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Newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Southwark Vol.22 No.1 February 2017
Inside THE BRIDGE ...this month
THE BRIDGE
Follow the Diocesan Blog: ‘Hearts on Fire – sharing God’s Good News in Southwark Diocese’ - http://southwarkcofe.tumblr.com/
Heartson Fire
The Diocese of Southwark
Bishop of Woolwich appointedThe Revd Prebendary Dr Woyin Karowei Dorgu is to be the 13th Bishop of Woolwich. He will be consecrated in Southwark Cathedral on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March 2017.
Dr Dorgu was ordained Deacon in 1995 and Priest in 1996 and has served all his ministry in London Diocese. His curacy was at St Mark, Tollington Park and since 1998 he has been building the
community of faith at St John, Upper Holloway.
Born and brought up in Nigeria, Dr Dorgu worked as a medical doctor before ordination. He has a deep concern for mission and regularly leads open-air evangelism in his parish and has seen his church grow remarkably.
He is much involved in the life of the Church Primary School in the parish where he has been Chair of Governors and supports staff and pupils. A member of London Diocesan Synod, he is National Vice
Chair, Anglican Minority Ethnic Network (AMEN).
He is married to Mosun who is a Consultant Child Psychiatrist and his interests include personal fi tness, reading and cooking for others. He enjoys travel and discovering new places and cultures - and is a keen supporter of Arsenal Football Club.
Bishop Christopher commented, “I am delighted that Karowei Dorgu is joining the Episcopal team in Southwark. He brings a wealth of experience of urban parish ministry and has a real passion for evangelism and reaching out to those who are not churched with the love of Christ. I look forward to working with him and to welcoming him and Mosun to the Diocese”.
Dr Dorgu said ‘Mosun and I are greatly honoured to be invited to contribute to bringing God’s love to the
people of Woolwich and the Diocese.
“I look forward to getting to know the clergy, people and churches of the Area in the coming months”.
On Tuesday 20 December following the announcement of his appointment he and his wife toured his area visiting St Peter, Walworth Primary School and Bermondsey Community Kitchen.
In the afternoon they were at St John Deptford, where he met the Area Clergy for tea and cakes and the day closed with Evening Prayer.
On Monday 9 January during a special service of Evensong, Bishop Christopher dedicated, baptised and blessed two newly re-cast bells, which have returned to Southwark Cathedral from the foundry, Taylor’s of Loughborough. He also re-dedicated the other ten bells.
Following a practice which has taken place in this country since mediaeval times, the two re-cast bells were baptised, named and anointed before being raised into the tower and restored to their places.
One, the ‘seventh’ bell, was dedicated to the memory of Colin Slee OBE, former Dean of Southwark, and given the name ‘Nicholas’ (of which ‘Colin’ is a diminutive).
The other, the ‘tenor bell’, was dedicated in memory of James I of Scotland and his descendants and also those who died in World War I. It was given the name ‘Andrew’ for St Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland.
A further tradition saw the bells ‘dressed’ for the service in the same way that a child would be dressed in a christening gown.
The artist Angela Wright,
echoed this tradition by producing a river of wool with pools around the larger bells. Some of this wool was used in Angela’s 2014 Lent Installation for the Cathedral, ‘Forty Days’, so the bells were not the only thing returning for the service.
The Dean of Southwark, The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, said “This is a wonderful day for the Cathedral and sees the end of more than a year’s work from when this ‘once in a generation’ project was started.
“We are grateful to all the donors, whether large or small, private or corporate, named or anonymous, that have made this work possible”.
Special service marks restoration of Cathedral bells
(left) Dr & Mrs Dorgu at St Peter’s, Walworth Primary School and (right) at Bermondsey Community kitchen
(Left) the bells on a river of wool in the Cathedral aisle
Parish news ...pages 3,4,5
2017 Bishop’s Lent Call... pages 6&7
Parish Profi le - Hurst Green and Crowhurst ...page 8
2016 Review - what a difference a year makes ...page12
Page 11
2 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
Editorial Advisory Board:
John Kiddle (Chair)
Adeline Cole
Carol Coslett
Roxanne Hunte
Betty Percival
Wendy S. Robins (Secretary)
Dr Jane Steen
Tom Sutcliff e
The Bridge is on the web at : www.southwark.anglican.org
is produced & published by Kent Christian Press for Communications and Resources on behalf of The Diocese of Southwark, Trinity House, 4 Chapel Court, Borough High Street, London SE1 1HWTel: 020 7939 9400 Fax: 020 7939 9468e-mail: [email protected]
THE BRIDGE
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Editor: Bryan Harris (Kent Christian Press)
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The MARCH edition is due to be printed on 02 MARCH and in your parish from the following Sunday. Material for that edition must be with Wendy S. Robins at Trinity House by MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY. Space limitations mean that we cannot guarantee to publish everything we receive and material may be edited.The editorial team will assume that all photographs submitted for publication come to us with the necessary permission for printing. So, please ensure that people are happy for their photographs to be submitted before you do so. A form for permission for the use of photographs of children and adults who may be vulnerable can be found at www.southwark.anglican.org/what/diocesan-policies-procedures
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A view from
THE BRIDGEBishops in prison at ChristmasEach year over the Christmas period Southwark’s Bishops visit the prisons and a young offenders’ institution in the Diocese.
Bishop Christopher led services at HM Prison Thameside on Christmas Eve and HM Prison Belmarsh on Christmas Day.
Also on Christmas Day, Bishop Richard was at HM Prison Wandsworth; Bishop Jonathan was at HM Prison Brixton and the Rt Revd Michael Doe, Assistant Bishop took a service at the Young Offenders’ Institution, HM Prison Isis.
Bishop Christopher said, “Many people in prison fi nd Christmas a particularly diffi cult time, as they are separated from their relatives and loved ones. We hope that our visits will help them to hear some of the Good News that Christ came to bring to us all”.
Coptic Bishop installed as Honorary Ecumenical CanonHis Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, was installed as an Honorary Ecumenical Canon of Southwark Cathedral at the Cathedral’s Christmas Mass.
Bishop Angaelos was born in Egypt and emigrated to Australia in his early childhood. After obtaining his degree in Political Science, Philosophy and Sociology, he went on to study law. In 1990 he was consecrated as a monk at the monastery of St Bishoy in Wadi-El-Natroun, Egypt.
He served as private secretary to the late Pope Shenouda III until 1995. He then served in the United Kingdom as a parish priest. He was consecrated Bishop in 1999 and since then has specialised in advocacy, human rights, international religious freedom and development work. He is ecumenically active at local, national and international levels and works to build bridges and promote dialogue.
Bishop Angaelos was awarded the OBE by HM The Queen, for ‘Services
to International Religious Freedom’. He has received the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism from the Archbishop of Canterbury,
and the Coventry Cross of Nails for Reconciliation. He is currently Moderator of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
In the New Year honours Penny Cox, Head Teacher of Holy Trinity CE Primary School, Richmond received an MBE for services to education. She said “Rather amazing, I am stunned. I credit it to the work of the whole school community”.
St Nicholas visited St James Merton on 6 December to collect over 150 gifts for children in need, at the St Nicholas Mass, at which Lord Carey former Archbishop of Canterbury preached.
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The gift of LentEarly in my time as a Vicar in Watford I was invited to address the Wednesday Women’s Fellowship on the subject of Lent. I can’t remember very much of what I said but I think I must have described my regular failings to give up anything very demanding for Lent, including my lack of success in giving up alcohol. Anyway, the next day I discovered a bottle of wine on the doorstep with a note of thanks for my honesty and encouragement.
Lent, which begins on 1 March, comes as a gift not a burden or a discouragement. It’s an invitation to make a bit of space in your life in which something extraordinary can happen. Whether you give up something or take up something, Lent is a time when you consciously and deliberately choose to give God an opportunity to do something with you, for you and through you. The question is, knowing how you tick, what’s the best way you can make that space and give God that opportunity?
This edition of the Bridge is full of stories about the many good things that are happening across the Diocese of Southwark and the people that are at the heart of those stories. Action and activity are to be celebrated, not least where it brings life and change to people who live and work in our diocese. However that activity itself is only sustainable as we make space for God to nourish and shape our own lives.
Which is why the Lent Call, at the centre of this edition, makes a great thing to put at the centre of our Lent. It is rooted in prayer and refl ection, it renews our discipleship and it leads us to make a diff erence to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe and in our Diocese.
More than anything, I hope that your Lent is a gift to you and, like the bottle of wine on my doorstep, an inspiration to others.
The Venerable John Kiddle
Do you have memories of Bishop David Sheppard?Andrew Bradstock, who is writing the offi cial biography of Bishop David Sheppard, Lord Sheppard of Liverpool, would like to hear from anyone who has memories they would be willing to share of Bishop David’s time as Bishop of Woolwich (1969-75). He can be contacted by letter, e-mail or telephone, and all information will be treated in the strictest confi dence.Andrew Bradstock, 2 Ratcliffe Avenue, Ryde, PO33 3DNTel: 07503 200630. E-mail: [email protected]
THE BRIDGE... February 2017 3
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A Christmas Journey in Charlton Deanery
Between 28 November and 2 December, 1,000 Greenwich, Bexley and Lambeth Year 2 school children (6-7 year olds) visited churches in Charlton Deanery (St Alfege, Christ Church, St James, St John’s & St Michael’s) to experience the annual Christmas Journey - an interactive, multi-sensory retelling of the Nativity story.
More than 36 different classes from 23 schools attended the presentations, from a mix of community, private and church primary schools. St John’s also hosted a group of 14 senior citizens for an afternoon session.
This presentation was made possible by a team of 99 volunteers from across the Deanery churches, with others who helped to construct and clear down the sets. Volunteers expressed a real joy working with people from other churches. One said, “We really felt we were working together for Christ’s Kingdom and were no longer stuck within our parish boundaries”.
Feedback from the teachers included:
“Children loved the story telling – going more in depth with the Christmas story. Kids said it was the best school trip ever.”
“This was my third time – I absolutely love it! All my classes so far have really enjoyed the experience.”
“We always look forward to coming on the Christmas Journey. It’s extremely well organised.”
The Revd Rob Ryan, Chaplain at St Mary Magdalene School said: “The whole
experience was amazing and it is always exciting to see children as well as adults being challenged by and engaging with the most amazing story ever!”
One of the pupils commented, “I’ve never been in a church before. I’ve really loved it but it’s been too quick – I’d like to stay longer.”
A community evening performance of the Christmas Journey was staged at St James Kidbrooke on Thursday 1 December, attended by a group of Brownies and guests from across the Deanery.
St Thomas FCI Unity Lecture Richard Trout SPA, All Saints
All Saints Battersea was the setting on Saturday 19
November 2016 for a meeting of the Friends of the Church in India (FCI) and a lecture given by the Revd Dr Daniel Jeyaraj, Professor of World Christianity at Liverpool Hope University.
Dr Jeyaraj began with a brief overview of the Christian presence in India, from the arrival of St Thomas in 52 AD to the modern growth of Pentecostalism.
Turning to present-day Christian witness, he looked at the forms which this takes – from the church itself and its medical and educational institutions, to alternative communities such as Christian Ashrams – and at the issues which that witness is addressing from the caste system, to globalisation, youth culture and gender issues.
He highlighted prominent features of contemporary Indian society - including its youthfulness, with over 50% of the population under 25. But he also pointed to a confusion of values: in particular the divide between urban and rural India. In the fi nal section of his talk, he outlined some of the challenges and opportunities which contemporary India presents.
The lecture was followed by a lively half-hour’s question and answer session.
The Revd Jessie Anand then gave a vote of thanks and the meeting closed with prayer, offered by the Revd Andrew Wingate, after which everyone enjoyed an Indian meal, prepared by the Anands.
Happy Birthday, Jesus and MuhammadBetween these religions there is no hateTwo births today we celebrate.These lines from a poem by Sajid Alidina encapsulated the joyful atmosphere at the Hyderi Islamic Centre in Streatham on 23 December, as Muslims and Christians joined together to celebrate the birthdays of Jesus and Muhammad, whose birth date this year fell on 12 December.
The event began with a minute’s silence for the victims
of violence in Germany, Turkey, Syria and Yemen. The reading of two sacred texts suggested how the divisions might be replaced by hope and justice.
The passage from St Luke’s Gospel culminated in the Magnifi cat, with the assertion that God has ‘lifted up the lowly’ and ‘fi lled the hungry with good things’. The extract from the Holy Quran used the image of grain growing seven ears with one hundred grains
in every ear to show how Allah takes every act of charity and kind speech and multiplies the good that it creates.
In the welcome and introduction, Rizwan Alibhai made the point that Muslims and Christians, almost half the world, are engaged in celebration at the same time.
Saleha Jaffer, the fi rst Muslim Mayor of Lambeth, stated her belief that the prayers of the mosque and the will of Allah had placed her in
this position. After recognising the rich diversity of Lambeth, she said: “We are all together. We don’t create barriers…There is only one humanity”.
The Revd David Musgrave talked about why the story of God taking fl esh and becoming a vulnerable newborn is so important in today’s confl icted world - bringing light and hope when hope seems impossible.
In his address, Mulla Ebrahim Rashid traced how Muhammad was born into
a world of darkness and ignorance and orphaned at an early age, yet managed to transform his community.
One of the highlights of the evening was Sajid Alidina’s reading of his poem.
Its spirit was lived out at the end of the evening as a birthday cake for Jesus and Muhammad was cut by representatives of both religions and all enjoyed the hospitality of the Hyderi Islamic Centre in a shared meal.
4 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
Mayor of London’s Carol Service
Repairs funding boost for St Lawrence Catford..St Lawrence, Catford has been awarded a £10,000 National Churches Trust Repair Grant to help repair the church’s windows and roof. The repairs will mean an end to the church having to get out buckets when it rains - and to the worry that lumps of glass could fall onto the heads of the congregation.
...and St George the Martyr, SouthwarkSt George the Martyr has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for parapet and stonework repairs and internal changes, such as a glass door to the main entrance and a kitchen area on the church level. The project aims to support new heritage and community engagement programmes.
Development funding of £27,800 has also been awarded to help St George the Martyr progress their plans to apply for a full grant of £222,200 at a later date.
On 19 December 2016 Southwark Cathedral was fi lled with people from all over London who had gathered for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s, Carol Service.
Bishop Christopher opened his sermon by reminding the congregation that ‘Bishops are not just for Christmas’. He welcomed Sadiq back to Southwark Cathedral, where he signed in as Mayor on 7 May.
The service, using a sign-language interpreter throughout, featured performances from The Choir with No Name and Michael ‘Faith Child’ Ayo, 2015 MOBO Best Gospel Act. Readings were
given by Canon Mark Russell, CEO of Church Army; the Revd Canon Dr Rosemarie Mallett; representatives of the largest women only homeless project in London and the Mayor himself (photo right)
The Mayor told the congregation “it’s good to be home” and went on to remind them that “there is so much more that unites us than divides us”.
The Bishop noted “this Cathedral and the Diocese are for all: for all in South London and East Surrey… God coming among us calls us to live as he did: to live lives of active love for all”. He continued ‘it
saddens me greatly that the unrest we are seeing in our prisons currently is the bitter harvest of reckless and savage cuts to staffi ng levels in recent years”.
He went on to reaffi rm the Faith and Community Declaration, launched at the Mayor’s last visit to Southwark Cathedral, with the words ‘I offer this Declaration to you
all as a way for us to express together determination to stand in solidarity with those who have nowhere to call home’.
A copy of the Declaration was given to all at the Carol Service and they were encouraged to pledge their support at www.southwark.anglican.org/faithandcommunity as either individuals or as faith groups.
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Some 300 people, including about 160 children, crowded into St Anselm’s for North Lambeth’s Crib Service - many were not regular church-goers. Mulled wine was served to the adults and after the service, Santa gave each child a gift to take home.
On Thursday, 6 December St Mary’s Beddington Branch of the Mothers’ Union celebrated their 120th Anniversary with a Eucharist. The speaker, Mrs Rosemary Kempsell, former Worldwide MU President, who was married in St Mary’s Church, presented Heather Cosgrove, Jenifer Davison and Gwen Whiting with Long Service Certifi cates, for 33, 30 and 23 years respectively
THE BRIDGE... February 2017 5
At the end of term service for St Michael’s CofE Primary School East Wickham, on Wednesday 21 December, the school (and the parish) said goodbye to Richard Varney, Headteacher for 29 years,(the longest serving head in Bexley Borough), and Reception teacher, Maureen Varney.
Oswald Clarke CBEWe regret to announce the death of Oswald William Hugh Clark CBE on 19 December 2016, aged 99. Oswald represented the Diocese of Southwark as a member of the House of Laity of the Church Assembly, and then the General Synod, from 1948 to 1990, serving as Chairman 1980 to 1985. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Southwark Distinctive Deacons OrdainedBishop Christopher ordained the fi rst Distinctive Deacons to serve in the Diocese of Southwark on 10 December at St Philip’s Church, Norbury. Those ordained (left to right) are: Emmanuel Kormi (Hatcham, St Catherine) – Chaplain at Guys & St Thomas, Kings College and University (Lewisham & Greenwich) Hospitals. Rachele (Evie) Vernon (Christ Church, West Croydon) - a deaconess from the Diocese of Jamaica, now working as Theological Adviser with USPG. Before this, she was Director of the Selly Oak Centre for Mission Studies in Birmingham Capt Terry Drummond CA (Norbury, St Philip) - has had a varied ministry in Southwark Diocese including as an Urban Industrial Missioner; Social Responsivity Adviser; the Bishop of Southwark’s Personal Assistant and Lay Chaplain and as the Bishop’s Adviser on Urban and Public Policy.
Bishop Christopher said “I am delighted to have ordained as Distinctive Deacons these three people of whose ministries of service I have long been aware. They will be a wonderful addition to the work of the Diocese in our parishes and institutions.”
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The Revd Rachel Young was installed as Succentor of Southwark Cathedral on 22 January. The Succentor works with the Precentor in the preparation and conduct of liturgy. Rachel was previously Rector of Walkington (All Hallows), Bishop Burton, Rowley and Skidby (York).
On Saturday 26 November around 100 people gathered at St George the Martyr, Southwark for ‘Permission to be Yourself - a one day conference for women in ministry organised by the Revd Alyson Peberdy, Dean of Women’s Ministry.The keynote address was given by the Bishop of Taunton, the Rt Revd Ruth Worsley (left), familiar to many from her time as Woolwich Area Parish Development Offi cer.The day included workshops and opportunities to network and fi nd out more about being anything from a chaplain to a bishop.
6 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
“I was hungry... “I was hungry... ...I was thirsty” ...I was thirsty” Supporting projects in the Di
The Bishop of
Week 1 Food Security in Central Zimbabwe
Recently the way has changed in which money raised for Central Zimbabwe through the Croydon Area Link Committee gets to them. Nnow, monies raised by the Bishop’s Lent Call and by the Link Committee goes to the Diocese of Central Zimbabwe direct.This means that the way in which the money is used is decided by those ‘on the ground’ who know the needs of the people best. In Central Zimbabwe they say this has changed the relationship to one of partners and not of donor and recipient.
The Bishop’s Lent Call is focusing on food security this year and so it is good to look at some of the work that is being done in the Diocese of Central Zimbabwe. One of the important things in making sure that crops grow is a reliable water supply and the Diocese is helping local churches and communities to ‘harvest’ water from roofs. At Harben Park farm people are learning how to employ a method known as ‘Farming God’s Way’. This
encourages farmers not to plough the land; to ensure 100% mulch covering and to rotate crops. This method has enabled many households to have food security and by maximising the yield from any rain and planting that they do.To encourage people to plant trees to help stop soil degradation and to help to deal with carbon emissions, Bishop Ishmael now plants a tree in every parish he visits and encourages all parishes to have a tree for him to plant.He encourages all his clergy to do what they can to encourage all those in their care to farm responsibly and to work together, so that the most vulnerable, particularly the children and the elderly have enough to live on.
Week 2 Food Security in Matabeleland
The Diocese of Matabeleland is a huge Diocese with borders with Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. It covers both rural land and towns but it seems that no matter where you go, life is hard and there is food poverty and a lack of employment and opportunities.Around 41% of the population here depend upon food aid, the price for maize has increased because of the shortages and those who might have relied on selling their cattle to raise extra income - and because they can no longer afford to feed them - fi nd that others are doing the same and the resultant de-stocking of cattle means that the price reduces.The Diocese of Matabeland is currently implementing a Food Security Project in Natabazinduna, northeast of Bulawayo
in Umguza District., where the low rainfall coupled with high rates of evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and transpiration from plants, tends to reduce crop and pasture productivity. It is also often diffi cult for the farmers to get seed and fertilizer - and strong animals to pull carts and ploughs. In Ntabazinduna they support some 220 farmers with seed and knowledge support. The second approach is a farmer learning and demonstration centre at St Aidan’s Farm. A total of 32 households are being trained in irrigated agriculture - plus record keeping, cash-fl ow management, crop budgets, product pricing, marketing and negotiating skills to help improve income and livelihoods.
Week 3 Food in Mas
Masvingo, as other parts of Zimbabwe, has been affected by the drought and many people are not getting enough to eat. The children are especially affected by this. They often don’t go to school because they do not have the energy. Young girls are especially affected as they are sometimes married off early as the family cannot afford to feed them - their education is cut short and so their future possibilities are curtailed.The Diocese of Masvingo is already operating feeding projects in Diocesan Schools to ensure that the children are
The story so far...The Bishops Lent Call is believed to have started in 1986, resulting from an idea by Bishop Wilfred Wood that there should be a Call to Prayer for parishes during Lent. As part of this call to prayer parishes were asked to raise money for a number of charities and projects - both local and international.
Over the last 10 years alone, the Lent Call has raised nearly £1M to give to good causes, thanks to the generosity of the schools and parishes and people of the Diocese.
In recent years the Lent Call has focused more on projects in the Diocese of Southwark and on the needs of our brothers and sisters in our Zimbabwean Link Dioceses: Central Zimbabwe Croydon Episcopal Area Manicaland Woolwich Episcopal Area Matabeleland Kingston Episcopal Area Masvingo Southwark Cathedral
However, in the 30 years since the Lent Call began, your generosity has also helped projects in:Bangladesh, Barbados, Bosnia, Burundi, Cambodia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Georgia, India, Israel, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malawi, Myanmar, Namibia, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Romania, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad &Tobago, Uganda, Windward Isles.
Our partners (at the sharp end) have included: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, CMS, EthiopAid, Scripture Union, Sisters of the Church, SPCK., South American Missionary Society, The Leprosy Mission, USPG & Tear Fund.
Lent Call has also supported projects within the Diocese including in Abbey Wood, Angell Town, Balham, Bermondsey, Camberwell, Clapham, Croydon, Dulwich, Furzedown, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Peckham, Plumstead, Southwark, Streatham, Sydenham, Tadworth, Tooting, Walworth.
On behalf of all those projects and the many thousands who the projects have helped – thank you.
‘I was hungry… … ILent Call, focusing oZimbabwe which co
In comparison to the United Kingdom, Zimbabwe is huge and yet it has far fewer people. It is 1.6 times bigger than the UK but has only about 25% of the UK population.
In 2016 it was estimated that over a quarter of the population of Zimbabwe needed help to have enough to eat and feeding programmes are not always easy to achieve - especially as the United Nations and other agencies do not always have all they need to run them.
It is also estimated that 90% of the population of Zimbabwe are unemployed. People across the whole country are resorting to selling goods in order to feed their families and survive.
The erratic and unreliable rainfall in Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa is a result of climate change - and especially the effects of El Niño.
The effect of El Niño is that sometimes the rains do not come and crops do not mature properly. At other times, there is too much rain and crops get washed away. The effects have been so bad that The World
www.southwark.anglican.orgThe Bishop of Southwark’s Lent Fund. Registered Charity No 1075122
THE BRIDGE... February 2017 7
For many years the Bishop’s Lent Call has raised money for projects both within our own Diocese and overseas. In 2016 we were able to give grants totalling nearly £40,000 to our Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe and to projects in the Holy Land and Southwark.. The 2017 Lent Call pack will be sent out shortly to parishes and schools. It includes information about the projects being supported; worship sheets for use in schools or Sunday Schools and material for use in sermons.
i Lent Call materials can also be found at: bit.ly/1Tk6wOr
Do follow our twitter feed (@southwarkcofe) as we will be adding extra material about the projects each week
Two packs of six attractive greetings cards are available with the proceeds going to Lent Call.
They feature a selection of images from our Link Dioceses
in Zimbabwe. The cards are left blank inside for your own message.
One set (above right) features images from the Simon of Cyrene School Chapel, Matabeleland, Zimbabwe. The other set (below) features our
brothers and sisters in Link Dioceses in Zimbabwe.
They cost just £4.99 per pack (including p&p) and are available in the Cathedral shop, on-line or from Communications and Resources at Trinity House (Tel: 020 7939 9400)
iocese of Southwark and in our link Dioceses in Zimbabwef Southwark’s Lent Call 2017
Security svingo
fed at least one nutritious meal a day. The cost is surprisingly little - but this is money which the Diocese needs help to provide as the fi nancial situation in Zimbabwe is dire.The Diocese is also hoping to sink boreholes and establish market gardening at a number of schools. Boreholes will help to improve water sanitation within communities as well as meaning that people save time because they will not have to walk so far to get water. This time can be used on other activities, such as working in the market
gardens. This will help to break the cycle of poverty and malnutrition in the communities making it more likely that children will stay in school and learn life skills. It also means that people in these rural communities are less likely to contract waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and typhoid as they collect water. The Diocese hopes that the market gardens help the community grow nutritious vegetables and fruits. Where appropriate they will also help them to rear livestock such as chickens and rabbits on a small scale.Whilst the boreholes will be drilled on school premises the market garden can be expanded out more into the community, so that there is the possibility of growing more food and rearing more livestock in order to feed more people.
Week 4 Food Security in Manicaland
Manicaland Diocese has also been utilizing the ecologically friendly farming method ‘Farming God’s Way’. The idea is that farmers should farm with as little as damage as possible to the already arid and uncooperative land. 11 training sessions have been held around the Diocese, establishing 212 ‘Trainers of Trainers’ who can cascade the methods down to others.The Diocese has been working with churches and communities to help strengthen responses to those living with HIV/AIDS and help to boost prevention. In order to help churches work with local communities the Diocese runs a Bible-studies based programme called UMOJA HIV (UMOJA is Swahili for ‘unity’) which have helped parishes to begin to understand their responsibility to the local community. Part of the outcome of this work is parish involvement in agricultural projects which help produce sustainable food for people in the community. One such project is at St Barnabas, Chipinge where the vegetable garden is producing food for the community. Chipenege’s piggery and poultry projects also now supply the local butcheriesThe Diocese is also encouraging goat
rearing for meat and milk and to be sold at market. St Colombus’ Tandi, Rusape have 56 goats and were able to sell four to help to fund treatment for a local young person. They have six pigs in a piggery project too as well as 158 chickens. As well as selling the goats to help with a medical need the local community has also begun to construct a pre-school for the local children; they have also been able to install solar panels on the homes of the ten women who started the poultry project with ten chickens in 2012. There is also a gardening and a poultry project at St Faith’s Mission and at St Andrew’s, Madziva. And at St Augustine’s Penhalonga they have not only a piggery project but a grinding mill and are constructing a borehole.People are really enthusiastic and willing to work as they can see the results; results which change and empower them as individuals and as communities.
Week 5 The Diocese of Southwark
The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs FoundationFounded by Tim and Fiona Spargo-Mabbs after their 16-year-old son Daniel died in 2014, having taken ecstasy. The Foundation has developed “Making Safer Choices”, an evidence-based drugs education programme aimed at 11-18 year olds to enable schools to deliver sessions throughout students’ secondary school careers. Sessions are also offered to parents and carers to provide awareness of the issues and risks and sixth form students are trained and supported as peer mentors. The Foundation now supports well over fifty schools in just over a year. Its services are offered free to schools and growth inevitably brings increasing financial need. Faith in Action Merton Homelessness ProjectFaith in Action has operated the Homeless Drop-In Centre in Merton for the homeless and vulnerably housed for 12 years. Open two days a week, it
is run through the effort of people from many Merton faith groups. During 2016 there were over 6,000 visits to the Drop-In where visitors can get a square meal, a shower, even new clothes. Professional social workers and trained volunteers offer encouragement, friendship and support - and help to ‘secure and sustain employment and accommodation’. Deptford ReachDeptford Reach, formerly The Deptford Churches Centre, was founded in 1979, to help the homeless and marginalised of Deptford and South London. A crisis intervention centre, it offers day-care facilities to over 95 vulnerable, unemployed and marginalised adults per day. The aim is to help them overcome their diffi culties, regain self-esteem and take responsibility for their lives by providing support, advice, education and training. Most services are provided in-house on site, some in partnership with specialist organisations and some by referral to external agencies.
I was thirsty’ is the theme for the 2017 on projects from our Link Dioceses in oncentrate on food security.
Food Programme has declared a Level 3 emergency - its highest level of corporate emergency - for seven countries includingZimbabwe.
Many in the towns and cities are struggling because the price of maize has risen, industries have closed and employees no longer have the possibility of work.
As a result many return, at least for part of the year to their rural homes to work on income generating projects to help them and their families to survive.
Poverty and hunger bring with them other consequences - people get sick more easily andso there has been a rise in thenumber of HIV and AIDS relatedillnesses and deaths. When this
happens in urban areas it also leads to an increase in rural migration.
As well as going home to be with family to be looked after, health care facilities in rural areas are now often better than in urban areas so people go home to get better treatment for their illnesses.
In the Lent Call project sheets we speak of the effects of drought on the people of Zimbabwe and yet the news from there at the time of writing is of heavy rains and fl oods in places.
Water is a vital and precious gift but when it comes after a time of drought it can damage the fragile crops.
That is what is happening in Zimbabwe now - the soil is so dry that it easily washes away taking the crops with it. Therefore, whilst welcome, the torrential water that the country is experiencing at present will not change the situation around food security at this time.
So do please pray for our brothers and sisters there.
The name Zimbabwe is derived from the Shona phrase ‘dzimba dzemabwe’, meaning house of stone or stone building. Certainly the huge rocks and stones that can be seen littering the landscape make it easy to understand why it should be called this.
How you can support Lent Call
8 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
Bryan Harris’s
PARISH PROFILE
St John’s Hurst Green and St George’s Crowhurst… two very different churches, operating in very different contexts but brought together as part of the Oxted Team Ministry.
Hurst Green is a residential area to the south of Oxted with a mix of sizeable 20th century family houses in tree lined avenues and council housing, some now owner occupied, to the East. A station with a (usually) frequent rail link to London means that Hurst Green is largely ‘commuter-land’. St John’s Church, built just over 100 years ago in open fi elds, is today surrounded by a community of nearly 7,500 people – and is almost hidden by houses and trees on all four sides!
There’s no chance of hiding St George’s, Crowhurst. High on a ridge in open countryside, the church – built over 800 years ago, still overlooks a ‘dispersed village’ (a rural area with a scattered population) of just 120 homes and while the church is prominent, there are less than half a dozen houses within walking distance!
In 2014, as part of a wider Deanery reorganisation the opportunity was taken to bring these two parishes together with the United Benefi ce of Oxted St Mary and Tandridge St Peter to form the Oxted Team Ministry.
So how has this worked out for the two new members of the Team?
There are many models of Team Ministry and in this case the four parishes have retained a great degree of independence – each has its own PCC, wardens etc. and its own parish clergy. Team Rector Andrew Rumsey and associated ministers focus on Oxted and Tandridge. Hurst Green and Crowhurst are looked after by Team Vicar Anna Eltringham assisted by Mary Seller, Charles Bradshaw, a SPA, a reader in training and other retired clergy.
There are regular staff meetings across the Team and the resources of the team are available when needed. But other than that, whilst collaboration across the Team
is growing, Anna Eltringham descibed the approach as ‘organic and informal’. She said, “We are not into harmonisation or collaboration for its own sake - only if we can do something better as two, three or four parishes”.
Whilst they are very different churches, Hurst Green and Crowhurst have many uniting factors. For example they have the same worship style for their main weekly service – modern language Common Worship with a mix of traditional and new hymns. So it was a simple step to use the same order of service booklet and to have a common pew sheet. Both churches have a Eucharist every Sunday, Hurst Green at 9.30 and Crowhurst at 11am (enabling Team Vicar Anna to lead both services at least twice a month).
But there are some obvious differences. Space is one – St John’s Hurst Green is about three times the size of St George’s Crowhurst, and with chairs is a fl exible space often also used for theatre (such as Riding Light, RISE Theatre), concerts etc. It also has a modern extension (the York Rooms) used for meetings, crèche and children’s groups on Sundays and community activities. By comparison, in St George’s, like many ancient churches, space is tight - a main aisle with fi xed pews – and a curtained off side aisle which serves as a meeting space for activities like Sunday School.
St John’s also has a larger congregation and so, of course, many more children. Epiphany saw Anna leading All Age Eucharist at St John’s with participation of children throughout the service including as sides-people and intercessors and where the Gospel and Sermon ‘spot’ was inter-active and dramatised. Then, at St George’s whilst the message was the same, Anna delivered a straight sermon from the pulpit after the children were prayerfully encouraged on their way for some activities of their own, thus each church’s fl ourishing is encouraged in its own way.
As part of Mission Action Planning encouraged by the Diocese, both churches developed mission statements and although differently phrased share a common commitment to reach out in welcome and help new people soon feel at home, “simply bringing God’s love to those around” as Anna put it. The aim is to build on what has gone before and develop new initiatives to establish and grow the churches at the heart of their communities. At the same time many of the initiatives offer opportunities for the two churches to work together – and where possible involve the ‘other half’ of the Oxted Team.
So St John’s, for example, has formed the ‘Community of St John’s’, a network for people both inside and beyond the church to keep in touch with St John’s via a weekly email of news and invitations to events. The weekly Community Coffee Shop known as Aggie’s-on-the-Green has been running for some years in St Agatha’s Hall (the church hall). It caters for the annual Village Fair (started by St John’s many years ago) so building on that relationship St John’s led a community team which organised a much enjoyed and appreciated Village party to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee last Summer. “Our aim is not just to strengthen community links but really help people connect with St John’s as their church and to know and discover we are available and easy to approach
whenever they might need us”, explains Anna. St John’s also publishes and distributes a monthly magazine to every home in the parish, with both church and community information.
The extra space means that St John’s has recently started Café Church once a month and on another Sunday before the service, Sunday Munch – toast, hot chocolate and discussion for older children. Among the events open to the community is a candle-lit, Candlemas dinner in the church. Other initiatives include fortnightly coffee mornings, art groups and fi lm clubs in the York Rooms, a pre-school group, church youth group (shared with St George’s) and youth events open to young people from the community.
The ancient St George’s Church holds a very special place in the hearts of Crowhurst people and this is refl ected by the numbers who still come to worship even though they live some distance away. Its ‘assets’ also include a 4000 year old Yew Tree beside the church – which attracts tourist and nature-lovers alike. Its outreach into the community includes making the most of rural traditions
including Plough Sunday, Rogation walks around the boundaries, Harvest Festival and Christmas carols in a barn (with food of course). Those also provide a great opportunity for involvement of St John’s so, for example, the Rogation walk takes in both parishes and last year’s creative St George’s Day Pageant welcomed visitors from Hurst Green too.
Obviously there are challenges. Sustaining ministry in a small rural community – especially with an ancient listed church – isn’t easy, but that’s where being part of a team offers St George’s some reassurance. Declining income at St John’s had begun to be a concern. However the new Parish Support Fund pledge system has encouraged the parishes to think about personal giving in new ways. As a result of a fun and fund-raising campaign and making regular giving as easy as possible a defi cit has been turned into a healthy surplus. The big challenge now is how that can be used for mission initiatives.
There is also the challenge to develop lay ministry and leadership – Anna encourages people to help build up church
life with their many and varied gifts and abilities. But whereas St John’s has a strong lay leadership team, for some years lay leadership at St George’s has been on the shoulders of a faithful few – albeit there are signs of new talents coming to the fore. Anna said, “with clergy increasingly responsible for more than one parish, it is vital to nurture lay vocations. But while the Diocese talks about ‘building up lay ministry’ the rigid selection processes can mean that potentially good people can’t always jump the hurdles. But that must be a challenge to others too”.
It’s two years into the building of the Oxted Team and coming at the same time as the Mission Action Plan programme, its been a busy time for Anna and her two parishes. And it’s clear that there are many more initiatives in the two than I have space for. But what I came to realise is that without a fuss, with no rigid plans or harmonisation policies, team-building is happening - incrementally, fi rst between Hurst Green and Crowhurst and then with the other two team parishes – and it is happening, painlessly, without disruption – and very effectively.
Team Vicar, Anna Eltringham
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10 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
Let us prayFebruary
The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark
Please follow me on Twitter as I off er a prayer each morning so that you can join me in Morning Prayer. Go to @deansouthwark
The Christian year neatly divides into two.
The fi rst half, beginning with Advent and concluding at Pentecost, with just a short period in Ordinary Time, draws us through feasts and fasts into the life of Jesus.
Then we spend the second half of the year concentrating our attention on what all this means for us as we seek to live out the Christian life.
The church provides us with a wealth of prayer material to enrich our own daily prayers and it will be to this
rich resource that we will be turning in the fi rst half of this year.
The Feast of the Presentation of Christ, often called Candlemas, brings the Christmas season to its proper conclusion but in doing so acts as a bridge between the sparkle of the nativity and the pain of the Passion.
As Simeon and Anna welcome the child Jesus into the Temple the old man sings of ‘glory’.
That glory is the link concept for we see it as much
on the cross as in the crib. Living conscious that we are surrounded by glory is something to work at.
God’s glory is all around us but sometimes, as this prayer suggests, it seems hidden. But in Jesus and in the life of the church we see the glory all around us – it’s just that sometimes we fail to see it.
Eternal Lord,our beginning and our end:bring us with the whole creationto your glory, hidden through past agesand made knownin Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
St Barnabas, Purley, and All Saints, Kenley, once again provided free coffee, mince pies and porridge on Kenley Station platform to commuters on 15 December.
The new Reception Suite at St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Kingston Hill was opened on Tuesday 6 December with a blessing by The Venerable John Kiddle, Archdeacon of Wandsworth. It is named after the Head of Governors, Mrs Daphne Gibbs (seen above cutting the opening tape), in recognition of her dedication to the school.
BOOKONLINE
Saturday25 February
www.wycliffe.ox.ac.uk
Bishop of Southwark supports Holy Land CommuniquéBishop Christopher has recently been in the Holy Land as part of the annual Holy Land Coordination Group where he accompanied a group of Roman Catholic Bishops on their pastoral visit.
Speaking after the conclusion of the visit Bishop Christopher said: “It has been a privilege to join, for the third consecutive year, Roman Catholic Bishops from around the world for the annual visit of the Vatican mandated Holy Land Co-ordination Group to Israel and Palestine.
“This visit, coinciding with the Week for Christian Unity, has been a humbling occasion to meet and pray with Christians in both Israel and Palestine and to learn more as to what it means to be Church in this Holy Land.”
Following the conclusion of the visit, which this year focused on the 50 years of
occupation, with visits to East Jerusalem and other parts of Palestine, the Group issued a Communiqué lamenting the continued absence of peace and the need for all people of faith and none to redouble their efforts to resolve a confl ict that continues to infl ict untold
suffering on Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Speaking in support of the Communiqué Bishop Christopher said: “Sadly, this visit has brought home the stark reality that 50 years on from the 1967 war, the prospects for a negotiated
settlement look as distant as ever, while the costs of maintaining the status-quo look alarmingly prohibitive to both sides.
“Now is the time, before the creation of new facts on the ground fi nally close the window of opportunity on a two state solution, for both Palestinians and Israelis to recommit to working towards a negotiated political settlement that provides security for Israelis, justice for Palestinians and peace for all.As always Christians continue to be a moderating force for reconciliation and, through the large number of Christian institutions, offer vital services to the wider community.
“I look forward to working with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton, the Rt Revd Declan Lang, in taking forward the conclusions of this Communiqué with our Government as well as with the Israeli Ambassador and the Palestinian Diplomatic Representative to the United Kingdom.”
Would you like to be Treasurer for Churches Together in South London?CTSL is seeking a new Treasurer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds. The Enabling Group, including the Treasurer, meets four times a year near London Bridge. For more info please contact the Ecumenical Offi cer at [email protected]
Bishop Christopher with students and staff of Bethlehem University. Photo: Marcin Mazur.
THE BRIDGE... February 2017 11
Please send details of your events for MARCH ONWARDS to Trinity House
BY MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY
Ongoing✝ ELTHAM - Playful
Pilgrims. Prayer and play at Holy Trinity Church. Thursday mornings. Contact: [email protected]
✝ HACKBRIDGE - Taizé at All Saints at 7pm First Sunday every month
✽ WARLINGHAM – Water Aid lunches in St Ambrose Church Hall -12-1pm fi rst Wednesday each month
✝ ZIMBABWE ANGLICAN COMMUNITY in Southwark at St Mary, Newington – Shona Mass Second Sunday at 2pm. Mothers’ Union last Saturday 2pm.
✽ BOROUGH – St George the Martyr Community Cafe and TimeBank every Thursday 2pm to 4.30 pm. Meet people, get advice, help one another. Free admission
✽ ELTHAM - Sing hymns with a full orchestra.Free concerts of light classics and popular standards last Sunday of the month except Aug and Dec. 3pm Eltham Park Methodist Church
Saturday 4 February
BATTERSEA - Concert at St Luke’s, 7.30pm. Sir Willard White with Eugene Asti (Piano) - A song recital by one of our greatest singers. Pre concert talk at 6.30 pm. Tickets £18 (Concs £14) from www.slms.org.uk
Saturday 11 February
STREATHAM - Come and Sing Choral Evensong at St Peter’s. Rehearsal 2pm Evensong 4.30pm. Details from [email protected]
Sunday 12 February
DULWICH – Organ Recital at Christ’s Chapel 7.45pm – Richard Pilliner (Director of Music, St John’s, Shirley) Admission free
Sunday 19 February
✝ STUDENT SUNDAY - speakers and a resources available prayers, refl ections, stories, liturgies and activities from www.movement.org.uk
Saturday 25 February
✝ SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL - Messy Celebration 11am-1pm. Children and youth-focused celebration of rich and varied expressions of worship. Activities for all ages. Groups welcome. For information and free tickets, visit www.southwark.anglican.org/cypmm/messy-celebration
CROYDON - Come and Sing Dvorák’s Mass in D at St Matthew’s Church. Choral workshop andevening performance with the Croydon Bach Choir 10am to 6pm. Pre-registration and payment for singers essential. http://www.croydonbachchoir.org/events/
Friday 3 March
✝ BUCKLAND Women’s World Day of Prayer: 10.30 St Mary the Virgin Buckland. All welcome
Saturday 4 March
BROMLEY - Come & Sing Bach Cantatas in aid of Zambian Villages in Bromley College. 2pm-7pm. Details: [email protected] or 020 8460 3455
Sunday 5 March
✝ SIDLOW BRIDGE - Reigate Deanery Healing Service 6.30pm Emmanuel Church. All Welcome
Sunday 12 March
DULWICH – Organ Recital at Christ’s Chapel 7.45pm – Norman Harper ( Director of Music, St George’s Cathedral, Southwark). Admission free
Saturday 18 March
✽ SANDERSTEAD - Exhibition and Sale of Pictures by Local Artists in aid of Chirden’s Society 10am – 4.30pm. United Reformed Church Hall, Sanderstead Hill
WEST DULWICH - Concordia Chamber Choir Spring concert. 7:30 pm at All Saints’ Church. Tickets £12 at the door, or £11 in advance from www.concordiachamberchoir.co.uk. Concs. half price
ELTHAM - Eltham Choral Society concert 7.30pm at Holy Trinity Church Tickets £10 (advance), £12 on the door Box offi ce: 020 8850 3532 or www.elthamchoral.org.uk
Saturday 25 March
REDHILL - Reigate & Redhill Choral Society 75th Anniversary Event - at the Harlequin Theatre 7.30pm
Saturday 22 April
BETCHWORTH - A Celebration of Weddings in Word and Music in St Michael’s Church. Music and
readings with choir items. 7.30pm - tickets £12.50 inc. refreshments from 01737 843498
Saturday 13 May
STREATHAM - Come and Sing Concert at St Peter’s - all day event for singers – 7.30pm Concert inc. Vivaldi’s Gloria. Details from [email protected]
Thursday 18 May
SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL - Praxis Day - Worshipping where people are: transforming lives 10.30 for 11 until 3.30. Details at: http://www.praxisworship.org.uk/praxis_south.html
February
March/April
Further ahead
REDHILL - Lunchtime Music at St Matthew’s 1.10pm
Feb 2nd Bassoon Recital - Daniel Emson-Jukes
9th Cello Recital - Grace Dunn
16th Piano Duo Recital - Filippo Di Bari & Giulia Semerano
23rd Violin Recital - David Hanesworth
Free but donation welcome. Refreshments available
REDHILL - Music at St Matthew’s 1.10pm Mar 2nd Song Recital - Emma Stannard (Soprano) w Keval Shah (Piano)9th Charterhouse School Brass Ensemble 16th Guitar Recital - Paul Gregory23rd Oboe Recital - Amy Roberts30th Chalumeaux Quartet – (Clarinets/Saxophones)April 6th Cello Recital - Frantisek Brikcius 20th Violin Recital - Eleanor Percy w Irina Lyakhorskaya (Piano)27th Clarinet Recital - Hannah Hever w Tereza Stachova (Piano)Free but donations welcome
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12 THE BRIDGE... February 2017
The Bridge - in print, in your parish... and on line at www.southwark.anglican.org/thebridge
The Parish Support Fund- Save the date and please come!The Parish Support Fund in its fi rst year of paying pledges has been generously supported. There are many exciting stories of mission and ministry in our parishes which have been funded by this new scheme.Please come and hear good news stories and also about new initiatives being developed for parishes, schools, Deaneries and wider communities. The Diocese is also keen to hear about your experience of the Fund, so please bring your views and questions so that we can work together to generously support our Diocesan family. Incumbents, PCC Secretaries, Treasurers, Churchwardens and anyone else interested are very welcome to attend. All meetings start at 7:30pm (with refreshments from 7:00pm) and will fi nish by 9:00pm. If you can’t attend the meeting in your Archdeaconry, you will be welcome on any of the other dates.
Date Archdeaconry VenueThurs 9 Feb Reigate St Peter, Limpsfi eld;
High Street, Limpsfi eld, Surrey RH8 0DGMon 20 Feb Reigate St Matthew, Redhill;
Station Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1DLWed 22 Feb Lambeth St Peter, Clapham;
Manor Street, Clapham, London SW4 6BX Tues 14 Mar Lewisham St Laurence, Catford;
& Greenwich Bromley Road, London SE6 2TS Wed 15 Mar Wandsworth All Saints, Kingston upon Thames;
The Market Square, Kingston-upon Thames, Surrey KT1 1JP
Mon 27 Mar Southwark Southwark, St George the Martyr; Borough High Street, London SE1 1JD
To give us some idea of numbers, it would be helpful if could you let us know if you are attending by email to [email protected] or by phone to the Parish Giving Communications Offi cer, Gabby Parikh on 020 7939 9438.
Review of 2016What a difference a year makes
Throughout the year we make sure that the exciting things that are happening in our parishes across the Diocese are celebrated and shared in the Bridge. We tweet and re-tweet events, put them onto our Facebook page and send press releases to religious, local and national media outlets.
But, as we looked back at 2016 we realised that there has been some really interesting and good things happening which have helped our parishes and should be celebrated.
These have come about because of work which has been done at Trinity House and in the Area Offi ces. This work is carried out following agreement by the Diocesan Council of Trustees and the various committees which
report to it and is led by the Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Martin.
Ruth joined the Diocese in January 2015 from the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and brought her fi nancial and management experience into her new role. A Reader at the Richmond Team Ministry since 2012 she knows what it is like to be in a parish and what is helpful to busy people who are also helping to run a parish. So, the Bridge thought that it would be a good idea to ask her to tell our readers something of the things that have been happening in the last year.
To begin with Ruth tells me that there is really good news on fi nance.
When Ruth arrived in the Diocese there had been a string of defi cit budgets which had meant drawing from our reserves. Bishop Christopher told Ruth that her fi rst job would be to try to turn around the fi nances and bring us to at least a break even budget. She hoped that this could be done by the end of 2016 and so every one was delighted when we were actually able to achieve a small surplus in 2015.
Parish Support Fund2016 saw the introduction of the generosity based Parish Support Fund (PSF) as the way of parishes giving to support the mission and ministry of the Diocese.
This too is a good news story Ruth tells me: including some one-off donations and the payment of agreed unfulfi lled pledges from earlier the total collected is 99.9% of the budget fi gure. It is an outstanding result.
Ruth is clearly delighted by this and so is Bishop Christopher who says: “I want to thank everyone who contributes generously to their parish and to thank the parishes which have supported the Diocese with generosity and commitment. The level of support for and collection in
for the fi rst year of the Parish Support Fund ensures that we can move on with confi dence as we reach out to those in our parishes with God’s love in friendship and service’”.
The pledges for 2017 are in and we are beginning to collect the monies each month. The money which comes in from the parishes to the Diocese enables us to ensure that there are clergy in our parishes and that we can invest in new initiatives which help us to share our faith with those around us and be a positive presence in our communities.
So do please come to the PSF evenings (see below for details). They will give information about the PSF for 2018 and also tell some of the good news stories from the parishes and also give those who attend the chance to share their thoughts on the new PSF scheme and how we can improve it. Look out too for the packs with the PSF video which will be in the parishes in April.
Fit for purposeIn the course of 2016 the new structure of the Diocese, which has been brought about by the Fit for Purpose process, has been implemented and has given the Diocese a slimmed down and more effective governance structure.
The Justice, Peace and
Integrity of Creation department has been formed so that we can make sure that we are speaking into the public arena and making our voice heard on important issues in society. A redesigned Diocesan website has been launched - see it at www.southwark.anglican.org
These are important developments but there are two others that have really helped to make the work that is needed in parishes easier.
One of these is the online Disclosure and Barring Service provision. Having tested it we offered it widely and have had far more parishes signing up to be able to undertake DBS checking on line. At the moment 278 parishes have signed up and we hope that the other 15 will do so this year.
We are also very pleased to be able to say that the National Safeguarding Quality Assurance Audit which every Diocese is undergoing took place in the Diocese in October
2016. In January 2017 we received the final report which is very positive about the way in which safeguarding is undertaken in the Diocese of Southwark. The final report will be published on the website shortly.
The other on-line advance has been the on-line faculty system. Launched in August 2016, parishes that have used it are are happy with the way that this has helped them to apply for the necessary permissions to do what they need in their churches to ensure that their building is fit for new mission initiatives.
Improved property management...Ruth tells me that one of the reasons that we were able to break even in 2015 and have been able to make a greater than expected surplus in 2016 is that we have been able to improve the way in which we manage our property portfolio. For example, we have moved to charging realistic (market) rents for the Diocesan properties which we need to keep for future use, especially when they are vacancy and can be tenanted. As part of this management review we undertook a property audit in 2016 and will move to a much more detailed one in 2017.
Our new Director of Property Management, Fiona Hallard, is ensuring that the way in which we undertake maintenance and do repairs to vicarages and other Diocesan owned properties is as cost effi cient and well delivered as possible.
...and project managementAnother target for 2016 was to look at how we approached
and funded capital projects which are mission and ministry driven. This means that we will need to have detailed project plans for projects that will cost more than £100,000.
As part of this initiative Jackie Pontin who has held various roles in the Diocese since 2004 and was the Project Officer for the PSF has been appointed as the Strategic Projects Officer. She has been working across the departments with other staff members to help to plan and execute various projects.
One such project was Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea (VNEB) where we placed a successful bid for matched funding from the Church Commissioners for mission work wherever new communities of housing are growing up along that part of the South Bank. It is a great delight to remind our readers that in 2016 we were granted £950,000 by the Church Commissioners to enable this project to proceed.
This really shows that we are beginning to prepare and plan for new initiatives and to ensure that they are properly funded and that we can plan for success. We hope, also, to bid successfully for more funding.
“The administrative function of the Diocese”, Ruth says, “is there to serve the people of the parishes and help them to be able to share God’s Good News where ever they are. “By making sure that the way in which we work is efficient, cost effective and mission driven we will help to ensure that our parishes are properly equipped to reach new people with God’s love”.
The staff who work across the Diocese that’s the Bishops, Archdeacons, Diocesan Offi cers and staff have a Mission Statement which is:To serve, support, lead, and enable the mission of God as it is worked out in the parishes, deaneries, schools and communities of the Diocese of Southwark
The Diocesan Vision is to: • Serve our
Communities• Share our faith
with great joyand gladness
• Be the Church;a people withhearts on fi re,loving God,walking withJesus and ledby the Spirit.
Wendy S Robins writes:
Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Martin