A Profile of the Anglican Church of St. John and St. Philipics-uk.org/work/pdf/The Hague - Church...

A Profile of the Anglican Church

of St. John and St. Philip

The Hague, The Netherlands. The Church of England, Diocese in Europe

Introduction

The Church of St. John and St. Philip, founded in 1586, is historically evangelical and

traditional. The main service (Sunday, 11.00) is usually attended by about 150 people

(with many more on Christmas and Easter). This service uses eucharistic liturgies from

Common Worship, except for Morning Prayer (sung Matins, 1662 BCP) on 5 th Sundays in

the month, with primarily traditional music and a choir. Situated near the International

Peace Palace in The Hague, in a neighborhood with numerous embassies, the Church has

a congregation that embraces a wide range of social, economic, educational, theological,

cultural and national backgrounds. Many people come to our Church from towns in the

vicinity of The Hague, as well as from some more distant places.

Other services are held, which are more contemporary in approach and music such as the

evening Wellspring and Thirst cafe services and the early morning Gateway service to

young families. Participation in the greater community is equally broad ranging from

RCSM Annual Choral Festival services to New Wine in England and Europe.

The Intercontinental Church Society (ICS) is patron of the Church. The Church is a

chaplaincy in the Diocese of Europe. The Bishop is the Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Rowell and his

Suffragan is the Rt. Rev. David Hamid.


of St. John & St. Philip

Spring 2012, The Hague

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The Church is situated in the International Zone of The Hague surrounded by an

attractive residential and woodland area near to the Peace Palace and foreign embassy

residences. The Church is about 10 mins from the centre of the city by tram. The Church

has a long history, going back to 1586. The present Church building and site was

consecrated in 1952, replacing a 19 th century Church which was destroyed by bombs

during World War II. The attractive and well maintained buildings owned by the Church

comprise a Church, offices, hall and vicarage, all on the same site.

People come to the Church from an area that includes Leiden, Wassenaar, Gouda and

Delft, as well as the various suburbs of The Hague. There is another Anglican Church, St.

James, in Voorschoten about 10km from The Hague, which was planted by St. John and

St. Philip in 1979. This Church became independent in 1996. There are other Anglican

Churches at Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam.

The number of first-language English speakers in The Hague is estimated at being in

excess of 30,000. This group is served by several English speaking Churches besides St.

John and St. Philip, including the American Protestant Church, the International Roman

Catholic Church, Trinity Baptist Church, Crossroads (a form of community Church), a

Vineyard Church and a New Frontiers Church.

Congregation profile

The congregation is English speaking and

international, with between 30 to 40

nationalities present each Sunday. At least

30% of the congregation is Dutch. Some

members of the congregation work for large

multinational corporations such as Shell,

various embassies, UN institutions such as

the International Criminal Court and the

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical

Weapons (OPCW), and other international

organisations such as the European Patent

Office, Europol and NATO. There are also

highly skilled legal, medical, education and music professionals as well as a number of

students at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Institute of Social Studies (ISS).

Most of the students at ISS come from developing countries, and there is usually a strong

contingent from Africa.

The Church congregation has a significant number of people arriving or leaving each

year. On a typical Sunday between 200 to 250 people, including children, attend services

out of a group of more than 400. The congregation includes people of all ages, and

services are designed to cater for the range of ages and backgrounds.




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The Chaplain works closely with the British Embassy in The Hague. The present

ambassador is H.E. Paul Arkwright. The Chaplain helps the military attaché to prepare

and conduct the annual Commonwealth Remembrance Sunday service.

Church Life

Worship at St. John and St, Philip reflects the diverse spirituality within the

congregation. We are committed both to traditional Church of England worship and

more contemporary worship, and this is reflected in the wide range of services. We are

also committed to discipleship and strive to equip our members for the work of ministry

in their daily lives. There are a number of Home and Bible Study groups meeting each

week in support of this.

We aim for high standards and participation in worship. There are many in our

congregation with a range of musical gifts including singing and playing instruments. As

mentioned earlier there are also a number of highly skilled professional musicians as

well as students of the Royal Conservatory. We especially want to encourage amateur

musicians in the development and use of their gifts in worship leadership.

The Church building, which can accommodate

270 people, is bright and attractive with a very

fine organ and grand piano. The Church hall is

spacious and was refurbished in 2003 to a high

standard, which includes adjoining meeting

rooms, office, vestry, lounge and kitchen. The

Church also owns a two bedroom apartment,

which is currently occupied by the Youth

Worker.

Whereas there are numerous people who have

been in the Church for many years there is a turnover in the congregation of about 15%

each year, as people arrive and leave. Because of this, long term planning is subject to the

availability of the right people with the right talents at the right time. However, it is a

wonderful opportunity to nurture and nourish people in their Christian life so that they

can benefit from their time in The Hague and contribute to the Churches they attend in

the future. Many say how important their experience at St. John and St. Philip has been

in terms of their encounter with Jesus through clear Biblical t eaching, a strong sense of

community in the congregation, and the value of corporate and individual prayer for

each other. There is also a loyal core of English -speaking Dutch members of the

congregation who provide important continuity.




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Although there are a number of employed professional people in the congregation there

are also many who live on smaller incomes; some are unemployed, others are retired,

and there are a number of elderly people, some of

whom require full-time care. There are many

opportunities for members of the congregation to

serve one another in love.

A lot of attention is paid to the young people

belonging to families in the Church. For several years

the Church has employed a full-time youth worker to

coordinate activities with teenagers. Younger children

are involved with their parents in Gateway, a family oriented Sunday service, while

other children attend Junior Church during the main Sunday service. The quality of the

Church's children's programme can be a deciding factor in a fam ily's choice of place of

worship.

A particular group within the Church comes from the Catholic Apostolic Church.

Whereas this Church uses the Church facilities for its own services once a month, a

growing number from this Church attend the regular services of St. John and St. Philip,

and are becoming active in many aspects of Church life.

We recognise that all groups and ages have something to offer to the life of the Church,

and we believe therefore it is important to warmly welcome newcomers, and to

encourage existing members to participate in all aspects of Church life. This is especially

the case for international students from developing countries. We welcome ISS students

arriving in the autumn, offering them hospitality and warm clothing to see them th rough

the winter, and a special home group led by people with international student

experience.

Lay ministry is both an opportunity and a

need. We seek to involve people in

contributing to services, pastoral care and

visiting, prayer ministry, welcome and

hospitality, young people's groups, catering

for Church lunches, events and after service

refreshments, home group leadership, Church

cleaning, administrative assistance, Alpha and

Marriage Course organisation, support of

missionary and aid organisations overseas, etc.

Some people are involved in an ecumenical

project helping to feed and care for the homeless in The Hague. Still other individuals

participate in Archdeaconry, Diocesan, ICS, European New Wine and Women’s Aglow

(among other organisations) events and committees. One couple in the Church heads up




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a Non-Government Organisation in Uganda ('The Healthy Vine Trust') seeking to reduce

malaria in a small area through a range of projects and especially encouraging local

people to take responsibility for the initiative. The Church supports the link between the

Archdeaconry and the Anglican Diocese of Luweero in Uganda. Another link is with

Tabitha Ministries focused on bringing together Jewish Christians and Islamic people

who live in the West Bank and Israel.

Our Aims

Worship and Prayer to meet with God

Preaching and Pastoral Care, to build one another up in Christ

Teaching and Training, to equip each other for ministry

Service and Evangelism, to reach out to the broader community

Welcome and Fellowship, to show God's love

From time to time the Chaplaincy Council have held an aw ay day to reflect on

these aims.

Sunday Services

08:30 Holy Communion (said)

Every week. A quiet and reflective start to a

Sunday. A 1662 Prayer Book service is held on

the 1st Sunday of the month.

09:30 Gateway

All-age worship in the Church hall with music

and singing. Every week. A family-friendly,

informal and interactive act of worship. Holy

Communion on the 4th Sunday.

11:00 Holy Communion

The main service on Sundays is Holy Communion with traditional music and robed choir

and often includes some contemporary influence. Choral Matins is held on the 5th

Sunday. Groups for children and young people between 0 and 18 meet separately during

the service in Junior Church. Anointing with prayer for healing is currently provided on

the 4th Sunday.

17:00 Choral Evensong (4th Sunday).

Liturgical act of worship with special choir music and sermon.




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18:30 Wellspring (not the 1st Sunday).

Contemporary and informal act of worship, wi th extended times of worship led by a

music group and a sermon that is often interactive. 4th and 5th Sundays in the hall. Holy

Communion on the 2nd Sunday. Agape meal on the 5th Sunday. Anointing with prayer

for healing on the 3rd Sunday.

18:30 Thirst (1st Sunday only)

Cafe-style 'fresh expressions' event exploring contemporary issues in an informal setting

using a variety of creative and interactive means. Aimed at those who want to know

more about the Christian faith. Acknowledges the post -modern condition of society.

Weekday Services

12:30 Midday Prayer (Monday to Friday but not Wednesday)

12:30 Holy Communion (Wednesday). Followed by lunch in the Church Lounge.

Occasional Services

Holy Communion for the Catholic Apostolic Church: 16:00 on 1st Sun day, and 10:00 on

the days after Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.

Confirmations normally take place annually.

Weddings (5-10 per year)

Funerals (5-10 per year)

Baptisms (about 20 per year). Normally take place at the 11:00 service or occasionally at

09:30. Private baptisms are also catered for.

Home groups

There are 8 such groups meeting weekly in different areas of The Hague and Leiden.

These groups provide opportunities for Bible study,

prayer, worship and fellowship, sometimes involving

having a meal together. They have an important

contribution to building community in the congregation.

Music

The Church employs a professional choir director/

organist who plans the music and works with the




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incumbant in coordinating the thematic content. The Church has a rich tradition of music

in support of worship. The hymnbook is 'Common Praise'. The adult choir (SATB), which

has about 30 members, some of whom are associated with the Royal Conservatory of

Music, maintains a high standard in both congregational leaders hip and in anthems.

Several composers in the Church (past and present) have contributed new settings to

liturgical texts that we use; this contributes to a sense of community in our main worship

services. Members of the choir and other professional musicia ns form groups to give

concerts in the Church to support the choir and the maintenance of the organ. The choir

is invited to join in festivals and occasionally travels abroad.

Young people's groups

There are a significant number of young children and teena gers belonging to families in

the Church. Responsible lay members of the congregation lead Junior Church and the

youth groups. The staff Youth Worker focuses on the teenagers during the week,

involving volunteer leaders in Sunday activities.

Pathfinders and The Edge

Older teenagers (11-18 yrs) who meet during the 11:00 service. Both Pathfinders and The

Edge meet from time to time for social and recreational activities and outings, including

youth retreats and trips away.

Junior Church

Various groups arranged by age, meet separately to provide teaching and encouragement

to children aged 3 to 11 during the 11:00 service.

Crèche

Provided for youngest children and babies during 11:00 service.

General

Projectors are used at the services to project the text of the liturgy, hymns/songs and

notices (not at the 08:30 service) for the congregation on screens either side of the chancel

in the Church and on the wall in the hall

General Church Information

The staff team meets each Monday morning and consists of :

Chaplain: Rev. Tony Roake (until 29 April 2012)

NSM: Rev. Prof. Dr. Roland K Price (PTO)

Reader: Mrs Astrid Tiesema (also an Ordinand due to be ordained in 2012)




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The extended staff team meets on the f irst Monday morning of each month and consists

of:

The Staff Team

Organist and Music Director: Dr Christine Edelen (part -time)

Youth Worker: Miss Emmanuelle de Boom (full -time)

Office and Facilities Manager: Mr Maarten van der Jagt (full-time)

Student Worker: Srdjan Sremac (honorary)

The Church Council consists of :

Chaplain (Chair)

Other licensed clergy (0)

Reader (1)

Church Wardens (2)

Treasurer

Archdeaconry representatives (5)

Elected members (9)

The statutory subcommittee of the Church Council is the Sta nding Committee:

Chaplain (Chair)

Church Wardens (2)

Treasurer

Council representatives (2)

Organist/Choir Director

Dr Edelen is a professional musician, who draws on a number of professional musicians

in the choir and congregation for support. The post is salaried but part-time.

Office and Facilities manager

This salaried post is full-time and consists of some administrative support to the clergy,

receptionist, hall bookings, communication of information to members of the

congregation, production of weekly and monthly publications, organisation of

administrative volunteers, and general management of the site and facilities including

arranging maintenance.

Child Protection Officer

Ms Judith Baguley. The Church has in place a strict code of conduct in regard to those

working with children. Each person has to have CRB approval.




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Prayer Ministry

As part of the Church’s Ministry, the prayer ministry team is available after the 11.00 am

and 6.30 pm services, as well as during the Healing Services which currently take place

on 4 th Sundays. Our ministry of prayer includes an active prayer chain.

Pastoral Care Team

The Chaplain has a supervisory role of a Pastoral Care Team who assist alongside

members of the Church and community in their various areas and time of need. The team

regularly visit elderly, housebound and bereaved parishioners.

Counselling Service

St. John and St. Philip has a well utilized Counselling Service for members of the

congregation as well as the local English-speaking community. This ministry began in

1989 and has built up good links with professional bodies within the field of psychology.

Men's / Women's Retreats

These successful events are held annually, usually with a guest speaker. Prayer, guide d

meditation and worship, as well as social contact are all featured.

Away Weekend

This event is held every second year in principle, where the congregation comes together

in a conference/resort facility with planned worship workshops as well as family

recreational events with special attention to children and youth A guest

speaker/facilitator is usually invited.

Funding

The Church of St. John and St. Philip is entirely self -supporting in terms of financial

contributions of its members and receives no outside sources of financial support. A

planned giving scheme is in place to encourage members to make financial commitments

for the year in order to allow budget decisions to be made. Drs Bram Serlie is the Planned

Giving Officer.

Income comes from planned giving scheme and collections during services, gift days

during Lent, Harvest and Advent, Church events such as the Christmas Fair and Book

Fairs, and rent from letting the hall. The main expenditures are salaries, staff expenses,

building maintenance, office expenses, heating, lighting, water, electricity, telephone

and tithe (largely given to missions in Mozambique, Uganda, Ireland and Palestine)




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Picture profile

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Picture descriptions

a. Church interior, facing altar

b. Church congregation during a confirmation service

c. Church Hall interior

d. Church interior, facing font

e. Church exterior

f. Congregational celebration of 40 th Wedding Anniversary of our honorary assistant

chaplain

g. Church choir at a Church Away Weekend

h. Church community during a Church Away Weekend

i. Music group during a Wellspring service

j. Youth service in Youth Room during the 11.00 Service

k. Church exterior, facing Church Office & Vestry entrance

l. Classical musicians playing in the Church Hall

m. Vicarage exterior

n. Vicarage interior – kitchen

o. Vicarage interior – dining room

p. Vicarage interior – living room

Chaplain role description for the Anglican Church



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Chaplain: Role description

Introduction

The Chaplain is licensed by the Bishop of the Church of England Diocese in

Europe.

The Chaplaincy is in the Archdeaconry of North West Europe.

The Chaplain's performance will be reviewed by the Archdeacon (or the Area

Dean) six months after the beginning of the appointment.

Details of post

Role title as on licence: Chaplain of St. John and St. Philip, The Hague

Name of Benefice: St. John and St. Philip, The Hague

Archdeaconry: The Netherlands in the Archdeaconry of North West Europe

Episcopal area: Diocese in Europe

Initial point of contact: The Ven. John de Wit, Archdeacon

Role purpose

General

To lead the congregation in the process of developing a vision for the Church.

To facilitate the congregation to implement the vision.

To enable every member to develop and fulfil their ministry.

To lead the congregation in bringing the gospel to English speaking people living

and working in The Hague and its surroundings.

To train NSM curates, usually from other Churches in the area. (Note that the

diocese is not supporting in general the training of stipendiary curates)

Specific

To encourage and develop the practice of corporate and individual prayer.

To provide Bible-based preaching and teaching, and sacramental ministry.

To value the cultural diversity of the congregation and to encourage contributions

from the different cultures to enhance the spiritual life of the Church.

To relate to people in the congregation and to assist them in developing and

contributing their gifts in ministry.

To help the Church attract English speaking people, especially those on the fringe

of the congregation, to draw them into the life of the Church and to initiate fresh

ways of doing this.

To encourage and develop ecumenical links with other Christians in Th e Hague.

To develop ministry among young people and children, and to build on the

opportunities available with the British School in Voorschoten and The Hague, the

International School of The Hague, the Rijnlands Lyceum, local Dutch schools,

international employers, organisations and agencies.




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To support and develop home groups in different areas of The Hague

To develop a system of Area Coordinators for pastoral care in defined areas of The

Hague.

To stimulate and encourage lively worship bringing together both modern and

traditional music.

Support network

The Churchwardens: Tony May and Jeremy Bentham

The Archdeacon of North West Europe: The Ven. John de Wit

Area Dean: Rev. Mark Collinson

ICS: Rev. Angela Marshall

Role context and other relevant information

Qualifications/training

Applicants should

Be a priest in the Anglican Communion

Have completed Initial Ministerial Education

Engage in continuing ministerial development

Exercise and lead priestly ministry in a team of colleagues

Experience

Applicants should have

Experience leading an urban congregation with a varied congregational

composition and different traditions.

International experience.

A unifying personality and openness towards others.

Demonstrated ongoing development in theological and biblical s tudy.

Demonstrated skills in dealing with various age groups, including care of the

elderly and leadership of you people’s exploration of theology as it affects world

social concerns.

Led and managed lay members of the congregation.

Grown a community of faith.

Developed and implemented fresh ways of drawing people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Knowledge, skills and competencies

Applicants should

Make and build on links with individuals and community organisations whose

involvement with the Church is limited.

Work effectively with others, especially those in ministry teams.

Have the ability to lead and motivate Church members.

Delegate tasks to the administrator and volunteers.




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Be fluent in English and willing to learn Dutch.

Have good administrative skills and basic computer literacy.

Teach the Bible and communicate the gospel effectively to others.

Have a devout prayer life and encourage this in others.

Encourage and support lay leadership.

Lead and inspire others to use their own gifts and ministries.

Lead the congregation through a process of developing and implementing a vision

for the Church.

Relate positively and attractively to non-Christians.

Encourage sacrificial stewardship such that the chaplaincy can support in the long

term a chaplain and an associate chaplain, both stipendiary.

Other

Applicants should

Be an outgoing 'people person' who is enthusiastic about their faith.

Be sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit in other people.

Have an evangelical faith, while being open to other traditions, to those on the

fringe of Church life, and those outside the Church.

Provide the ministry of anointing with prayer for healing

Encourage a diversity of styles of worship and musical traditions.

General

Applicants should

Be a servant leader who acknowledges the guidance of the Holy Spirit, who has

strong Bible based preaching skills, and a heart for mission.

Relate to people of all ages and minister sensitively to a diverse congregation from

various walks of life, cultures and nationalities, and from a broad range of

Christian traditions.

Interact comfortably and confidently within diplomatic circles alongside a broad

range of people from ambassadors to asylum seekers, working in a multi -national

environment.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate their interest and capabilities in fulfilling

these requirements at interview.

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