ST MARY'S PARISH CHURCH, HINCKLEY.
Parish Profile
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MISSION STATEMENT St Mary's is an open Church aiming to make God's love real through worship and by being a welcoming community where we try to care every day for everyone |
St Mary's is an open Church aiming to make God's love real through worship and by being a welcoming community
where we try to care every day for everyone
St Mary’s Mission Statement, which was established over 15 years ago at a day conference of all church members, has been the underlying principle of all that we do.
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ST MARY’S ......
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Assessing with honesty where we are, what is good & bad and the possibilities for the future the following is a summary of an assessment made by the Church membership, PCC & Leadership Team.
Strengths
Prayer: Strong focus is placed on prayer at St Mary’s and is central to our being.
Worship: Many styles of worship take place over the week. We have strong musical resources, with a variety of styles and great flexibility among our many musicians.
Shared Leadership & support roles: There is a strong team at St Mary’s both ordained and Lay, paid and unpaid. There is a large support group of volunteers, who keep the Church open 7 days a week and work out in the community as well as taking on many of the administrative roles.
Personal development: We value all members of the church and encourage learning whether this is through house groups, bible study, preaching in Church or encouraging those with particular skills to develop them and undergo formal training for the benefit of the whole Church, such as lay ministry, pastoral care, community service or music.
Wholeness and Healing: This is an important part of St Mary's prayer ministry provided by a team during Holy Communion each week, at the 10.15am service and the 6.00pm Holy Communion Service.
Pastoral Support: Visiting those in need and taking Holy Communion is undertaken by a team. The whole church family is encouraged to care for one another.
St Francis’s Centre: Our community centre and church plant, which is a central focal point in one of the less affluent areas of the town and has grown in strength in its 10 year existence.
Finances & Giving: Relatively strong financial base, with well run stewardship scheme. 10% of all of St Mary’s income is given away – those that give, will receive
Position in the town: We have strong links with other churches through Churches Together. We are a central focus in the town centre and many Civic, school and commemorative services are held at St Mary’s during the year. We have strong links with several schools in the town especially St Mary’s Primary school.
Buildings and Facilities: We are proud of the history and heritage of St Mary’s and the Church is kept in good repair and we have also made many improvements.
Opportunities & Challenges
Worship & Spiritual growth: The level of activity that characterises our church sometimes leaves a feeling of a lack of ‘space’, and a lack of time for reflection that may be restricting our spiritual growth and development. We recognise the need to develop that spirituality, both in ourselves and in those on the fringes of the church. We need to be led in the development of this ministry, and guided in patterns of personal reflection, prayer and growth. Work is needed on meeting fully the needs of all ages within the congregation during worship. We need to work hard on bridging the gap between generations during worship and making the Church family a true family unit with strong faith, communication & friendship between generations.
Build upon our youth work: We want to develop our young people’s spirituality and their involvement with the church as a whole. This is especially true of our uniformed organisations and youth groups at The St Francis Community Centre who are regular and committed to the groups but find little to involve them in our regular worship.
Collaborative working: We want to encourage and enable people to develop their spirituality, to discover their own gifts and talents, and determine how God wants them to be used. We want to serve all in the Parish spiritually and pastorally, by continuing to build a welcoming, caring and prayerful church growing and deepening our corporate and individual faith and to encourage lay members to take up positions of leadership in church and community. Like many charities, community based and faith organisations, we find it a challenge to constantly identify and recruit new and younger helpers in order to ensure succession and continuance of the various activities.
Grow our contacts: We have many strong links in the community, but struggle to develop those contacts into enquirers who want to learn more about the Christian faith and also to retain those visitors to become part of the church family. This opportunity has the potential to encourage active membership thus also increasing our regular giving to support our financial commitments and enable us to continue to be a generous church.
Partnerships: Churches together, the Borough Council, Schools, Street pastors, support groups are all strong partnerships that need maintaining and developing.
Development of buildings: Church Hall replacementA New Vicar For St Mary’s
In thinking about a new leader for St Mary’s we are realistic in our search – we do not expect the impossible or unreasonable, but are trying to share the qualities we think will be needed to move us forward from the good foundations and strengths we already have, and to direct the challenges and opportunities the church leadership and family face together as a team, now and in the future.
Our search is undertaken prayerfully and in trust, faith, hope and open mindedness.
Qualities
We believe that the person who leads us in the coming years would benefit from the following qualities:
- A proven outward- looking and energetic leader who appreciates shared ministry and is actively able to encourage and develop lay people.
- Able to articulate a vision for our Church and keep people included and engaged.
- Proactive in building collaborative local partnerships keeping the church at the centre of the community.
- Willing to encourage and lead a wide variety of styles of worship whilst keeping respect for our Eucharistic tradition and healing ministry.
- Able to inspire and encourage all ages to be involved in developing worship and faith.
- Values the importance of music in worship and appreciates a range of musical styles.
- Able to develop and nurture individual spiritual growth through teaching and prayer.
- Able and passionate communicator of Christian teaching to our diverse and all age community.
- Good organisational and motivational skills to optimise the talents of church members and to cope with the challenges of a busy church and community.
WORSHIPPING TOGETHER AT ST. MARY’S
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WORSHIP:
The current pattern of services at St Mary’s spans a range of styles from traditional to more modern. The main service of the week is the Sunday morning All Together service with Communion at 10.15 am with additional services at 8.00 am (Said Communion) and 6.00 pm (Evening Worship) which are more traditional in style.
(A full summary of the services is given in the table below).
There is active lay participation in the main services with servers, readers, intercessors and communion assistants as well as sides-people and welcomers.
The church is fully equipped with a modern PA system including fixed and radio microphones, and fixed overhead projectors are used to project the service words, hymns and visual representations onto 3 screens.
Music is provided by our organist, together with an adult music group or young persons’ music group. St Mary’s has a wide ranging musical life, with music from Bach to modern times regularly performed on a fine newly rebuilt 3 manual pipe organ, grand piano and modern day electric guitars, flutes and drums. The organ console is being moved onto the platform, where the band is placed, to enable better integration. Evening worship is usually led by the pipe organ. The Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New is the hymn book presently used with additional modern songs used at the 10.15am service.
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There is no regular choir at the moment though there is an ad hoc choir which is brought together for feast days and weddings.
Junior Church meet in various side rooms of the main church during the 10.15am service, during the sermon slot, and currently caters for four age groups. (See Children’s work below)
Services:
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8am Sunday
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BCP Holy Communion with sermon Held in the Lady Chapel (Average attendance around 20)
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| 10.15am Sunday |
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Altogether CW Eucharist. Prayer for wholeness and healing is offered every Sunday during this service. This service has evolved to be accessible to all age groups. We want our children and young families to learn what worship is from those of more mature years but within the service provision is made for their own teaching during the sermon slot. There is a monthly lunch following the service in the church hall, prepared by different church groups each time and attended by 30-60 people. Following every service refreshments are served in the coffee bar and volunteers manage this on a rota basis. (Average attendance about 70 adults with 15 < 16 years old)
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| 10.15 Third Sunday |
As above and includes Baptism when necessary (i.e. not every month). (Attendance varied) |
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| 10.15 First Sunday |
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Non – Eucharistic service which all the uniformed groups attend. This is a lively and interactive service where only the youngest age group has a break out group. Meditation is usually offered too. An annual pet service is held in the Summer. (Average attendance about 70 adults and 40 under 16 years of age)
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| 6pm |
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Evening Worship from our own service booklet which includes some elements from BCP, CW and Celtic traditions with hymns and a sermon. (Average attendance about 30)
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| 6pm First Sunday | CW Holy Communion with hymns and sermon | |
| Tuesday 10.30am |
CW Holy communion with sermon. This group has become a close community who are aware of each other's needs and difficulties. (Average attendance approx 20) |
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| Thursdays (12.30pm) Fridays and Saturdays (9.30am) | A short prayer service |
*St Francis Community Church holds a 3pm service every week. See section below.
Throughout the year we have additional services:
| Advent and Christmas |
Advent Sunday – service of light Service of lessons and carols Christingle Service on Christmas Eve with many hundreds attending and a Midnight service. Christmas day Holy Communion |
| Lent, Holy Week and Easter | Ash Wednesday evening service, Holy Communion daily during Holy Week,Maundy Thursday (washing of hands), three hour devotion on Good Friday, Goof Friday Evening service and Easter Day. |
| Ascension | Dawn service in conjunction with Churches Together |
| Baptisms | During 2009 19 children and 1 adult have been baptised during our morning service. |
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Confirmation
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On Easter Sunday 2009 2 adult members of our congregation were confirmed at the cathedral and in October we held a confirmation service in St Mary’s church when there were 4 adult and 5 young adult candidates for confirmation along with one adult baptism. |
| Weddings | In 2009 14 Weddings plus 1 Wedding Blessing and 2 Renewal of Marriage vows. |
| Funeral services | In 2009 14 funeral services have been held in the church and 27 other funerals took place at the crematorium or cemetery chapel. |
| School carol services etc. | Local schools use the church for their Carol, Easter and Harvest services in addition to the Mayor having his/her Civic Carol Service in church. |
Wholeness and Healing:
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Praying together is an important part of the life of St Mary’s and a small group of people are available during our Sunday morning communion service to pray with anyone who comes forward in need of prayerful support for themselves or others. Our telephone Prayer Chain is also part of this caring for each other and available to those in urgent need of prayer and loving support during the week.
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House Groups:
During 2009 40 -50 people formed 6 house groups which take place at various times during the week. Some meet in homes, others use the church. A House Group Leadership course was run over 6 weeks in 2009 when the house groups were re-launched. The weekly material used has been that produced by Sunday’s preacher in the form of extended notes and questions based on their sermon. Pastoral care of each other is an important part of these groups, as is encouraging each other in prayer and meditation. This year during Lent we are holding house groups jointly with the Methodists as we have done often in the past.
Growing Together:
Twice each
year this
ten week course, covering basic Christian beliefs, based on the Emmaus
Course, is held for those who want to learn more about the faith, those
who may want a refresher and for those who want to be confirmed. Led by
the vicar and lay ministry.
Pastoral Work:
The Pastoral team is made up of clergy and lay people and aims to co-ordinate and promote pastoral care offered by all members of the church family as part of their daily lives as they serve the Lord. They meet and pray together regularly. They believe that everyone brings their unique experience, skills and love to this valuable ministry and by working as a team they can try to reach out more effectively to those in need. Their aim is to be aware of those who are in need of love, fellowship and care and extend the hand of friendship to them as part of their lives in Christian service.
They share the pastoral care of the whole church family with the vicar. They offer care, love and support to church members who are no longer able to attend church, by visiting and keeping them in touch with what is happening with church events and news. They listen, pray with people, visit the bereaved and where possible give practical help such as transporting someone to a church service. As a significant part of our worship is the Eucharist, they are able to share Home Communion by taking it to those unable to attend a communion service.
At St Mary's loving care is also shown by the wider church community – e.g. every day in the coffee bar and whenever anyone in the church community has a problem, bereavement or is troubled.
Church Electoral Roll: The electoral roll has 187 members with 81 not living in the parish.
We work very much as a team with the members being:
Revd Jane Gibbs – Non Stipendiary Curate
Captain Syd Henderson - Full time Stipendiary Church Army Captain working as Community worker based at The St Francis Community Centre
Beverly Frettsome –Part time paid Children’s and Family worker
Neil Bullen – Licensed Lay Reader
Jackie Bullen – Licensed Pastoral Assistant
Debbie Dixon - Licensed Pastoral Assistant
Judy Williams - Churchwarden
Ann Wright - Churchwarden
Colin Bent, Charles Broadhurst, Bev Buswell, Debbie Dixon, Geoff Pegg, Alistair Crooks – Deputy Wardens
Peter Harris - Organist
Michele Crooks – Gospel Choir Leader
Trevor and Ros Johnson – Band Leaders
Liz Greenwood – Part time paid Secretary
Carole Hopkinson –Part time paid Cleaner
There are a team of readers, intercessors, servers and welcomers and occasional visiting clergy. The PCC meets regularly and consists of twenty five members with the vicar as chair. There are a number of committees covering finance and church hall. A full list of all the roles and responsibilities along with contact details can be found on the web site.
http://www.stmarysparishchurchhinckley.co.uk/contacts.htm
St Mary's is open every day Monday to Saturday from 10a.m - 4pm
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To us open church is not only open door but …………… Mark 2:13-17 Open hearts Open minds Open eyes Open ears Receptive people Open to the Spirit
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We are open to all regardless of colour, creed, gender, age, sexuality, economic status, need, education …Inclusive! We are called to imitate the table manners of Jesus. He gladly sat at table with anyone. We are open to notice people, speak, listen, serve ( not just tea/coffee) to be there for people in any way possible; welcoming and caring for, unloved, unlikeable, weird and strange in the imitation of Christ “If we worship faithfully, we will extend the hospitality that is worship through all the other days of the week to our neighbours, to strangers, to enemies” (Elizabeth Newman) We live because of God’s hospitality to us. We are called to be beacons of light in a world of despair. Coffee Bar - St Mary’s became an open church some 17 years ago when we established the coffee bar firstly as a temporary measure beneath the tower and soon after as a permanent feature in its present situation. We refurbished the coffee bar in 2009 and have about 60 volunteer helpers. We have since added a Traidcraft counter and a second hand book shop. Each year we donate 10% of the coffee bar profits to Christian Aid in addition to our other charitable giving. Book Stall - Nearly seven years ago we had the idea of continuing to sell books left over from a fete. People added to the supply and over the years it has developed into a second hand book shop which draws people from quite a wide area. It is established in the north aisle of the church with purpose built shelves and some extra display which can be moved when necessary. It is organised by a small band of people who sort, price and categorise the books disposing of those that we have learnt will not sell. Not only does the bookshop help significantly with the finances of the church but it has become a way for people who might not otherwise be tempted to cross the threshold of a church to have the courage to do so. Many a conversation has begun with “Oh I am looking for…” and a relationship has built up in which problems are shared and the listening has begun. |
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Traidcraft - St Mary's Church is committed to supporting Traidcraft which campaigns for trade justice in Africa, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and South America, and supporting these disadvantaged producers. Together we share a vision of a world freed from scandal of poverty. We are the local supplier for local churches and anyone else interested in buying from us and a corner of the church is dedicated to a Traidcraft Stall.
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Cards for Good Causes – For the last 8 years, in the 2 months preceding Christmas, St Mary’s church has provided a temporary shop run by a small team of volunteers, selling cards from over 30 different charities. This provides a service to the charities, a small donation to the church and an opportunity to attract people into church.
St Mary’s has, through its open church, bookshop and Traidcraft developed a wider church community with many people spending time here regularly during the week.
ST MARY’S CHURCH ORGANISATIONS & ACTIVITIES
Baptismal Preparation:
We take Baptisms very seriously and the Children’s Worker encourages the parents to attend church at least twice a month leading up to the Baptism after the initial enquiry. A leaflet explaining our policy is given to the parents at the first meeting and then a home visit takes place by the children’s worker. All Baptisms take place at present during the 10.15am Holy Communion, when the service is made as welcoming as possible and the emphasis is on celebration. Baptisms take place about six times a year. Having Baptisms at the 10.15am reminds everyone – Baptism families & the 10.15am congregation that young families are part of the whole church. All families are invited to events aimed at them and are included on St. Mary’s mailing list, so invitations are sent for special services and general events.
Bell Ringers
St Mary’s has a fine ring of bells with a tenor of 22cwt
We have a loyal band that ring for Sunday morning services, weddings and other special occasions e.g. Confirmations, services over the Christmas period, New Years Eve and Easter Sunday Communion.
Our Monday practice nights are well attended and we host a District Ringing Meeting with tea and church service most years. Occasionally, we have bands of visiting ringers from other areas and we ourselves have an annual outing ringing at other towers.
Brigade
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The Church Lads and Church Girls Brigade is part of the Church of England and the aim of the organisation is to extend the kingdom of Christ among lads & girls. The Hinckley Company was formed in May 2003 and has a very successful band. Since the band was formed they have entered the National Band Competition each year and progressed from Novice Class through Contest Class and into Championship Class. They have won many trophies along the way including winning Prizes for the ensembles. They go on tour each year and play at various churches and concerts as well as local carnivals and events. Highlights for the band have been playing in the Lord Mayor’s parade in London and taking part in the Remembrance Parade in London. The youngsters also take part in camping, swimming and athletics, locally and nationally. They also complete Badge Work and take part in Church Activities such as the Big Day Out, cooking and serving the Parish Lunch and more recently taking part in the Ride and Stride. |
Children’s Work:
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St. Mary’s is committed to being inclusive for children and young families. We have a part time paid worker co-ordinating a team of parents to achieve this aim. During our worship we offer four groups where Bible based teaching is age related. Over the last few years we have felt it is important to try to meet the needs of the under 5’s. We have a gifted team who prepare and deliver teaching in a fun way. This group also gives us an opportunity to get to know parents with very young children who approach us about baptism. Annually we organise pancake celebrations, Good Friday Club, picnics and a Light party. We develop and run our own Bible based holiday club during August encouraging any children and young people in the community to come along. |
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We have Seedlings, our parent and toddler group, who meet once a week in our church hall. This group is welcoming and open to anyone who wishes to join. A large group of families meet together after worship every few weeks to share a meal. This helps to build relationships in a relaxed atmosphere. Building on this we now have regular messy play sessions, where parents and young children experiment with types of play not always possible at home. This is a valuable tool to help new parents to mix and form new relationships. We have always been involved in helping children and young people’s groups to celebrate their work through their annual Services. We have a good relationship with our local schools and offer activities when asked. |
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Cursillo:
A number of our congregation are members of the Cursillo movement which prayerfully equips people to support the ministry of their church.
This has been a great source of personal growth for many and continues to be so as they meet and encourage one another in their continuing Christian journey.
It would be a benefit to St Mary's if the new Vicar is willing to support those who are already members and anyone wishing to attend a Cursillo weekend as they must have the support of their incumbent.
Environmental Group
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A group of members got together and instigated the following projects to earn us the status of an eco-congregation:
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Photovoltaic panels: St Mary’s Church is one of the first medieval churches in the country to have photovoltaic panels. 28 panels have now been installed on the south-facing roof of the church. They are expected to generate about a fifth of the church’s energy needs, about 5kw, and save the emission of nearly 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. Funding for the £31,929 project included £13,700 from the Low Carbon Building Programme, £12,450 from EDF Energy’s Green Fund and £5,779 from the church and donations from the local community. We hope this project will stimulate thinking in the community about the steps everyone can take to reduce their carbon footprint. A display in church shows pictures of the panels & also a panel showing how much energy the photovoltaic panels are producing and the carbon dioxide emissions being saved. |
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· Bicycle racks outside church · Low energy light bulbs are used throughout the Church · All church printing is on recycled paper and all waste paper is recycled. · There is a good Fair Trade stall in church. · Notices around the church about energy and water conservation in the building. · Regular notices and preaching on the environment sharing information with the congregation on green issues and the part they can play in this. |
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Gospel Choir
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The Gospel Choir meets every Friday in the church for rehearsal and has attracted a wide interest with approx 20 regular members of all ages. They sing at a variety of St Mary’s services on request and also support other churches in the area. They provide an annual Voices Concert and partner with other local choirs.
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Justice and Peace Group:
An embryonic group entrusted in debt counselling and other relevant issues.
Marriage Preparation
Marriage preparation at St. Mary’s consists of 4-5 couples about to get married meeting with a St Mary’s host couple. The course is run over 2 evenings a few months prior to the wedding with preparation and mid week work. Marriage is one of the biggest commitments ever made and we at St. Mary’s don’t have all the answers but believe this course helps to explore some of the issues.
All couples are encouraged to attend the course, which has been running very successfully for many years, with excellent feedback and recommendations. Topics covered are:
· Marriage
· Accepting Each other and Appreciating the Differences
· Needs
· Conflict
· Expectations
· Roles, Responsibilities and Decision-Making
These classes provide an informal opportunity to get to know other couples including the hosts and many couples make long term friendships, attend church more regularly or return when they have children.
Men's Breakfasts
The breakfasts provide a platform for the men of the church to enjoy a time of fellowship together as well as an opportunity to invite other men from outside the church, to join us. Emphasis is placed on an enjoyable time of fellowship rather than a specific focus on church and religion. A three course full English breakfast is served and is followed by a talk from a guest speaker. Although most of the speakers are from a Christian background, the subjects of the talks are not faith based. These events are held five times per year in St Mary's church hall on a Saturday between 08.30 and 10.00am. The meals are prepared and served by a team of volunteers from St Mary's church.
Social Activities
The social committee meets to plan events that will fit into the already busy calendar of activities for the year such as Walking treasure hunts + BBQ; Barn dances; Pudding clubs; quizzes; Beetle drives; Games nights and Days out.
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For 7 of the past 9 years we have had a weekend away either in France or Germany. This venture started off as visits to the Christmas Markets but has now changed to a weekend in September. It is not solely for church members but the party consists mainly of St Mary’s church members friends are welcome to join us |
We have also had organised weekends away for church members including several times to Launde Abbey and Coalport Youth Hostel in Ironbridge. There have also been picnics in the park and Sunday lunches.
The Belles
Our Ladies Group meets in the coffee bar on the 4th Monday of each month. We have speakers on topics which range from the sublime to the ridiculous; occasionally we also have a quiz. Not all members belong to the church and any lady is welcome. The meetings always start with prayer and finish with coffee, biscuits and a chat.
Uniform Organisations
St Mary's Community Hall is the venue for our uniform groups. We have a full complement of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. They meet weekly and have a committed group of leaders. (A section dedicated to the Brigade is above).
We have a parade service each month which is well attended. We try to include any presentations they wish to have plus news they would like to share. Our worship is tailored to include these groups on that particular Sunday. Discos are organised by our families’ worker to bring the groups together. We regularly visit the groups to offer support and help; we feel it’s important to grow a relationship with all the organisations that are part of St. Mary’s family.
Young people at St Mary’s and St Francis:
“We are the young people who worship at both St Mary’s and St Francis and we are an enthusiastic and lively group who have a close relationship with each other, but we are not exclusive and welcome anyone who comes along and are very ecumenically minded. We regularly mix with other young people from local churches inviting them to join them our events. We are talented and very musical, with many of us playing in the junior band at St Mary’s and the ecumenical youth band at St Francis. We enjoy church (sometimes!) and join in all the youth groups organised by both churches. We are very questioning and enjoy discussing our faith and its implications in groups led by our youth worker as well as the occasional trip. Our favourite pastime is eating cake – hence our youth group name ‘Frankie’s Fellowship – only here for the cake!’”
Other Groups who use our facilities
Chill Zone: Young people are invited to come to the church coffee bar after school on Thursdays until 7pm for chat, hot drinks, and games. Lots of young people from the area come to chill out and meet friends. Although not a church group, a monthly bible study has been introduced. This is a very lively group and enjoyed by those who attend. The drop in is run by The St Francis Community Centre Manager and Senior Youth Worker and with funding from the Borough Council. This is one example of the youth outreach work stemming from The St Francis Community Centre.
The coffee bar is used on two evenings a week by the local Alcoholics Anonymous group.
The Over Eaters Club has use of the coffee bar on Thursday evenings.
The Hinckley Country Market has stalls in the main body of the church on Friday mornings - a very well attended event.
We have a close connection with Amnesty International who keep a candle burning in the church whenever it is open.
African Drumming Group - meets every week in the church consisting of a beginners and more advanced group. Drums are available to borrow. Both the gospel choir and drumming group are very accessible and have introduced members of the community to church and St Mary’s.
Other Music: Recitals and concerts regularly take place in St Mary’s at both lunchtime and evenings. St Mary’s Arts (SMART) organize monthly lunchtime concerts intended to be informal and enjoyable, with light classical music performed to the highest standards by professional musicians. The audience bring their own sandwiches and purchase drinks from the coffee bar as well as their ticket.
In 2009 the PCC registered formally with the Charity Commission. Our turnover for 2009 was almost £125,000. The parish share was paid in full - £82,201. The statement of accounts of the General Fund is attached as an appendix. We also have a 'Restoration Fund' which is financed by the sales in the coffee bar and is used for major repairs. We also have a 'Development Fund' which is financed by bequests and is used for new initiatives.
Mission and Charities
St Mary’s has a history of 60 plus years of involvement in Mission and Charity giving. The PCC supported a decision made in 2001 that we would give away 10% of all donated money. This has meant that through generous giving, gift aid pledges and collections at St Mary’s we have been able to support our 5 main charities: The Bible Society, USPG, The Delhi Brotherhood, Church Army and our link Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro and last year gave to 16 other charities and projects totalling £8,162. The committee meets on 4 occasions during the year and is ready to respond to any appeals as needed.
One of our church members visits the Masai Steppe in Tanzania every two years and has developed links with with Kiteto Christian College in Kibaya in the Diocese of Kiteto and also St Elizabeth's near Arusha in the Diocese of Kilimanjaro. She provides updates to the congregation via the church newsletter and by giving presentations and specific fund raising concerts and supplies have been organised.
St Francis Community Centre
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Overview - The St Francis Community Centre is a fully fledged resource for the community and an important part of the outreach work of St Mary’s. It is strongly supported by the local Churches, and works in partnership with the local community to provide a useful Centre that can be of benefit to everyone. Opened in January 2000 its overall mission is to serve the local community where it is placed, offering all ages a place to meet and have their events. The diocese supports a full time Community Worker with responsibility for: · the St Francis Community Centre as Manager, · the St Francis Community Church as Lay Minister · the youth work for St Mary’s Hinckley. |
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Responsibilities of the St Mary’s Vicar - The St Mary’s vicar is the line manager for the Centre Manager and has ultimate responsibility for the centre. The St Francis Community Centre employs a number of staff on a part time basis: Administrator, Caretaker, Cook, Senior Youth Worker and 3 sessional youth workers. There are a wide range of volunteers who come from both local churches and the local area who help with the activities during the week. There is a Management Committee which meets quarterly, made up of St Mary’s church members as well as other church members and group leaders, and chaired by the St Mary’s vicar. Groups - There is a community internet Café on Monday mornings which provides the opportunity to drop in and meet with the local police beat team, use the internet or just have a coffee and make friends. On Tuesdays and Fridays we have a parent and toddler group. There are Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts which meet during the week. On Wednesdays we have a lunch club for the over 50’s which is very popular and has a waiting list. Friday nights we run a very successful youth club reaching out to up to 70 young people each week. The senior youth worker at The St Francis Centre works with local young people on Friday nights, and during the week doing detached youth work and running a drop in café at St Mary’s on Thursday nights. Age Concern, self help groups (including Coping with Cancer and Parkinson’s) yoga, karate and all the other things you would expect from a community centre meet or happen here. We have two groups meeting to help people back into work as well as many learning opportunities run by Leicestershire County Council and others.
The area that The St Francis Community Centre covers crosses two borough wards, Trinity and De Montfort. Trinity Ward, where a lot of the families we work with live, has been identified as one of the areas where children and young people are in the greatest need within Hinckley and Bosworth. |
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Church - The Community Church is a ‘Fresh Expression’ (Church Plant) serving the Tudor Road area and was opened in 2006. We meet weekly at 3pm on Sunday and have a congregation of approximately 30. We have ongoing children’s and youth work with a monthly over 10’s worship and teaching evening called ‘Something Else’; a church youth group ‘Frankie’s Fellowship’ and an adult basic Christianity course ‘God Shaped Whole’ based on the Emmaus course. Recently a Confirmation class was held and four young people were confirmed in October 2009. The church has a fortnightly Bible Study and a monthly ‘Church Meeting’ where the themes, readings, music and vision for the church are discussed. Church members also help at the Centre volunteering and fundraising and there is a House Group for those who wish to explore their faith more deeply.
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Hinckley Churches Together
This is a very broadly based, active organisation, incorporating some nineteen churches and three affiliated Christian organisations.
It involves the following denominations; Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Hope Church, United Reform, Salvation Army and Pentecostal congregations plus some independent groups including the Vine Christian bookshop and a local Work Link project.
In recent times the activities have included, Women’s World Day of Prayer, Local Broadcasting, Good Friday Witness, Pentecost Picnic, Christian Aid Week, Alternativity, and numerous joint acts of worship.
Street Pastors
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Street Pastors is an Ecumenical initiative, they are church members who have a heart for the local area and want to make a difference. They work on the streets of Hinckley Town Centre on a Friday and Saturday Night between 11pm and 3am. Between St Mary’s and The St Francis Community Centre we have 6 street pastors, and 2 base volunteers. Hinckley Street Pastors is coordinated by Syd Henderson and Jane Neale from St Mary’s and The St Francis Community Centre. The St Francis Community Centre hosts all the street pastors training and both coordinators work from there. We as a church see Street Pastors as an important part of the outreach to the town. |
The Church Building
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St Mary’s is a wonderful historic Grade 2* listed building surrounded by a closed church yard and next to Argents Mead, in the heart of Hinckley. A church has stood on the site for almost 900 years. A fully illustrated guide has been written on the history and buildings, also available via the St Mary’s church website.
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The outstanding feature of the church is the tower (25.3 metres) and spire (a further 30.5 metres) which can be seen for miles around. This massive tower, whose walls are 1.7m thick, was built in the early fourteenth century. The large western window was added in the fifteenth century. The walls of the nave are thirteenth century but the battlements with crocketted pinnacles at the corners are Victorian. The Church clock and chamber, which has four faces is presently under renovation. The upkeep of the Church is done regularly in close consultation with the Architect.
In addition to the main church there is a self contained Lady Chapel; a Crèche area and two toilets, one with baby changing facilities. The north side of the Church is used as a Coffee bar and has recently been refurbished. Upstairs there is a well equipped office and a small counselling room. The weekly newsletters and quarterly magazines are produced in the office by a team of volunteers and the church secretary.
There is a well used and lockable car park on one side of the church with disabled parking and bike rack. A number of spaces are rented out on an annual basis to the school and nursery, based at the church hall.
Vicarage
The current vicarage site is being sold and a suitable house in close proximity to the church is being sought for the new incumbent.
Church Hall
We have a community hall next to the church which needs to be refurbished and we are actively seeking a builder to help us with a rebuild. The centre we have at present, which is run independently by the hall management committee, consists of two halls, a kitchen and toilets along with storage space.
St Francis Community Centre
The St Francis Community Centre is a purpose built well maintained community centre with parking facilities and easy access. The Centre was opened in 1999 as part of St. Mary’s Parish Church, Hinckley’s outreach into the Community. St Francis Mission Church was established in 1935 and served the area successfully as both Church and Community Hall for many years. The local Scout and Guide groups had their own building on the site. Using funding generated by the sale of land, personal monetary gifts and grants from charitable trusts the new Centre was built. The ethos and atmosphere of the building is often commented upon as is the cleanliness and full range of equipment offered. There is a large central hall with a variety of smaller rooms meeting different needs and a fully equipped kitchen.
Hinckley is a town that lies at the very heart of England. It was the centre of the Roman Empire in this country and now forms a crucial link in the Midland's comprehensive rail and motorway network. The town, which is exactly half-way between the cities of Leicester and Coventry, covers an area of 3,565 acres in South-West Leicestershire, just a mile from the Warwickshire border.
Hinckley has a population of approximately 35,000 and is the administrative centre of the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth, with an overall population of around 60,000, including the nearby large villages of Earl Shilton, Barwell and Burbage. It also neighbours the District of Blaby, and many of Blaby's villages look to Hinckley for employment, recreation and shopping facilities.
Hinckley is known as the "Cradle of the Hosiery Industry" - an industry that was born and nurtured in the town though virtually disappeared. However, in recent years several large companies have taken advantage of Hinckley's comprehensive transport links - it is close to the M1, M69 and M6 motorways and is part of the Midland rail network - and major distribution centres have sprung up in the area. The town is also home to the acclaimed Triumph motorbike company.
Hinckley's town centre has a pedestrianised high street where a bustling market takes place on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. Like its surrounding villages, the town centre is designated as a conservation area. Outside the urban area, the picturesque local countryside has a number of notable features.
The town has a refurbished Leisure Centre and a number of thriving sports clubs for football, cricket and rugby. A range of other sports clubs are also active in and around Hinckley.
http://www.hinckley-online.co.uk/index.shtml
St Mary’s church lies in the Sparkenhoe West Deanery of the Leicestershire Diocese.
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/parishmap.php?x=-1.3654375076293945&y=52.54047552739943
St Mary’s School (VC)
The primary school is located adjacent to the church and accommodates approximately 300 pupils and the St Mary’s vicar is a member of the school governing body. Close links have been established and the school regularly uses the church not only for end of term services, but also visits for history tours. Assemblies have been led by St Mary’s vicar on a regular basis.
For further details of St Mary’s please view the rest of our website http://www.stmarysparishchurchhinckley.co.uk/
or contact either of the church wardens:
Mrs. Judy Williams email: judy@pe60.wanadoo.co.uk
Tel: 01455 448701
Mrs. Ann Wright email: jandoric83@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 01455634052
Thank you for reading our profile.
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