BENEFICE OF , ST JUST AND ST MICHAEL, CAERHAYS PARISH PROFILE

July 2019 Contents

Bishop's letter ...... 3

Archdeacon’s letter ...... 5

Introduction to our benefice ...... 6

A New Priest for the Benefice ...... 7

The needs of the Benefice and the VISION of the Church .... 11

The Benefice and the Benefice Amenities ...... 14

Communication ...... 22

The Vicarage ...... 23

Weekday Events ...... 24

Pattern of Services ...... 24

BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND HOLY COMMUNION POLICIES ...... 25

Support ...... 26

St Goran Church...... 27

St Just Church ...... 28

St Michael, Caerhays ...... 30

Parish Nurse ...... 31

Statistics ...... 33

2 | P a g e BISHOP'S LETTER

Bishop Philip

In this Diocese of we are deeply committed to ‘Discovering God’s Kingdom: Growing the Church’. Ordained ministers are crucial to this task, so I sketch out here the kind of priests we invite to work with us.

First and foremost, we are looking for joyful disciples and ambassadors of Christ, who share the Gospel they have come to know themselves both in word and deed - and above all with love. We seek people who are committed to setting the whole people of God free in mission, ministry, and in loving service. We are looking for people who, on this journey, are imaginative and realistic, creative and determined and are hopeful of a better future. But we also want to work with those who recognise that they are not perfect and will sometimes fail, who learn from their mistakes and will take the initiative in seeking reconciliation with others.

We are convinced that all ministers need the support and companionship of others and we help priests in a number of ways so that they never work alone. In this spirit, we encourage priests who can forge good relations with others and actively collaborate with them for the sake of the Kingdom to join us in : a very special place with its own distinctive identity and Christian heritage which we are called to value, serve and love.

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I pray that as you consider this position you might discern God’s calling and purpose for you in this next chapter of your discipleship and service.

+ Philip

4 | P a g e ARCHDEACON’S LETTER

The Ven Audrey Elkington

The parishes of St Goran and have experienced ‘house for duty’ priestly ministry for a number of years. The developing deanery plan, and the recent Strategic Development Funding award for ‘Transforming Mission in ’ (https://www.trurodiocese.org.uk/2019/06/church- commissioners-back-bold-plan-to-transform-mission-in- cornwall/) mean that we are unsure what the shape of ministry will be across the deanery in future years. This interim post for 2 years will enable the parishes of St Goran and St Michael Caerhayes to continue to receive priestly ministry whilst working in close collaboration with the Deanery of St Austell, until such time as the plan becomes clear. A significant role of the appointee will therefore be about enabling the parishes to be prepared and equipped for change.

Archdeacon Audrey

5 | P a g e INTRODUCTION TO OUR BENEFICE

The post as Incumbent of St Goran, St Just and St Michael, Caerhays is a House for Duty post for 2 days a week plus Sundays. It offers a wonderful opportunity to lead the development of this well-established benefice. We are a group of three churches serving the parishes of Goran and Caerhays, situated on the beautiful South Coast of Cornwall. The benefice is in the Archdeaconry of Cornwall and the Deanery of St Austell. This falls within the whose vision is:- "Discovering God's Kingdom; Growing The Church"

The diocese itself is looking forward to a new era after the Institution of its new Bishop, Rev'd Canon Philip Mounstephen in January 2019. St Goran, and St Michael, Caerhays are distinct in all sorts of ways but united as a benefice committed to the spiritual and pastoral needs of our small but active communities. St Just is a Chapel of Ease that is overseen by St Goran PCC.

We are fortunate in having a Friends Group of St Goran, St Just and St Michael. This Group is drawn from across the communities and greatly helps in maintaining the fabric of all three churches.

The three churches work well together and we have Joint Benefice Services and come together for other events such as Good Friday Reflection, Harvest and Carol Services.

6 | P a g e A NEW PRIEST FOR THE BENEFICE

We are looking for a Leader to steer the Benefice forward in a common way. We have an ambition to grow spiritually and numerically. We thrive on good teaching and time spent studying and reflecting. We welcome challenge and the re- invigorating of our faith.

We seek a person who will lead and empower the benefice, enable us to build on the individual strengths of each church and help us develop as a strong team. We want our churches to be characterised by a unified vision that builds upon the enthusiasm and commitment within the parishes. This vision needs to address how we respect the diverse traditions and forms of worship currently in place as well as appeal to a wider age range. We look forward to having a person of God who will lead and help us to fulfil this vision.

We are conscious of our mission to the large numbers of visitors who come to the area and visit our churches - many come year on year – and we want to be able to reach out to a wide variety of parishioners and visitors, whether or not they come to church, for example to enhance and grow the work of our recently appointed Parish Nurse. We want to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God as we endeavour to pass on our faith through worship and prayer and our lives.

7 | P a g e We are seeking a person who will value the ministry of our Readers and lay people, and foster our active Pastoral Care Visitors in conjunction with our Parish Nurse..

An analysis of the needs of the local community across the Benefice is needed and it is also necessary to seek ways of making worship and church life more accessible to all age groups. We would very much like to cement our good links with the local school and turn that into the increased involvement of children and parents in Church life and worship.

Along with many other parishes, we are aware of our age profile, which on the Electoral Roll can be seen as elderly. While there is considerable energy around, an age profile of Church membership more representative of the local community is a challenge for our benefice as it is for many others.

8 | P a g e QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

● an ordained Anglican priest

● an understanding of ministry in rural areas

● experience of both traditional and pioneering expressions of mission, ministry and worship

● up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding procedures in the Church of SKILLS AND ABILITIES

We would like our Priest to be able to:-

 communicate with all ages clearly and directly using tact, diplomacy and occasionally a sense of humour!  inspire a wide range of people with a clear vision in order to help them come to faith and to trust in our Lord  lead and empower others in their ministry  recognise the aptitudes of others and encourage them to develop their potential and to grow in their own discipleship and learning  foster a sense of common purpose and co-operation between the parishes in the Benefice  strengthen links within the communities e.g. with schools, community groups and organisations  develop mission and ministry in a changing environment  be a compassionate and active listener

9 | P a g e VOCATION, CHARACTER AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

 a committed Christian with a sense of God’s call who can act as an example and model of the love of God  sympathetic to a range of traditional and contemporary styles of worship and how they can be used to bring people to Christ  willing to support those in need of pastoral care with empathy IDEAL QUALITIES

 a strong desire to encourage church members to demonstrate God’s love in their actions  awareness of contemporary and traditional worship music  able to maintain a prayerful and spiritual life.

10 | P a g e THE NEEDS OF THE BENEFICE AND THE VISION OF THE CHURCH

The needs that underlie living in the parishes are not too dissimilar to the rural needs of any parish in the country.

Cornwall is one of the financially poorest areas in the where earnings are low, and somewhat seasonal with a heavy reliance on the Tourist industry. Our parishes have a high percentage of retired people and we are fortunate to have an excellent Primary School that attracts young families. House prices are relatively high and therefore there is less of the poverty that is found in nearby St Austell and throughout other parts of the county.

The benefice has a predominantly older population and there are several people requiring constant care. Loneliness, particularly for those who have lost a partner with families living away is an issue that concerns the Church. Transport is also a major problem for those members of our community who can no longer drive because of their age and for teenagers who cannot afford a car. The bus service is poor and although we have an excellent Community Bus, which has regular services to St Austell and Truro it is not easy to get to work, the Doctor’s Surgery, Hospitals, Dentists and visit friends.

Our churches were aware, from the work of our Pastoral Care Committee, of the many health issues of old and young

11 | P a g e people alike that the NHS struggle to address properly. This was the major thinking behind our employing a Parish Nurse. Since October 2018 our Parish Nurse has confirmed there is indeed a very real need. She has been able to help a wide range of people of various ages who have a variety of physical and mental health and social issues.

As will be seen earlier in this Parish Profile, we are fortunate to live in villages with a number of community venues with a huge number of activities for all ages. Many people look out for, and care for, their neighbours. This is excellent and as a church, we seek to support local initiatives that are already in place, which means engaging with the local community and working alongside them. With that involvement between the community and the church we are then in a better place to develop solutions to any local problems. We would like to attract a Parish Priest who will seek innovative ways to increase the church presence in the community.

The vision of the Church must not solely be focussed on older people. We have a yearning to develop the positive work being done with children and young people. This has been already established through the work at the local primary school, taking of assemblies, Open the Book and school contact with the Parish Nurse. We are also aware of the missing generations within our Church community and wish to remedy that anomaly in new and creative ways.

12 | P a g e We are seeking someone who can prayerfully help us discern the way God is seeking to take the church forward; to grow our Church family; to make us ready for the planned changes that are taking place through the Transforming Mission project in the St Austell Deanery and to show that the Kingdom of God can be powerfully relevant in the world today.

13 | P a g e THE BENEFICE AND THE BENEFICE AMENITIES

The ArcGIS web site shows St Goran with a population of 1348, and St Michael a population of 100. The benefice comprises the villages of , in the St Goran parish, and East and West and the hamlet of Caerhays in the parish of St Michael. There is also a significant farming community and other hamlets. Our benefice also stretches into part of Portmellon.

SCHOOLS

Gorran Pre-School has about 19 on roll and these children usually go on to attend Gorran Primary School. The previous incumbent was welcomed with open arms on a monthly basis to read a Bible story and sing a song with them.

14 | P a g e Gorran Primary School has an Ofsted rating of outstanding and has 102 on roll. We have significant links with the school, which uses the church occasionally for concerts and visits. Church space is available to the school when extra space is needed. Currently on a weekly basis the Reader or the Open the Book Team takes the school assembly. The church community consider these links very important indeed and is very keen to maintain and extend this collaborative working relationship.

The majority of children from the area usually attend Roseland Community College at Tregony or Penrice at St Austell for their secondary education.

Public Transport

There is a community run bus service that operates throughout the year – generally starting and finishing at Gorran Haven. This operates regular services to St Austell and Truro, as well as special days out for local people. There

15 | P a g e is a council bus as well, which has more frequent services in the summer, but does operate all year round.

Trains can be taken from St Austell or Truro, with direct links to London and the rest of the country as well as other parts of the South West.

Flights from and Exeter Airports are available to London and other destinations. The much larger Bristol Airport is a 3-hour drive away.

ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS AND CLUBS

There are many groups and activities based in the benefice including a very popular Gig Rowing Club, Football club, Cricket club, Film Society, Arts and Crafts Group, Bell Ringers, Community Choir, 'Coffee Cake and Company' group, Phoenix Group and Youth Groups. In addition, many social events take place and there is always something going on! In the summer, while not having the same numbers as Mavegissey which is larger and more well known, Gorran Haven is still a popular “hidden gem” for tourists. Our 2 beaches can become quite crowded in the high season with the harbour making a lovely background for leisurely days on the beach.

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Our harbour is also popular, particularly in the summer, being used for leisure boats as well as small fishing boats.

17 | P a g e SHOPS AND SERVICES

The village shop in Gorran Churchtown is well used and is very important to the local community.

Cakebreads, in Gorran Haven, is a thriving centre of village life, both as a village shop and as an all year round cafe. Both these stores also have a Post Office attached.

The nearest main shopping centres are St Austell and Truro where you will also find your nearest supermarkets. Plymouth is 48 miles from Gorran, although you can also use a train from St Austell or even the local Community run bus service which runs a monthly excursion there.

18 | P a g e PLACES TO VISIT

The famous and beautiful “Lost Gardens of Heligan” are just a ten-minute drive from St Goran church.

Caerhays Castle, which has a strong link with St Michael’s, is within the Benefice with its gardens open for visitors at sometimes during the year. The popular fishing village of is 2 miles away, while the famous Eden Project is a drive of 15 miles. The South West Coastal path that traverses Gorran Haven is also a magnet for visitors throughout the year. The village serves as a base as well as a through point for both the serious and not so serious walkers alike and St Just welcomes many through its door as a haven of peace and rest before they embark on the next stage of their trek.

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Being Cornwall, you are never far from the sea and beaches abound in the area, some quiet, some more visited. The more popular surfer friendly beaches of the North Cornwall coast are just over an hour’s drive away. HEALTH

Mevagissey is the location for the local Doctors surgery, but there is a satellite of this with appointments available in Gorran Haven at certain times during the week. St Austell has a Minor Injuries unit, with the main hospital found in Truro.

20 | P a g e PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK

“The Barley Sheaf” is the village pub (directly opposite the church of St Goran) and that is open all year round. Cakebreads cafe and shop in Gorran Haven is also open all year round. Other seasonal cafés are found in Gorran Haven and around the benefice. HALLS

The village of Gorran Haven has a number of spaces that can be used for community events and groups, including the West End Rooms (found at the back of St Goran Church). These include the Old School Rooms, the Memorial Village Hall and the Community Room at Bell Hill, and the facilities at Gorran Cricket Club.

21 | P a g e COMMUNICATION

The Benefice has a website, which has very useful and up to date information on it. While essentially it is a source of information for those outside the benefice and potential visitors, it can be an effective means of communication within the benefice as well. The web site address is www.stgoranandstmichael.org.uk.

The three churches also have pages on the Church of England “Church Near You” web-site with links to our own more comprehensive site.

The Parish Magazine is a vital tool for all the community and features articles and information about many different groups and events and services in the local community. It is a great place to find out all about the area!

22 | P a g e THE VICARAGE

The Vicarage is a modern residence, set back from the main road through the village, and situated a two-minute walk from the church of St Goran. It comprises ground floor accommodation of study, dining room, living room, kitchen and large utility room. There are 4 bedrooms on the first floor.

The house has good sized front and rear gardens, a garage and driveway for 2 or 3 cars. The rear of the property has lovely views across farmland, with the sea in the distance.

The village shop is 2 minutes walk away, as is the local pub. The house is in the heart of the Gorran community.

23 | P a g e WEEKDAY EVENTS

As well as regular Sunday services at each of the churches (see Pattern of Services) there is a Wednesday morning Eucharist at St Goran.

Also at St Goran church, there is a weekly community choir, that meets every Thursday evening and a monthly Rummikub club on the last Tuesday of the month. PATTERN OF SERVICES St Goran St Just St Michael 1stSunday of Holy Communion 3.30pm the Month 10.15am Evensong 2ndSunday Holy Communion 10.15am 3rdSunday Holy Communion 10.15am 4thSunday Holy Communion Holy 10.15am Communion 10.15am (when there is no 5thSunday in the month) 5thSunday Holy Communion 10.15am Every Wednesday at 10.15am there is a service of Holy Communion (BCP) at St Goran.

24 | P a g e BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND HOLY COMMUNION POLICIES

Baptism is offered to anyone living within the Benefice and who is looking for themselves or their child to be part of the Christian church. We are happy to baptise people of any age, although when adults wish to be baptised, we encourage them to be confirmed either at the same time, or soon after.

Baptisms ideally take place within a Church service but are available at other times to suit individual family's needs. We also offer a Service of thanksgiving and blessing after the birth of a child where parents are currently not ready to make the commitment of Baptism.

Weddings are offered to enquiring couples at all three of our churches according to the guide lines of the Church of England.

For Communion we have an open table policy for all people of any denomination (and none). Currently there are no children among our regular worshippers so the question of Communion before Confirmation does not apply, however the children of visiting worshippers are never refused Communion at the altar should they request it.

We welcome funerals in any of our churches, and we arrange for clergy to lead a service at local Crematoriums.

25 | P a g e We usually hold an annual Service of Remembrance at All Souls Tide (The Sunday after 1st November) and invite the next of kin and family to join with us as we remember before God those that we love but see no more. SUPPORT

. The Benefice has 1 Reader and 1 Reader with PTO. . Administration is undertaken by Officers of the PCC and the incumbent. . Clergy expenses are paid in full OTHER DENOMINATIONS

The only other active church in the benefice is the Haven Church, formerly called the Mount Zion Free Church in Gorran Haven. The two churches share the work of Open the Book in the school and there are other contacts on an individual level.

To our knowledge there are no “House Churches” within our Benefice.

26 | P a g e ST GORAN CHURCH

St Goran Church has ancient origins. With a reasonable degree of accuracy, we can record that the site was an early Celtic place of worship – Saxon origins in the 9th Century, followed by a Norman building in the 12th Century. 200 years later saw a complete rebuild in 1480. Building regulations did not exist in those days and the church spire fell down early in the 17th Century! On the base, a tower was rebuilt in 1604. A major upgrade and refurbishment took place in 1880. It is Grade 11* listed, and is located in Gorran Churchtown.

The main body of the church seats about 100 which can be extended into the West End rooms to accommodate a further 35 people. There is also a gallery upstairs from this room which can seat a further 40. The lady Chapel seats 24.

27 | P a g e The West end rooms and the Gallery are part of a major refurbishment to the fabric of the church that was completed in 2016. This work also included the provision of a further smaller meeting room, two toilets and a modern working kitchen. These excellent facilities are available for community use as well as church events.

We are a collection point to send supplies to St Petroc's in Truro supplying food and clothes etc for homeless people.

St Goran has an enthusiastic team of Bell Ringers. Alongside the two major projects described above, a significant 'Bell Project' has taken place. The elderly bells have been replaced by a ring of eight from a church at Chatham Dock, and last year these were joined by two more – making a ring of ten. This is proving very popular and bookings are being made from near and far. ST JUST CHURCH

St Just Church in Gorran Haven, sits just above the beach, has 13th Century origins and is Grade 2 listed. It has a seating capacity for 40 people. As a Chapel of Ease to St Goran a

28 | P a g e Benefice Communion is held there on the 3rd Sunday in the month and can be used for services at other times. Sunday evening services of reflection have been held there in the past during August and it is also used for baptisms, weddings and funerals.

Like all our church buildings it is opened during daylight hours so also has important value as a place of quiet and reflection for local people and especially tourists situated as it is right on the South West Coastal path and adjacent to the beach.

29 | P a g e ST MICHAEL, CAERHAYS

St Michael's Church is situated in the small village of Caerhays about 4 miles from Gorran. It is on the edge of the Caerhays Estate with its Castle and famous gardens, both of which are open to visitors in Spring and Summer. Dedicated in the 13th century, it is a Grade 1 listed building and a great deal of conservation work has been carried out over the years. The most recent project was the refurbishment of four stained glass windows, the last being completed in 2015. The windows are of historic interest as they were created and installed in the mid 19th century by the then incumbent, Rev'd William Willimott.

30 | P a g e The seating capacity is 100 and the worship tradition is the Book of Common Prayer. St Michael's has seen an increase in requests for weddings, partly because the renovated 'Vean' nearby in the grounds of the Castle has become very popular for receptions. It is very important that the current close relationship with the owners of is continued and fostered - their support for the church is invaluable. PARISH NURSE

In September 2017 the PCC agreed its vision to employ a Parish Nurse for the parishes of St Goran and St Michael, Caerhays and to raise £49,500 to fund a part time (15 hours per week) Parish Nurse for three years. The Parish Nurse would be supported by Parish Nursing Ministries UK. More details on: https://parishnursing.org.uk/what-is-parish- nursing/

Our vision is that the Parish Nurse will help people in our community achieve optimum health and wellbeing, work

31 | P a g e with our Pastoral Care Team and liaise with our local surgery, Health Visitors, the Community Matron and Voluntary Services and other agencies. The role includes supporting independence and improving quality of life by offering advice and care to individuals and groups, home visits, organising health education events, supporting spouses/partners and carers. Also providing spiritual support when requested.

The funds were successfully raised and in October 2018 our Parish Nurse, Sarah Male, started work. It is obviously early days, but we have high hopes that our Parish Nursing Service working with our Pastoral Care Team will be a real benefit to the community.

32 | P a g e STATISTICS

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Current Electoral Roll membership (July 2018) is St Goran with St Just 41 (11 on PCC) St Michael 12 (7 on PCC)

Finances: Up to 2016 the churches paid the Mission and Ministry Fund in full.

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you… Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid”

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