The Parish of St. John the Baptist, Woking, Surrey (To know Christ and to make Him known) Parish Profile & Statement of Needs, 2010 The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist Our Daughter Church, Emmanuel, in the village of Mayford
Introduction The prospect of looking for a new vicar has naturally raised a mixture of emotions amongst us. The Rev. Giles Williams and his family have been at the centre of our church lives for over 14 years and they have become greatly valued as friends, ministers and mentors. On the other hand we are excited to see what God may do next at both our parish church of St. John the Baptist and our daughter church, Emmanuel. We are praying that God will send us someone to lead us, and challenge us, in our devotion to God, our love for one another, and service to our parish. This profile is intended to convey the character of our churches and their congregations, the community and the environment of the Parish of St. John s, Woking. We realise that there may be other aspects of the parish, church or area that are not covered here, in which case we would encourage informal questions to be addressed, in the first instance, to our parish Patron, the Rev. Barry Grimster We have only had three vicars in the past fifty years and all have felt that the parish of St John s is a great place to work and minister the Gospel. Although we take our Bible teaching seriously and appreciate good preaching, we are lively, generally good humoured, and our two churches are friendly and very supportive of the clergy and each other. We hope that this will encourage you to read on, and that God will guide you as you pray about His call in the next phase of your ministry. 2
Tradition and Convictions We are committed members of the Church of England and are involved in many areas of the life of Guildford Diocese. We are members of the Evangelical Alliance, and have subscribed to the GAFCON Jerusalem Statement. We have a long tradition of involvement in the Guildford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship. Whilst we would describe ourselves as conservative rather than charismatic we have used the Alpha Course for many years. Our worship music, provided by either music groups or an organist and choir, is a mixture of songs drawn from the charismatic movement and the more traditional hymns; the balance varying from service to service. Visitors comment on the lovely atmosphere in both churches and Christians from a wide variety of backgrounds within and beyond Anglicanism find a spiritual home at St John s and Emmanuel. Of course, the ultimate aim and purpose of all we do is more or less summed up in our motto: To know Christ and to make him known Core Values Our Core Values, as set out in our Church Welcome Pack, are summarised as follows: To know God in Christ through the Holy Spirit We commit ourselves to regular worship We commit ourselves to promote and depend on prayer, as churches and individuals We commit ourselves to respond to the grace of God by being generous, hospitable and welcoming To know God as he has revealed himself in the Holy Scriptures We commit ourselves to reading, studying and teaching the Bible We place ourselves under the authority of Scripture as our guide in matters of faith and Christian living We commit ourselves to studying and applying the Bible individually and in groups Continued over 3
Core Values, continued To make known the Good News of Christ We commit ourselves to taking the Gospel to the people of our parish and town We commit ourselves to supporting and praying for overseas mission and the worldwide Church We commit ourselves to equipping our members for their life of Christian witness and work from Monday to Saturday To promote the life of the Church of Christ We commit ourselves to the pastoral care of our members We commit ourselves to developing the social and community life of our two congregations We commit ourselves to fostering and passing on the Christian faith amongst children and young people To promote the life of the Church of Christ We commit ourselves to the priesthood of all believers; every member has a ministry within the life of the church We commit ourselves to the Church of England, to warm fellowship with other local churches, to support the Evangelical Alliance To make known the truths and values of Christ We commit ourselves to involvement in and service to our local community We commit ourselves to seek for justice in our world We commit ourselves to responsibly care for the creation We commit ourselves to seek to live by God s holy standards 4
The Villages of St John s and Mayford and the town of Woking We are in the Guildford Diocese, in leafy rather than rural Surrey, just a couple of miles west of Woking town centre. The village of St John s is named after the church, and predates the Victorian town of Woking which has expanded over the last thirty years so that a stranger might be hard pushed to spot the boundary. Originally planted by St Peter s, Old Woking, St John s went on to found several other churches around the west and centre of the town in the living memory of our parish church. The parish extends halfway to Guildford. The southern part includes three golf-courses and part of Brookwood Cemetery. Most of the 10,000 or so inhabitants live along the northern section which is largely given over to housing served by St John s Emmanuel Church serves the south of the parish and the village of Mayford, a pleasant residential area. Different areas of the parish are very different in character. There is much woodland and heath land with a wide variety of wildlife, particularly around Mayford. The Basingstoke canal provides pleasant walks and a safe cycle-route to Woking town centre. The Basingstoke Canal runs through St. John s village. The very affluent housing in the Hook Heath area contrasts sharply with the mainly local-authority and housing-association estates. A large number of our congregation live in homes which fall between these two extremes. 5
There are three primary schools in the parish, and a large secondary comprehensive, the Winston Churchill School, which is a specialist sports college. We are actively involved in the local schools, especially St John s Primary, which is affiliated to the Diocese, and Winston Churchill School. The younger children come to St John s for Easter and Christmas services. There are also several sheltered housing schemes and residential homes which we visit and where we hold communion services on a regular basis. St. John s Village There is very little industry in St. John s, just a few small businesses, offices and shops. There are supermarkets at nearby Brookwood and in the neighbouring parish of Goldsworth Park. In the village we have a health centre, small gym, chemist, post office, convenience store, a public house, restaurants, and a little further away, Britain s oldest crematorium. There is a large open green belt area to one side of the village, known as The Lye with a small car park, a children s play area and a wooded area. We hold a few outdoor services and other activities there during the year. There is also a somewhat dilapidated Memorial Hall, dating from the Second World War which has been the subject of various redevelopment plans over the years. Woking is a busy commuter town with a regular and fast rail service to London and to the south and west. It has a full array of shops and the large shopping centre incorporates an entertainment complex with several cinema screens and two theatres. Woking Park, which has full leisure facilities, is close to Woking Football Club. Woking hosts many different ethnic groups and is the site of the first Mosque built in the U.K. The town is within easy reach of the M25 motorway and Heathrow Airport which has a bus link to and from Woking railway station. 6
Our Congregations A typical 10am Congregation at St. John s There are 293 people on the electoral roll, of whom 266 worship at St John s and 25 at Emmanuel. There is a large fringe of people who come occasionally and would regard themselves as members of the churches. We have identified some 170 or so who attend fairly often although not on a predictable basis. On average some 3,000 people come through our doors in the course of the Christmas services. Emmanuel Church Our congregations tend to reflect the demography of the parish - mainly white and predominantly, in the widest sense, middle class. There is a good spread of ages at St. John s but there is something of a shortage of working people in their 50 s and 60 s. 7
A large number of our members at both St. John s and Emmanuel are retired but we are beginning to see some new families, which is very encouraging. There are various activities and facilities to encourage all age groups. Many of our people are deeply committed Christians but others probably need a bit of a push. Our congregations have always been very generous, and have risen to the challenge of specific financial needs. We tend, however, to be reluctant to sign up in advance for church activities, or to volunteer to be on rotas. Many are rather timid about sharing their faith. Most of the people on our electoral roll live within the parish. The mood at both churches is homely and practical rather than high-powered and intellectual. Many of our people express their Christian commitment in the wider community, in caring professions, social work and good causes, school governors, local politics etc. 8
Buildings We are blessed with two very attractive church buildings, which are much loved by the congregations and visitors alike. Our Parish Church The parish church of St John the Baptist was built in 1842 but is not listed. It has been extended several times, with a major refurbishment in 2002. It has a gas fired central heating system, full disabled access, audio-visual equipment (including a hearing loop), comfortable seating, and a pipe-organ. At a pinch, we can squeeze in nearly 400 people for big occasions.. We have a baptismal pool which is used half a dozen times a year. There are several rooms and halls leading off the main worship area, including a Narthex area with large folding doors into the main worship area, a kitchen and a lounge area where smaller meetings are held. The parish office is attached to the church and is adjacent to our small halls area which is used for Sunday school activities and hired out to a pre-school on week days. The facilities are often used by other parishes and local groups and for concerts, receptions and so on. We have a closed churchyard, with a Garden of Remembrance in which cremated remains can be interred. 9
The Youth Centre, St. John s Church We have a dedicated Youth Centre opposite the parish church, with a sports hall, coffee bar, and offices for the Youth Minister and Families and Children s Worker. The Youth Centre is used for a variety of our own, and non-church activities, Cubs and Guides etc. It is available for hire. The Vicarage St. John s The Vicarage is a post-war, 5-bedroomed house set in a large garden, 150 metres from the parish church. It benefits from gas central heating, double glazing, and a recently refitted kitchen. The study is by the front door, separated from the family areas of the house. It has a large accessible and partly boarded loft, a garage and a garden shed. 10 Continued over..
There is a tarmac area in the garden, together with a rough grassed area, which is currently used for parking by the Sunday congregation and guests at large weddings and funerals. The garden has occasionally been used for church activities. Emmanuel, Mayford Village Our daughter church, Emmanuel serves the semi-rural village of Mayford. There has been a chapel or mission hall on the site since 1896. The building is modern, having been completely rebuilt in 1992 following a fire. Emmanuel is a well resourced building with comfortable chairs, a kitchen and lounge area and it has a hearing loop. It is a lovely church seating 60 or so, with a very special atmosphere. Emmanuel volunteers host a popular coffee morning for locals which is often attended by the clergy. The building is also used by neighbouring parishes for quiet days and by other non-church groups. Parking adjacent to the building is limited although additional off street parking can be found a short walk away. 11
We also own a Curate s house, which is in the village of St. John s and a small, one bedroom flat for our Youth Minister on the nearby Goldsworth Estate. Both of these buildings are relatively modern. All buildings are well maintained and in good order. Public worship services We hope and pray that these are first and foremost times when people can show their devotion to God in Christ through the Spirit, and receive from Him. But of course, our services are our most obvious shop window for the wider public, and we try to conduct them as best as we can with the gifting and resources God has given us. We occasionally hold training sessions for those involved in this visible part of our mission. At the parish church Each Sunday at 8.00am we hold a 1662 service of Holy Communion (said). About 25 older people attend very faithfully. Our best-attended service is at 10.00am, with Sunday school and crèche. Most Sundays we use Common Worship Morning Prayer (flexibly), with Common Worship Holy Communion on the second Sunday of the month. There is a short activity by, or for, the children shortly after the beginning of the Service before they go off to their groups, except when we hold a full All-Age Worship service. Normally we would expect to see about 150 adults and 35 children attend this Service. These include many young families although we have a significant proportion of members over 60 years of age. Some people only attend once or twice a month but the bulk attend regularly. We alternate the musical style at this service between the small choir and organ one week and music group and singers the next. We try to cater for a variety of musical preferences. In 2009 we sang over 300 different hymns and songs but it is difficult to please all of the people all of the time and it may not surprise you to know that this is the area about which we get the most grumbles! Tea and coffee are served after the service. 12
The evening service is held at 6.30pm and is loosely based on Common Worship Evening Prayer, with Communion on the 4 th Sunday of the month. The musical style at this Service is contemporary with music group, and around 70-80 people attend of all ages, but with a younger age-profile than at 10.00 am. On the second Sunday of the month we have a Second Sunday Special Service which appeals to the younger members of our church with more singing led by the worship group. There is often a guest speaker. Each Sunday we focus our prayers on one of the four main overseas mission partners with whom we are linked. Words to songs and hymns are projected, as are sermon visuals and some liturgy. We have large print books for those who need them. We robe (cassock, surplice, scarf & hood) every week at 8.00am and for weddings and funerals, but rarely at the main services (we currently robe, for example, on Remembrance Sunday, and for major festivals). We try to dress smartly and presentably. The bishop is aware of our practice. A large number of people are involved in readings, intercessions, children s activities, music, operating the computer and sound-desk, leading and preaching, and there is a relaxed, friendly feel to most of our services. Children are made welcome and we laugh a lot. We hold the Daily Office three mornings a week in the parish church lounge. At present only 1 lay person attends. At Emmanuel, there is a service each Sunday at 9.30 am: Common Worship Holy Communion on the 1 st Sunday of the month, and Common Worship Morning Prayer other weeks. About 20 people attend regularly. Music is provided either by musicians from the parish church or by using a Hymnal. Tea and coffee are served after the service. The atmosphere is very warm and welcoming. We have struggled to maintain a small Sunday school at Emmanuel, and this has been suspended for the time being. 13
Generally we alternate between Orders 1 and 2 for Communion. We include regular times of prayer ministry to the sick, testimony times and book reviews to plug the bookstall in the parish church and encourage Christian reading. A weekly Newssheet is provided which includes details of upcoming church events and other points of interest. The existing team We currently have a strong staff team who work well together. Our full-time Curate, Philip Robertson, is in the third year of his Title post. St John s has long been seen as a good training parish. We have a part-time Ordained Local Minister, Robert Bennett (a retired accountant). We have a full-time Licensed Youth Minister, Helen Morrow. Helen s focus is on secondary school ages, in church-based clubs and groups, at local schools and in the community. Our Families and Children s Worker, Mary Faulkner (30 hours/week) ministers to children up to 11 years, and their families. She spends much time in local primary schools and mums groups. She runs our monthly Saturday Club and our Holiday Club for one fun-filled week during the summer holidays. Linda Alderton, our full-time Administrator, is based in the parish office. Linda keeps the whole operation running smoothly and tries to ensure we are compliant with the latest regulations and requirements. A staff meeting is held every Monday morning, attended by the clergy, the Administrator, the Youth Minister, Children s and Families Worker and the two Churchwardens. We have 3 Readers (or LLMs as they are now known), who minister at both churches, and one of whom occasionally takes funerals. Our PCC comprises of 15 elected members, including 1 representative on the Diocesan Synod and 2 on the Deanery Synod plus the clergy, one Reader and the churchwardens. Meetings are normally held every other month. The Standing Committee comprising the clergy, churchwardens, Treasurer and two lay members meet every intervening month when required. 14
We also employ Mrs. Brenda Briant as our Verger, and two ladies who clean the parish church and the youth centre. Emmanuel Church is in the process of adjustment, following the retirement of their part-time pastoral leader and some key people who have moved away. They have their own church committee and two Deputy Churchwardens. With the help of the clergy, they are working hard on building up their congregation. We are blessed with lots of people who are involved in all sorts of ways on a voluntary basis at St John s and Emmanuel. The spiritual life of the church Alongside our Sunday worship, we encourage our members to develop their own devotional lives. In a 2008 survey, half the regular congregation read their Bible on a more-or-less daily basis, and most of the rest do so with some regularity. We produce a day-by-day prayer diary each month, which is used faithfully by many members in their own quiet times. We also encourage members to join one of a dozen home groups at St John s or Emmanuel, for prayer, Bible study and fellowship. These are organised on a neighbourhood basis. There are several other midweek men s and women s bible study, prayer and fellowship groups, and a monthly men s prayer breakfast. There is a monthly prayer meeting, which is poorly attended, although we are hoping for better during the vacancy! We encourage all to join our 6-week Lent Course which is usually well supported. We organise parish weekends away on an occasional basis, and are planning a Church weekend at home in October 2010. Groups from the church often attend Word Alive, New Wine, etc A group of 40 people will be going on a 10-day pilgrimage to Israel in May 2011. We would be delighted if the new incumbent wishes to be part of that trip and/or to lead it: but we make no assumptions about that. Several serve on Falcon Camps, beach missions and the like. 15
Some of us are very committed to evangelism and world mission. Quite a few have done short term mission-work overseas. There is a pastoral group who visit those in hospital or are housebound. We arrange bereavement visits and pastoral listening. The pastoral group works alongside the clergy in regular ministry in old peoples housing schemes. So, there is much to celebrate in the spiritual life of the parish, but we recognise that there is weariness among some, and a lack of commitment amongst others. How we share the Gospel For several years we have had a programme of door-to-door visiting around the streets of the parish, leading up to enquirers courses like Alpha, Christianity Explored, Start etc, which we run each term. We have done evangelistic visits to every house in the parish on at least one occasion since the year 2000. We offer training in faith-sharing: one of our members is an evangelist with Avanti Ministries. We have a stall with Christian literature in the St John s Village fête which is held on The Lye in June. We hold a monthly lunch for retired people at St John s which is very popular. We hold a number of events each year to which we encourage members to invite non-christian friends: these include concerts by Christian musicians, and fun mornings for dads and sons with computer games etc. In 2010 we plan a comedy evening with Milton Jones. We give visitors a welcome pack which includes a Gospel / evangelistic booklet and provides details of our Core Values. Our website ( www.stjohnswoking.org.uk ) lets the public know about our personnel, location, service times, seeker courses and values, and we leaflet the entire parish 3 times a year (around 4,000 homes). We do not have a parish magazine at present. 16
Much of our youth and schools work is geared towards bringing the Gospel to young people with no family connection to the church. We commit a substantial proportion of our time, effort and budget to our children s and youth work, passing on the faith to our own and reaching out to the lost. We also support the Scat team which runs Christian assemblies, clubs, etc in dozens of schools in and around Woking. We have been involved with Outside Light, street evangelism geared particularly towards unchurched young people and Across, a ministry to Woking s ethnic minorities which we share with several other churches. At Emmanuel the monthly coffee morning, with a topic of general interest, has been very successful at drawing 30-40 residents into the building. We deliver monthly flyers with a Christian message to each house in Mayford, including invitations to the coffee morning and church. Money left by a local benefactor has allowed Emmanuel to provide a Christmas lunch for the older residents, which is greatly appreciated. In recent years numbers at St John s have seen a gentle increase, but numbers have dipped at Emmanuel although there are encouraging signs of improvement of late. So evangelism is not only a biblical imperative, it is a priority and necessity for us as a parish. Current policies Baptism: Robert Bennett heads up our baptism preparation which involves providing enquirers with a leaflet, usually a home visit, and a three session course at the end of the 10.00am service, explaining the meaning of baptism, and the Gospel. For the uncommitted, and for children of unmarried parents, we recommend a Service of Thanksgiving for the Birth of a Child, and many choose this option. However, we never refuse to baptise a child resident in the parish. We only baptise at our main Sunday services. There were 20 baptisms in 2009 and 10 thanksgivings. 17
Marriage preparation. We insist that couples should attend a (rather minimal) preparation course including some biblical guidelines on marriage, a presentation on relationships within marriage, and some practical exercises for the couple to do. In addition there is a meeting with the clergy who will officiate and a rehearsal in the days leading up to the wedding. We recognise that our marriage preparation probably needs a rethink. 7 weddings took place in 2009. Remarriage after divorce. We do not remarry divorcees during the lifetime of a former spouse. Child protection: We fully comply with the House of Bishops policy on child protection, and follow the diocesan handbook in almost all respects. All who have contact with children are CRB checked, and are encouraged to undergo regular training in the issues. Hire agreements. We have policies in place for the hire of our premises. Missionary support. St John s Church formally supports 4 overseas missions (Crosslinks, Interserve, OMF and SAMS/CMS), and CPAS. We support a number of other causes and agencies such as TEAR Fund, Christian Aid, the local homeless shelter, the Woking Hospice, etc. When a major disaster strikes (e.g. the Haiti earthquake), we usually donate our Sunday cash collection to the relevant agency. We have guidelines in place for those who wish to ask for sponsorship or support for mission work. Some of our parishioners privately support the missionary work of these organisations and past members of our parish church involved in evangelism. Emmanuel Church chooses its own outward giving and mission support. Currently they support the York Road (in Woking) shelter for the homeless, Interserve and the Christian Institute. In addition some church members support, on a private basis, an orphanage and vocational in Rukungiri, Uganda, to which they have sent 70 tons of tools and materials over recent years. 18
We are a Fairtrade church and have a policy to reduce our environmental impact. We recognise that the new Vicar may wish to revise or change policies and practices in consultation with the PCC and would encourage applicants to raise such issues at interview. We would expect a new Incumbent to want to make some changes, just as Giles did when he joined us 14 years ago, and that change could be helpful. Involvement with the wider Church There are no other places of worship in the parish, except for a small orthodox monastic community in Brookwood cemetery, with whom we have little contact. However, we are actively involved in the Deanery and Diocesan Synods, Churches Together in Woking, Christian Aid Week, the Women s World Day of Prayer, etc. The incumbent is part of a monthly fraternal for ministers from some of the evangelical/charismatic churches around Woking, and this group organises joint celebration services 3 times a year. In recent years the vicar of St John s has been Moderator of Churches Together in Woking and Rural Dean. Practical support for the Incumbent The Parish Office sorts out much of the practical administration of parish life. All expenses of office are reimbursed, including mileage at diocesan rates. We would be happy to discuss with you what secretarial needs you may have. There is a small Vicar s discretionary fund, and the Smith s Charity makes an annual grant for the Incumbent to distribute to needy people in the parish. The basic day-to-day set-up of the parish is well organised, and the office provides excellent administrative support to the Vicar and other staff. 19
Parish finances We have always met our Parish Share ( quota ) in full which amounted to 94,116 in the last financial year ( 95,988 for 2010) and we have paid our staff and bills on time. Like many churches, the current financial crisis has affected our income and, after significant building improvement works in 2009, reserves are low. We feel confident that funds will be forthcoming when required and have formed a Stewardship Committee which is looking into ways of encouraging people to give more on a regular basis to reflect God s generosity to us. We will gladly provide you with a copy of last years accounts upon request. Recent Achievements The sacrificial and generous giving of the church family, over the time of our last vicar, has enabled: The church and youth centre buildings to be extensively improved and enhanced. A flat to be purchased to house our Youth Minister. Our Children s and Families Worker (75% FTE) and a Youth Minister to be employed, and lead volunteers, in key areas of potential church growth work amongst families and young people. Through the personal commitment of church family volunteers: All residents of the Parish have been visited. A variety of enquirers courses are held three times a year A variety of evangelistic and social events are held each year. 20
Vision/Needs Summary We have a vision for growth in our two churches, building upon the foundations laid by our last vicar and others. Ultimately we would like to see our churches become beacons to our community drawing people out of darkness into the light. We would identify our specific needs as follows: A large part of both congregations is over 65 years of age and these are people who have been very active for years. Both churches need to attract more young families and build up people to take the place of those upon whom we have relied for so long, with due consideration for the pastoral needs of our older people. Emmanuel Church needs to see more of the 40 or so local residents who attend the monthly coffee mornings become committed church members. There is a great need here to introduce young families with children. To review the way we do church - to identify people s gifts and encourage their use in the advancement of our mission. To raise the profile of our churches and review how we reach out to the community. Our house groups are a very effective way of keeping people close to the church family. These need to be reviewed and encouraged. Be a Parish that has more active fellowship, e.g. meal sharing etc. Become a more welcoming church Ensure that youth and family work is more widely engaged with by church members and clergy. To encourage more involvement with the local Cub Scouts, Guides, Brownies etc. To build upon what we have achieved, to see our congregations grow in the Spirit and then to take ownership of church by using their gifts for the advancement of our Mission. 21
To review ways in which we can make everything about church more appealing, both to our existing congregation and unchurched people, without compromising Bible teaching. The New Incumbent Key attributes A good teacher and preacher, capable of helping others to apply Bible teaching to everyday life. Someone who is able to show experience of leading a team successfully, an energetic person and a good communicator. A conservative evangelical. A person who will help us to review where we are now and where we should be going. So, they will have evangelism as a priority, be able to identify, encourage and use the gifts we have and apply their experience in seeing a church spiritually mature and grow in numbers. As we move on they will show: The ability to inspire, support and motivate people of all ages and backgrounds, a welcoming approach, a sense of humour, sympathy with differing styles of worship, empathy and pastoral skills. 22
INDEX Page 3 Page 5 Page 7 Page 9 Page 12 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 24 Traditions & Convictions; Core Values St. John s, Mayford & Woking Our congregations Buildings Public Worship Services The existing team The spiritual life of our churches How we share the Gospel Current policies Involvement with the wider church: Practical support for the Incumbent. Parish finances; Recent achievements Vision/Needs Summary The New Incumbent Key attributes Photo Collage 23
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