with St Peter s CODSALL WOOD Rooted In God, Growing Together In Faith, Reaching Out With Love Parish Profile 2018 Vicar of Codsall: Full time stipendiary appointment 1 Page www.stnicholascodsall.org.uk
Contents Context... 3 The Journey So Far... 3 The Challenge... 4 The Character... 4 Role Description... 4 Person Specification... 5 What we have to offer... 6 The Church Leadership... 6 The Mission Action Plan... 7 Church Finances... 7 The Churches, Worship and Services... 8 Life Events... 9 Music... 9 The Congregation... 9 The Church Buildings... 10 The Churchyard... 10 The Church Halls... 11 The Vicarage... 11 Parish Activities and Programmes... 12 Children and Youth Work... 13 Schools Work... 13 Communications... 14 The Parish... 15 The Area... 16 2 Page
Context Codsall is a large and expanding dormitory village in Staffordshire five miles west of Wolverhampton and fourteen miles east of Telford in Shropshire. The parish of over 8,000 residents includes the villages Codsall, Codsall Wood and Oaken together with the surrounding farmland. There are several schools in the parish as well as residential and nursing homes. Local facilities include many shops and small businesses. There are 2 churches, St Nicholas in Codsall and St Peter s Codsall Wood. The minister is supported by a leadership team currently including 3 ordained ministers, 4 Readers (one of whom is our Youth and Families Minister) and currently a curate in post (see page 6). In addition a pastoral team visits some of the residential and nursing homes. There are no plans for pastoral reorganisation. Codsall is in the Penkridge Deanery which is in turn in the Lichfield Archdeaconry of Lichfield Diocese. The Journey So Far Our vision is to share the Good News of Jesus with our community, offering as many opportunities as possible to hear the Word. We want to continue to be a church which is spiritually deep as well as numerically growing. A church that laughs, loves, learns, celebrates, cries, cares and treasures. The range of worship offered has grown with the introduction of regular Taizé and Healing and Wholeness services which have been added to our All Age and the more traditional communion services. This All Age service is seen as an excellent vehicle for growth and outreach into the community. It has been a great success in spreading Jesus teaching and offers a continuing opportunity for development in the future. So far it has already helped initiate a number of school and youth groups for which our Youth and Families Minister is a vital support. In addition to this we have house groups and Chad Groups which have helped us to develop our understanding of the bible and its message. We are always looking at new ways of introducing God s teaching. The two church halls are both very active and seen as great assets. Many local groups regularly use them and they are also act as a venue for a variety of church activities including regular meetings and also as a venue for baptism parties. The recent opening of Pendrell Hall as a wedding venue has led to an increase in the opportunity for couples to choose our churches for their ceremony. In the last few years the continued growth and understanding of Jesus teaching has resulted in one of our congregation becoming ordained as a minister and a number have successfully completed their Reader training. We have an enthusiastic PCC and are always looking at ways to develop both our worship and our outreach to the local community. To this end we are currently in process of making alterations to St Nicholas Church which we believe offers an exciting opportunity for considerable development in both areas. We strive to be Rooted In God, Grow Together In Faith and Reach Out With Love. 3 Page
The Challenge As a church we want to: be inspired and encouraged to move to where God wants us to be. develop both traditional and modern forms of worship so that they can nourish a range of different congregations. build up our leadership and ministry, making use of varied skills and experience available to develop the vocation of individuals and the team grow our capacity to offer pastoral to people through life s journey. grow our work within the schools and within the local community across all ages develop our youth ministry to reach out and nurture the children and families of our parish. explore whether we adhere to the Inclusive Church agenda. grow our Churches, both spiritually and numerically. work more ecumenically with our colleagues in the Methodist and Roman Catholic Churches to continue and develop our existing relationship. The Character Role Description We are looking for someone who is able to inspire, motivate, challenge and empower members of the church, individually and collectively, to fulfil their calling as Christ s disciples work towards to vision we have for our church. will work with the Church community to develop its faith and respond to the needs of different ages and levels of faith and knowledge through a structured process of preaching and teaching is able to discern people s gifts, thus enabling growth in lay ministry. will inspire growth in others through teaching and example and by acting as a model of the love of God in action. will maintain their own spiritual life with the appropriate support networks (including spiritual director or equivalent and regular retreats). 4 Page
will make full use of the opportunities for outreach and service to the community, collaborating where appropriate with other parishes and agencies, so that support is provided to the community as effectively as possible. will give support to those in need of pastoral care events using their own skills and that of the pastoral group. This will include baptism and marriage preparation, care of the sick and dying, bereavement, individual support and visiting. will manage his/her time effectively in personal administration, planning and organisation. To be a good coordinator including chairing meetings. will be a good communicator across a range of ages, spiritual backgrounds and worship styles. Person Specification Qualification/training A satisfactory completion of assessment at the end of Initial Ministerial Education is essential. Motivation to develop their own ministry through training, reading and exploration of new resources Experience It is important to have either led or worked within a large team successfully. It is desirable to have had experience of recruiting, supervising and motivating colleagues and staff to help maintain and develop the work in a parish or similar organisation. Knowledge, skills and competencies To have an understanding of the Bible with the ability to preach concisely and interestingly in a variety of styles and media is essential. It is desirable to possess knowledge of the more modern forms of worship and music to aid with the continued development of the All Age Service. General Attributes Good interpersonal skills that develop and maintain effective working relationships. A sense of fun and a good life balance with interests outside the immediate vocation. Other The individual should be able to adapt to a broad range of situations, from dealing with education establishments and local councils through to family baptisms and bereavements. 5 Page
What we have to offer Codsall is in an excellent strategic location with the advantage of being on the edge of a large city with all its amenities but also with beautiful country surrounding it. Cannock Chase and the Shropshire hills are close by together with historical properties varying from Boscobel House, where Charles I hid in an oak tree from the Cavaliers, to Wightwick Manor, with its Pre-Raphaelite art and William Morris interiors. There are direct links by rail, bus and road giving easy access to the whole country. The local schools (see p12) are within walking distance of St Nicholas Church and the vicarage and have Good Ofsted reports or in the case of Birches First School Outstanding. Many of the congregation send their children to St Peter s Collegiate Church of England School in Wolverhampton which again has a Good Ofsted report. Codsall is also in the catchment area of Thomas Telford School which was described by Ofsted as a remarkable school and a beacon of excellence. They awarded the School the highest possible marks in every single category. There are a number of other well-appointed schools in the area. We have a large team offering support in ministry, pastoral and social activities. As a result of this, we are able to ensure days off and holiday cover is to hand. There is a parish office with a part time administrator and we can offer support towards annual retreats, training as well as reimbursing normal day to day expenses. Our prayers will always be there in support of your ministry. The Church Leadership Curate: Children s, Youth and Families Minister: Associate Minister: Local Ordained Minister: Retired Minister Readers: Rev d Liz England ordained 2015 and due to complete her curacy by mid 2019 Caroline Seaton in post since December 2016. Caroline is employed in a 4 / 5 post. Rev d Mike Fox NSM ordained in 2004, now part time Rev d Robert Lintern ordained 2010, part time in parish Rev d Keith Elbourne (has PTO in the Diocese) Jackie Morgans Jill Gollins Serena Gilmour - (Licenced September 2017) The Church Wardens join the Ministry Team for meetings and the parish employs a part time Parish Administrator. 6 Page
The Mission Action Plan Our Mission Action Plan for 2016/17 is still ongoing with our aim to help us to achieve being Rooted In God, Growing Together In Faith and Reaching Out & Bearing Fruit. Building development We are concentrating on alterations to the Bell Tower, Chancel and providing an accessible toilet facility and a serving area for drinks. The Church Development Group in conjunction with our Architect prepared the plans. Appointing a new CYFAM Minister This was advertised and applications were considered and the appointment of Caroline Seaton was made in December 2016. Helping People Connect We do this via our many outreach connections through our website, Facebook page, enewsletter, magazine and our Community Bus. This is as well as our social gatherings such as Coffee, Cake and Chat and CITV (Church In The Village). Places to meet more deeply We need to create more opportunities for people to meet at a deep level, through developing further home groups and creating more time at other services. Sharing leadership Provide training for those who share responsibility for our many groups and activities, to help us be better at reaching out to new people and developing the gifts of those already involved. Church Finances The Parish is up to date with its parish share, which is currently 81,046 per year, and is proud to be a net contributor to the diocese. The parish has over 150 regular donors and has a church giving campaign every 4 years overseen by the Church Support Team - the most recent of which was in 2017 when giving was increased by well over 5%. There are good levels of reserves within the church accounts and we have sufficient investments to cover all immediate and future anticipated spending plans. Grants have been obtained whenever necessary such as 26,000 in 2014 towards the refurbishment of Codsall Parish Rooms which cost a total of 55,000. We presently obtain regular annual grants totalling 7,900 towards the cost of running the churchyard from the two local councils of Codsall and Bilbrook which are served by it. Due to the size of the church we are registered as an independent charity - Registered Charity Number: 1130892 and are fully compliant. Independently examined accounts are submitted annually. There are currently nine paid employees including a Children s, Youth and Families Minister, administration and support staff. The PCC has a robust financial team who ensure the accounts are 7 Page
up to date and accurate. Detailed figures and the state of the accounts are reported at all PCC meetings. There is a fund specifically allocated for special projects which is available at the PCC s discretion. This has been used in the past for a wide variety of items such as lighting for the path to church, pew cushions, and electrical equipment for church including audio visual equipment and chairs for the Parish Rooms. The Churches, Worship and Services There is a wide variety of worship at St Nicholas Codsall. There are two main services each Sunday: 9:30am Parish Communion A modern Common Worship communion service, with a choir, a mix of music, and a relaxed friendly style. 11:15am All Age Service An interactive, often lively, service with a variety of music style and the use of visual aids. It attracts those new to faith and those with well-established belief. Communion is given twice a month and occasionally includes a more informal style of interactive worship with prayer stations. There are two other services each Sunday 8:00am Holy Communion A said Book of Common Prayer service with a homily. 6:30pm Evensong A traditional service which is sometimes choral. or Wholeness & Healing This is a monthly service with laying on of hands and anointing, followed by Holy Communion. These services are occasionally replaced by Memorial services twice a year, and other seasonal services such as Songs of Praise or Ecumenical services. There is a reflective Communion Service at 10:15am every Thursday morning, a simple form of daily prayer every weekday at 9:00am and a monthly Taizé Service. In addition to this there is prayer time on Monday evenings twice monthly and there are Quiet Mornings which take place in Advent and Lent. We have teams who regularly visit the local care homes and offer a service. During the Christmas and Easter festivities we have a number of special services including some open air and community events. The combined Average Sunday Attendance for 2016 was: Adults 155 Children 21 8 Page
St Peter s Church, Codsall Wood has a fortnightly service of Holy Communion following the Book of Common Prayer, with modern readings and prayers and a mix of music. There are All Age services four times a year, linked to the seasons. Average Sunday Attendance for 2016 was: Adults 16. More adults and young people come for some of the occasional services. Life Events Number of Baptisms in 2016: 61 Number of Weddings in 2016: 16 (in 2017 there will be 27) Number of Funeral s in 2016: 62 (39 in church, 23 at the local crematorium) Music St Nicholas Church has a well maintained pipe organ and an electric piano. The organists and keyboard players are drawn from local people who play at services as appropriate. A choir sings at every 9:30am Sunday service as well as at other services and events as required. A small music group plays at the 11:15am All Age Service. There is a PA system which includes a loop for the hard of hearing and CD player if required. There is a ring of 8 bells in the tower which are rung every Sunday and regularly attract visiting bands of ringers. St Peter s Church has an electronic organ, again played by local people. The Congregation The 2016 parish electoral role was 238. Overall church attendance for 2016 was considerably higher at 350. This is swelled due to the irregular participation, especially of our younger families. The congregation is mostly drawn from the parish but with a number travelling in (we supply a bus service to those who need it to some events). The variety of service style offered is very much appreciated and each of the services attracts a different group of people which reflect the type of service provided. Most of these are attended by regular worshippers although the 11:15 All Age Service has a core of regular members plus a significant number who attend less frequently. All newcomers are welcomed and the feeling of fellowship and belonging is very strong in all services. St Peter s congregation, although small, has a strong sense of being a dedicated part of the benefice. Church attendance has been steadily growing over the last few years. 9 Page
The Church Buildings St Nicholas Church is a Grade II* listed building which has a 12 th century south doorway and a 14 th century west tower with a working ring of 8 bells recast in 1936. The remainder of the building was rebuilt in 1848 and currently seats approximately 250. It was re-roofed in 1996-8 and was reordered in 2000 to include a nave altar. The chancel is currently used for small services of up to 20 and is an ideal location for some of the smaller social events such as Coffee, Cake & Chat. The path leading to the church was replaced and disabled access added in 2008. It has a vicar s and a choir vestry the latter of which contains a toilet and a small kitchen which was refurbished in 2017. New carpets were laid in 2010. A new heating boiler was installed in 2013. The west tower roof had a major repair in 2014. Cushions were added to the pews in 2015. There are a number of minor works due to be undertaken which were brought to light in the 2017 quinquennial. Funding is in hand for these and none are considered significant. Plans are well advanced to add a second toilet in the west tower together with a drink servery. The chancel is also to have some minor alterations. These have received DAC approval and it is hoped to complete the work during 2018. We have a large bequest which will finance these plans. A car park next to the church, owned by the PCC, was built in 2011 in the grounds of the old Victorian Vicarage which was sold that year into private ownership. St Peter s Church was originally built as a mission church in 1885 and extended in 1926. It seats about 65. The roof has just been repaired following the 2017 quinquennial and otherwise is in good condition. More information is available on our website at: https://stnicholascodsall.org.uk/about/our-churches/ The Churchyard The St Nicholas churchyard services the old historic parish of Codsall which includes the local parish of Bilbrook (now a separate benefice in the neighbouring deanery of Trysull). It is still active and a new section was recently consecrated in 2015. The PCC owns a parcel of 5.5 acres of land adjacent to the current churchyard which is rented out to a local farmer. Some of this is intended to be used to expand the burial area at some time in the future once the existing extension is full. 10 Page
There is a committee which helps oversee the day to day running and maintenance. The rules governing the churchyard have recently been updated to fall in line with the new national diocesan guidelines where necessary. Further information is available on our website at: https://stnicholascodsall.org.uk/lifeevents/churchyard/ The Church Halls There are two church halls in the parish, each associated with one of the churches and run by local committees. St Peter s Hall in Codsall Wood is behind the church, again with a hall, kitchen and toilets. A daily dance class has used this as their venue for many years with several other regular bookings. The hall was refurbished 5 years ago and remains in good condition. Both venues are available for general hire and more than cover their costs. They are both well used by the local communities. The Parish Rooms is close to St Nicholas Church in Codsall and includes a hall, kitchen and toilets as well as the parish office. A nursery school uses it every morning in term time and there are a number of other regular weekly events in addition to casual bookings. It is used as a venue for PCC meetings as well as other church groups. The hall was originally built in 1907 and has been improved and extended several times since then. It is in excellent condition having recently undergone a major refurbishment. The Vicarage The modern vicarage, built in 1979, is situated next to the original Victorian one which is adjacent to St Nicholas church. The new vicarage looks west across the rear garden laid mainly to lawn, over open fields and woods. It has a lounge, dining room, kitchen and utility room together with an office and four bedrooms. There is plenty of storage. It has recently had the porch refurbished and is double glazed throughout. There is ample parking and a garage. 11 Page
Parish Activities and Programmes There are a number of groups that, along with the PCC and Standing Committee, are in place to support the vicar. These include: A Care Home Team who offer a service including Communion in some of the local care homes. A Pastoral Care Group and Church Links Team supporting the wellbeing of the congregation. Servers and Sidespeople A Baptism team including Baptism Befrienders. 11:15 host teams support the All Age Service. Children, Youth and Families Team assisting in planning and running events. Enquiry Evening Team - booking weddings and baptisms. The Maintenance Team help to ensure regular maintenance is carried out as and when necessary on PCC property. The Churchyard Team helps to advise on the running of the churchyard The Parish Rooms Committee oversees the day to day management of the hall. The Codsall Wood Committee oversees the arrangements for both St Peter s Church and Hall. Church Groups currently taking place include: A Confirmation Group is run every year to to prepare people to make their commitment to God, and become Confirmed. A number of small Chad Groups of 2-4 people for sharing, listening and prayer. Study Groups (Over 35 people use the BRF reading notes New Daylight), Lent Groups each year and occasional other courses have been run. Waiting in Silence is a monthly contemplative prayer group centred around 30 minutes of silent prayer. The Events Committee organises a number of themed coffee mornings during the course of the year as well as a bi-annual Christmas Tree Festival in St Nicholas Church. The Church Support Team helps coordinate the regular giving programs and also supports and encourages membership to all the varied activities that the church offers. The Flower group helps to keep a continuous display of flowers in the church. Magazine Committee meets annually, there is a group who help pack into delivery rounds which go out to over 60 people who also collect subscriptions for their rounds. Two people coordinate advertising and the magazine is currently edited by the part time administrator. Asylum Seeker Support Group are actively involved through their individual links with refugees and asylum seekers, with the Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary (WCofS) and with the Quakers in Wolverhampton, Broseley and the Southern Marches. Coffee, Cake & Chat is held fortnightly in the chancel at St Nicholas and has become a popular Wednesday morning venue for many including regular visits from one of our local residential retirement homes. CITV Church In The Village is a monthly event held at a venue in Codsall attended by locals who are provided with afternoon tea together with some entertainment. A bus is provided to collect less mobile residents. 12 Page
A Craft Group is held weekly in the Parish Rooms where a variety of crafts take place and it is a great source of fellowship. Women@the Well is an informal women s social group and Just a few Nuts is the men s equivalent. Ladies Circle and Railway Circle are social groups rooted in the church. Children and Youth Work We aim to offer something for young people of all ages. This is coordinated by our Children s, Youth and Families Minister Caroline Seaton, who the PCC employs for 4 days per week and is a member of the Ministry Team. Tots@StNics is on the first and third Tuesday of each month and offers activity, story and prayer for pre-school children held in St Nicholas Church. St Nicholas Toddler Group meets on Mondays during term time in the Parish Rooms and periodically visits church. A Communion Preparation course is held for those children aged 7 or older who are too young to be confirmed but wish to be admitted prior to confirmation. This year there are 8 young people involved. Youth@StNics and Pizza Plus are monthly groups for young people who are from year 7 to leaving school or beyond. A Holiday Club has recently been introduced and following its inaugural success is intended to be continued as appropriate during school holidays. A very successful Church Family Weekend has been running since 2009 at Dovedale House which is a diocesan facility in the Peak District. The next one is planned for early July 2018. Dovedale 2017 Schools Work Codsall operates a three tier system of schools - First, Middle and High Schools. In the parish there are 2 First schools - St Nicholas Church of England First School and Birches First School both catering for pupils from nursery to Year 4; and a Primary School - St Christopher s Catholic Primary School which caters for Reception to Year 6. In addition Codsall Middle School caters for children for Years 5-8 and Codsall Community High School for years Year 9-13. St Nicholas First School and Codsall Middle School are academies, and form the Codsall Multi-Academy Team. The vicar is a Foundation Governor at St Nicholas First School. 13 Page The Children and Families team take assembly at St Nicholas First School, which is close to St Nicholas church, 2 or 3 times a term. Once a term assemblies are taken at Codsall Middle for each school year. Birches First School has assembly and other activities provided as requested.
StNics@StNics is a monthly after-school service and activity held at St Nicholas First School. An Open Door event is run in St Nicholas church for children from the three First Schools within Codsall and Bilbrook. A more recent event has been the introduction of Tiddlers and Toddlers held each Friday morning at St Nicholas First School. Events such as Experience Easter and Experience Church are run in the church for children in years 3-4, from the two First Schools in the Parish. A variety of end of term, Christmas and Easter services for the St Nicholas School children and parents are organised. Communications An 18 page monthly magazine is produced and distributed around the parish by volunteers. This includes much information about the coming month in the church as well as articles of both spiritual and secular interest to the parish. It has a circulation of around 1,200 copies. It is well supported by local advertisers. A comprehensive website is regularly maintained and includes much information about the church at https://stnicholascodsall.org.uk/. It gives an up to date indication of the activities of our parish and offers detailed information of forthcoming events. The website provides contact information regarding life events as well as details of how to hire the halls which are often used on these occasions. In addition a weekly newsletter is handed out in church every Sunday. An enewsletter is circulated periodically to subscribers, by email, to keep people up to date with events due to take place. A Facebook page is available at https://en-gb.facebook.com/stnicholaschurchcodsall/ Every Monday there is an Enquiry Evening in St Nicholas Church hosted by a team of volunteers who are available to take bookings for weddings and baptisms. 14 Page
The Parish Codsall is a reasonably affluent dormitory village in Staffordshire, close to Wolverhampton, Cannock and Telford, with approx. 8095 in the parish. 18% aged under 18 years, 57% aged 18-64 years, 25% 65 years & over. 75% Christian In addition to the schools there are a variety of shops including a post office and supermarket. There are also a number of commercial businesses in the parish. There are 4 residential and 2 nursing homes as well as sheltered housing. There are three new housing developments being undertaken in the village and more are planned. This will create over 200 new houses within the parish. This is seen as a great opportunity. The village offers a range of community activities including sports and social clubs, adult education, bi-annual Art Festival and a local beer festival. We have a good relationship with the other local churches in the parish. Trinity Methodist Church and St Christopher s Catholic Church regularly liaise through Churches Together and coordinate occasional joint worship and discussion. 15 Page
The Area We are on the edge of the Staffordshire/Shropshire/West Midlands borders being 5 miles from Wolverhampton and 14 miles from Telford. We have a railway station which gives it regular direct links to both Shrewsbury and Birmingham. A bus service serves Wolverhampton and also the local Staffordshire villages. Codsall is situated close to the M54 which gives it a direct link to the M6 and into mid-wales. As a result there are cinemas, theatres, art galleries and museums within easy access. Pendrell Hall in Codsall Wood is a recently opened wedding venue. This has attracted additional weddings to St Nicholas as many couples like a traditional church wedding with a choir and bells in a pretty church local to a reception venue. We are well serviced with doctor and dentist surgeries and, being in Staffordshire and close to Shropshire and the West Midlands borders, locals also have direct access to a wide range of health and welfare facilities across the region. South Staffordshire council offices are within the parish and many of their officers attend the church. 16 Page