Camborne Parish Church

David Thomas (Lay Chairman)

It has been a very busy year at the Parish Church and there is so much one could comment on which is of note.

In May of 2008 there was a special lunch at the Lowenac Hotel to mark the retirement of our long serving Verger, Ron Dunstan, though we are grateful that he continues to serve at the altar when required. June saw a well attended service to mark the Ordination of the Revd. Marlene Carveth to the Priesthood, while July saw Deaf Church members at Godrevy for a special service and baptisms. In September the Parish Church hosted the Civic Service to mark the installation of Councillor Jean Charman as Mayor of Camborne and October saw the usual Animal Blessing Service, always a very happy occasion. November’s highlight, at the time of Camborne Feast, was the performance of the memorable “Angel Voices” when so many teams of people combined to produce a superb musical production. After the Morning Service on 21 December the whole congregation processed out of Church into the Churchyard for the blessing of the completed work on the Church paths. The Christmas Services were very well attended; in fact exactly the same number as in 2007. In February we welcomed Bishop Roy Screech of St. Germans for the Commissioning and Licensing of Worship Leaders and Servers/Assistants at Holy Communion, while on the morning of Passion Sunday we welcomed the newly installed Bishop of Truro, Bishop Tim Thornton, who preached for us.

The Church Council functions as a body through its various Committees and I would like to pay tribute to all those who serve on the Standing, Fabric, Social, Worship and Evangelism and Outreach Committees who keep the Parish Church functioning as a very live and active body.

The year could really be summed up as one of consolidation and reaching out as a Church to those around us. Younger people have been encouraged to both lead and take an active part in the All Age Worship on the first Sunday of the month, while the Church has had a major input into the running of the newly formed Street Pastors Scheme, a first for Cornwall, since last Christmas. In January we held our Parish Day to discuss how we could become a more ‘Family Friendly’ Church, while the Council also held an away day at Portreath. A baptism visiting team is now “up and running” while bell ringing has revived, even encouraging a participant from the Rectory, Kathryn, to have a go. The Sunday afternoon 4.30 p.m. Service of “Breakout” is slowly growing and has become a regular feature of our Sunday programme, while the Church has also worked closely together with Elim, Wesley and Centenary on the “Messy Church” outreach adventure. On Good Friday 2008 Father Chris from St. John’s Roman Catholic Church led us in Stations of the Cross, a very practical example of Churches in Camborne working and growing closer together.

There have been many improvements to the Church fabric and plant in the last twelve months, the most noticeable of which has seen the complete restoration of the 1880′s cast iron railings, arch, lantern and entrance gates removed for war salvage in 1942. I pay personal tribute to the skill and dedication to John Woodward and his helpers who have seen this project through to completion, and with whom we have closely worked.

A new sound system has been installed in the Church, the external doors have been stripped and re-painted, the north one receiving a new lower hinge, the Cecil Norman Centre has been completely upgraded by David Rogers, while a new fire-detection system has been placed in the Church Hall and the tower completely rewired throughout. Plans for the re-ordering of the Church, the renovation of the Garden of Remembrance and the re-furbishment of the old Parish Vestry building are currently well in hand. Thank you to Edith Huntriss for applying for grants for some of this work. A new photocopier has been installed in the Parish Office.

The Council has also supported our Lay Reader in Training, Susan Godolphin, both in prayer and with practical support. Susan has recently done a placement at St. Andrew’s, Redruth, as a deliberate policy to give her broader experience of the diversity of the Anglican Church, experiencing other types of worship.

We were very sorry to lose our Parish Secretary, Sheila Bennett, by death suddenly during the year and I pay tribute to her efficiency and dedication in that office. We have found worthy replacements in Kathryn Firbank, assisted by Edith Huntriss in taking P.C.C. minutes and Sylvia Symons for typing and other secretarial work. Thank you ladies, one and all.

I would also like to put on record how much two regular Sunday evening acts of worship have become appreciated by those attending them, these being the six monthly memorial services, appreciated by the recently bereaved as well as the Wholeness and Healing Services, usually led by Penny Menear. They have both become an established part of Church life.

It is now roughly eighteen months since Mike became our new Priest-in-Charge and I pay tribute to his boundless energy and enthusiasm in leading this Church on in exciting new ways. You will see from his own report all of the outreach work that is now based without our Church plant and this record speaks for itself. The Church Council has sought to give Mike the freedom and flexibility to explore new ways of worship and Christian Service, and to grow new leaders, but has also been on hand to lend its support through financial, practical and moral means wherever necessary. This has sometimes meant taking bold decisions and stepping out in faith, but God is always the God of surprises.

Our congratulations also go to Revd. Olive Stevens, who was elected as Rural Dean of North Carnmarth by her fellow Clergy in 2008 and we also thank Marlene, Debbie and our Reader Barbara for all they continue to do for us.

Tonight there are five vacancies to fill on the Church Council, Valerie Gill, Sue Voisey and Carol Rogers having served their three year period, all being eligible for re-election. Two other vacancies also arise through the Ordination of the Revd. Marlene Carveth to the Priesthood and the departure of Barrie Coad to All Saints Church, Tuckingmill, whom we wish well and thank for his long years of service at Camborne Parish Church. There are no elections to the Deanery Synod this year.