Rainhill St Ann Rainhill St Ann Parish Profile 2014 Parish Profile 2014 1
WHERE ARE WE HEADING? Our vision for the future: To keep Christ at the centre of all we do. To become a church which is truly for all ages, and which can hold our children as they grow. To continue to build a church where every member feels valued and involved, and everyone feels they have a voice which will be heard. To continue to be a friendly, welcoming church family. To become a more mission-minded congregation, and to increase our outreach activities. To see increased lay involvement in the leadership of the church and its services. We are looking for a Vicar who values and is comfortable leading both traditional, liturgical services and more modern, informal services (including Fresh Expressions) who is a team player, enthusiastic about lay involvement in all areas of church and community life, and who will nurture and develop the gifts of the laity in order to make this a reality who can teach the Bible and preach in an accessible and engaging manner who is a strong, diplomatic and spiritual leader who will work with the PCC to further God s work within the parish who has the skills and experience to maintain and further develop our work with children and young families who takes seriously the discipleship of the congregation and the need to find new ways of reaching out to the local community with the Gospel who will empathise, encourage and support people at different stages of their journey of faith who will strengthen our ecumenical links who will maintain and strengthen our relationships with staff, parents and children at the Church School Parish Profile 2014 2
WHERE ARE WE NOW? As a church we feel that our strengths are: We have a good variety of services, mostly with a sacramental focus. We have attracted a significant number of new young families to the church through our All-Age Worship Services and Stanley Bear Club (our church service for 0-5s). We have a good relationship with our Church School. We are financially stable with a committed planned giving scheme. We have a faithful and committed PCC, supported by the congregation. We recognise that the local community feels a sense of ownership of the church and our buildings are regularly used by schools and other groups. We have well-maintained buildings. However, we recognise that we need help in other areas: We need help to recognise and develop the gifts of the laity, and encourage people towards licensed lay ministries. We need to develop our outreach and evangelism to the local community. We would like to strengthen our ecumenical links which have dwindled over recent years. We need to develop both the prayer life of the church and the biblical literacy of the congregation. We need to develop activities/services which appeal to older children and teenagers. We need to expand our lay pastoral visiting scheme. Scarecrow Festival Stained glass window All Age Worship Service Parish Profile 2014 3
WHERE ARE WE? Rainhill lies on the outskirts of Liverpool diocese, 12 miles from the city and 4 miles from St Helens. It is part of the deanery of St Helens. There are excellent transport links (road, rail and bus). St Ann s Church lies in the heart of the original village. The postal address is: St Ann s Church, Warrington Road, Rainhill, L35 0NS. Parish Profile 2014 4
LIFE IN RAINHILL The population of Rainhilll is approximately 16,000 and continues to grow due to new housing developments. The area is socially mixed with areas of significant wealth, pockets of deprivation and everything in between. The population spans all age ranges and is predominantly white British. There are 7 schools in the parish (1 nursery, 4 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 private school for ages 0-16). Medical care is readily available with 3 medical centres, 2 pharmacies, a dentist and Whiston Hospital. There are also several residential homes for the elderly. There are 4 other churches within the parish (Roman Catholic, Methodist, Independent Evangelical, Free Church) and a Village Hall. A new housing estate Shops in Rainhill Warrington Road high street Despite the rapid growth of the population of Rainhill, the centre of the parish maintains a village feel. There is a good selection of shops, including a small supermarket, fruit shop, flower shop, butcher and card/gift shop. There is a café, a few restaurants and a selection of pubs. The library is near to the church. There are a large number of voluntary organisations and interest groups in and around Rainhill, catering for all ages and interests. These include, amongst others: a Rotary Club; Civic Society; toddler groups; sports clubs; pensioners lunch club; Scouts; Guides; dance groups; and amateur dramatics society. Rainhill has a unique place in history, being the site of the famous Rainhill Trials carried out in 1829 to decide which locomotives should work the world s first inter-city railway. Whiston hospital Rainhill Gala Parish Profile 2014 5
THE CHURCH THE BUILDING St Ann s Church is a Grade II listed building which was consecrated in 1839. It is a large church, seating 400 people. The building is in good order. The most recent quinquennial inspection found only minor issues, all of which have now been rectified. The graveyard is closed. We recently experimented by removing a section of pews to create more space for our Fresh Expressions services. This more flexible space has proved very useful and the possibility of further re-ordering is being considered. View of Church from graveyard St Ann s Millennium Centre St Ann s Millennium Centre is a separately registered charity which stands alone. It was renovated in 2000 with grant funding, and is a community facility for use by both the church and the wider community. THE WORSHIP St Ann s is a traditional church which is committed to the Diocesan Growth Agenda. We are excited that we are becoming more mixed economy and continue to strive to find ways to help people of all ages and backgrounds encounter God in worship. We are an ageing congregation but are very encouraged by the number of young families who have been attracted to the church due to new initiatives. We have two morning services each Sunday: 8.30am BCP (average attendance 26); and 10.30am Common Worship (100). Vestments are worn at Eucharistic Services and the Sacrament is reserved, there is usually a Gospel procession and members of the sanctuary guild assist at services. Music is played on the organ, and we have a robed choir which sings at 10.30am. 10.30am service All-Age Worship On the first Sunday of each month, the 10.30am service is All-Age Worship (116 + 30 children). This is a more informal liturgical service, without a Gospel procession, sanctuary guild etc. At this service we usually welcome to the church children who are due to be baptised shortly. In conjunction with the clergy, a team of lay people are involved in planning and leading All-Age Worship services. Parish Profile 2014 6
Baptisms usually take place during a separate service at 12.00noon on the second and fourth Sundays. Evening services are at 6.30pm on the first and third Sundays of the month. The first Sunday is Evening Prayer/Evensong (14) and the third Sunday is Soul Café (18) an informal, café style service engaging with topical issues in the context of worship. Stanley Bear Club (80 adults and children), our church service for 0-5s and their carers, meets on Monday mornings. Stanley Bear Club is lay-led at present. There is a midweek Communion service each Thursday at 9.30am (28), alternating between BCP and Common Worship. Until recently we held a Messy Church style afterschool club in St Ann s School. We are investigating re-starting this. There is one Bible study homegroup which meets fortnightly. Currently Morning and Evening Prayer are said every week day, and Morning Prayer is also said on Saturdays. We recognise that our patterns of worship may need to be revisited with the arrival of a new incumbent. Lay people are involved in Bible readings, leading intercessions and administering Communion. Baptism preparation is currently led by members of the PCC in conjunction with the Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches. Other special services throughout the year include: Christingle; Carol Service (ecumenical); Christmas Eve Family Service; Midnight Eucharist; Ash Wednesday Service; Mothering Sunday; Lenten Lunches (ecumenical); Passover Meal; Good Friday Service (ecumenical); Easter Saturday Vigil; Harvest Thanksgiving Service; Memorial Service; Remembrance Service (in conjunction with Royal British Legion). For the last few years, the 10.30am services on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday have been All-Age Worship. There are also occasional pastoral services, such as blessings on wedding anniversaries. The Church School, and other schools within the parish, use the church at various times of year for special services and other activities. Occasional offices Last year, we had 13 weddings, 57 baptisms and 68 funerals. Stanley Bear Club Christmas Eve Family Service Remembrance Sunday Christingle Wedding Parish Profile 2014 7
THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY Other groups/organisations/services at the church include: Socials committee: organising events such as quiz nights, concerts, fashion shows, bingo. The Rocket magazine (600+ distribution) Mothers Union (very active and supportive with 90+ members) Flower Guild (St Ann s is the home of CEFAA) Bell ringers Weekly ecumenical coffee morning (Thursday) Saturday coffee morning Mums and Tots Friends of the choir Annual men s dinner Parish lunches (1 or 2 per year) Volunteer church cleaning group Men s dinner The Church is involved with the wider community in a number of other ways: Monthly Communion Services at local residential homes (led by clergy with the Mothers Union) Monthly Home Communions St Ann s is a collection point for the St Helens Foodbank. The PCC tries to give 10% of its income to home and overseas mission but unfortunately finances mean this hasn t always happened in recent years. Recipients of donations include Tearfund, The Children s Society, Shelter and Bp Peter Bartlett in Paraguay Church members sit on the Village Hall Committee and Rainhill Gala Committee The church is regularly hired out for festivals, displays and concerts St Ann s Church of England Primary School St Ann s is a Voluntary Aided Church School with 430+ pupils. In 2014 it was assessed by OFSTED as outstanding. The church has a good relationship with the school. The clergy have taken RE lessons, held end of term services, and worked with the school on their Arts Week Celebration Service, amongst other activities. Clergy and laity sit on the school Ethos group. The governing body comprises 13 members, 8 of whom are Foundation (i.e. Church) Governors. The school are keen for both clerical and lay involvement to continue and develop further. The Church School WANTED: A New Vicar The children of St Ann s School have thought about what they would like in their new Vicar. They said they would like someone who is: Always a friend Wise Kind Cheerful Good with children and adults Holy Funny And Knows a lot about Jesus! Parish Profile 2014 8
CLERGY SUPPORT The staff team at St Ann s currently includes an Assistant Minister (contracted until July 2015), an Assistant Curate (until July 2014) and a Reader (until July 2014). There is minimal administrative support. A lay team lead Stanley Bear Club and assist with planning and leading All-Age Worship. St Ann s is part of St Helens Deanery, which has a reputation as a progressive and forward-thinking deanery. Chapter meetings are well-attended and the chapter takes a yearly retreat together. A Deanery Mission Plan has been produced, with all parishes producing their own Mission Plans. (See Appendix 1for the Church s most recent Mission Plan). Clergy from within the Deanery and beyond are willing to provide holiday cover. FINANCES St Ann s in considered Healthy and Viable. We recently embarked on a process of encouraging the congregation to increase their monthly giving. This proved successful and needs to be continued. Financial statements are attached (Appendix 2). THE VICARAGE The large vicarage, which is situated next to the church, was built in the 1960s. The ground floor comprises: entrance porch; study (accessible without entering the rest of the property); hallway with cloakroom; living room; dining room; modern kitchen; utility area (with shower room); and attached single garage. On the first floor there are 5 bedrooms and a bathroom with separate toilet. There is a very large garden to the rear, and a small garden at the front. The property is in a good state of repair, requiring only decoration. It has a full alarm system and CCTV. The church also owns a property currently inhabited by the Curate. Top left: kitchen; Bottom left: Vicarage; Above: Rear garden Parish Profile 2014 9
THE DEANERY PERSPECTIVE St Helen s Deanery: Some comments from Mark Cockayne, Area Dean The Deanery of St Helens has long had a reputation for being a progressive and forward thinking deanery. The Clergy Chapter is well attended, providing a supportive and encouraging place to pray, learn and grow together. Each year we have a retreat at Sandymount where we set the chapter agenda together for the coming year. All Parishes and Teams are committed to the Deanery Mission Plan, and since 2007 each parish has produced an annual mission plan outlining goals for growth and development in the coming year. In March 2012 Deanery Synod agreed that the Deanery would welcome and embrace the emerging pattern of mixed economy Lake and River church that is developing in the Deanery. Each Team has agreed to produce a mixed economy Team Plan that will outline the pattern of ministry and the resources required, including buildings and paid staff. The Deanery Mission Plan is our local response to the Bishop s Growth agenda. St Ann Rainhill St Ann s is classed as Healthy and Viable in the Deanery Mission Plan. In recent years it has embraced the Deanery decision to develop the mixed economy style of church, with a number of emerging fresh expressions of church developing alongside the more traditional church based services and ministries. The Deanery would like to support St Ann s search for a mission minded Priest who is able to grow the church in this direction. At the moment St Ann s is the only parish in the Deanery not in a formal Team or informal group with other parishes. The Deanery Mission Plan requires St Ann s to develop links with other churches in the Deanery, with a view to becoming part of a formal team or informal group or Mission Partnership. Initial conversations between the clergy of St Ann s and the Sutton Team have taken place and this will need further exploration when the new Incumbent of St Ann s is in post. However there are no plans for pastoral reorganisation while St Ann s remains Healthy and Viable, and we believe that this is an exciting time for the parish which is well positioned for growth. Stanley Bear Club Remembrance Sunday parade Parish Profile 2014 10
APPENDICES Parish Profile 2014 11
St Ann Rainhill Deanery Mission Plan 2014 APPENDIX 1 Thinking about our priorities for the coming year and the longer term future of the parish are at the forefront of PCC thinking and deliberations. As we are now in interregnum it would be unfair of the PCC to formulate fixed plans for the future without the thoughts and input of the future incumbent. Our priority for 2014 is to continue the process of creating a more coherent structure, and enable the PCC and more of the worshipping congregation to engage with our priorities, and to seriously think about the future of the parish and change which may be necessary to continue the work of God. Despite the serious challenges we face, we are not downhearted. We look forward to a future with a new incumbent in place and continuing the work of the PCC under new and fresh leadership. The parish will continue under the pastoral care of Rev Christopher Perrins, Rev Michael Leyden (until July 2014), and Anna Leyden our lay reader (until July 2014). Services will continue as 2013 until a new appointment is made. During 2014 we intend:- To continue with the Stanley Bear Club, a fresh expression, this has just celebrated its second birthday, and draws in forty plus young adults and their 0-5s children, or in some cases grandparents or other carers. A lay team carries on this work under the leadership of Anna Leyden. To continue with our All Age Worship on the first Sunday of the month, this again has a regular core of young adults and children attending with up to 40 children. To continue with Cafe style church in our Millennium Centre which allows for a more relaxed but more thorough look at contemporary issues, using topical issues and news stories, and trying to see how our Christian faith can shed light on these. Continue to develop our relationship with our Church School and mutually deepen our understanding of what that might really mean, when many of our parents and a proportion of staff are in reality not wholly sympathetic to our aims. To deepen our corporate and individual prayer life in order that we may remain completely faithful to God s will and truth. The major emphasis for 2014 will be preparing to welcome a new incumbent to the post of Vicar at St. Ann s and we would ask for support and prayers from all in the Deanery of St. Helens. Parish Profile 2014 12
APPENDIX 2 Parish Profile 2014 13
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