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There are exciting opportunities in this parish. Are you ready for a challenge?
We are part of the Diocese of York, led by the Archbishop, the Most Revd. and Rt. Hon. Dr. John Sentamu. The Diocese is the Church of England from the Humber to the Tees and from the general area of the A1 and East Coast main railway line to the North Sea. In the Diocese there are about 450 parishes and 600 church buildings. Our diocesan vision is to be Generous Churches Making and Nurturing Disciples and our mission is to see Growth in Christlikeness, commitment, partnership, influence and numbers. You can read more about it at www.dioceseofyork.org.uk — click the tab marked Generous Churches.
Kirkleatham is a community and a parish with great strengths and also considerable opportunities. We look forward to addressing our opportunities and challenges together with our new priest.
A message from the Archdeacon of Cleveland:
As a recent arrival in the Archdeaconry, I wanted to take this opportunity to commend this parish and the wider Tees Valley area to you as you think about this post. Redcar and Middlesbrough have suffered some cruel blows in recent months and if all you knew about this area of the country was what you had seen on the news, then you might have a somewhat skewed view. What I have found since arriving in Cleveland is a warmth and resilience amongst the people of Teesside that I have not previously encountered and a part of the country which is almost heart-breakingly beautiful, from the majesty of the North York Moors to the windswept coast of the North Sea with its wide beaches and soaring cliffs. I have worked closely with the people of Kirkleatham parish and can commend them to you unreservedly – they will make you welcome and work with you to reach the people of the parish with new energy. Do contact the Bishop of Whitby or me if you would like more information on this exciting opportunity to build God’s church in this place. With every blessing, Sam Rushton
About Kirkleatham The Parish is situated on the South West border of Redcar, a seaside town on the edge of the North York moors in the Archdeaconry of Cleveland and the Deanery of Guisborough. The Parish was originally focussed on the village of Kirkleatham; a village steeped in history with the Grade1 listed Church of St. Cuthbert built in 1763 (though there has been a church on the site since the 9th century) the 17th century almshouses and chapel and a museum housed in the 18th century Free School for Boys. The area between the old Kirkleatham village and the coast was developed in the mid 20th century and the population rapidly increased to its present level of around 13,000. The need for a Church in the midst of this residential area was recognised and the foundation stone for the Church of St. Hilda was laid in 1969. This area is currently the scene of much redevelopment, with our church and parish hall very much at the centre, and with great potential for mission. However, St Hilda’s church building has suffered from inherent design problems, and rebuilding is the only option. The project is underway, and we hope our new priest will be excited to join us in bringing the project to fruition. The incoming priest is not expected to manage the project, as we already have a professional Client Project Manager and an established project management structure. The two churches are both Parish Churches, working together with a single P.C.C.
The Opportunities and Challenges we see
There continue to be major re-developments in the area around St. Hilda's Church, including three new housing developments, residential and care homes and a Primary Care Hospital. The Church is very much in the centre of this activity with all that it has to offer by way of mission and outreach.
However, the age profile of the congregations has changed significantly with a decrease in the number of those of working age; the majority of the lay workers are retired. So there is a challenge for outreach to the younger people and families that the new housing brings.
Whilst there are signs of significant economic activity and new ventures, many people who live in the parish feel the effects of deprivation. Foodbanks are now well established in Redcar and a distribution centre has operated from the Parish Hall for some time. We have combined this with a café which offers light meals for anyone who cares to 'drop in'. This gives the opportunity for the community to see the Church in action and for the parishioners to demonstrate 'love for their neighbour'.
Five years ago we introduced a 'Christmas Tree Festival' to our seasonal activities. Church groups, local schools, businesses and organisations were invited to decorate a tree either in the traditional manner or with a theme to advertise themselves. The Festival had a grand opening with music and refreshments. This has grown in size in subsequent years, bringing people into the Church – as exhibitors or viewers – who do not normally visit.
Last year brought the 250th anniversary of the building of the present St. Cuthbert's Church. This gave a unique opportunity to demonstrate the Christian witness over the centuries as there has been a church on the site since at least the ninth century.
We see the following areas for further growth and development: Engaging with the growing community - encouragement and trying to meet needs. Development of family and youth work - including Baptism preparation. Developing a culture of prayer and study. Rebuilding of the Church of St. Hilda and the Parish Hall. Re-ordering of St. Cuthbert's Church to improve its use for public occasions, particularly baptisms. Conclusion of the restoration of the Mausoleum attached to St. Cuthbert's. (The Mausoleum attracts many visitors to the Church) Increasing the joint activity of the two congregations whilst preserving the two distinct styles of worship.
Priest and People working together
Our parish offers a unique opportunity to be a part of our project to build a new church centre on the site of St Hilda's to meet the needs of our congregations and a growing community. We are looking for an incumbent who will guide us and inspire both our congregations in the outreach opportunities which the extensive redevelopment around St Hilda's offers.
The parish has the strength of two very distinct churches and worship styles, and we hope our new incumbent will embrace and further develop the opportunities that provides.
We see our priest as a figurehead in the community, able to make new links – a team player who will be supported by committed lay leadership.
The qualities and attributes we would look for in a priest are: An infectious desire to share the love of Jesus Able to realise the potential of rebuilding St. Hilda's A confident, outgoing and experienced leader with a sense of humour A strong spiritual guide. An interest in pastoral care and a desire to get to know church members. An awareness of the challenges of ministry in an area of high levels of unemployment. Recognition of the talents of others and the ability to encourage people to use them. Valuing the potential of the different styles of worship in our two churches.
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The People of Kirkleatham The population of the parish is 13000 and increasing with the new housing developments in the urban area. The parish also includes a business park to the west, and the villages of Kirkleatham and Yearby.
Kirkleatham ranks 11914th out of 12,775 parishes on the overall deprivation scale nationally (where 1 is the least deprived parish). .
There is a broad spread of occupations in the parish. The most significant employers are in Retail and Wholesale, Health and Social Work, Financial Business Services and Manufacturing.
Transport Public transport in the area is very good. Buses serve the area around St Hilda’s very well, including a direct service to James Cook Hospital. There is also an hourly service past St Cuthbert’s. Redcar railway station is just outside the parish and there are links via Middlesbrough to the main east coast line at Darlington and Northallerton. Working Together With Other Denominations Our parish has a good relationship with the nearby Newcomen Methodist church, worshipping together at Patronal Festivals and Covenant Services, and liaising over outreach, especially in the new housing developments.
There is an active 'Churches Together' in the town with representatives – clergy and lay – from each of the Churches. Joint Services are held during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and on Bible Sunday. Joint study groups are arranged during Lent. For several years a town-wide practical activity has been undertaken. The Redcar and East Cleveland Food Bank is the latest activity of the Redcar Churches with a centre open at a different venue each weekday.
The Roman Catholic church is a strong presence in the area and relationships with the Church of England are strong. The Diocese of Middlesbrough is reorganising its parish structure in the Redcar area and is planning its own building project.
Other places of worship in the parish are the New Life Assembly of God, and Gospel Hall Brethren.
People from our parish taking part in an archdeaconry gathering at Whitby
Parish Organisation and Activities The electoral roll numbers 138, of whom 49 live outside the parish. The Order of the Holy Paraclete has a presence in Redcar, which has resulted in one sister being assigned to Kirkleatham Parish. The parish has one Reader. There are 3 retired clergy regularly worshipping in the Parish, and many other retired clergy in the deanery who offer help as needed. The deanery has a very supportive chapter. Lay people take responsibility for, and share in, the ministry and mission of the Church in many ways including Home and care home communion, Pastoral visiting, Eucharistic Ministers, Baptism Preparation, Marriage Preparation, Confirmation Preparation, Leading Study Groups, Sunday school leaders, Intercessions and readings, non-Eucharistic worship, Servers, and volunteers at the Food Bank and Charity Shop. Our previous priest was chaplain to the local Primary Care Hospital and the Turner Almshouses, but this is not an obligation on either party. It has been a training parish in the past and there would be great opportunity for this to continue.
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Average Parish Organisations Frequency Membership attendance
Brownies Weekly 16 13
Rainbows Weekly 17 13
Ladies Group Monthly 50 35
Friends of St Cuthbert’s Monthly 5 4
St Cuthbert’s Choir As required 12 9
Sunday School Weekly 11 7
View along coast to Steelworks Tuned In! Youth Centre and Music Venue
The Beacon Market Day, Redcar
The Penguins at the seafront Redcar Racecourse
Roseberry Court Care Home
New flats viewed from St.Hilda’s
St. Hilda’s Church and Parish Hall Roseberry Square Shops and Library opposite St.Hilda’s
Kirkleatham Museum
St. Cuthbert’s Church and Turner Mausoleum
Kirkleatham Memorial Park and Crematorium Turner Almshouses Farther Afield
Lindisfarne Priory and Northumberland Coast
Cragside
The Angel of the North
Alnwick Castle and Gardens
The Sage, Gateshead – Home of the Royal Northern Sinfonia
Seal Sands
Durham Cathedral
RSPB Saltholme
The Transporter Bridge
Roseberry Topping
Whitby
York Minster RSPB Bempton Cliffs Education The parish and the wider area are well provided with schools and higher education establishments.
There are five primary schools in the parish: St Benedict’s (RC), Green Gates, Kirkleatham Hall Special School, Lakes, Newcomen and Riverdale. All but the last are rated “good” by Ofsted. Our incumbents have at times been chair of governors at Green Gates, as well as being involved in assemblies at various schools. Kirkleatham Hall Special School and Green Gates enjoy regular services at St Cuthbert’s; Lakes and Riverdale at St Hilda’s.
Secondary education in the parish is provided by Sacred Heart (RC) which is rated “outstanding” by Ofsted, Kirkleatham Hall Special School rated “good”, and Redcar Academy. Some children in the parish also attend Rye Hills.
Further education in the area is provided by Redcar & Cleveland College, Prior Pursglove (in Guisborough) and Teesside University. Kirkleatham Hall Special School also provides 6th form education. There are a number of very successful independent schools within easy travelling distance.
Church Worship
The parish supports the ordination of women and would welcome a priest of either gender.
We consider both churches to be central in their churchmanship, however we have the advantage of offering different styles of worship in the two parish churches – modern language with a local congregational musical setting in St Hilda’s, and traditional language sung to Merbecke at St Cuthbert’s,.
NRSV is used at all services. Anglican Hymns Old & New is used at St. Hilda’s, and The New English Hymnal and Hymns Ancient & Modern are used at St. Cuthbert’s. The appropriate vestments are worn for all acts of worship. Each church has its own sets of vestments.
Average attendance (2014) Church Worship Service and Rite Adults Children Total Family Communion St. Hilda’s Sunday Common Worship Order One modern language, 53 05 58 9.30am congregational setting, Sunday School. St. Cuthbert’s Sung Eucharist 25 01 26 11am Common Worship traditional language. Turner Chapel Evening Prayer 4 0 4 6pm BCP. Turner Chapel Holy Communion Wednesday 8 0 8 9.30am Common Worship traditional language. St. Hilda’s Holy Communion – Common Worship Order Thursday 18 0 18 10am One modern language.
Occasional Offices
The parish welcomes people coming for weddings and baptisms. St Cuthbert’s is a particularly popular venue due to its attractive setting. We see this as an important opportunity for outreach and mission. Lay people work with clergy in preparing couples and families for the occasional offices.
The parish has an open baptism policy subject to baptism preparation. The normal practice has been for up to three baptisms to take place within a monthly afternoon service of baptism.
We serve the local community by conducting funeral services in church and/or at the local crematoria. Special Services include… Annual Memorial Service on All Souls Day. The families from recent funerals are invited. Christingle and crib service at St Hilda’s Nine Lessons and Carols by candlelight at St. Cuthbert’s.
Occasional Offices 2014 2013
Adult Baptisms 0 0
Child Baptisms 34 45
Adult Confirmations 0 1
Child Confirmations 0 4
Weddings 13 14
Services of Blessing of a Marriage 0 0
Funerals (in Church) 19 16
Funerals (Crematorium) 23 29
Parish Finance The PCC is committed to making generous contributions to the common fund. Last year the parish paid its share in full as well as a further contribution to help another parish in the deanery. We are also committed to maintaining our parish giving to missions and charities. Each year the PCC agrees six organisations which will receive fixed donations. Further collections are made in response to need, and at times such as harvest and Christmas. The parish has a strong link with the Children’s Society, with donations being made from the annual Christingle service, and collection boxes being used by parishioners. Another strong link is with The Smiles Foundation, supporting projects in Romania. The parish raises its funds through planned giving, plate collections, a weekly charity shop, hall rental income, monthly coffee mornings, Christmas Market, and an Annual Raffle. We also receive third party grants for restoration projects. The average giving per attender per week is £9. When major repair projects are removed, the parish finances typically run at break-even each year.
Common Fund
Missions Charities
Incumbent & staff expenses Insurance
Utilities Major Repairs
Other
The Charity Shop in the Parish Hall
Our Buildings The Parish Church of St Cuthbert The main body of the church is 252 years old, although parts of the tower are probably considerably older. It is unusual in having an attached Mausoleum, built for the Turner family, but now the responsibility of the P.C.C. There is an open churchyard maintained by the P.C.C. and a closed churchyard maintained by the council. The churchwardens have gained support from English Heritage and other organisations which has allowed significant repairs of the roof and restoration of the mausoleum to be carried out over the past five years. The restoration of monuments in the mausoleum is currently nearing completion. The Diocese has offered support for re-ordering to meet modern needs.
The Parish Church of St Hilda, and the attached Parish Hall St. Hilda’s is a local landmark – “The Round Church”. Despite the relative youth of the building, at around 45 years old, its structure is deteriorating due to corrosion of steelwork within the walls, and it has been deemed not economical to repair. We have been working with an architect on a new concept design which you can see on the front cover. The challenge is to achieve as great a presence as the existing building, but to develop the community use and outreach opportunities which have started in the existing Parish Hall. The Parish Hall is a single story circular building. It is capable of seating around 100. It has an attached kitchen which is used regularly for the Food Bank café as well as for parish events. For large events the hall can be extended into the link space between the church and the hall. The hall provides a positive contribution to the finances of the parish.
The Vicarage is a four bedroom detached house, located at 130 Mersey Road, TS10 4DF. It comprises a large lounge, connecting dining room, kitchen, utility, study, and a downstairs wc off the porch. It has a single garage, and is located in fairly large gardens next to the grassed area around St. Hilda’s church. It has recently been completely rewired, redecorated, a new bathroom suite installed, and the boiler will be replaced soon. A new floor covering will be installed in the kitchen and the redecoration of the house completed once the new incumbent is appointed.
Parish Hall Activities
Church organised Community organised
Sunday School Ladies Group Blood donors [until July]
Rainbows Food Bank Slimming World
Brownies Charity Shop Fitness Groups
Regular coffee Coast and Country Christmas Market mornings Housing Christmas Tree European Election Polling Meetings Festival Station
Thank you for reading our parish profile. If you sense that God may be calling you to be our priest, we hope that you will take the next step and make contact.
Applications should be sent to Mrs. Julie Elphee, Personal Assistant to The Right Revd. Paul Ferguson Bishop of Whitby 21 Thornton Road, Stainton, Middlesbrough TS8 9DS [email protected] 01642 593273 Please use the form that can be found by putting ‘Church of England common application form’ into a search engine. The closing date for applications is midnight on Thursday 7th January and interviews will take place on Thursday 21st January. If you would like to discuss any aspect of the parish or appointment informally, please contact the Bishop of Whitby, the Rt. Revd. Paul Ferguson, [email protected] on 01642 593273, the Archdeacon of Cleveland, the Ven. Samantha Rushton, [email protected] on 01642 706095 or the Rural Dean, the Revd Rachel Harrison, [email protected] on 01642 490700. On this occasion the patronage will formally be exercised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, but the appointment process will be handled as usual by the Bishop of Whitby on behalf of both Archbishops. Appointment is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS Disclosure.