Church Profile You will find a loving and “ welcoming congregation Letter from the who will care for you Team Rector 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 Walthamstow 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.