Mission in the Deanery 2011
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! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !Lewes and Seaford Deanery Synod! MISSION IN THE DEANERY 2011 - 2014 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mission Activity reported to Deanery Synod ! during the Period 2011 - 2014! ! As part of the Pastoral Strategy, Deanery Synod is committed always to include an item relevant to our mission of growing the church. The following items have been included in !synods as part of this commitment during the triennium which closes in May 2014.! ! Church Schools in the Deanery, Diocese and Nation. (Rodmell, September 2011) 3! Aspects of Prayer in the Deanery (South Malling: November, 2011) !! ! 5! Developing a Mission Action Plan (East Blatchington: February 2012)!! 6! Mission in a large Rural benefice ((Arlington, Wilmington, Berwick, ! and Selmeston with Alciston : 8 May, 2012)!!!!!! 6! Mission in Peacehaven, Telscombe Cliff and Piddinghoe (Peacehaven Sept. 2012) 7! Mission in the Benefice of Sutton with Seaford!(Seaford, November 2012)!! 8! The Street Pastor Scheme in Seaford!!!!!!! 8! Mission in the parish of Barcombe! !!!!!! 8! Chaplaincy in the Deanery - A flavour!!!!!!! 9! Mission Developments in three Lewes Parishes!!!!! 9! Cursillo (Arlington etc!!!!!!!! 10! Training Readers!!!!!!!!!! 10! Mission to Young People!!!!!!!!! 11! !The Parish Giving Scheme!!!!!!!!! 12! ! ! !Other items. Separate Booklets are:! Healing Ministry in the Churches of the Lewes and Seaford Deanery (November 2012)! !Lewes and Seaford Pastoral Strategy Revised November 2014 ! ! Also: ! Lewes and Seaford Deanery Synod: 2011 The Four Hundredth Anniversary of the King James Bible: Celebrations that have taken place in the Lewes and Seaford Deanery !(February 2012)! Lewes and Seaford Churches Celebrations in 2012: Jubilee, Olympics and Book of !Common Prayer (May 2012)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! "2 of "12 !Church Schools in the Deanery, and Diocese. A Small Village Church of England Primary School The Rural Dean introduced Mrs Leanne Winterton, Headteacher of Rodmell School, who spoke about the school’s special relationship with its neighbouring church, and the richness of its curriculum. There are 63 children on the Roll this current year (2011/12) - growth from previous years. The school had recently been extended, with a fine new Reception area, a new staff room and improvements in general to working areas. Mrs Winterton had been at Rodmell and in other ! schools for 17 years and had been recently appointed Headteacher. She said that closeness to the parish church enhances that beauty of the school’s location and makes the church part and parcel of the school. There is a service on Wednesdays and a Parish Family Service on Sundays, where children are involved. The church is used regularly for interactive teaching and learning - such as a pretend wedding in which two children were ‘married’ by the Rector and all the children were involved in the whole process through to photographs and the cutting of the cake. The Rector also helps with R.E. lessons and a children’s choir forms part of the Family Service. A children’s Art Club had created a Christmas ! banner and there was a Christmas Service in the hall and a Nativity Tableau in church. There is a mix of young and older children in each of the three classrooms, creating a lovely family feel in which younger children are supported by older ones in a buddying system and by the values of the school. Other family members and members of the local community are ! involved in some of these events. Interactive learning is a major element in the school’s teaching. Following In - Service Training from the Diocese, the school put on a week of “Godly Play.” Bible stories were delivered interactively and children responded in their own style - retelling a story, role playing, art and ! craftwork. The school also makes use of community and wider resources. Monks House, close by, is used for Arts Week. Children are also taught about planting, from professionals working in the area. A Food day involved inviting parents and grandparents into school to share a school Dinner prepared by the children. Following Mrs Winterton’s visit to the Gambia, the school now supports a Gambian school with many of the pupils writing to a pen friend there. Pupils raised money to send gifts to the school which the Headteacher took over personally, making sure ! they were properly used. In their final year, children participate in the Diocesan Leavers Service - last year at Lancing ! College. Church Schools in a National and Diocesan Perspective Nigel Sarjudeen, who is responsible for Governance on the Diocesan Board of Education, spoke about the role of the church in education and the importance of local churches understanding and supporting their local schools - especially church schools. He noted that Revd David Bastide, Rector of Offham and a member of Synod, was Chair of the Board, which ! is a statutory body. "3 of "12 The church had been proactive in the education of children since monastic times, and particularly the education of the poor. The National Society was established in 1811 (200 years ago) and promoted the development of church schools and by the first Education Act in1870, had established around 17000 C of E schools and set the mould for mass education. The 1944 Education Act incorporated these schools into the state system, establishing a dual system: schools which needed high levels of Local Authority support became “Voluntary Controlled “ ! and others, needing less state support, became “Voluntary Aided.” Around 2000, General Synod and the Archbishop’s Council identified Church Schools as “standing at the centre of the Church’s mission to the nation’ and called for a report on the ir future development. This was led by Lord Dearing and reported in 2001 in The Way Ahead: Church of England schools in the new millennium,” and called for distinctively Christian ! schools, rooted in the life of the parish, responding to a diverse community. It is worth considering that, in this Diocese, there are more children in the classrooms of church schools on Monday mornings than in church pews on Sunday. Government policy continues to encourage the development of church schools - distinctive but inclusive, and with the decline of local authority influence, the Dearing report has especial significance for the Church. In this Diocese, there are 158 C of E schools, mostly primary with a few big secondary schools and they work closely with LEA. Different approaches have to be considered, partnerships, school collaboration and federations are on the agenda and leadership is key to future developments - ! at stake is “a good childhood” for all children. Priorities are distinctively Christian church schools, the challenge of child poverty (a continuing concern), strong parish/Deanery, school links (exemplified in the Rodmell School account above), and the development of future church school leaders. Teaching is a Christian ! vocation. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full,” John 10 v.10. How then can we support our schools to help them support this “good childhood”? Nigel asked each parish to collect a resources pack designed to help P.C.C’s consider how their church can support education - whether or not they have a church school. The pack includes a CD which offers ten opportunities to help teachers and schools: parents getting fully involved e.g. with PTA; volunteering (e.g. to hear reading); supporting local school workers; praying for the school and its teachers; offering their building/s for visits/other use; running parenting courses in conjunction with school; thanking teachers; buying resources as a gift; starting an out-of- school club; becoming a governor. Questions followed: what proportion of the nation’s children are taught in church schools - around 25% at primary level, around 5% in secondary education. Numbers are currently staying the same or rising slightly. Can headteachers be asked about their faith. No, but they can be asked how they will seek to ! maintain the Christian ethos of the school. ! ! ! "4 of "12 Prayer in the Deanery. The Rural Dean introduced this session intended to share good practice among parishes throughout the deanery. Following brief presentations, members discussed their own practice in groups made up from other !parishes. Revd Andrew Mayes ( East Blatchington and Bishopstone) spoke about Julian prayer, named for Mother Julian of Norwich. It encourages listening to God. It is simple to set up: groups of 2/3 or more come together to listen to God perhaps beginning with a short scripture or with music followed by about an hour of deep !silence - contemplative, receptive, and often surprising. Revd Will Pratt (Ringmer) spoke of a service developed by lay people inspired by Taize Prayer and chants. It replaces evening prayer 3 or 4 times a year. The service seems to require leaders with musical experience and skills, with instruments in a range permutations. Lights are extinguished, candles lit, a Taize Cross, chants, readings, meditation, possibly an address to support the theme - and prayer. Around 35/40 people attend - “from all over the place,” - with some people from the village who don’t usually come to church. The Next !Taize session is Sunday 2 January at 6.30. Revd James Hollingworth spoke about the prayer opportunities and experiments at Barcombe Chu • A Parish prayer meeting with good numbers. • Home groups: 30 or 40 people meeting in different groups, discussing theSunday sermon and praying about things relevant to them • PCC includes prayer and song. They stop and pray when there are difficulties, • In the church there is a bowl of sand and candles which can be lit and a book in which people can write out prayers • Using a range of different people to lead Sunday intercessions • A parish Prayer Diary, just for the Village of Barcombe, which is simply lifted up to God not read out, in Sunday Worship.