TOTNES MISSION COMMUNITY the Benefice of Totnes With
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TOTNES MISSION COMMUNITY Appointment of Team Rector January 2020 AN INTRODUCTION TO he Benefice of Totnes with T Bridgetown, Ashprington, Berry Pomeroy Brooking, Cornworthy Dartington, Marldon and Stoke Gabriel. A note from the Archdeacon Every place is special in its own way, but the ancient market town of Totnes and the beautiful South Hams of Devon in which it is set are exceptional. Both the town itself, with its distinguished history and considerable present interest, and the rural communities surrounding it offer an unusually rich and varied cultural life, from the firmly traditional to the decidedly unconventional. Totnes has long been a centre for those seeking forms of spirituality and lifestyle alternative to the mainstream, at the same time retaining all the inherited elements of a fine old West Country market town. With Dartington Hall, Schumacher College, the Sharpham Estate, and other local organisations operating in the area of the benefice, the range of cultural and educational opportunities on offer locally is high, drawing people to Totnes from across the country and beyond. The villages are home to a mix of incomers and those with local roots. There are areas of great wealth within the benefice, and also areas of severe poverty and social deprivation. In all this, the churches of the benefice demonstrate a clear and increasing engagement with their vocation to grow in prayer, make disciples, and serve the people of their communities with joy. The person called to be the next Team Rector will need to demonstrate the capacity to exercise strong, clear, loving leadership in mission and service, working with a gifted and motivated team of colleagues to develop and implement the impressive action plan to which the churches are committed. He or she will be a person whose deeply-rooted Christian faith is confident enough to be open to dialogue with people on a wide range of spiritual paths; who has the ability to exercise a ministry which is genuinely collaborative; who enjoys working across a wide spectrum of liturgical styles and human types; and who remains a parish priest at heart. Additionally, the new Team Rector will need to be equipped with the skills and experience to oversee and inspire a £4 mission fundraising and reordering project at the historic priory church. I commend to you this significant opportunity for a ministry of leadership and service as you think about whether that priest might be you. Douglas Dettmer Archdeacon of Totnes View of River Dart showing Ashprington’s Sharpham House with Totnes and Dartmoor in the background As a national centre for alternative THE TOTNES BENEFICE therapies, Totnes attracts people with an interest in a holistic way of life: Sharpham Who are we? House, Bowden House, Schumacher College and Dartington Hall fall within the The Totnes Benefice consists of the parishes parishes and offer opportunities for of Totnes with Bridgetown, Dartington, Berry engagement through inter-spirituality and Pomeroy, Ashprington, Cornworthy, Marldon eco-spirituality. They have a reputation for and Stoke Gabriel: Seven parishes with two cutting-edge learning through nature-based town churches and seven rural churches. education, personal transformation and collective action and this is reflected in the The market town of Totnes and surrounding emergence of community hubs like the villages offers a vibrant, unique and diverse Network of Wellbeing and Caring Town place to minister. Totnes is an historic market town situated on the scenic river Dart. Midway Share Shed and Totnes Connection Hub. between Dartmoor and the South Devon It is a place where, largely due to its coast, the South Hams District contains a 337 proximity to Dartington Hall, the arts and square kilometre Area of Outstanding Natural music flourish whilst many people are seeking meaning and spirituality in their Beauty. lives. Totnes has a main line station and is three Whilst the South Hams is perceived as hours away from London by train with easy being a haven for wealthy retirees, the housing is mixed, reflecting all strata of access to the Devon Expressway and M5 by society and this diversity is reflected in the road. The cities of Plymouth and Exeter are local parishes and schools within the within thirty miles. The area is quite well team. New housing developments have served by buses but the local roads have not recently been built in Marldon, Stoke kept pace with the expanding population and Gabriel, Totnes and Dartington with plans are frequently congested, especially in the for further development, which offer further Summer. opportunities for mission in the future. QUALITIES SOUGHT IN A TEAM RECTOR SPIRITUAL LEADER - a thinker and inspiring teacher who is a good communicator of the gospel. • to promote spiritual development in the churches of the mission community • to be open-minded and imaginative regarding liturgy • to have vision and an ability to carry people with them while recognising diversity in churches and liturgy TEAM BUILDER - sensitive to others, inclusive and a good listener • to develop a strategic plan to move the MC to the future to deliver on the Mission Action Plan • to grow involvement of laity in worship, admin and pastoral work to share the heavy load on clergy and readers. • to be a bridge builder, nurturing existing relationships while inspiring new ones. • to develop an admin support structure to free clergy to deliver their core roles. • to further develop creative engagement with local communities. • to bring people of differing views together and to step back as necessary to allow others to flourish. MANAGER OF CHANGE. with energy, tact and enthusiasm and an understanding of the needs of both the church and local communities. • to grow the mission community and to help it realise its potential for serving the people of Devon • to respect the character and tradition of individual churches - liturgy, music, social justice, pastoral, youth work ,worship, while encouraging adaptation to current need. • to support the St Mary’s Heritage Trust as they seek to manage the project to save a Grade 1 listed building and reorder it to meet the needs of congregation and community. Current priorities in the Mission Community: • There are workload issues for clergy which need addressing and an obvious need for administrative support - this is currently the topic of on-going discussion. • There is a pressing need for an effective strategic plan for taking the Mission Community forward to achieve its considerable potential • St Mary’s development project is a major partnership with the the town and heritage organisations and presents exciting prospects for future growth in the centre of this vibrant town. What is on offer? A full-time stipendiary post, which offers an exciting opportunity to minister with a team of committed people, lay and ordained, in a unique setting with a diverse group of parishes offering new opportunities for mission. The Team comprises: A Team Vicar, who is also Rural Dean and Diocesan Interfaith Adviser. The Team Vicar lives in Bridgetown. A House for Duty Associate Minister and a Reader based at Stoke Gabriel. Two other Readers, who minister across the benefice. Two priests with PTO, officiating at St John`s, Bridgetown and St Mary`s, Berry Pomeroy The benefice is a well-established place for training curates and our current Curate lives in Marldon. He finishes his term in July. We have a part-time Totnes Team Administrator, who is currently employed for 6 hours per week mainly dealing with bookings for St John’s which acts as a community centre. St Mary’s - TOTNES www.stmarysandstjohnstotnes.org Geography Totnes is an historic market town situated on The Church attracts orchestras, musicians the scenic river Dart, midway between and bands for special events, including Dartmoor and the South Devon coast in an contemporary. The church conducted the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. following occasional offices over the last Bridgetown is situated across the River Dart. two years: 3 Baptisms 12 Funerals, 2 Weddings (averages per year) and has an Our Community active team of Bell Ringers. The town itself is known for its large Bohemian population and its environmental The Friends of St Mary’s was founded in track record as England’s first Transition 2008. Last year, it raised over £9,000 for Town. It is a place where, largely due to its repairs and improvements to St Mary’s proximity to Dartington Hall, the arts and church. There is a very successful Tuesday music flourish whilst many people are morning café during the summer months, seeking meaning and spirituality in their lives. which greets visitors with tea, coffee and The local economy is largely based on toasted tea cakes and ploughman`s tourism and farming. It has two primary lunches. schools, a secondary school and an independent school. There is a small The Daily Office is said corporately on community hospital, two care homes and four Monday mornings at St John`s, Bridgetown retirement /sheltered housing centres, with and a Prayer Group meets in St. Mary`s on more planned. Totnes still boasts a number Tuesday and Thursday mornings for 45 of local shops that are not part of any national minutes. The Church is open throughout the chain. It is well served by local amenities: day and is well used for quiet prayer and A newly refurbished library and two group reflection. The children`s play area and surgeries, two cinemas, a museum, several Friends of St Mary`s shop is also popular. art galleries and numerous venues for the House Groups are well established and performing arts. Totnes also has a large meet throughout the year with additional leisure centre, rugby, tennis and bowls clubs, study groups in Lent.