Spring 2014 - issue 13

2013 has seen a great deal of change in theway in which the diocesan central services areworking, as we have implemented therecommendations of the independent reviewundertaken in 2012.

This review challenged us to move to asimplified departmental structure that wouldenable a more joined up approach to the wayin which the parishes and communities of thediocese were supported, and would deliversome significant cost savings. These changeshave been made. The separate departmentsof Ministry, Social Responsibility and theMissioner post have been combined into onedepartment of Mission and Ministry. Financeand Property are working together in a waythat more closely brings together the way wemanage our physical resources, and we havestrengthened the resources we canbring to communication.

We have made this change at the same time aswe have begun to implement the priorities ofour Journeying Together strategy, and this alsohas been essential in enabling us to ensurethat, with limited resources, we are focusingour efforts where they are most needed.

A smaller central staff has also meant that wehave looked again at our office accommodationand, after much discussion, have made thedecision to stay in the present location by thecathedral in College Green. This has requiredsome investment in refurbishing these offices,work that was long overdue, but we are surethat what has been done will not only benefitthose who have to work in Church House, butalso make it a much better place to visit. For thefirst time ever, you will now find the receptionist

on the ground floor ready to greet you whenyou visit, and we have more accessible spacefor meetings and training.

In doing this, combining a smaller staff withmore efficient working and better use of spacefor officer provision, we have also achievedcost savings of over £400,000 per year.

We have a renewed office and a renewed(smaller) diocesan team and, as yourarchdeacons, we believe with these changeswe have also a renewed determination toassist and enable you in your ministry in yourparish and your community as, together, weseek to work in partnership across our dioceseto build up the life of the Church. So pleasecontinue to ask for help and advice where youneed it.

We look forward to continuing to work withyou in this task in the year to come.

With every blessing

archdeacons’visitation news

Dear churchwardensThank you! Thank you for your ministry in this last year. Thank you,since it is because of your leadership, exercised in collaboration withyour clergy and the members of your congregation, that the church isable to signify God’s presence in each and every community and drawpeople to his love in Jesus Christ.

Produced and printed by

Churchwardens’workshopsOnce again the archdeacons willbe organising churchwardens’workshops in the autumn.

This year we are looking to hold threeor four workshops in different parts ofthe diocese.

If there are particular issues or topicsyou would like to see addressed inthese workshops, please contact thearchdeacons through Kay Mundykmundy@glosdioc.org.uk or01452 835581.

Look out for dates nearer the time.

www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Diocese of Gloucester

The VenerableJackie SearleArchdeacon ofGloucester

The VenerableRobert SpringettArchdeacon ofCheltenham

We have an excellent document, available onthe website and in hard copy, called ‘WhatHappens when the Vicar Leaves’. It sets outthe process that will be followed and clarifieswhat to expect and the work that has to bedone towards making a new appointment.However, making the new appointment is notthe whole story of a vacancy. Some churchesflourish and grow doing a vacancy; others failto thrive, or decline; people leave or feelexhausted. What is it that makes thedifference?

As part of our diocesan ‘Journeying Together’vision, we have wanted to explore the creativeuse of vacancies. How can a vacancy be seenas an opportunity? How might churchesflourish during a vacancy?

A small group has been looking at thesequestions and these are some of our findings:

Relationships: A vacancy can bring peopletogether. Sometimes in a benefice thechurchwardens from different parishes maynot often meet because relating is done

through the vicar. In a vacancy they have tocome together, and many report that thisstrengthens relationships, not just betweenthe wardens, but also between the parishes,and enables support, teamwork and a sharedsense of purpose.

Vision: Preparing the parish profile can bea hugely positive experience. Where theprocess is followed well, there is wideconsultation, building links with the localcommunity and the congregations. Peoplerespond well to being consulted and feelthey have had a say. Some benefices holda vision day early on in the vacancy, and thishas proved to be immensely positive. For abenefice that already has a clear vision (thebest scenario!), further consultation and thewriting of the profile enables a review ofthe vision and priorities and gives anopportunity to think about the future.

Teamwork:Many who have had recentexperience of a vacancy reported that people‘stepped up’ to get involved, perhaps taking onnew roles in the church or offering gifts andskills they hadn’t previously been using.

Prayer: Some benefices choose to writetheir own vacancy prayer to be used in everyservice or perhaps laminated on card or as a

bookmark, so that everyone can use the prayerin their own prayer times. Many organise extraopportunities for prayer groups, and includeprayer for the vacancy and new appointmentin Sunday intercessions. Some report thatfaith and fellowship increase through this timeand through uniting in prayer.

However, not all the feedback is positive.Where a vacancy goes on for more than ayear, there is often a sense of tiredness anddisillusionment. We aim to fill a vacancy in ninemonths in this diocese. We don’t alwaysmanage it, but there is evidence to show thatvacancies of 6–9 months are the optimumlength of time (although some would like anew vicar straight away, most find the vacancyto be a helpful and creative space andwouldn’t want to miss out on the benefits).

And some report finding the vacancy difficult,especially if it is the same people doingeverything – being responsible for making thenew appointment as well as organisingservices and doing administration, for example.

These findings and recommendations will bereported back in full to the Bishop’s staff andto the Bishop’s Council, but meanwhile hereare three things to ponder:

if you are not in a vacancy, does yourbenefice/parish have a visionstatement and clear priorities, so that,if the vicar were to leave, you wouldknow what you are doing and whereyou are heading?

if a vacancy is imminent, plan with thevicar before they leave, so that peopleknow what has to be done and canshare responsibility

if you are in a vacancy, identify thepositives and think about how thesecan continue once the new incumbentarrives. If there have been difficulties,what could be learned from them?

Finally, CPAS has just published a smallhandbook called “Growing Through aVacancy: 15 practical steps to a healthychurch vacancy”. It is excellent and willbe very useful if you are approachinga vacancy, but I would recommend it toany church or benefice, even if you hopea vacancy is a long way off, because it’snot just about how we are a church in avacancy, it’s about how we are a churchall the time.

Archdeacon Jackie

Making the most ofa vacancyWhat happens when the vicar leaves? Since coming to theArchdeaconry of Gloucester, there have been quite a number ofparochial vacancies, and I hope these events are not connected!

New figures from Ecclesiastical showthere were fewer than 500 churchinsurance claims for metal theft in 2013,well down from the peak years of 2007–08when claims were up to 2,400. However,experts at Ecclesiastical believe the drop inthefts may be reaching the bottom of thetrough, with the potential for an increase inthe next two years.

John Coates, director of church insurance atEcclesiastical, said: “Churches have made atremendous effort over the last few years but it’simportant to remember that metal theft is acyclical crime. The impact we’ve made recentlyhas definitely accelerated its downturn, but wehave to remain vigilant and be prepared for anescalation of activity in the future.

“Even 500 claims a year is too many. That’s still10 churches being targeted every week.”

Claims experts at Ecclesiastical are convincedthat the effort churches havemade withSmartWater combined with the heightenedpolitical profile of metal theft and the police’sproactive approach are behind the drop in thefts.Scrapmetal dealers have also played their partby checkingmetal for signs of SmartWater andpaying for it electronically, thus creating atraceable link between themetal and its vendor.SmartWater is working closely with the policeon a series of covert raids on dealers’ yards,some of which have resulted in arrests.

In addition, Ecclesiastical’s initiative to fit roofalarms to the most vulnerable churches hasproven a significant deterrent.

“The price of lead has not dropped markedly, sothe reason for the reduction in this crime must liein the actions we’re taking,” addedMr Coates.

The use of forensic marking fluid such asSmartWater by churches has becomemuchmore evident. But Ecclesiastical’s metal theftcoordinator Paul Playford noted that there wasstill some confusion surrounding the display ofsignage. He said: “A lot of churches contact usbecause they are unsure about how to use thesignage that is provided. The key is that thesigns must be displayed prominently where athief can see them – on church gates,downpipes, an exterior noticeboard or besidethe main doors. SmartWater signage displayedinside the church may well go unseen. It’simportant to remember that displaying the signsprominently is a condition of your church’sinsurance cover for metal theft.” You can callEcclesiastical for new or replacementSmartWater signage on 0845 600 9659.

The use of SmartWater or anotherforensic marking product approved byus is a condition of your policy. For moreinformation, speak to your local insuranceconsultant and surveyor or visitEcclesiastical’s website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/smartwater

SmartWater vital inthe fight againstmetal theftThe concerted effort by the Anglican community,Ecclesiastical, the police, SmartWater and politicians iscontinuing to put pressure on metal thieves in the UK, withthe number of thefts dropping.

SmartWater Facts� All SmartWater kits come with

signage that must be displayedprominently.

� To be most effective, the SmartWatershould be brushed in a line alongjoints and seams of lead or copperroofing, where one sheet of metaljoins the next.

� Lead or copper flashing should bemarked on the edges, where itcomes out of the wall and along thebottom edge.

� Cleaning doesn’t remove SmartWater.

� SmartWater works closely with thepolice targeting scrap dealers whobehave illegally.

� Additional SmartWater solution canbe purchased at a preferential ratefor Ecclesiastical Policyholders,directly from SmartWater by calling01952 204 102.

Thief’s clothingled to convictionWhen metal thief Robert Kirvej’saccomplice screamed as he fellthrough the skylight in a Birminghamchurch’s roof, Kirvej fled the scene.The sound of breaking glass andsubsequent commotion was boundto raise the alarm – and it did.

Police found the fallen man inside thechurch, bleeding from a fractured skull,and immediately launched a search of thearea. They stopped a Renault car whichwas being driven very slowly, possiblylooking for something, and questioned thetwomen inside, one of whomwas Kirvej.

Kirvej initially denied any involvement inthe crime, but police officers seized itemsof his clothing, which were tested andfound to have traces of SmartWater onthem from the church’s roof. Thisevidence was sufficient for hisprosecution and eventually jailing forthree years.

Ecclesiastical’s Paul Playford said:“This case is a terrific example of how thecorrect use of SmartWater can give policethe overwhelming evidence they need toclamp down on metal thieves.”

CASE STUDY

1. If one of your employees or volunteersis injured in the course of their dutiesand takes sick leave, after how manydays’ absence should you notify theHealth and Safety Executive?

2. What is the minimum number of fireextinguishers a church should have?

3. How frequently does Ecclesiasticalrecommend a church’s portableelectrical equipment is tested forsafety?

4. Is it compulsory for a church to havea lightening conductor fitted?

5. What is a hot work permit?

6. What is the most common cause offire in churches?

7. What does legislation say should beplaced beneath an external oil tank?

8. How regularly should fireextinguishers be inspected?

9. What is the minimum number ofstewards who should accompanyguests touring the church’s tower?

10. TheHSE says that ladders should beused to work at heights only when thejob is of ‘short duration’. What length oftime does the HSE define this to be?

11.When does the law say a path to thechurch door should be cleared afterheavy snow?

12.What are the minimum first aidprovisions for your church?

You’ll find the answers on the reverse ofthe opposite page.

Welcome to ourhealth and safetyspecial edition

It may not seem the most gripping ofsubjects, but health and safety is becomingmore of an issue for Anglican churches.Increasingly, the team at Ecclesiastical isseeing more liability insurance claims frominjured staff or visitors.

We are aware of churches being prosecuted in recent times for breaches of legislation,which is why we’ve devoted two pages to bringing you up to date with the latest news –and hopefully giving you some interesting ways to test your health and safety knowledge.

If you’d like more information on health and safety, visit the Church Matters section ofwww.ecclesiastical.com or speak to our customer service team on 0845 777 3322.

Eight top tips to behealth and safetycompliant

Health and safety legislation seems tobe such a minefield that it can be hardto know precisely what you have to doto comply with it. After all, there are somany different pieces of regulation,and those you may be familiar withare subject to frequent change.

Here, Kevin Thomas, Ecclesiastical’sacknowledged expert on all things healthand safety, gives you his top eight tips forkeeping your church on the right side ofthe law – and ensuring everyone stayssafe as a result.

1. Appoint a church official or member tobe responsible for health and safety.

2. Take time to read Ecclesiastical’sguidance notes. You can find themon our website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters.

3. You need a written health and safetypolicy. Our downloadable template isa good place to start. Just visit ourwebsite to find it.

4. Conduct and complete your riskassessments.

5. Implement the actions from your riskassessments. If you don’t, you’resimply going through the motions.

6. Review your health and safetyformally once a year – and recordyour review. Evidence of your effortsis essential.

7. Record everything you do in relationto health and safety, but in particular,record your activity in your church’sannual report.

8. If you have questions or need advice,contact Ecclesiastical’s customerservice team on 0845 777 3322.

By following these eight steps, you willensure that your church has doneeverything reasonably possible to complywith the law – and you will be able toprove as much should the matter becomean issue.

How good is your health andsafety knowledge?Trustees and members of the clergy have a responsibility toensure that their churches and other buildings comply withhealth and safety legislation. But just how much do you knowabout current health and safety legislation? Test yourself withthe questions below.

“Risk assessment? Oh no, not one ofthose.” This is a fairly common reactionwhen people are faced with completing arisk assessment form, something manysee as a bit of a waste of time. But speakto Ecclesiastical’s Kevin Thomas andyou’ll get a very different perspective onthese documents.

“They’re absolutely vital,” Kevin declares.“As well as reducing the risk of potentialinjuries, a properly completed risk assessmentcan stop a vexatious insurance claim or courtcase dead in its tracks. It helps us defendclaims, highlighting you take your health andsafety responsibilities very seriously.What itshows is that a church has thought carefullyabout the risks an event, a hazard or a piece ofequipment poses and has taken the necessaryaction to reduce that risk occurring.”

The risk assessment formWith so much depending on the riskassessment, conducting it correctly is ofparamount importance. According to Kevin,the most important points to bear in mind are:

� Remember that a risk assessment is notjust a form to complete; it’s a riskmanagement process to go through.The form documents that process.

� Take time to think through the assessment.The more thorough your evaluation, theharder it will be for anyone to find fault with it.

� Consider who is most likely to be affectedby a hazard – clergy? Volunteers?Members of the public?

� Ask someone else to read your completedassessment. They may well spot somethingyou might have missed.

� Make sure you tell people who need toknow about the risk assessment and storethe document safely in a location whereother people will be able to find it. If no onecan retrieve the document, there is nothingto prove the risk assessment took place.

� A risk assessment is only effective if youact on its findings.

� Review the assessment regularly.

If you would like help conducting a riskassessment, visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatterswhere you can download arange of helpful guidance and riskassessment templates, or speak to ourcustomer services team.

Your health andsafety questionsansweredThe team at Ecclesiastical regularly receives questions fromchurches about health and safety issues. To help you, we havechosen the most common questions and given you the answers.

Q. What is the colour used to identifya water-type fire extinguisher?

A. Red. The other colours are black forcarbon dioxide, blue for dry powder andcream for foam.

Q. Should our church conduct a riskassessment for fire?

A. The law says yes. You should also make arecord of your assessment and keep it safely.

Q. Can we allow people to tour ourchurch tower?

A. Yes, but subject to Ecclesiastical’sguidance, which you will find atwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters.Key points are no children younger thaneight; under-16s to be accompanied by anadult; no heavy or awkward baggage anda minimum of two stewards to escortthe party.

Q. What should we do if we discovera hazard on our premises?

A. Record it on your risk assessment and takeaction to reduce the risk of injury.

Q. What, if any, action do we need to takeregarding asbestos in our church?

A. You are legally obliged to find out if there isany asbestos present in your buildings.

Please refer to our Church Health & SafetyGuidance notes onwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Q. Why is safeguarding important?

A. Protecting the most vulnerable people in ourcommunities is a vitally important duty.Failure to do so can result in prosecutionand major liability claims.

Q. Can we run a food bank?

A. Yes, subject to Ecclesiastical’s guidance.Policies and procedures should be in placeto cover its operation, including details oftypes of food donations accepted, storage,staffing levels and opening hours.

Q. If we allow our church to be usedas a night shelter, do we need totake any precautions?

A. Yes. The Ecclesiastical team can give youguidance but you should have at least twovolunteers at all times, appoint a coordinator,keep records in a log book and provideguidance for both volunteers and guests.You should also inform Ecclesiastical thatyou are running a night shelter.

If you have a question not covered here,please feel free to contact the team atEcclesiastical.

How to conduct theperfect risk assessment

No. 1 Which?RecommendedProvider

In December 2013Which? readersvoted us number1 for our homeinsurance and

customer service. In the independentsurvey, we were rated top ahead ofmany leading home insurers,recognising the focus we place onour customers.

To be a Which? RecommendedProvider a home insurer must have ahigh quality product with above averagecustomer service. Which? combine theirlatest customer satisfaction results alongwith their assessment of each provider’sstandard buildings and contents policyto select the best home insuranceproviders on the market.

For your free no-obligation quote,please call 0800 917 3345 and quote‘AVNH14’ (8pm to 6pm weekdays)or visitwww.ecclesiastical.com/churchworker

All our guidance notes are collected togetherand sorted into the key categories of security,health and safety, fire and storms and badweather. You can download our guidance andalso see the latest information on topics suchas food banks and telephone masts on churchtowers. There is also our month by month riskplanner with short videos about each topic to

help and inform you. Many customers also nowget updates by email – just let us have youremail address if you too would like to beupdated in this way. As well as our websiteyou can also get help from our customerservices team or your local insuranceconsultant and surveyor.

Our website:www.ecclesiastical.com/churchmatters

Customer services:call 0845 777 3322 or emailchurches@ecclesiastical.com

Insurance Consultants & Surveyors(IC&S): to find your local IC&S go towww.ecclesiastical.com/churchsurveyor

Claims: call 0845 603 8381(24 hour service) or emailfaithclaims@ecclesiastical.com

Rock-bottom interest rates from banksand building societies will have causedmany Treasurers to ponder over higher riskinvestments in the hope of restoring muchneeded income, as well as to protect capitalfrom the erosive effects of inflation.

Our new brochure on the Amity CharityFunds attempts to put this into contextand also explains why ethical investingcan enhance, rather than detract from,long-term performance. Copies may bedownloaded from our website atwww.ecclesiastical.com/charityinvestments

Althoughwe cannot offer specific investmentadvice, wemay be able to offer some generalguidance which youmay find helpful.

Contact Mike Goddings on020 7680 5839 or emailmike.goddings@ecclesiastical.com

Please note that the value of investmentsand the income derived from them may fallas well as rise and you may not receive theoriginal amount invested.

Keeping up to dateWe hope you are familiar with our Church Matters website whichhas a wide range of information, guidance and tools you can use tohelp you look after your church.

Help for the TreasurerAs charity trustees, it is the duty of the PCC to try to achieve the bestfinancial return within an acceptable level of risk.

Answers: Health andsafety knowledge1. Seven working days. 2. Two;one water, one carbon dioxide.3. Ecclesiastical recommends annualchecks. 4. No, but churches should seekguidance from their architect. 5.A hotwork permit is issued by the church to acontractor before they start work at thechurch. The permit controls the risksfrom heat-generating activities such aswelding and grinding. 6.Arson. 7.A driptray or bund – a protective wall to preventspillage. 8. Annually. 9. Two. 10.Up to30minutes. Longer than that andscaffolding or a platform should be used.11.When it is reasonable to do so – forexample, after a snowstorm has finished,but not necessarily during the storm.12.A suitably stocked first aid kit and aperson appointed to take charge offirst aid.

Could an excess save you money on your church insurance?One of the simplest ways to reduce the cost of your Parishguard insurance is toinclude an excess in your policy, or increase the amount of your excess. Just like caror home insurance, the excess is the amount of any insurance claim that the church agrees topay for itself. The church will pay the first part of the claim, up to the value of the excess, withEcclesiastical meeting the balance of the claim. For instance, with an excess of £1,000, if youmake a successful claim for repairs costing £10,000, your church pays the first £1,000 andEcclesiastical pays the remaining £9,000. In return, the overall cost of your insurance policy isreduced because your church is effectively retaining some of the risk. The larger the excess,the greater the saving. If you would like to discuss your options to see if you can make savingson your premiums, please call Ecclesiastical’s customer services team on 0845 777 3322.

Following recent changes in governmentpolicy, the diocesan education team is nowsupporting governing bodies of schools thatwish to explore academy conversion.

What is an academy?

An academy is an independent,non-fee-paying state school which isfunded by and accountable to thegovernment, rather than being underlocal authority control

Academies are charitable companies,limited by guarantee

Academies are run by academy trustswhich own/lease the premises andassets and employ the staff.

Any church school which converts to academystatus will retain its religious designation.

A new opportunity

Like all schools, academies are required tooffer a broad and balanced curriculum,provide an education for pupils of all abilitiesand educate pupils who are drawn from alocal area. However, academies do havegreater additional freedoms than maintainedschools and these are intended to help theschool to innovate and continue to raisestandards. These freedoms mean thatgoverning bodies and headteachers havemore control over curriculum delivery and theway the school is organised and managed.

When a school decides to convert to anacademy, the governing body can opt to setup their own individual academy trust, which isa new legal entity, or join a trust with otherschools.

The Diocese of GloucesterAcademies Trust

The diocese has set up its ownmulti-academytrust to provide children of all faiths and nonewith excellent educational provision within adistinctively caring and supportive Christianethos. The trust’s vision is to be able to offer‘a home’ to a family of schools who want tobenefit from academy status, but value theadded benefits of being part of a larger‘family’. “This can provide excitingopportunities for staff to come together andwork collaboratively, supporting their ownprofessional development for the benefit of thepupils they serve,” said Helena Arnold, Directorof Education and Chief Executive of the trust.

In addition to strengthening the already well-established relationship that church schoolshave with the diocese, the trust supportsschools with some of the additionalresponsibilities and opportunities associatedwith academy conversion. “For many schools,one of the biggest obstacles to academyconversion is the capacity to run a business.Our business team is here to support ourschools through the conversion process andbeyond, so as not to distract them fromfulfilling their primary function – educatingchildren,” said Kerry Brimfield, Head ofFinance and Business at the trust.

Whether academy conversion is appropriatefor a school is very much dependent upon theschool’s local context, and governing bodiesneed to carefully consider whether academyconversion has the potential to improveoutcomes for the children they serve.

For further information about the support andadvice the diocese can provide to schools,please contactCanon Helena Arnold onharnold@glosdioc.org.uk

Unlocking potential:Academy conversion?The Church of England has a long and successful history ofinvolvement in education. As a statutory provider of schooling,approximately one million children attend C of E schools nationally.

The information that we learn from your form,with those of every other parish, helps prioritiseour work in supporting you in your ministry.Archdeacon Jackie and I look individually atevery form and summarise the information yougive to us. This is then shared with the Bishop’sstaff and at the meeting of area deans as weplan for the year ahead.

Last year, over 95% of parishes submitted areturn and this is some of what we learnt:

Safeguarding87% (85% in 2012) of parishes have aSafeguarding Policy. That 35 parishes do nothave such a policy is clearly a significantconcern, and Judith Knight, as our safeguardingofficer, has been following this up. We shouldexpect all parishes to have this policy in place bythe end of the year.

Confirmation and Christian nurture51% of parishes have presented confirmationcandidates in the last three years, with anaverage of 5.6 candidates per parish. Thereis a significant variance between thearchdeaconries and deaneries.

33% of parishes have a Christian nurturecourse with an average attendance of 11.Parishes with a Christian nurture course are, notsurprisingly, more likely to present confirmationcandidates (67% as opposed to 51%). Thereare a number of large churches with clearlyactive nurture courses not presenting toconfirmation.

We clearly need to encourage and supportparishes to develop a nurture course, so thatevery parish knows how to signpost to thosewho are new to a place where they may learnmore of the faith. Ours is a faith to be shared.

Employed staff25% of parishes have employed staff. This ishigher in Gloucester (64%) and Cheltenham(67%), with other deaneries being between12% and 24%, with the exception of Forestat 53%.

The church is not exempt from employmentlegislation, and this information has helped givea sense of the scale of advice that is needed.

Journeying Together92% of parishes are aware of JourneyingTogether. However, just 42% of parishesattended the launch. 41% have discussed itat PCC and 48% intend to do so at somefuture date.

We are, therefore, working to continue tocommunicate the importance of JourneyingTogether and its value in helping us reflecttogether on our ministry.

So thank you. Thank you for taking the time tocomplete the form; it really does help as wework together in the ministry to which we havebeen called.

Archdeacon Robert

The Articles of Enquiry 2013Have you ever wondered what happens to the ‘Articles of Enquiry’ formthat you complete each year, whether it is looked at or how it is used?

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 oftime become incorrect or out of date; and (c) neither Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. nor its subsidiaries can accept any responsibility or liability foraction taken or losses suffered as a result of reliance placed on the information provided in this newsletter.

© Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc 2014 4/14

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 (ESL) Reg. No. 1811698. E.I.O. Trustees Ltd Reg.No. 941199. All companies are registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ, UK. EIO and ELL are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority andregulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. EFAS and EIM are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. ESL is an appointedrepresentative of EIO who is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Launched in Gloucester Diocese at the annualYear 6 Cathedral Leavers’ Service in 2013, andgrant-funded from two charitable trusts, morethan 20 schools, churches and communities willbenefit from funding to support the iSingPOPproject. Lisa Hinkley, headteacher ofWhitminster Endowed C of E Primary School,commented: “Our Year 6 pupils attended theLeavers’ Service in Gloucester Cathedral in thesummer. We were delighted by how the childrenwere motivated by the inspiring tunes and lyrics.It was particularly pleasing to see boysenthusiastically engaged in song.”

So how does it work?The iSingPOP team spends four days inChurch primary schools, teaching the schoolcommunity a set of catchy, Christian popsongs. Many of the songs support theChristian values of Church schools and covera range of themes and topics, including: love,forgiveness, friendship, respect, social justice,compassion and prayer. On the final day of theproject, the whole school community comestogether to perform the songs and a mobilerecording studio records the pupils to producetheir very own school CD. Pupils often take

home a copy of the CD and the school (andwider community) have a set of new songs touse in collective worship.

Having spent a week practising and recordingthe songs, the pupils then perform the music,complete with dance routines, in an upliftingconcert in church. “This is always a fantasticfinale to the project and the church is usuallyfull to the brim with families, teachers andother members of the community. During theconcert, the church has the opportunity toprofile its activities and invite the audience toforthcoming services or events. We often haveto organise two concerts on the same day inorder to fit everyone in!” said Miz Porter,Regional Manager for the south-westiSingPOP team. “We are passionate about theChristian faith and helping children to engagein worship. We are also passionate aboutproviding a great opportunity for churches topartner with schools and open their doors tohundreds of members of their local communityfor a special concert at the end of the project.This strengthens relationships between thechurch and the school and creates a platformfor working together in the future.”

In order to support churches in hosting thefinale to the week-long project, iSingPOPprovides the school and church witheverything that is needed to ensure the weekis successful, including a PA system andsound engineer. After iSingPOP visitedStaunton and Corse C of E Primary Academy,Revd John Longuet-Higgins wrote: “Theexperience was seamless, from planning topractice in school, the recording and the greatconcert itself. The children loved it and Miz’senergy was catching. Our church has lovedworking with the school. We have rarely seensuch a buzz in the church.”

iSingPOP has been warmly welcomed bymany church schools in Gloucestershire.“It’s been so wonderful and a privilege towork alongside the Department of Educationand the Department of Ministry and Mission.They have welcomed the project with openarms,” said Miz Porter.

A heart for Gloucester DioceseFor the iSingPOP music producer, ZarcPorter, in particular, this was a very movingexperience. As a former King’s School pupil,he sang daily in the cathedral. After gaining amusic degree he has spent over 20 yearswriting and producing music for Christianschools’ work. For him, hearing thousands ofchildren singing songs in the place where itall began for him was quite an encouragementand blessing!

“It was amazing seeing thousands of childrenwith their hands in the air, dancing and singingalong. The place was alive with childrensinging and proclaiming God’s love.”

Grant funding now available!iSingPOP has been awarded match-fundedgrants from Sylvanus Lysons and St MatthiasTrusts. There are still a limited number ofthese grants available to schools andchurches to help fund the project. PleasecontactMiz Porter at miz@isingpop.comor telephone 07917 800 082 if you areinterested in further information.

For more information, please take alook at the short video clip onwww.isingpop.com

Sing andmakemusic fromyour heart, giving thanksEphesians 5 v19iSingPOP is a fun-filled project that brings together schools,churches and communities through song.