Sharing Life Serving Community
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WORSHIPPING GOD SHARING LIFE SERVING COMMUNITY Wychert Vale Benefice Foreword from a close relationship The Bishop of Buckingham with its community in recent years and the The Wychert Vale Benefice is a thriving church recognises 1 Foreword group of rural churches in the heart of this as a significant 2 Brief description of Benefice Buckinghamshire. The Benefice was opportunity which they hope the new 3 Our location recently formed (2016) from two existing appointee will help 4 Our mission smaller benefices and much work has been done in the intervening three years them to grasp. 5 Our strengths to build a strong identity as a single, united During the vacancy, the PCCs have 6 What we want to do benefice. explored different models of team working 7 Type of person we’re looking for Lay leadership within the benefice is well and they are open to exploring with the new incumbent new ways that will help 8 The Benefice churches established, committed and supported by the strong clergy team. The benefice them achieve their vision to worship God, 9 The current team has well-organised structures, including serve their communities and share life. 11 Benefice churches - church a Benefice Council, and benefits from For a priest committed to the diocesan 13 Benefice churches - community part-time administrative support from a vision of becoming a more Christ-like Church for the sake of God’s World – 14 The Rectory benefice office based in Haddenham. contemplative, compassionate and 15 Church properties The Rector will need to be an able, experienced leader and people manager courageous – this role presents a good 16 Financial summary of our churches who will enable the churches to embrace opportunity to lead mission and ministry in 17 Statistics the challenges and opportunities that lie this exciting context and with a supportive 18 The Diocese and Deanery Information ahead in an area where there is significant team. I commend this profile to you and I 19 Our time in Lockdown housing development and population growth, particularly in Haddenham. would welcome conversations about the Alongside the responsibilities of the Rector, role with interested candidates. a key focus for this role will be to develop 1 and grow the worshipping community at St +Alan Wilson, Mary’s, Haddenham. The church has built Bishop of Buckingham www.wychertvale.org Brief description of Benefice Wychert Vale Benefice is comprised of a network of 6 churches serving a group of vibrant and growing Buckinghamshire villages between Thame and Aylesbury. Our leadership is team-based with lay and ordained people working together. Wychert Vale was formed by joining Haddenham Benefice with the parish of Stone and Dinton with Hartwell on 1st March 2016. We held a service to celebrate our new benefice on Palm Sunday evening 20 March 2016 where we signed a formal Covenant agreement. All congregations have been enjoying doing more together and continue to see great potential for growth as a larger benefice. With significant housing developments across the benefice, we are looking for a new Rector to help us identify opportunities for growth, individually and collectively. 2 Our location OXFORD, BIRMINGHAM AYLESBURY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Stone church Cuddington church Dinton church A418 ARRIVA BUS 280 & X8 OXFORD / AYLESBURY VIA HADDENHAM HADDENHAM & THAME PARKWAY Haddenham CHILTERN MAINLINE church Aston Sandford church Kingsey church M40,OXFORD A4129 A418 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE THAME OXFORDSHIRE A4010 LONDON 3 1Km www.wychertvale.org Our mission When the new benefice was formed, we identified three common Covenant Purposes: WORSHIPPING GOD SHARING LIFE SERVING COMMUNITY Our Covenant Principles for working together: Childrens’ fancy dress competition at Cuddington fete To share resources of all kinds. To get to know one another and to work with, listen to, support and value one another. To determine to play our part gracefully in the improvement and strengthening of communications of all kinds throughout the new benefice. To commit ourselves to ongoing prayer. Remembrance parade, Haddenham 4 www.wychertvale.org Our strengths Our Church families are known for showing the love of God to all Welcoming and accommodating different needs Diversity of worship styles Quality & variety of leadership Beautiful & historic church buildings Encouraging involvement in the community: Parenting courses, Foodbanks, Cafe In The Park, Cafe+, Messy Church, Christmas Tree Festival, Hymns & Pimms Strong connections with local schools Messy Church, Dinton. Remembrance: 5 community-made doves and poppies. Celebration: Christmas Tree Festival. Involvement: Thame Foodbank www.wychertvale.org What we want to do To support people in their faith journeys and lives. and prayer, enjoy free and open discussion and celebrate special occasions. To celebrate a renewed energy in the village communities. Enjoy a wider representation of ages with vibrant youth To have a better understanding of how our buildings, activities and growing numbers of people coming to a real services and social activities can further benefit faith in Jesus. our communities. Provide challenging and thought-provoking teaching Enable our church family to increase and flourish with places relevant to the modern world. of worship where people may come to faith in Christ and where the whole community feels they can come for support 6 l www.wychertvale.org Type of person we’re looking for Someone who is immersed in Scripture and has a longing to share it. Someone who will value the individual qualities of our churches and encourage us to embrace our diversity whilst supporting each other to grow in unity. Someone who will recognise the opportunities in the challenging times ahead and direct our efforts and energies. Someone who will lead us and walk alongside us. A strategic leader who will take us forward and support us. Someone gifted in leading worship relevant to all generations. 7 www.wychertvale.org The Benefice churches Click on church name for weblink St Michael & St Mary’s, All Angels, Haddenham Aston Sandford St Nicholas, St Nicholas, Cuddington Kingsey St John St Peter & The Baptist, St Paul, Stone Dinton 8 l www.wychertvale.org The current clergy team Wychert Vale Benefice has been running as a united Ministry Area and all the clergy serve across the benefice, each with particular focusses on different areas of ministry. Our ministers work as a team collaboratively. Revd Canon Dr Phil Groves Revd Trish Mander Associate Rector (full time) stipendiary Associate Minister SSM Revd Jonathan Hawkins Revd Nigel Featherston Assistant Area Dean SSM SSM Curate Ven Dr Gordon Kuhrt LLMs: Retired PTO Olive Kuhrt ARCM Adrian Collier David Robinson LVO 9 www.wychertvale.org Our Churches This 13thC church, remodelled in traditional, reflective style of • To reach out in mission as a St Michael & the 1870s, can accommodate service with coffee in one of the welcoming church All Angels, only about 50 seated people village homes afterwards. We • Searching for more help in although we have up to 100 on also have occasional weddings running the church Aston Christmas Eve. In the monthly or baptisms as well as one or two Communion service, of some funerals a year. The number of • Retain our traditional style of worship Sandford 35 adults and several children, people attending services is fairly 20% will be from Aston Sandford constant with a high average age. • Excellence in Pastoral Care with others attending from • Help develop the Wychert surrounding villages for a quiet, Our key mission aims are: Vale Benefice We are a church family that be accessible for all: at times downs of daily life through St Nicholas, has been enjoying new growth contemporary and informal at our Sunday services, weekday and associated challenges for others more structured. Our activities and home groups. Cuddington several years. Our congregation tradition is evangelical, although is a delightful mix of babies, our congregation is drawn from Our key mission aims are:- toddlers, school children and a variety of church backgrounds • Providing worship for adults. We do our best to be a and from a wide surrounding everyone church for the whole village and area as well as from the village Deepening our faith have a service every Sunday itself. Members find friendship • morning which is designed to and support in the ups and • Developing leaders Our mission statement: parish supporting each other and toilet and kitchen facilities and are St John the ‘To belong, believe and build the wider community including working and praying for this to happen. with Christ as our cornerstone.’ excellent relationships with Stone We take part in many local, Baptist, We are an enthusiastic, united Methodist Church and CofE school. diocesan and world wide events congregation that welcomes We want to enable the church such as Thy Kingdom Come, Stone and supports both regular and to grow and have a service every National Prayer Weekend, occasional worshippers. week providing something for Historic churches Ride and Stride, We believe in our church and everyone. We now need to build a Christian Aid and Poppy week. 10 www.wychertvale.org Our Churches St Mary’s, Open to all and embracing Our key mission aims are: • Making Life occasions diverse ways of being ‘Church’ special • Supporting all Ages Haddenham we are a committed group of • Caring for Creation people with a real passion for • Being a strong presence in our community and for being a the community place where everyone can feel • Welcoming Newcomers welcome to seek and explore the Christian faith. St Nicholas Kingsey is a church Food and drink is never far November and also runs the St Nicholas, founded on a deep Christian away from this church which village fete in July. Kingsey faith and cake. It is firmly fulfill both spiritual and physical It is a welcoming church full embedded in its community. needs. of kindness and laughter.