Parish Priest & Development Adviser Bolingbroke Deanery

OUR VOCATION Our calling from God is to work together across the Bolingbroke Team to reconnect dispersed communities with the transforming love of Jesus through our fellowship, inclusiveness and service

OUR VISION In 5yrs time we aim to have more visible links between people of faith and our local communities by working together in a ministry of encouragement across boundaries.

To achieve our vision we will: Promote a Culture of Invitation Create a Schools Group Hold an Annual Schools Festival in the Deanery Provide High Quality Hospitality

Spilsby

Stickney Marden Hill

Partney

1

The Church in the rural parts of is being led by God and His people to work in a very different way from the expected model of Church. The Church of , for a long time, has had the expectation of one priest with one church hard wired into its psyche, however unusual that situation has now become. In fact, the idea of a Group of Parishes was very successfully invented and developed in our Deanery. The South Ormsby Group, in the north of the Deanery, has for 60 years been a powerful expression of God’s love to people within and beyond its boundaries.

However, the basic concept that we can continue to keep the parish system alive by continually making larger and larger groups to create a Group that fits the available resources and supply of incumbents is evidently destined to failure. Thirty Churches to one incumbent is unworkable and unsellable.

Nor is it acceptable that we make the shape fit our “ideal” by closing down Churches and concentrating on a few centres. This simply pretends that all is well with the “Parish” when in fact all we are doing is becoming just another gathered congregation.

In Bolingbroke Deanery we believe that God is calling us to use the tremendous resource we have been given, people and plant, in a way we don’t yet fully understand, yet seems to be based on the renewal/revival of small groups of Christians living and praying within their own communities and groups. We are looking for a priest who will help us all to take this vision forward and help co- ordinate the many different initiatives that will result if we continually put ourselves in God’s way.

The idea is to free the individual as much as possible to be creative, receptive and innovative in the context of an area that is ripe for fresh growth. There is nothing new under the sun but change is part of the living process and we need to find expressions of the Gospel that are appropriate for our context. We don’t want to restrict the field to any particular tradition or type but we need a person who will delight in all of our life together and bring out the rich gifts that are so often not allowed to grow.

The task is not to do it for us but to enable us all to become what we truly are. We work collegially both in the individual Clusters and across the whole area. The Glory of God is a human being fully alive and our shared mission is to celebrate and assist life where ever we find it. http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/spilsby/

2

If you join us, you will experience a wide and varied ministry stretching from the Stickney Cluster in the South…

Old Station Picnic Area Stickney …to South Ormsby in the North.

Blue Stone Heath Road From Snipe Dales County Park in the West…

Wetland Area in the Country Park …to in the East.

Edge of the chalk wolds 3

With the market town of Spilsby at the centre.

Sir John Franklin's Statue- Spilsby High Street

Spilsby has significant historical links, being the birthplace of Sir John Franklin, Lincolnshire’s most famous explorer, and just down the road is Somersby, the birthplace of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Old Bolingbroke is the birthplace of Henry IV, and is the birthplace of Henry Stubbe, physician and scholar.

The Bolingbroke Deanery also holds tales of the end of life, most notoriously the story of Priscilla Biggadyke from Stickney, hanged in 1868 for the murder of her husband, a murder which she was later found not to have committed.

This is an area rich in history, situated in an area of amazing beauty, wolds and fen.

Lincoln 4 Diocese showing the Bolingbroke Deanery

The The context in which we minister

“Outsiders had strange views about the shire and its inhabitants, which opinions were not infrequently based upon profound ignorance.”

For many people, Lincolnshire remains an unexplored territory somewhere in the north or the south, or the midlands or the east, according to perspective. In truth it is a huge area (2,673 square miles) which is impossible to pigeon-hole with any accuracy. The terrain runs from fenland to wolds, from hamlets to industrialised conurbations and from coast to the rolling countryside of the shires.

What follows cannot encapsulate the diversity that is Lincolnshire but is intended as a starting point:  Lincoln is the largest diocese of the by area.

 The south eastern area is mainly fen and has many links with East Anglia.

 The south and south west are increasingly part of ’s commuter belt and often look to local centres outside the Diocese such as Peterborough, Nottingham, Doncaster and Hull, for commerce or culture.

 The centre is essentially part of the , although the east coast, being more holiday resort orientated, is quite different.

 The Wolds are distinctively rural; but Gainsborough and , with some significant deprivation, correspond in many ways to former mining towns of Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire.

 Much of the northern area, which contains a mix of urban and rural, is linked by economic and transport infrastructure to the North of England.

 The Diocese is largely either urban or rural, with comparatively little suburbia.

 The Diocese contains areas of considerable post-industrial deprivation, the richest agricultural land in the UK and pockets of modern industry and commerce.

 The many small market towns of Lincolnshire often serve as the focus for significant areas of countryside which surround them.

5

Population The population of the Diocese is 1,038,800. The County of Lincolnshire is the fourth most sparsely populated in England which reflects the substantial areas of agricultural land. However, the majority of people in the Diocese live in urban areas; and , 130,000; Scunthorpe, 88,000; and the City of Lincoln, 94,000.

The population is slightly older than the UK average, with an associated burden on local authorities and churches alike.

The establishment of two top flight Universities in Lincoln has, over the past few years, substantially changed the demography of the city and brought with it a breadth of education and employment.

Subject to the usual regional variations, the overall picture is one of low unemployment, but also of lower than average wages and considerable job insecurity.

Cultural Diversity Ethnic minorities comprise only 2% of the population, mostly scattered in very small clusters. The largest single BME community in the Diocese is of 2,000 people of Asian ethnicity in Scunthorpe. The majority have English as a second language.

Seasonally labour-intensive agricultural and tourist industries rely on migrant, mainly European, labour but there are also increasing numbers of permanent or semi-permanent European immigrants.

Artistic Culture and Diversity Lincoln, largely through the Cathedral, has a strong musical tradition and is on the tour circuit for a number of nationally recognised companies including the Halle Orchestra, English Touring Opera and The 16.

6

The Ministry Team of the Bolingbroke Deanery

A United Deanery to be worked in Parish Clusters

Whole Deanery a United Mission Community

The Bolingbroke Deanery Plan is growing towards all the parishes of the Deanery becoming part of One United Mission Community. This will make Bolingbroke Deanery into one ecclesiastical unit but each Parish will remain a distinct area with its own PCC. At present we work with two United Benefices, Bolingbroke Team & South Ormsby (looking to become a United Parish).

Working as a Team Ministry

Twelve years ago each of the Deanery’s 5 Groups had its own incumbent (Vicar, Rector, Priest in Charge) but this is no longer practicable or even sustainable. As a team the clergy and lay ministers will work together to serve the whole area.

Parish Clusters

We value the relationship between a Parish and its Parson. Working together initially with the 5 existing clusters, a person is to be chosen as designated Parish Minister for each cluster of Parishes. That person can be ordained or lay, stipendiary or not, chosen by the PCCs to be part of the deanery ministry team under the guidance of the Rector/RD.

In our case the team will consist of:

3.25 Full Time Clergy & 1 Half Time Team Administrator (currently 1.5 Full time + 1.75 vacancy & 1 Half time Administrator)

Rector based in Spilsby – Peter Coates • Parish Priest & Deanery Facilitator (RD)

Vicar based in North of Deanery (Partney & South Ormsby Clusters) – You? • Parish Priest & Deanery Development (Intern co-ordinator)

Vicar based in South of Deanery (Stickney) - The Rev’d Fran Jeffries • Parish Priest & Diocesan Developing Discipleship Advisor

Team Administrator (Half Time) in Deanery Office in Spilsby – Mrs Jane Howsam

“House for Duty Priest Type Posts” ?? • aspiration to appoint .25 HfD post

The staffing structure is considered necessary because of several factors: • Volunteer & Lay Ministries need time to develop 7

• No slack (health problems have high impact) • Recruitment • High value people place on Full time Ministers • Continuity of Leadership

The Deanery Synod has committed itself to maintain at least the level of giving requested by the Diocese.

We are very aware of the challenges that recruitment and retention are presenting in our rural part of the Diocese. To that end we believe that our method/model of working is attractive and workable:  Attractive in the sense of being part of a group of people excited by a vision of revitalising the Rural Church in God’s Mission  Workable in the sense of a clear role description, a defined area to work and committed collegial working.

Work will need to be done to make the HfD post attractive but with a large number of clergy approaching retirement age in the near future there may be a good opportunity to attract the right person.

Voluntary Ministers to be identified for area responsibility

We already have for 9 years benefited from a model of a Non Stipendiary Minister (Joan Thornett) fulfilling the role of a Parish Priest and now Paul McLaughlin as a Community Chaplain and so in the new plan alongside the 3 FT & .25 (HfD or other), our intention is to deploy as many suitable “local ministers” to be the “Parson” as well to a defined cluster of Churches.

All working as “Parish Parsons” to a “Cluster”

So as well as the clergy, paid or unpaid, it may well be that appropriate Readers or Lay Ministers could fulfil this role.

Spilsby, Marden Hill, Stickney, Partney & South Ormsby Clusters initially.

We will start from where we are with a “Parish Parson” working as the lead in each of the present 5 Groups but it is hoped that enough people could be found to enable smaller groups to flourish. With a new Priest in post, this will mean one Priest overseeing Spilsby and Marden Hill (with OLMs & Readers), one Priest overseeing Partney and South Ormsby in the North (with an OLM), and one overseeing Stickney in the South. Oversight of the Benefice will be shared through the Bolingbroke Deanery “Pastoral and Mission (PAM) Group”. We have all the systems in place to

8

administer the Benefices. The PAM group is the body which gives strategic direction.

Each full time priest will have a deanery/diocesan role e.g. as Rector/R D, Deanery Development & Discipleship Development Adviser.

It would seem vital that if the system is to work then a large part of our expensive resource (paid clergy) should be devoted to building up the local leadership we need, not only in terms of mission but in the practical skills needed for areas such as buildings, finance etc.

It is intended other ministers will head groups for other specialisms.

It would be good to develop more skills in the wider ministry team and leadership in other areas, so expertise in some aspects of rural life, social need, healing, work with young people, schools etc. would be beneficial to our mission.

Administrator; employed half time A great deal of time is employed in keeping the show on the road and our Administrator (at present half time) is able to free clergy and others for more direct ministry and provides for a more effective use of the skill mix available.

The Deanery will work on a Collegiate Ministry Concept, with all members having equal status with Team Rector as chair.

One of the real difficulties that the Church has to wrestle with is the way hierarchy can be seen as very top down or bottom up process but our model is based on the theological understanding that we are all equal under God and our calling to different forms of ministry does not imply that one is of higher or lower in status. Each person in the team is of equal importance and pledges to work together as sisters and brothers.

Readers, Local Ministers & Retired Clergy will co-operate in mission and ministry across the deanery as discerned. It is important to include all ministries across the deanery, particularly working with in local areas under the leadership of the “Parish Parson”.

Mission, Ministry, Discipleship Training will have a high priority. An essential if we are to take the faith to the next generation or the one after that and --!

St Olave Flower Festival

9

This is a realistic “map” of the current Christian presence in the area, with particular reference to strengths and weaknesses in relation to the overall task of Mission and Ministry. The Church of England  39 Church Buildings  2/3 Full Time Clergy – FJ & PC & ?  Half Time Deanery Administrator – Jane Howsam  2 OLM Priests The Rev’d’s Teresa McLaughlin & Jean Coates  1 Retired NSM Parish Priest with PTO - The Rev’d Joan Thornett  1 Retired Priest with PTO (Permission to Officiate) ( + 1 without)  1 Reader Community Chaplain - Mr Paul McLaughlin  Local Ministers  5 Stickney  1 Marden Hill  4 Spilsby  Church Wardens, PCC members, 3 Licensed to administer Communion  There is a place for a , if appointed, in 2018

The Roman Catholic (Spilsby)  1 Church  0.4 Full Time Priest – Fr Peter Ward  0 Pastoral Assistants  3 Eucharistic Ministers

The Christian Fellowship (Spilsby)  1 Church + Community Room  1 Spare time leader and lay ministers - Mr Nigel Coe  Children Centre

The Methodist Church  (Churches in Spilsby & Marden Hill Group Areas Only)  4 Church Buildings + Wesley Chapel (Raithby)  Spilsby redeveloped “Meeting Point”  Spilsby part of Mid-Lincs Circuit  Superintendent-Minister in with Oversight of Spilsby, Toynton, Halton, The Rev’d. Sue Wilkin  + the Minister who has oversight of Bolingbroke).  1 Retired Minister  4 Local Preachers  7 Worship Leaders

10

 Stewards & Church Council

New Life Church (Spilsby)  Church Complex (Old Grammar School)  3+ (enthusiastic) Lay Leaders - Sally & Richard Osmond & David Bruce  Youth Club  Good Facilities

The Baptist Church  1 Church Historic Building Monthly worship - Minister lives in Nottingham.

Schools in the Team Area:

Stickney http://www.stickney.lincs.sch.uk/about/

http://www.partneyschool.co.uk/contact.asp

Halton Holegate C of E Primary School http://www.haltonholegateprimaryschool.co.uk/home

The Edward Richardson Primary School http://www.edward-richardson.lincs.sch.uk/

Stickney Church of England Primary School http://www.stickneyprimary.co.uk/page_viewer.asp?page=Home&pid=1

11

http://www.eresbyspecialschool.co.uk/general- information.htm

Spilsby Primary Academy http://www.spilsbyprimary.org.uk/

King Edward VI Academy

Spilsby http://www.king-edward.lincs.sch.uk/

Toynton-All-Saints Primary School http://toynton-all-saints.lincs.sch.uk/

Great Steeping Primary School

http://www.greatsteeping.org.uk/

The Woodlands Academy Spilsby http://www.thewoodlandsacademy.com/

http://www.new-leake.lincs.sch.uk/

Linkage College, Toynton Campus http://linkage.org.uk/

12

Team Vicar Role Specification

Parish Priest & Responsible to Rural Dean Role Title Development Archdeacon of Adviser Lincoln Deanery Bolingbroke Team Cluster Partney Group South Ormsby Group Financial To work as a Office Support Deanery Office & Responsibilities mission team to Administrator ensure resource impact

Purpose of the Sharing with the Deanery mission team, lay and ordained, Role: stipendiary or self-supporting in the leadership of God’s Deanery Parish Church in the area of the Bolingbroke Deanery and Priest specifically the duties of Parish Priest of the Partney Cluster and the South Ormsby Group. Leading the local ministers and growing a dynamic community. Purpose of the This role will permit the new priest to identify particular areas Role: Deanery of expertise and interest which they will help to develop with Development Christians across the Deanery. As the proposed Intern Ministry progresses the new priest will take a lead in establishing and supporting the internees. Geographical Area Initially (i) the ecclesiastical Parishes of , , Candlesby, Dalby, Langton w , Partney, , , . And (ii) the ecclesiastical Parishes of , , Harrington, Haugh, , Ruckland, Somersby, South Ormsby, Tetford. (to become the United Parish of The South Ormsby Group) Population (i) 985, (ii) 747 Churches (i) 9 (ii) 9 Deanery: 12172 39 Benefices One Team Deanery Working towards One United Benefice Sociological Formerly a mainly farming economy which is moving Background towards one based on small scale industry and services in a mobile population. There is a good deal of economic migration from the more economically vibrant areas of the country.

13

Main Challenges of the Role

1. Developing and leading a new strategy for discipleship and church growth. 2. Developing the capacity of the team and parishes to grow existing Christian communities and to enable new growth. 3. Working with colleagues in encouraging open and transparent governance and enabling the ministry of the whole people of God, ordained and lay, across the diverse communities of the Deanery

Key Responsibilities 1. Contribute fully to the leadership of the Deanery Mission as a member of the Deanery Mission Team (DMT) and through membership of key diocesan & local organisations.

2. Work under the oversight of the , and collaboratively with other members of the Deanery Team.

3. Operate the statutory and customary responsibilities as Parish Priest

4. Share membership of committees and working groups with other members the team to make the best use of skills, time and resources.

5. Provide spiritual and practical support for parish clergy, lay ministers, churchwardens and parochial church councils – including encouraging them to explore new and collaborative ways of encouraging Christian discipleship, stewardship of money and gifts, and mission and ministry in their particular context.

6. Participate in networks concerned with discipleship and church growth; working with the Diocesan Mission & Evangelism Officers and Rural Officers.

7. Encourage the development of fresh expressions of church within the Deanery and ensure that the procedures laid down by the House of Bishops for their establishment are followed carefully.

14

Bolingbroke Deanery: Deanery Development & Parish Priest Person Specification

Essential Criteria Desirable Criteria Qualifications  Graduate or Diploma  Qualification in level or higher in Mission and theology Development  In good standing with the Diocesan Bishop of the diocese in which s/he currently serves Experience  Self-confident and  Experience of working proven ability to work collaboratively in a as part of a team, and medium/large benefice with potential to lead a  Good organisational team well skills with the ability to  Has an ability to plan, prioritise and co- initiate, manage and ordinate in a timely support change manner.  A proven track record  A track record of of a commitment to enabling effective caring spiritually and working with families pastorally for the cure and young people of souls  A proven creative and strategic thinker Skills and Knowledge  An ability to lead and  The ability to produce facilitate inspiring clear and concise worship and to be an reports outstanding  A good understanding communicator of the of the changing face of Gospel the Church in our  Good verbal and modern communities written communication skills  A record of enabling training lay and ordained ministry  Leadership and people management skills

15

 An understanding of collaborative ministry  Good level of computer literacy Social Skills  Able to form  Ability to relate to constructive people and to relationships and gain articulate ideas at all credibility both within levels church and local communities  Able to inspire confidence and respect Motivation  A desire to see the  A commitment to the local church develop ideals and principles of and stretch out into the life-long learning community through pastoral and social commitment  A passion to grow Christian disciples theologically and spiritually, and in numbers  A desire to develop and deepen the faith of those called to serve God within our community Other Requirements  Driving licence and car  An awareness of the impact of ministry on self and family and how to manage this

Health Care

Spilsby Surgery http://spilsbysurgery.co.uk/

16

Boston & Louth Hospitals https://www.ulh.nhs.uk/hospitals/pilgrim-hospital-boston/ https://www.ulh.nhs.uk/hospitals/county-hospital-louth/

Deanery/Benefice Office - Jane Howsam – Administrator

BOLINGBROKE DEANERY MINISTRY http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/spilsby/

The Bishop of Lincoln Archdeacon of Lincoln The Rt. Rev. The Venerable Gavin Kirk Tel: 01522 50 40 90 or 01522 534701 01522 504039 Office: Edward King House, Minster Yard, Office: Edward King House, Minster Yard, Lincoln LN2 1PU Lincoln LN2 1PU email: [email protected] [email protected]

17

Team Members Deanery Synod Tel Deanery Office 01790 752526 Lay Chair South Ormsby Group Mr. Bill Rose & Bolingbroke Deanery Team Ministry Bolingbroke Deanery Office Marden Hill, Partney, The Vicarage, Church Street, Spilsby & Stickney Clusters Spilsby, Lincs. PE23 5EF Tel: 01790 752526 Team Rector email: [email protected] The Rev’d Canon Peter Coates Mon-Fri 1pm-5pm

Team Vicar Administrator The Rev’d Fran Jeffries Mrs. Jane Howsam

Assistant Curate Team Honary Priest The Rev’d Jean Coates The Rev’d. Joan Thornett

Assistant Curate Readers The Rev’d Teresa McLaughlin Mr. Frank Richardson Mr. Paul McLaughlin

also Community Chaplain for

Sausthorpe, Langton Aswardby

Accredited Lay Ministers

18

Highlights: Scarecrow at Tetford & Partney Fair

Partney Fair

Partney Fair

19

Tetford Scarecrow Fest

St Mary Tetford 20

See Grape Vine & Tennyson Chronical (attached) for details of patterns of worship and community life. http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/spilsby/

St Nicholas Partney

Spirit of SUTTERBY

Community Project http://www.spiritofsutterby.co.uk/

21

Partney Rectory 2007 Partney Rectory is the House Chosen for the Post. It is a large House that has grown from a modest Farm House to a large country Rectory. For this house to be effective £150,000 is to be spent bringing the “Rector’s side” of the house to be an attractive and useful family home and the “Servants side” to be converted for Intern Accommodation (planning permission yet to be granted). This work is underway and will be completed for the early summer.

22

Local Shops & Services

In Partney is the local the Red Lion (and several good eating places can be found in the local villages). A well used Village (Victory) Hall next to St Nicholas’ Church. A large convenience store in the Service Station on the edge of the Village and the Church School all make this small village a real community.

Less than 2 miles away in Spilsby has the local Sainsbury’s & Co-op Supermarkets along side a good range of shops, two banks, Post Office, King Edward VI Academy, two special schools and one larger primary and many good eating places not to mention the majority of other denominations in our area. (There are no other Churches in Northern half of the Team except our-selves!)

St Mary Tetford

23

St Peter

Deanery Confirmation at South Ormsby

24

PARTNEY CLUSTER

Ashby by Partney, Aswardby, Candlesby, Dalby, Langton w Sutterby, Partney, Sausthorpe, Scremby, Skendleby JANUARY 2017 PATTERNS OF WORSHIP 1st January Scremby 9.30am Holy Communion Naming and Partney 11.15am Family Service circumcision of Partney 11.45am Holy Communion Jesus

8th January 10.00am Benefice Service for Baptism of Christ Plough Sunday

15th January Candlesby 9.30am Morning Prayer Dalby 9.30am Holy Communion Epiphany 2 Sausthorpe 11.15am Holy Communion Partney 6.00pm Evening Prayer

22nd January Langton 11.15am Family Service Epiphany 3 Skendleby* 6.00pm Evening Prayer

29th January Old Bolingbroke 10.00am Deanery Candlemas Epiphany 4 Service

* Please note Skendleby services will be held in The Old School until further notice i.e. until new heating is installed or weather is warmer, which ever if first.

25

St Leonards South Ormsby

The South Ormsby Group of Parishes

The South Ormsby Group was the first large scale grouping of rural parishes and comprised of sixteen separate parishes in 1950. We now hold joint services for the whole Group each week on rotation in one of our seven churches. We are currently in the process of seeking to become a single United Parish. Although working as a United Parish will involve changes for us we anticipate that such changes will simplify many aspects of our working together. As a United Parish the individual PCC meetings that we hold during the year will become District CC meetings, whilst our present Group Council will become our United Parish Council. As a Group of Parishes we already work in a totally collaborative manner. Parishes currently have churchwardens, officers and their own bank accounts.These will all continue when we have DCCs. Our present Group similarly has officers and bank accounts. These will become our new Single Parish officers and associated bank accounts. Our central Group accounts administer our Share contributions to the Deanery, Group insurances and other central issues. Our current PCCs, when they become DCCs, will continue to raise income for their Fabric Funds and for other identified purposes.

26

South Ormsby Cottage Our Group Secretary, in conjunction with the Priest in Charge and churchwardens, prepares an annual worship schedule, which comprises an 8am Said Communion (BCP) and a 10.30am Common Worship Communion each Sunday. These are held as appropriate in one of our seven churches. Since 1950 the Group has produced it’s own monthly magazine, The Tennyson Chronicle which has a circulation of 300. The Chronicle contains details of the month’s services, local events and functions together with news and reader’s contributions and is central to forming the strong community feeling within our Group. Recently we participated in the Diocese’s Developing Discipleship Programme (DDP). We met under the leadership of our DDP Advisers to write a Growth Plan for our parishes and churches. The separate elements of the Plan succinctly express our hopes and aspirations for our United Parish over the next five years. In five year’s time we plan to have a healthy, vibrant, caring and sustainable United Parish involved in the lives of each of our communities. In achieving these we will  Develop spirituality  Grow three areas of engagement  Equip church buildings for community needs  Be World facing  Promote communication of our values We are fortunate to have within our Group a Lay Reader, who works mainly in the Deanery, and an OLM most of whose work is within the Group.

27

SOUTH ORMSBY GROUP

Bag Enderby, Brinkhill, , , Farforth, Harrington, Haugh, , Maidenwell, , Ruckland, , Somersby, South Ormsby, Tetford & Worlaby. JANUARY 2017

PATTERNS OF WORSHIP

1st January Tetford 10.30am Holy Communion Naming and Circumcision of Jesus

8th January Somersby 10.30am Holy Communion Baptism of Christ

15th January Brinkhill 10.30am Holy Communion Epiphany 2

22nd January Tetford 10.30am Holy Communion Epiphany 3

29th January Old Bolingbroke 10.00am Deanery Candlemas Epiphany 4 Service

Morning Prayers

every Wednesday at 10.00am

28 St Philip’s Church Hall, Brinkhill

The Partney Cluster Like South Ormsby the cluster has a small population scattered around its nine churches. Partney and Skendleby are the largest villages. Partney has a Church School, Village Hall Garage & Convenience Store and Pub, Skendleby a Church, Village Hall and Pub, Sausthorpe a Church and “Institute” Hall, Langton a Church and Village Hall, Candlesby Church and Pub, Ashby a Church and small Village Hall, Scremby, Dalby, Aswardby have their Churches. Each community has its own identity but who come together to work as a local team and also play an active part in the wider team. Our Reader, Paul Mclaughlin has taken on responsibility as Community Chaplain for Sausthorpe, Aswardby and Langton, a model we are seeking to replicate across the team. Scremby “We both feel we need someone who had a good understanding of the needs of small rural parishes, be that male or female, and is prepared to go out into the communities to meet and energise the potential congregation. I fear we are probably rather set in our ways and there must be new ways and initiatives that we should consider, but it needs to be sensitively approached. I don’t really know what else to suggest, but it would be good to have someone who is very visible in the work they do in the community and who would be involved in all aspects of the Partney Group, and especially the school.” Partney School; “ Someone who can lead our Church School from a “Good” to “Outstanding” SIAMS Someone who can support and encourage our School Values and Family Ethos Someone who can enthuse and lead our Foundation Governors”

29

Partney Choir

Partney Choir, Lincolnshire 25-voice 4-part choir serving local parishes and performing in and out of Church, and in the process having a great deal of fun in their singing and in their worship. English Folk Music is a special interest

Plough Sunday at Scremby with Choir

Parish Share for the Team 2017 Eastville/Midville/ £5483.00 £2820.00 Stickney £7833.00 £2428.00 Bolingbroke £2428.00 £2976.00 £2350.00 30

Hagnaby £78.00 £2820.00 £78.00 Lusby with Asgarby £548.00 £470.00 & St Peter £5405.00 Partney £1958.00 Ashby by Partney £783.00 Candlesby £862.00 Dalby £313.00 Scremby £548.00 Skendleby £1332.00 Aswardby £392.00 Langton with Sutterby £470.00 Sausthorpe £705.00 Spilsby £15666.00 £2465.00 £2000.00 Halton Holgate £2350.00 £4653.00 £1645.00 Raithby £1018.00

South Ormsby £17270.00 This is the second year of three for a reducing total for the team but there is need to rebalance the way we allocate. Emphasis on stewardship is also a priority for this year. The resourcing of our mission is a continuing challenge but we are committed to providing full expenses and working towards full payment of share.

31

There are many centres, could this be yours?

32