THE NEW PARISH OF EWHURST WITH OKEWOOD AND FOREST GREEN

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1 THE NEW PARISH OF EWHURST WITH OKEWOOD AND FOREST GREEN Profile January

2 The new Parish of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green Introduction Thank you for your interest in the vacancy for the priest-in-charge of our newly united Parish of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green. This is an exciting time in the history of these three churches and we are looking for a visionary leader to build on the foundations and strengths that these three communities are enthused to bring together. We see ourselves as one parish with three worshipping centres. We want to grow in spirit and in numbers. We already have strong relationships within our local communities and want to extend and develop our partnerships with local organisations, particularly other churches, care homes, schools, nurseries, clubs and societies. We offer a diverse range of faith-sharing. Our reach takes us beyond the welcoming buildings which comprise our family of churches. There is an engaged community of all ages regularly committed to church life. The person we are seeking will further develop the appropriate Ministries focusing not least on work with young people and families; on the continued development of life/home groups as a vehicle for fellowship and bible study; on providing a range of church services which recognise different worship styles; and on pastoral care within our village communities. 2

3 The Parish Our new Parish of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green brings together three adjoining church communities nestled at the foot of the glorious Surrey Hills. Following the retirement and relocation of the previous incumbents who served these churches, the parishes have welcomed the opportunity to join together to form our new parish. We are now looking for a fulltime priest-in-charge to serve the communities of Ewhurst, Ellens Green, Okewood Hill, Walliswood and Forest Green with upwards of 3500 residents. Terrific groundwork has already begun. A new Parish is being born out of a fresh vision. The churchwardens of the three churches have been in close discussion since February 2017 to lay the foundations of the new parish. An amazing and fruitful Away Day cemented the relationships of the joint PCCs and revealed the potential held within this fantastic group of people. This began our journey together to find our new leader 3

4 who now joins us at a crucial and inspiring time. 4

5 The Churches St Peter and St Paul, Ewhurst has stood at the heart of our village both as a building and part of the community for around nine centuries. The church dates from medieval times with the oldest surviving walls of the Norman nave dating back to 1190 making it one of the oldest churches in Surrey. Its peacefulness and charm make it a popular choice for weddings and for all events of Christian life. It is a Grade 1 listed building. Today, we are fortunate to have a wide range of ages regularly worshipping. There are up to three services each Sunday of different styles to meet the needs of our worshippers 5

6 young and old. Our Services WEEK Morning Evening am BCP Communion 6.30pm Choral Evensong 10.30am 20/20 All Age Puppet Service 8.00am BCP Communion 5.45pm SNAK Youth Club Holy Communion Common 10.30am Worship with Treasure Seekers 8.00am BCP Communion 6.30pm Evening Praise 10.30am Morning Worship 8.00am BCP Communion 10.30am Holy Communion Common Worship with Treasure Seekers am Morning Praise Book of Common Prayer said Eucharist; a quiet Communion service using the Book of Common Prayer and the King James Bible. 20/20 All Age Puppet Service; The puppet team is led by parent volunteers. Loved by children and adults alike. A fast-moving service where all are encouraged to move around, contribute prayers, sing and enjoy puppet songs, sketches and crafts all based around a Bible theme. Choral Evensong; A quiet service to end the day. Book of Common Prayer Evensong with choir. Holy Communion Common Worship with Treasure Seekers; All welcome to celebrate CW Holy Communion with hymns and liturgy. Treasure Seekers (Sunday School) runs for children in the Wilson Room and they join the service at the end for a blessing and share the treasures created. SNAK Youth Group; fun and creative sessions to explore Christianity for older children. Morning Worship; a fairly traditional, noncommunion service with hymns, prayers, sermon. 6

7 Evening Praise; seated café style in the Wilson Room; informal worship, guitar and keyboard led, modern choruses. 20/20 All Age Puppet Service Morning Praise; informal service with input from the SNAK Youth Club and the Junior Choir. 7

8 Our other services There are many special services throughout the year which complement our Sunday worship. These include but are not limited to the following: Nine Lessons and Carols. A highlight of the choir s calendar with readings by the village community. Old Rectory Communion. A monthly service for the residents, families, friends and staff of the Old Rectory Nursing Home. Christingle. An inspiring candle-lit celebration which brings everyone together into a busy church. Collections go to the Children s Society. Carols round the crib. A special service on Christmas Eve where children perform the nativity story to a packed church. Mothering Sunday. We give the women of the village community hand-tied posies as we celebrate Mothering Sunday. Children from the village school lead parts of the service. 8

9 Palm Sunday. Donkey Walk. Joint service with the Baptist Church. The story is brought to life through dramatic readings as we walk around the village. 9

10 Good Friday Walk of Witness. Joint service with the Baptist Church. The cross is carried around the Village as the story of the Passion is told. Easter Sunrise on Pitch Hill. Joint service with the Baptist Church. Celebrate and worship as the Easter-Day dawn breaks. Bacon butties served afterwards. ee in the grounds of the Old Rectory Nursing Home gardens. Music and readings are selected by the congregation. Pet Service. An outdoor service where you can bring your four-legged friends to join us for a blessing for all living creatures. Harvest Festival. Our harvest gift collection is for British Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine. An interactive all age service with input from the village school. Summe r Songs of Praise. In a marqu Lighting the Way. A fun way to celebrate the Light of the World shining in the darkness as winter nights draw in. Children make lanterns and there are fireworks and hotdogs afterwards. All Souls. A quiet service to remember those we ve loved and lost with words and music to reflect this. Remembrance Sunday. The village community meet at the War Memorial to remember the fallen and we move to the church for the service afterwards. Children join Treasure Seekers and share with the congregation a creative tribute. 10

11 The Wilson Room An essential meeting place which is very welcoming and a popular social area especially for refreshments served after services. The church room was built in 2010 in the churchyard and has easy access from the church and rectory. It has a beautiful oak-beamed, large communal room, a fully equipped kitchen, disabled toilets and is home to the Parish Office. The Wilson Room has allowed the church to broaden its ministry with a range of activites and groups: informal services; bible study; Sunday Treasure Seekers; SNAK youth group; Sonny s café - early morning coffee predominantly for school parents; baby and Toddler group; social and fundraising events; PCC meetings. 11

12 Community Links We have strong links with our Church School and Rainbows End Pre-School and other village education establishments. There is a long-standing partnership with the Baptist Church, with whom we hold a weekly joint coffee morning at the Glebe Centre which is open to all. There is also a very close relationship with the Old Rectory Nursing Home adjacent to the church. Residents regularly attend morning services. Communications Information about church activities are publicised via the weekly pew sheet, the website, and Facebook. The pew sheet is published on the website and Facebook and ed to 150 addresses. The quarterly magazine is delivered free to every house in the parish and can be read on the website. Posters for special events are displayed around the parish. Website: 12

13 For more information see Appendix 1: The Church and its place in the Community Ewhurst CE Infant School Our parish is blessed to have Ewhurst Church of England Infant School, a very successful voluntary aided school, Ofsted Outstanding and the last SIAMS judgement was also Outstanding. Located opposite the church, it is a single form entry school with capacity for 90 pupils. The school s Christian Ethos is strengthened by the school values: love friendship honesty perseverance respect community which are integrated into school life and impact everything the children do. 13

14 There is a close link with the parish church through the regular opportunities to worship there. Pupils regard the church as a natural extension of the school. (SIAMS inspection report, 2015) Assemblies are regularly taken in the school by a member of the Ministry Team of St Peter, St Paul s church. All school End of Term assemblies are held in the Church and led by the Ministry Team. These assemblies are well attended by parents. The relationship with the parish church is the foundation for all the fun, laughter and love that has been so effective in my child s development (Parent of Year 2 Leaver, July 2017) A key role of the incumbent will be to maintain and develop the links with the school. The person appointed will be a Foundation, Ex-Officio Governor. They will be part of the Governing Body which has the following key roles: To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction To hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff To oversee the financial performance of the school and make sure its money is well. 14

15 Seven of the eleven governors are Foundation governors. Foundation governors have the responsibility to secure the character of the school as a Church of England voluntary school, that it is preserved and developed in accordance with the school s trust deed and its ethos statement. For further information, visit the school website: 15

16 Holiday Club Every year during the mornings of the first few days in August, the village school becomes transformed ready for the church Holiday Club. This year, it was a significant first partnership with our friends from Okewood and Forest Green. The Circus came to Ewhurst and forty plus children transformed into clowns, lions, acrobats, magicians and strongmen. Lots of craft, drama, games and songs helped get across Christian messages in an entertaining way. Parents were invited to an evening session to get an idea of what the children had achieved over the three busy and very enjoyable mornings. 16

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18 Fundraising Every year we hold fundraising events which involve the whole village and the wider area. The following three events are the largest: The Big Day/Night Out. Held every two years at the Hurtwood Park Polo Club, Ewhurst. During the day: Classic cars, children s activities and entertainment and trading stalls. The evening Night Out features local performers and bands taking the stage. 18

19 Easter Market. Yearly. A chance to sample and shop from local producers and craft stalls. Held at The Parrot Inn, Forest Green. 19

20 The Rectory Fete. Held annually. A local village event with a focus on fun rather than fund raising! 20

21 One-off events are held throughout the year and some images from our past events are shown here. 21

22 Music Music is an important part of worship in the Ewhurst community. Under the directorship of the current organist and choir leader, Val Henry the Adult and Junior choirs are thriving. All Communion and Evensong services enjoy the contribution of the adult choir. Evening worship in Wilson Room, fifth Sunday of the month services and Songs of Praise are all predominantly sung worship. 22

23 Adding further richness to the spiritual message, Junior and Adult choir join together for special services, including Advent Nine Lessons and Carols, Easter Day, Harvest Sunday as well as weddings. The talented musicians from the church community; keyboard, brass, woodwind, guitars, ukuleles and percussion often perform and accompany during services. 23

24 Church Bells and ringers There is a long tradition of bell ringing in Ewhurst. The oldest bells in the tower date from the 15th century and are probably amongst the oldest in Surrey. They are part of a full eight peel, most unusual for a church this size. Bells are rung every Sunday and for village and national events and by special request. There is a very accomplished, dedicated team of ringers who practice weekly. To introduce younger ringers and to increase awareness, the bell ringers organise hand bell sessions which are a highlight of the Advent services. The bells, last restored in 1938 are currently undergoing refurbishment, with the recasting of the two oldest bells. The Heritage Lottery Fund have kindly awarded us a grant towards the bell restoration project. 24

25 St John the Baptist, Okewood dates back to Originally a Chapel of Ease for those travelling the highways and byways in medieval times the Church exudes a calm spirituality much enjoyed by its faithful congregations and world-wide visitors alike. There is currently one service each Sunday each taking a slightly different form. All Age services take place on the first Sunday of the month, and despite its age the style of worship could be described as modern rather than traditional, usually being led by live music from the small worship group and band. Congregation numbers generally average between 25/35 and youth Christian teaching (aka Megazone) is available for children age 2-14 every Sunday at The Ark close by the Church. Aside from the incumbent, there are several mature Christians Website: who are able to assist in running services and St John the Baptist also benefits from occasional support from a charismatic Ordained Local Minister (OLM). The website contains details of the present services and activities at the church as well as the links with Holy Trinity Forest Green, the third church in the new parish. 25

26 The Ark As with Ewhurst church, there is an associated building, The Ark, which is a fully equipped venue which is invaluable in offering a wider approach to worship and involvement within that community. Given its quiet location, The Ark is also perfect for retreats and away/vision days and is widely used by church communities within and outside the Diocese. 26

27 Holy Trinity, Forest Green is the daughter Church of St John the Baptist Okewood. A most attractive and intimate building of the Victorian period, Holy Trinity is perfectly suited to evening worship and healing services but also hosts the Fun Family Worship service once a month. This is based on a messy church model with food and is generally the best attended of any service at Okewood and Forest Green. The broader intention is to try to encourage families to bring their children to Okewood, where teaching is available every Sunday. As at Okewood, worship is also supported by the OLM when available to do so. Website: This website is linked to that of St John the Baptist at Okewood and again gives information about the current services and activities offered by these churches. The website also features St Margaret s church Ockley, which under current proposals will form part of the new Capel with Ockley Parish. 27

28 All Churches currently are well-served by experienced Churchwardens and an enthusiastic Parochial Church Council. Part-time administrative support for the Parish and dedicated website expertise will in future be based in the Ewhurst Parish office which is located in the Wilson Room, very close to the Church and Rectory. Community footprint and outreach All three Churches are exceptionally proud of their current community profiles with services that will form a good basis for development in the hands of a new incumbent. Examples include: families and youth work; children s holiday clubs; home-based life groups including ministries for men and women; work with the elderly and pastoral care; provision of a weekly village café and outward giving. There is very much more - details for which can be found via the relevant website links which have been provided. 28

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30 Pattern of Services Week Holy Trinity St John the Baptist (10.30am) 1 Holy Communion, CW 6pm+ All Age* 2 Messy Church, 5pm+ Morning Service, CW* 3 Evensong CW, 6pm+ Morning Service, CW* 4 Evensong CW, 6pm+ Morning Service with Communion, CW* + These services have an organist * These services are supported by singers with a live worship band 30

31 Youth work As mentioned, all our Churches are committed to providing worship opportunities for families, and Christian teaching for children and young people. In terms of Okewood and Forest Green however, it is worth recording that a separate charity called 20.4teens was registered in 2013 with the specific objective of raising sufficient funds to employ a parttime youth worker to lead and support our current volunteers in establishing a young community of Christians. Those funds are now largely available and it is proposed that an appointment will be made once a new incumbent is in place for the Parish. ( 31

32 The Rectory Accommodation for the new incumbent is Ewhurst Rectory, situated adjoining the St Peter & St Paul s Church in the centre of the village. The Rectory was built in the late 1950s and has been modernised over the years. Double glazing is provided throughout and there is full gas fired central heating. It provides, on the first floor, a large landing giving access to four double bedrooms, bathroom with shower, a separate WC and airing cupboard. Fitted cupboards are provided in three of the bedrooms and two bedrooms have a wash hand basin. On the ground floor there is a central entrance hall, good-sized living room, dining room, fully fitted kitchen with gas cooker and hob, utility room with its own sink and internal access to an attached garage. An outer hall, giving access to a study and WC enables this area to be separated from the living accommodation. In front of the house is a tarmac area for parking, with a side area reserved for church disabled parking. The large garden is mainly grassed, with a woodland area and includes a long zip-wire for the thrill seekers amongst you! There is a small, separate secluded garden to the rear of the property. 32

33 The Area Geographically, all communities in the Parish enjoy wonderful countryside with our proximity to the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The miles of footpaths and bridleways are perfect for outdoor pursuits especially cycling, walking and horse-riding. The area has many attractive villages and excellent amenities available whether for shopping, dining or culture. Ewhurst is a large village with good access to the market village of Cranleigh and the University town of Guildford, whilst from further to the east and south of the Parish, the noted market towns of Dorking and Horsham are readily accessible. There is good rail access to London and an excellent range of educational facilities from nursery and pre-school through to secondary education, both state and private. See Appendix 1 Our Church and Community which contains a more detailed account of what is available. Parish Organisation The three churches will become one Parish. The priest-in-charge is integral in developing an exciting future for all the communities represented in the new Parish. The churchwardens from the three churches have frequent meetings and communication is excellent between them to look at the framework of the new Parish. Members of the two PCCs are working together and look forward to working with the priest-in-charge. Parish Administrator A Parish Administrator position will be vital for overseeing the work in the three churches. Money has been set aside to finance this post and a current very capable post-holder is already in employment for Okewood and Forest Green, together with voluntary website maintenance available at Ewhurst. 33

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35 Parish Data St Peter and St Paul Number Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals including Cremations: Year Baptisms Weddings Funerals Average Sunday attendance Adults Children 8 12 Okewood and Forest Green Numbers of Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals: Year Baptisms Weddings Funerals Average weekly attendance Holy Trinity St John the Baptist Adults Children 12 (Messy church only) 6 35

36 The Three Churches Finances for 2016 Ewhurst Okewood Forest Green Income 126, , , , Parish Share 85, , , , Expenses 48, , , , Net Deficit - 7, , , Note: Ewhurst figures as per examined accounts. Okewood and Forest Green figures extracted from Ockley, Okewood and Forest Green filed figures. The Unrestricted Funds for the year ended 2016 as above, show a deficit, however this was met by income raised in early The result was better than expected thanks to a couple of legacies, fundraising and careful management of expenditure. Maintaining three churches and an active parish will be challenging in the current climate. As a parish, we realise we must understand what we can afford and agree targets for raising money for those things we would like to do. The planned giving meets over half of general expenditure, the rest is met by our outreach fundraising projects. Our plan when the new priest-in-charge arrives, is to roll out the new stewardship campaign to attract more planned giving. The wider population base and the new collaboration between the churches is a real opportunity to develop this. 36

37 Expenses are reimbursed in accordance with Guildford Diocese guidelines. The village communities have always responded well to specific fundraising to maintain church buildings and assets. Additionally, St Peter and St Paul have been awarded National Heritage Lottery funding contributing to the cost of restoration of the bells and roof repairs. See Appendix 2 for the 2016 Accounts. 37

38 Diocesan Vision Deanery Vision The new Parish will subscribe to the excellent vision of the Guildford Diocese entitled Transforming Church, Transforming Lives. This sets out the following twelve transformation goal: making disciples increasing believers growing youth and children s ministry developing lay leaders recruiting more clergy cultivating community partnerships reaching beyond borders nurturing education encouraging generous giving sharing expertise communicating effectively and improving church buildings. See Appendix 3 to view this initiative in full. Cranleigh is the largest geographical deanery in the diocese and possibly the most rural. All the parishes are villages, although Cranleigh, reputedly the largest village in the country, has a population of over 10,000. The parishes all lie within the London commuter belt which shapes their character. There is a good deal of wealth within the area but in each village greater social diversity can be found than might initially seem apparent. There are thirteen parishes, fourteen churches and a population of about 30,000, which is served by a good number of clergy and lay people. Each parish operates well within its own community and there is general goodwill towards the church throughout the area. There are a number of church schools and parish involvement in them is good. The Deanery Synod meets three times a year and looks at ways in which the Diocesan Vision, Transforming Life, Transforming Church, can be developed at deanery level. The Chapter meets six times a year and is well attended with good working relationships amongst all the clergy. 38

39 Statement of Needs and Personal Qualities Our new priest-in-charge will join us at the start of our journey as the newly united Parish of Ewhurst with Okewood and Forest Green. The person we are seeking The priest-in-charge we are seeking to lead and facilitate our future will be: a visionary leader able to guide us all, with sensitivity, in the formation of the new Parish and all the opportunities this offers; passionate about their faith and spirit-filled with an infectious manner in sharing this in all settings; a person with a warm sense of humour and personal style which puts others at ease; is pastorally sensitive with a commitment to visiting to both church members and the wider community; well-organised and effective in managing their own time; a versatile leader and an effective communicator able to nurture the talents of others, inspiring commitment and involvement from individuals and teams alike; able to work creatively within a rural environment; across different communities; comfortable in delivering Parish objectives within a variety of worship styles. Additional responsibilities The priest-in-charge will be: a Foundation ex-officio Governor of Ewhurst Church of England Infant School an ex-officio Trustee of the Ewhurst Charity* an ex-officio Trustee of Ellen s Green Mission Hall Trust* an ex-officio Trustee of the Friends of Okewood and Okewood Hill Village Hall ex-officio Trustee of the Friends of Holy Trinity Church Charity *These charities manage Trust Funds which donate annually to organisations in Ewhurst especially those with a social or educational focus. 39