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St Chad’s: A Community building Communities

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October ‘09 edition

After a busy start to September, we are delighted to publish the first Autumn edition of SHARE. We hope you find the information useful. We start with a Guywood update from Ken Earith who has been overseeing and managing the refurbishment.

building community PCC Report: October Guywood Update News

Guywood Update

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Over the years the Guywood Centre has brought God’s blessing to many, many people. And, because of the current restoration and refurbishment project it can continue to be a place where God’s love and blessing can be shared with young people for years to come. There have been numerous challenges and difficulties over the past 5 months, but there has always been a solution and a way through the difficulties. Because the Guywood Centre is in a Conservation Area we were faced with 14 conservation conditions before obtaining planning permission. With God’s guidance all these conditions have been met. Perhaps the biggest problem was finding the right replacement windows. At last we have just found and awarded the contract to perhaps the only company in the country who can do this work successfully. It is really encouraging to be at the stage where some of the major works have been completed. This includes re-roofing, treating and replacing rotting floor timbers and cleaning all the outside stonework. We are very near to completing the plastering, re-wiring, installing the heating system and building the extension. We are also rapidly approaching the final stages of the project which includes refitting toilets and decorating, and we have companies lined up to fit ceilings and flooring. Sadly we have not met the original deadline of having work completed by mid-October. We are, however, on course for a grand re-opening at the beginning of January 2010. That seems to me, to be quite timely as 2010 is the 150th Anniversary of the original school opening.



Ken

The new look front of Guywood

The new store room completed

Black tie dinner On Friday 25th September Prampushers held a fund raising dinner in support of the Guywood Project. Parents wanted to show their support for the Guywood centre, which is used three times a week by under 5’s and their carers. The black tie dinner was not only a great night out with friends, but raised over £1600 to boot. Thanks to Kirstie and her team who arranged the evening and to local people who donated auction prizes.

PCC Report: September The PCC met for its annual planning and review day on Saturday 19th September. Most of the day was spent discussing and planning our response to the Diocesan Growth Action Plan (“GAP”). The PCC undertook a SWOT analysis and agreed to conduct a parish and a church audit this autumn, as part of the process. Other items discussed were… Sunday Services - The Autumn Teaching Programme concentrates on the Kingdom of God and who Jesus is. Children’s work will be carried out in the Lifecentre from 10.30 each Sunday, apart from the first Sunday of the month, when families will worship together for 1BigSunday. Children & Youth Ministry – The autumn programme is underway. New this term is a youth drop-in café called Pulse which takes place every other Tuesday in the Lifecentre from 7-9.30pm. With a new team of volunteers, this is a really exciting development! The PCC agreed to adopt the

new Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, which apply to our work with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Guywood Project – The PCC visited Guywood and were delighted with the progress. The PCC thanked Ken and Paul Fletcher for their outstanding work. Staffing – Tim Barlow is due to retire in November 2011. The PCC agreed that we need to start the process of recruiting his replacement in 2010, to avoid a potential vacancy. The PCC agreed that Tim should write to the Bishop, seeking his approval to develop and place an advertisement. The PCC agreed a proposal from the Standing Committee to renew Johanna Pearson’s contract for a further 12 months with effect from 1st January 2010. Finance Report – The operating financial report for the period January to August (8 months) showed a deficit of £1,802. We

Diocesan Church Audit All the churches in the Chester Diocese are being encouraged to complete what is known as “Growth Action Planning” (GAP). The aim of Growth Action Planning is to help each church to focus on what God longs for it to be like in 5 years time. The church then decides on the priorities it will set for the coming year. One of the first steps in the process is to conduct a Church Audit. This involves collecting and analysing information about how the church is now, in part based on the assessment of members of the church. Your views are vital in this and we will be asking every adult member of St Chad’s to complete a simple questionnaire. Other information is also being gathered and a complete audit will be published in January 2010. At the same time, we are taking the opportunity to update our contact details for every member of the church – something that we haven’t done for a number of years. Church audit questionnaires will be issued on Sundays October 11th & 18th. Please take the time to complete your questionnaire and return it to church of the church office by Sunday October 25th. If you have any questions please contact David Bomford on 0161 427 5530.

are currently showing a monthly deficit of about £4K. From October the monthly deficit will be reduced to around £1,500, as we realise a reduction in staff costs of £2,773 per month. The PCC tithes all its income. As a result of the generous legacies in recent years, we have an “extra” amount held in a discretionary fund, to be used to throughout 2009. The PCC agreed this month to send £2,000 to assist with a crisis at the Romanian Pro-Life project that Tom and Judy lead and many from St Chad’s are involved in, to give £1,000 to Christians Against Poverty (CAP) to assist them in their work with those in debt in the UK and £500 to Jamie Parker, to fund his discipleship course at Sheffield

Bless the community at Christmas Although it’s only October, incredibly we need to start thinking now about how we want to Bless our community this Christmas! It was amazing last year to see so many people make a difference in the lives of people around them, from serving coffee to commuters and visiting elderly people for carol singing, to creating the Narnia experience for families - and much, much more! In our November edition of SHARE we will once again be asking you to let us know which activities you want to get involved with. Why not think now about what God is calling you to do?

Goodbye to Rick & Claire This month we said goodbye to our long-serving Kids Pastor, Rick Otto and his wife Claire. We managed to grab Rick for a few minutes to get his thoughts before he hit the A1… Firstly, where are you going?! I am moving on to be the Youth & Children’s Co-ordinator for Holy Trinity, Ripon. I will be working with children and young people on Sundays as well as throughout the week. There are 2 secondary schools (a Grammar & High school) and Primary schools where I will continue in assemblies and lessons. Claire and I will also continue to work together with New Wine in our role as North & East Children’s directors. You’ve been working here for 6 years – what were the high points? There have been so many high points I think I could fill a book! But to touch on a few...to work with some brilliant people over the years including Joe and Cat, Suzie Gordon (our first Intern), Pete and Dawn Smith Langridge (interns in Kids and Youth), Lydia Corbett, Johanna Pearson and Jan Anthony. Also our team of Kids Volunteers – whether you are weekly or one-off helpers you have invested in the future of the kingdom of heaven – and I couldn’t have done my job without you. Laura Pennington deserves a special mention. I am proud to have worked with Laura for three years and I thank her for all her support. She is a fantastic children’s worker and I wish her all the best as she moves to York. I can honestly say there is no conspiracy with us both moving to Yorkshire! The work with the children is of course, the best thing, ever! Highlights include the Light Parties, the introduction of Gunge tanks (and my dad, Ian, being the first ever ‘Gunge-ie’ in a tank he built), Fully Charged Holiday week which has run for the last 6 years, the mid week kids outreach, Ignite... there are many and I will never forget them!

What is the wackiest thing you’ve had to do? There have been many crazy ideas and things I have done over the years. The ones that spring to mind are sitting on the balcony at the crib service, dressed as a star, dangling my feet over the edge, filming the “fridge adventures” with a fridge on a set of wheels on the Guywood Hill, making it look like a Fridge can skateboard down it, and blowing up a microwave. He was called Mikey – the fridge’s best mate!! What will you miss most? I think what we will miss the most are the great friendships we have! This is all we have known since we have been married and for me since I was 6! I have been invested in by some heroes of faith – that has just been an amazing privilege. And of course, I will also miss the Children! For the last 6 years they have been the reason I have been here and I have seen God do some great things through them and in them. Not seeing them grow in God’s love and gifting is something I will miss also – but we will still be in touch – mum and dad will see to that! What would you like to say to the Youth & Kids? Keep on screaming it and shouting it...JESUS IS ALIVE! One of my favourite bits of the bible is where Jesus tells everyone that we should become like children to inherit the kingdom of God. You are great children and young people. Be who you are and keep close to Jesus and you will see amazing things. What would you like to say to St Chad’s as a whole? Be generations to generations! There is such a great range of ages in St Chads and that is something really special...

GIFTS for our kids and youth team! Thanks to the generosity of people at St Chad’s we were able to give Rick and Claire a gift of £500 to help them as they set up their new home in Ripon. For Laura, we bought an espresso coffee machine, for Lydia, an iPod and Katie a digital camera. They were all immensely grateful!

Small Groups

notices news events updates Service of Remembrance

Have you been wondering how to get involved in a small group? Would you find meeting with other Christians valuable in your journey of faith?

Want to stretch and challenge your faith in new ways?

If you have answered yes to any of the above then come and have a coffee to chat about it more. Sunday 18th October after the 10:45am service at Lifecentre.

For many years the Kanachowski Family volunteered as our link to the Wood Street Mission, but now that they have moved out of the area we are searching for somebody who would like to take on that role. The charity works with children and their families, distributing bedding, baby clothes and equipment, gifts at Christmas and food parcels.

Could you act as a collection point for the Wood Street Mission in your spare time?

Harvest for the Hungry

This year we will once again be collecting money for Harvest for the Hungry. Envelopes are available from the back of Church. The charity provide food parcels to some of the poorest people in eastern europe and last year were able to send parcels to over 5,000 people. www.harvestforthehungry.co.uk

If you are interested please contact Jan in the church office for more information or visit: www.woodstreetmission.org.uk

New York Marathon Jan Booker will be running the New York marathon on 1st November in aid of Christies Hospital. If you would like to sponsor her you can either visit www.justgiving.com/janbooker or pick up a pledge form at the back of church. If you’re a UK tax payer you can gift aid your donation online.

On Sunday 1st November as part of our 9.15 service, we will be including a service of remembrance for families who have recently been bereaved and for whom St Chad’s carried out the funeral service. This is the first time we will have held this service in some time. We hope that it will be a special opportunity for people to remember those they loved.

Invitations have been issued and members of our Bereavement team will be available after the service to talk with families over coffee.

Please pray for all those who have lost loved ones in recent times.

A note of thanks

Geoff Walton thanks all the church family who sent cards and condolences following the death of his father Teddy

Men’s Breakfast with Henry Olonga Sat 14th Nov 8:30am Marple Golf Club Advance tickets only £10 through All Saint’s Marple 0161 4272378

Giving at St Chad’s If you would like to know more about giving to St Chad’s church please contact Jan Anthony at the church office or pick up a giving pack. Giving packs are available at the back of church If you are a tax payer and are not yet gift-aiding your giving, why not consider looking at doing that at this time? We can claim back an additional 28% of what tax-payers give, so £10.00 given results in £12.80, £1,000 results in £1,200.80.

Church Office 1-5 Stockport Road Romiley Stockport SK6 4BN

phone (0161) 430 4652 email [email protected] web www.stchadsromiley.co.uk Office Hours Mon - Thurs 9 - 5pm