The Polden Wheel Parish Profile

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1 The Polden Wheel Parish Profile Welcome This profile has been written and prepared by members of the PCC and church members of The Polden Wheel who share the excitement and anticipation of appointing a new Vicar to our benefice. We are really pleased that you are reading this profile and hope that it will inspire you to apply to be our new Vicar. We seek someone who will listen to God's message through prayer and lead this group of six churches and villages, helping us with a vision for the next steps of our journey. Contents Our New Vicar Page 2 Our Parish Page 3 Mission Page 4 Our Churches Page 5 Leadership Structure, style of Worship and Services Page 6 Diocesan and Deanery Context Page 6 The Benefits of Coming to The Polden Wheel Page 7 Page 1

2 Our New Vicar We are looking for someone with the following personal gifts and qualities: spiritual guidance and leadership on the next steps of the journey of the integration of the six churches of the Polden Wheel; a willingness to embrace and creatively develop a wide range of worship styles across the parish, embracing all age groups; professionalism, a good organiser and people manager; collaborative and empowering in their style of leadership, with the ability to strengthen and develop the gifts of others; inspirational teacher, ensuring the Word of the Lord is accessible and relevant in our modern world; understanding of rural communities and their challenges; missional in their approach; pastoral gifts with the ability to listen and communicate in a friendly manner with a diverse range of individuals; grounded in prayer; a sense of humour and an energy for life. We hope and pray that our new Vicar will: continue to build on the work of unifying our 6 churches; develop the focus of mission and build on the activities of the Missional Church pilot; increase the number of people engaged in worship and other church activities; lead and develop our pastoral team; help us to deepen our prayer and spirituality; look for opportunities to engage with men, families, commuters and young people. Page 2

3 Our Parish We are a group of six villages; Ashcott, Burtle, Catcott, Chilton Polden, Edington and Shapwick. Five of the villages stretch along the northern side of the A 39 which links Street with Bridgwater, the sixth village, Burtle, is to the north on the Somerset levels. The villages are served by two primary schools in Catcott and Ashcott with children attending a secondary school in Street (Crispin School). In addition there is a private specialist dyslexic school with a prep school at Burtle and a senior school at Shapwick. The churches have good links with each of the schools in our benefice. The villages having traditionally been farming villages but are now primarily commuter villages with some farms still remaining. Most villages have at least one public house and a doctor s surgery is situated in the village of Edington. Ashcott as the largest village has both a shop with post office and a butchers, whilst a new shop and post office has recently been established in Edington. Each village has a strong community focus with numerous village halls, playing fields and parish activities ranging from a beer festival, regular village cafes such as Cafe Burtle and Polden Cafe, village associations, a cricket club, a silver band, pantomimes and harvest home. All the villages except Burtle are serviced by a regular bus service and are within easy access of the M5. There are supermarkets and other amenities to the east in Street and west in Bridgwater. There are community hospitals in Glastonbury and Bridgwater and a main hospitals in Taunton and Yeovil. The total population for the villages is 3,700 people of which there are approximately 600 children, with the largest age profile in the age range (data taken from Parish Spotlight Church of England based on 2011 census). Some of the challenges highlighted for the villages are limited social housing, the majority of which is in Chilton Polden, and a loss of local amenities including village shops and pubs. There is a project to provide affordable housing in Ashcott run by the Miles and Hurman trust. The trustees for this are appointed by the parish council and include the churchwardens and Vicar. The Vicar is also a trustee of the JAF Luttrell Memorial Charity trust which serves the West Poldens. Page 3

4 Mission The Polden wheel aims to be outward focused and we try hard to engage with our local community. As a benefice we have taken part in the pilot for Partnership for Missional Church and are keen to develop that work. Our six churches took part in a process being piloted by the Diocese, called Partnership for Missional Church (PMC for short). As a group of inter-denominational churches from across the South West we undertook a 3 year process. Phase 1 was about spiritual discernment and listening to our communities. Phase 2 was continuing the spiritual discernment and trying some partnering experimenting within our communities and phase 3 about missional vocation. We identified a missional goal of Giving and receiving hospitality with the lonely and sick. We are keen to review that work, look again at a missional goal and build on the experience as a benefice. We contribute to a food bank, work with local schools and have held successful Christmas and Easter children s workshops. Many of our congregation volunteer with other organisations. We have a lay pastoral care team serving all six villages. We undertake regular charitable giving on a local, national and worldwide basis. Other examples of involvement in the community include; belfry coffee mornings, teas at the Ashcott and Catcott open gardens, organising and supporting village fetes and fayres, putting on social events, running meet and eat events, bell ringing, music group, supporting Women on Their Own group, and looking after people in the parishes. Page 4

5 Our Churches Our church buildings range in age from 13th to 19th century many of which have features of earlier churches that stood on the same site. Four of the six churches have two churchwardens each, one with one churchwarden and currently Shapwick does not have any but is being supported by an active Friends committee and the united PCC. Each church has its own Friends Committee focused on the day to day running and fundraising of each church. Whilst mostly in good repair a couple of churches face challenges with their buildings but these are actively being managed by these committees. All the churches are open in the day. A number of the churchyards have taken part in the Caring for God s Acre project, recognising the diversity of the flora and wildlife they contain. In addition Chilton Polden has a Sunday school room within its boundaries and a church hall. Shapwick Edington Ashcott Chilton Polden Burtle Catcott Page 5

6 Leadership Structure, Style of Worship and Services The Polden Wheel benefice has come together from combining the three parishes of the West Poldens with Ashcott, Burtle and Shapwick. There is a single combined PCC for the six churches of the Polden Wheel which meets bi-monthly. Membership of the PCC consists of the three representatives from each church usually the two churchwardens plus one other member. The two lay readers are also part of the PCC. Each church has a committee, (Friends of.) although these do not have legal status. There are 170 people on the electoral roll for the Polden Wheel. Finances are run by a central treasurer ably supported by cashiers in each church. There is a central account which supports overall expenditure. All churches pay their parish share in full and the finances are in good order and the churches are solvent. Sunday services are integrated across all six churches with at least one communion service every Sunday and one or two other services. The style of worship ranges from said BCP services to informal lay-led services utilising an organist and the music group made up of members from all the churches. We are fortunate to have two Lay Readers who live in the benefice and in support there is one retired priest and one associate priest who both take services. In addition we have an administrator who works 12 hours per week during term time. Diocesan and Deanery Context Bishop Peter Hancock, in his first year in the diocese is seeking to be missional, inspirational, and relational. He seeks, with all of us to 'change lives' and focus on the charge given to him, and to the whole diocese, by the Archbishop of Canterbury: to grow the church numerically and spiritually; to reimagine ministry; to contribute to the common good. As we consider the present and look to the future we are in good heart, a friendly, supportive and outward focused diocese; facing the challenges of being disciples in 21st Century Somerset with faith and hope. We are a part of the deanery of Glastonbury within the diocese of Bath and Wells. There are 28 churches in the Glastonbury Deanery. We work well with other churches across the area and the new Vicar would be a member of the Deanery Chapter. We have been very grateful for their support and that of the diocese. The Diocese of Bath and Wells covers the County of Somerset and the Unitary Authorities of North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset. It is largely rural with two large population centres around Bath and Weston Super Mare. Page 6

7 The Benefits of Coming to The Polden Wheel Vicarage The vicarage is a modern substantial detached village house in Shapwick with enclosed gardens, a double garage and ample parking. Accommodation comprises: lounge, dining room, study, kitchen (newly refitted), utility, cloakroom, 4 good sized bedrooms, a family bathroom, and shower room. The house has oil fired central heating an open fire and has recently been fitted with solar panels. Locality Set in the heart of Somerset there are plenty of local walks, with close proximity to nature reserves on the Somerset levels. Both the Mendips and Quantocks are close with the coasts of North Somerset and Dorset easily accessible. The supermarkets and shops are close by in Street with the beautiful Cathedral City of Wells offering more specialist shops. Bridgwater and the county town of Taunton are also within easy reach. What we can offer you Our Strengths Our Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Music group Active bell ringing band Two Lay readers One PCC Friendship Working together Rural parish Rural parish Ageing congregation Small core doing most of the work Thank you for your interest in our parish of the Polden Wheel and villages of Ashcott, Burtle, Catcott, Chilton Polden, Edington and Shapwick. Young families who are active in other churches Study groups building on our lent courses Working population Relationships with schools Updating website and developing the use of social media Affordable housing project Insufficient resources to keep 6 church buildings open Visit our website at Page 7