Reports

What's happened in the recent past in the life of the church

Report from Worship Forum - 6th July 2010

1. The Future of Evening Services
The last evening service in the church's calendar for the summer will take place on the 25th July with the leaving service for Rev Keith Himsworth, Circuit Superintendent.
The following reasons are given:

1. Attendance numbers at evening services are low, often less than 5 people.
2. Nancy's coming retirement meaning Rory's time available for Heslington Church will have to cover additional responsibilities for the foreseeable future. This does not make continued responsibility for an evening service a wise use of limited time.
3. The monthly Taizé service that taken place in Heslington Church will be moving to More House from next month.
4. Rory is not willing to ask local preachers to fill the plan for such a poorly attended service, given the planning and effort put into a service by local preachers, who do so in their spare time.
5. The additional cost of heating the church through the winter months.

a) When our evening services end, we will advertise the evening services of other churches for those who want to worship in an evening.

b) If we finish traditional clergy led evening services, this might free Sunday evening for something else e.g. a Bible Study group

c) There could be a much better time than 6.30 pm for something on a Sunday evening

d) Those who are busy during morning services value the quiet space to worship in the evening.

Proposal
A clear interest in an alternative lay-led activity on a Sunday evening was expressed. The group agreed to pray and reflect on this issue and then meet in again August 3rd with ideas and proposals.

2. Morning Services
Nancy led a discussion of the points raised in the Review of Worship times and styles

a) The time between services was not all it had been hoped. Suggestions for experiments were made
- Breakfast perhaps in the autumn
- Have coffee in Church
- Arrange the tables in the meeting room differently

b) Rotas - there was sometimes a difficulty in getting enough people to volunteer and some people on the rotas were unreliable leading to difficulty on a Sunday morning.
This was to be referred to the Standing Committee to discuss the role of wardens and stewards

c) Children's group leaders had indicated that 11 am was late for them. There were some leaders finding 11 am hard and we had lost Claire because of this. There is a need for more children's leaders.
This requires more consultation with the children's leaders and needs referring to the Children and Youth Working group

d) Music - there was a request for a mix of old and new songs at both services. We are now trying to do this.

e) Combined Services - these will be at 10.30 am for Covenant, Easter, Confirmation, Harvest and Advent giving a good spread through the year. Sides people need to be aware that some people may have missed the publicity on these Sundays and so be ready to go into the narthex just before 11 am to encourage them to come in.

f) 11 am in University Vacations - as the 11 am service has more students than the 9am this service may be 'thin' The group recommended to monitor this.

Church Council Meeting, May 2010

1. There are several vacancies on the Church Council. We need two student reps, a deanery rep, an elected rep and we are short of someone to act as secretary.
2. We have now received the Public Notices to replace the stolen lead from the roof with Zinflash.
3. The new sound system, which has been bought with the legacy from Alan Mott, has a few teething problems ... but we are slowly sorting them out. Those who use hearing aids are particularly asked to give help on where the 'dead spots' are.
4. The new working groups are being convened. Anyone from the congregation willing to be co-opted particulary onto the Social Group and Children and Youth Group would be most welcome.

REVIEW OF WORSHIP TIMES AND STYLES

BACKGROUND
In November, 2008, the Church Council decided that 2009 was to be a year of experiment in worship times and styles. The Review Period would be Jan-March 2010. After the Review the Council would decide a future pattern.

THE REASONS for this experiment were considered to be:

1. Our average congregation size was diminishing.
2. Our local area was experiencing large changes brought about by the extension of the University site.
3. All national church growth advice concurs that a monthly pattern of different services (which we had) is a deterrent to new people coming to church. Monthly patterns deter regular churchgoers from coming to church weekly as they wish to worship in a preferred way.
4. Every Sunday morning the experimental pattern would give everyone a choice between quieter traditional worship or more contemporary worship friendly to children.

THE EXPERIMENT
1. The times of Sunday morning services were moved one hour later and each had a regular weekly distinctive style.
2. The Thursday morning communion service was moved from 8.45 am to 9.15 am. This was shortly after the school start and within the permitted time for bus pass users to arrive.

THE PLUSES AND MINUSES OF THE EXPERIMENT

SOME UNAVOIDABLE PRACTICALITIES

1) For 2010, Nancy will need extra time to work out hand-over strategies and processes for many of her duties and responsibilities. Rory's hours will need to incorporate involvement in more of the church's day-to-day management and he will be away on Sabbatical leave at Easter and in August/September for a total of three months.

2) From 16th January 2011, our clergy team will consist of Rory (+/-10 hrs a week), Rowan Williams (2 Sundays a month) and, hopefully, clergy cover for worship services by arrangement with other local parishes. Our only Reader, John, will not be here to fill any gaps in the services.

SUGGESTED WAYS FORWARD
Suggestion One
We continue with a 9.00 am traditional Communion with hymns and organ, and an 11.00 am Morning Service with monthly Communion, mostly contemporary music and less formal liturgy. The Thursday Communion remains as it is now.
This pattern has halted the decline in numbers. It offers a clear choice of service styles. 2010 will be a year of transition. We do not know what the future holds in terms of Anglican clergy support and oversight. We might be wise not to introduce further change, but wait together to see what is possible after Jan 2011.

Suggestion Two
One united Sunday morning service at 10.30 am. This service would be a contemporary service with some hymns and occasional use of the organ. It would have a monthly Communion and coffee after the service. In addition, a traditional Communion Service with hymns will take place on a weekday morning at 9.30 am, with coffee time.
a) Some of the congregation miss feeling that the majority of the church is together in one service, and miss the opportunity to talk and mingle afterwards. Coffee time has not been what we had hoped it might be this year.
b) A 9 am start for our first service is a real difficulty for some. The band needs an hour to set up, prepare and practise.
c) 11 am is a good time for students, but not the best time for some of those with children and young families. A service slightly earlier might be more helpful to families.
d) A traditional, liturgical, quieter Communion service is appreciated. Hymns are valued as part of this.

Suggestion Three
We have the original times of 8.00 am and 10.00 am for Sunday morning Worship
This was the established pattern for many years which has nurtured many long standing members of the congregation. 2009 was agreed to be an experiment rather than the established pattern.
a) 10.00 am is an easier time than 9.00 am for some older members
b) The majority of the church members can worship together at 10.00 am on a Sunday

Questions we have ?
a) What will be lost if we simply abandon everything that has developed through 2009?
b) Can a single service on a Sunday morning cater for different needs for worship without becoming unduly long?
c) How can a desire for quiet worship be reconciled with the presence of children?
d) How can the needs of children and families be met?
e) Is it right to insist on a “one size fits all” service on a Sunday morning.
f) How can those who struggle to arrive by 9 am be helped if the traditional Sunday service continues?
g). What has been good about the current 9.00 am and 11.00 am Sunday service pattern and what has caused problems for you?
h). What are your thoughts about a single contemporary Sunday morning service (with communion once a month) at 10.30 am and a mid-week communion service with hymns at 9.30 am?
i). What about having an earlier traditional said 8.00 am Communion and a 10.00 am more contemporary service ?
j). In view of Nancy's retirement, what is the best of the three options for the future of Heslington church?

Some of these questions will be considered at 9.00 am and 11 am services on 7th February. Also there is a box for written replies under the display in the entrance to church. If you wish to email comments please do so to heslington.church@hotmail.co.uk by 17th February 2010

Church Council Meeting, January 2010

1. The review of worship times and styles was the main item on the agenda. It was with some dismay that the Council heard that some had already made up their minds and were considering the outcome a done deal. This is by no means the case. There will be ample opportunity for all views to be heard and considered. The final decision will not be made until the 17th March Church Council so everyone is urged to consider all the options and join in the review in the best spirit.
2. The finances of the church have improved remarkably during the last three months of 2009. Many thanks are due to Karl Jarvis our churchwarden, who took over as temporary treasurer at very short notice. Many thanks also to all the congregation who increased regular giving or made very welcome and generous one-off donations. Our deficit from 2008 is paid off. A considerable amount has been been paid off the Diocesan Quota for 2009. There is a stiff challenge still to meet for 2010, but the new treasurer, Stephen Connor, has taken over now and there are fund-raising events planned.
3. The organ will soon be repaired and in use again. There will be a Praise and Pancakes evening on Shrove Tuesday to celebrate this and hopefully raise some of the remaining money needed to pay the bill. The top ten favourite hymns, chosen by the congregation, will be sung and there will be a plate for donations to the Organ Fund. The total amount raised so far for the organ is £10,831 and we need to raise about £1,100 more, so let us try to persevere for this last amount, Come and sing - came and enjoy the pancakes - come and help the Organ Fund.

Church Council meeting, November 2009

1. New members
   Susan Pearce, Marie Glenton and Greg Melia (returning member) were welcomed onto the Church Membership List.
   The Council expressed thanks to Dorothy Scott and David Heppell who were having to leave the Church Council for family reasons. Stephen Connor and Rick Taylor were welcomed onto the Church Council as co-opted members.
2. Review of worship times and styles
   This is set to start at the beginning of January. The Worship Forum (which is open to everyone) will meet in December to formulate the process so it can have a prompt start. All interested parties will be encouraged to contribute their responses and the Church Council will decide the future way forward at its meeting in March.
3. Finance
   Since the resignation of Stuart Turner, Karl Jarvis our Church Warden has most ably stepped into the breach for the interim time until the end of 2009. On 1st January 2010 Stephen Connor was unanimously elected to serve as Heslington Church Tresurer. There has been some improvement to our financial situation (though we are not out of the woods yet!) and many thanks are due to everyone who has increased their giving to the church.
   The Church Council voted to use some of the generous legacy money (from Shaun Meynell and Alan Mott) to upgrade the sound system.

Church Council Meeting, September 2009

1. The university is open to talks regarding a small extension of our churchyard into Dean's Acre.
2. Firms are coming to look at the sound system with the hope that we can improve the quality of the sound and also provide some visual facility.
3. The new shade of pew runners was approved.
4. The Worship Forum has done some work on the ways we shall assess the experimental year in times and styles. This review will begin in January as planned and all comments will be sought.
5. Stuart Turner, our treasurer, has resigned. There will be interim arrangements until such time that a new treasurer can be appointed. In the meantime all financial information should go to the Church Warden, Karl Jarvis.
6. We are starting a new venture - a youth club - as a result of a request from the junior leaders at the summer club. The Youth Club will meet on Thursdays 6.30pm - 8.00pm and the leaders will be Rachel Stephenson, Greg Melia and John Eckersley.
7. There will be various fun fund-raising activities happening. Please read the newsletter or look at the website for details.