The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. Isaiah 61:1

Transcription

1 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. Isaiah 61:1

2 CONT E N T S We are Christ Church, Tunbridge Wells. Welcome to our Parish Profile! We are excited and expectant for this season of our life as a church community. A quick look at this profile will make it clear that, whilst God is at work in powerful ways amongst us, we re no finished product ; we re all on a journey. We are ready to up our game as a congregation, to be change-makers who bring light to others. We pray that this profile will help you to consider whether God is calling you to join our adventure, and lead us onto greater things. Contents PAGE 2 Welcome 11 Staff 3 About our church 13 Finance 5 Our Prayer for a new incumbent 14 The Building 6 Our Gatherings 15 The Vicarage 7 Our Ministries 16 Tunbridge Wells 9 Outreach 2

3 A B OUT U S About Our Church Christ Church is an Anglican church, which meets on the high street in the heart of the thriving town of Tunbridge Wells. We are a passionate, loving community, drawn from across the town and beyond, with an exciting vision and clear sense that we are on a journey towards a deeper sense of God s presence and greater participation in His mission. We have experienced blessing and growth - both numerical and spiritual - in recent years but we believe and long for greater blessing to come as we follow God s calling. As a church we are committed to living out our purpose which we believe is rooted in Isaiah 61 and the call of God to His people to be embracing freedom and setting others free. We recognise the need to challenge ourselves and our community by embracing God s transforming power, and change our mindset from comfort to journeying with God. Our gatherings and our theology could be described as informal and charismatic evangelical, although a wide range of Christian backgrounds and theological persuasions are represented in our congregation (from unchurched to conservative evangelicals, to liberal theologians, Baptists, free church, and Catholics). Our services reflect the importance we place on informal sung corporate worship, impactful teaching, and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform lives, as well as the role of liturgy in drawing us together in one breath. As well as the Sunday services, we have lots of midweek activities and events, which take place all over the town and beyond. Our church is more than a building, and our building is more than a church; we are a 7 day a week hub for the community, with our café space, Manna, (open 6 days a week); church halls and rooms hired out by local community groups; and local residents and shoppers always in and out. 3

4 A B OUT U S THE FUTURE Key areas of growth in the recent years have been: developing a team of leaders - both employed and voluntary - to respond to the opportunities before us; increasing our togetherness as a community of imperfect but improving, loving, gracious, generous and creative people; connecting more effectively and relevantly with our local community, particularly through Manna, which opened in Areas we want to grow in include: our children s and youth work; community outreach, including the business community; and Manna (that it may reach its full potential). OUR NEW INCUMBENT We are looking forward to the arrival of a new incumbent who will be excited at the way God has led our church family so far; who feels called to lead us forward into God s plan for our future, building on the foundations already established; who will join us in our commitment to living out our purpose rooted in Isaiah 61 and the call of God to His people. We want a dynamic church leader who shares our belief that the Word and Spirit working together will transform people and bring revival; and who will envision, train and release us. In this way, we believe we can participate in the transformation of our nation. We also believe that we will have the opportunity to explore a church plant within our parish at some point in the not-too-distant future. OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR NEW INCUMBENT We will love, support, nurture and encourage our new incumbent and family, and seek to enable you to fulfil your calling to Christ Church. We would commit ourselves to fulfil our responsibilities and bring energy and enthusiasm to the work of mission and ministry under your direction. Our PCC and Wardens will work with you, seeking to develop our vision and aims. 4

5 OUR P R AY E R OUR PRAYER IS FOR AN INCUMBENT who is a visionary leader and team player, with good interpersonal skills, able to lead and release our growing team of staff and lay leaders, in conjunction with the Church Wardens and PCC, to achieve their full potential in God. whose life and ministry is rooted in the authority of the Bible and who can communicate its truth effectively to people of all ages and backgrounds and who recognises the centrality of the Word and the Spirit working together. who knows the transforming and redeeming power of the Lord Jesus Christ and direction of the Holy Spirit in their own life, and passionately desires to see that power outworked in the lives of others; and who can encourage the church family in discovering and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit through their lives and ministry, both within the church and in the community we are called to serve. who is someone who will see, listen to and act upon what God is saying, both for themselves and for the wider church family. who is thoroughly prayer-based and will encourage the church family to have a deeper relationship with God, and who will encourage a diverse approach to personal and corporate prayer, recognising the importance of prayer and healing ministry in the life of the church. who is someone who understands and appreciates the centrality of corporate worship and will encourage the Corporate Worship lead and the team, as they use their God-given talents to serve in this area of church life. who recognises the breadth of creativity which exists within the church and will seek to develop and use this for the good of all. who recognises evangelism and local community transformation as key priorities and who would be enthusiastic in thinking strategically about future initiatives in conjunction with our Community lead. who has pastoral gifts and who is able to engage with and support individuals in the church family and wider community, and develop a strong pastoral team who will serve the church. who will continue to develop our partnerships with overseas mission partners and ministries and our commitment to the gospel at the heart of our approach to social justice. who is open to moving us beyond our comfort zones as we consider the possibility and opportunities of a church plant. who has a desire to be in fellowship with other local church leaders and congregations, working together for the good of the gospel in Tunbridge Wells and beyond. who will inspire us to take risks for the sake of the gospel. 5

6 GAT H E R I NG CORPORATE WORSHIP We have various opportunities for corporate gatherings throughout the week. Our main Sunday services are at 10.30am and 6.30pm, and around two-thirds of our congregation are part of weekly life groups. Our 10.30am service alternates between Morning Worship, Holy Communion, and Family Services. We usually begin with a time of praise and sung worship using contemporary styles (usually with a full band), before exploring our faith together through Bible teaching, prayer and ministry. We use liturgy regularly and creatively. Attendance at these services is usually around 180 adults, with a full children s programme catering for around 70 children during term-time. Whilst all of our services are family friendly, once a term we have an all age service where the children stay in for the duration. Each year we hold on average 3 weddings, 8 funerals/thanksgiving services, and have around 11 adult baptisms/reaffirmation of baptismal vows and 13 child baptisms/dedications. Our 6.30pm service allows us to go deeper in teaching and worship. This takes a variety of forms, including Psalm-surfing, which is a scripture-based worship evening, and Testimony services, where we hear how God has been at work in each other s lives. We also frequently celebrate Holy Communion. Usual attendance is 50 adults, with frequent visitors from the area. There is great potential to develop and grow this service. 6

7 M I N I ST R I E S OUR MINISTRIES WORSHIP - We have an incredibly gifted team who lead our sung worship every week, led by our newlyappointed corporate worship lead. Our worship leaders include accomplished song-writers, and recording artists. We have close links to David s Tent, Spring Harvest, New Wine and Focus churches. Our heart is to enable the Spirit to move in our midst in dynamic ways, and remain outside any particular school of worship, appreciating eclecticism and authentic encounter above all else. PRAYER - Prayer ministry is offered at every service with a trained prayer ministry team, and we encourage everyone to take the opportunity to receive from God in this way - but we would like to see this area of ministry increase. The prophetic is well-established and plays a key role in the life of the church from individual words and pictures to shaping corporate vision. We have morning prayer 3 times a week, and women s and men s prayer groups meeting weekly. Seasonal prayer events help us to mark the year and grow as a praying community, and, as we join with other churches in Tunbridge Wells, offer a powerful foundation of unity for Christians in the area. CHILDREN - We recognise this as one the most important ministries we have as a church. We have experienced growth in numbers over the last few years, with up to 70 children attending our kids church on a Sunday morning. As a result, we see a growing need for leadership / support in this area. We are in the process of recruiting a children s worker. KINGDOM KIDS - Our Sunday morning provision for children and young people from All children have an activity relevant to themed teaching. Activities range from a colouring sheet and free play for the little ones, right through to Bible teaching, exploration and discussion as they get older. The children are split into year groups which give them the opportunity to ask questions and develop strong relationships between groups and group leaders. 7

8 M I N I ST R I E S YOUTH - Another key area we d love to see grow. Our Youth Life Group (year 9-13) meets in Manna every Friday night (during school term time) for Bible study from 7pm to 9pm. A group attend Soul Survivor each year and there is a monthly town-wide youth service (UNITE). LIFE GROUPS - Our pastoral care is primarily through our 16 Life Groups - small groups of church members that meet weekly or fortnightly for fellowship, Bible study, and spiritual growth. Life group leaders will usually use teaching material following on from the Sunday sermon; we encourage a time of worship and prayer for each other. Life groups are the bedrock of our church community, and where we can support each other, as well as helping new people get connected. HOSTING TEAM - We currently have 42 volunteers who are part of our hosting team; welcoming people at the door, supervising the car park, baking cakes and serving refreshments after the services. We are committed to deliver Christ-like hospitality to visitors and members alike. SQUEALS ON WHEELS is a thriving toddler group which runs every Tuesday morning during term time, attracting around 50 children each week and 70 to our popular end-of-term parties. Squeals is well-established and loved in the local community, and as such, it is a key part of our community outreach. Its ethos is unashamedly Christian, despite the majority of attendees coming from outside the church. CREATIVITY - We have been blessed with creativity in our congregation, from fine artists and dramatists, photographers and film-makers, to writers, songwriters and musicians. We are always looking for ways to use these gifts to honour God and bless others. In 2016 we put together an Easter film, written and filmed by our community and starring the church kids. We also have monthly services dedicated to using our creativity in spontaneous worship based around the Psalms. 8

9 OUT R E ACH OUTREACH As a church, we see reaching out to the vulnerable as a gospel mandate and as a blessing. Whilst the parish is an economically well-off area, there are many in our community who are experiencing poverty, both economically and spiritually. With our great location, we have a wonderful opportunity to awaken and inspire our community to how we can use our resources (time, creativity and financial) to be a blessing to those around us and further afield. MANNA In 2011 we opened our café and community space to serve the local community and increase our links with the high street. Manna is a fullyfunctioning café operating 6 days a week, hosting local business meetings, an NCT baby café initiative, craft workshops, gigs, and one-off events like the Summer Holiday Book Swap and many more. It has become extremely popular with mums and kids due to its space and feel. As part of the vision and heart behind Manna, we are committed to giving all its profits away, currently to a church in the Mathare slum in Kenya to facilitate their community outreach. With 7 paid staff members, and the rest made up of volunteers, it is one of our most exciting - and most challenging - areas of mission. 9

10 OUT R E ACH MISSIONS The church seeks to empower and resource individuals and groups with vision for missional work, both home and away. We have a number of mission partners based across the world whose work we support with organisations including WEC, People International, Oasis, Street Kids Direct, BCMS Crosslinks, CMS, Hospices of Hope, Life and Soul (Tun Wells), Open Doors, YFC (Tun Wells). We are also closely connected to a group that gathers to empower the local community in reaching out to the refugees in Calais. Initiated in part by members of the church, monthly food drops to the camp bring together church members with local community, including primary schools and parents, to prepare care packages and deliver to the camp in Calais. STREET PASTORS We are privileged to host and support this town-wide ministry. Teams of local volunteers from 25 churches in the area, go into the towncentre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights between 10pm and 4am to care for, listen to and help those who are out on the streets. They are supported by a group of Prayer Pastors who cover the teams every time they go out. The initiative has received the full endorsement of the Borough Council and Kent Police. This ministry is just one example of how we are committed to being an active part of a unified wider church and Christian community in Tunbridge Wells. 10

11 STA F F T E AM COMMUNITY NAOMI HUTCHISON As Christ Church is located in the middle of the busy High Street, we have great opportunities to reach out to the local community with the good news of Jesus and we see this is as key. Recent opportunities have included a well attended Alpha course; children s book swap in Manna café; a Royal picnic for the Queen s 90th birthday for local residents and a community filling Spice bags for the refugees in Calais afternoon. Various rooms in the church building are hired out to local community groups throughout the week, meaning the church is generally busy with local people in and out. My aim is for each member of our congregation to be discipling a small number of people and for Christ Church to be a hub for the local community, where we aim to embrace freedom and set others free. CORPORATE WORSHIP JACK BEATTIE Hi, I'm Jack and I head up Corporate Worship at Christ Church. I am from the Wirral, near Liverpool, originally but I studied in London for nearly four years. I am passionate about enabling our church to participate in authentic devotion to our Lord and to providing an open atmosphere whereby the Holy Spirit is able to nourish our hearts as we commune with Christ, while teaching us how best to serve our Heavenly Father through acts of loving obedience. 11

12 STA F F T E AM MINISTRY ENABLEMENT JANET LINDSAY A logistician by background, I ve been employed by the church since June The role covers general administration, operations, premises, and more - making sure things happen smoothly and without fuss. I aim to know everyone and everything that s going on, which is important since I am often the main point of contact for enquirers. I live in Wadhurst with my 2 teenage daughters and many pets. I've been a Christian since I was 16 and am regularly surprised by what God has in store! FACILITIES SUE VANNS Whilst Sue s primary role is keeping an eye on the facilities and cleaning, the church, prayer, and pastoral care are at the core of her ministry. ADDITIONAL STAFF & VOLUNTEERS A further position, to head up our Children s Work, is being advertised at present. In addition, the church has two Church Wardens, and an active and united PCC, as well as a large number of lay leaders and volunteers. 12

13 F I NANCE FINANCE As a church we recognise God s provision for us and we also acknowledge our responsibility to give generously to his work both in Tunbridge Wells and further afield. Over the past few years we have not been legalistic in setting targets for the church family, but ask everyone to consider prayerfully what they should be giving towards meeting the needs of the church and responding accordingly. While not setting targets we ask the church family to consider some biblical teaching in their response: - All we possess, money and other material resources, come from and belong to God. - We are encouraged to give cheerfully, in a planned and regular fashion. - Our giving should be proportionate to our income. Community, for Corporate Worship and for Children, (still to be recruited) and our Facilities Coordinator. Four of these positions are full time appointments. Our income over recent years has fluctuated, due in no small part to the needs of a growing and changing church. What we can say for certain is that giving in 2016 is some 3,000 per month higher than in 2015 and our total income for 2016 will be well in excess of 300,000. We have healthy reserves - although we budgeted to use some of the reserves in 2016 to finance the additional appointments, it now appears that this will be unnecessary, because our giving has increased. We continue to believe and trust that God will meet all our needs both financial and in all other ways. Our Missions Team is allocated a tenth of our income to distribute each month to meet the needs of our mission partners. We pay our Parish Share/Offer to the Diocese to meet the mission and ministry cost of the Diocese. We pay our own staff: our Associate Ministers for Ministry Enablement, for 13

14 T H E B U I L D I NG THE CHURCH BUILDING Our modern Christ Church complex was opened in September 1997, replacing the old Victorian church on the same site in the High Street. The only parts of the old church incorporated into the new were three Burne-Jones stained glass windows in the Sanctuary. Two new stained glass windows have been added subsequently, showing missionary work in Rwanda and Central America supported by the church family. The building incorporates two shops fronting onto the High Street, one of which pays rent to the church. The second is also accessed from within the narthex and forms our coffee shop, Manna, which is open to the public six days a week, and is an integral part of our outreach to the community. There is also a meeting room, access to a lift and stairs, and toilets on this level. A short flight of steps leads to the Sanctuary which seats up to 300 people. This area was built to high acoustic standards for musical performances. It is a light and airy space, with access to crèche, two vestries and a storage area. A full immersion facility for baptisms is built into the stage. A further flight of steps leads to a storeroom, toilets, small meeting room, administrative office and Vicar s office, and the church hall (Crabb Hall) which can seat 100 people. This facility also has inbuilt dividers, making it a very flexible space. There is an adjacent kitchen, and these areas are widely used by the church and outside community organisations, and even businesses from time to time. There is also a car park for approximately 20 vehicles. 14 The Parish encompasses the main shopping centre, business centre, and local government in Tunbridge Wells. There is also a second church building in the Parish, Holy Trinity, built in 1828 to a design by Decimus Burton. Public worship ceased there some years ago and the building is currently leased out by the Diocese to Trinity Arts Centre. Christ Church is now the Parish church officially called "Holy Trinity with Christ Church.

15 V I CA R AG E THE VICARAGE The Vicarage is situated in Claremont Road, in a much sought-after and well established residential area, about 5 minutes walk from the church, High Street shops, and mainline railway station (50mins to Charing Cross). One of the town s leading primary schools, Claremont, is a two-minute walk away, and a selection of some of the best secondary schools in the country, are within walking distance or a short drive. The property is an attractive and substantial family house built around 1930, and has six bedrooms, two reception rooms, a study, a cloakroom, and a large kitchen/breakfast room. At the front, there is a driveway with off-street parking for at least 5 cars, and a double garage to the side. To the rear is a balcony, overlooking a sizeable, secluded, well-established terraced garden. 15

16 TUNBRIDGE WELLS Royal Tunbridge Wells is a large affluent town in western Kent, about 40 miles southeast of London (50 min by train). With a population of 56,500, it is a thriving community - near enough to London to have a significant commuter population, but far enough away to maintain its own industries, community feel and significant retail centre. It is also something of a cultural centre for the area. The town came into being as a spa in the Restoration and had its heyday as a tourist resort under Beau Nash when the Pantiles and its chalybeate spring attracted visitors who wished to take the waters. Though its popularity waned with the advent of sea bathing, the town remains popular and derives some 30 percent of its income from the tourist industry. It is close to the beautiful countryside of the Weald, and Ashdown forest, Bewl Water and the coast not so very far away. Tunbridge Wells is on the face of it, a very affluent and popular town with families, but it is contrasted with quite deep levels of need - including economic poverty. As a church, we have the opportunity to bring hope in some dark places, as well as influencing influencers, at national and international levels, in many industries. For more details, contact: patronage@cpas.org.uk or visit 16