Chaplain for Mission

The Benefice of with Murston, and Tonge

Diocese of

The role of the Chaplain for Mission

The Chaplain for Mission will provide a seamless continuity of support and presence— from birth to old age—for the Community of Murston, Bapchild & Tonge, by encouraging human flourishing in the full life in Christ. We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and inspirational priest who will be a pastor to the whole school, partaking in the busy day to day life of the school. He/she will work closely with the Headteacher and staff, which may include teaching and a contribution to co-curricular life. The Chaplain also will have parochial responsibilities—assisting the Vicar in leading worship, providing pastoral care and deepening relationships within the parish as a full member of the ministry team. As this position will serve as a pilot, the successful candidate will play a significant role in the theological formation and structure of subsequent school chaplaincies for the national church.

Role Overview Within the Benefice of Milton Regis with Murston, Bapchild & Tonge and working especially with Bapchild & Tonge Church of School your role will be to:  Develop ministry for children, parents, and the youth of the Parish.

 Support the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the children, their families, the staff and the community of the Parish. Ensure that the school is a place where staff and children feel cared for and safe.

 Offer opportunities for Prayer, Worship with Holy Communion and explore the Christian faith within the Parish and in the community.

 Support those beginning their faith journeys and provide opportunities for those in established faith journeys to grow and develop their spiritual life.

 Build a bridge between the school and the Parish churches, and between the school and the wider community.

 Support staff development in leadership of Worship at the school.

 Regularly lead worship in the school as well as assist the Vicar with leading worship and providing Christian education and work with other members of the ministry team on Sundays and during the week.

Messy Pirate party at Murston Day out at our patron’s, St John’s College, Cambridge

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Bapchild and Tonge CE (Aided) Primary School

We are delighted at the prospect of appointing a Chaplain for mission to Bapchild and Tonge CE (Aided) Primary School. We are proud to be a Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for boys and girls from the ages of 4 – 11. Children who join the school remain with us until they move onto secondary education at 11 years of age.

The school is situated in Bapchild but serves many families across . It was originally built in 1852 but since that time has been extended and adapted. It has seven classrooms, a library area, a modern hall, cloakroom and fabulous outside areas with trim-trails, secret spiritual garden and spacious playing fields and playgrounds.

There is a fantastic playing field and two playgrounds. The School is a thriving community with many activities, both charitable and social, arranged to suit everybody’s needs. The school hosts events which are organised by the church, Friends of Bapchild, other community groups and the hard-work school staff. We are excited that the Chaplain would use our facilities and be based in the school for some of their work.

The school offers a wide curriculum with the emphasis being on the education of the whole child. Children are offered a wide range of curricular activities which aim to develop them intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally, to the highest possible standard according to their needs, aptitudes and abilities.

3 It is the responsibility of the teaching staff to provide for the children in its care, an environment in which the maximum intellectual development can take place; the opportunity for them to discover their particular talents; and an atmosphere of security in which they can achieve personal confidence and fulfillment. The school, being affiliated to the Church of England, has close links with St Laurence Church, Bapchild, and therefore religious education is an important aspect of school life.

Our school’s values are inspired by a range of biblical teachings which all children will become familiar with during their life at Bapchild and Tonge such as:

Compassion The Lost Sheep Thankfulness Jesus heals the Paralytic Forgiveness The Prodigal Son Wisdom King Solomon Friendship Twelve Special Friends Trust The Story of Job

Collective Worship is very important and our values run through our school. Our act of worship is held in the school every day for all school community, children and adults alike. In this Church of England aided school, worship reflects Anglican beliefs, practices and values in accordance with the requirements of the Trust Deed. Every effort is made to ensure that the content of worship is appropriate to the ages and family backgrounds of the children, time is given for spiritual reflection and that opportunities are given for children to take an active part.

We have very close links to St Laurence Church which is situated nearby. The children are invited to take part in church activities whenever possible. The school attends the church on lots of occasions throughout the year and these visits coincide with a church festival but we also hold worships whole school worships. We currently welcome our youngest children and families to our school with a Welcome Service where they receive 4 their first bible from the school. When we say farewell to our children there is a Leavers’ Service held in the church towards the end of each academic year. At the service children in Year 6, leaving the school, are presented with a Good News Bible, which, it is hoped, will remind them of the Christian way of life experienced at the school.

We believe that the Chaplain will enhance and support our children and families on their spiritual journey.

Going Forward

The two parishes in the benefice and our Church of England primary school are working towards developing closer links to build a more dynamic and effective Christian community. Our vision for the future begins with accepting God’s grace and has led us to seek:

 To build a stronger relationship amongst the school, churches and the diverse communities within our large benefice

5  To encourage all parishioners to further growth into the stature Christ wills for us, and to be more welcoming and more caring communities to all—Irrespective of cultural background.  To inspire all parishioners to fulfil their potential in collaborative ministry  To work more closely and collaboratively with the churches in the deanery as well as with churches of other denominations to live fully into Christ’s kingdom  To reimagine the body of Christ in each particular area of Sittingbourne, and to celebrate and constructively engage with the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in every community.

Godly play at Bapchild & Tonge CE Primary School Messy Church at Bapchild & Tonge CE Primary School

Wedding at Milton Regis

What you can expect to find

 Prayerful support for all parishioners and members of the ministry team  Bible-based preaching, education and seasonal offerings in Christian formation  Strong ministry team of Vicar, 3 LLMs and 12 ALMs who are very active in sharing the leadership and vision of the benefice  Diversity of communities, churches and styles of worship including two café church congregations, two Messy churches, worship from the Book of Common Prayer, choral evensong and liberal catholic, Eucharistically centred worship as well as a solid and visionary Church of England primary school—all with welcoming, caring people who want to know Christ better and make him known  Variety of talents within the congregations and parishes 6  Enthusiasm in embracing different services, outreach and fellowship activities to reach people who have no contact with the Church  Church members have exceptional catering skills and are able to generate food and drink seemingly effortlessly, also providing after-service refreshments at least monthly and more often as required  A strong relationship with the 6 schools in the benefice, giving regular assemblies, and receiving the schools into the churches for seasonal services  Active community engagement with various groups and organisations in the benefice  A weekly Bible Study led by the Vicar and others  A benefice website as well as two monthly news sheets are available in both parishes giving details of services, events, prayer topics and other news in the benefice.

Messy Church “Pirate Party” at Murston

Christian aid barbecue at the Vicarage Summer fete at Bapchild

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Bapchild School Christmas Service Christingle at Bapchild

Sunnybank Primary School Christmas Assembly at Murston

Confirmation at Milton Regis Breakfast Church at Milton Regis

8 A snapshot of our benefice…

The people of the two parishes welcome you to our profile, which we hope will give you a picture of our work and worship. We are very much looking forward to the arrival of a priest who is called by God to serve as Chaplain for Mission to our Church of England primary school and as a full time member of the Benefice ministry team. We are energised by the prospect of someone who will come to minister amongst us in a new pilot position scheme for the Church of England.

The vision we have for our benefice is to encourage all in their journey of faith to become better Disciples of Christ, and is set against the three Diocesan priorities to:

 To grow the church numerically and spiritually  To re-imagine ministry  To build partnerships that enrich communities

Holy Trinity Milton Regis is an ancient grade I listed building situated between Milton Regis and . The oldest part of the church is a Roman wall. The original building dates to 650 A.D. with additions in the 11th and 14th centuries. Kemsley Academy, Milton Court and Regis Manor are the primary schools in the parish.

All Saints’ Murston is Victorian Grade II listed and built in 1874, using elements of the medieval church no longer in use. The church is situated in an urban area surrounded by Sunnybank Primary school, close to the town with a mix of old and new housing and adjacent trading estates.

St Laurence Bapchild is a medieval Grade I listed building. In a village just off of the A2, there is a mix of old and new housing and various village amenities. Bapchild and Tonge Church of England school lies just over the road, as does the Rectory. Lansdowne primary school is close by in a nearby estate off of the A2.

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St Giles Tonge is a medieval Grade I listed building, in the middle of a field. The small population at Tonge is very scattered in this predominantly farm community with its landmark Tonge Mill and Pond.

About Us

Sittingbourne Deanery is made up of 27 churches and comprises 8 benefices. It can be divided thus: the town of Sittingbourne, a horseshoe area including the more rural parishes to the east, south and west of Sittingbourne town centre, and the . Significant pastoral reorganisation has taken place over the past few years against a Mission Plan for Mission, Ministry and Resources. This has resulted in more cohesive parochial structures now in place. The Deanery Synod usually meets five times a year and has a Mission and Ministry Committee (also the Standing Committee) which works with the parishes who are the primary units for mission and the development of strategy. The Chapter meets regularly and provides mutual support amongst the clergy. The Chaplain for Mission would be expected to become fully involved in the life of the Chapter and the Deanery. The Deanery has been fully supportive of the pastoral reorganisation that has been undertaken and is committed to working closely with parishes to ensure that all have access to the resources they need to minister to their respective communities. There is encouragement for parishes to be working together under God, as we seek to join in with what He is doing amongst us.

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Bapchild Rectory

The Chaplain for mission will be housed in the Bapchild Rectory. The Rectory is situated in School Lane just across the road from the Church and close to the school. The detached house stands on a large plot and is connected to all main services. Built in the 1960’s, it was fully refurbished and redecorated in 2007 having a new kitchen, UPVC double glazed windows and central heating.

The internal accommodation comprises two separate reception rooms, a large kitchen and a study and toilet on the ground floor. Upstairs there are four large bedrooms (one en suite) and a family bathroom. There is a single garage with additional parking in the front. The well-fenced front and back gardens are laid mainly to grass.

The village of Bapchild is approximately one mile east of Sittingbourne and a similar distance from the mainline high-speed train link to London and the coast. In addition to the Bapchild & Tonge CE school and Owl and Pussycat pre-school and Lansdowne primary school, there is the Sittingbourne Community College and Meadowfield (a special needs school) within easy walking distance. In the centre of town there are Borden Boys’ Grammar School and Fulston Manor Girls’ School.

School lane, near Bapchild Church and school 11