Behind the Scenes - Preparing the Church for Worship

The Parish Church of St James
St. James's Road, Hampton Hill, TW12 1DQ (Parish Office 020 8941 6003)

RUNNING THE CHURCH
Section Contents: Bellringing \| Behind the Scenes \| Churchwardens \| Cleaning \| Clergy \| Electoral Roll \| Finance \| Flowers \| Parish Breakfast \| Parochial Church Council \| Planned Giving \| Properties \| Running the Church Through the Years \| Servers \| Sidespersons \| Social Events

Before we say a word to visitors, we have told them what our church means to us by the way we care for it. And the way we care for the place of worship says a great deal about the importance to us of the One we worship. Some people are able and willing to serve God in highly visible roles - as clergy, readers, servers, singers - but many of us look for a less public role.

It may be an extension of an existing interest such as gardening or flower-arranging. It may simply be willingness to meet a need - there is nothing exciting about the annual gutter clean or the weekly cleaning but those who volunteer for these jobs are making a real contribution to the dignity and pleasure of our worship.

The Properties Committee of the PCC is responsible for maintaining and improving the church building, its contents and its surroundings. It normally uses the skills of its members for its work but for major or specialist work it advises the PCC on the use of a commercial firm.

• See our Properties page which includes details of contacts.

St. James's Church

Gardening

Gardening
The churchyard is the responsibility of the Richmond Council, but their care is pretty basic. Individuals look after family graves and the churchyard is regularly swept but there is scope for more help - from picking up litter as you walk through to taking on the care of a particular flowerbed or area of the churchyard.

• See our Properties page which includes details of contacts.

Cleaning
The church is cleaned every week, usually on Friday or Saturday, usually by two people working together. All the cleaners have been doing the job for many years. All the equipment you need is kept in the vestry porch though there is nothing to stop you bringing your own. The weekly clean involves sweeping the wood and tiled floors and hoovering (well, dyson-ing!) the carpet; running a duster over the pews and choir stalls, and tidying the kneelers and chairs.

• See our Cleaning page which includes details of contacts.

Cleaning

Once a year, in preparation for Easter, the church is given a major internal clean, the floors are sealed and those hard to reach places are brushed and polished.

The annual gutter and drain clear-out usually happens in the autumn.

Both events are advertised in the pew sheet and helpers are welcome. Bryan Basdell plans the work, and it is helpful to him if you see him well before the work starts, so that he can assign jobs and everyone knows what they are to do and what to bring for the clearing.

Care of Altar Linen and Choir Robes
The altar linen is washed and ironed by a member of the congregation and the choir robes are looked after by a member of the choir.

Some of the vestments used in our services belong to the church and some to the clergy.

Care of Altar Linen

Flower Arranging

Flower Arranging
We all benefit from the sometimes spectacular wedding displays but for most of the year it falls to a small team of flower-arrangers to provide the displays at the entrance and at the front of the church. There is a budget to buy the flowers but it obviously helps if people provide flowers from their own gardens.

• See our Flowers page which includes details of contacts.

Further Information
	Contact the Parish Office 020 8941 6003 or go to the individual pages named above

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