St Paul’s Harlow Town Centre and St Mary’s Little Parndon ‘Following Christ in a Complicated World’ 1 The Parish We Serve With a population of 16,000 the parish makes up the north west (including the Town Centre) of Harlow (population 83,000) It encompasses three areas of high density housing as part of the new town development: Little Parndon, Hare Street and part of Toddbrook, and Netteswell. The railway station and Town Park make a fourth segment. There are industrial areas, especially to the west. The hospital, Civic Centre and Theatre are near St Paul's. The parish as a whole includes a wide range of opportunities and challenges for mission and ministry, not least in the partnering of St Mary’s (on the edge of countryside) and St Paul’s (Town Centre) and in the ongoing development of the town. Though the hoped for regeneration is not as speedy as hoped, we 1 See Appendix 1 1
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St Paul’s Harlow Town Centre and St Mary’s Little Parndon‘Following Christ in a Complicated World’1
The Parish We Serve
With a population of 16,000 the parish makes up the north west (including the Town Centre) of Harlow (population 83,000) It encompasses three areas of high density housing as part of the new town development: Little Parndon, Hare Street and part of Toddbrook, and Netteswell. The railway station and Town Park make a fourth segment. There are industrial areas, especially to the west. The hospital, Civic Centre and Theatre are near St Paul's.
The parish as a whole includes a wide range of opportunities and challenges for mission and ministry, not least in the partnering of St Mary’s (on the edge of countryside) and St Paul’s (Town Centre) and in the ongoing development of the town.
Though the hoped for regeneration is not as speedy as hoped, we are now looking towards: New housing - the development of the rugby pitch adjoining St Mary’s at an early date The completion of the regeneration of the Harvey Centre.
Excellent information about the parish is available from the Diocesan website here:http://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/pdfs/03.04.pdf
1 See Appendix 11
The Church Community
St Mary’s and St Paul’s are sister churches. The Team was formed during the early development of Harlow. There is one PCC. The team is led by the Team Rector, and we are within the evangelical tradition, influenced by New Wine.. The two congregations seek to work in partnership together, sharing ministries where this is beneficial (for example in the joint Ministry Leadership Team, and joint weddings ministry (most of which is at St Mary’s). Our two parish wardens focus on one or other of the congregations, each assisted by an assistant warden for that church. There is a Parish Administrator, Pat Balkwill.
Our community life is expressed in many and varied ways. Worship is what we seek to do in all of life – in our communities, our homes, the workplace, and all our daily lives. But there are moments when we consciously focus on worship, that we might be all the more worshipful in the rest of life.
This takes places in various settings (midweek, Messy Church, House Groups etc.) Sundays are a vital part of this. Details of our Sunday Services - and also our Daily Prayers - are set out in Appendix 2.
Our two congregations maintain close links with joint social events, including such events as the Big Lunch, Harvest Supper, Festivals at St Mary’s and the Christmas Dinner.
The focus of the Team Vicar’s ministry will be at St Mary’s, in the context of the partnership we share.
Emma Etuk, our St Mary’s warden
Barbara Aylett and Dom Turner entered their third years of their training curacies in the summer. Both their ministries then focused on St Mary’s, which not only meets their own training needs – as planned - but has also been of enormous assistance during the vacancy. Barbara’s curacy is for four years. On the completion of her training she will continue to focus on ministry at St Mary’s.
Kehinde Ajay, our St Paul’s warden
In addition to clergy and wardens, our parish ministry team includes Peter Smith- Reader, Margaret Carter – Pastoral Assistant and Wendy Coxhill – Evangelism Enabler. They, with retired minister Trevor Jones, minister to both churches. Robert Findlay - Deanery Communities and Town Chaplain - is based in the parish. He is a member of the staff team.
The staff team meets on Monday mornings. There is a St Mary’s Committee, a sub-committee of the PCC.
In 2015, normal St Mary’s Sunday attendance was 37. The team ministered at 24 funerals (most at the Crematorium). There were 4 weddings and 13 baptisms at the two churches. Most weddings are at St Mary’s.
Worship and MusicBarbara Aylett is currently our curate based at St Mary’s with a view to her being locally deployed at St Mary’s at the conclusion of her curacy in the summer of 2018.
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Barbara Aylett
The shape of her future ministry will be determined during in her final year and the new team Vicar will have responsibility for shaping this in collaboration with the Team Rector as Training Incumbent.
Darrel Drake is Parish Music Minister. He leads musically three times a month at St Mary’s and once a month at St Paul’s. He leads the St Mary’s Worship Group which ministers once a month at each church. Darrel is also involved in service leadership and takes a major role in service planning, especially at St Mary’s. Darrel is also involved in service leadership and has responsibility for the style of worship.
The St Paul’s Music Group ministers on the other Sunday at St Mary’s and on most of the other Sundays at St Paul’s.
The leader of the musicians for a given Sunday chooses the music.
Every Member Ministry“Lay ministry” is central to our life and we seek to recognise the importance of proper training and support. The Ministry Leadership Team (‘MLT’) is a key part of this. Its ministry extends across both churches.
It has annual aims, agreed by the PCC. The team includes 14 members. They serve for three years (extendable to six) on a rolling system. Areas of responsibility are:
Prayer Spiritual Disciplines Equipping for Service Mission and Evangelism Pastoral
Sunday School and YouthIn both churches our Sunday children’s work is central to our seeking to pass on our faith ‘from one generation to another’. St Mary’s Sunday School follows Roots Sunday School Material. St Mary’s young people have Chocochat at Costas once a month.
Parish Small Groups and PrayerThere are 5 regular house groups, a monthly group plus a nurture group from time to time.
Parish Prayers are on Tuesday, Wednesdays and occasional Saturdays. Heart4Harlow Prayers are on Thursdays at St Paul’s and, monthly, Sunday evenings at Churchgate Street. We have a monthly Prayer Diary.
Mission and Outreach
We seek to work in partnership as churches, nevertheless honouring the vocation, callings and gifts of each congregation. One image that has been helpful is of St Mary’s as the harbour (a place where people find refuge in Christ – St Mary’s is near the river), St Paul’s as a lighthouse. With the new build at St Mary’s, she is becoming more obviously a church in a community and we hope to develop and grow this sense of ‘parish’. Regular initiatives have included:
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Messy ChurchThis takes place at St Paul’s once every half term. Messy Church lasts around 2 hours. We welcome parents and carers with their children, and it includes craft activities, which lead into a brief period of worship (building on the theme of the crafts). It concludes with a light meal (normally tea).
There is a good team which (following the departure of Debbie and Dom Turner) will need leadership. Our aspiration is to have two Messy Church teams, so that Messy Church can be once a month. See also the St Mary’s Mission Plan. This is one of our major services and outreach opportunities, now frequently attracting 60 or more guests who are broadly otherwise unchurched.
IgniteA monthly gathering at St Mary's where we seek to encounter God together. Relaxed, informal and contemporary worship allowing space for us to come close to God. This service is for everyone - young and old alike. Come along with open hearts and open minds. The website ishttp://www.igniteforharlow.co.uk
Good Friday WalkWe join with the hundreds who take part, concluding with worship in the Harvey Centre.
FestivalsSt Mary’s holds regular Flower (and other) Festivals and is presently preparing for its anniversary celebrations in 2018.
The Heart4Harlow Festival, headed up by Robert Findlay, is a major regular event in the Town Centre from Friday to Sunday in late May. It included various events - main stages in the Harvey Centre and Water Gardens with a variety of musical items (schools groups etc.) including on the Sunday afternoon Community Praise in the Water Gardens.
The Sunday coincides with our Big Lunch, in and around St Paul’s, a Bring & Share Community
Meal with outdoor activities. We partner with God Central Church who meet in the Playhouse Theatre.
Town Centre ChaplaincyChaplaincy is part of our looking outwards. In this way the good news can engage with our neighbours in all aspects of life. Robert Findlay is the Deanery Communities Chaplain. There is an FE College Chaplaincy.
SchoolsOur staff team is involved in various aspects of schools ministry including including at Pemberley Academy and Little Parndon schools, which are fairly local to St Mary’s. Good links have been formed by Dom.
Teddy Bear ClubThis is for accompanied tots on Thursdays during term time and is led by Pat Balkwill
Marriage PreparationThere is a Marriage Preparation weekend arranged by the staff team.
Helping HandsA Drop-in evening for those without homes or vulnerably housed which meets in the Upper Room at St Paul’s.
Home & Overseas MissionWe support six Christian mission and aid organisations abroad and at home through prayer, information and financial giving.
Bible Society CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) CMJ (The Church’s Ministry Among
Jewish People) Michael Roberts Charitable Trust (Harlow
foodbank and Maybury Open Door) Tear Fund Crosslinks – Alicia Burgess, based in
In addition our children's groups help us sponsor two children through school, Anna & Sarah Chingwaba in Tanzania, raising money through various activities.
PartneringWe seek to serve the Gospel and the Community as much as possible as we partner in ministry. Our fellowship in the Gospel with the Church of Pentecost means that our St Paul’s site is much used during the evenings for worship and ministry.We also partner with:- Harlow Foodbank which operates four days
a week in the Upper Room. It is run by the Michael Roberts Charitable Trust (MRCT) with whom we partner.- Maybury Open Door: a Drop-In Centre based in the Barnabas Hall two days a week. The Centre is also run by the MRCT.- Street Pastors who meet at St Paul’s.
WebsiteOur website is at http://www.stpaulsharlow.org.uk The PCC has commissioned a new website, hopefully to be launched soon.
St Mary’s & St Paul’s Buildings
We seek to open our buildings as much as possible. In practice this means St Paul’s in the mornings. We meet at St Mary’s for parish prayers on Tuesdays. It would be lovely to open St Mary’s more when the local new build is complete.Our Parish Administrator is based at St Paul’s. Her ministry extends to both churches.
The Grade II listed building is near the northern border of the parish, adjoining the Rugby Club, Parndon Mill art studios; (http://www.parndonmill.co.uk), the River Stort, a few industrial units and the railway.
Elizabeth Way is nearby to the south, the Hertforshire border to the north. It is a well-maintained and beautiful Victorian building, incorporating, unusually, the grave stone of a slave. There is a graveyard (closed for adults) and Garden of Remembrance.
The 13th century church was rebuilt in the 1860s. A former nearby land-owner, William Smith, was closely involved with the leadership of the movement for the abolition of slavery.
Following the DAC (Diocesan Advisory Committee) giving us the go-ahead for the next stage in the PCC’s preferred option for a staged development of the provision of a church hall and toilets, we have been steadily working towards this end.
The lead for this development, and also the
renewal of the St Paul’s buildings, is with the Development Action Team (a PCC sub-committee, chaired by the Team Rector). It includes members of both congregations.The anticipated build on the Rugby Club site gives a new opportunity for mission and evangelism as a new community forms on the door-step of the church. A priority is to welcome our new neighbours on behalf of the church.
This also gives a renewed opportunity to develop St Mary’s sense of parish, not least as we seek to develop links to the two local schools. Our own building plans very much reflect our desire to be able to be in a position to reach out to our new neighbourhood.
The St Mary’s Mission Plan (draft) is attached as Appendix 3.
St Paul's (also Grade II listed) is next door to the Playhouse Theatre, close to the Health Club, Civic Centre and Water Gardens. Immediately behind St Paul’s is the Harvey Shopping Centre. St Paul's incorporates a major work of art, a mosaic by John Piper based on the Emmaus story.
There is a church hall for various church and other groups. We seek, in partnership with others, to develop the building as a vibrant
community-hub of witness in the town
centre, as well as a resource for the church community.Phase 1 of the major refurbishment of the St Paul’s site has been underway for some years.
Role Description
As a member of the staff team taking a lead in mission and evangelism for the St Mary’s congregation especially with regard to the adjoining new build, nearby estates and schools ministry. Taking forward and developing the St Mary’s Mission Plan (Appendix 3)
Working with, leading and developing the St Mary’s team; being one who empowers and enables the developing of new and existing ministries.
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Helping develop strategy for outreach into the parish. This includes taking appropriate initiatives for the use of the new buildings planned for St Mary’s as centres of mission and evangelism.
In due course taking the necessary initiatives for the ongoing management of the new premises with a view to their use as a mission resource and for the benefit of the local community including developing midweek church, community and other use of the new facilities.
Being consulted by the Parish Development Action Team as they take forward the buildings development for St Mary’s in accordance with the preferred scheme.
Leading in Messy Church for the parish, seeking to develop this outreach and grow the team.
Taking a share in pastoral ministry and occasional offices for the parish insofar as they relate to the mission and ministry of St Mary’s and its buildings.
Being a member of the staff team, and meeting for prayer regularly.
Accommodation
There is a good modern well-cared for Vicarage. The address is The Vicarage, 4a The Drive, Harlow, CM20 3QD.There are presently no tenants so inspection is easy to arrange.
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Appendix 1
Our 5 Year Vision
“Following Christ in a Complicated World” (We are in the process of forming our vision for a coming 5 year period following the use of LYCIG (‘Leading Your Church Into Growth’) Local in our MLT and PCC.)
Praying it In
Mindful of the word we sensed the Lord was saying to us on the Awayday, “Clean the Windows” so others can look in at us and see Christ the hope of glory and that we might look out and see our town and world and act with the compassion of Christ in mission and evangelism…Realising that in a fallen complicated world we need spiritual disciplines for our life together, namely growing Prayer, Mission, Fellowship and Listening to His Word, so that as people look to us they may see Christ in us, 'the light of the world', and we might grow in mission and evangelism...
• Colossians (Christ in you, the Hope of Glory)• John 17:1-5 (Prayer)• John 1:43-45 (Mission)• Acts 2:42-47 (Fellowship)• Luke 24:13-32 (Word of God)
Living it Out
Growing into transforming Relationship with God and with Others
• Being a Welcoming Community• Encourage our discipleship through a Rule of Life and the Shape'
Course, leading to...• A Ministry and Mission Fair at Pentecost 2013• Establishing a Pastoral Care Team• Engaging in mission and evangelism
The renewal and improvement of our facilities on both sites to provide opportunities for mission and evangelism.
St Mary'sProvision of drinking water, toilets and additional accommodation at St Mary's
St Paul'sRewiring and redecoration of the worship areaInternal re-orderingWorks to back of church and new chapelLaunch of detailed proposals for Phase 2 (Halls and Rooms)
Continuing to partner with others in expanding our mission
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Appendix 2
Weekly Pattern of services
Week of the Month St Mary’s St Paul’s
Week 1 9.30 Holy Communion 9.30 Holy Communion
11 All Together Service
Week 2 9.30 All Together Service11 Parish Holy Communion
Week 3 9.30 Holy Communion 9.30 Holy Communion
11 Morning Prayer
Week 4 9.30 Morning Worship11 Holy Communion
Week 5 9.30 Informal Worship 9.30 Holy Communion
11 Informal Worship
Prayer ministry is offered at the 9.30 St Mary's and the 11.00 St Paul's services. We offer anointing with oil for healing at both churches once a month.
We have occasional afternoon / evening Sunday services.
On 4th Sundays there is normally a Prayer Service for the town at St Mary's, Churchgate Street at 6.30.
Pattern of Daily Prayers:
9 am Tuesday Prayers at St Mary's9 am Wednesday Midweek Communion (monthly) at St Paul's; other weeks: midweek prayer8 am Thursdays Heart4Harlow Prayers at St Paul’s9 am Saturdays Prayers at St Paul’s
Staff Prayers:The Staff meet for prayer including the 9 am Weekday Services above (excepting Sundays and days off). The staff team also shares in Staff Prayers as part of Monday morning Staff Meetings.
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Appendix 3
St Mary’s Mission Plan (DRAFT).St Mary’s has many strengths, of which we believe the following are most significant:
Our welcome to newcomers and regulars. Our willingness to help each other, and our concern for each other. The worship is simple, accessible, varied, and interesting. We are seeking to find out what God wants. Our children, who are the future. The building: its beauty, simplicity and layout. We have the support of a larger parish PCC, and a strong partnership with St Paul’s.
We would like to move forward in our mission in the following ways:
Goal Next actionWe aim to invite the two local schools to visit the church on a regular basis (at Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, and Harvest), and for their visit to be facilitated and managed by both clergy and laity. We will issue the first invites in time for Christmas this year.
Dom and Ann to work together on building a small team of people who could develop and run this, and to issue invites for a Christmas event.
St Mary’s Committee will discuss and investigate the potential for running some form of Messy Church in the local area, either at the church (perhaps outside during the summer months) or in a local home. We will begin these discussions at our next committee meeting.
A discussion of the possibilities to be held at the next committee meeting (in November)
We will seek to grow and develop Ignite, offering support to Darrel and the team, and advertising the event to young people in our local community more strongly. This needs to be discussed with Darrel, and some more specific proposals will need to be developed.
A meeting between Darrel and one or two from the St Mary’s Committee needs to be set up, and for these initial conversations to begin.
We aim to run some form of nurture / discipleship course, starting in the new year. Before this occurs we need to decide where we’re hosting it, who’s running it, and who we’re aiming it at. We also need to decide on the material / course we’ll use, and advertise it. This course might lead to the re-creation of a St Mary’s housegroup.
Barbara, Dom, and Pat to come up with some firm proposals, and to discuss them with the committee (via email) before the end of November.
We will work to raise the profile of St Mary’s within our local community. Initially, this work could be started by a small team of people.
Martin, Dom and Barbara to meet and discuss who to invite onto this team, and to issue the invites accordingly.
