St Andrew's Church The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, , IP5 1DH Parish Profile

St Andrew’s, Rushmere

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). John 1:41

A hedge of hawthorn lines the narrow way towards our church, where Jesus Christ is King. God’s house is home to all who care to pray: his Spirit leads us as we come to sing. The door beneath the arch is open wide, and as we gather, heaven’s praises ring.

We break the bread of Christ the Crucified, who conquered death and lives for ever more: he reigns in glory at his Father’s side. The organ sounds, and waves of worship soar through crimson rafters, as our voices blend to magnify the God whom we adore.

We leave, proclaiming love that knows no end, the love of Andrew’s Christ, our Lord and friend.

Caroline Gill A member of the congregation

Revised 09.06.2017

- 1 - The St Andrew's Church Parish Profile

The parish of St Andrew's Church Rushmere covers 5.9 sq kilometres (2.3 sq miles) of suburban and rural land on the north-east edge of Ipswich, the county town of . Our Assessment of Parish Strengths and Areas for Development Our Church Tradition Members of St Andrew's are from a range of Anglican traditions, and we seek to appoint an incumbent who will continue to hold the strands together and help us move forward as we are poised for growth. We value dignity in worship and the use of vestments, organ, choir and musical settings in the liturgy. We respect the liturgy, even in freer services like Worship for All. We are an open church welcoming people from other denominations and different traditions. We seek to be a church which is embracing and welcoming people rather than setting rules to exclude.

Community of Rushmere Parish We are committed to welcoming all people and recognise the importance of outreach. Some examples of this are providing a Lunch club, delivering the Outlook magazine to every house in the parish and offering the church hall as a facility. However, we need to: • encourage more people to attend church events • improve our communication with the community • utilise Outlook and our website more effectively • improve our Parish Neighbours scheme, to become more visible • provide more lifts to church • improve our pastoral outreach We aim to be more representative of our community.

Church Buildings We have an attractive and accessible building complex (distinctive old and new ends in church, church hall, churchyard and grounds) which is well used and visited. The church is open during the day, well cared for and decorated with flowers.

- 2 - We are committed to maintaining the high standards of our church buildings and grounds. However we need more people to undertake the necessary work.

The Church as an Organisation We acknowledge the individual skills and expertise church members provide that make our church an efficient and effective organisation. Responsibilities are shared between PCC panels and other church groups.

Our finances are well managed and we are financially stable.

Roles and responsibilities are undertaken by a number of people who work as part of our organisational team. However, we recognise that we will need new people to undertake these jobs in the foreseeable future. We also need to improve communication within the organisation and encourage better liaison between PCC panels.

Ordained and Lay Ministry We are committed to supporting others on their personal spiritual journey and helping to meet people's individual needs. We are fortunate to have a small number of lay people who are prepared to lead worship, as well as a self-supporting minister (SSM) and reader. We also have a greater number of people willing to participate in services through readings, intercessions and musical contributions.

In the future we would like to strengthen our welcoming skills, develop Bible study groups, and be more aware of those who need to be remembered in our intercessions.

Services We have set services from Common Worship, prayer with lay participation and sermons linked to readings.

We value our current range of regular services (Holy Communion, Parish Eucharist & Worship for All) which suit different people. We follow the church calendar.

Worship for All Music Group

We currently invite families who have used the church for baptisms, weddings and funerals during the year to special services such as the Crib Service, Wedding Praise and All Souls.

We wish to maintain and further develop these positive links. We are keen to develop a greater variety of services which attract all age groups and families.

- 3 - Church Music We are committed to maintaining our reputation for high quality music. We value our organ, music group and traditional choir to accompany and enhance our varied services.

We regard this current mix of musical styles as a valuable contribution to our worship.

The Church as a Social Hub We value fellowship and we support and care for each other.

Many people enjoy staying for coffee and a chat after services, regular shared lunches and patronal and festival meals.

However, we would like to encourage more people to become involved in planning, coordinating and attending activities and events by finding new ways to engage with members of the congregation.

- 4 - Young People in the Community We are committed to our provision for babies, children and young people through StAR Toddler Group, Sunday Club and StAR Youth Groups. We aspire to maintain all these and develop them further, e.g. offering our monthly Sunday Club more frequently. We would like to improve our outreach work with young people in the local community, local schools and uniformed organisations.

Older People in the Community We provide support and help to meet the needs of older people, through our Lunch Club, pastoral visiting, home Communion, lifts to church, Dundee House services and the summer outing with tea.

Outreach Beyond the Parish We are committed to “love your neighbour as yourself”. We demonstrate this love in a variety of ways, for example: • CMS mission partners • through our planned charity giving and support for local charities such as FIND (Families in Need) & IWNS (Ipswich Winter Night Shelter) • Lunch Club • StAR Toddler & Youth Groups Outreach work is important to us. In addition to the above we also welcome people to community events in our church and church hall:

- 5 - • concerts • coffee mornings • autumn markets • quizzes

Our church hall is a community resource for hire and is used by local individuals and organisations for functions, also by the Mothers’ Union, Guides, an Art Club and the Geranium Society.

Looking to the Future

Our New Incumbent We are looking for an experienced priest who is able to engage with the wider community beyond the church. He or she will be a skilled preacher and leader offering strong spiritual and pastoral guidance and will be able to communicate effectively with all ages. It is important that our new vicar will be willing to listen and will be sensitive to the beliefs and values of the congregation. We are seeking an inspirational incumbent who is prayerful, reflective, approachable, loving and caring. A gracious sense of humility and a sense of humour are important and administrative and organisational skills are vital. He or she will value our various styles of worship, support our musical traditions and offer new ideas with sensitivity. It is important that our new vicar will embrace and help facilitate the diocesan strategy of Growing in God. It is for this reason we need an enthusiastic enabler who will work with the congregation for mission, especially with younger people.

What We Will Offer We will offer our new vicar a very warm welcome into a church with a well established, loving and caring congregation. Our effective organisational structure will support you with enthusiastic and hard working groups of people, including PCC panels, a lay team, readers, intercessors, servers and volunteers who clean and maintain the church, hall and churchyard. We have well managed and stable finances. Our musical strengths include a choir, music group, bell ringers and organists.

Our new vicar can rely on our prayers, support, enthusiasm, skills and experience.

- 6 - What is Rushmere Like? The Community of Rushmere St Andrew Ecclesiastical Parish The Parish covers 5.9 sq kilometres (2.3 sq miles) of suburban and rural land on the north- east edge of Ipswich, the county town of Suffolk. It is bounded by the pleasant valley of the river Fynn to the north and open heathland to the south. The ring-road forms its western boundary while open farmland is to the east. The church sits at the geographical centre of the parish and is kept open for visitors during the day. Population The Parish contains parts of two Ipswich Borough electoral wards on the suburban edge of Ipswich and part of a Suffolk Coastal District Council electoral ward. This includes the rural village of Rushmere St Andrew. The predominant age group is 30-59 (mean 42). The highest proportion of young people is in the Rushmere ward area and that for the 65s and over is in the Bixley ward area. The total population is approximately 10,000.

Table 1a: Age demographics of parish population with Table 1b: Age demographics for our total number and percentage from each age group. worshipping community. (Source: 2011 UK Census) *mainly Sunday Club members.

Electoral Rushmere Rushmere Bixley Total Ward St Andrew (part) (part) Year 2014 2015 2016 Age Group (part) Population 2,100 4,400 3,500 10,000 Total No. 133 153 160 (approx) 0-14 years 16% 21% 15% 17% 0-10 years* 22 15 17 15-29 years 14% 16% 14% 15% 11-17years 1 1 1 30-59 years 39% 41% 38% 39% 18-69years 29 51 58 60-64 years 8% 5% 8% 7% 65 years + 23% 17% 25% 22% 70+years 81 86 84

Housing The Parish draws together the large 'Scottish' council estate in Rushmere ward (some now privately owned), the privately owned developments adjacent to Rushmere Road and the 'Australia' estate in Bixley ward. A rural mix of housing has developed around the original village. The village housing includes a small council estate and an area of private housing south of the main Woodbridge Road abutting Rushmere Heath. The housing mix within the whole parish is approximately 80% private and 10% council. The remaining 10% consists of rented, sheltered housing and care home accommodation. Table 2: Housing type, e.g. privately owned, tied housing, council, with approximate percentages. (Source: District & Borough website)

Electoral Ward Rushmere St Rushmere Bixley Total Council Tax Band Andrew (part) (part) (part) Band A,B,C 42% 88% 52% 60% Band D,E 47% 11% 43% 33% Band F,G,H 11% 1% 5% 7%

- 7 - Employment Apart from the employment offered by three parades of shops, three schools and other community based accommodation the majority of people work in Ipswich and the surrounding towns. A few residents are still engaged in agriculture. Most work in the public sector, in the service and light commercial sector while others are professional or self- employed. The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust is based in the adjacent parish. Unemployment is lower than the national average. Table 3: Employment percentages for the 16 to 64 age group. (Source: 2011 UK census)

Electoral Ward Rushmere St Rushmere (part) Bixley Total Employment (16-64) Andrew (part) (part) Economically Active 68% 73% 71% 71% Economically Inactive 32% 27% 29% 29% Inactive - Unemployed 1% 5% 3% 3% Inactive - Student 4% 9% 6% 6%

Schools and Our Involvement With Each

St Alban's Catholic High School: An all-ability, non-maintained, Converter Academy for mixed gender 11 - 8 school of 1020 pupils, of which 200 are in the sixth form. www. st - albans .suffolk.sch.uk • Occasional correspondence about children wishing to attend the school. Northgate High School: A community secondary, mixed gender 11-18 school of 1713 pupils, of which 550 are in the sixth form. www.northgate.suffolk.sch.uk/ • Their school choir has performed at our concerts and some pupils attend StAR youth group. Rushmere Hall Primary School: A community primary mixed gender 3-11 school of 494 pupils. www. rushmerehall .org.uk • Children from this school have for some years visited the church and spent a morning exploring the church to discover its history and the function of its various parts and furnishings, most years some 90 pupils visited. Our youth worker has visited the school. Some pupils attend StAR youth group. St Christopher's Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) - The unit provides 12 full time places within 2 classrooms and works closely with mainstream schools and families. Each young person is with them for approximately 30 weeks, with the aim of gradually reintegrating them back into mainstream school after 20 weeks. www.stchristopherspru.co.uk/ • Our incumbent, now our SSM is a governor and helps out on a regular basis. Rushmere Hall Nursery School - Rushmere Hall provides a first class Nursery base, run by a qualified teacher and two fully trained Nursery support staff www.rushmerehall.org.uk/Nursery/ Daisy Chain Pre-School – re-school for 2 – 5 years, in St Christopher's Hall, Renfrew Road.

Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary Schools in the vicinity

There are three within easy reach of the parish: St John's: www.st-johns.suffolk.sch.uk/ St Matthew's: www.stmatthewsprimary.co.uk/ St Margaret's: www.stmargaretsipswich.org/

Other Community Institutions and Our Involvement With Them

The Civil Parish Council and Rushmere St Andrew Village Hall. www.rushmerestandrew.onesuffolk.net/ • The church maintains close links with the Civil Parish Council in relation to the Lawn Cemetery that adjoins the churchyard, and the organisation of the Remembrance Day Civil Service and wreath laying ceremony. The Council has been generous in helping with the cost of repairing the church clock, along with other projects. Wooden House Children's Centre – ‘SureStart’ project in Lanark Road. A children's centre that offers a range of services for families with children from birth to five - No formal relationship exists.

- 8 - Rushmere Community Hub: a ‘Leading Lives’ initiative in Humber Doucy Lane - No formal relationship exists. Dundee House, 50 Renfrew Road, Local Authority owned. Sheltered and retirement housing offering supported housing for 33 residents. • Church members, until recently, joined residents in a service every 4th Thursday at 7pm as well as visiting those who are sick; we intend re-start this acticity. Montrose House, 10 Renfrew Road, East Suffolk MIND. Care home for 10 residents specialising in mental health conditions and old age. • Church members organise a yearly Christmas Service for the residents as well as visiting residents over the year. 248 Sidegate Lane, owned by Sanctuary Supported Living. Nursing home for 24 residents specialising in a number of mental health needs. • The incumbent joins residents for a monthly Communion Service. Uniformed Organisations: The church and church members have informal links with a number of East Ipswich uniformed organisations, Guiding and scouting organisations • The church is not formally linked with any of these organisations but maintains close links with them, inviting them to Parade Sundays, usually at Harvest, Remembrance and for Mothering Sunday.

Within the parish are a number of sports and social clubs: • Ipswich Rugby Football Club, Humber Doucy Lane. • Ipswich YM RUFC Club, The Street. • SEH Sports & Social Club with Ipswich Wanderers Football Club, Humber Doucy Lane. • Ipswich School Sports Club, The Street. • Ipswich Town Football Club Training Centre, Playford Road. • Rushmere Golf Club.

Parish Electoral Roll (Source: 'Annual Report and Financial Statements of St Andrew, Rushmere Parochial Church Council' for year ended 31st December)

Year Dec. 2011 Dec. 2012 Dec. 2013 Dec. 2014 Dec. 2015 Total Number on Electoral Roll 149 156 122 127 123 Resident 82 86 73 74 68 on resident 67 70 49 53 55

Current Policies for Baptisms, Communion and Marriage

Open policy. St Andrew's Church accepts those who request baptism so long as it is Baptism practically possible.

Communion before Up until now this has not been practised at St Andrew's Church. confirmation

Marriage of Divorcees are normally welcome for marriage at St Andrew's subject to discussion with the divorcees incumbent.

Other Expectations Specific to this Parish

All Souls service at 6.30pm. Commemoration of the Faithful Departed with special 2nd November invitations to the families of those in the Parish who have died in the preceding year.

11th November Civil Parish Remembrance Service and Wreath Laying Ceremonies at St Andrew's Church.

24th December Children's Crib Service at 4.00pm. Wedding Praise Service at 3.00pm on a Sunday with special invitations to those who February married at St Andrew's in the preceding year.

- 9 - OVERVIEW OF PCC PANELS Education Panel: Supports ways & means of increasing the spiritual understanding and knowledge of people of all ages. Parish Quiet Day in May/June. Lent & Autumn Study Groups. Support Outlook team. Social Activities Panel: Organises events to promote fellowship, publicity regarding the parish and fund-raising. Regular Coffee Mornings. “Bring and Share” lunches. Yearly Morning Market. Regular Quiz Evenings. Patronal Festival meal. Youth Panel: Supports Christian message to toddlers, children and youth of all ages for those attending worship and residing in the parish. StAR Toddler Group, every Thursday in term time. Sunday Club every 4th Sunday during the 10am service. StAR Youth Groups every Wednesday in term time. Support our paid sessional Youth Worker. Pastoral Panel: Oversees pastoral care within the parish and addresses community concerns. Keeping In Touch group keeps eye on congregation & notices when someone is missing. Sends invitation to baptism & wedding families for Crib & Wedding Praise services . Prayer Tree. Summer Outing and Tea. Pastoral visiting group & Christmas visits. Compiles Parish Directory. Bereavement Support Group. Organises the delivery of Outlook to every house in the parish. Organ & Piano Maintenance Panel: Advises on repairs and maintenance. Well maintained organ and piano for worship and events. Oversees 'Friends of Rushmere Organ'. Parochial Giving Panel: Advises the PCC on charity giving. Organises the 'Charity-of-the-Month' scheme. Weekly collection of items for 'FIND' food bank. Christmas presents for 'FIND' families. Emergency/disaster “bucket” collection. Fabric Panel (formed when needed): Attends to matters relating to the maintenance of the church & grounds. Monthly 'Working Party' for church repairs. Weekly gardening teams for maintenance of church grounds.. Church & hall cleaning. Undertakes Quinquennial report recommendations. Music Panel: Assists the Organist and Director of Music with planning and delivery of music in Rushmere Church. Oversees music making at the church with choir, music group, congregation, PCC & clergy. Works with 'Music at Rushmere'.

- 10 - Church Buildings

The church: An innovative and dramatically extended traditional Suffolk village church with a centralised altar uniting the mainly Victorian ‘old end’ (built on Norman and Mediæval foundations) with the Modernist ‘new end’. The building dates from the time of its Norman doorway, dated 1140 and is dedicated to St Andrew. It also has a fine 1538 Perpendicular tower with a peal of six bells. The 1861 Victorian rebuilt church with the1968 Modern extension designed by George Pace provides a large open space seating between 250 and 300 people.

The church hall: In 1987 a spacious hall with kitchen and toilets was added to the south- east side of the church. This includes a new entrance lobby that connects the church with the church hall providing full disabled access to the hall, toilets and the Church.

The Vestry block: The 1968 building programme also provided a Vicar's vestry and a Choir/Parish Room for meetings. These rooms connect to the north-west of the church.

Parish Website http://www.rushmerestandrews.wordpress.com/

Church Tradition

Members of St Andrew's are from a range of Anglican traditions.

Services

Regular Service Plan Average Attendance (NB: “ + number” = those under 16yrs.) 2013 2014 2015 2016 8.00 am Holy Communion CW 15 16 16 16 Sunday 10.00 am Parish Eucharist CW 71 81+7 82+9 76+4 Thursday 10.00 am Morning Prayer & Holy Communion CW 15 14 12 11 Variations and Extra Services over a Month (NB: “ + number” = those under 16yrs.) 1st Sunday 8.00am Early Communion CW 15 16 16 16 10.00 am Worship for All service 73+8 65+6 72+6 83+9 11.15 am Holy Communion CW 19 17 15 13 4th Sunday 10.00am StAR Sunday Club & young people +8 +10 +11 +12 2nd Thursday 11.00 am Parents & Toddlers service 15+13 13+10 16+15 16+14 Occasional Songs of Praise service 6.30 pm 33 70 28 29 or 5th Sunday Evening Prayer, Evensong,

- 11 - Main service readings, collects and post communion prayers follow the Revised Common Lectionary in NRSV with the order of service following Common Worship Order One. Members of the congregation lead prayers of intercession. There is a rota of readers from the congregation, with the celebrant reading the Gospel. A server assists the celebrant and licensed members to assist in administration of the sacrament. The incumbent/celebrant and server wear vestments for all services. Hymns come from Ancient & Modern New Standard, Mission Praise and a pew folder containing an additional 78 hymns and worship songs. The organ and traditional choir provides music and musical settings in the liturgy for the majority of the services and a music group and singers for Worship for All and other informal services.

Special Services Occasional Offices No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Festival (NB: “ + number” = those Offices under 16yrs.) 2013 2014 2015 2016 2013 2014 2015 2016 Carol service - 170 152+7 121+7 Baptisms 11 12 10 15

Christmas Crib service 125+147 129+152 207+103 207+79 Weddings 17 11 8 10 (Christmas Eve 4.00pm)

Christmas Eve Eucharist 120 116 + 1 109+2 85 Home Communion - - 18 28 (11.30pm)

Wedding Praise (Sunday 3pm) - 25 38+1 23+2 Hospice HC - - 2 -

Ash Wednesday HC (7.30pm) - 46 46 32 Anointing 1 2 - -

Mothering Sunday+Parade - 125 +42 118+29 112+39 Funeral in church 19 27 26 (10am) 32 Palm Sunday + HC (10am) 136+40 80 82 79+2 Funeral not in church

Holy Week (Mon,Tue,Wed7.30pm) 15,16,17 16,12,15 14,13,17 14,16,16 Burial of Ashes 4 19 20 6 Maundy Thursday HC 32 41 50 12 Memorial 1 (7.30pm)

Good Friday service (10am) 35 35 42 23 Crematorium

Easter Eve Liturgy (8.30pm) 12 17 16 9

Easter Day (10am) - 165 + 19 192+26 94+14 Laying on of Hands during the 11.15am Ascension (10amMP& 6.30pmEP) - 14 & 12 12 & 11 8+17 3 2 2 1 Communion Service Harvest PE + Parade (10am) 141+43 97 + 39 79+12 84+33 – number of services

All Souls HC (6.30pm) 81+8 72+2 61+2 47

Remembrance+Parade 80+30 107+25 86+29 145+24 (10am)

Licensed to Minister and Others Licensed to Minister in the Parish and Their Roles

Marion Walker – SSM Permission To Presides at some Eucharists, leads other services and preaches. Officiate in the Diocese Supporting the parish activities during the vacancy. David Gill – Reader Licensed to the Helps with communion services, preaches and leads other services. Parish of St Andrew's Rushmere Supports the administration of the parish during vacancy. Jill Pryke Dianne Davey Jim Ainslie Bob Mellor Ros de Lapeyre Meg Mateer Assist in the administration of the sacrament. Margaret Mellor Hilary Platts Paul Lines Tim Oxbrow Sue Lines

Retired Clergy in the Parish

None at present involved in the church.

- 12 - Relationships with other Churches/Faiths

Rushmere Baptist Church, The Street, Rushmere St Andrew, IP5 1DF: • There are good relations with the Baptist Church, currently sharing our facilities while their church is being refurbished. The Deaf Church and the ministry for the deaf: • Communication with Penny Brinkley who helps support the Deaf Church and they visit St Andrew's Church for a joint service one or two times a year. Our incumbent sometimes preached at the Deaf Church. Christian Unity Service. • Held annually at a different church each year. St Andrew's last hosted this in January 2017. • Bi-monthly fraternal lunch with church leaders from local Anglican, Catholic, Salvation Army, URC, Baptist and Christian Fellowship communities. Colchester Road Baptist Church, Colchester Road, Ipswich, IP4 4ST. 01473 290115 • No formal contacts with this church. Rushmere Christian Fellowship, St Albans School, Digby Road, Ipswich, IP4 3NJ. 01473 431701 • No formal contacts with this church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 42 Sidegate Lane, Ipswich, IP4 3DB. 01473 727063 • No formal contact with this church.

Parsonage House and Priest's Expenses

The present vicarage, at 253 Colchester Road, is a large family house with three reception and five bedrooms. The Diocesan Parsonage Board has indicated that it will have a series of works during late April and early May 2017, these refurbishments will make it a fine vicarage for the new incumbent. The expenses claimed by the priest have always been paid in full.

Map 1: The Ecclesiastical Parish of St Andrew To indicate the position the Parish of St Andrew's Church Rushmere on the eastern fringe of the county town of Ipswich. The parish occupies the area of land east of the Ipswich by-pass (Colchester Road Bixley Road) as far as Playford and to the west.

The parish bridges the main road from Ipswich to Woodbridge ( A1214).

The church sits at the geographical centre of the parish, however, majority of its residents live on the east side.

The parish is formed from parts of three electoral wards, Rushmere, Bixley and Rushmere St Andrew wards.

- 13 - Map 2: The locality of the Parish of St Andrew within Suffolk and East Anglia.

The map right indicates the position of the parish of St Andrew's, Rushmere in relation to some of the major transport routes and towns in East Anglia.

Regular train services to London & Norwich, to Cambridge, and to Peterborough for other main lines linking to the north & west.

Easy road access via the A14 to , Cambridge, the west and the north.

The A12 to Colchester, Chelmsford, the M25 and beyond.

Good road, bus and rail links to the Suffolk and Norfolk coastal towns.

Regional and international air travel from Stansted, Norwich and Southend airports.

Parish Share The intention of the PCC is to meet the Centenary Share each year.

Table: Indicating the changing level of the Parish Share over recent years and the amount the PCC paid.

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Parish Share £59,300 £61,000 £60,252 £55,698 £57,785 £59,800 £63,000 Share Paid £59,300 £54,000 £58,000 £55,700 £57,785 £59,800 (£63,000) Shortfall: £0 - £7,000 - £1,748 £0 £0 £0 (£0)

Prepared by the Parochial Church Council of St Andrew's Rushmere in consultation with the congregation. A Church Charity. Church website: http://www. rushmerestandrews.wordpress.com/

- 14 -

Ipswich Deanery Profile

The deanery of Ipswich covers the whole of the town of Ipswich and includes a benefice of 3 villages to the north of the town. The deanery comprises 20 churches currently arranged in 14 benefices with 14 full-time-equivalent incumbent posts. In addition there is currently a deanery pioneer post with the title of ‘Minister for Community Development.’

There is a mix of churches with single incumbent, a variety of groups with single incumbent, and multi church teams. There are no more than three churches in any benefice and there is a broad mix of theological outlook. The town is growing, Ipswich is the oldest continually inhabited town in England, and the town centre contains six retired medieval churches, all of which have been found viable new uses, including one which is the diocesan conference centre. No further church closures are envisaged.

The deanery is in the process of a new round of consultation towards drawing up a revised deanery mission plan. The main focus of the plan is likely to be a renewed focus on what kind of networking and partnerships (including with ecumenical partners) will strengthen the Church in Ipswich and help its churches to address current weaknesses and take hold of mission opportunities. There is a general recognition that mission to the town needs to be seen as joined up rather than in artificially divided areas.

There are some major new areas of house building planned for the town, particularly on the northern fringe, and the Archdeacon is leading a deanery working group that is formulating the deanery’s engagement with this area. A significant church presence is planned involving schools, a community centre and a faith worker to be present from an early stage.

There is a lively scene of ecumenical partnership which has led to substantial projects like Town Pastors and a Winter Night Shelter. There is not currently a formal Churches Together organisation, and this role is currently taken by a more informal network called, “Heart for Ipswich”. The deanery contains both the residence of the diocesan Bishop and the diocesan offices.

Parish boundaries don’t mean very much in the deanery, and many people travel to churches across the deanery for reasons of worship style and past association. The Chapter is very comfortable with this and with the deanery’s broad spectrum of theological outlook. The variety of worship styles is seen as a positive asset and relations are generally good and supportive. The Chapter meets monthly for an informal lunchtime session for good communication, discussion and peer support.

Prepared for and supplied by the Ipswich Rural Dean, Rev Charles Jenkin email: [email protected]

- 15 - The Diocese Profile

The Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich was founded in 1914 and includes the county of Suffolk, except for an area of North East Suffolk around , and one parish in the county of Essex. It serves about 631,000 people living in a geographical area of more than 1,400 square miles. Out of this population, around 20,000 identify themselves with the Church of England by being members of the church electoral roll. An average of over 14,000 attend Anglican church activities weekly (20,000 including other denominations). Over 12,000 attend an Anglican service of worship each Sunday (18,000 including all denominations). A wide range of communities exists in the diocese – from small rural villages to urban centres such as Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, , Haverhill, Sudbury and . The region has many sites of historic interest among which are Sutton Hoo, the Saxon village at West Stow and the ruins of the old Abbey at Bury St Edmunds – famously where, in 1214, the barons of England met and swore to force King John to accept the Charter of Liberties, later known as the Magna Carta. The whole county, together with its Heritage coastline, is also a haven of delight for lovers of natural history.

The A14 provides rapid access from , one of the largest container ports in Europe, across the county to the A1 and the Midlands. The A12 links London with the county through to Lowestoft, and the train connection from Ipswich to London Liverpool Street takes just over one hour.

Oversight and Mission The diocese is overseen by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, the Right Revd . The Cathedral Church of St James and St Edmund, the mother church of the diocese, has been a place of pilgrimage and tourism for centuries and remains today a focal point for the Christian faith in Suffolk.

The communities of the diocese are served by 454 parishes with 125 benefices and 18 deaneries. There are 478 church buildings of which 457 are listed. There are around 118 stipendiary clergy and 44 self-supporting ministers, some 180 Lay Licensed Ministers, including 172 Readers and a few Licensed Lay Pastors and Local Evangelists and 570 commissioned lay assistants (Lay Elders) in the parishes. There are 88 Church of England Controlled and Aided schools in the diocese. The Anglican churches across the diocese seek to develop close links with other Christian denominations and to build understanding with members of other faiths. The diocese also has close ties with churches across the world, most especially with the Diocese of Kagera in West Tanzania.

Administration The diocese works through the synodical structures and is served by a small team of diocesan office staff led by the Diocesan Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, most of whom are based in modern offices in the centre of Ipswich. The diocese has a total annual revenue budget in excess of £8 million and the Diocesan Board of Finance manages a total balance sheet of £80 million. The office staff provide administrative, financial, secretarial, property, communication and general support to clergy and parishes as well as supporting the Church of England schools across the county.

- 16 - Mission and Pastoral Policy As a diocese we seek to live by the Four Marks of Mission expressed in the Growing in God strategy: • To grow in depth of discipleship • To grow numerically • To grow younger • To grow in influence and service The Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Committee works to policies approved by the Diocesan Synod which seeks to encourage Church growth and allocate resources across the diocese in order to provide leadership in mission and ministry in all its communities. The policies encourage collaboration and the diocese and/or region provides training and support for local and licensed ministries, ordained and lay. Lay and ordained officers and parochial clergy work collaboratively, sharing ministry with all types of ministers both lay and ordained, to encourage and nurture vocation to various ministries both formal and informal.

Centenary Share Centenary share enables all the people of the parishes to contribute towards costs, with a priority of maintaining mission and ministry across the whole diocese. Occasionally there are genuine financial difficulties in parishes, but parishes are expected to pay the parish share in full. Lay and ordained officers and parochial clergy encourage realistic and sacrificial giving by upholding, teaching and preaching this Gospel.

Prepared for and supplied by the Archdeacon of Suffolk, The Venerable Ian Morgan. Email: [email protected] (adapted by The Rt Revd Dr , )

- 17 -