The Ecumenical Parish of Wolvercote

PROFILE OF THE JOINT BENEFICE OF ST PETER'S WOLVERCOTE AND ALL SAINTS WYTHAM OXFORD

Background for the appointment of a half-time interim minister (two year post)

SEPTEMBER 2018

All Saints Church, Wytham http://www.stpeterswolvercote.org http://www.wytham-church.org.uk

1. SUMMARY The Revd Charles Draper was appointed Vicar of St Peter’s (Wolvercote) and All Saints’ (Wytham) in 2015.

This profile is structured as follows. Section 2 describes the two churches. Section 3 (page 3) is a person specification and job description for our new Associate Priest. Section 4 (page 4) is a detailed description of St Peter’s, Wolvercote. Section 5 (page 8) is a detailed description of All Saints’, Wytham. Details of the two parishes of Wolvercote and Wytham, such as the local geography and community groups, are given in Appendix 1 (page 13). The two church partnerships to which St Peter’s is linked are described in Appendices 2 (page 17) and 3 (page 18).

2. A SUMMARY OF OUR TWO CHURCHES St Peter's is a vigorous and thriving church, with a warm, hospitable, lively and mutually supportive congregation, predominantly made up of families with young children and families with teenagers, those who have recently retired and have much to offer to the life of St Peter's, and the elderly who offer their experience and their wisdom. We are a church which strives to witness to the Gospel of Christ by being a part of the community within which we live, open to all members of a very varied village. St Peter’s is committed to our ecumenical partnership with Wolvercote Baptist Church and the United Reformed Church in Summertown, as well as St Michael & All Angels, Summertown (C of E) and also engages with the worldwide Anglican church, and in particular is twinned with the church in Taung in South Africa.

All Saints’ Wytham is a friendly church in a small village just outside the boundary of Oxford city. Despite its proximity to the city, it retains many of the desirable aspects of rural life. We welcome a gathered congregation to worship within the quiet serenity of our early 19th century building, using the Book of Common Prayer for all regular services. Although the weekly congregation is small it thrives spiritually in the love of God. Socially our Friends group, drawn from the wider locality, greatly enhance our mission by example, shared experience and fellowship. In this way, All Saint’s strives to put itself at the heart of its community, and to bring the message of the Gospel to the whole village, despite the variety of denominations and cultures which it contains.

The vision of our churches is described in Sections 4 & 5 but could be summed up in our Vision Statement:

• Becoming closer to God and celebrating his loving purposes • Reaching out unconditionally showing God’s love for all creation.

St Peter’s Wolvercote All Saints’ Wytham

3. OUR NEW ASSOCIATE PRIEST: PERSON SPECIFICATION AND JOB DESCRIPTION

Half time Interim Minister – for the benefice of Wolvercote and Wytham (two/three year post) We are looking for a prayerful team player to share in our ministry in this large and diverse benefice on the edge of Oxford, taking on significant areas of leadership and responsibility, and helping us to develop our vision to be a church for our local community.

We are in an exciting time in our development, with new initiatives in all age worship, new music and outreach to children and families in our benefice, while also developing our prayer life as a church. However with the Vicar diagnosed with Parkinson’s, we need the support of a new Associate Priest to extend these new initiatives across other areas of our ministry, as we seek to put into practice our vision to be a church for the community around us.

This role could offer the possibility for someone to use or develop their leadership skills, whilst working collaboratively in a supportive team. It also offers the possibility of flexible working hours. Although incumbency experience is not expected, incumbency stream training would be preferred as the role involves sharing in leadership and oversight.

Person Specification:

A prayerful team player: • Sharing our vision for mission and ministry to our local community • Rooted and centred in prayer • Able to be an adaptable and flexible team member • Comfortable in a moderately catholic tradition of worship • But able to work with Christians of all different church backgrounds • With an open and inclusive approach to theology

Job Description:

As this is a new role, the job description is negotiable, and could vary according to the gifts of the candidate. Ideally we are looking for someone who will take on the following roles:

• Lead responsibility for community involvement, for example in the Wolvercote and Wytham Festival and in areas of new housing development • Lead responsibility for Weddings and sharing in other occasional offices • Share on a rota basis in Sunday worship and midweek Services

However there are a number of other possible areas of responsibility and we hope the new Associate priest will take on some (not all!) of the following areas:

• Share on a rota basis in our monthly Primary School Assemblies and our monthly All Age Worship, with opportunities also for involvement in church youth work • Support for All Saints’ Wytham PCC and administration • Oversight of monthly Cutteslowe Pavilion Services, which are led by members of the clergy on a rota basis • Lead responsibility for the development of lay ministry and lay participation at St Peter’s • Share in the pastoral work of the parish • Support for Safeguarding in the benefice, developing our approach in response to changing requirements from the diocese • Share in “Shaping our Vision” and support our work on Social Justice, mission links and overseas church links

Support we will offer:

The person appointed as a part time Associate Priest will enjoy the following support:

• A supportive Vicar who is reluctantly having to reduce his commmitments, and a lay and clergy team. We are blessed with a very committed group of retired Ministers and a Licensed Lay Minister who regularly lead our worship and work with our lay leaders in all our corporate activities. • Generous-hearted congregations. Both parishes have welcoming, friendly congregations. The sections below describe them and our communities, and also give a flavour of how we work together in striving to meet the challenges we have identified, including increasing the links between St Peter’s and All Saints’. • Well-structured organisational arrangements.

4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ST PETER'S WOLVERCOTE

THE BUILDINGS There has probably been a church on the site of St Peter’s for about a thousand years. The present church, which seats about 200 people, was substantially rebuilt in 1860, but it has retained much of its earlier character with a Saxon font and the medieval tower which houses a set of six bells. It is Grade II listed, having a notable 17th century tomb (the Walter Tomb), and a window by John Piper. The interior was refurbished in 2013.

St Peter’s Rooms consist of the new Parish Room, the Old School Room, and the Glass Link which extends the usable space from the Rooms directly into the church. The Parish Room has an entire wall of glass doors opening, via the link, into a semi-enclosed inner courtyard. It has a separate well-equipped kitchen, and cloakrooms. The Old School Room, retaining many of its original Victorian features, is Grade II listed, and incorporates a kitchen area.

Christmas in St Peter’s: the Chancel

CHURCHMANSHIP St Peter's sees its mission as being the visible presence of the Body of Christ in the community of Wolvercote, opening its doors in welcome and hospitality to all and proclaiming the message of the Gospel throughout the Christian year. Christmas, Holy Week and Easter, and the Patronal and Harvest Festivals are special occasions for proclaiming the glory of Christ.

The churchmanship is liberal Catholic, but the congregation is drawn from all traditions. The Holy Sacrament is reserved, vestments are worn, and incense is used at festivals and on special occasions. The main services are celebrated at the Nave Altar. The Sunday congregations cover a wide range of churchmanship, including more than a third for whom elements of catholic observance are particularly important.

The main service is the 10.00 a.m. sung Parish Eucharist. Children are welcome and, since 2002, have been able to receive communion before Confirmation. Holy Baptism is normally administered at the Parish Eucharist. Lay people read the lessons and lead intercessions, and have been licensed by the Bishop to administer the chalice and communion by extension at the homes of people unable to come to church.

CLERGY, READERS AND THE LAY MINISTRY The following clergy currently preside and celebrate regularly at the Eucharist: Revd Charles Draper Vicar Revd Prof William Whyte Associate Priest Revd Shei Crowther Associate Priest Revd Viv Bridges Retired Priest Revd Joanna Coney Retired Priest

Less frequently we benefit from ministers in our partnership and from retired priests who live in our parish celebrating at St Peter’s, including: Revd Gavin Knight Vicar at St Michael’s Summertown Revd Pauline Main Minister at Summertown URC Revd Vivien Edwards Minister at Wolvercote Baptist Church Revd Tim Bravington Retired Priest

A Licensed Lay Minister, Dr Tony Lemon, also preaches, serves on the PCC and has other responsibilities in the parish.

The churchwardens are currently Mr Michael Daniell and Mrs Wendy Sobey.

The churchwardens and church officers are regarded as having an essential ministry of their own. A lay person chairs the key Fabric and Finance Committee, and wherever possible decision-making is devolved to the people doing the work. All elements of church life are represented on the PCC.

CHURCH SERVICES Sundays: 8.00 a.m. Holy Communion (CW, CL) 10.00 a.m. Parish Eucharist, sung (CW, CL) 12.00 noon Holy Communion (BCP) Weekdays: Monday & Thurs 9.00 a.m. Morning Prayer Wednesday 7.00 p.m. Holy Communion Friday Early Birds Prayer

The Daily Offices are taken from ‘Celebrating Common Prayer’. CW, CL = Common Worship, Contemporary Language

CHOIR, ORGAN AND BELL RINGERS A Director of Music was appointed in 2017.

The Choir sings at the 10.00 a.m. Parish Communion on most Sundays and for festivals and special occasions. A small all-age singing group leads the music at our monthly Family Communion Services.

A new pipe organ was dedicated in 2016. Much of the cost of £200,000 was met by subscriptions from the congregation.

A peal of six bells is rung for the 10.00 a.m. service and on special occasions by an active team of local ringers.

ELECTORAL ROLL AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE The Electoral Roll currently numbers 229. Average attendances at services are as follows: 8.00 a.m. 20 - 25 10.00 a.m. 100 - 105 12.00 noon 10 - 15

During the 12 months to December 2017 other numbers were as follows: Baptisms 6 Confirmation 0 Marriages 4 Funerals 19

ORDINANDS AND TRAINING St. Peter’s regularly takes students on placement from Ripon College Cuddesdon and occasionally from elsewhere.

MISSION AND OUTREACH In April 2007 St Peter’s completed an audit of the Church and its parish. It was intended to provide an understanding of the local context within which we work with the Holy Spirit in the mission of God. It aimed to provide us with an opportunity to review what we know about our parish and parishioners, the better to be able to serve their needs and through doing so to witness to the love of God in Christ. The Audit Report drew on sources including census and related data, community interviews, questionnaires, congregational meetings and an ‘Awayday’. An ‘Angel of the Church’ exercise was conducted, and broad consideration given by a congregational ‘Church Profile’ evening to the ‘Seven Marks of a Healthy Church’. This led to recommendations in the following areas.

• Worship, prayer and spiritual life • Learning and Teaching • The Neighbourhoods, and how we relate to them • Service in the Community • Children and Young People • The Church Buildings • Communications

The exercise proved to be extraordinarily productive, and much has been drawn from it to inform and influence our mission subsequently. One major outcome was the Development Project concerning our buildings, leading to (1) renewal of our existing Church Room; (2) building of a new Parish Room, with a capacious glass link to the Church; (3) redecoration and re-lighting of the inside of the Church; and (4) replacement of the pipe organ which was beyond reasonable repair. Over £900,000 was raised for these purposes. Alongside this, £25,600 was raised as part of the Development Project Appeal, for donation to overseas charities.

In 2012, through involvement in the Deanery Mission Action Plan, we again reflected on our mission and how to strengthen it. Then, 7 years after the audit, we established in collaboration with Wolvercote Baptist Church a further initiative to deepen our response to God’s call: this led to the current ‘Shaping our Vision’ project. Some of the same methodology was adopted as for the 2007 audit, including data collection, community interviews, and questionnaires. During an Awayday on 17 January 2015, clergy, PCC and others in the congregation started planning our response to the results, aiming to identify our future direction and ways of implementing it. This was focussed on our relationship with God, and our relationship with each other, leading to two high-level vision statements:

• Becoming closer to God and celebrating his loving purposes • Reaching out unconditionally showing God’s love for all creation.

Seven goals were set for our responses to these statements and groups formed to take them forward through concrete proposals in the following areas:

• Learning more in varied contexts • Spiritual exploration • Exploring different ways of Worship • Opportunities to hear the Gospel - engaging with all ages • Social justice and environmental issues • Improving Pastoral care to the whole community • Early engagement with new local development and expansion.

In 2016 we re-formed into four working groups to take these areas forward. It is hoped that the new Associate Priest will be actively involved in this process.

Our Outreach and Mission are also strongly linked to our participation in the Summertown-Wolvercote Church Partnership, and the Cutteslowe Church Partnership, described in Appendices 2 and 3 respectively.

Both are strong ecumenical relationships with local churches in our area, each partnership deepening our communion with Christ and with one another.

The free quarterly magazine The Flying Goose is produced by St Peter’s and distributed by volunteers to every house in the parish and ward of Wolvercote, and is another outcome of the parish audit. Its high quality format with many photographs is supported through advertising by local businesses. The content includes an editorial by one of the clergy, articles about local history, news of past and future events, stories about local individuals, news from the school, an events calendar and information about services and events at St Peter’s and All Saints’. Members of the congregation also contribute articles of church interest to The Quarterly, a publication sponsored by the Summertown-Wolvercote Church Partnership.

PASTORAL CARE Pastoral care is coordinated through St Peter's Net, a committee currently with eight members, who have two main responsibilities: - to look out for and make contact with newcomers to church and those who have filled in welcome cards left in the pews, inviting them to informal St Peter's Net lunches or visiting them; - to contact members of the congregation known to be unwell or housebound or who have not been seen for some weeks.

An intercessory Prayer Group meets regularly.

SOCIAL LIFE Social life is an important part of the ministry of St Peter's. St Peter's Net lunches are held on Sundays two or three times a year to welcome new-comers and to help the congregation get to know each other better, especially those who normally worship at different services. Coffee after the 10.00 a.m. service every Sunday and the twice-yearly breakfast after the 8.00 a.m. service seek to achieve the same ends, likewise lunch on Petertide Sunday, Harvest suppers, and St Peter's Fête. Little excuse is needed for breaking open a few bottles of wine, for example a golden wedding anniversary or a baptism.

MINISTRY TO THE YOUNG This work is led by our part-time Children and Families Worker. The vision for Children’s and Families’ Ministry at St Peter’s is to make the gospel accessible; taking the church out to the community and bringing the community into the church. Every month there is an All-Age Family Communion Service which has an interactive talk, includes children and parents in leading the prayers, and an all-age choir to support a combination of contemporary and traditional music. Children’s groups run on all other Sundays at the 10.00 service to include Sunday Explorers for children up to the age of ten years, and Explorers Plus for the older children. Sunday Explorers runs weekly. We meet in the Old School Room from the start of the service for songs, games, art and craft based around a Bible story and simple prayer. The group returns to the church for communion and the children enjoy presenting their activities at the end of the service. Jane Draper runs Explorers 10+ and Explorers 13+ monthly groups for older children including games, food, discussion and preparation for confirmation and liaises with the Servers leaders.

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Following a review initiated by the PCC in 2011, there was a substantial reorganisation of the committee structure in the parish. The aim was to improve efficiency, to allow the PCC to focus more time on strategic matters, and to reduce the administrative load falling directly on the Vicar. The most significant change was the creation of a Fabric and Finance Committee reporting to the PCC. This committee, with its supporting sub-committees, has responsibilities for major activities such as Buildings and Maintenance, St Peter’s Rooms, Health and Safety, and a range of other matters. The PCC also receives verbal reports from the monthly meetings of the Team, consisting of Clergy, Licensed Lay Minister, Church Wardens, Children’s Worker, and Parish Administrator.

The parish accounts for 2017 can be summarised as follows: General Income £127,297 Parish Share £64,304 Other expenses £46,351

STEWARDSHIP St Peter's operates a pledged giving scheme, and in 2017 the total of all pledged income and tax recovered was £82,130. We pay our parish share in full and aim for a balanced annual budget. Ten per cent of pledged giving goes to a Joint Mission Fund for disbursement. A challenge for the future will be meeting the significant increase in parish share that is expected annually over the next five years. A new Stewardship campaign is planned for April-May 2018, and it will involve adoption of the Parish Giving Scheme that is being promoted by the Diocese.

5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALL SAINTS’ WYTHAM

THE CHURCH All Saints’ is Grade II listed, and believed to be the third church in the village since the early 12th century. The present building was put up in 1812 by the fifth Earl of Abingdon, during a major re-modelling of his estate. The materials used came from the previous church (1499-1811), and from the remains of the nearby 14th century Cumnor Place, which provided several windows, the porch and the west door of the tower. The church has a notable collection of stained glass windows, ranging from late 14th century pale stain, (some of which are known to have been in the original church), through 17th century enamel work and 18th century painted pictures to more modern glass added after the 1812 rebuild – an unusual feature in such a small church. There are also some interesting tombstones and monuments, originally from the previous church. The building is in good repair, and is about to be redecorated.

The churchyard is full, but not closed. Burials are still allowed in existing graves, as is the interment of ashes. Most burials and interments now take place in the ‘new churchyard’ owned by the church a few hundred yards away. This has adequate space for many years to come.

All Saints’ can seat 130, and has changed little since the 1812 rebuild. The main alterations are those necessary to fit it for modern expectations. A WC has been installed on the ground floor of the tower, and a small servery has been added to the vestry to facilitate the use of the church for social events. The heating and lighting have both been renewed in the last few years.

The south side of All Saints’, re-tiled in 2011 The east & north sides of All Saints’

FUNDRAISING - THE ROOF AND THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND In April 2011, during minor repairs to the south side of the nave roof, it was discovered that it was close to total failure. It was repaired as a matter of urgency, funded by our financial reserves and additional fundraising. We had advice that the north side of the nave and both slopes of the chancel roof should be retiled in the near future. The original tiles were unobtainable, and the alternatives approved by English Heritage were much heavier. A structural engineer’s report confirmed that the roof beams would support the increased load, but that the nave roof would incur significant asymmetric loading as a result. It was therefore necessary to complete the retiling to:

• Prevent any further deterioration of the roof, • Remove the asymmetric loading before it caused any further damage.

The PCC decided to carry out the whole of the re-tiling in one phase, and not by re-tiling the chancel and the north side of the nave in separate phases. This was achieved with the aid of a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Grant supplemented by funds raised by the PCC and the Friends of All Saints’ (FAS, see below).

The HLF wished to see cultural and environmental benefits included in any grant application. This has been used to advantage by the PCC as providing an opportunity for the wider community to investigate the history of the village and involve themselves in the life of the church.

Fundraising cricketer cyclists arrive back at Fundraising – cream teas in the garden the church having cycled from Lords of the local shop

PASTORAL AND EVANGELICAL OBJECTIVES i. To support the whole church and the united benefice of Wolvercote with Wytham in spreading the message of the Gospel. ii. To offer worship to God. iii. To further the mission of our parish church by bringing spiritual comfort and the Gospel message to the people of Wytham. iv. To increase our regular congregation. v. To pray for the needs of the whole world.

The east end of the interior, showing the altar, The west end of the interior of All Saints’ pulpit & organ showing the gallery

OUR MISSION The Pastoral and Evangelical objectives set out above have remained constant for several years. They are, however, reviewed by the Annual Church Parish Meeting each year, and the PCC is satisfied that they remain the basis for an effective Mission Plan. The main thrust of our mission is to put the church at the centre of the community and bring the Gospel message to the people of Wytham. We have progressed to the point where the majority of residents appreciate our presence and seem to have regard for the church building, if not for the services we hold.

All Saints’ holds a worship service every Sunday, and on certain other important festivals in the Christian year. In addition, we host Baptisms, Marriages and Funerals. These support our Pastoral and Evangelical Objectives at (ii), (iii), (iv) &(v) above.

FRIENDS OF ALL SAINTS (FAS) In a bid to put All Saints’ at the centre of village life, the Friends of All Saints’ was set up in 2006, as a sub- committee of the PCC. Its objectives are:

• To support the work of the church in the community • Extend the involvement of individuals from the wider community • Assist in the care and adorning of the church as a focal point of the village • Assist in preserving the building together with its goods and ornaments for posterity

There are at present 90 members drawn from the village and locality who share an interest in All Saints’ and Wytham. The committee of nine – five PCC members and three others - are at the forefront of fund raising. The PCC and FAS have very similar aims, the latter presenting the social face of All Saints’ which encourages the wider community involvement being sought – and found. Improvements in the church building were considered desirable to enhance community contact, and were part-funded by FAS. Greater community involvement is also being achieved through the updating of the website to raise the profile of All Saints’ by publicising activities and events.

The Wolvercote and Wytham Festival, supported through FAS, is a well-established annual event. It is an exciting starting point for greater contact between St Peter’s and All Saints’. The latter is now used as a base for art shows, talks and concerts as Wytham’s part of the celebrations. The partnership between the PCC, the congregation, and other village organisations with whom we have contact, through FAS, is increasingly dynamic.

The east end of All Saints’, in use for an art show.

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH We offer a Prayer Book service every week at 9.45am in the church, with Matins and Holy Communion alternating. There are additional services at the main festivals. We have an organ and organists, but no choir. The numbers of weddings, baptisms and funerals is variable:

8 6 Baptisms 4 Weddings 2 Funerals 0 2014 2015 2016 2017

The ‘Parish Spotlight’ (Appendix 1) indicates that 53% of residents regard themselves being Christian. Allowing for ‘other religions’, this indicates that over 40% in the village do not regard themselves as belonging to any religion. At present, we have a regular congregation of just over 12, of whom 3 live in Wytham. This number has been maintained, even slightly increased, over the last few years. A decision was taken some years ago to try to increase our ‘gathered’ congregation as the only way we could see to ensure the church remained viable. We did this by going for a niche market – the Book of Common Prayer - which is used for all our services. Permanent residents have, in the past, expressed a preference for its use. However, it is harder to engage with those who are unfamiliar with ‘church’ in its widest sense, especially children. Our ‘special’ services – at Rogation, All Souls and Nine Lessons and Carols, which are designed to draw in village residents – are far more successful, although those under 16 rarely attend. The service of Nine Lessons and Carols, which takes place each Christmas by candlelight with a brass band leading the singing, completely fills the church. We would like to stage more similar joint events with St Peter’s, Wolvercote. We have recently set up a ‘Child and Parent corner’, and are adapting some services to encourage younger people to attend.

Inside All Saints’ at Christmas – the west gallery We do manage to get some children in church!

Our view is that we must retain the use of the BCP for most services, as to abandon it would lose us the larger part of our congregation, without any guarantee that they would be replaced by those preferring an alternative rite. It is essential that we attract more of the younger element in the village if we are to survive in the longer term.

We are proud of the atmosphere in the church, which is invariably friendly and welcoming. The good relationship with the village pub has helped with many of our events in a variety of ways, and has enabled us to make contact with potential churchgoers from the village. Some have volunteered to help with various

administrative tasks in the church. We are on good terms with other village organisations, and these relationships have greatly improved in recent years.

All Saints’ plays an active part in the annual Christian Aid week, the Poppy Appeal, and ‘Ride and Stride’, a fundraising event for the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. The village cricket team recently took part in a sponsored cycle ride for ‘Ride & Stride’ with the aim of benefiting church funds. These projects support our Pastoral and Evangelical Objectives.

CLERGY, READERS AND LAY MINISTRY The following clergy currently preside and celebrate at the Eucharist: Revd Charles Draper Vicar Revd Prof William Whyte Associate Priest Revd Shei Crowther Associate Priest Revd Viv Bridges Retired Priest Revd Joanna Coney Retired Priest

We have assistance from: Revd Tim Bravington Retired Priest Revd Rodney Hill Associate Priest at St Michael’s Summertown

Dr Tony Lemon also preaches at All Saints.

THE PCC This is made up of the Vicar and 8 elected members, including the two churchwardens and the Deanery Synod representative. The secretary and treasurer are co-opted. It meets four times annually, with occasional special meetings when required, but most exceptional business is dealt with by a Standing Sub- Committee of the Vicar and the two churchwardens (currently Kathy Day-Dawson and Simon Howarth). This meets about every two months. There are 19 names on the Electoral Roll, of whom 5 live in the parish.

FINANCE The Parish Share (£5643 this year) is a continual cause of concern, but the Parish has never failed to meet its obligations in this respect. Our income last year was £22040, our expenditure £13912. The previous two years were not representative, due to the large sums raised and expended on the roof repairs.

APPENDIX 1: The Parishes of Wolvercote and Wytham

LOCATION The parishes of Wolvercote and Wytham lie about 2 miles northwest of the city of Oxford, and each has retained a strong village ethos despite this proximity. This is in part because of Port Meadow, Wolvercote Common and open farmland lying between the city and the villages.

OVERALL STATISTICS The Parish Spotlight based on the 2011 census produced the following statistics

Wolvercote Wytham population total 6300 136 age under 16 18% 21% age over 65 19% 14% minority ethnic 14% 4% Christians 51% 53% households total 2700 58 owner-occupied 67% 16% social rental 13% 3% Index of Multiple 14% 9% Deprivation

The population of Wytham is believed to have increased slightly since 2011. We have good local knowledge, but find the figure stated above for ’social rental housing’ difficult to reconcile – we suspect that this covers tied cottages connected to the woods and the farm (see the section ‘Wytham’ below).

In the recent local council elections Wolvercote ward returned two Liberal Democrats. Wytham is part of the North Hinksey and Wytham ward, which returned one Conservative and one Liberal Democrat. The County Councillors for both Wolvercote and Wytham are Liberal Democrats. Wolvercote Forum was formally designated a Neighbourhood Forum by the Oxford City Executive Board in January 2014.

Map showing the two parishes, together with others in the Oxford Deanery

WOLVERCOTE The parish district of Wolvercote has three distinct areas: - the village of Wolvercote is at the north-west corner of Oxford inside the city boundary. Port Meadow and Wolvercote Common lie to the south and west of it, and the river Isis or Thames to the west. The Oxford Canal and the main London - Birmingham railway line divide Upper from Lower Wolvercote. In Lower Wolvercote housing from the 1930s and later surrounds the older village houses; in Upper Wolvercote are St Peter's church, the old village school, now a primary school, and homes built originally as a council estate.

- an affluent area consisting predominantly of large houses dating from the early to middle 20th century lies between the Woodstock and Banbury Roads and to the west of the Woodstock Road. At the northern edge outside the ring road is a recreation ground and a large Municipal Cemetery, onto which abut a small business park and the North Oxford Golf Club.

- the third area lies north of the A40 ring road and to the east of the Banbury Road. Part of it was built originally as council housing, but there are several roads of more affluent houses. On the edge of it lies Cutteslowe Park with a children's recreation area and extensive sports fields. (The Cutteslowe area is split by the ring road so that one part lies in Wolvercote parish and the other in Summertown parish.)

These three areas each have their own distinct character. Wolvercote village remains a village with a pleasing mix of old village families and more recent incomers, with a wide range of backgrounds, the professions, academics with links to both Universities, self-employed, managers and manual workers, retired and working. A major forthcoming challenge for the village will be two major housing and commercial developments. The first, in the heart of Lower Wolvercote, concerns a development of 190 houses on the site of the old Wolvercote Paper Mill. The second is a much greater challenge, on predominantly agricultural land at the edge of the parish. It is described in the City Action Plan as an employment-led development with supporting infrastructure and complementary facilities. There is a plan (though there is no sign of an imminent start) to provide employment for up to 9000, and 500 homes. The plan is controversial, and such issues as providing adequate transport infrastructure, and schooling, remain to be fully resolved. St Peter’s will need to consider how to engage with this development at the stages of planning and construction, and more particularly after its completion.

The old council estate area of Upper Wolvercote has social problems, some drug-related, some arising from poverty with a considerable number of families on social benefits.

The area along the Woodstock and Banbury Roads is typical suburbia, people with much the same backgrounds as Wolvercote village, though with few if any manual workers. It contains a number of new housing developments.

The more affluent parts of the third area to the east of the Banbury Road are similar, but in contrast to these the old council housing part of the area, the Templar Road estate, has the same social problems as those of Upper Wolvercote, though perhaps to a lesser extent. St Peter's owns a house in the Templar Road estate which at present is rented out.

An important group is Wolvercote Young People's Club (full-time leader and over 200 members), which receives financial and other support from St Peter's patron, Merton College. St Peter’s Playgroup (Ofsted registered) is run by a voluntary committee, made up of parents and members of the local community. It operates in St Peter’s Old School Room on weekdays during school terms. A mothers and babies group is organized in the St Peter’s Parish Room one afternoon a week.

The Wolvercote Neighbourhood Forum, created as a result of the 2011 Localism Act, represents the community in influencing planning developments in the local Area.

WYTHAM

Wytham from the air, showing the location of All Saints’.

In 1943 by a combination of benefaction and purchase, the University of Oxford acquired the Wytham Estate from Raymond ffennell of Wytham Abbey, who had bought it in 1920 from Montague Bertie, 7th Earl of Abingdon. The ffennells were great philanthropists, as illustrated by Raymond ffennell’s decision to pass the estate to the university, with certain conditions which included that they should use parts of it for education and research.

The parish of Wytham takes up about 60% of the 3200 acre estate in which it is set. The estate consists of farmland, including Thames floodplain and 1000 acres of world-famous woodland used for the last 60 years for ecological research purposes, and is currently a major site for the study of climate change, based upon the recorded data for those years. The greater part of the farmland around the village is used by the Food Animal Initiative (FAI), an international organisation promoting sustainable farming methods. The University Department of Zoology has research facilities adjacent to FAI.

The village is located approximately 4.5km north-west of the City of Oxford, on the west bank of the Seacourt Stream, a tributary of the River Thames. The main river and Thames footpath form the north-east parish boundary, which is shared in part by the parish of Wolvercote. Wytham is just outside the city boundary, in the Vale of White Horse District, and is rural, having an unspoilt homogenous character derived from vernacular stone buildings. It is in the Green Belt, is a conservation area (1970), and this, combined with factors within the terms of the benefaction/purchase of the estate, restricts development. The amenities of the village include the White Hart public house, village stores, village hall and recreation ground. The Wytham Way, a village newsletter, plays an important part in the community. The woodland is open to walkers with permits acquired from the Conservator. The school closed in 1969, the Post Office in 2008.

The population There are at present 120 adults and 12 children living in Wytham. There are about sixty five houses/flats in the village, eight are owner occupied dwellings, the remainder being tenanted and of these about 50% are Assured Shorthold Tenancies. In certain circumstances this can create a sense of impermanence, but most village organisations work together to put on community events to sustain village life.

WOLVERCOTE AND WYTHAM COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES A revealing guide to the strength of village life in Wolvercote and Wytham Villages is provided by this list of active community groups:

Wolvercote Commoners Wildlife Watch Group Wolvercote Local History Society 3rd Oxford Cub and Beaver Scouts Wolvercote Horticultural Society Wolvercote and Wytham Festival Wolvercote Monday Lunch Club Royal British Legion Women's Institute Wytham Cricket Club Montessori Nursery North Oxford Youth Theatre Wolvercote Tree Group Wolvercote Community Bus Wolvercote Young Explorers Wolvercote Craft Group St Peter's Players (adult amateur drama club) Wolvercote Pony Club The Friends of All Saints The Hope ffennell Trust

Every year during a week in June the Wolvercote and Wytham Midsummer Festival celebrates village life with most of our local groups.

APPENDIX 2: The Summertown-Wolvercote Church Partnership (SWCP)

The Partnership (http://www.summertown-wolvercotechurchpartnership.org/) consists of these churches: Anglican: St Peter's, Wolvercote St Michael & All Angels, Summertown United Reformed Church, Summertown Wolvercote Baptist Church

The patrons of the two Anglican churches in the SWCP are Merton College for St Peter's and St John's College for St Michael's. The URC Summertown is in the Wessex Synod of the URC. The Baptist Church is a member of the Baptist Union of Great Britain

Other churches in the area of the Partnership, but not members, are St Gregory & St Augustine (Roman Catholic) and Woodstock Road Baptist Churches. The churches of the Partnership participate with these and other churches in North Oxford in Churches Together in North Oxford (CTNO).

Apart from those at St Peter’s listed in the main body of the Profile, the Ministers and some key members at the churches in the Partnership are as follows.

St Michael and All Angels, Lonsdale Road, Summertown (http://www.stmichaels-summertown.org.uk) Revd Gavin Knight Vicar

United Reformed Church (http://summertownurc.org) Revd Pauline Main Minister

Wolvercote Baptist Church (http://www.summertown-wolvercotechurchpartnership.org/?page_id=26) Revd Vivien Edwards Minister

In 2007 representatives of the partner churches signed the Summertown - Wolvercote Church Partnership Local Covenant which included the following commitments:

a. To continue to co-operate with each other, in search of the unity for which Christ prayed and in common evangelism and service to the world. b. To engage in joint worship, prayer and study, so that we may know and value each other and seek God's will for His people. c. To work together where appropriate in pastoral, social and evangelistic outreach into our community. d. To monitor progress and co-ordinate decision-making about existing and future joint activities and publicity through a meeting three times a year of a Partnership Enabling Group, comprising the ministers and two lay representatives appointed by and from each participating congregation. e. To consult with the other churches over the appointment of new ministers as far as is reasonably possible and consonant with denominational procedures. f. To recognise each other’s Ministers and Eucharist, such that ministers may preside at the Eucharist in the church of a different denomination. g. To hold joint services of Confirmation and Reception into Membership. The Covenant has recently been reviewed.

Shared activities include Services; Quiet days; courses such as “Exploring Faith”, “Living Love, Loving Life”, “Starter Courses” and Lent Courses; and a Christian Aid group. The Partnership Enabling Group (PEG) also has oversight of the Taung Link (shared activities and visits with our sister parish of St Chad’s, Taung in our link diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman in South Africa); and involvement in the North Oxford Action Group Against Homelessness (NOAAH). Further details of Partnership activities may be found on the Partnership website indicated above. The SWCP overlaps with the Cutteslowe Church Partnership described in Appendix 3. PEG provides oversight of the SWCP involvement, and reports back to the PCCs of the Anglican churches, to the Summertown URC Church Meeting, and to the Baptist Church.

The Partnership office is run by the St Peter’s Church Administrator, and is mainly concerned with printing material such as Service sheets, The Quarterly, etc.

APPENDIX 3: The Cutteslowe Church Partnership (CCP)

This Partnership was formed in 2010. The members are Summertown United Reformed Church, and the Anglican churches of St Andrew’s Linton Road, St Michael’s Summertown and St Peter’s Wolvercote. Its long-term objective is to establish a worshipping community in Cutteslowe – one grown “from below” through local residents, with the Partnership’s support and oversight.

The CCP has an Enabling Group called the Cutteslowe Enabling Group (or CEG), which meets quarterly.

The Cutteslowe Church Partnership Working Agreement sets out the details of the scheme for working together. The vision statement is as follows:

“We are committed to the social, emotional, physical and spiritual transformation of the Cutteslowe area. Following Christ’s example, we seek to share God’s love with the people living in that community, to give and receive as we are able and as guided by the Holy Spirit. We aim to provide care and compassion in practical and supportive ways, such that people feel themselves accepted and empowered to make informed life choices.”

Within the CCP, St Andrew’s focuses particularly on youth work, while the SWCP churches work more with the older generation. Partnership activities include a monthly service in the Cutteslowe Pavilion,