Milestone for 'Tin Mission' Church
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news 5 Hefty bill for church repairs revealed PARISHES in our diocese still need to spend more than £5.6m on outstanding repairs to existing church buildings. And 93 per cent of that needs to be spent on listed church build- ings, according to a survey pub- lished last month. (Left): Worshipper Lisa Freeman with the ‘prayer window’ at St Francis’, Alverstoke; (right): the outside of the ‘tin mission’ church Parishes across the country were asked a one-off question in the annual survey of attendance figures for 2003 about how much they thought still needed to be spent on repairs. The figures were Milestone for ‘tin based on five-yearly inspection reports. The national figure was more than £370m, 87 per cent of which was for listed churches. Other survey results show that £921,000 was spent on major church repairs and £543,000 on mission’ church other major repairs in our diocese during 2003. IT started in 1905 as a behind the church fence – along daughter church of St Mary’s, that also popular for children’s parties. The attendance figures showed ‘tin mission church’. with St Francis himself. morning. The two congregations Another Gosport church is an increase in average weekly church attendance from 15,400 Exactly 100 years later, Worshippers are encouraged to will then join together for lunch. celebrating a significant date this write short prayers to be stuck onto The church was originally built month. St Matthew’s Church in adults and children in 2002 to St Francis’ Church in the framework of the window as as a club for men and boys, but Bridgemary is marking its 50th 15,500 in 2003 in our diocese. Gosport is still going part of their meditations. with a Sunday evening service. anniversary celebrations with a Average Sunday attendance also strong. The congregation has also During the Second World War it concert. rose from 13,500 to 13,900 in those 12 months. The Clayhall Road church, a made and given away 100 cente- was a forces canteen. It was re- The Havant Youth Choir and The figures released by the daughter church of St Mary’s, nary badges featuring a drawing of dedicated as a church again in Havant Saxophone and Clarinet national Church are collated from Alverstoke, is celebrating the the church; actively fundraised to 1947 and then again in 1961. Choir will perform in the Wych attendance counts over four anniversary with a variety of activ- maintain and improve the build- Its blue corrugated iron exteri- Lane church at 7pm on October 8. Sundays in October. Those raw ities, events and improvements. ing; and drawn up a development or was replaced by a modern fibre- Tickets, priced at £5, are available figures include non-regulars at Portsmouth university art stu- plan for the next five years – glass equivalent in the 1980s on 01329-234156, and all proceeds baptisms, Harvest Festivals or dent Lisa Freeman has painted a including new windows, a disabled It continues to be part of the will go to the church. other non-standard services. ‘prayer window’ in the church, toilet and maintenance work on the local community, with the hall pro- Worshipper Pat Goater said: But the figures are refined, in reflecting the view normally seen exterior. viding a venue for activities “The building actually started life consultation with parishes, to help through the window in the Sunday The celebrations will continue including folk dancing, Trefoil as a parish hall, but there were so diocesan finance officers deter- School room. on October 2 when Bishop Guild, mums and babies group, many activities going on there that mine a more accurate figure for It features trees, houses on the Kenneth visits for the church’s Rainbows, Sunday worship with a the clergy thought it would be a the number of ‘regulars’ at each Gilkicker estate and the birds and patronal festival. He will already Sunday School, prayer groups and good idea to get it consecrated and church. That helps to determine animals often seen on the grass have visited St Faith’s, the other parish activities. The building is turned into a church.” the amount of parish share paid by each parish. Tutu tribute for retiring clergyman Porvoo links IT was the icing on the cake fellow church leader. flowed beautifully and was for retiring priest the Rev “We spent one night in most moving, with a congre- are sought Arnold Hirst. gaol. It was a measure of gation made up of every gen- He had already experi- Arnold’s passion for and eration making their way to enced appreciation from a commitment to justice, peace the altar rail for Arnold’s in diocese packed St Nicholas’ Church and freedom. last Holy Communion here.” DO you or does your parish have in Wickham to mark his “When the Hirsts left And, in his final sermon any links with Lutheran churches retirement after 45 years of South Africa, it was our loss as rector, Arnold emphasised in Scandinavia? ministry both there and in and your undoubted gain. the importance of the gospel If so, our diocesan Porvoo South Africa. We wish him and his family message and our response to adviser, the Rev Shirley Then came the surprise - God’s richest blessings in it. Henderson, would like to get in the reading of a tribute from retirement. He has earned a Arnold had been rector of touch with you. the Most Rev Desmond Tutu, richly deserved respite.” St Nicholas’s Church, “I am sure there are many ini- Archbishop Emeritus of Around 270 people had Wickham, since 1988. The tiatives going on which I am Cape Town. packed into St Nicholas’, the night before his final service, unaware of, and it would be good “Arnold Hirst is a jail- capacity of which was bellringers rang a peal of to organise some kind of ‘infor- bird,” he said. “He and I and thought to be 230. Many for- Bob Minor - a total of 5,040 mation bank’ to share experi- several church leaders were mer congregation members changes, which lasted for two ences,” she said. arrested in Johannesburg in returned to thank Arnold for hours and 40 minutes. And ‘Porvoo’ is the name given to apartheid South Africa for the way that his ministry had well-wishers also raised more links between Anglican and protesting in a public touched their lives. than £7,700 towards the cost Scandinavian churches. Contact demonstration against the Churchwarden Judy of his reception and a gift for her on 01329-832162 or The Rev Arnold Hirst and his wife Jill detention without trial of a Lucas said: “The service Arnold and his wife Jill. [email protected]. .