Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All

Transcription

1 Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All

2 Contents Welcome 3 Community Outreach 13 Our Vision & Values 4 Our Buildings 15 Sharing the Gospel through Action 5 Our Community 20 Our new Vicar 6 Our Finances 21 Ministry Support Teams 7 Diocese & Deanery 22 Our Church 8 Role Description & Person Specification 24 Our Vision is to see God grow His Church in Stoke Poges: numerically as we reach out in evangelism, and spiritually as the members grow in faith as part of God s kingdom. Our Values are to be a Bible based community committed to: Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All. Stoke Poges Parish Churches The Deanery of Burnham and Slough The Diocese of Oxford St Giles Church Church Lane Stoke Poges, SL2 4NZ St Andrew s Centre Rogers Lane Stoke Poges SL2 4LN Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 2

3 Welcome to Stoke Poges Parish Thank you for looking at our Parish Profile. We hope that this will help you to discern whether God is calling you to help serve in our Parish. We have two locations, but one church community, looking for a welcoming, prayerful, vicar who can fuse the traditional with the contemporary and who can expect the support of the whole congregation. Our Parish is in the large village of Stoke Poges, in Buckinghamshire, just 20 miles from London. A Domesday Book village, it saw rapid growth in the 20th Century as nearby Slough expanded. The recently restored ancient parish church of St Giles still lies surrounded by fields and the village retains a good community feel, centred on the St Andrew s Church Centre, the local primary school and the Village Hall, all in the heart of the village. St Andrew s and St Giles represent the changing face of Stoke Poges over those years. At St Giles, a centre of worship for over 1000 years, we hold traditional, robed services with a choir, organ and sung evensong. At St Andrew s, converted in the 1960s, we have a contemporary service, with guitars, piano, drums and the order of a service is projected on a screen. Following our Mission week in March 2017, we feel our new vicar should be energetic, looking to build on growing Christ s word in the hearts of those in the village who have yet to hear it and supportive to those already in our church community. Our door is open will you enter? Paul Elderfield Yours in Christ Simon McDowell Church wardens and lay representatives On behalf of the Parish of Stoke Poges Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 3

4 Our Vision & Values Our Vision is to see God grow His Church in Stoke Poges: numerically as we reach out in evangelism, and spiritually as the members grow in faith as part of God s kingdom. Our Values are to be a Bible based community committed to: Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All. We seek to achieve this through: Encompassing all we do in Prayer Continuing to grow a worshipping family of all ages Reaching out into the local community in Christian service Developing, enabling and encouraging our teams and volunteers as part of a recognised local ministry Mission Action Plan (MAP) We developed our MAP a few years ago and revisit it annually to check that it is still current. It remains the foundation of what we are trying to do in our Church and our Community. We seek to live and share the Gospel through worshipping, growing in faith, serving the community and engaging people across the generations. By doing this, we aim to transform our local community. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 4

5 Sharing the Gospel through Action Our MAP is underpinned by a range of activities. There is a strong volunteer and lay ministry core, which organises and supports many of these activities and which is passionate about growing activity and engagement. Many of these activities are well established and successful. Some would benefit from renewal and there is opportunity to generate new initiatives. Our priorities for development are: Building a worship team and increasing numbers in the Church. Growing lay engagement. Building links within our local community. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 5

6 Our new Vicar In preparing this profile, we have taken the opportunity to reflect on our strengths; where we need more help; and to think carefully about our vision for the future. We sought input from groups across the Parish to consider the qualities we would most value in our new vicar and how we will work together to build on our strong foundations to achieve growth. Our new vicar has these key attributes - he or she: values and encourages both our traditional and contemporary forms of worship is a skilled bible teacher shares our vision for growth and renewal in the parish, guided by our MAP is alive in the Holy Spirit and passionate about growing and maturing disciples leads the spiritual direction for our mission, pastoral care and outreach engages proactively with our village community and grows our engagement leads prayerfully, boldly and decisively We would like our new vicar to help us develop: growing numbers in the age group and the congregation at St Giles sustaining and developing St Andrew s contemporary worship refreshing the youth ministry enhancing pastoral care in the Parish empowering members of the congregation to use their gifts and grow their Christian vocation leading new development plans to support the Mission Action Plan We will provide core support to ensure a sustainable ministry, including: appropriate work/life balance opportunities for retreats and ministerial development and financial support from us and our Patron, Christ Church, Oxford shared commitment to meeting the challenges identified and achieving the Mission Action Plan fully reimbursed expenses We will offer you: a welcoming and friendly culture with a strong sense of Church family a desire for growth and renewal a capable and committed PCC an active ministry team, supported by a team who are licensed to preach a core of skilled and active volunteers Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 6

7 Ministry Support Teams During the vacancy, our Ministry is led by our Associate Minister Revd Andrew Parry, supported by our Ministry Trainee and licenced preachers. Our two Church Wardens, Paul Elderfield and Simon McDowell, lead the church day-to-day, with the support of an active PCC, consisting of a combination of established and new members. The Revd Andrew Parry, his wife and daughter have lived in Stoke Poges for over 20 years. They have worshipped at St Giles and St Andrew s and Andrew served as Church Warden here. Andrew is an Occupational Psychologist and was ordained in 2009 as a self-supporting Associate Minister. Tracey Jones is our Ministry Trainee, having joined us in She has helped to run the Youth Club, is a talented musician and is undertaking Ministry training at Sarum College. She is a licenced preacher and is another support to Andrew during the Vacancy. Thanks to the efforts of the ministry support team and lay leadership, we have a small growth in congregation during 2017, including the vacancy period. We hope our new vicar will help to build on this. Nigel Lowe, a former Church Warden, and Paul Elderfield are also licenced to preach. We are growing our team of Intercessors into a larger one at the moment and have readers and sidesmen on a rota for our services. Our PCC Paul Elderfield (Church Warden & Deanery Synod Rep) Andrew Parry (Associate Minister) Gaynor Houghton-Jones (Hon Treasurer) John Wheatley (Deanery Synod Rep) Tony Bunce Nigel Lowe Simon McDowell (Church Warden) Alicen Nickson (Hon Secretary) Mark Wells (Deanery Synod Rep) Richard Beckingsale (Sacristan & Verger) Kate Holliday (Administrator) Jennifer Pickering The PCC has two sub-committees, for Property and Standing & Finance. The Property Committee has co-opted two members of our congregation with building experience onto the seven-strong team, led by Mark Wells. The Standing & Finance Committee makes decisions in between PCC meetings. We are supported in the Church Office by two Administrators: Kate Holliday and Heather McDowell. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 7

8 Our Church Our Parish has an active community engaged in both traditional and contemporary worship across two Churches. The more traditional weekly services are held in the historic St Giles Church. This heritage is regularly celebrated and the Church has been a focal point for village life for many years. It continues to host special events such as Christmas, Easter and Harvest. Contemporary worship is held in St Andrew s Church that sits in the heart of Stoke Poges. Built around an existing chapel, St Andrew s provides modern spaces for family and contemporary services, as well as facilities for local community activities. In Stoke Poges, 60% of adults identify as Christians and on Christmas Eve the congregation is swelled by the local community at our Nativity service for younger children and our Candlelit Family Service, attended by 391 people in Remembrance Sunday is well supported and we enjoy welcoming the Stoke Poges Guides, Brownies and Cubs to the service. The local school gets involved with the service by the village flagpole. The setting of St Giles means it is a popular choice for weddings and we also have two beautiful wedding reception venues in the Parish at Stoke Park and Stoke Place. Many people travel to visit to St Giles, due to its history, rural location next to the Memorial Gardens, but also as the place of family weddings, baptisms and funerals over the centuries. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 8

9 Children and Families When held at St Giles, all-age services are oriented to engage the whole family, and we actively support children and families during our St Andrew s worship. We hold a crèche for children up to four years of age, which combines play, songs and story-telling in a safe and welcoming environment. Children aged four to ten years old attend Junior Church. Those aged meet in the Coffee Shop for discussion based activities exploring issues facing teenagers today. On the first Sunday of every month, families worship together at St Andrew s in a highly interactive service. The Church has also run a Youth Club for over 15 years, averaging 25 attendees per night. The Club has been suspended during the Vacancy because of declining numbers of helpers, however, we intend to re-launch the Youth Club in Tots Praise During term time, the main hall at St Andrew s on a Monday morning is the place to be if you are a pre-schooler. We have a nice big hall with space for parents, grandparents and nannies to have a coffee and chat and plenty of room for the children to play with a large selection of toys. There is a supervised singing and story time. Our team of volunteers serve coffee, welcome and chat to the parents as well as leading the singing and story time. Home Groups Three Life Groups meet weekly during term time. Each group has a core providing leadership and support for the wider group members. The groups have a distinct mission and make-up, but share in the goal of helping members grow in their Christian vocation. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 9

10 Regular Services Communion is held each Sunday at one of the services. We currently use the same preacher from our group of licenced preachers in all three services, with minor adjustments in the sermon for each type of service. Sunday 9.00 am St Giles Service (average 2017 congregation 20-25) This is a robed, Cassock and Surplice service following the Common Worship liturgy. Traditional hymns with a service following the current series, accompanied by organ and a robed choir. Communion is held on the 1 st and 2 nd Sundays, with Morning Prayer on the 3 rd and 4 th Sundays am St Andrew s Service (60-80) This is an informal, unrobed, service of Worship and the Word also following Common Worship. Songs are from New Wine and other contemporary worship music with the occasional more traditional hymn, supported by the Easy Worship software. Communion services on the 3rd Sunday also incorporate individual prayer and healing. At the beginning of each month, we have bacon sandwich Sunday, incorporating a brunch with an inclusive and interactive all-age service am Kids on St Andrew s A range of children s groups meet on Sunday mornings, with targeted Christian teaching for children from pre-school to young teens pm St Giles Evensong (20-25) Book of Common Prayer (1662) Choral Evensong is held most weeks, with BCP Communion and prayer for healing on the 4 th Sunday. We have a larger choir at this service, made up from our and neighbouring parishes without an evensong of their own. They help to lead this service with sung anthems and Psalms, and traditional hymns. Wednesday am St Andrew s Service (15-20) Holy Communion is celebrated in the Chapel at St Andrew s. The service follows the Common Worship liturgy. This service often attracts people who live locally to St Andrew s and are unable to make it to St Giles on a Sunday. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 10

11 Prayer During Communion Services at St Andrew s, members of the congregation are able to ask for prayer for healing. We participated in the Archbishop s Pentecost week of prayer, including interactive prayer stations at St Andrew s Church, and we now provide a prayer link which anyone can contact to request prayer from members of the Church. The PCC has created a prayer for the vacancy period, which we use as part of the Intercessions in each service. Vacancy prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you for the service of Harry, our vicar, for the past 18 years We give thanks for our continuing ministry team, led by Andrew during the vacancy We pray that you may give strength, compassion and understanding to the ministry team, the PCC, and the whole church community as we undertake our search for a new vicar Please guide those who are seeking the right church for their ministry and that together, we may discover your way for the future and see your kingdom grow Help us welcome and support the new vicar as they take up their post We pray this in Jesus Name. Amen Links with other Churches Together with our churches of St Giles and St Andrew s, the village also has a Free Church with which we have strong ties, together with other local churches in the Deanery. We come together as Christians in the Village on Good Friday when an Open-Air Service is held by the Village Flagpole followed by a short, silent procession through the Village. At other times through the year we join with the Free Church for joint services and as part of the Northern Group in our Deanery, we take it in turns to host the Ascension Day service. The patrons of the living of Stoke Poges are the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford. Christ Church is in the happy position of being able to support the incumbents of its ninety livings through the revenues of the Dr South Trust, which is able to assist with grants for study, administration and holidays, as well as offering a biennial conference and loans for the purchase of a car. Parish Numbers* 108 on the Electoral Roll 10 weddings 10 baptisms 21 funerals * weddings, baptisms & funerals taken as a 5 year average so to reduce the disruptive effect of the St Giles restoration Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 11

12 Volunteers The day-to-day running of the Church is supported by teams of volunteers, including: Choir a dedicated group, augmented by visiting singers from neighbouring churches at Evensong, sing at both the 9.00 and 6.30 Sunday services at St Giles. Holy Dusters clean and polish St Giles. Flower arrangers decorate both Churches for services and special occasions. Reapers maintain the Churches grounds and gardens. Bell Ringers St Giles has a ring of eight bells and is regarded as one of the best rings in the locality, with peals being rung every month by various visiting ringing groups. The core group of regular ringers are always open to new joiners. Ringing takes place before the evening service every Sunday. Junior Church a rota of committed and experienced Church members deliver activities and teaching for children attending St Andrew s services. Coffee Shop open Tuesdays - Saturdays during term time, the coffee shop is open to members of the community for tea and conversation. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 12

13 Community Outreach Coffee Shop Our Coffee Shop is situated at St Andrew s and has come a long way from its humble beginnings of a flask and an empty room. This fantastic community facility continues to be an oasis for busy villagers, a warm welcome for those who come to ballet, a creative space for art and craft and a test audience for local entrepreneurs new business ideas. Still run by volunteers, the Coffee Shop is now in its own purpose-built room and is open Tuesday to Saturday during term time. Knit, Sew & Natter On Tuesday mornings during term time you ll find a buzzing, friendly atmosphere in the Coffee Shop at the Knit Sew & Natter group meets. Many of the items made are sold to raise money for charities. It is also a social and learning time for those who attend. Friday Morning Coffee Group This weekly group is a refuge for many older residents in the village with much laughter and banter being heard coming from the nicely crowded room. Each term, this group shares a meal together and the companionship and fellowship is much appreciated. Stoke Poges Men s Group This welcoming group (provided you are a man!) is for men of all faiths and none. It is affiliated to the UK organisation Christian Vision for Men. There are many events during the year including curry nights, dinners, Saturday morning breakfasts, activity evenings (skittles, Tanx, quizzes) and visits to interesting venues. were sustained by God. Men s breakfasts and dinners have a guest speaker to share an inspirational story of how they found or Some of the events are open to lads and dads which is always popular and the group has an excellent following across all events most attract more than 40 men. At different stages Saturday morning Christian Courses have been run with those attending coming from the Men s Group. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 13

14 The Supper Club Started and run by members of the Church, the Supper Club is a social club for the over-55s which has been operating for over ten years. The Club meets every two months throughout the year at St Andrew s to share a meal and enjoy fellowship together. The group is made up of church and non-church members with friendships being fostered and invitations to special services such as the Supper Club Evensongs allowing a gentle introduction into Church life and attendance. Senior Citizens Christmas Lunch The more senior members of our community look forward with anticipation to the Christmas Lunch, which we host at St Andrew s during December. In partnership with two local charities (Stoke Poges Hastings Community Fund and the Mobbs Memorial Trust) we welcome around 100 pensioners each year with a roast turkey dinner followed by carol singing and groups of the village school children coming to sing. The event is always much enjoyed and is a highlight for many. Out and about in our Village The Village Fete - Stoke Poges Village Fete is a day of fun with local groups and organisations getting involved to give it a community-spirited feel. Held in June at the village school, along with other groups in the village, our Church gets involved with a stall, bouncy castle or our skittles run. The Horticultural Society Flower Show - The flower show, held annually since 1884 (except in war years), is organised by the Stoke Poges, Wexham & Fulmer Horticultural Society. Also held at the village school, this late July event is a highlight of the summer season, and a pleasant and relaxing opportunity to socialise with our community. Like the village fete, the church is involved with a visible presence and a stall or activity. The Events Committee Chaired during the Vacancy by our Associate Minister and involving members of the PCC, the Parish Council and the wider community, this group works together to organise joint events and to ensure that separate village and church events for the community do not overlap and to co-ordinate those that do. Examples include lectures organised by the Stoke Poges Society at either St Giles or St Andrew s, co -operating on the organisation of the Village Fete and Remembrance day activities. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 14

15 Our Buildings Our three parish buildings are the Grade 1 Listed historic church of St Giles, the more modern St Andrew s Church Centre and the Vicarage, built about 30 years ago. St Andrew s Church Centre, Rogers Lane, Stoke Poges, SL2 4LN St Andrew s is located centrally in the village, near the Village Hall, Parish Council offices and the Stoke Poges Primary School. Our most heavily used building, it has been extended significantly. Built in the early 20 th Century, the original Methodist chapel was converted to our use in the 1960s, before being extended further in 1972, 1984 and The Church Centre also contains our church office; main church hall, with seating for over 100 and is used for services on Sundays; a youth hall; youth office; coffee shop and PCC meeting room, as well as lots of storage space. Our two large halls are let out to a variety of commercial and community groups as well as being used for church activities on Sundays and during the week. There are also two 2-bedroom flats above the youth hall, which are rented out to provide additional income for the church funds. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 15

16 The Chapel is a space used for Wednesday morning Holy Communion and occasional parish meetings it has seating for about 40 and a permanent Communion Table. It s the quiet space for contemplation in the busy St Andrew s complex. Completed in 2010, our Youth Hall is slightly smaller than the main church hall and doesn t usually have seating in it, but is used for children s activities, including our youth club. Outside, there is a large car park and also a grass area, where we can put up the Church s bouncy castle for events (and have fun taking it down again too): Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 16

17 The Vicarage, Park Road, Stoke Poges, SL2 4PE The vicarage, on Park Road, is mid-way between the two churches and is opposite the entrance to the famous Stoke Park Club, which backs onto St Giles. It is a 1980s four-bedroom detached house, with a large east-facing garden at the rear, extending onto fields. At the front, a grassed area leads onto a driveway and parking for several cars in front of the house and integrated double garage. Inside, there is a large vicar s study just inside the front door, followed by the living room and downstairs toilet. The ground floor is completed by a dining room, modern kitchen with gas hob, and utility room leading to the garage. Upstairs, there are four double bedrooms, a family bathroom with bath and shower and a separate shower room. Three of these bedrooms face over the garden, with great views of the fields beyond. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 17

18 St Giles Parish Church, Church Lane, Stoke Poges, SL2 4NZ The Parish church, and a centre for worship for more than 1000 years, St Giles Church now lies about ½ mile South-West of the village centre. Small parts are Saxon and Norman, but the majority was built in the early 12 th Century, with the addition of the brick Hastings Chapel in This Grade 1 listed building is famous for its location next to Stoke Park Club, and for its links to Thomas Gray, buried here, and his most famous poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1750). The churchyard is closed for new burial plots, but the church remains popular for baptisms, weddings and funeral services. The walk up to the church from the road is a reminder of the long tradition of Christian worship in this place through the old lych gates and past the rows of ancient headstones to the flint-stoned church, with the brick-built Hastings Chapel alongside. Parishioners with limited mobility can also drive through the Memorial Gardens next door to enter through the Chapter House. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 18

19 Thanks to a significant legacy, a major restoration programme occurred during to both the interior (Hastings Chapel, Tower and Chancel) and exterior of the church. Part of this restoration was aimed at completing all the major items from the last three Quinquennial Inspections. This has been successfully achieved, as well as roof repairs that were not noticed until works began and the discovery of some 13 th Century wall paintings in the Tower, which are of national significance, according to Historic England. We have dedicated teams to do the day-to-day maintenance from our churchyard Reapers to the Holy Dusters and the Flower Arrangers. We join together the two congregations and hold an annual BBQ after a family service in September each year St Giles hosts our special services of Christmas, Easter and Harvest, too. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 19

20 Our Community Stoke Poges lies in the south of Buckinghamshire, 23 miles from the centre of London. It is conveniently located for London Heathrow, with rail links in neighbouring Gerrards Cross and Slough and easy access to the M4, M25 and M40 motorways. We are a green-buffered, scattered village, home to just over 5,000 people and is a safe and attractive place for families with a choice of pre-schools, a highly regarded primary school in the village and within the catchment area for two of Buckinghamshire s highly rated grammar schools and the Ofstedrated outstanding Chalfonts Community College. The Khalsa Secondary Academy, a Sikh faith school serving a wide area, recently located in the village. Stoke Poges has five shops serving the parish; on the eastern side a general store and a farm shop and on Bells Hill, in the heart of the village, a post office, a pharmacy and a small supermarket. There is a doctors surgery in the village and the local NHS hospital, Wexham Park, sits on the parish border and the private hospital, the Spire, sits within the parish. We enjoy a rich spread of ages in the Parish with about 25% of residents being under 20 and 20% of retirement age. Family is a strong characteristic of village life with a quarter of households comprising of married couples with children. We have good links with the local primary school and are involved in their Harvest, Christmas and Easter celebrations. In addition, each year, Year 6 visits St Giles and finds out more about the Church and its history. Sitting within the Green Belt, Stoke Poges is well served with sports and outdoor leisure pursuits. There are four golf courses in the parish and a choice of gyms, spas and tennis facilities. Stoke Poges has a thriving local community with many varied activities including Photography, Bridge, Bowls, Singers, Horticultural Society, Tennis, Table tennis, Women s Institute, Badminton and more. Many of these groups use either St Andrew s hall or the Village Hall. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 20

21 Our Finances Our general fund income comes from three major areas: regular giving by parishioners, letting income from the facilities and rental income from the two flats at St Andrew s. Large donations in 2012 and 2013 allowed us to expand our mission giving programme and build reserves. Excluding mission giving, the PCC maintained a surplus of income over expenditure until The PCC has paid a proportion of our income as Mission Giving to specific charities in the UK and abroad. One major beneficiary has been the Nepal Leprosy Trust, a Christian agency in southeast Nepal. We were able to fund the set-up running of a self-care training facility for three years, making a material difference in the quality of life to people affected by this disease. The largest expense item is our Diocesan Share, which we have always paid in full. In 2018, this will be around 60% of our total income before expenses to generate that income. This is providing a strain on our reserves and our ability to maintain mission giving. We are about to undertake a review of stewardship with our congregation as the regular giving amount has fallen over recent years from several long-term donors moving away or dying. Young families replacing them numerically are not able to be as generous. Several people are paid directly by the PCC our Ministry Trainee, two part-time posts in the Church Office, a caretaker and cleaners at St Andrew s and organists at St Giles. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 21

22 Diocese and Deanery The Diocese of Oxford The Diocese of Oxford serves the mission of the Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. The Diocese comprises more than 600 parishes, with over 800 churches, serving a diverse population of more than 2 million people located in all types of settings. Due to the size and complexity of the Diocese, we have three Area Bishops who exercise considerable strategic & pastoral oversight for their Archdeaconries. The Bishop of Buckingham is the Rt Revd Alan Wilson who has been the Area Bishop since With the appointment of the new Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, a new common vision is emerging for the Diocese of Oxford The vision addresses what kind of church we are called to be A Christ-like Church. What are the marks of a Christlike Church? To be the Church of the Beatitudes: Contemplative Compassionate Courageous It also asks what we are therefore called to do together. This is currently a work in progress, but is likely to cover some of the following strategic priorities: Make a difference in the world Support and grow the local church Establish new churches and congregations Serve our schools Renew discipleship and ministry These priorities will be supported centrally by resources, training, conferences, workshops, and much more. The diocese is inviting benefices and their priests to share a vision rather than demanding a response. It wants all its priests to flourish in ministry and to deepen their enjoyment of God. Alongside the emerging diocesan vision, the priorities and principles for the Buckingham Archdeaconry are set out in our Buckingham Mission Action Plan ( It is expected that all clergy appointed into the Archdeaconry of Buckingham will want to commit themselves to the Diocesan vision and Archdeaconry MAP and their strategic directions. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 22

23 Deanery of Burnham and Slough The parish of Stoke Poges is located within the Northern Group of the Burnham & Slough deanery. Since the implementation of synodical Government the deanery has developed a strong sense of team working. Church tradition across the deanery is diverse and, like other deaneries of a similar size, we are enriched by the variety of worship that takes place daily and weekly within our thirty places of worship. The deanery is a mixture of rural, semi-rural and urban parishes with two formal LEP's working together to build up the life of the church locally. The Burnham & Slough deanery recognises the importance of outreach to the wider community and many of our parishes are actively engaged in mission activity that brings them into regular contact with the people of God in the wider community. For example, we have strong links to school activity. We have a number of Church of England schools within parishes, some of which are unique in terms of their student population. We have strong links with our statutory and community service providers, both at the local level, and through our sector ministry team, Kingsway Connections. Being part of a diverse community has given rise to some important inter-faith work, alongside some important community development work resulting from engagement with the Local Strategic Partnerships in Slough and South Bucks. Like all deaneries we respond to the changes that the National Church is facing at this time. Our recent deanery re-organisation has brought us into four groupings of churches - three formal group ministries and one informal group of churches working together in the East of the deanery. Our total ministerial resources serve to lead these groups in their ministry and mission activity. This structure requires flexibility and for people to work much more collaboratively together. Needless to say, anyone new to the deanery would be expected to work within this new structure and be part of this way of working. This table shows how our current ordained ministerial resources are deployed across the deanery. Jubilee River Group Ministry Southern Group Ministry Northern Group Ministry Eastern Group of Churches 4.4 Stipendiary Priests 0.3 Jubilee River Schools Enabler 6 Stipendiary Priests 1 Retired Priest (with PTO) 4 Stipendiary Priests 3 Associate Priests (SSP) 1 Curate in Training 2 Stipendiary Priests 1 House for Duty Priest Deanery Post(s) (Equivalent to 1 full-time post from our deanery compliment) 1 Full-time Area Dean 0.3 Mission Enabler (also Priest in Jubilee River Group) Ecumenical/Inter-Faith Hospital Chaplaincy Team Appointed chaplains working out of our two main Hospitals of Wexham Park and Heatherwood (not part of the Deanery stipendiary allocation) 8 Licensed Lay Ministers, who work in our parishes/benefices/teams. This deanery is a good place to exercise ministry and mission. Those who work here tend to stay for a number of years. The area covered by the deanery has a very diverse population. It has places of affluence as well as having wards that are some of the most deprived in the Country. Because of this the deanery is one that throws up many challenges. Our local churches rise to these challenges, showing that they can respond to most things that come their way. Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 23

24 Role Description & Person Specification ROLE PURPOSE AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES General: A. To exercise the cure of souls shared with the bishop in this benefice in collaboration with colleagues including the praying of the Daily Office, the administration of the sacraments and preaching. B. To have regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy (as described in the Canons, the Ordinal, the Code of Professional Conduct for the Clergy) and other relevant legislation including: bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making him known to those in your care instructing the parishioners in the Christian faith preparing candidates for confirmation diligently visiting the parishioners of the benefice, particularly those who are sick and infirm providing spiritual counsel and advice consulting with the parochial church council on matters of general concern and importance to the benefice bringing the needs of the world before God in intercession calling your hearers to repentance and declaring in Christ's name the absolution and forgiveness of their sins blessing people in God s name preparing people for their death discerning and fostering the gifts of all God s people being faithful in prayer, expectant and watchful for the signs of God s presence, as he reveals his kingdom among us C. To share in the wider work of the deanery and diocese as appropriate, for the building up of the whole Body of Christ Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 24

25 Key responsibilities: Mission and Outreach (Making Disciples, Making a difference in the world) Leadership and working collaboratively (Shaping confident, collaborative leadership) Worship and preaching (Sustaining the sacred centre) Pastoral Care (Developing vibrant Christian community) Stewardship and benefice organization (Developing vibrant Christian community) Personal development and spirituality The key responsibilities listed above may be supported by long and short-term objectives to be agreed between the post holder the Archdeacon and Church Wardens. Other responsibilities: Participate in the Bishop s Ministerial Development Review scheme and engage in Continuing Ministerial Development Carry out any other duties and responsibilities as required in line with the benefice needs. Take care for their wellbeing including health and safety and building a good repertoire of spiritual and psychological strategies KEY CONTACTS FOR THE ROLE Generic and specific to the role Groups & committees The PCC Deanery Chapter Deanery Synod Deanery Pastoral Committee Village committees (eg Events Committee, Hastings Trust Charity) In the benefice Churchwardens Support structures Area Dean Area Bishop Archdeacon Staff at The Diocesan Office with key responsibilities for various aspects of supporting parochial ministry Christ Church Cathedral, our patron Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 25

26 OTHER Relevant Documentation This role description is issued alongside and should be read in conjunction with the following documents: The Ordinal The Canons of the Church of England Guidance for the Professional Conduct of Clergy Bishop s Licence Statement of Particulars issued to the office holder on successful appointment Diocesan Clergy Handbook Parish Profile Ministry Action Plans (MAPs) Any objectives discussed and agreed between the post holder and the supervising minister PERSON SPECIFICATION QUALIFICATION/TRAINING Essential Ordained priest within the Church of England Have satisfactorily completed Initial Ministerial Education Willingness to engage in further training that enhances the skills of community leadership EXPERIENCE Essential Priestly ministry involving vision setting and team development Engagement with and pastoral support for people of all ages Responsibility in a complex organisation with substantial resources to manage (such as people and buildings) Leading and encouraging development of contemporary worship, complementary to continuing traditional forms Desirable Leading mature and thoughtful all age workshop Initiating forms of church in creative, engaging and imaginative ways Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 26

27 Knowledge/Skills and Competencies Essential Desirable Ability to preach well in a variety of styles and formats to a broad range of listeners with varying outlooks, ages and understanding The ability to identify and respond to opportunities for mission An ability to make and build on links with individuals and community organisations whose involvement with the Church is limited Leadership skills including the ability to motivate, inspire and effectively coordinate volunteers Computer Literacy , Word, Excel, use of internet Collaborative working especially with volunteers and other churches Ability to organise resources effectively to meet a wide range of needs General Attributes Essential Desirable Able to work in sympathy with the Eucharistic tradition of the Benefice Empathy with the values of the diocese and those of the Benefice The passion for growing a congregation Evidence of a deep prayer life and ability to draw on a wide range of spiritual resources Evidence of ability to engage local communities and develop links with those not actively involved with the Church An ecumenical outlook and willingness to work with local churches and faith groups Ability to lead contemporary worship at St Andrew s and with an appreciation of traditional music traditions OTHER A passion for learning and personal development The ability to comply with Diocesan Child Protection policies Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 27

28 Thank you for reading our profile we hope that it has been helpful For more details about our parish: Knowing God, Following Jesus, Loving Others, Inviting All 28