church of king charles the martyr - diocese of st albans · 2017. 5. 4. · church of king charles...

Church of King Charles the

Martyr

Parish Profile 2017

368 Mutton Lane Potters Bar Herts EN6 3AS

Registered Charity Number 1130748

Know Christ

More

Make Christ

Known

C H U R C H O F K I N G C H A R L E S T H E M A R T Y R - P A R I S H P R O F I L E 2 0 1 7

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Contents

PROFILE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 4

The vicar we are looking for ................................................................................................................ 4

What we can offer our new vicar ........................................................................................................ 5

ABOUT THE CHURCH ................................................................................................................................... 6

Our mission .......................................................................................................................................... 6

The Church and its people ................................................................................................................... 7

History .................................................................................................................................................. 7

Electoral Roll ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Styles of worship .................................................................................................................................. 8

The Church and its leadership ............................................................................................................ 13

Reader ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Church Wardens ............................................................................................................................ 13

PCC ................................................................................................................................................. 13

Church Secretary and Halls Administrator ............................................................................................ 14

Music ...................................................................................................................................................... 14

Pastoral Team ........................................................................................................................................ 16

The Church and the Community ............................................................................................................ 17

KCM Community Café ........................................................................................................................ 17

Weddings, Baptisms and funerals ..................................................................................................... 18

Links with schools .............................................................................................................................. 18

Church activities .................................................................................................................................... 19

Pattern of services ............................................................................................................................. 19

Home groups ..................................................................................................................................... 20

Youth and Children’s work................................................................................................................. 21


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Social groups ......................................................................................................................................... 23

The Church and its buildings .................................................................................................................. 25

The church ......................................................................................................................................... 25

The Halls Complex ............................................................................................................................. 27

The Vicarage ...................................................................................................................................... 29

The Church and its finances ................................................................................................................... 32

ABOUT THE PARISH ................................................................................................................................... 33

Our parish ............................................................................................................................................. 33

Ecumenical ........................................................................................................................................... 34

ABOUT POTTERS BAR ................................................................................................................................ 35

Living in Potters Bar ............................................................................................................................. 36

Schools and Colleges ............................................................................................................................ 37

Surrounding areas ................................................................................................................................ 37

FINAL WORDS ............................................................................................................................................ 38

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats ............................................................................ 38


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Profile summary

The vicar we are looking for

We are an imperfect church in an imperfect world and we do not expect our next vicar to be

perfect. However, we do hope to find somebody who will help us build on what we have

already achieved and help move us on to the next phase of our journey. To achieve this, we

are praying for a vicar/priest who:

• Has a bold and creative vision for growing the church and the wisdom and persistence

to make it happen;

• Has a genuine heart for mission and discipleship and can inspire and equip the church

to proclaim the unchanging gospel in new and relevant ways to a changing world;

• Is a collaborative team player and able to nurture, motivate and affirm the talents and

contributions of others;

• Can preach, teach and apply the Scriptures so we as individuals may learn to Know

Christ More and be better equipped to Make Christ Known;

• Has a strong faith rooted in Scripture and is prayerful and eager to grow in personal

commitment to Christ;

• Will recognise and nurture the diversity in styles of worship at KCM and work to retain

the current unity of the entire church membership;

• Will be a sincere, caring and empathetic pastor with the ability to communicate

effectively with a diverse group of people within the church and parish;

• Has a good sense of humour!


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What we can offer our new vicar

• An enthusiastic, friendly and supportive congregation with a passion to Know Christ

More and Make Christ Known;

• A willingness to change and adapt in order to pursue our mission;

• A supportive staff team and PCC – we expect you to lead but not to do everything;

• A busy parish, full of opportunities for reaching out to the community;

• A church that fully meets its parish share and has a healthy balance sheet;

• A beautiful, flexible church building in an excellent state of repair;

• An exceptional church hall complex which provides superb facilities for the church, acts

as a hub for the local community and generates significant income for the church;

• Excellent working relationships with all the churches in the town and the deanery;

• A modern four bedroom, purpose-built vicarage in a pleasant town, with good schools

and leisure facilities and with excellent transport links to London;

• Professional administrative support;

• All reasonable expenses of office covered;

• Time and space for you to relax and get away from us from time to time!


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About the church

Our mission

Our mission statement is based on the acronym KCM, by which the church of King Charles

the Martyr Church is widely known.


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The Church and its people

History

The Parish was founded in December 1937 when the first Minister was appointed and

held services in the dining room of his house in 80 Borough Way – 9 people attended

the Christmas Eucharist that year. Later the worshippers met in his garage and then in

the Hall-cum-Church built near the corner of Mutton Lane and Dugdale Hill Lane.

The current church was built during the Second World War. Funded partly by the

Diocese of London and partly by the Royal Martyr Church Union, the Church was

consecrated on 12th July 1941.

In 2000, the PCC made the bold decision to demolish the old church hall and build a

new vicarage and church halls complex on the site. With the help of the diocese, some

generous legacies and some vigorous fundraising, the new £500,000 complex opened

debt-free in 2003.

KCM is now firmly established in the life of the local community and has a lively and

active membership which enjoys a wide variety of styles of worship.

Electoral Roll

There were 108 members on the 2017 Electoral Roll, of whom 42 are non-resident.

Attendances across both Sunday morning services has ebbed and flowed over the years

and is currently reasonably stable at approximately 85. This number increases


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significantly at festivals when, for some services, the church approaches its maximum

capacity of 200.

Styles of worship

KCM embraces a wide range of styles of worship, from the traditional Anglo-Catholic

style represented by the 09:15 Sung Eucharist to the less formal style enjoyed at the

11:00 Morning Worship service.

While the two services attract relatively distinct groups of individuals, the two

congregations combine regularly at joint services, in house groups and socially,

resulting in a genuine sense of unity across the entire church family and a mutual

respect for the desire to worship in a different but equally valid manner.

We consider this to be genuine strength of KCM and would wish to see this diversity

and unity cherished and fostered by our new vicar.

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Average Attendance (Both services)

Children Adults


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Sung Eucharist service

At 09:15 on Sundays we enjoy a

peaceful and often very moving

sung Eucharist service which fully

embraces KCM’s Anglo-Catholic

tradition.

The priest, the three servers and the choir are robed and the service follows a

Common Worship One order of service, including the Kyries, the Gloria, the

Sanctus and Benedictus, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Agnus Dei. Parts of the

service are usually sung and incense is used. The service includes a brief sermon

and usually concludes with a voluntary by our excellent organist.

The service is usually led by the Priest but members are encouraged to

participate by leading the intercessions, reading and acting as Chalice Assistants.

The priest is assisted by the Altar Serving

Team (David Simpson, Terry Newton,

Janet Turner, Lynn Jones, Steve Jones

and Jonathan Burt). The team are all

active members of the Company of

Servers and are responsible for

maintaining the altar and assisting the

Celebrant.

A few children attend this service and

there is a Child-Friendly Room for babies

and carers with toys and children’s packs.

The average attendance at this service is currently approximately 39 (including

the choir and servers).


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Morning Worship service

In January 1989, a weekly service called Morning Worship was established in the

church hall. This service was designed to attract young families and those with

little or no attachment to the church. The services were informal and family-

friendly and attendance grew rapidly. By January 1990 it had outgrown the

church hall and the decision was taken to move Morning Worship into the

church. This required changing the times of the Sung Eucharist and Morning

Worship to the current pattern (09:15 and 11:00).

Morning Worship continued to flourish for a number of years, with peak

attendance reaching over 100 in 1994. Since then, attendance has gone through

a number of peaks and troughs but with a downward underlying trend. The

average attendance at Morning Worship currently stands at just over 40 but it is

once again showing some green shoots of revival.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Average Attendance at Sung Eucharist

Children Adults


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Morning Worship loosely follows a Common Worship format. The service is

usually led by the Vicar or Reader but the congregation are encouraged to

participate by leading the prayers, reading and giving short talks and

testimonies.

Children and young people stay for the first 20 minutes before leaving for their

group activities in the halls. There is usually an all-age talk or activity during this

period. The music is led by the music group.

Communion takes place as part of Morning Worship once a month and six times

a year we welcome our Uniformed Organisations and their families. These

parade services are well-attended and we work hard to present our message in

an accessible, fun and relevant way.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Average Attendance at Morning Worship

Children Adults

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Average Attendance at Parade Services

Children Adults


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A recent survey of the congregation suggested a desire to make the service

more accessible to young families and the increasing proportion of people in the

parish with little or no church background. We feel that there is a genuine

opportunity to build on the excellent foundation that has been established and

would look to our new vicar to have a bold and creative vision for presenting the

unchanging gospel to a changing world.

Joint services

The two congregations combine for a joint service ten times a year. This service

includes elements from both services creating a blend which embraces and

celebrates our diverse traditions, theologies and backgrounds, all to the glory of

God.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Average Attendance at Joint Services

Children Adults


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The Church and its leadership

Reader

KCM has an excellent record for encouraging its members to consider lay and ordained

ministry. Over the past decade, one member has been ordained, one is in the final year

as an ordinand and two have been licensed as Readers.

KCM currently has one Reader on the staff team (Dr David Thomson). The Reader

currently preaches at both services at least once a month and usually leads Morning

Worship once or twice a month.

Church Wardens

KCM has two experienced and dedicated Church Wardens, (Philip Emmans and Robert

Burt), who oversee most aspects of the day-to-day running and maintenance of the

church.

PCC

KCM has a lively and engaged PCC that

meets 12 times per year (including an

annual awayday). When all positions are

filled, there are 13 lay members

representing the full breadth of the church.

Attendance at meetings is very good. In

addition to the Standing Committee various

sub-committees are formed as the need

arises.

The PCC is currently chaired by the lay chair, Philip Townsend.

The PCC has developed and agreed a Mission Action Plan which is included as Appendix

1.


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Church Secretary and Halls Administrator

The Church currently employs an excellent administrator (Nicola Thrussell) for 12

hours/week. Nicola works closely with the vicar and staff team to create service sheets,

prepare data projection slides, manage bookings and appointments and a plethora of

other tasks. She also prepares the rota of all activities throughout the year, referred to as

the “Mappa”.

The day-to-day running of the halls and bookings are managed by the Halls

Administrator (Lynn Jones) while the Halls Management Committee (chaired by Philip

Townsend) maintains a strategic overview.

Music

The Choir

KCM is extremely proud of its choir, led by Simon Worley. The 4-part choir is

affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music and has a long history of leading

the music at the 09:15 Eucharist and major festivals.

Anthems are sung every week from a large and expanding repertoire. The choir

leads the traditional Carol Service and an hour of music and readings on Good

Friday


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The Music Group

The music group is responsible for leading the music at the 11 o’clock service. At

various stages in its history, the music group has included a wide range of

instrumentalists including pianists / keyboard players, guitarists, drummers,

recorder players, saxophonists and a violinist.

Currently the music group usually consists of a guitarist, pianist and two singers

(from a pool of 6).


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Pastoral Team

The pastoral care of the church family and more widely in the parish is given a high

priority at KCM. We have a team of six who support the Vicar in providing this care.

Judith Reeve assists the Vicar in coordinating this group which meets quarterly

preceded by a service of Holy Communion.

The team:

• undertakes regular home and hospital visits especially to the frail elderly and

housebound;

• provides a listening ear over coffee and at the KCM Community Café;

• checks on members who we have not seen for over two weeks;

• prays for and with those in need;

• takes home communion to members who are housebound.


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The Church and the Community

KCM Community Café

The KCM Community Café operates from the church hall every Thursday, serving hot and

cold beverages, pastries and light lunches. The café builds on the success of its

predecessor, the Open Door Café which, over a period of 13 years, became a hub for the

local community while raising more than £57,000 for various charities.

The Café currently attracts over 100 people each week. Clientele range from young

parents with children to a 95-year-old.

While not overtly “missionary” in its objectives, the volunteers who run the café aim to

demonstrate God’s love by creating a safe, friendly and caring environment for the local

community. Attendees are also invited to Easter and Christmas services run specifically

for “customers”.


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Weddings, Baptisms and funerals

As well as our regular services, we warmly welcome the wider community to celebrate

and thank God at the milestones of their journey through life. During 2016, KCM

celebrated 13 baptisms, 4 weddings and held 7 funerals in Church with a further 20

conducted in local crematoriums. Our annual Memorial Service for bereaved families is

extremely well-attended and greatly valued.

Links with schools

KCM enjoys good relations with the two primary schools within the parish (Cranborne

and Wroxham) and the vicar frequently visits both schools to attend meetings and take

assemblies. In the past, the church has also enjoyed excellent relations with the Dame

Alice Owen secondary school. However, as a result of changes in personnel, these links

have weakened somewhat over recent years.


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Church activities

Pattern of services

Sunday Services

09:15 Sung Eucharist

11:00 Morning Worship

Parade Service: 6 Sundays/year at 11:00

Messy Church: 1 Sunday/month (15:00-17:00)

Joint Service: 10 Sundays/year at 10:30

Weekday services

The Church is open almost every morning for people to drop in and it is

gratifying to see the number of candles lit in the votive candle stand.

09:15 Morning Prayer is held on Mondays and Wednesdays

Holy Communion is celebrated on Tuesdays (10:00) and Thursdays (09:15)

Special services

The following “special services” are in addition to services held throughout the

year:

• Patronal Service (joint service -10:30 last Sunday in January)

• Mothering Sunday (joint service- 10:30)

• Dedication Sunday (joint service- 10:30 1st Sunday July)

• Sundays in August are all joint at 10:30

• Harvest Festival (joint service -10:30)

• Remembrance Sunday (Joint act of remembrance at 10:45 - Morning

Worship moves to 11:15)

• Annual Remembering with Thankfulness Service on Remembrance

Sunday at 4pm when those whose funerals have occurred during the year

are invited.


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Christmas services

• Uniformed Organisations Christingle Service

• Charlies Angels at the crib

• KCM Community Café Carol Service

• Morning Worship Nativity Play

• Carol Service

• Family Service with Blessing of the Crib

• Christingle Service

• Midnight Mass

• Christmas Morning Communion Service

Easter services

• MAUNDY THURSDAY

• KCM Community Cafe Holy Week Service (30 minutes)

• Sung Eucharist with the Stripping of the Altar and then a

Silent Vigil of Prayer follows until 10pm

▪ GOOD FRIDAY

• Churches Together Procession of Witness

• Remembering Jesus on the cross

• A Reflection on the Cross in Words and Music

▪ EASTER EVE

• A Service of Light, Music, Words and the Renewal

of Baptismal Vows

Home groups

Most years a significant proportion of members take part in a Lent Study course.

In addition, we have several House groups and Bible Study Groups which meet weekly

or fortnightly. However, we recognise that this is an area that needs more planning,

support and growth.


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Youth and Children’s work

Children’s groups

Children’s Groups meet in parallel with Morning Worship (following 20 minutes

of all age worship in the church). The groups are led by experienced teachers

(Elaine Hartland and Jenny Dakin).

However, the number of children attending has declined from its peak of over 30

and currently these groups are barely viable. Given the low numbers, a decision

was made to no longer run a creche and to scale back the frequency of the

Children’s Groups to twice a month. The lack of provision for children means

that when new families do attend they do not usually settle at KCM.

However, we are encouraged by the growth of Messy Church (see below). We

recognise that this is an area that needs to be given priority and is recognised as

such in our mission action plan. We would look to our new vicar to have a bold

and creative plan for building up the work among young families and children,

perhaps using some of our substantial reserves to employ a family/youth worker.

Messy Church

Messy Church at KCM runs from 15:00- 17:00 on

one Sunday a month. Children and their

parents/carers enjoy a range of themed games

and activities before taking part in a very

informal act of worship. This is followed by tea

and an opportunity to chat.

Messy Church usually attracts 20-30 children and parents and has huge potential

for further growth. It is a resource intensive event but regarded as a worshipping

congregation in its own right and not just a stepping stone to “Sunday Church”.

Messy Church is run by a dedicated and enthusiastic group of volunteers under

the strategic direction of the Outreach Committee.


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Uniformed organisations

KCM is blessed with thriving groups of Scouts, Cubs, Guides, Brownies, Rainbows

and Beavers - some of which have lengthy waiting lists to join. KCM enjoys an

excellent relationship with the various groups, providing facilities, support and

running parade services, a pet service and a Christingle service each year. In

return the groups bring life and vitality to the church and enthusiastically

support various services and the Christmas Bazaar.

Again, we recognize the potential for growth in this area.

Charlie’s Angels

“Charlie’s angels” is a longstanding, well known and highly

valued group for young children and their parents/ carers.

The group meets in the Church Hall every Wednesday

afternoon from 13:30-15:00 during term time. “Charlie’s

angels” provides safe space, toys, refreshments and an

opportunity to make new friends.

The group is run by a small group of dedicated volunteers and aims to support

parents through what can be a demanding and sometimes lonely period and to

build up and foster relationships and links for families and the church.


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Social groups

KCM is a close-knit community of people who, not only enjoy worshipping together but

also enjoy socializing with one another. The diary is usually well-populated with various

bring-and-share lunches, barbecues, concerts, outings etc.

Some of these activities are organized under the auspices of the following groups:

Reading for pleasure group

The Reading for Pleasure group meets once a month to discuss various books

and articles. The group also arranges for occasional visits to the theatre and

cinema.

Men’s group

We have an active men’s group coordinated by David Simpson. Events have

included barbecues, films, ten-pin bowling, dominoes, golf and meals in most of

the local restaurants and hostelries. Nothing formal – just an opportunity to have

some fun, a chat and to get to know each other better.


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Wednesday Break

As the name suggests, “Wednesday Break“ meets on Wednesdays between

14:30 and 16:00. The group is open to all but primarily attracts those “beyond

the first flush of youth”.

The group enjoys a varied programme including visiting speakers, bingo, games,

arts and crafts and occasional outings.

Mothers’ Union

The branch of Mothers’ Union at KCM has an interesting programme of speakers

and takes part in a variety of local initiatives. The group meets on the first

Tuesday each month at 11:00.


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The Church and its buildings

The Church

KCM Church was consecrated in 1941 and is in an excellent state of repair. The church

has benefited from a number of generous bequests and has been recently redecorated

and fitted with a state-of-the-art lighting system. Money remains in the bequest to

install a new stone floor later this year.

The church is a good reflection of

the general ethos of the church,

incorporating various artefacts

reflecting its traditional roots,

sympathetically fused with the

comforts and technology required

to present the message in the

modern world.

The church seats approximately 200 and is equipped with an excellent data projection

system and full sound desk.


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The Halls Complex

The Halls complex was completed in August

2003.

The halls are modern, light and comfortable and

meet all current standards including those for use

by disabled persons.

The Main hall (13m x 10.5m) and the Margaret Old hall (10.35m x 7.7m) are on the

ground floor separated by a well-equipped kitchen and spacious lobby area.

Main Hall Margaret Old Hall

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Main_Hall_4.jpg

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Main_Hall_1.jpg


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Upstairs there are three smaller meeting rooms and a lounge. These room are ideal for

committee meetings, tutorials, seminars etc. 9.6m x 7.1m

Meeting Room 1 (9.6m x 7.1m) Meeting Room 2 (8.2m x 7.1m)

Meeting Room 3 (7.2m x 5.25m) The Lounge (5m x 4.5m)

The Halls Complex is extremely well used by the Church and local community groups

and businesses and generate a significant profit for the church.

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/MeetingRoom1.png

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/MeetingRoom2b.png

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/MeetingRoom3.png

http://kcm-church.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Lounge.png


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The Vicarage

The Vicarage was purpose-built in 2004 to Green Guide standards. It stands within the

church grounds but has its own entrance and driveway.

There is a double garage and ample parking on the forecourt. The secluded garden is

secure, spacious and mainly laid to lawn.

There are two BT telephone lines, one for the burglar alarm/broadband and the other

for landline phone calls. The parish pays for the annual maintenance of the alarm as well

as reimbursing for the cost of the phones/broadband, less any personal calls.

The house has gas-fired central heating and is in excellent condition throughout.


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There is an office, separate from the living accommodation, with a disabled toilet off the

entrance hall.

Downstairs, there is a lounge, dining room, kitchen and utility room.


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Upstairs there are 4 bedrooms, a bathroom and a shower room.


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The Church and its finances

Total incoming resources in 2016 were £124,047 and total expenditure was £123,343

resulting in a surplus of £704.

We currently have 78 members (couples are counted as one) enrolled in Planned Giving, of

whom 54 Gift Aid, a practice which we actively encourage. Of these 78, 28 are in the new

Parish Giving Scheme and 50 either still give by Standing Order or donate via Giving

Envelopes. The PCC hopes that more members will transfer over to the new Planned Giving

Scheme, which streamlines considerably the administration by the Honorary Treasurer. The

Finance Committee meets 4 times a year, in order to give some practical support to the

Treasurer.

A combination of generous giving and bequests plus income from the halls has resulted in

the accumulation of a “comfortable cushion” of financial reserves. While some of this is

earmarked for maintenance of the church building, the PCC are keen to see some of the

funds used to help achieve our Mission Action Plan.


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About the parish

Our parish

The church of King Charles the Martyr is in the Diocese of St Albans and the Deanery of

Barnet. In 2011 there were 7700 living within the parish with 63% describing themselves as

“Christian”.

The graph below shows the age profile of the parish populations in 2001 and 2011.

The parish population is predominantly White British (>80%) with Other White, Indian, Other

Asian and African forming the major ethnic groups.

The parish contains a mixture of housing including a small number of large detached houses,

a preponderance of 3 bedroom semi-detached houses, bungalows and some small blocks of

flats. Most properties are owner occupied. Like many of the commuter towns within striking

distance of London, house prices have risen sharply over the past decade.

The graph below shows the Socio-Classifications of the Household Reference person for the

parish in 2011.


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Ecumenical

There are 11 churches in the vicinity of KCM:

Christ Church Little Heath, St Giles South

Mymms, St Margaret Ridge, St Mary the

Virgin and All Saints, Evangelical Free

Church, Our Lady and St Vincent de Paul

Roman Catholic Church, Life Church, Potters

Bar Baptist Church, Potters Bar United

Reformed Church, St John's Methodist

Church,

KCM enjoys an association with St Giles and St Margaret Ridge and the possibilities

surrounding the further strengthening of these links has been the subject of ongoing

discussions for a number of years. KCM has also been exploring the possibility of sharing a

Youth and Families worker with St John’s Methodist Church.

Ecumenical activities are coordinated by “Churches Together in Potters Bar”. Regular

activities include:

• Pulpit swaps during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

• Good Friday Walk of Witness

• Easter Dawn Service

• Town Carols

• Christmas Day Lunch for those by themselves

• Monthly prayer meetings

• Christian Aid Week Collections

In addition, ministers meet regularly to pray and to share information and good practice.

The Anglican clergy also meet regularly and there is a close link with the Vicar of St Giles

South Mymms and St Margaret’s Ridge and with the Methodist Church. They help with cover

where possible in times of illness or holidays.


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About Potters Bar

Potters Bar is a town in Hertfordshire, 13

miles north of London, with a population

of approximately 23,000.

The town dates to the early 13th century

but remained a small, mainly agricultural,

settlement until the arrival of the Great

Northern Railway in 1850. It is now part of

the London commuter belt.

Potters Bar is located on the Great North Road (formerly the A1 and now the A1000), one of

the two road routes from the City of London to the North of England. The original village

was centred around the High Street. With the coming of the railway, the town developed

around Wyllyotts Manor and Darkes Lane. There are now two shopping areas, with two

large supermarkets, a range of other shops and two health centres. Due to the nature of its

development, there is no single location which is regarded as the definite “centre” of Potters

Bar.

All types of housing are represented, from large detached houses to two sizeable estates

built as council properties which are now largely owner-occupied houses and flats, with

some rented through housing associations. Nearly a quarter of the population is aged 65 or

over, but there is also a sizeable number of young families.


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Many people have settled in Potters Bar due to the excellent transport links. The town lies

close to the M25, M1 and A1(M). From Potters Bar station, Great Northern trains reach

London Kings Cross and London Moorgate in less than 30 minutes. Northbound the trains

run to Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Peterborough and Cambridge. London

Underground stations are also close by at Cockfosters (Piccadilly Line) and High Barnet

(Northern Line). The bus garage in the High Street services local bus routes as well as some

London bus routes. Buses run to Barnet, Enfield, St Albans, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross,

Borehamwood and Chingford.

Living in Potters Bar

Potters Bar has a flourishing community life with many clubs and societies.

The town boasts an excellent sports centre, just a short walk from the church. Also in the

town are Potters Bar Town Football Club, Potters Bar Cricket Club, Potters Bar Tennis Club,

Potters Bar Bowls Club and Potters Bar Golf Club.

The Wyllyotts Centre is a theatre, cinema and events venue, and

is also the location of the town's museum. The library is located

in the High Street.

There are several public houses in the town and an abundance of excellent restaurants, many

of which are in the High Street.


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Schools and Colleges

There are two excellent state primary schools in the parish – Cranborne Primary School and

The Wroxham School (Ofsted rating Outstanding). The current vicar regularly visits both

schools and both schools have held Christmas celebrations in the church. There is potential

for links with both schools to be strengthened and extended.

Other primary schools in the town are Little Heath, Ladbroke, Pope Paul’s and Oakmere.

Secondary education is provided by the highly-regarded Dame Alice Owen’s School (Ofsted

rating Outstanding), Mount Grace School and Chancellors School (in Brookmans Park).

Private education is also available at Lochinver House all boys Preparatory School, Stormont

all girls Preparatory School and Queenswood Girls secondary school. The nearest Church of

England school is St Giles’ Primary School in South Mymms.

Surrounding areas

Potters Bar enjoys the best of both worlds, being on the doorstep of the Hertfordshire

countryside while enjoying an outstanding train link to London. Potters Bar has direct access

to the M25 and the A1 and hence to most of the major arteries in the South East.

St Albans with its historic abbey is approximately 10 miles away and there are excellent

shopping facilities in nearby Welwyn Garden City and Watford.


38

Final words

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Like every church, we have strengths and weaknesses. There are exciting opportunities and

also things that hold us back. The table below summarises our honest appraisal of the

current status of KCM.

UIN

Strengths

• Willing to change in order to promote

growth

• Enthusiastic and supportive

congregation

• Welcoming/ friendly/ sociable

• Diversity of styles of worship

• Outstanding church, halls and vicarage

• Solid foundation with wide range of

emerging opportunities for growth

Opportunities

• Engaging people through our wide

range of social/ community activities

• Links with local schools

• Messy Church

• Links with Uniformed Organisations

• Utilising talents within the church

• Excellent facilities

• Healthy financial reserves

Weaknesses

• Lacking children and young families

• Stagnant growth

• Too few doing most of the work

• Lack of house groups

• Not currently running Alpha course or

similar

• Failure to engage those on periphery of

church

Threats

• Complacency/ apathy/ too comfortable

• Old habits/ Resistance to change

• Ageing congregation

• Lack of younger people within the

church to inject new life


39

Under the wise and prayerful leadership of the previous incumbent, KCM has found a way of

embracing a spectrum of styles of worship while maintaining genuine unity across the entire

church family. The members are loyal and passionate about our mission – to Know Christ

More and Make Christ Known.

On a practical level, we have a flexible, attractive and well-maintained church building, a

superb church halls complex and a modern vicarage. The balance sheet is healthy and we

meet our parish share in full.

The church is well-established as a hub for the local community and large numbers of

people cross the threshold of the church complex for services, Messy Church, baptisms,

funerals, weddings, the Community Café, Wednesday Break, Charlie’s Angels and the

plethora of activities which take place in the halls. However, we have not been as successful

as we would have liked at moving people from the fringe to become fully engaged in the life

and work of the church. As a result, our church membership has been static (at best) for a

number of years and is ageing and tiring. Like many churches, KCM is in need of an injection

of new and younger members and the creative energy, ideas and enthusiasm that they

would bring.

We appreciate that the mission landscape has changed significantly since the years of rapid

growth in the 90s. However, we believe that we have an excellent foundation on which to

build and with bold, creative and prayerful leadership, KCM will continue to be an oasis

where people learn to Know Christ More while reaching out to the wider community to

Make Christ Known.

Thank you for taking the time to read our profile. The profile contains only the highlights of

what goes on at KCM and we would be happy to tell you more.

We know that God has a plan for KCM and he has a plan for you - perhaps you are part of

God’s plan for KCM and we are put of His plan for you. If you are, we can assure you of our

support, friendship and prayer.


1

APPENDIX 1

King Charles the Martyr Church – Mission Action Plan 2017 – 2022 Edition 1

Our Vision

We are a passionate Church family, committed to proactively meeting the needs of our wider community. We will welcome and

engage with people through open and inclusive worship and prayer, enabling everyone to Know Christ More through our

enthusiasm, faith and outreach.

Our four key priorities are

1 To help people grow in their personal, Christian faith

2 Reach out to and welcome those unconnected to Church

3 Engage in social action that addresses local needs - helping those to go deeper into God

4 Maintenance and development


2

Priority 1

To help people grow in their personal, Christian faith

ACTION HOW BY WHOM TARGET DATE PROGRESS

1.1 Set up a budget for Mission To be agreed by the PCC SJ to lead PCC meeting April 2017 Agreed

£500

1.2. Agree a ‘Training Coordinator’ for the

PCC

To be agreed by the PCC PCC PCC meeting April 2017 Agreed

(JR)

1.3. Encourage our Church community to

engage with ‘Equipping God’s People’

courses

Advertise to the variety of users of the

Church

Encourage by ‘word of mouth’

Training Co-ordinator September 2017

1.4. Provide regular opportunities for

personal prayer and prayer partners

Decide opportunities for time for personal

prayer and advertise this

PCC May 2017

1.5. Invite inspirational speakers on a range

of topics

Set up a Focus Group with Training Co-

ordinator to plan and organise speakers

and to plan for three a year - possibly with

a supper afterwards.

Training coordinator

with support from

Focus Group

Focus Group set up by

May 2017

Suggest speakers in

October 2017 February

and June 2018

Dates TBC


3

Priority 2

To reach out and welcome those unconnected to the Church


2.1 Set up a Focus Group to seek ways of

re-invigorating morning worship

Focus Group to meet and respond to

the challenge

DT to lead May 2017

2.2 Set up an ‘Exploring Christianity’ course To be arranged once the Vacancy has

been filled

Training Co-

ordinator with the

new appointee

When the vacancy has

been filled

2.3 To build greater links with our Baptism

families

i) follow up after the ceremony by

continuing to communicate with the

families

ii) set up specific events for the families

to engage in - have a tea - invite them

to Church events - make links with

Youth and Family worker

The new appointee When the vacancy has

been filled


4

2.4 To look at the many groups currently at

KCM and think of ways these can be

communicated more, and advertised better,

within the local community

i) review publicity within the local

community

ii) review publicity within the Halls

complex

ii) look to social media - possibly set up

a Twitter and Facebook account for

KCM

Outreach Group

New Appointee

Church

Administrator

Halls Administrator

When the vacancy has

been filled

2.5 Develop social events for families Create a focus group Youth / family

worker

July 2017


5

Priority 3

Engage in social action that addresses local needs - helping those to go deeper into God


3.1 Engage with parents of young children

at local schools

i) Flyer local schools about the new

Community Cafe

ii) Encourage parents to attend the

Community Café on a regular basis

DT and the Café

team

Ongoing

3.2 Set up a discussion group within the

café on a range of topics

i) Ask Café users if they would be

interested in a discussion group

ii) arrange times and themes for

discussions

DT and the Café

team

As and when on a

‘needs only’ basis

3.3 Set up a Prayer Box i) Place the Prayer box in the Café

ii) Prayer box is to be available for

suggestions for prayer or for people in

need

DT and the Café

team

Ongoing

3.4 Identify and promote new charity giving Set up a focus group for suggestions

for new charities

Café team and PCC June 2017


6

3.5 Engage with local churches Set up a ‘Social Action Project’ to be

decided

Youth / family

worker

Outreach team/ SJ

September 2017


7

Priority 4

Maintenance and Development


4.1 Appoint a new Vicar for KCM i) through advertising, shortlisting and

interviewing

Elected Parish

Representatives

Arch Deacon,

Patron

June 2017

4.2 Appoint a Youth and Family Worker in

conjunction with St John’s Church

i) through advertising, shortlisting and

interviewing

Representatives

from both churches

September 2017

4.3 Continue to maintain and develop the

successful outreach ventures

i) Messy Church

ii) Wednesday Break

iii) Charlie’s Angels

i) to continue to advertise within the

local community

ii) to develop ways of reaching further

into the local community

Leaders of

i) Messy Church

ii) Wednesday

Break

iii) Charlie’s Angels

Ongoing

4.4 To continue to update the KCM website i) Regular updates DT and support

team

Ongoing


8

4.5 Widen and enlarge the church

congregation

i) explore the use of emails for

communication for the church

community

ii) develop stepping stones to encourage

members of existing social groups to

attend church events and services

Church

administrator

Leaders of Charlies’

Angels and

Wednesday Break

with New Vicar

May 2017

September 2017

church of king charles the martyr - diocese of st albans · 2017. 5. 4. · church of king charles...

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