St Chad s, Hopwas HOUSE FOR DUTY ASSOCIATE PRIEST. Parish of Tamworth, Staffordshire Diocese of Lichfield. Enquiries to:

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1 St Chad s, Hopwas HOUSE FOR DUTY ASSOCIATE PRIEST Parish of Tamworth, Staffordshire Diocese of Lichfield Enquiries to: Revd. Alan Gordon The Vicarage, Hospital Street, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B19 7EE. Tel: The Ven Simon Baker The Archdeacon's office, St Mary's House, The Close, Lichfield, WS13 7LD. Tel:

2 Contents Introduction... 3 The Team... 3 The Challenges... 3 Role Description... 4 Person Specification... 4 Working Hours... 5 Fees and Expenses... 5 The District Church Council... 5 The Mission Action Plan... 5 Church Finances... 6 Church Services... 6 Parish Activities and Programmes... 7 Communication... 8 Pastoral Offices... 8 The Church Buildings... 8 The Church of St Chad s... 9 The Churchyard... 9 The Church Hall... 9 The Vergery The Parsonage The Community Further Information Regarding This Post Appendices Appendix A: St Chad s Mission Action Plan Appendix B: St Chad s Financial Accounts for the Year ending 31 st December Appendix C: Pastoral Offices Appendix D: Map of Hopwas showing St Chad s and other Church Buildings

3 Introduction Mission Statement Christ centred, serving the local community through prayer and action. Thank you for your interest in the House for Duty Associate Priest post as part of our Ministry Team in the Parish of Tamworth. We pray that learning about us will help you discern whether God might be calling you to join our ministry with the communities here where we enjoy a wonderful combination of stunningly beautiful countryside, a great mix of people and excellent road and rail links. The Parish of Tamworth has at its historic centre the church of St Editha which dates back to Saxon times 1,200 years ago when Tamworth was the capital of Mercia. The parish consists of 4 churches: St Chad s, St Editha s, St Andrew s and St Francis, each of which serves a distinct geographical and cultural community in a total parish population of about 18,000 centred on the town of Tamworth. Working as part of the Ministry Team, the ministry of the House for Duty Associate Priest will be focused on the Church of St Chad in Hopwas (population approx. 550), a village set on the outskirts of the town by the River Tame. St Chad s has pastoral responsibility for the village of Hopwas and the area known as Riverside and Tame Meadow (population approx. 3,000). You are assured of a warm welcome in Hopwas and across the Parish; we hope and pray that you will bring a deep and confident faith, fresh thinking, and your own special skills and experience to join us in the vital task of making Christ known in our communities. The Team The current Ministry Team comprises: the Vicar; a Resident Minister, who is Minister of St Francis; and a Lay Reader. The team is assisted by a retired priest. At St Chad s the House for Duty Associate Priest will be assisted by the Churchwardens, the Verger and members of the DCC. The Parish Administrator provides administrative support to the churches in the parish and is based in the Parish Office in Tamworth. The Challenges To worship God and deepen our faith and understanding To proclaim and be good news in our locality To develop our fellowship across the different congregations in St Chad s To support and nurture families who are drawn into St Chad s through the occasional offices 3

4 To re-vitalise and develop our connection with local families, young people and local youth organisations To build on the relationship with the local primary school, Thomas Barnes To recognise our common bond with the other churches in the parish and work in co-operation with them Role Description To work in collaboration with the Parish and District Team to share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to be salt and light to all in the parish. To have primary liturgical and pastoral responsibility for the Church of St Chad s o To plan and lead worship o To develop fellowship among the different congregations of St Chad s o To discern gifting, and inspire, encourage and support members in developing their gifts and taking their place within the life and worship of the church; o To chair the District Church Council; and work with the DCC and Churchwardens to ensure structures and resources are appropriate, together with clarity of responsibilities and accountabilities o To Identify pastoral care needs and ensure appropriate structures and skills to provide this to the community o To connect and engage with the local community o To maintain and develop the relationship between St Chad s and Thomas Barnes School o To be willing to work with the Methodist Church in Hopwas and TCC. To share in responsibility for the occasional offices To share in baptism and marriage preparation To participate in Deanery Chapter and support Tamworth Covenanting Churches (TCC) Person Specification Personal experience of the work of God in their life and the Christian community. Experience of working in a multi-church parish or benefice is desirable but not essential. The candidate should have been responsible for co-ordinating, motivating and supervising a team of paid and unpaid staff and volunteers, be able to reflect on that and develop their practice. It is essential they should be familiar with leading worship according to the Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship. Desirable to have led and enabled others to lead or contribute to, worship for families, children and young people. Confident in leading school assemblies. Has built links with the community through schools, community organisations and council. 4

5 Of importance is that the candidate is welcoming and open to all, prepared to share the highs and lows in people s lives. Committed to the Gospel and be able to proclaim it concisely and adapt its presentation according to range of ages and settings. Needs to have access to means of transport. Confident with information technology and keen to embrace the benefits it can bring, especially to communications. Working Hours The minister is expected to work on Sundays and the equivalent of two days per week, flexibly to respond to occasional offices and village events, and will take six Sundays and (pro rata) 38 days holiday each year, the responsibility for services during the holiday period falling to the DCC and the wider parish. Fees and Expenses All fees are as per the Table of Fees Previous ministers have made themselves available for some funeral duties in the parish, and retained the lncumbent Fees for these services. All service related costs (telephone, mileage, postage and office expenses) are paid by the Church Council. In addition to this maintenance costs, exterior decoration, and assistance with upkeep of the garden (if required) are all dealt with by the St Chad s District Church Council. The District Church Council There is a District Church Council at St Chad s (which the minister chairs) and representatives of the church are also members of the Parochial Church Council (the minister of St Chad s is an ex officio member) which oversees all legal and financial matters of the parish. The PCC is currently engaged in the process to formalise this arrangement. The Mission Action Plan The current St Chad s Mission Action Plan (MAP) is in Appendix A: St Chad s Mission Action Plan. The PCC is presently working to develop a parish-wide MAP. The MAPs produced by each of the District Church communities will be reviewed in the light of the parish MAP. 5

6 Church Finances St Chad s finances are in a sound position and have been so for many years (see Appendix B: St Chad s Financial Accounts for the Year ending 31st December 2016). St Chad s contribution to the Parish share has also been honoured for many years. During 2015, expenditure in excess of 40,000 to meet the requirements of the quinquennial report and provide a new cremation plot in the churchyard was met without drawing on reserves which are invested at CCLA and Lichfield Diocesan Trust. All outstanding quinquennial works were completed on 8 th December 2015, and final invoice paid on 21 st December Members of the congregation are encouraged to give on a regular basis using the envelope scheme, gift aided where appropriate. The church holds regular money raising efforts including Summer Fair, Christmas Fair and other charity events. The Parish holds Trusts with the Diocese, and there are also property rusts for the Church Orchard, Church Field, Vergery, Parsonage and Church Hall. The church supports a wide variety of charities local, national and international donating funds from Christmas collections, coffee mornings, charity breakfasts, sale of harvest produce, social events, etc. Church Services St Chad s which was dedicated and opened in 1881 seats 150. Churchmanship is central with cassock alb and stole being worn at Eucharistic and baptismal services; and cassock, surplice and preaching scarf at other services. The majority of services are Common Worship, but there are monthly Holy Communion and Evensong services which follow the Book of Common Prayer. In addition to these services, the fifth Sunday in the month sees a shared evening service with the local Methodist congregation. Sunday 9.00am 10.30am 6.00pm 1 st Family Communion Songs of Praise 2 nd Holy Communion (BCP) Family Communion 3 rd Morning Worship Holy Communion 4 th Family Communion Evensong (BCP) 5 th Family Communion United service with Methodists 6

7 In addition to the regular pattern of worship there are also special services at Easter, Mothering Sunday, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas. Worship at morning services is accompanied by the organ or a tablet PC system capable of playing hymn music when an organist not available. There is a regular organist who plays at most evening services, and who is usually available for weddings and funerals There is a choir which sings at the evening services, the Remembrance Sunday service and Christmas Eve Carol Service. The spoken voice is supported by a public address system with a radio microphone and there is also a CD player. There are 63 on the Electoral Roll. Two thirds of the congregation are over 70, but remain very active in the life of the church and the community. Average attendance at the morning services are: 9.00am 9 adults, and 10.30am 21 adults & 3 children. Average attendance at the evening service is 17 adults. Parish Activities and Programmes The annual village Summer Fete and BBQ is held in the grounds of the church, and the annual village Christmas Fayre takes place in the Church Hall. St Chad s is a collection point for the Food bank in Tamworth, and supports Christian Aid and the Leprosy Mission. Church members are also involved in the annual Hopwas village show. The principal connection with young people at the moment is through the regular parade services attended by Hopwas-based Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and 7

8 regular visits to Thomas Barnes, the local primary school, by one of the members to take assemblies. There are close ecumenical links with the Methodists in Hopwas. The two churches join together when there is a fifth Sunday in the month, for Good Friday, Harvest Festival, and Christmas Eve Carol services. The churches support each other s social events and also work together to run Snack n Chat, once per month - a group for older folk who need company or don t get out much. Communication Weekly notices given at services, a weekly printed pew sheet with information about all the churches in the parish, and the monthly parish magazine. There is also a Parish Website page ( with information about St Chad s. Pastoral Offices Baptisms, weddings and funerals during 2016 are shown in Appendix C: Pastoral Offices. St Chad s, set against the background of Hopwas Woods, is an attractive and popular location for weddings which are usually arranged through the Parish Office. A marriage preparation day is offered to all couples who are married in the parish churches. Marriage in church after the divorce of either, or both, of the couple requires a meeting between the officiant and the couple following which a report is submitted to the Bishop and his recommendation sought. Baptisms are also arranged through the Parish Office, and preparation normally takes the form of a parish-wide course, and is conducted by a member of the Ministers Team. The service usually takes place at on Sunday at 12.30pm, and is conducted by the Vicar or the Resident Minister. Cards are sent to the child on the anniversary of the baptism until the fifth anniversary. Funerals are currently taken by the Vicar, the Resident Minister and the Lay Reader, and in the past by the Minister of St Chad s. Visiting of the family and communication with the Funeral Director is carried out by the person taking the funeral. The Church Buildings For a map of the church buildings see Appendix D: Map of Hopwas showing St Chad s and other Church Buildings. 8

9 The Church of St Chad s A booklet entitled A Look Around St Chads giving information about the building and its history is available from The Churchyard There is a churchyard adjacent to St Chad s which is open for burials and the interment of ashes, albeit with limited space. There are comprehensive regulations regarding the management of the churchyard agreed with Tamworth PCC. There is also a garden of remembrance and memorial wall with space for plaques. The Church Hall The church hall has a large main room, a kitchen, easy access toilet and storage for tables and chairs. As well as being used for church functions, it is available for rent and is used regularly by local groups. 9

10 The Vergery St Chad s is the only Church in the Parish with a resident Verger who lives in the Vergery, which was built around 1985/86. The top floor is the Verger s house and the bottom floor comprises a large garage / storage area, alongside a toilet for use by congregation and visitors. The Verger s duties include maintenance of the Churchyard and verging Sunday Services, baptisms, funerals and weddings. The Parsonage The detached 4-bedroomed Parsonage, owned by the Church, built in 1963, is owned by the Parish and has recently been refurbished. It is bright, light and comfortable with gas central heating and a separate garage. It is surrounded by a lawn and has a kitchen garden alongside the spacious driveway. 10

11 The Community The village is home to families and people of all ages. The village school is very popular and there is a secondary school in walking distance. It boasts 2 pubs and a social club, a Women s Institute and a Gardening Club. There are two care homes 5 minutes away from the village, with other facilities for the elderly and care homes found in and around Tamworth. The feel of the Church and community is very much that of a village, even though it is only 2.5 miles from Tamworth town centre. A high quality housing estate, Riverside and Tame Meadow, has been built beside the river. The shopping and leisure facilities in Tamworth are very good. The Cathedral City of Lichfield is 6 miles to the West and Birmingham 12 miles to the South. The M42 passes to the East of Tamworth and the A5 to the South. Further Information Regarding This Post For more information or an informal discussion about this vacancy please contact: The Revd Alan Gordon tel or the Parish Office tel or steditha@btconnect.com. 11

12 Appendices 12

13 Appendix A: St Chad s Mission Action Plan Mission Statement To be Christ centred, serving the local community through prayer and action. Vision Statement To be a welcoming church which people of all ages enjoy attending; a place where people work together and have opportunities to develop their faith in Christ and, as disciples, become actively involved in mission and service locally and in the wider Church. We do this by Meeting together in formal services (Holy Communion, services of the Word) and informal services; seeking to maintain a balance in both Sacrament and Word. Responding in a positive and affirming manner to those coming forward for baptisms, weddings and funerals. Providing activities for, and affirming the young people of our community (and their families) through engagement with uniformed youth organisations, school and other avenues of engagement. Providing events and activities at both church and church hall to engage with, and serve, the needs of the community its transformation by living out the Gospel. 13

14 Appendix B: St Chad s Financial Accounts for the Year ending 31 st December

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19 Appendix C: Pastoral Offices Weddings Baptisms Funerals Crematorium St Chad s Parish

20 Appendix D: Map of Hopwas showing St Chad s and other Church Buildings 20