North Hinckford Benefice N O R T H H I N C K F O

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

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WELCOME & VISION 3

MESSAGE FROM +STEPHEN 4

YOUR HOME AND WHERE WE ARE 5-6

A BIT MORE ABOUT US 7-8

THE TEAM 9-11

CURRENT WORSHIP 12

YOUR CHURCH BUILDINGS 13

OUR PARISHES – TEAM SOUTH 14-20

TEAM NORTH & WEST 21-27

COULD THIS BE YOU? 28

As a benefice we are committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer,

PSO. The Diocese of Chelmsford’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSO.

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WELCOME VISION

A warm welcome from the North Working together the Team will seek to Hinckford Team. nurture and grow our worshipping communities through living and telling Thank you for viewing our Benefice the story of a God who loves, inspires, Profile. We hope you will enjoy reading empowers, and transforms us. We will it and that it enables you to judge seek to share God’s love with all; whether the role of Team Rector to the reaching out to those in need; North Hinckford Team is the role to prioritising the elderly, the vulnerable which you are called. and young families and their children You are in our prayers. and helping our church members to live out the gospel in their daily lives.

Heavenly Father, during our vacancy we ask that you guard and grow these COVID 19 churches and help us to grow in faith, love one another, care for those in The Coronavirus pandemic has given us need, reach out to others and welcome time to reflect on what it means to be newcomers 'church' in our deeply rural parishes. It has given opportunity for us to move Please guide those who are seeking the forward in terms of technology and also right minister for us, and those who are to know that we can exist outside of our seeking the right team for their buildings. A great desire does remain to ministry, that together we may discover return to our buildings as they are your way for the future and see the central to our communities and kingdom grow cherished by many but it is hoped we Amen will take forward with us some of our new experiences from our time in lockdown. Our Team Rector will need to embrace the after effects of this crisis in terms of vulnerability of our parishioners, disadvantages for those without internet access, financial burdens and the potential new shape of our communities that have been created during this time we have all lived through.

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The Diocese:part A messageof the fromNorth Bishop Hinckford Stephen and

In the Chelmsford Diocese we believe that God is calling his church to be a transforming presence. Our vision is that the church - that is the people of God here in Essex and East London - should be a transforming presence in every one of our parishes.

These are our priorities –

• To inhabit the world distinctively • To evangelise effectively • To hold ourselves accountable to one another and to God for the stewardship of the gospel • To re imagine the way we minister so that each ordained minister and each individual Christian discovers their part in God's ministry and so that each church flourishes.

To this end we are looking for priests who are excited by this vision of becoming a church which is itself transformed, and which is becoming a more visible and effective presence in the huge diversity of communities that make up this most exciting and energetic part of England. There are many challenges ahead of us.

• We are a diocese generously subsidised by the national church. We need to become financially self- sufficient. • Leadership often seems distant. We are creating patterns of leadership that are closer to the parishes. And we are looking to develop missionary leadership at all levels of church life. Nearly half our clergy will retire in the next ten years. We need to find out how to minister with fewer stipendiary clergy and with a re-imagining of how stipendiary ministry works. We need to re-organise the way parishes relate to each other in what we are calling Mission and Ministry Units. • Some of our congregations still think ministry is what Vicars do. We have a vision of ministry where the whole people of God are involved in the whole of God's ministry. We are also experimenting with new forms of authorised lay ministry. • Church must be a safe place. All those in ministry will be expected to undergo training that will equip them to respond well in situations associated with safeguarding. • Levels of church going are below the national average. We need to get evangelism on to the agenda and into the lifeblood of every church. We encourage and train churches to put on weekends of mission and outreach. One of our aspirations is that every benefice should have a trained lay evangelism enabler. • We are developing missionary discipleship, so that every church in the diocese is a place where Christians are formed in order to be sent out in witness and service.

Despite planning for a future with fewer stipendiary clergy, we remain as committed as ever to the local church. And what is the local church, but that community of men and women gathered around Christ, and living and sharing the gospel in the networks and neighbourhoods of their lives? But we need priests to lead and to serve.

We know we need to change. We can only be a transforming presence when we have allowed God to transform us. Therefore at the heart of all we do is a longing for intimacy with God and a renewed life of prayer. First and foremost a priest is a minister of the word and sacrament. All ministry flows from this. But a priest shares the ministry of the bishop, therefore presbyteral ministry will increasingly be a ministry of oversight, guiding, nurturing and directing the mission of God's church in the communities we serve.

It is an exciting time to be part of God's missionary movement for the world, and the Diocese of Chelmsford is an exciting place to serve. We have a clear vision and we are looking to appoint clergy who will share this with us. In every parish we long to see each person and each community grow in faithfulness and ministry so that together we may serve in the world and Christ may be made known.

+Stephen

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YOUR HOME

AND WHERE WE ARE

You will be living in a large 1960s brick North Hinckford is set in the beautiful, built 4 bedroomed property, with a gently rolling countryside of North separate garage and store. Set in an Essex. Our villages are surrounded by elevated position with spectacular views mostly arable land. The population of the Stour Valley in the village of Gt include people drawn from all walks of Henny. The pretty garden slopes down life. Many work on farms and a variety from the house. There is parking for of other local jobs including those who several cars on the drive. are self-employed. Many of the business and professional people commute to

London, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester and Ipswich.

Events throughout the benefice are well supported and as a benefice we worship regularly together. We have two church primary schools one in Belchamp St Paul and one in Bulmer servicing the local communities.

The house is just a short drive from the pretty market town of Sudbury and a short walk to St Mary’s church. A truly lovely place to live, peaceful, tranquil and yet close to the local amenities.

There are a number of local secondary schools at Hedingham, Sudbury and Clare and a little further away is Colchester Grammar School. Our nearest town is Sudbury which provides a good range of facilities. It is a lovely market town, famously the home of the artist Gainsborough. Sudbury boasts Tesco’s, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Roy’s supermarkets and a good range of

small independent shops, a twice weekly market and an excellent Farmers Market once a month. There is a small 5

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE theatre and a branch line train station linking into the main line to London. There is a local bus service to Sudbury from some of our villages, but generally our residents rely on their cars. We are about 30-40 minutes from the M11 and Stansted airport.

We have a good selection of local pubs, some with excellent restaurants in our villages.

Our total population is approximately 3,250, made up of all ages, with a relatively large proportion in the over 60 age bracket. However, with two thriving church primary schools we also have a good number of young families.

The whole area benefits from beautiful countryside with excellent public footpaths and bridgeways making the area a walker, horse rider and cyclists paradise.

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A BIT MORE ABOUT US

WE OFFER

• Welcome, friendship and fellowship • To be part of a great team • A hardworking team of Churchwardens • Two thriving church primary schools in Bulmer and Belchamp

St Paul • Enthusiastic Lay Worship Team • Lay Pastoral Team • Organists and Bell ringers • Supportive PCCs • Flower arrangers and bakers • 15 Beautiful churches

KEY TASKS

• Outreach – embrace, grow and further develop our communities to engage with them proactively. • Nurturing laity to identify and encourage the talents of

individuals to further the work of the church. • Work to lead the development of Christian activities for school aged children and young people. • Benefice cohesion to further develop the co-operation between the parishes in the benefice.

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STRENGTHS

• A range of established worship styles with scope for change • Self-Supporting Curate • Part-time Team Administrator • Lay Pastoral Care Team • Lay Worship Team • Rectory in an idyllic setting • Dedicated Churchwardens and PCCs

WEAKNESSES

• Communication and outreach –

these are being addressed through increasing our social media presence, but we are aware this isn’t available to all our parishioners. • Although some church members will travel around the benefice for services, many are deeply rooted in their village. • Lack of Christian groups for children and young adults.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Potential for closer links between neighbouring parishes. • Make use of our outdoor spaces,

tying in with the agricultural nature of the area. • Further potential to develop small groups within our parishes and projects such as Messy Church. • There has been a successful Benefice pilgrimage for more than a decade. Sadly, due to Covid 19 this year’s pilgrimage is postponed until January 2021. So, our next pilgrimage will

hopefully be planned for 2022.

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THE TEAM

TEAM VICAR PASTORAL ASSISTANTS

Rev Gill Morgan Helen Grover

Gill joined the Team in June 2019 and Helen is currently an Ordinand and is has settled straight into the rural life; one of our Pastoral Assistants. Here she she is already keeping chickens in the is at Foxearth Church, after preaching Vicarage garden! She has embraced there in February. rural ministry with gusto. Here she is helping out at a village fete drawing the raffle.

Lena Chandler Lena is our other Pastoral Assistant and Authorised Lay Preacher. Lena CURATE preaching at our smallest church, Rev Paul Grover Ovington.

Paul is enjoying his third year of Curacy since being priested in 2017. Paul at the 2019 Easter Vigil.

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LAY TEAM ASSISTANT TEAM TREASURER

We are very fortunate to have a great Terry Raybould – Terry has been a lay team. Here is Susan Langan from member of the team for many years, Alphamstone, one of our 4 ALPs, leading working as Treasurer. He now lives in the worship at this year’s World Day of Sudbury but still regularly worships at Prayer Service at Gt Henny. The rest of Belchamp Walter. the team are Mally Graham from

Foxearth, Rosemary Branwhite from Belchamp Otten, Lena Chandler from Belchamp St Paul

TEAM ADMINISTRATOR

Fiona Slot – Fiona joined the Team in TEAM TREASURER AND TRUSTEE December 2019. Fiona turned her hand to storytelling on our social media Barrie Collins – Barrie joined the team during lockdown! in 2019 and is currently working closely with Terry Raybould who is now working as Assistant Treasurer.

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CHURCHWARDENS

We are so fortunate to have our team of clergy with 4 or more parishes in their Churchwardens who undertake a lot of care. This facilitated meeting gives us the day to day running of the churches an opportunity to discuss issues we freeing the clergy to concentrate on have in common, share ideas, offer their ministry. They are very much part encouragement, and generally support of the team. one another.

Here they are about to lead Bishop Roger into St Mary’s church Belchamp Walter for Rev Gill’s licencing service in June 2019.

The Team Rector and Team Vicar meet the Churchwardens from their area about 3 times a year. At these meetings service rotas, villages events and much more is discussed. This provides an invaluable opportunity for the Churchwardens to offer each other support and fellowship.

WIDER SUPPORT NETWORK

As part of the North Hinckford and Halstead Deanery we also work as a Mission and Ministry Unit (as encouraged as part of Transforming Presence). We are a small Deanery who support each other with regular chapter meetings where we share ministry, wellbeing and Church issues. Currently we meet monthly, usually over lunch in one of the pubs. Our Archdeaconry also offers a support network for those

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CURRENT WORSHIP

Our current Sunday worship pattern ensures that each parish has a Holy Communion at least once a month.

The Team Rector and the Team Vicar split the responsibility of the Benefice, dividing the parishes between them. The Team Rector will have responsibility for the south parishes while the Team Vicar has responsibility for those in the north and west.

The Team Rector will conduct 2 services on a Sunday morning with an occasional additional evening service. Our services are predominately Common Worship with an occasional BCP service.

During Holy Week and other festival days a variety of services are held across the parishes including a Team Easter Vigil with fire. Ash Wednesday services are held at both schools. We are fortunate to have a strong lay team who are involved in leading services in a number of our churches, including Family Services and Songs of Praise. Throughout the benefice there are several small prayer groups and bible study groups.

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OUR CHURCH BUILDINGS

We live in an area where we are Middleton, All Saints. A pretty 12th fortunate enough to worship within century church. buildings steeped in centuries of prayer, Twinstead, St John the Evangelist. The praise and song whilst serving the church was designed by Henry parishioners in our rural communities. Woodyer, in the manner of William All our churches are listed buildings. Butterfield, its unique architecture The parishes in the south for which the attracts much interest. Team Rector has responsibility for are:

Alphamstone, St Barnabas, constructed during the 12th and 14th centuries.

Wickham St Paul, All Saints. The building was originally built before 1022 but mostly rebuilt in the 14th/15th century. The bell tower built in 1505 Bulmer, St Andrew’s. A 12th century house 5 bells. church with a 15th century tower, which Come and visit we would love to show is currently being used by County you around. Broadband to receive and transmit broadband locally.

Gt and Lt Henny, St Mary’s. A stunning 11th century tower with the rest of the church being completed during the 14th century.

Lamarsh, Holy Innocents. A 12th century building. One of only 3 Norman round tower churches in Essex.

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PARISH PROFILES - TEAM SOUTH

ALPHAMSTONE and the church of St Barnabas

Alphamstone has just over 70 dwellings The village also has an active Village and a population of about 170. Hall and a small trolley shop adjacent to the village green. We hold a bi-weekly This includes a mix of old and young, “Pop-in-Café; a monthly Social Club with both long-established villagers and showing films; a Harvest Supper (free!); newcomers who all blend in well. Four an annual Fête – jointly organised by working farms surround the village, but the Church and the Hall and a number there is effectively no full-time of one-off events (almost always employment available within the parish. involving food and drink). There are There is a small green in the heart of weekly Pilates and Yoga classes in the the village in front of the recently village hall. updated and extended Victorian village We hold worship at St Barnabas twice a hall. A number of lanes radiate month on the 2nd Sunday a Eucharist outwards to a wider ring of properties. using Common Worship (Version 1) with St. Barnabas lies 250 yards north east hymns accompanied by organist. And of the green – set back from the road on the 3rd Sunday a Lay led Morning with fine views to the south and east. prayer, based on the BCP with parish The PCC, with the full financial backing prayers and hymns accompanied by The and planning of The Friends of St. Kirk Quartet. For our Carol Service we Barnabas completed a total restoration, are joined by the Long Melford Silver both external and internal, in early Band. 2019. The Friends continue to cover all maintenance costs of the fabric and churchyard, as well as covering the cost of insurance. Plans are drawn up for loos and a kitchenette in St. Barnabas.

As a close knit church family we ensure a warm welcome to all and have amongst us 3 folk who have led lay services, 4 who are happy to compose and lead our intercessions and 6 who are confident to read lessons.

There is a very strong sense of community within the village, engendered in no small part by the strong link between the Hall and the Church. Many parishioners give generously of their time as church cleaners, flower arrangers, etc.

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BULMER and the church of St Andrew

Bulmer has a population of 586 in 271 homes. It has two main population areas The Street and Bulmer Tye, plus 6 other small hamlets in the Parish.

The Bulmer Brick and Tile Company is nationally famous for its hand-made bricks and the main employer in the Parish. More information can be found on the village web site e-voice.org.uk/bulmerpc

There is a Sub- Post Office and a Gastro Pub in the village. Coe’s Meadow provides children’s play apparatus, a games area and wildflower areas together with picnic tables. The village is served by a bus service 6 days a week.

St Andrew’s Bulmer Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary school is situated in the village, serving Bulmer and surrounding villages.

The Village Hall Committee arrange a Quiz Evening, Craft Fair/Bygones afternoon and Horticultural Show. The Village Hall also hosts: - a Folk Dance

Club, a Carpet Bowls Club, Skylarks (pensioners club), Stitch and Sew, Art Group and Keep Fit.

The Church is open 24/7 and has free

Wi Fi and a toilet and kitchenette. The first Sunday of the month there is a Lay Led Family Service. On Good Friday there is Walk of Witness through the village. The popular Candlelight Carol Service attracts a congregation of around 70. Refreshments are served at the first and second Sunday Services.

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GREAT AND LITTLE HENNY

and the church of St Mary

Henny lies approximately 3 miles south The Parish Rooms also hosts a monthly of Sudbury on the western side of the afternoon meeting called ‘Henny Ladies’, River Stour, in the South East of the which is a get together with a Speaker benefice. The population of or a Craft session, followed by approximately 185 people, although refreshments; open not only to dispersed, they live in three main residents of Henny but all the concentrations of houses: neighbouring Parishes. This has been successful in getting older residents out Henny Street, which is adjacent • and meeting people as well as to the River Stour, networking for the younger attendees. • Great Henny, located on a headland overlooking the Stour valley and • Little Henny, close to the main Halstead - Sudbury road, whose own church was destroyed in the 16th century.

There are several Bridleways and green paths including the “Stour Valley Walk” An annual summer Fete and Duck Race running through the parish, which are is held in the field adjoining The Henny popular with Riders and Walkers. Swan pub, organised jointly by the PCC and The Friends of St. Mary’s. This has At weekends during the summer been a hugely successful and well months, electric powered launches attended event with all profits split provide 2-hour River Cruises on the 3 equally between The Parish Rooms, The mile stretch from the Quay in Sudbury Friends of St Mary’s Church, and the to the Henny Swan, a popular riverside PCC. pub and restaurant in Henny Street.

Mulberry Vets in Little Henny specialise in cats, dogs, rabbits and small furries.

The “Parish Rooms”, a former cottage which had been donated to the community, is used for social gatherings, up to a maximum of 40 people at a time throughout the year.

The events, which include Quiz Nights and Themed Dinners, are popular and well attended. Funds raised are mainly for the general running costs and upkeep of the Parish Rooms, and to meet current legislative requirements.

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LAMARSH and the Church of the Holy Innocents

Lamarsh lies on the Essex side of the added from 1895 (designed in an Arts river Stour, to the east of the benefice. and Crafts style by Mary Lowndes, the The village is set in farmland and first chairwoman of the Artists’ Suffrage surrounded by wonderful hilly League) and an 1805 chamber organ of countryside. A principal asset is the national importance. Daws Hall Nature Reserve, which runs educational courses for schoolchildren The church is always open, this is as well as open days for the public. A appreciated by villagers who use it for high percentage of residents are self- individual meditation whether or not employed, working from home or they come to church services. The locally; others are commuters from the entries in the visitors’ book are evidence nearby branchline at Bures. Newcomers of the impact the open church has to are visited with a welcome pack from passers-by, family researchers and the church, which includes the monthly other visitors. magazine “Look Out”, produced for the six parishes of Team South.

The Lamarsh Lion pub is a huge asset, now owned by the community. Popular events such as Burns Night and Christmas Carols are held there. People from Lamarsh are enthusiastic participants in various groups that meet throughout the Team. “Crafty The Friends of Lamarsh Church have wo(men)”, a monthly gathering to share built up a valuable capital reserve and ideas and chat while doing crafts; a have met all the costs of repair and reading group; and various occasional improvements in recent years. It is courses that are offered; children’s difficult to see how the building could be holiday clubs. The village hall holds maintained without it. regular events, a library, quizzes and fundraising meals. The popular annual The church has a regular congregation village fete is the big annual effort to for the monthly Family Service and the raise funds for church and village hall. monthly evening service. Congregations for shared “Team” The Church dates from around 1140, is services can be around 40 – and more one of only three Norman round tower at Easter, and for the Christmas Day churches in Essex. It is Grade I listed. service of lessons and carols the church Inside there are many interesting is always full. The church is regularly features including fragments of wall used for weddings and funerals. And th paintings, a delicate 15 century oak also, for musical events organised screen, the remains of some steps to a locally. roodloft, fine stained-glass windows

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MIDDLETON and the church of All Saints

Middleton is a small village/hamlet in for Storehouse, a Sudbury based food North Essex, approximately one mile bank which we also support from our south west of the Suffolk market town Harvest Festival. of Sudbury. At the 2011 census our population was 130 and those over 18 was 112. It has a mixture of old and newer houses which are mainly owner occupied and three houses run by a housing association. There is no school, shop, pub, village hall or bus service. A mobile library visits every three weeks. Our parish council is combined with Henny and Twinstead and we have 1 parish councillor representing Middleton.

There is just one churchwarden and a small PCC with a membership of 4 including the Team Rector and Curate plus a non PCC member who is its secretary. At present there are 11 persons on the church electoral roll and our congregations are on average 6 but greatly boosted at Team South services or festivals. Despite our small congregation we are able to pay our parish share in full.

We use the church as our community centre. In 2012 a servery and storage cupboards were installed at the west end of the church to facilitate village events.

We have a good community spirit within the village as evidenced by the Ladies’ Circle, which is open to all, meeting every month within the church and also the formation of the Friends of All Saints. The Friends support the care of the church fabric. We have fund raising activities such as quiz nights, bazaars and Boules afternoons. The church is also used as a weekly collection point

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TWINSTEAD and the church of St John the Evangelist

We have a service every other month, jointly with Lamarsh. On the alternate months we worship in their church.

Twinstead is a small quiet rural parish with around 150 residents. It is situated north of Halstead, to the south-east of the benefice. There are 19 people on the electoral role. It is a very peaceful Our Christingle service is very popular. place surrounded by agricultural land. Other services are on Christmas Day, Other than farming, there is very little Easter Day and All Souls. An annual business activity within the village. Riders’ Service is held at the Twinstead The church, the village hall, and the Riding School, it is extremely popular Cricket Club provide the hub for village and raises money for breast cancer activities. We have had quite a lot of research. Following our Harvest Festival, new families arriving in the village the congregation heads across the road recently which is a bonus. All to the Cricket Club for tea and some newcomers are given a “Welcome” rousing support for the local team. We pack. The “Look Out” magazine covers have the occasional wedding and funeral our six local parishes. each year. The church is always kept open. The church was designed by Henry Woodyer, in the manner of William Our bi-monthly services, while Butterfield, its unique architecture appreciated, are not well attended. The attracts much interest. average age of worshipers is high. Given the low attendance, and the Some years ago, the church was given a average age of worshipers, it would be legacy which has provided for the desirable for the candidate to possess upkeep of the church ever since. Once the skills of inspiring people of all ages the funds are exhausted it is difficult to to engage with the Church. A strong see how the parish will be funded. Fund belief in God and the desire and ability raising for the church includes fetes, to engage with people in that way would flower festivals, coffee mornings, talks, be wonderful. It is also important that concerts, safari suppers and an annual the person should delegate so that the tennis tournament. Such events are pastoral care comes first. There is so invaluable for the community spirit. much untapped experience in the villages that could be made use of to help their mission.

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WICKHAM ST PAUL and the church of All Saints The church is situated about half a mile from the centre of the village. The church is Grade 2*. The tower was built in 1505 and houses 5 bells which are rung for some weddings and other special occasions.

We have regular congregation at each of

our services. Morning worship on the

2nd Sunday of the month and an early The village is centred around a large Eucharist service on the 4th Sunday. An attractive green which has a cricket Agape lunch is held in the church, pitch, that was first laid as a tribute to usually on the 3rd Friday of the month. those men lost in WW1 and serves as In addition to the usual services, church the village war memorial. This is where activities include Harvest Festival; we hold our outdoor Remembrance Day Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve; Service. There is also a children’s Nativity on the Green; a Pet Service in playground. the summer; Art and Craft Festival;

March Talks by local speakers. The Victory Inn is a thriving public house and restaurant. There is also a village hall which contains a sub-post office. Many other activities take place in the village hall including the local branch of the Women’s Institute, a Bowls Club, New Age Kurling and Dog Training classes.

There is a lot of support for the church Spencer’s Farm has a shop and café and from the villagers and even those who sells a wide range of produce. do not usually attend services will help Customers can pick their own fruit and out with flower arranging, cleaning and themed tasting days are held during the churchyard maintenance. year. The farm is also a CL site for the Camping and Caravan Club.

There are daily deliveries of newspapers and a regular milk round. Also, a regular bus service between Halstead and Sudbury. Buses also take the village children to the local primary and secondary schools.

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PARISH PROFILES - TEAM NORTH & WEST

BELCHAMP OTTEN

and the church of St Ethelbert and All Saints

The village is set in a tranquil arable church is well maintained and in recent farming area and those involved with years it has been redecorated and the church have a variety of rewired. backgrounds including farming, There are currently no groups professional, the City and retired. associated with the church, nor any The population of the village is 164 and regular activities other than the fete. there are 16 on the Electoral Roll of Sometimes a concert is arranged. whom 5 live outside the parish (but Once a month a Songs of Praise service within the benefice). There is a local inn is held, with a lay person leading the at one end of the village and the church worship. is broadly in the centre; the two are the only community buildings in the parish. The church is popular at the major festivals and the annual summer fete event is well supported by the community. Most years we have a wedding or a baptism.

There is a flower rota and the church is always decorated with flowers, except during Lent. The team of skilful florists offer their services for weddings and this has been taken up several times.

The church has history of churchyard prizes and commendations. An adjoining village church green is maintained by the Parish Council. The village has 73 homes, a number of them listed, and the church is of Norman origin with a 15th century south porch. The interior is simple with a long plain chancel and four 17th century oak posts in the West end, with a gallery pew; in the main part of the nave the pews are boxed.

There is a small vestry, which was added in the last century, but no running water within the building. The

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BELCHAMP ST PAUL and the church of St Andrew

Belchamp St Paul has a population of life of the school and there is a close some 280 people and lies to the north connection between church and school. and west of the benefice. There is a Apart from the football and rounders good and cohesive mix of people and teams already mentioned, there is a ages. There is a good community spirit. Morris Side who practice locally. The Some social housing in the centre of the elderly are catered for by the village is available. There is little local Evergreens, a club which meets employment. The Team Vicar lives with regularly at the Community House. her family in a spacious and modern Much of the social life of the village four-bedroom house in the middle of the revolves around the pub. At the village. The large and attractive village beginning of June there is a summer green forms the centre of the village. village fete at the Community House, Part of what appears to be the village and the occasional coffee morning and lies within the neighbouring parish of similar activities. The church houses a Belchamp Otten, although that portion fine Bechstein concert grand piano and is not contiguous to the rest of that the occasional recital and concert takes village. place there – there is quite a lot of As mentioned, the village enjoys the musical activity in the village. Harvest benefit of a large central green, meals are held in the autumn at the adjoining which is a pitch with pavilion Community House, and there is used by the local football and rounders organised carol singing around the teams, together with a children’s village and also in the pub at Christmas playground. Close to this is the time. Community House, which was There are few special services at the constructed as a gift to the village in the church. It has been the custom to hold 1960s. It is managed by local trustees a lay led matins service every two and used for village and for hire for months when there is no communion private events. There is a fine pub on service, and it is hoped to continue this the green, The Half Moon, which is tradition. popular with both residents and non- residents. The pub was frequently used as a setting in the TV series “Lovejoy”.

One of the two primary schools in the benefice lies just off the green and is well supported by pupils both from within and without the parish. The roll presently comprises some 82 pupils. The school is an Academy within the Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust. The Team Vicar plays an active part in the

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

BELCHAMP WALTER and the church of St Mary the Virgin

Our village is nestled in beautiful year in September with great success countryside, near the market town of and there is an Art group, a Community Sudbury. The population of our village is choir and a Table Tennis Group, which approximtely 328. There are currently meet weekly. 16 on the Church Electoral roll. In 2019 the Benefice staged a festival to The Church lies in an area of involve all its churches. We were excited outstanding scenic beauty, near to offer a concert and an Arts and Crafts Belchamp Hall which in the 1980s was event at St. Mary’s. Both events were the set for the popular TV show Lovejoy. well attended and created interest in The oldest part of the church is thought our church community. At Christmas we to be from the 10th or 11th century and organised a ‘Lessons and Carols service’ there are many outstanding features to at St. Mary’s with the Belchamp Walter behold, in line with a building of this Community Choir. This event filled the age. We have a good church guide, church and with biscuit decorating for explaining these, if you are interested. youngsters, as well as mulled wine and nibbles after the service, it was a special Our church congregation is growing as event and one we aim to repeat. There we aim to be more welcoming, inclusive are moves to use the church as a venue and less formal. Refreshments are for a Rock concert, for a special Harvest offered after every service and this is a service and supper, for a Christmas great opportunity for parishioners and Market and an occasional Café Service clergy to meet and exchange news. to involve the community and to put them in touch with their church. The Village Hall is the hub of Belchamp Walter. The active Village Hall Committee organise a great range of activities to enhance village life and maintain a lively community. There are monthly film nights, the popular Bel- Fest in the summer offering music, food and entertainment for all age groups, a yearly Christmas Party with Children’s The church community is in the process entertainment, Father Christmas and of setting up a ‘Friends of St. Mary the fun for all the family, as well as a yearly Virgin’ support group to help raise funds Quiz night, Race night and Pub night. for the fabric of the church. We also The Village lunch club, run by hope that the many planned activities volunteers, provides a delicious 3 course will build an interest and create an meal for our seniors once a month and excitement in our faith to encourage the profits are shared between the Village growth of our church community. We Hall and Church. The community also are ready for the challenge with your runs a Macmillan Coffee Morning every support.

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

FOXEARTH & the church of St Peter and St Paul

Foxeath is a pretty village of about 100 events such the Christmas tree lighting. homes. Many people are retired but There is a parish magazine which covers there are a good number of families too. Foxearth and 3 other villages. Several of the buildings were built by During the Corona virus lockdown the brewery which existed in the village period there has been a great sense of until the 1960s. There is a nature community in the village, with many reserve on the edge of the village run people offering help to those in need. by the Christian charity, A Rocha. The Suffolk market town of Sudbury is about 10 minutes’ drive (30 minutes’ cycle) away. There are two nearby local primary schools which serve the village.

The church is central to village life and holds regular services which are relaxed and friendly, with refreshments provided at the end. There are people of all ages who attend our services.

We have a bible study in the village which occurs about every two weeks and meets in homes, to learn about how we can follow Jesus and to pray for each other. There is also an early morning prayer group which meets to bring the physical and spiritual needs of the people in the village to God. The church works with the village to put on a harvest supper in the autumn and a fete in the summer. There are also other, less regular, events such as ‘meet your neighbour’ evenings and quizzes. The church is always open and there are tea/coffee making facilities, books and displays.

The village has a very active Local History Society and there are keep fit and yoga clubs and a craft group - these all meet in the village hall. There is an enthusiastic village hall committee which organises regular coffee mornings (Pam’s sausage rolls are legendary and should be tried), social evenings and

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

LISTON AND BORLEY

The village of Borley is a collection of Parish with Borley. And is a Chapel of houses on the North East Boundary of Ease. the benefice, along a road running uphill from the A134 between Sudbury and Services each month are Compline on Long Melford, with one main side the first Sunday, alternating with a turning near Borley Green, and with service of Holy Communion at Liston, a about 100 residents. Morning Praise taken by a Lay person on the second Sunday, Holy Communion on The church, mostly 14th century with the third Sunday at Borley Church. The Victorian refurbishing, stands within a Harvest Festival and the Carol Service churchyard mentioned in the Domesday are at Liston Church and the Christmas Book, well known for its yew trees and Day and Easter Day services are at is on the highest point overlooking the Borley Church. Stour Valley. During 2019 we participated in the Recent funding to improve the safety of 'Festival of Arts, craft and music’ which villages was used to cover the interior of was very successful. There are at the Church, the Car Park and adjoining present, 20 names on the Electoral Roll. farmyard entrance with CCTV cameras. Thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other organisations, the roof was rebuilt, extra lighting installed, a new path laid, and the interior repainted. In 2019 extra heating was installed thanks to funding from the Foxearth Trust.

In Liston, two professional musicians have enhanced both village and church life by organising summer concerts, supper/concert evenings to raise funds for the Parish. There is also a small choir now in Liston.

Other activities take place to raise funds

during the year, and last year there has Liston is a tiny cross-shaped village of been a concert with tea served some 40 people living in 24 or so afterwards and an Art exhibition. The dwellings in three distinct groups along Harvest Supper is organised by the the River Stour. The Civil Parish is part Village Hall committee and raises funds of Foxearth but the small church is for the Hall with a donation going to the ecclesiastically now part of the united PCC.

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

OVINGTON and the church of St. Mary

Our tiny village with its 26 houses and population of about 60 people lies at the top of Bradley Hill with views towards Clare and the surrounding land, which is farmed by three farmers, two of whom live in the village.

The church is the only public building in the village, it is situated a short walk from the village centre, it is always open. We hold a monthly service followed by coffee and a popular Candlelight Carol Service on Christmas Eve after which we serve mulled wine. In the summer we hold our village BBQ in the churchyard. Our PPC meetings are held in the church; it is a very social space.

The parish is financially self-supporting due to committed fundraising and the promotion the Parish Giving Scheme.

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

PENTLOW & the Church of St. Gregory and St. George

Pentlow lies on the Essex bank of the Sunday, Pentlow takes it in turn with River Stour, it is the northernmost Borley & Liston, Bulmer and Foxearth to village in the Chelmsford Diocese. The host a Joint Eucharist service. A area is designated as a special 6.30p.m. Evensong (B.C.P.) service is landscape area. Farming is the main held on the third Sunday between the industry but there is also a small months of April and September in place business park at Buntings Farm. of the Lay-Led service.

There are several medieval Halls and On Mothering Sunday, a gift of flower cottages, the old rectory has an posies are given to all the ladies in the octagonal tower built by Rev. Edward congregation. On Easter Sunday the Bull in 1859 to commemorate his children look forward to an Easter egg parents. The tower is visible for miles hunt around the Church. After the around. There is a pub, the Pinkuah Harvest Festival a Harvest supper is Arms, and a Village Hall for social held in the Village Hall. We hold a Carols events. by Candlelight and a Crib Service, for the children, and Midnight Mass with mulled wine to follow, this has proved extremely popular. There are normally a small number of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials each year.

There are currently 25 members on the Church Electoral Roll. The regular congregation predominantly comprises senior citizens. The Churchwarden and other members of the congregation take services and there is an intercessions rota. The Church is a Grade I listed building. It is Norman in origin. The Nave and Pentlow has a monthly prayer and Bible Chancel (with apse) date from the 12th study home group, which becomes in century with a round west Tower. The Lent a course, following the York North Chapel was rebuilt in the late Studies. Opportunities to attend other 16th century and has attractive ceiling courses within the Benefice are mouldings. welcomed.

The current pattern of worship is: We are seeking to be a transforming Common Worship Eucharist on the first Presence within our community and Sunday; Communion (B.C.P.) on the would welcome help with Children’s second Sunday; and a Lay-Led service work and support for young families. on the third Sunday. On the fourth

NORTH HINCKFORD BENEFICE

COULD THIS BE YOU?

WHO ARE WE LOOOKING FOR? CONTACT US

We seek a person who is passionate If you would like a chat about the North about rural ministry and who will Hinckford Team or to arrange an embrace all that this involves, and an informal visit, please contact us. understanding of the pace of rural life. Fiona Slot, Team Administrator Someone who will relish working with the wider Ministry Team. 01787 278123

QUALITIES WE ARE LOOKING FOR [email protected]

A spiritual leader with a strong personal Mally Graham, Authorised Lay Preacher faith, who can nurture, challenge and [email protected] grow our spiritual journeys. We seek someone who has great empathy, is Terry Raybould, Assistant Team approachable and adaptable. We need Treasurer someone with good communication 07923 053662 skills and a sense of humour who will help us to grow in confidence so that we [email protected] are able to share with others the story of Jesus. We need strong leadership for us to continue to identify, develop and use the gifts of all our people, encouraging and managing the ideas, talents and enthusiasms and good will of individuals in our churches and the wider community.

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