Diocese of Gloucester North Cotswold Deanery Vale & Cotswold Edge Team Ministry The Parishes of Pebworth, Dorsington, Honeybourne, Willersey with Saintbury, Weston sub Edge and Aston sub Edge
Contents General Introduction 3 Structure of the Group 3 The Vicarage 3 Worship 4 Sunday services 4 Weekdays 4 Occasional Offices 5 Spirituality and Discipleship 5 Pastoral Care 5 Engagement with young people 6 Community Engagement 6 Governance 7 Finance 8 Parish share 8 Charitable giving 8 Fundraising 8 New housing developments 8 Vision for the Future 9 Taking the church out to the villages 9 Involving young people 9 Drawing the different villages/parishes together 9 Sustainability for the future 9 New Housing Developments 9 What the churches would like as a priest 10 What the churches would offer a priest 10 Individual Parishes 11 Pebworth 11 Dorsington 11 Honeybourne 12 Aston sub Edge 13 Weston sub Edge 13 Willersey with Saintbury 14 Appendix 1 Service pattern across the group 16 Appendix 2 Parish data 17 Page Page 2 of 17
General Introduction Structure of the Group The group of rural parishes is situated in the beautiful Vale of Evesham on the edge of the Cotswolds area of outstanding natural beauty. Evesham and Stratford upon Avon are both a short car journey away. Cheltenham, Gloucester, Worcester, Coventry and Birmingham and all within an hour s drive. There is a railway station in Honeybourne that provides regular services to Worcester and London. There are primary schools in three of the villages. There are secondary schools in the nearby towns. The Group has six open churches and form one part of the Vale & Cotswold Edge Team Ministry in addition to this post staffed by a Team Rector based at Chipping Campden and a Team Vicar in Blockley, all part of the North Cotswold Deanery. This grouping only came into being following a major pastoral re-organisation in late 2014. The group covers parts of three neighbouring counties, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The six villages vary considerably in size, see Appendix 1. Whilst the major land use is agriculture and market gardening, most of the population work in neighbouring towns such as Evesham, Cheltenham and Stratford on Avon and also further afield. There is a basic group website (http://www.cotswoldedgenorthbenefice.org/index.asp) which the Group looks forward to developing. Most villages have village or Parish Magazines enabling details of church services to reach all villagers. There is a part-time volunteer Administrative Assistant attached to the group of six parishes. There are no readers in the Benefice. There is a retired Bishop living in Honeybourne, and two other retired priests living in Willersey. Honeybourne Vicarage The vicarage was built in the 1980s and stands approximately in the middle of the village. The property is detached and has solar panels with gardens enclosed on two sides of the house with the main garden totally enclosed with mature beds and a patio area. There is a separate garage and parking. Page 3 of 17
The house consists of front door vestibule with glass panelled door leading into large entrance hall; 2 reception rooms, the lounge with patio door onto the garden and dining room with double doors allowing the rooms to be used as one; door to large breakfast kitchen; separate utility room; toilet and a large study which is accessed from the front door vestibule. On the first floor the master bedroom with en-suite and comprehensive range of fitted wardrobes; 2 double bedrooms; 1 single/box room; family bathroom and airing cupboard. Both the en-suite and the family bathroom have been upgraded along with the kitchen. Worship Sunday services Sunday worship across the group is based on a range of different types of service, with an emphasis on the. There is a balance of contemporary and traditional language, and both Common Worship and BCP are equally valued. Vestments are usually worn. Non- ic services include Family Praise, Evensong and Songs of Praise. Evensong is generally sung. The aim not always achieved at present is to have at least two s every Sunday, one in the northern part of the group (Dorsington, Pebworth and Honeybourne) and one in the southern part (Aston sub edge, Weston sub Edge and Willersey). In months with five Sundays, a joint is held at one of the churches on a rotating basis on the fourth Sunday. Aston sub Edge celebrates the farming year, such as Plough Sunday, Lammas Sunday etc., with a walk around neighbouring farmland on Rogation Sunday. The church at Willersey has close ties with Willersey Methodist Church, holding joint services where there is a fifth Sunday in the month. Weekdays Morning Prayer is normally said in one of the churches each weekday, the idea being to have Morning Prayer once a week in each church. Other regular midweek services are Honeyangels, a mother & toddler group which meets every Tuesday morning at Honeybourne, and a midweek BCP at Willersey. Joint services are also arranged Page 4 of 17
at one church in the group on a rotating basis on festivals such as Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, All Souls, Corpus Christi etc. Occasional Offices Baptisms, weddings and funerals take place in all of the churches figures for the last three years are shown in Appendix 1. The policy is in principle to accept all requests for baptisms on the basis that this establishes contact with a family, even if they are not regular churchgoers. Honeyangels is often a source of requests for baptism and a vehicle for follow-up to baptisms. Some of the baptisms take place in public services and as a general policy this is encouraged. However, policies on baptisms and weddings tend to be on a parish by parish basis, and the group would like to develop a more structured basis for these policies. Churchyards in Pebworth, Dorsington, Weston sub Edge and Aston sub Edge are still open, whilst those in Honeybourne and Willersey are closed and there are village cemeteries. Spirituality and Discipleship Candidates for confirmation are prepared by the wider Team. Lent and Advent Groups, meeting variously in parishioners homes, village halls or one or more of the churches, Lent lunches (sometimes held jointly with Willersey Methodists) and Bible Study groups all provide opportunities for development of our spirituality. Pastoral Care The villages have a wide range of housing, from large Cotswold houses and substantial farmhouses, to Housing Association accommodation in some of the villages. There has been considerable new housing development in some of the villages in recent years, again with a mixture of housing. Page 5 of 17
Engagement with Young People There are primary schools in Pebworth, Honeybourne and Willersey, where the Clergy take assemblies. The Vicar is a school governor at Honeybourne and (exofficio) at Willersey, where the school is a Voluntary Controlled C of E Primary School. Children from the schools have been brought into the churches for Experience Easter, Experience Pentecost, Experience Harvest and seasonal services. Messy church is held 3-4 times/year in a church or a village hall. A series of Messy Churches All God s World was held over a week during the 2015 summer holiday across several churches in the group. Another form of Fresh Expressions is the Tuesday morning Honeyangels Mother & Toddler service. There are a variety of scouting organisations that meet in the villages. Weston sub-edge Youth Club meets twice a month. Community Engagement There has been significant new housing development in Pebworth and Honeybourne, and visits are made to new residents as they arrive: a Church Strawberry Tea Party was held for them in summer 2015. Information packs have been prepared for new inhabitants which are delivered in cooperation with the developers. Page 6 of 17
Christmas and Easter Cards, with details of upcoming services, are distributed to all houses in the group. Pebworth, Honeybourne, Weston sub Edge and Willersey all have village Halls. There are Senior Citizens Clubs which meet regularly in Honeybourne, Weston sub Edge and Willersey. Members of congregations and churchwardens feed information back to the clergy for visits to the sick and bereaved. Governance All parishes have faithful and committed members, however, some parishes are dependent upon a small number of members who have served the church for many years. A number of parishes have found it difficult to recruit the full complement of lay officers and PCC members. Within the local Group, two of the churches (Aston sub Edge and Weston sub Edge) form a single Parish, although they have separate PCCs and churchwardens and have been run as separate entities for many years. Weston sub Edge and Dorsington are currently without churchwardens. Pebworth and Dorsington work together and this mutual support is expected to develop in the future. Page 7 of 17
Finance Parish Share Details of Parish Share for each Parish are shown in Appendix 1. All parishes have met their Parish Share commitment for the past three years, in a number of cases giving a sum over and above the agreed Share. Charitable Giving A number of Parishes have a policy of allocating a sum of money each year to charitable giving, trying to give to local and national charities and where possible to retain some money in reserve for any international disaster. A house-to-house collection for Christian Aid Week together with a soup lunch is organised by the church in Honeybourne each May. Fund Raising Several parishes rely on fund-raising events to maintain their Parish finances. New Housing Developments Substantial new housing developments in Honeybourne, Pebworth and Willersey are changing the make-up of the villages, and have been strongly opposed by some of the residents, but present an exciting challenge to grow the congregations in the churches. Though there is a little social housing in the parishes, and a lack of affordable housing, which means some local people leave the villages as they cannot afford to live in the area. Page 8 of 17
Vision for the Future Taking the church out to the villages. The proportions of the population in each village who regularly attend church or take part in other church activities varies widely, and there is a big challenge to share the love of Christ, increase community engagement and grow the church. Involving young people. There are few families or younger people attending church or getting involved in other ways. There is an on-going conversation with the wider team on joining with all of the parishes in finding funding for the provision of youth work. Activities such as Honeyangels, Messy Church, Experience Easter and Experience Harvest provide opportunities for growth in faith for this group outside the pattern of Sunday services. Drawing the different villages/parishes together. The group in its present form is very young, and the congregations still need to get to know each other better. A weekly service sheet prepared for all the parishes and occasional joint services help to develop communication links, but more effective means of communication need to be developed. Sustainability for the future. The group is aware that service patterns need revision in the light of pastoral reorganisation. Housing Developments. Despite the fact that new housing developments in Pebworth, Willersey and particularly Honeybourne present an exciting challenge to grow the congregations in the churches, potential new housing development on glebe land in Willersey has created distrust between the PCC and the Diocese and there is an important process of healing to be managed here. Page 9 of 17
What the churches would like as a priest Someone with a sympathy for rural communities with the confidence and competence for mission, an enthusiasm to make Jesus known and who is excited by the opportunities new housing brings An energetic priest with excellent interpersonal and communication skills A team player and collaborator who builds teams, delegates responsibility and motivates to enable the ministries of others to flourish Commitment and ability to work positively with and through the churchwardens and PCCs. What the churches would offer a priest Lay support in facing the challenges and meeting the opportunities of multi-parish ministry A broad range of worship and pastoral opportunities in a group of diverse parishes The support of ordained colleagues within the Vale and Cotswold Edge Team An excellent Vicarage Administrative support We are looking forward to working with the priest appointed in the following areas; communication both internal and external the pattern of worship community engagement We are six diverse churches who are proud of our individuality but who are open to developing our partnerships and shared ministry in pursuit of common goals. Although many of us enjoy the status quo there is a growing recognition that as a group we must offer opportunities for people to join us so that we can mutually grow in faith. We have begun to reflect on the pattern of services so that our worship, fellowship and priest can prosper. We recognise that for effective ministry across the churches and communities they serve we must develop our communication. Page 10 of 17
Individual Parishes Pebworth Pebworth is a small rural village in the Vale of Evesham, of over seven hundred inhabitants with the adjoining hamlet of Broad Marston. The population has a wide socio-economic grouping and an even demographic distribution. The village is expanding with significant new housing developments. The village enjoys numerous well supported activities and organisations; an elected Parish Council, an active WI, a village choir and a well-managed Village hall in which there are numerous popular social activities throughout the year. Several book clubs also operate in the village. There is a bi-annual 'Party in the Park', an annual skittles match and Jazz picnic which are our main fund raisers for the Church. There is a public house which serves as meeting place and social hub and is increasingly well supported. The recent innovation of Pebworth in Bloom has brought the village and church together with working parties clearing the churchyard and planting around the church, culminating in an entry into the Best Kept Churchyard competition where Pebworth was a finalist for Worcestershire in 2015. The village hosts a First School which is federated with Blackminster Middle School, some four miles away - with classes for years 1 to 5 and an adjoining pre-school. St. Peter s Church is a well-maintained Grade 1 listed building and is sited in a prominent position at the highest point in the village. It dates back to the 13th century, although it has been enlarged and restored over the years. There are 10 bells in the tower, all in excellent condition, and ringing regularly. The well-maintained churchyard is still open and, although there is an adjacent public cemetery, occasional burials still take place in the churchyard. Dorsington Dorsington and the hamlet of Braggington are both very small communities just north of Pebworth. The parish has a rural feel and there are a number of bed and breakfasts and holiday lets. A large proportion of properties have new ownership due to break up of the Page 11 of 17
local estate. The community lacks cohesion as there are few opportunities to gather socially. The church is an eighteenth century, brick, Grade 2 listed building. It is in good order but needs some cosmetic maintenance. Presently most of the congregation travels from outside of the parish. Special services such as Remembrance Sunday and Harvest Festival are often shared with the neighbouring parish of Pebworth. They also invite us to their village social events. We enjoy sharing worship with the other parishes in the Joint Benefice services. Honeybourne Honeybourne lies in the Vale of Evesham midway between Evesham and Chipping Campden. The village has expanded very significantly in the last few years with three substantial new housing developments, increasing from about 700 houses to over 900 houses. There is a significant caravan park. There are two pubs, a village shop with post office, a fish & chip shop and a Chinese takeaway. Honeybourne First School Academy takes children from reception to year 6, and has a nursery for children aged 2 to 4 years. There are a number of local amenities and shops, a railway station with trains to Worcester and to London via Oxford, and bus services to Evesham. Village organisations include a monthly Page 12 of 17 senior citizens club, a Women s Institute, a Toddlers Group, a Keep Fit Group and Honeybourne Scout Group. A new Village Hall will soon be built using money from the housing developers. The Spring and Autumn Fayres raise funds for the church and are held in the Village Hall and well supported by the community. St. Ecgwin s Church is a Grade 1 listed building but situated a little way from the centre of the village. The church fabric is generally in good order. Extensive repairs were carried out 20 year ago. There is a ring of
five bells in the tower, which are currently unusable due to the poor condition of the bell frame. Aston sub Edge The village is part of a private estate. There is a village club which offers a variety of social events. The church is a Grade 2* listed building. It is the smallest in any of the parishes and the current church dates from the late 18th century. The church building and churchyard are in good order. Traditional forms of worship from the Book of Common Prayer are greatly valued. There are also a range of services to celebrate the farming year and these are particularly well attended. Services are always at 6.30pm. A number of people from outside the parish attend as they appreciate the consistency of the worship. Weston sub Edge Weston-sub-Edge like its near neighbours Aston sub Edge, Saintbury and Willersey is nestled at the foot of the Cotswold scarp. There is a Village Hall that has many facilities. The incumbent is a trustee of the Hall. The Hall is the hub for many activities, organisations and social events including a youth club, seniors, rural cinema, and regular coffee mornings. The village bar and is open on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. Adjoining the hall is a bowling club. There is also a public house. A flower show has been held for many years in September, together with a fete of outside amusements and this brings in revenue for the Church. The Harvest Festival is held at the Page 13 of 17
beginning of October and is followed by a Harvest Supper. There is a monthly magazine which contains church and village news. This is delivered free of charge to every house in Aston and Weston-sub-Edge. The church is an historic Grade 2* listed building. The stained glass windows were designed by Frederick Preedy and the church is on the Vale of Evesham Preedy trail attracting many visitors. Willersey with Saintbury The two parishes merged to form the Parish of Willersey with Saintbury in 2011. Willersey is significantly larger than Saintbury. Saintbury has no communal buildings. Willersey has a Church School (VC) where the vicar is a governor. There are also two pubs, a village/coffee shop, a hairdresser s and a garage/filling station and a Village Hall which plays a central role in the village. The Willersey Business Park, at the lower end of the village, is the site of a number of local employers. There is significant development planned in Willersey (an increase of homes by over 25%) which will inevitably impact the village. One land owner is the Diocese of Gloucester which has looked to develop its glebe land: this has strained relationships between the PCC and the Diocese. This community has a number of active societies and regular events including the Horticultural Society, the annual Footlights comedy and music review, Carols under the Jubilee Tree, a Women s Institute, and a fortnightly Pensioners Club. The Saintbury with Willersey Village News is a monthly magazine. The Willersey Website is active and has been drawing 15,000 hits a month over the past year the Parish Council cemetery. St Peter s Church, Willersey is a beautiful Grade I Listed building, and dates back, in parts, to the 12th Century. It is in good order and the church s six bell peal has been refurbished. St Peter s fund raising has always been well-supported and provides some excellent social events within the Parish. Saint Peter s churchyard, in Willersey, is closed but is conjoined by Page 14 of 17
St Peter s places a high emphasis on fellowship, with tea, coffee and cake being served at all weekly Wednesday and Sunday services. The FAST Team, the Family Service Team, group of volunteers work with the priest to agree and develop themes for these monthly services aimed at drawing in families with young children. There is a strong relationship with the village Methodist Church and a joint service is held, alternating between the two churches, every quarter. Two active retired members of clergy live in Willersey. The parish has a charitable trust to support the religious and charitable works of the Church of England within the parish. St. Nicholas Church, Saintbury, dates from 11th/12th Centuries. It is also Grade 1 listed and is maintained and preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust. It can still be used for weddings and funerals, when required, and for occasional services. Saintbury with Willersey s PCC is responsible for the Saint Nicholas churchyard, which is still open for burials. Page 15 of 17
Appendix 1. Parish data Church Village Population (2011 Census)* Electoral Roll 2013-5 Sunday Average Attendance 2013-5 Average Church Service Attendance 2013-5 Christmas Easter Page 16 of 17 Parish Share 2015 ( ) Parish Share Paid 2015 ( ) Pebworth 733* 38 13 29 41 11,220 11,220 Dorsington 104 25 11 15 14 3,000 3,000 Honeybourne 1,685* 27 13 67 39 6,702 6,702 Aston sub Edge 78 18 15 25 30 2,808 3,058 Weston sub Edge Willersey with Saintbury 360 15 12 31 45 3,245 3,245 876* 65 23 33 44 14,040 14,040 Total 3,836 188 87 200 213 41,015 41,265 No. of Occasional Services Average 2013-5 Weddings 2 Baptisms 4 Funerals 3 Weddings 1 Baptisms 1 Funerals 1 Weddings 1 Baptisms 10 Funerals 6 Weddings 1 Baptisms 0 Funerals 1 Weddings 1 Baptisms 2 Funerals 3 Weddings 3 Baptisms 1 Funerals 8 Weddings 9 Baptisms 18 Funerals 22 *Housing developments since 2011 in Pebworth, Honeybourne and Willersey mean that the 2011 census figures for these villages are significantly out of date
Appendix 2. Service Pattern across the Group Current Monthly Service Pattern Pebworth Dorsington Honeybourne Willersey Weston sub Edge Aston sub Edge Week 1 11.00 am 9.00 am BCP Holy Communion 9.30 am BCP Holy Communion 11.00 am 6.30 pm Evensong Week 2 Week 3 10.00 am Family Praise 9.00 am 11.00 am 11.00 am 6.00 pm* Evensong 11.00 am 9.30 am 11.00 am Family Service 6.30 pm Evensong 6.30 pm BCP Holy Communion Week 4 When there are 5 Sundays 10.00 am Joint Benefice rotating venue 6.30 pm Evensong Last week in the month 6.00 pm* Evensong 4.00 pm Songs of Praise 9.30 am 9.30 am 6.30 pm Evensong *Evensong at Pebworth and Honeybourne is at 4.00 pm rather than 6.00 pm in the winter months Page 17 of 17