Parish of Bampton with Clanfield

St Stephen, St James, Aston Clanfield

St Mary the Virgin, Bampton

St Mary, Shifford Holy Trinity, Lew Introduction Welcome to the Parish of Bampton with Clanfield. We are a group of five churches serving our communities in the Cotswold villages of Bampton, Aston with Cote and Shifford, Clanfield and Lew in West Oxfordshire. We have been working in partnership for many years and are looking forward to welcoming and serving with our next priest-in- charge (vicar designate). This profile will tell you about  our mission: how we would like to work with you  the role: what we are looking for  the support we can offer you  the home we can provide for you  who we are, both as individual churches and as a united parish

We hope that you enjoy reading our parish profile and are encouraged to find out more about us. If you would like further information or to arrange a visit, then please contact our Parish Administrator, Dr Roger Preston, at [email protected] or 01993 850415.

Christingles at Messy Church

Easter Garden

Our mission  To support each other in our Christian faith and daily walk with God  To share the light and the love of Christ with our neighbours  To serve our communities and the diverse needs of all who live here, together with other local Christian fellowships  To support the work of our Church of England primary schools who seek to educate and nurture each and every child  To be part of the world-wide Anglican communion Each of our churches has a congregation of socially diverse backgrounds, including both those who have lived most of their lives in the parish and newcomers to the area. In the same way, we are at different places in our journey of faith, but find great support, comfort and strength from worshipping together regularly. Many of us enjoy the beauty of the powerful words of the liturgy, but are open to exploring a range of approaches to worship. We have been encouraged to live out our faith: acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God, and are continuing to do so throughout this period of vacancy. We look forward to welcoming our next vicar who will continue to help us support each other in our Christian faith. We believe that we are called to love one another as Christ has loved us, and that we are to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. Although some of our neighbours question the relevance of the Church in the 21st century, many feel that our message is enormously important, and is needed now more than ever. It can feel as though we live in a dark world, but we try to share the Light of the world with those around us through our actions and our words. The churches serve our village communities, providing a focal point at each of the Church’s Festivals, a place of support in times of need and grief, and supporting wider village life. Our churches are open daily for visitors to pray or to simply rest awhile amidst the peaceful surroundings. We would seek to serve our communities better by reaching out to all who live here. Aston with Cote, Bampton and Clanfield Church of England Primary Schools are a key part of our parish, and enjoy a healthy relationship with their own church. The vicar’s frequent visits to school are welcomed, and the children regularly visit their own church. In each school, Foundation Governors support the work of staff as they teach and care for the children and encourage all to be happy, confident learners. Looking forward, we would like to develop and capitalise on these successful partnerships to bring more families into the church community. We are also aware of the wider world in which we live, and the challenges and opportunities experienced by Christians internationally. We would like to work with our next vicar to continue to develop our links with the wider Anglican communion and with Christians around the world. 3

The role

We are looking for a vicar who will lead, support and encourage us as we work towards our mission:  Nurturing our spiritual growth through a variety of church services and Bible groups and through praying together  Building and facilitating a team of volunteers, lay ministers and clergy within each church and across the parish  Enabling the churches – both buildings and people – to be the spiritual heart of each village  Teaching the next generation about our faith, what having a faith entails and how to enter into a life of faith, and helping us to deepen our relationship with our church schools  Working together with the wider church family

From right, clockwise: Morris dancers in Bampton, an annual event; spring blossom in Clanfield churchyard; the Bampton shirtrace, another annual village event of much hilarity; beautiful arrangement at one of the annual Flower Festivals.

Person specification Qualifications/Training Essential  Ordained priest within the Church of England, or a Church in communion with it  Have satisfactorily completed Initial Ministerial Education  Willingness to engage in further training that enhances the skills of community leadership Experience Preparing to feed the congregation Essential  Engagement with and pastoral support for people of all ages  Experience of doing forms of worship in creative, engaging and imaginative ways.  Priestly ministry involving vision setting and team development Desirable  Working in a multi-church parish  Leading mature and thoughtful all age worship  Able to work in sympathy with the Eucharistic tradition of the churches and use a range of mission-centred liturgical traditions  Working with churchwardens to care for, maintain and develop the buildings Knowledge/Skills and Competencies Essential A bellringers’ summer outing  Ability to preach intelligently in a variety of styles and formats to a broad range of listeners with varying outlooks, ages and understanding  The ability to identify and respond to opportunities for mission in a rural environment  An ability to work with individuals and community organisations whose involvement with the Church is limited.  Leadership skills including the ability to motivate, inspire, appropriately delegate and effectively coordinate volunteers, lay minister and clergy  Ability to organise resources effectively to meet a large number of demands Desirable  A passion for learning and personal development and enabling the development of others Desirable General Attributes  Empathy with the values of the diocese and those of the churches  An appreciation of the opportunities provided by the church’s place within the existing secular structures for developing links with those not actively involved  Evidence of a deep prayer life and ability to draw on a wide range of spiritual resources  An ecumenical outlook and willingness to work with local Christian denominations  Good singing voice, good computing skills, able to drive and good time management skills

The support we will offer you We will encourage you to maintain a sustainable ministry, through both formal and informal provision. You will have agreed times for holidays and retreats, and a weekly day of rest that we will respect – no “I know it’s your day off, but…!”. There will be an expectation that you will have adequate time for family life, and we will seek to arrange parish meetings and other commitments around the need for a work-life balance. Within the parish there are active Bible study groups and prayer groups to support your task of fostering our Christian lives – helping us to continue to move from milk to bread! These are self-sustaining, and will welcome you joining, but should be considered a place for you to have fellowship rather than be required to play a leadership role. The various rotas in each church are filled by capable volunteers, with the active churchwardens leading much of this organisation. The team of retired clergy, licenced priest and lay ministers will work with you to lead the Sunday services across the parish and occasional offices. We currently have a volunteer Parish Administrator who will continue with this role initially when you take up the post, and would hope to employ a person in that role later. Above all, we will be welcoming and friendly, looking to include you and any family you may have into our vibrant church family.

Enjoying the sunshine for a Messy Church activity

The vicarage The vicarage is located in a small development within the conservation area of Bampton, a short distance from the church; the market square is about 2 minutes’ walk and Bampton Church of England Primary School only slightly farther away.

Constructed using Cotswold stone in the mid- 1980s to an architect’s design in sympathy with surrounding houses, it combines modern standards within a visually traditional shell and incorporates all the facilities expected by modern living.

The garden is substantial but not large, set to grass and shrubs with some apple trees, and there is ample provision for parking.

After 21 years of continuous occupation by the previous incumbent, the house is in need of some refurbishment prior to full redecoration: replacement double glazing, new gas central heating boiler, new kitchen fittings and new porcelain ware. These should be completed long before the new incumbent requires access. However, the redecorating colour scheme will be to the choice of the incumbent. Floor plans and room sizes

Dining Living Room S.I. units mm Imperial units Room Living 6356 3991 20’-10”13’-1” UP fireplace Dining 3650 2827 12’-0” 9’-3” wc Inner Hall Kitchen/breakfast 3727 3334 12’-3” 8’-11” Garage Kitchen/ Utility 3523 2730 11’-7” 8’-11” Utility Study Breakfast Hall Study 4274 3450 14’-0” 11’-4”

Garage 5330 3125 17’-6” 10’-3” GROUND FLOOR Bedroom 1 4412 3450 14’-6” 11’-4” Bedroom 2 3725 3650 12’-3” 12’-0” Bedroom 3 3650 2827 12’-0” 9’-3” Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4

Bedroom 4 3450 2525 11’-4” 8’-3” DOWN Shower / Bathroom 3725 1816 12’-3” 5’-11” wc Landing

Shower Bedroom 1 Bedroom 2 and Bath

FIRST FLOOR

The parish of Bampton with Clanfield Situated in West Oxfordshire, the parish encompasses both the Cotwolds and the upper Thames valley. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.7514954,-1.2293122,10z With good connections to local market towns such as Witney, Burford and Faringdon, and to Oxford and Swindon, the area is relatively prosperous with low unemployment. Blessed with a good range of local facilities, the parish is popularly seen as a desirable place to live. Aston, Bampton and Clanfield each have a Church of England Primary school, rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, with whom the parish enjoys good relations. http://www.aston-and-cote.oxon.sch.uk/; http://www.bamptonprimaryschool.org.uk/; http://www.clanfield.oxon.sch.uk/ Local secondary schools include Burford School, Carterton Community College and Faringdon Community College, with The Henry Box School and Wood Green School in Witney – all rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, with Faringdon rated as ‘Outstanding’. https://www.burford.oxon.sch.uk/; http://www.cartertoncc.oxon.sch.uk/; http://www.fccoxon.co.uk/; https://www.henrybox.oxon.sch.uk/; http://wgswitney.org.uk/ Local challenges are mainly focused around the shortage of affordable housing, and the effect on infrastructure by the building of new houses. Typical pattern of services Sunday Time Service Church This has been the typical pattern 1st 9.15am Holy Communion Shifford of services in recent years, with 10.30am Family Eucharist Aston a number of these being lay-led, 10.30am Sung Eucharist Bampton or led by retired clergy living within the parish. The parish is 10.30am Family Service – lay led Clanfield well supported by other clergy 2nd 9.15am Holy Communion Clanfield for the Church Festivals. There is 9.30am Family Service – lay led Aston also a weekly Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Eucharist Bampton Service on Wednesdays at 3rd 9.15am Holy Communion Aston 10.30am in Bampton, and a 10.30am Holy Communion Clanfield monthly Holy Communion at a 10.30am Sung Eucharist Bampton local nursing home. 6.00pm Evensong (summer only) Shifford The churches are keen to 4th 8.00am Holy Communion Bampton explore ways to bring more 9.15am Holy Communion Lew people, including families, to 9.30am Family Service – lay led Aston participate in church life, recognising the need to be 10.30am Sung Eucharist Bampton flexible with timings, yet not 10.30am Holy Communion Clanfield losing those who faithfully 5th 10.30am United Parish Eucharist Rotates attend each week.

Active, retired clergy living in the parish include the Reverend David Battersby and Canon Roger Humphreys, with Celia Humphreys and Dennis Piper as Licensed Lay Ministers. Reverend Dr Tessa Kuin-Lawton, Chaplain at Worcester College, is also licensed to the parish.

Occasional Offices Each of the churches is used by parishioners for baptisms, weddings and funerals. Bampton churchyard is open for cremations and Clanfield churchyard is open for burials and cremations. The numbers of occasional offices for 2015 and 2016 are detailed below, with some of these being taken by other clergy: St James, St Mary the St Stephen, Holy Trinity, St Mary, Aston Virgin, Clanfield Lew Shifford Bampton 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 Baptisms 3 5 23 21 4 1 0 0 1 0 Weddings 0 2 11 16 3 3 0 1 0 0 Funerals 2 1 17 17 2 3 0 0 1 0

Organisation and Finance We have one Parochial Church Council, which meets quarterly, with a good deal of business being devolved to the four Community Church Councils (Aston and Shifford are combined), which also meet quarterly. Each church has two churchwardens (Aston and Shifford share two), and all the various council positions are currently filled, including a Safeguarding Officer. The quinquennial reviews are up-to-date for each church, and no significant issues have been identified. The parish has a combined set of accounts, and has consistently been able to pay its parish share. Although it appears the 2016 2015 expenditure exceeds income, Income £150,955 £138,487 St Mary’s, Bampton, is currently including covenants and £51,599 £52,983 renovating its organ. Both the gift aid fundraising and expenditure for this have been spread over Expenditure £180,983 £155,022 several years, and some Funds carried forward £451,348 £456,990 reserves have been used. The including Investments £334.474 £352,732 majority of income is derived Note Restricted funds £65,358 £60,280 from regular gifts and donations. The PCC seeks to ensure that these are in excess of budgeted expenditure thereby ensuring that adequate reserves are maintained. The investment income is used to help fund the ongoing costs of the church.

The electoral rolls and average attendance of the churches are detailed below: St James, St Mary the St Stephen, Holy Trinity, St Mary, Aston Virgin, Clanfield Lew Shifford Bampton Electoral roll 17 86 20 4 3 Average 21 68 19 8 13 Sunday morning attendance

Local Trusts The vicar is a trustee of the Clanfield School House Trust which has about £5000 remaining from the sale of the schoolhouse in 1984. The vicar is also a trustee of the Bampton Grammar School Exhibition Foundation Trust.

St. James, Aston Location & History Aston is located about a mile and half east of Bampton on the B4449 to Standlake and about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Witney in West Oxfordshire, England. There is Iron Age and also Romano British archaeology near the village, but the first documented mention of Aston comes in a charter of 958. The origin of the name Aston is East Tun, meaning a settlement east of Bampton. Until the 19th century Aston was a township in © OpenStreetMap contributors the ancient parish of Bampton. In 1866 the civil parish of Aston and Cote was separated from Bampton. Following mergers with Chimney and Shifford in 1931 and 1954, the parish was later renamed Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney. The southern boundary of the civil parish is the River Thames and includes Chimney Meadows National Nature Reserve. In 2011, the population of the civil parish was 1,375 in 545 households. The proportions of residents of working age, children and retired are similar to the rest of Oxfordshire and England as a whole. Several new and projected housing developments in Aston will cause the population to increase. The civil parish is relatively prosperous, with less than 6 per cent of the working age residents receiving benefits in 2012 (compared with 14 % for England). There is a shortage of affordable accommodation for the young in the civil parish, which is likely to change with the construction of affordable and shared ownership schemes houses in new developments currently at the planning stage. With a recently reduced bus service and no buses after the early evening or on Sundays, car ownership is high, and in many cases a car is necessary to go to work. There are only two large employers: Aston Pottery and P D Hook Hatcheries Ltd. Other employers include the primary school (detailed earlier), garage, village shop and pub. There is also Aston Works which is a very small business area in Back Lane where a number of small businesses are based. Other amenities include a mobile post office three days a week in the Aston Community Church (formerly known as the Baptist Fellowship Centre), a Recreation Ground and a modern village hall. The parish has an active social life with activities such as: ACTS (Aston and Cote Thespian Society), allotments, a badminton club, a ladies choir, Brownies, a football club, a history group, a community minibus, toddler Group, pre-school 11 village magazine, WI and Chillax youth club (run by Aston and Cote Community Church). More details can be found at http://www.astonoxon.com/ . Church & Congregation St James is a Grade II listed church built in 1838 and funded by private subscription and from funds invested by the then vicar of Bampton. The church was consecrated as a chapel of ease with a burial ground in 1839, becoming, in 1857, the parish church for Bampton Aston, including Aston, Cote and the parochial chapelry of Shifford, until it became part of Bampton with Clanfield in 1976. The organ dates from 1896 and was electrified in 1949. The north transept is used as a vestry and, since 2013, has included a kitchenette and toilets. The church can accommodate a congregation of about 200. The present ring of six bells were restored and re-hung in 1992 by White's of Appleton following two years of local fund-raising. Other activities include a prayer house group, soup and roll lunches for the elderly, a stall at the village fete, a harvest supper, a summer afternoon tea, Ride and Stride for the Historic Churches Trust, a Christmas sale, a Christmas concert, carol singing in the Square, fund raising events and support for charities (Besom Food Bank, Embrace, Church Army, Children’s Society, and Royal British Legion). There is a mixture of services. Sung Eucharist (Common Worship Order Tradition Language One) and Holy Communion are normally held respectively on the first and third Sundays of the month and are traditional in style. The short lay-led family services on the second and fourth Sundays are more informal although set to a light traditional structure in which there is plenty of flexibility. After each of these services there is a social time with refreshments. It is also a time for talk and to discuss any problems. On the first Sunday of each month there is no organist. The church makes use of an iPad and the amplifying system with recorded hymn and organ music. There is a hard core of dedicated individuals, both young and old, who give much of their time to the church. Like many churches we want to see a growth in congregation numbers involving not only in young families but in other members of the village. We want the church to continue be a warm and welcoming place where people can share worship and fellowship.

St Mary the Virgin, Bampton Location & History Bampton, also called Bampton- in-the-Bush, is a civil parish in the Thames Valley about 4.5 miles southwest of Witney. It includes the hamlet of Weald. The 2011 census recorded the population as 2564 but this number has surely increased with the building of new homes in the last 7 years and is set to rise further. Unemployment is generally low but despite this, there is limited availability of low cost or social housing and house prices are generally well above the national average. This creates small pockets of social deprivation and general difficulty for young people to buy their own property and stay in the area. Bampton is variously referred to as both a town and a village! It has a town hall and a village hall. It was recorded in the Domesday book as a market town in 1086 and the area has had settlements since Iron Age and Roman times. The first written facts about Bampton were recorded in the 7th century AD. More recently, Bampton has been host to the popular drama, Downton Abbey, with the village and church scenes being filmed here and leading to interested tourists now frequently visiting! It is also the setting for the fictional crime novels, The Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton, set in about 1366 by Mel Starr. Nowadays, there are not so many shops but we are blessed with a primary school (detailed earlier), Post Office, a butcher, a general store, a coffee house and tea room, an antique and collectable emporium, a GP surgery, Art Gallery and a number of small businesses, including a solicitor, two hairdressers and a Chinese takeaway. It also has the Charity shop, which for many years has raised thousands of pounds for local good causes and is staffed by volunteers. There are still 4 pubs to frequent! Despite these ventures, many residents travel outside the town for employment and since there are now only limited bus services to the surrounding towns there is a need to travel by car and therefore issues with parking in certain areas. Bampton has a long tradition of Morris dancing and every Whit-Monday Morris dancers congregate to dance from dawn to dusk around the town. Bampton also enjoys annual donkey derbies, shirt races and firework displays, and numerous clubs and societies, including The Bush Club- a lunch club for the elderly run weekly by volunteers. Bampton is a wonderful place to live. It is a pretty village with many customs. The people are warm-hearted and there is a strong sense of service, community and welcoming visitors. Useful websites: http://www.bamptonoxon.co.uk/ ; http://www.bamptonmedicalpractice.co.uk/ ; http://www.bamptonbeam.co.uk/ 13

Church & Congregation The church of St Mary the Virgin is located in the older part of the town. It dates from the 12th century, with a 13th century spire and carved stone reredos of Christ and his Apostles from about 1400. St Mary's history is well-documented in ' A brief History and Description of St. Mary the Virgin' by Reverend David Lloyd and with photographs by Janet Rouse. Services are every Sunday at 10.30am and are a mixture of Sung Eucharist and family services. There is Messy Church for all the family on the 1st Sunday of the month and a Blessed Bees group for babies, toddlers and bumps every month. The church has a toilet and kitchenette. There is a keen band of bellringers, with the ring of eight bells having recently been restored. There is also a choir who lead the congregation in singing a variety of hymns and who provide an anthem during Holy Communion. The church has recently celebrated 40 years sharing the building with the Roman Catholic congregation, who have their Sunday service before the St Mary's congregation, and all are keen for this mutually beneficial relationship to continue. In addition, there are additional celebratory events and concerts, monthly ladies lunch and of course, Weddings, Baptisms and Funerals. There is also a Methodist church in nearby Bridge Street. Excellent relations are enjoyed between the churches, including joint Lenten Bible study groups. Presently, there is a need to develop worship for young people and youth work and we are looking forward to working with our new vicar in this task.

St Stephen’s, Clanfield Location & History Clanfield is located about 2.5 miles west of Bampton on the A4095 Witney to Faringdon road. Recorded in the Domesday book, it has a population of about 800, but is a vibrant village community. Amenities include a Post Office and village shop with bakery and cafe, a hotel and a pub, a bus service to Witney and Carterton, a primary school (detailed earlier) a pre-school, W.I., a football club and a village hall which hosts a snooker club, weekly art classes, yoga and zumba classes, a toddler group, a Historical Society and a variety of private parties. There are also a number of small local businesses. The village magazine keeps us all informed of what is going on! More details can be found at https://www.clanfieldpc.co.uk/ and https://www.carterinstituteclanfield.co.uk/.

Church & Congregation St. Stephen’s Church has served the village of Clanfield for nearly 800 years and is an integral part of village life. The church was built in the 12th century and restored in 1869, with further significant work carried out in the early 1900s. Our current arrangement of Sunday services reflects the aim, held over the past 20 years, of having an act of worship at a regular time (on all but one Sunday). This has resulted in the church wardens finding a range of clergy and lay persons to lead the majority of services, with the vicar leading a Holy Communion service on each second Sunday, and every other third Sunday in the month. Ideally we would like to keep services at a regular time each Sunday but are happy to

15 have a mixture of Holy Communion, Morning/Family Worship services in a range of different styles. The church has a ring of eight bells, an organ, a toilet and kitchenette. The congregation are warm, friendly and welcoming to visitors during the services and in the week when the building is kept open during daylight hours. A number of villagers visit the church and graveyard regularly, and come to the church for baptisms, weddings and funerals, joining us for worship at seasonal services: Christmas, Easter, Harvest, and Remembrance Sunday. These services are one way in which we serve our community, and are much enjoyed by the people of Clanfield. Support for the church in the wider community is seen through the number of people involved with the annual Flower Festival, our main fundraising event. The church provides two foundation governors to Clanfield Church of England Primary School, rated as ‘Good’ by both Ofsted and SIAMS. Previously the vicar led assemblies on a fortnightly basis within the school and seasonal services in the church itself, and this is being continued during the interregnum. The vicar also contributed to the teaching of RE. The school are keen to foster stronger links with the church. St. Stephen’s has a strong band of bell ringers of a wide age range who help raise awareness of the services and provide an additional link with the community. The church congregation supports the weekly drop-in soup lunch in the village hall which provides a much needed community activity for all ages. They also support various charities including Witney Besom Project, Christian Aid, Oxford Homeless Pathways, Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust Ride and Stride and The Children’s Society, and has provided a venue for visiting fundraising concerts. The congregation is looking forward to welcoming our next vicar to work with us to develop further ways of serving our community, reaching out to people of all ages to encourage greater engagement with the gospel, and to support us all in our walk of faith with God.

Holy Trinity, Lew Location & History Holy Trinity is situated in Lew a small village within the parish of Curbridge and Lew, located about 2.5 miles southwest of Witney in West Oxfordshire. Until the 19th century Lew was a township in the parish of Bampton. It became a separate parish in 1857 known as Bampton Lew. The parish was united with Bampton in 1917 and since 1976 has formed part of the benefice of Bampton with Clanfield. Lew was made a separate civil parish in 1866. The church was designed in a 13th century style by the architect William Wilkinson and built in 1841.

Church & Congregation The church is in good repair considering our size and funding available, we have always completed our quinquennial inspection and fulfilled all the necessary requirements. We have a Holy Communion service once a month (4th Sunday) at 9.15am. There are 30 houses in our village and we have a consistent 10% attendance every month. We have a committed, hardworking, friendly congregation who all offer great support and involvement in the running and upkeep of the church. We have a ‘church clear up’ each autumn/spring where everyone comes together to help tidy and clean inside and out. The Church has weddings and christenings and we have arranged very successful fund raising events. Our Christmas service is always full to bursting and a favourite for all villagers to attend. Our vision is to continue to be visible within the community of parishes. We very much look forward to welcoming our new vicar to the parish of Lew and embracing all they bring to our successful community.

St Mary’s, Shifford Location & History Shifford is a hamlet in the civil parish of Aston, Cote, Shifford and Chimney in West Oxfordshire, England. It is on the north bank of the River Thames about 6 miles (10 km) south of Witney and about 2 miles south east of Aston. The name is derived from ‘sheep ford’ and the stonework of the ford across the Thames was recorded in 958. Never a large settlement, Shifford had fifty residents aged over 14 in 1377 and a similar number in the late 17th century, reaching 70 in the late 19th century. Numbers fell throughout the last century and Shifford now has only a small number of residents. For at least 340 years, there has been a belief that King Alfred held an assembly at Shifford, based on a reference to ‘Seuorde’ or ‘Sifford’ in the 12th century poem ‘The Proverbs of Alfred’. Scholarly opinion now favours other locations, such as Seaford. Church & Congregation St Mary’s is a small church built in 1863 by Joseph Clarke in limestone in a Gothic Revival style. Set in the water meadows just north of the Thames, the church has a very picturesque setting. The present church, which is Grade II listed, replaced a chapel documented from the early 13th century that was a dependent chapelry of Bampton. St Mary’s can accommodate a congregation of about 80. There are two bells, which are not rung at the moment. One is said to be one of the oldest bells in the country. The wardens of St James are also responsible for St Mary’s Shifford. The surrounding field is kept cut by the local farmer who owns the land. The services are said Eucharist on the first Sunday of every month and sung evensong on the third Sunday throughout the summer months. There is an organist who plays at these evening services. There are no social events at St. Mary’s but the Church is supported by helpers who arrange the flowers and help with readings at Christmas and evensong. Services are traditional in style. Although small in number, the congregation members are determined that regular services continue at St Mary’s, with the beautiful location in the fields and its simplicity mean that for many, worshipping there is the ultimate way to ‘unplug’ and unwind. The question of how it can be used for mission and growth need further thought and prayer.

From the Area Dean

Witney Deanery has 38 churches and is a vibrant collection of very different styles of the Church. As a Chapter we meet together regularly – currently the pattern is every other month together and in the in-between month we meet as a local Mission Cluster to explore issues of common concern with a smaller group from within the deanery. This is mainly geographical. We have three deanery priorities: school’s ministry, caring for the poor and deprived, and spiritual growth. These give us a focus for our work as a deanery, where we share in working groups and put on events to facilitate development in our priority area. At our Synods we have altered the way we work and focus on Study, Inspiration and Vision. As a deanery the clergy go on residential every 3 years to spend time together in friendship and prayer and this has renewed how we work. We also have an annual ministry day together and a social in the summer. We have met our Parish Share for the diocese fully over the last 3 years and are committed to continue this important commitment to mission and ministry. We are excited to have the opportunity to have a new colleague come to share in ministry in this wonderful area and we can assure whomever God calls among us, that they will have a warm welcome and firm support! It’s been a joy to spend more time in the benefice during the vacancy – I’m currently there once a month on a Sunday and meeting with wardens and ministers regularly. I’m happy to talk to anyone with further questions.

Toby Wright, Area Dean.

Statement from the Bishop of Dorchester and the Archdeacon of Dorchester

As you will have seen from the profile, this role offers an exciting opportunity to be part of this benefice’s mission and ministry as it develops in the next few years. The PCC and churches here have spent much time in reflection, prayer and consultation to discern their future direction and what they are therefore looking for in their new incumbent. We have been delighted to see how the five churches have begun to work more closely together during this process, especially as they look to the future. The benefice is keen to appoint someone who can lead them in growing the church here. In the first instance, this will be an appointment of a priest-in-charge, while informal soundings are taken about the possibility of a neighbouring parish joining the benefice. For up to date information on this, please do contact the Archdeacon directly (01865 208245). The successful candidate will in due course become Vicar. Alongside the development of mission and ministry in this benefice, the Diocese of Oxford is also exploring a common vision of what it means to be ‘A Christ-like Church, the Church of the Beatitudes’, to be 'contemplative, compassionate, courageous' in all we attempt together. It will be important for anyone taking up a post in the diocese to be able to engage with this vision as it develops and offer their own insights, ideas and energy as appropriate in their context. These are early days, and this is an excellent opportunity to be part of a transformative process across the diocese at every level, including parish and benefice. A rural multi-church parish like this offers a wonderful opportunity for a fulfilling ministry (without multiple PCCs!) that can make a real difference in the local communities and enable more people to encounter the love of God. This is a fascinating time to become a member of the team and we look forward to welcoming someone who will help these parishes fulfil their potential.

With every blessing as you discern where God may be calling you.