Discover Affirm Celebrate Parish Profile 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Aylsham and District Team Ministry Discover Affirm Celebrate Parish Profile 2020 Aylsham and District Team Ministry Discover Affirm Celebrate Seeking We wish to appoint a new Team Rector. The task is to build upon the success of this The job consists of having primary pastoral unusual pattern of a ‘dispersed minster model’. responsibility for Aylsham and Blickling and It follows that we need someone committed to leading the team, which includes coordinating the a collaborative style of working, enjoying giving work of the three Team Vicars, Curate and Ministry strong leadership as well as trusting in the gifts of Team across 17 unique and individual parishes. the lay and ordained leadership. 3 Aspiring Our vision is that the Aylsham and District Team vicars Team should be a place where people can By placing each of our team vicars in their ministry discover God in their midst; a place where all areas, smaller sub-groups within the team relate are welcomed and valued, their uniqueness to their own Team Vicar; someone who takes a affirmed and treasured as members of God’s lead on ministry in that area and works with the family. As a well-established team of parishes, we status of an incumbent. This means that people seek to celebrate the relationships between our continue to relate to their own village church members; our strength comes from our diversity rather than a large, faceless benefice. and our interdependence. Size matters Sustainable growth in rural ministry The scale of our team, and the size of the vibrant As the national church continues to face great church family in Aylsham means that, by working challenges in the countryside, the Aylsham together, we can benefit from the economies of and District Team is pioneering with a different scale. Our admin support is centrally focussed approach to rural ministry; one which seeks in Aylsham, with good office facilities, space sustainable growth in this rural part of Norfolk. for meetings and a well-specified printer. We also administer occasional offices through a Collegiate and collaborative single point of contact in Aylsham, including the The approach of the Aylsham team has been administration of fees. to affirm the uniqueness of each parish and each part of the team, rather than centralising everything under a single benefice identity. The clergy, licensed lay-readers and lay people work in a coordinated way, but quite independently; coming together when it makes sense to do so. 4 Praying …for the Holy Spirit to lead the right person The broad guidance from our congregation can be to us. The last period of time has seen great summarised. We are praying for a person who will: growth, particularly in Aylsham and there is a • Build upon the great work in the community, clear understanding in the congregation that particularly amongst children and young people we wish to build upon this. As part of compiling • champion and improve the good and inclusive this profile and to inform our prayers as a welcome we give worshipping community we have engaged • develop the spiritual life of the church, helping the majority of our churches and the wider disciples to be made community in asking such questions as ‘Why did • be enthusiastic, creative and a good you come to this church? Why did you stay? What communicator would you like to see in the future? What type of • be of broad churchmanship, keeping, developing person should lead us?’ You’ll see some quotes in and engaging with the blend of traditional and the profile that come out of this survey. contemporary worship across the team 5 Offering We offer you Collegiality - ministerial support and not isolation. Our model will offer the benefits of leading the Variety - from large civic occasions to intimate communities for which you have primary pastoral Holy Communion services; from choral evensong responsibility but with ministerial, spiritual and to worship band led services; from medieval practical support of colleagues. buildings to community centres; from rural communities to market towns; the Aylsham & Support - we offer team administrative District Team Ministry has an incredible variety of support, working from Aylsham Church which is worship styles, opportunities and communities. supported financially by the Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, one of our team patrons. The Opportunity - to continue the development of Mercers’ Charitable Foundation also support a a model of ministry for 21st century, embracing youth and children’s worker and have an interest Fresh Expressions but also affirming the across the whole team. There is a youth and traditional church. Working with both lay and education officer for Aylsham. Aylsham supports ordained colleagues and being instrumental a choir of some 30 people led by a Director of in the development of discipleship across the Music. The dispersed minster model gives all the Team. We offer work with schools, nursing and benefits of regular prayer and fellowship with residential homes, community organisations and colleagues whilst keeping clergy rooted in their key tourist attractions. local communities. Innovation - the encouragement and support Environment - all of this wrapped up in the from both lay and ordained colleagues to beautiful Norfolk countryside but only minutes experiment and innovate with worship away from an international airport, a major and ministry. To seek new creative ways of regional city and the North Norfolk coast. We are engagement, including the use of technology. having a new Rectory built just ten minutes walk from Aylsham Church. By now We hope it’s abundantly clear that you are not called to work alone! What follows is a chance to meet the clergy team and see some pen portraits of the parishes. 6 Aylsham and Blickling Revd Jack Branford Curate My name is Jack and I am the Assistant Curate in the Aylsham and District Team Ministry. I am married to the beautiful Amanda with two young children. I love sport, enjoying rugby, cricket, sailing and particularly football. I am a lifelong, passionate Norwich City fan. My other hobbies include reading, walking and going to the pub. Before moving to Aylsham, I trained at Westcott House in Cambridge and prior to that I was a Youth and Children’s Worker for a church in Hertfordshire. I have loved my time as part of this brilliant team. Aylsham is a great place to live – it has a special community spirit and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Moreover, the diverse nature of our parishes, vibrant church life, supportive clergy team, large number of occasional offices and creative approach to community centred ministry has provided an ideal environment to learn, explore, experiment and grow. It is a great post for anyone who feels called to invest in future vocations both lay and ordained. I look forward to meeting you soon. Strongly involved with the local community. Interact with all ages. Warm, welcoming and outgoing. Continue to build on all the great work that is established. Inclusive and forward thinking. Good communicator.” 7 Aylsham is your principal responsibility and where your liturgical and pastoral responsibilities are focussed. Aylsham is a small, traditional medieval market town, with a lively social, cultural and community life. Socially, there is a positive balance between those attracted to the town and its local population. Recently there has been significant suburban development, and more is planned. This has attracted new residents; principally young families and retirees. Christian ministry is shared between seven diverse denominations, amongst which the parish church is a significant player. Aylsham lies between Norwich, an important East Anglian cultural hub, providing transport links to the UK and further afield, and the vibrant, diverse north Norfolk coast: found here1 8 Aylsham Aylsham parish is the biggest parish in the There is an organ scholarship. Our recent team ministry, with 168 people on its current experience of welcoming new, younger families electoral roll. We have a settled Broad Church is fostering a more open vision of Church. A very identity that embraces public worship taken important objective of our Church is to ensure it principally from the Common Worship; with reflects its community and is relevant to all. We some use of the BCP and of contemporary forms wish to appoint a Rector who will build on and of family and all age worship. Seasonal services encourage bringing together local people of faith tend to be traditional in tone. This blend of and none, of all ages, and of wider social and public worship supports growing congregant cultural backgrounds, into a welcoming, warm diversity. Weekly Sunday worship consists of an church family. early morning communion service (CW order 1 traditional language) and a main service of alternating communion (CW order 1), family What others say: communion and all age worship (with band). There is also a weekday communion service and Aylsham is... a monthly choral evensong (BCP), in addition ‘…one of the best parish churches in Norfolk’ to seasonal services and observances through Simon Knott, www.norfolkchurches.co.uk Lent, Easter Week, Pentecost, Ascension, Advent and Christmastide. The main Sunday service ‘…a stunning Church. Fabulous warm welcome’ and other, selected services, including Baptisms, APC visitor book 2019 Marriages, and Funerals, are supported by a large, established, and mixed adult choir under ‘…a delightful church …such a haven of peace the direction of a Director of Music. A choir fund and tranquillity…’ defrays costs to the main church account. APC visitor book 2019 9 Our history Aylsham parish What others say: There has been Christian worship on this site since Saxon times. The current church building ‘…Had our christening …and the whole was started in the 11th Century and reached its church made us feel very welcome. Wonderful present configuration in the mid-15th Century.