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PARISH STRATEGY

 Our Aim is to have the Parish identify itself as an Urban Parish- having a distinct role and purpose

 1.      The Parish of Southend is the Urban Anglican Parish for Central Southend.
We affirm the Primacy of the Sacraments, the Creeds, and  the Scriptures, and  the Ordination of Women to the Priesthood alongside that of Men.

 In Place: We have a Parish weekend Retreat and Pilgrimage to Walsingham in alternating years. The Church Council Away Day each autumn, has been extended to include church council members from the District churches, and any one else who wishes to attend.

2.      To be a presence in the Town that is taken for granted by the Town- a natural part of the Town

In place:   Links with the College and University, RNLI, Business Partnership, Mayor's Chaplain,
                The Kursaal, Homeless Centre, , Palace, Naval & Military Club   
                Echo, St John's Project

 3.      To be a Spiritual Resource for the Community.

In Place: Good Friday March & Witness, Carol Services, Christian Fair,  the Carol Service in the Victoria Plaza Shopping Centre, and the RNLI Civic Carol Service. There are also several services at St John’s in commemoration of D Day, VE Day and VJ Day which have been supported by the Royal British Legion. Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals, All Saints and St Alban's visits to Old People's Homes           

Churches open for Need (e.g. 11 September)
                

4.      To consist of 4 Churches, each with its own distinctiveness, and each enjoying being part of the Team.

In place: Ongoing Clerical Cure of Souls across the Parish, St. Mark's - Prayerful concern for each other and base for the Milton Community Partnership (MCP is 'owned' by the whole Parish)


In place: St John's - Palace Hotel links, Civic profile, monthly ‘Refresh’ service- alternative worship 5.00pm

In place: St Alban's- Anglo-Catholic identity


In place: All Saints - Sunday Evening service, A Church for the local community.

 One Parish

In place: Cross-Parish activities: Ash Wednesday, Easter Eve, Ascension Day, Corpus Christi, All Souls.  Social activities- Parish picnic, Barn Dance, Passover meal. Walsingham Pilgrimage. the Parish office is located at St Johns

 5.      To be aware of ourselves as belonging to Deanery, Diocese, and beyond

In place:
Clergy and lay representation on Deanery Chapter and Synod
Revd Colin Baldwin, the Chaplain for South East Essex College , and the University of Essex is linked to the Team
Diocesan: Clergy involved with Continuing Ministerial Education.
Spiritual Direction.

To come:
Communicate better with Deanery and Chapter.
More pro-active involvement- using Diocesan Resource people.

6.      To understand ourselves in partnership with other Christian denominations.

In place:  CICS, Churches Together, Inter-Church discussion groups, Lent groups. - multi- faith links through annual Remembrance Service at Milton Community Partnership

7.      Ministry As Partnership

In place: St Mark's planning for Family Service
               Baptismal Pastoral Team @ All Saints
              St John's Worship Team.
              Evening worship Partnership at All Saints
             Passover meal preparation, Barn Dance, Parish Picnic.  

In Summer 2005, David Booth was licensed as a Reader for the Parish and Penny Alexander was licensed as a Pastoral Assistant. Both these roles are forerunners of a fuller Ministry Team.

To come: David has worked with a cross Parish group on a theological appraisal for Lay Ministry in the Southend Team and is to bring forward proposals to the Church Council.

8.      Financial Strategy

The Southend Team has paid in full its financial commitments to the Diocese for the last three years. A Treasury Team exists which consists of the Parish Treasurer, the four District Treasurers and the Team Rector. The Team meets regularly and monitors the financial situation of the Parish throughout each year.