Vicar’s Report 2004–2005

Well that is another year been and gone and as usual, in terms of church, there has been progress in some areas and a distinct lack of progress in other areas.

It is one of the inevitabilities of being in leadership that you have to give bad news as well as good news, and so in the course of this report there will be both - elements of disappointment as well as elements of rejoicing. However having attached this rider to this report I want you to hear very clearly that overall I am extremely pleased about how things are progressing and I want to say a big thank you to everyone who has played their part in us moving forward, but especially to God who is the architect of all that we do here at St. Felix and St. Gregory’s.

Lets start with changes in the community because we are not a church in isolation but a church set in community to minister to that community and its people.

Last year I reported that some 25 new homes had been occupied – this year the number is some 140 and it goes on rising ( not in large numbers as a year ago ) but slowly and steadily month by month. Some of the areas which were the first ones to be occupied are now so established that it is as if they have been there for years.

Of course this means a steady rise in the number of “Keep in Touch”s being delivered and so in the next edition I will be appealing for people to take over 2 beats of the new houses leaving me free to concentrate on the Abbey site and on Deben Heath the next two large areas to be developed.
The new Community Centre should come on stream after the same kind of delays that have hampered the work here at St. Felix. The old Community Centre has now gone to be replaced by a 60 bed residential home for the elderly. The new Primary School is still slated to open in September 2006. Cost-Cutters is well established and a great benefit to the community as well as a base for the Vicar’s pastoral ministry. The Chinese Chippy should open in May shortly followed by the other retail units.

In the midst of all this new building sit our two buildings of St. Felix and St. Gregory’s and so it seems appropriate to turn our attention to them at this point in my report.

At St. Gregs we have opened up the SW corner of the church in order to create an open area which can be used for fellowship after services but can also be used for overflow seating. The 5 yearly Quinquennial architects inspection has been carried out and although we have not yet received the final report discussions with the architect on the day assured us that things are not as bad as we once feared. However there is work to be done in the sort term and in an early church this = expensive. Watch this space. In the meantime the church is kept in as good a condition as we can and the churchyard is beautifully maintained with some financial help from Rendlesham Parish Council.

Now for St. Felix!
Another year of frustration and embarrassment.
It seems that every time I report some good news to the church council then within weeks I have to bring bad news. The land transfers upon which the building work depended took forever due to the slowness of the solicitors on both sides. Once completed I had a meeting with Greg Vincent (Rendlesham Projects), Ashton designs (Architect), Roy Taylor (Suffolk Builders C0-Partnership) at which the plans were agreed and the timetable planned. The builders came on site – dug trenches for the services, broke through walls and floors, built the enclosure to house the new gas boiler – and there it all stopped. It appears that, for whatever reason, Rendlesham Projects did not order the gas as agreed. Once ordered we were informed that it could not be supplied until the end of March.

Now we hope that the gas will arrive around 11th April and once the new boiler is installed and working the work will continue to demolish the old extension and build the new one. Please pray that the same problems will not occur over the porch, making good the exterior of the building, painting it and doing the ground works.

For all the frustrations about the building that is not what the church is. The church is the people of God who meet together week by week in worship and teaching. Here the news is good! Our numbers grow steadily week by week and its hard to think back to how things were 2 years ago. At St. Felix our usual Sunday attendance is 30 – 40 adults and 20 – 25 children. In fact if everyone came on one Sunday we would be 60+ adults and 30+ children.
At St. Gregs we grow slowly and gently with around 15 – 20 worshipping week by week. Where St. Gregs scores is in baptisms, funerals and weddings – it being seen as a “real” church.

We do live in a society today which is very dispersed, fluid and mobile and inevitably people come and go all the time. We miss those who go but also are glad to welcome back those who return and those who come to us afresh. So we are delighted that Dave and Vivienne are back with us and that Stirling and Avril come to us starting next week on a “free transfer” from Wickham Market.

On the down side we will later this year say “au revoir” to Stu, Henri and the children as they are off to Australia for two years to do a Worship Leaders course at Hillsongs. We will miss Stu, and now Becki as well, as they have lead us beautifully in worship. We are on the other hand thankful to God that He has brought to us others who will follow where Stu has lead.
A big thank you is also due to George, Elaine and Richard who play the organ for us at St. Gregs.

Of course its not all about growing numbers in the church but about growing faith. I had hoped that this year I would be able to report an increase in the numbers coming to Bible Study and Prayer Meeting – but not so. To stay healthy we need to eat a good balanced diet and to maintain our spiritual health we need to have a balanced spiritual diet of Sunday worship, prayer and fellowship around God’s word.

Currently we are just past the mid point of our first Alpha Course and I sense that it has been helpful to all the participants and life-changing to some! We will run another later in the year so if you are unsure whether you should come on it the I encourage you to talk to those on the present course. They will sell it to you far better than I will.

One of the advantages of still having the rear extension at St. Felix is that we have been able to use the rooms for our new and growing children and youth work on Sunday mornings. Thanks to all who lead this work and those who help them. Soon we will be having a meeting for all who fell they would like to involved in this work so that the load does not always fall on the same person.

The successful running of any church depends on the willingness of people to give of their gifts and time and talents. This evening we say goodbye to someone who has un-stintingly given of all those to help our churches grow. That is MIKE HAZELWOOD.

He has been editor of the “Keep in Touch” and the Gift Aid Secretary since the beginning of both those initiatives. Mike, thank you for all you have done for us, and we wish you and June every blessing as you return back to your home church in Shottisham. Thank you also Matthew for taking up the reins of K in T as well as the Website and Nick who will take over as Gift Aid Secretary.

Churches depend not just on the gifts and talents of people but also on their willingness to give generously and sacrificially of their finances. As you have already heard from Peggy and Mike your giving has indeed been generous and the year on year increase in our planned giving has been noted at both Deanery and Diocesan level. But church finances are always on a knife-edge and it only takes the loss of one or two givers to make a large hole in the required income. Please again prayerfully review you’re weekly giving remembering that ALL we have comes from God and of His own should we give Him. It is always interesting to compare our giving as against our personal expenditure and against the price of everyday items.
A big thank you also to those who work so very hard at our fundraising events which make up such a major part of our income. Keep up the good work – it is essential to our life and growth.

As always we need to extend a formal thank you to those churches in the Deanery which give over and above what is required of them in order to make up our shortfall of some £9,000.

While on the subject of the Peninsula and the Deanery I want to touch on a subject that is closely linked to our financial situation.
On occasions throughout the year we hold both Peninsular and Deanery services and events. It would be sad if here at Rendlesham we became known as a church which takes financially but does little in return to support the joint services and events. That view I sense is beginning to creep in and we must do all we can to ensure that it is not true!

Now I’m sure I missed some areas – probably the ones closest to your hearts – and if I have I’m sorry and am very willing to address my omissions by taking questions form the floor.

Finally – thank you – thank you for supporting your church. Thank you for your love, your support and your prayers.
To finish where we began. God is good. He has fulfilled and is fulfilling every promise He made us back in those cold, dark days 2 years ago.
Its so exciting – and Di and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here – if you’ll have us!

God bless you all.

Colin