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Fr Yenda's report for the APCCM 2008

Parish Priest’s Report for the Annual Parochial Church Council Meeting 2008.

            Ladies and gentlemen, it is again my very great joy and privilege to address the members of our PCC and of our Parish in my annual report. This is now the 4th Annual Report I have presented to the parish since coming here, my having been here for around 3 and a half years.

            As in previous years my report is one of thanks to the parish and optimism for the future; we are still going from strength to strength, and I can only reiterate how delighted I am with the wonderful way this parish is pulling together and doing so well.  There can be very few parishes in the country where the parish priest is as pleased with his parish and his people as I am here.  We have much to thanks God for; and should he enable to me to stay here for many years in the future I shall be even more grateful to Him!

            Naturally I am disappointed that the Living here has been re-suspended for a further 5 years, despite both the PCC and myself making it plain both to the diocesan bishop and the pastoral committee that we would not consider a further suspension acceptable.  The PCC could have done no more to campaign for the re-instatement of the Freehold Living here, and so long as we have made it plain that we don’t agree with the suspension, we have done all that we can.

            Personally I do have the protection of being a member of the Amicus Trades Union, and even better, there will at very long last be far better employment rights for clergy come next January (if my sources are correct), so clergy in suspended Livings will from that date be able to sleep a teeny-bit more soundly in their beds!

I do have to say, however, that we have been extremely fortunate in this diocese with Bishop Christopher of S Albans.  He has never shown me anything less than the utmost courtesy, tremendous support and immense encouragement in all that I do here.  I have never before worked under a bishop of his calibre and it has been a great joy, he has enabled me to fulfil my role here with far less anxiety than at any other time in my priestly life.

            Alas, Bishop Christopher will be retiring in January, and we have no idea who will be replacing him.  It is almost certain that we shall not see his like again, yet there is optimism that the diocese will continue as it has in the future; this diocese does respect its clergy and their churchmanship, and whilst it does that we can ask no more of them.  I am delighted that our parish is in remarkably good odour within the diocese, and that is due to the people as much if not more so than myself, and really I could ask no more of you than that.

            The Luton Review has been re-modelled this year.  In short there are set-ups of parishes in partnerships which have been drawn up according to churchmanship.  Therefore the set-up we are in (or partnership to use the committee’s word) includes all the parishes in the deanery which have resolutions in place, namely Holy Cross Marsh Farm, Holy Trinity Biscot and S Saviour’s.  By 2016 the clergy serving these 4 churches will reduce from 4 to 3, and hence one of us will end up serving 2 parishes instead of 1. We do not yet know who will get the extra work!

            We do have to be very grateful to the Review Committee; parishes are still able to remain relatively independent, and the ‘partnerships’ as they are termed are informal and cannot really be enforced; so really things could be a whole lot worse!

            I have naturally made it plain at the meetings several meetings and also had it ratified by the PCC that under no circumstances whatever will any other clergyman conduct any services in this church except at my express invitation.

            As in previous years we continue to observe all the major feasts, and have welcomed some new visitors to preach, amongst them Fr Jim Westcott from S Chad’s Haggerston, Fr Mark Williams (a regular visitor) from S Mark Barnet Vale, Fr Darren Maslen from All Saints’ South Shields, Fr Charles Card-Reynolds from S Bartholomew Stamford Hill, Fr Neil Roper, a School Chaplain and Fr Anthony Moore Chaplain to S Catherine’s College Cambridge.  In addition to that Fr Reg Rolph from Letchworth has made several visits to preach and also to concelebrate, who incidentally will be preaching next Sunday!

            There have been 2 Pontifical services this year, a Confirmation with the Bishop of S Albans at which 2 candidates were Confirmed, and then the Bishop of Hertford visited us a few weeks later.  Both bishops were very positive about their visits and enjoyed being with us…and both of them were most gracious in doing all that was asked of them, which was actually rather a lot!

            Again as in previous years the Quota payment to the diocese has increased by £2,000 this year on last – that means that each year since I have been here the amounts have risen from £8,000, to 10,000, to 12,000 – this is a phenomenal increase year on year, and even though we don’t manage to meet the quota in full, the diocese does recognise the tremendous improvement this parish has been making.  A significant amount of this comes of course from Occasional Offices, but a large proportion comes naturally from very generous giving.  For this I am immensely grateful and realise the very great generosity our people do show here.

            One thing which is said to me time and time again by visitors, and especially clergy, is how very friendly and welcoming the people are here.  This is actually essential, and to have it commented on so frequently does indicate how much this is noticed by visitors.  I am always happy to hear this said, because a friendly church is the only kind of church which will grow and have any kind of future.  Interestingly enough my mother is seen in the pew here fairly regularly, which has never happened anywhere else I have been – and she too is always touched by the friendship she receives here; so, well done again!

            One thing which has touched me so very deeply is the wonderful way that you all seem to look out for each other – there is tremendous caring here, when people are sick, there is a great sense of rallying round, and when people have times of great sadness, there is a wonderful spirit of kindness – respectful kindness; not smothering, but warm and genuine.  Every priest spends years trying to install that in his people…here is simply second nature!

            Our people of S Mary’s also work very hard – social events are organised tremendously well, and food is prepared to a wonderful standard, and the church is always decorated beautifully for the great festivals.  There is a wonderful feeling of people ‘pulling together’ for the common good for big occasions and important events, and that does you all tremendous credit, again, I could never ask for more than you all do already!

            This year, of course, I reached a milestone, and the parish threw me a party – not just an ordinary party, but a very great surprise party – and all of it without my knowing!  It really was a wonderful occasion and I am deeply touched by the amount of trouble people went to – not least of all in managing to keep it a secret!  Relatives of mine were invited from as far a field as Royston and Reading, and it all seemed to be organised with military precision!  I simply cannot thank you all enough for going to such trouble and it really was a marvellous evening and I was so terribly touched.

            The worship of the Church continues to be offered in the traditional way, the Eucharist being Solemnized on Sundays and Feast days will full music, incense and traditional ceremonial.  We are the only church in the deanery which retains an Eastward facing altar, and one of very few in the diocese who maintain this tradition.  During the time I have been here, I have been very encouraged by the number of people who have found that our style of worship is something they have been missing and are glad to have found it.  We are of course very very fortunate to have such a beautiful church to enhance the worshipping life of the parish – which actually is why we are all here!

            I must offer my grateful thanks to all those who enhance the dignity and beauty of our worship, not least of all the servers who administer their privilege to serve at the altar with great devotion and very great skill and diligence.

            I must of course offer my immeasurable thanks again to Joan Clarke for her work on the Organ.  At 88 she is simply phenomenal, playing extremely well on all occasions, and simply enjoying what she does, and her cheerful and enthusiastic demeanour so enhances the life and worship of the parish.  We are so fortunate to have her and all that she does.

            So many people so much for our church and I can only re-iterate my tremendous thanks yet again.

            Brian Wood who has magnificently tended our churchyard for 5 years has received a Mayor’s Award for his work which were very well deserved.  I have yet to see another churchyard in the same wonderful condition that ours is in.

            The Church Officers also deserve a massive note of thanks – they all work so hard and so competently in all that they do.  Jayne Tasker has dealt with some interesting and at times demanding correspondence this year, as well as preparing extremely good minutes from PCC meetings.  Christine Bunnage has worked tremendously hard as always with all the finances, and with good housekeeping has managed to increase our Quota payments by another £2000 as I said a moment ago.  She is also tremendously efficient with expenses and re-imbursements!  And of course, where would we be without the two Church wardens, George Bath and Lenore Harris; I am tremendously grateful to both of them for standing again this year.  They both work so very hard in so many ways, and this does free me up to do far more work in the parish than I would otherwise be able to do.  They both have very great talents which they put to wonderful use in the service of the church in this place, and without them we would be much the poorer.  The proposed toilet extension has taken a massive amount of work from George Bath, and he has spent hour upon hour chasing, organising and bringing it to fruition.  Lenore Harris has works tremendously hard keeping an eye on the smooth running of the churchyards, and again has taken so much off my shoulders.  Very few parishes have wardens who actually work as hard as ours do, and very very few parishes can find people with the talents these two have, I really cannot thank them enough – not least of all for their very great friendship and tireless support to me!

            Festivals this year were pretty well attended, Christmass especially was phenomenally well attended this year, and I was encouraged by the numbers here for the Triduum and Eastertide – especially considering the snow!

            In many ways this is a very easy parish for a priest because the people here are simply wonderful and so very caring.  There is also a wonderful amount of humour and good spirit too, and that is every bit as important in church as the times when we are called to be serious!  It does have to be said that now I have reached ‘middle age’ I could be in no better place during the ensuing years of ‘mid-life-crisis!’

            So, as I draw this report to a close for another year, all I want to do is to say thank you to everyone for all you have done, all you are doing, and all I know you will do in the future.  It is a very great joy and an immense privilege to serve the people of this parish.  Well done!  Keep up the good work!

With my unlimited thanks to you all for all that you do; Fr Yenda