PARISH PROFILE
1 | Page TABLE OF CONTENTS
Where are we Located ...... p.3
Description of Parish Boundaries ...... p.3
Parish Boundary Map ...... p.4
Our Vision ...... p.5
Our People ...... p.5
Our Parish Contact Information ...... p.5
Our Mission Action Plan ...... p.6-7
Our Parish Facilities ...... p.8-14
Our Service Times ...... p.15-17
Our Ministries ...... p.18-20
St Alban’s Ministry Centre (SAMS) ...... p.21
Our Opportunities for Growth ...... p.22
Our Challenges/Vulnerabilities ...... p.22
Our 2018 Parish Statistics ...... p.22
Our Finances ...... p.23
Our Commitment to Safe Ministry ...... p.23
Our Next Parish Priest ...... p.23
Our Local Government Information ...... p.24-25
2 | Page WHERE ARE WE LOCATED The Anglican Parish of Muswellbrook is located within the Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Shires of the Upper Hunter region of New South Wales and is a Parish community forming part of the Inland Episcopate of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle.
The area is predominately known for coal mining, horse breeding and agriculture. Also located to the south of the township and within the Parish are two coal fuelled power stations which produce some 40% of NSW’s power.
DESCRIPTION OF PARISH BOUNDARIES Commencing in the south-west where the Denman to Jerrys Plains Road crosses the Hunter River and bounded thence towards the north-west by that road for about 2.4km. Thence northerly by the Muswellbrook to Jerrys Plains Road to its intersection with Muswellbrook to Denman Road. Thence across the nearby Hunter River by a straight line north-westerly to Bray’s Hill. Thence continuing in a north-westerly direction to the Muswellbrook to Wybong Road at its intersection with Castlerock Rd at about 16 km’s from Muswellbrook. Thence northerly by Castlerock Rd a distance of about 6.4km’s, thence by a straight line north- easterly to The Lookout on the road to Gallaghers Mountain. Thence generally easterly along that road through Dartbrook to and across the New England Highway and to the Great Northern Railway at a point about 3.2km’s north of Aberdeen and then along Segenhoe Road to the visitor’s centre at Glenbawn Dam. Thence in a straight line easterly to Cockrow Mountain, in the Mount Royal Range, and bounded thence on the south–east and south by a line passing through the Pinnacle and The Brothers to Kangaroo Mountain. Thence by a range generally southerly to Grasstree Mountain, thence by a straight line southerly to a point on the Hunter River about 6.4 km’s west of Jerrys Plains (the Great Northern Railway is crossed by that line about 9.6km’s on the Muswellbrook side of Ravensworth Railway
Station), thence upstream by the Hunter River to the point of commencement.
3 | Page PARISH BOUNDARY MAP
4 | Page OUR VISION To be the Anglican community of faith in Muswellbrook who seek to know and follow Jesus Christ and spread the Gospel to all people.
OUR PEOPLE The people of the Anglican Parish of Muswellbrook are always looking for ways to build our faith community and we welcome all people to our parish. We strive to be supportive, committed and caring, not only within our Parish, but also extending out into the wider community.
Key Positions Parish Priest Rector’s Churchwarden 2 x People’s Churchwardens Parish Office Manager - 5 days per week Parish Council Secretary Parish Council Treasurer Mission Secretary Parish Council Safety Delegate Parish Safe Ministry Officer Ministry Centre Coordinator Parish Council – Separated into Ministry Council and Resourcing Council Lay Liturgical and Chalice Assistants
OUR PARISH CONTACT INFORMATION Office Phone: 02 6541 2718 Office Hours: Monday to Friday - 9.30am to 3.30pm Email Office: [email protected] Website: www.anglicanmuswellbrook.com.au Postal Address: PO Box 125, Muswellbrook NSW 2333 Street Address: 19 Brook Street, Muswellbrook NSW 2333 Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/St-Albans-Anglican-Church- 1425376417726915/
5 | Page OUR MISSION ACTION PLAN
As a worshipping community of Anglicans in the Upper Hunter Region of the Diocese of Newcastle, we hear the call to be “flourishing by grace”. We are committed to being a safe church where people of all ages and from all backgrounds may find a safe place to worship and live life together in a comprehensive expression of the Anglican community.
Over the next 12 months we commit ourselves to serve God and the community in which God has placed us, by focussing our resources in the following key areas:
Heartfelt Prayer and Worship We will continue to offer regular inspirational Anglican worship in each of our parish centres. Weekly on Sunday mornings at St Alban’s Weekly on Wednesday mornings at St Alban’s Fortnightly on Sunday mornings at St Paul’s and St Mark’s Fortnightly on Friday mornings at Willow Grove Village Monthly on Sunday afternoons at Messy Church at St Alban’s Monthly on Sunday evenings at Sunday@6 with the Roman Catholic and Uniting Church congregations An ecumenical service three or four times a year at Davis Creek Union Church Monthly service of Holy Communion at Calvary Retirement Living
Key Focus: Lay led services of the word at St Mark’s and St Paul’s. Key Focus: Continuing to grow Messy Church. Key Focus: Fostering ecumenical relationships through Sunday@6.
6 | Page Loving Service We will continue to offer care and support to members of our wider community through St Alban’s Ministry Centre. Offering for sale good quality clothes and household items at affordable prices. Supporting people in need through the ministry of the Parish Pantry. Offering friendship and community to those who are lost or lonely. Providing the opportunity for people to develop and enhance their life skills and experience.
Key Focus: Maintain giving to the Parish Pantry. Key Focus: Be open to pursuing new ways to support our community through creative partnerships. Key Focus: Assist jobseekers to move to job readiness through voluntary work at the Ministry Centre.
Creative Evangelism & Teaching We will continue to seek ways to engage with people in our community who do not have a current connection with the Church. Continuing to invite people to create community through Social Saturday, four times each year. Actively look for opportunities to invite people to Social Saturday, Sunday@6, Messy Church or Sunday worship. Take opportunities to share the Good News of God’s kingdom by living our lives with integrity according to Gospel values.
Key Focus: Support and resource Social Saturday gatherings and invite people to take part. Key Focus: Be consciously aware of opportunities to invite people to engage with the Parish. Key Focus: Pursue opportunities to ecumenically engage in worship and service with our sisters and brothers from other denominations.
7 | Page OUR PARISH FACILITIES St Alban’s Precinct St Alban’s Church
8 | Page Rectory
9 | Page Rectory Floor Plans First Floor
Ground Floor
10 | Page Hall
Writing Room
11 | Page Parish Office
Cottage
Weidmann Village
12 | Page Aberdeen St Mark’s Church
St Mark’s Hall
13 | Page St Mark’s Cottage
St Paul’s Castlerock
14 | Page OUR SERVICE TIMES
St Alban's Muswellbrook - Cnr Brook Street & Hunter Terrace • Each Sunday - Holy Communion - 8:30am • Each Wednesday - Holy Communion - 10.00am • 1st Sunday of the Month - Sunday@6 - 6.00pm (Ecumenical Service) • 3rd Sunday of the Month - Messy Church - 4.00pm
St Mark’s Aberdeen - Moray Street • 1st Sunday of the Month - Morning Prayer - 10.30am • 3rd Sunday of the Month - Holy Communion - 10.30am
St Paul’s Castlerock - Castlerock Road • 2nd Sunday of the Month - Morning Prayer - 10:30am • 4th Sunday of the Month - Holy Communion - 10.30am
Willow Grove Village - 2nd & 4th Friday of the Month - 10.00am Calvary Retirement Living - 4th Wednesday of the Month - 3.00pm
Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals and Home Communion by request.
Occasional Services Shrove Tuesday at Aberdeen (Ecumenical Service)
15 | Page Kirkin’ The Tartan/Highland Games - Aberdeen
Davis Creek Union Church – Christmas and Easter
16 | Page Police Remembrance Day Service
Anzac Day Service
17 | Page OUR MINISTRIES Messy Church Messy Church is an all age, inter- generational style of worship. This ministry is viewed as a priority in our Parish as an area for encouraging engagement with the community and teaching the Gospel. Messy Church is held each month and is an exciting way to reach families who may not access other more traditional Church services. This style of service focuses on Christ-centred values through friendship, interactive activities, celebratory worship and shared fellowship. A Messy Church committee, supported by the Parish Priest, meets regularly for planning and review.
Sunday @ 6 Sunday@6 is a less formal style of worship held on the first Sunday evening of each month at St Alban’s Anglican Church, Muswellbrook. Various different service formats are utilised and include Taize, Scripture & Contemporary Music, and Praise & Proclamation worship. Sunday@6 is a wonderful means of encouraging ecumenism between churches - an outreach to encourage fellowship and closer relations with other churches in our community.
Mothers Union Muswellbrook Anglican Mothers Union aims to uphold Christ's teaching on the nature of marriage and promote its wider understanding, encourage parents to bring up their children in the faith and life of the Church, maintain a worldwide fellowship of Christians united in prayer, worship and service, promote conditions in society favourable to stable family life and the protection of children, and help those whose family life has met with adversity.
18 | Page Mothers Union members attend baptisms on a roster basis and present appropriate gifts to the newly baptised Christian, facilitate ministry at the Muswellbrook Court House, maintain a prayer circle and participate in the annual Wave of Prayer.
Social Saturday Social Saturday is held four times per year and was formed with the common goal of continuing to find different ways we as a parish could come together to build community and to form relationships with both the church and wider community. Each quarter Social Saturday comprises an activity (craft, cooking, beauty care, sewing, flower arranging, picnic etc.) with time for a cuppa and fellowship together in a non-threatening, relaxing and supportive environment. Our hope is we will continue to broaden the number of people from outside the parish community becoming involved in the events.
Spring Fair The Parish Spring Fair comprises food stalls, invited market stall holders, local service display vehicles, a quilt display in the church with interactive displays by local artists, potters, spinners etc. In addition to involving most of our parishioners in various ways, many volunteer members from the local community help out on the day.
19 | Page This occasion provides an excellent opportunity to reach out to the community and to invite them into the church precinct. Many local businesses donate prizes and money to support the running costs, the Major Raffle and Chocolate Wheel. The people who donate items or money, the volunteers who come to entertain or to assist on the day enable us to form friendships and relationships with people who would normally never have any contact with our parish. The monies raised are then fed back into the community to assist with ministry and welfare initiatives.
Mission Giving
Kairos Prison Ministry This is an outreach ministry to the prisoners at St Heliers Correctional Centre. The parish supports this ministry by providing volunteers to attend the prison, donating gifts for the agape, the Hospitality Group caters for the Kairos team members’ meetings, and the parish hall is made available for meetings.
20 | Page ST ALBAN’S MINISTRY CENTRE (SAMS)
St Alban’s Ministry Centre
Vision Following the example of Jesus Christ our Lord, to be a place of hospitality, hope and welcome to all who seek refuge, aid or assistance.
St Alban’s Ministry Centre has been operating for 20 years with a staff comprising a Coordinator, volunteers, Joblink Work for the Dole participants and Newstart referrals. The main ministries currently operating at SAMS are an Op shop which sells clothes, furniture etc. and a Parish Pantry providing food parcels each Wednesday and other times if required. SAMS also helps people with free clothes, linen or household goods. After providing assistance, our dedicated staff are often able to point vulnerable people in the right direction for other help. SAMS enjoys a very good working relationship with other organisations including Upper Hunter Community Services, Joblink and Aberdeen Treasures.
21 | Page OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH Untapped potential at St Alban’s Ministry Centre to provide broader ministry/outreach to the vulnerable members of the Muswellbrook community. Building on the current ministry of Messy Church to encourage families to engage with the parish. Possible expansion to Messy Baptism and Messy Eucharist. Baptism Bear and Blessing of the Animals services to encourage greater engagement with non-regular church attendees. Growth of the Hospitality Group to provide ministry and outreach to the wider community through the provision of refreshments, etc at events ie. funerals, baptisms, other functions, held within the various halls. Conducting a Christmas Carol Service and Barbecue at the Muswellbrook South Community Centre grounds as an outreach to the community. Funded by the parish, with the opportunity for corporate sponsorship or free-will donation bucket.
OUR CHALLENGES/VULNERABILITIES Ageing Congregations Difficulty in attracting volunteers etc to maintain ministries Lack of Children/Youth (age group 12-40) Lack of Pastoral Care Ongoing Drought Appropriate Management of Heritage Buildings Reduction in Giving Cost of Outsourcing to maintain Ministries – paying for Music Ministry Itinerant/Transient Population
OUR 2018 PARISH STATISTICS 24 baptisms 33 funerals 3 weddings 3603 total weekend services church attendances 2637 total weekend services acts of communion 4180 total number of all acts of communion over all the days of the year 197 total attendance at church services from Holy Monday through to Easter Day 84 acts of communion at church services from Holy Monday through to Easter Day 238 total attendance at church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 238 acts of communion at church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
22 | Page OUR FINANCES The Anglican Parish of Muswellbrook has a stable financial position with the parish being able to support a full-time Parish Priest and Parish Office Manager. This is established and maintained by regular giving through a combination of direct debit and plate offerings. This is supplemented by St Alban’s Ministry Centre income, rental income from the hiring of our halls to various organisations, and rental income from several parish properties. A copy of the parish financial information is available upon request.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFE MINISTRY
Our Parish is committed to being a safe place for all people who seek to be part of our parish family. To support this, all office holders and those who minister with children and vulnerable people hold a current Working With Children Check, a NSW Police Check and undertake regular Safe Ministry Training.
Our Parish Council regularly reviews the Diocesan Safe Ministry Self –Assessment Document, Faithfulness in Service Code of Conduct, Being Together and Workplace Health and Safety documentation. Our Safe Ministry Officer and the Parish Safety Delegate report monthly on these key areas of responsibility.
OUR NEXT PARISH PRIEST - YOU
We are looking forward to our next Parish Priest leading us in worship, encouraging and equipping us to serve others and continue to grow in our faith journey.
We would highly value your skills and experience to support wise stewardship of our parish finances and resources, and your innovative knowledge and skills in parish administration and financial management will help us ensure sustainability and growth of our assets for future ministry and mission.
We are faithfully awaiting a Parish Priest who will become our guide, companion and friend as we seek to continue building God’s kingdom in worship, praise, pastoral care and outreach. 23 | Page OUR LOCAL AREA INFORMATION The Anglican Parish of Muswellbrook encompasses the townships of Muswellbrook and Aberdeen, and their surrounding rural communities.
MUSWELLBROOK (www.muswellbrook.nsw.gov.au) Outline. Muswellbrook is in the Upper Hunter region of NSW, 243 km north of Sydney and 127 km north-west of Newcastle. It is the major town in the Muswellbrook Shire Council. The area is predominantly known for coal mining and horse breeding, but has also developed a reputation for gourmet food and wine production.
Population. Muswellbrook had a population of 12,075 at the 2016 Census, 9.3% being Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people. At the Census 27.6% were Anglican, 24.5% Catholic and 23.5% claimed no religion. Muswellbrook has a large number of mine and contract workers who live in the Lower Hunter area and who travel to work in Muswellbrook.
Climate. Muswellbrook weather ranges from hot summer days, often reaching 40C, to cold winters with frequent frosts. Annual average rainfall is around 700mm, with most rain during summer months.
Health Support. Facilities include Muswellbrook District Hospital, three medical centres, a dental surgery, physiotherapy and chiropractic practices. There are three pharmacies, one residential care nursing home, and three 'Over 55' retirement villages including the Muswellbrook Anglican Parish Weidmann Village.
Retail Outlets. Muswellbrook is served by its main street shopping strip and two shopping malls, one near central Muswellbrook, the second in Muswellbrook South. There are four supermarkets and one department store.
Schools. Muswellbrook has seven schools plus three child minding centres. The schools are: Muswellbrook South Public School - https://muswellbrs-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ Muswellbrook Public School - https://muswellbro-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/ St James Primary School Muswellbrook - http://www.muswellbrook.catholic.edu.au/ Pacific Brook Christian School - http://www.pacificbrook.nsw.edu.au/pbcs/ Muswellbrook High School - https://muswellbro-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/ Muswellbrook Pre School Kindergarten - https://muswellbrookpreschool.com.au/ Little Kindy Muswellbrook - https://littlekindy.com.au/ A school also attended by children from Muswellbrook and Aberdeen, is Scone Grammar School (https://sgs.nsw.edu.au/).
24 | Page Community Groups, Clubs, Recreation & Services. The main community service is Upper Hunter Community Services Inc. at the QE11 Community Centre. In addition Muswellbrook has a Senior Citizens Centre, a Council Art Gallery, a swimming centre with heated pool and gymnasium, an indoor sports centre, indoor bowling alley, a golf club, RSL Club bowling greens, croquet courts, a skate board park, Rotary Club, Lions Club, Lioness Club, Probus Club, Men’s Shed, an Amateur Theatrical Society, a Conservatorium of Music, Scouts and Girl Guides, Toastmasters Club, a Chamber of Commerce and two radio stations.
Annual Events. Muswellbrook community conducts a number of annual events, including; Muswellbrook Show Society Show. Blue Heeler Film Festival. Muswellbrook & Upper Hunter Eisteddfod. NAIDOC Week Arts Awards. St Heliers Heavy Horse Field Day. Muswellbrook Cup race meeting. St Alban’s Spring Fair.
ABERDEEN (www.upperhunter.nsw.gov.au) Outline. Aberdeen is a small town at the southern edge of the Upper Hunter Shire Council area and 12 km north of Muswellbrook. At the 2016 Census 1,892 people lived in Aberdeen, which is a residential area for people who work in the mining and rural industries of both Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter Shires. At 2016 Census 6.7% were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and 34.3% indicated they were Anglicans, 28.2% Catholic, and 17.9% as having no religion.
Climate. Similar to Muswellbrook.
Health Support. Aberdeen has a medical centre and a pharmacy. Residents travel to Muswellbrook or Scone for other services. There is an 'Over 55' residential village.
Retail Outlets. There is limited convenience shopping with most residents shopping in Muswellbrook or Scone.
Schools. There are two schools in Aberdeen, Aberdeen Public School (https://aberdeen- p.schools.nsw.gov.au/) and St Joseph's High School Aberdeen (https://www. aberdeen.catholic.edu.au/), with the latter a large school which draws students from throughout the Upper Hunter. Additionally, Aberdeen has a pre-school for young children.
Community Groups, Clubs and Services. Aberdeen has limited stand-alone community groups, which include an RSL Club, Golf Club, Rugby League Club, Lions Club, Men’s Shed and a Little Athletics Club.
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