Anglican Parish of Hendra/Clayfield
ANGLICAN PARISH OF HENDRA/CLAYFIELD
Parish Profile - 2022
Website: www.hendraclayfieldanglican.com
Email: hendraclayfield@anglicanchurchsq.org.au
Phone: 3268 3092
INTRODUCTION
Hendra and Clayfield are neighbouring suburbs in the inner north of Brisbane, located approximately 10 kms to the north/east of the CBD and bordering the suburbs of Ascot and Hamilton. The suburbs are mostly residential, with some commercial areas along main thoroughfares (Sandgate Rd).
According to ABS Census Data for 2016 the median age across the two suburbs is 36-39 and there are 15,180 people with an almost even split between male and female. There are 3740 families in the area with an average of 1.8 children for those families with children. The employment status of couple families has the majority of couples with both partners employed both in full time work.
2410 people across the suburbs have identified as being Anglican.
CHURCH HISTORY
The churches have a combined history. St Colomb’s was dedicated on the 23 December 1899. In 1911 land was acquired on the corner of Franz Street and Colin Street at Clayfield. This was the worship centre for those in Hendra as well. In 1920 the Archbishop gave approval for the church to move to land between Sandgate Road and Victoria Street. The church was dismantled, and everything numbered and rebuilt on the current site. In 1921 the Church raised funds for the construction of the Cross of Remembrance.
With the moving of the Clayfield church those in Hendra started to move towards the starting of a sister church in Hendra. They started teaching Sunday school at Hendra State School. The first registered service for the community was in January of 1925 and the first Communion service in April. They worshipped in a Hall owned by Hendra School and which was moved a number of times and is the hall Hendra rents. In 1945 the Parish Clayfield/Hendra purchased the land that is the site of St John’s. The church created a building fund in 1946 and would lead to the building of the St John’s, which was consecrated in 1953. In 1956 Clayfield and Hendra become independent parishes.
In 2000 the diocese believed that the two churches would benefit from a merging of the two parishes and lead meetings to formulate the merge. The two parishes had unique identities. Clayfield’s history was long and had a been the force in the diocese. Hendra’s journey to independence was still fresh, the work and efforts of the founders was still an important part of their identity. The merging of the two was not easy for either parish.
The Parish has grown out of these and other events to be more flexible and open to the changing times. They are passionate and faithful, looking for a priest who can guide them into a future, no matter what it looks like.
The selling off of the rectory at Clayfield and land on Sandgate Road, as well as a house left by the Edwards family to St John’s, which has been used to buy an apartment and that sold to invest in two managed funds, has assured the parish of a strong financial position as it heads into this next phase of our journey of faith.
PARISH VISION STATEMENT
To be a welcoming Christian family, filled by the Holy Spirit and caring for the community.
PARISH PRAYER
Renew in us, O God, the zeal for your love.
Let our Parish come alive with the power of the Spirit.
Where we have failed, forgive us.
Where we have persevered, encourage us.
Where we are in doubt, direct us.
Help us to see new opportunities for witness and service for the sake of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.
Amen
St John’s – 12 Burilda Street, Hendra
St John’s consists of a church and hall with adjacent rectory/house including office space under the rectory.
St John’s seats approximately 80 people.
Services are held as follows
Sunday 9am
Thursday 10am
Saturday 6pm
St Colomb’s – 23 Victoria Street, Clayfield.
St Colomb’s consists of a church and ministry centre, with adjacent offices that are rented out to a psychology business.
St Colomb’s seats approximately 150 people
Services are held as follows
Sunday 7am
Wednesday 10am Suspended till new Priest comes
Seasonal services
An Anzac Day service is held at St Colomb’s at 8am each year. This is held outdoors adjacent to the memorial cross which is within the grounds.
Christmas and Easter Services are held at both churches at the regular times of 7am and 9am, with the Christmas Eve and Midnight Mass alternating between the two churches year to year.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Both our churches have venues for hire within their grounds, and both are used quite extensively by the local community.
Hendra Hall
The hall at Hendra is used by Karate, Dance and Sports groups in teaching children these skills, as well as by several lodge groups for their regular meetings. The local community also books the hall for birthday parties/celebrations.
St Colomb Centre
The Centre at Clayfield is used by several groups like Probus, but also by the Anglicare Organisation for several of their training courses/seminars.
We have increased our income with hall rentals over the past year as we have secured several large value regular hirers through community engagement via local social media pages.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Our ageing congregation is a weakness for the parish. Whilst we have a much lower age demographic within our catchment area (median age in the mid to high 30’s) along with a good number of young families, this is also an affluent area so many people are time poor and have other time pressures, so Church attendance is not high among this demographic.
In Person Attendance at church services has declined since the beginning of Covid however several of our services are live streamed or recorded on Zoom so whilst we don’t have clear data/statistics our parishioners are still able to participate in services within their own homes.
Our strength though is our Parishioners. We have a very passionate and supportive parish who are very generous with their giving. We have a community that lives out the love of our Faith. Our Finances are also one of our strengths.
We have a very supportive Christian Community in our area. Locally we have a multi- denominational local ministers association who meet monthly for Coffee/Lunch to discuss issues impacting the community and support each other. Additionally, we have the Northeast Brisbane Inter Church Council (NEBICC) who meet Bi-Monthly and are supported by Laity from across the denominations.
OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS
There are great opportunities within our Parish to develop ministries that support our vision. Given the demographic of the suburbs there is also a great opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed priest to develop and widen the community participation across our Parish.
Across both suburbs there is a very high % of students attending the many Christian Schools within the area, so again there is an untapped resource for a new parish priest to embrace and bring into our Parish.
Whilst having two separate Church Parishes within the Clayfield Suburb which could be seen to be competing for the limited parishioner within the suburbs, we have a great working relationship with the Parish Priest at St Mark’s. There are opportunities to develop joint ministries with them and other local Anglican Parishes that would be to the benefit of all within our community and across our Parishes.
FINANCES
Budgets are prepared each year on the certainties of income that will be generated with our parish. This means we predict a deficit each year, however God has always provided and sends what we need, when we need it.
PARISH ADMINISTRATION:
Parish Council is drawn from both worship centres and includes 2 church wardens and 8 other parishioners holding various roles.
Parish Council meets bi-monthly on a Thursday Evening – parish councillors either meet at the office in Hendra or via Zoom. The meeting is recorded via Zoom. Agenda items are discussed by the Wardens and the Priest prior to the meeting.
Administration Team – one casual staff member 9hrs per week.
Parish Groups/Ministries –
Mothers Union – meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month
Men’s (Breakfast) Fellowship – meeting held in the Hendra Hall on the first Saturday of each month with between 6 -11 attendees. The men’s group was established for the men of both congregations to meet and discuss matters of faith in an informal environment.
Trinity Pantry – we have an ongoing food collection during the year and all donations given are blessed on the last Sunday of the month before being delivered to the Trinity Panty for distribution to those in need.
Bush Ministry – The parishioners give throughout the year to this worthy cause.
Anglican Board of Mission – the parish gives funds as agreed each year by Parish Council the ABM to enable them to continue their important works.
PROPERTY
We currently have parishioners that look after the maintenance of the grounds at both our Hendra and Clayfield Parishes. The parish supplies equipment such as mowers/edgers/hedgers for use of the parishioners to maintain our properties. Hendra having a larger green space than Clayfield has a quite large garden that is maintained by a parishioner with the help of a paid gardener to keep our grounds looking beautiful.
Additionally, we have some parishioners who will do minor maintenance work around the two properties; however, we also use professionals such as electricians/plumbers as required.
STATISTICS –
include information from the Parish Dashboard here once we have access to the information.
LAY LEADERSHIP
Number of licensed lay assistants 4 people
Do lay people read the lessons? yes
Do lay people lead the intercessions? yes
In what ways do lay members of the parish take responsibility for aspects of the day to day administration of the parish? Meet those doing maintenance, assist with hall and centre hire, Counters, banking and grounds.
In what other ways do lay people exercise ministry within the parish?
WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT NEEDS OF THE PARISH
Like many churches we need growth, but we focus on the relationship and faith of those who come rather than the numbers that come, so we do not worry about it. The reality though, is that our congregations are aging, though there are a number of young families in our congregations. We need someone who, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will continue to improve on numbers of parishioners and continue to maintain strength through unity.
WHAT ARE THE HOPES AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
As an older and smaller congregation, we may seem like we are dying, and it is an underlying concern, but God has provided for the church, and we are in a good financial situation with good facilities. We want to be a place where people feel loved and welcomed. A place to meet God in worship and in relationship. Though we are limited in our physical ministries, we see our place in the support of other’s ministries with the blessings God has given us.
What are we looking for in an incoming Priest?
This would be a great parish for a young priest with a family and the parish is in many ways a blank canvas that an incoming priest would work in with enthusiasm and creativity. Ideally our new Parish Priest would be someone who: -
· Has a willingness to understand the history of the two communities and how we became one
· Seeks to be guided by the holy spirit
· Has energy and enthusiasm along with a sense of humour
· Teaches and preaches the gospel
· Is sincere and hardworking, accountable and has a strong pastoral care focus and is willing to visit people in their homes or hospital
· Is a leader with administration, IT and good time management skills who can delegate and enjoys teamwork at all levels from informal through to administration and committee level
· Is transparent with decision making and can follow a project through to completion
· Is committed to a tenure of 5 years or longer
· Is able to balance and negotiate between differing viewpoints and foster dialogue between parties to find a way forward for competing interests
· Values the heritage of both churches and their people and can continue to bring both congregations together
· Is keen to develop and lead our growth in faith and spirituality and has an openness to contemporary expressions of ministry such as informal, contemporary intergenerational services