The Parish of St Giles with St Mary’s Part of the Church of Diocese of

The Parish of St Giles with St Mary’s currently comprises two churches: St Giles’, and its daughter church, St Mary’s, Chequerfield. It covers virtually all of the North Ward covering the north and west of the town and part of the South Ward, including the large Chequerfield estate.

Both churches are renowned for their friendly atmosphere and strong community spirit.

St Giles’ Parish Church “The Church in the Heart of the Town” is the dominant feature of the town’s Market Place. Its unique octagonal tower, visible for miles around, proclaims the Glory of God to the people of Pontefract and visitors to the town. There has been a church building in Pontefract Market Place since at least the 12th Century. The present church is a Grade II* listed building with a bell tower housing a peal of ten bells. There is no churchyard attached to the church. Although mainly Georgian in aspect, foundations of a Norman chapel have been discovered and the north arcade is believed to be of 14th/15th Century origin. The church was the winner of the Building Conservation category of the RICS Pro- Awards in 2014, following the full reordering of the interior.

St Mary’s Church is situated in the St Mary’s Community Centre in the heart of the large post-war Chequerfield housing estate. It has a small but hard- working and dedicated congregation. The original church was constructed and dedicated in 1957 to cater for the religious and spiritual needs of Chequerfield and its neighbouring communities. That building was demolished in August 2003 and the new St Mary’s Community Centre, incorporating an integral worship area, was built and completed in 2004.

A Communion service is held every Sunday at 9 a.m., in the main hall of the community centre, with extra services taking place during Easter Week and a very popular Christingle service every Christmas Eve. It has played host to christenings, funerals, and wedding blessings but is still waiting patiently for its first wedding.

1 St Giles’ Church Services

We enjoy an Anglo-Catholic tradition with an average congregation of 120 at the main service. The mass is further enhanced by a superb choir, organ and musical director.

We have said masses on Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Tuesday to Saturday 8:30 a.m.: Morning Prayer

Wednesday 9:30 a.m.: a 30 minute service with communion and a short address, prior to our busy market day coffee morning.

Friday 12:00 noon: a 30 minute service with communion and address.

Sunday 8 a.m. : said Mass with address

10:15 a.m.: Sung Eucharist. This is the main service of the day with a full choir, followed by refreshments and fellowship. Most baptisms follow this service at 12 noon.

6.30p.m. Choral Evensong every first and third Sunday.

St Mary’s Church Services

Sunday 9.a.m.: a said communion service with hymns, followed once a month by fellowship and refreshments.

2 What our churches can offer a new priest:-

• a recently reordered church with an excellent, well-used Church Centre;

• an enthusiastic and dedicated team of volunteers working in all areas of church life;

• a welcoming, cooperative congregation who look forward to worshipping and working with their new parish priest;

• a five bedroom detached vicarage in a conservation area which provides excellent accommodation with a large garden mainly laid to lawn;

• payment of reasonable monthly expenses.

3 St Giles’ Church Organisations

Baptism Baptisms, no more than two at one time, take place twice a month at 12 noon, after the Parish Mass. Occasionally there is a baptism during the Mass.

Initial information and guidance is given to families when they visit church to book a baptism. Soon after, a letter of welcome is sent in the name of the incumbent.

We have a team of baptism visitors, who meet with the family or individual candidate to provide support, prior to and during the baptism service, and later deliver the baptism certificate.

Families and individual candidates are also asked to meet with a member of the clergy on a Saturday morning prior to the service.

Bellringers There is a very enthusiastic and highly skilled team of bell ringers at St Giles’ who practise weekly, led by our Tower Captain. They ring before the main services and on special occasions. We have ten bells, installed in 1920 by John Taylor of Loughborough. Some refurbishment work on the bells is planned later in the year.

Bible Study House Group The Bible Study Group meets twice a month in one of our homes. Study guides are used.

Junior Church This is a fun way that our children here at St Giles’ learn about our faith, through games and messy activities. We have written our own interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer and regularly lead intercession prayers which are written in language our children can understand. They enjoy being involved in the service and the congregation are always delighted with their contribution.

Flower Arrangers The flower team at St Giles’ is a hard-working, creative group of skilled arrangers who produce stunning displays that complement our church.

4 Lunch with Us

Lunch with Us is a weekly event on Wednesdays from 12.30 – 14.30. Launched in September 2015 it is now a well-established event which has grown and developed year by year.

It provides a platform to help to meet the needs of a variety of people who are lonely, isolated or vulnerable. It provides food, company, advice, signposting and information and offers Christian contact to people in the community who may have no other opportunity.

Volunteers come from all sections of the community.

The project works in conjunction with Citizens Advice, Job Centre, Pontefract Street Kitchen as well as local businesses who donate food and other goods.

Crisis help is given to vulnerable individuals offering advice or more practical help such as purchase of clothing. Help is also given in exceptional circumstances with transport to emergency accommodation via church charity fund, council grant and support from a local pub.

Meals are offered on a ‘pay as you can’ basis but, most importantly, Lunch with Us allows us to provide mission in Pontefract to those who are in greatest need.

The number of meals served per week has doubled over the first three years, during which time over 14,000 meals have been served.

Food Share is a scheme which helps to alleviate school holiday hunger in Pontefract. During school holidays at Christmas, Easter and the summer, families nominated by local schools receive a pack of long-life food during the Wednesday coffee mornings. The project started as a partnership involving the Foodbank, St Giles’ Church and St Giles’ Academy. It has been running for four years and the partnership developed to include schools in other less affluent parts of the town. Due to the pressure on the Foodbank, our Food Share scheme has now become an independent Church project operating in partnership with members of All Saints’ Church. The project aims to demonstrate in a practical way Christ's love for his world and practical concern for local families struggling to cope with poverty.

5 Missions committee

A small group from the congregation meets each year to raise funds for St Giles’ and St Mary’s specifically for use in supporting overseas missions. It raises funds mainly by serving coffee and cakes once a month on a Saturday morning in the church cafe. The committee also hold other special fund-raising events throughout the year including the very popular annual Strawberry Day in June and the annual Chocolate Tombola held outside church at Easter. In 2017, funding was sent to our link parish of Majengo Mapya and we also supported the Leprosy Mission, the Mission to Seafarers, the Church Army who regularly attend our church services and the Church Mission Society.

Mothers’ Union

St. Giles’ Mothers' Union is an active branch of 36 members and is one of the largest branches in the Episcopal Area. Members meet on the first Monday of each month except August and are active in promoting the aims and work of Mothers’ Union and the Church. A Lent service or Stations of the Cross and an Advent Service are always part of the annual programme. Members regularly staff some of the weekly church coffee mornings, the proceeds of which go to the Church. Members attend Episcopal and Diocesan Meetings and once a year lead prayers at a monthly Mothers' Union Morning Prayers at the Cathedral.

Open Church

Open Church is a group of volunteers who give their time to keep the church open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and to provide a welcome to visitors to the church.

Parish Magazine

A monthly magazine is produced, which costs 50 pence and has a circulation of about 150. It contains a letter from one of the clergy or our Lay reader, minutes of PCC meetings, news of organisations with which the parish is connected, rotas, forthcoming events and advertisements. A number of people deliver magazines to those who are unable to attend services.

Refreshment teams We hold regular coffee mornings at St Giles’ on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They are run by teams of dedicated volunteers from both St Giles’ and St Mary’s; occasional coffee afternoons are also held at St Mary’s. They give the church an opportunity to provide hospitality to people from our town and further afield. They are well attended and have a vibrant atmosphere. Money raised is used for both mission and church funds.

6 Tiddlywinks Group This is a successful pre-school group that meets for two hours every Thursday morning in school term time. It provides a safe and stimulating environment where children can listen to a short bible story, play with others and have the opportunity to learn and develop socially and spiritually. It also provides an interesting meeting place for parents and carers with young children. Refreshments are provided.

Music at St Giles’

The church has a longstanding musical tradition which serves to enhance Liturgy, whilst providing a centre of excellence for both choral and organ music. Mass settings, anthems and canticles are firmly rooted in the Anglican tradition along with hymnody which is largely taken from the New English Hymnal, although more contemporary hymns are used when appropriate.

The resources available are second to none: we house one of the country’s finest organs which is in its final stages of refurbishment (rendering it an invaluable instrument which will serve for years to come) and is played at all choral services, including the principal Sunday mass. A weekly series of recitals is an integral part of the musical life of Pontefract where soloists of national, and international, repute perform. There is a fine grand piano which is used for concerts.

The choir is an inclusive group which plays an integral part in the programme of worship. The standards of choral music are high: the choir has embarked on tours to cathedrals across the country and enjoys an excellent relationship with the local RSCM. It is highly regarded by both the congregation and the wider diocese. It leads the singing at the Sunday mass, and usually sings a choral setting of the Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei. The congregation is increasingly introduced to new settings of the Gloria, acclamations and other sung parts of the mass.

The Director of Music is responsible for playing at Sunday services, as well as rehearsing and directing the choir, is supported by cathedral organists where necessary, and engages professional musicians to provide orchestral accompaniment for major feasts. There is a strong link with the music department of .

The church is a popular venue for concerts throughout the year due to its central location in the town centre, marvellous instruments and adaptable space.

7 St Giles Centre The Centre was created as an integral part of the internal alterations to the building, undertaken in 2011-2012 to meet the increasing demands for improved facilities and to meet identified community needs.

Our Vision “St Giles Centre will extend the church’s mission within the community to bring benefits to local people and new initiatives to the life of the church and community by encouraging equality, diversity and cohesion within a safe and welcoming environment”.

Our Mission “To create a place where everyone is welcome, a place to sit and chat, a place to discover and learn, where individuals, local groups and visitors can meet and provide resources in a relaxed sociable community area available to everyone, right in the heart of our town”.

The St Giles Centre Management Committee oversees the development and day-to-day management of the new facility. The committee is chaired by the vicar of Pontefract and is made up both of PCC representatives and members of the church congregation.

The Centre has an attractive and welcoming reception area, a multi-purpose space incorporating a café area with seating for over 40 people and a well-equipped modern kitchen. On the first floor there are four meeting rooms of varying size. Wi-Fi broadband access is available throughout the building and well- maintained toilet facilities are provided on both floors, including facilities for disabled people and baby changing.

The main body of the church offers a large multi- purpose space which, including the gallery, accommodates a total of up to 300 people. It is equipped with state of the art audio-visual equipment including a 3m screen and, in addition to worship, is used throughout the year for concerts, recitals, large meetings/gatherings, fairs, seminars and talks.

The Church/Centre offers accessibility for wheelchairs and prams with level floors and a lift for easy access to first floor areas. There are access ramps at the main entrance and the north door entrance to the church.

The Centre is well used by public, voluntary and private sector organisations and, during its first 5 years, has accommodated 1913 events from 142 different organisations. Some of our more frequent clients can be found on the St Giles Centre website:-

http://www.stgilescentrepontefract.org.uk

We encourage local charitable organisations to use the stall area, which abuts the Market Place, for local and national fundraising.

8 The Reordering of St Giles' Church St Mary’s Community Centre

The Centre, opened in 2004, was developed out of a partnership between the church and the local community. It is located in the large Chequerfield estate in South Pontefract, a community of over 8000 people, many of whom formed part of the former mining industry. In response to increasing demands for improved local facilities the Diocese of Wakefield agreed to the demolition of the former church building and the giving over of the site on a long term lease to the St Mary’s Chequerfield Community Project Limited.

The company is limited by guarantee and is a community enterprise. Its task is to manage and oversee the Centre on behalf of the community. The Board of Directors is chaired by the Vicar of Pontefract and is made up of members of the community, residents of the estate, members of the church and, in a co-opted role, representatives of key partnership agencies.

The Centre is a not-for-profit organisation and offers a range of activities including adult education courses and community activities and has a wide range of other functions and services. The Centre is just a short distance away from Pontefract town centre, is easily accessible by road and is well served by public transport. Secure on-site car parking is provided to the rear of the building.

St Mary’s is a superbly equipped venue for all sizes of business meetings, training sessions, workshops and conferences and is fully compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act. It offers fully serviced room hire and office space for long and short-term requirements at competitive rates.The snack bar provides a full range of drinks and snacks, including fresh sandwiches, home baking and light meals daily. http://www.stmaryscommunity.co.uk

St Mary's and St Giles'

Over the last twelve months St Mary’s Church has held spring, summer, and winter coffee afternoons, which have proved very popular with the people of Chequerfield, at the same time raising funds for the Church and local community groups. The first of these coincided with the 60th anniversary of St Mary’s.

Members of St Mary’s are often seen in St Giles’: four times a year they run the Saturday morning café and they take an active role in Easter & Christmas services; at the same time members of the St Giles’ congregation are regularly seen supporting St Mary’s.

10 Church Links

Mara and our link parish of Majengo Mapya in Tanzania The parish has been very active in our link Diocese of Mara in Tanzania since its inauguration over 30 years ago. The parish worked with Faith in Action until it ceased operations in 2011, sending thousands of clothing and household items to Mara. Throughout the link period regular visits have been made and annual financial support given to our link parish of Majengo Mapya. Churches Together in Pontefract St Giles’ and St Mary’s are members of Churches Together in Pontefract. We share in various ecumenical services throughout the year. There is a particularly successful open- air service in the Town Centre every Good Friday. St Giles Academy The church has strong links with our church school of St Giles C of E Academy and all of the schools within the parish and the wider town.

Local and National Charities St Giles’ supports several charities in our area and further afield (see Missions Committee above) including the Prince of Wales Hospice, the Children’s Society and Operation Christmas Child. Pilgrimage We have a long tradition of pilgrimage at St Giles’ Church. There are annual Monday to Friday pilgrimages to Walsingham for adults and youth groups and an annual Junior Pilgrimage to Walsingham. There have also been two pilgrimages to the Holy Land in the last ten years. Royal British Legion Pontefract’s Remembrance Day service takes place in St Giles’ where all the community groups and civic organisations are represented.

11 Current plans

Following the recent complete reordering of the internal space at St Giles’ and the major project to repair or replace the external aspects of the church, planning once again has started afresh.

We are currently investigating with other organisations to install solar panels on the southern aspect of the church. This, together with our recent registration with EcoChurch, demonstrates our commitment to reduce our carbon footprint at every opportunity

Plans and estimates are already in the pipeline to illuminate the recently cleaned tower, east window and refurbished elevations of the church. Faculty applications will be submitted at the appropriate time when all aspects of the work have been given due consideration.

Over the past few years our magnificent church organ has undergone major repairs and improvements. Hopefully we are now entering the final stages of the rebuilding of the nationally acclaimed Binns organ. Work will commence in the very near future to replace the final sound board to ensure that the instrument will be in excellent condition for generations to come.

12 BGD 2018