PROFILE of St. Mary & St. Peter s Church Claydon & Barham

Transcription

1 PROFILE of St. Mary & St. Peter s Church Claydon & Barham St. Peter s Church Henley St. Mary s Church Great Blakenham 1

2 Bosmere Deanery and St. Edmundsbury & Ipswich Diocese Table of contents Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7/8 Page 9/10 Page 11/12 Page 13 Page 14 Overview and Challenges & Weaknesses Person specification and what we can offer Priest group and service patterns The Rectory St Peters Church, Henley St Mary s and St Peters Church, Barham St Mary s Church, Great Blakenham Priest Grouping Profile and The Bosmere Deanery Growing in God and The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich 2

3 We are full of vitality and enthusiasm and we have a desire to communicate the love of God. We could be the parishes for you! The Parishes of Claydon & Barham, Henley and Great Blakenham. This group of three distinct parishes has the following strengths:- We are hungry to grow and willing to adapt and engage with new ideas to enable this to happen. A good solid ministry team is already in place, consisting of two Self Supporting Minister s (SSM s), two Readers and one Elder. This team works well together and is looking forward to new leadership. There is much diversity within the parishes and all three parishes have individuals with roles in the wider church and within the deanery/diocese Three cared for church buildings with a well maintained, centrally placed Rectory. We have a long track record of paying our Parish Share. Our churches are involved in the wider communities and have good links with local schools, where we are always made to feel welcome and desire to deepen the already good links. Two parishes have choirs. There are very good Mothers Union branches integral and active in two of our churches and the wider community. There are Ecumenical links with Christians of various denominations coming together to pray, worship and study. Challenges and Weaknesses:- Working collaboratively together could be improved. The church communities do not reflect all age groups and we are especially keen to encourage families with young children in particular. Need to travel and work across the three parishes, which are all in different benefices. A car is essential. Grasping the opportunities that the church of Great Blakenham has and to grow in an expanding community and to link communities together within the village. 3

4 We would like our new incumbent to:- Lead and support the congregations and enthuse us in the spiritual development and pastoral care of the churches and engage with rural communities mixed with a suburban population. To develop with us a vision for outreach to our parishes and villages by being visible within the church and local community. Relating to and working well across all age groups in the churches, local schools, sheltered housing residents, local nursing homes and the wider parishes. Provide leadership which releases, encourages and supports the ministry team, embracing each PCC s expectations that SSM s, Readers and Elder will continue to play a significant role within the churches. Support our existing active policy of encouraging the commitment of baptismal families and showing consideration for re-marriage in the church. Have modern communication, administrative and organisational skills. We would like our new incumbent to have a great sense of humour and enjoy their ministry and savour the journey with us. Henry Moore Madonna and Child war memorial to those from Claydon who died during the second world war. The work was commissioned by Sir Jasper Ridley in 1948 and stood in Claydon Church until it was closed in

5 The group of parishes can offer; Support for the priest in their ministry and willingness to offer care and friendship for them (and their family). Support and encouragement in your work life balance. A strong foundation with a willingness to grow. Support and participation in worship, welcome and services. Active encouragement with new ideas and challenges. A willingness to adapt. Active and sociable communities we like to eat, drink and be merry together. We look forward to welcoming our new priest in charge and we will uphold them in our prayers. The Priest Group The Parish of Claydon and Barham, although a combined ecclesiastical parish are actually separated civil parishes. They are all within the Bosmere deanery. Changes within the Deanery have led to a priest grouping of Claydon and Barham, Henley and Great Blakenham. All parishes are suspended pending re-organisation. The area covered by the priest group has the following; Amenities: There are four pubs, two hotels, a post office, bakery, hairdresser, travel agent, estate agent, paper shop/convenience store, co-op grocery shop, garage and a doctor s surgery, craft club, Women s Institute and senior citizens group. All parishes have village halls and other areas where we can draw the community together. As a community there are a number of active associations Four Communities Action Group led by the church and Age UK for parishioners 50+ comprising of book group, art club, luncheon club, knitting group, men s group, as well as a silver surfers computer group, scouts, brownies, drama group, yoga, football, bowls club, cycle speedway club, tennis. Providing support for the Ipswich Soup Kitchen which includes running the soup kitchen on a Sunday evening. Housing: There is a mixture of privately owned and rented housing. There is also a nursing home, two areas of sheltered housing and two assisted living schemes for people with learning difficulties. Employment: The area in the main is a dormitory for people who work in Ipswich and beyond. There are some local businesses which are mainly medium to small businesses as well as some agricultural work. Schools: There are two pre-schools, one nursery, two primary schools and one high school. 5

6 Service Pattern for the Three Parishes Monthly Pattern Claydon & Barham Henley Great Blakenham 1 st Sunday Said Communion st Sunday Communion 2 nd Sunday Said Communion Parish Communion 3 rd Sunday Said Communion Community Worship 4 th Sunday Said Communion Parish Communion 5 th Sunday Said Communion Family Communion Said Communion Family Service Communion (Time and Service can vary) Family Communion Evensong (BCP) Communion (Time and Service can vary) Individually Arranged Further details of each service can be found in the individual parish profiles Our average attendances are; Claydon & Barham 61 at the main 10am service and 7 at the 8am service. Henley - 32 Great Blakenham 10 Barham Hall Band Concert 6

7 The Rectory The rectory is a modern spacious house with a large garden. It is situated in the village of Claydon, which is centrally placed within the priest-group villages. The house, built in 1960 s comprises of:- an office, two reception rooms, kitchen and a toilet on the ground floor, with four bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. The garden is mostly laid to lawn and has a long history of being used for the Claydon and Barham Church Summer Fete. Further information:- Henley Website: Barham Website: Great Blakenham Website: Suffolk Churches: A monthly community news magazine is distributed in all three parishes, although all parishes are not covered in each magazine. 7

8 ST PETER S CHURCH, HENLEY St. Peter s is an attractive thirteenth century church nestling in the heart of a very friendly and welcoming village, with the churchyard providing easy access from one side of the village to the other. The Church is active within the village community, and as in many other villages, church members wear many hats and are evident in the organisations throughout the village. The village also offers a small but excellent primary school (with a recent outstanding Ofsted report) and a popular pre-school. Both draw children from a wide area. A modern, centrally located Community Centre provides facilities for all ages. It is home to a senior Citizens Club, Women s Institute, Bowls Club, yoga, football club, Folk Music nights, needle work group, W.E.A, drama group. Housing in Henley comprises 228 dwellings, made up of privately owned modern detached/semidetached houses and bungalows, older cottages, farmhouses and council/housing association residences. The local public house is close to the village boundary, but at the moment it is closed. The village shop and post office closed some years ago, but the garage has recently been refurbished and re-opened providing a good asset to the village. Although predominately a rural and farming area, with some small industrial units, most people travel out of the village for employment. The local bus service to and from Ipswich runs twice a day. Henley Church is strong in the community and is well supported by villagers, if not always by attendance! Many well attended fund-raising events take place during the year. These contribute to the social life of the church and the village as whole. Our monthly Vestry Café, which offers a produce stall, refreshments and light lunches, is particularly popular. Our enthusiastic congregation enjoys a wide variety of services. Each month four different services are offered; the fifth Sunday is often used as an opportunity to enjoy a fresh approach according to the liturgical season. In addition to regular services, children s workshops have become popular events at Christmas and Good Friday. The Good Friday workshop is followed by a walk for both adults and children along local footpaths, arriving back at church for a Service at the Cross in the churchyard. Lent classes are held; also lay-led Compline services throughout Lent and Advent. Our thoughtful Remembrance Sunday Service is always very well attended. Our Choir is made up of young people led by a very talented choirmaster/organist. They were delighted to have the experience of recording a CD in 2006, including a variety of favourite anthems. Their contribution to our worship is much appreciated by visitors and church family alike. Active groups within the Church are the Ecumenical Prayer Group; two Mother s Union groups, Pastoral Group and an enthusiastic Flower Arranging Team. Recently we have had to suspend our Seekers Group (Sunday School) due to diminishing numbers, but workshops for the children are still held at Christmas and Easter. Children are always encouraged to take part in our services. Our young people run a monthly Fair-Trade Stall after the Family Communion service. 8

9 Our church tower has an excellent peal of eight bells with Hastings stay fittings. The tenor unusually weighing 8cwt. Although we do not have a full team of ringers, several people meet to practice ringing the bells each Saturday morning and will ring for special occasions. The church clock was refurbished in 2005 and is now electronically controlled. Henley Primary School holds its annual Harvest Festival and KS2 Nine Lessons and Carol s service in church. Our active PCC recognises the challenges of providing for different age groups and we look forward to our new incumbent:- Being visible in Henley Enjoying and encouraging flexible patterns of worship and supporting diversity. Supporting our existing active policy encouraging the commitment of baptismal families and showing consideration for re-marriage in the church 9

10 ST. MARY & ST. PETER S CHURCH, CLAYDON AND BARHAM Location The villages of Claydon and Barham are two separate civil parishes but very much one single community, and are situated approximately 5 miles to the north west of the county town of Ipswich. The church is located on the brow of a hill away from the main population in the village of Barham. There are excellent road connections to London, the Midlands and the North as the A14 runs through the parish. The Church History The Church is a Grade 1 listed building and contains a Henry Moore Madonna and Child war memorial to those from Claydon who died during the Second World War. The work was commissioned by Sir Jasper Ridley in 1948 and stood in Claydon Church until it was closed in The four bells in the tower are dated 1587, 1639, 1683, and A hall with kitchen and toilet facilities was added to the church in This provides the church with an area to meet and socialise after services or for special occasions. An additional car park outside the church yard was purchased in 2004 to increase the parking capacity. Services and Church attendance The life of the church is centred on its Sunday worship which is well attended. There is a lively, friendly and active membership. The Church and its membership are very much an integral part of the whole community. The PCC is active and meets on a monthly basis. Communication with the church membership is aided by a weekly pew sheet and with the whole community via an assured entry in the Community Newsletter delivered to every home for free. The established pattern of worship is a Said Communion service at 8am and sung communion services at 10am, apart from once of month when a Community Worship is held. Each month we have a First Sunday Communion which aims to be particularly suitable and meaningful to all ages and all church experiences. The Remembrance Sunday, Carol Service, Service of Light and Midnight Mass service all attract large congregations. We have a tradition of holding an afternoon service in the redundant church at Claydon during St Peter s tide each year. We hold a monthly midweek Sunshine Service in the village hall on a Thursday morning. This service is open to all but draws its main support from the Young Families Group. Apart from these and major festivals, midweek services are limited to regular monthly services held in the local nursing home and sheltered accommodation units. Provision for Young people The PCC strongly believes that the future of the Church depends on encouraging and educating young people in the Christian faith. This includes; MU project for Young Families. 10

11 Monthly mid-week Sunshine service Good Friday workshop and service Easter overnight vigil and breakfast 3 day J-Team holiday club YCC youth group Visits by Claydon Nursery, Claydon Primary School and Claydon High School to the church Open The Book in the local primary school Involvement in school assemblies Primary school leavers assembly Youngsters involved in choir Collective at Claydon High School during lunch time meeting for years 7-11 in partnership with CYM. The annual three day J Team holiday club attracts between primary school aged children each year. Easter and Christmas cards are personally addressed to 144 children who have attended J Team and/or workshops. Associated Church groups There are two Mothers Union branches (one that meets in the afternoon and the other in the evening) and the Young Families group, these are a source of strength in the church life. MU members continue to be a reliable resource for most major events. Finance and fundraising The church is financially healthy and has never failed to pay its allocated parochial share. Each year a budget is set by the PCC which results in a target minimum average weekly giving figure. Progress against the target is monitored throughout the year and publicised to the whole congregation Our firm policy is that the mission of the church should be funded by regular giving and not fundraising. We use fundraising events to finance maintenance and development projects on the church building and grounds. We do believe that fundraising events should be fun and are an opportunity for outreach to the wider community. Our major events are a Village Fete, an open air band concert and a Christmas Bazaar. As a result of our efforts over the years, and with support from English Heritage and other grant bodies, the church is well maintained. J-Team Closing Service 2015 J Team

12 ST MARYS CHURCH, GT BLAKENHAM The Village Great Blakenham is a growing village which is situated close to Jct 52 of the A14. The village is divided by the main railway line to Norwich. Peterborough and Cambridge. The River Gipping runs along the borders and the B 111 between Stowmarket and the Al4 corridor passes through the heart of the village. The 2011 census showed a population of 1,237 but many new houses have been built since, and further development is ongoing. Amenities There is a local pub which serves food, a good village hall and a parish room, both of which are well used by villagers and the wider community. Attached to the village hall is a recreation ground with a children s play area. There is also a local football team, a cycle speedway team and a bowling club. The area is covered by the local Gipping Valley walking routes which are frequently used. Housing The 2011 census recorded 536 households within the village and these are a mixture of privately owned and rented. It is estimated that the total number of homes may now be closer to 700. There is also a mobile home park with approx. 69 residential homes for people over the age of 50, all of which are privately owned. There is a care home for 7 people with learning disabilities which is run by Cephas Community Care. A member of the ministry team and other members of the congregation visit this home on a monthly basis to engage in community worship. Employment There is a waste incinerator, a chicken processing plant, a paper recycling firm, a metal recycling firm, radio station and also two industrial parks which provide some employment. Residents also commute to Ipswich, Stowmarket and in some cases to London. The 2011 census showed that approximately 20 percent of the population is retired. Schools There is no school but there is a mother and toddlers group in the village hall. The Church Building The Church is a c. 900 hundred year old Grade 1 listed building. The interior is small, but has a serene and peaceful atmosphere. There is a well supported 200 club which raises money to enable the fabric of the church to be kept in good repair. Separate to the church is the Parish Room which is owned by the church and run by a small committee. This room is well used by members of the parish and wider community. There is an Arts and Crafts group, a meet and eat group offering fellowship and refreshment, a newly formed and growing Women s Institute group, plus the Church s own regular gatherings. 12

13 The Church in the Community At the present time, the Church is suffering from a downturn in attendance but the PCC is positive in its approach to try and help with this by holding many community functions, most of which are well supported. The Church has introduced a Community Coffee Morning on the second Saturday of the month in the Parish Room: this is to offer time to meet other villagers, enjoy coffee and cake and share fellowship in a relaxed atmosphere. The PCC has plans to widen the appeal with Harvest-style events to encourage support from the wider community. The PCC's Assessment of Parish Strengths are; A core of people who want to see the church remain open with regular services. Currently implementing flexible patterns of worship to include all ages and cater for all peoples needs with both traditional and modern worship. Areas for Development Try for greater outreach. With a new housing estate in the process of development it is intended to have a presence outside of the regular Church activities, ensuring awareness by the wider community of the Church s function and existence. A slow but sure method is to be adopted by the PCC to try and encourage additional interest in the work of St Mary s: the small PCC will be expanding the awareness of the church during the interregnum to take it forward. A growth area is a possible Sunday School or Summer School Club which would need support, but a small start could grow into positive youth or children s work. To make sure that newcomers feel welcome and are able to find their way through what may be unfamiliar worship. The PCC would like to develop its pastoral care role within the local community and is formalising possible ways to expand this area. To establish better links of communication with the three (should this be two?) other churches and with the wider community and business links. Talk by historian Roy Tricker 13

14 Priest Grouping Profile People (2011 Census) Claydon / Barham Henley Great Blakenham Population % 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% Claydon Barham Henley Great Blakenham 20% 10% 0% Source: Church of England, Parish Spotlights The Bosmere Deanery Age profile of parish population. Situated to the west of Ipswich in the Sudbury Archdeaconry, the deanery is intersected by the A14 and A140 trunk roads and in easy reach of everywhere. The deanery is named after the ancient Hundred of Bosmere and centred on Needham Market Bosmere Deanery consists of 24 mainly rural parishes which mainly serve the area of the Diocese known as Mid Suffolk. The Deanery works closely together at every level and it should be noted that the chapter meets fortnightly. 14

15 Growing in God The Diocesan Vision for Growth encourages individuals and church communities across the diocese to become more engaged in God s loving involvement in the world. The report on which it is based was accepted by the Diocesan Synod in June 2014, and sets out four priorities for growth: o Growing in Depth: responding to the call of Christ in every part of our lives o Growing in Number: drawing the contacts we have into the life of God s kingdom o Growing in Influence: reaching beyond ourselves in our impact on the wider world o Growing Younger: building churches whose age-range reflects our communities. In the autumn of 2015 each benefice was invited to use the tool The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich The Diocese was founded in 1914 and covers an area of 1,400 square miles, which is broadly coincident with the County of Suffolk. It has a population of 631,000 of whom approx. 25,000 identify themselves with the Church of England and 19,000 attend church services regularly. The diocese has a wide range of communities within it from small rural villages to urban centres such as Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket. There are many areas of historic interest within the diocese such as Sutton Hoo, West Stow and the ruins of the old Abbey at Bury St Edmunds where the barons of England met in 1214 and swore to force King John to accept the Charter of Liberties now known as the Magna Carta. As one of the youngest Dioceses in the country it has, nevertheless, a well-established tradition of witness to the Gospel, of out-reach work in the community and a wide ranging support and development programme for both clergy and lay members of the church. The Cathedral Church of St James is at the centre of the town of Bury St Edmunds. Most of the diocesan administration is based in modern offices in the Suffolk county town of Ipswich, about 17 miles to the east of Bury St Edmunds. Here a small team provides general support to the parishes particularly in the administration of finance and property. There is excellent support from the diocesan education team, youth team, ministry and many other support ministries which are organised from bases around the diocese. For more information, please click on St Peter s Church, Claydon 15