Wardens (St M)
The Churchwardens of St Mary’s
Well, it’s been a bit of a year. Not merely have we had the usual parade of events at St Mary’s – from our usual services, through the civic services, to the concerts and special events – but we’ve also seen the formalisation of our joining with the former parish of St Peter’s and All Saints. And on Palm Sunday, we heard that our Priest-in-Charge was leaving us, following several months leave of absence.
I (this is Peter writing this) am reminded that as a kid, I didn’t much like roller coasters. The figurative (and, in March, the literal) earthquakes of the last year, have brought a few things into focus, though.
Through the year, I have been increasingly impressed by the commitment of the congregation, and particularly the volunteers, at St Mary’s. It has been a year of change, and some of that has been deeply unsettling change. Nerves have been starting to show, particularly in the last few months. Nonetheless through it all, steady people have gotten on with the business of running the church, from the sidesmen and sideswomen, to the readers, to the musicians, to the coffee crew, to the flower people, to the deputy wardens, to the servers… the list goes on. Singling out individuals or particular groups is always dangerous – someone is bound to feel left out – but I hope you will allow me a few particular thank-yous.
The first of these must go to Gordon Solway, who has retired this year as treasurer. It is such an astonishing relief to know that someone of his ability has been minding the accounts. We are extremely fortunate that Peter Moore agreed to serve as founding treasurer of the new joint parish; but Peter has a tough act to follow.
The job description of a Church Warden has a good deal to do with looking after the church building. I would therefore also wish to thank in particular the Fabric Committee, since they exercise that function for us with such skill. We will all be aware of their work in the autumn, when the kitchen renovations that they have organised will be completed.
Our caretaker, Michael Lakin, remains reliable, practical and sensible. His ongoing dedication to St Mary’s really does make the lives of many people a lot easier.
I would also thank my warden colleagues, Tony Mitchell and our new junior warden, Julia Barrow, and last year’s retiring warden, Clair Chilvers. You all know the reasons – thanks.
The events surrounding the departure of Andrew Deuchar as Priest-in-Charge, coupled with Rev Chrissie Little’s incapacity since Advent, further coupled with extended illness leave by an office staff member, have presented particular difficulties in the last months. Particular pressures have been placed on the office staff, and I would take this opportunity formally to thank Wendy Pearce for her perseverance (and, against all odds, her continued good humour).
It is further appropriate to pay particular tribute to the extraordinary work and dedication of our clergy in this period. Alison Maddocks (as the new workplace chaplain) and Rachel Shock (e-chaplain, seconded to us part-time during the most extreme staff shortage) found themselves landed in the middle of a difficult situation, and have coped with warmth, professionalism and dignity. Real and practical support was also evident from the Diocese, and the support of Archdeacon Peter Hill should be noted. Above all, however, I would acknowledge the great debt we all owe to Stephen Morris. In a veritable maelstrom, he has been a point of dignity and calm (at least on the surface). In astonishingly difficult circumstances, he has brought us together, endured our tetchiness with good humour, and met with our uncertainties with warmth, coped with our grievances with grace. Mere thanks are not enough; we have been truly blessed.
As we round off this year, we say farewell to Canon Andrew Deuchar. In the circumstances of his leaving, we should pause for a moment to remember the good things he has brought to us. His time as our Priest-in-Charge of St Mary’s was short, but the results profound. The union of the parishes occurred under his watch and his guidance, and his vision – a vision for ministry in the City of Nottingham in partnership with other Christian denominations and in shared respect with other faiths - will remain in the new parish for many years. We are all still learning to work with the new administrative structures, but it is clear to me that the union was a good decision, both for us and for St Peter’s and All Saints’. Our styles are somewhat different, but highly complementary, and I believe we will find that we bring out the best in each other. The combination opens up a new set of possibilities for the future. The challenge for us all is to realise that promise, and it does need to be emphasised that this will involve not just the clergy, the Church Wardens, the Standing Committee, and the PCC, but all of us. While change is of course unsettling, I see nothing in the union to fear, and much to gain if we have the courage to grasp it.
That, I believe, is our challenge for next year, and the years to come.
Postscript
Peter has forgotten himself and all the hard work he has done this year for which I am personally grateful. We have all decided to offer ourselves for re-election in view of all that is currently going on, as we feel continuity is important at this time and so we hope you, the congregation, will support our re-election at this time.
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