The Diocese of Manchester ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS LAWTON MOOR The People of St Michael s are here to praise God in our worship, in our lives and in our relationship with our community. INTRODUCTION St Michael and All Angels church is situated in South Manchester, in the middle of a residential estate comprising of both social and private accommodation, with Wythenshawe Park forming a boundary on the south side. St Michael s is a unique and striking Grade 2* listed building designed by the architect Cachemaille-Day and described as a sensational church in architectural guides. It has the ground plan of two interlocking stars and was built in 1937. The vicarage is attached and there is a Community Hall to the side of the church, run by a manager. Although not officially part of the Wythenshawe Team we have strong links to the team and representatives regularly attend team meetings. We are a traditional congregation with a central/moderate catholic ethos with scope for further outreach and open to change. We would welcome someone who could increase our congregation, provide spiritual nurture and growth for the current congregation and further our outreach in serving the local community. 1. BASIC INFORMATION AND STATISTICS 1.1 Full name of benefice or parish St Michael and All Angels, Lawton Moor 1.2 Title of the post that is vacant Priest in Charge 1.3 Name and address of patron Bishop of Manchester 1.4 Archdeaconry, Deanery and name of Area Dean The church is in the Archdeaconry of Manchester and the Withington Deanery The Archdeacon is: Karen Lund 0161 828 1423 archmanchester@manchester.anglican.org The Area Dean is: Stephen Edwards 0161 437 3194 revdstephenedwards@yahoo.co.uk
1.5 Official clergy housing The Vicarage, Orton Road, Northern Moor, Manchester M23 0LH The vicarage is attached to the Church and is currently leased out to tenants by the diocese. There is a small garden to the rear and lawns to the front with a tarmac drive and parking has been granted to the congregation during services. The house comprises downstairs of a lounge / dining room / dining kitchen /utility / study / toilet. Upstairs consists of 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 1.6 Official population - 9097 1.7 Number on electoral roll - 30 1.8 Average Weekly Attendance for the last 3 years 2015 27 2016 27 2017 22 1.9 Average weekly attendance of children and young people under 16-3 1.10 In the last twelve months: Baptized 5 Admitted to Holy Communion before 1 Confirmation Confirmed 0 Marriages 1 Funerals 6 Christmas communicants 29 Easter communicants 40
1.11 Anglican churches and licensed places of worship in the benefice or parish Principal church - St Michael and All Angels Approximate key dates for the building: Restoration programme began 1994, completed 2002 flat roof to pitch roof, windows mended and cross restored Heating system modernised 2006 Disabled toilet facilities added 2006 Loop system in place 2006 Approximate seating capacity 350 The last Quinquennial inspection took place in 2010, the main areas for concern were the repairs to the roof over the passageway to the Vestry and cracks in the floor in the main body of the church. The worst cracks have been filled in and we are still sourcing funding for the repairs to the passageway. Attached or nearby hall or other comparable facility - St Michael s Community Hall There are no other Anglican churches in the parish. 1.12 Notices A new noticeboard has been installed in the church grounds and we are currently working on setting up our own website, however we are able to advertise on the Wythenshawe Team website. Weekly pew slips are distributed in church on Sunday, containing news of forthcoming events and services. 1.13 Website We are included in the Wythenshawe Team s Facebook page under The Church of England in Wythenshawe - www.wythenshawe-anglican.org/stmichael 1.14 Churchwardens Miss Norma Spencer Miss Ann Shuttleworth 18 Baycroft Grove 86 Ash Lane Northern Moor Hale Manchester M23 0NW Cheshire WA15 8PB 0161 998 8659 0161 980 2310
1.15 Names of representatives appointed under the Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986 section 11 (1) Miss Norma Spencer Mr Mark Waudby Miss Dianne Lenihan 18 Baycroft Grove 89 Moorcroft Road 5 Fellpark Road Northern Moor Northern Moor Northern Moor Manchester Manchester Manchester M23 0NW M23 0NP M23 0EX 0161 998 8659 0161 998 7492 0161 998 0455 2 BISHOPS AND PRIESTS MEASURE No resolution has been passed in this regard. 3 PETITION FOR EXTENDED EPISCOPAL OVERSIGHT Similarly, no petition has been made for extended Episcopal oversight. 4 LOCAL COMMUNITY Housing is mixed consisting of Housing Association, private properties and some new build. There is a large park 5 minutes walk from the church and university playing fields nearby. There is an allotment society that holds its annual show in the Community Hall. The hall is also used by a variety of organisations and the Nigerian Anglican Church worship there on Sunday mornings. There are 2 Residential Care homes in the parish, 3 shopping parades including restaurants, takeaways and an undertaker. There are also 2 children s nurseries, a doctor s surgery, and a dentist. The church is within walking distance of 2 tram stops, providing easy access into Manchester, the airport and Wythenshawe Hospital. 5 SCHOOLS AND VOLUNTARY GROUPS There are 3 primary schools within the parish; St Aiden s Roman Catholic, Button Lane and Rackhouse. The Manchester College (Northenden Campus) is also within the parish boundary. The 5 th Northern Moor (St Michael & All Angels) Brownie Pack (affiliated) meet in the Community Hall every Friday.
6 WORSHIP AND WORSHIPPERS Worship is central/moderate catholic and Parish Eucharist is held at 9.30am each Sunday, using the book of Common Worship. We have robed altar servers and use full vestments at all services. The congregation is mainly female of retirement age, with 5 worshippers living outside the parish We have been told on many occasions that we are a very friendly and welcoming congregation and this is one of our great strengths. All are invited to join us for coffee in the hall after the services. We held our 80 th anniversary service in December 2017 and we were pleased to see many former members of the congregation joining us to celebrate the event. We hold Lent and Advent study groups, both clergy and lay led, to which all are welcome. We aim to continue study groups at intervals throughout the year.
7 CHURCH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS The Craft group meets every Tuesday and has 12 members We have an affiliated Brownie Pack which meets every Friday and currently has 15 Brownies. The social committee aims to provide events alternating between fund raising and non fund-raising. A weekly Bingo session has been introduced to encourage non-churchgoers to be involved in church life and to increase our outreach. Coffee is served in the church hall, after the Sunday service. 8 NEIGHBOURING ANGLICAN CHURCHES AND PARISHES We have extended invitations to functions to the other Anglican churches. There are informal links with neighbouring parishes, developing links with the nearby Wythenshawe Team Ministry and good links across the Deanery. 9 ECUMENISM Churches of other Christian traditions in the benefice / parish are: St Aidan s Roman Catholic Button Lane Methodist Society of Friends (Quakers) Northenden Christian Fellowship 10 MINISTRY We have a retired OLM who is licensed to officiate in the Diocese and who continues to preside at Sunday services and 4 Lay Assistants, who assist on a rota basis at the Eucharist by administering the chalice. Two of the Lay Assistants also administer Home Communion as and when required. Members of the congregation take part in services by reading the lessons. Members of the Pastoral Care Group make visits as requested. We run Advent and Lent Groups each year, held in the house of one of the congregation. 11 MISSION The PCC has discussed our mission in the community at several meetings and the MAP has identified areas for development, including forging links with the hall user groups and introducing a monthly midweek coffee morning in church. Our mission statement is: The people of St Michael s are here to praise God in our worship, in our lives and in our relationship with our community. We open the church annually over a weekend as part of the Heritage programme.
Inclusive Church: The PCC have adopted the Inclusive Church statement, together with all other parishes in the deanery. Ensuring inclusion is integral to our mission and ministry. The statement reads: "We believe in inclusive Church - church which does not discriminate, on any level, on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race or sexuality. We believe in Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ." 12 FINANCE AND STEWARDSHIP Although we have not had a stewardship campaign since 2005, we operate a Gift Aid scheme, donations can be made through the Friends of St Michael s envelopes and we hold Gift Days twice a year to raise funds. We have paid our Parish Share in full up to and including 2015 and in 2016, we paid 13526 of the 15205. We have only managed to pay just under half the Parish Share last year in 2017, due to declining numbers. We support 6 charities, 1 each year on a rota and take part in the Jars of Grace scheme each year, for UNICEF. 13 THE NEXT PARISH PRIEST We would like our next parish priest: to be enthusiastic, conscientious and sensitive to the needs of the congregation, working well and collaborating with the existing ministry team of ALM and lay people in growing our congregation and serving our community to encourage young people and families into church to liaise in all areas of the community (be seen in the parish), as we realise that there is scope to build connections and develop further outreach within the community to help invigorate the parish with new, fresh ideas, encouraging newcomers as well as the ageing congregation to build on the firm foundation already set and to increase giving through making full use of people s talents to be a good communicator with a sense of humour to help to build up the witness and presence of the church as a place of prayer and focus for the community and beyond