Diocese of York archdeacons’ visitation news Spring 2016 - issue 14 Dear friends... As you read this, Archbishop Sentamu will be drawing to a close his six-month Pilgrimage of Prayer, Witness and Blessing around the Diocese of York... As I write, he has just completed the Cleveland a rollercoaster: ordination, curacy in a semi- section of his journey in the Deaneries rural benefice near Swindon, and then straight of Whitby, Guisborough, Middlesbrough, back into ‘head office’ as Adviser for Licensed Stokesley, Mowbray and Northern Ryedale. Ministry in Bristol Diocese, a combination of Director of Ordinands and Warden of Readers. Before ordination I had worked in head office in Lloyds TSB for more than 10 years, so had a wry smile at finding myself back there again so soon! Throughout all of this, my hope has been that I can honour God through my life and ministry and I try to be a blessing to those with whom I come into contact – my life is the only testimony I have to the greatness of God’s power and love in me. I hope that is what people The Venerable The Venerable see when they meet me and that I am forgiven Samantha Rushton Andy Broom when I fall short as I, like everyone Archdeacon of Archdeacon of else, often do. Cleveland The East Riding It has been five weeks of walking and praying, How can I help you be the most fruitful that you meeting all sorts of people in all sorts of can be so that you can enable others to shine? places, witnessing to Christ’s redeeming love Nine months into the role of Archdeacon, and power. Throughout the Pilgrimage, it has I remain convinced that the most important been fascinating to see the Archbishop’s deep thing we need to achieve in the church love for God and his relationship with Jesus, today is to give back to our ministers (and the depth of his prayerfulness and the speed congregations) the confidence that they at which he can walk! We have seen people had when they first became Christians to healed, babies baptised, old acquaintances preach the Gospel they were always called rekindled and new relationships formed, to preach. Churchwardens are pivotal in that especially with community schools across the aim – they create the environment in which Diocese of York. When John the Baptist asks faith and confidence in the Gospel can be The Venerable his disciples to ask Jesus ‘Are you the one who grown and nurtured. Without them, even Sarah Bullock is to come, the Messiah?’, Jesus’s answer is the best clergy will struggle and churches Archdeacon of York ‘Go back and tell him what you have seen’. flounder. Churchwardens create, mould and Was the Archbishop’s Pilgrimage ‘a success’? help shape the nurturing environment in which Its enduring fruitfulness will be its testimony. good ministry and witness is rooted in Christ- like communities. In each of our personal So it is in our lives. I became a Christian in my pilgrimages, I pray that we will all find that Produced and printed by early thirties when we brought our son for balance of Prayer, Witness and Blessing and baptism and were welcomed into the church that we will all see God at work in our midst. family, made to feel that we belonged, that we were valued, that we were loved. Having The Ven Sam Rushton committed my life to Christ, the rest has been Archdeacon of Cleveland www.ecclesiastical.com/church parish has an empty building and we have some enthusiastic youth leaders but Mission: Starting nowhere to meet, why don’t we get together to start a youth club over there which serves from here both of our communities?” As Archbishop Sentamu walked around the How often have you had this conversation in your PCC? “If only we diocese on his Pilgrimage, he was struck by how often mission initiatives stopped had a toilet/kitchen/youth worker/Sunday School/new roof/[insert at parish boundaries and was keen to your own word here], we could really achieve something here”. encourage people to think more creatively about working together. Churches often spend time waiting to act This ‘Asset-Based Mission’ approach has until just the right set of circumstances are much to commend it theologically and is in place or working to achieve the right set very much in line with the diocesan mission of circumstances so that they can act. Which to create Generous Churches Making and often means that they spend a lot of time Nurturing Disciples. Generosity is a response waiting... to God’s great generosity to us – he has Councils and other organisations around the already given us all the gifts we need to country have begun using a new ABCD to serve and transform the world. If we begin help them kick-start communities into action: with the gifts we have been entrusted with – Asset-Based Community Development. however much or little – God will bless Instead of starting with what is lacking them and multiply them as we use them. in order to rejuvenate a community, they But we cannot bury them in the ground until encourage local people to look at the we have the ‘right’ set of gifts for the plans assets that they already have: buildings, we have. Perhaps we should start again with people, ideas, open spaces etc. Having our mission conversations in PCC – instead made an inventory of all these gifts, they of “If only we had X ...”, maybe all of our conversations should start with “Thank God are encouraged to begin to think about new that we have Y: now what can we do with it ways of using them, perhaps combining today?” them in different ways to create a new idea or sharing them across old boundaries to The Ven Sam Rushton forge new initiatives. “If the neighbouring Archdeacon of Cleveland Here are some questions for you to ask Safeguarding and yourself: 1) Would you be able to recognise something that was at a safeguarding churchwardens level? 2) Would you know who to talk to about an My name is Dave Finan and I am your new issue of safeguarding? Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor... 3) Do you feel prepared or equipped within your role to safeguard? People are often A broad definition of safeguarding is ‘to 4) What do you think would help you to confused about the protect someone from harm or damage become more safeguarding aware and term ‘safeguarding’ with an appropriate measure. Protection able to respond? and what it actually against attack, loss or injury. A precautionary If you have a question or wish to make a means, and I hope measure. An expected stipulation or report, you should contact the police on 999 this article will contract, an expected conduct. To provide a or 101 if there is immediate concern about help explain more safe journey whilst engaged in a particular about safeguarding and how it affects you place. To preserve or to guard against, to the welfare of a child or a vulnerable adult. If as churchwardens. shield. To provide a safe passage’. the matter is related to a safeguarding issue within the diocese, you should contact: As a practising Christian, my faith is a focus Safeguarding applies to all persons in the workplace and I believe in the church no matter what age, gender or race. A a) your parish safeguarding representative safeguarding issue can be with regards to an as a safe place for all. My background is b) your parish incumbent in social work; I have worked within local individual or to a group. Safeguarding relates government for the last 26 years. My career to physical, sexual and emotional issues, and c) your Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor on has focused on child protection, statutory can also relate to the vulnerability, capacity 01904 699524, 07551 124951 or at children’s work and locality safeguarding and capability of a person. [email protected] children’s boards. My role prior to becoming You may not consider that you have a I look forward to meeting you all and helping the DSA was as a Local Authority significant role in safeguarding, however, to keep our churches safe places. Designated Officer, in which I became a safeguarding is everybody’s business and consultant to both the statutory and voluntary therefore your role may be more significant Dave Finan services with regards to safeguarding. than you think. Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor Serving our customers We survey you, our church customers on a regular basis to make sure we are continuing to deliver the service you have come to expect from us. If you’ve called Ecclesiastical with a church query you will have spoken to our friendly customer service team. The team only deal with church insurance and are on hand to give you St. Mary’s, Radcliffe expert support no matter what the question. Out of all the customers we surveyed, we were delighted that 98% (684 responses) were satisfied There when you with our service. need us The end of 2015 was a traumatic time for many of our FAITH CLAIMS customers in Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire. Extreme bad SURVEY 2015 weather and floodwater caused by Storms Desmond, Eva, and % Frank devastated many communities including their churches. 99 In total, 70 churches we insure were badly swamping the church along with hundreds of SATISFACTION affected by floodwater, often many feet deep. nearby properties. The flood water, at its peak, At times of major incidents like this, our claims was waist high in the church so we sent in our team pull out all the stops to provide quick specialist cleaning teams who started work to and effective support to affected customers.