Arden Valley Group of Churches PARISH PROFILE

Transcription

1 Arden Valley Group of Churches The Diocese of Coventry PARISH PROFILE Page 1 of 26

2 BISHOP S INTRODUCTION Recent rounds of consultations with rural parishes across the Diocese have shown the deep commitment of most to them to engage with the reality of mission and ministry in the 21 st century with creative energy and godly resolve. Each group of village churches is unique, and will need to assess how they can serve and reach their communities in their own particular ways. It is humbling and inspiring to see our rural churches rising to this challenge of contemporary mission. The Arden Valley group is no exception. I think you will find in their Parish Profile a genuine desire for where these church communities would like to be and a disengaging honesty about their desire for help to get there. The Group of churches have not worked a great deal together but they are a wonderful group of people with whom it should be a delight to work. And to live in this beautiful part of the country is sheer gift! The Diocese of Coventry is a forward-thinking Diocese which likes to allow innovation and creativity. We would welcome applicants who would like to join us in creatively engaging with our rural churches and communities as we seek to extend the kingdom of God in rural Warwickshire. I commend this post to you. With my prayers Page 2 of 26

3 DEANERY SUMMARY A warm welcome from the Alcester Deanery awaits the person God sends to join the Churches of Arden group. Our Deanery is situated in rural Warwickshire and has a vision for ministry built upon the diocesan priorities to worship God, make new disciples and transform community. Alcester Deanery is increasingly being focused on the importance of lay and clergy being inspired to work together, and there is a need to be at ease working with our many small but faithful church families who have varied styles of worship. Currently, the greatest challenge to the rural church is ageing church congregations, and there is a pressing need for an enthusiastic and open- minded approach to explore new and appropriate ways of ministering and doing mission in the countryside. The Deanery is committed to supporting the three-fold Diocesan Mision purpose of Worshipping God, Making New Disciples and Transforming Communites by implementing Natural Church Development principles. Although the role of Area Dean is vacant, a situation we hope to rectify shortly, the Chapter continues to meet monthly. The clergy are in good spirits and find these meetings helpful and supportive. They provide valuable opportunities for sharing faith, prayer and fellowship as well as growing a common heart for mission and learning. We very much look forward to welcoming to our mostly rural Deanery a colleague who will face the challenges and share the joys of rural ministry alongside us. Page 3 of 26

4 BACKGROUND TO POST The post of Rector to the Arden Valley Group of churches has become vacant following the retirement of the previous incumbent. He had been the Priest in Charge of the old United Benefice of 3 churches since In 2006 two larger parishes were added, and in 2013 the Arden Valley Group was formed. A year later the incumbent was made Rector. The Arden Valley Group is situated in a delightful part of south Warwickshire close to Stratford-on- Avon and the county town of Warwick, with its adjacent major transport networks. Whilst the 5 village communities share many similarities, there are specific talents, needs and ambitions within each of them. There are 3 PCCs 1 Norton Lindsey and Wolverton with Langley total population c700, 2 Snitterfield - c1200 and 3 Bearley - c724, which have tended to operate independently. To help the parishes grow individually and collaboratively for the benefit of all, will be one of the opportunities provided by this post. We are perhaps typical of many rural churches; small in number, elderly, and predominantly female with traditional service patterns. We want to be more inclusive, vibrant and attractive to newcomers, especially the younger generation. We would therefore welcome a priest who will help us in achieving these aims. ROLE SPECIFICATION The role of this post is to lead the 5 churches in fulfilling the Diocesan Mission Purpose of: Worshipping God Making New Disciples Transforming Communities. This will be achieved by developing 8 Essential Qualities in the lives of healthy churches: Empowering Leadership Gift-oriented Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Holistic Small Groups Need-oriented Outreach Loving Relationships Functional Structures Page 4 of 26

5 PERSON SPECIFICATION We therefore welcome applications from priests who will help us in delivering the 8 Essential Qualities and in growing us spiritually and numerically, and who: Have experience of attracting families and young people into the life of the church (preferably in a rural context) and creating worship which is inspiring for all particularly the young. Have developed significant levels of lay leadership across all ages in the ministry and mission of the church. Have navigated effective change resulting in spiritual and church growth. Are able to develop a sense of partnership across the 5 churches in worship and outreach. Have an affinity with and enjoy the benefits of living and working within rural communities. Are able to maintain a good work balance and enjoy life. THE ARDEN VALLEY GROUP OF CHURCHES AND THE 8 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES We have undertaken the Natural Church Development (NCD) survey over the past two years, and are growing in our understanding of what and how each essential quality affects the life and health of our churches. The initial relatively small sample taken may not have given a true picture. We would readily admit that at first sight the survey results do not look encouraging, but we ask that potential applicants view our potential, as well as us viewing theirs! We acknowledge that much work is to be done if we are to change and attract more people to our church communities and need guidance to develop further. Empowering Leadership In rural areas much depends on the abilities of lay leaders, and there are a number of our members who regularly take responsibility for leading worship, preaching and intercessions. However, there have been no discernible processes established to identify and develop the skills of people who would be capable of taking on leadership responsibilities other than the minister recognising and encouraging participation in services and working groups. We would welcome an incumbent who would enable more training and support for our existing leaders and identify and train into leadership those of a younger outlook. We respect tradition but recognise that there are new possibilities and would value a priest who can love us and at the same time help us adapt, change where necessary, and create new opportunities where appropriate. We believe that the opportunity for personal leadership mentoring and development is possible in these relatively small parishes in a way that would not be possible elsewhere. Page 5 of 26

6 Gift-Oriented Ministry Everyone in our congregations has the opportunity to become involved in the life of their church and is encouraged to do so, though the age profile of our members and the small numbers means a lot of the day to day work of the churches rests with only a few people. Having said that, most people enjoy the tasks they are given or volunteer for e.g. Churchyard maintenance, cleaning, flower arranging groups etc. and look forward to working as part of a team. Members are encouraged to take part in services, reading, leading intercessions and preaching. Many residents of the villages feel very connected to their local church and contribute with support and time, even though they may not regularly attend the worship services. We do acknowledge the time and effort put in by others, thank them openly for what they have done, and pray for them. We only have a few children and younger adults in our churches so it is difficult to maintain momentum though the leaders of our youth groups, Sunday schools and toddlers group are enthusiastic and fully committed to the work they do with our young people. There have been regular groups of young people prepared for confirmation. Everyone agrees that we want our churches to grow and flourish including young people and young adults so we would welcome help with how to achieve this. Mothers & Toddlers Group Passionate Spirituality We want the spiritual temperature in our churches to be raised! We would wish to present a caring, loving and spiritual faith to all in our communities but need help to discern what this should look like and how to make it effective and relevant, especially amongst younger people. There are opportunities for members to pray together and some members are trained to lead services and prayer sessions. Some will pray openly and thank God openly. Prayer slips, on each pew, can be filled in by members of the congregation, or visitors, asking for prayers to be said for themselves or others. A prayer group meets on the first Monday evening of each month at Snitterfield and monthly in Norton Lindsey, Wolverton and Langley. Page 6 of 26

7 Inspiring Worship We are currently traditional in most of our church services. Robes are worn for all services of Holy Communion, marriages, funerals and major festivals. People in each village associate strongly with their local churches which are full for the annual festivals (Christmas, Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest, Rogation, Wakes and Remembrance Sunday), but there are smaller congregations for the regular services through the rest of the year. The Adoration of the Shepherds Each Church and parish has its own programme of services, with rotating joint services every 5 th Sunday in the month. However we have found that people prefer to worship in their own churches. We have found changes to the regular services inspiring, especially with the involvement of young people, or when lay members lead. We also appreciate the contribution made by our retired clergy, our two Readers, and visiting clergy. A small group of parishioners of St James church with a member of the clergy are looking at the format of the services during the main festivals, in order to make them more appealing to members of our communities. A group of parishioners, from all five churches, get together to form a choir for major festivals and in particular for Christmas. Joint choir rehearsal Snitterfield School hold Easter and Christmas services and joint fundraising events in the church. The children are always very excited to be in church. Wolverton School in Norton Lindsey has a regular harvest service in church and are organising other visits as part of its curriculum. Pathfinders, for children aged 10 years and over, meet at Snitterfield for games, fun, Bible teaching and worship twice a month during the 11:00 am service. Explorers, for children under 10 years of age, also meet twice a month at the same time as Pathfinders. Norton Lindsey Sunday school meets monthly during the Family Service A small number of the local children do attend monthly Sunday school, at Norton Lindsey, and we would love this to increase. We do attract some visitors to our churches particularly with the link to Shakespeare s family in Snitterfield and the Through the Church Door scheme in Norton Lindsey. Visitors to services are always made to feel most welcome and a number of publications on the history of each church are available for them to take away. The occasional Baptism or Wedding brings a number of visitors of all ages to our churches. We make the most of these evangelistic opportunities. Page 7 of 26

8 Holistic Small Groups There are a number of small groups operating in each church, including Explorers and Pathfinders in Snitterfield, monthly Sunday school in Norton Lindsey, bible study and Lent groups, home communion, bell ringing, choirs, prayer groups, fund raising and church hall groups. Some of our church congregations may be classed as faithful small groups, and there is a high level of trust between members. The number of people in each group varies throughout the year but most of the congregations are part of one or more small groups. Choir practice Need-Oriented Outreach Each of our beautiful and historic churches has a special place for people in village life, and we believe that our parishioners serve their communities as good neighbours. There are many and varied activities that help meet the needs of others. The villages of Snitterfield and Bearley support the local foodbank with collection points in both churches and at the village stores. The collections and delivery of goods is organised through St James by members of the congregation. Wolverton, Norton Lindsey and Langley have supported the Leamington Christian Mission and are now helping the Salvation Army through gift services and donations. We are lucky to have a member of the congregation in Snitterfield who is a local organiser of Fairtrade and all our churches are committed to using where possible Fairtrade products. Regular Tradecraft sales are held in the church hall and at the Christmas Fair and Village Fete. Bearley Harvest Supper We give annual donations to a number of charities at home and abroad, and church members are involved in village organisations, home and care home visiting, taking home communions, a weekly lunch club is run by the Verger for the lonely and elderly at Bearley, school and nursery visits, Advent and Lent bible groups, mothers and toddlers. The churches are well represented in village life e.g. Summer fete and Christmas fairs, Harvest Suppers, pantomimes etc. There are small trust funds available to support people in need in our parishes in Wolverton and Langley. However, we do not have any processes for identifying the needs of the community and this is something we need to work on. Whilst most people attending church join with an existing faith we take the opportunity to reach out and welcome people during life events e.g. weddings, baptisms and funerals. We work hard to ensure our churches are looking clean and tidy; with everything in place and visitors welcomed openly. Page 8 of 26

9 Courses are held for those considering confirmation. At the recent annual Snitterfield village show a quiet area was set up where people can come and talk about the work of the church and pray with members of the congregation. As an example of successful outreach last year we welcomed a family one of whom was considering going into the ministry and wanted experience of another church. He became a valued member of the church giving of his time and skills in our worship and is now training to become a Rector. Loving Relationships We are fun to be with! There is a considerable amount of laughter within our churches and we are friendly communities to belong to. We make it a priority to welcome newcomers to our churches. All new families, when they move into the parishes are visited and welcomed. Since the formation of the Arden Valley Group of Churches it has at times been difficult to bring the congregations together. However during this period of the interregnum we are beginning to work together for our common benefit. When there is a 5 th Sunday in the month there are two united services held at each church in rotation, and on occasions is followed by a bring and share lunch. New friendships and associations have been made and slowly people are getting used to the new arrangements. Our congregations are largely representative of the ages, ethnicity and social background of the individual parishes. However the range is very much towards the older age groups and much more work needs to be done to inspire young people and young adults to become involved in our churches. Functional Structures The atmosphere at each parish s PCC meetings is generally very cordial, business like and increasingly more spiritual, though maintaining historic church buildings and trying to cover financial liabilities does tend to dominate agendas. The findings of the 8 Essential Qualities survey were discussed in detail by each PCC and actions agreed. This has helped shape the agenda for our meetings but is not always at the forefront of our thinking and is something we clearly need to review. Annual Meeting- Norton Lindsey and Wolverton with Langley The age profile of the PCCs is towards the upper age limit. We are aware that the structure of the Group will need to be reviewed when the new Rector arrives, and we are open to reflecting on what structures might be more appropriate as we learn to work together. Page 9 of 26

10 A joint diary meeting is held twice a year when the Churchwardens, PCC Secretaries of each Parish and the incumbent get together to discuss the pattern of services and any key requirements to ensure the Rector or a Reader is available to officiate at the services as appropriate. Various means of communication are used to keep the congregations informed about what is going on in our churches including a Parish magazine delivered monthly in each village. The Churchwardens team have put together a list of contacts for each parish. A 3 monthly duty rota is produced to show who is reading, leading intersessions, organist etc. In each church operational issues are dealt with routinely by Church Wardens and PCC Secretary who meet regularly. Page 10 of 26

11 THE ARDEN VALLEY GROUP OF CHURCHES The Arden Valley Group of Churches consists of 5 churches. Holy Trinity, Norton Lindsey St James the Great, Snitterfield St Mary the Virgin, Bearley St Mary, Langley St Mary the Virgin, Wolverton Location The Arden Valley Group of Churches is located in Warwickshire just a few miles north east of Stratford upon Avon and close to the county town of Warwick. The five churches are all within 5 miles by road of each other. There is easy access to the M40 and M42 motorways and there are mainline railway stations at Stratford, Bearley and Warwick. Coventry Cathedral and the diocesan offices are 15 miles away. Langley The area is well served with good primary and secondary schools. There are a large range of employment opportunities both locally and within Warwickshire as a whole. Stratford upon Avon and the Royal Shakespeare Company are just a short distance away and the historic town of Warwick nearby. Page 11 of 26

12 Bearley We are a friendly commuter village with good transport links. For community events there is a village hall with a Social Club on the outskirts of the village. There is a park with an excellent play area. The village is built in two distinct, but linked areas. A good sense of community exists within the village, centred on the church and other organisations. Organisations within the village which act as focal points for all the community include: cricket & football club, gardening club, history society, lunch club, rifle club, short mat bowls club, sports club, table tennis club, village hall and WI. Forest of Arden Hedging & Ploughing Competition Regular members of St Mary s are members of some or all of these organisations. Short mat bowls club The village is surrounded by farm land. There are a number of businesses in the parish including an agricultural machinery business, Countrywide store, double glazing company, golf club, gliding club, social club, specialist food company and a vineyard. Page 12 of 26

13 Norton Lindsey and Wolverton with Langley The parish focal points are the three churches, Wolverton Primary School and church hall, Norton Lindsey church room, village hall, playground, playing fields and cricket club and Langley church hall. Other village organisations include 3 Parish Councils, Langley Amenities Association, Wolverton School PTA, WI, Wednesday Club, cricket club, Norton Lindsey junior football club, Norton Lindsey Stilton Sniffers, Norton Lindsey Brownies, dominoes club and table tennis club, Wolverton Rainbows, Brownies and Guides. Norton Lindsey village is currently in the process of purchasing for community management the Village Pub The New Inn. Our churches are situated within the heart of beautiful rural village communities and Norton Lindsey and Wolverton Churches have been sites of worship for over 1000 years. Visit of Bishop John to St Mary the Virgin Wolverton The original United Benefice was created in 1925 and covers an area of 5.5 square miles containing the three villages and three hamlets which together are mixed communities of farming, professional services, artisan and retired people. The population is approximately 700 people across the age spectrum. The church parish boundaries do not coincide with the civil parish boundaries, but embrace a larger area. As a result, many people who are resident of neighbouring parishes regard themselves as belonging to our communities and indeed some are on the electoral roll. Norton Lindsey Cricket Club Page 13 of 26

14 Snitterfield Snitterfield is a large village (population 1,226) with a village store, The Snitterfield Arms public house, sports and social club, village hall, playing field, 3 floodlit tennis courts, bowling green, 2 children s playgrounds, Snitterfield School and Nursery. Snitterfield Village Fete Snitterfield is a thriving community with a healthy mix of ages and families and a reasonably balanced social mixture of occupations, personal beliefs and interests. There are a number of small to medium size businesses in the village including village stores, fruit farm, B&B s, two small business parks, car dealership, domestic fowl trust, garden centre, electronics company, hotel and golf club and vineyard. This is a rural village with a mix of small and large farms. Clubs and organisations: bowls club, cricket club, community café, garden club, junior football club, lunch club, neighbourhood watch, parish council, rural cinema, scout group, Friends of Snitterfield School, Snitterfield Actioning Climate Change - environmental group, gliding club, tennis club, lunch club, WI and youth club. Snitterfield Bowling Club Page 14 of 26

15 Population - Population statistics (taken from the 2011 census) Holy Trinity Norton Lindsey St James the Great Snitterfield St Mary the Virgin Bearley St Mary Langley St Mary the Virgin Wolverton Total Population Village Male Female Age Households Total Owned Mortgaged Shared Rented Religion Christian Buddhist Jewish Muslim Sikh Other No religion Non stated Ethnicity White Mixed race Asian Black Other Unemployment Male % Female % Areas of work Wholesale % Professional % Education % Health & Social work % Manufacturing % Accommodation % Agriculture % Norton Lindsey village is split across Warwick and Stratford District Councils so statistics are difficult to identify accurately. Page 15 of 26

16 BUILDINGS Holy Trinity, Norton Lindsey Holy Trinity, a grade 2* listed building, has a Saxon font which is all that remains of the original building. The chancel and nave date from 1208 with the addition of a north aisle and vestry in 1874 and 1880 respectively. It is built of grey sandstone in the gothic style with a tiled roof. Its seating capacity is 115 (in pews). The windows are filled with high quality, late Victorian stained glass of which the large East window depicting the Transfiguration is outstanding. We have recently retiled the North slopes of the nave and chancel and re-leaded the North aisle and vestry roofs. CCTV has recently been installed in the adjacent church room for services which exceed our seating capacity and a hearing loop has also been installed. The clock chimes have been reinstated along with automatic clock winding. Norton Lindsey Church Room is a small brick building with a slate roof dating from It lies alongside the churchyard on the site of the old vicarage. There is a small kitchen area which has been renovated and modernised and new curtains are on order. The church room is managed by a separate committee approved by the PCC. It is regularly used for a weekly Mothers and Toddlers group and village meetings, e.g. Parish Council and WI committee. The 3 churches of Norton Lindsey, Wolverton and Langley hold an annual Summer Fete which is well attended by local villages and has a presence at the Norton Lindsey Village Fete with a stall. On Sunday afternoons in July and August, as part of our Through the Church Door project, delicious tea and cakes are served to villagers and visitors and tours of the church conducted. Last year 212 people attended these sessions, 136 villagers and 76 visitors. The churchyard commands beautiful and extensive views across the countryside and is used for burials, there is a separate Garden of Rest for the internment of ashes. Page 16 of 26

17 St James the Great, Snitterfield A grade 1 listed building. As with all grade 1 listed building a considerable amount of time, effort and money is needed to maintain the fabric of the church. A new lighting system was installed at the beginning of In the last 10 years the roof has been fully restored and some of the stonework replaced. The stained glass windows have been restored and protective grills fitted. The building of the church was begun towards the end of the 13 th Century and continued for more than 150 years. The interior of the church was much changed by the Victorians in the mid-19 th Century. The church has close associations with the family of William Shakespeare. His grandfather worshipped here and his father John baptised here. Richard Jago the poet became vicar here in 1754 and is buried under the centre aisle. The quinquennial inspection has just been completed and the report has highlighted a number of improvements that need to be made including lifting and relaying the block flooring to the side aisles at a cost of around 35,000, repairs to stonework c. 16,000 and work to stained glass windows. The church is open 365 days a year from 9am to 6pm/dusk for visitors to look around, for private prayer and a quiet place for meditation. The graveyard was closed 3 years ago with no burials having taken place in the previous 100 years but is still open for the internment of ashes. The village cemetery is situated close by. There is a modern wooden structured church hall within the churchyard which has a meeting room, kitchen and disabled toilet. St Mary the Virgin, Bearley St Mary's is a grade 2* listed small "single cell" building, (18.0 x 6.5m) which seats about 60 people and is in good condition. It was re-roofed in 2004 and re-plastered and decorated in 2007/8. There were no serious qualifications in the 2015 Quinquennial Inspection. There is no toilet or kitchen facility, but we are actively considering installing a dry composting toilet (we have water, but no main drains!) immediately outside the building. Page 17 of 26

18 The church goes back in parts to the 12 th Century but was significantly rebuilt in the Victorian era and again remodelled internally in the 1960 s. A leaflet giving visitors details of the church and services held has been produced and is available free. Used on at least 48 Sundays for services and we celebrate all the major Festivals as well as occasional baptisms, funerals and weddings. We hold coffee mornings and occasional concerts in the Church. The graveyard has been closed for many years, apart from an area for the internment of ashes close to the building. The Parish Burial Ground adjoins the graveyard, it is almost full. We have a good relationship with Bearley Parish Council over joint responsibilities (grass cutting/ access etc.). The Millennium Window St Mary, Langley The Torre Trust exists to provide maintenance and insurance of the building unless it is no longer used for divine service in which case the land including the Village hall reverts to the original landowner. St Mary s was built in 1890 predominately from brick with a tiled roof and a seating capacity of 40. A striking feature is the Epiphany window. The church is dedicated and not consecrated. The church hall is on the same site and dates from about 1880 and is run by the Langley Village Amenities Association under the supervision of the PCC. It is used for serving refreshments after services, harvest supper and for social and fundraising events. Page 18 of 26

19 St Mary the Virgin, Wolverton St Mary the Virgin, a grade 2* listed building, was built in 1208 mainly of lias rag stone with a tiled roof. It has many features of interest including a barrel roof, some ancient glass, a rood screen and 15 th century font, a large East window mainly of plain glass and a sanctuary handle. It can seat 100 people. The churchyard is used for both burials and internment of ashes for the villagers of Wolverton and Langley. Major repairs to the bell tower and roof have recently been completed. Wolverton Church Hall was built as the central hall for the United Benefice and is a wooden building about 80 years old and located in the heart of the village. It is also used as Wolverton Village Hall and has been renovated and provides excellent facilities for parishioners and is available for hire. The hall is run by a management committee under the jurisdiction of the PCC. The hall is used for church and village meetings, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, fundraising events and social gatherings e.g. harvest supper, church fete and village pantomime. Page 19 of 26

20 Vicarage Church Road, Snitterfield, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0LN. The Vicarage is directly opposite the church. The accommodation is a brick and tiled two-storey, 4 bedroomed, detached family house with gas-fired central heating and double glazing enjoying a very pleasant position in this popular village. Ground Floor: Entrance Porch & Hall with wood block floor, storage cupboards and coat hooks Study 13'9" (4.19m) x 10'10" (3.30m) with built-in cupboards and bookcase Inner Hallway With block floor Cloakroom with WC and wash hand basin Living Room 20'0" (6.10m) x 11'9" (3.58m) with open fireplace Dining Room 11'9" (3.58m) x 9'11" (3.02m) Kitchen 14'0" (4.27m) x 9'10" (3.00m) with stainless steel double drainer sink unit and extensive range of wall and base cupboards and electric cooker Utility Room 9'10" (3.00m) x 6'0" (1.83m) with quarry tiled floor, wall shelving, floor-standing Worcester gas fired central heating boiler. Door to rear Lobby and Fuel Store First Floor: Landing with airing cupboard Bedroom 1 17'3" (5.26m) x 11'10" (3.61m) with double built-in wardrobe and cupboards Bedroom 2 13'0" (3.96m) x 10'10" (3.30m) with pedestal wash hand basin Bedroom 3 11'9" (3.58m) x 9'11" (3.02m) with double built-in wardrobe Bedroom 4 14'1" (4.29m) x 9'10" (3.00m) with recess having fitted hanging rail Bathroom with panelled bath, pedestal wash hand basin and WC, shower cubicle, vinyl floor covering. Separate WC with wash hand basin Externally: A driveway leads down to the front of the property having access to the Garage 18'6" (5.64m) x 10'2" (3.10m) plus Workshop Area. Gardens to rear, these enjoy a very pleasant rural outlook. Aluminium framed greenhouse and wooden timber garden shed. Page 20 of 26

21 Services Our current monthly pattern of services is as follows (services requiring the incumbent are highlighted in red): Holy Trinity Norton Lindsey St James the Great Snitterfield St Mary the Virgin Bearley St Mary Langley 1 st Sunday 2 nd Sunday 3 rd Sunday 4 th Sunday 5 th Sunday (when this 8.30am BCP 11.00am CW 9.30am BCP 10.00am Family Service 8.00am BCP 11.00am Morning Praise 9.30am CW 6.00pm Evensong 6.00pm Evensong 11.00am Morning Praise 9.30am CW 11.00am CW 8.00am BCP 11.00am Family Service 6.00pm Evensong 10.30am Morning Prayer 9.45am CW occurs) United Communion Service held at each church in rotation United Evensong Service held at each church in rotation St Mary the Virgin Wolverton 6.00pm Evensong Summer months only 11.00am BCP 11.00am CW In addition a communion service is held every Thursday 10am at St James the Great Snitterfield. This results in the incumbent being responsible for no more than 3 services each Sunday and 1 service every Thursday. We are willing to consider changes to this pattern. A united service is held every 5 th Sunday of the month, when this occurs, at each church in rotation. Licensed Readers and other Support We are privileged to have two licensed readers. One Reader is based solely at St James the Great and is a member of General Synod (House of Laity). Our other Reader leads and preaches in all five churches of the Arden Valley Group, exercises funeral ministry, conducts Communion by Extension and exercises pastoral ministry through Home Communions and Visits and is also a member of the Alcester Deanery Synod and Coventry Diocesan Synod. The PCC Secretary of Norton Lindsey, Wolverton and Langley is also a member of both the Alcester Deanery Synod and Coventry Diocesan Synod. We have been fortunate, during this period of interregnum, to have had the support of a number of local clergy and appreciate all they have done for us. Page 21 of 26

22 Statistics for Mission 2015 Holy Trinity Norton Lindsey St James the Great Snitterfield St Mary the Virgin Bearley St Mary Langley St Mary the Virgin Wolverton Baptisms Weddings Funerals Average weekly attendance adults 1 child adults 4 children adults adults adults Bell Ringers St James Snitterfield has a small but dedicated group of people, under the leadership of the Tower Captain, who train on a Thursday evening and ring on most Sundays and for weddings, funerals and special occasions. We belong to the Coventry Bell Ringers Guild and we frequently welcome ringers from other churches. The church has a full set of Hand bells and a group of villagers, young and old, get together to practise playing them and will play them at services in the run up to Christmas day. Hand bell practice Page 22 of 26

23 School Links Wolverton Primary School The previous incumbent made occasional visits to Wolverton Primary School and took part in assemblies. There is a Harvest service held in church, and the school choir sing at the church fete. Some pupils are regular attenders at Sunday school and Family services. The school is keen to develop greater links with the churches and with the new incumbent. Snitterfield School Various visits are made to Snitterfield School by a number of members to help with religious lessons and to take assembly. The school holds Easter & Christmas services in church and there is a joint fundraising fair at Christmas in the church. Some of the children are learning to play the hand bells for their Christmas services. Joint Christmas Fair Page 23 of 26

24 Ecumenical Links In addition to St James the Great in Snitterfield there is one other church in the village - the Methodist church. Outside the confines of the village, but still within the Parish boundary, is located the Red Hill Christian Centre (a focus for spiritual and physical refreshment), the Guru Nanak Shrine at Babe Ke Farm, used for a celebration festival every year at the August Bank holiday and a Methodist nursing home which is visited regularly to take communion to the residents. There are no other places of worship in the Group. The parishes of Norton Lindsey, Wolverton and Langley hold an ecumenical service each year with a guest speaker and villagers who are members of other faiths are encouraged to join with us in this service. Administration There has been a study available in the vicarage with direct access but we understand that new guidelines for vicarages are that no parish offices should be based in the vicarage so we will have to discuss the implications of that. Each Parish is used to managing its own administration as much as possible, reducing the burden on the incumbent. Web-site: The Arden Valley Group has a relatively new website, which is updated by the Churchwardens. Parish Magazines The Link is a monthly church magazine mainly covering Snitterfield and Bearley and contains details of all services and advance notice of collects and readings within the Arden Valley Group. A small editorial team produces the magazine which is printed by a local printer and distributed to subscribers by members of the congregation. The Bearley Beacon is a bi-monthly village magazine produced by the Parish Council and is distributed to all residents in Bearley. There is a section on the PCC, church services and rotas etc. The Parish Magazine is a monthly magazine which provides communication and outreach to members of the villages of Norton Lindsey, Wolverton and Langley and includes church readings and Collects to help people prepare for attending services. There is a letter from the Rector, news from Church, Parish Councils and village organisations. Village magazine: The Snipe is a free glossy quarterly magazine distributed to all households within Snitterfield. Each village has a website with links to each church Page 24 of 26

25 Finance and Stewardship The table below summarises our financial situation in Full sets of accounts for the last three years are available on request. Parishes of Norton Lindsey, Wolverton & Langley St James the Great Snitterfield St Mary the Virgin Bearley Arden Valley Group of Churches Total General Income Planned Giving Gift-Aid Fundraising (eg fetes) Grants General Expenditure Parish Share Contribution Unrestricted Reserves Restricted Reserves Any special considerations, future expenditure etc Repairs to Tower Repairs to block flooring Installing toilet During the year a number of fundraising events take place in each Parish. We are well supported by the parish councils when funds are available. Last year Snitterfield Parish Council contributed 1000 towards the upkeep of St James Church and 300 towards the cost of the Link magazine. The local environmental group Snitterfield Actioning Climate Change gave 1200 towards the cost of replacing the old lighting with an energy saving LED system. Norton Lindsey Parish Council pays for the upkeep of the church clock and contributes to the upkeep of the grounds and churchyard. Friends of Bearley a fundraising group support the church with occasional donations. Parishes are expected to fund the costs of their own ordained ministry. This in effect means paying the full cost of all clergy. Currently the contribution for a rector with all ancillary costs is approximately 56,500. The Arden Valley Group of Churches recognises there is a shortfall between current contributions and the full costs. The Arden Valley Group of Churches is grateful to those churches elsewhere in the Deanery and Diocese who help to support our ministry. It is our every intention to contribute more ourselves towards these costs as the congregations grow. Page 25 of 26

26 FURTHER DETAILS For further information about the post please contact Area Dean, the Reverend Stephen Burch on tel: ( ). An application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan Website: Informal conversations welcome. Applications to be submitted by noon Friday 17 th March Interviews to be held over two days on Tuesday 4 th and Wednesday 5 th April. Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for this post. Page 26 of 26