Team Vicar for the Uttoxeter Area of Parishes We are looking for a Team Vicar for Marchington, Marchington Woodlands, Stramshall & Kingstone in the Uttoxeter Area of Parishes. Living in the Uttoxeter Area Uttoxeter is a growing market town, situated in the heart of England. It is the home of JCB, Fox s biscuit factory and Uttoxeter Race Course. The A50 gives commuters access to major towns and cities. There is a regular bus service and the Crewe -Derby train stops at the town station. Uttoxeter lies in the beautiful Dove valley with the Peak District just a 20 minute drive away. There is a low level of unemployment and crime rates are low. There are approximately 1500 new homes being built in the town. Schooling in the area is operated by a 3 tier system. There are First Schools in some of the parishes which feed into the 2 Middle Schools, who in turn feed into the High School. Most of the local schools are in the process of forming a Multi Academy Trust. Most have been graded Good by Ofsted. A lot of the schools have church involvement. In Uttoxeter there is a relatively new retail and leisure development which has a variety of shops including Tesco s and Lidl and a cinema, ice skating rink plus places to eat. There is also a small Asda and a recently opened Waitrose in the town. In the town centre there are a variety of coffee shops, eateries, charity shops and banks. There is a small weekly market, and once a month a large makers market. Other sporting and leisure facilities include Bramshall Road Park a large open space with children s play areas, football goals, adult exercise, skateboard area and a bowling green. There is a good swimming pool (Olympic Gold Medalist Adam Peaty learnt to swim here!). There are local cricket clubs, golf courses, tennis clubs. Around the villages are many and varied public footpaths through beautiful woodlands and public houses and restaurants. Lichfield with it s amazing medieval 3 spires cathedral, Burton, Ashbourne, Stoke on Trent and Stafford are all within 30 minutes drive of Uttoxeter. Cannock Chase, the Peak District and the Dove Valley give ample opportunity for rambling, rock climbing, cycling or other adventurous pursuits, or just a quiet day out. The Team The Team comprises of 3 stipendiary posts a Team Rector and 2 Team Vicars. The Team also currently has 4 OLM s and 1 retired NSM. There are 2 Licensed Lay Readers 1 at Marchington and 1 at Uttoxeter. The Team is supported by 3 Special Lay Representatives. Our Churches There are 10 parish churches plus The Heath Mission, Uttoxeter that form the team. The Team Rector, Rev Margaret Sherwin is the Key Minister for St Mary s Church, Uttoxeter. This is a town centre church, where the civic services take place. The church is used by the town centre schools for their special services at Christmas, Easter and end of year. Many choral and music groups host events throughout the year. There is a midweek service and all team clergy take their turn on the rota. Lunches are served every Wednesday. Team Vicar Rev Joe Cant is the Key Minister for Leigh and Upper Tean, with oversight of Checkley where currently an OLM is the Key Minister. Leigh is one of the largest parishes in the diocese (20 square mile), but sparsely populated by scattered hamlets. Church Leigh is the central hub of the parish where there is a post office, school, village hall, pub and recreation field. Upper Tean is a large dormitory village. The local council has designated several areas as possible for further residential development that could increase the population from c.3000 to c.4000. A growing Sunday congregation, and a midweek service that is well attended. Team clergy take their turn on the rota. OLM Rev Irene Smith is the Key Minister for Checkley. The area mission team help to organise 2 services per
year that take place in Checkley Village Hall. This brings around 130 people together for worship and fellowship from the area churches. OLM Rev John Lander is Key Minister at Bramshall a small parish with 46 on the Electoral Roll and a regular Sunday attendance of 24. There is no school in the village. The church has very strong links in the village and with the village hall. Gratwich is the smallest parish with a population of 60! OLM Rev Charles Dale is the Key Minister. There is no pub, shop or school. The church is the social focus of the area. Between 7 & 14 people attend regular Sunday worship, however, special occasion services are well supported and the church is full. The new Team Vicar will be Key Minister at Marchington, Marchington Woodlands, Stramshall and Kingstone. The area of responsibility Marchington has a population in the village of about 900 mostly believed to be from a Christian tradition. The worship is varied including a Celtic Communion and Lay Led worship. There are also around 1200 prisoners in Dovegate Prison, which lies within the village boundary. The prison has its own chaplaincy team and links are being built with them. St Peter s has a Ministry Team and a Licensed Lay Reader. There is a Friends of St Peter s organisation, which helps to keep the Georgian church building in good order. The local school is Church of England (VC) First School, with 65 children, including the nursery. There are good links between church and school. Marchington is a community-minded village, having a convenience store run by volunteers and a large number of active village organisations that meet regularly. Messy Church takes place once a month on a Saturday afternoon, and is well attended. Some of our Messy Church having a wonderful time
Marchington Woodlands has a population of 300 mostly Christian. Sunday worship is usually 3 times a month and is both traditional and modern. The church is visible for miles around, as it is set upon a high promontory, in the centre of some of the most beautiful East Staffordshire
countryside. A farming community with a mixture of both farming and commuting residents. There is a village hall used by the church for social events which are well supported. Marchington Woodlands is in a partnership with an inner city parish, which enables them to learn from and visit one another. One of the joint things was to visit Croxden Abbey, Uttoxeter). Stramshall has a population of 600 mostly Christian. Weekly attendance is around 8 people. Special services and fundraising events are well attended. A faculty application is currently going through to install a toilet and kitchenette. There are very good links with the village hall where an active Scout & Cub group meets.
Our recent Remembrance Service Kingstone has a population of 600. Kingstone is a small village occupying a well-wooded hilly area drained by streams to the River Blythe. There is a Ministry Team who are involved in
leading worship. Holy Communion is twice a month with Lay Led services the other two, and a monthly Messy Church. It is a very busy community with a variety of midweek groups for the community. There are very good links with the school which is not a church school. Licensed Lay Reader - Maggie Hatchard I have been a Reader since 2007 and since then I have worked across the Area of Parishes. My home is in Marchington and I am part of St Peter's Ministry Team. Together here we have a good working relationship, endeavouring to implement a variety of things from regular prayer cards to church socials. We each lead the services weekly and take turns in organising the locally led services once a month. I work with one of the young mums to run the monthly Messy church in church and twice a year in St Peter's school for the whole school. Both of which are becoming increasingly successful. I am also a Foundation Governor of St Peter's school and Talbot School in Kingstone which together is the Woodlands Federation. I take monthly assemblies in both schools and frequently lead their end of term services and special services like Harvest and Christmas. Part of my remit is to take out extended communion which I do regularly. Within the Area Mission Team I was asked to head up a Celebration Team after I'd led the Mission 14 celebrations across the area. Having led services across the area I have got to know many of the congregations and I invite different people to form a committee for each of the Celebration services we have held since 2014. We also planned and led a day of activities and worship for the area and this we plan to develop further. At the other churches of which the new incumbent will be key minister, I have helped to lead special services for them and regularly led Evensong at the Woodlands. I am looking forward to working with a new incumbent within the Ministry team to lead our group of churches forward, developing more creative ways of Ministry and Mission. The vicarage The vicarage is on Moisty Lane, Marchington. A 4 bedroom modern building, with separate entrance to the study. There are lovely views across the Weaver Hills.
The Team Vicar Post What we are looking for in a new team vicar is someone who is motivated by their living personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and open to the Holy Spirit s leading is committed prayerfully to seek God s vision for our churches can take responsibility for growing the Kingdom across the Area utilising their skills and gifts is an inspirational leader with enthusiasm for evangelism and discipleship who will take our churches with them on a journey of growth both spiritually and numerically is committed to working in a team with both clergy and laity a leader who recognises both when decisive action is required, and when consultation and collaboration is appropriate (and is comfortable doing either) pioneering in approach; innovating, renewing and reviving; encourages every member of the churches to use their God given gifts in building the Kingdom, and is happy to delegate is caring, friendly and welcoming can sensitively manage change We also expect that the vicar will claim their expenses, take holidays, take a full day off each week (including 2 days together every 4 weeks) & undergo CME and other training as appropriate.