St Peter's, Hersham - Annual Report 2006, Team Reports

Ministry Team

Highlights of this Year

Enriched the life of the Parish by encouraging people to contribute their many and various gifts and life experiences.
Enjoyed a wide range of preaching from our own Team as well as from visiting preachers: Mike Cole from the Peace & Hope Trust in Nicaragua, Pastor Bonga from Casa Re’Om in Mozambique, Kim Pollit from Amala in India, Revd John Schofield, Bishop Ian and Bishop Christopher.
Supported Sue Gray as an OLM candidate in training. (Ordained Local Ministers (OLMs) are priests who offer themselves for ministry on the assumption that their vocation will be exercised exclusively in their sponsoring parish, i.e. St Peter’s Hersham.)
Sadly, we said farewell to Pat and Bryan Ellis who moved to the West Country. We are very grateful for their faithful ministry in Hersham over the past many years, and pray for them in their new home.

Plans for 2008

To develop our preaching by organising an experimental set of themed sermons for Eastertide (March 30th – May 4th) on the theme ‘Being Easter people’.
To encourage others in the congregation as they explore the possibility of authorised ministry.
To encourage the Local Training Group (LTG) as it works with Sue Gray. (All OLM candidates have a group of parishioners who support them during training and who enable them and their sponsoring parish to determine the shape the OLM’s ministry will eventually take. A key component of this is to assure the Diocese that the parish, and especially its Ministry Team, works collaboratively.)

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Christian Development Team

Highlights of this Year

Our ‘Getting Started’ Adult and Youth Confirmation classes were particularly well-attended with 20 adults and young people exploring faith and worship, and 16 of them going forward for confirmation in December. It was very good that again these classes were all delivered jointly by members of the Ministry Team and lay members of the congregation.
As a follow up to the confirmation classes, Jonathan and Lorna again held a Sunday afternoon ‘Guided Tour’ of the church to give people an opportunity to look more closely at the treasures of our building, and explore why this holy space was designed as it was and how it has changed over the years to reflect developing needs and understandings of how we worship God.
It was a great pleasure this year to welcome Hugh Tompkins, the Head Teacher of Bell Farm Junior School, as the speaker at the first of our November Sunday evening sermons, which this year explored changes taking place in our society. Hugh concentrated on how education can help children develop a sense of values. In the second week John Head, psychologist and member of our congregation, led discussions on what has changed in society and why this has resulted in an apparent deterioration in behaviour by some young people. In the final week Nick and Jonathan helped us consider how we feel about this changing world, and how the insights of faith can nurture the positive and counteract the negative.
A major theme in 2007 was our wish to help people at all stages of faith to learn more about the significance of the Holy Communion in our lives. Bishop Ian led a discussion evening in June and in early September Jonathan preached on what it means to be a Eucharistic people. Later that month, on Saturday 28 September, we held a Creativity Day on the theme ‘Bringing Worship to Life’ in which members of our congregation brought their considerable talents to bear in helping us explore how our worship can be more meaningful for us and bring greater glory to God through imaginative use of skills like music, dance, drama and art. Some of this was used in our Parish Communion the following day, and we still have more material which we can use to enrich our worship in the future.

Plans for 2008

Continue to provide a series of November sermons, together with occasional discussion and workshop evenings on topics of religious, social and contemporary interest. These may include one or more evenings to consider how the church can help parents encourage their children’s spiritual growth.
Run the ‘Moving On’ Emmaus course, together with Adult and Junior Confirmation classes.
Continue to support the existing House Group, and keep under review the possible need for additional groups.
In co-operation with our ecumenical partners in Churches Together in Hersham, develop attractive ideas for the 2009 Lent discussion groups to refresh interest which has been falling off in recent years.

Keystones and Keyclub

Highlights of this Year

The enjoyment that we all had creating the Batik wall hanging for Easter
We have been able to maintain a good group of leaders and helpers.
As usual a large number from Keystones enjoyed breakfast on Vauxmead at the end of the summer session.
We had some sessions on the theme of communion in preparation for the communion “Bringing Worship to Life” weekend, and the children have enjoyed hearing about people’s jobs in church. Jo Relfe came to talk about her role as a sidesman and Andrea Badcock about her role as a baptism visitor.
Everyone enjoyed participating in the crib service
Various members of Keystones are continuing to assist in All Age Worship
Although our numbers are down the children who do come to Keystones come very regularly

Plans for 2008

Participate even more in a meaningful way in All Age Worship services involving children of all ages
Encourage as many leaders as possible to attend the Creating Sparks event in May
An outing to see Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat at Woking Theatre in May
Continue to review what we do with the children on a more regular basis and see how we can improve the sessions
Encourage children who are coming into Church with their parents to join us in Keystones including children of visitors.

TAG

Highlights of this Year: 2007-2008

It’s been another action-packed year for members of TAG.

We saw The Acts of the Apostles at Wintershall.
Invited speakers to discuss their experiences living and working abroad and issues of Fair Trade and Mission Support.
Members have also been involved in a drama sketch for the Harvest Service and we enjoyed the annual bonfire party and evening of pancake fun.

Plans for 2008

A link with a local old peoples’ home.
To meet with another youth group.
To encourage more contributions to St Peter’s services and church life.
To find ways of keeping in touch with those who have moved on from TAG.

Although some members had to cut back on TAG due to pressure of studies and other activities our overall membership increased further in September. It is always good to see members when they are able to return. It was a pleasure to see several members of TAG confirmed in December.

Plans for 2008

Evenings of music, drama, sport, art and debate
Contributing to St Peter’s services and church life including the passion drama for Palm Sunday
Outings to Excel’s climbing wall, Woking theatre to see Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat and Wintershall to see the Life of Christ
Showing fellowship and concern for people in this and world wide communities by organising a fund-raising event in church for Mission Support charities and spending an evening at a local old people’s home

SPAM

Highlights of this Year

After the experimentation of the past few years, our men’s group SPAM (St Peter’s Active Men) has settled into a pattern for providing a community of mutual support for the male members of the parish. Most of us have very busy working and family lives and therefore our main activity has been the regular ‘First Monday’ evening gathering at the Bricklayers Arms when people can drop in when they can and leave when they must. Our annual curry night was once again a great success. We remain open to the possibility of more formal meetings on topics of mutual interest in the future, but this does not seem to be a priority at the present time. The group remains a resource available to help the church in practical ways and contact is maintained by e-mail so that we are in communication wherever our busy lives send us.

Women's Group

Highlights of this Year

The year began with a talk by Margaret Willis on her role as an EU Observer at Elections, mostly in the new Republics formerly in the Soviet Union.
In March the Group hosted a meeting with Pastor Bonga, Pastor Boniface and Simao, who spoke about the work their wives do. They answered questions on women’s topics in general and painted a vivid picture of everyday life in Mozambique.
Evelyn White gave a challenging talk on the gift of Dyslexia, followed by Questions & Answers giving much food for thought.
Challenges of another level were made in an evening of Belly Dancing, led by Eleanor White.

Plans for 2008

The change of location to the church rather than in private houses has been welcomed, also the decision to open some meetings to the whole congregation. The loose, informal and irregular programme seems to be working well and will continue in 2008.

St Peter’s Fellowship

The Fellowship, now in its 72nd year, meets weekly in the Church Hall and is attended generally by older members of the Parish. It had another successful year even though the members were saddened by the death of a long serving member, Dorothy Rice. Members have enjoyed some interesting talks on a number of subjects from visiting speakers, from members of the Fellowship, from members of the Ministry team and from some members of the congregation.

The Ministry team have visited on a regular basis and fully supported the Fellowship’s activities.

In addition to the talks, members have enjoyed other activities including beetle drives, a wine and cheese party, a harvest tea, a fish and chip supper, a strawberry cream tea, a garden party and a successful flower show. A very successful New Year lunch was held at the Hersham Day Centre when over fifty members and friends attended.

The members would be pleased to be able to welcome some new members at their weekly meetings: all would enjoy pleasant and friendly afternoon and evening meetings and would soon make new friends.

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Mission Support Team

Highlights of this Year

In 2007 we received visits from all three overseas mission links.
Kim Pollit came in January to update us on progress at Amala, including some personal stories. 2007 saw the opening of the new High School (see our Notice Board at the back of the Church) and the beginning of a new Junior School and Kindergarten. Amala continues to thrive under the inspirational leadership of Raja and Kim.
The highlight of the year was a five day visit from Pastor Bonga, Pastor Boniface and Simao from Beira. They were able to engage with all ages of our church family, visit a school and meet the Bishops as well as joining in our ‘Moveable Feast’ and worshipping with us. The visit brought us closer to the children in care in Mozambique and helped us appreciate the importance of maintaining this link.
Mike & Jackie Cole visited us in April and encouraged us to think seriously about signing up for one of the volunteer groups in spring or summer. Five members of the congregation have declared an interest in going at some stage.
Our new UK link is with St. Christopher’s, Hinchley Wood. St. Christopher’s is working to reverse the decline of earlier years and we are working with their new Vicar, John Kronenburg, helping them during a period of re-organisation under the guidance of the Diocese. Our financial contribution is enabling them to engage an administrator for two additional days a week.
Each of the mission links received Ł2,500 this year. One-off donations of Ł350 each were made to Church Housing Trust, Shaftesbury Society and the Children’s charity “Make-a-Wish”. Two anonymous donations, each of Ł500 plus the proceeds of the Moveable Feast, all enhanced by anticipated Gift-Aid refunds from the Chancellor, resulted in a cheque for Ł1,447 sent to Pastor Bonga for necessary items for the children. In addition, we shared the cost of bringing Pastor Bonga to the UK, to which we donated Ł1,350. The Crib Service collection of Ł665 was sent to YWAM to pay for basic items for Dondo orphanage, now under supervision of Pastor Bonga, bringing the total additional amounts (in excess of our normal annual donation of Ł2,500) paid in support of Pastor Bonga to Ł3,462.
Our total giving to external missions amounted to Ł17,335.

Plans for 2008

Strengthen our link with Casa Re’Om by working more closely with St. Matthew’s Church, Rugby
Sign up at least one person to go as a Volunteer to Nicaragua
Receive a visit from Raja from Amala.
Develop our link with St. Christopher’s, Hinchley Wood

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Stewardship Team

Highlights of this Year

A Stewardship team was formed and first met in March to plan a stewardship programme.
The team produced a leaflet “Christian Stewardship at St Peter’s”
The programme, “Our Church Our Challenge Our Responsibility” was launched on September 23rd with a presentation in church.
As a result of the programme 26 people joined regular planned giving and total weekly giving rose 14% against the budget for 2007.

Plans for 2008

The team has agreed to meet quarterly to monitor and promote stewardship within the parish.
To join the diocesan network for Parish Stewardship Promoters.
To organise an annual Stewardship Sunday (2008 – 12th October)

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Communication Team

Communications

Last year it was reported we would be recruiting new members for the team as membership had reduced to two and in fact we were successful in finding four new members. In spite of this it was decided to disband the team as by the end of 2007 we were down to three members and did not have the right mix of skills and experience to continue.

We had to suspend production of the broadsheet, which for eight years had been our regular printed communication with the residents of Hersham. Thanks go to Elaine Cass and Alison Durnford for jointly editing and managing its production and distribution.

Thanks also go to Cathy Hazell who was our Press Officer for a number of years.

Despite these setbacks, the website continues to grow in importance as a means of communication with church members and the wider community. During the last months of 2007 it was being accessed on average 10 times every day. Plans for its development include enhancements to the sections on weddings, baptism and funerals to help members of the community in their contact with St Peter’s.

We are actively investigating how to keep the notice boards outside the church attractive, useful and up to date.

An approach to the local press regarding the Women’s World Day of Prayer resulted in some excellent coverage and demonstrated the opportunities available to raise the Church’s profile, once we have a new Press Officer.

Jumble Sales

This year Alan & Marion Pady had reluctantly decided that Jumble Sales would have to cease but an influx of new helpers meant that they were able to gain some extra support. Their efforts produce a modest, but very welcome, addition to Church income.

Gems

Highlights of this Year

People continued to pour through the door, though there was a dip in numbers during the summer months particularly at Baby Gems. By the end of the year numbers were as high as ever.

With many returning to work and children getting nursery vouchers and childcare, fewer mothers stay through all stages of Gems.

A great deal of effort is put into being welcoming and informative to those new to the country, area and parenthood. A great team of helpers make this possible, as well as supporting our regular families through the ups and downs of life.

All the usual events took place; particularly nice was Pastor Bonga and friends visit to the Easter Egg Hunt.

100 shoeboxes with a generous donation as well were lovingly sent to Eastern Europe by Gems, our Congregation and the Baptist Church.

Several fun events and the Christmas market were again successful in raising money for charity.

Three weeks of holiday club went well, was fun and made a small profit for St. Peter’s.

The ministry team continued to visit for big events or popped in which was most welcome.

The Parish Office is most supportive and a very positive link between Gems and the Church. Gems introduces many people to the hall for party hire and Carol Rose is very supportive of all we do. In return we do all we can to support the Church with the hall and office cleaning and maintenance. Geoff Trickey and his team are to be thanked for sorting many hitches through the year!

We ended the year by celebrating 10 years in which Gems has grown and grown and hopefully been of service to both the church and community and brought happiness to many little people and parents.

Plans for 2008

To try again to get someone to run Gems while Lulu is away and with a view to making some sessions run by a committee.

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Pastoral Care Team

We were pleased to welcome Meg Hill to the team which now consists of seven members whose aim is to support the mission of St. Peters by offering practical and listening skills to those in need, sensitively and in strict confidence.

Members in the team visit or contact parishioners who have been referred to us by the Ministry team and the two bereavement visitors provide support to those who have requested support after a funeral.

Practical help has been provided in many cases by giving lifts to Church, hospitals and doctors.

Highlights of this Year

Organisation of the Memorial service
A great success was the lunch for about thirty members of the church and St. Peters Fellowship held just before Christmas.

Plans for 2008

To organise a cream tea in the summer.
Pastoral care is at the heart of the ministry of Jesus and we aim to continue together his ministry by supporting one another and those in need of a friend and listener.

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Worship and Prayer Team

Highlights of this Year

We continue to benefit from a variety of preaching styles from our Ministry Team and from visiting preachers. Early in the year we welcomed Kim Pollit who updated us on our mission project in Amala in India. In March we welcomed Pastor Bonga and his team from Casa Re’om, and in April we welcomed Mike Cole of the Peace and Hope Trust when our Sunday morning service was enhanced by some lively South American dancing.
The Local Training Group, which supports Sue Gray in her training for Ordained Local Ministry, put together a very unusual and informative Sunday morning service in July.
Worship at St. Peter’s continues to be enhanced by our talented music group and instrumentalists and the bell-ringers do a great job welcoming us to our services.
Two more members of the congregation completed the Communion Assistant’s course, and received the Bishop’s certificate.
Among our special seasonal celebrations, the Crib and Carol services continue to attract large congregations.
Our wedding, baptism and funeral ministries are an important part of our outreach into the wider community.
Our Bringing Worship to Life Weekend in September, mentioned in detail in the Clergy report, afforded a great opportunity for members of the congregation to explore their Christian faith in practical ways. At the Sunday morning service, we introduced a new musical setting for the ‘Agnus Dei’, which was well-received, and a musical setting for the responses to Eucharistic Prayer D, which we have now adopted for use at services of Holy Communion with Baptism.
We produced new service sheets for Advent, Christmas Midnight and Christmas Day in line with the new Times and Seasons material.
Working with our various youth leaders, we considered the desirability of adopting a more flexible approach to our first Sunday in the month pattern of All-Age worship and experimented with this in the latter part of the year. For example, during Advent Keystones and Keyclub joined us every Sunday morning for the first part of our worship.
A new specially commissioned Advent Wreath was brought into use this year.

Plans for 2008

To continue assessing our pattern of All-Age worship to ensure it fits well with family life and interests. We will liaise closely with Keystones, Key Club and TAG leaders, particularly regarding services where their involvement is vital, such as Mothering Sunday, Palm Sunday, Pentecost and Harvest.
To continue updating our seasonal material in line with Times and Seasons and assess the need to update our Worship Book.
To introduce new musical settings building on the newly-introduced ‘Agnus Dei’. This will start with the ‘Gloria’ at Eastertide followed, later in the year, by the ‘Sanctus’ and ‘Benedictus’.
To continue to set aside time to discuss and plan the further development of individual, group and congregational prayer and spirituality.
Building on the success of the informal Retreat/Quiet days held last year, five more will be held this year.
To hold a series of themed sermons during Eastertide to give us a deeper understanding of what ‘being Easter people’ really means.
To continue with plans for reordering the Lady Chapel. Designs for a flower shelf, a votive stand and a ceiling hanging are being developed.

Music Group

The Music Group is now well established in the first and third Sunday morning services which usually take the form of All Age and Parish Communion with Baptism services. The group was present at the annual Memorial Service, Songs of Praise and the Confirmation Service which was held this year at St Peters. During the Christmas season the main focus for the group was the Carol Service and Crib Service.

In September the group played a part in the day-long event “Bringing Worship to Life and Life to Worship”. The group and members of the congregation worked on new settings of sung responses to Eucharistic prayers and new chants to be sung during intercessions. Some of this material will be incorporated into services over the coming year such as the settings taken from the Mass of the Bread of Life by Margaret Rizza.

We now have a comprehensive group of instrumentalists, made up of members of St Peters and friends from outside the church, who play for those services which have been hi-lighted each year as requiring more musical input. We are particularly fortunate that Adrian Warren is able to give the time needed to produce the instrumental parts for such occasions. Use of the instrumental group is particularly important as it provides an opportunity for the younger musicians in the congregation to participate and play an active role in the musical aspect of worship at St Peters.

Plans for 2008

To continue to make a meaningful contribution to the worship in St Peters
To support the introduction of a new setting of the sung Gloria and Agnus Dei by Margaret Rizza
To continue to develop the style and range of the music sung at St Peters

Sidespeople

Although we have some new sidespeople, new recruits are required each year. It is not a difficult or onerous task so those who attend any service regularly are asked to volunteer.

Young Vines

Young Vines continues to hold its services for babies and small children, their parents and carers, on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month.

Highlights of this Year

As always, the Picnic in the Vicarage garden was a delight – apart from the sadness of saying ‘goodbye’ to Pauline Frew who has retired from Young Vines after many years supporting and helping so much.
Our Christmas service was, once again, a service to remember. This year it was held in the W.I. hall as the new carpet was being laid in church.
Another highlight has been the growing support shown for each other shown by the mums and dads, and the fact that so many are willing to share in the running of the services and to support each other through prayer.

As always, some children have moved up to Keystones and new people with babies have been welcomed. A welcome addition also is the number of people, drawn from the main congregation, who have come to help with refreshments and generally give much needed support to children and young mums alike. Finally, Young Vines looks forward, in due time, to welcoming back Jo Relfe, Young Vines’ leader, following the sadness of the past year.

Baptism

During 2007 we baptised fifty seven children at St Peter's.

It is a great joy for us that so many families want their children to be associated with the church. Our Baptism Team endeavours to make sure that the families feel welcome both at the rehearsal, and on the day, and all families are visited in their homes by a member of the team before the service takes place. This gives an opportunity for the family to get to know a friendly face and to ask any questions they may have about the service and the promises they will make. It also gives us a chance to explore with the parents where they are on their Christian journey, and to introduce them to the work we do with children in Gems, Young Vines, Keystones and the schools.

We also hold a rehearsal shortly before each month’s service so that parents and Godparents receive relaxed but serious teaching on the significance of baptism, and we invite all the families for whom we have performed baptisms to be with is at our annual “Thanksgiving for Baptism” service.

Bell Ringers

Highlights of this Year

The year was marred by the failing health and death just before Christmas of Chris Webb captain since 1966. Unfortunately there is no-one of similar ringing and conducting abilities to replace him.
Although numbers remain low we have been able to ring for most 10am services, all weddings for which bells were requested and many evening services.
Simon Lumb is learning to ring and Dennis Foddy has taken up ringing again 40 years after he last rang at Kingston.

Plans for 2008

The ringers will look to regroup and find a way forward at our annual meeting with the Vicar before Easter.
The bells will be out of action for a fortnight in mid April for the clappers to be taken to the Loughborough bell foundry for repairs.

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Administrative Team Report

Highlights of this Year

The Database has continued to be an important resource for the parish, being of particular support this year to the Stewardship Team.
Forward planning processes have been further improved to assist the varied and numerous activities of the church.
The office assisted with the administration and preparations for the Confirmation service in December, which involved two other churches.
The office continues to produce 165 news sheets each week for the congregation in addition to a numerous range of service sheets, leaflets for other teams, posters and promotional materials for events.
The service sheets have been completely updated and our thanks go to Lorna Espenhahn for her continued support in designing and producing these.
The office also continues to be included in the pastoral heart of the church, being the entry point for the community and responding to the various needs of the parish.
Point of contact for arranging 9 weddings, 57 baptisms and 48 funerals.
The office equipment continues to support our work very well and we thank Richard Espenhahn for ensuring our PCs are up to date and effective.

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Churches Together in Hersham

Highlights of this Year

Celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January at the Baptist Church on the theme ‘He even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak’.
Lent lunches raised money for Tear Fund (Ł220) and Moment-Um (Ł220).
Women’s World Day of Prayer service held at the Baptist Church, written by the women of Paraguay. There was an excellent speaker and incidental music played on a Paraguayan harp.
Joint Lent study used material prepared by Churches Together in Britain & Ireland on the subject of ‘Prayer’. Groups were not very integrated but around 50 people took part.
Excellent turnout for the annual ‘Walk of Witness’ on Good Friday
Prayer meetings held five times in addition to a 24 hours of prayer day for the Community
Annual Christmas card from the churches delivered to all inhabitants. Carol singing in Waitrose and at Homefield.

Plans for 2008

Involvement in 'Hersham in Bloom'.

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Our Shared Ministry

In 2005 we launched an initiative to rediscover the things God wants our church to do, and to encourage each of us to contribute what we can. Since then we have achieved many new things, including holding discussion evenings, strengthening the welcoming of newcomers, providing a range of opportunities to learn more about prayer, establishing a reading group and a lending library, and holding Christian explorer evenings.

On the other hand, although many people came to the meetings to discuss what we might do, this has not resulted in a large increase in active participation. It may be that many people are already fully committed to various aspects of ministry, including simply being Christians in the world. It may be that we see ourselves as already doing well, which reduces the perceived need for new initiatives. Certainly, some newer Christians need time to develop their faith and confidence. What’s more, we may be trying to do too much, too fast. Things take time and perseverance.

The PCC therefore decided that OSM should not continue as a separate initiative, but that we should reflect on what it has achieved before deciding what to do next.

One initiative the PCC believes we should not let slip, however, is the formation of an Outreach Team to co-ordinate our engagement with the wider community, both in social action and in sharing our faith. Opening the church building regularly would be a very worthwhile part of this.

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This page was last updated on 8 May 2007.