Benefice of Langelei St Mary s Church Apsley End Hemel Hempstead Parish Profile for Team Vicar Page 1
Contents Our Church is good at... 3 Strengths... 4 Weaknesses... 4 New Team Vicar... 5 Living God s Love... 6 The Benefice... 6 Location... 7 Community... 7 Community outreach... 8 Education... 10 Leisure and Recreation... 10 Local Area Demographics... 11 Worship... 12 Pastoral... 13 Ecumenical... 13 Leadership... 13 Organisations... 14 Electoral Roll... 16 Buildings... 16 Finance... 18 Benefice Quiet Day 2015...19 Page 2
Our Church is good at The congregation were asked to contribute short phrases as to what they thought St Mary s was good at. The church came up with the following qualities Page 3
Strengths Strong lay involvement in all aspects of the running of the church. A friendly community that welcomes newcomers at services and other church activities. The church community values a wide range of ages and people of different skills. The congregation has welcomed visiting vicars and enjoyed the variety of sermons. Members are encouraged to grow in their faith whatever their age. This year 5 adults were confirmed and every year we have baptised children admitted to communion. An outward looking church that has many links to community groups and local charities. A strong family that is supportive of any member that needs prayer, visits or other support. Flexibility within the framework of Common Worship to include different ideas and alternative forms of worship. Weaknesses A lack of confidence in the congregation means there is a reluctance to engage with exploration of faith through discussion or study groups. Too few people taking responsibility for doing jobs within the church. The PCC is working on a jobs audit to start addressing this. Falling congregation numbers means that the church s finances running costs exceed the regular giving. No regular organist and a very small choir means the church music has not developed recently. Page 4
New Team Vicar We expect the new incumbent to be: A strong team leader who can train and encourage a lay ministry team. Skilled in leading worship and encouraging people to develop their faith in different ways. Keen to improve our mission into the community to help the church raise its profile and spread the good news within Apsley, especially with new housing developments within the parish. To work enthusiastically with local schools to strengthen our links. Willing to work with both young and old, families, couples and single people. The congregation were asked to contribute what qualities they felt a new vicar should have. The responses came up with the following qualities Page 5
Living God s Love Our Vision is A vibrant Christian community with a raised profile in Apsley and Nash Mills. Our Priorities Our three key priorities for the next five years are: St Mary s to become the centre of the new Apsley To help Apsley become a community once again To develop resources to enable the above to happen Our Goals Our SMART goals for the next five years are: To host a community forum to help the church better understand and serve its community To produce an audit of church life and activities To explore the possibility of establishing a communications group To explore with the congregation ways of developing home groups and other ways of Going Deeper Into God The Benefice (www.beneficeoflangelei.org.uk) The Benefice of Langelei was formed in the autumn of 2009 and was created out of the enlargement of the former Parish of Chambersbury (St Mary's, Apsley End, St Benedict's, Bennetts End and Holy Trinity, Leverstock Green) to include All Saints, Kings Langley. The benefice is multi parish, each church having its own distinctive ethos and each PCC driving mission and ministry across the parish. A Team Council was formed in 2010 with representatives from each parish, the Council's business being matters which the four PCCs delegate to it. Consequently, the Council has assumed responsibility for the administration of certain financial matters that affect all the parishes. The Council has also a communications group which produces the benefice newsletter, organises an annual benefice wide service and other benefice events. A benefice Barn Dance has been arranged for May 2016 to support the work of Christian Aid. There is an openness and willingness to collaborate across the benefice where that seems appropriate and helpful. Currently St Mary's and All Saints run joint baptism preparation sessions, the parish treasurers meet to discuss matters of common concern and there is an annual Quiet Day for all the churches of the benefice. The staff team consisting of clergy, and occasionally readers, meets usually every Monday morning for worship, catching up on news from the churches, supporting one another and to do a certain amount of business. There is the expectation of commitment to the weekly meeting. The team also meets socially from time to time. The benefice is located in the Deanery of Hempstead, the smallest deanery in the diocese with only three benefices, each being multi church. There is a strong commitment by the Chapter to attending monthly meetings, and a residential is being planned for 2016. The Team Vicar of Holy Trinity Church is currently Rural Dean. The deanery has its own Mission Action Plan. Page 6
Location St Mary s Apsley is located in the south east part of the town of Hemel Hempstead on the A4251 between London and Aylesbury. The church building overlooks a Sainsbury s supermarket and retail park. There is a local railway station with frequent trains into London, as well as easy access to the M1 and M25. There is a considerable development of new housing that attracts people who commute and work in London. Community Apsley was a small industrial village, dominated by the 19 th century paper manufacturer John Dickinson, whose paper mill employed most people in the village. The paper industry is remembered by the Paper Trail charity, which seeks to preserve the history of paper manufacturing in Apsley. Where once stood John Dickinson s mill there is a considerable development of housing, private and social, built around a marina which feeds into the Grand Union Canal. Across the rest of the parish there is a mix of owner occupied and local authority housing. There is currently a significant new development of housing beyond the Manor Estate, on the south side of the West Coast railway line which runs parallel to the church. There is no single location which could be described as the centre of the community, though Sainsbury s is a place where people do meet. It is for this reason that the church sees as one of its MAP goals to develop the church as a community centre, as well as the church reaching out to the community. Apart from the supermarket and retail park, there are a couple of small industrial estates, small shops along the old village London Road and several pubs. One of the largest employers in the parish is Apsley One and Two, offices of Herts County Council Social Services working with children, schools and families. There are three primary schools in the parish including a Church of England voluntary aided school, and one independent. There are several day nurseries locally. The 1 st Apsley Scout Group is one of the largest in Hertfordshire, they occasionally attend church services and for special occasions e.g. an evening in 2015 when the Vicar made a presentation on the annual Remembrance observance. The parish is home to various voluntary organisations including Waterways Experience offering canal boat experiences for people especially for the disadvantaged and other that operate from Apsley and Nash Mills community halls. In the parish there is a sheltered housing complex, Florence Longman House. Recently Water Mill House opened offering high quality residential, nursing and dementia care. The church has links with both the homes. A North West Herts charity Druglink has two projects in the parish Trefoil House and Nascent House, adjacent to the church. Nascent House offers a residential programme of recovery for people affected by alcohol or substance misuse. Trefoil House offers education courses and other associated services. Page 7
Community outreach A core element of our Mission Action Plan is to have a more visible presence in the community, to add value to the life of the local community, raising the profile of the church as a key community centre. Examples of our involvement include: Buzzy Bees (carers and toddlers), Messy Church, Saturday Community Café and weekly working parties are all held at the church and involve people who are not regular church members. The Buzzy Bees is a pathway for many families to become more involved in the church. Recently a young mother was baptised and confirmed. Florence Longman House (sheltered housing) a regular monthly communion service is held there and we perform an annual Christmas concert. Some of the residents are members of the church. Nascent House, adjacent to the church, runs a recovery programme for those affected by alcohol and substance misuse. Members of the congregation prepare Welcome Packs for new residents. These are hugely appreciated, and from time to time, we receive moving letters of thanks and appreciation from the residents and personal thanks, when some attend church services. Some residents have helped with the weekly Working Party maintaining the churchyard. Water Mill House Care Home, recently opened, offers high quality residential, nursing and dementia care. The Home is very keen for the church community to be involved the vicar and members of the congregation already visit, a monthly communion service will be held and Christmas 2015 saw for the first time a benefice wide choir singing carols at the Home. Page 8
For several years members of the congregation have sung carols around the parish in some of the new housing developments and in the Paper Mill pub with which we have good relations. There is a Foodbank collection point in the church, well supported by members of the congregation, and we support Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter singing carols outside Sainsbury s. Logandene Elderly Care Unit is in St Benedict s parish but for historical reasons a group from St Mary s hold monthly services for some of the residents. Throughout the year church events are held, such as the Summer Fair, the Christmas Bazaar, Valuation events, attracting people from the local community A new branch of the Women s Institute has recently been formed meeting monthly at the church. Plans are to refurbish the Refectory area at the back of church to make it a more attractive space for hiring out for community use. A community consultation is planned for 2016 to help the church improve its understanding and develop its outreach to the local community. Page 9
Education The main involvement of the church with schools is naturally with Nash Mills C of E (VA) Primary School. (www.nashmills.sch.herts.uk) The Vicar is ex officio Governor of the school and church members have also been Governors. There are regular class visits to the school and each end of term service is held at the church. The Vicar attends the weekly Friday whole school assembly, leading it from time to time. Within the past year a Eucharist has been held in the school for a year group and this has been much appreciated. The Vicar also exercises a pastoral role in the school supporting the Head teacher, staff and children and families. The whole school attends the church for various services throughout the year. There are two local authority primary schools in the parish Two Waters and Belswains and in the past the Vicar has led assemblies in both schools. This has not happened for some time now due to other pressures on the Vicar s time. However, both schools during term time arrange for class visits to the church as part of the religious education curriculum, and also both schools hold their Christmas services in the church. There is an independent school mainly for girls aged between 4 and 16 and although the Vicar has no formal involvement in the school, there are good relations between church and school. An Associate Vicar from St Peter s Church in St Albans exercises a limited chaplaincy role within the school. Leisure and Recreation There are the two community centres the Apsley Community Centre and Nash Mills Village Hall. Both halls have a busy timetable of a variety of activities. There are several public houses, and one of them, the Paper Mill, which in the past has supported the church. There are several restaurants, shops and hotel within the parish. Page 10
Local Area Demographics Data from 2011 census. 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Age Distribution 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Households 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Housing Type Page 11
Worship The pattern of Sunday services is as follows: 8.00am (1 st Sunday of the month) BCP Holy Communion average attendance 8 10.00am (every Sunday) Sung Eucharist (Common Worship Order One) average attendance including children 60 There is a team of servers at the 10.00am service, and members of the congregation read, lead intercessions and administer the chalice. There is a Sunday School and older children s group (YES Group) which meet at 10.00am on Sundays. Vestments are worn during Eucharistic services and the Sacrament is reserved. There is currently no permanent director of music/organist but there is a small group of professional organists committed to playing on Sunday mornings and at other times. 6.30pm (1 st Sunday of the month) Said BCP Evening Prayer average attendance 6 Weekday services 9.30am Thursdays Special services Throughout the year there are a variety of other services: Eucharist (Common Worship Order One) Average attendance 8 All age worship on Mothering Sunday/Harvest/Christingle and at other times Monthly Messy Church always includes an act of worship Christmas carol/crib services/midnight Mass Annual service to remember departed loved ones Taizé services shared across the benefice Holy Week services Maundy Thursday/Stations of the Cross on Good Friday/ Easter Vigil on Easter Eve Occasional benefice services Baptisms an average of 20 per year Confirmations (2015) 5 adults Weddings an average of 6 per year Funerals in church (2015) 9 Funerals at crematorium (2015) 9 Page 12
Pastoral Currently one of the Churchwardens co ordinates pastoral care of the congregation. At present, 3 members of the congregation are undergoing training to be Pastoral Assistants and also to be licensed to take Holy Communion to people in their homes. Members of the congregation do a great deal of informal pastoral care, and are an effective channel of communication for pastoral matters to the priest and Churchwardens. Ecumenical St Mary s is a full member of Churches Together in Hemel Hempstead. St Mary s plays its part in hosting the monthly Pray Hemel initiative (prayer breakfast) when its turn comes around. Some members of St Mary s support the Good Friday march of witness in the town centre. There is also a borough inter faith group Dacorum Interfaith Network which the present priest was largely responsible for establishing. Monthly meetings are held at the Civic Centre. Leadership The Wardens are very conscious of their responsibility for leadership in the Parish, especially in the context of the need to share stipendiary clergy in the Benefice. Supporting the clergy with pastoral care and educating parishioners to be less reliant on them is a long term goal. The Wardens try to lead the congregation by regular enthusiastic support and attendance at services and events. Supporting groups for example the bell ringers and Buzzy Bees by visiting their meetings and listening to their needs is an important part of their role. There are no regular formal meetings with the other Church Wardens in the Benefice apart from when they meet as Trustees of the Leverstock Green Education Fund. Informally they enjoy good relationships, supporting each other in their services, events and social functions. Another aspect of the Wardens work has been instigating and supporting development and change in the Parish both in worship and in the updating of the facilities. The Wardens have been keen to involve all members of the PCC in decision making and running the church. The Council consists of 12 members including the treasurer and secretary and is chaired by the Rector or in his absence one of the Wardens. The members ages broadly reflect those of the congregation. The meeting agenda alternates between dealing with Mission and Ministry, and fabric issues. There are formally constituted sub committees for finance and for fund raising. The fabric committee is currently being revised. Page 13
Organisations At St Mary s we have an extremely popular and lively mother and toddler group Buzzy Bees that meet every Tuesday morning in the refectory. It is well attended and many families have then attended church and also our Messy Church activities. Messy Church is on a Sunday afternoon once a month and is a really popular and fun session. All age groups are welcome to come and have fun. A meal is provided to complete an enjoyable family occasion in our friendly church. At the 10am service Sunday School for younger children from 3 upwards and the Yes group for older children up to 17 years meet. It is a time for learning through creativity, singing, discussion and prayer. Their work is often shared with delight to the congregation at the end of the service. Each Saturday morning there is a Community Cafe, held in the church refectory. This has been running successfully for many years. It has proved popular with many of our congregation, with families bringing their children for thanksgiving celebrations and also many local visitors have also been welcomed with fresh coffee and homemade cakes. Page 14
Every month there is a Solo Lunch provided for anyone young or old who live on their own. This is an opportunity for people to come together for conversation and fellowship. The Bellringers practice every Monday evening and parishioners will hear service ringing for the 10am Sunday and special services throughout the year. We are proud that our bellringers this year were placed first in the Western District Striking competition and second in the Kimpton Cup Striking competition. They organise social events throughout the year. The Servers team support all Eucharist and at other special services throughout the year. During October one of our servers and assistant warden went on a pilgrimage to Walsingham along with neighbouring Chapters. There are two study groups that meet each week. A further home study group that meets once a month offer prayers for health and healing. Page 15
Electoral Roll There are currently 89 on the electoral roll. Over the last few years this has been a stable total although several members have died or have left the parish we have recruited new members. This lowered the age profile of the roll. Buildings St Mary s Apsley End is located in Apsley End adjacent to the London Road and opposite a retail park that has been built on part of the former site of John Dickinson paper mill. St Mary s is a flint, stone and brick built building which was completed and consecrated in August 1871. A large part of the cost of the construction was met by Charles Longman, at the time a partner in the John Dickinson Firm. St Mary s is a traditional church building built in the Gothic style that has many interesting features including its pulpit, font and organ. There are limited parking spaces allocated directly to St Mary s, however parking locally is not a problem for the majority of parishioners. Vehicular access up to the church building is limited. The Western side of the church has been partitioned off to form a refectory and a 1970 s extension built off this houses the kitchen and toilet facilities. Page 16
St Mary s has been fortunate to have a dedicated Working Party which has helped keep the building and grounds in good order, in addition to this we have a dedicated committed team who keep the interior of the church clean and welcoming. Matters relating to the Fabric are discussed regularly at our PCC meetings. In recent years St Mary s has benefited from a number of bequests and grants, as well as our own fund raising efforts, that have enabled us to refurbish the kitchen and toilet facilities (including providing disabled toilet facilities), install a new heating system, fit new entrance doors, decorate the ringing room and have the bells removed, re tuned and re hung plus associated work. We have had a new lighting scheme designed and this work is due to start in February 2016, providing us with new internal lighting and some feature external lighting enabling us to show off the delights of St Mary s. Upon completion of the lighting scheme our intention is to re decorate the interior of the church. Our last Quinquennial Report was carried out in February 2014, over all the report was positive with the Architect, Michael Dales commenting Generally the building is in very good order and is quite clearly much used and loved. Areas which the report highlighted that are most in need of attention are slipped or missing roof tiles, areas of flaunching to the stone work require repair, some guttering and fencing in need of attention. For us at St Mary s the people are the church not the building, however it is important to us that we maintain and keep the building for us and future generations of Christians to meet and worship God, that it signifies a Christian presence serving the local community and is a friendly and welcoming environment for all. Page 17
Finance A snapshot of the 2014 audited accounts is shown below; General Fund All Funds Income 54,835 63,495 Expenditure 54,776 68,805 Profit (Loss) 59 ( 5,310) We ended the year 2014 with an overall deficit of 5,310, due in the main to expenditure from the Capital Bequest Fund in respect of the first part of rewiring of the church, and decorating carried out in the ringing chamber, plus two new peal boards. Key Points to Note Our parish share of 37,451 was paid in full. This was 68% of our total income. A substantial part of our giving is gift aided. Pledged giving, general collections and general donations were up on budget by 521. Our fund raising during 2014 raised 6,864. This was made up of the efforts of the fund raising group organising various events including the Christmas Bazaar, Bike Ride and 200 Club. At St Mary s the Vicar and Churchwardens are the trustees of The Nellie Smith Bequest Fund which at the end of 2014 had a balance of 62,862, and can be used towards the ministry and upkeep of St Mary s at the trustees discretion. Two generous donations, enabling work to be completed on heating, electrical and refurbishments, have been received over the last two years. The parish pays 3,256 towards the costs of the Benefice Administrator who is based at All Saints, Kings Langley. Running Costs Breakdown 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Admin, 7% Church Service Costs, 7% Building Costs, 13% Diocesian Contribution, 12% Parsonage Contribution, 17% Stipend Contribution, 41% Other, 3% Page 18
Benefice Quiet Day at Douai Abbey 2015 Page 19