The Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Cookridge,Leeds. Welcome to Holy Trinity Church, Cookridge. Thankyou for your interest and taking me to read our Parish Brochure at the me of our vacancy.
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH PARISH PRAYER Heavenly Father, we give you thanks and praise, that in all things and at all times we may put our trust in your loving guidance. Bless our parish of Holy Trinity as we are seeking to welcome a new priest. Bless all involved in his appointment, and give them wisdom and clarity of vision in their efforts to provide for the needs of our parish. We pray that our new priest will hear your call and respond to it courageously, to lead us in our worship and outreach in the spirit of love and compassion, that together we may truly follow in the way of Jesus your Son. Amen.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR IN OUR NEW PRIEST? Up to November 2016 we held Resolutions A and B and are now a parish with Extended Episcopal Oversight. The age and family situation of a new priest is immaterial: we are looking for a male priest with drive and enthusiasm who has the adaptability and sensitivity to meet the needs and expectations of both young and older age groups amongst our parishioners. Outreach We are looking for someone who can reach out into the community, be a familiar figure on our streets, and raise the profile of Holy Trinity Church in Cookridge. We need a priest who is committed to playing a full role in social events of the church calendar, promoting initiatives and establishing more links with the local community. He needs to be open-minded, with a willingness to recognise diversity in all its forms (e.g. race, religion, sexuality). Children Our new priest needs to be committed to forging even greater links with our Parish School by leading school worship, making class visits, supporting the staff and promoting an involvement of the school in our regular pattern of worship. He will be ex officio on the school governing body. Within the church we have a thriving Sunday School and Monday School with a need for mission to many young families. Our priest needs to be able to relate to this group and to encourage them to fuller involvement in worship and church life. Our priest also needs the ability to maintain and develop strong links with Scouting and Guiding groups who attend Parade Services. Liturgy We are looking for a priest who values and continues the dignity of our sacramental worship, a priest with inspiration, working within our Anglo-Catholic tradition and able to tailor worship to all ages. Our principal weekly act of worship is a 10am Parish Eucharist, using Common Worship and Eucharistic Prayer B, following the Roman cycle of readings. Previous to the vacancy arising we also had a Sunday 8am Eucharist which we would like to re-instate. There is a Wednesday 10am Said Eucharist and occasional mid-week evening services for special occasions e.g. All Saints, Candlemas. Full vestments are worn at all celebrations and incense is used at the 10am Sunday Eucharist. We have a regular adult choir at our main weekly Parish Eucharist and we would like our priest to be appreciative of good music in the liturgy, for choir and congregation. Communication and pastoral care. Our priest should be forward-thinking where communication with the congregation is concerned and contribute to our website and Facebook page in addition to the weekly newsletter. He will need to promote spiritual growth and discipleship for all age groups in the congregation, extending beyond Sunday worship. There is also a need to re-establish visits to the sick and house-bound.
COOKRIDGE - A PARISH IN THE HEADINGLEY DEANERY. Cookridge is a pleasant suburb in the NW of Leeds with a popula on of about 9,000. Most of the housing has been built in the last 70 years and is mainly owner-occupied, with some private rentals. There are many young families, higher than average re red people and a few single adults. Unemployment is not a major problem locally. At present there is a new development in the parish of 200 houses, with a poten al increase in popula on of about 500. Local transport is good with a frequent bus service, regular trains to Leeds, Harrogate and York and Leeds-Bradford Airport is about 10 minutes drive away. The church, built in 1962, is situated on Green Lane, with the vicarage on a corner plot just across the road. Satellite view courtesy of imaps The school, Holy Trinity C. of E. Voluntary Aided Primary School [with 420 pupils aged, 4-11] is a five minute walk away from the church and was rated a good school at its latest Ofsted inspec on. The pupils are 85% UK born and this probably reflects the Parish as a whole. Most of our high school children a end either Ralph Thoresby High School, about a mile away, or Abbey Grange C. of E. High School, two and a half miles away. Cookridge Methodist church is also close by. Caring for Life, a Bap st based charity suppor ng disadvantaged and vulnerable people, run Crag House Farm, just outside the village. A view looking up Green Lane towards the church, with Holy Trinity Church Primary School at bo om le and the local Tesco store at bo om right. Satellite view courtesy of imaps There are two local convenience stores, several small shops, a village hall and a pub. Major supermarkets and shopping centres are a short drive away. Cookridge is about 6 miles from Leeds city centre. Leeds itself is a vibrant city with some wonderful Victorian buildings alongside a stunning new shopping complex and a lively cultural scene. We are on the outskirts of Leeds: the towns of Otley, Ripon, Ilkley and the Yorkshire Dales are all within easy reach.
MAPS SHOWING THE PARISH OF COOKRIDGE The parish is situated about 6 miles to the North-west of Leeds centre. About half of the parish comprises housing; the rest farmland and recrea onal areas. Maps reproduced courtesy of Google maps
THE CHURCH BUILDING Holy Trinity Church is a non-listed building, built 55 years ago. The basic structure is sound; it was recently rewired and new ligh ng installed. The hea ng system is in good order. The original wooden window frames are ro ng and need replacing urgently. A faculty has been obtained for this work and fund-raising is in progress. The church is in need of redecora on, internal and external, and this will be addressed a er the work on the windows has been completed. The church grounds are regularly maintained and there is parking at the rear of the building or in nearby streets. A small kitchen, where hot drinks can be prepared, adjoins the Mee ng Room at the back of the church. The photos show the main body of the church, the Lady Chapel, the image of Our Lady of Walsingham, the font and the Sanctuary on Easter Day 2016.
THE VICARAGE The purpose-built vicarage is a 4-bedroomed detached house on a corner plot, facing the church and with a large lawn to the rear.
SERVICES AND ATTENDANCE The principal act of worship is the 10am Sunday Parish Eucharist, with an average a endance of 62 adults and 21 children. This includes Sunday School children and parents. There are 76 on the Electoral Roll. The Lady Chapel is used for a Said Eucharist on Wednesdays at 10am with about 10 communicants. Before the vacancy there was also a Said Eucharist in the chapel at 8am on Sundays with a similar a endance. The Reserved Sacrament is kept in this chapel. AVERAGE ATTENDANCE IN 2016 ATTENDANCE AT WORSHIP Time Number of communicants Adult a endance Under 16 Sunday Said Eucharist 08:00 10 10 0 Sunday Parish Eucharist 10:00 49 62 21 Wednesday Said Eucharist 08:00 10 10 0 Monday School 14.00 22 26 FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL SERVICES ACTUAL ATTENDANCES IN 2016 Chris ngle 333 Toy Sunday 107 Carol Service 115 Blessing of the Crib 321 Mothering Sunday 139 Palm Sunday Procession 102 Good Friday Junior Sta ons 151 Harvest Fes val 145 Remembrance Sunday 212 Annual Pilgrimage to Walsingham 11 OCCASIONAL OFFICES There were 22 bap sms, 3 funerals and a wedding at Holy Trinity during 2016.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE S MINISTRY SUNDAY SCHOOL AND MONDAY SCHOOL There is a thriving Sunday School and Monday School led by members of the congrega on. Sunday School meets alongside the 10am Parish Eucharist and a racts an average of 20 children with parents, most of whom stay with their children for the session. Monday School meets fortnightly on Monday a ernoons and is aimed at babies, pre-school children and parents. There are over 40 children on the register and about 24 a end each session. Sunday School takes place in the Mee ng Room at the back of the main body of the church. The children and parents join the main congrega on at the Offertory and stay for Communion or a Blessing. Monday School also uses the Mee ng Room for Play and Praise at its fortnightly sessions. They use the Lady Chapel for singing and Bible stories. LINKS WITH HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL We have a good and growing rela onship with our primary school and several parishioners serve on the school Governing Body. For some years now a member of the congrega on has led School Worship once a week and the children come into church for a variety of learning ac vi es throughout the year. Children in Y1 and Y2 have been for a guided tour and each Lent a group of parishioners and school staff work together to offer Experience Easter to four classes of Y2 and Y6 pupils. This interac ve scheme helps the children to see the significance of the Passion and Easter story in their own lives. These photographs show two of the six scenes from Experience Easter: washing the disciples feet and the Last Supper.
SCOUTING AND GUIDING GROUPS The bi-monthly Parade Services include Mothering Sunday, Remembrance Sunday and Harvest Fes val. These groups, although not formally sponsored by Holy Trinity, are ac ve in suppor ng church ac vi es, e.g. Summer and Christmas Fairs. The invita on to a end a bi-monthly Parade Service as part of the Parish Eucharist goes out to a Scout unit, Cub Pack, Beaver Colony, Guide Company, 3 Brownie units and Rainbow unit. SNAPSHOTS FROM THE CHURCH S YEAR Advent Sunday, showing prepara on of the Chris ngle oranges and a view of the service. Holy Week and Easter, showing the Palm Sunday procession up Green Lane and the Palm Sunday scene from Experience Easter Remembrance Sunday, laying wreaths at the Cross following the Parish Eucharist.
STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES. WE HAVE: A good solid core of regular worshippers. An ac ve and experienced Diocesan Reader. Lay people who have been leading non-eucharis c worship e.g. Blessing of the Crib and Chris ngle. A popular, well used Face Book page and an informa ve weekly newsle er. An ac ve and growing children s ministry with lots of young families a ending Sunday and Monday Schools. Good links with the church school. Dignified worship, an adult choir and good music, three volunteer organists. Dedicated teams of Chalice Administrants, Readers, Servers, Intercessors etc. involving many members of the congrega on. A Bap sm Support Group, encouraging new families and keeping in touch. People using their professional and personal skills to the benefit of the parish and its worship. People in the congrega on organising social/fund-raising events. An efficiently run church, with many people involved in behind the scenes jobs. Acceptance of diversity, e.g. same sex rela onships. Charitable giving of about 3,500 per annum for chari es at home and abroad. A paid-up Parish Share.[ 39,256 for 2016/7] WE NEED: Ways to keep young children involved in church beyond 5 or 6 years of age. Ministry to a growing body of young parents not confirmed, not receiving communion, nor involved in the life of the parish other than Sunday a endance. More teenagers ac vely involved in worship and leaders to develop this. Ways to develop stronger rela onships with the Scou ng and Guiding Groups. To develop a Eucharis c Ministry to take communion to the housebound. Opportuni es for all to grow in faith and spirituality. To develop a parish-based pastoral community care team. Financial resources to make improvements to the church fabric. A Stewardship Campaign
CONTACTS AND COMMUNICATION Holy Trinity Parish Church, Cookridge Churchwardens: David Dale 01132584397 07877710663 Mick Thorpe 01132676101 07810250522 Reader: David Swann 0113 2677799 07836552729 Church website: Facebook: E-mail: holytrinitycookridge.co.uk Holy Trinity Church, Cookridge holytrinitycookridge@gmail.com Diocese of Leeds Diocesan Office: Church House, 17-19 York Place, Leeds LS1 2EX 0113 200 0540 Diocesan website: www.leeds.anglican.org Archdeacon: The Venerable Paul Ayers paul.ayers@leeds.anglican.org