Blog

Carol Allen shares the importance of DBS checks in protecting our church family

‘”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”‘ Jeremiah 29:11

Near the beginning of this year, I took over from Joy Bendell as the DBS officer for St Saviour’s. For those of you who don’t know, DBS stands for the Disclosure and Barring Service, previously known as the Criminal Records Bureau. Those of us who work with vulnerable adults and/or children are required to have one of these completed and for the purposes of the Church of England, as do all members of the PCC as overseers of the organisations within the church. My role in this is to organise the completion of these checks for all lay members of the church and to keep the records of when they are due, up to date. The clergy are covered by the diocesan DBS officer.

‘Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.’ Teresa of Avila

In the Jeremiah passage God has great plans for all of us, adults and children alike. He wants us to prosper, to go into the world with confidence. Sadly, this is not the case for all. We have all heard reports and seen on our television cases where both children and vulnerable adults have not seen God’s hands, eyes, feet and body in people. Anything but. They have not gone into the world with hope and confidence in the future or experienced love, care and compassion in their daily lives.

The DBS check covers criminal records, unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings. The enhanced, which we have, gives the authorities the ability to check whether there is anything specific for the roles applied for. This is one tool we have to keep our most vulnerable members as safe as possible, so that God’s plan for them is prospered and not harmed and they can face the world with confidence and resilience.

Carol Allen, DBS officer

Andy McPherson shares some significant staff news

Farewell and ‘Thank you’ to Clare

After five and a half years of faithful service as our communications officer, the last year or so working from home and being the hub for communication during the Covid 19 pandemic, Clare Shearing is reluctantly relinquishing her job at St Saviour’s. Clare has been a valued, supportive, prayerful, and visionary member of our staff team. Our thanks go to Clare for work ‘above and beyond the call of duty’, especially during recent, stressful times. ‘Thank you’ Clare for your wonderful contributions to our church’s life and in the words of a churchwarden, “Clare has played a crucial role in enabling church communication to continue over the last year and has been undoubtedly the right person at the right time.” Clare is now becoming a full-time carer for her mum.

We are planning to give Clare a farewell gift and donations towards this can be put in an envelope and dropped through the Vicarage door (53a Holdenhurst Avenue) or handed to a churchwarden at one of our ‘in person’ services. Cheques payable to ‘St. Saviours PCC’ clearly marked on the back ‘Clare’s Fund’.

Opportunities on our Staff Team at St Saviour’s

Following Tanja’s departure in June last year as administrator and Clare standing down from her communications role, there are opportunities to join our Staff Team at St Saviour’s. Both roles involve being a welcoming face in the office or voice on the telephone, as a first point of contact for those seeking information, advice or pastoral support, and may involve prayer ministry where appropriate.

Tanja’s role involved administration, including creating rotas for regular services; managing the activities in the Link; co-ordinating and recording in registers Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals; liaison with the Diocesan Office, including producing regular reports; supporting the administrative teams in our partner churches; monitoring office emails; ordering stationery and refreshment supplies; and liaising with Margaret Shelton on Electoral Roll and Hall Bookings enquiries.

In her Communications Officer role Clare has been responsible for producing the weekly updates and newsletter; maintaining the website, including uploading blogs, sermons, and promoting the activities of the church; developing our presence through media outlets like Facebook and Instagram; producing posters and flyers to publicise group activities and events; managing all our email accounts and media licenses; and ensuring our office systems are maintained. Each of these roles has been part-time (15 hours per week), but they could be amalgamated if the candidate had all the necessary skills.

If there is anyone who feels God is calling them to either or both of these roles, please send an email to andy@stsaviours.net.

Andy McPherson, vicar

Caz Gatehouse explains what it is and how we can all get involved in praying for 5

What is Thy Kingdom Come?

Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) is a global prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus. During the 11 days of Thy Kingdom Come, it is hoped that everyone who takes part will:

• Deepen our own relationship with Jesus Christ
• Pray for 5 friends or family to come to faith in Jesus
• Pray for the empowerment of the Spirit that we would be effective in our witness

How can you get involved?

There are resources for all ages to get involved – from apps, to Prayer Books, to videos, and even an escape room – check out the website! But here’s a few ways you can get involved!

Pray for 5

Start asking God now to put on your mind five people you can pray for during TKC. During the 11 days spend time praying for them. Think of a way to help you remember:

• Write the names on a card and hang some where you will see it.
• Get a length of cord and tie 5 knots in it – wear around your wrist each day.
• Place 5 small buttons or coins in a bag and place in your pocket – pray each time you find them.
• If you want to do this as a family, have a pot with 5 lolly sticks or strips of card in, each with the name of one of your 5. Take turns to pull out a stick and pray for that person.

Prayer Journal and bookmark

We have 50 copies of the new Prayer Journal for you to pick up and use. Why not think of someone you know who has drifted away a bit from church and take one round to them, and write an encouraging note to them on the bookmark? (Large print copies can be downloaded and printed from the website.)

The App

Download the TKC App on your phone or device from Apple or Google Play. This will have daily readings and prayer ideas, along with a video to watch each day.

Lectio 365 is also launching a Thy Kingdom Come mini-series on the Lectio 365 app! Download the app for free, and join them from 13 May for inspiring content to encourage you as you pray.

Escape Room and youth reflections

This year there is an online Escape Room – although designed for young people, anyone can have a go! A series of youth reflections are also available to download, with thoughts from Guvna B, Elle Limebear, and many more.

Diocese of Norwich Family Prayer Map and App

There are copies of the map for you to pick up in church (let me know if you would like one but can’t get to church). They are also available as a digital download and there is an app that will feature daily games and videos, including the Cheeky Pandas (see below). There are also Family Adventure Podcasts you can listen too as well!

Cheeky Pandas

The Cheeky Pandas Series is a fun-filled and Bible-based series of videos, aimed at children up to about 10 years old. There is a video for every day of TKC (see TKC’s Facebook and YouTube channel), as well as activity packs to download and print. There is also a Cheeky Pandas Prayer Journal – I have 20 copies of these, so if you would like one let me know! And a Cheeky Pandas playlist on Spotify.

Blessing Walk

You are not limited to just praying for your 5 people! Why not pray for people you pass as you go for a walk? Find somewhere to sit for a moment or two – as people pass just pray silently for God to bless them!

To find out more, follow TKC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and go to the website www.thykingdomcome.global, where you can check out and access all the resources as well!

Caz Gatehouse, children’s minister

Christine Moyes gives us creative ways to fundraise for Christian Aid Week this year

Amazingly 2021 marks the 75th anniversary of Christian Aid which was formed in 1946. Even more amazing is when we consider how many people across the world have been helped over the past 75 years.

This year Christian Aid Week will take place Monday 10 May – Sunday 16 May and the theme will be Climate Change and Kenya. Of course, this year still looks a bit different and we need to consider coronavirus and the social distancing restrictions that are in place. However, with creativity, we can all rise to the challenge and do our part to celebrate this life-changing week.

Christian Aid Week envelopes and St Saviour’s e-envelope

Christian Aid devotional booklets and donation envelopes will be available in church to be collected and returned with your donation. However, if you cannot do this, then St Saviour’s has created a digital envelope, available online to provide a cashless-but-personal way to raise funds. To donate online, please use the link here.

Alternatively, you can put your donations into the church letterbox located by the Link doors. (Please mark your envelope ‘Christian Aid Week’.)

Other ways to raise funds

There are lots of opportunities to do something new to help those in need across the world, so why not have a go at one of these?

• Challenge yourself – take on the challenge to walk 300,000 steps in May to get fit and raise vital funds. This sponsored fundraiser clocks in at just under 10,000 steps a day. If social distancing restrictions allow, you could team up with others too. Sign up at caweek.org/steps. If walking isn’t for you, why not create your own individual challenge, anything from a sponsored silence to a race to learn 100 words in another language? The possibilities are endless!
• Swot up for Quiztian Aid – due to popular demand, Quiztian Aid will return on Saturday 8 May at 7 pm. This fun-filled online quiz is suitable for all the family. Sign up at caweek.org/quiztianaid.
• For lots more virtual and socially distanced ideas and events, please go to caweek.org.

This Christian Aid week your donation could help communities withstand climate chaos. With your support, better earth dams can be built to harvest more water, drought-tolerant crops can be sown, and climate change justice can be demanded at the highest level.

Thank you for standing with Christian Aid.

Christine Moyes

Find out about the ‘how, when, where, why’ of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting

Each year St Saviour’s holds its Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM), and this year’s meeting seems to have come around more quickly than usual as due to Covid restrictions last year’s APCM was only held in October. It is an important event in the church calendar and an opportunity for those on the church electoral roll to vote on a number of different matters. Please do contact the church office to be added to the electoral roll.

When, where and how

This year’s meeting will take place on Tuesday 25 May at 7.30pm. It is hoped that this will take place both as a physical meeting in church and with opportunities to access the meeting via zoom, to allow as many as possible to participate. Details will be available nearer the time. Please note that in order to adhere to social distancing requirements, numbers attending the physical meeting may need to be restricted to comply with the guidance in place at the time.

Why it’s important

The APCM is an opportunity to consider the life of the church, including a formal review of the financial statements. Looking back over the past year (2020), it has been a year like no other for St Saviour’s and, I’m sure, everyone in the church family. As we hopefully emerge from the Covid restrictions that have had such an impact on the life of our church, the APCM will be an opportunity for reflection and a chance to look forward.

As well as approving the annual report of the PCC and Financial Statements, the APCM is an opportunity to elect members to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). There are currently several vacancies on the PCC. If you are interested in joining, please do let myself or Andy know, so that you can be sent a nomination form or for a chat about how you can become involved. Please do prayerfully consider whether this is a way you could contribute to the governance of our church. Elections will also take place at the APCM for the position of churchwarden and for members of the deanery synod, on which there is a standing vacancy.

The PCC would like to encourage as many as possible to attend this year’s APCM whether in person or virtually.

Claire Johnston, PCC secretary

Christine Moyes considers TDT’s remarkable progress in a time of pandemic

‘Come, all you who are thirsty…’ Isaiah 55:1

How easy is our access to clean water? We just use a tap and unlimited supplies of clean water appears. We don’t even think about it until, for some reason, this stops.

At TDT, when we visit Uganda we realise how much we take this for granted. We see the time and effort people of all ages spend on collecting water for their daily needs. We see jerry cans of varying sizes lined up, so even the smallest child can play their part, and we also see the joy on people’s faces when a new clean water facility is opened. Not only does this support the health of the communities, but it also brings with it an opportunity to open minds to Jesus and His love. “Why would strangers from another part of the world give this amazing gift at no cost to us?” is a question often asked.

Every year, our partners in the Ugandan churches submit a list of locations to be added to our Water Programme. David, our current chairman, co-ordinates this. David has a real passion for water and has developed skills to apply and secure grants on a match-funding basis from other charities in the UK, such as Wilmslow Wells.

The year of 2020 has been a huge challenge, but God is good. 22 water projects were completed, which comprised three boreholes, 16 wells, and three spring well protections. This result made it the best year yet! Who would have thought that this could be possible?

There are 45 projects planned for this year so far. Currently 13 of these are funded. We heard recently of someone who donated their refunded holiday deposit of £1,000 to the TDT Water Programme. How amazing that Covid-19 has brought new ways of fundraising!

We are so grateful to our faithful supporters, including all of you at St Saviour’s Church and the Bournemouth Deanery. Recently approved giving will help to fund this year’s programme by bringing planned water sources into reality. Thousands of people will then not only have access to clean water to drink, but also their health and hygiene will improve, which is vital in the time of a pandemic.

Do please keep TDT in your prayers as we work to move forward with all our projects of water, education, health and ministry. We pray for our partners and the challenges they face. We also pray that it will not be too long before we are able to visit Teso, Uganda again.

God bless,

Christine Moyes