Join us for our Annual Parochial Church Meeting at 11.15 am in Kepier Hall on Sun 15th May where the PCC report on our progress and where we will celebrate all we achieved as a Church in 2021. We will appoint our Church Wardens, PCC and Church Officers for the coming year. Copies of our Annual Report are available at the back of Church, from the Church Office or HERE.
Over Lent we are holding a joint lent course weekly from 9th March – 6th April, 7pm – 8.30pm in the Kepier Hall. We will be studying ‘Women of Holy Week’ by Paula Gooder. This course is for all (not just women!) and the sessions will be shared between our ministers from St Michael & All Angels (Houghton-le-Spring), St Matthew’s (Newbottle) & St Michael & All Angels (Easington Lane). Watch this space for more information!
Whilst the Church has had restricted opening work has been going on in preparation of our full opening. With the support of the National Lottery Heritage Recovery fund, we have bought among other things the hand sanitisers, new kettles for the kitchen, and also the floor in the body of the church has been cleaned, the path up to church has been power washed and the gutters cleaned out. The Organ has had an overdue service. New A sign boards have been purchased and the new sign outside Church installed. We are grateful, for the practical support offered by this grant.
Alastair Bradley, Church Warden
Over the past year we have all recognised the importance of community. This is an amazing opportunity for someone who feels passionate about making a real difference!
Space4 is a community project established by St Michael and All Angels (C of E) church in Houghton-le-Spring. The project works with people from all backgrounds seeking to be a ‘space for community to flourish’. For 6 years the project has provided a ‘drop-in’ based on the high street running group sessions as well as providing a community foodbank and clothes bank. Space4 has grown and developed by valuing and listening to our community. A recent grant award has now allowed for exciting developments of the project, including further development of a community hub, a community food store, a ‘community builder’ scheme as well as the development of a community café.
In the past, our approach has focussed on creating a welcoming and safe space within a dedicated building based on the high street. Our ethos leads us to try to make sure people feel valued and cherished as part of a community, believing that everyone has something to contribute. We try to empower people to take control of their own lives and encourage people to be the best version of themselves they can be.
The project is now in an exciting stage after being awarded funding for a three-year development program that will increase community engagement and drive the charity towards sustainability. This is a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to be part of a challenging, but dynamic and rewarding three-year journey and to be an integral and valuable part of the team as we move forward to asset-based community work.
We are looking for someone who has drive and energy with good community project experience. The ideal candidate will have a compassionate, diplomatic and tactful approach and be able to sensitively communicate with people from a range of different backgrounds. They should have good organisation skills and leadership experience, ideally working with community projects. Working with the support of the Space4 Development Manager, they will be responsible for all operations of the Space4 project enabling us to meet our commitments associated with the Lottery ‘Reaching Communities’ Award.
Working as part of a great team of dedicated and passionate staff and volunteers this will be an exciting role for the right candidate. If you think you could be the right person to fit the role or would like to find out more then we’d love to hear from you.
Follow this link for more information about the project: http://bit.ly/Sp4NCh.
Space4 Operations Manager
Based Houghton-le-Spring (and surrounding area)
Salary £26,200 per annum (£28,070 FTE based on 37.5 hour week)
Three-year fixed term contract (extension subject to funding)
35 hours per week
25 days holiday (plus 8 statutory days holiday)
Other Benefits: Pension with ‘People’s Pension’ (3% employer contribution)
Employer: Space4 (part of St Michael & All Angels Church, Houghton-le-Spring)
Application deadline: 30th June (5pm)
Interview date: 12th July
For an application form, more information or an informal chat about the role, contact:
Angela Slater:
email: angelaslaterajs@gmail.com
or call: 0793 106 4891
The format and scheduling of the interviews depends upon the lockdown conditions and pandemic situation prevailing at that time. It is possible that interviews will be conducted through Zoom.
Space4 and St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applicants from all sections of the community. The successful candidate should have a positive attitude to Christian ethos and values.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975. It will be necessary for an enhanced disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service for details of any previous criminal convictions.
Thank you to all for your continued support by subscribing to our monthly Signpost Magazine. To help keep pace with the ever changing regulations required in dealing with the pandemic we need to change our methods of payment, which include a price increase due to increased costs. The posting of the magazine will cease. If you have any questions on the changes please ring Sue or Alastair on 584 1455.
How to receive and pay for your Signpost Magazine in 2021:-
Email Version of Magazine (50p per copy)
If you would like to receive an Email version of the Signpost magazine for 2021, we would be most grateful if you could pay £6.00 for 12 issues (50p per copy) by bank transfer.
You can do this by sending an Email to HoughtonTreasurer@aol.com and we will send you our Bank Account details so you can action this payment.
However if you prefer not to use bank transfer you can send a Cheque (made payable to PCC of Houghton le Spring) to:-
St Michael and All Angels Church, Church Street, Houghton le Spring, DH4
4DN. Important – please remember to put your email address on the back of the cheque so we know who it relates to.
Printed Version of Magazine (£1 per copy)
If you would like to have a Printed version of the Magazine delivered in person by a Church Magazine Distributor, we would be most grateful if you could pay £10 for 12 editions. 1 each month.
You can pay in Cash or by Cheque (made payable to PCC of Houghton le Spring) to your Church Magazine Distributor.
Can you please put your payment in an envelope so it can be safely and easily handed to your Distributor. If you wish to use bank transfer, please follow the instruction above.
Thank you.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Best Wishes
Sue Bradley (PCC Treasurer)
We invite you to colour your star, however imaginatively you wish and place it in your window for passers-by to see, just as many displayed a rainbow to say thank you to our wonderful NHS earlier this year. Download your star {here}.
From the beginning of December there will be a large Christmas tree outside St Michael & All Angels church, the one on the Broadway. This will be a remembering Christmas tree. We invite you and your family to think of someone you have loved but who is with us no longer, someone you will want to remember this Christmas. Write their name on the star, and bring it and hang it on the tree at St Michael’s or you may wish to hang it on your own tree at home. Stars can be found by the church doors.
Church cannot offer the services and events we usually do for Christmas but you can join us in other ways which are detailed on our Facebook page.
May you be full of light and hope this Christmas.
The November Signpost is now available for your pleasure. Please feel free to share with friends and family. Do contact the church office if you or a friend would benefit from a paper copy. Our thanks go out again to all those who have contributed to this edition and to Malcolm and Steven for all their efforts!
The October Signpost is now available for your pleasure. Please feel free to share with friends and family. Do contact the church office if you or a friend would benefit from a paper copy. Our thanks go out again to all those who have contributed to this edition and to Malcolm and Steven for all their efforts!
The Signpost for September is available to read HERE.
Feel free to share with friends, family or neighbours you think would enjoy reading the Signpost. If you know anyone without access to email or missing their copy would you please telephone or text your request to Malcolm Foster on 07860 250300 and we will try our best to get copies to them. If you would like to have an electronic copy sent to you automatically, email emme0707@gmail.com with your request.
Once again huge thanks to everyone who contributed to this edition and a special thank you to Malcolm (editor) and Steve for all their efforts to get it published.