ST NICHOLAS RADSTOCK with WRITHLINGTON with ST PETER S & ST PAUL S KILMERSDON with BABINGTON 1
CONTENTS... WELCOME & OUR VISION 3 OUR VISION continued & BENEFICE 4 RADSTOCK & KILMERSDON 5 ST MARGARET S & AMMERDOWN CENTRE 6 OUR CHURCHES ST NICHOLAS, RADSTOCK 7 ST PETER & ST PAUL S, KILMERSDON CHURCH SERVICES 8 PARISH PERSONNEL 9 OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS ST NICHOLAS 10 ST PETER & ST PAUL S OUR CHURCH & COMMUNITY LIFE: RADSTOCK 11/12 ST PETER & ST PAUL S 13/14 CHARITY GIVING & MISSIONARY LINKS 14 ECUMENICAL & SCHOOL LINKS 15/16 FINANCES 17 THE WIDER PICTURE: THE DIOCESE INTRODUCTION BY THE ARCHDEACON OF BATH 18 THE DEANERY INTRODUCTION BY RURAL DEAN 18 ACCOMMODATION 19 FINALLY...PARISH PRAYER 20 APPENDIX 1 ST MARGARET S, BABINGTON 21 2
WELCOME Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 We wish to extend a warm welcome to you and hope that this Profile conveys a flavour of the exciting opportunity of providing leadership for the Benefice of St Nicholas Church Radstock with Writhlington and St Peter and St Paul s Church Kilmersdon with Babington. We are warm, and friendly churches, who are open to the possibilities of change. We see ourselves as one family who live in two households. Like all families, we have different ideals, but we work alongside each other, sharing ups and downs, and believe that God, who underpins and focuses all our activities, is at our heart. OUR VISION In each of our churches we have undertaken a survey of the community, and we recognise that: We are God centred congregations who want to share the light of Christ in our communities In each place there are people with many gifts who are ready and willing to exercise them We have distinct traditions, and we are open to trying new things We are caring people who want to work with our communities for the good of all We hope to: Restore the parts that are broken Encourage one another Celebrate the parts that are good Develop our working relationships: as a benefice, as parishes and as teams Be the Kingdom in the World, reaching out to our neighbours and communities Grow our membership and bring in families Deepen our faith Develop and release the lay ministry gifts that already exist Find ways to develop our outreach and effective teams and clear structures Explore ways to link our different parishes whilst being sensitive to the needs of both Increase our pastoral care provision, for example, in developing listening posts Strengthen our links and our work with schools and young people Support and enable the links with the many various groups allied to the churches Work with the Mission Enabler from Westfield, especially outreach to new housing Join in making our churches visible in our communities 3
So we are looking for someone who: Communicates the Gospel message meaningfully Is capable of managing change effectively Has experience of working collaboratively with teams Has experience of working with a diversity of people and places Would be supportive of our work with children and our other initiatives We think it is essential that our priest should be: A person of deep faith and understanding A reliable and fair leader: who is a good judge and able to offer strategic vision. An empathic and reconciling pastor, with a good sense of humour A collaborative leader: strong in vision and faith, generous, and able to allow others to play their part An enthusiastic and innovative leader: who will equip us to try new things We offer: A team that is ready to engage Strong lay members who work hard and have a willingness to try new things A benefice administrator (12 hours per week) 4 church wardens, a reader and committed PCCs Many opportunities for development and outreach: with schools, youth groups, World Mission, community groups, and ecumenical links A good deanery that is aiming to work more collaboratively THE BENEFICE Our churches are situated in Radstock, Kilmersdon and Babington 4
Radstock Radstock is a town 9 miles south west of Bath and 8 miles northwest of Frome. It is within the Unitary Authority of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). Radstock became a town council in its own right in 2011, when the former Norton-Radstock council was split into three. Radstock is on the edge of the Mendip Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the Cotswold Hills. Radstock centre forms the 'bowl' of a basin, ringed by hills, with communities that have their own identity and focus, much of which stems from the locality of mines and related housing. Radstock, Writhlington and Haydon are all old mining and railway communities. There is a core of locals, comprising several generations, who have strong attachments to the past. Additionally, miners and their families migrated to the area from as far afield as Latvia and Poland. The last mine closed in 1975. The Radstock with Writhlington Parish currently includes part of the village of Haydon and some of Westfield. The Parish population is approximately 6,200-96% of whom were born in the UK. There is a small Minority Ethnic population, some of whom are recent immigrants. The new housing stock has attracted people who commute to Bath, Bristol and further afield. The area continues to expand as a dormitory town. Radstock has a mixture of shopping and food outlets, with additional variety in nearby Midsomer Norton. There is a range of pubs, cafes and restaurants. Victoria Hall in the Radstock centre provides entertainment events, such as live music and offers cinematic experiences, as does Reel People (at Writhlington Academy). There is a local history museum in the centre. Many clubs, groups, bands and a Youth Theatre meet in the various halls in Radstock. Bath, Bristol, Wells and Frome are in close proximity, with ample shopping and entertainment facilities. There are good links to motorways and rail services, with regular buses (to Bath and other centres). There is a Doctors surgery in the centre of Radstock, which is currently wishing to expand. There are other health facilities nearby, including an optician and a dentist, with the main hospital in Bath. Kilmersdon A rural Somerset village with a population of approx. 1,200 (2011 census), Kilmersdon lies two miles south of Radstock, and seven miles north-west of Frome which is its natural local centre. There is a feeling of independence from the Norton/Radstock conurbation, despite its closer proximity, but many residents prefer this area for shopping, recreation and other facilities. The community mostly consists of commuters, retired people, some in local employment and self-employed. The housing reflects this, with a number of village houses, which were formerly part of the Ammerdown Estate, being rented from Wiltshire Rural Housing Association. The village is surrounded by a farming community, much of which is part of the Ammerdown Estate, owned by Lord Hylton (who is Patron of the Living), and other members of the Jolliffe family. The Church of St Peter and St Paul s is situated prominently in the village centre. Kilmersdon is a lively village, with an award-winning Village Hall (Best in Mendip 2014, Level 3 Hallmark Performance Certificate), which is well used for wedding receptions, children s parties, craft shows, and many other social events. Planning permission has just been granted to build a community shop & café adjacent to the Village Hall. 5
St Nicholas, Radstock BSL signing for Services available, provisions of big print Service Sheets and Hymns provided at weekly morning Services. 8am Service for said Holy Communion, twice monthly. A range and variety of Holy Days Services are held when appropriate. Team approved for communion administration and home communion. Diversity of congregation, small but strong and faithful; some new members recently. Prayer chain, valued by the wider community, it covers both parishes. Communal meals, prior to bible studies and special events. A few years ago, a couple of the PCC held views that were in conflict with our then incumbent and this disagreement escalated. This impacted on many aspects of the church life and activities. Despite a period of mediation, the situation could not be rectified and around half the congregation and PCC left to join other churches. Some of these people had held key jobs in the running of the church and when they departed abruptly, we experienced some difficulties without a proper handover. Since their departure, newcomers to the parish and other members have stepped up, leading to a cohesive and supportive church family. The feelings of isolation and division that had previously existed have dissolved. A few new worshippers that have come to join us have remarked on what a friendly, welcoming church it is. The 8 am Communion congregation is, on the whole, a separate group of worshippers and their views and needs are very much valued within the church. A conscious effort is made to keep them informed and integrated with the church family. Help with continuing to build up our loyal but vulnerable congregation will be a key role of our new incumbent. Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children! Mt 5, v9 St Peter and St Paul s, Kilmersdon At Kilmersdon, the weekly worship has traditionally been formal and structured; although in recent years a more fluid style of worship has been introduced. Hymns are usually from Anglican Hymns Old & New, accompanied by the church organ, and historically the congregation has preferred vestments and robes to be worn, except at family worship. However, there is an increasing willingness to be open to alternative views. Both our churchwardens are licensed to assist at communion. In the past, services have also been held in the Village Hall, the adjacent Jolliffe Arms Public House and the Kilmersdon Meeting Room in Coles Garden. But more recently, they have been held solely in the church. 6 What do you think the church has to offer people in this locality? Hospitality - potential to consider faith.
Kilmersdon is also the home of the world famous Jack & Jill nursery rhyme, its hill rising to the well in the school grounds where the legend is carved on slate plaques to commemorate the Millennium. The nursery rhyme landmarks attract much local, national and international publicity and intrigues visitors. On Village Day each year Jack and Jill races take place, with competitors vying for the most water in their pails after a dash up the hill and back for monetary prizes. ST MARGARET S Within the parish bounds are: The Ammerdown Centre Babington House where the church of St Margaret is situated Built within the grounds of Babington House, in 1750, possibly on the site of an earlier building, the church was refurbished in 1955 and then declared redundant in 1997. It has since been re-licensed for weddings and other services. Babington House is a Country House/Club part of London s Soho House. See letter supplied by the Secretary of the Trust, for information. Page 21. (https://www.babingtonhouse.co.uk/) AMMERDOWN CENTRE Within the grounds of Ammerdown House is the Christian based and totally autonomous Ammerdown Centre which opened in 1973. The Centre has developed into an internationally respected retreat and spiritual conference centre, especially known for its focus on interfaith dialogue, justice, peace and reconciliation. Until 2004, when a 2 million building refurbishment took place, the Centre was mentored and run by the Sisters of Sion. Today, a Director, her staff, a team of community members and volunteers are at the helm, and it is attracting over five thousand national and international visitors each year. OUR CHURCHES The Benefice consists of two parishes, with three churches, St. Nicholas, Radstock, (photo left ) St Peter and St Paul s, Kilmersdon (photo right) and St Margaret s, Babington. (photo above) St. Margaret s is a redundant church, now run by a Church Charitable trust and is used mainly for weddings and baptisms. No regular services are held there. The former Writhlington Church is now a private residence. The resignation of the previous incumbent means that the freeholds of the two parishes will be relinquished, combining the two parishes. The new incumbent will be known as the Rector of Radstock with Writhlington and the Vicar of Kilmersdon with Babington. There is an expectation that there will be some collaborative working with St. Peter s, Westfield and to make use of the Mission Enabler hours of their incumbent. 7
Church Services St Nicholas St Peter & St Paul s 8.00 Said Communion 1 st & 3 rd Sundays 9.30 Family worship or family communion 1 st Sunday 11.15 Holy Communion 9.30 Holy Communion 2 nd Sunday 11.15 Morning Worship 9.30 Morning Prayer 3 rd Sunday 11.15 Holy Communion 9.30 Holy Communion 4 th Sunday 11.15 Family Worship or Holy Communion 9.30 Variable / Café Service 5 th Sunday 11.15 Family Service 10.00 Healing &/or Holy Communion (Currently suspended) Wednesday Extra Special Services 7pm 7pm Anointing of Ashes and Holy Communion Holy Communion Ash Wednesday Maundy Thursday Good Friday 10am Meditation & Readings Dawn Communion and butties around the fire Easter Sunday 11.30pm Midnight Mass Christmas Eve 10pm Holy Communion One off Services (2014/15) 8 Baptisms 5 3 Weddings 5 13 Funerals/burials 1 Average service attendance: St Nicholas 19 + 5 (Based on 2015) St Peter & St Paul s 11 8
PARISH PERSONNEL Radstock Church Wardens Dawn Robinson & Esther Parker Radstock Music Director & Acting PCC Chair..Sally Kilmersdon Organist Dot Smith Kilmersdon Church Wardens Geoff Rhymer & Rosie Kane Reader...Paul Administrator...Kathy 9
OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS ST NICHOLAS, RADSTOCK A 15th century listed building, which was significantly enlarged in 1879 by the then incumbent, the Rev d Nelson-Ward, eldest grandson of Lord Horatio Nelson. St Nicholas Church has been kept in reasonable repair. The Tower repairs, funding well underway, were deemed necessary following the last Quinquennial inspection, next due in 2017. These repairs are programmed to be done in Summer 2016. Large open churchyard for all the community Church grounds and church field Basketball court Cafe space and meeting facilities Left...Tombs of two grandsons of Lord Horatio Nelson. The eldest son held position of Rector of St. Nicholas. His wife is also buried there. Right...The church centre is a post war temporary building which used to be a school canteen and classroom. Now adapted and linked with a foyer it provides office, meeting room, Foodbank storage and café. Repairs are done as required. ST PETER S AND ST PAUL S, KILMERSDON Built where a Saxon church probably stood, the Church was begun in the 11 th Century, is now largely 15 th Century and is Grade 1 listed. It has a tower with six bells that are rung regularly. Around the church is a well maintained churchyard with continuing space for burials. The unusual lychgate on the north boundary of the churchyard was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens in 1900. There is an excellent booklet available in the church on the history of St. Peter & St Paul s, entitled A GUIDE, written by Stephen Powys Mark, a past resident of the village. the roof the tower the bells Within the last ten years, there have been extensive building and restoration works including: the hunky punks and external stonework new boiler and boiler house new toilet with disabled facilities new sound system, with loop induction the North door recently repaired and re-opened complete 11,000 restoration of the 1822 clock For each of the above, the parishioners have risen to the challenge of match-funding, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds. A Quinquennial inspection will be carried out in the Spring of 2016. 10
OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LIFE St Nicholas, Radstock SUNBEAMS Mother and Toddler Group held weekly in church during term times BELL RINGERS alternate with Kilmersdon for Tuesday evening practice and Sunday ringing; team are gradually becoming more integrated with the church RADICAL YOUTH GROUP held weekly in church centre, has some paid leadership and also volunteers from with the church. Some members are beginning to attend Christian events but there is limited participation within our church. LOCAL FOODBANK is housed in the church centre and opens weekly SWALLOW South West Action for Learning and Living Our Way run our community café training young people with learning difficulties. RADSTOCK LUNCHEON CLUB hire the community café, twice monthly to provide hot dinners for elderly people who are housebound or vulnerable. DNA ARTS use church facilities to provide community events 11
St Nicholas cont... Co-ordinating with the Church and supervised by Joining Forces young people have done a number of projects in the church premises as part of the Government implemented Community Service Award.. RADSTOCK IN BLOOM the churchyard and church centre have been entered several times under the RHS - It s Your Neighbourhood scheme. MENDIP BRASS BAND play in church for annual Carols with Readings, Christmas Service 1 ST RADSTOCK SCOUT GROUP hold their Christmas Service in the church, lead by church personnel. MESSY CHURCH ( currently suspended.) EASTER STORY Churchyard was used to tell the Easter story to all the pupils of the four Primary Church Schools. 12
OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LIFE St Peter and St Paul s, Kilmersdon BELL RINGERS... alternating with Radstock for Tuesday evening practices and Sunday Services. USE OF CHURCH... In order to be more community-minded, we have felt the need to encourage further use of the church building so that people can Kilmersdon Film Festival. We ve also held FLOWER FESTIVALS supplying refreshments to the visitors. enjoy its beauty and tranquillity other than only at Service times. To this end, we have been running successful bi-monthly coffee mornings on Saturdays, which regularly draws a good crowd of non-church goers. VILLAGE DAY on the annual Village Day, held in May, the church provides refreshments and sets up stalls with goods for sale. This is an amazing opportunity for our fund raising, a lot of hard work, but well worth it! MESSY CHURCH... Takes place both in the church or village hall approximately four times a year. MUSIC GROUPS have held concerts in the church, and in the past it has been the venue for a FILM SHOW during the BIBLE STUDY GROUP... Engage is an ecumenical group that has been running since 2011, meeting in the homes of Kilmersdon church members. Various types of studies have been covered in that time, as well as organised social events, to which other members of the community What do you think the church has to offer people in this locality? A place of worship, tradition and comfort. What does your church mean to you? A focal point, a sense of community, social interaction for those lacking it. have been invited. Members go to several churches in the local area, including Baptist and Methodist, although non-churched people are also welcome, so discussions are often very interesting! Engage also includes prayer for the community started nearly ten years ago and has reinstated the idea of a Welcome Pack for newcomers to the village, giving them the opportunity to introduce themselves and get to know new people. OVER 60 S LUNCHES... Arranged by a church member and held monthly in the Jolliffe Arms public house, which is next to the church. In the past Harvest Festival Services have also been held here. ROTARY CLUB OF MIDSOMER NORTON... Annual Carol Service with Readings held at Kilmersdon. QUESTIONNAIRE...Recently we sent out a questionnaire to every member of the Parish in order to get a better idea of their views, wants and needs with regard to the church. Several quotes from the responses are shown throughout the Kilmersdon sections of this document. 13
St Peter & St Paul s, Kilmersdon contd. KILMERSDON VILLAGE ORGANISATIONS...There are numerous group (listed below) and church members are involved in most of them, this provides opportunities for additional outreach. Photo left...the VILLAGE HALL is the hub for many activities and events plus monthly WI Meetings and Gardener s Club, and a weekly Art Group. Photo right... Members of the Kilmersdon Church display their goods at the CHRISTMAS FAYRE held annually in the Village Hall, which provides an excellent opportunity for fund raising. A Bridge Club takes place twice weekly in the small Meeting Room in Coles Garden, a venue which, as its name suggests, is also used for holding most village meetings; Parish Council, PCC, Village Day committee etc. There is also a group called Kilmersdon Groundforce, started by a church member in 2002, which provides hanging baskets annually in the village. This is funded by the Hog Roast held on Village Day and by donations from parishioners. Other annual events have included Apple Day in October and Wassail in January. Is there one thing you can suggest which would encourage you to attend Kilmersdon Church? Perhaps an occasional evening (mid week) gathering of some sort. CHARITY GIVING AND MISSIONARY LINKS ST NICHOLAS PARISH NEWS... Kilmersdon produces a monthly Parish News which, by constitution, is sponsored/managed by the parish church, which regularly contributes articles. It s a free Community Magazine delivered by a team of volunteers to every house in the village and wider civil parish. It is edited by a church member and printed by Fosseway Press of Radstock. Much of the charitable activities undertaken from the Church Centre are supported by the church by charging reduced or nominal rent. Foodbank distribution takes place each Wednesday; the parcels of food are handed out by a team of volunteers, between 12pm to 2pm.The Foodbank s storage room within the Church Centre at Radstock is not charged for. Donations of food are made by individuals from both churches and the community. The Church s harvest offerings are also donated. The British and Foreign Bible Society is supported with a monthly donation. Other charities are given financial donations after special events, including Send a Cow, Children s Society, and a number of relief funds. ST PETER & ST PAUL S In its overseas and charity giving, Kilmersdon has supported Christian Aid, Tear Fund, the C of E Children s Society, Barnabas Fund and Open Doors. The church s harvest offerings, for the last few years, have been donated to the Foodbank store at Radstock. The church s giving is currently under review, due to all the recent repair work. Two church members, Audrey and Colin Gibson, left us in December 2015 to work in Lebanon as Missionaries with CMS. Colin was the Church Treasurer and Audrey helped organise children s events, including Messy Church. They have been financially supported by St. Peter & St. Paul s Church, members of the church and people in the Benefice, and are sending regular monthly updates about their work and experiences; these are published in the monthly Parish News. (Our picture shows them with their daughter, Harriet, an Overseas Aid Worker focussed on the Middle East) 14
Ecumenical Links There are ecumenical connections within the area, Churches Together In Radstock and Westfield, with clergy and lay representatives (www.radstockchurches.org.uk). There are two Methodist churches (in Radstock and Writhlington), and one Baptist church. The Roman Catholic Church closed for services in 2015. This is a strong Methodist area due to Somerset Coalfield and the mining industry. Radstock was visited by John Wesley, who also preached there (probably outside St. Nicholas on first occasion). One of the two Methodist Churches located in the parish is in the centre of Radstock, while the other is in Writhlington. Churches Together has been an excellent forum but now has little input as most clergy/minister posts are currently vacant. College of Bath Somer Campus; pastoral coverage from Bath extended to cover Somer Campus, being supported/funded by Deanery. Geographically, the Campus is located in Radstock with Writhlington Parish. In Kilmersdon, the Engage Bible Study Group is also an ecumenical group (see p13 for details). School Links RADSTOCK St Nicholas Primary School (VCP), Radstock http://www.stnicholasprimaryradstock.co.uk/website There has always been a close working relationship with St Nicholas Primary School, with regular services held in both the church and school, until the end of the last school year when the incumbent left. The Governing Body has until recently been represented by members of the church and the ex-officio role was filled. Trinity Academy (VCP), Radstock http://www.academyoftrinity.com/homehttp://www.academyoftrinity.com/our-church-school-1/our -beautiful-church-school There was involvement with Academy of Trinity. The Governing Body has not recently been represented by our church members. St Mary s Primary School (VCP), Writhlington http://www.stmaryswrithlington.co.uk/website St Mary s Primary has one Foundation Governor who supports them well. All the Primary Schools, including Kilmersdon, attended the 2015 Easter Garden experience. The College has now amalgamated with Bath College and has Pastoral support from the college Lay Pastor. This role has been extended to cover the Somer Campus and the Midsomer Norton Deanery is supporting the additional hours. Geographically, the College sits within the Parish of St. Nicholas. However, it also sits within the municipal Parish of Westfield. Writhlington Academy http://www.writhlington.org.uk/ Currently there are no links with Writhlington Academy. The incumbent is entitled to be an Ex-Officio Governor in each of the Primary Schools in Radstock. 15
SCHOOL LINKS...KILMERSDON Kilmersdon C of E VA Primary School (NOR 168) has long standing and close links with the church, and often uses the church for collective acts of worship and other events. The Board of Governors constitution includes the vicar as an ex officio member of the Board, although this role has from time to time been delegated to a lay parishioner. One of the current Church Wardens is also a long-serving and very active member of the governing body. Members of the church also run the Parent and Toddler Group...photo right, which meets weekly in the school, in term-time. What are your reasons for not attending Kilmersdon Church? I am not convinced by organized religion. It seems more about human politics and power, than faith. We hope that our new vicar will actively encourage and build on the good relationship which already exists. Dr Lisa Isted, Chair of the Governing Body, says As a Church of England School which takes its responsibility for promoting Christian values very seriously, we have always welcomed the involvement of the church in School life, especially the occasions on which clergy visit the School to lead assemblies. We look forward to seeing the good relationship which already exists between these two very important communities in Kilmersdon continue to flourish and grow with the arrival of a new incumbent. Kilmersdon C of E Primary School https://slp5.somerset.org.uk/webs/kilmersdon/sitepages/home.aspx Is there one thing you can suggest which would encourage you to attend Kilmersdon Church? Possibly more encouragement that it doesn t have to be all or nothing. We ve lost the connection with the Primary School, so are even more isolated. 16
FINANCES RADSTOCK After a misunderstanding, the paying of the parish share was suspended and so there are arrears. It is anticipated that the unclaimed refund of gift aid will be used to help rectify this. Our gift aid officer is working with HMRC regarding claiming refunds. A number of members give regularly and it is hoped that gifting will be reviewed in the near future. The Treasurer has been working with the Diocese financial Department to clear arrears of Diocesan Fees and Parish Share, which built up while an outside body was bookkeeping. There are reserves with are currently earmarked for the payment of the Tower Repairs. The Church has already received a grant of 35K from the Listed Places of Worship, Roof Fund (Lottery Funding) and 4K from another source. It is hoped that additional grant funding will be forthcoming. Monies are granted from the two local authorities towards the upkeep of the Churchyard and employment of a grounds-man. Theft of the lead from the roof valley led to significant damage internally due to the water ingress. The roof was repaired and made watertight. The internal damage will be rectified and paid for by insurance, commencing in April 2016 The accounts for 2015 will be available separately... the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard. Mt 7; v13 KILMERSDON St. Peter s & St. Paul s Kilmersdon with Babington currently enjoys a fairly healthy financial position. We are not a registered charity given that our annual income does not exceed 100,000. Our Parish share is fully paid up and we forsee no immediate problems with paying this in the future. This year s accounts have been reviewed and approved by an independent examiner. As these have not been approved by the Trustee s yet there is no link to the accounts. The 1822 clock underwent a complete 11,000 restoration and now has automatic electric winding. The fabric of the church is currently in very good order. 17
THE WIDER PICTURE The Diocese: An introduction by the Archdeacon of Bath The Diocese of Bath and Wells contains 564 churches in total spread across 465 parishes and 188 benefices. There are just under 200 clergy and a population of over 900,000 with considerable growth expected in the coming years. When first appointed in 2014 Bishop Peter was charged by Archbishop Justin to reimagine ministry, to seek the Common Good, and to grow the church here and he and Bishop Ruth who came here last October are aiming to do precisely that! The Diocese of Bath and Wells provides good support for clergy. Our School of Formation runs a CMD programme in which all licensed clergy are expected to take part. Course costs (mainly one day courses) are met through an annual Diocesan grant to clergy travel costs though come from your own benefice. The programme for clergy, readers and lay leaders is responsive to local needs. The diocese makes provision for clergy and families wellbeing through our excellent, confidential Pastoral Care and Counselling service. Specialist staff can offer help with housing, facilitate stewardship, and planning for the parish, ensuring access for all, and much more besides. The website: http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/ is well worth looking at and you may like to look at the parish spotlight for Radstock and Kilmersdon on the website, which shows information gathered from census and National Church statistics. http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/parishspotlight_510096-kilmersdon-w- Babington.pdf http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/parishspotlight_510361-radstock-w- Writhlington.pdf The Venerable Andy Piggott Archdeacon of Bath T: 01225 873609 F: 01225 874110 E: adbath@bathwells.anglican.org The Deanery: Introduction by Rural Dean 18
ACCOMMODATION The accommodation is a three storey, stone built Victorian detached house, conveniently located for Radstock town centre. It comprises: An entrance vestibule A hall A Lounge Dining Room, Large kitchen Breakfast Room Master bedroom with en suite and walk in wardrobe 3 further bedrooms Newly fitted bathroom Basement with WC and utility room Grounds and gardens Driveway and Parking 19
FINALLY... We hope that you have enjoyed our Benefice Profile and will join us in prayer and discernment for our next priest. We hope it may be you! And we offer this prayer written by Reader, Paul Curtis and adopted by both churches to be prayed at Services during the vacancy. It has been reproduced and given out in order that church members could pray it daily. PARISH PRAYER... Heavenly Father, as we at St. Nicholas with St Peter and St Paul s wait for you to lead us into the next phase of our Christian witness and service here in Radstock and Kilmersdon, we thank you for your steadfast love that has brought us to this point. We ask that you develop our love for you and for each other, as we seek your way ahead for us. Keep us faithful to the call we have answered and attentive to your guidance day by day. Refine and mature us to be ready to receive your leader of choice for us. May we always look to the Holy Spirit to direct each part of our life together both now and always. Amen 20
APPENDIX 1 ST MARGARET S, BABINGTON. The Trust may invite the new Incumbent to be a Trustee: There is no obligation on the Trust to invite the Incumbent of the Parish to be a Trustee but the vacancy left has been kept open and an invitation may be extended. The Weddings Licence held by the Trust (granted by the Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1997) requires that there be some involvement of the Incumbent with the Trust, although recent legislation has wiped out a significant part of the obligation of the Trust towards the Incumbent (the section regarding the payment of fees) and I am currently in discussion with the Diocese about how this needs to taken forward. The Archdeacon is involved in these discussions. St. Margaret s Church is legally a Redundant Church (with a Closed Churchyard where burials may take place in certain circumstances). The Incumbent needs to be aware of some of the activities that take place at St. Margaret s Church. After all, he/she will no doubt wish to be involved in the weddings and religious blessings, christenings and funerals, memorial services etc. that take place there and that it is a very busy church in that regard with currently around 40 to 50 Christian ceremonies taking place annually, potentially adding significantly to the workload, especially as that number is growing. I presume that there will also be a need being for agreement between Incumbent, Archdeacon, PCC (and any others who are appropriate) as to how that workload is handled. At present, the Trust calls upon an agreed list of ministers from the local area to undertake services at the St. Margaret s. The Incumbent of Kilmersdon with Babington is one of them and, unless otherwise agreed, the first to be offered the work to accord with the Weddings Licence held by the Trust. The Trust owns St. Margaret s Church and manages all of the activities that go on there. The Trust is completely independent and operates completely separately from the Parish. The Parochial Church Council is not involved in any way. Unless they are invited to become a Trustee and accept that position, the new Incumbent will have only a very limited influence on the activities at St. Margaret s Church and, even as a Trustee, will need to be aware that most of the activities at the Church are delegated to certain Trustees. As it is a Redundant Church St. Margaret s also serves as a community building and is also used for cultural events and activities, some involving other religions (but the only weddings are all C of E). At an appropriate time after the new Incumbent has been installed, The Trust would welcome the opportunity to meet with them and brief them in more detail, probably with Andrew Jolliffe, the Chairman of the Trust. Len Morris, Trustee and Secretary/Treasurer to the Trust, St. Margaret s, Babington, Charitable Trust. 21