Title Post at St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields, Coventry

Diocese of Coventry Training Post for Deacon who expects to be ordained Priest Title Post at St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields, Coventry Parish Website: http://stmarymagdalenchurch.wordpress.com The Training Minister The Rev d Stella Bailey 63 Broad Lane Coventry CV5 7AH chacethedog@sky.com I was ordained in July 2009, and began work in St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields in 2011. The church was in decline but had a new vision: We wish to combine our value of Catholic worship with specific outreach to 20s-30s, young people and children, with the intention of inspiring a new generation of visionary and dynamic Christian leaders (including future male and female priests) in the Catholic tradition. I was appointed as the first curate in the Diocese to undergo an extended placement in a church other than my title post (St Mary Walsgrave), to help turn this vision into reality, revitalizing the church and encouraging growth. Following good signs of growth as we implemented the vision (including two people now in training for ordination), I was appointed incumbent of St Mary Magdalen in 2013. The Diocese is now starting to use this extended placement model of curacy to re-invigorate other churches in the Diocese. I m also an Emergency Chaplain for West Midlands Police (Coventry), a Vocational Discernment Adviser in the diocese and on the Diocesan Worship Committee (to help enable worship to be Inspiring across the Diocese) Before training for ordination at Cuddesdon I worked in the West Midlands Police Service. The Parish St Mary Magdalen, Chapelfields, is an urban Parish of around 10,500 people in a small geographical area of 0.9 miles by 0.6 miles, south-west of Coventry City Centre. The parish includes a large proportion of residents in their 20s-30s, a group which is a Diocesan priority in mission. 1

With additional help we believe that the parish could move from being a resourced church to becoming a resourcing church in the Diocese. It is this potential that has enabled us to be considered for a curate according to the Diocesan strategy for placing curates in 2015. Most of the housing was built around 1920 as the city started to expand and consists of street after street of small terraced housing. The watch-making industry, along with the development of bicycle and car industries fueled this growth. Today in Chapelfields you will find a diversity of living situations behind the doors of these terraced houses. The housing in the parish divides into three main types: Privately rented multi-occupancy student and other accommodation. The high level of landlord owned property in the area, and the proximity (by bus) to Warwick University means that there are many student houses in the parish. There are also other types of multioccupancy, such as those who cannot afford to live alone or people within the immigration system as well as former students who have stayed in the area. Young professional couples or individuals. This group mainly works in teaching, nursing or middle management, though some work in industry or manual labour. There are also some families with young children, but very few houses with older teenagers. Often these families are renting and many of the houses are of poor quality with large families living in a small space. Older people who have lived in the area for a long time. A substantial number of families moved to Chapelfields, to work in the local car industry in the 50s and 60s, mainly from Ireland. This is reflected in the high level of attendance at the local Roman Catholic church which sees around 400 people over a weekend attend Mass. This gives Chapelfields a feel of mixed economy with either young professionals living well or families and students struggling in the current economic climate. We have one local authority primary school in the parish with whom we have an excellent working relationship. There are no old people s care homes or residential homes and no centre of the community. Corner shops are scattered around the parish. We have 11 pubs in the parish (7 in the streets directly round the corner from church) but many of these attract people from outside of the parish. Due to the poor quality of some of the multi-occupancy housing, Chapelfields has for many years had the highest crime rate in the city for burglary and vehicle crime. Despite this, areas of the parish have an excellent community feel and active residents associations but the area is very transient, with a different feel throughout the calendar year and a high turn-over of residents. 2

The Church St Mary Magdalen is now an exciting and vibrant place to be! Over the past three years we have been on an amazing journey of growth and development, from an inherited small and elderly congregation with questions about its sustainability as a worshipping community, to a place of mission and worship reaching out and including people from a diversity of backgrounds and ages. It s been a real success story so far! Together we have discerned and listened to where God is already at work in our community and joined in this work. We are still in the early stages of this growth and development which has been supported, encouraged praised and acknowledged by all levels of the diocesan structure from the deanery through to our Bishop. We all rejoice in a liberal Anglo-Catholic approach that is vibrant! We have one Worship centre at St Mary Magdalen s, (known city wide as the church with the blue roof for obvious reasons when you see it!). We have 5 distinct congregations with only a small number who cross over from one to the other. Our tradition is liberal Anglo-Catholic in worship and theology with a heart for social justice. There were 86 on the Electoral Roll when it was last revised in February 2013, but this number has since increased to 98. Pattern of Worship and congregations Inspiring Worship is one of the 8 essential qualities for growing healthy churches which form the diocesan strategy. We will welcome help to enhance and grow our worship experiences, including developing new forms of service as appropriate. Currently there are five main styles of service: Sundays 8am said Common Worship Holy Communion, East facing, vestments. Usual attendance around 12. 10am Common Worship sung Eucharist, hymns, choir, fully serving team, incense, east facing, sermon, a service where the whole family of God gather, children are encouraged to participate and engage with worship whilst still being allowed to be children. Usual attendance around 50 adults 10 children. A Sunday School has recently been started to run alongside this service and children are also encouraged to be part of the serving team. 3

6.30pm currently said evening prayer with around 5 people. This is a service that needs developing further. Once a month we have Messy Church on a Sunday between 4 6pm where the whole family explores a biblical theme through craft, discussion and games before we have a short worship service and then eat together. This sees about 60 people of all ages in attendance. Tuesday 7.30pm said Common Worship Holy Communion, east facing, where we will see around 12 people from a group of about 25 who attend this service. Vestments, small homily and extensive use of silence. Thursday 11.30am East facing common worship Eucharist, where we will see around 12 people from a group of about 25 who attend this service, vestments, small homily, a service designed for those with restricted mobility with no expectations of standing and communion is taken to people. Occasional Offices Red letter days and Festivals are usually celebrated in full with Sung Eucharist. Each year we have around 15 baptisms, 4 weddings, and 15 funerals. Due to the limited availability of Catholic worship in the city and transient nature of the area, our congregation is mainly gathered. Over a month we will see about 140 different people of all ages worship at St Mary Magdalen s. We have undergone a radical rebirth of vision and growth in past 3 years which means the numbers of those who identify St Mary Magdalen as their spiritual home is constantly developing. The joy of this growth has been accompanied by some sadness as a number of older members of the congregation have died in recent years. 4

Pattern of daily offices Morning prayer is said daily in church by a small congregation at 9am and Evening prayer is said with a small congregation at 7pm. The curate would be expected to join in with this pattern, on an agreed basis and in accordance with family requirements. Staff or team members An associate minister (the Archdeacon Pastor, who worships with us 2 Sundays a month), a part-time volunteer pastoral assistant, two readers and a part time administrator. Lay involvement As part of the Empowering Leadership essential quality, we strive to create an environment of learning and encouragement that seeks to develop lay leadership with opportunities of growth and discovery for those exploring their vocation towards ordination or other forms of accredited lay ministry. Having been nurtured and developed through the vocations process, in September 2013 two members of our congregation started training towards ordination at Mirfield. We also have a further 3 people at different stages of the discernment process exploring a possible call towards ordained ministry. All of these people are given opportunities to develop in their skills of leading worship and preaching as well as holding leadership opportunities in other areas of church life such as PCC, small groups, confirmation classes, leading choirs, serving at the altar, pastoral care and developing new projects such as a toddler group, Sunday School or Work Club. The development of lay involvement is shaped according to the individual in a mentoring relationship, using the gifts and skills the individual comes with as well as encouraging them to push the boundaries of their expected abilities. Other members of the congregation are involved in leadership of various areas of church life, such as preaching, reading and leading intercessions as well as a choir and full serving team. We also have lay involvement and leadership with small groups, discipleship, Messy Church, Pastoral visiting, Home Communion, Hospitality and social events. We are a church that encourages and fosters vocations, providing space for people to explore and develop their gifts. St Mary Magdalen is an exciting place to be and because of our open and welcoming nature we have become a magnet for those who are passionate about their faith and seeking to explore their vocation with others coming on placement to our parish. It will be a key feature of the curate s ministry to join with us in assisting people to discover and use their gifts. 5

House, study and prayer groups Throughout the year we frequently run short courses on issues of discipleship and are currently looking at developing regular holistic small groups. Parochial organisations Affiliated with the church we have an active scouting group. Also meeting at the church is a Brownies and Rainbow pack. Areas of particular mission and ministry The Blue Roof Work Club is an initiative that came out of a Lent group, and seeks to help the unemployed with writing CV s, interview skills and applying for jobs. We are addressing a significant level of IT poverty among the unemployed by having volunteers sit with jobseekers on a one to one bases helping them work a computer to apply for jobs online. Along with this we have a Suit Bank that has a selection of suits for people to take away for job interviews or other formal occasions. This is staffed by two teams from the congregation and local community members many of whom are retired and are using the skills that many years in industry or education has given them. We have a lunch club that meets weekly to provide a social opportunity for the elderly and is run by 4 teams of congregational members. We have Jolly Tots for pre-school children and babies and their carers. This is an opportunity for the children to socialise and play in a safe environment, and for mothers and fathers to meet with their peers over good coffee. A group meets weekly to Knit for Peace knitting blankets and children's clothing that go to a local charity helping asylum seekers in the city. Last winter the church was part of a city wide project to provide a night shelter for the homeless. Once a week the church housed and fed up to 20 homeless people. This project was run and co-ordinated by one of the congregation with many of the church involved in various ways. Additionally I am Chair of the governors at our local authority Primary School and we go in to lead assemblies and lessons and the children come to church on visits at other occasions. It will be a key part of the curate s role to engage with the school and also with social action projects in the parish. 6

Opportunities for the development of fresh expressions of church We have a Messy Church congregation which started in December 2012 and meets monthly. This service regularly sees 50 people who are new to Christianity and do not worship at any other time. This is a joy but also brings with it other issues of discipleship and ownership over consumer church. Messy Church is an area of ministry that needs further development and investment. There is openness and possibility in developing worship and outreach aimed at students. It will be a key feature of the curate s role to develop outreach opportunities with the younger generation, especially the 20s-30s age range, youth and children. We welcome new expressions of outreach and church which will help us reach this group better. Co-operation with other local churches We are part of Coventry South Chapter which provides a supportive Anglican environment. CTEC (Churches together in Earlsdon and Chapelfieds) recently renewed our covenant to work together in mission and worship in our community. This cluster of churches is made up of All Souls RC Church, St Mary Magdalen, St Barbara s CofE Church, Hearsall Baptist Church and Earlsdon Methodist Church. We have a monthly prayer breakfast, bi-monthly clergy meal and meeting, and gather for worship at different times in the year including an annual pulpit swop. We have an outreach event in the local high street during Holy Week where we clean shoes of passers-by, run a joint stall at the Earsldon Festival and jointly advertise our Christmas services. The depth of this relationship was best shown in a recent joint baptism between myself and Fr Michael at All Souls for the child of a family where the father is an active Roman Catholic and the mother an active Anglican. Ministry of Women The church has always accepted and encouraged the ministry of female priests. This is part of our identity and story as a church. Although I am the first female incumbent, the church had one of the first deaconesses and deacons and has had female associate ministers in the past. Vision and Priorities We try to foster an environment of hospitality and inclusivity where it s safe to ask questions, be unsure about what you believe and not expect someone to tell you the answer. 7

Authenticity is important to us, with the liturgy creating a space for us to engage with the reverence, mystery and otherness of God without being so rigid that it inhibits us from opening ourselves up to hearing the Spirit of God moving amongst us. Our worship, discipleship and community enables and equips us to engage with the mission of God in our community, looking for what God is already doing and trying to join in (sometimes struggling to keep up!). We are a church that knows how to laugh and embrace joy. Mission for us is about how we live out our Christian life, to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly (Micah 6.8), with all service ultimately leading to external mission. This may mean undertaking tasks internally to free others to be outward focused. We seek to understand the needs in our community and search for ways we can do something about it, either practically or by raising it as an issue with those who can make change. We believe in giving a voice to the marginalised, challenging unjust structures in society and living out Isaiah 61 to proclaim good news to the poor, bind up the broken hearted, proclaim freedom to the captives and release for prisoners. The church building is a place of prayer and sanctuary, in the middle of what can be, for many, a broken and difficult life, offering refreshment and hope. 3 years ago the PCC decided upon and committed to working towards the implementation of the vision quoted at the start of this document. From this point the church started a journey from what was a small, elderly, inward-looking and declining congregation to one that is changing and growing both numerically and spiritually. This journey has not been easy at times, leading to a small number of people leaving the church. However this has led to significant growth and freedom with a great enthusiasm and openness by 99% of the congregation for the developments of the church. Areas that still need developing and leadership include: Sunday School; Student ministry including further fostering and development of our connection with the chaplaincy at the University of Warwick and other Christian organisations; Discipleship groups particularly for new Christians; Stewardship commitment and missionary giving; Pattern for evening worship and the shaping of liturgy for this; Ways of ensuring cohesion between the various congregations; Community engagement and ownership. Approach to training The curate will be trained according to the priorities set by the Church of England and also in the development of the 8 Essential Qualities for healthy churches. This will be in the context of a suburban parish of liberal Anglo-Catholic tradition with significant opportunities for mission and growth amongst the 20-30 year old age range. 8

Your curacy is the time and opportunity for you to first and foremost be given space to develop who you are as a priest and to learn the knowledge and skills to be an incumbent or equivalent. As a curate you can be reassured that we will value the experience of your life before ordination and the gifts and calling God has placed on your heart. My role as a training incumbent is to give you the space, opportunities and guidance to develop and live out your vocation whilst putting you in situations where you can develop and experience ministry according to the national training requirements. You will be given space for prayer, study and formal training as well as responsibilities that will sometimes stretch you and take you out of your comfort zone so as you can better understand yourself. I do not micro-manage but seek to give the freedom to get from A to B by whatever route you feel is best, whilst being there as a safety net when required. You are training and therefore the final responsibility in case things go wrong lies with me, but when it goes well it is because of your efforts. I will be there to guide, advise and to help you reflect upon your experiences. I have a passion for training, development and mentoring. Over the past 3 years I have significantly invested in a growing group of people exploring their vocation towards ordained ministry and have had people on placement at St Mary Magdalen. I am part of the vocational discernment team and assess the end of curacy portfolios for those coming to the end of their time as a curate. Before ordination, I was a police officer. For 6 years my role included the training, development and assessment of new officers in a one to one on the streets relationship, according to a set of criteria, similar to the new portfolio system developed for curates. The likely role of the curate The curate will work alongside both the incumbent and the laity in all areas within our church life, both as a supportive team member and as a person capable of taking leadership initiatives. The curate will have opportunities to feed into long term planning and to share in shaping the vision for the future. We are a church that has recently embarked upon change, growth and outreach in a way the congregation has not done for many years. Our hope is that training within this context will give you the opportunity to get involved in leadership of a growing church at a time of significant change so that you may grow and flourish with it, preparing you for the next phase of your ministry. I hope and dream that we can get excited together about the opportunities for mission and ministry, and that you will bring fresh eyes to the work we have begun and see the opportunities not yet identified. During your time with us you will be, first and foremost, forming your priestly ministry. But you will of course be looking forward to what you do in ministry as well! Responsibilities of the Curate will be shaped and determined by your training needs as well as activities that you are passionate about using the gifts and calling God has developed within you. 9

Possibilities are wide ranging but include: Outreach to the 20s-30s age range in the parish, including developing new forms of church if appropriate. Helping us shape the future of our evening service. Social action engagement in developing existing and new social action projects. There is a diocesan expectation that you will engage in significant leadership responsibility during the curacy. The possibilities within and beyond Chapelfields are wide ranging. We will seek to make sure that you take on a suitable project which emerges from your ministry with us and matches your passions, skills and abilities. Accommodation Due to the nature of the housing stock in the Parish you will be living in a diocesan-owned house in a neighbouring parish, to ensure the house is suited to the requirements of being a place of work and a home. (The incumbent also has to live outside of the parish because of the same issue.) Contact In the first instance, to register an interest in this post, please email the DDO, The Revd Canon Dr Richard Cooke at Richard.Cooke@CovCofE.org, with a brief outline of your experience within growing churches, and the reasons why this post may excite you. Or phone 07952 544820. 10