Address: Main Street, Calverton, Nottinghamshire. Church Office: Wardens: Jill Howard, Ray Braddow The

Transcription

1 Address: Main Street, Calverton, Nottinghamshire. Church Office: Web: Wardens: Jill Howard, Ray Braddow Patron: The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham Deanery: Gedling

2 Contents Statement from the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham and Archdeacon of Nottingham Statement from Gedling Deanery Welcome to St. Wilfrid s - Who are we? Our Vision Where we are and where we want to be The person we seek Fact File Calverton Schools Facilities The Church The Congregations Church Life The Vicarage Church Organisation Page 2.

3 THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM GROWING DISCIPLES WIDER, YOUNGER AND DEEPER A statement from the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Williams and the Archdeacon of Nottingham, the Venerable Sarah Clark The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of Nottinghamshire and five parishes in South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million 51% live in the greater Nottingham conurbation, 31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252 parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and licensed lay workers. In 2016 a refreshed diocesan vision has been embraced across the diocese, recognising the imperative for Growing Disciples: Wider, Younger, Deeper. Wider in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any community: urban centre; outer estates; rural villages; or market towns. Younger in that we will seek fresh ways to harness the boldness and creativity of children, students and young people across the diocese, not least in Nottingham which is the 4 th youngest city outside London. Deeper as we grow in knowing Christ, so that as his disciples we can be an increasing blessing to the people among whom we live and serve in the workplace, family and community. The Bishops Senior Staff, Bishop s Council and Diocesan Synod have demonstrated their clear commitment to sharing in all aspects of this vision and strategy. In autumn 2016 more than PCC members attended 5 vision evenings around the diocese. We have discerned a series of emerging priorities that will facilitate growing new disciples in every parish across the diocese. Compelled by the love of Christ by 2023 we will seek to: Welcome 7000 new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church Commission 1000 younger leaders (especially year olds) equipped and inspired to serve the purposes of God in the Church and society. Plant or graft 75 New Worshipping Communities (NWCs) across the diocese to increase our reach in telling the story of Jesus to all. Grow 25 larger Resource Churches with clear commitment to develop leaders, plant New Worshipping Communities, and disciple the young. Serve and pray together as 1 Church contending for the gospel in every community and sphere of public life in our city, county and region. In this new chapter every parish has an opportunity to review its role within the diocesan mission, so that it can play a significant part in the strategic commitment to Growing Disciples wider, younger and deeper. Calverton is an attractive opportunity for an inspiring and engaging priest. There is in place a firm foundation of partnership between the laity and their clergy, of working strongly together to grow new disciples and share Christ s love with their community. Building on this foundation the priest called by God to Calverton will find the people of St Wilfrid s actively working to enable that person to flourish in life and in ministry and also open to being released yet further in ministry themselves. This is a great time to be the next Vicar of Calverton. Bishop Paul has said: It is my hope that each worshipping community will develop a compelling picture of its own future in God s purposes with an expectation of growing numerically and in the scope of its mission. It is my prayer that the new Vicar of Calverton will have the creative leadership and imagination to develop discipleship, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in its locality. November 2016 Page 3.

4 Statement from the Gedling Deanery The Area Dean, Lay Chair and deanery chapter look forward to working with, and getting to know, the new vicar of St. Wilfrid s, Calverton. Gedling deanery covers a population of 104,000 covering urban, suburban and rural areas. It currently has 22 churches, 16 full time equivalent clergy posts including curates, 10 active retired clergy and over 30 active readers. After a long period of stability it is going through a period of transition with clergy retiring/moving and new appointments being made. The deanery has working groups exploring initiatives on prayer, ministry to older people and ministry amongst children and young people. It is developing its global Anglican links with the diocese of Matana, Burundi and all PCCs in the deanery contribute to a Gedling deanery scholarship student at the Bujumbura Christian University. The parish of Calverton is part of the 13-strong villages group of Gedling deanery (see blue boundary). It is one of the largest parishes in the group shaped by its rural history and former coal mining industry. The deanery leadership would expect the next incumbent to be an active participant in the mutual learning across the villages group. Like some other churches in the deanery, Calverton has been growing numerically. It has seen a significant number of people come to faith and be confirmed over the last five years. It has much to teach the deanery about helping people on their journey of faith from contact with the church through to commitment to Christ. The PCC are keen that that the prioritisation of intentional evangelism and the focus on growth should not be lost while also enabling all members of the church to grow to maturity in Christ. Calverton is a lively place where many aspects that create a flourishing community are available within the parish. This also has an inherent danger that the congregational life could be isolated and selfcontained rather than engage in the wider issues of the deanery and diocese. However, positively, the vision of reaching the new housing development and possibly planting new worshipping congregations would create important lessons within the deanery that all could gain from. The diocesan strategic vision of growing disciples; wider, younger and deeper raises the important question about how the new incumbent imagines they will encourage discipleship in areas of the parish that have historically not been reached. St. Wilfrid s have consistently achieved 100% parish share in spite of having few reserves. They have been an example of trusting in God to meet their needs. We would expect that the new incumbent to be an advocate for sacrificial giving and the priority of 100% parish share payment. Throughout the year there are three types of deanery chapter meetings; a) Informal clergy lunches for discussion and prayer (four a year), b) Longer daytime meetings three times a year to worship and pray together, to share good practice in growing disciples and discuss wider mission and ministry issues (three a year) c) Wider ministry chapter with retired clergy, readers and recognised lay ministers (one a year). We would expect the next incumbent to make these a priority and join with us on the next phase of our deanery journey. Page 4.

5 Hello, and welcome! Thank you for your interest in our Church Profile. We hope that this will help you to discover a little bit about Calverton, the people at St. Wilfrid s and our journey of faith. Perhaps through this you will be encouraged to get to know us better, and if so we would love to meet you. As we look for someone to help us to go further, it is our prayer that God will guide both ourselves as a church and the person he is calling to take us on in our journey together. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 We think that you will find in St. Wilfrid's Church Calverton, a church that has something for everyone and almost someone for everything. However, one thing is missing... could it be you? Who are we? What is Calverton like? Calverton is like an old pair of slippers, comfortable and friendly. John Bowmar What s important to the community? Word Cloud from Open Day about what is important to our local community Page 5.

6 What is St. Wilfrid s like? St. Wilfrid s is like the changing seasons: there s something for everyone, a time for everything, a continuing cycle of love and growth. A church parishioner Lovely. Nobody frowns when we rush in late for the service! E.Quilty I really like going to church, it is bright and warm and each class gets to lead a service. Lucy age 7 It s family orientated and I believe it is trying to be evangelistic. Nick St. Wilfrid s is a meeting place where things happen. It s a visible symbol that the Church of England is alive and relevant, perhaps more so today than ever before. Jim, new attender Good traditional services, no one makes you imagine you re a grapevine. Everyone is enthusiastic and we get biscuits. Ned age 14 Three words make up St. Wilfrid s for me: Welcoming there s always someone waiting at the door with a smile. Pretty I love the artwork by children, the flowers and stained glass windows. Holy it has the feeling that God might happily live here! Kitty age 11 Page 6.

7 What would we want our Vicar to be like? I would like the new vicar to be friendly, funny and help make the message relevant to where I am. Michael age 15 Our new vicar must be kind and polite and they definitely must have a good sense of humour! Mary age 7 Page 7.

8 What is our story? Many events have shaped the church over the past 20 years, not least the broadly evangelical and charismatic witness of its Vicars, Revd Peter Hill, Revd Pat Hemstock, and our Associate Priest (retired) Revd Michael Taylor. Amazingly, God draws people to one or other of the services and somehow through the church meets their concern. A typical story is that of Jon Shaw who was drawn to come to church simply to restore the church bells for the Millennium. As a result, he found faith and is now a Reader. The bells have since called others to faith, and continue to proclaim the presence of God in the community. There are many similar stories, some more dramatic. Paul who came to Christ after seeing a vision of Jesus and now works as an evangelist. Elsie who, resurrected from crippling mental illness, became a Reader serving in her latter days in our church. Another Paul, who after a spontaneous 24- hour church prayer vigil, came through a brain operation against all odds, and came to Christ through our Alpha course. Tackling much needed re-ordering of the church building in united the church in a common purpose bringing together members of different congregations. Sandblasting of the internal walls revealed the beautiful variety of 12th century stonework. Several people independently voiced this as a picture of our church, each stone like each member unique but vital to the building. Page 8.

9 Our vision About four years ago as a church we undertook a major visioning exercise. The vision that emerged is outlined in the boxes. We aligned the running of church changing our structures to support our vision. Many people responded to take up roles in initiatives to bring about the vision: revamping our welcome, developing Junior Church, crèche and Youth Music groups; running regular Alpha courses and the expanding numbers of home groups as a result. This has continued. During Lent 2013 we took on the theme of Becoming the People of God and after a subsequent Jobs Fair began Messy Church which now attracts around people. Members of our 6.00pm congregation Page 9.

10 Living the vision The main outcome of all this we believe has been that we have become a more welcoming church. People who come to visit us seem to stay. We have grown to become comfortable with all types of people; valuing diversity including different perspectives on church tradition. Working together has led to a growing respect and love for one another, as we are all part of the same family. We have embraced the Diocesan mental health awareness and inclusivity agenda. Our hope is that all who come to us can somehow find a home. Having seen some remarkable answers, our church has deepened in its practice of prayer. Prayer ministry is at the heart both at services, through a band of intercessors and within our home groups. Members of our Youth Music group became Philippa Hanna s backing singers when she performed in our church Our church has also grown in number and diversity reaching many through the wider activities that many participate in throughout the week: Messy Church; home groups; Alpha; Youth Music and Youth Drama groups; afternoon teas; as well as services in the week in and outside of church. We have many who are new to faith and some new-comers who have wider church experience. Page 10.

11 Where we are and where we want to be As a church we embrace the Diocesan strategic focus of Growing the Church, younger, wider and deeper. Here we assess where we are in relation to this and the opportunities open to us. Wider Where we are Alpha courses New home groups Bereavement support group Concerts, events and coffee mornings Outside ministry to Calverton Hill (Medium Secure Mental Health Unit) and Springfield Lodge (Nursing Home) Chaplaincy to Royal British Legion (Revd Michael Taylor) Publications (Parish Magazine / Calverton Echo) Challenges and opportunities Reaching the unchurched in our local community. Communications better harnessing web and social media to communicate our activities to a wider audience. Expansion of the village significant increase in the local population (1500 homes). Use of the new village hall. Younger Where we are Crèche Junior Church Messy Church Youth Music Group Youth Drama Club Growing number of young families attending church Strong link with C of E Primary school and some historical and ongoing engagement with other schools Challenges and opportunities Whole church needs to engage more with young parents. Without a church hall, facilities for our young people are limited and we need more people to support some of the activities. Small numbers of older teenagers with limited opportunity to engage with church based activities. Opportunity to engage further with other schools in the village. Deeper Where we are Large number of home groups Prayer ministry, monthly notes Lent course PCC / Church Away Days Church week-end at Walesby, Nottinghamshire Churches Together Developing and affirming people in their roles within the church Training for welcomers, intercessors etc. Supporting Readers in their development Challenges and opportunities Supporting home groups with material Many new Christians wanting to understand their faith better New people coming to faith, preparation for baptism and confirmation Developing leaders, recognising people s gifts and allowing them to find expression within the church, or support for their use beyond. The PCC has committed to explore the possibility of adding a church hall to the church as a major future project join us at the start of what could be a very exciting journey! Page 11.

12 The person we seek We have grown and we continue to sow the seeds of further growth. We now need somebody to nurture, tend and harvest all that this caring, welcoming and diverse church community has to offer. We need an enabler who will come alongside us, someone who will meet us where we are and help us to find the way to where we want to be (see previous section). We are looking for someone who will help us play to our strengths and who will receive support from us to play to theirs. This person will: Help build a church of deeper faith and understanding which reaches out in compassion and humility to all in our growing village Support people to recognise, develop and find space to use their gifts in service of the church and the community Inspire and relate to all who engage with church in different ways (for example young families) Help us to communicate a living faith in Jesus with those beyond the church door, and by example be an active and visible part of our local community, whether through schools, clubs or pastoral work Provide clear leadership, helping the church to focus on what is most important, and be unafraid to take risks Work collaboratively and strategically with staff and all who serve the church with some role or level of leadership Value diversity and sensitively support members across all congregations whose personal backgrounds and spiritual needs vary. If you think God may be calling Why not try this? Prayerfully walk across Spindle Lane (between Bonner Hill and the top of Georges Lane). You will get a great view of the village and you may find God speaking Have a drink at one of the local hostelries The Gleaners or the Admiral Rodney and take in the atmosphere. Access The Echo and discover what is going on: Mystery shop one of our services they vary but we are who we are (by the grace of God!) The beautiful views from Spindle Lane many parishioners feel close to God here Page 12.

13 Fact File Calverton Area and demography Calverton is a rural village located three miles north of Arnold, a suburb of greater Nottingham. The parish consists of the village of Calverton including land stretching west to the A614. Location of Calverton Until the 1950 s the village was agricultural with a stable population of around 1,000 people. With the development of mining and a local textile industry it rapidly expanded to 6,000. Today the village reflects its rural, textile and mining history. A recycling plant and two small industrial estates continue to provide local employment, but many also work outside the village. A mixture of housing association and privately owned houses (mostly semi-detached homes built as estates) account for most of the housing. In the late 1980 s a commuter belt of private housing (of mostly detached homes) developed around this with further new housing development at the north-west end of the village over the past 2 years. The Local Plan includes proposals for 1,500 new homes which will mean significant expansion. The people of Calverton have a mixture of social backgrounds. There are many families with strong local roots (Nottingham Insight, 2010) largely employed in the local building, service or public sectors, and a growing number of professionals who have moved into the area in more recent years. Page 13.

14 Schools Within the village are the following schools: Manor Park Infant and Nursery; Sir John Sherbrooke Junior; Saint Wilfrid s C of E (VC) Primary; Colonel Frank Seely Comprehensive School ( ). There are strong links with St Wilfrid s School. The Incumbent is Ex Officio a governor. Previous Incumbents have had a significant involvement with the life and work of the school. We expect this of our new Incumbent. The school makes use of the church building for worship and for curricular activities. A number of children from St Wilfrid s Primary School move on to The Minster C of E (VA) school for their secondary education. We have occasional links with Manor Park and Sir John Sherbrooke. We have little contact with Colonel A message from the Head Teacher at St. Wilfrid s CofE Primary School Frank Seely although there We benefit from a reciprocal relationship with St. Wilfrid s Church and we are have been links keen to enhance our existing provision with the new appointee. in the past. We would look to our new Incumbent to seek new ways to strengthen the links between our schools and the church. Just outside the village is Salterford House School, an Independent Preparatory School (3 11). This school uses St Wilfrid s Church for its celebration services particularly at Christmas & Easter. We offer Support for church based groups and activities youth music/ drama groups, participation in special services and fund-raising events. Opportunities for members of the church community to take part in school life open ended invitation to school events/ productions, contributions to the school curriculum and positive role modelling. Use of our equipment/ facilities when required hall space for Churches Together events, loan of musical instruments and staging. A communication network for promoting church events/ activities we have 214 children from 160 families providing instant access via or text message. A purposeful forum for working with other churches in the village all the local churches support our curriculum and the Baptist minister is a regular contributor. Well-established mutually beneficial links with key members of both organisations especially worship, music and drama. We are looking for involvement in the life of the school... Regularly leading collective acts of worship. Contributing to the annual plan for worship and assembly in school. Supporting our curriculum. Prioritising attendance at school events/ activities. Becoming a proactive governor. St. Wilfrid's School is a vibrant place where there is a rapid annual turnover of events and activities. We would like to feel that the next incumbent is a contributor to our dynamic organisation, welcoming opportunities to make an active contribution and prioritising us in their busy lives. Ian Bullock, Head Teacher Page 14.

15 Facilities Calverton is a thriving community with a variety of local amenities including a brand-new Village Hall, a Library, a Post Office, a Health Centre, Pharmacy, hair and beauty establishments, two small supermarkets (Sainsbury s and Co-op), an independent butcher, charity shops and a variety of fish and chip shops and take-aways. There are also places to eat out including a highly regarded Chinese restaurant, (Springwater). Calverton has 2 public houses (The Admiral Rodney, and The Gleaners) and two clubs: Calverton Miners Welfare (the Top Club ) and Calverton Working Men s Club (the Geordie Club ). The village has a local petrol station and two garages. Calverton has its own leisure centre with sports, gymnasium and swimming facilities. There are two golf clubs (Ramsdale and Springwater). The village has a cricket team. The surroundings of Calverton provide ample opportunities for walking. There is also a popular local arts centre at Patching s Farm. Plenty of space to ramble Page 15.

16 The Church Demography The local demographic profile shows an over-representation of older people compared with the England average. However, this has been changing as recent development has attracted more young families to the area. These patterns have been mirrored in the Sunday congregations that attend St. Wilfrid s, but with an Location of members on Electoral Roll under-representation of older teenagers. There are over 180 adults on the church Electoral Roll. Many associate with the church through Messy Church, lunch clubs, social events, schools and home groups. Members of the community who do not attend services nonetheless frequently regard St. Wilfrid s as their church, as evidenced by the high numbers of baptisms, marriages and funerals. St. Wilfrid s continues to strive to reach out to people who are under-represented in our church congregations. The pattern of services Sunday 8.30 am Holy Communion [Common Worship (CW) Order 2] am 1st Sunday All Age Worship [An informal family service] 2nd Sunday Holy Communion [CW Order 1] 3rd Sunday Morning Prayer [CW Order 1] 4th Sunday Holy Communion [CW Order 1] 5th Sunday Morning Prayer [CW Order 1] 2 nd -5 th Sunday Junior Church (term time only) 6.00 pm 1st Sunday Holy Communion [CW Order 1] Thursday 3rd Sunday Evening Prayer [CW Order 1] 5th Sunday Evening Service [variable] am - On the first Thursday of each month there is a Holy Communion [CW Order 1]. Page 16.

17 St. Wilfrid s is a member of Calverton Churches Together and works with the Roman Catholic, Methodist and Baptist churches to share a service quarterly and to run a mid-week joint Lent course. Service Statistics Average Sunday Attendance 8.30 am am 6.00 pm Adults <16yrs Adults <16yrs Adults <16yrs Up to (to Oct) Up to 6 Occasional Offices Funerals* Weddings Baptisms Confirmations (to Oct) * These figures do not include funerals taken outside church, such as at a crematorium. Ministry Team We are blessed to have a retired priest, Revd Michael Taylor who is carrying the weight of maintaining the pattern of services during the vacancy. We have two Readers, Jon Shaw and Nick West and one Reader in training, Peter Cansfield. St. Wilfrid s Church very much the heart of the community for residents of Calverton as they journey through life Page 17.

18 The Congregations Attenders at St. Wilfrid s come from a variety of backgrounds (Anglican and non-anglican, including Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal and nonchurch). Although people gravitate to different styles of service, the congregations are by no means exclusive. The most fitting metaphor for the church is probably that of a happy family with all its variety of ages, views and contributions, held together with love. Longer standing members young and old, who tend to be more traditional in their focus, tend to prefer the more reflective 8.30 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. services which are a said service or with organ music. The a.m. service is more family oriented, making use of contemporary worship styles. This congregation gives space for all ages to participate (including All-Age Worship led by a team with music provided by a Youth Music Group). Members frequently share their personal experiences. There is therefore a balance of worship styles and services across the day to meet the needs of all members. A warm welcome at the 6.00pm service Youth Music lead All Age Worship each month Page 18.

19 Church Life In the week, there are many groups that meet for friendship and fellowship, including five home bible study / discussion groups, a bereavement group, a banner group, bell ringers, a choir (mostly now around Christmas), a worship group, a youth music and a youth drama group. There are also regular social activities such as afternoon teas and celebratory events. A regular youth group reaches out to younger people in the village. Supported by our local older people s support charity Voluntary Outreach Work (VOW) and a pastoral care team, there are weekly outings for older folk. Once a month Messy Church attracts attendees. It has been our pattern also to run Alpha courses twice per year and Seed Scattering evangelistic week-ends every other year. From music to drama, bell ringing to Messy Church, there s something for everyone at St. Wilfrid s! Page 19.

20 History The church building is of considerable historic interest. Parts of the church date back to the 11th century however the majority of the church is 17th century. It is a Grade 2 listed building. The Domesday Book of 1086 records that Calverton had a church and a priest. Nothing for certain remains of this Saxon Church, but it was probably on the same site. The Norman piers supporting the chancel arch are the oldest standing parts of the present building. They have been dated as pre-1160, but in the capital of the north pier is a carved panel that takes us back to a far more remote period of history. St. Wilfrid Carving This records the first establishment of Christianity in Calverton, when St Wilfrid of Ripon, patron saint of Calverton (as of many other villages in this area) accepted the invitation of Wulfhere, Christian King of Mercia, to assist in the evangelisation of his kingdom in about the year 666 A.D. St. Wilfrid, who was Bishop of York, is shown giving the blessing after the baptism of a convert, who is depicted naked, new born from the waters of baptism. The William Lee Annexe built in 1962 commemorates the traditional link between Calverton Church and the inventor of the stocking frame. The church bells date back to The Church originally had 4 bells the oldest dating back to 1623 but more recently in 1997 the bells were augmented from 4 to 6 with the assistance of a grant from the Millennium Commission and a local fund raising campaign. Local artist Sheila Wood designed a window for the chancel depicting the Light of the World. This was installed in During the church underwent a major reordering. Facilities were updated to improve accessibility, disabled facilities and to provide hospitality within the church. Since, there have been repairs to the tower and the church clock, such that there are currently no substantial outstanding fabric issues. For more information visit: Stained glass windows designed by local artist and lifelong church member, Sheila Wood Page 20.

21 The Vicarage The Vicarage is a spacious family home near to St. Wilfrid s Church. It is also close to all local amenities including schools, shops, health centre and the regular bus service to Nottingham via Arnold. Briefly the property has: Entrance Hall, Breakfast Kitchen, Lounge with partition to Dining Room, Large Study (Parish Office) Utility Room with Pantry and Walk-in Store Room Ground Floor W.C. with Cloakroom Four Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Separate W.C. Drive to Parking Area and Garage Large Garden to Front and Rear The vicarage has been extended to incorporate the parish office. The office is regarded as an integral part of the church resources and is used by the parish administrator working 9 hours per week. This has fitted in with the open home style of ministry exercised by previous incumbents. However, the church recognises that this arrangement may need to be reviewed in the light of the needs of an incoming Vicar. Page 21.

22 Church Organisation Structure As with all Anglican churches, we are overseen by the Parochial Church Council chaired by the incumbent (currently by a Deputy Church Warden). The Parochial Church Council has two subcommittees with delegated responsibilities for the day to day running of the church in accordance with the agreed policies of the whole PCC: a finance group; and a fabric group. In alignment with our vision, a coordinating group brings together lead people who link with those working in the key areas to ensure support and, where necessary, oversight. The relational diagram below illustrates this. This has helped lay leaders to take on responsibilities and enabled the PCC to retain a strategic decision making focus. Page 22.

23 Finances As of time of writing of the Annual Report the church has 95 people enrolled on the regular giving plan. The church has always met its Parish Share in recent years, though often with little to spare. Giving has increased as we have made it an aspiration and a reality to give away 10% of church income to outside charities. We present here a summary of the account for the last financial year. Page 23.

24 Page 24.

25 Policies Safeguarding The church is proactive in ensuring DBS checks, and ensures child and vulnerable adult protection and safeguarding training is undertaken by all involved in care. The safeguarding lead role was previously the responsibility of the incumbent and during the vacancy is being covered by one of the Church Wardens. Health & Safety The Parochial Church Council has ensured that the church has Health and Safety policies and procedures in place and the lead officer is one of the Deputy Church Wardens. Tithing of Church Income The Parochial Church Council took a decision 2 years ago, as a part of its vision to reach out to others, to give away 10% of all church income to charities. We have now established relationships with the Church in Burundi, Bangalore and also support the local homeless charity Framework. Discretionary Fund The Parochial Church Council has approved a small discretionary fund for the incumbent to meet immediate needs of parishioners as he/she sees fit. Jane Pepper Trust (Historic Trust) The incumbent is also the de facto chair of the Jane Pepper Trust which makes funds available for the poor of the parish. Infant Baptism We welcome requests from all parents for infant baptism. Baptisms are usually carried out on Sunday at p.m., or if more appropriate during the a.m. Sunday service. Holy Communion The church invites all visitors who take communion in their own churches to participate in Holy Communion. It has also been policy to allow children to receive communion before confirmation in line with Diocesan guidelines. Remarriage The Parochial Church Council supports the remarriage of people at St. Wilfrid s where appropriate. Couples are considered on an individual basis. Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure St. Wilfrid s has been served by ministry from both men and women. We fully support the ordination of women and their equality with men within the church. The Parochial Church Council would wish to see appointed to the position of Vicar the best person irrespective of gender. Page 25.