Hi All,

The Deanery Summer Synod is coming up on soon and this final synod of the Triennium will have a focus on Disability and the church. We’re being graciously hosted by St George’s Church Hanworth (Castle Way, Hanworth Park, TW13 7QE) and we look forward to seeing you all there. We’ll be meeting on Thursday the 8th of June, starting at 7.30pm, with refreshments served from 7pm. Our speakers will be Rev John Beauchamp, Diocesan Disability Ministry Enabler, and our own Rev Rachel Wooden.

In preparation for the meeting, please take a look at the below documents and get ready to bring your questions to our expert speakers.

• Deanery Synod Meeting Agenda
• February 2023 Meeting Minutes

Due to IT limitations, this meeting will not be broadcast so the only way you can hear from our excellent speakers is to attend in person. Do make sure to mark the 8th of June into your diary and feel free to reach out to myself or Martine if you have any questions on this event.

Our next Synod will mark the beginning of the new Triennium and will feature communion, Bishop Emma speaking on her vision for the area, and important deanery business.  Please make sure to block out the 3rd of October in your diary!

£150,000 Hounslow Energy Fund Launched

Hounslow Council has re-launched its Hounslow Community Energy Fund (HCEF) for 2023, with £150,000 available to support community-based projects that cut carbon and improve energy efficiency. Churches are eligible to apply and the deadline is the 31st July. We know a couple of Hounslow churches managed to get funding in the last round so we encourage all of you to consider it this time. For more information and guidance on how to apply, click here. 

School Governors Needed!

While we’ve recently managed to fill one of the governor vacancies in the deanery, there are still two outstanding and we desperately need your help in filling them.

• The Green School Trust -are looking for someone who would like to move into a chair or vice-chair role after a suitable period of induction. For more information, please reach out to Kate Nepstad, Head of Governor Services.
• The Blue School – One of our Deanery Foundation Governors stepped down in March and we are looking for a replacement to represent the Deanery.

If you know anyone in your congregation who would make a good fit to represent the Deanery on the board of Governors please reach out to me or Martine. Any foundation Governor candidates will be voted on by the Deanery Standing Committee before being submitted to the school. Please note that we would need to receive the below before any candidate can be considered;

• A letter from the candidate’s vicar (or church wardens if the church is in interregnum) – confirming both the good character of the individual and that they attend church regularly so are well placed to represent the Deanery as a Deanery Foundation Governor
• An email or formal letter (preferably sent via email) from the candidate explaining what they would bring to the role, their experience and skills, so demonstrating their suitability. It helps if this also includes their contact details so both we and the school can reach out to them in the event they are successful.

Deanery & Area Vacancies

Parish Administrator – St Philip & James Whitton with St Stephen’s Hounslow

seek a Parish Administrator, to be based at Whitton. The role will involve the management of day-to-day activities of the two churches, including some financial duties, to act as PA to the Vicar, and support the churchwardens and officers in their roles. Hours: 24.5 hours per week – can be worked flexibly across Monday to Friday

Salary: £15.00 per hour plus Workplace Pension (c£28.860pa pro rata)

For more information please contact the Hon PCC Secretary, Mrs Lucy James,

Community Development Lead – Hope Church Hounslow. The role will be to oversee and co-ordinate our community work along with the Vicar; build on relationships with outside agencies; give oversight and administrative backing to their Foodbanks and community work with different groups; build and train volunteer teams; grow their work with debt advise, benefits, housing, mental health support, food poverty, back to work/employment training, vulnerable families and vulnerable adults; oversee risk assessments and to be involved in fundraising for this work. Deadline for application is 26 May at noon and interviews will take place in the week beginning 5 June.  For more information click here or contact info@hopehounslow.org.uk

General Secretary for the Diocese of London –  Seeking to do everything we can to support our parishes, chaplaincies and church plants as they contribute to the flourishing of people and communities across the city, the diocese are looking for an experienced leader who has the desire to play a vital role in the work of the LDF. They will work closely with Bishop Sarah, the Area Bishops and Archdeacons, and the broad range of trustees and non-executives. Application deadline 29th May, for more information click here.

Deanery Updates & Notices

Thy Kingdom Come 2023, 18th – 28th May – The Diocese has launched a brand new app which is a one stop shop for access to inspirational daily prayer reflections, videos from ecumenical leaders on the TKC23 daily themes and resources for children and young people. The TKC App is an award winning resource that your congregations can download to guide them through 11 days of prayer and reflection as we pray – Thy Kingdom Come in our lives and communities. To download TKC23 App click here for android, or here for IOS.

Triennium End– Just a quick reminder that the Deanery Rep terms come to an end on the 30th of June, and new reps should be elected in your APCMs. Please do let the deanery office know your church deanery reps following your APCM so we can make sure our membership list is up to date.

Summer Deanery Synod – 8th of June, 7:30pm. The next synod will be looking at Disability and will feature speakers Rev John Beauchamp, the Diocesan Disability Ministry Enabler, and Rev Rachel Wooden. Hosted by St George’s Church, Hanworth (Castle Way Hanworth Park, TW13 7QE), the synod will be on the 8th of June, starting at 7.30pm, with refreshments from 7pm. This meeting will not be broadcast via zoom so the only way to hear from these great speakers will be to attend in person!

Kensington Area Youth Weekend 2023 – 16-18 June 2023. The Area Youth weekend away, for young people in school years 6-10 will take place at Oakwood Youth Challenge near Wokingham.  If your church hasn’t participated in this before and would like to find out more, please contact Joanna Jones here.

Clergy raining – Monday 19 June, 10am – 1pm, Diocesan House. How do we speak the gospel in public today? Much of our outreach at local level can be hampered by the lack of a strong and positive public narrative about Christian faith in public discourse. Bishop Graham Tomlin will speak, click here for more information.

Multiply Conference – 22 June, 10am-4pm, St Paul’s, Hammersmith. Multiply 2023 is an invitation to join in.  A day conference for church leaders, practitioners and strategists. To dream bigger, to sow into opportunities emerging around them, and to bless and nurture the rich, blended ecology of the Church. It takes all kinds of Church to reach all kinds of people. For more information, click here.

Rethinking Disability – 22 June, 10am – 4pm, London Diocesan House. a day looking at the theology of justice in a disabling world and the Church. The day will draw together recent theological perspectives on disability justice, share stories gathered from disabled Christians, and explore practical pathways for increasing the participation of disabled people in church. For more information click here.

Theology in a Summer – 17th July. This online short course, features six talks from a variety of speakers on topics across the spectrum of theology, including biblical studies, doctrine, church history, ethics and more. Open to all. For more information click here.

Growing Younger Retreat – 13-15 September 2023. Collaborating with the Diocese Children & Youth team, the Kensington Area Growing Younger Team are hosting retreat for employed children and youth workers at Ripon College, Cuddesdon (Cuddesdon, Oxford OX44 9EX). For more information, reach out to the Diocese of London Children & Youth team.

Autumn Deanery Synod – 3rd of October, 7.30pm. The last synod of 2023 will feature several important deanery votes as well as opening the triennium with communion. Our guest speaker will be the Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson, the new Bishop of Kensington. After presiding over communion, she’ll be talking us through her vision for the area followed by a Q&A session. Hosted by St Michael’s Elmwood Road, the synod will be on the 3rd of October, starting at 7.30pm, with refreshments from 7pm. Join us to hear from our new Bishop and bring your burning questions!

Holy Land Study Tour – Monday 2nd – 11th October. With the Rev Preb Andrew Corsie, Willesden Area Director of Ministry, and Dr Salim J Munayer, Founder of Musalaha. A Study Tour offering insights and fresh understanding gleaned from over 30 years of pioneering “conflict resolution delivery“ set against the intense backdrop of the Israeli/ Palestinian violent conflict. For more information, click here.

Creative Growth – As part of the London 2030 vision, the Creative Growth ambition wants to see that estates are fully included in the vision for every Londoner to encounter the love of God in Christ. In partnership with the area Bishops and Directors of Mission, an Area Estates Advocate has been chosen for each area to work with the Diocese Estates Enabler. Our own Revd Fi Budden is the Advocate for Kensington Area.  If you are interested in exploring estate ministry, or highlighting the estate ministry you are already involved with, please contact Fi who would love to hear from you!

Warmest wishes and God bless,

Kathleen McQuarrie

Hounslow Deanery Secretary