Church Profile You will find a loving and “ welcoming congregation Letter from the who will care for you Team with faithfulness and We are so glad that you are With the completion of some building commitment... interested in exploring whether God renovation and the departure of might be calling you to St Gabriel’s. the previous Team Vicar to serve For many years, we have reflected as as Bishop’s Equalities Advisor, we ” a congregation on the words of the have the opportunity to make a new Angel Gabriel to Mary, ‘For with God, appointment to lead St Gabriel’s into nothing will be impossible’ and we the next season. This House for Duty have a deeply-rooted confidence in role is ideally suited to someone who is the presence and work of the seeking a role within a wider team and Holy Spirit amongst us. wants to focus on discipleship, mission and community building. As part of the In recent years, St Gabriel’s Parish of Team, you will be has grown in number, diversity, supported by resource in areas of building confidence and commitment. It is management, administration, budget and a community which is honest and planning. You will also have colleagues open about its areas of fragility who are committed to your flourishing or vulnerability and it has been and supporting you in the journey of particularly affected by the demands leading St Gabriel’s. and restrictions of the pandemic. However, it is also a hopeful St Gabriel’s new priest will be someone community with a clear vision for who is ready to love and support the reaching out to and serving its congregation, recognising and affirming neighbours whilst also supporting their many gifts and encouraging them in one another through the joys and all areas of ministry. In turn, you will find a challenges of life. loving and welcoming congregation who will care for you with faithfulness and commitment.

We hope this profile will give you some insight into the community of St Gabriel’s. Please do be in touch if you would like an informal conversation about the role.

Rev Vanessa Conant Team Rector Who we are St Gabriel’s is a warm, loving community with generous and open hearts to one another. We are a very diverse congregation, our members have roots in many of the Caribbean islands, different parts of Africa and the wider world. Many of us have lived in the Wood Street area of Walthamstow for many years. We are mixed “ in age with a small group of primary children, a warm, loving community with generous and open hearts... a growing congregation of people of younger working age and a number of retired members. ” Our diversity is a precious gift to us and we work hard to make sure that our activities Our worship Worship during the pandemic has revealed both the and worship are accessible and inclusive, strengths and the fragility of the community. The digital particularly to those with disabilities. Our 10.30am Sunday worship alternates between divide has been evident – with many people unable to Holy Communion and Morning Prayer. We are access the weekly online service. We have missed singing Hospitality is at the core of our life as a liturgically relaxed and enjoy using a wide variety together and found it very difficult not to be able to see community and we enjoy sharing meals of worship songs ranging from the slightly more one another in person. Loneliness has been an issue for together, praying for one another and traditional to more contemporary songs and videos. many of our community. supporting one another through regular phone Our two regular keyboard players accompany us calls and telephone trees. The pandemic has on the piano or organ and are sometimes joined by We have been able to respond to some of these brought particular challenges in terms of other instrumentalists; we also have maracas and challenges by regular letters and prayer resources access to digital resources but we have worked tambourines for the children (and adults!) to join in. posted to all members, the careful but regular use of a hard to remain connected and committed WhatsApp prayer and update group, a strong commitment to one another. We have a small number of active lay leaders of to telephoning and supporting those members of our mainly working age, with busy lives, but with a ‘can- community who are not online. When restrictions allowed, We have a small but committed lay team, do’ attitude of stepping up to challenges. The core a series of garden tea parties and meetings in the local including a highly skilled and experienced team are confident and willing to serve as service park created space for much-needed fellowship. church warden, our Parish Treasurer who leaders, preachers and contributing to the reading of leads brilliantly on many of our operational and Scripture and intercessions. We have also seen much wider engagement and facilities needs, someone training for Licensed involvement in the creation of our online worship. Lay Ministry and members of the congregation Prior to the pandemic, we also had a midweek Holy Members of the church have come forward to read and who are authorised Pastoral Carers. Communion service on Wednesdays and saw a lead, to help edit and upload services, as well as to create regular congregation of 8-10 at this service. There and deliver DVD copies of the service to those who can We would describe ourselves as welcoming, is space and scope to develop other expressions of access worship in this way. warm and approachable. We seek to be good worship, should a missional opportunity arise. listeners, faithful in prayer, loving and lovable! In the period of the vacancy, St Gabriel’s has been hugely We join with the rest of the parish for monthly parish supported by our Associate Vicar (who also has a full-time Electoral Roll: 70 prayer (Sunday evenings) and for Christmas and role in the Diocese) who has overseen the development Average Sunday attendance: 50 Holy Week services as well as for occasional of worship and pastoral materials and provided ongoing joint worship. leadership and support to the lay team. Children and Young People We have a small number of children and young people who are part of St Gabriel’s and we are committed to supporting and encouraging them in their faith. A member of our congregation worked hard to develop a more frequent pattern of children’s provision and to develop a team who could support children’s ministry. We have worked with a local children’s ministry charity (Red Balloon Foundation) to provide resources and support for our children and young people. During the pandemic, regular zoom calls kept our children and young people connected although we have missed the in-person contact. Youth work happens across the parish and there is scope to develop the involvement of young people in wider parish youth activities. Discipleship In this last year, we have placed a particular emphasis on building firm foundations in our faith through sermon series and through small group material. There is a Wednesday evening fellowship and bible-study group which is a key point of contact and connection for a significant proportion of our congregation. This is a group led by able and confident lay leaders.

regular zoom calls kept our “ children and young people connected although we have missed the in-person contact... ” Mission and Outreach Local schools: We have a growing relationship with our nearest school, We have been growing and developing Woodside Academy and have enjoyed our links with the local community welcoming classes to the building and are committed to being a hub and for Experience Easter and Christmas resource for the Wood Street area. With Explored events. We also have a long- support from the London Over the Border standing relationship with Whitefields, (Diocesan fund), we have been able to a school for pupils with special continue and to resource two key areas educational needs of mission by employing a part-time outreach worker (4 hours per week). Wood Street First: Members of the congregation have strong links with Stay and Play: A weekly stay and play the local Wood Street First, a voluntary group for young families, childminders and community group which supports and carers which has proved hugely and hosts events and activities in the popular. Prior to the pandemic, the group Wood Street area. We have benefited was regularly full and supported by a from partnering with Wood Street first committed team of volunteers. In the in local events and hope to build on this last months, the outreach worker relationship in the future. has maintained contact with Stay and Play families. Matthew Court: St Gabriel’s shares its car park with the neighbouring Matthew English Club: A safe and supportive Court, local retirement housing managed environment in which women are by Christian Action (Enfield) Housing able to learn English and build their Association. There is a long-standing conversational skills. The group has also pastoral connection between the church supported women and families with and the local residents. practical advice and accompanied them through the process of seeing settled Local Area Co-ordinator and Connecting status or permanent residency in the UK. Communities: London Borough of Waltham Forest have established a Wednesday Hub: Running for 7 years, the system of local area co-ordinators who Wednesday Hub is a weekly fellowship are employed to support local residents and support group for local people. The in identifying networks of support, hub is open to all but the majority of signposting to other services, building members are older. It has a pattern of connection to community, helping people exercise, activity, discussion and bible build confidence by identifying their study. There are regular shared meals strengths, goals and needs. St Gabriel’s and the group organises a programme of has a strong relationship with our local activities around Black History Month and area co-ordinator who frequently works the Macmillan Coffee Morning. from the Family Centre and meets clients there. We hope to develop this relationship in the future. You will find a loving and “ welcoming congregation who will care for you with faithfulness and commitment... ” Our Church Building St Gabriel’s is a flexible and welcoming building. Built in the 1880s, the sanctuary space has chairs which means the space Our History is highly adaptable. The family centre, built in the 1980s, comprises public toilets The vision for St Gabriel’s Church and a café area which is widely used began with Rev Thomas Parry, and a key gathering place after a Rector of St Mary’s. Sunday services. The work was begun in 1881, Two halls – a large and small – have when services were held in a recently undergone major renovation in draper’s shop in Wood Street and partnership with the London Borough in 1883 the name St. Gabriel’s was of Waltham Forest. This was part of a adopted. In the summer months, programme to create more space for congregations were so large that childcare facilities and the small and open air services were held in the large hall are home to a private nursery grounds of a house in Forest Rise. company (Wood Street Nursery) Monday Sir Frederick Wellington John to Friday 7-7pm. We have enjoyed building Fitz-Wigram gave the land that the the relationships between St Gabriel’s and present church stands on. the Nursery and, prior to the pandemic, Nursery staff supported the Stay and Play The church is slightly unusual in that group each week. it faces north as it was originally built to be the church hall and Upstairs in the Family Centre are two Sunday School and the church was good-sized offices which provide to be built on the site now occupied opportunities for clergy and volunteers by the ‘Family Centre’. This never to work from the church space and came about due to lack of funds. also have potential for hire, following renovation. Later additions to the building mean Prior to the pandemic, a number of that there is a welcoming accessible community groups, other church groups, space close to the heart of the choirs and local businesses were regular Wood Street community. users of the building and there is an opportunity to develop this further . Lettings are managed from the central Parish office with a part-time caretaker and cleaner supporting set up and closure of the building. We are blessed by having the Parish Team treasurer in our congregation who has done a lot of day-to-day liaison with the Wood Street Nursery leaders who use our building. Our area fine dining and the . In St Gabriel’s is located in Havant Road, the opposite direction we have Epping part of the Parish of Walthamstow, Forest, and Essex countryside with all adjacent to Wood Street which has its its tranquillity. Walthamstow Market on own sense of being a neighbourhood, but your doorstep is the longest street market very close to Walthamstow Town centre in Europe. There is a busy town centre with its market, shops and tube station. with many cafés, shops, restaurants and The area is primarily residential but with cinema and “The Village” which hosts small shops and cafes. Wood Street is many independently owned shops. Just an area of considerable growth and rapid a few miles to the south is Stratford regeneration. A mix of new social housing Westfield shopping centre with its many on the Marlowe Estate and new private retail outlets and restaurants. housing with public community space on Waltham Forest is considered one of the the border of the parish looks set to bring greenest boroughs in London and there considerable growth in population to the are many places to walk and explore parish as well as change the architectural nearby. , plains, landscape of the area. Walthamstow Wetlands, Tottenham Wood Street is on the Overground line Marshes, The Lea Valley Country Park into Liverpool Street station and has and the Olympic Park are all close by. good links to Walthamstow Central, Walthamstow is also home to the award- , Chingford and neighbouring winning located Redbridge. Epping Forest is a ten in Lloyds Park and to the local history minute walk from St Gabriel’s. There is museum, Vestry House, in a unique indoor market as well as many . independent shops and cafes. Educationally, our church is linked to St Mary’s primary school which is a short Walthamstow hop and a jump from the Vicarage. This is part of the Genesis Education Trust and it Nicknamed ‘Awesomestow’, has been graded outstanding by OFSTED. Walthamstow is treasured by its local At secondary level, we have many schools residents and it is easy to see why. The nearby which are all good achievers. town and market offer vibrant and diverse urban experience whilst Epping Forest, the Politically, the UK parliament constituency Walthamstow Wetlands and Lea Valley is Walthamstow. This has been held by Country Park provide beautiful, restful the Labour candidate since 1992. Our green spaces. local council has a very healthy labour majority and the councillors for the Wood We are served by fantastic transport Street ward are all representatives of the links from Walthamstow Central station. Labour party. By public transport, we are situated 20 minutes from London’s West End and Exciting times within a warm, welcoming the attraction of theatres, museums, culturally diverse community awaits you. Strengths, Challenges and Vision for the future... Strengths: We are warm loving Vision: During the pandemic, we had community, who thrive on shared meals a particular focus on participation, and fellowship and are faithful in private involvement and growth. These are prayer. We have good buildings with a areas which we were considering prior little garden space at front, back and to the pandemic also. For the past sides, and a small car park. Our worship couple of years, we have been thinking space is loved, and flexible with chairs about how we can build our distinctive rather than pews. We are in a central congregational vocation within the Team location for Wood Street, being 5 minutes Ministry of the Parish of Walthamstow. from the Co-op and other large blocks of We are seeking to leave behind any flats, and 7 minutes from the station. We residual stories of insufficiency which have adapted to the challenges of worship may be holding us back from discovering during the pandemic and continued to God’s power at work in and amongst build relationship and connection us, while acknowledging that a number despite the challenges. of us have experienced the damaging consequences of racism in the broader Challenges: A significant number of society and in church life. We seek to the congregation are growing older depend on God who says ‘behold I am and finding it more difficult to get out, making all things new.’ particularly in this time of pandemic. Frailty and ill-health are a daily reality We are very aware of the huge opportunity for many members and this can be which arises from the growth and change compounded by feelings of isolation and within our community. We want to be a loneliness. Whilst we have real vision hub for our area and to point people to the for our community, it can be difficult good news of Jesus Christ. Whilst this is to find enough volunteers, particularly a highly desirable area where many want for weekday outreach activities. The to live and work, we are also aware that pandemic has exposed the digital divide many individuals and families experience which we experience keenly and made it great social isolation, anxieties around very hard to build on the beginnings of debt, children’s education, healthcare and our missional outreach. the future of work, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. We’d like to be a more visible presence in the Wood Street neighbourhood, responding to social isolation, and the struggles caused by the pandemic. There is an ongoing challenge to us to grow in discipleship in active presence, to grow in numbers and to grow younger. What we are looking for: Waltham Forest Deanery Our new Team Vicar will be and the vision of the • Able to lead us to grow in discipleship and numbers and to grow younger The Parish of Walthamstow is part of a Mission and • Able to support us in being a visible presence in the Ministry Unit (a central feature of the Chelmsford Diocesan Wood Street neighbourhood, responding to social vision) together with Cornerstone Church (our neighbours isolation, and the anxieties caused by the pandemic. to the South) and Chingford Parish Church, 4 miles to the • Able to work with members of the congregation to North. The churches are united by a shared interest in build on good existing relationships with the Nursery, community organising and we work together on issues of Matthew Court, local groups. social justice locally as well as on church growth rooted in organising practices. We also share in confirmation • Able to support the outreach co-ordinator in their preparation with Chingford and in supporting worship and oversight of Stay and Play and English Club. preaching at each other’s churches. We are very different • Able to go on encouraging lay leadership and continue from one another and geographically not side-by-side but to build people’s confidence in trying new things we have found shared purpose and commitment in the especially in hybrid forms of worship. different projects with which we are involved.

• Wanting to get involved in the mission opportunities The Deanery is contiguous with the Borough of Waltham of local regeneration and lots of new housing. Forest, a growing and diverse area. As with the wider Diocesan picture, we recognise that there will be • Skilled in helping us to discover and develop our considerable change in the future of our deanery and that distinctive congregational vocation within the Team is unlikely that we will have the same number of stipends Parish of Walthamstow, and within that seeing where as we have seen in the past. We are committed to working the Holy Spirit is at work locally so we can join in. closely with the Deanery to support both new initiatives • Able to help us go deeper in congregational prayer. and plans for change.

She/he will be The Diocese of Chelmsford vision, ‘Transforming Presence’, can be read here: https://www.chelmsford. • A good communicator, both one-to-one and in clarifying anglican.org/transforming-presence our leadership challenges and vision. We are strongly supported by our local area Bishop, • Christ-like, compassionate and caring; while also Rt Rev and his Senior Team and look modelling good care for their own personal/family-life forward to welcome our new Diocesan Bishop, and well-being. Christ-like, Rt Revd Guli Francis-Dehqani in 2021. • Non-judgmental and open to listening especially to “ compassionate some of the painful stories in our community and congregation, including from our experiences of racism. and caring... • Warm, generous and friendly and able to use plain language in preaching and teaching. ” • Supportive and approachable when people are in difficulties. Team Vicar’s There is one central PCC which oversees the Accommodation financial and strategic governance of all the churches. Members of the PCC are drawn from The accommodation provided with this role is a all three congregations. The Parish Share is 4-bedroomed, well-appointed Edwardian home, paid centrally by all the churches and there is five minutes’ walk from St Gabriel’s. The house a recognition that resources need to be shared has a downstairs WC, large, light study, dining across the churches, taking into account room with open fire, living room and kitchen. different financial circumstances in the A good-sized, secluded garden surrounds the different congregations. property and a double garage provides extensive In each congregation there is a different approach exterior storage. The house is next door to a well- to local leadership. At St Gabriel’s through the stocked local shop and just a few minutes’ walk vacancy and particularly through the pandemic, from St Mary’s and the Parish office. a small and highly committed team of lay leaders has gathered under the direction and leadership of Parish of Walthamstow - our Associate Minister to oversee the church. Team Ministry In recent years and following a governance review, we have tried to build central resource St Gabriel’s has been part of the Team Ministry whilst encouraging local congregations in their of the Parish of Walthamstow since 1998. This unique vocation, allowing diversity to flourish comprises St Luke’s, a fresh expression church and supporting churches to identify their which meets on the Farmers’ Market in central particular strengths. Walthamstow and has a particular ministry to vulnerable and marginalised people and The challenges of this approach are that the St Mary’s, the ancient parish church of team can feel more dispersed and disconnected Walthamstow which has a worshipping and communication across the team can be a congregation of around 200 and is preparing to challenge. It is hoped that the successful candidate undergo some major renovation and restoration would be able to attend team meetings on a work in 2021. The parish supports a Christians regular basis and can work with the Team Rector Against Poverty debt centre and employs a Centre to create a stronger sense of team whilst also Manager to whom clergy can refer people in encouraging St Gabriel’s in its particular gifts. financial need. The parish also employs a Team Administrator who supports hall hire reservations Hours/days per week as well as any wider administrative needs of the parish. The team uses a central software resource This House for Duty role comprising Sundays and for planning worship, preaching and leading. two further days of ministry. Whilst the hours are allowing Preachers and service leaders work across the flexible, the key days for ministry in St Gabriel’s parish although bespoke teaching series for each are Tuesday and Wednesday. “ diversity to congregation are encouraged. For a more informal conversation, please contact Team Rector, Rev Vanessa Conant at flourish... [email protected] or on 07811 444 435. ” Contact for more information: of West Ham, Elwin Cockett Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 8989 8557 https://stgabrielswalthamstow.org

* Photos taken pre & post Covid Design & Print: www.jharts.co.uk