St Mary the Virgin Charminster
Annual Report for the year ending December 31st 2012
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Worship, Mission and Ministry
As a church community we are continually reminded that our purpose is to be there for those outside
of our faith community, and to this end we strive to welcome all into the church whether that be with
our Tuesday all day community café (Tuesday@StMary’s or T@SM), our new toddler group – Stay &
Play, family friendly accessible services (Splash), or bigger community services such as The Queen’s
Diamond Jubilee Service & Remembrance Sunday or “traditional” services such as Easter Day or
Christmas Carols.
T@SM and Stay and Play have led to more families coming to Splash and enquires about Baptism &
confirmation has increased, we are looking forward to these happening in 2013. T@SM continues to
be popular with people and we have seen new people become regulars. A hand-bell group meets
fortnightly and has proved popular. Splash increased its frequency to once a month from quarterly
and has purchased audio visual equipment for use in the service as well as for the wider use of the
church. Two more puppets were purchased for use in Splash and family friendly services.
Our part-time parish worker Rev’d Jo Neary left in March to become Team Vicar in the Beaminster
Team, Jo’s work and ministry helped form a lot of good relationships in the community and in October
Rev’d Claire McClelland was appointed as the new parish family worker, and has been busy building
on the contacts Jo has made at school and has started the Stay & Play toddler group. Stay & Play
attracts mums and grans from Charminster & Charlton Down and has fitted in nicely to the “cycle” of
toddler groups in the local area.
We have introduced new liturgy books to some services produced in house, to replace some worn
books but also to simplify and update the liturgy for those inside and outside of the community.
Our parish magazine –The Pilot - serves as a valuable tool for outreach in Charminster, Charlton
Down, Stinsford and beyond and is an exceptional means of communication on a wide variety of
community organisations/events etc.
The Charminster Social Justice Group took a sabbatical at the later end of the year while several key
members had a break, but individual members continued raising Social Justice Issues and an ethical
Christmas Present sale was put on during November at T@SM.
We continue, as ordained and lay people, to be active in the local First School where we have an
excellent partnership and where we are doing more assemblies, lessons and services. We also have
increased involvement in the local pre-school with an Easter & Christmas service as well as visits to
T@SM for small groups.
Our Chaplaincy work at Kingston Maurward College has been limited again this year but we have
been given a dedicated space for chaplaincy and 2013 will be the start of being more of a presence
on the campus.
We have been helped in some of our bigger services this year (Queen’s Jubilee, Remembrance Day
& Christingle Service & the village fete) by the Cadets and Staff of 2182 (Dorchester) Air Cadet
Squadron, and we have also worked with the scouts, cubs, beavers and brownies in providing
services for them and assisting them in their faith development badges.
Several initiatives and challenges to raise funds for a variety of causes in the Sudan were very
successful this year as were other events which raised money for Train a Priest fund and Kids for
Kids.
Pastoral
Home communion is still taken to those who cannot come to church for various reasons and our team
of Lay Pastoral Assistants was increased this year with two people being trained and licensed to visit
the sick and people in care homes. We continue to visit residents of Wolfton Manor Care Home and
Chestnut House Nursing Home regularly both to support the residents and the staff. The curate has
provided spiritual direction for interested staff.
A popular Marriage Preparation Course and Funeral & Baptism visits continue to welcome and help
those who are outside of the church understand what is happening at these important events.
Social
While no outings have been held during the year, Lent Lunches, Parish Picnics during the summer,
Cream Teas, the Harvest Lunch, and the hospitality after services have been very well received and
attended. A trip to the WW1 battlefields has been planned for May of 2013.
Building
The church building is in a very good state of maintenance – thanks to the care/work of our wardens
and clerk of works. The building is kept beautifully clean, warm and decorated thanks to the hard
work of a large number of faithful volunteers. Small repairs on the roofs and guttering have been
done by our clerk of works. We are also grateful to the Maintenance Staff of Chestnut House,
Charlton Down who generously took time to volunteer to clean the churches gutters.
Two faculties have been applied for and granted, one for the Churchyard wall to be restored after
being damaged by a neighbouring farmer’s tree several years ago. The other is for work on the
vestries, so that security & health and safety can be improved and that their general use as Sunday
school facilities, a counselling area and a small meeting space may be fully realised. All this work is
to be done in 2013.
Lighting and Sound Systems are being investigated so that improvements can be made to both to
enhance worship.
In common with several other churches in the area, 2011 meant that we had three thefts of lead from
the church porch and roof. Lead was restored to the roof in 2012 and a roof alarm was installed in the
early part of 2012 and was successful in surprising someone in the act of stealing lead and
afterwards being successfully prosecuted.
Miscellaneous
The PCC is especially grateful to the Charminster Fête Committee for all their hard work and their
extremely generous donation again this year for the work of the Church.
The PCC is grateful too for the continuing priestly ministry we enjoy with:
The Reverend Wendy Fobister;
The Rev’d Dr. Rob van der Hart (mainly at Stinsford);
The Rev’d Graham Blacktop (who serves mainly at 8a.m.)
And the Rev’d Dr. Hugh Willis who is supportive in a variety of ways.
We are looking forward to the Rev’d Pene Kennedy joining us for some of her curacy in 2013.
We are very appreciative of the faithfulness and skill of our organists and choir and have been glad to
have the accompaniment of Anne Stone playing trumpet, etc.
We continue to enjoy the gifts of our band of bell-ringers.
With the bad weather the Church has been put on several flood alerts and steps have been taken in
raising items that could be damaged in any possible flood. While there were several close calls,
fortunately no flooding occurred, but thanks should be expressed to the local flood wardens and
parishioners for the vigilance and help in raising and putting down of items. The Environment Agency
have been continually altering plans for the Charminster Flood Alleviation Scheme because of
funding and different restrictions placed on the schemes suggested
Church House was restored/renovated to its original use as a dwelling. Thanks to very generous
gifting and oversight of a sub-committee from the PCC, the house was restored to a lovely dwelling
on budget and only a little over time. It will be rented and managed by a letting company.
Finance
Notwithstanding the difficulty in the world with times of austerity and recession, the PCC finds itself in
a satisfactory position financially. The PCC has been able to pay the Diocesan Share over the year in
four quarterly payments. Planned giving has been nearly the same as last year, but we have been
thankful for several large generous donations and legacies of over £10,000 which have contributed to
the good position we are in.
Rev’d Pete Stone
Assistant Curate