The Parish Profiles of OUR LADY & ST PETER, BOTHAMSALL ALL SAINTS, EATON ST GILES, ELKESLEY ST PETER, GAMSTON ST PAUL, WEST DRAYTON within the RETFORD AREA TEAM MINISTRY in the DEANERY of BASSETLAW and BAWTRY, DIOCESE of SOUTHWELL and NOTTINGHAM Contents 1) General information Page 2 2) Parish specific information Page 4 3) Wish List Page 6 4) Person Specification Page 6 5) What we can offer you Page 7 6) The Retford Area Team Ministry Page 7 Appendix: Parish Statistics 2012 Page 9 January 2014 1
1. General Information. The Elkesley Group consists of the five parishes of Bothamsall, Eaton, Elkesley, Gamston and West Drayton, which have been linked together since 1992. The parishes are all situated just south of the pleasant market town of Retford, in rural surroundings. All villages have active farms within them. The land rises and falls gently with the rivers Poulter, Meden and Maun flowing into the River Idle, which runs through Retford and eventually into the River Trent. The map on page 3 shows the area, with the five parish churches indicated by black triangles. Retford has a fast, direct rail link to London, Leeds and Edinburgh on the East Coast Main line. Another rail link serves Sheffield and Manchester to the west and Lincoln to the east. Road links are good too, with the A1 running through the group and the M1 about fifteen miles away. Elkesley lies alongside the A1 with access to and from it, though this is to be improved following implementation of the major road improvement scheme. Bothamsall, Eaton and Gamston are reached from the Twyford Bridge - B6387 junction. West Drayton can be reached from the A1 southbound or from the Markham Moor junction via the A638 to Retford, which also provides access to Gamston and Eaton. There are international airports at East Midlands, Doncaster-Sheffield (Robin Hood), Humberside, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester. Gamston airport serves light aviation needs. Elkesley has a daily local bus service, with the exception of Sunday to Retford and Ollerton, whilst Eaton and Gamston have a similar service to Retford, Tuxford and Newark. Retford Bus Station provides access to some national coach services and there is even water access to Retford via the Chesterfield canal! Local Amenities The provision of amenities for day-to-day life is good. Retford has Asda, Morrisons, Aldi supermarkets as well as independent butchers and bakers and a variety of local shops. Markets are held Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a monthly farmers market and an occasional continental market. Apart from Retford, Ollerton, Mansfield, Newark, Worksop and Doncaster are all easily available for social and shopping purposes as well as Sheffield (Meadowhall), Nottingham and Lincoln, which are all less than one hour s drive away. Local education There is a C of E primary school in Gamston, and Elkesley has a primary school with pre-school facilities. There are two secondary academies in Retford and one in Tuxford. Healthcare There is good medical and dental provision in Retford, Ollerton and Tuxford with major hospital care at Worksop and Doncaster. The Retford Primary Care Centre consists of three separate doctor s practices, clinics, physiotherapy and X-ray facilities. There is also an established hospice. 2
Map of the area south of Retford. For scale purposes the distance between Bothamsall and Eaton is approximately 3.6 miles as the crow flies. 3
Recreation Retford has a leisure centre, two theatres, a public library, choirs, a museum, an archaeological and historical society and many other social opportunities. In the area around there is a range of restaurants, public houses and hotels, which have deservedly good reputations for eating out at no great cost. To the west of the A614 is the large Clumber Park, a National Trust property. This is a popular recreational facility for the larger towns around the area, having camping and caravan facilities as well as access to the National Cycle Network. Clumber Park is part of The Dukeries, an area so named as it is composed of the villages and parklands, once held by the Dukes of Newcastle, Portland and other aristocrats. The legend of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest is alive and well, with numerous attractions based on them. Other attractions, such as Rufford Park, are based on the monasteries and abbeys that were once a feature of the region. For young children, Sundown Adventure Centre, Wheelgate Farm and White Post Farm provide a day s entertainment and are all within a short drive. This area is a pleasant place to live, reflected perhaps in the number of retired people and commuters who choose to live here. 2. Parish Specific Information The River Idle gives its name to the parish magazine of the five villages, The Idle Times. This is distributed monthly, free of charge to every household, and apart from church news is a convenient way of passing on news of community events within the five parishes. Each parish has its own PCC. They meet on average around four times a year though the Associate Priest is not expected to attend every meeting. All five PCCs have a representative on the Retford Area Team Ministry Council (RATMC) that meets quarterly. The pattern of services varies according to each parish s needs. Group services are held quarterly. Services for Christmas, Easter and Harvest invariably attract larger congregations. The group considers its mission as neighbourliness in a rural area. All churches are welcoming and have positive friendly relations with each other churches. The vital statistics of each parish are presented in the table in the Appendix. The data is for the last year for which full records are available 2012 - unless otherwise stated. Bothamsall, Our Lady and St Peter. A service of Holy Communion is held on the second Sunday of every month. An informal service is held on the fourth Thursday evening in the Parish Hall. This is more meditative and attracts those parishioners whose preference is for this form of worship. The village has a social club, which is held in the Parish Hall. This 4
provides a central meeting place for events, organised by both the church and the social club. The strong sense of village identity is indicated by attendances at the various social functions held throughout the year. There is a cricket club and sports field. Eaton, All Saints. Eaton is a small village although the population is boosted by 140 students at Eaton Hall once a teachers training college but now a Muslim boarding school. Eaton has attractive housing but no public buildings. All Saints currently has a service of Holy Communion on the first Sunday of the month. Village residents meet bi-monthly to organise village functions in which the church is always involved. Elkesley, St Giles. Elkesley is the largest village of the group. Around 80 children attend the primary school and the pre-school nursery can accommodate 40 children. The village has a part-time post-office and a village pub. The well equipped Memorial Hall hosts many events. The church has two services a month. Morning Worship is held on the first Sunday of the month and Holy Communion on the third. A Remembrance Day service has traditionally been held at Elkesley, when the Last Post is sounded and names of all the group s villagers who gave their lives in war are recited as an act of remembrance. Gamston, St Peter. Gamston has a Church of England (Aided) primary school with 97 pupils on the school roll. The Associate Priest has a place on the Governing Body and is invited to lead Assembly. The Threads Project Schools Worker also visits the school on a regular basis. At present only Occasional Offices and infrequent services are being held in the church while its proposed closure is being pursued. The most popular service is the annual Christingle service held in the School Hall on Christmas Eve. 5
West Drayton, St Paul. The parish comprises the hamlet of Rockley and the villages of Markham Moor and West Drayton. The population represents a fairly even split of retired people and young families, some with children. Within the village is The Farthings Residential Care Home, and some of the residents come to church services. Holy Communion is held at The Farthings on a monthly basis. Morning Worship is held on the second Sunday of the month and Holy Communion on the fourth. 3. Wish List This is what we would like our Associate Priest to do (and help us do): Lead and strengthen our outreach to the communities. Lead regular worship and Holy Communion within each parish and undertake informal and special services as required e.g. the Group Easter Day Holy Communion, Remembrance Sunday service etc. Develop pastoral care to engage with the ageing population in this rural community. Maintain and further develop links with the schools at Gamston and Elkesley e.g. by leading collective worship and becoming involved in the life of the schools. Sit on the Governing Body of the C of E school in Gamston. Lead regular Holy Communion services at a residential care home. Develop the skills and talents of the laity. Provide support and guidance to help the parishes to work together more closely. Encourage children and young people to join the church by involving them in services and specific activities - which might include choirs, Messy Church, Sunday schools, involvement with local Guide and Scout groups etc. Attend/support village events where possible e.g. fetes, coffee mornings, garden parties, harvest suppers. Attend each village s APCM. Be a fully participating member of the Retford Area Team Ministry (RATM). Attend the weekly clergy meetings for lunch and prayer, and regular RATM meetings, including the Council that meets quarterly. Work with RATM and lay members to develop and support the Deanery and Diocesan vision of Joining Together in the Transforming Mission of God. 4. Person Specification Knowledge and Experience. Experience of, or insight into, ordained ministry relating to rural life and small congregations. Experience of, or insight into, working with children and young people. 6
Experience of, or insight into, pastoral care and outreach work. Communication skills. Is a natural communicator, using both verbal and e-forms of communication. Can support the group of parishes in its mission of neighbourliness in a rural area through the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. Leadership skills. Is a strong leader who is able to motivate and encourage people to become involved in church life. Can lead, nurture and foster discipleship amongst church members. Has generosity towards, and understanding of, diverse congregations. Team working. Able to work collaboratively with the other clergy members of the Retford Area Team Ministry, and with the lay members and retired clergy. Personal effectiveness. Has a proactive, enthusiastic approach. Has a generous orthodoxy and can relate their spirituality to everyday life. Able to prioritise workload and be flexible to accommodate urgent requests. Possess excellent organisational and time management skills. Can relate and minister to people of all ages. Is resilient and able to separate one parish s challenges from the next. Can encourage and support the development of skills in lay members of the church. Has the ability to guide the parishes to work more closely together. Can work with other faiths (NB a number of pupils at Gamston School are of the Islamic faith). 5. What we can offer you A warm welcome from all the congregations, who are open to change and are working to increase congregations within the churches. All the churches undertake fundraising and community events where the Associate Priest will be made very welcome. The Parishes have a clear understanding of work/life balance and will support you in achieving this. For example, the Associate Priest is not expected to attend all PCC meetings. We want you to enjoy living and working in our communities. The Associate Priest will be supported by retired clergy and lay members wherever possible. A good 4-bedroom Vicarage. 6. The Retford Area Team Ministry The Retford Area Team Ministry was formally constituted on 1 April 2011. It is one large benefice containing approximately 33,000 people living in 27 parishes. It is served by a Team Rector and five Team Vicars, plus a curate. There is a staff meeting every Thursday lunchtime, when all the clergy meet, eat and pray together. 7
In addition to the stipendiary clergy, there are also 8 active retired clergy, and 7 active Readers who take services across the area around Retford. A schools worker works in both the primary and secondary schools around Retford, for the Threads Project, part of an interdenominational trust. The Retford Area Team Ministry is in a Covenant Partnership in an Extended Area (CPEA) with the Retford section of the Trinity Methodist Circuit, and all the clergy have dual authorisation. It is the conviction of the Retford Area Team Ministry leadership (both clergy and lay) that only by working together, and with other denominations, can the needs and opportunities of both rural and town parishes be properly met. The Person Appointed will have a proven track record of being able to work collaboratively with male and female clergy colleagues and with male and female lay people be a people person be good at seeing the gifts of others and at encouraging their use be comfortable working with a variety of church traditions be experienced in working with primary schools and their wider community have experience of, or insight into, rural life and small congregations be able to work ecumenically, especially with the Methodist Church be fully supportive of the national Anglican/Methodist Fresh Expressions initiative be able to prioritise and delegate have gifts of love, patience and a sense of humour! The new priest will be part of an innovative Team Ministry, and a friendly Chapter in the Deanery of Bassetlaw and Bawtry, and will receive a great deal of support and encouragement from Diocesan leaders. Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact the Team Rector, Canon Tony Walker (01777 703800) teamrector@ratm.org.uk or the Archdeacon of Newark 8
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