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is an open church, welcoming everyone
in the spirit of Jesus Christ, seven days a week. Not just an open
building, but an open community, where we try to have open hearts
and minds. Open to accept all ages and
genders. To those who feel secure in their faith, and those who are
searching. Open to the movement of the Spirit, to being stirred and
challenged and take risks for the sake of God’s Kingdom.
- is a
community based on the love of Jesus Christ : our over-riding
aim is to love and care for one another, and reach out to
others, with the love of God.
- tries
to provide effective pastoral care for everyone. We have a
strong Pastoral Team, headed up by our Pastoral Assistants, and
cover areas such as visiting, welcoming at services, taking Holy
Communion to house bound and sick, prayer chain, bereavement
visiting, wholeness and healing (see below)
- has a
ministry of wholeness and healing. We have a team who offer the
laying on of hands with prayer during Holy Communion every
Sunday morning, and at other times. We simply try to provide ‘a
touching place,’ somewhere to experience God’s love in the
gentle touch of hands, supporting and holding, with words of
reassurance, peace and love, as we pray for God’s healing. We
believe God meets us in our weakness, and never sends us away
empty handed.
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engages in community work through the St. Francis Centre.
St Mary's had the courage to
develop community work at the further end of the parish on the
site of a former mission church in a purpose built Centre
(dedicated by the Bishop in January 2000) and to more recently
plant a church there.
Community work also takes place at
St Mary's. St. Mary’s has a wider transient community during the
week and welcomes everyone to use our facilities through
organisations such as Alcoholics Anon. – which meets in our
Coffee Bar twice a week, the Country Market which has stalls in
the nave on Friday mornings, and a youth drop-in on Thursdays
after school. We also have a Church Community Hall, next to St
Mary’s, well used by the local community, as well as by our
uniformed organisations.
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- places
a high priority on work with children and young people,
employing a Children & Young Families Worker (half time).
- is
proud to be part of the Church of England which bases its
decisions on the Bible, tradition and reason.
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encourages people to read and study the Bible, believing that if
we approach its words faithfully, through them we can ‘hear the
word of the Lord’; but does not believe that there are simple
'black and white' answers to every issue, or that just a text
from the Bible will settle difficult questions.
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believes that the Holy Spirit can bring renewal and hope
(promotes Cursillo week-ends), and believes in the power of
prayer to change lives.
- while
believing that Jesus shows us 'the Way, the Truth and the Life',
also believes we have to respect other faiths, and engage in
dialogue with them.
- has an
equal opportunities policy with regard to women: believes that
women should be accepted as priests and bishops.
- is
particularly welcoming to those who have experienced failure and
disappointment in their lives, such as the divorced, & is
prepared to marry divorcees, following C of E guidelines.
- is a
broad church, which tries to provide a range of services to
enable people to worship in a style which helps them. Our main
act of worship on Sundays is ALL TOGETHER – an inclusive
service, bringing together all ages, in a lively way, using
modern and traditional music (our magnificent pipe organ and our
Senior and Junior bands), using the latest technology for
projecting the words of the service, and to illustrate the
sermon; and trying to keep our worship open to the Spirit, as we
try new ways of learning and growing together. We also have more
traditional services: a BCP Holy Communion at 8.00am and Evening
Prayer at 6.00pm on Sundays, and a well attended Tuesday morning
Eucharist.
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- believes
that, as Jesus said, "There is more happiness in giving than in
receiving" and so gives away at least 10% of all donated income,
mostly to Missions, but also to some charities, in addition to
special appeals. St Mary’s has a strong commitment to Christian Aid.
It plays a leading part in the local Churches Together Christian Aid
Committee, and has at least two appeals during the year for C.A. at
Christmas and Easter. We also give 10% of our Coffee Bar profits to
C.A.(2008 : £1092)
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believes that the church should be concerned with issues such as
peace and justice (Make Poverty History, Fair Trade, Christian
Aid), care for the environment (global warming, recycling, and
cycling!) and animal welfare – that Christians should promote
care and concern for all aspects of God’s animal creation.
We have
a Peace and Justice group, which is currently investigating with
local Churches Together the possibility of providing debt
counselling locally.
- plays
an active part in Churches Together and believes that
Christians of all denominations should, wherever possible, work
together for God’s Kingdom, and pray with Jesus, “May they all
be one” (John 17). St Mary’s took a leading part in helping to
establish Street Pastors with other churches in Hinckley.
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believes in shared ministry. St Mary’s has a strong Ministry
Leadership Team, made up of the Vicar, the Honorary Curate, the Children and Young Families Worker, the
Lay Reader, a Pastoral Assistant who co-ordinates pastoral care,
and two others, one of whom organises marriage preparation, and
the other is a trained counsellor and conducts the Gospel
Choir.
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believes it is vital to nurture new
Christians. We have a twelve week Growing Together course for
adults which runs throughout the year. This is for those who
want to explore their faith, and may for some lead to
Confirmation.
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encourages people to explore what
God may be asking of them; helping them to discern and develop
their gifts through discussion and further study and to be
prepared to step out in faith for his Kingdom.
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