A Pastoral Review of 2008

Report of the Parochial Church Council

April 2009

S Helen’s P.C.C. has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent of the parish, in promoting the ecclesiastical parish, and the whole mission of the Church – pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for S Helen’s Parish Church and S Helen’s Parish Centre.

Membership

Members of the P.C.C. are either ex- officio members or are elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. During the year, the following served as members of the P.C.C.

          Incumbent: Canon Robert McTeer (Chairman)

          Churchwardens: Mrs Valerie Bryden
          Mr. John Bake

          Lay Chairman: Mrs Valerie Bryden

          Deanery Synod
          Representatives: Mrs Valerie Bryden
                                    Mrs Pat Bake
                                    Mr Eric Younghusband

          Elected Members:  Mrs Kate Alsop
                                       Mrs Audrey Bellis
                                       Mr Steven Bell
                                       Miss Marjorie Brodie
                                       Mrs Jean Boyle
                                       Mr Allan Brown
                                       Mr Neville Davison
                                       Mrs Pat Elliott
                                       Mrs Susan Gilby
                                       Mrs Pat Hartley
                                       Mrs Maureen Race
                                       Mrs Edith Raine
                                       Miss Alyson Smith

           P.C.C. Treasurer: Mrs Pat Bake ACMA.,MAAT.
           P.C.C. Secretary: Miss Alyson Smith

Constitution

The constitution is that of the Constitution of the Church of England, which can be found in “A Handbook for Churchwardens and Parochial Church Councillors” Mowbray ISBN 0-264-67411-1

Committees
The P.C.C. operates through a Standing Committee, which can meet between full meetings of the P.C.C. It is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the P.C.C. between its meetings, subject to any direction given by the Church Council. A Centre Management Committee looks after the management of the Parish Centre in conjunction with the Warden. A Youth Centre Management Committee is appointed as Trustees of Milbank Youth Centre. The PCC appoints a Social Events Committee.

Electoral Roll
The Electoral Roll consists of 117 persons.

Review of the Work of the P.C.C. for the year 2008
The first meeting of the P.C.C. following the Annual General Meeting took place on Tuesday, 13th May, 2007. Subsequent meetings took place on 23rd June, 21st July, 8th September, 24th November, 17th February 2009 and 20th April 2009. A special meeting took place on Sunday, 15th June, 2008. The Standing Committee had a meeting with Canon Neville Vine, the Area Dean on 3rd November, 2008.

It has been a very busy year with much discussion taking place and many decisions being made. However, as it has been a year when a great deal of restoration work in the church has been undertaken, this has necessarily taken up much of the time of the P.C.C.

Most of the P.C.C.’s energies have been directed at the following items:

1. The restoration of the organ. The organ was removed from the church on 14th July, 2008 and taken to the workshops of the Organ Builder, Mr. Geoffrey Coffin of York. Following the removal of the organ, work could then be undertaken to repair the floor under the organ and around the walls behind the organ. This work was completed fairly quickly.

2. The rewiring and the installation of the internal lighting scheme for the church. This was completed and the church was then redecorated.

3. Following a grant of £20 000 from Wear Valley District Council the church was floodlit externally.

4. The previous year had proved disastrous regarding the thefts of lead from the roof and the subsequent increase in the insurance for the building. The P.C.C. took the advice of The Ecclesiastical Insurance Company and had installed a new alarm system.

5. The appointment of a Youth and Community Worker. Gareth Gladman, the successful candidate is now in post. The Lay Chairman of the P.C.C., Valerie Bryden undertook the task of seeking funding for this post.

6. An Organ Scholar, Graham started his Scholarship in the Parish on 21st September, 2008.

When the Standing Committee met with the Area Dean it was to discuss the fact that there are currently 10 Stipendiary Clergy in the Auckland Deanery: by 2016 this will have been reduced to 7. Deanery Synod is looking for the views of the Parishes as to how this can be managed fairly. The P.C.C. Secretary wrote to Deanery Synod expressing the view of St. Helen’s Church that it is a very viable church.

The P.C.C. continues to work to a five-year-plan for the development of worship within the parish and our Mission and Education programme to all age groups.

THE FUTURE
1.Implement the new parish office and Parish Administrator
2.Compile a new five-year plan looking at our three mission aims:
• worship and prayer
• teaching and nurture
• care and service
3. Organising Back to Church Sunday and growing the parish

The Report of the Fabric and Ornaments of the Church
Following the major restoration to the parish church undertaken during 2001 the church is now sound and in an excellent state of repair. The building is well looked after and minor repairs are undertaken as and when necessary.

The church was cleaned each week along with brass, silver and linen. A grounds man looks after the clearing of litter, sweeping paths and clearing drains. A spring working party meet to keep the maintenance of the building up to date. A small team of cleaners worked hard every week to keep the church in first class order.

S. Helen’s closed for two months while the rewiring and electrical work was carried out. The organ was removed in July, the chapel floor excavated and the walls stabilised and the church decorated. Special thanks to members of the congregation who have repeatedly undertaken a massive amount of cleaning work over the past year. It was a real team effort

The main area of concern at the start of the year was once again repeated thefts of lead form the church roof: January £1,900, February£1,900 and March £4,000. This was replaced by EIO insurance. We installed a new alarm system in church and the external roof. The roof is now covered by a sensor with 24 hour monitoring via BT internet . The cost of the alarm system was £6,200 as was paid from parish reserves No more lead thefts have occurred since the alarm installation. The whole church is now externally illuminated and is a help to roof security.

Works to the Church during 2008
• £8,000 of lead replaced after thefts- cost met by insurance
• lead replaced over organ chamber: £2,300
• organ removed for rebuild and restoration(completion now due in May 2009
• full re-wiring of the church, new computerised lighting scheme and external floodlighting: £52,500
• renewal of the floor and associated works in the south chapel (organ chamber) -£10,000
• silver, brass and roof marked with “smart water”
• repair to table top tomb
• repair to uneven flag in porch
• soak-away drains cleared monthly, drain pipes and roof gullies checked in May and November
• fire extinguishers checked and serviced
• alarm system serviced
• heating system and boilers serviced
• repair to choir pews
• hedge cut down in churchyard to help with security
• over glazing repaired to south windows
• terrier updated and photo disk of all valuables stored in safe

Additions and donations to church fabric during 2008
• new red vestment

Future building work 
• organ due to be returned by May 2009
• small pointing and masonry work required as listed in the Quinquennial Inspection report of 2006
• work required to help heat loss from the medieval oak door/porch

Long term building projects
• toilet to be installed when the economic situ

Pastoral review
The worship and work of Almighty God, especially in the Eucharist, was once again at the centre of all that we do at S. Helen Auckland. A full liturgical year was observed. Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter were all well attended and spiritually rewarding. The Bishop of Whitby, The Right Revd. Robert Ladds, celebrated and preached for S. Helen’s Day
With the loss of the organ for a year, keeping a good standard of music in our worship was challenging. The piano served us well during Sunday Masses, Brass bands joined us for S. Helen’s Festival and Christmas Carol services and Mr Hall’s home electronic organ was on load to S. Helen’s from Christmas 2008. Despite the problems the music at S. Helen’s continued to improve and develop last year with growth in choir numbers. The loss of the organ was more of a challenge than a problem

St. Helen’s School held a carol service in church and Copeland Road School held both a carol service and an Easter service in S. Helen’s. During the Christmas season, a very successful parish carol service was held in church with Ferryhill Town Brass Band. The Christingle service with Copeland Road and S. Helen’s School Choir and our Youth groups attracted a packed congregation of over 200 of which 150 were children. The attendance over Christmas 2008 was excellent and broke all records. Midnight Mass was a particularly beautiful and spiritual occasion for a large number of visitors.

Mrs Valerie Bryden worked as a voluntary pastoral assistant in the parish, sick visiting, bereavement visiting, helping with home communions and a wide variety of other work.

We had a full and active social life at S. Helen’s with a social or fundraising activity each month. This included parish Sunday lunches, Christmas and summer fairs, evening meals on major festivals, wine tasting evenings, gourmet buffet, children’s disco, parish fun evenings, Christmas meal in the centre and evenings out. Thanks to Mrs Pat Bake who is the driving force behind the parish catering. The choir, senior servers, cleaners and parish officials enjoyed an evening out as a thank you for their work.

The daily mass was maintained and well attended during the year, a weekly Rosary prayer group meeting with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Stations of the Cross with S. Paulinus RC Church during Lent.

The main pastoral work of S. Helen’s included:
• daily mass and offices
• Copeland Road, Oakley Cross and S. Helen’s school were visited on a regular basis
• school services and visits of children for course work took place in the church
• the youth groups and Millbank Youth Club were all supported. The Scouts and Guides were invited to the Parade Mass for parade services
• the needy, sick, dying and bereaved were visited at home or hospital
by the vicar or pastoral assistant
• members of the parish received home visits and the housebound were given communion at home
• all three nursing homes were visited
• a full programme of social events was enjoyed during the year.
• parish pilgrimage to Walsingham at the end of August was attended by 25 pilgrims
• a weekly lent lunch was held in aid of the church overseas
• the parish provided Rainbows, Brownie, Guide, Beaver, Cub and Scout Groups
• a weekly bingo met for the elderly
• a ladies group met once a month
• Fr McTeer and members of the church served the wider church by attending committees, Deanery Synod, Forward in Faith Chapter, Society of the Holy Cross, Forward in Faith National Assembly and various Patronal Festivals around the diocese
• members of the congregation were involved in many social and community activities within the parish, fostering of children, school governor, visiting the sick, providing transport for the elderly, providing meals for the lonely on Christmas Day, W.I. meetings, helping with Sunday School and youth work.
• the parish maintained its own website
• a monthly lunch club for the elderly
• NEW- JOLLY TOTS CLUB (0-5)MEETING ONCE A MONTH IN CHURCH FOR WORSHIP AND LUNCH

Future Plans
• Supporting Youth and Community worker in development of our work with youngster, families and active retired
• All age worship once a month at 4.00pm on Sundays
• Baptism preparation to be at home with follow up visits
• Parish office and community resource centre to be developed
• New group for the actively retired/unemployed
• Development of music in the liturgy

Parish statistics for 2008
• 52 baptisms
• 2 weddings
• 50 funerals conducted through the ministry of S. Helen’s
• 205 Easter Communions with a 235 Easter attendance
• 151 Christmas Communions with a 200+ Christmas attendance
• 300+ attendance at other Christmas season service
• average Sunday attendance 55 Adults and 10 Children making an average Parish Mass attendance of 65
• average weekly communions including weekday masses were 115
Training Parish
S. Helen’s has been designated a training parish by the Diocese of Durham. We hope to welcome a curate in June 2010

Publicity
A notice sheet was produced each week and the bi-monthly magazine has a circulation of 200. A card was delivered to every home in the parish at Christmas. Posters were displayed around the parish along with newspaper publicity for every festival and social event. The Parish has its own website and leaflets were distributed to local places of interest and hotels advertising the church opening times during the summer. A leaflet was delivered to every new home in the parish as they became occupied.

The Parish Centre
The Centre is greatly improved since the upgrading during 2007, much warmer, more comfortable and easier to clean. Mrs Ethel Shoulder maintained the centre to a very high standard during the year.
The Centre made a small operating profit during 2008. The accounts are included in this report.
The Centre is a major asset to the parish and community and a major mission resource for the future and will include the new parish office and resource centre.

Parish Office and Resource Centre
A new office and resource centre will be developed early 2009 in the parish centre. This will be a base for the Youth and Community Worker and a resource for all parish groups.
Administration including magazine, notice sheets will be undertaken by an admin working party or a paid parish administrator. This is to free up time for the parish priest to concentrate on pastoral and mission work and training of a new curate
Link Parish of S. Mark Kibi, Ghana

Canon McTeer visited S. Mark’s Kibi once again during 2008 and presented the final £1,000 of our £5,000 donation to S. Mark’s at the Dedication service of the new church on Trinity Sunday.
Fr Robert O. Ankrah, the parish priest has now moved on and his successor is.Fr Obrie The people continue to pray for S. Helen’s each day as we pray for S. Marks. It is hoped that this link will continue grow and benefit and encourage each congregation. The link has the grateful blessing of the Bishop of Korforidua and The Bishop of Beverley.

Developing our overseas Link with S. Mark Kibi, Ghana

We hope to provide electricity; water and repair work to S. Mark’s Anglican Primary School over the next few years.

Visit to Kibi by members of S. Helen’s congregation including our young people.

The Vicarage
The Quinquennial Inspection took place in June 2005 by Mr M Galley BSc (Hons) MCIOB. Diocesan Surveyor, Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. It was reported, “The property is particularly well maintained and cared for and has no apparent structural defects”. No repairs or decoration were carried out at the vicarage during the past year, however quite a lot of work was undertaken in the garden cutting back shrubbery and trees. The parish has hired a gardener to help maintain the vicarage gardens.

Conclusion
Last year was a very busy and challenging year for the parish. It was good to welcome new members to our parish family during the year.

We continue to welcome the new residents into the many new homes under construction in the parish. It is estimated that the population has risen by 2000.The PCC along with the incumbent are looking a ways of contacting and serving the new estates.

A new youth and community worker will start work 0n 5th April 2009 to enable outreach to the youngsters and young families of the parish. The Diocesan Mission Fund, Forward in Faith, Durham County Council and the parish will fund this work.

The Organ Fund made steady progress over the last year. Our Quota was increased once again and paid in full. The response to giving and fund rasing was excellent and shows great commitment from our members.

A thanksgiving service was due to be held in September 2008 to give thanks for the final phase of our ten year programme. Due to the delay from the organ builder this will now take place on Trinity Sunday, 7th June 2009.

It will be a blessing to finish the final phase of our restoration work during Spring 2009 to enable us to fully focus on our main priorities as a parish over the coming years. These are:

• worship and prayer
• teaching and nurture
• care and service

As a parish we will remain faithful to the catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles and of which the Church of England is part, working and praying for the re-union of the Church of God, celebrating the Mass and offices each day, trying to order our lives to the teaching of our Lord in Holy Scripture, proclaiming the word of God, building up our faith, baptising our children, caring for the sick, providing for our young people, burying the dead, caring for the bereaved. Worshipping God, teaching and nurturing our people and serving our community in Christian love and joy with a passion for mission and conversion.

Simply being the Church in West Auckland, St Helen Auckland and Tindale Crescent.

TRADITIONAL ANGLICANS
The next five years are crucial for the catholic movement of the Church of England as we seek proper provision in the event of woman ordained to the office of Bishop.
“A CODE OF PRACTICE WILL NOT DO”

The Children's
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