archdeacons’visitation news

Diocese of Ripon and Leeds

Over the past twelve months, a number ofchurches have undertaken significant buildingprojects – St. Peter’s Harrogate, Skeeby,Spennithorne, Allerton Bywater and St. Chad’sFar Headingley. Several others are planning todevelop their buildings. We have been greatlyhelped by the assistance of our buildingsofficer, Alice Ullathorne, (see below left) andthe projects will have a significant impact onthe degree to which these churches canwork in partnership with their communities.In Leeds, the appointment of two PioneerMinisters to work with the businesscommunity and the new housing areas aroundthe Riverside has begun to make a realdifference and we have now added a third,with the appointment of Beth Tash as PioneerMinister to the Night Time Economy, (seebelow right). St. George’s, Leeds has recentlyopened the Crypt Nurture Café where trainingfor employment is available, focusing oncatering and horticulture opportunities.

As a result of work done by the Ambitionfor Mission group (which looked at potentialfor growth across the diocese), I amencouraging every PCC to review the way inwhich planning happens and to ensure that the

PCC has its Mission Action Plan. This is ashort document which sets out the PCC’svision and aims and includes a brief planstating the priorities and identifying what thePCC is going to focus on and achieve over thecoming year. For some PCCs a 3 – 5-yearperiod will be more appropriate. There is greatadvantage in a PCC setting aside some timeto pray and take a good look at its vision andways of working. What is God calling you to beand do as a church and in your community?An awayday or an evening to consider thisquestion will help the PCC to prioritise, drawup a plan of action and identify the resourcesneeded in terms of people, buildings, financeand outside expertise. The bishops,archdeacon, director of Mission Resourcing,children and youth team, urban and ruralofficers, communication officer, stewardshipofficer and finance team are all willing to beinvited to help facilitate PCC planning. Contactyour archdeacon in the first instance for help.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all muchjoy in your work as churchwardens over thecoming year? It is both a responsibility and aprivilege to lead and care for people in ourparishes, and it is important that we hold one

another in prayer as we undertake all that Godhas in store for us.

We are very grateful to John Carter and toEcclesiastical for its help in producing thisnewsletter at no cost to the diocese.

Janet HendersonArchdeacon of Richmond

Useful contacts...Ven Janet Henderson: 01765 601316 Email:janet.henderson@riponleeds-diocese.org.ukwww.archdeaconinthedales.blogspot.com

Ven Paul Hooper: 0113 269 05 94 Email:paul.hooper@riponleeds-diocese.org.uk

Diocesan Office: 0113 200 0540Diocesan News: www.riponleeds.anglican.org

Dear churchwardensAnother year flown by! My thanks go to all who served as wardenslast year and especially to those who are retiring from office.Welcome to all who have been newly elected!

Spring 2012 - issue 9

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

This booklet – which can be downloadedfrom the Tourism Resources page on ourwebsite (www.riponleeds.anglican.org/tourism_parishes_resources.html) – wassent to every parish church at the time.It is well worth re-reading.

Most churches are visited by people frombeyond their regular worshippingcongregation, even if we don’t have a beautifulGrade 1 listed building of enormous historicaland architectural significance! Churcheswelcome strangers at weddings, baptisms andfunerals. People from the local communitymay come to ‘civic’ services of different kinds.Some churches attract large numbers oftourists. A great number of these visitorsnever attend regular church services and maylack a basic knowledge of Christianity.

‘Encouraging Church Visitors on a SpiritualJourney’ has been written by the Revd EileenMcClean, a member of the Ripon and LeedsTourism Task Group, who has researchedChurch tourism.

She says that every church can convey threesimple but important messages to thosewho visit it:

(a) “The people of this place are glad youare here. This place is for you.”

(b) “This is not just a beautiful building,it is a sacred space, however you mayunderstand that word sacred”.

(c) “This church is alive, loved and usedregularly by people who are committedto following the way of Christ.”

As Eileen puts it, “A visit to one church isunlikely to be a life-changing experience,though that is possible. Visiting severalchurches over a period of time, may have acumulative effect, favourable or unfavourable,regarding the places, the people who worshipin them, and the faith they hold. Every singlechurch has a responsibility to consider itsown image and how it contributes to thewhole picture.”

Our responsePlease consider using ‘EncouragingChurch Visitors on a Spiritual Journey’in your parish. It contains lots of helpfulchecklists and discussion points.When avisitor enters your church, do they feel reallywelcome? There are plenty of suggestions formaking the building more welcoming, moreaccessible and a place which really doesencourage the visitor on a spiritual journey.

Secondly, please consider putting yourchurch’s details with a picture or two onto thediocesan website tourism pages. The websiteitself has visitors from across the country andbeyond, often looking for information aboutthe area and places to visit. Many have alreadydone so, and it is very simple. If you would likeyour church included on the tourism pages for

visitors to the area, please send Canon JohnCarter (jhgcarter@aol.com) a 120-worddescription, including historical notes – thebuilding’s age, special features – times ofopening and facilities (e.g. toilets, guided tours)together with the postcode of the church orgo to:www.riponleeds.anglican.org/TourismTemplate.html for a set of guidelines.Put your church on the tourist map!

Contacts and resourcesThe Tourism Task Group of our dioceseacts on behalf of the Diocesan Council forMission and seeks to support and helpthe parishes of the diocese in theiroutreach to tourists.

Chair: Revd Prof. Myra ShackleyTel: 01937 590770Email: myrashackley@hotmail.com

The Diocesan Communications Officer offershelp and advice on matters such as websitedesign and leaflet production.Contact: Revd Canon John CarterTel: 01423 530369Email: jhgcarter@aol.com

For more general help and support on mattersof mission and outreach, contact the DiocesanDirector of Mission Resourcing: Revd CanonAdrian Alker, Tel: 0113 200 0559 Email:adrian.alker@riponleeds-diocese.org.uk

Encouraging visitors ona spiritual journeyNearly two years ago, at our Synod meeting in Ripon Cathedral,we introduced the Diocesan Tourism initiative and membersendorsed a call by Bishop John for churches to use a new bookletproduced by the Tourism Task Group, ‘Encouraging Church Visitorson a Spiritual Journey’.

Last year was the worst on record for thenumber of claims for the theft of metalfrom churches, with claims exceeding2,500 by the end of the year. In fact, overthe past four years, metal theft claims fromchurches Ecclesiastical insure have nowexceeded £25m, with over 9,000 claims.

More than seven churches a day are fallingvictim to the attacks† and, unless action istaken now, the wave of metal theft raids canonly continue throughout 2012 causinguntold distress to our parish communities.

This is why Ecclesiastical has recentlylaunched the ‘Hands Off Our Church Roofs’anti-metal theft campaign, to deter criminalsand protect places of worship from this crime.

What is the ‘Hands Off Our ChurchRoofs’ campaign?

Ecclesiastical is determined to do all it can toreduce metal theft. Over the last two years,Ecclesiastical has been piloting the use ofelectronic roof security systems on churchesin metal theft hot spots. The systems haveproven to be very effective at preventingfurther losses and the insurer is now takingthis initiative to the next stage. To demonstrate

the effectiveness of roof alarms on awidespread basis, at a local level, and toencourage more churches to install alarms,Ecclesiastical is currently investing £500,000to install systems on selected ‘at risk’churches across dioceses in England,Wales and Scotland.

Once Ecclesiastical has protected theselected churches in a diocese by installingthe alarm systems, they will let all the otherchurches in the diocese know by sendingthem an information pack. The pack willcontain information about the alarm system,including details of where parishes can goto see a system in operation near them(Ecclesiastical recommends that you seefor yourself how effective the system is).It is expected that this will encourage manymore parishes to install alarms as a solutionto the church metal theft problem.

To help deter thieves further, the informationpacks will include two weather-resistant,glow-in-the-dark campaign posters (see pictureabove), which Ecclesiastical is encouraging allparishes to display prominently. You can alsodownload a copy of the poster atwww.ecclesiastical.com/handsoff

Roof alarms – key benefits

� Highly effective at deterring metal theftas demonstrated in recent trials in thefthot-spot areas.

� The system is specifically designed todetect and deter intruders before anydamage is caused.

� The technology used is virtually invisibleand reversible.

� Passive infrared (PIR) motion detectorsprevent false alarms.

� The system requires no userintervention and works for years.

� Large roof areas can be covered costeffectively.

� If the security system is activated, aplanned response based on yourspecific instructions is carried out – perfectfor buildings in remote or rural locations.

If you install an Ecclesiastical-approved roofsecurity system and have also complied withthe theft of external metal policy condition,Ecclesiastical may be able to increase yourmetal theft cover, depending on your individualcircumstances. The roof alarm FAQsmentionedbelow include more information about this.

More information

If you would like to arrange a free*no-obligation alarm survey for your church,or if you have any queries about the alarmsystem, please contact us on 0845 600 9659(9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday excludingbank holidays) or by email atroofalarms@ecclesiastical.com

For more information about the campaignincluding a video, roof alarm FAQs and a toolwhich will help you understand how at riskyour church is from metal theft, please visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/handsoff

Other ways toprotect your churchTop tips include:

� Applying a forensically basedsecurity marking product, such asSmartWater** to external metal,prominently displaying associatedsignage and registering the kit withthe supplier. For SmartWatersupplies (at a 40% discount),please call 01952 204 102.

� Engaging with your community –join the local Neighbourhood Watchscheme and urge the church’sneighbours to keep a watchful eyeout for anything suspicious aroundthe church.

� Make theft more difficult by removingany easy access onto building roofs,such as water butts, waste bins andtall trees located near to the building.Remember to get any necessaryapproval for tree cutting e.g. from thelocal authority, before work starts.

More advice and detailedguidance notes can be found atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

† In 2011, according to claims figures available up to theend of December. *UK mainland only – travel expensesmay be applicable offshore. **The registration and use ofSmartWater, or an alternative forensic marking systemapproved by us, is a policy condition on both ourParishguard and Hallguard policies.

Hands OffOur Church Roofs!Ecclesiastical launches a new campaignto fight metal theft...

Ecclesiastical is proud to reachits 125-year milestone in 2012.The anniversary is a greatopportunity to celebrate, butalso a time to look back andplan for the future.

During this important year,Ecclesiastical will be providing evengreater support to the Church,charities and the not-for-profit sector,both nationally and locally. For example,one of the initiatives the insurer isundertaking is to provide funds toenable the Church of England toproduce a new and improvedChurchcare website. The websiteis designed to help everyone involvedin caring for church buildings throughoffering practical advice, guidanceand links to other useful sourcesof information.

In a world that seems increasingly totake the short term view, 125 yearsis a long time in anyone’s book.Ecclesiastical is proud to have playeda part for such a long time in helpingchurches to make a difference in localcommunities and looks forward tocontinuing to do so for many yearsto come.

To visit the Churchcare website,please visit www.churchcare.co.uk

For more information aboutEcclesiastical’s 125 celebrations,please visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/125

Both the Church of England and theChurch in Wales aim to reduce carbonemissions by 80% by 2050 (in line withgovernment targets) to help meet theglobal challenge set by climate change.To that end, both Churches are runningenvironmental campaigns – in EnglandShrinking the Footprint and in Wales

CHASE (Church Action on Sustaining theEnvironment).

Churches nationwide are looking at ways theycan reduce their carbon impact and greentechnologies are being considered to save,or even generate, energy. One approach toenergy generation is to install a photovoltaic(PV) system. For any church consideringinstalling such a system, Ecclesiastical hasproduced a brief guide which is available atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Ian Giles thoroughly enjoys visitingchurches – so much so that he chosea career which allows him to visit mostchurches within 100 miles or soof Bristol!

Ian is an InsuranceConsultant andSurveyor (IC&S),part of a team ofhighly respectedprofessionals whowork for Ecclesiasticaladvising PCCs on

health & safety risk management andthe insurance of their church premises.

With over 30 years in the insuranceindustry, Ian, like his colleagues acrossthe country, is qualified to tackle most riskmanagement issues churches raise with

them. “People usually want to know howI value their church and what impact it willhave on their premium. Rebuilding worksand repairs are other major issues.”

Ian and his colleagues have a rollingprogramme of church visits, howeverteam members are often called out morefrequently to inspect damage, the aftermathof a metal theft or building modifications.IC&S teams also deliver tailoredpresentations on topics including fire andsecurity, health & safety, metal theft andinsurance protection to supplementpublished guidance notes and are happyto undertake presentations on otherrelated topics.

To find out who your local IC&S is, visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmattersand enter your postcode.

Like any other organisation, churches aresubject to health and safety legislation,risk assessments are required for a widerange of activities and there is always thegeneral issue of security to be addressed.

As part of its service to the Church,Ecclesiastical has set up a dedicated websitecalled ‘Church Matters’ where you can find awealth of advice and practical assistance onthese issues.

With spring now here, many churches will beturning their attention to essential buildingwork whether that involves carrying outgeneral repairs or undertaking majoralterations. If you are contemplating anysuch work, it is essential that you adviseEcclesiastical before any works start. This iseasy to do by using the on-line CommercialBuilding Works questionnaire that you willfind on the Church Matters website.

Church Matters also includes a range ofdownloadable guidance notes on topics suchas, security, health & safety and fire safety,together with a range of useful interactiveforms that you can personalise for yourchurch and save for your records.

To find out more, visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Support for you at‘Church Matters’...As well as addressing spiritual matters, today’s churches are facedwith what can seem like a maze of administrative and legislative issues.

New technologies –new challenges

A passion for churches

Interactiveforms

NEW

Are you headingfor a fall?It may have been just a small set ofsteps, but it was tall enough to sendEcclesiastical Insurance Consultantand Surveyor Peter Halden crashingto the concrete floor of a church,smacking his head on a radiatoras he fell.

“The steps Peter was given were tooweak for the job,” said Bob Johnson,Ecclesiastical’s Technical Risk ServicesManager. “He’s lucky not to have beenseriously injured.We recommend thatPCCs check our guidance notes onworking from heights. If the stepsPeter climbed had been of commercialstrength, they would have supported himproperly. If you need to use a ladder, forexample to change light bulbs high in theroof, these need attaching to an anchorpoint to ensure they are safe for use.”

Further advice is included in theHealth & Safety guidance notes atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Chancel RepairLiability – a trusteeresponsibilityParishes have until October 2013 toinvestigate the position of their churchrelating to chancel repair liability and,if appropriate, note their interest withthe Land Registry.

Because of a well-publicised court case,Aston Cantlow PCC vWallbank (2001),the Government included provisions relatingto this liability under the Land RegistrationAct 2002. Under this order chancel repairliability needs to be registered as a notice(or caution in respect of unregistered land)before 13 October 2013. Failure to do thiscould risk losing the benefit of a traditionaland valuable gift.

Where a PCC is a charity, its trustees have aduty to safeguard its assets, which wouldinclude registering the chancel repair liability.Failure to register could render trusteespersonally liable for any shortfall in the costof repairs that would have otherwise beencovered by chancel repair liability.

To find out more about the insuranceimplications of chancel repair liability,please call 0845 777 3322.

The first requirement for electrical safety is toensure that wiring is up to date and thereafterthat it is inspected and tested at minimumintervals of five years. For additional safety,routine checks should be carried out on anannual basis.

While routine checks can be carried out bysomeone who is competent to understandthe electrical system, this person need not beelectrically skilled. For the five-year inspectionand test, however, the services of a suitablyqualified professional are required.Ecclesiastical recommends that this should bean NICEIC (National Inspection Council forElectrical Installation Contracting) registeredcontractor, a member of the ElectricalContractors Association (ECA) or a memberof The National Association of ProfessionalInspectors and Testers (NAPIT). Registrationor membership must be on a full scope basis.

For more information, please downloadthe Health & Safety policy with guidancedocument atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Don’t trip up onhealth and safety...

Electrical safety matters...Faulty electrical wiring is the second biggest cause of fires in churchesafter arson and, according to Ecclesiastical, the full scale of theproblem is difficult to measure because in some cases the damage isso severe that the fire authorities are unable to pinpoint the specificcause of the fire.

Minor accidents can happen in any buildingto which the general public has access –and the older the building, the greater therisk of what the insurance industry terms‘slips, trips and falls’. In a litigious society,minor, sometimes spurious, accidents canexpose churches to potentially significantpublic liability claims.

With this in mind, the importance of havingup-to-date health & safety records becomesevident, as Bob Johnson of Ecclesiastical

explains: “It is vital to have a specificindividual responsible for health & safetywithin the PCC. It is their responsibility toensure the completion of the necessary riskassessment forms which will be the mainform of defence against any spuriousinsurance claim.”

Health & safety risk should be a regularagenda item at PCCmeetings and furtherguidance on this topic can be found atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Do you have a charity linked to your church?If so, is it insured with Ecclesiastical? Youmight not know, but Ecclesiastical has been insuringchurch-related charities and voluntary organisations for many years. With a dedicated charitypolicy Ecclesiastical protects you, your property, your activities, your volunteers and your trustees.

For more information, please call 0845 777 3322 and quote ‘AV news’.

Home insurancefrom one of the best

It is widely acceptedthat endorsementfrom Which?, the UK’sleading consumerrights group,

recognises companies that offer thebest products and services. That iswhy Ecclesiastical is particularly proudto have been named again in January2012 as a Which? ‘RecommendedProvider’ for home insurance.

For members of the church communitythere is even more good news becauseyou can save over 30% on Ecclesiastical’sHome Insurance when buying a combinedbuilding and contents policy online(subject to minimum premiums and termsand conditions).

For your free no-obligation quote, pleasecall 0800 917 3345 and quote ‘AV news’(8.00am to 6.00pm weekdays) or visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchworker

Renewal date not due yet?Simply go towww.ecclesiastical.com/avnews and enter your details.Ecclesiastical will be in touch with aquote nearer the time.

Each PCC is the custodian of parish funds andmembers are charity trustees with a duty tomanage and use their financial resources toachieve their greatest potential. Part of atrustee’s role – indeed a legal obligation – is toperiodically review investments to ensure theyremain suitable according to the Council’sinvestment policy statement. Responsibilitiesalso include exercise of skill and care whenmaking investment decisions, deciding on theright investments, their suitability and diversity– and deciding when to take expert advice.

Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services (EFAS),part of Ecclesiastical, is a national company of

Independent Financial Advisors (IFAs) whospecialise in financial advice for the clergy andchurch people. EFAS advice takes into accountthe Church of England Ethical InvestmentAdvisory Group and the Church in Wales EthicalPolicy Statements and any key ethical criteriaset by individual investors.

For parishes with funds typically of £25,000 ormore available, EFAS can help review investmentpolicy and advise whether it may be possible toachieve better returns than existing depositarrangements. The aim is to help parishes buildan ethical investment approach, generatingincome while avoiding excessive or unnecessaryrisk. Because of its unique understanding,EFAS can also advise individuals on the legalresponsibilities of being a warden and treasurer inrelation to church finances. The aim is to build apartnership supporting treasurers in their financialstewardship responsibilities and help maximiseparish income. Please remember the value ofinvestments can fall as well as rise and you maynot get back the amount originally invested.

To find out more about EFAS, please call0800 107 0190 and quote ‘AV news’ orvisit www.ecclesiastical.com/getadvice

Ecclesiastical is continuing to provide ‘bagsfor life’ for use by collectors and volunteersduring the UK’s biggest house-to-housecharity collection. In addition to that, thecompany has introduced a scheme that couldsee Christian Aid benefiting from thousandsof pounds in additional donations.

The idea is very simple: Ecclesiastical isasking Christian Aid supporters to let themknow the month in which their householdinsurance policy is due for renewal. For everydate they receive, the company will donate50p to Christian Aid.

You too can get involved in supportingChristian Aid by letting Ecclesiastical knowyour home insurance renewal date and

encouraging your friends and family to dothe same.

Just call Ecclesiastical on 0800 917 4154 orvisit www.ecclesiastical.com/caw for moreinformation or to leave a renewal date.

Her Majesty QueenElizabeth ll DiamondJubileeGas beacons insurance cover

In June 2012, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIwill become only the second monarch in Britishhistory to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. As partof the celebrations, 2,012 beacons will be litacross the country on 4th June, including somegas beacons on church and cathedral towers.The beacons are fuelled by liquid petroleum gas(LPG), which is extremely flammable and readilycombines with air to form an explosive mix.

Ecclesiastical would like to offer churchesassurance that insurance cover is in place butasks that if you are intending to use gasbeacons on your church building, please call0845 777 3322. Ecclesiastical can then talk toyou about your cover and offer you tailoredadvice in addition to the dedicated riskmanagement advice which can be found atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Is it time to give yourparish funds a makeover?With interest rates remaining at record lows and costs rising, the needfor careful stewardship of parish funds has never been more critical.

Ecclesiastical supports Christian AidEcclesiastical is again working with Christian Aid in 2012 to support itswork in the fight against global poverty and has introduced a newmoney-raising initiative.

There is a long tradition of lighting beaconsaround the country to mark jubilees: it wasdone in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s60 years on the throne and many of uscan remember the beacons lit to mark ourpresent Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977.I remember a very wet barbecue on theMagog Hills in Cambridgeshire where anenormous beacon was lit as part of a chainacross Britain. The beacons symbolised theunity of the Queen’s realm. You might beable to recall other national occasions suchas the 400th anniversary of the sighting ofthe Spanish Armada in 1988, BeaconEurope (to mark the opening of the singleEuropean Market) in 1992, the fiftiethanniversary of VE Day in 1995, the Queen’sGolden Jubilee in 2002 and the bicentenaryof the battle of Trafalgar in 2005.

All great fun and the stuff of forging acommon national identity. It will be veryimportant to our communities that we markthe Queen’s Jubilee in a meaningful andmemorable way and do something reallynotable to celebrate such a remarkable reignand a dedicated monarch. However, thesuggestion that beacons should be lit onchurch towers is unusual and this is the firsttime that there has been any suggestion thatbeacons should be on buildings around thecountry. In the past, most of the beaconshave been lit on the ground. Of course abeacon needs to be conspicuous – that iswhat makes it a beacon! However, the ideaof lighting beacons at the top of towers

poses some serious potential dangersthat need to be thought about very carefully.To carry heavy (40kg) cylinders of liquefiedpetroleum gas up narrow spiral staircasesand set light to it in what may be a veryconfined space is a challenge. The gas isextremely flammable and combines with airto form an explosive mix. Locating thebeacon on a tower will bring the flames intovery close proximity with the building andwith flag poles. Should an accident occur,it will not be easy to gain speedy access toanyone injured at the top of a mediaevaltower and to get them to hospital quickly.

It is therefore very important indeed thatPCCs discuss their Jubilee plans carefullyand responsibly and make an educateddecision about what will be safe in yourchurch, in your environment. It is, of course,possible to consider other ways of markingthe Jubilee, such as ringing a peal of bells,holding a service or concert, having a partyor barbecue or locating a beacon on asuitable piece of ground. Should the PCCdecide that, despite the hazards, they wishto adopt the proposal for a beacon on thechurch tower, you will need to apply for afaculty from the Chancellor. No beaconscan be lit without this.

For more information, please seeEcclesiastical’s Diamond Jubileearticle on the opposite page.

Diamond Jubilee beaconsSome of you may have read the suggestion that beacons shouldbe lit on church towers on 4 June 2012 to mark the Queen’sDiamond Jubilee. Information about the plan and the history ofbeacons can be found at:www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk

©A

rchd

eaco

nin

the

Dal

es20

11

Guidance from theChancellor of theDioceseMy permission to light a beacon on achurch tower would be required byFaculty. Before such permission can begranted the parish would have to satisfyme that the project was subject to anacceptable plan and risk assessment.

Currently I cannot envisage a plan to light abeacon on a church tower that wasanything other than a risk to people andbuilding. In simple terms the default islikely to be a refusal of permission. I cansay that my fellow Chancellors at theirannual meeting in November were seriouslyconcerned at the suggestion. The idea oflighting beacons across the country will ofcourse make a traditional and fittingexpression of celebration. However,I should encourage the selection ofsuitable sites other than church towers.

Therefore, I anticipate that, if a parish doeswish to pursue the possibility of doing so,careful consideration should be given tothe potential risks involved in taking thenecessary equipment onto the tower andin lighting it. I shall, of course, give equallycareful consideration to any plan and riskassessment that a parish wishes to putbefore me and to any reasons given insupport.

I am content to reduce the formalities to theminimum for the application of a Faculty tolight a beacon on a church tower:

� the fee for issuing the Petition will bewaived

� the requirement for a public notice willbe waived

� the question of permission will bedecided on written representations only

� the written representations mustaccompany the Petition

� the Archdeacon may make writtenrepresentations in response within14 days

� the decision will be communicated within28 days of the lodging of the Petition.

The Wor His Honour, Simon GrenfellChancellor of the DioceseFebruary 2012

This advice and information is given in good faith and is based on our understanding of current law and practice. Neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Officeplc nor its subsidiaries accept any liability whatsoever for any errors or omissions which may result in injury, loss or damage, including consequential orfinancial loss. It is the responsibility of the insured or any other person to ensure that they comply with their statutory obligations. The interpretation orimplementation of the notes contained in this newsletter is at the sole discretion of the insured or any other party who may read these notes.

© Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc 2012 4/12

For more informationcall 0845 777 3322

email information@ecclesiastical.comvisit www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (EIO) Reg. No. 24869. Ecclesiastical Insurance Group plc (EIG) Reg. No. 1718196. Ecclesiastical Life Ltd (ELL) Reg. No. 243111. Ecclesiastical InvestmentManagement Ltd (EIM) Reg. No. 2519319. Ecclesiastical Financial Advisory Services Ltd (EFAS) Reg. No. 2046087. Ecclesiastical Services Ltd (ES) Reg. No. 1811698. E.I.O. Trustee Ltd Reg. No.941199. All companies are registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK. EIO, ELL, EIM & EFAS are authorised and regulated by the Financial ServicesAuthority and are members of the Financial Ombudsman Service. EIO & ELL are members of the Association of British Insurers and EIM is a member of the Investment Management Association.

Young people’sambassadors...Over coffee after the service, someone said, as they often do,‘We have no young people’. In fact there had been a small group oftoddlers making palm trees in the west tower and four or five people inthe choir were obviously between 8 and 15! I looked in the registers andfound that the church had been full of young people at various schooland carol services.Living

churchyardsRecently I received a list of all thechurches in the area that are or havebeen until recently ‘managed for wildlife’.This was sent to me by the YorkshireLiving Churchyard Project which is runby Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. From the list,it seems as though churches wereentering into this enthusiastically aboutten years ago but that some have fallenback a little in recent years. If you wouldlike information on how your church candevelop its churchyard (‘God’s Acre’) sothat the environment is sympathetic tothe natural habitat and the ecology ofnative plants, animal and insect species,go towww.ywt.org.uk

Churchyard management seminars areheld every year to help people learnmore about how to take usually quitesimple steps to preserve and encouragethe presence of wildlife. Members of theLiving Churchyard Team are willing tovisit parishes and offer advice. They willlist the species seen and heard andcreate an annotated map of the site tohelp with planning its care. Often we justdon't realise what we have living in ourchurchyards! Or what we might bedestroying by over-managing them.

The stories we tell about our churches have amajor impact in shaping how people thinkabout ‘church’. The person I spoke to couldhave said, ‘There are quite a few young peopleinterested in the things the Church does andinvolved in worship, but I never get to meet anyof them... and I’d like to’.

1,000 young people came to Lightwater Valleyfor the Big Night Out, an event organised byUrban Saints and the Diocese of Wakefield,York and Ripon and Leeds.

This year the Big Night Out is on May 19th.Masham and Middleham have a youth projectwhich has grown, so that one youth worker has

become two! Many of the churches I visit haveclubs or midweek groups or special services forchildren and young people.

It will greatly help our youth team –Nic Sheppard,Anne Carter and GrahamRichards (see picturebelow right) – in their work to encourage childrenand young people to explore Christian faith ifeach deanery synod elects a young people’sambassador (if they have not done so already).Someone who will keep young people’s activitiesand issues on the agenda, be aware of what’sgoing on for young people in all the churches ofthe deanery and act as a contact point foranyone wanting information or passing oninformation to the local churches.