I am writing to say Thank You to everyone who supports the work of our five churches across our benefice. We are blessed with parish churches which have all stood at the heart of our communities for many hundreds of years. Each church stands as a symbol of resilience and continuity, having weathered the storms, and sunshine, of the stories of our ancestors. They continue to be sacred places in which to celebrate and commemorate our own journeys through life, both as individuals, as families and as village communities. It is not difficult to slip into a sense of thinking that because something has always been there that it will always continue to be so but that is not the case. So, Thank You for whatever way you help in supporting our churches to continue to flourish.
A particular Thank You must go to all our Churchwardens. It is not possible for me as Rector to oversee all day-to-day organisation and administration that must inevitably take place if our churches are to function efficiently and effectively. Even with our very capable, multi-tasking, Benefice Administrator, Kim Horton much is still left at the door of a churchwarden. Thank You to Jackie Hayward (St Lawrence’s, Ardeley), Clare Wood (St Peter’s, Benington), Kathy Cassels and Lesley Greensmith (St John the Baptist, Cottered and Holy Trinity, Throcking) and Beverley Harlow and Maggie Hawkins (St Mary’s, Walkern) for helping with local leadership and pastoral care, running and supporting services, and managing Church Council agendas etc – to say nothing of sometimes wisely questioning the Rector and encouraging him to have a rethink!
This past six months has seen several projects come to fruition. A new brass plaque commemorating the life of Neville Chuck was introduced into Cottered Church. Neville, affectionately known by many as ‘Mr Cottered’ for his vast knowledge of the history and the people of the village, first played the church organ as a young teenager in 1953 and continued as church organist for the next sixty-eight years. The new plaque occupies pride of place on the organ case. Cottered Church is also commemorating the centenary anniversary of the death of Sir James Cantlie, pioneer of First Aid. An exhibition in the Church is well worth popping in to see and will be in situ for the next twelve months. Cantlie’s work undoubtedly saved the lives of thousands of men during the First World War. His grave is alongside the entrance to the main door of the Church. Remembering both Neville and Sir James is an important reminder of our Churches as a place in which to quietly and humbly say Thank You to previous generations, for all that their lives continue to mean to us.
Maintaining the fabric of our ancient churches continues to be a financial challenge. This year saw the closure of the Government funded Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and the abolition of being able to reclaim VAT on many heritage projects. The new scheme being introduced, Places of Worship Renewal Fund, will see a contribution of £23 million being made available annually. This will almost certainly place greater strain on local communities to help with raising funds to maintain our churches - not least in the countryside where most of our ancient parish churches are to be found. Recent repairs on Cottered and Throcking Churches have incurred extra VAT costs at 20 per cent.
Leaving a legacy in a will, no matter how small, is one way in which one generation can help another with the care of their ancient church. This ensures that the church door remains open, the Christian story and the story of those who have gone before can continue to be cherished, and the art and architecture at the heart of the community continue to be enjoyed and appreciated by those who come after.
It is with gratitude and a truly heartfelt Thank You that St Mary’s, Walkern has recently benefitted from being left a legacy in the estate of Mr Peter Ruffle. This means that much needed work to the church floor and other urgent stone restoration works can now go ahead. It will take some time to secure the necessary heritage planning authorisations, however, working alongside our architect, exciting plans are being developed which will sensitively transform and enhance the experience of stepping inside the oldest church in the Hertfordshire countryside. Watch this space!
Work with and in our Schools continues apace. Congratulations to our Church School in Benington on achieving a very positive SIAMS Inspection - a credit to Mrs Tyler, our hardworking staff team, and all the children. This is the equivalent of an OFSTED inspection, set by the church authorities, the focus of which is the ethos and Christian values of the school. One notable strength, amongst others, in the report reads, “The Christian vision and values underpin life at Benington Church of England School. It guides and directs the work of the school and is clearly understood. Pupils are able to explain how the vision and values support them to make positive choices and become confident individuals.”
Farewell to Mrs Young as she takes her leave as Headteacher of Ardeley St. Lawrence School to spend more time caring for family. We will all miss her cheery laughter and deep commitment to the wellbeing of both staff and children. Her contribution to the life of the school has been immense over these past few years. We welcome Mrs Gant as our new Executive Head from September. Mrs Gant will be the Executive Head of both Ardeley St Lawrence and Edwinstree C of E Middle School, Buntingford where she is currently Headteacher. This is a new partnership, and we are excited to see how this relationship flourishes in the future.
Another new relationship that is set to make an impact on the life of the whole Church of England is that with the Charity Commission. Future safeguarding issues, including any financial irregularities, must now be reported to the Commission. This is alongside reporting issues to the diocesan and national church authorities. More regulation is to be expected as this unfolds over time.
Easter saw the Confirmation in St Albans Cathedral of four candidates from St Mary’s. Congratulations, prayers and every blessing to Julia Hughes, Edward, Linda and Ronnie Stafford. We will never forget the Confirmation cake, a model of St Mary’s, that Ronnie designed. A ‘technical’ Bake-Off win!
If you think the Church can be of any help to you,
don’t hesitate to be in touch.
God Bless, Mark