors are PCC governors, the vicar is also normally an ex-officio governor. The annual Midsummer Revels sees the church and the school working together to produce an enjoyable event for parents and also to raise funds. Church members also support other school events. The school holds Christmas, Easter and Leavers' services at both churches. 28
Our Community Churches Together in Letchworth Churches Together maintains links between churches in the town. This group organises community events including the Good Friday Walk of Witness, Christmas Carols in the town centre and the summer Picnic in the park. Ministers meet regularly at a Breakfast Fraternal. Leaders and ministers join together weekly in prayer on a Wednesday morning. Letchworth Group of Churches The Parish is within the Letchworth Group of Church of England Churches. This group maintains links between the priests but has had little active role in recent years. 29
Our Community Local Community The Parish of Norton is located on the northern side of Letchworth Garden City. It is primarily suburban with some agriculture. The population is just over 9,000, with a relatively diverse age range the majority being of working age. The Parish includes a pub, the Three Horse Shoes, which is part of its social history and has been supportive of Church events in the past. There are also a number of local shops. In terms of diversity, 93% of the population is white British and 96% have English as their first language. 44% describe themselves as Christian, compared with 22% describing themselves as having no faith. Though unemployment is at 4%, the parish does have issues with deprivation. Rated against other Church of England parishes it is rated 4,503 out of 12,559 for depravation (1 being the most deprived). Average income per week is 560 compared with 650 regionally. 36% of the Parish residents live in social housing. There are two schools, in addition to St Nicholas, in the Parish with which the Church hopes to build links. 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Parish Population by Age 0-15 years 16-24 years 25-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years Age Bracket 30
Our Community Letchworth Garden City Letchworth Garden City was founded in 1903 as the World's First Garden City. It also boasts the oldest roundabout in the UK! Originally founded on the principles of Ebenezer Howard, the town has developed considerably over the last 113 years. It is now larger, with housing estates developing around the town including in the Parish. It is currently working towards being a more environmentally friendly town. Entertainment Shopping Letchworth town centre has a good range of small shops including a particularly good book shop. Most major supermarket brands are available within driving distance of Letchworth, including Morrison's in the town centre and Sainsbury's on the edge of town. There is a Christian bookshop in the town centre. The surrounding area has a good selection of shopping centres easily accessible from the town. Letchworth has a restored cinema and theatre, a number of restaurants and some pubs. The Settlement puts on a range of events for the local area. Further afield there are theatres in both Hitchin and Stevenage as well as Stevenage Leisure park with a range of facilities. 31
Our Community Health Care Letchworth is close to the Lister Hospital and has a range of doctor's and dentist's surgeries in the town. There are a number of gyms locally. also provides quick access to Stevenage to transfer to trains heading North. Schools There are a range of primary school in Letchworth including 3 in the Parish. There are two state secondary schools, The Highfield School and Fearnhill School. There are also two private secondary schools, St Christopher's School (mixed sex) and St Frances School (girls). Transport Letchworth is on the A1(M) accessible at Junctions 9 and 10. Letchworth Station provides fast train access to London, approximately 30 minutes to King's Cross station. Cambridge is also easily accessible from Letchworth. It 32
Finance Finance What is in this Section? Stewardship Fundraising Events Financial state 33
Finance Stewardship Committee The Stewardship committee aims to promote among the congregation the use of skills and assets in line with Christian living. they do and give and respond to God's love. This has seen an increase in giving to the church and more volunteers. Stewardship Campaign The Stewardship campaign is an ongoing process of encouraging people to reflect on their giving in terms of time, talents and funds. Over the last three years it has followed the Giving in Grace Programme. It is due for review in mid 2017. The most significant and visual element of the campaign is conducted during the Autumn. Members of the committee deliver talks and information is distributed to the congregation over a series of weeks culminating in a thanksgiving service. Each person the church engages with regularly receives a letter addressed to them personally to inform them of what the church is doing, the financial position of the church and gives them an opportunity to consider what 34
Finance Fund raising and Charity Support Events Events which raise funds for the church are an essential part of our income, these include a fund raising dinner, social events and taking part in a local 10k race. Events are also carried out to support other charities. Christian Aid We regularly support Christian aid and engage in Christian Aid Week. This has included a Big Brekkie, a cake stall, envelope collections and Christmas service collections. Operation Christmas Child For the last ten years the church has taken part in Operation Christmas Child, collecting between 60 and 100 boxes. We fill shoe boxes with gifts for children who otherwise would get nothing for Christmas. Children's Society Every year a Christingle service is held in December in aid of the Children's Society. 35
Finance Financial Position The Church aims to use the resources God has given us to their best effect for the work of Christ. We hope to be able to cover our costs and give money to support mission and charities. Due to increases in regular bills the church has operated in deficit for the last three years and expects to be over 10,000 in deficit this year which may exhaust our reserve. As seen above the stewardship campaign aims to work on this. Income in 2015 was 141,219 with expenditure at 146,831. Whilst we have little control over the regular bills we do not foresee any major capital expenses in the near future. We have paid our parish share in full for the last 5 years. Some key figures: Expenditure Income 4,951 12,732 2,916 117 Mission giving 53,998 84,004 Planned giving Grants Rental income Interest 57,061 69,121 Parish Share Church expenses Fundraising costs Administration costs 3,099 36
The Next Vicar The next Vicar of Norton What is in this Section? What we are looking for in our new priest Our challenges What we can offer our new priest The leadership team in the Parish 37
The Next Vicar What we are seeking The Parish of Norton is an active community reaching a wide range of groups and individuals. The vicar needs to be able to work with these people to lead, support and minister to them in the light of Christ. Within this, the key aspects we are looking for are: A vicar of strong faith who can manage the diverse aspects of the Parish and who can delegate effectively A good communicator who will accompany people on their journeys of Faith and encourage them A person with a strong prayer life who can encourage the development of prayer in the Parish An approachable, dynamic and realistic leader who leads by example A priest with a heart for Parish life who will build on where we are and bring new ideas inspirational preacher, able to engage will all ages, participates and encourages others to participate and willing to work with other churches in the town. Our Challenges Hopefully by now you will have seen that the Parish of Norton is engaged in a lot of good work for the growth of the Gospel. We are not without our challenges and areas for concern. We as a Parish want to work with our new vicar to address these issues. These include: Reaching out further into the community Balancing the books financially Improving pastoral care for all ages Growing the prayer life of the Parish In meeting with members of the parish to prepare this profile some common desirable characteristics were expressed: a networker, a person with life experience, an 38
The Next Vicar What we can offer Ministering to the Parish of Norton will be a rewarding task for the priest God chooses. We believe we have a lot to offer. The Church A strong team who are willing to develop new ideas A good number of volunteers An active and supportive PCC A lively and growing congregation Two churches in generally good repair An active Parish Centre The Vicarage The vicarage is a modern, four bedroom house situated opposite St George's church. It has an office by the front door allowing the family areas to remain private. The Town Good connections with other churches Good transport links Friendly community The Team The next vicar will not be expected to work alone and unsupported. The parish has a team of individuals who help in the everyday running of the church. Some key figures include: 2 Wardens, 2 Deputy Wardens and 2 Assistant Wardens 1 Reader PCC of 22 members Treasurer Parish Administrator Caretaker for the Parish Hall and a cleaner Director of Music, Ladies Choir Leader, Worship Group leader and Organist Church Committees 39
Afterword Thank you for taking the time to read this profile. Please take time to pray for the Parish of Norton and if you feel God is calling you to be our new vicar you are welcome to apply. If you have any questions please contact: For an informal conversation or to apply: the Archdeacon of St Albans Office at archdstalbans@stalbans.anglican.org tel: 01727 818121 The Parish Representatives: David Parry at david.parry23@ntlworld.com or 07584 321142 Rose Gregory at rose_gregory@hotmail.co.uk 40