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March 2021

Diocese of Leeds

St. Peter the Apostle & St. John the Baptist, Barnsley

The Parish Brochure

The Parish Brochure

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The Parish Church from Doncaster Road

Introduction The Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Peter the Apostle and St. John the Baptist, Barnsley is situated to the south and south east of the town centre. It was created in the 1960s when the Church of St. John the Baptist was declared redundant, and its Parish amalgamated with the neighbouring St. Peter’s. Whilst there are a variety of shops and other small businesses along the main Sheffield (A61), and Doncaster (A635) roads, it is mainly comprised of terraced housing. The Patron of the Living is the Lord Bishop of Leeds. However, the Parish is under the Episcopal care of the Area Bishop of Wakefield. The next Parish Priest would also be responsible for the Parish of St. Mary Magdalene, Lundwood. The two Churches are located approximately two miles apart. The total population is approximately 9,000 with a high proportion of people for whom English is not their first language. Regretfully, the Parish shares many of the social and economic problems found in urban areas.

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Barnsley Barnsley town centre, approximately a ten minute walk away, is famous for its award winning market, which attracts thousands of visitors every year. The town centre boasts high street names and an array of independent shops. Its rich cultural offer also provides opportunities for locals and visitors alike, and a varied programme of events and exhibitions means there is usually something going on. Barnsley is located conveniently close to the M1 motorway, and both the A1 and M62 are easily accessible. The railway station provides direct services to Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Huddersfield. London is reached either via Sheffield, or directly from Doncaster station (16 miles away). The town is currently undergoing major transformation. £120 million is being invested in the town centre, creating new shops, restaurants, a cinema, new library and a revitalized market. Visitors to the town will see this transformation taking place as areas are being developed and re-imagined. The Experience Barnsley Museum in the Town Hall and Cooper Gallery also host a range of activities and exhibitions programmed throughout the year. There are also theatres and, not too far away, the majestic Cannon Hall Museum. The northern edge of the Peak District National Park is also within the borough boundary. There is little of Barnsley’s industrial legacy now active, but reminders remain, and its community spirit still thrives. Other Anglican Churches within the town are St. Mary’s (regarded as the ‘Civic’ Church due to its close proximity to the Town Hall, St. Paul’s, St. George’s, and St.

Edward the Confessor. These, together with St. Thomas’, Gawber, make up the Central Barnsley Benefice. There are also Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, and Roman Catholic congregations in the vicinity.

The Community Undoubtedly the Parish is in one of the most socially deprived areas of the town (in the bottom 10% of the Diocese). The majority of the housing was originally old terraced streets (pre 1900), but some of these have been replaced by more modern designs, including many flats. There is much rented accommodation and short-term occupancy, providing housing for students, the displaced, and refugees. It is not, therefore, a magnet for many young families, or professionals. As the Church grew from out of the local community, it has always been its focus to serve that community. Indeed, in 1887 the Revd. Tiverton Preedy, was instrumental in forming the local ‘Barnsley St. Peter’s Football Club’. The club still plays at Oakwell, within the Parish, but sadly the reference to St. Peter’s has long since been dropped. In recent years, there has been involvement with the Acts 4:35 charity, local food banks, and various community initiatives. We are particularly proud to work with a local school, Oakwell Rise, to provide all the ingredients for around 50 Christmas lunches each year. The spacious Church Hall is used by the community. There are school holiday activities for children, and lunches for older people, as well as ad hoc celebrations. A craft group meets here regularly, and commercial lettings help to ensure that it is financial sustainable.

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The Nave from the Gallery

The Chancel and Sanctuary

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The Parish Church A mission Church was completed on the site in 1872, and still exists as the Church Hall. The present Church (then simply St. Peter’s) was designed and executed by the eminent Victorian architect Temple Lushington Moore in various stages between 1893 and 1911. The original concept was to provide an Anglo-Catholic presence in the heart of the community which financed it by their penny contributions. It is designated as Grade II* listed. A lofty red brick structure with stone accents, St. Peter’s was designed to blend with the local housing. The rather plain exterior belies the colour and majesty that lies within. Righty described as “Barnsley’s hidden gem” by John Betjeman, it still creates a wow factor to first-time visitors standing in the Narthex. The Narthex has steps leading up to the large Gallery, housing the Organ and some storage space. The Nave is large and spacious, with arcades to left and right. The light and colourful Lady Chapel to the south of the Chancel is undoubtedly Temple Moore at his best, whilst the St. John Chapel to the north is more restrained. The High Altar is by Robert Thompson of Kilburn, and sits below a painted perpendicular Reredos depicting northern saints. The vast east window above is predominantly clear glass. A fixed stone forward Altar occupies the centre of the Chancel. The adjacent road, Brinkman Street, rises away from Doncaster Road on a fairly steep slope. This was used imaginatively by the architect to provide a suite of rooms below the Chancel, which house the Sacristy,

comfortable Galilee Chapel, and various utility rooms. There is also independent access to these rooms from outside. Unfortunately, this arrangement means that damp is a particular problem in some of these semi-subterranean areas. The lay-out of the site means that there are, inevitably, many steps. Alternative access via a door in the north wall is step-free, but regretfully only to the Nave. The interior walls are plastered brick, enhanced with stone pillars, window surrounds, arcades etc. This plaster is now in need of renewal in many places, particularly at the higher levels, where access is impossible without specialist equipment. Particularly heavy rain, especially when accompanied by strong winds results is some water ingress from the roof and glazing, which also needs attention. From time to time the Parochial Church Council has considered re-ordering the building in an attempt to make it more accessible and user-friendly. A few years ago the architect was commissioned to illustrate several possibilities, which are yet to be progressed. Effectively addressing the “slow decay” of the building is one of the biggest challenges that the PCC currently faces. The gas radiator heating system has recently been partially renewed and updated, and is effective at heating the vast spaces involved. However, because of the time and cost factors, mid-week services and meetings are often held in the smaller Galilee Chapel downstairs. Regretfully, it is not considered safe to have the building unlocked when unattended.

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Baptism – inside …

… and out

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The Lady Chapel

The Galilee Chapel

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The Church Hall & Garden As previously described, the Church Hall is situated adjacent to Church, and was the original mission building. It is of brick and stone construction, and provides a large hall space, with a generous-sized kitchen and toilet facilities. There is a lovely garden at the side which provides a green oasis amongst the built environment. The lawn and flower borders are well-maintained by enthusiastic members of the congregation. It has even been used for an outside Baptism and a Wedding Reception!

Services and Musical Style Our focus on the Mass as our principal act of worship reflects the fact that our Church was set firmly within the Anglo-Catholic tradition from its inception. The Clergy wear vestments, and the Roman Rite is used. The Parish Mass on Sunday is currently at 9.30 am, and there is a strong commitment to a daily Mass. From time to time, members of the congregation have joined their Priest for the Daily Office. It is appreciated that, with the new working arrangements, there will need to be flexibility about timings. There is also a lay-led Rosary group which meets weekly. The occasional Weddings and Funerals are provided as required, with musical accompaniment as necessary. Baptisms tend not to take place within the Parish Mass, but generally later on in the day. There is a regular organist, whose retired predecessor also still plays occasionally, and sometimes treats us to a solo aria. The

hymn book currently used almost exclusively is Complete Anglican Hymns Old and New. Whilst there is no formal choir, a singing group has recently been established in an attempt to provide a positive lead to the congregational singing, and also to broaden the repertoire. A modern sound system enables the use of pre-recorded compact discs where necessary, and also has a recording ability. Fixed, worn, and roving microphones also feed into the system.

The Congregation Like many Parishes, we are trying to find a solution to the twin problems of declining Church attendances and an older demographic. The Electoral Roll lists 51 names, though the Sunday Parish Mass typically has between 30 and 40 in the congregation. We are fortunate, though, that we have a healthy age profile, and that there are always children in Church. The majority of the congregation are not local, but are drawn here either due to a historic connection, or simply because they love the beauty of the building and our style of worship. This can be challenging, however, as having a predominantly non-resident congregation makes building up a sense of belonging difficult.

Ministry The Parochial Church Council has previously discussed and voted on the issue of the Priestly Ministry of Women, which it cannot accept on the grounds of theological conviction.

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As the Area Bishop of Wakefield is a Bishop of the Society of St. Wilfrid and St. Hilda, Episcopal oversight is provided by him. Several members of the congregation are licensed to administer the Chalice at Holy Communion, and also to take the Blessed Sacrament to the housebound. The laity participates further by reading, leading the Intercessions, welcoming people into Church, and undertaking other Sides-duties as required. There is a full complement of Altar Servers. Additionally, we benefit from the fact that there are various informal groups who take responsibility for routine, but important, duties such as cleaning, laundering Altar linens, and arranging flowers. Rotas are in place for members of the congregation to provide refreshments after the Parish Mass. The Children’s Liturgy in the Church Hall during the Parish Mass is ably led, and our younger people generally have something creative to show and tell about afterwards.

Finance Historically, the PCC has always managed to meet its Parish Share liability in full. However, in 2019 this simply was not possible – although we did manage to meet over 90 per cent of our allocation. We also take seriously our outreach and giving to other charitable bodies – locally, nationally, and internationally, representing approximately 10 per cent of our voluntary income. Our congregation and supporters do tend to respond generously to specific one-off appeals in connection with the Church building. In the last few years this has enabled the completion of our new sound

system, and the renewal of the Church heating. A copy of the published PCC accounts is available upon request.

Housing The purpose-built Vicarage is about 30 years old and situated in Osborne Mews, a cul-de-sac approximately a quarter of a mile away from the Church. Although adjacent to the main Doncaster Road, there is no direct access to the house from it. This means that it enjoys a secluded aspect behind a high wall. There is a decent sized garden which comprises mostly of lawn, but with some shrubs and mature trees for privacy. The accommodation comprises, on the ground floor, a large kitchen with a separate utility room, dining room, lounge, study, and toilet. On the first floor there are four good-sized bedrooms, a bathroom and separate shower room. There is gas-fired central heating. A garage is attached to the house, and there is space on the drive for additional car parking. As there is no separate access to the study, it has not been the custom to use it for meetings or interviews, for which there is enough space in Church and the Hall.

Schools Oakwell Rise Primary Academy, situated on Doncaster Road between the Church and the Vicarage is the only school located in the Parish.

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The Shrines of Our Lady and St. Peter

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Approximately two and a half miles away, at Carlton, is Holy Trinity, a co-educational joint Roman Catholic and Church of England school, catering for pupils aged from 3 to 16.

Church Now and in the Future Our Parish Church is a beautiful Gothic Revival building, which is both difficult, and costly to maintain. The upkeep and improvement of the fabric of the building is a matter of constant concern to the PCC, and finance has dominated many PCC meetings. The fact that most of the congregation are non-resident means that holding social events to raise funds is only of limited success, and this isn’t helped by the transient nature of much of the local community.

The New Priest-in-Charge In our new Parish Priest, members of the PCC and congregation are anxious to attract a person grounded in the Sacraments and the Daily Office, with a passion for serving God and the local community – in the best tradition of this place. We are looking for a Priest who will re-vitalize the present congregation, whilst inspiring the Church to grow and develop, following its well established Anglo-Catholic tradition and ethos. The Parish needs a Priest with strong leadership qualities, energetic, and forward-looking who can work collaboratively to discern and develop lay talents and form a vision for the future.

We also recognize the importance of our Priest having time set aside for personal and spiritual refreshment and study.

Support Currently, the Parish has no official administrative support arrangements in place, as in the past the Vicar preferred to undertake these duties. The Parish printer/photocopier is located in the Vicarage study. The composition of the PCC is very stable, therefore its members (some of whom have formerly served as Church Wardens in other Parishes) bring considerable knowledge and experience to its meetings. A Priest would be strongly supported by the PCC and members of the congregation. As there are several other Anglo-Catholic Parishes in the Barnsley Deanery, there is also a strong support network in place amongst the local Clergy. Clergy expenses of office are paid in full.

Further Information This may be obtained from: Mr. Michael Homer (Church Warden) Telephone: 07508 230262.

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The Lady Chapel Ceiling