MAY LETTER
Dear Friends,
So much has happened in the life of the church, locally, nationally and globally, since I wrote in the week before Easter, just over four weeks ago, it really is time for a brief update.
The two most important pieces of news are that we have a new Head Teacher for All Saints School; and that the Quinquennial Inspection Report (on the church and All Saints Garden) is in.
New Head Teacher
On April 28th, the Governors were thrilled to appoint Rachel Flatman as the new Head Teacher of All Saints School. If the name seems familiar, and apologies to those already connected with the school, it is because she is the current Acting Head Teacher. She has been holding the reins since John Sharp’s illness in December 2023, as acting-up head teacher initially, and as Acting Head since the beginning of this academic year. The process was very rigorous indeed, and the other short-listed candidate, a current Head Teacher, was impressive in very many ways, and we are sure they will find another Headship very soon, if indeed they have not already done so.
Prayers please for Rachel, the staff, teaching and non-teaching and the Governors as we work together for the care, education and development of the young people committed to our charge. It is a wonderful community facing exciting changes with the re-build of the school over the next three years.
Quinquennial Inspection Report
To cap off that wonderful day, the QIR came in at least two weeks earlier than I had expected after the site visit on 15th April, and I was heartened by what I saw. We have many, many challenges ahead in fixing what needs to be fixed. The reports end with a kind of RAG rating. The ‘Red’ list contains urgent items which need to be addressed within eighteen months of the report, and these were pretty much as we expected. The largest piece of work is to re-roof the tower and make the parapet masonry safe.
The report has been passed to our Quantity Surveyors for pricing, after which the very serious work begins of finding the money to do it all. The key to finding public and private monies for restoration work such as this is illustrating the benefit the overall project for the whole community, Newton Heath and beyond, not just those of us who currently use the building for worship. If you are curious to know more, the please get in touch and I can provide you with the summary of the report, which is also appended to the minutes of our most recent PCC meeting. These will be in the public domain as soon as the minutes of that meeting have been approved.
In the next couple of weeks, the representatives of the PCC, our architect, Becky from Insall, and our consultants, IPC, will be meeting to look at ways forward.
Other news
Your people’s ministry and worship
As a start we focus on EYFS up to the end of KS2. We’re really short of space in church for ‘Sunday School’ during Sunday worship. We’re also aware that ideally we should be offering something other than Sundays, and that goes for ‘grown-ups’ too. For a while, I’ve been talking to ‘school’ about a partnership whereby we can use a portion of the school for worship activities – so watch this space. With Mrs Flatman still at the helm, we can pick up again on these conversations immediately. For children’s worship, especially on a Sunday, it would be marvellous to recruit some older youngsters and adults. This will involve some training, and we will need to make sure all of this is compliant with good practice in the safeguarding and protection of children.
A number of youngsters has expressed an interest in robing up to assist in church, which can run alongside the worship activities offered ‘next-door’. Something along these lines has been mentioned before, and now we are in a position to action it.
November celebration
Please put 11.00 am Sunday 16th November in your diaries.
We will welcome the Bishop of Bolton and our MP, The Rt Hon Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons to our special Eucharist to mark and celebrate a Stewardship Campaign to be launched in the early Autumn. Obviously, this is related to our emergent plans for the church building and how these link up with the new school building for the greater good of the whole community. The dreaded money is but one aspect of this. There are so many things we can steward in God’s service, such as our time and our gifts. We have not run a campaign like this in my time, and I truly believe it will be a time of spiritual discernment and growth as well as ‘harvest’. The service will combine our Patronal Festival, All Saints Day which is transferred this time to 16th November – that is the only date +Matthew had spare that month. We are also hoping the new Lord Mayor, The Right Worshipful Carmine Grimshaw, can attend. He is one of our City Councillors, and we pray God’s blessing on his mayoral year.
Some things sooner
The Ascension, Thursday 29th May
As you’ve just read, it would be good to offer worship on days other than Sundays! On Thursday 29th May we celebrate the Ascension of Our Lord. This begins a ten-day period until Pentecost, Sunday 8th June, and there are some prayer resources to help us prepare for this.
There is a Eucharist in All Saints at 6.30 pm, Thursday May 29th followed by a buffet supper at the rectory, using the garden too if it’s fine. If you would like to come for supper, even if you can’t make the service, please let me know in the usual way. If you would like to bring something to share, please do and let me know. I will provide quiches, a pasta salad, and a green salad; and summer fruits with meringue and cream/yoghurt. Please also advise of any food intolerances.
Next Sunday, 25th May and Annual Meetings
As it’s the last Sunday of the month there is Holy Communion at 9.00 am without music, and 10.00 am with music.
After the 10.00 am service, at approximately 11.10 am we will proceed to the Annual Meetings, and it is hoped that as many as possible can stay (or come back) for it. It does not last long. It was well under twenty minutes last year. The agenda, minutes of the last Annual Meetings, and Reports are available. There will be some hard copies on the day, so you can bone up on them if you haven’t seen them on line. You can find them here: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15869/page/49264/view/
As the PCC is a charity, this meeting and the presentation of reports is a legal requirement. The meeting does not last very long, as it is essentially confirmation of persons elected to roles within the parish, such as Church Wardens and members of the Parochial Church Council and approval of reports. There is an opportunity to ask questions, of course. Please convey them in advance too, if possible. That way we can answer them better. It’s not too late, especially for those who may be newer to us to find out more about this. May this has aroused your curiosity for next year.
With all good wishes and every blessing,
Fr Andrew
Sunday 18th May 2025
All Saints Newton Heath
0161 219 1807 (Rectory/Parish Office)
07596 514 541 (Rector's mobile)
A Church Near You; https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15869/