MALDON ST MARY’S WITH MUNDON Parish Profile

Order of contents

page

Welcome 3

Summary of the Church 4

The kind of priest we would like 4

Strengths, Challenges and Opportunities 4

Diocese, Deanery and wider area 5

The Town of Maldon and St. Mary’s Parish 6

Church Buildings 8

Life at St Mary’s 9

Music in the Parish 12

Financial situation 13

The Rectory 14

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THE PARISH OF MALDON ST MARY with MUNDON

Celebrating the inclusive love of God for all people

WELCOME

This is our Mission Statement:

“St Mary’s stands in the catholic tradition of the Church of England. Here we try to practise the generous Gospel of Jesus Christ. Together we are exploring a way of living which is inspired by joyful worship and takes seriously the interior life. We embrace the challenges of peace-making both globally and locally. Welcome to this inclusive community of health and healing.”

We are looking for a priest who can help us move forward in our Mission – are you that person?

St Mary’s was the first parish for our previous rector. At the age of 29, he took over a struggling congregation due to the prolonged illness and subsequent death of his predecessor who had been in post for 27 years.

In the first four years of his tenure, our young priest became a well known, well liked and hugely popular figure throughout the town. He worked hard for St Mary’s and with the congregation, restoring areas – such as tower bell ringing, children’s ministry and pastoral work - which had fallen by the wayside. He also appointed a Director of Music who has built up a first class choir. Much of that which the rector achieved is still in place today. For three years of his first four, our parish share was paid in full.

However, a crisis in the order of governance resulted in lengthy periods of him being away from the church through illness over the following four years. This had a knock on effect on the congregation which began to dwindle thus affecting morale and our financial situation.

We, as a congregation have had high and low points over the last eight years and now need a person to uplift us spiritually and pastorally.

If you think you might be that person, please read on.

The task on offer is not only to be Priest in Charge of St Mary’s and put us back on a firm strong footing, but also to work with others towards the possible formation of a team ministry in Maldon.

The post is for three years and is being termed by the Diocese as a Turnaround Minister and Acting Parish Priest of St. Mary’s.

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SUMMARY OF THE CHURCH

St Mary’s Church is now and has been throughout its history a beacon for the town’s community and visitors. Known as the Fishermen’s Church its tower guides many sailors and their craft into the Hythe. The door is always open from early morning to dusk and the visitors’ book bears witness to those who find peace and solace in the spiritual beauty of St Mary’s historic and welcoming space. The Parish Mass held each Sunday morning is well attended by members of the Church family and visitors, and through worship, the sacrament and music helps the people learn about the gospel and develop their knowledge and trust in Jesus. The church also benefits from an attached church hall, called the Octagon, which is well used for meetings, events and community use. It blends in well with the 11th century church (see photo on front page of profile).

THE KIND OF PRIEST WE WOULD LIKE

We are looking for a priest who will help us engage with the priorities we have identified. We would like

 Someone who will maintain the inclusive Catholic tradition of this church.  A thoughtful preacher with a good knowledge of theology and liturgy.  A good listener with sound pastoral skills.  A person willing to engage with the community.  A capable administrator and collaborative leader with energy and drive.

THE PARISH’S STRENGTHS, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Strengths:

 High standing in the town with good relations in the community and other churches in the area.  Small group of dedicated members, both ordained and lay, who undertake many tasks.  Excellent choir and music.  Tradition of holding church community meetings to obtain views of the congregation.  Good standard of preaching and teaching.

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Challenges:

 Finance – inability to pay the Parish Share in full.  Lack of activities for the under 16s.  Improvement and possible re-ordering of the interior of the church.

Opportunities:

 Develop children’s ministry.  Build up a large pool of volunteers.  Committed drive to pay 100% of Parish Share working with the PCC.  Move forward the Project Group for refurbishment and re-ordering of the church.  Develop the spirituality in parish life, including prayer groups and quiet days.

DIOCESE, DEANERY AND WIDER AREA

Maldon is in the Diocese of Chelmsford and the Maldon and Dengie Deanery.

The Diocese of Chelmsford covers the whole of the County of Essex and five East London boroughs. It is the second largest Diocese in the country and very diverse in character. There is a Diocesan Bishop and three area Bishops, Barking, Bradwell and Colchester. The city of Chelmsford is where the cathedral is located.

Maldon falls in the episcopal area of Bradwell. Each year in July the ecumenical Bradwell Pilgrimage takes place to which people from the parishes in the Diocese come to walk from the village of Bradwell-on-Sea to St Peter’s on the Wall. This is where St Cedd landed, bringing the gospel to Essex in the 7th century. The chapel which he built here in 654 is one of the oldest used churches in the country.

The Maldon and Dengie Deanery covers an area between the Rivers Blackwater and Crouch and the civil administrative area of Maldon District Council. It takes in the towns of Maldon and Burnham on Crouch, as well as many villages. The most easterly point is Bradwell-on-Sea, the most westerly is Maldon and the villages around the town.

The Area Dean, Rev’d. Sandra Manley writes :

“In common with most dioceses, the Diocese of Chelmsford is undergoing considerable reorganisation and rationalisation of ministry, both ordained and lay. This arises partly because of the predicted national shortage of clergy in the next decade.

Under the Re-imagining Ministry section of the Diocesan ‘Transforming Presence’ strategy, the Deanery of Maldon and Dengie will have two areas, provisionally

5 termed Mission and Ministry Units (MMUs). The Western MMU of the Deanery is expected to have up to four stipendiary priests, based mainly in the Maldon area but with at least one based in the rural parishes. Parishes in this MMU will have a variety of ministry including House-for-Duty, SSM, Readers, and Lay focal ministers, but it is planned that the smaller parishes will have an appropriate level of support from one of the stipendiary priests. These plans continue to be discussed and are of course subject to any future moves of clergy currently in post.”

Details of the Parish of St Mary’s with Mundon follow, however it may be useful for those who do not know the area, that Maldon is 40miles east of London. The Olympic Stadium in the London Borough of Newham is in the Diocese, as is Colchester, the first recorded Roman town in England. Colchester is a short distance north of Maldon together with many pretty villages and Constable Country on the Suffolk border.

The county is served by two airports, Stansted and Southend, while the Dartford Crossing, only 40 minutes away by car (depending on traffic) gives access to Gatwick, Dover and the south coast of England.

THE TOWN OF MALDON AND ST. MARY’S PARISH

Maldon, an ancient and historic town lying at the head of the Blackwater Estuary, is a small market town with a great sense of community. St. Mary’s parish covers the southern and eastern part of the town.

A backdrop to part of St Mary’s Churchyard is the glorious sight of many Thames Sailing Barges berthed permanently at Hythe Quay and sailing in the area. Across the other side of the churchyard is Promenade Park, often described at Maldon’s Jewel in the Crown.

Throughout the year this idyllic setting attracts visitors, both old and young, who are keen to learn of the historic maritime history of the town as well as to visit the many fine examples of buildings depicting the town’s ancient heritage.

Promenade Park offers many attractions including a splash park, ornamental lake, sailing boat lake, children’s play area with Viking galleon, along with many small food kiosks. There are football and cricket pitches, tennis courts, an outdoor theatre space, craft fairs, space for fun runs and Bank Holiday markets. There is also a small local museum by the entrance gates.

At the end of the promenade a magnificent statue of defeated Byrhtnoth stands looking out to sea where he lost his life in an attempt to stop a Viking invasion in the Battle of Maldon in AD 991. A stained glass window in the south wall of the church commemorates this famous battle.

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Although there is no longer a railway line, commuters have a park and ride facility at Sandon on the outskirts of Chelmsford for buses to Chelmsford Station for its 35 minute journey to London Liverpool Street, while others choose to drive or bus to nearby Witham or Hatfield Peverel Stations. There are regular local bus services to Chelmsford, Witham, Colchester and Burnham-on-Crouch.

The attractive High Street, has an array of independent shops, restaurants, pubs and cafes, banks and building societies, while there are two large supermarkets on the outskirts of the town. In the town there are two medical practices, and leisure activities include a swimming pool, sports centre, gyms and several yacht clubs.

There are four primary schools and one private school in Maldon. Secondary education is provided by The Plume School with its sixth form college, although some youngsters choose to go to schools outside the town at nearby Sandon or Tiptree. Maldon is in part of Essex where grammar school places are still available in neighbouring Colchester and Chelmsford.

There is some light industry in the town but many people commute to jobs outside the area.

The community spirit in the town is seen in the high turnout to the annual events such as the Maldon Mud Race, carnival parade, the switching on of the town’s Christmas lights, Regatta Day, Cabbie’s Day, Bonfire and Fireworks event, concerts and amateur theatricals.

The parish of St Mary with Mundon includes the small village of Mundon some two miles away with its redundant church now in the care of The Friends of Friendless Churches. The parishes have been merged since the early 1970s. A highlight of the church year is a service of Choral Evensong at Mundon church in September.

St Mary’s serves a population of 5876 (2011 statistic). Twenty per cent of the population Mundon Church of the parish are retired and they make up the majority of the congregation although it is hoped new housing proposed in the town may alter this. There is a significant area of social housing in the parish and some deprivation.

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For more information of the area contact the following websites:

Maldon District Council on www.maldon.gov.uk

Maldon Town Council on www.maldontowncouncil.gov.uk

Maldon Tourist Information Centre www.visitmaldon.co.uk

CHURCH BUILDINGS

St Mary’s Church is an 11th century Grade 1 listed building with a closed churchyard. The fishermen’s church stands above The Hythe overlooking the River Blackwater acting as a beacon to incoming shipping. With its flint-rubble walls and impressive tower, it remains an interesting and attractive landmark in Maldon. Its iconic image has attracted artists and photographers, both amateur and professional, for years to capture its magic. The Nave, looking east St Mary’s has evolved over time and the church is open during daylight hours every day, not only for public worship, but so that our many visitors can value it as a place of prayer and contemplation – a sanctuary and haven. There have been many changes and additions over the years and in 1992, the Octagon was added via a glazed walkway known as The Link. This extension provides a The Lady Chapel meeting room, toilets, kitchen, office and choir room. The facility is heavily used by church events – PCC meetings, committee meetings, many social events, choir practice, receptions plus church group meetings to name a few - and is also used by diverse outside groups on a donation basis.

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The church seats about 180 but more can be accommodated on chairs at the back of the church. The heating is under pew electric.

Currently we have a re-ordering project team working towards further renovations and alterations. The first phase of this has been the removal of two defunct or inadequate organs and replacing them with a small positive pipe organ as a temporary measure. The eventual aim is to install a “grand” pipe organ when funds are available. In the next phase, it is hoped to remove the Victorian pews and replace them with movable seating, to install underfloor heating, renew the lighting, and make changes to the sacristy and tower. A third stage will look at the possibility of an extension to forward the church’s vision for making St Mary’s a Centre for Healing. St Mary’s does not have any car parking facility and there are yellow lines and resident permit parking restrictions at the The Link between church and front of the church. Cars can be parked on Octagon nearby Hythe Quay on Sundays free of charge during winter months only and there is also no charge on Sundays for town centre car parks, which are within walking distance.

LIFE AT ST MARY’S

Worship. Worship is conducted at present by a clergy team consisting of a locally deployed self-supporting titled curate, an honorary assistant priest and a retired priest. The titled curate was ordained in 2013, having been the parish reader for 18 years. The main service on Sunday is the 10am Parish Mass. The average attendance is 63 adults and 8 children. This is a Common Worship service celebrated with catholic ceremonial including vestments, bells, incense and a team of servers. There is a large choir led by a salaried Director of Music. On the first Sunday of the month the service is accompanied by the junior choir and has a more informal feel to it. On all Sundays the first two readings and the intercessions are led by the laity. There is a team of authorised Eucharistic Ministers who assist in the distribution of the sacrament. Liturgical colours follow the English catholic custom with unbleached Lenten array and blue for Advent.

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The other Sunday service is Evening Prayer at 6pm. This always follows the Book of Common Prayer. On the first two Sundays of the month the service is held jointly with our neighbouring parish, All Saints’. On the first Sunday of the month this is a full Choral Evensong held at St Mary’s. Attendance for this is usually about 30. On the second Sunday we join All Saints’ for a Sung Evensong. On the other Sundays the service is said. This service usually concludes with an address but on the fourth Sunday there is prayer based on the Rosary. Attendance is low at the said services, often about 6.

At present there is only one regular weekday Mass, held on Tuesday morning. Attendance varies from between 5 and 10. Weekday masses on major saints’ days are co-ordinated with All Saints’ parish. A celebration will take place in one of the churches. Daily services are held in Holy Week including Stations of the Cross, Mass of the Last Supper, the Watch, Liturgy of Good Friday and the Easter Liturgy on Holy Saturday Evening.

Christmas services are generally well attended. In 2015 there were 81at Midnight Mass and 154 at the Christmas Eve crib service.

During 2015 there were 8 baptisms, 5 weddings,16 funerals in the church, 16 funerals at the crematorium and 3 burials of ashes in the churchyard.

The Electoral Roll as at March 2015 numbered 83, of which 35 were resident in the parish and 48 non-resident.

Choral music is an integral part of the music at St Mary’s. Various mass settings are used and anthems and motets are included in the liturgy. In recent years the choir has gained a good reputation and has sung in various cathedrals including Chelmsford, Truro, Norwich and St David’s as well as St George’s Chapel Windsor and Westminster Abbey.

Education. There is a group of children known as Little Lanterns that meets during Mass. Children and young people are involved in the life of the church through choir membership and the serving team. Three boys of primary school age have recently been prepared for admission to Holy Communion. A group of teenagers has been meeting regularly over Sunday lunch for discussion. This is called The Big Meal, and some of these teenagers are preparing for Confirmation. In 2015 an adult confirmation group was run jointly with All Saints’ Church.

Study groups are held weekly in Lent and Advent and a monthly group is held in other seasons of the year. This is known as the Emmaus Group. About 20 church members attend this group. St Mary’s is a centre for the Course in Christian Studies, the diocesan lay training course and several church members have taken this course. The curate of St Mary’s is the Senior Tutor of the centre.

Social activities and church organisations. The Social and Fund Raising group organises a variety of activities throughout the year. These include a summer fete, a

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Christmas bazaar, bring and share lunches, concerts and quizzes. There is a hand bell group as well as a team of bell ringers. A flower arranging group provides flowers for the church and there is an annual Flower Festival in August which attracts visitors from near and far. There is a branch of the Mothers’ Union which meets monthly and has about 20 members. There is also a branch of St John’s Guild. Members of the guild meet monthly for lunch on a Sunday before their meeting. Parish outings and pilgrimages also feature in the life of St Mary’s. A group of about a dozen members from the parish attend the National Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham every year. The Edwardtide Pilgrimage to Westminster Abbey is also attended, as Westminster Abbey is Patron of St Mary’s.

Links with other churches. St Mary’s has developed close links with All Saints’, our neighbouring parish in recent years, as described in the previous section. St Mary’s also plays a full part in Churches Together in the town. We support the Good Friday procession, the annual Carol Service and other ecumenical services. We are involved with two of the projects run by Churches Together, the Food Bank and Open the Book. There is a food box in the church which is well supported by the congregation. Open the Book is a project run in association with the Bible Society. It involves a dramatic reading of the Bible to junior school children. Members of St Mary’s take part in this.

Pastoral care. St Mary’s has a pastoral care team of 8 people. This group meets regularly to identify needs among the congregation. Members of the team visit those who are housebound, sick or have other needs. There is a small group of people who receive communion at home. At the moment the sacrament is taken by the assistant curate, but we are exploring lay distribution of communion.

Community links. There are two schools in the parish, the Mill Road Campus of the Plume School, a large comprehensive school and Maldon Primary School. We have good links with Maldon Primary School. The curate regularly leads assemblies there and at the end of each term a service is held in the church. The Open the Book project is being extended into this school.

Harbour Meeting Point meets in the Octagon on Monday mornings. This is for people with mental health issues and learning difficulties. This initiative was started by the previous rector but is now run independently. Clergy and lay people from St Mary’s attend this group regularly.

Charities supported by the church include Christian Aid and Mission to Seafarers. A fun run for Christian Aid took place in May and was organised by the St Mary’s representative. Sea Sunday is celebrated with a service on the quay following Mass. Members of the local community join us for this. Donations are made in terms of cash and knitwear to Mission to Seafarers through our parish representatives. The previous rector established links with the Anglican Church in Rwanda and we are hoping to continue this link.

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Outreach. St Mary’s aims to be an inclusive church with no barriers to membership. The aim is to create a welcoming community which will attract others to belong and experience the love of Our Lord. An important part of this is ensuring that the church is open in daylight hours for prayer or just peace and quiet. The Sunday morning liturgy is stimulating with good music and careful preaching. The sidespeople have a valuable role in ensuring that visitors and newcomers are made welcome. Refreshments in the Octagon after Mass play an important role in building up community and welcome. The fortnightly Wednesday Welcome group is a drop-in group that anyone can join. This provides another potential entry into church life.

The choir plays an important part in our mission. Not only does it attract people to worship but it teaches and nurtures many of the children in the church, many of whom go on to receive communion or go on to confirmation. Events run by the choir also attract people to our community.

St Mary’s is part of a national pilot called The Christenings Project. This provides attractive materials for those being baptised in church. As part of this project, the baptism policy has been rewritten, the main effect being that baptisms now take place at Mass. This gives an opportunity for the baptism parties to experience St Mary’s at first hand and for the congregation to meet them. We have an open baptism policy. St Mary’s runs a Wedding Preparation day jointly with All Saints’ Church. Materials from the The Weddings Project are used in this.

For the first time in 2014 the Mission and Ministry group drew up a Mission Action Plan which is reviewed at meetings of the Parochial Church Council. A new Plan is in place for the current year.

MUSIC IN THE PARISH

St Mary's has a thriving choir of some 35 members who sing a fully choral Mass Sunday by Sunday and at major festivals throughout the year. On the first Sunday of the month, it sings full Choral Evensong. The choir includes and has included a large number of young people, many of whom have been brought to the faith through the experience of singing with it. In addition, many of them have gone on to study music and to sing at university.

The choir gives three major concerts per year, featuring mainstream oratorio repertoire, such as Messiah, Come ye Sons of Art, Nelson Mass etc. In addition, they give occasional informal concerts known as The Choir Entertains, which raise money for choir funds. They are also involved in general fund-raising putting on, for instance, an Edwardian Music Hall evening with the social committee, which raised £900 for church funds.

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The choir sings Bach's St John Passion annually on Good Friday. This is presented liturgically, with a sermon and intercessions between parts one and two. The performance is accompanied by professional baroque orchestra, Pegasus Baroque. For the past three years, the Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt. Rev'd Stephen Cottrell has been the preacher and has expressed a desire to continue in this role in the future. The attendance at this service has been over 200 people.

Each November, a full Requiem Mass is sung during Remembrance-tide, often accompanied by orchestra. Settings have included those by Fauré, Duruflé, Victoria and Howells.

The choir undertakes a tour each summer. Destinations have included Italy (four visits), Germany and the USA. They have sung the services for a week at Truro and St David's cathedrals. They have also sung Evensong at Westminster Abbey and St George's, Windsor. They receive frequent invitations to sing around the diocese and are regular deputies for the cathedral choir.

The music ministry is supported by St Mary's Music Guild. This has a turnover of, in the region of £6,000 annually. The majority of this money comes through donations from the choir itself and from fund-raising activities. The funds pay for the organ scholar (now assistant organist), occasional orchestral musicians and singers and buy all the choir's music. We currently receive two separate grants from the Belinda Starling Memorial Fund, one of which goes towards our organ scholar's stipend and the other of which is paying for singing lessons for a potential choral scholar in the choir. The Music Guild pays for exam and course fees for these youngsters. The choir is totally self-supporting financially, and has separate accounts from those of the PCC.

Music education is a major part of the music ministry. We provide singing lessons and are proud that all of our young choristers are successful entrants to the RSCM Dean’s Award Scheme. In addition, we identify and support possible young organ scholars. So far, we have supported four; one of whom went on to study organ at Birmingham Conservatoire and is now Director of Music at St Martin of Tours, Epsom. Our current assistant organist has already received expressions of interest from several Oxford colleges in his potential as a university organ scholar.

FINANCIAL SITUATION

In 2015 the parish was able to pay its full Parish Share of £38,546. The Parish Share was paid in full until 2012, but in 2013 and 2014 less than 50% was paid. This was partly due to Gift Aid not being claimed and, although the congregation was made aware of the financial position, action to rectify the situation was not carried through.

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These problems have been addressed. Gift Aid was reclaimed for 2012, 2013 and 2014 netting the Parish £17,810, which went to the Diocese towards the 2015 share. A lot more needs to be done but a start is being made.

We may not be able to pay 100% share this year, but we have laid the groundwork for a stewardship campaign, which we hope a new priest will encourage.

On the plus side the church was left a considerable sum in a legacy. The proviso was that this money be used for the fabric of the church, thus our fabric fund, which is a restricted fund, is in a healthy state. Some money has already been used for work done on the bell tower. A new positive pipe organ was purchased, as a temporary stage in the plan to install a ‘grand’ pipe organ, for which funds will be raised. The fabric fund remains in a very satisfactory state to pay for future expenditure.

THE RECTORY

The four bedroom detached Rectory, built in the mid-1970s, is spacious and light, and is just a five minute walk from the church.

It stands in Park Drive across the road from Promenade Park and has magnificent views across the Blackwater Estuary from its upstairs rooms,

The study is at the front of the house alongside an entrance hall and cloakroom

Through the inner door in the hall there is another hallway with door access to integral garage, lounge, The Rectory dining room, kitchen and utility room with door to the garden.

The large garden is laid mainly to lawn with shrubs and trees and French windows in the lounge open up to a patio area.

Gas central heating is complemented by a gas fire in the fireplace in the lounge.

It is double glazed throughout.

The small front garden has some lawn and flower bed but is laid to tarmac and pebbles providing parking for at least three cars.

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