Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth

Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth Profile for the Benefice of Great St Mary s Sawbridgeworth www.sawbridgeworthchurch.com June 2012 June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 1

Welcome Welcome to Great St Mary s! Sawbridgeworth is a thriving small town in rural East Herts, and Great St Mary s church is at the heart of this community. This profile has been prepared to help you get to know us and our church, and to discover something of Sawbridgeworth we hope it will be helpful to you as you seek to discern whether God may be calling you to come and join us as our new incumbent. In our recent Mission Action Planning Process, we asked the congregation what they liked most about Great St Mary s. We thought you might like to hear from them, so some of their responses are displayed on this page. An output of the Mission Action Plan was the creation of a 5 year vision statement: We will be a dynamic, hospitable, growing Church, welcoming everyone, where all ages can grow in faith and receive spiritual support, and where we use all our resources and talents for loving service to the community, locally and globally. What do you like most about Great St Mary s? Relationships built up with other people of different ages and backgrounds. The ancient building with all its history and the numbers that have worshipped in the building before. The worship and the fact that much of the liturgy is sung. The fact that we can come together to worship as a family, to pray together and hear God's word. The atmosphere of peace and serenity. The friendly and welcoming church community. Very good child-friendly services. We are looking for an incumbent who will lead us and help us grow towards the realisation of this vision. We hope you enjoy reading this profile and finding out more about us. More information about the church is available via our website www.sawbridgeworthchurch.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Great St Mary s PCC June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 2

1. Parish & Town Sawbridgeworth is a vibrant small town with a strong community feel located on the River Stort in rural East Hertfordshire. We are proud of our historical heritage; Sawbridgeworth is an ancient parish and is recorded in the Doomsday Book as Sabrixteworde. Today it has a population of approximately 10,000 residents. There are excellent rail links to London and Cambridge and the M11 is easily accessible from Sawbridgeworth either via Harlow or Bishop's Stortford, the neighbouring towns. Stansted airport is only a short car, train or bus journey away. The Parish includes, to the north, the hamlet of Spellbrook where the Church School is located and, to the east, part of Lower Sheering (in the local authority area of Epping Forest). A portion of the local authority area of Sawbridgeworth is in the neighbouring parish of High Wych. The town is pleasantly situated in a rural area. To the south of the town lies Pishiobury Park, a large open country park ideal for afternoon walks, dog walking and other recreational purposes. Recently the walk along the Stort River from Bishop s Stortford to Sawbridgeworth made the Saturday Times Top 20 Wild Walks. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 3

2. Community Sawbridgeworth has a diverse and thriving community. All age groups are represented in our town, with the mean age (40.3yrs) slightly higher than the national average. Prior to the Second World War most of the adult population was employed locally in a variety of skilled and semiskilled occupations with a smaller proportion commuting to London. After the War many of the local employers ceased trading or moved away and the working population changed to become a commuter-dominated community. Today we have many commuters, both to local towns and into the City, but we also have a number of small businesses both in the town centre and on the periphery. Our social grade is dominated by the ABC1 category (higher and intermediate managerial / administrative / professional) with 68% of the population over 16 belonging to this grade compared to a national average of 52%. On the Parish border with High Wych there is a privately owned nursing home and sheltered housing complex built on a former plant nursery site. This nursery had an international reputation and the complex is named after the founder, Thomas Rivers. Adjacent to the complex is a private hospital owned by the same company and in the High Wych parish. A small orchard still survives and is managed by volunteers through the Rivers Orchard Trust. We have a Town Council consisting of a Mayor and eleven Councillors. The Town Council runs a bus service within June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 4

2. Community (cont.) the town sponsored jointly by local businesses, and is responsible for the local Farmers Market held bi-monthly. The Town Council is supportive of Great St. Mary and very helpful with advertising events. The Mayor is elected each year and a Civic Service is held in the Church for the new Mayor. The council website address is www.sawbridgeworth-tc.gov.uk. The Benefice is within East Herts District Council. Three District Councillors represent the town which is not warded. The Memorial Hall is the largest hall in the town and is currently undergoing refurbishment funded by the Town Council, the Trustees of the Hall and Friends of the Memorial Hall. The Bullfields Centre is also available for hire by local organisations, but is primarily meant for the use of Young People under the age of 22. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 5

3. Education There are very good educational facilities in Sawbridgeworth and the surrounding area. Primary Schools are: Mandeville for nursery to KS2, Fawbert and Barnard for nursery to KS1 (these children then go on to Reedings School), and our Church School, Spellbrook Church of England Primary School, for nursery to KS2. Spellbrook School has especially close links with our church. We provide regular support at school assemblies and we host visits from the school, including their annual leavers service. Parties of children from the other Primary Schools also regularly visit the church. See www.spellbrook.herts.sch.uk Leventhorpe School is our Secondary School and has recently become an Academy. Evening classes in a range of subjects are offered here. See www.leventhorpe.net All of our schools have received good or outstanding Ofsted reports during the last few years. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 6

4. Leisure and Recreation Sawbridgeworth is well supplied with pubs and restaurants, covering a wide range of cuisine. The town centre also has a number of shops, including a small Budgens supermarket, newsagents, chemists, hairdressers and other local businesses. There is a health centre and an NHS dentist in the town. A Farmers Market is held regularly in Bell Street Car Park providing an opportunity for local producers to sell their wares. The public make use of the Leventhorpe School swimming pool, and a leisure centre also for public use has recently been opened in the grounds of the school. This offers a wide range of sports and classes. Both venues have gyms. The River Stort and Pishionbury Park are both pleasant country areas for walking and other outdoor pursuits. There are many organisations for all ages and interests, including the Sports Association involving the Cricket Club, Bowls Club, Tennis Club and Football Club. Children are well-catered for in the town with various public play areas, playgroups, music classes, uniformed organisations including a very successful ATC Squadron, and a Sure Start Children s Centre. Other organisations in the Town include a Woodturning Association, Angling Society, Sawbridgeworth Players (acting), Women s Institute, various arts and crafts organisations, Youth Create (a Community Youth Theatre providing performing arts activities for young people of all abilities), a day centre for the elderly and a visually handicapped group. The town has an active Town Twinning association. Sawbridgeworth is twinned with Bry-sur-Marne, a town east of Paris. Visits are exchanged each year and during the last few years Leventhorpe School has become closely connected to musical groups in our twin town. Combined concerts have been performed here and in France. Visitors from Bry-sur-Marne are enthusiastic about our church and some of their young musicians have performed concerts in the church. The Council for Voluntary Service organises a May Fayre on the first Sunday in May. This involves most organisations in the Town, and the Church takes the opportunity to hold a Discovery Day. This includes displays of our activities during the past year. There are activities for children and the day finishes with a short service. It is usual to have four to five hundred people visit the Church on this day. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 7

5. Worship We have a diverse pattern of regular and occasional services. The age range of our congregation is from a few months to those in their eighties. There is a regular rota of lay participation as readers, intercessors, servers and chalice assistants. Our pattern of Sunday services are shown in the table: Our pattern of weekday services typically includes: 8.00 am Morning Prayer 9.30 am Tiny Tot & Toddler Service (on alternate Tuesdays), average attendance 6 9.30 am Eucharist Order One (each Thursday), average attendance 20 On Mondays, we lead a service at Highfields sheltered housing complex (fortnightly alternating with the Evangelical Church). In addition, we celebrate Major Saints Days with an 8am Eucharist (Order One). On Principal Feasts and Principal Holy Days there are Eucharists at 9.30am and 7.45pm (average attendance 25-30) Service Sundays Typical attendance 8am Eucharist All Sundays (1 st Sunday BCP, others CW) 20 9.30 Parish Eucharist All except 1 st (Sunday Club for children) 100 9.30 Family Eucharist 1 st Sunday 100 9.30 Children s Praise 3 rd Sunday in Church House in parallel to 20 main service 11.30 Holy Baptism 4 th Sunday as arranged Other Special services include: Advent Carol Service, Christingle, Nine Lessons and Carols, St George s Day Scouts Service, Discovery Day service (May Fayre), Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism, Civic Service, Harvest with local schools, Thanksgiving for the Departed, Town Remembrance Service. 6.30pm Sung Evensong 1 st, 2 nd, 4 th Sundays 15 6.30pm Third Sunday Service 3 rd Sunday 20 June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 8

5. Worship (cont.) Our principal services follow either Common Worship (9.30 service and most 8am services) or Book of Common Prayer (Evensong and a monthly 8am Eucharist). Further details of our other services are as follows: The Children s Praise service takes place on the third Sunday of the month in term time, following the Liturgy of the Word using a format more accessible to our young people. The relaxed nature of the service means the children can really get involved with, and enjoy, the worship. The Third Sunday Service (6.30pm) provides an opportunity to experience worship in an alternative style. Recent themes have been varied, including a Taizé service, Lenten reflections, Advent worship from the Iona community, A Time for Compassion, Encounters with God in the Open Air, Vocation, a Prayer Walk and a service based on Living God s Love. The Tiny Tot and Toddler Service takes place on Tuesdays at 9.30am on a fortnightly basis during term time and lasts half an hour. It is independent of our Tiny Tots Group, but many of those attending go on to Tiny Tots afterwards, The service provides an important opportunity for many parents/carers and young children to experience our church building and a simple service in a relaxed environment. We always have singing with instruments, a Bible story, simple prayers, and some sort of activity; particular favourites this year have included hunting for "lost sheep" around the building, and demolishing the "house built on sand". Sometimes we even try "bubble prayers"! Occasional offices: In 2011 there were 33 children baptised, 2 youngsters were prepared for confirmation, 12 marriages were conducted and 33 funerals took place. In 2012 two adults have been prepared for baptism and confirmation. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 9

5. Worship (cont.) Musical Tradition: Great St. Mary s has a strong musical tradition, with a weekly Sung Eucharist and BCP Evensong. Two settings of the Eucharist are used: one by Thorne and the other written by David Wood, our Director of Music. We are members of the Royal School of Church Music and the East Herts Church Choirs Association. There is a robed choir of adults and children, which is augmented by other local singers for some of the special services. These have recently included the Advent Carol service and a service of Nine Lessons and Carols, and a performance of Sir Arthur Somervell s The Passion of Christ on Palm Sunday. Liturgical Tradition: Full seasonal liturgical robes are used including chasuble and occasionally a cope, with robed Crucifer and Servers. The Reserved Sacrament is held for Holy Communion for the sick and the dying. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 10

6. Pastoral & Ecumenical Many pastoral opportunities arise in Sawbridgeworth through the central location of the church building in the town and from the fact that it is regarded by many as part of the wider community life, whether through services like the St George s Day parade, or through baptisms, weddings and funerals. The Outreach Committee of the PCC is committed to implementing certain pastoral initiatives which were identified in our Mission Action Plan, namely to create a Welcome Pack and to re-launch our Befrienders and Bereavement Visiting Schemes, for which there is much lay interest. We have a strong link with Highfields, which is housing with support for older people. A fortnightly service is conducted either by one of our Readers or another volunteer from our congregation. This service is shared on alternate Mondays with the Evangelical Church. The Mothers Union provides refreshments afterwards. We have links with much of the life of Sawbridgeworth through the involvement of many members of the congregation in groups and organisations such as Scouting, ATC, the Town Council and Town Twinning. In Sawbridgeworth there are two other churches: Most Holy Redeemer, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Evangelical Congregational Church. There is no Churches Together in Sawbridgeworth, and latterly there have been no official links. A few tentative attempts have recently been made to make connections and the minister of the Evangelical Congregational church is keen to liaise with our new incumbent. Our congregation embraces some Roman Catholics and members of the URC. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 11

7. Leadership & Communications The Churchwardens provide the link between the worship and administration of the parish, encouraging the congregation to develop their talents and participation in the mission and outreach of the church. The PCC consists of 12 members with 3 Deanery Synod members and 2 Churchwardens. There are 2 ex-officio members. There are 3 committees: Fabric and Churchyard, Outreach, and Stewardship and Finance. The PCC meets bi-monthly with the committees meeting in between. The age range of the PCC is from early thirties to midseventies. The PCC is supported by a number of other volunteers, including a Child Protection Officer, Health, Safety and Fire Officer, Stewardship recorder, Electoral Role Officer. The Parish Office is currently open 4 mornings per week and is staffed by our paid Parish Administrator. Support includes preparation of the weekly Pew Leaflet and readings sheets, accounts, bookings for the Parish Hall, invoicing and other general office support. The primary method of communication with the congregation is a weekly Pew Leaflet. For more significant communications letters are sent to all on the Electoral Roll. The parish is also responsible for producing a monthly A4 publication entitled Church & Town which is distributed free to every home within the parish by volunteers. A calendar of outreach and social events is distributed twice a year. The parish has a website which is maintained and regularly updated by a volunteer from within the congregation: www.sawbridgeworthchurch.com June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 12

8. Ministerial Team We have three Readers: two of whom were admitted and licensed in September 2011 and are currently in continuing IME, the third has PTO. One Reader is also a Churchwarden. For the Third Sunday Service there is a rota consisting of two Readers and two others who prepare and lead the worship. The Tiny Tots service is led by volunteers from within our congregation. 9. Electoral Role At the 2012 APCM the Electoral Roll stood at 196 with 6 names having been removed in the last year, and 11 added. 20 of the people do not live within the Parish. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 13

10. Church Groups Our work with children and young people has been growing over the last ten years. We now have a flourishing Sunday Club with Sunday Club Minis for pre-schoolers. On the third Sunday of the month the children have their own Children s Praise service which is held in Church House in parallel to the main 9:30 service and follows the pattern of the Liturgy of the Word prior to returning to the Church Building for communion. The weekly Tiny Tots carer and child group is very popular and always has a waiting list. There is also a fortnightly Tiny Tots and Toddler Service for this age group. Craft workshops every Christmas and Easter are well-attended by many children from outside our church family. From May 2010-March 2012 we employed a part-time Children s Worker and she instigated additional activities. This summer will see us running a 3 day Holiday Club for children aged 5-11. Work with our young people at secondary school is just beginning, but there is a committed core of teenagers who are coming along to monthly sessions. We currently have three House Groups. Two of these meet fortnightly in the evening and both have an established core membership, but have been pleased to welcome new members in the last year. The third group is called Kids, Chaos and Christ and meets fortnightly on Thursday mornings for mothers with pre-schoolers. This group is ecumenical in nature. The Outreach Committee is committed to organising a range of social and spiritual events each year and these have included a very enjoyable Beetle Drive, a Treasure Hunt, Teas on a Summer s Afternoon, a litter pick, Safari Suppers, Quiet Days, and an annual Parish Pilgrimage. The Mother s Union is active in the parish, with monthly meetings, a monthly prayer meeting, various social events, and supporting the Highfields Service, as well as providing refreshments at the Tiny Tots playgroup. We have a strong musical tradition, supported by the choir which rehearses weekly and performs additional music at special services. Their numbers are on occasion augmented by friends. The servers, sacristans and flower arrangers all support the liturgical life of our church, as does the committed team of bellringers. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 14

11. Buildings We are proud of our beautiful historic church building. The fabric of the Church dates from the late thirteenth century with the last major work being completed in the sixteenth century when the brick tower staircase was added. The Church was much amended in the Victorian period. The building has several large monuments and seven hatchments. It is a Grade I listed building and stands in approximately five acres. The Church also owns: St Marys Lodge (the Curate s house, which is currently let) being a three bedroom detached house; the Parish Hall which is adjacent to the Church and is let for various activities; Church House which stands just outside the Church gates and which is used by the Church for various meetings, Sunday Club, events and private hire. The main recommendations of the last Quinquennial Report in 2007 concerned repairs to external stonework, all of which have been completed. A new Quinquennial Report is due in 2012. Two years ago the oil fired heating system in the main Church broke down. A temporary repair was made, and it was decided that the system should be replaced with a gas system. A group formed specifically to raise funds for the new heating has already raised a large percentage of the cost. This has been managed with the help and generosity of members of the congregation, many businesses in the town and residents of Sawbridgeworth who do not normally attend Great St. Mary. A Christmas Fair was held in Church for the first time in 2011 as a fund-raising event. The whole town pulled together to make this a success and over 400 people attended on the day. Such was the popularity of the fair that a similar event is planned for 2012. Plans for the new heating system are now well advanced and it is hoped that the work will be completed by the end of 2012. The large churchyard is maintained by a monthly volunteer working party, and other maintenance is done on a voluntary basis where possible. The interior of the church is cleaned regularly by teams of volunteers. The Fabric and Churchyard Committee takes responsibility for building and churchyard maintenance. The churchyard also contains the town War Memorial. The Friends of Great St. Mary s are active in fundraising for specific projects within the church building. Recently they have refurbished the hatchments and a painting. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 15

12. Finance Stewardship is practised through envelopes and by standing order. Gift Aid is actively encouraged and processed by the Stewardship Recorder. The Parish Share is 63,288, which is paid in full. We were fortunate enough to be left a legacy some years ago, which has been invested. The interest earned is used to help cover the running costs of the church and some repair work. A summary of the sources of income and expenditure is displayed in the pie charts. Total income in 2011 was ~ 179,300 and total expenditure ~ 169,100. Part of the income for 2011 comes from investments held by Great St Mary s. A summary of the sources of income and expenditure is displayed in the pie charts. The Parish gives 10% of the stewardship income plus 20% of the Gift Aid on the stewardship to mission and charity, with 60% going to overseas causes and 40% allocated to UK causes. In 2011 the overseas portion was donated to Five Talents, toward the purchase of two motorcycles to enable them to reach clients in more rural areas. The UK portion was allocated to CMS to support the work of Mark Berry in Telford. In 2011 some members of our congregation spent a weekend with Mark in Telford, learning about his mission work at the football club, and volunteering all night at Sanktuary, an alternative club next door to a nightclub, caring for the needs of the young clubbers. Expenses incurred through execution of the role are fully reimbursed. Mileage is paid at 45p per mile. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 16

13. Strengths & Opportunities for Growth The friendly and welcoming nature of Great St. Mary s is a major strength. Many people have commented on how they feel part of the church community and have friends here. The sacramental worship and choral tradition are much valued and appreciated. Great St. Mary s is regarded as family-friendly with a positive attitude towards children. This is reflected by a significant increase in recent years of young families amongst our regular congregation. Great St. Mary s has good relationships with all the local schools and particularly with the church school at Spellbrook. Our historic church building, located in the heart of the community, is a major asset which is well maintained by dedicated volunteers. Indeed, a further strength is our volunteers who support the running of the church in many different ways, such as the churchyard working party, serving refreshments after services, and supporting outreach initiatives such as the Discovery Day. An area which we are keen to address is the noticeable absence in church of teenagers and people in their twenties. A small youth group has recently been started, but there is much work to do in this area. Another area we feel we could improve upon is our outreach to the local community. Both these require additional volunteers and leaders. We are keen to find ways to encourage some of the newer members of the congregation to offer their time and talents to support these and other initiatives. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 17

Future Priorities In our recent Mission Action Planning, we discerned the following 5-year vision for Great St. Mary s: We will be a dynamic, hospitable, growing Church, welcoming everyone, where all ages can grow in faith and receive spiritual support, and where we use all our resources and talents for loving service to the community, locally and globally. To help us achieve this, we identified three priority areas to focus upon: 1. Church Building Pursue plans for developing the main Church building so that it meets the needs of congregation and wider community in the future. We have a beautiful church building which we would like to be able to use more widely. Our first task is to address the church heating. This is underway and we hope to complete this project this year. Beyond this, we hope to explore possibilities for improved facilities (toilet, kitchen) and a re-ordering to open up the interior space so that there are opportunities for increased and more diverse use of the building. 2. Ministry Build on our ministry of welcome, and expand our provision of pastoral care for the young and the vulnerable in the Parish. Our welcome is already a strength and we hope to be creative in building on this. We are keen to find ways to attract more teenagers and young people into our church community, and to develop new outreach initiatives in support of our community. 3. Worship Enhance the provision of worship and develop initiatives for encouraging spiritual growth. The worship that is currently offered is done well and valued. We would like to see a greater creativity and diversity in opportunities for worship. We also long to see a greater uptake of activities such as house groups, prayer groups, quiet days, etc. A full copy of the MAP is on the parish website at : www.sawbridgeworthchurch.com/maplanv12.pdf. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 18

Future Priorities We are looking for a priest who will be a catalyst in helping us to achieve our vision. We are at an exciting time in the life of our church and look for a leader who will share our vision and has the energy and passion to take us there. He/she will be well supported in this by the PCC; indeed, key goals for 2012 have already been assigned to the subcommittees to ensure we take the first steps towards the vision. In order to achieve the vision we hope for an incumbent who will help keep the congregation enthused about it and encourage us to use our gifts in support of it. We also hope for a priest who will be committed to mission and outreach in the local community, with a passion for people and the skills to engage with them, to help us to take the gospel to them. Among the initial priorities for the new incumbent might be: Getting to know and building relationships with current members of the church community. This might include helping individuals find opportunities for spiritual growth, and encouraging people to be bold in offering their skills and talents in God s service. Supporting and helping to build on our tentative steps towards bringing teenagers and young people into our church community, and helping us implement solutions to retain our existing children as they move from primary to secondary school. Getting to know and building relationships with people in the wider community, and helping us to develop our outreach in the town. Worshipping with us, upholding the traditions we value, whilst finding ways to be creative and diversify, especially with Family Services. Praying with us and for us, and for our community. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 19

New Incumbent Profile We are looking for a Parish priest who: shares our vision and has the energy, commitment and enthusiasm to lead us towards it; is a pastor with a real heart for people, who will be committed to getting to know us and who will encourage people to find and develop their role and ministry within the Body of Christ; has a passion for engaging children, teenagers and young people in the life of the church, and who is committed to developing further our relationships with the local schools; cherishes our traditional, sung liturgies whilst also seeking opportunities to develop alternative forms of worship; is committed to making new disciples. More than just a visible presence in the town, someone who will help us to engage with others where they are and be a champion for Christ; is a person of prayer, committed to their own spiritual development as well as that of others. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 20

New Incumbent Profile What we offer in return: Our new incumbent can be assured, first and foremost, of our prayerful support and friendship. They will be warmly welcomed, as are all new members of our church community. The PCC and associated subcommittees are well established and many tasks are led by members of these groups. The Parish office is staffed 4 mornings a week and many of the regular administrative tasks are taken care of by our Parish Administrator, including all bookings for baptisms, weddings and funerals. In the leading of worship, there will be support from three Readers (preaching, and taking nonsacramental services), and also the support from the choir, serving team, sacristans, intercessors and sidespeople. Great St Mary s is also a training parish, with a house for a curate should one be appointed in the future. There is also significant support from many members of the congregation for the nurture of children in faith, with committed Sunday Club leaders and volunteers who lead the Children s workshops and other activities. Alongside the support from the congregation, we offer a large and attractive vicarage in a highly desirable location, and a beautiful historic church building. There are excellent local schools, transport links and a friendly and helpful local community. June 2012 Great St Mary s, Sawbridgeworth 21