Articles - Miscellaneous

Vicar's Report to the Annual Church Meeting - 29 April 2007

Last year the Annual Parochial Church Meeting took place while I was on sabbatical and my report was read by someone else. This year I am back in person - which may or may not be thought of as a good thing, depending on your viewpoint.

As this is technically a report on the previous calendar year, I'd like to begin by thanking all those who enabled me to take study leave for three months from March to May - in particular, Lesley and the two churchwardens, Anne and Gill. I am aware of my many failings, but believing myself to be indispensable is not one of them. All of you, but especially the three people I have mentioned, proved me entirely right.

My return in June coincided with one of the real highlights of the year, the Community Environment Festival. Inspired originally by my colleague Neil Richardson, this event drew widely on human resources in our local church and wider communties in a way that enabled us to see just how much it is possible to achieve in alleviating pressure on the precious resources God has given for the use of all of us. I am delighted that the Festival has been the springboard for further action in our churches and wider community, including the development of eco-teams and an imminent environmental audit on St. Ed's. Thank you to all those from St. Ed's who made such significant contributions to the Festival and to the follow-up.

The Annual Report affords me the opportunity to draw attention to aspects of our life together that don't always have the prominence they deserve. I'd like to mention in particular this year the various ways in which St. Ed's seeks to communicate. Fundamental to our communication is human interaction. That is made possible on a Sunday especially by our offering of refreshments after the Parish Eucharist. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Anne Sampford and her team of volunteers who provide us with tea, coffee and juice and lubricate the conversation. While people are enjoying refreshments, they often peruse notice boards. A good deal of effort goes into maintaining these from a number of people, and I know that special exhibitions, such as the one that Lesley prepared about slavery some weeks ago, are especially valued. As I go into homes around the parishes, I often see the weekly newssheet on fridges or notice boards, reminding me what a valuable resource this is. Andrew Wallis has been editing the news sheet for over ten years now and his attention to detail still amazes me. Thank you Andrew - and Shirley, who faithfully prints the news sheet on a weekly basis. Fundamental to our calling, of course, is the communication of the Good News, and one of the ways we seek to do this at St. Ed's is by producing service sheets for those occasions where we have people with us who may not be as used to being in church as most of us are. Whether it's Worship all Together, Baptisms or Memorial Services, Jean Livesey is always willing to put her skills and time at our disposal and we thank her for that. Jean also edits our monthly magazine with great imagination, and the reach of this publication is significant: in the past I have had complimentary correspondence about the magazine from both the Jewish and Sikh community in our area. Thank you, as well, to those of you who help with the collection and distribution of the magazine each month. Last, but not least, the website. Brian Livesey, who runs our website, has written about it in the Annual Report. In the course of my ministry I look at many church websites, and I can say with complete honesty that St. Ed's is one of the most attractive, well-maintained and up-to-date around. It is perhaps for this reason that we have so many hits. The increasing number of enquiries I get off the back of the website is testament to its importance. If I have missed any other form of communication, please accept my apologies. But I hope that the various things I have mentioned, none of which happens without hard work and commitment, give some flavour of the sheer range of our ways of communicating.

We have much to celebrate at St. Edmund's. The Annual Report gives you an indication of the spread of activities and commitments we have as a worshipping community. Many of you are also involved, because of your commitment as Christians, with organisations across the community and wider city that seek, in various ways, to express Christian commitment in practical ways. Two examples here: The Open Door, a one stop shop that brings together various statutory and voluntary agencies for the benefit of the Brackenwood and Gledhow communities and which has recently won the Duke of York Community Initiative award, has been supported by our three covenanted churches but especially by Lesley whose skills have been greatly valued by the steering group and now the management committee. And PAFRAS, an organisation working with destitute asylum seekers based at St. Aidan's. Our continuing support of this vulnerable group through a weekly contribution of food and other items has been greatly valued by users and volunteers alike.

Any Vicar on occasions such as this is always nervous of saying thankyous, for fear of missing someone out. But I know all of you would want me to say a huge thank you to Anne Smith, who is stepping down as churchwarden this year after ten years in the role. It's very difficult to know even where to begin, so perhaps I won't even attempt to do so. I will just say that for her kindness and thoughtfulness, her efficiency and commitment, her prayerful support of me and her own deeply held faith, Anne has been a churchwarden of quite exceptional quality. Anne, thank you for all you have done - and for all I know you hope to do in the future in other roles. You will be missed - but enjoy the rest! We also say thank you and farewell to Gwen Leach, stepping down as PCC secretary after three years. Gwen has been ever-vigilant in the discharge of her duty, and the speed and accuracy of her minutes has helped me enormously. We wish you well Gwen - and you too enjoy the rest! Finally, after many years as a deputy warden, with a year as churchwarden in the middle, Nigel Hepworth is stepping down. Thank you for all you have done Nigel, combining a busy working life and a young family with your work for St. Edmund's.

Finally my family. They know, I hope, how much they mean to me, how much I appreciate the support they give me and how impossible my job would be without the sanctuary of our home life. Felicity, Faith and Chad have grown in Roundhay from delightful young children to delightful young adults, and appear to have done so without suffering too much from vicarage life. Thank you - and most of all thank you Anne, sine qua non.

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay