Church Planter and Evangelist

Transcription

1 Church Planter and Evangelist in The Marlow Area Team Ministry May 2014 Are you the person God is calling to come and serve as a Team Vicar in this exciting team? Can you plant a new church community in Marlow Bottom and lead us in evangelism, so we become more vibrant and appealing disciples?

2 Table of Contents Page 1 Welcome to our Team! Our vision and priorities The Opportunity Meet the team Marlow Bottom and St Mary the Virgin Church Little Marlow and St John the Baptist Church Bisham and All Saints Church Marlow and All Saints Church Churches Together Pattern of Sunday Worship Occasional Offices Team Finances Your new home? Living in Marlow and Surrounding Area Parish Boundaries The Diocese of Oxford Deanery of Wycombe Page 2

3 1 Welcome to our Team! Welcome to our Parish Profile and thank you for taking time to read about us. We are praying that as you read these pages, God will help you to know whether this post is one he wants you to explore further. We know that searching for a clergy post can be time-consuming and sometimes emotionally draining, but we pray that the pages that follow will encourage you as you seek God s calling for your next move. Our team consists of four churches gathered together in one parish and served by one PCC. We worship across a broad range of Anglican tradition formal and informal, choral and contemporary, traditional and experimental. Together we share the conviction that we are ordinary people loved by an extraordinary God, whose love inspires us to welcome everyone, serve our communities and grow as we follow Jesus together. This vision encourages us to take risks together and explore new ways of seeing God s kingdom grow here. We feel God is calling us to become more proactive and visible in evangelism and to plant a new church community in our parish. We are inviting you to come and lead us on these adventures. This team is at an exciting moment in its life. We are seeing new people join our churches and our leadership teams. By God s grace we are seeing lives being changed and many good things are happening things that some of our older members tell me they have been praying to see for over 40 years! We are still very much a work in progress, but we face the future with great hope and anticipation. We believe God is preparing somebody to come and lead us in evangelism and church planting. If, having read these pages, you think it might be you, please take the next step and get in touch to explore things further. We look forward to welcoming you! And whether you join this team or another one somewhere else, we pray you will soon experience the joy of finding the place God has already been preparing for you. May the Lord make his will for your life unmistakably clear, and may you know God s peace as you wait to discover it. Yours in Christ, Dave Team Rector 2 Our vision and priorities Towards the end of 2012, we gathered our key leaders together and developed a shared vision for our team: we are ordinary people loved by an extraordinary God, whose love inspires us to welcome everyone, serve our communities and grow as we follow Jesus together. Alongside this vision we identified five values that describe the kind of community we aspire to become, each of which corresponds to one of the elements of the Diocesan vision: welcoming proactive and visible in the community a source of wisdom normal and real each playing our part Page 3

4 To help us become this kind of community, we have identified eight strategic priorities, which we are committed to pursuing in the coming years. They are: 1. Being Spirit-led 2. Innovating 3. Attracting more people 4. Growing a network of discipleship groups 5. Building strong children s and family ministries 6. Playing a bigger role in town and village life 7. Each serving with the gifts God has given us 8. Giving generously to the wider church Each of our churches seeks to live out this vision in their own context. Our Team Ministry embraces the town of Marlow, the community of Marlow Bottom and the villages of Little Marlow and Bisham (see map in section 14). Each of our four churches is led by a member of the clergy team and its own Church Council (DCC). You can read more about each church and its community in sections 5-8 below. We work in a devolved structure, with each church being responsible for its own mission, worship, pastoral care, buildings and finances. Strategic leadership across all four churches is given by the PCC, which is responsible for our overall vision, clergy deployment, team-wide resourcing and economies of scale. We are beginning to make progress in our mission as a team, and there is an enormous opportunity for us to engage in effective evangelism. It has also long been recognised that there is a great opportunity for mission in Marlow Bottom but despite our attempts and those of our Methodist friends in the Valley we have never quite managed to make the most of it. However, with the full support of these groups, we have a strong foundation to build on. These opportunities lie at the heart of the role we are seeking to fill. 3 The Opportunity This is an outstanding opportunity for a gifted and enthusiastic leader to join a high-potential team at the early stages of its development. The person we are looking for is: A God-centred, prayerful and enthusiastic team player A natural and effective evangelist A pioneer and innovator with a clear sense of call to plant a new church community in Marlow Bottom An appealing and vibrant disciple who thinks following Jesus should be fun Determined and motivated, but self-aware and with a sense of perspective Able to connect with postmodern culture and especially with families and children Approachable, willing to listen and able to make all kinds of people feel valued and cared for Comfortable in a wide variety of liturgical settings and able to breathe life into a wide range of traditions, including the Central Eucharistic tradition of our village churches A builder of teams of leaders who will disciple others Able to form effective partnerships across denominational boundaries Page 4

5 The role offers real responsibility for church leadership, together with the support and collegiality of working in a team. It comprises three elements: a. Planting a new church community in Marlow Bottom (population 3,200) and overseeing the existing congregation at St Mary the Virgin, Marlow Bottom. (approx. 70% of role) Particular areas of responsibility include: Identifying the appropriate shape of church community to reach Marlow Bottom focussing especially but not exclusively on families with school age children Planting and leading a new mission-shaped church community in Marlow Bottom for Marlow Bottom people (working title: Marlow Bottom Community Church) Working with Churches Together in Marlow, and especially with our existing Methodist partners in Marlow Bottom, as the missional leader for Marlow Bottom. Enabling intercession, involvement and inclusion of those God is calling from other churches, including those already anticipating the church plant. Building relationships within the Marlow Bottom community, including especially Burford Primary School (430 pupils), the two pre-schools (one meets in St Mary s) and Baden Powell groups (5 groups meet in St Mary s total attendance over 200 children). Pastoral care of the congregation of St Mary the Virgin (ER: 31), including regularly presiding at the 9.30 Eucharist (CW). Chairing / attending the St Mary s DCC and working together with existing and new members of the church in Marlow Bottom to determine its future shape and structures. b. Taking a team-wide role leading on evangelism (approx. 15% of role) Being the strategic leader for evangelism within our team Formulating a long-term evangelistic strategy for our churches, within the context of our overall vision, and working with the team to implement it Planning and resourcing evangelistic events and missional initiatives for the four churches in the team (for example specific events) that will give effect to the evangelistic strategy Leading our team s involvement in mission with the Churches Together in Marlow, for example the biennial Hope in the Park festival and the proposed Love Marlow initiative. c. Sharing in the team-wide work of the ministry team (approx. 15% of role): Leading Sunday worship, visiting all the congregations in the team on a regular basis Being an active member of the clergy team, PCC and Leadership Team (i.e. Standing Committee) Occasional offices (see section 10), which are shared equally across the licensed team of 8. Involvement in Churches Together in Marlow Civic involvement We would like to encourage the successful applicant to remain connected to any church planting networks to which they belong, and which can provide ongoing mentoring and training. Alternatively we would be happy to provide access to such a network, for example through partnership with the nearby Latimer Minster. In summary, we are looking for the person God is calling to come and serve as a Team Vicar in this exciting team, who can plant a new church community in Marlow Bottom and lead us in evangelism, so we become more vibrant and appealing disciples. Page 5

6 4 Meet the team Our ministry team serves across all four churches. Each church has a vicar who takes particular responsibility for them. Each team member also takes the lead in certain aspects of our team-wide ministry (see table on page 6). Revd Dave Bull - Team Rector Dave Bull (appointed Jan 2012) oversees all elements of the Team Ministry as its main leader. He loves seeing God at work in unexpected places. Dave takes particular responsibility for All Saints Marlow and takes the lead on Marriage Preparation, Weddings and the civic aspect of church life. Dave is married to Helen and they have three young children. He has lived in Worcester, Oxford and London and came to Marlow from St Mary s Church in Reigate. Until the age of 23 Dave rarely darkened the doors of a church, but came to faith on an Alpha course in London. He worked for Unilever, a charity in South West London and a large London church before training for ordination. He loves mountain biking, building Lego with his children and sailing. Revd Sarah Fitzgerald - Team Vicar Sarah Fitzgerald (appointed Sep 2012) has particular responsibility for our churches in Bisham and Little Marlow. She also leads on discipleship, baptism and confirmation across the whole team. Sarah grew up in Maidstone in Kent and at the age of 18 went to college in Liverpool to train as an Occupational Therapist. Whilst there she met her husband, Richard. On leaving college she got a job in Nottingham, where they lived for the next 20 years. Sarah trained for ordination at St John s College in Nottingham and served her curacy in Folkestone. She is passionate about sharing God s love and the abundant life of Jesus with others, and helping people find their unique contribution to the world. She values a wide variety of styles of worship and prayer, has a particular interest in exploring spirituality and is training as a Spiritual Accompanier. She also enjoys gardening, art, dance, walking, and relaxing with family and friends. Sarah and Richard have two children, Matt who is 19 and Hannah, 17. Revd Wendy Bull Curate Wendy Bull joined the Marlow Team in July 2013 as a Curate. She arrived following two years of study at Ripon College Cuddesdon, and twenty years working as a 'full time volunteer vicar's wife' in the next door parish! (Yes, she is married to the vicar, Revd Chris Bull of Flackwell Heath. She is no relation to Revd Dave Bull the Rector of Marlow!) Wendy leads services across all the churches in the team, and is particularly involved with our Alpha course and the 1059 congregation at All Saints Marlow. She is starting up a Tea and Theology group in a local teashop this summer. Favourite hobbies include film, hillwalking, music and art and cycling to the parish. Revd Gabrielle Smith Associate Priest NSM Gabrielle Smith (NSM since 1998) works across the Team and has a particular focus on pastoral care, prayer ministry, bereavement ministry and lay training. She leads our monthly Healing Service and is Chaplain of Marlow Cottage Hospital. Gabrielle is married, with one daughter. Her background is in music and education, working with students aged for many years. More recently, she has been involved in church music, training an adult choir and preparing choristers for the Royal School of Church Music s Voice for Life scheme. Page 6

7 John Bustin - Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) John has been an integral member of the ministry team since He preaches weekly and has a particular focus on our choral worship and pub ministry! John has lived in Marlow with Anne, his wife, since They have two children (both committed Christians) and four grandchildren. After a career in finance and treasury/currency management he retired in 2002 and became a History Undergraduate at the University of Reading and received his B.A. in 2006 and M.A. a year later. Both John and Anne have been involved in community organisations in the town. Anne is a member of MCF Community Church. Keenly engaged in sport throughout his life, John still plays the occasional game of squash and golf but has become more of an armchair sportsman in recent years. He is a Vice President of Marlow Rowing Club and of Marlow Regatta. Other members of the team Stewart Grenyer our youth worker, employed jointly with Marlow Methodist Church. Glynis Simons our part-time Parish Office Administrator Revd Stanley Jones (retired URC minister) and Revd Mieke Gaynor (retired priest originally a member of All Saints Marlow) both of whom are active in taking Sunday worship and occasional offices. The churches in Marlow and Little Marlow also each employ a part-time Director of Music. The clergy team seeks to provide a model of collaborative ministry, working with their united diversity of gifts and emphases in ministry. The team s weekly meetings include bible study, prayer, discussion and the opportunity to share problems and explore new ideas in their shared working. The team is also mentoring a group of lay preachers, with the aim of growing the preaching ministry (both lay and ordained) across the whole team. Who does what? Area of ministry Church / Leader(s) Marlow Dave, Gabrielle Marlow Bottom New Team Vicar Little Marlow Sarah Bisham Sarah Church planting n/a n/a Evangelism Team mission strategy New Team Vicar Churches Together mission Discipleship Small groups Baptism ministry Sarah Confirmation Church schools n/a Team-wide leadership Wedding ministry Marriage Preparation Dave Civic Life Bereavement ministry Gabrielle Healing service n/a Alpha Tea and Theology Wendy Pub ministry John n/a Sunday services, baptisms, weddings, funerals All Page 7

8 5 Marlow Bottom and St Mary the Virgin Church 5.1 Who are we? As a small, but outward looking congregation, our vision for our church s life is: To reach out to the local community and offer spiritual support, guidance and nourishment in a meaningful, accessible and relevant way To adapt to the needs and demands of modern family life within our community To build on our family service and attract younger families (a decade ago, we were attracting to family services) To engage actively with our local ecumenical partners, the Methodist Chapel (together known as the Valley Church) to deliver God s mission to Marlow Bottom To be a focal point in the village 5.2 Location and Buildings Marlow Bottom is a pleasant semi-rural community of 1,230 properties nestled in the Chiltern Hills, about 30 minutes walk from the centre of Marlow town. It is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty protected by Green Belt. Marlow Bottom has various shops; a small industrial estate; 2 pre-schools and a nursery, a private members club for valley residents, a village hall and two small churches (Anglican and Methodist). It is also home to the award winning Rebellion Brewery. A much sought after place to live, Marlow Bottom has one of the top performing Primary schools in South Bucks, Burford County Combined School. It provides schooling for children aged 4-11, and the vast majority of the 430 students live in the village, although the school does accept students from outside. The school is one of the most successful orienteering centres for children aged between 9 and 11 in the UK, having won many national competitions. The church was built in the 1960s for use by the local community. It is used as a pre-school by day and by Baden Powell groups in the evenings. Available to rent, it has full disabled facilities and modern heating. 5.3 Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Loyal congregation both at the and family services Discipleship group meets regularly Good attendance at Festival services Central situation in the valley Existing use of the church buildings by the community promotes familiarity Weaknesses Limited use of modern media in service Increasingly elderly congregation at service; usually between communicants Shortage of people able/willing to take on official roles - reliance on the few Lack of accommodation for separate children s church Current service format (09.30) is seen by some to be unappealing to outsiders through the formality of our liturgy (Common Worship but with only one fixed service booklet) Service times possibly inconvenient for families Poorly marketed in the local area Page 8

9 Despite the existence of a Valley Mission Group, which has strived faithfully for a number of years, we have been unable to reach out to the many families resident in the village, and the 200 young people who pass through the building every week 5.4 Community Links The church buildings are in frequent use by the community Involvement in the publication and distribution of a local community magazine 6 Little Marlow and St John the Baptist Church 6.1 Who are we? We are a small congregation (electoral roll 79) who are, by and large, broad church Anglicans. We aim to: welcome everyone to join us in worshipping in our beautiful church building promote the Living Faith and be a responsible part of the Marlow Team, positively contributing to the care and support of the community 6.2 Location Little Marlow has a population of about 1,330 in the village and surrounding hamlets, which include Westhorpe, Winchbottom, Fern Lane, Well End and Abbotsbrook. The Church was founded around the latter part of the 12 th century and is Grade II* listed. There is a record of the clergy from 1220 to 1995 when Little Marlow joined the Marlow Area Team Ministry. The village is 1½ miles east of Marlow and includes a Church of England Infant School, the Manor House, the Old Vicarage, two pubs, a farm shop, a butcher/fishmonger s shop and a recreation ground with a football pitch and a wellmaintained square used by an active village cricket club with two colts teams. 6.3 Strengths & Weaknesses Strengths A wide variety of regular services every Sunday An all age service taking place once a month at 4.00pm on a Sunday. Particularly aimed at families with pre-school and infant age children, but all are welcome. This was a new initiative started in Sept 2012 and has come out of links developed with the school and baptism families An active Church of England Infant School who use the Church for weekly assemblies and other services. Christingle and Crib Services that are very well supported. A church-produced news leaflet containing details of services and events, published quarterly and delivered free to every house in the parish. Two discipleship groups An organist and robed choir. The pipe organ was restored in A Guild of the Sanctuary (26 members) who also organise a popular and successful biennial patronal flower festival. A dedicated pattern of regular visiting of the sick at home and in hospital, with Communion taken to those who request it. A loop system and effective sound system. Page 9

10 Weaknesses The main weakness of our church is that the majority of the congregation is over Community Links Congregation members are active in the Parish Council, Rotary, the Women s Institute and Wye Valley Volunteers. Active participation for 40 years at Little Marlow Village Fete on August Bank Holiday Monday. Fund raising events in the Church and other local venues. Church members are active in Lighthouse in Marlow and Churches Together in Marlow. The Church is open on summer Sunday afternoons. 7 Bisham and All Saints Church 7.1 Who are we? All Saints Bisham provides traditional worship, Common Worship and BCP. On the first Sunday of the month we have a Family Service which attracts both young and old and we also run a Sunday School on the third Sunday of every month. The church, both as a building and a spiritual centre, plays a significant part in the life of the village, with members and non-churchgoers active in its upkeep. 7.2 Location and Church building Bisham is an ancient village on the Thames recorded in the Domesday Book, with a population of 1150 including the residents of the hamlet of Temple. The National Sports Centre is based at Bisham Abbey, a Grade I listed building dating from the Norman period, later rebuilt and extended, originally home to the Knights Templar. The well-known Compleat Angler Hotel is within the parish, as well as a restaurant and the Longridge Activity Centre offering boating and a climbing wall for young people. A Church of England Primary school is next door to the church, which sends pupils to secondary schools in both Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. The church is a Grade II listed building with a Norman tower and a very fine early 17th century chapel which contains three notable Elizabethan and Jacobean monuments and a heraldic window of the same period. Much of the church was rebuilt and enlarged in the 19th century. The riverside churchyard attracts many visitors who enjoy the peace and calm found there. There is a very efficient heating system dating from 2004, and a sound system installed in Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths Bisham is a united, welcoming, one-congregation church family. We have a good Sunday School, with dedicated teachers who meet in the school and come into church at the time of Communion We have an effective pattern of pastoral care, including a fortnightly service of Holy Communion at a residential care home in the village We hold regular fund-raising events and a very enjoyable Harvest Supper in the School hall Advent course held at the church Our riverside location makes us very popular with wedding couples. We enjoy welcoming them to our services and organise events to enable them to meet one another and help them to plan their weddings. Page 10

11 7.3 Weaknesses In common with many churches we have an ageing congregation. However we have success in attracting wedding couples both before and after their ceremony. Our congregation contains many who have served the church for decades and we are struggling to attract younger members into active leadership within the church. 7.4 Community Links The church-produced Newsletter is published every other month, containing church and village news, and is delivered free to every house in the parish by a willing band of distributors Our very successful Gardens Open Day held in midsummer involves many non-churchgoing people from the village 8 Marlow and All Saints Church 8.1 Who are we? We are a friendly, welcoming congregation, with many talented volunteers who support varied worship styles and generate a warm, friendly place in which to worship. We are experiencing some real growth and are particularly excited about the young families who are joining our church community. We welcome people wherever they are on their Christian journey; we are looking for ways to go deeper in our faith and to support each other in understanding what Discipleship means for each of us. At Christmas time we are bursting to the seams for our Christingle and Crib services. We have a beautiful church and we are eager to share it with our community; this includes events in the church such as flower festivals and concerts and the use of the crypt under the church for a community youth club. We are thrilled to see what God is doing in Marlow and we are full of anticipation and prayer for what He has planned for Marlow Bottom. 8.2 Location and Buildings Marlow is one of the most picturesque towns along the Thames. It lies within the M4/M40 corridor and has some 14,000 residents. Its proximity to both motorways, its rail links to London and the west, its location within walking distance of beautiful countryside and the excellent reputation of its schools make it a very desirable place to live. Together with the elegant suspension bridge over the Thames, the church has become a notable landmark, attracting visitors from the UK and around the world. With the help of our Church Watch team, we manage to keep it open most days of the year and it is greatly valued as a special, sacred space, though it is probably taken for granted by large sections of the town s population. The current building, at least the third on the site since Saxon times, was consecrated in 1835 and can accommodate over 400 people, making it an ideal venue for major events, services, festivals and concerts. The Crypt has been adapted for use as a youth centre and a state-of-the-art base for the community youth project. A very short distance from the church is the Church Hall, a popular central amenity, currently used by a pre-school, for dancing classes, church meetings and many more activities. Page 11

12 8.3 Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths A strong core of regular churchgoers - at least four services every Sunday, offering various worship styles and levels of formality. 18 months ago we started an informal service; this has really started to blossom supported by many including the prayer team and a talented worship group. We want the children to be at the heart of our worship so we combine some time with them in our services with their own Sunday School activities. We also have a regular crèche and a Children s Church for 5-7 year olds at our more traditional service. A large number of dedicated volunteers who assist in the running of the church, the community youth project, Lighthouse (an ecumenical activity week for over 250 children), or who raise money for outreach. We have a strong musical tradition. We are one of only 65 parish churches across the UK that maintains a Boys and Men's choir and we have a Girls' choir and an Adult choir too as well as our informal worship group. We see our choirs as part of our youth work with our choristers coming from eleven local schools. We currently have 49 choristers on our register. Six discipleship groups. Strong links to the Church of England infant and junior schools in the town area. Both schools, and a secondary school, use the church regularly for special services. An active band of bell ringers and a core of dedicated volunteers who care for the building and the churchyard. Our DCC has gone through a transformation over the past two years. We have made a commitment to being Spirit Led and we are seeing major changes as a result of this. A practical measure of this (and one that very much pleases our Treasurer) is the level of Giving that has increased significantly. We enjoy having fun and we have a number of social events throughout the year including a monthly Sunday lunch and our Christmas party; we like to share these events with our friends from the other churches in the Marlow Team. Weaknesses Although we are seeing a growth in the number of young families there is still a strong dependency on older members to take on a lot of the tasks of running the church. About 20% are active members, 80% are rather more passive. Although located at the heart of the town, the population as a whole does not see the church as central to the life of the town. 8.4 Community Links There are strong links with the Town Council, who hold an annual Civic Service in the Church. Wycombe District Council also have occasional services Many church members are active in town / community life, especially the voluntary sector. The church is well represented, and its members active, in Churches Together in Marlow We support the Team Ministry's link to St James, Galeshewe, South Africa. There is a busy calendar of musical concerts some externally arranged and many given by our own musicians The Team's community youth project is actively supported and based at the ASM Crypt, which we have transformed to a state-of-the-art youth centre Page 12

13 8.5 Team-wide activity Each member of the clergy team is responsible for aspects of our life across the whole team. For example, Sarah is responsible for discipleship and baptism, Wendy for our Alpha course, Gabrielle for our bereavement team and Dave for weddings, marriage preparation and civic life. Other aspects of life that are managed centrally across the team as a whole include: Youth work: our Crypt project, begun in 2009, is a joint project with the Methodist Church. Together we employ Stewart Grenyer as our Youth and Community Worker (for more details see Administration: our Parish Office is based at All Saints Marlow and is run by Glynis Simons, our Parish Office Administrator. The office provides an invaluable central point for contact, information and communication and for administering Parish-wide activities. It also acts as our base for bulk printing and copying facilities. Discipleship: across the team we have 10 discipleship groups that meet mid-week (9 of which have been started in the past year). Sarah Fitzgerald leads their growth and development as a single network of groups. Festival and other Team services held at various church venues from time to time during the year, giving an opportunity for members of individual congregations to meet and worship together in one place from time to time. Maintaining and developing our parish link with St James Galeshewe, South Africa. Administration of baptism, wedding and funeral enquiries and fees. 9 Churches Together Churches Together in Marlow is very active, involving 6 of the 7 denominations in the town (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, URC, River Church and the independent MCF Community Church). The leaders meet to pray together weekly, have a monthly lunch together and have recently started going on retreats together. There is a close spirit of co-operation and strong relationship between the leaders, who share a vision for the growth of God s kingdom in the area. The local churches have long acknowledged the potential for mission in Marlow Bottom, and the role outlined in this profile has been shaped by discussion and prayer with the Churches Together leaders. It has their full support and members of several churches who live in Marlow Bottom are interested in joining the new initiative. Joint Churches Together services are held about four times per year and there are plans for further missional activity together. Lighthouse is another example of the local churches working together. Lighthouse is an ecumenical children's holiday club, using a brand and formula derived from Great Missenden and used in towns and villages around Buckinghamshire. It is now in its 8 th year in Marlow and serves over 250 children between the ages of 4 and Page 13

14 9. Pattern of Sunday Worship St Mary s Marlow Bottom 9.30am All Saints Marlow Common Worship Communion. Hymns Old and New. (2 nd Sunday All-age) 3 rd Sunday alternates between Methodist chapel and St Mary s. 8.00am Common Worship said Communion (CW Order 1) 9.15am 10.59am 6.30pm All Saints Bisham 8.00am 9.30am Common Worship Communion with settings sung by choirs. Children s group every week. New informal service with worship group and children s groups (all-age with baptism on 4 th Sundays) BCP Evensong with robed choir. Fully Choral at least one Sunday per month. (1 st Sundays) BCP Communion (1 st Sundays) Family Service. (other weeks) Common Worship Communion (traditional language) New English Hymnal + Junior Praise. Organist and robed choir. St John the Baptist Little Marlow 8.30am 11.00am 4.00pm 6.00pm Alternate BCP Communion and Common Worship communion (2 nd and 4 th Sundays) Common Worship Communion (1 st Sunday) BCP Matins. New English Hymnal, Junior Praise. Organist and robed choir (4 th Sundays) All Together new informal monthly children s service (3 rd Sunday) BCP Choral Evensong 10 Occasional Offices 2013 Weddings Infant Baptisms Adult Baptisms Funerals All Saints Bisham All Saints Marlow St. John the Baptist Little Marlow St. Mary s Marlow Bottom Crematorium only: 30 Total for Team # team members sharing this ministry Page 14

15 11 Team Finances For many years our parish has struggled financially. Historic reserves have been whittled away by regular deficits, sometimes running into 5 figures. In 2013, however, for the first time for many years, there was a healthy surplus of over 30,000 at the end of the year. This was mainly due to an increase in regular giving, reversing a previous trend of decline. Total income for all four churches in 2013 was 322,602 with 289,181 expended (unrestricted funds). Full accounts are available on request. Each of the four churches is responsible for its own finances and has a Treasurer who is responsible for the accounting and financial reporting of that church. In addition, there is a Parish Treasurer who sits on the Leadership Team and controls central team expenses and consolidation of accounts. Historically, it has been a stretch for Marlow Bottom to pay its Parish Share. However, early in 2014 its DCC took the bold decision to commit half of its remaining reserves to paying Parish Share during the first two years of the new Team Vicar. This will have the effect of giving the newly planted community in Marlow Bottom two years before it needs to start making a financial contribution to the team. 12 Your new home? The vicarage is situated on Marlow Bottom Road, close to the church and the local primary school. Approximately twentyfive years old, the accommodation is on three floors. A wide entrance porch opens into the entrance hall with a door into the double garage, cloakroom, office/study and stairs to the first floor. On the first floor an entrance area leading to a spacious lounge with double glazed sliding doors to the patio and garden. There is a spacious, well equipped kitchen/family room also having double glazed sliding doors to the patio and garden, there is also a separate dining room. The master bedroom is on this floor having two sets of built in wardrobes and a door to the eaves storage space, an ensuite bathroom with a whirlpool and shower attachment. The upper floor landing has three further bedrooms, the family bathroom and the built in airing cupboard. Outside there is an extensive brick paved, 10 6 patio with electric lights, running the full width of the property. Steps lead up to a south and west aspect, secluded garden extending for approximately 100 with a paved barbeque/sitting area. The garden is laid in lawn with mature hedges, trees and flower beds. To the front there is an integral double garage and a completely brick inset paved front garden with brick retaining walls and flower beds. Page 15

16 13 Living in Marlow and Surrounding Area The Marlow Anglican Team spans four communities: Marlow Little Marlow Marlow Bottom Bisham Marlow is an attractive Georgian town on the Thames. It retains a thriving community feel, about 30 miles west of central London. Marlow has good road communications; it is popular both with visitors and as a business base. There are plenty of attractions for residents and visitors to Marlow: the river, quality shops, historical buildings, sports and leisure activities and eating and drinking in the numerous cafés, restaurants and pubs. Marlow Bottom is a large linear village in a valley to the north of Marlow. It has shops, including a newsagent, vet, butcher, chemist, dog grooming parlour, a music shop and a fish & chip shop. There is also a dentist, a small industrial park, a large primary school (Burford School), a private members club (The Barn Club, for valley residents) and a village hall. Marlow Bottom is also home to the Rebellion Beer Company. Little Marlow is an attractive village with a mixture of old and new houses surrounding a popular recreation ground upon which local teams play football and cricket. The site of the former gravel workings between the village and the river Thames has been turned into a well-recognised bird sanctuary. Bisham, unlike the rest of the parish, is in Berkshire and south of the Thames, with a population of 1,150. Bisham Abbey houses Sport England's National Sports Centre. Bisham is also home to the famous Compleat Angler Hotel and the Longridge Activity Centre. Page 16

17 Features of the Parish. Schools and Education. The area offers a range of good quality schools from pre-school up to secondary school with several of them receiving outstanding in their Ofsted inspections. There are four primary Church of England schools in the parish. In Marlow there are also two secondary schools; Great Marlow School which is a very popular upper school which is always oversubscribed, and Sir William Borlase s Grammar School which is an excellent selective co-educational school with specialist status in the Performing Arts. There are also single sex Grammar schools within easy travelling distance. Leisure. There are many opportunities for leisure pursuits. There is a wide range of Gyms, Swimming pools, Leisure Centres and Sports Clubs in and around the town. Walking and cycling are popular along the Thames Path (through the heart of Marlow) and around the nearby Chiltern Hills. There is a large park by the riverside (2 minutes from All Saints ) with children's play area, café and leisure centre. There are several historic houses and gardens to visit. Interest groups abound, including the usual Market Town selection of horticultural, choral and historic societies. The Round Table and Rotary clubs draw strong membership. High Wycombe s Swan Theatre and Windsor's Theatre Royal are nearby. London s West End is a short train ride away. Retail, Industry and Commerce. The High Street and Causeway reflects the Cafe-Boutique culture of Marlow, with good shopping opportunities, especially for women s clothing. Further afield, High Wycombe, Maidenhead, Henley (as well as Reading and Oxford) offer a good range of high street shopping. The two supermarkets in town are relatively small but complemented by those further afield at Wycombe (3 miles) Loudwater and Maidenhead. High Street eating and (Gastro)pubs in town and the surrounding countryside are high points of Marlow life. Local employment in small businesses and national companies is concentrated on Globe Park, a small business park on the edge of Marlow, with a wider range of local employment opportunities in Maidenhead and Wycombe. Transport. The A404 dual carriageway links the M4 and M40, giving easy access to the western stretch of the M25. Oxford is 30 minutes away along the M40. With access to the M40 (3 miles from town) and the M4 (8 miles from town), Marlow has excellent road links to London, the M25, Birmingham and the west of England. Marlow has its own Rail link - The Marlow Donkey (to Maidenhead, Reading and London-Paddington) - but most commuters use Wycombe for a faster London link. Local bus services operate to Reading, Henley and High Wycombe. Healthcare. Marlow has a large Medical practice, Cottage hospital and a sports injury clinic at Bisham. NHS Dentists are few and far between but private practices abound. Major A+E facilities are available at Stoke Mandeville and Wexham Park. Page 17

18 14 Parish Boundaries Page 18

19 15 The Diocese of Oxford The Diocese of Oxford serves the mission of the Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The Diocese comprises 622 parishes and 815 churches, serving a diverse population of more than 2 million people located in all types of settings. In June 2007 we welcomed Rt. Revd. John Pritchard as our Diocesan Bishop, who was previously the Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow in the Diocese of Durham. The Diocese, because of its size and complexity, has three Area Bishops who exercise considerable strategic oversight for their Episcopal areas. The Bishop of Buckingham is the Rt. Revd. Alan Wilson who has been the Area Bishop since Growing from our existing Diocesan Sharing Life vision and values, in 2009 Bishop John launched and led a major Diocesan vision entitled Living Faith for the Future, aimed at putting holistic mission and spirituality at the heart of daily life. It contains five key values: a. sustaining the sacred centre b. creating vibrant Christian communities c. making disciples; d. making a difference in society e. shaping confident collaborative leaders These values are built on the principles of not neglecting the past but building on it; not so much about strategy but culture; not top down but liberating the local; not targets but directions; not about structures but about relationships; not one size fits all but flexibility and not about complexity but elegance. Shaping confident collaborative leaders is the focus for 2014 making this a very appropriate time for us to be recruiting to the exciting role described in this Profile. Full information on Living Faith for the future can be found at It is expected that all clergy appointed into the Archdeaconry of Buckingham will want to commit themselves to this Diocesan vision and its strategic directions. Page 19

20 16 Deanery of Wycombe Friends and Neighbours: The Wycombe Deanery Profile Wycombe Deanery comprises 29 parishes (41 churches and worship centres) centred on High Wycombe and Marlow, with Team Ministries, Group Ministries, an LEP and individual parishes. There are 21 stipendiary clergy, with 4 training posts, 7 NSMs, 4 OLMs and a small number of retired clergy. Many of the larger churches employ additional staff such as Administrators, Youth and Children's Workers and Pastoral Assistants/Workers. Within the Deanery there are churches of most styles and traditions. Congregational sizes vary widely. We have invested in a Leading Your Church into Growth Programme and several Fresh Expressions exist. There is a Hospital Chaplain based at Wycombe Hospital who provides a chaplaincy ministry as part of the local trust and also a Chaplain at Wycombe Abbey School. The Deanery and Deanery Clergy also support work within the ecumenical Chaplaincy at the Buckinghamshire New University which has a half-time chaplain. Wycombe Deanery also benefits from a Youth for Christ Centre whose ministry in many of the Deanery s middle and senior schools is valued. Buckinghamshire maintains a selective system of education with an 11+ examination. The Deanery Chapter meets 5 times a year and Deanery Synod meets 4 times a year. The Deanery also hosts three Confirmation services a year. It is essential that those who apply for posts within the Deanery are committed to the Diocesan mission initiative Living Faith and have an enthusiasm for playing a full and active part in the life of the Deanery. Revd. Canon Simon Cronk (Area Dean) Dr Wendy Goodier (Deanery Lay Chairman) If you would like to know more before making a formal application please contact the Revd Dave Bull, Team Rector on (01628) Page 20