St Mary's Arnold Parish Profile 2015 Patron The Bishop of Southwell Population approx. 25,000 Electoral Roll 196 Deanery

Transcription

1 St Mary's Arnold Parish Profile 2015 Patron The Bishop of Southwell Population approx. 25,000 Electoral Roll 196 Deanery Gedling

2 Contents Vision... 3 Our new Vicar... 4 Description of Parish... 5 Community... 6 Ministry and Support teams... 7 Worship and Services... 8 Occasional Offices... 9 Parish Ministry St. Mary s Organisation Deanery Church links local and overseas Church Buildings Finances & Review of Appendix A - SWOT Analysis Appendix B Diocese of Southwell ( Wider, Deeper, Younger )

3 Vision God is building us together as a community to declare his praise in worship and proclaim his message in word and action. (1 Peter 2 vs. 1-10) St Mary s story over the past years has been exciting and one blessed with growth. We have seen significant growth in the church family through its wide variety of services, activities and its occasional offices. This has been enabled by encouraging, enthusiastic leadership and by using tools such as Alpha, Start, other discipleship courses and a seed scattering mission weekend; these are still continuing. It has seen an increase in its children s ministry and in its work with the youth both in the church and outside. This has grown through the dedication of previous youth workers and volunteers and now with our newly appointed Youth and Children s Minister. Due to the increase in numbers, this led to the PCC exploring the process of including children in the taking of Communion before confirmation and this has recently been approved. Usual Sunday Attendance Adults Children It has been a great blessing and encouragement to all the church family to see how the church has expanded in so many areas through its willingness to build, to change and to adapt to create more and more opportunities for this to take place, but we want more! We have been blessed with the setup of new initiatives such as Messy Church and because of much prayer, hard work and a dedicated team, we now have a safe friendly environment for those who come to explore community within the church family. Over the years, with collaboration between other churches in Arnold and organisations, Men s Ministry has also expanded as has the area of ministry to the more mature in years. St Mary s focus of being a mission-shaped church that builds on the solid foundation of its past and actively seeking new and exciting ways forward to extend God s Kingdom, using strong leadership and the gifts and talents of all the church family, continues. With an open heart we explored our strengths and weaknesses to help us to do this, we have engaged in Parish Away Days and prayer times throughout the years giving opportunity for all the church family to be involved in the process. We strive for worship that is inclusive of all ages, that encourages and nurtures faith, that we might grow as an inclusive but not exclusive church family and can celebrate all aspects of our church s family life. Worship and mission are at the heart of St Mary s. These twin responsibilities require regular prayerful attention and as a church we have discussed where we believe God is calling us. We are looking to be a church which: Is energised by prayer and faith strengthening and developing our home groups - involving more people in using their gifts. Has an outward-looking focus - to work at connecting with the age range more effectively and work to identify community concerns and projects where we should be involved. Seeks to find out what God wants - we are praying together more, listening to God and being more open to welcoming all newcomers and helping them to feel part of our church family. In everything we do, we are focussed on community building, prayer, Bible reading and worship. On the pages of our website ( there are different articles and information about ministries and groups through which we connect with our community. They are all important to us and each is a different facet of the commission God has given us as a church family here at St Mary s. 3

4 Our New Vicar Our prayer is that the person God has chosen to lead us into a new exciting chapter of our journey, see the bigger picture, be able to communicate this and will: - be enthusiastic and enjoy a challenge and be able to encourage new areas of ministry especially in the 20-45yr age range while consolidating what has already been established. - be prayerful and grounded in the Word of God and in teaching and evangelism, to discern and nurture the ministry of others and to lead our church family in worship that is spiritually relevant and inspiring. - have the necessary skills for training curates during their journey from deacon to priest and beyond using the wide breadth of our church s life. - enjoy being part of our church family, laugh with us and engage with the members of the congregation of all ages encouraging deeper faith and expanding and building our team using the many gifts and talents. - be excited about taking St Mary s to the heart of the community as a place of worship and inclusion, and have a passion for ministering to all ages. - have a creative vision for pastoral care which supports and nurtures the active parish and can lead lay people in this ministry. - be a people person with generosity of spirit and who is grounded in practical ministry. The individual should be open to working flexibly and with others, locally and across the deanery and diocese. - be a good communicator and listener who will lead us on the next part of a new and exciting journey.and above all has patience, tolerance and a good sense of humour!!! 4

5 The Parish of St.Mary s, Arnold Arnold is part of the borough of Gedling, and is a developing town with good shopping facilities, leisure centre, theatre and library. Arnold is situated 4 miles north from the centre of Nottingham to which it has good public transport links although the popular tram network is unlikely to reach us. Nottingham is a thriving commercial, cultural and sporting centre, with regular train services to London and other major cities. The population of Arnold is made up of a wide mix over the recognised socio-economic groups. It has a diverse range of housing spread over housing association, privately rented and owner occupied. At the northern edge of the parish an extensive new estate is being built with a further building development at the top end of the parish on the Plains Estate also in progress. Our Parish 5

6 Community Facilities The educational needs of the town and the parish are well catered for with several pre-school groups, one of which operates within our Family Centre. Within the parish there are 5 primary schools, one with facilities for children with particular learning needs. There are 2 Secondary Schools (Academies) each with specific strengths in the educational spectrum and there is also a Catholic Secondary School. Just outside the parish lies Seely Church of England Primary School. Our church has close links across the schools and the ministry team and laity are involved in assemblies and other educational activities for the schools. There are 2 leisure centres, a newly refurbished library, theatre and swimming pool providing a wide range of social activities. Arnold has 3 health centres and is closely situated to two large hospitals approx. 2 and 4 miles away along with 2 private hospitals. Within the parish there are 7 nursing/care homes where regular contact is made through visiting and providing services, and taking home communion. Local Authority Gedling Borough Council s offices lie just outside the parish boundary in the neighbouring parish of St Paul s Daybrook. They are very supportive and the local Councillors attend many of the major civic church services. St Mary s also enjoys the support of our Member of Parliament, Vernon Coaker. He previously taught at a number of schools in Nottingham including Arnold Hill School and was a councillor in a nearby constituency. 6

7 Worship St Mary s provides an extensive variety of services from traditional robed to more informal lay-led services. The Book of Common Prayer (BCP) and Common Worship (CW) liturgies are used at the various services. See below for further details. The music is an eclectic mix of traditional and modern. There is a Director of Music, a robed choir along with a worship band and music group (singers). 'One Church, One Faith, One Lord' is our main source of traditional hymns. al St Mary s Ministry Team At present consists of a curate, a self-supporting curate with specific responsibilities for deaf church in the diocese, 2 retired clergy, a Youth & Children s Minister, Director of Music, worship band leader and 4 readers We have a complex service pattern as can be seen below but are extremely blessed with a significant number of very gifted lay people who actively participate in all aspects of the services from leading to planning worship, administering the chalice, leading intercessions and leading bible studies. St Mary s Support Team At present consists of 2 church wardens, an assistant warden, a team of 14 deputy wardens. There is a paid Administrator and a Compass church magazine team. In recent years one of our congregation has been called to ordained Ministry, who is now curate at a church adjacent to the parish. Another one of our congregation has recently been licensed as a reader. There is also a dedicated team of bell-ringers, altar servers, flower arrangers, church cleaners and brass cleaners. There is also a paid cleaner and a band of volunteers who maintain the Family Centre. Services Sunday 8.00 am Holy Communion (average attendance 14) - This follows the 1662 Book of Common Prayer Holy Communion service and offers centuries-old liturgy and a quieter and more reflective service. This is usually taken by clergy or visiting clergy. Sunday 9.15 am Parish Communion (average attendance 71)- This is a traditional service with the organ and a robed choir and follows one of the patterns of worship in Common Worship, and the liturgy is sung. There is a crèche at the back of church for young children. The readings for this service follow the Lectionary. This service is led by clergy and lay readers and has been blessed by visiting speakers e.g Christian Aid and Christians against Poverty (CAP.) Lay people are very much involved in delivering the readings and intercessions. 7

8 Sunday am Morning Worship (average attendance 42) - This is a more informal and relaxed service designed for those who would like an alternative to the traditional services. More contemporary hymns and songs are sung, with the help of our Worship Band and Music Group. This Service is planned and led by clergy, readers and lay people and also regularly involves our young people. Sunday am (1st Sunday) Holy Communion Sunday am (2nd Sunday) All Ages Together Service Sunday am (3rd, 4th & 5th Sunday) - Morning Worship There are children's and young people's groups for 4-14yrs (average attendance 17) - these take place within the service in the Family Centre and Coach House, led by a team who follow their own series of readings and themes. There is a supervised crèche at the back of church for very young children. (see our website for more information) Sunday 6.00 pm Evening Prayer (average attendance 18) - This is a traditional service with sung responses. It is a quieter and more reflective service and is usually led by readers with lay people involved in readings and intercessions. Songs of Praise 6.00 pm (2nd Sunday) - A mixture of hymns, songs, readings and prayers with a short talk. This service is often led by lay people and the worship band leader Holy Communion 6.00 pm (4th Sunday) - This is a traditional service of Holy Communion. Morning Prayer 9.00 am (average attendance 6) - This is a half-hour service taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. It is based on Common Worship structure and liturgy, with an opportunity for quiet or spoken prayer. Saturday Morning Prayer Time 8.30am (average attendance 8) This is for an hour and based on the Gospel reading for the 9.15am Sunday service. It is also the time when those present pray for the community, wider church and world issues and prayers that have been placed on the Prayer board. Evening Prayer held four times during the year with prayers for specific events happening in the church life. Tots Service (average attendance 40) - This is a short toddler-centred time in church with story, songs and interaction followed by time in the Family Centre for activities, toys, refreshments and fellowship. This provides a relaxed and secure environment for making connections with the families and exploring other elements that take place in the life of St Mary's. This is organised and led by a lay team. Messy Church 3.45pm (average attendance 65) - meets on Tuesdays and Saturdays in alternate months but days and times when this takes place are currently under review. It uses a variety of themes which are followed through in the crafts provided and reinforced with a short time in Church; it follows the model of Messy Church. This is organised and led by a lay team. Average attendance for the weekly services was calculated using the numbers for 16 services during the period May-August

9 Occasional Offices Funerals Weddings Baptisms Confirmations Our church has a large number of occasional offices as can be seen from the figures above, but there is a competent team of readers who assist with the funeral ministry and other clergy who assist with the weddings. There is also a visitors team which assists with follow up visits after bereavement. This is an important part of who St Mary s is as a caring pastoral church. Those wishing to get married at St Mary s are asked to attend a wedding preparation event. The parish policy of remarriage has been at the discretion of the vicar in which they have interviewed those wishing to remarry and a decision has been prayerfully made. A blessing of a civil ceremony has always been available. There are also baptism preparation afternoons and confirmation courses. 9

10 Parish Ministry There are lots of things happening at St. Mary s, including Women s Fellowship, Mothers Union, Home Groups, Alpha, Start & discipleship courses, a Mental Health Support Group, Men@St Mary's and more. We have a team dedicated to pastoral care. This includes visiting, administering home communion, care of the elderly and bereavement visiting. Many of the above team along with the readers offer short services of communion and fellowship to the many care homes within the parish. Home groups are an important part of St. Mary s as they not only help in developing individual faith but also provide an opportunity for fellowship, building relationships and supporting each other. We currently have 6 groups with 60+ members. Our church magazine (Compass) is published 10 times a year, and delivered to a large number of subscribers many of whom are not members of the congregation. It is also distributed throughout Arnold and is delivered to the local doctors surgeries, dentists and library. For those more senior in years, we offer a monthly Afternoon Tea and an annual Holiday at Home, Community Cinema, Board games and Keep fit where you sit. The Four Seasons Group (for adults with particular needs) meets on Thursdays. A team from St Mary s provides a meal and friendship for those who attend. We are fortunate to have a number of thriving affiliated uniformed groups of Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides who meet in the Family Centre and enjoy being included in the life of St Mary s. Regular events that we hold include our extremely well attended Activity Week (Summer Holiday Club based on Scripture Union material); the week concludes with a popular BBQ allowing the children to share the week with all their family members and friends. We invite the local schools to attend our Time Travelling Sessions exploring aspects of Church life. The children participate in fun activities to assist in their curriculum needs, which is reinforced with visits by clergy into the schools themselves on a regular basis. We also have a variety of social events throughout the year from Family Fun days to Bonfire parties. 10

11 Children s Groups these cover a wide spectrum of ages from our Crèche Little Stars to our 10.45ers (11yrs and above). They meet during the Service in the Family Centre & Coach House. During the summer an August Club meets each Sunday to provide continuity for the children. A weekend away to the Oakes Christian Centre in Sheffield is organised for 8-11s, which is a combination of fun activities, worship and strong teaching. We have been going to the Oakes since it opened in 2000 and it has proved to be both very popular and inspirational. Young Peoples Groups - These consist of "Rock Solid" for ages 11-14yrs which then feeds into "R2" for 15yrs and above. Both are held on Sunday evening and both churched and non-churched youth are welcome. During the week there is also a Bible study group D2. Youth for Christ material is used. In addition to fun trips out e.g. Laserquest, Bowling, a n annual weekend away to a YFC Rock Solid Residential is organised, which is not only great fun with lots of activities but they also experience the Good News of Jesus shared in a creative and relevant way. With the recent addition of our new Youth and Children's Minister Colleen this is an area where we expect to see further exciting growth. CSCA - Community Street Care Arnold - This charity was set up in March 2012 by a group of church members. The object of the charity is to connect with young people on the streets of Arnold through detached work. As a condition of receiving a grant from the Diocese it was necessary to agree that the charity would be controlled by the PCC. Adam Akers, who was instrumental in setting this up has now left following his graduation and another member of the youth work team will be taking this up again in the near future. 11

12 St. Mary s Organisation The PCC operates through the standing committee and two groups, which meet between full meetings of the PCC namely the action group and the vision group. There are also groups meeting to assist with worship, mission/ seed scattering and children and young people. Standing Committee has power to transact urgent business of the PCC between its meetings and is the only committee required by law. Action Group handles the practical aspects of church life namely property, administration and finance. Vision Group considers the spiritual direction of the church. Other Working Groups include: Children and Young People Committee The committee's job is to plan and oversee the church's work with children and young people from the age of a few months up to and including University. This includes special events such as trips out, parties, Activity Week (holiday club), workshops etc. and Soul Survivor. The principal young people's work consists of : Tots (for Toddlers), Messy Church, Children s Church, Rock Solid and R2 Youth Clubs and liaison with the uniformed Groups: Rainbows, Beavers, Brownies, Cubs, Guides and Scouts. Mission /Seed Scattering Committee The brief is to help the church reach out into the community with the Good News of Christ. This includes organising social events and courses e.g Alpha. A sub-group meet to assist a link with the church in Natal which is also supported by the diocese. Worship Committee Its purpose is to review and develop all facets of worship at St. Mary s. 12

13 Messy Church Children's & Young Peoples Groups Alpha courses Tea Dance CSC-Arnold Lesotho Community Cinema Framework Four Seasons Lunch Club Uniformed Groups Our Church aims to be a vibrant socially aware Church seeking to provide provision for its Community in Love and joining in the transforming mission of God Seniors Teas Food Bank Christian Aid Operation Christmas Child Care Home Connections Mental Health Advocacy Compass Magazine 13

14 Gedling Deanery St. Mary s Gedling deanery covers a population of 104,000 covering urban, suburban and rural areas. It currently has 22 churches, nearly 17 full time equivalent clergy including curates, 10 active retired clergy and over 30 active readers. The deanery synod has working groups exploring initiatives on prayer, ministry to older people and ministry amongst children and young people. The deanery is developing its global Anglican links with the diocese of Matana, Burundi but recognises the distinctive relationship that St. Mary s has with St. Michael and All Angels, Himeville, Natal. There are three types of deanery chapter meetings; a) informal clergy lunches, b) longer business meetings 3 times a year to worship and pray together, to share good practice and discuss wider mission and ministry issues, and c) wider ministry chapters with retired clergy, readers and recognised lay ministers. We would expect the incumbent at St. Mary s to make these a priority and share in the mutual learning. St. Mary s is committed to paying 100% parish share as a priority. We would expect the next incumbent to continue this approach in the context of a corporate responsibility to reach 100% share as a deanery. St. Paul s & St. Timothy s Daybrook is geographically adjacent to St. Mary s (See green boundary). The deanery 2020 deployment plan has identified that the next incumbent of St. Mary s would have pastoral oversight of Daybrook when the present incumbent moves on (whenever that might be). The current intention is that two half-time posts would be created, both of which could be clergy or lay posts. One would be involved as a missioner on the Killisick estate in St. Mary s parish. The other would be a missioner covering Daybrook parish. Both PCCs have been working together to understand each others missional thinking and sharing insights in the characteristics of the Arnold/Daybrook area. This collaborative working will continue and the new incumbent will be expected to encourage and contribute to missional thinking, in collaboration with the present incumbent at Daybrook. In addition, the deanery is exploring a potential lay-led Fresh Expression of church in the Mapperley Plains/ Spring Lane with other churches in the deanery. St. Mary s is involved in it especially as Annie Hill has taken a coordinating lead. 14

15 Church Links local and overseas Members of the congregation have for many years volunteered as helpers at Southwell Minister s Time Travelling event for schools throughout the diocese. Other members are involved in the Children s Training Event provided by the diocese and the congregation also provides members for both the Deanery & Diocesan Synods. We are linked to the parish church of St Michael and All Angels, in Himeville, in Natal, as part of the Diocesan Natal link, and we also have strong links with Lesotho, and the Leprosy Mission in India. St Mary s is an active member of Arnold Churches Together (ACT); the churches work together to bring the Good News to the Arnold community. This includes supporting Worship and a Drop In venue at the Arnold Carnival event held over a June weekend. In September we worked together on a mission event called What If, which took place over 4 days at the end of September 2015 and which included a series of events: Sports Quiz, Men s Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, Costa Q&A, meeting on the streets and many others. It was a brilliant week with people coming to Christ, being healed and praying together. St Mary's also participates in the ACT Men's Ministry group, which typically runs two Men s Events every year. Another group has also been prayerfully active in exploring the area known as The Plains/ Spring Lane development on how best to bring the Gospel message to the new housing development in this area. 15

16 Church Buildings Church Our church has stood at the heart of our community for nearly 1000 years and throughout this time Arnold's people have worshipped here, cherished the building and maintained a tradition of ministry and care for our community. The church is medieval, in generally good repair, furnished with pews, but also with a number of movable chairs, providing seating for approx It has several parts of significant historical interest: for further details please see our website. In recent years in the north aisle of the church the pews have been removed to make an area for use for meetings and we are in the process of installing an aesthetically pleasing coffee and tea making facility to enhance fellowship after services. At the same time we are in the process of building a porch on the north side of the church to house a much needed toilet facility which is due for completion before the end of the year. The churchyard is no longer open to burials. Vicarage This is situated adjacent to the church and Family Centre. It was built in the 1960s and comprises of a large lounge/dining room (which can be separated by use of folding doors), a study, cloakroom (with toilet), kitchen and utility room. There are 4 bedrooms and bathroom on the upper level. It has an extensive garden and large garage. The diocesan policy is to include the new Vicar in any decisions on refurbishment/ improvements to the vicarage. 16

17 Coach House This is attached to the Family Centre and is a purpose built youth centre comprising of a meeting area, kitchen facilities and toilet. It can be accessed from the back of the Family Centre or independently by its own door. As the name suggests an old Victorian Coach House adjacent to the Family Centre was converted to a more relevant use. Coach House Opening July 2012 The current Youth and Children s Minister lives outside the parish but uses the Coach House as her base. Family Centre This was built in 1965 and has recently seen much needed refurbishment of the toilet facilities, funded by local charities and the congregation. There are 2 halls, one large, one small used for meetings and many varied and extensive activities. The administration of the Centre, including letting to various community groups, is in the care of the Action Group of the PCC. It is well used and a source of regular income. Church House The church also owns a 3 bedroomed house on St Mary s Close which is rented out at present; it has been used by the youth worker in the past and as an office base for the curate. The last 3 curates have been housed by the diocese in a large 4 bedroomed house within close proximity of the Church. 17

18 Finances We as a church family made a conscious decision that we will always pay our parish share, and due to careful management from our treasurer and funding team we have been successful over a number of years. It is the policy of the PCC that the vicar s working expenses are paid in full on a monthly basis along with the curate and the Youth and Children s Minister and the administrator. The Vicar of St Mary s is also the ex-officio Chair of Arnold Parochial Charities, the object of which is to promote the Christian education of persons under the age of 25, who reside in the ancient parish of Arnold. St. Mary s also supports many organisations through fundraising, and these include the Leprosy Mission, the Children s Society, Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal, Christian Aid, Lesotho, Arnold Food Bank and Framework (a local charity for the homeless). We have actively been raising money to complete the building of the new North porch toilets and the North aisle area. We have 145 people that are committed to giving on a regular basis to St. Mary s. This has been stable over the last few years in spite of a number of our congregation passing away. 18

19 Income Statement A summary of the 2014 accounts is laid out below and if more information is required, please go to our website, where a full set of accounts is available. St. Mary s is on a sound financial footing today although finding external funding for our youth worker is proving to be challenging. INCOME & EXPENDITURE Financial Year January to December 2014 Unrestricted Fund Restricted Fund Total Income Income 81,813 79, ,429 Operating Income 14,314 14,314 Family Centre 9,066 9,066 Income from investments 222 3,880 4, ,415 83, ,911 Expenditure Ministry Expenses 76,721 76,721 Church Running Costs 11,884 11,884 Church Administration 7,575 7,575 Family Centre Running Costs Youth Work 9,986 11,493 21,479 Gifts Coach House Project Family Centre Toilets Upgrade ,444 46, ,989 67, ,567 SURPLUS OF INCOME OVER EX- PENDITURE 15,574 15, Allocation to funds General Fund 5,588-5,588 Coach House Project Church North Door 22,500 22,500 Family Centre Toilets 6,070 6,070 Youth Worker Appeal 9,986 9,986 15,574 15,

20 We thank you for taking the time to consider being our Vicar here, we hope that this profile will be informative and inspiring. Our prayers surround you in seeking God's wisdom and direction in the making of your decision. We welcome any further questions or enquiries please do not hesitate to contact the following:- Churchwardens David Rodgers dave.rodgers3@ntlworld.com Annie Hill anniehill1606@virginmedia.com Mary Norris For I know the plans I have for you plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a FUTURE Jeremiah 29 v 11 20

21 Appendix A St. Mary s SWOT Analysis As part of the preparation for producing the Parish Profile we asked the congregation to contribute anonymously to consider the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats for St. Mary s. Over 40 responses were received and these are summarised in the following table Strengths Fellowship Family Centre and Coach House Ministry team including readers and retired clergy able to help out Volunteers- Lay gifts and talents Community activities for different age groups Friendly welcoming/church Variety of services and music Outreach - Messy Church, Activity Week, Seniors Teas, Four Seasons, Tots etc. Faithful Growing spirituality Power of prayer Good networking Deep sense of mission Different services for different ages Regular Alpha courses Good relationships with Arnold Churches Home groups Admin setup Pastoral visiting Mental Health Group out reach Opportunities Consolidate worship for all ages More use of gifts and talents Multi-functional use of church Link to help work with St Paul's Daybrook Encouraging younger volunteers Working relationships Arnold Churches Together (ACT) Prayerful evangelism Development of music/band Growing parish outreach-calverton Road, Killisick, and Plains Estate. Strengthening children s and young peoples work (New Youth Minister-Colleen) To engage young people in more strategic decisions. Build relationships with families from Messy Church Weaknesses Church building under used Lack of publicity and communication Future vision not owned by all. Too few youth led services Absence of middle age range in congregation Church is on edge of town Lack of home group connection Volunteers are getting older Too many new songs Four separate services every Sunday: people don't know each other. Threats Diminishing church numbers and ageing of those who have served the church faithfully. Volunteers are getting older Sunday secular activities Increasing financial outlay for buildings etc. Geographical location Loss of musicians and young people through moving away and through further education e.g. University, College If we did not have a curate Lack of evangelism Lack of strategic planning Becoming comfortable and complacent 21

22 APPENDIX B THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM GROWING THE CHURCH WIDER, YOUNGER AND DEEPER A statement from the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Williams and the Archdeacon of Nottingham, the Venerable Sarah Clark. The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of Nottinghamshire and five parishes in South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million 51% live in the greater Nottingham conurbation, 31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252 parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and licensed lay workers. In 2011 the Diocese reaffirmed its commitment to Joining Together in the Transforming Mission of God with a focus on three core strands: Living Worship, Growing Disciples and Seeking Justice. A deployment plan for 2020 ensures that overall levels of stipendiary ministry are maintained at 2012 levels. The process involved wide engagement from clergy and laity, refocusing parishes on growth. Following the arrival of a new diocesan bishop in June 2015 we are now looking beyond 2020 at what kind of church we would like to be in 2025 and As a diocese we have made a refreshed commitment to care for every soul in the diocese with an increased focus on growing disciples. The Senior Staff team has established the first stage of a vision to grow the church wider, younger and deeper. Wider in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any community: urban centre, outer estates, rural villages or market towns. Younger in that we will seek fresh ways to harness the boldness and creativity of children, students and young people across the diocese, not least in Nottingham which is the 4th youngest city outside London. Deeper as we grow in knowing Christ, so that as his disciples we can be an increasing blessing to the people among whom we live and serve in the workplace, family and community. As part of a renewed strategy for growth we aspire to be purposeful and imaginative in: welcoming new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church; commissioning younger leaders (16-30) inspired and equipped to serve God s purposes in the world; and serving as one church united in contending for the gospel. We long to welcome new and younger disciples in every community across the diocese, aligning our energies and resources around this quest. In this new chapter every parish has an opportunity to review its role within the diocesan mission, so that it can play a significant part in the strategic commitment to growing the church wider, younger and deeper. Bishop Paul has said: It is my hope that each worshipping community will develop a compelling picture of its own future in God s purposes with an expectation of growing numerically and in the scope of its mission. It is my prayer that the new Vicar of Arnold will have the creative leadership and imagination to nurture the present life of the parish, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in its locality. November