archdeacons’ visitation news Spring 2018 - issue 13
Dear churchwardens We hope that the content in this issue of Archdeacons’ Visitation News will be of interest and assistance as, together, we seek to serve God in our parishes. You will probably be aware that, as a diocese, we are now engaged in the development of Learning Communities. As part of this, all of our churches are being encouraged to be part of a Learning Community. These communities will be groups from different parishes or benefices who will come together several times a year to take part in a reflective forum, to exchange ideas, to receive helpful input and develop talent. People learn best when it is with, and from, people in a similar context to their own, and so our Learning Communities will come together from within six ‘character areas’ (the six main types of settlement that are thought to be found in the three counties of the diocese): rural, coastal, urban, market towns, suburban villages and housing developments. One Learning Community, a community with a focus on market towns, has been underway for some time, and help and advice is available for those parishes seeking to join a community. As we go forwards, the parish and parish growth are to be at the centre of all that we do, and so we are to consider 12 important areas of church life with a focus on parish growth. These key areas are:
safety governance compliance money communications/partnerships church buildings worship ministry personal growth in faith mission planning service evangelism. The coming year will offer many opportunities for us to seek to fulfil our commitment to achieve growth and transform lives in greater Lincolnshire. May we take this opportunity, on behalf of the bishop, to thank you for the part you will play in serving God as a churchwarden. As ever, please do feel welcome to contact your archdeacon or rural dean for support and advice as you need to during the coming year. We will be happy to assist as we are able, and we also look forward to seeing you as we travel around the diocese during the year. In the meantime, we hope that you enjoy reading this issue of Archdeacons’ Visitation News.
The Venerable Dr Justine Allain Chapman Archdeacon of Boston
The Venerable Mark Steadman Archdeacon of Stow and Lindsey
T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.boston @lincoln.anglican.org
T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.stow @lincoln.anglican.org
The Venerable Gavin Kirk Archdeacon of Lincoln T: 01522 50 40 39 E: archdeacon.lincoln @lincoln.anglican.org
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Sharing good news The Communications Department is here to help you and your parish. The department is responsible for the publication of Crosslincs magazine six times a year, the management of the diocesan website (www.lincoln.anglican.org) and social media accounts (such as Facebook and Twitter), and the publication of a fortnightly emailed news bulletin.
Have you seen the newlook A Church Near You? The Church of England has redesigned and relaunched the very popular A Church Near You (ACNY) website. This website allows visitors to find a local church, and churches are encouraged to use the site to share details of their weekly and seasonal services and general information at the click of a button, courtesy of the new design, features and easy-to-use editing experience.
becoming a local ‘editor’. Help and advice is available via the site and also the diocesan Communications Officer. The new-look ACNY website can be found at www.achurchnearyou.com
The site, which is said to receive over 13 million page views annually and is one of the Church’s most popular online resources, is set for further development to help churches establish an online presence, and it has already been used to tie in with Church of England resources for Christmas, Lent and Easter. Parish representatives, such as churchwardens or members of the parochial church council, are able to maintain and update the listings for their church by
Other sources of help The department also regularly responds to enquiries from local and national media, and offers content ideas and stories to the media. Please do let us know if you have a good story to share. In the spirit of our Learning Communities, something happening in your parish might just catch the eye of another parish, and inspire them to follow suit. We are also here to help you in terms of engaging with the media and responding to requests. For example, you might need assistance with the drafting of a press release or some advice on how to handle an interview. We can also help you to connect with the media. The Communications Department also offers training relating to working with the media and making the most of websites and social media – please look out for details of future events. We look forward to working with you. For information and assistance, please contact: The Revd Adrian Smith Communications Officer T. 01522 50 40 37 E. adrian.smith@lincoln.anglican.org
Some external, related resources that you might find of interest are 100 Ways To Get Your Church Noticed by Neil Pugmire (Kingsway Publications, 2006) and the two titles in the Church Online series (Websites and Social Media) plus the two in the Church From The Inside series (Displays, Noticeboards, Invitations and PR and Welcome, News-Sheets, Magazines and Stories). These titles are by Laura Treneer and are published by The Bible Reading Fellowship. The Communications Department already receives copies of the magazines produced in some of our parishes, and we would be pleased to receive copies from elsewhere. We distribute a monthly letter from our bishops for publication in these magazines, and we also look to offer possible additional content during the year to try to support the production of these valuable resources in our parishes. As we think of communication, it might be helpful to consider two
questions posed on the back cover of 100 Ways To Get Your Church Noticed: ‘How can we make sure our church activities, events and people catch the attention of this busy, visual world?’ and ‘How do we help our members to be walking advertisements for a healthy, vibrant church?’
Risk Management Advice Line We know that managing the risks of a church or church hall can be a demanding responsibility. That’s why we’ve introduced the Risk Management Advice Line. Whenever you need information about managing risk and can’t find what you are looking for on our website, our experts are here to help. Call our Risk Management Advice Line:
0345 600 7531
The line is open from 9:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays.
2018 – Ecclesiastical’s year of the church volunteer
Alternatively you can email us at: risk.advice@ecclesiastical.com and one of our experts will call you back within 24 hours. Our Risk Management Advice Line offers Ecclesiastical customers free risk advice. Please have your policy number to hand when you call.
In 2017, Ecclesiastical’s annual church competition celebrated the role that churches play in their local communities and the positive change brought about by various community initiatives. Churches were asked to submit a piece of artwork that encapsulated their community offering, be it a regular food bank service, mother and toddler groups or coffee mornings for the elderly to combat loneliness, etc. More than 270 wonderful and creative submissions formed the Great Community Mural, a 10m x 3m structure, which was unveiled at St Paul’s Cathedral before going on to tour cathedrals around the UK.
This year, Ecclesiastical will be honouring the invaluable contributions of church volunteers – the people who tirelessly devote their time and energy to make a difference to support their church and to make a difference to their local communities. Michael Angell, Church Operations Director at Ecclesiastical, explains that the 2018 competition is all about recognising and celebrating those who do so much to support their church and enrich their communities. “We’re continually inspired by the dedication of church volunteers and all they do. Our hope is that this year’s competition will not only recognise outstanding voluntary work, but also encourage others to consider devoting their time for the benefit of others,” said Michael. Look out for details of this year’s competition on www.ecclesiastical.com/church
Do you receive our monthly e-news? We send updates and useful advice by email once a month. If you or anyone else in your church would like to be added to the list, you can sign up at: www.ecclesiastical.com/signup If you no longer wish to receive our emails, you can unsubscribe at any time – just click the unsubscribe button at the end of the email.
New health and safety guidance Nobody wants to see anyone suffer an injury, so it’s important that your church has taken steps to protect those who use your buildings. This can seem a bit daunting when starting from scratch, so we’ve developed a series of new webpages, guidance notes, checklists and videos to help make health and safety straightforward. They provide a range of information and examples to help you get started, or check the adequacy of what you already have in place. Find out more at: www.ecclesiastical.com/ healthandsafety
Allchurches Trust Every year, we give a large proportion of our profits to Allchurches Trust, the charity that owns Ecclesiastical Insurance Group.
General Data Protection Regulation – Is your church ready? The increased rate of technological developments and globalisation have brought new challenges for the protection of personal data. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been introduced to reflect changes in technology since the Data Protection Act was introduced in 1998. The changes will come into effect from 25 May 2018 and will affect all organisations that handle personal data relating to living EU citizens. This means that churches will need to comply with the new regulation.
ICO overview of GDPR www.ico.org.uk
Allchurches uses this money to give grants to churches and Christian charities. Sir Philip Mawer, Allchurches’ Chairman, said: “Thanks to the generosity and hard work of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group and the loyalty of its customers, last year we were able to give £15.6 million to projects all over the UK and Ireland that are improving lives, strengthening communities and bringing hope.”
Parish Resources’ Church guidance www.parishresources.org.uk/gdpr
One of Allchurches’ largest grants in 2017 was £300,000 for the Church Urban Fund’s
Guidance on how to prepare for GDPR is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), and you can find detailed guidance on how this applies to churches on the Parish Resources website.
Maintenance Booker Ecclesiastical are pleased to be supporting the National Churches Trust’s new MaintenanceBooker initiative. The new web-based service makes it easy to keep church buildings in good repair. MaintenanceBooker allows churches and chapels in England and Wales to get a quote from accredited contractors with experience in church and historic building maintenance. You can find out more at: www.maintenancebooker.org.uk
Together Network that supports local groups tackling poverty and deprivation. Of the many small but vital grants of between £500 and £6,000 made annually, recent examples include £2,000 towards a night shelter, £1,250 for a school library and, over the course of 2017, 37 grants to restore or repair church bells. For more information about Allchurches Trust, and the grants they give, visit www.allchurches.co.uk
Casts of Christian crosses conserved by V&A Museum Six towering early Christian crosses in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s famous Cast Courts will be conserved thanks to a grant from Allchurches Trust, owners of Ecclesiastical. The crosses were cast in plaster from ancient stone crosses around the British Isles during the mid-19th century, and installed in the Cast Courts along with copies of other architectural and ecclesiastical wonders including, astonishingly, Trajan’s Column. Allchurches Trust’s grant contributes to the V&A’s project to restore the West Court and Central Gallery, which are due to open in autumn 2018, completing the redevelopment of the magnificent Cast Courts.
What would your church do with a donation of £130? To celebrate both our 130th anniversary and being voted as the most trusted home insurance provider in the Fairer Finance rankings, we are offering to donate £130 to your church when you take out a new home insurance policy.
Information at your fingertips Our dedicated website for churches contains bespoke advice on how to look after your buildings and the people that use them. From health and safety guidance and risk assessment templates to ideas for fundraising events, our website provides a wealth of information. Our Church Matters website is dedicated to churches and contains bespoke advice for your church buildings and the people who use them, plus more information on all our products and services. Find out more at: www.ecclesiastical.com/ churchmatters
All you have to do is take out a new home insurance policy with us, quoting ‘Trust130’ and we will do the rest. Full terms and conditions are available on our website: www.ecclesiastical.com/trust130. Call our team to find out more:
0800 783 0130 Our home insurance At Ecclesiastical, we pride ourselves on providing honest and specialist insurance for those associated with the church, and our home insurance is no different. Our home insurance is tailored to meet the specific needs of our customers, including specialist cover for clergy, church workers and church volunteers. We aim to keep insurance simple, and make it as clear and easy for you to understand as possible.
There’s nothing standard about our standard policy Some companies might charge more for useful extras, but your Ecclesiastical policy includes cover against losing keys, legal expenses and home emergency protection at no extra cost.
You’ll be insured against a range of events such as fire, theft, subsidence, storm or flood and escape of water. Our home contents and buildings policy includes: Up to £750,000 buildings and £75,000 contents cover Home emergency cover Up to £50,000 legal expenses cover Up to £3,500 for accidental loss or damage to valuables and personal belongings that you take away from your home. Find out more about our award-winning home insurance at: www.ecclesiastical.com/homeinsurance or call our team: 0800 783 0130
Has your church already received a donation? Tell us how you’ve used it by posting your story on our Facebook page and tagging us @Ecclesiastical. Alternatively, you can send your story in to our team at: Trust130@ecclesiastical.com and we might share it on our website and Facebook account!
Do we have up-to-date contact details for you? If your contact details are out of date or are incorrect, let us know via phone or complete the form on our website available here: www.ecclesiastical.com/ churchchangedetails You can also update us on changes to names, emails addresses, phone numbers and changes to PCC members by phone. Call 0345 777 3322
Overall customer satisfaction*
99%
We’re here for you... Ecclesiastical supports our church customers with more than just church insurance – read on to find out more about how we can help you.
*Based on 1464 responses to Ecclesiastical’s customer opinion survey 2017.
Theft of metal Theft of metal is, unfortunately, an ongoing problem for churches. In recent years, we have received numerous claims for theft of metal from our policyholders, the vast majority of which have been from church properties. Metal theft can have a massive impact on a church, from the cost of the replacement metal, to subsequent damage to the church during the course of the theft or subsequent leaks in a roof. What can you do to protect your church? There are steps you can take to help protect your church from theft of metal, and your policy only covers you for metal theft if the following steps have been taken:
Financial Advice
Car Insurance
Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services (EFAS) bring you independent financial advice from a company you know and trust. Our experts advise clergy, church people and PCCs on making investments (including ethical investing), pension and retirement planning, mortgages and life assurance.
Ecclesiastical Insurance Services offer extra benefits tailored for the clergy. Including business use (anything relating to the church), no charge for monthly payments, no administration charges for changes to the policy and up to £500 for church goods in the car.
Call 0800 107 0190
Call 0345 450 9396
Email: getadvice@ecclesiastical.com
www.ecclesiastical insuranceservices.co.uk
Funeral Plans
Making a Claim
A funeral plan from Ecclesiastical is an ideal way to make financial provision for your funeral, as well as reducing the worry for your loved ones at a difficult time. Making your funeral wishes known in advance and providing for the cost makes sound financial sense.
We will work swiftly and deal with your claim fairly and if we can resolve it when you first contact us, we will. If it is a little more complicated, we will give you direct access to an expert claims handler, so you always know what’s happening with your claim.
Call 0800 055 6503
Call 0345 603 8381
Email: info@epsfunerals.com
www.ecclesiastical.com/claims
Apply a forensic marking system approved by us (such as SmartWater) to external metal Register the marking system with the provider
Clearly display signage of the marking system to deter thieves. To find out more and to read our full guidance notes visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/ theftofmetal
Our specialist customer service team Our dedicated church customer service team have a deep understanding of the specialist needs of those who look after, and protect, churches. Our friendly team are ready to help you with any query, no matter how big or small, and are available by telephone, email or post.
Call 0345 777 3322 (8am-6pm Monday to Friday except Bank Holidays) Email: churches@ecclesiastical.com Post: Church customer services, Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester GL1 1JZ
A Top 5 for the care of your church building Our Church Buildings Team offers a ‘Top 5’ relating to documents on the care of your church building: 5) Just making it into the Top 5 is your maintenance plan. Any church that has received grant aid will have been asked to complete one. It simply says that you will clear the gutters twice a year, rod the storm drains annually, oil hinges on doors and any opening casement windows to allow for cross draughts, and any other little jobs that you need to do on a regular basis. 4) Hanging on in there at number 4 is your churchyard plan, which should show the location of all of the known burials. This is vital in planning where the next interment will be and where graves have been reserved by faculty, but it is also extremely useful if you want to put drainage or service cabling in as a part of a reordering proposal. 3) A non-mover is your inventory. Required by Canon F17, it lists all of the goods and ornaments in the church. It is required to be seen by the archdeacon at the
Balancing the books: help is at hand Worried about parish finances? Not sure how to address Christian giving in your church? Has it been a while since the last Stewardship Campaign? If these sound familiar, then help is available. Bishop Christopher has invited our clergy to join him for a Stewardship Breakfast. These events have sought to raise the importance of Christian giving as part of every Christian’s walk of faith and set out the bishop’s vision for ‘Generous Living in response to our generous God’. Through faithful discipleship – honouring God with all that He has given us, including our finances, in response to all that He has done for us – He will provide for us. As such, the ability to pay the bills is a by-product of our Christian walk, not the focus of it. In challenging clergy to encourage generous living in their parishes, Bishop Christopher recognises that parishes need the resources and expertise so as to be able to seek to meet this challenge. One such resource
is the Parish Giving Scheme, which is currently being ‘road-tested’ in a dozen parishes across the diocese. It is hoped that this will be made available, free of charge, to all parishes in the diocese later this year. The scheme is a really helpful way of raising the subject of giving and offers a perfect opportunity to introduce a Giving Review in the parish. In anticipation of the probable launch of the Parish Giving Scheme across the diocese later this year, might now be a good time to start thinking about planning a Giving Review in your parish? For advice on any aspect of Stewardship, help with holding a Giving Review and for more information about the Parish Giving Scheme, please contact: Hugo Cobham Stewardship Consultant T: 01522 50 40 49 M: 07870 66 33 53 E: hugo.cobham@lincoln.anglican.org
Visitation because it is such an important document – it comes into its own when the unthinkable happens and there is a burglary. Does yours have photographs? A picture paints a thousand words. 2) Another non-mover is your log book. This is required by Canon F13. By keeping a record of each repair you have to do, this will build up a picture of the overall state of your church building. One slipped tile replaced each month may be a very minor job, but does the overall picture show that there is a bigger problem affecting the roof, such as nail sickness? 1) And your number 1 for the 63rd year running is the Quinquennial Inspection (QI) report. Required by the Inspection of Churches Measure 1955, it should be undertaken every five years and gives the parish a complete overview of the work that is needed to its building during that period and prioritises each piece of work according to its urgency. The report in itself won’t mend the building, and recommendations should be acted upon systematically so that the most urgent repairs are done first before moving on to other categories. The QI system is the envy of the rest of the heritage world and really should be the number 1 document in staving off decay in your building.
Protecting one another The Church is called to share the good news of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. The life of our communities and institutions is integral to how we address this task. The good news speaks of welcome for all, with a particular regard for those who are most vulnerable, into a community where the value and dignity of every human being is affirmed
and those in positions of responsibility and authority are truly trustworthy. Being faithful to our call to share the gospel therefore compels us to take with the utmost seriousness the challenge of preventing abuse from happening and of responding well where it has. This is why safeguarding is central to the mission of the Church. The term ‘safeguarding’ means the action that we take to promote a safer culture. Bishop Christopher is committed to a diocese in which confident discipleship and joyful service actively promote the welfare of children, young people and adults, and where we are all working together to prevent abuse from occurring. The kingdom value of protection of the vulnerable places a responsibility on every one of us to seek to protect those that are at risk of being abused and respond well to those that have been abused; to take care
Join the Bishop of Lincoln on a pilgrimage
to identify where a person might present a risk to others, and offer support to them whilst taking steps to mitigate such risks. Recognising abuse as a sin and responding in a way that delivers us from evil and leads not into temptation is a challenge to us all and one that we must accept if we want to make a difference to the lives of those who are suffering. The Archdeacon of Lincoln is the bishop’s strategic lead for safeguarding and there is a team of safeguarding professionals who work in the diocese to support you in this area of the Church’s ministry. Our highly qualified team members are Debbie Johnson and Penny Turner, and Gemma Marks-Good, whose background as a sexual and domestic violence advocate, is a valuable addition to our care for victims. They can be contacted on 01522 50 40 81 / 01522 50 40 80 / 01522 50 40 79, respectively. All of the policies and other contact details are available on the Safeguarding section of the diocesan website at www.lincoln.anglican.org
Share in ‘ringing out’ for peace An appeal has gone out to church bell ringers around Britain to join in a major event later this year to commemorate the centenary of the end of World War I.
Don’t miss an opportunity to join the Bishop of Lincoln on an eight-day pilgrimage based in Jerusalem and Galilee in November 2018. Booking information may be obtained from Mr Patrick Deeming (Pilgrimage Administrator), c/o The Archdeacons’ Office, Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU (or call 07454 73 35 84 or email pilgrimage2018@lincoln.anglican.org).
The organisers of Battle’s Over, a national and international event marking the armistice, want to see more than 1,000 churches and cathedrals participate by ringing their bells simultaneously at 7.05pm on the night of 11 November 2018. Pageantmaster Bruno Peek is encouraging bell ringers to take part in Ringing Out for Peace. He has said: “We want this to be the most widespread ringing of church bells since the First World War.” Churches can find further information and register their involvement by completing the Ringing Out for Peace entry form found at www.brunopeek.co.uk
Whilst Ecclesiastical has used reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information in this newsletter is correct at the time of publication, please note: (a) the information is not intended to constitute a definitive or complete statement of the law on any subject, (b) the information may over the course of time become incorrect or out of date; and (c) neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. nor its subsidiaries can accept any responsibility or liability for action taken or losses suffered as a result of reliance placed on the information provided in this newsletter.
When it feels irreplaceable, trust For more information, call 0345 777 3322 email churches@ecclesiastical.com
@churchmatters
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (EIO) Reg. No. 24869 is registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK and is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services Ltd (EFAS) Reg. No. 2046087. Registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK. EFAS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. © Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc 2018
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