Issue 15 - Summer 2019 PCC News The newspaper for all PCC members to help support your church Life Events Diary Wildlife attracts Acts of loving Making time to launched 2 community 4-5 service 7 reflect and plan 8 A ministry of fun is for all God’s people Giving through QR Codes Many of our churches already established socials such as a harvest way Christians can invite people have a diary of social events lunch, but there was no cohesive to church events, so that people in their community, but if you or regular social club for members outside our community can feel don’t already have one Graham of the church to be involved part of the church and socialise Kirk-Spriggs explains how they with. Add to this mix that our with Christians. went about it in Norwich. congregation is gathered from all The organising group meets over the place, there wasn’t a sense over dinner, and we plan the of geographical community that social events for the year and The Revd Graham Kirk-Spriggs you would get in most parishes. produce a brochure. We try to Curate Part of Christian life is having make sure there’s at least one St Peter Mancroft fun. If we are event a month, vibrant, friendly If we are vibrant, friendly and that there is St Peter Mancroft is a strange and social, then a wide variety of and social, then people from church, not the people, of people from different things, course - they’re lovely! We are a outside our outside our community are from a Ceilidh to James South categories/contactless-donations/ city-centre parish with very few community are more likely to be attracted Parish Lunches, Senior Finance Officer mobile-phone-giving residents; more pigeons live in more likely to and will want to be involved. so that everyone The benefits of using QR codes, our patch than people. Our parish be attracted and can be involved. The Diocese has been working with as with text codes before them, is extremely small and is mostly will want to be Since its a local company, Thyngs, to offer is that it gives an easier way to Norwich Market. How can you be a involved. The Mancroft Ministry inception we’ve had loads of fun parishes the opportunity to capture allow donors to give using their community in a parish like this? of Fun is designed to bind our together, and it has built us up as a donations using QR codes. This phone. A QR code can be easily One of the things I noticed when community together in the bonds community, because Church isn’t has been picked up by the National reproduced and shared on various taking up my position at Mancroft of love and fellowship, getting to the building but the people within Church who, by the time of going materials (such as leaflets, posters was that the social life of the church know each other more, not just it, and if we enjoy spending social to press, should have opened up and envelopes). You can contact was quite sparse. There were lots seeing each other on a Sunday, but time together, then the church is the scheme for parishes to sign up James on 01603 882347 or james. of very good events, and long- also as a non-threatening and easy flourishing. to at www.parishbuying.org.uk/ [email protected] 2 ISSUE 15 - SUMMER 2019 PCC News Editorial Introducing Robert Culyer Parish Funding Support Officer Anastasia Moskvina, 01603 882326 [email protected] your Historic Church There is much speculation about but we have to do it if we are what our new Bishop will bring going to grow The Kingdom. As to our Diocese. One thing I do Building Support Officer I have mentioned in previous know is that he will be bringing columns, think about the service his seven bee hives with him. or event that you are going to ask As a beekeeper (and I use the them to join. Try and choose a short, it is an awesome job! My out strategies, and suggest ideas for term loosely!) I have two types busier service such as a benefice background is in architecture and community engagement to explore. of bee hive: A national hive and service where there is likely to art history; I have also published on My post is funded by Historic a WBC hive. The national hive be more people present. People relationships between architecture England but I work for the Diocese, is a modern hive which takes want to belong to something and liturgy, have been a Verger in and although I will be working little maintenance whereas the that is growing and successful. a huge church and am currently mostly with the churches on the more traditional-looking hive Whilst talking to visitors it may trying to finish a PhD in Anglo- Heritage at Risk register (please get has to be continually painted and be necessary to try and dispel Saxon archaeology. in touch if you think you should maintained. The older traditional several misconceptions about Too many churches feel the be on it) and those facing the hives attract more attention going to church. For example, pressure of having to complete most substantial and expensive from visitors to my garden, and misconceptions such as you have substantial and often urgent repairs, I will make sure to promote this made me think about an to pay, you must wear a suit, you repairs, whilst not having any success stories and good practice evening that the Diocese put need to be always good before money and relying on a very advice for every church that faces on called ‘PCC tonight’. Many you can go to church, and finally small number of people to take a NLHF (HLF) grant application of those attending complained you have to be a committed Anastasia Moskvina any work forward. All this is often or would like to do more with the about their annoyance with Christian. Historic Church Building accompanied by another fairly community to attract funding. their old church building and Seeing our buildings as tools Support Officer painful process of writing grant My colleagues Robert Culyer and the associated maintenance. of outreach enforces the idea applications, followed by waiting Michele O’Keefe are, as always, But one lady said that she was of our churches being viewed My job is a hybrid of care for and frequent rejections. This looks happy to advise on fundraising and surprised that people viewed as community buildings. As churches and their congregations, quite grim, but I think hope and grant applicatio ment with the our great buildings as a source community buildings we need to knowledge of their history resilience are incredibly important DAC are here to provide help and of annoyance rather than as a think of ways of using them to and architectural significance, and are the way forward. If any of guidance on building projects and great opportunity for outreach. encourage people to come over understanding of their fabric, you reading this now have had the alterations to fabric! I do wonder how many people our threshold. Churches across passion about securing funds, and bitter experience of having a grant I am confident that with a bit of visit our churches week-in our Diocese have been used for ideas about how church buildings application rejected, please have work, all, of course, shall be well. week-out across the Diocese, flower festivals, art exhibitions, can open doors to more visitors faith and do not get discouraged! You can contact Anastasia on but more importantly whilst markets and many other things. and be more coherent elements I will do my best to help you write 01603 882336 or anastasia. they are visiting I wonder what I appreciate that the Christmas of surrounding communities. In competitive applications, figure [email protected] do we do to encourage those period seems a long way off, but visitors to join us for worship we really need to start planning in our churches? It is good that now because, as we all know, this there is usually a list of services is the time when we have the displayed in the church, but we greatest footfall to our churches. Life Events Diary need to actually engage with I genuinely hope that you enjoy these people by talking to them this edition of your newspaper, and encouraging them to come and find ideas and articles of along and see what our church interest to you. Finally thank is all about. I appreciate that you to everyone who takes the for many of us we are stepping trouble to give feedback. I really outside of our comfort zone, do appreciate it. Archbishops encourage The Church of England have for follow-up after a service, with the Church of England’s Life launched the Life Events Diary email reminders Events Team and iKnow Church, churches to sign up to to help parishes and benefices n Share data, tasks and messages specialists in church IT and streamline the administration for with others in the church to administration systems. They baptisms, weddings and funerals help you direct, delegate and have developed a number of video digital charter and build lasting relationships with coordinate from wherever tutorials to communicate what’s new contacts through these events. you are. possible using the software and The custom-built online software practical step-by-step guides to The Church of England has the way we live our lives.