St Martin's Church Bedford Parish Profile
Introduction Thank you for reading this Profile. We very much hope that you will give consideration to being our new Priest. St Martin's Church, Bedford is a family-centred community, that seeks to preserve all that is best in traditional Anglican worship. It has the reputation for being one of the most welcoming Anglican congregations in Bedford and offers a most beautiful building in which to worship. It is proud of its diverse congregation and Caribbean and African links. Our Vision is To be a congregation, both current and in the future, confident in its faith and traditions, and in its reverence of the Holy Sacraments To reach out to the Parish as a welcoming, hospitable and inclusive congregation eager to make new Disciples To create and maintain a building valued by the wider Parish, offering a place of worship, an opportunity for quiet reflection and prayer, and a venue for social interaction. St Martin's is at a crossroads. Stage 1 of our journey, making the Church fit for purpose, is almost complete. All that remains to be achieved is the planned underpinning of the choir vestries for which Architect's drawings have been prepared and considered by the PCC. Our new Priest therefore would not need to be over concerned with matters of Church fabric. We have a building that is much more fit for purpose. We are almost ready for Stage 2: Mission and Growth. Our Vision looks positively beyond the Church doors into the Parish. We have already made a start on Stage 2, having met the Diocesan Director of Mission. Whilst we have the will to take Stage 2 forward ourselves, we are looking for a Priest to spearhead our action and to be our spiritual guide. He would be able to do that less burdened by church fabric concerns. Growth and mission should therefore be the main thrust of a ministry at St Martin's. We pray for a Priest strong in Catholic conviction and liturgy, reverence of the Sacraments and in tune with our traditions, who is eager to nurture the present congregation and reach out to the Parish as a whole. We look forward to welcoming a good teacher and communicator to help us to go deeper in God. He will consider the Sacramental and prayer life of the Parish to be a priority and will value the building as a place for worship and social gathering. The congregation is willing to have tasks delegated to it but would look to the new Priest to be an able and understanding leader. St Martin's does not have a strong choral tradition, but we would welcome a Priest with a musical appreciation. We look forward to a Priest who can accept us as we are a straight-forward, unpretentious Church, with a special atmosphere that combines the spiritual with the practical. We hope for someone who can recognise and build on our skills and abilities but who also understands our limitations. We recognise that we are facing a time of change,
with several challenges especially financial. However, we embrace this time as one of excitement and opportunity. Our new Priest would be happy to accept our diversity, willing to participate as fully as possible in our activities and to be a friend to all the Church family. He ideally should have vision in terms of the presentation of the faith but also very appreciative of strong and intelligent liturgy. He should be willing to draw in new people with imagination, prepared to re-engage with "lost" elements of the parish and skilled at keeping the existing congregation "on board". We look for a good listener and someone who is willing to work with other nearby Forward-in-Faith and "Traditional" parishes and also with the other three central Bedford churches to ensure that all within the town, and further afield, can be part of what Living God's Love can offer. If you are interested in what we are looking for, the following pages set out the background to St Martin's in more detail.
Description of St Martin's Parish Bedford is a modest county town, traditionally based on market gardening and light industry, about 50 miles to the north of London and in the northernmost part of St Albans Diocese. Like many English towns it saw rapid growth in the 1960s and has a diverse but well integrated population. It has in the past been designated as an Urban Priority Area. St Martin's Parish is situated in the north west quadrant of Bedford. It is bisected by the A6. The Parish has a diverse population of about 6,000. It is predominantly residential, although there are significant light industrial premises, a Travel Lodge, the town's main Sainsbury's Supermarket and the Bedford Head Quarters of the Highways Agency in the north and some office accommodation in the extreme south. There are a few corner shops and public houses. There is a considerable number of nursing homes and retirement homes in the Parish. There are two Lower Schools close to St Martin's Church neither is a Church School. There is also a private Primary School in the Parish together with two Public Schools Bedford Modern and Rushmoor. A small Methodist Church, linked to the larger Priory Methodist Church in Goldington, together with the Bedford Quaker Meeting House and a Seventh Day Adventist Church are also within the Parish Boundaries. The Faith Community Church historically met in St Martin's Church Hall. The Hall is now owned by that Church. Refurbishment of the Hall into a place of worship is awaited. At the end of 2014 the Faith Community Church submitted a planning application to the Borough Council for the refurbishment, partial rebuilding and extension of the Hall, to create a significant new worship and social centre. The application has not yet been approved. The Parish falls within 4 distinct parts: A) The Black Tom Area (AKA Prime Ministers' Corner). This area consists of modest terraced Victorian houses. It has a diverse population, including Italian, West Indian and Asian. Many members of St Martin's are drawn from this area. B) Manton Heights. This area lies to the north of the Black Tom and consists of 1960s residential development and the light industrial units, offices and The Modern School to the north of Brickhill Drive and Manton Lane. The population is again very mixed. Some of the population still looks to St Martin's as its spiritual home. C) Poets' Corner. This sector lies to the west of Shakespeare Road and comprises 1930s residential development, together with late Victorian housing. The older housing is substantial. Whilst some of the houses remain in single owner occupation, many of the larger properties have been sub-divided into flats. There is a number of small hotels along
Shakespeare Road. The population of this sector tends to be more fluid. It is a harder area to touch spiritually. The 1930s housing is different, with much more stable occupation. D) Warwick Avenue/Lansdowne Road. This area is to the south of Clapham Road and stretches to Bromham Road. The area is mainly Victorian in character. The former University site lies between Warwick Avenue and Lansdowne Road. Bedford Borough Council's emerging Local Development Plan allocates this site as a significant residential redevelopment area possibly including an extra-care nursing home. The site is still awaiting redevelopment. Many former university buildings have been retained in Lansdowne Road. They have been converted into high-value homes. The emerging Local Development Plan has also identified the land beyond Sainsbury's Supermarket as an area for significant hotel and employment development. Major residential development has been allocated to the land west of the railway line, adjacent to the employment allocation, but in Biddenham Parish. Development of this entire area is dependent on the completion of the Bedford western bypass, currently under construction. St Martin' Church lies roughly in the centre of the parish, on Clapham Road. Whilst substantial Victorian properties (now mostly in multiple occupation) lie opposite the Church, only Livingstone Lower School, two blocks of flats and a car-hire centre lie on the same side of Clapham Road as the Church. To the west of the Church are school playing fields.
St Martins Parish Boundary Map OpenStreetMap contributors
The Church Building St Martin's Church is a Grade II brick and stone listed building, designed by J A Chatwin of Birmingham, built in 1888-89, enlarged with vestries in 1908, and now with a capacity of over 350. It is the most prominent building on the north side of Clapham Road in this area, despite the planned steeple never having been built. Its plain exterior belies the Church's impressive well-designed interior. It has been recognised by English Heritage as a littlealtered Victorian Church, to be valued for its internal arrangements and vistas. The interior is enhanced by the impressive hanging rood in the chancel arch and the good quality Clayton and Bell early C20 glass in the chancel apse and the Lady Chapel. There is a later Memorial Chapel, designed by the well-known Sir Albert Richardson. The Church had to be extensively underpinned in the 1940s. The later choir vestries appear not to have been underpinned and recent dry weather has resulted in further serious subsidence there. The PCC took the decision in 2007 to sell the Church Hall. That building was suffering from serious structural problems. The building is now owned by the Faith Community
Church and awaits refurbishment. To counter the poor state of that building, we present an attractive, well maintained Church garden. The monies received from the sale of the Hall have been used to bring the Church into good repair. The following work has been undertaken on the Church: complete re-tiling of the north nave roof; new main entrance, including architect designed access for those with mobility difficulties; new lighting in nave and baptistry; new gas-powered heating system to replace obsolete and dysfunctional oil-powered system and new refreshment area in the south transept. The present vestries need underpinning and the space is to be reorganised to provide new toilets and some office space. The monies were not sufficient to allow the extension of the area as we had originally hoped, but the redesign will allow for future extension without interfering with the toilet facilities. These building works (together with the underpinning of the choir vestries on which progress has been made) represent stage I of the Church's transformation. The PCC is therefore satisfied that it has successfully dealt with matters relating to the Church fabric and, once the underpinning of the vestries has been completed, can present a Church that is now substantially fit for purpose. Fabric concerns should therefore not be overwhelming and time consuming for a new Priest.
The Vicarage St Martin's Vicarage is located at 76 Clapham Road, a short walk from the Church. It is a large late Victorian house that makes a comfortable home. It is conveniently located for the Sainsbury Superstore, the railway station, and the town centre. It comprises: an entrance porch and hallway; study; large lounge; further reception room; large kitchen and utility room; downstairs cloakroom. Upstairs there are 5/6 bedrooms, a bathroom and separate WC, both of which have been refitted in recent years. Additionally there is some cellar storage. To the front there is a garage and off road parking for several cars, to the side and rear there is a large garden. The plot is approximately 1/3 of an acre.
Current Pattern of Worship Sunday Services 10 am: Sung Eucharist (Common Worship). Incense is used at all services, together with altar servers. Tea and coffee are usually available after the service. 6.30 pm (4 pm in winter): Sung Evensong (Third Sunday only) Weekday Services Wednesday - 10 am: Said Mass (Book of Common Prayer) Last Thursday in month - 7.30 pm: Walsingham Cell Mass Major Festivals - 7.30 pm: Sung Eucharist (Common Worship). Incense is used at all these services, together with altar servers, if available. Given its exposed location, the Church has at present to be kept locked outside service times. The tradition of a Sung Eucharist is valued at St Martin's. We invested in an electronic music system after our Organist's retirement in October 2013. When available a visiting Organist is encouraged to play. Attendance At the 2014 AGM, the average normal Sunday attendance was recorded as 31 adults and 4 children. The Congregation It is encouraging recently to have seen younger families in Church. About one third of the congregation is of West Indian origin. St Martin's was very welcoming to West Indian and African newcomers in the 1960s. All members of the congregation are free to take as active or quiet part in the life of the Church as they wish.
General Holy Communion is taken regularly to 2 house-bound parishioners. It is believed that there is scope to increase the number of home communions and to re-establish contact with the many nursing homes in the Parish. A supportive laity takes a full part in the liturgy by serving at the altar, administering holy communion (there are 3 licensed administrators), leading intercessions and reading. Funerals: In Church: 2009 2; 2010 3; 2011 0; 2012 0; 2013 3; 2014 1 Crematorium: 2009 16; 2010 10; 2011 4; 2012 9; 2013 13; 2014-13 Weddings: 2014 1 Baptisms: 2011 2; 2012 2; 2013 1 Confirmations: 2008 3; 2012 2 At the beginning of 2015 there were 56 names on the Electoral Roll 27 resident in the Parish and 29 non-resident. We actively comply with the various Health and Safety Regulations, the Disability Legislation, as far as is practical in a listed building, and follow the Safeguarding and Vulnerable Adults Policy.
Parish Life The congregation prides itself on being a welcoming and caring group of Christians. It is noted locally for the quality and quantity of its catering. It aims to be a "giving" Church. Parish life is centred on the celebration of the Eucharist but social activities are also important. Members of the congregation organise fund raising events i.e. garden parties; coffee mornings; teas; harvest suppers and concerts. In 2014 Lent Lunches were arranged and the momentum from that initiative continues with monthly Parish lunches in Church. A few members of the congregation meet as a walking group. With the sale of the Church Hall, two major fund-raising fairs are now held in Church. These events are well supported locally. Around 10 members of the congregation attended the Emmaus Course about two years ago the sessions were led by two members of the congregation. The Course has been followed by two Lent courses. There is a Cell of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham at St Martin's. It meets once a month for a said Mass. One member of the Cell has organised an annual Walsingham Pilgrimage for many years. The Pilgrimage is shared by other local Churches an opportunity that is much appreciated by those Churches. The Church takes an active part in the work of Bedford Deanery Synod: i.e. its meetings and joint services. The PCC wishes to reach our to the Parish as a whole especially now that the Church building projects are nearing completion. Members of the PCC and the congregation have met the Diocesan Director of Mission and has begun to think how the Church might like to develop its Mission role to the Parish. The weekly bulletin is prepared by one of the Wardens, who also liaises with other Churches and organises any necessary publicity.
Finance As with many Churches, finance is a concern at St Martin's. Members of the congregation are generous but the modest number in the congregation inevitably means that giving is not as high as it should be. Each year the Church more or less breaks even. We are able to pay the requested Parish Share but we have received Pastoral Aid Support Grant, which has seen half of the Priestin-Charge's stipend contribution met by the Diocese. Looking forward the PCC is seeking to increase the level of giving and would hope that a larger congregation might lead to a higher income generally. The Church has for many years donated 10% of the receipts from its two Fairs to Us (USPG). Modest donations are made each year to the Prebend Street Drop in Centre for the Homeless and Rootless; the Church Urban Fund and Lepra. An annual Christmas clothing collection is organised within the Church for Prebend Street and our Harvest Gifts are donated to St John's Hospice in nearby Moggerhanger. Our Christingle Service, which attracts 120-150 people each year raises money for the Children's Society.
Ministry Resolutions A, B and C have been passed, and have been in place for some time, under the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 and the parish is under the Episcopal and Pastoral care of the Bishop of Richborough. The parish is affiliated to Forward in Faith and has a good number of members of Forward in Faith who would expect their priest to be of the same mind. The PCC is committed to maintaining the Church's catholic tradition. The PCC has recently revisited the question of women priests and saw no reason to rescind the extant resolutions. The PCC expects its traditions to be respected and would resist any attempts to amend its traditions or stance. There is no assistant Priest and so cover is provided by retired Priests. There is a Cell in the parish of the Society of Our Lady of Walsingham. There is a popular annual pilgrimage to Walsingham, that is shared with other local Churches. Our Annual Christmas Eve Christingle Service is extremely popular and is attended by 120 150 people most years. There is scope within the congregation for modest parish visiting and developing links to our local care homes.
Collaborative Working For a number of years, St Martin's Priest and Church Wardens have been meeting with the Priests and Wardens of St Andrew's, St Peter's and St Paul's Churches to form a Cluster. This has helped to "break down the barriers" between the Churches and lay the foundations for collaborative working. It is hoped that these foundations will enable the Churches to work effectively together, especially if it should transpire that fewer Priests are appointed to the central Bedford parishes. It is expected that our new Priest would wish to continue this collaborative working and the liaison meetings. Notwithstanding the importance of local collaboration, we would hope that our new Priest will wish to work with other nearby Forward-in-Faith Parishes in Luton, Kettering, Northampton and Wellingborough. Strengthening our ties with those like-minded Parishes is seen as important and an area for renewed effort. It is also hoped that the new Priest will be willing to work collaboratively with the schools both state and private - within the parish to foster links that have already been established over the last few years. Although St Martin's is the main Christian presence in this part of Bedford, there should be opportunities to work collaboratively with the nearby Methodist Chapel and the Friends Meeting House. It is hoped that our new Priest, notwithstanding our traditions and stance, would wish to be involved in the ecumenical work within Bedford.
Score Card Positive Could be better Anglo-Catholic Forward in Faith ethos which is unique in Bedford and the surrounding area The Congregation is ageing but it is also growing modestly Impressive and prayerful Church which is now fit for purpose Fewer young people in the congregation A large parish, with some challenging parts, which is set to grow with planned new development Many residents belong to other Churches and other faiths and so potential for growth might be limited A welcoming and friendly congregation that is realistic about the challenges ahead but is wishing to engage in mission and is eager to fund raise and participate in Church life Recent ministries have been based more on a maintenance of the status quo with perceived limited full engagement with the Parish and, at times, with the congregation. We have lacked a missionary zeal, imagination, leadership and fun. Finances are not too bad, with the Church more or less breaking even. Funds from the sale of the Hall have been used to good effect to improve the Church and have made it fit for purpose. Income remains a concern and affects whether we can afford a full-time Priest in the future. We pay in full the requested Parish Share albeit with the benefit of a Pastoral Aid Support Grant. It is unlikely that any grant will be available in future years. St Martin's is well-represented on Deanery Synod and supports many joint events. It liaises with other Churches to share information about forthcoming events etc. - indeed it is more communicative than most Churches in Bedford. The Church has long welcomed people from the Caribbean and other parts of the world and with a third of the congregation of West Indian origin, it reflects the diverse make-up of Bedford. There are opportunities to re-establish links with specific overseas Churches. Good relations have been established with the neighbouring school and other schools in the Parish. There are extremely strong links with the private Rushmoor School. There is a need to develop links with Bedford Modern School, a significant institution in the Parish. It is hoped that the current educational links will not be lost during the interregnum and beyond.