UNITED BENEFICE OF TUXFORD

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1 UNITED BENEFICE OF TUXFORD All Saints Church, West Markham All Saints Church, Weston St Nicholas Church, Tuxford St Matthews Church, Normanton St Wifrids Church, Low Marnham

2 Welcome to the United Benefice of Tuxford with Low Marnham, Normanton-on-Trent, West Markham & Weston These five parishes combine to form a United Benefice although each parish is entirely different. THE BENEFICE Diocese Southwell and Nottingham Deanery Newark and Southwell Patrons The Bishop of Southwell & The Lord Chancellor (taken in turns) for Tuxford, West Markham and Weston and The Bishop for Normantonon-Trent and Marnham Parishes Church Parish Population Church Electoral Roll St Nicholas Tuxford All Saints West Markham 18. All Saints Weston. Normanton-on-Trent. Low Marnham. All five parishes are in North Nottinghamshire and are rural but are close to Retford, Newark, Worksop, Lincoln and Doncaster. They are also just a few minutes drive away from Clumber Park, the Thoresby Estate and Rufford Park, all of which offer various annual events and good walking with plenty of bird life. Policies in the Benefice Baptisms The churches practise the policy of open baptism for all ages and encourage parents in the community to bring their children forward for baptism. Remarriage of Divorcees The Vicar (Priest in Charge) will consider each case individually but will follow Diocesan guidelines. Benefice Mission to Local Area Tuxford Area Foodbank The Benefice works in partnership with other churches including The Tuxford Methodist Church Group and The Rivers Group of Churches to provide a Foodbank facility. This serves the people of the local area under the auspices of The Trussell Trust. The incumbent has been a Trustee of this Foodbank since inception, together with the other Christian ministers working in the local area.

3 THE VICARAGE This large, five bedroomed 1930 s property, was refurbished within the last 5 years, with an extensive refit including new double glazed windows, new kitchen, boiler, and heating system. The heating system has been updated again with a heat exchange system. The loft was re-insulated at the same time. The property presently comprises a lounge, dining room, study, kitchen, utility room, boiler room, downstairs wc, five bedrooms, family bathroom and separate wc. The mature garden is of reasonable size as part of the original back garden has been sold off for development. It is expected that a new dwelling will be built on this plot, the garage being demolished to allow access.

4 TUXFORD BENEFICE OUR NEW PRIEST IN CHARGE WILL BE: A person of prayer with a lively faith who will teach and energise with the use of scripture and sacrament. One whose evangelistic skills for Jesus will attract newcomers to join in regular worship. One who is keen to encourage, promote and support a variety of musical activity in the Benefice. One who will be prepared to be visible in the community, giving pastoral care to all and will further develop the use of outreach. One who is both Priest and Pastor. One who encourages lay ministry, recognising spiritual gifts in others and possesses leadership, motivation and good communication skills. One who leads by common consent and has a good sense of humour. One who is prepared and able to celebrate the diversity of the five churches in the Benefice and whilst maintaining the style of worship found in each one, empowering the church communities to draw closer together in the transforming mission of God. One who builds, maintains and strengthens links with all schools within the benefice. Of significance is the role of informal Chaplain to the Tuxford Academy and the possible role of Governor. Also of significance are the links to be strengthened at St Matthew s C of E Primary School in Normanton. Ministry to nursing homes and youth organisations will also be a necessary element.

5 TUXFORD Tuxford is a small, vibrant town close to both the A1 and A57, with excellent communications by road, rail and air. There are railway stations at Retford, Newark and Doncaster, all of which lie on the East Coast Main Line. Both Nottingham and Sheffield can also be reached by train. The new Robin Hood Airport is also within easy reach. Regular bus services are available from Tuxford to Retford, Worksop, Newark, Lincoln and Nottingham. Also, it has two small industrial estates with a variety of light industries. Schools and Colleges The Church has always had very strong links with both the Academy and the Primary Schools. It is expected that the new post holder will have a strong interest in developing links with young people in the Tuxford family of schools and be keen to relate to secondary age pupils so that contact is further developed and the most is made of the opportunities available. Tuxford Primary School & Early Years Centre school roll serves Tuxford and the surrounding area and is made up of a variety of buildings, the first one being erected in There is an Early Years Centre and a Sure Start Children s Centre on site which offer community provision. The school is situated close to the centre of the village. Close links between the church and the school have been developed. Classes come into church for services, various festivals and for Time Travelling in June. Tuxford Academy is a highly successful and much sought after school, which moved into a brand new building early in It is Affiliated to the Church of England in Southwell and Nottingham. Four of the main feeder schools within the Tuxford family of schools are Church Schools. It has approximately 1260 students, including 243 in the Post 16 Centre. There are 77 teachers and 62 support staff. Facilities There is a medical centre in Tuxford, with three doctors, nurses etc. and a pharmacy in the village plus a clinic for ancillary NHS services. Also, there is an important fire station which services the A1 and houses the North Nottinghamshire Specialist Rescue Unit.

6 There are currently two public houses and a Working Men s Club, a library, which is housed in a 17th Century grammar school (The Reade Foundation), situated opposite the church. There is a working windmill offering tours and teas which is a very popular tourist attraction. Chillipetals, on Newcastle Street, is a popular, recently opened, coffee house and gift shop. Although we currently do not have a village hall, however, clubs for retired and challenged people are held in the Beeches Centre, a small purpose built hall in a small estate designed for elderly residents. There are both Scout and Guide groups, amateur football teams, two play areas for younger children and sports centres with swimming baths available at Retford, Ollerton and Edwinstowe. Certain facilities are available for hire from Tuxford Academy. Tuxford Heritage Society holds regular monthly meetings with visiting speakers. The newly opened Galleries, one with a museum, at the centre of Tuxford offer a wide range of art courses in addition to art for sale. The Mine of Information in Tuxford is open daily, Mondays to Fridays, and offers information, citizens advice, free legal advice etc. It also offers a variety of courses and classes, printing facilities. We do not have a parish magazine as such but The Tuxfordian, a prize winning monthly village magazine (which is delivered free to every home in the village), is produced and printed at the Mine. There are three small supermarkets, a butchers, a chemist, a newsagent, 2 hairdressers, a barbers and a post office. We have 2 garages offering car sales and vehicle repairs, an agricultural supplier, a general hardware store, a specialist shop offering model railway goods and concrete garden products, a book shop, a clothes shop and a charity shop. We have also Fish and Chip, Chinese and Indian take aways. Dominant in the Market Place we have a high quality art gallery and in Newcastle Street the coffee shop also offers flowers and plants. Church Outreach Recent re-ordering of the church has provided facilities for outreach such as The Gathering Place (our baby and toddler group), Girls Brigade, Boys Brigade, the Fellowship Group, Film Evenings, Concerts, Social Events and the Wednesday Warmers free lunch which is well attended. The Methodist Church has regular coffee mornings in their Schoolroom. There is a well established retirement home on the edge of the village. A small team from the church visits regularly to take Holy Communion to the residents.

7 ST NICHOLAS CHURCH, TUXFORD Mission Statement: We are a welcoming Church which loves God, seeks to serve the community and share the Good News of Jesus Christ St Nicholas Church is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building, originally documented in the 12 th Century, situated in the heart of the village. It has recently benefited from the installation of a completely new heating system and toilet facilities in the old north porch. The nave of the church has been re-ordered by the removal of the pews and the installation of a new floor with underfloor heating. This has enabled much more adaptable outreach facilities and better disabled access. We have eight bells in the tower and a team of ringers that practises regularly and rings on pre-arranged dates. Training We currently have one person on the Diocesan Journey in Faith course and one person on the Bishop Grosseteste University Theology and Ethics in Society course. Church Groups Advent and Lent Groups are held in season, together with a fortnightly Friendship Group. Church Services Normal Pattern of Sunday Services 1 st Sunday: 9.30am Morning Prayer am Café Church 2 nd Sunday: 10.00am Holy Communion 3 rd Sunday: 4.00pm Messy Church 4 th Sunday: am Holy Communion 5 th Sunday: A Benefice Holy Communion service held at one of the Benefice churches on a rota basis. Every Wednesday: 9.30am Said Holy Communion Our Morning Prayer, Café Church and Messy Church services are led, by different lay/ clergy teams, and the latter two normally include activities and food. A Music Group leads Café Church and Messy Church and contributes to the Holy Communion services.

8 Special Services Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday Good Friday Harvest Festival Remembrance Sunday Memorial Service Period before Christmas Carol Service Said Holy Communion A suitable event is arranged 9.30am Children s Messy Church 2.00pm Quiet Reflections before the Cross A popular Family Service Service continuing at War Memorial On the afternoon of Remembrance Sunday to include families bereaved during the previous year Messy Church Christingle Normally held on a weekday in the week before Christmas Children s Workshops As indicated above, these are held on Good Friday and shortly before Christmas. They are very well attended. Links with the Methodist Church in Tuxford We have signed a covenant with the local Methodist Church agreeing to go forward together. Currently, we share services on Palm Sunday and hold a joint Advent Carol Service. They join us for the Morning Prayer on the first Sunday of the month and we join them for their 10 am Morning Service on the third Sunday of the month. We also have members of the congregation who attend both Methodist and Church of England Services. We should like this to be continued and developed. St Nicholas Church, Tuxford, Finances Abridged accounts of unrestricted revenue funds for the year ended 31 st December 2013: Receipts Payments Collections 4,172 Parish Share 12,960 Planned Giving 11,631 Church Expenses 14,407 Tax Rebates 2,793 Clergy Expenses 428 Donations 1,163 Other 374 Fund-Raising 3,323 Excess of Receipts~ Other 4,025 over Expenditure 1,076 29,245 29,245 We have paid our parish share in full for several years as a matter of principle and will continue to try to do so.

9 Unrestricted Capital Fund Account as at 31 st December 2013 Eric Coddington Bequest 82,675 Church re-ordering~ 1 st Payment for Workin Progress 27,426. Balance 55,249 82,675 82,675 When the final payments have been made regarding the re-ordering of the church nave, it is expected that a figure of the order of 38,000 will remain uncommitted, pending the architect s report following a quinquennial inspection. Abridged Accounts of Restricted Funds for the Year ended 31 st December 2013 Receipts Payments Fund Balance Church Fabric ,054 Bell Fund 47 1,541 Organ Fund 32 2,749 Sunday School Fund Re-Ordering Fund 4,073 4,560 6,220 Discretionary Fund Charities 3,256 3,256 7,665 8,651 22,222

10 Our strengths Welcoming, friendly atmosphere Spiritual diversity Excellent access from all parts. The church has a central location Close links with Methodists Varied worship patterns including Lay involvement Teams for Morning Prayer, Café Church and Messy Church Willingness to adapt to different types of service Improved facilities: disabled access and toilet, refreshment bar, efficient heating and improved flexible facilities Occasional study groups; Lent, Advent, etc Links with local schools Wide provision for all age group need Our opportunities Development of action as a result of the Methodist/Anglican Covenant Continued financial planning for the future Planned maintenance of the building Village community is well disposed towards the church as a building but needs continued encouragement to come over the doorstep where they would be made to feel welcome New housing bringing in new people who need to be made aware of the church Improvements to the sound system/catering facilities Development of relationships with the schools Use of the computer, projector and screen facilities for Powerpoint etc Encouragement of music use, both during and apart from services Congregation open to future development of the existing Vision Our threats Weather related impact on fabric Low numbers willing to take on necessary duties in the church Threat to regular income due to various changes in circumstances Our weaknesses Low numbers able to take on necessary duties in the church

11 WESTON Weston is situated approximately three miles south of Tuxford along the Old Great North Road travelling towards Newark. There are around 130 dwellings in the parish. Whilst the local authority s planning programme does not allow for any major development in the village, within the last ten years two small residential developments have provided ten large houses. Additionally, there have been some barn conversions and infilling. Meadow Lane has some local authority housing including six bungalows for the elderly. The parish has eight working farms and is very rural in nature but has become primarily a commuting community. The village enjoys very good road connections with easy access to Newark, Retford, Worksop and Lincoln. About an hour away are Nottingham, Doncaster and Sheffield. Both Newark and Retford have railway stations giving access to the main East Coast line to London, Leeds, York and Edinburgh. The principal building in the village is the parish church. There is a village hall which is undergoing some refurbishment. The village hall is available for local events and is the home for Weston s flourishing Women s Institute and a Thursday fellowship group started by the Church. Children from Weston attend primary schools in the neighbouring villages of Sutton on Trent, Normanton and Norwell. There are a number of independent schools within a half hour drive. At secondary level Weston falls within the catchment of Tuxford Comprehensive, a much sought after school. The main employer in the village is Hutchinson Engineering Services Ltd, agricultural and vehicle repairer and contractors. Chestnut Grange is a privately run facility offering a home to young people with learning difficulties. The Great Wall, formerly the local pub, is now a Chinese Restaurant. The nearest shops and doctors surgeries are in Sutton on Trent and Tuxford. The village enjoys a reasonable bus service. There is a cricket club in the village which fields teams in the local leagues.

12 ALL SAINTS CHURCH, WESTON The parish church is situated in the centre of the village. It is a beautiful old building with the tower and the nave dating from the 13th Century. The chancel was added in the following century. In 1840 the church underwent repairs and the chancel was rebuilt. In 1880, chiefly at the expense of Earl Manvers, who contributed 1000, it was restored and reroofed. Today it is in a good state of preservation after recently receiving a substantial grant of over 200,000 to provide a new roof and replace a substantial amount of stonework. The churchyard is still open and recently the parish council purchased extra land to extend the burial ground. Pattern of Sunday Services The style of worship is broadly middle of the road and where possible informal. It tends to be based upon Common Worship. The pattern of Sunday services is usually as follows: This pattern has developed to accommodate flexibility, during interregnum, with the other members of the Benefice and is adaptable, eg. Easter services. On Good Friday, a chain of prayer is organised by members of the congregation. 1 st Sunday in the month 8.30 am All Age service based on Morning Prayer 3 rd Sunday in the month 9.30 am Holy Communion (Common Worship) 5 th Sunday in the month 10/10.30am United Service of Holy Communion held on a rotating basis between the parishes The church organ is in good working order and is played once per month in services. The congregation has a good social mix from a small, but enthusiastic audience. Various initiatives continue to be tried to increase attendance. Within Weston parish there are no other chapels or churches. Benefice activities are supported by the congregation, such as Tuxford quizzes, etc. Members of Weston congregation play a lead role in the Food Bank activities. Finance Although committed to paying its share, unfortunately in the last two/three years Weston has usually been unable to meet its full quota. The impact of the restorations having taken a toll on the financial capacity of the small congregation. The parish has had a covenant scheme in place since The covenants have been refreshed every five years but due to deaths, removals from the area and inflation the income has not kept pace with the outgoings.

13 Abridged accounts for the year ended 31st December 2013 Receipts Payments Opening balance 3335 Parish share 2000 Collections 1056 Insurance 1188 Covenants 5098 Utilities 1699 Tax rebate 361 Restoration 3925 Fees 1575 Other 1966 Fundraising and others 6252 Closing balances 7281 Our aims Our priority is to keep our church open and available for Christian worship in the village and to spread the Christian message. We hope to bring new members into the congregation We wish to encourage fellowship and co-operation within the benefice. We would like to establish links with other Community and Christian groups We strongly support efforts to establish links with the local primary schools in general and Tuxford Comprehensive in particular. Our strengths Sound church building Good basis of regular giving Small but friendly congregation Ability to adapt Our weaknesses Difficulty in attracting people No facilities in church No organist Our opportunities Strengthen links in the benefice Develop links with Chestnut Grange Support village activities Our threats Community complacency Villagers expect the church to be open and available but are not willing to commit the time. Breakdown in village activities

14 WEST MARKHAM All Saints, West Markham is situated at the heart of a rural community in the north of the Diocese, approximately one mile south of the Markham Moor intersection and a similar distance north from the Tuxford exit of the A1. The parish comprises three distinct hamlets of West Markham, Milton and Bevercotes. The population consists mainly of owner-occupers, many retired, together with other professional commuters. Children travel mainly to Tuxford to school and some further afield. There are 76 households in the parish. There are two working farms, a riding stable and an excellent butcher s shop. There are industrial storage facilities near the shop but there is no actual industry. Other organisations are the Milton Cricket Club and the Parish Council. The latter makes an annual grant towards the maintenance of our two burial grounds, at the church and the nearby Mausoleum. ALL SAINTS CHURCH, WEST MARKHAM All Saints is a Grade I listed building, Saxon in origin (indeed in excavations carried out in the 1900s chards of Roman pottery were unearthed in the sanctuary area). The church is a simple building, comprising a nave, a chancel, and a porch added in the 12th Century. It is a mix of styles resulting from piecemeal alterations in medieval times. It has a Norman font, still in use for baptisms. To the rear of the church is a screen behind which is a small vestry and a kitchen area. We have installed a good quality, but simple, pa system. We do have a modern brick built store in the churchyard, incorporating a toilet. A brief history (a full history may be found on the Diocesan Church History website). The 4th Duke of Newcastle, who built the family Mausoleum nearby, left the church to dereliction from 1832 to 1949, and had the Mausoleum declared the Parish Church. By a Consistory Court ruling, the old church was restored to its rightful status in Several attempts at restoration have been initiated but until 1990 lack of funding was a problem. However, following a major drive in the 1990s a programme of repairs/restoration was carried out over the decade, resulting in the current state of the church. We have recently had our latest quinquennial survey carried out by C.A. Moxon (Cantab) Dip. Arch. R.I.B.I., church architect in which he commented the church has been dramatically improved over the last 20 years and is most attractive and well cared for. The present state of the church is a real credit to the members. We have a Fabric Fund set aside which enables ongoing repairs to be carried out when

15 required. We have over the years held Thanksgiving Services to give praise and thanks to God for this beautiful church. Services and Pattern of Worship Our church pursues a central patch. We follow a traditional form of worship, using Book of Common Prayer for Morning and Evening Prayer (sung) and Common Worship Order 1 traditional language for Eucharist services. First Sunday of the month am Morning Prayer Second Sunday of the month 6.00 pm Eucharist Third Sunday of the month am Eucharist Fourth Sunday of the month 6.00 pm Evening Prayer During the last winter period, ie October to April, we held a Eucharist at am instead of 6.00 pm On the fifth Sunday we unite with other churches in the benefice for joint services, the venue rotating. During the interregnum it has been necessary to replace the clergy-led Morning Prayer with our own laity-led service. We currently use Mission Praise, preferring traditional hymns in the main. We have an organist who provides music for three Sundays and for special services, such as Harvest Thanksgiving, Remembrance and Carol Services. We use a cd player for other occasions, having a set of Kevin Mayhew s cds containing hymns for all seasons. We are used to clergy dressing in the traditional Anglican way, ie cassock and surplice with scarf at Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, white cassock alb with stole (seasonal liturgical colour) at Eucharist. Normally the sermon is delivered from the pulpit. It is the habit for lessons to be read by the laity at Morning and Evening Prayer. At Eucharist the first lesson is read by laity, the Gospel by clergy. It has been the practice over several years for there to be a laity-led service on Good Friday and Remembrance Sunday (on both occasions the vicar is taking simultaneous services at Tuxford). Our congregation is mainly aged 60+ but most enthusiastic. Almost every week our congregation includes several visitors from outside parishes. They tend to be older people who come along because their church does not have a service and/or because they feel comfortable with our style of worship. The average normal attendance is 14 plus clergy, however the numbers are larger for special services and we sprinkle the church year with such events in order to demonstrate that we are the body of Christ in the parish. Being in a rural community we do still hold a traditional Harvest Festival and our produce is given to the local Hospice.

16 There is a flower rota for normal services and everyone readily gives a hand for two special celebrations. We aim to present ourselves as a warm, welcoming church. We always have refreshments and a chat following worship. Attendances Normal Sunday Easter Day Christmas Eve Carol Service During the past year there has been one wedding and two funerals. Our policy on baptisms and re-marriage of divorced people has been pursuant to Diocesan guidelines. Communication We have a tri-monthly magazine, produced by a PCC member and containing church items, plus general information regarding the parish, ie parish council minutes, cricket club reports, open garden dates etc. At special times of the year we also circulate every home with a flyer giving an invitation to services/activities. There is a regular flow of information. We make every effort to keep people informed. Church-led activities Our PCC is lively, fun loving and hard working. We have PCC meals out during the year - the vicar and spouse are always invited. We try to organise several varied events in church during the year, not only to raise money, but also to encourage the community at large into the church. We have had musical concerts, lectures, computer slide shows, silent auctions and quiz nights. Finances The financial statement for the year December 31st 2013 is attached. Income is mainly from gift-aided giving following two successful funding campaigns. We pay our parish share in full, by direct debit, monthly in advance, in accordance with Diocesan wishes so that stipends may be met. Standing orders of direct debits pay most outgoings, such that recurring expenditure is easily recognisable. The incumbent s expenses have been met in line with his/her request. Charitable Giving We have shared the proceeds of various events with charities, both local and national.

17 Our Aims To share the love of Jesus. To become more like Jesus as we respond to His love for us and as we share His love for others. To try to put this into practice by: Regular worship Reaching out to show that we are a caring community Supporting one another spiritually and socially. Supporting particular needs through charitable giving. Conclusion We believe there is a sense of purpose and welcome at West Markham. However, we are not complacent. We recognise the need to increase our congregation, in particular to find people who have a real commitment and willingness to take positions of responsibility (eg. Churchwardens and PCC members). We always aim to extend our own spiritual development and mission. To sum up we feel that we have to offer: Enthusiasm - we are young at heart - Friendship and a sense of humour. We would welcome an incumbent who felt able to share these qualities with us. Our Strengths Outstanding gem of a building Good relationship with parishioners Good system for keeping them informed Parishioners always generous with their time, talents and money Finances in good order Services always well run. Multi-skilled congregation Our Weaknesses We cannot see from where the next generation of people who will run the church will come from. As from the APCM this year we have no churchwardens. We have, however, put in place a rota system so that the church is opened and properly prepared for worship each week. Our problem, and therefore our challenge, in common with many other churches, is that the community at large seems apathetic about regular worship. Modern society appears to have no need of church except for rites of passage.

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19 NORMANTON ON TRENT & MARNHAM The parishes, for functional purposes, comprise two villages and two hamlets: Normanton-on Trent and Marnham and Grassthorpe and Skegby. There are churches at Normanton and Low Marnham. The former is the church in which the regular services are held two to three times a month for the whole of this group. St Wilfred s Marnham is in the care of the Redundant Churches Trust and services are held there monthly. MARNHAM Low and High Marnham are two very small villages with only a few permanent residents. However, there are several foreign workers and holiday makers who stay in rented accommodation/caravans boosting the population. There is a public house the Brownlow Arms which is popular, especially in the summer, attracting holiday makers, water skiers and locals. ST WILFRID S CHURCH, MARNHAM The Church is used by special permission for the Harvest Festival and Pet Service. There is a service once a month in the parish room, which used to be the school. The congregation mainly consists of six families who regularly attend the family service. All the families are represented on the PCCV/Fund raising Committee, with the next generation now becoming members. NORMANTON ON TRENT Normanton is a peaceful and pretty village which has a community of small farms but has now expanded to provide homes for others who work in the surrounding areas of Mansfield, Newark, Nottingham and Lincoln. It is not on a main road and retains and promotes its sense of community. The village hall is the former school and the venue for many community activities such as meetings of the Cheeky Monkies,the Welcome Club and the Parish Council. There are two public houses; the Square and Compass and the Crown. The latter is particularly popular and organized celebrations in connection both with the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Diamond Jubilee.

20 There are regular bus services to Lincoln and Newark and a convenient Co-op and Post office at Sutton-on-Trent. The village is served by St Matthew s Church of England Primary School which is in a modern building. It enjoys a considerable reputation for the quality of its teaching and for the happy and purposeful children which emerge from it, most of whom proceed to the highly regarded Tuxford Academy. It uses the church on a regular basis but it is felt that still greater and more frequent use could be made of it especially once the new toilet and vestry have been completed. ST MATTHEW S CHURCH, NORMANTON ON TRENT There has been a church at Normanton since at lest the early 1100s. The North and South Arcades of the church are 13 th and 14 th century respectively. Clerestory windows and the tower were added in the 15 th century. Church Organisation and Finance There are 5 members of the congregation on the PCC although flower arranging and church cleaning are undertaken by members of the congregation other than the PCC. Church Life and Worship Ordinarily services are held on three Sundays in every month being one morning and one evening Eucharist and one evensong. The Methodist congregation also use the building for their worship. Attendance at these services is seldom much above double figures as members of the congregation become inhibited from attendance by their state of health. There are however considerable congregations for the Easter, Christmas, Christingle and Crib services. The PCC are anxious to promote at least one service a month which embraces and appeals to the younger members of the parish and their parents