Archdeaconry of St Albans

Ampthill and Shefford Deanery

Profile for the Benefice of St Mary’s, Henlow and St. Andrew’s Langford

Figure 1: St Andrew’s Langford

Figure 2: St Mary's Henlow www.henlowchurch.org.uk/st-marys.htm www.henlowchurch.org.uk/st-andrews.htm

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The Benefice

The Benefice consists of the parishes of St Andrew’s, Langford, and St Mary’s, Henlow, with the vicarage in Langford. It was formed in 1998. The parishes have separate PCCs and their own services but come together on a 5th Sunday for a communion service followed by a “bring and share” lunch. Each church holds the same number of benefice services.

During Holy week, the services on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday are held alternate years in each church. (Thursday one year, Saturday the next.). We have an All Souls service held in each church on alternate years. We invite the families of those whose funerals were taken in the previous two years from both parishes.

The wardens meet formally every 3 months but are in contact informally as needed. We have Benefice baptism and bereavement visiting groups and have had shared training on prayer, being a welcoming church and preparing our mission action plan. We have been studying the Pilgrim course together.

Since the formation of the benefice we have developed closer links and enjoy worshipping together

What is our vision for the future for our Benefice?

We feel that we have developed hugely as a benefice in the last few years, and we are working to see that continue.

We are two churches with separate identities, and, whilst we would always want to retain that, we want to grow together in strength and Christian worship.

Our vision is to provide a strong and growing Christian presence throughout the benefice, to develop our outreach and to offer pastoral support and love in our parishes.

We are delighted that we are now in a position to have a full time incumbent and we are looking forward to this new chapter in our benefice.

We are looking for someone to inspire us and lead us forward, helping us to reach out to the wider community. We would love to have someone who provides a visible presence in the village, and who can give us the courage to become more visible ourselves. We would like to be challenged in our faith and our Christian lives.

In return we will offer you a cheerful, committed congregation who will support you both in and out of the Church. We will listen attentively to your sermons and we will discuss them with you over coffee after the service. We will offer you love, warmth and friendship, lots of coffee, and lifts where necessary!

We will respect your need for personal prayer and time spent with family and friends.

We would love to work with you to help us and others to see God in everyday life.

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Parish of St Mary’s, Henlow

LIVING GOD’S LOVE

Our Vision is for St Mary’s is to continue to be a welcoming, friendly Church, which provides a range of services expressing sincere and uplifting worship for a broader age range. We would like to reach out to more of the parish, especially , and offer pastoral as well as spiritual support.

Mission Action Plan (2015)

Our priorities 1. Reaching out to show what the Church is all about. 2. Getting more children and young parents involved. 3. Services for those who use the Church to mark special events in their lives but don’t attend regularly.

In the light of these priorities our goals are:

1. To open the Church at least three mornings a week, making it available for all who wish to spend time there. 2. To develop the Jumping Dolphin group. This group, for young people of all ages, currently meets every Tuesday evening from 6 – 7pm. Members of the group to sit in the choir stalls on the first Sunday of the month, having been taught one of the hymns on Tuesday. 3. To continue the development of ecumenical links by supporting the Methodist Church in their half-termly “Wacky Wednesday” children’s activity session. We will provide support in the planning stages, and practical help for each session. 4. To hold evensong on the second Sunday of each month. 5. To ensure that the fabric of our Church provides an adequate resource for the community. This will involve fund-raising to support our ongoing plan of repair and maintenance within the Church.

LOCATION

Henlow is in the South-East of , close to the Hertfordshire boundary. The A1 (M) is easily accessible, and there is a station in the nearby village of .

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COMMUNITY

Henlow was originally a farming community, but has increasingly become a commuter town, with access to London and Peterborough being quick and easy from a station in the next village. Although there is still a strong community spirit within the village, there is a growing number of people for whom it is a base rather than a home.

There is a range of housing, with recent housing developments adding to the mix of age ranges, although the village does have a large retired population.

There is a local Parish Council, and we are part of District Council.

The village has an old village hall, which was originally the Vicar’s Clubroom, and a newly- built pavilion.

The village is immensely supportive of the Church – our events are well-attended, and the Church is often given money raised by other groups. We have also been invited to take part in a number of village events.

There are a number of organisations, including Scouting and Guiding at all stages, the Women’s Institute, Drama Group, the Henlow Singers (which both rehearses and performs in the Church) and many of our congregation are members of these groups.

EDUCATION

Central Bedfordshire has a three-tier system of education. There are three schools in the parish, two lower and one middle. The middle school and one of the lower schools are church schools. The other school, Derwent Lower School, is situated in Henlow Camp.

The middle school feeds into an upper school in Shefford, which also provides further education.

A small ecumenical group provide monthly “Open the Book” sessions in the village lower school and both Church schools come into Church for a service at least once a term.

LEISURE AND RECREATION

There is a newly-built Sports pavilion, which offers facilities for the Cricket and Football Club, with a Bowls Club adjacent to the Sports field. The pavilion is also used by local organisations such as the Women’s Institute and Drama Group.

There are three pubs, two of which offer restaurant facilities. All three play a part in village life and are supportive of the Church.

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WORSHIP

We offer a range of services each month, from All Age Worship to Sung Eucharist with incense – each Sunday is different as we feel that a village church should offer a range of styles of worship to appeal to all ages and worship preferences.

Sunday services are:

First Sunday 11.00am All Age Worship Second Sunday 11.00am Parish Communion 6.00pm Evensong Third Sunday 11.00am Parish Communion and Sunday Club Fourth Sunday 11.00am Sung Eucharist with incense Fifth Sunday 11.00am Benefice Service (usually followed by a shared lunch)

Morning Prayer is held at 9am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with mid-week Communion on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every week.

We have Order of Services booklets for all services, written by our previous Priest.

There is considerable lay involvement in all the services: there are three Lay Leaders of Worship, members of the congregation read and lead the intercessions, and there are servers and a robed choir as well as two regular organists. There is a Sacristan who deals with all the preparation of services.

There is a committee to choose hymns - music is a big part of life at St Mary’s, and we try to meet all musical tastes, although we currently tend more towards the traditional.

The attendance on Sundays ranges between 30 and 40, depending on the service. The average age of most of the congregation is over 60, but there are some young families who attend increasingly regularly. There are 66 on the Electoral Roll

The Church is used regularly for weddings, baptisms, and funerals.

Christmas and Easter services are always Benefice Services, with the two Churches alternating.

We have a full range of vestments, which can be used if the priest chooses to do so.

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PASTORAL AND ECUMENICAL

There are enormous pastoral opportunities in the parish - with an ageing community, the need for support and comfort is increasing, but at the other end of the scale, the new housing developments bring new challenges – and opportunities. We are very aware that Henlow Camp needs a huge amount of support which we are currently struggling to provide.

There is a Benefice Baptism and Bereavement Group which meets regularly to arrange support in those areas, providing pre-Baptismal visits and following funerals with visits. There is a strong unofficial network of support which works through our monthly Coffee Mornings and the various village organisations.

The Coffee Mornings began as a fund-raising activity, but have become a very well— supported part of the village calendar.

There is a Methodist Chapel in Henlow, with which relations are very strong – we support each other in many ways, including having regular joint services and joint Activity Days (Wacky Wednesday) for children.

There is a Four Churches Together Committee which meets to plan joint events including a Christmas Card containing all the services in both villages, which is distributed to all homes in the Benefice.

LEADERSHIP

There is a PCC of 12, all of whom are 40+. The group meets every quarter, with Standing Committee meetings held the week before to set the agenda.

The churchwardens see their role as being supportive of the priest in worship, pastoral and administrative issues. They also represent the Church within the village on many occasions. They meet regularly with their fellow churchwardens from Langford to discuss issues and offer each other support if necessary.

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ORGANISATIONS

There is an active choir and a group of bell ringers, both of whom meet regularly to practise.

There is a mid-week Children’s group – the Jumping Dolphins - which meets with the aim of helping the children to get to know and be comfortable with the Church and the congregation. Each week they undertake a different activity in and around the Church.

The group is run by the churchwardens, but other members of the congregation join regularly to share their skills and get to know the children.

BUILDINGS

The church is a Grade 1 listed building with many stained glass windows.

Major restoration work to the tower and parts of the roof have been carried out so that the fabric of the medieval church is sound. Work is still needed on the roof, and a grant has been applied for to facilitate this necessarily expensive work. Some building work has been funded by the Pilgrim John Howland Society, an American society with whom we have a close link.

Gas fired central heating and a loop system have been installed. Pews have been removed from the north aisle to create a more flexible area.

The Quinquennial report of February 2011 was favourable, with no urgent repairs identified. The report stated that the interior and exterior works accomplished have gone a long way towards maintaining the upkeep of the Church and again, as in previous years, that the 7

effort and endeavours undertaken by the PCC in funding and getting the work done cannot be understated and that they deserve considerable credit.

Maintenance of the fabric of the Church is overseen by a member of the PCC, and carried out by approved contractors.

The Churchyard is the Parish burial ground and is well maintained by a team of volunteer gardeners under the guidance of a Churchyard Committee. A new pathway has been installed.

A two-acre extension has been donated by a local Market Gardening Company which incorporates a garden of remembrance.

FINANCE

Our finances are sound – we are in a stable and solvent situation, with our income balancing outgoings over the year. Fund raising covers the cost of the extras that crop up with the building and churchyard maintenance. We also have a good reserve in our deposit account. The Parish share for 2016 is £16,467.00 per annum.

Christian Stewardship is practised through envelopes and covenants, some of which are made through direct debit.

We do not give a set percentage to either mission or charity, but profits from some events i.e. Lent lunches are donated to charity, also we donate 50% of the collection on Remembrance Sunday to the British Legion.

Expenses of Office are fully reimbursed.

COMMUNICATIONS

There is a weekly newsletter handed out to people as they arrive for the weekly service. We also have a website and a Facebook page.

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Areas of strength  Welcoming and outward-looking congregation.  Lively, supportive and regular congregation.  Robed choir  Wide range of styles of worship  Two church schools both of which encourage involvement in the Church.  Strong lay involvement  Increasing ethnic diversity  Regular study groups  Increasing “trickle” of young families

Areas for development  Young families mostly attend only when invited  The increasing size of the village is not represented in the Church  Henlow Camp, including Derwent Lower School, has no Chaplain and needs more pastoral support than we have been able to provide.

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A Year at St Mary’s, Henlow

January

The new year began with the traditional Ringing in the New Year. We have eight bells which are rung regularly before all services at on special occasions.

During the quiet time after Christmas, we joined with the Methodist Chapel in the village for their Covenant service – a time for us all to renew our covenant with God.

February

The Jumping Dolphins - our young people’s group, which meets every Tuesday from 6 – 7pm - enjoyed pancakes to mark the clearing out of our lives ready for Lent. There was perhaps rather more golden syrup than was strictly necessary!

Ash Wednesday was celebrated with a service of Ashing, then small study groups gather throughout Lent. There were also a series of Lent lunches – a light meal of soup and bread.

We also had a Parish Lunch at the Five Bells one Sunday after church – a chance to remind ourselves that we enjoy each other’s company as well as sharing worship.

March

Mothering Sunday was celebrated with a Family Service, during which all those who have fulfilled a “mothering” role are presented with a small plant.

After the service, a specially decorated Simnel Cake is served.

Easter is a very important time in the life of our Church. Beginning with an Easter

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Concert given by the Henlow Singers, there was an act of worship in the Benefice during every evening of Holy Week.

Good Friday morning saw a service around the Stations of the Cross, while the afternoon had a service of quiet reflection.

Easter Saturday evening, and Easter Sunday both follow a traditional pattern, including an Easter egg hunt, intended for the children but only if they get there first!

May to September – Fundraising Season!

Our beautiful old building requires a great deal of money and time to keep it in good condition, so the summer months were full of fundraising activities. In 2016 we are planning the following:

 a Mini Fete as part of the village Royal 90th birthday celebrations  Tower Tours and Cream Teas  A Music Festival  A Gift Day as well as our regular monthly coffee mornings.

October

The main event this month was Harvest Festival – a Family Service celebrating God’s gifts to us.

November

November was very much a month where we offer services of support to the wider community: All Souls and Remembrance Day Services were both very well attended and much appreciated by the village.

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December - Advent and Christmas!

Advent last year began with a beautiful service of Nine Lessons and Carols, and then continued in a slightly less contemplative style as we decorated the church and tree, created 75 Christingles and shared in the village celebrations before the official turning on of the village tree lights.

The tree service was organised by the Henlow Events Committee, and began at the church, marking the end of our Crib Festival. The event began with a glass of mulled wine, a mince pie and some Christmas carols, before moving to the tree at the top of Church Road – over 200 people came and enjoyed the occasion.

The traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols was also very much a village event, with the local schools bringing their choirs, and local organisations providing readers.

Christmas Eve saw a packed Christingle Service and then Midnight Mass. We hold a service of Holy Communion on Christmas Day, and then on the Sunday after Christmas we provided breakfast for anyone who chose to join us.

And so on to the next year…

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Parish of St Andrew’s, Langford

Our Mission action plan for 2016 is to:

 Work with architect to develop plans for kitchen/toilet and repositioning of the font.  Develop fundraising for the above project and general funds.  Develop singers to join music group for 3rd Sunday services involving existing choir.  Open the church on Saturdays in the summer.

Our longer term goals are to:

 Engage with younger people and the school  Encourage members of the congregation to participate in all areas of church life  Getting the church onto a firm financial footing

Our current MAP will help by making the church a more flexible and appealing space, further develop our family service after starting our music group all age during 2015 and make the church more accessible to the community continuing to open on Friday mornings. The Pilgrim study courses will continue to help us grow deeper into God (from MAP 2015).

The community- Langford

The villages are in the eastern end of Central Bedfordshire. They are close to the A1 and rail links to London (King’s Cross). Langford has a pre-school and non-VA lower school. Links with the school have varied over time but have improved recently with the school coming in to church each term and also using the building for curricular activities. The opportunities for clergy to visit the school have also increased.

The village has grown in size with in- filling and some new estates, mainly owner occupied with some social housing. There is an area of sheltered housing. There are plans for the building of about 200 houses on one main and 3 smaller sites including an area for 40+ houses next to the new cemetery for over 55s only.

A few people still work in the local farming industry but many commute to London, , Stevenage and Cambridge.

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Many in the community although not church attenders are supportive of the church and its presence in the village.

Children attend lower school at Langford Academy. Middle school education is at Henlow Academy and Upper school at Samuel Whitbread in Clifton.

The local playing field is well used with active youth football and cricket for all ages. There is tennis and bowls clubs and new keep fit equipment. There is a swimming pool in . There is one remaining pub in the village as well as the Ivy leaf club.

Worship

Sunday service is a eucharist at 9.15am except 3rd Sunday when it is all-age worship at 9.30am (non-eucharistic) with a small music group Morning prayer is at 9am on Tuesday and Thursday 2nd and 4th Wednesday communion 10am Monthly prayer service 8pm first Thursday of month On any 5th Sunday there is a joint benefice service (2 Henlow, 2 Langford/year).

We use service booklets for the appropriate season compiled by our previous priest.

We hold all the occasional offices with baptism either during the all age service or the afternoon of the 2nd Sunday

We hold an informal carol service with mulled wine and mince pies more recently with a brass band accompaniment.

Christmas starts with a Christingle and crib service at 6pm.

On Mothering Sunday we have a family communion and give flowers to the women in the congregation.

We hold a lay-led all – age “stations of the cross” on Good Friday morning with a meditation service Good Friday afternoon

Harvest festival is the 3rd Sunday of September. The All Soul’s service alternates with Henlow.

We have a small but committed robed choir and a number of volunteer organists. Our recently formed music group comprises a guitar, flute, clarinet and keyboard and hope to

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The average congregation numbers around 38 ranging from about 30- 90 years + with a few, occasional children.

The laity are involved in the service reading the lesson, as intercessors, servers and chalice assistants. There are 2 (new) lay leaders of worship.

As at Henlow we have a full range of vestments which can be used if the priest chooses.

Figure 1 Family service music group

Pastoral/ ecumenical

We work closely with the local Methodist church with a churches together group. We attend their covenant service in January and for the Remembrance Day service. The Methodists join us at St Andrew’s for a Christian Aid service.

There is a combined “Christmas card” detailing the services of church and chapel delivered to each house in the parish.

We hold joint Lent groups with the Methodists open to all denominations.

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There are many pastoral opportunities which we would like to develop through the school and other village organisations.

There is a coffee shop every Friday held in the Church Hall run by the local adult training centre, flower guild and church on a rota basis.

Leadership The churchwardens can assist with care of the buildings and churchyard, support for administration and support for the priest. There are quarterly benefice wardens’ meetings to review activities and plan ahead.

The PCC has 12 members including churchwardens and 2 Deanery synod reps with an age range 50-90.

There are sub- committees for the churchyard with the parish Council and a social committee. A task group has started to advance the plans to install kitchen and toilet, and reposition the font.

There are 59 on the electoral roll.

Buildings Grade 1 listed building most stained glass destroyed by Oliver Cromwell and the wall whitewashed. A small area of the underlying paintings has been restored to reveal a cross. We have recently restored the organ.

Our last quinquennial report advised exploring support of organ loft roof and restoring windows – one small panel of most precarious window has since been repaired.

The churchwardens arrange repairs etc as needed, laity maintain churchyard with contractor to mow grass.

There is a separate church hall with its own committee.

We have long term plans to install a toilet and a small kitchen area. The DAC also advised repositioning the font and removing the pews from the back of the church to create a more flexible space. We have an architect and plans but need to develop this project further.

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Finance From our most recent accounts we have £38,500 + on balance. There was a profit >£1,300 in 2015. But we have 3 restricted funds and income into general fund was exceeded by expenditure. We hold an annual Gift Day to raise funds for specific projects and a Friends organisation that holds events for other fundraising.

Most members of the congregation give through the envelope scheme or by standing order, by Gift Aid where appropriate.

All expenses are reimbursed in full with mileage at the national rates.

Parish share for 2016 is £15,871

Figure 2: Taking the collection

Communications There is a weekly pew sheet and a benefice website.

There is the opportunity to contribute to the quarterly village magazine.

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Strengths

We are a welcoming, supportive congregation who wish to grow in their faith and Christian life. Many of the laity are involved in the work of the parish. We have appreciated the development of regular study groups. Weaknesses

The congregation does not reflect the expanding community and there are very few children and younger adults attending. Some of our keenest members are becoming restricted by age and failing health.

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Palm Sunday procession

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