Parish Profile. for. St Mary s Church Headington Serving the communities of Barton and Sandhills

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1 Parish Profile for St Mary s Church Headington Serving the communities of Barton and Sandhills Our Mission Statement We believe in sharing the good news of the Gospel and aspire to share the love of Jesus Christ in our community A strategic opportunity to lead St Mary's Headington in our witness to the love of God. We are placed at the heart of a part of Oxford which is growing, with 1000 new homes being built in the next three years as well as serving the unique communities of Barton and Sandhills. The role is that of an incumbent who will have the opportunity to be part of the leadership team of St Aldates Oxford.

2 Contents Foreword from the Archdeacon of Oxford 3 The Parish 4 Map showing parish boundaries 5 Statement from the Area Dean 6 Map show extent of the Cowley Deanery 6 Worship and Ministry 7 New developments for St Mary s 9 Parish activities 10 Living Faith 11 The Parochial Church Council 12 Finance 12 The Church 13 The Church Hall 14 Redevelopment plans 14 The Vicarage 14 What you will find here 15 What we hope to find in a new parish priest 15 Appendix 1: Partnership with St Aldates Oxford 16 2

3 Foreword from the Archdeacon of Oxford: Martin Gorick Barton is at a turning point in its history. An estate of significant deprivation is becoming more and more diverse as people of many nationalities and backgrounds, young professionals and academics find a home in this area of relatively cheaper housing. An established outer ring council estate has already been joined by new estates of more varied housing, and will now embrace Oxford s largest new area of housing in a decade, a whole new community is set to arrive. The church needs to be ready to receive them and help them find a home. St Mary s is at a turning point in its history. A church with an established tradition of broadly catholic worship it is entering into a new partnership with St Aldates Oxford, a city centre evangelical church open to the leading of the Spirit. We believe that the dynamism of St Aldates can be grafted into St Mary s deep roots in the parish in order to bear much fruit for God. A Vicar with all the rights and responsibilities of any incumbent who will live and work in St Mary s parish, but also be a valued member of St Aldates leadership team. Someone who can bring the realities of life in Barton and Sandhills into the life of St Aldates, and in turn be resourced by St Aldates, bringing their mission strength into the life of St Mary s. We believe that this partnership can bring great blessings to both churches as they work together for this great city. Oxford Diocese is one of the largest in the country, covering three counties, and Oxford city is a great place to live. The Diocesan Mission Statement is called: Living Faith. The diocesan vision is the transformation of all human life under God. The purpose is to join with God in creating a caring, sustainable and growing Christian presence in every part of the Diocese of Oxford, enabling every Christian and every Christian community to live and share the love of God, seen in the life of Jesus Christ. We re looking for a remarkable priest to lead God s mission and ministry in Barton and Sandhills at this turning point in the parish s history. Could that person be you? 3

4 The Parish The parish of St Mary s Headington is situated on the eastern edge of the City of Oxford. It has held parish status since 1983, originally being a Conventional District established in The parish serves the Barton and Sandhills estates (population c.7,000 rising to 10,000). The estates comprise social and private housing. There are two mobile home parks in the parish and some farmland. The Oxford ring road and A40 form the southern boundary, keeping the parish distinct from the rest of Headington. The parish is in an area which has seen considerable change in recent years. Barton remains categorised as an Urban Priority Area (UPA) and so significant social needs are recognised. However, with new housing already built and more about to be built the population of the parish is changing and the mix is becoming more varied. Barton and Sandhills retain much of their character as two of the outer estates of Oxford and therefore have a number of the features associated with such contexts. As a UPA, the Barton Estate has, in the past, received monies from the Single Regeneration Budget. The area has a significant number of unemployed people and pensioners. Key issues of concern in the area are Education, Housing, Single Parenthood and Crime & Disorder. We would want the new incumbent to be fully involved in the area and with outreach across the parish. Within the next few years the area of Barton will expand significantly with 1,000 new homes in an area to the west of the current estate. This new neighbourhood Barton Park ( will also feature new community facilities including a new park, improved allotments, a food store, a 'Community Hub', comprising a primary school (for 315 pupils), and flexible space for community services. Work on the site commenced in May The proposed site between Barton and Northway, to the north of the ring road, provides an opportunity to deliver much needed housing for Oxford. Other benefits include new transport links that will better integrate housing on the northern side of the A40 with the rest of the city and new community facilities which will benefit new and existing residents. With more people living in the area there are improved prospects for more viable services and businesses. There are also opportunities to deliver regeneration benefits to existing neighbouring communities. So it really is a new day. For St Mary s the opportunity and challenge is to serve both the existing and new neighbourhoods and to sustain a larger, flourishing congregation. There are two schools in the parish. The Bayard s Hill primary school (446 pupils on school roll - is opposite the church. The site also houses the Roundabout Centre, a wrap-around nursery, the Oxfordshire County Music service, a leisure centre and swimming pool. There is a sheltered housing establishment and a residential home for the elderly on the estate. The local Neighbourhood Centre provides various information and social services to the estate, including a Doctor s surgery, job and career advice, a cafe and Luncheon clubs. In addition, the estate provides recreational and leisure facilities such as a park, allotments, football and bowls clubs, shops, and a youth club. 4

5 The Sandhills estate is a residential area to the east of the Barton estate. It was originally part of the Conventional district and was the site of the first St Mary s church. It came back into the parish in There is a thriving primary school (306 pupils on school roll - but few other local amenities. Although a footpath links Sandhills to Barton, it too is cut off from Barton and the rest of Headington by the A40. A street prayers visitation campaign to the estate took place during 2013 but still only 3 members of the congregation come from Sandhills. Boundaries This map shows the local area and extent of the parish as of summer In November 2014 the parish boundaries were amended to include the Barton Park development (to the west) and the residential streets in Sandhills that were formerly part of the Shotover extra-parochial place (to the east). Source: A church near you 5

6 Statement from the Area Dean of Cowley: Tim Stead It is very much hoped that the successful candidate for this post will be willing to engage creatively with the Deanery of which they are a part and so here is a short introduction to Cowley Deanery. The Deanery broadly covers the eastern and southern parts of Oxford City. This is mostly a densely populated residential area but with huge diversity in terms of social mix. It contains 5 of the most deprived wards in the whole of Oxfordshire but some fairly well-to do areas as well. Such diversity means that, as a Deanery, we survive and thrive only through extensive mutuality and especially financial support for one another. The 13 parishes also have a degree of diversity in liturgical tradition but we find our common ground in our shared experience of ministering to our own local areas rather than being primarily eclectic congregations. Priorities recently suggested for areas we might work together on as a Deanery include: poverty; ministry in schools; migration and interfaith issues; the environment; isolation, loneliness and mental health. Contributions in any of these areas would be welcome in the Deanery. 6

7 Worship and Ministry The parish has evolved a liberal catholic, unfussy tradition. The Parochial Church Council wholeheartedly supports the ministry of both men and women. In addition to the Incumbent, there is a licensed lay minister, some retired clergy with permission to officiate and five members of the laity licensed to administer the chalice. The laity take an active part in the worship and ministry at St. Mary s, acting as servers, lesson readers and prayer leaders. The Sunday parish communion service at a.m. is the main service of the week. The order of service is derived from Common Worship. This is a sung communion service; a small, unrobed choir leads the music in church and usually provides an anthem during Communion. On the first Sunday of the month a more informal, family friendly communion service Bread N Wine was introduced by the previous incumbent. In recent years a Sunday school was in place, but currently is not provided owing to a lack of children attending regularly. We believe this situation could change. There is a regular weekday Eucharist on a Tuesday morning which once a month takes the form of a healing service. Sunday Evening prayer is held occasionally. Compline is said after Choir practice on the first Tuesday of the month. Weekday services are held on Holy Days such as Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day etc. All the major festivals, including Candlemas, Mothering Sunday, Pentecost, Harvest Festival, All Saints, All Souls and Remembrance Sunday are observed. Advent and Christmas services include Lessons and Carol Services, Midnight Mass and a Communion service on Christmas Day. Easter services include those for Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday, whilst Holy Week services include a Maundy Thursday Agape Meal & Eucharist, a short meditative service on Good Friday and an evening Easter Vigil Harvest Festival service on Easter Saturday. The Vision for all our services described above is that sacred, healing space be offered at the heart of our community. Occasional offices include Baptisms, Confirmations, Weddings and Funerals. In 2014 there were 13 Baptisms, 1 Confirmation 1 Wedding, and 10 Funerals. Communion services and a monthly Songs of Praise service are also held at the Townsend House residential care home. There are also two Bible study groups which meet monthly. 7

8 There is friendly ecumenical involvement with all churches in the Headington area, especially with the Churches Together in Headington group. St Mary s also takes an active part in the Cowley Chapter meetings and the Cowley Deanery Synod. There are several other Christian groups working in the parish. Headington Baptist Church meet in the Neighbourhood Centre. Churches of other denominations have used St Mary s for special services from time to time. St Mary s has been a training parish for some years, offering placements to students from the local theological colleges. These placements have provided mutually beneficial experiences. We hope that this arrangement will continue. There are currently forty-seven names on the Church electoral roll, of which approximately 30% live outside the parish. There is a regular and loyal, but aging, Sunday congregation of approximately forty which includes residents from Townsend House. St Mary s attracts a very diverse, multicultural / multi-ethnic congregation. Members come from a wide variety of backgrounds and from many countries including Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and Jamaica; others are long-time residents of the parish. As a university city we also have a small number of transient worshippers. Confirmation 2014 Many of the local community have goodwill towards the church. They appreciate the continuing presence of the church in the community and turn to it in times of need and celebration. However, regular church attendance does not come naturally to Barton residents. St Mary s has been an active church in the community, as was the previous incumbent. Examples of this included provision of messy church aimed at families with young children, street prayers conducted door to door where residents were asked if they had prayer needs, bingo evenings for the community and cooperation with other churches, in particular through the RE Inspired project which aims to supplement the RE curriculum in local schools, and with Churches Together in Headington. The new priest should be aware that Barton is a challenging area, quite insular, with low church attendance and little manifest interest in the Christian faith. We wait with interest to see what effect the new housing being built will have on this. 8

9 New Developments for St Mary's In 2015, at the initiative of the Archdeacon and Senior Staff of the diocese, a conversation began with St Aldates Oxford concerning a possible future partnership. St Aldates is a large city centre church with around 1000 people attending some of whom live in the Headington area. As a result of dialogue and careful conversation, St Mary's and St Aldates have agreed to form a partnership to further the ministry of St Mary's. The new incumbent, as well as leading St Mary's and being part of the Cowley Deanery, will have the opportunity to be part of the St Aldates leadership team, attending some team meetings and receiving support and encouragement. Some St Aldates members may be encouraged to join in with the work at St Mary's while respecting the style of Church. St Aldates hopes to benefit also from serving with a community with a different churchmanship and different sociological challenges. In this way, it is hoped that any sense of isolation can be wisely overcome. 9

10 Parish Activities Members of the clergy and laity take an active part in other activities within the parish. These include working with the local schools, serving as school governors, involvement in school assemblies, organising class visits to the church and using the church for special services, working with the children in class, especially with the RE Inspired project. They also work with and visit the residents of Townsend House, and take part in local neighbourhood events such as the Barton Bash, the Sandhills and Risinghurst Fete, the Headington Festival and the Churches Together in Headington Fun Day. Working with other churches in the area St Mary s actively supports Christian Aid through concerts, tea parties, Lent lunches and joint services. St Mary s takes great pleasure in putting on various social events throughout the year which are open to all. In previous years these have included Bring and Share lunches, the Dedication Festival lunch, Harvest Supper, Epiphany party, Pancake party, and Tea in the Churchwarden s garden. Tea in the churchwarden's garden Dedication Festival Lunch Other activities currently include a monthly Bingo session in aid of church funds, and a Book group. Our fundraising activities have included flower festivals, music concerts, Christmas, Easter and Summer Fayres, and participation in the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust annual Ride & Stride event. St Mary s church choir is affiliated to the RSCM and although small is very enthusiastic, and benefits from the accompaniment of our talented volunteer organists. The church is also used regularly by a small ecumenical choir for their rehearsals. 10

11 Living Faith is the Diocesan vision initiated by the former Bishop of Oxford. It consists of 5 strands: Sustaining the Sacred Centre Making Disciples Making a Difference in the World Creating Vibrant Christian Communities Shaping Confident Collaborative Leadership. During the last incumbency St Mary s tried to embrace this vision in the following ways, however not all were successful: Sustaining the sacred centre Growing disciples Varied praise and worship has been sustained Street prayers Healing services - laying on of hands & Eucharist Bible study groups Compline once a month Baptisms Guidance notes for readers Confirmation Street prayers Messy church Townsend House Songs of Praise RE Inspired project in local schools RE Inspired project in local schools Training students Prayer board Bread N Wine Bible study prayers Coffee, cake and chat New hymns Being visible Choristers prayer Tea and toast Home communicants Morning and evening office Collaborative leadership Sunday school The PCC Messy church Servers Junior choir Organists Growing vibrant Christian communities Intercessors Welcoming people to church Readers Caring for those with us Choir Other groups using the church Church cleaners Churches Together in Headington Flower arrangers Links with the Baptist Church Guides and Brownies Making a difference in the world Townsend House Songs of Praise service, Supporting Christian Aid Communion services Meadowbrook lunch club Supporting Asylum Welcome & Local Food banks Bingo RE Inspired project in local schools Coffee after the service Street Prayers Barton Bash Active involvement in local schools Sandhills & Risinghurst Fete Credit union (premises offered but not well attended) Some of these initiatives have struggled because of a lack of commitment from the congregation, others because of the current absence of young children in church. With an aging congregation we aim to find ways to encourage more families and children into the church. There is a sense in which our very survival depends on this and we look forward to the challenge. 11

12 The Parochial Church Council The PCC meets approximately six times per year to discuss Church business, and the Standing Committee meet regularly between full PCC meetings. In previous years a PCC Away day and a Quiet day proved very successful. There is a monthly, selffinancing, Church magazine with a circulation of c.100 and a Church Web site ( St Mary s also has a Facebook page ( St Mary's PCC 2015/16 Finance St. Mary s is an Urban Priority Area and so not a wealthy parish. A large number of our congregation and regular givers are pensioners. However, payment of the parish share has always been regarded as a priority. St Mary s has managed to pay its allocated share from the Cowley Deanery in full for many years. Our parish share for 2015 is 8,400. It should be noted that this is a significant reduction on previous years (for example 2014 was 14,138). This is a direct result of the introduction of a revised formula for calculation within Cowley Deanery in Regular mission giving is also important at St Mary s. Financial support has been provided to Christian Aid, US, the Children s Society and various local charities. A copy of the full Annual Report (with audited accounts) is available on request. 12

13 The Church The present church, designed by Nugent Cach le-Day, was consecrated in 1958, and occupies a prominent position on the Barton estate. The interior was redecorated and refurbished in 2010; new storage heaters were installed to supplement the overhead heaters, and the lighting upgraded. The exterior was repainted, and the roof made watertight. A sound system with induction loop facilities is installed, and disabled access is available at the South door. There is a small chapel dedicated to King Charles the Martyr at the east end, with stained glass windows. There is an Aumbry in this chapel. The Church has a two manual Nicholson pipe organ and the use of a grand piano. There is moveable seating to accommodate up to 100. A large area laid to grass, with young trees and shrub borders surrounds the church. The quinquennial inspection was carried out in

14 Church Hall The hall is a wooden-clad building at the west end of the Church. It comprises a kitchen, toilets, two small committee rooms, the main hall with sealed, sprung wooden floor, a stage and several storage rooms. It has a seating capacity of 150. The Hall was closed in June 2014 as both the interior and exterior of the Hall are in need of refurbishment / improvement. The Hall provided accommodation for a Dance group, the Sunday school, a Girl Guide group, and a Brownie pack. The Hall was also used by an Educational Trust and the local Baptist Church. It was also used for church celebrations, including the Dedication Festival lunch, the Harvest supper, and various fund-raising events, such as the Bingo sessions and Bazaars. It was used occasionally for Deanery events. Redevelopment plans In 2013, the physical condition of the church hall became a matter of concern. Therefore the possibility of redeveloping the church to provide additional facilities that could be used by the local community was discussed and approved by the PCC. However, these plans were dependent upon the successful sale of the church hall site. This land is subject to a covenant imposed by the City Council who gave the land to the church for ecclesiastical purposes. Having reached a stalemate with the Council these plans have now been put on hold for re-consideration. The new incumbent will be involved in seeking, with the PCC, a new Vision for a way forward for this crucial potential development. The Vicarage This is a four-bedroom house with garage and large, enclosed garden laid to lawn with several fruits trees and shrubs. The vicarage occupies a position adjacent to both the Church and the Hall. In the past, the vicarage garden was used for church events such as Messy Church, the Dedication Festival lunch and fundraising events. 14

15 What you will find here: A warm, hospitable, welcome for all - those of faith, those who question faith and those of no faith An active, committed, imaginative PCC with a love for the Church A loyal and supportive congregation Openness to a variety of worship Active concern for world issues and support for local ventures A partner in the local network of churches Churches Together in Headington As described, the area is challenging. Few young people currently attend church services as do few families and the overall congregation has diminished slightly in the last few years. A new possibility of partnership with St Aldates Church as described above. We hope to find a new Parish priest who: Has a prayerful sense of calling to this post Is a person of Vision who is skilled at attracting and building a team Has previous experience and a proven track record of work in a UPA or similar area Recognises the time it takes to achieve results in a challenging area and has staying power" Encourages the congregation to grow in faith with God through preaching, worship, teaching, prayer and service to the community and is prepared to reach out with the good news of Jesus Is willing to promote and develop work with children, young people and families Is committed to pastoral care to the sick, the elderly and those in difficulty, and is sensitive to the needs of all. Someone who can encourage lay people to take part in this activity Recognises the talents and skills of lay people and encourages, motivates and enables their use Is willing to learn about the economic and social forces which impact on the lives of parishioners and accept the challenge of mission to the wider community Favours a collaborative approach to decision making, and is willing to give support and input to ensure that PCC business is done in a timely and appropriate manner Can communicate confidently with people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds, and is outgoing, open-minded, adaptable, and energetic Can negotiate and mediate in difficult situations Values the existing Ecumenical links within the Headington area and nurtures cooperation with neighbouring parishes and other denominations Is comfortable with both traditional and modern styles of worship and recognises the value of music in worship Is open to being part of a wider team with St Aldates. 15

16 Appendix 1: Partnership with St Aldates Oxford The senior staff of the diocese suggested that St Mary's and St Aldates enter into a partnership. This is quite a new idea in the deaneries of Oxford and Cowley. After careful conversation, both churches felt positive about this great opportunity and the partnership has been agreed in the following terms: The person appointed at St Mary's will lead the Church in the role of St Mary's incumbent. They will also have the opportunity to be part of the St Aldates leadership team and attend some St Aldates staff meetings and, at least to begin with, one of the evening services at St Aldates. They would do this with a view to making relationship and receiving encouragement as well as making connection with people who might feel drawn to supporting the ministry of St Mary's. St Aldates Staff meetings are on a Tuesday morning and involve a round table discussion of what went on in the previous week and what is upcoming with each person able to feel listened to and supported. Currently there are 7 ordained staff at St Aldates including the Area Dean of Oxford. Other pastoral staff also attend staff meetings. The new incumbent of St Mary's would not be expected to lead and preach at St Aldates, but will be given some time regularly to share the vision and opportunities at St Mary s in the team and in the wider church. The new incumbent would have regular time with Charlie Cleverly, Rector of St Aldates to share strategy, find a listening ear and hopefully receive encouragement. St Mary s would remain part of Cowley Deanery in terms of shared ministry and finance and so the new incumbent would also relate with the clergy of the Deanery in the usual way. St Aldates is in the centre of Oxford and has a broad ministry to students, families, internationals, singles and also to the disadvantaged. Several people in the church live in the Headington area and may be open to serving at St Mary's and if it seems right, to joining the Church. Please visit for an understanding of the church's ministries and staffing. 16