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Parish Profile Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath with St

Mary the Virgin Sheering

As a benefice, we have a unified purpose to share the love of Jesus with visitors and the wider community. Our strength is that we choose to do this in different ways.

We are “growing together in the richness of our diversity.”

For contact details, see Appendix 1.

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We are looking for someone who will:

Be our pastor Recognise and develop our individual gifts

With a listening and compassionate heart, you will

Nurture and support us

Be prepared to spend quality time with those in need

Be a strong but sympathetic leader

Personal

Believing God’s word is authoritative you will

Use it faithfully and systematically to teach and guide us and build us up spiritually

Have passion for building up lay ministry, enabling, valuing and encouraging the gifts of all

Help us all to demonstrate pastoral care in our communities

Develop our prayer and Bible reading life, beyond the main services

Committed to collaboration and delegation, you will

Be an excellent communicator

Have proven leadership and organisational skills

Make use of your time effectively

Have use of your own transport

Engage with our local communities

Outward looking and approachable to all ages, you will

Be a catalyst with vision and flair to lead our

congregations into numerical growth

Help us build and strengthen bridges into the local community, especially through our schools (you will be an ex officio Governor at Sheering School)

Understand the particular needs and challenges of rural/commuter parishes and participate in village life

Be fully committed to the Six Villages

Covenant A strategic thinker, you will

Run with the vision for the effective

outworking of this new initiative

Lead the annual review of the Covenant in our two parishes sensitively and imaginatively

Work collaboratively with present and future ordained and lay colleagues

Specifically we hope you will: Help us to open our hearts to the Holy Spirit so that He will direct us

Help us to do better at nurturing the faith of our young people into and through their teens

Find a way to encourage more young families and the middle-aged to join us

Facilitate confirmation, marriage and baptism classes

Foster increased contact between baptism families, wedding couples and the congregations Inspire exploration of our faith, eg use of Alpha/Beta/Pilgrim/similar nurture courses

Encourage group visits to Spring Harvest or similar, and days- or weekends-away together for fellowship, study and fun

Work with us to review progress annually

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The Benefice

01279 730288, hatfieldheathcofe@btinternet.com Office at: The Vicarage, Broomfield Road, Hatfield Heath, Bishops Stortford CM22 7EH

The villages of Hatfield Heath and Sheering are set in beautiful countryside on the Hertfordshire/Essex border at the northern edge of Harlow Deanery. With a joint population of about 3000, they are thriving communities with many amenities. Residents include longstanding local families and a significant percentage of commuters. Each village has a popular primary

school and there is a variety of sought-after secondary education nearby. Excellent rail and road links to London, Stansted airport and Cambridge provide opportunities for work or leisure. The Vicarage, located in Hatfield Heath, is a four bedroom detached house, with a garage and parking spaces to the front and a garden to the rear. The parishes of Holy Trinity Hatfield Heath and St Mary the Virgin

Sheering have been a joint benefice for over twenty years. Church events are publicised in a joint weekly News Sheet distributed at each Sunday service, and available on St Mary’s website www.essexinfo.net/st_marys_sheering/. On a typical Sunday we welcome over eighty attendees to services across both parish churches (see Appendix 3). Activities we share include a bible reading club, three home groups and an annual social event.

Once a term the home groups provide a popular drop-in lunch,

donations from which are passed on to home or overseas charitable causes (over £2,000 in twelve years). Our congregations engage with a wide variety of worship styles, notwithstanding their different churchmanship. Members of both congregations find a welcome at all church activities. The two parishes have separate PCCs and accounts. Although our finances are delicately balanced, we

pay our parish shares consistently, and usually have a small positive margin at the end of the year. Both PCCs aspire to give 10% of income towards charitable giving. Our churches are part of a group of parishes in Harlow Deanery known as “The Six Villages” whose clergy have for a good many years worked closely together. Since November 2014 this has been formalised by a covenant. See pages 10 and 11 for details of your role in its development.

This is a demanding job, but we do not expect you to do everything on your own! A recently-qualified Lay Minister is licensed to the Six Villages. The Benefice Administrator (contract of employment for nine hours a week) prepares weekly notice sheets and services sheets and organises rotas etc. from her workstation in the Vicarage. There are supportive churchwardens and PCCs and a wide variety of committed lay participation (see Appendix 2) including a member of the congregation who takes occasional services and a group trained to take Holy Communion to those unable to attend church. Some very committed members of our congregations do two (or many more!) jobs. Although we achieve a great deal, we hope you will discern and develop the gifts of yet more members of our congregations and provide training and encouragement to enable us to grow both spiritually and numerically.

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Church Life at Holy Trinity

Holy Trinity is a friendly and faithful community coming from a central church perspective. We are open to new ideas, but would like to continue with our Anglican traditions. Robes are worn for services and chasubles in festival colours are available. After the main service, all are welcome to come to the Institute to have some refreshment and enjoy one another’s company and support.

Music is a very important to us and is an area that we would like to strengthen. We have a robed choir of up to 8, who lead the services from the choir stalls. A variety of music is sung from old traditional favourites to modern worship songs. Bell Ringing – There is a very active group which

rings before the main Sunday services and at weddings. Our tower is popular with visiting ringers. A Worship Committee meets with the vicar to plan some of the services. Our ce lebrat ions for Pentecost (with helium-filled balloons) are shown in the picture above.

Some of our activities which outreach into the community: Institute Refreshments – A team of over 20 staff the Institute every weekday morning providing a friendly environment where folk can drop in for tea and a chat. It is a valuable meeting place especially for the

retired. The team comprises members of Holy Trinity and the URC plus

others who do not attend either church, but are sympathetic to the Christian ethos. The Easter Egg Hunt is very popular. The picture above shows the line-up for the best Easter Bonnet.

Little Friends - We serve refreshments for a mother and baby/toddler group during term time. Remembrance Sunday – A joint activity with the URC; this has seen a significant increase in the numbers of people from the village attending. We have close links with

the Royal British Legion and receive t h e i r Standards at o u r service prior to going to the War Memorial. To commemorate the anniversary of WW1, there was a moving service in church that united the village. 170 adults and 10 children attended, the service ending with the chimes of Big Ben at 11 pm. Copies of St. John’s Gospel, as issued to the troops, were given to every house in the village.

We hold a Flower Festival, a Christmas Bazaar and a biennial Christmas Tree Festival; we also go carol

singing to the homes for the elderly. The Candlelit Christmas Eve Service reveals the potential for outreach, the church being crammed with folk of all ages. Mulled wine and mince pies are served afterwards.

Ecumenical and other links - Holy Trinity has a covenant (Appendix 9) with the URC which is reaffirmed annually and reviewed every five years. Folk from the URC are welcomed to all services and activities and the PCC and Elders meet to discuss our shared mission. The charities that we support are: Hand in Hand (a charity based in Uganda which provides education); Operation Smile (helping children with facial disfigurement); St. Clare’s Hospice and the Children’s Society. We have gladly received regular updates on the progress of projects. Youth and Children’s Work - Children rarely attend our regular services, but the potential is there – we just haven’t found a way to tap into it yet.

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The Village of Hatfield Heath

Hatfield Heath is established on a crossroads with linear housing along the feeder roads, and a significant area of housing development to the north of the main Bishop’s Stortford/Chelmsford Road. We are surrounded by gentle and undulating countryside comprising arab le f a r m l a n d wi t h p ocket s of graz in g land a n d paddocks. The beautiful and ancient Hatfield Forest is close by. See the village website www.hatfield-heath.co.uk and monthly Village Magazine www.hatfieldheath.co.uk/magazine for details. The village is characterised by a large central green bounded by the mature trees and large gardens of the houses along the approach roads. As well as our church, which occupies a central place on the village green, there is a United Reformed church, two

public houses, two hotels, several restaurants and take-away food shops, tea rooms, a post office, and a small supermarket. Sheltered housing accommodation is available at The Close which is warden assisted. A residential home (Hatfield Haven) caters for those suffering from dementia and no longer independent. A Housing Association offers some social housing to local families. Almost one fifth of the population is above retirement age.

Health Care The Eden Surgery, next door to the Vicarage has a dispensing pharmacy on the premises. There is a Community Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and the main hospital for the area, Princess Alexandra, is in Harlow. Dentists and Opticians are available in Old Harlow, Sawbridgeworth and Bishop’s Stortford.

Education Education for primary aged children has for several years been rated ‘Outstanding’. The primary school (www.hatfieldheath.essex.sch.uk/) is acknowledged as being one of the very best in Essex. As part of its outreach to the school, our church gives each child in Year 2 a Marcus Box (a DVD showing animated stories from the Bible). The school is open to clergy taking assemblies, and the children come to the church as part of the curriculum and to celebrate particular festivals. A member of our congregation listens to the children read, as indeed she listened to their parents.

The preschool is a charity, run by a committee made up of local mothers and the preschool leader. They are OFSTED registered and attained a “good” grading at the last inspection. We have excellent links with the preschool and welcome them to come to celebrate the major festivals. The children also enjoy exploring the church and chiming the bells. They participate in our Flower Festival and our Christmas Tree Festival and have a stall at our annual Bazaar. The picture shows some of the preschool children in church at harvest time with three of our bell ringers in the background.

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Our Church Buildings - Holy Trinity Holy Trinity was consecrated in August 1859 and is an attractive church i n a

p r o m i n e n t p os i t ion . At

Christmastime the visual impact of the church is heightened by floodlighting. The church is built of flint and the spire is

covered with chestnut shingles. The lych gate, w h i c h h a s b e e n r e s t o r e d , marks the entry to our churchyard. Based on the rate of burials, the churchyard, which has been extended, will be viable for several years. There is a large area set aside for interment of ashes. There is a blanket TPO on all trees extant before 1978 and an annual tree survey highlights any work that is needed. Four donated benches are sited within the churchyard for quiet contemplation. Many p eop le w o r k h a r d t o m a i n t a i n t h e peaceful ambience and natural diversity of the churchyard.

The church seats about 180 adults and is in a good state of repair and decoration. The last quinquennial report was 2012 with all urgent work being completed.

There are three small vestries, two of which need redecoration, and a small side chapel. We are currently beginning action to relocate two pews in order to improve the flow of people especially around the central crossing.

The Institute Hall The Institute, in the churchyard, comprises a kitchen, toilets, a hall and large store room. At present the church leases this building to the Village Hall Committee but the lease reverts to the church in 2023. The Institute is used

for refreshments after services and for various church meetings. It is also used for outreach to the community through the serving of refreshment every weekday morning. The building is in need of some redecoration and refurbishment and at present this is the responsibility of the Village Hall Committee. Next to the Institute is the small church car park which has recently been resurfaced. Limited parking is also available on the Village Green.

It is possible that better use could be made of the Institute building; some approaches are being made to the Diocesan Advisor of Buildings for Mission to see if this might be a viable proposition. If so, this would enable planning to be in place before the reversion of the lease.

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Church Life at St Mary’s

Church Lane, Sheering, Essex CM22 7NR www.essexinfo.net/st_marys_sheering/

St Mary’s is much more than a beautiful building. We are a committed and faithful congregation who support each other, welcome all-comers, and enjoy a wide range of worship styles catering for all. Some members join us after bereavement, having experienced St Mary’s as a supportive c o m m u n i t y ; others s t a y b e c a u s e of t h e music. We like our children to be engaged in services, especially Family Services. Worship through music is important to us, and we aim to

make it accessible to regular attendees, visitors and those new to church. We have an eclectic range of styles from traditional hymns to modern worship songs. A non-robed choir leads the singing from within the congregation. Accompaniment varies from organ, piano and guitar to (occasionally) brass band or a mixed group of instrumentalists . Adventure, an occasional informal service is led by guitar (possibly soon a band), and we recently included sung worship in one of the home groups. For more

major choral events, such as an Easter performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion, we invite additional choir members and soloists. Above all we believe that worship, whatever the style, pleases God and will draw people to Him and to our church family. Our Musical Director is adept at finding music to match the occasion and theme, and looks forward to working with you.

The following are some of the things that contribute to the richness of our church life together and our outreach to the community.

Sunday School for children aged 3 and over (a core group of about 10 children and a team of 4 leaders plus helpers). The children hope you will be “somebody who likes people, is friendly and is responsible”.

Tuesday Teas (tea and a chat in the Church Room) caters for over a dozen regulars, plus occasional visitors and passers-by.

The prayer breakfast meets monthly, attended by a small committed group. We recently introduced a Men’s Breakfast, which we hope will continue.

We support the local Food Bank, and several members of the congregation are involved in other aspects of social and community outreach.

The annual service of Memory and Hope is much appreciated by the recently bereaved.

We keep in touch with a few former students of All Nations Christian College, now serving overseas,

and from time to time support them financially. The annual Flower Festival and Harvest Festival weekends attract many people from the

community. Our varied Christmas events are warmly appreciated.

Friends of St Mary’s brings new people into contact with the church while enjoyably raising funds for the fabric. Their annual programme includes a concert (typically 40-plus performers, young local instrumental soloists, orchestra and singers) and they organise at least two other events during the year. The accompanying food is invariably popular! All funds raised by the Friends go towards the upkeep of the buildings and grounds.

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The Village of Sheering

Sheering is an attractive village set in beautiful countryside. Amenities include the village hall, two public houses, a post office/general store, a sandwich bar/café, the pre-school and a primary school. The population is about 900 (detail at http://www.chelmsford.anglican.org/pdfs/03.09a.pdf). The village magazine, Sheering News (www.sheering.org.uk) is distributed three times a year to every house, and each issue includes a contribution from the minister and a report from Friends of St Mary’s. The Pre-School have taken part in Mothering Sunday and Harvest Festival services and contributed to the Flower Festival.

Sheering C of E Primary School (www.sheering.essex.sch.uk)

We particularly value our increasing involvement in the life of our school. We are represented on the governing body (two plus the minister). Church members include an active member of the PTFA, one person who reads weekly with a group of pupils, and several individuals who have committed to pray regularly for each of the classes. School services are held in church about once a term. It is expected that you will continue to take a weekly assembly in school.

Statement from the Chair of Governors The head teacher is keen to develop even

stronger links with the church and the school would like an incumbent who will:

Take the role of governor seriously and be willing to commit the time to meetings, the monitoring role and appointments

Take assemblies and be accessible to the children and staff

Support the school in giving the children the experience of being part of a Christian community

Foster relationships between school, St Mary’s and the wider community

Future developments that may affect the village: Traffic - a proposed additional junction on the nearby M11

The local housing plan

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St Mary’s, Sheering – the buildings and grounds

The church seats at least 120, and has a children’s corner, an area for quiet prayer, disabled access, a deaf loop and a sound reinforcement system. It is Grade

One listed with a 12th century tower base and 14th

century nave and chancel. Some beautiful 14th century glass survives – anecdotally “as good as anything in the V&A”. The tower clock is a World War II memorial. There is an active bat population.

The building is in excellent order following an electrical fire in 2010 which resulted in a 21-month closure! Repairs and restoration at that time included new heating and lighting, overhaul of the organ, some re-ordering of seating and floor levels, and work on the tower, vestry roof and drains. After the fire we were humbled by the level of donations from local non-churchgoers, indicating how deeply they care that the building continues to be available. The next quinquennial inspection is 2016; major work is not anticipated.

The Church Room was completed in 1990. It is a detached

medium sized hall in good repair, with two toilets (one disabled), kitchen, store, baby-changing facilities and economical heating. It is used for church-related gatherings on most weekday evenings and Tuesday afternoons, including Brownies and occasional deanery meetings. (It is

regarded as one of the Deanery’s more salubrious venues!) It is PCC policy not to make the Church Room available for general public hire, to avoid competing with the Village Hall.

The Churchyard is open, with grave spaces for a few more years. There is an area for cremated remains. There are no TPOs, and the annual tree survey indicates no current problems. Action is planned for the usual problems associated with non-adherence to churchyard regulations. It is intended to lay a surfaced path to the chancel door in the fairly near future.

Parking is shingle on tarmac, with a grass overflow. We can accommodate vehicles for most church occasions.

For information: The Diocese owns and manages several acres of glebe land adjacent to the church. It also owns the house next door which for some years has been the home and office of the Archdeacon of Harlow.

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The Six Villages

1. Statement from Rev Martin Harris, Area Dean of Harlow

Hatfield Heath and Sheering are within the ‘Six Villages’ of the Mission Deanery of Harlow. The clergy of these villages have been working increasingly together over the past twenty or so years through the fraternal. They support one another and encourage closer cooperation between the rural parishes of Hatfield Heath and Sheering, Great Hallingbury, Little Hallingbury, Bush End and Hatfield Broad Oak. They are led by two part-time and one full-time

(your post) clergy together with a recently licensed LLM (Local Licensed Minister) based in the Hallingburies but ministering more widely. On 2 November 2014 this working pattern was formalised in the signing of the “Six Villages Covenant” (Appendix 8). In addition, Holy Trinity has a covenanted working relationship with Hatfield Heath United Reformed Church (Appendix 9). As Harlow Deanery works towards being a ‘Unit’ as part of the Diocesan Strategy ‘Transforming Presence’, we anticipate four local covenant areas working on mission and ministry, while the Deanery Unit maintains a role with respect to overall finances, chaplaincy, and training etc. You will work alongside the other clergy as

leaders of the Six Villages Covenant, and be responsible for helping the covenant grow. This will depend not only on good team working by the clergy, but also and in particular will include growing co-operation and collaborative working between congregations - doing together those things best done together, and apart those things best done apart.

As the covenant develops and becomes embedded in the Six Villages way of faith, the opportunity may arise to discuss closer union and the possibility of creating a united benefice or similar pastoral arrangement, comprising equivalent levels of ministerial provision to that currently available in the Six Villages. Thus it is doubly essential that you are a good team worker.

To help mutual co-operation flow from the strengths of each congregation, it will be important and vital that you have a passion for lay ministry, and are able to facilitate growing lay ministry not only in Sheering and Hatfield Heath but also across the Covenant Area.

The covenant expresses its fellowship by regular meetings of clergy and wardens (we are working towards three times a year) plus fraternal meetings. In addition there are events organised in common. There is much diversity within this covenant and this is valued - the Six Villages Covenant desires to grow together in the richness of diversity. You will work collaboratively with the other clergy (one based in each of the two other pairs of parishes) so that together you are responsible for building on the work done to date with a view to continuing the development of mission and sustainable church life. The congregations are aware that it may mean a period of transition and development for all as they explore new ways of working together and helping each other. We hope it may unlock gifts of individuals and groups as we try to encourage increased involvement in the life of each congregation.

Current joint activities across the Six Villages include:

Lent Courses: jointly planned by the clergy from the different parishes. In the past, members of the laity with special expertise have occasionally been invited to lead a session. Most of the churches are visited during each course, but attendance is variable.

A Maundy Thursday service at the end of the Lent Course, held in a different Six Villages church (including the URC) each year.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, including a joint service in one of the villages and sometimes a very well attended lunch organised by a member of Holy Trinity

Choirs of the different churches support each other from time to time, usually for weddings and funerals, but also for key services, e.g., licensing new clergy, Six Villages confirmations, festival evensongs.

Occasional pulpit exchanges by the clergy (very well-received)

Women’s World Day of Prayer, organised by a member of St Mary’s Sheering

St Mary the Virgin, Sheering

Holy Trinity, Hatfield Heath

St Giles, Great Hallingbury

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The Six Villages (continued)

2. Statement from the other Six Villages clergy Great and Little Hallingbury and Hatfield Broad Oak with Bush End are two united benefices in the Six Villages. Their combined population is upwards of 4000. The Hallingburies are served by an HfD priest and an LLM who is newly licensed to work across the Six Villages; Hatfield Broad Oak with Bush End have a half-time priest (who also works in Cambridge and teaches on several local ministry c o u r s e s ). The H a l l i n g b u r i e s an d H B O w i t h B E h a v e adapted to new models of ministry with expectations of greater non-clerical leadership and active lay participation.

The churches in these villages work with two CofE VA schools, one independent prep school, two playgroups and a pre-school, and the LLM is currently covering assemblies at Sheering CofE VC school. Although the Hallingburies have a particular focus on music in ministry and working with new technology and HBO with BE are noted for their schools and children’s work, as part of the Six Villages, we share our resources and expertise.

The clergy of the Six Villages meet together as a fraternal; this is an ecumenical group including, at various times, local URC and RC clergy. We plan together for joint and ecumenical events in all the churches in the Six Villages, eg study courses, prayer, pastoral work, shared worship, youth, children’s and schools work, and offer mutual support to each other’s ministries.

As the new incumbent you will be expected to work with your colleagues in the Hallingburies and HBO with BE to deepen and develop the commitments of the “Covenant” document. The clergy work together in a non-hierarchical model, each playing to their own strengths and experience, recognising the reality of life in the villages and realising the transformative power of the coming Kingdom of God. The clergy aim to model true collegiality which recognises both the independence and the mutual accountability of the three separate benefices.

The Revd Dr Naomi Wormell: Hatfield Broad Oak with Bush End The Revd Janice Green: Great and Little Hallingbury

St Mary’s, Little Hallingbury

St Mary’s, Hatfield Broad Oak

St John the Evangelist, Bush End

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Contact details

For more information, contact Churchwardens as follow:

Holy Trinity: Mrs Eileen Ashworth, 01279 730610, eileen.ashworth@hotmail.co.uk

St Mary’s Mrs Jane Potter, 01279 734442, jane.potter2@gmail.com

**********************

Appendix 2: Lay Support available in either or both of the churches

Facilitate Services Wider church life

An individual who occasionally leads worship and preaches at either church

Individuals who are prepared to take parts of a service

Organist/choir leaders

Choirs

Instrumentalists

Servers

Sacristan

Sidespersons

Those who read the lessons

Those who lead intercessions

Welcomers

Tower Captain and full team of ringers

Team who take Communion to those unable to attend church

Child Protection Officers

Vulnerable Adults Officers

Those who provide refreshment after the service

Those who run the Institute Refreshments every weekday morning

The Friends of St Mary’s

Those who organise and run fundraising church activities

Organiser for Women’s World Day of Prayer in the Six Villages

Worship Committees

Secretary of Six Villages Youth Project

Baptism follow-up

Home Group Leaders

Bible Reading Group Leaders

Tuesday Teas organiser

Prayer Breakfast organiser

Men’s Breakfast organiser

Bacon butty makers for working party refreshments

Those who open their homes for church activities

Those who donate home-made food for activities

Those who provide pastoral care and support for each other and the community

Care for the building and churchyard

Churchwardens Flower arrangers

Vergers and an assistant Retired professional who makes altar frontals, etc,

and clergy festival robes

Embroiderers who sew hassocks, cushions and hangings

Person who maintains the bells Those who clean the churches

Those who maintain the churchyards

Those who maintain the churches and contents

Someone who adjusts the clock

Those who clear the gutters

Financial

Teams who assist the Treasurer (envelope/Gift Aid schemes, banking, counting offerings, etc)

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Appendix 3: Monthly Service Pattern in the Benefice

Time Location Type of Service Average attendance

First Sunday 08.00 09.30 11.00 18.30

Holy Trinity Holy Trinity St Mary’s Holy Trinity

BCP said Holy Communion CW Family Service (Mission Praise) Family Service BCP sung Evensong (A & M Revised)

6 41 44 17

Second Sunday 08.00 09.30 11.00

St Mary’s Holy Trinity St Mary’s

Holy Communion (1662) – no music CW Holy communion (Mission Praise) Morning Prayer or (every two months) Matins

5 39 41

Third Sunday 08.00 09.30 11.00

Holy Trinity Holy Trinity St Mary’s

BCP said Holy Communion BCP Matins partly sung (A & M Revised) Holy Communion

6 30 48

Fourth Sunday 08.00 09.30 11.00

St Mary’s Holy Trinity St Mary’s

Holy Communion (1662) – no music CW Holy Communion (Mission Praise) Morning Worship

5 36 52

Fifth Sunday 08.00 09.30 11.00

Alternates Holy Trinity St Mary’s

BCP said Holy Communion CW Family Communion (Mission Praise) Morning Worship

6 38 52

4th Tuesday 10.30 The Haven (HH) Holy Communion (condensed BCP) 8

3rd Wednesday

10.30 The Close (HH) Holy Communion (condensed BCP) led by laity

4

Appendix 4: Life Event Services 2014 Holy Trinity St. Mary’s Baptisms and Thanksgiving 13 and 1 3 and 1 Weddings and wedding-blessings 13 and 1 3 Burials and Interments of ashes 6 5 and 5 Confirmations 0 0

The number of weddings is inflated by referrals to our churches from the nearby country house hotel which caters for wedding receptions; thus not all couples are from our villages.

Appendix 5: The Electoral Rolls St Mary’s stands at 76, including 37 non-residents Holy Trinity stands at 83, including 18 non-residents

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Appendix 6: Some Other Services and Activities (Holy Trinity)

2014/5 Service/Activity Venue Time Attendance

0-16 Adult 18th January Christian Unity lunch and fellowship Hatfield Broad

Oak Village Hall

1.00 – 4.00

Well attended

15th March Clay craft activity for Mothering Sunday and flowers for the ladies

Church 9.30 1 48

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes Institute 10.00 Well attended Easter Services Ash Wednesday Church 10.30 0 16

Stations of the Cross Church 10.30 0 6 Good Friday, Last Hour at the Cross,

joint benefice, this year (2015) service at Holy Trinity

HT Church (alternates with St Mary’s)

2.00 0 28

Easter Vigil with Compline and bonfire Church 8 p.m. 1 11 Easter Day Church 9.30 14 66 Easter Egg Hunt with very short service

for the children Institute 11.00 55 50

10th March Drop in lunch (daytime home groups) Institute 12.30 0 42 Pentecost Pentecost Church and

outside

9.30 0 35

Patronal Festival

Trinity Sunday Church 9.30 0 26

Flower Festival weekend

Refreshments, stalls, decorated church Church, grounds Institute

All weekend

Well attended

15th August VJ Day Celebrations The Heath Not very well attended

25th September Quiz Evening Village Hall Not very well attended

Harvest Harvest Service Church 9.30 1 26 Messy Church Harvest URC 4.00 4 8

Harvest Festival Evensong followed by Harvest Supper

Church 6.30 0 39

For the bereaved Service of Memory and Hope (2014) Church 4.00 4 24 Remembrance Remembrance Sunday Service (2014) Church 9.30 0 47

Remembrance Sunday War Memorial 11.00 18 150 11.11. with school and preschool War Memorial 11.00 50 80 Bazaar Stalls, raffle, refreshments, games,

Father Christmas Village Hall 12.00 -

3.00 Well attended

16th November Drop in lunch (daytime home groups) Institute 12.30 0 43

6th December Messy Church Nativity (2015) URC 2.00 ? ?

Christingle Christingle Service 2014 Church 4.00 22 25 Christmas Tree Festival

Church filled with decorated trees, alternate years.

Church All weekend

Well attended

Carol Service Carol Service with the RBL (2014) Church 4.00 0 75 Candlelight Service

Christmas Eve 2014 followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Institute.

Church 4.00 Church full to bursting, too many to count.

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Appendix 7: Additional activities in 2014 (St Mary’s)

January Parish Away-Day with Rev Canon Hugh Dibbens February Candlemas (main service) March Mothering Sunday (main service); brass ensemble; flowers for all ladies present April Good Friday, performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion by St Mary’s choir augmented by

invited friends and soloists [This “service slot” alternates annually with Holy Trinity.] Friends of St Mary’s event in church (Gardeners’ Question Time and food)

May Annual Concert organised by Friends of St Mary’s June Rogation service (main service) and shared lunch at a farm in the parish

Flower Festival weekend: church decorated; stalls; home-made food; Songs of Praise on Sunday evening. Flower arrangers usually include the school, pre-school and several non-church members.

July Drop-In lunch organised by daytime Home Groups September Ride and Stride – church open for refreshments

Harvest Supper in the Village Hall Harvest Festival weekend: church decorated, stalls, home-made food; special evening service

October Prayer for Healing and Anointing (main service) November Remembrance Service in church (main service) and at the war memorial

Service of Memory and Hope Six Villages Covenant service Friends of St Mary’s event in the Church Room (talk by a film extra, followed by food) Working-party day Service to lay up the standard of the Normandy Veterans

December Christingle service (main service) Carol service Carol singing around the village with a brass ensemble Carols and Mulled Wine in the Village Hall (organised by the Friends) Christmas Eve Starlight service (nativity service) [This year it was not our turn for the midnight Communion Service on Christmas Eve]

Once a term School service with pupils, teachers and parents (celebrating Mothering Sunday, Harvest and Christmas)

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Appendix 8: Six Villages Covenant

On 2 November 2014 this was formalised in the signing of the following covenant, which forms part of

the Harlow Deanery strategy for mission.

A Covenant for the Six Villages

The Bishop of Chelmsford has initiated a vision called “Transforming Presence” in which closer working with other parishes is encouraged. Also, the governing documents for Parishes and PCCs have always encouraged working with other churches to further God’s mission.

Therefore: We the congregations, PCCs and clergy of Hatfield Broad Oak, Bush End, Hatfield Heath, Sheering, Great and Little Hallingbury agree to:

Support the ministry in each of the Six Villages Work together and share skills by facilitating access to specialist/sector ministries (eg

young people, visiting, music) Share our resources

Share the ministry of all the ministers in all the churches

Support each other in all matters, material, pastoral and spiritual Encourage congregations to regard all of the Six Villages as part of their own church

community, and to move between churches, both to promote their own needs in worship and to support the whole church community

Work with other Christians in the Six Villages (particularly the URC in Hatfield Heath, and also Our Lady of Lourdes RC in Hatfield Broad Oak)

An annual review shall take place of the document and the working of the covenant in and between the parishes.

Six villages – eight churches

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Appendix 9: Holy Trinity Covenant with the URC

A Covenant between Holy Trinity, Church of England

and The United Reformed Church

In Hatfield Heath

The churches in Hatfield Heath rejoice that we have grown in unity as we seek to serve God in our community. We acknowledge our common heritage in the faith and profess together our belief in the one God, the Father Creator of heaven and earth; the Son who dwelt among us, was crucified for us, and was raised from the dead for our salvation; and the Holy Spirit who leads the church into all truth.

We recognise that each church has its own distinctive witness and tradition and while honouring

these traditions we want to stand together in a spirit of love and to strengthen our working together for the mission of the Gospel.

The working out of the covenant will be shown through our commitment to:

1. Declare our unity as the people of God in this community in all practical ways. 2. Maintain and develop our common practices of worshipping together. 3. Continue the process of co-ordinating our individual activities as far as

possible. 4. Develop joint prayer and study so that we may grow in understanding of the

grace and love of God and of each other, as well as the nurturing of our Christian faith and its applications in daily life.

5. Listen to the local community in order to become aware of the needs and aspirations and to develop a co-ordinated programme of mission through service and outreach.

6. Review our Christian resources of buildings, people, money and ministry, and to develop proposals for sharing them to the best advantage for church and community.

We, as members of the churches of Hatfield Heath, undertake to reaffirm this Covenant at an annual service and to renew and review it in four years.

Signed at the URC Church Anniversary Service 2015 by:

On behalf of Holy Trinity: Stewart Gibbs pp Diane Barnett Vicar Churchwarden

On behalf of The United Reformed Church: John Buxton Betty Bennett Minister Elder

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Appendix 10: Our most recent Vision Statements

Vision Statement of Holy Trinity

Jesus is the centre of our life, the heart of our family. With His guidance we work together, loving and supporting each other, so that He may be proud of us. We endeavour to use our strengths – our energy, our skills, our experience, our traditions, and the power of the Holy Spirit – to share God’s love with others and to show what Jesus’ life, crucifixion and resurrection means for everyone. Worship is a celebration of Jesus’ life. We want others to join us, to be stimulated and supported so that we may all grow together in the love of the Lord.

Vision Statement of St Mary’s

Our vision is that St Marys Sheering is a welcoming, prayerful and mission focussed community. We seek to:

Welcome people of all ages, backgrounds and stages of faith

Pray for the needs of individuals, for our local community and the wider world

Reach out to our local community and further afield, caring for those in need and sharing our faith

Care practically about people in need locally, nationally and internationally