st. bernard’s parish church and...

www.stbernardshamstead.co.uk

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St. Bernard’s Parish Church and Centre,

Hamstead, Birmingham

Parish Profile 2014

Our Vision

Doing God’s work

in Hamstead


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Hamstead – Our Parish

The Parish of St. Bernard’s Hamstead is a suburb of Birmingham, but entirely within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell. It is

within a 5 mile radius of Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall and West Bromwich which provide shopping centres, theatres,

cinemas and hospitals.


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The parish falls within Newton ward and has a population of approximately 6900. There are currently 84 people on the electoral

roll. The population of Hamstead is a racial mix of White, Asian and African-Caribbean heritages and all are represented in our

regular congregation. Hamstead is a predominantly working/middle class area, with the main occupations being of a manual or

skilled/semiskilled nature, with some managerial and some professional residents. The level of unemployment is above the

national average. Property is approximately 80/20% private/council owned and about half the private housing is ex council

housing.

Hamstead benefits from excellent public transport links including direct bus services to Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield and West

Bromwich and a railway station with trains to Walsall and Birmingham New Street is just outside the Parish boundary. Various mini

bus services operate in the area.

The area includes a separate Nursery/Infant and Junior Schools and a Community Centre housing a library, luncheon club and

several multipurpose rooms that are used for many various leisure activities. A health centre/clinic is also located within the

Tanhouse Centre. The area accommodates a YMCA hostel and is well served by convenience stores and shops. The usual

facilities of post office, chemists, doctors and vets are all within the Parish as are two public houses.

Our Vision

Doing God’s Work in Hamstead


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The Parish borders the beautiful greenbelt area of Sandwell

Valley and contains a RSPB Nature Reserve, with a farm, two

lakes, one very popular for sailing and other water sports as well

as many other leisure facilities.

The north and west boundaries of the Parish border the Diocese of Lichfield and the east and south boundaries border the Parish

of St. Paul, Hamstead. There is a United Reformed Church within the Parish boundaries.


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St. Bernard’s Church - Hamstead

Our Buildings

The building was consecrated as a Parish Church on 14th November 1996

We have a much used, multipurpose building comprising of two halls, three small meeting rooms, licensed bar area, two kitchens

and the worship area. There is an ecumenical Food bank housed within the building. There is external ramp access and toilets for

disabled usage. Recent repair work has been completed on the outside drains at the back of the building and to the gentleman’s

toilets in this area.


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The Vicarage is 200 metres from the Church. It was built in 1970, is in good condition and has 12 rooms in total, a study, lounge,

dining room, cloakroom, kitchen, utility room, four bedrooms, bathroom and a single car garage. It is fully centrally heated and has

an alarm system. There is a large secluded garden. The vicarage is adjacent to shops, chemist and dentist and is situated on a

service road.


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St. Bernard’s Worship

The pattern of Sunday Worship is as follows:

9.00am – Holy Communion

No music. The Average attendance at this Service is 15 people

10.30am – Morning Worship with Holy Communion

Children’s Church meets during the 10.30am service. The average attendance at this Service is 60 people


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Occasional Services

No regular evening services are held.

There is an annual service for the bereaved.

A healing service is held every 6-8 months approximately

A Communion Service is held on the first Wednesday of every month.

The prayer group meets every Wednesday morning from 10.30am -.12.00pm

Communion to the sick is as requested.

During the past year there have been:-

Baptisms - 5

Confirmations – 5.

Weddings -2

Funerals in Church - 3

Crematoria/Cemetery Funerals – 21

Ministry

The ministry teams consists of: Vicar (Vacancy)

1 Reader (Permission to officiate)

Licensed Pastoral Team –5 members, plus 1 hospital chaplaincy team member who is available for support.

The Pastoral team provide preparation for Baptism, hospital visiting, visiting the sick at home and Communion at home.

There is all lay participation in the Junior Church

There is occasional participation by the Reader at special services i.e. Remembrance service, carols service, Good Friday

There is open prayer during the intercessions at the 10.30 services. Intercessions are lay led on occasions

Lessons are read on a rota basis

Ten people are licensed to administer the Chalice

Prayers for healing at the 9.00am and 10.30am service once a month


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Ecumenical

There is a Trussell Trust food bank that runs from the Church twice a week.

There is a monthly Praise and Prayer Service involving the local Churches and held in parishioners homes.

Lent groups are inter-church

Inter-church Carol singing

Wider Church

We have 3Deanery Synod representatives.

Major features of Parish life in recent years

Several 3D courses have been held.

Gift Aid and planned giving is encouraged.

A stewardship campaign was held in 2012

We hold Spring and Christmas fetes.

Parish Away Days have been held and the opportunity to attend Retreats is available.

A flower festival was held in 2013 as part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of St. Bernard’s

Local Social Issues

We make regular charitable donations which are decided upon by the Giving Committee. We support St. Basils with donations of food, money and household items on an annual basis. http://www.stbasils.org.uk/

We support the Diocesan work with Malawi through an annual donation.

http://www.stbasils.org.uk/


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Teaching

Sermon series – the lectionary is followed at present.

Children’s Church – meets during the 10.30am service.

Confirmation: - adult and junior preparation groups are held as required annually as well as Communion before Confirmation classes.

Ecumenical Lent groups are held each year

The Vicar has had a well-established involvement with the local J&I schools with a monthly junior assembly. She was also a member of the Board of Governors of the school. The schools visit the Church for services to celebrate Easter, Harvest, Christmas and Christingle. .

Music

We have a keyboard, Hammond organ with a Lesley Tone Cabinet. Music is augmented by guitars and harp on occasion. We have a small singing group. There is a P.A. system and a fixed computer OHP for songs and presentations.


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Fellowship at St. Bernard’s

Church Groups: We have a Brownie Pack and Guide unit which meet weekly. These are Church Sponsored Units. The Social Club is open once a month and Friday Friends meet every other week. There is a Women’s Group which meets on the First Tuesday of every month and Man Made, a men’s only group who meet quarterly.

Community Groups

A number of community and commercial organisations make use of the building, either as regular lettings or occasional hire of the halls or rooms. They include the local Women’s Institute, a play group, line dancing and other activity based classes and a table tennis playing group. Both Kumon maths classes and a Weight Watchers group meet in the hall and there are occasional bookings. Since June 2013 the community lounge on the lower ground floor has been used as a food bank.

Social Activities

A social club exists that meets monthly and organises special activities such as barbeques and a fireworks display. The Events Committee organise the Fetes as well as barn dances and afternoon teas.


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Administration

There is no parish administrator but there are members of the congregation who are available to help with secretarial duties.

The PCC meets on alternate months with some powers delegated to its Standing Committee.

The incumbents’ expenses are paid by the Church Treasurer.

Finance

The accounts for the last year (2013) are available upon request.

There are 56 planned giving arrangements. We are able to reclaim the income tax paid in 31 of these cases.

Much of the regular income is derived from hall lettings to outside organisations and one of the aims of the church council is to continue this pattern so that the major running expenses of the building are able to be met. Partly as a result of this we have been able to meet our common fund quota in full for the past few years and are on track to do so again in 2014.

Our Vision

Doing God’s Work

In Hamstead


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The Future

There is a need for ongoing outreach and spiritual help and support to all age groups in the parish.

We would like to continue to be an open, inviting Church that can communicate with a spectrum of ages and maintain a high profile within our changing community.

We would like to initiate a messy Church for the local community

We would like to lower the average age of the congregation, to encourage more people to take an active part in the running of the Church.

Some major work to the Church building has been completed and smaller items of work continue to be addressed.

Our Vision

Doing God’s Work

In Hamstead


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The New Incumbent

The chief qualities we would like to find in a new vicar would be:-

A person with vision, who is a strong leader as well as a team player

An enthusiastic and energetic person who is a good communicator

Who comes from a ‘broad-Church’ tradition – not too much to left or right – who, while being immersed in the traditions of the church, will be open to new ideas from the Holy Spirit (and from the congregation!)

A thoughtful and action provoking preacher

Has a strong parochial and pastoral care slant

Has a mission of concern and commitment to the children and young people of the parish

St. Bernard’s is a varied Parish providing opportunities for growth and development.

St. Bernard’s congregation would welcome any incumbent who feels drawn to our Parish and would like to work with us. Age, gender and family are not as important as finding the right person.

We would welcome a male or female Incumbent.


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St. George’s Day afternoon tea in aid of help for heroes Weighing in Donations for the Food bank

Father Christmas visits the Brownies at their Christmas Party

Having fun whilst raising money at a Macmillan

coffee morning

Our Vision

Doing God’s

work in

Hamstead

In

Hamstead

Doing GIn Hamstead

Weighing in Donations at the Food

Bank

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