Chairman's Report 2005
Given by the Revd. Bill Stuart-White.
As ever, by the time we get to the Annual Meeting, the year under review seems a distant memory, and the PCC Secretary will anyway remind us of some of its more significant moments. I will focus mainly, therefore, on some more general reflections and try to help us look forward to the months ahead.
As with driving, though, before moving off a glance in the rear-view mirror is recommended. It was a pleasure and a relief for me personally to welcome Olive as Curate of the Parish in July - it has been good to work with a colleague again after a year without. I know you'll join with me in appreciating the contribution that she is making in the life of the Church. We all look forward to Sunday July 3rd when we shall celebrate her Ordination as Priest by Bishop Bill here in Camborne. This is an important occasion for her and for us, so I do ask you to come and support her at the service and to join us afterwards for lunch.
One of the features of the life of an Anglican parish is the annual calendar, not only of the natural and ecclesiastical seasons - autumn and harvest, spring and easter etc - but also of those local specialities which soon become embedded tradition. 2004 saw the full round of such delights - Feast Supper, Trevithick Day (almost upon us again), the Passover Seder… as well as the full quota of "special" services. To this cycle we added a few new adornments. The Alfresco Songs of Praise in the Spinney is one we intend to repeat as is the post-Baptism party, and the performance of the "Way of Peace" has given us the taste to try another multimedia extravagaza, probably in the autumn again. The danger is always, though, that it is far easier to add events to the calendar than to remove them and we so fill our diaries that we lose the flexibility to be able to focus on the real business of being Church, that is our seeking of, and obedience to God, in the work of His Kingdom.
For that reason, the Staff and the PCC deceided to call for 2005 to be a year of focus of PRAYER, under the banner "Growing a Praying Church, Praying for a Growing Church". In doing so we want to recognise that without a solid foundation of spiritual growth, all our doings are nothing worth. A few months into this year and I grow ever more convinced of the vital need, on many levels, to take this call seriously. It is not simply that prayer is somethings that Christians ought to do, but rather that it is so apparent that without prayer we are painfully ineffective, powerless and unattractive to the godless world around us. We are simply another special interest group, which isn't of much interest. I shall be desperately disappointed if we end the year feeling we are not much better at, or committed to prayer, than when we begun it. As a Leadership, we want to give as many opportunities as we can to encourage individual and corporate prayer, and the PCC have already benefited from an excellent Awayday led by the two Archdeacons. For the whole flock there are two more major events planned in 2005. The first is a 24/7 Prayer Week, planned through Churches Together and held in Church, that will be in July (4th to 10th). The second is a Teaching weekend led by Bishop Bill and team in November (Saturday and Sunday 19th and 20th). Please book these now and make them a top priority. We're happy to receive any other ideas of how we can resource you to grow in prayer. However, prayer is one of those things that ultimately we only learn by doing. One of our objectives is that everyone should be involved in some way in praying regularly with others. I am thankful for the various ways and places that this already happens, formally and informally, my main wish is that more people would come and join us on a Wednesday evening for Parish Prayers - just 1/2 hour in Cecil's . The regular few find it a real encouragement would love to share the time with more of the Church family. As individuals and as a Church fellowship we desperately need the guidance, strength and hope that God alone can give. It comes through prayer - so get praying.
In addition to the life of the Church congregation, one of the things I value most about the job of Rector is that it encompasses the whole Parish and not simply the worshipping faithful. I know that this can sometimes frustrate Church folk, who feel that the clergy belong to them, but it is actually a privilege that the Church of England should guard fiercely, as it enables us in a small way to bring the rumour of God into all sorts of unlikely places. Of perhaps greatest value, and certainly the greatest demand on my time, is my role in Schools (which Olive also shares) as Governor. You will be aware that the Church Junior School has had a very difficult year, going into Special Measures (which has impacted hugely on the Infants as well), and they have very much valued the support that the local and wider Church have been able to give. I'm glad to report that the signs are now very hopeful that the corner has been turned and we look forward to a very bright future. In addition I am privileged to chair the New Connection, to have served as Mayor's Chaplain and continued as Chaplain to the RBL. I have also served as Vice-Chairman of the Camborne Town Forum (now changing into a Development Trust) and of the Camborne Open Group, and I'm a part of the new Community Values Group, formed as a result of the Public Meetings to discuss anti-social behaviour in the town. In all these capacities I seek to bring a Christian perspective into the workings of our community. And, of course, I'm not the only one. I remember from our audit members are involved in over 80 different Community Groups. Long may we continue to be salt and light in an increasingly rotten and dark world.
Let us also be thankful and pray for Marlene, as she comes towards the end of her first year of training for ordained ministry and continue to remember Thelma and John as they seek the next step in their vocation and service.
Customarily we remember on this occasion those from our Church family who have died in the past year. Thankfully the list is less extensive this year, thouh we join with their families in thanking God for the lives of Pearl Hocking, Grace Dix, Florrie Stapleton, Lillias Rowe… and this year, of course, especially Cyril Richards.
Thanks…