We Are Recruiting !

Children, Kids

 

LargeWorthParish

WORTH PARISH is a vibrant Church of England parish in Crawley, West Sussex. We are looking to appoint a part-time Children and Families Worker to build on our established and growing ministry with children and families. The role is primarily focused on 5-11 years olds and involves leading the ministry within the church and in our local schools.

We are looking to appoint:

CHILDREN and FAMILIES WORKER (Part Time)

40 hours per month – Salary £31,000 p.a. pro-rata

  • To lead and develop our Sunday morning Children and Families ministry
  • To lead and develop the bi-monthly Messy Church
  • To lead and develop the schools ministry within the Parish (including school assemblies) with the assistance of the Lighthouse Project

Closing dates for applications: 31st August 2016

Interviews: 8th September 2016

For further information, click here. To request a job pack please contact Worth Parish Office by email at office@worthparish.org.uk or call 03001118150.

There is an occupational requirement that the post holder is a practising Christian.

Worth Parish Office, St Barnabas’ Church, Worth Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 7DY

 

The Rector Writes…

Pewsheets

The last couple of weeks have been very full so I can certainly resonate with Martha and the distraction of “many tasks”.  Getting things done assumes a natural priority in our lives – we can sacrifice things that are for ourselves (as Martha might have seen the “luxury” of sitting at Jesus’ feet as her sister was doing) but when others are depending on us the sense of duty (and love) takes over and the tasks have priority (as the demands of hospitality for an honoured guest for Martha).

For me, the needs of the parish, the international development charity which I chair, the school of which I am a governor and the family (school holidays and all the preparations needed to get our new home ready for the move) have led to a certain amount of burning the candle at both ends.  Sound familiar?  I was, however, reminded in the week that you can only ‘give’ and draw on your reserves (spiritual, emotional and physical) if you take care to ensure that those reserves are regularly replenished.  “Love your neighbour as yourself”. For Christians prayer and worship, Mary-like, are crucial elements of such recharging. So, agreeing the schedule of worship during the ‘interregnum’ has been a crucial task.  The Sunday and mid-week services will remain as now except that a Parish Eucharist will be celebrated on the 5th Sunday and the Baptism services at St Nicholas’ will move to 11.30 a.m. – allowing some of the regular congregation to help with the welcome.

Enjoy the summer!

Anthony

From the Curate…

Pewsheets

In 1856, as he looked out across the Bristol Channel, the world looked very different to the Revd John Ashley than it does to us today.  Ashley saw hundreds of sailing ships at anchor far from the shore.  He devoted his life to preaching the Good News of Jesus to those at sea. The ‘Mission to Seafarers’ was begun.

Today the legacy of Ashley’s visionary work continues with seafarers continues with vigour, dedication and energy.  There are over 100 ordained and lay chaplains across the world.  At sea there are many tragedies and chaplains are there to help.  As the chaplain to the port of Dunkirk notes ‘an essential part of the role of the chaplain is to maintain a presence throughout all the different stages of an emergency situation; constant, calm and reassuring to those in need’.

They need our prayers and our support as they work in the margins of our society.  As we know St Paul travelled a lot by sea, sometimes successfully, and as we read Acts, sometimes horrendously unsuccessfully (as he was shipwrecked).  What was constant in his travels, however, was his faith in Jesus Christ.  No matter how hard the situation, he kept focused on Christ, even as he faced death in Rome.  It is this perspective that the Seafarer’s Mission gives to seafarers.  No matter the storm, that if they have faith in Christ, all will be well.

Steve

Read more about the Seafarers Work here.

Quick Guide to St Nicholas’ Launched

Pewsheets

Today we’ve launched a quick guide for visitors – a double-sided laminate which you can borrow when you’re walking round the church, detailing some of the highlights of the building to ensure you don’t miss them on your visit.

If you want your own copy, print it from here.

Come and see us soon !

 

From the Rector…

Pewsheets

In the church services on Sunday, you heard something of St Thomas’ story and had the chance to reflect on it.  I’d like to use these few inches to draw attention to our “Charity Cabaret” on 16 July.  This will be a great event to invite some friends and show them that we have fun together whilst also taking seriously our commitment to the wider community.  The “Cabaret” reference in the evening’s title is pretty obvious – and one of the reasons it is a “can’t miss” event.  The “Charity” reference has, I gather, given rise to some confusion.

So, to explain one aspect of that … The PCC puts aside a ‘tithe’ (10%) of its income each year (not counting any given for a specific purpose and after the deduction of certain costs) to give to other charities.  This is one of the means by which we seek to be friends and “constantly there” for those beyond our church family.

Each person who comes to the Charity Cabaret evening will have a part in distributing up to £2000 of this money amongst a range of charities – local, national and international.  There will be display boards on show at the Cabaret evening giving information about these charities.  The boards will also be on display at St Barnabas’ after the event until the end of July to allow those who were not at the Charity Cabaret to have a chance to have a say in which charities we support this year.

Do, please, take part and use your vote!

Anthony

The Curate Writes…

Pewsheets

Last week I was on a residential course.

The first things we were asked to do was to draw four pictures, each indicating part of who we are.  Apart from revealing that I am no Monet, I drew myself as a child of God, then a husband, then a father and then a priest.  And as I sat in my room on the course and contemplated the news headlines that as a nation we have voted to leave the EU, I reflected on the passages that we had that Sunday.

Our Galatians reading was written to a Church which is strictly wanting to define who is in and who is out. While, our Gospel reading described how Jesus is rejected by a village.

Whether you voted ‘Leave’ or “Remain’, as Christians we could do a lot worst but to read and re-read again the Galatians passage. Ironically, it is a passage I have read as part of the course this week. What course do I find myself on this week?  Bridge Builders – how to deal with conflict.

The essence of the course is that conflict – disagreement – is inevitable.  It is not how you avoid it that matters as a Church, but how you handle it well and almost embrace it as a sign of a healthy Church.  I believe looking at the breakdown of the vote in Crawley that the churches have a role to bridge build.  Finally, Jesus describes how he has no place to put his head – he is a nomad or pilgrim with no home apart from as a child of God – so then too am I.  I am off for a while to a new church – St Peter’s in Brighton – to learn more and experience how they are bridge building to the homeless in Brighton.

Let us love one another – and build strong bridges,

Steve

Pewsheet for Week Beginning 26th June 2016

Pewsheets

Click here for the pewsheet for the week beginning Sunday 26th June 2016.

Tip: If this, or any other, PDF document opens at too large a size, here’s what you do:

  1. Open Adobe Reader, for example, by opening a *.pdf document you have on your computer.
  2. From the Edit menu, click Preferences.
  3. With Page Display selected in the left hand list of Categories, on the right hand side of the window, choose a Page Layout and Zoom level that suits you, for example Single Page and Fit Page.
  4. Now any time you open a PDF, it will open at this zoom level.