The Priory Church of

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Parish Profile for the Priory Church of Deeping St James

1. Contents

Section Page 2 Welcome to Deeping St James 3 3 Deeping St James 3 4 The Parish 4 5 Worship 6 6 Clergy and church support teams 7 7 Music 8 8 Children 9 9 The PCC 11 10 Other Church Groups 12 11 Finances 12 12 Communication 13 13 Church Partners 14 14 Consultation 15 15 Moving Forward 17 16 What we can offer you – and what we are looking for 17

Appendices

1 Parish Statistics 19 2 Local statistics 19 3 Bishops Mission Initiative 20 4 The Vicarage 21

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2. Welcome to Deeping St James

From the Curate, the Churchwardens and the PCC

Welcome to the Priory Church of Deeping St James.

Thank you for your interest in the position of Vicar of our parish, and for taking the time to look at our parish profile. With a number of schools and many housing developments in the parish there are plenty of opportunities to build and grow – with outreach being part of our vision for the future.

We would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.

3. Deeping St James

Location Deeping St James lies at the southern end of both the Diocese and the county of . It is situated on the northern bank of the , about 7 miles north of Peterborough and 9 miles east of Stamford. The parish is bounded on the west by the adjoining town and parish of and to the north and east lies open farmland. Deeping St James is (in terms of population) the largest of ‘’, a collective term used to describe the villages of Deeping St James, Market Deeping, , and . The area is very low lying and this gave the Deepings their Saxon name, translated as ‘deep places’ or ‘deep lands’. The Deepings have a total population of around 15,000, of which Deeping St James accounts for just over 7,000 (2011 census data) Under the District Council ‘Local Plan’, further development is expected in the area before 2036 and ‘Deepings First’ is the joint Deepings Neighbourhood Planning Group, covering the parishes of Market Deeping and Deeping St James. It is a community group, working with the support of Market Deeping Town Council and Deeping St James Parish Council, to take responsibility for the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan to help the local community influence the planning of the area in which they live and work during 2018 and 2019. The link for further information on The Deepings Neighbourhood Plan is: http://deepingsfirst.org.uk/

The Village The old village of Deeping St James is clustered around the Priory Church, with more recent residential developments and a mixture of estate housing to the north and east, which is still expanding. Most of the properties are owner occupied although there are also areas of good quality social housing. The village has no central shopping area but has several small parades of independent shops and food outlets scattered throughout the parish as well as numerous businesses and light industry. Information on local businesses can be found at www.deepings.co.uk. A larger supermarket can be found in the adjoining parish of Market Deeping.

Other Christian denominations are well represented in Deeping St James. In addition to the Priory Church, there is a Roman , a Methodist Church and two Baptist Churches.

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Schools There are two Primary schools in Deeping St James, Deeping St James Community Primary (one form entry) and Linchfield Community Primary (two form entry), both of which are Lincolnshire Local Authority maintained schools with associated playgroups, and both of which regularly use the church for festivals.

There is one Secondary school in Deeping St James, The Deepings School (1,500 students on roll) which is an Academy and part of the CfBT Schools Multi-Academy Trust and has a Sixth Form. Some children from Deeping St James undertake their secondary education at local Lincolnshire Grammar Schools (Bourne Grammar, Spalding Grammar, Spalding High) or at The King’s School, Peterborough (the Cathedral school) which many members of the congregation have attended as it is the closest Church secondary school (always heavily oversubscribed, with admissions criteria based on Church attendance).

In addition, there are two further Primary schools in the neighbouring parish of Market Deeping - of which William Hildyard is a Church of Primary School and Market Deeping Community Primary school is a Lincolnshire Local Authority maintained school with the local Children’s Centre on its site; both these schools also have playgroups.

There is one private pre-school nursery in Deeping St James – the Treetop Caterpillar Nursery – as well as one on the boundary of the parish – the Headstart Nursery.

Residential Home In 2015 a new residential care home opened in Deeping St James. Braeburn Lodge provides residential and nursing care, including care for people with dementia, and is registered to provide accommodation for up to 60 people. There are currently around 40 residents. Information about the latest inspection report for Braeburn Lodge can be found at https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-1865508530

4. The Parish

The Church The Priory Church of St James is a 12th century parish church set in a closed churchyard with an adjacent church hall and vicarage. Consecrated on St James’ day 1139 as a Benedictine Priory, the church of Deeping St James has been a place of worship for more than 850 years and is a Grade 1 listed building. Originally founded as a daughter cell of Thorney Abbey, the Priory Church has a rich history involving some figures of national importance. As was the case with numerous monastic houses, the Priory was dissolved in 1539, but the church continued to function as a parish church.

In the late 18th century, the resident curate of the time, the Revd John Mossop, founded the first Sunday School, which according to Diocesan records was the first in the county. At the end of the 19th century, the Revd William Henry Cooper helped to provide a new roof for the south aisle, stained glass windows, central heating and new oak pews. Isabella, Marchioness of Exeter became one of the first women in the country to become a churchwarden in 1900.

In recent times significant improvements to the building have taken place including the complete re- wiring of the building, new heating, a state of the art lighting system throughout the church and the installation of CCTV to improve security. In 2016 the lead roof of the south aisle was replaced and a roof alarm installed. Also on the south side of the building, the Corpus Christi chapel, designated for private prayer, has been refurbished with a new altar, chairs 4 and other fittings. In addition window grilles have been installed to protect the important 19th century Ward & Hughes stained glass windows. Some years ago an enclosed children’s corner was created in the south aisle, and recently the rarely used south aisle pews have been temporarily removed to create space within the church for toddler worship and social activities. A faculty to make this arrangement permanent is currently with the Lincoln DAC.

Church tours are regularly requested from historical and parish groups as well as schools. For further information on the history of the Priory Church see http://www.dsj.org.uk/history/

Parish Map Benefice of Deeping St James, Lincoln Diocese

Ordnance Survey licence number 100040148 ©Crown copyright and database

rights 2018 The Vicarage

The Vicarage is a 5 bedroomed Victorian house built in 1839, with a garage and a number of stone outbuildings. It is situated adjacent to the Church. Some time ago the house was deemed to be too costly to maintain into the future, and a modern house was bought for the use of the Vicar and family. However although the accommodation was good and met the criteria for clergy housing, the house was never visible to the community, parking in the cul de sac was difficult and it was around half a mile from the Church. Following discussions about the unsuitability of the location of this modern property, the diocese recently agreed to re-instate 16 Church Street as the Vicarage.

Plans were drawn up to modernise the old Vicarage and extensive work is now being carried out to ensure that the house is ready for occupation in spring 2019.

Further details of the vicarage can be found at Appendix 4.

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The Hall Between the Church and the Vicarage is the Church Hall, owned by a separate Trust and managed by a group of five Trustees, who include the Vicar and Churchwardens.

The Hall is used for both church and community activities and facilities include a hall complete with stage, toilets and a large kitchen and storerooms. There is also a large garden between the Hall and the Vicarage which, although owned by different bodies, is shared by both and is used for outdoor activities, including the annual Rose and Sweet Pea Show & Village Fete, the Church’s major community and fund raising event of the year. Members of the congregation currently look after the Church Hall part of the garden.

Over the past year the kitchen has been completely refurbished, but further major work is needed to treat dry rot and carry out roof repairs to the building. The estimate for this second phase of work is around £25,000. By August 2018 just over one third of that total had been raised, but due to the persistence of the Church Treasurer in making many funding applications we have recently had a major grant which should now allow the work to be completed

5. Worship

We believe our worship reflects something of the diversity of Christian tradition and our aspiration of reaching out to embrace both the unchurched and established Christians in the community.

We have a regular but varied pattern of Sunday services.

9.00 am 10.00 am 11.30 am 6.00 pm 1st Sunday Said Holy Communion First Sunday Praise Baptisms Choral Evensong 2nd Sung Eucharist & Sunday Children’s church 3rd Sunday Family Communion 4th Sunday Sung Eucharist 5th Sunday All Age Communion

The 9.00 am said Holy Communion on the first Sunday of the month uses Common Worship Order 1 in contemporary language. This is followed by ‘First Sunday Praise’, an informal service using both a music group, ‘Psalm 98’, and the church organ. This service has been developed as a bridge between churched and unchurched families. Baptisms normally take place at 11.30 am after First Sunday Praise, although the church is open to special requests for baptisms to take place at other times. In the evening, there is normally a BCP Choral evensong held at 6 pm.

On the second Sunday there is a dignified and formal Sung Eucharist with the laying on of hands and anointing for healing. Our Children’s Church meet in the Church Hall at the same time, joining the main 6 congregation at the offertory and presenting their work during the notices.

On the third Sunday there is just one service which is a Family Communion with an all-age address.

On the fourth Sunday there is a formal Sung Eucharist, as on the second Sunday, but without prayers for healing or Children’s

Church.

If there is a fifth Sunday, there is an all age Communion with a presentation and prayers by our youth group, ‘Friday Knights’.

We use Ancient and Modern Hymns and Songs for Refreshing Worship.

Coffee is served after the main service - and between services on the First Sunday to encourage fellowship between the different congregations.

Midweek services In addition to Sunday services, a midweek communion service is held on Thursdays at 9.30 am. Home Communions follow on the first Thursday of the month.

A parents’ / carers’ and toddlers service ‘Holy Chaos’ takes place on Wednesday mornings during term time and a monthly service of Holy Communion is now provided for residents and staff of Braeburn Lodge, the local residential home, on the first Tuesday afternoon of each month. The latter is led by a local retired priest who takes no other part in leading worship in the parish. . Festivals and other additional services Special Services include Harvest Festival, the Children’s Society Christingle Service, Carol Service, Crib Service & Midnight Mass, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Liturgies, and St James’ Day Patronal Festival, as well as other major festivals of the Church’s Year

6. Clergy and Church Support Teams

There is an active and experienced NSM priest who plays a full role in the life of the parish and has been with the parish through the last two interregna. She has lived in the community for many years and shares both worship and pastoral tasks. Although there are no authorised lay ministers in the parish, lay people undertake many supporting roles. Six lay people are licenced to administer the chalice (one of whom sings in the choir for all sung services); five lay people lead intercessions; ten people are rostered to read lessons and there are four teams of sidespeople.

Many lay people are also involved in church cleaning, brasses, the washing of linen, flower arranging and the serving of coffee after morning services. Rotas are well organised, but we would always welcome more people offering their services in any of these roles. 7

The team of twelve bell ringers is drawn from the Deepings and a number of villages further afield. There are 6 bells and ringers ring for most Sunday morning services as well as weddings and special services. Some of the ringers also support teams in other local towers.

7. Music

Choir We have a robed choir currently numbering around 20, of all ages, who give a strong, musical lead to congregational parts of the service, as well as providing seasonally appropriate anthems and motets performed to a high standard that enhance our worship. The choir sings at all Sunday morning services - apart from First Sunday Praise which is led by our music group ‘Psalm 98’ - and at a monthly choral evensong, where a full cathedral- style service is sung, again to a high standard. The choir takes its role seriously but is a lively group, which enjoys coming together to rehearse and provide a wide range of music. Its members are kept busy and challenged, and the choir thoroughly enjoys helping to enhance the church’s year through its offering.

PSALM 98 Psalm 98 was formed around 4 years ago, and is run by one of our choir members, a retired professional musician, in close collaboration with the Director of Music. Its usual line up is a keyboard, piano, bass guitar, oboe, recorder, cajon, saxophone, clarinet and violin. Psalm 98 is fortunate to have some well- trained and experienced instrumentalists, but there is also opportunity and scope to give younger and less experienced instrumentalists a chance.

Both the choir and Psalm 98 are existing resources with strong foundations within the church which are appreciated and valued by the congregation and give much scope for outreach and further growth.

Director of Music In 2017 the Priory took the decision to appoint a salaried, professional Director of Music with the hope is that the new appointee would bring energy and drive to all aspects of the church’s musical life, including increasing choir membership - with a focus on the recruitment and development of younger voices, working with schools to create opportunities for interaction with the Priory, developing the concert series (see below) with a particular eye to outreach and generally increasing awareness of the Priory as a venue for wide and varied music-making in the community.

Unfortunately the person appointed as Director of Music tendered his resignation for personal reasons after only six months in post. So although early signs are encouraging, and the church is committed to recruiting another Director, it may be some time before all these aspirations are fully realised.

Organ The organ at the Priory is a large, well-maintained three manual instrument of great versatility and breadth of expression and is capable not only of supporting congregational and choral singing, but also of giving a

8 good account of a huge liturgical and concert repertoire. It is a core part of our current worship and the congregation enjoys its support and varied liturgical and solo repertory.

Concerts This year has seen the expansion of our concert series from a mainly classical base to include events which we hope will attract a wider audience. We have enjoyed the Rutland Big Band and a well-known folk band, ‘Pennyless’, both of which drew large and appreciative audiences, with many people visiting the Priory for the first time. These concerts have also seen a healthy profit. Our last concert this year will be a screening of a silent movie, with an improvised accompaniment by Nigel Ogden, the world- famous organist. Ideas for 2019 include a Jazz festival weekend, incorporating a performance of a Jazz cantata with the involvement of local schoolchildren. We have thoroughly enjoyed the extra outreach that we have achieved this year and would very much like to develop this part of our ministry to the wider community, and to schools in particular.

8. Children

Holy Chaos Toddler Service This is a midweek service for pre-school babies and children with their parents/carers. Initiated by the previous incumbent it is now approaching its 3rd birthday and is run by volunteers from the congregation. The informal format is designed to be welcoming and accessible with songs, procession, bible story and linked craft activity followed by drinks and snack. Numbers vary from week to week, but we have a core of about 5 families who are regulars. We aim to familiarise the children with areas of the church and the Christian story and provide a safe space for all to feel welcome in the hope that they may become further involved in the life of the Church.

All Sorts In 2017 a new service, called 'All Sorts' was introduced from 9 am until 10 am on the 4th Sunday of the month in the Church Hall. It was introduced as a provision to families who, due to sports and other commitments on Sundays, could not attend the later 10 am service, and also to provide a more informal introduction to the Church for families and newcomers. It offered informal worship from 9 am to 9.30 am and was then followed by a simple breakfast. Take-up was primarily from families already established in the Church, although very little publicity had been undertaken to promote it further. A one- off outdoors pet service in 2017, which was more widely advertised, was well attended by newcomers.

During the interregnum, from July 2018, it was agreed by the PCC to temporarily stop the All Sorts service due to the low numbers, whilst remaining committed to exploring and reintroducing a provision of this nature in the future.

Children’s Church Children’s church is an area of the Priory Church which requires significant support and development. In recent years due to dwindling numbers and lack of leaders it only takes place once a month and is usually 9 attended by a core of 3 families. We welcome any child who would like to join us and encourage children to stay on their own whilst their parents attend the Sunday service. However, if a child is not yet ready to stay on their own, parents are more than welcome to remain with them.

Children’s church starts at 9.50 am in the Church hall. The session usually opens with a prayer, and a gathering activity. We share a Bible reading linked to the lectionary, and then activities are planned to help the children make connections between the Bible reading and their daily lives. We find it best to make sessions as practical and fun as possible and use craft, drama, cooking and games to explore different themes. We re-join the congregation just before Holy Communion and share our creations with the congregation just before the end of the service. Sharing what we have learnt is an integral part of Children’s Church and is particularly enjoyed by the children and well received by the congregation.

Friday Knights 'Friday Knights' is a youth group aimed at school Year 5 and above, currently with 7 members. We have a charity based philosophy and aim to serve the local community by raising money for worthy causes, such as the recent ‘Muddy Puddle’ event in aid of Save the Children.

We believe in outdoor activity as much as is possible and use the Church Hall and Garden as our base and regular meeting place every Friday from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm. Every fifth Sunday (five times a year) we have an integral part to play in the morning service and will often dramatise the gospel, perform a well-known song or modernise a hymn as part of the service.

Every third Friday we also join in with the Methodist Church Youth Group for a quiz or indoor leisure activities, such as volleyball or table tennis. We always discuss our faith where relevant and have the opportunity to debate and air any concerns that may arise throughout the week. All leaders of 'Friday Knights' are DBS checked and have been, or are presently, from the teaching profession and are members of our church congregation here at the Priory Church.

9. The PCC

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The PCC consists of 12 elected members in addition to the clergy, churchwardens and two deanery synod representatives. The Council normally meets around every six weeks, with the meetings preceded by Holy Communion.

Policies such as Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities are in place and are reviewed by the PCC each year. The Safeguarding Officer is a member of the PCC and ensures DBS checks are carried out as required.

The Council has a number of committees, of which all but the Standing committee also have members from outside the Council itself. Over the past few years some of the committees have been more active than others and there is the opportunity to review and revitalise some of these groups.

The Standing committee meets infrequently on an ad hoc basis, but is entrusted with matters requiring urgent decisions between meetings of the PCC, with any decisions reported to the next PCC meeting.

‘Mission Matters’ is a very active committee which organises charitable fund raising activities throughout the year together with some annual events, notably weekly Lent lunches and the parish Hog Roast on St James Day. It identifies and recommends to the PCC the agencies to which money should be given. It also develops our links with organisations supported by the parish and organises occasional speakers.

A Vision and Strategic Planning committee was formed to focus on the strategic growth and sustainability of the church within the parish, to form an overall picture of the direction in which the church should be going and to examine what steps need to be taken to get there. This committee has only been in place for around 2 years and no real overarching strategy is yet in place.

The Enabling Group was established to facilitate practical aspects of the parish’s collective worship and to ensure that all recommendations were implemented. Previously a ‘Worship’ committee undertook these tasks but also had a wider remit of discussing and recommending changes in service pattern and liturgy to the PCC.

The Social committee responds to the opportunities for fellowship and outreach identified by other groups within the Church, by organising and providing refreshments. It also identifies social opportunities in the life of the church and hosts events such as the annual pancake party and harvest lunch. This group is very active and the catering is excellent, but it relies heavily on a small, dedicated group of people.

The Pastoral committee was set up to develop and co-ordinate the practical pastoral requirements of the parish (baptism visiting and follow-up; sick visiting; funeral follow-up; newcomer/lapsed members follow- up etc). This committee has not met recently and there is an opportunity to encourage the development of this ministry amongst the laity.

The Fabric committee oversees the fabric of the Church and churchyard, makes recommendations to the PCC about the requirement for, and urgency of repair, maintenance and new work and ensures that the agreed work is carried out. Practical jobs get done and work identified by the quinquennial inspection is up to date, but a longer term programme of maintenance would be beneficial.

10. Other Church Groups 11

Wednesday House Group The House Group was formed following an Alpha Course 16 years ago. It has met weekly ever since, with numbers fluctuating between 7 and 10. The meeting starts at 7.30 pm with discussion on people’s needs and answers to prayer, followed by prayer and Bible study.

Priory Players Priory Players was founded in 1947 as a Church Drama Group and remains based at the Church Hall. The current volunteer cast of the Priory Youth Players division, established in 1996, comprises 60 children aged 4 to 18 and 20 adults, plus parent helpers. The group perform a pantomime every January at The Deepings School and also undertake Acting Workshops and perform at the Rose and Sweet Pea Show. The group contributes funds to Church Hall projects to improve facilities, so that the children have a good space in which to rehearse.

Priory Player's Constitution specifies that the Vicar and Churchwardens are invited to be President and Vice Presidents of the group, however it has been many years since they have had a church representative at their AGM and there is clearly an opportunity to forge closer links with the Church in future.

Church Ladies Fellowship The Church Ladies Fellowship meets twice a month (first and third Thursdays, mainly evenings) in the Priory Hall with a current membership of 35 ladies and regular meeting attendance of around 25. The meetings are open to the wider community and feature a well organised programme including guest speakers, demonstrations, an annual dinner and an outing.

Coffee Group The Church Coffee Group hosts four events each year to raise funds for good causes. These events – coffee mornings or afternoon tea – are held in the Church Hall and are generously supported by the local community. Last year the group raised over £1000 for organisations including the Air Ambulance and ‘Lives’ as well as giving donations to support Church music, the Church Hall repair fund and the Church Hall garden.

11. Finances

Parish Share

Requested Paid £ £ 2014 34,020 34,020 2015 34,530 34,530 2016 40,255 37,500 2017 45,980 40,255 2018 51,706

The current diocesan share formula is based on parish population, a socio-economic index and the number of churches in the benefice. For a short time, between 2011 and 2014, the parish had a half time vicar. The increases in the share amount requested in 2016, 2017 and 2018 reflect the staged change back from a half time to a full time post, to which the Diocese is fully committed.

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As can be seen, the parish did not meet the full amount requested in 2016. In 2017 the amount of share requested was reduced to £40255 on appeal, and was paid. The 2018 share request is now fully reflective of the ongoing share request for a full time incumbent in Deeping St James and we expect to pay the amount in full this year, although this will require the use of some of our reserves. The Treasurer has been very active in sourcing grants and donations, but we need further discussion about how to increase our income and will also need to develop a Reserves policy.

Stewardship Our latest stewardship campaign took place during 2017, the previous campaign having been held in 2014. As a result of the campaign, 3 people joined the planned giving scheme for the first time bringing the total number in the scheme to 66. The pledges from these new members together with increased pledges from existing members resulted in an increase of just over £4000, or 15% in our total annual giving, which now stands at around £30,600.

Mission Giving

‘Mission Matters’ collections and payments reflect the various charitable fund raising activities of that group. Special collections include items such as collections at funeral services for specific charities and the Remembrance service collection which is donated to the Poppy Appeal. There are also a number of small donations which the PCC has made out of General Funds.

Mission Special Total Matters collections Donations £ £ £ 2014 1,293 621 1,914 2015 869 1,069 1,938 2016 1,181 2,195 3,376 2017 1,681 2,882 4,563

Parish accounts for 2017 can be found on our website at www.dsj.org.uk

12. Communication

Magazine – Priory News is an excellent and sizeable monthly Church magazine, which is available both in print and online. The printed magazine is available in Church and is also delivered to subscribers in the community by volunteers. The Sign magazine is provided monthly as an insert to Priory News. The magazine is online at www.dsj.org.uk/magazine with an extensive archive available.

Websites – there are two websites, the main Church site www.dsj.org.uk and the recently established music site www.priorymusicdsj.co.uk

Weekly Notice sheet – a very useful and reliable resource, the sheet is printed and available in Church throughout the year. It contains details on services and events for the coming week, readings, anthems, prayers and general notices on all forthcoming church matters.

Church Noticeboards – are available at the front of the Church Hall carpark, inside the Church Hall, in the Church Porch and inside the Church itself. The noticeboards are well used, with posters being routinely displayed for all events. There is considerable support in the community for poster display.

Social Media & via third parties – more work is needed to develop an effective social media presence. There is currently a facebook account: www.facebook.com/DSJ-Priory-Church-938962326130409 although its use is currently minimal. The two local Primary schools are very supportive in sending ‘parentmail’ electronic communications to their parents. 13

13. Church Partners

Deanery of Elloe West Since 2009, when deanery boundaries were altered, the parish has been part of the deanery of Elloe West, one of 7 deaneries of the Archdeaconry of Boston in the south of the Diocese. The deanery comprises 19 parishes in 11 benefices stretching between Market Deeping in the south west and Quadring in the north- east, a distance of around 21 miles.

The deanery synod normally holds three evening meetings each year, plus an annual deanery service held on a Sunday afternoon. Meetings rotate across the deanery with the opportunity to share experiences with other parishes and to hear from outside speakers on a variety of topics.

The clergy chapter meets monthly - currently on a Tuesday morning.

OS LICENCE No. 100040148

The Deanery is currently reviewing how its parishes can work better together, and what ‘clusters’ would best serve the mission of the church across the area. Although committed to retaining the independence of each parish, a Deepings ‘cluster’ comprising Deeping St James, Market Deeping and Deeping St Nicholas has been identified, and it is expected that incumbents will explore new ways of working across the three parishes. In the first instance this will involve closer communication between ministry teams and the provision of ministerial cover, but it is hoped that over time this will develop into wider support and collaboration.

Churches Together in the Deepings The Deepings are blessed, within a 3 mile radius, with 2 Anglican churches, a Methodist Church, a Roman Catholic Church and an Open Door Baptist Church. These churches form Churches Together in the Deepings and representatives meet regularly to discuss areas of common interest and have set up joint initiatives for the benefit of the community. The Deepings Foodbank is one example of Christians working together and other joint activities aim to bring the Christian story to the wider community through an annual Walk of 14

Witness on Good Friday and a presence at the Deepings Christmas Market and Raft Race. Other initiatives have been the production of an audio CD of the Passion Play and having a 24/7 prayer room at Pentecost linked to “Thy Kingdom Come”. This has been valued by all who have been part of it and will become an annual event.

We hold joint services 3 times a year where the ministers share the preaching, and incumbents of the churches are encouraged to chair the committee in turn.

Deeping St James United Charities In previous times, people living in Deeping St James gave money, land and properties to be used for the charitable benefit of residents of the Parish of Deeping St James and . In the last century, these many small charities were amalgamated to form the present Deeping St James United Charities and Tyghes Educational Foundation. Their office is close to the Church, at The Institute, Church Street. This is a link to their website http://www.dsjunitedcharities.org.uk/ and their Charities Commission registration page: http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?Registe redCharityNumber=248848&SubsidiaryNumber=0

There are ten Trustees including the Vicar of the Priory Church as an ex-officio Trustee of both charities. Trustees attend bi-monthly evening meetings at which the business of both charities is conducted - grant applications are decided and management of the charities' assets takes place. The Vicar is therefore involved in decision making and practical giving matters/pastoral work, as they choose. The Charities have significant reserves and Deeping St James United Charities has in recent times given generously to the refurbishment of the Church Hall toilets and kitchen.

Bishop’s Mission Order A ‘Bishop’s Mission Order’ is in place across three of the local deaneries – Elloe West, Stamford and Beltisloe (the deanery centred round Bourne). This order gives permission for a Mission Enabler to work across boundaries in partnership with local parishes and incumbents to encourage ‘mutual flourishing through midweek, homebased discipleship’. The aim is to build mid-week communities who will reach out and grow disciples in their local networks and community. The Mission Enabler is also tasked with recruiting and training leaders of ‘missional communities’ and\or Fresh Expressions.

Although a group from the parish met the Mission Enabler in early 2018, no further contact has been organised to date. Further details about this initiative can be found at Appendix 3.

14. Consultation

In preparation for discussions about our vision for the future, the PCC consulted both regular members of the congregation and representatives of the wider community. Everyone was asked to consider what they particularly valued about the Priory church at the present time, and what they would like to see happening in five years’ time.

Comments from our congregation In relation to what is valued now, the themes of fellowship, music and the beauty of the building emerged strongly from the congregation.

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Fellowship, friendship, support and a warm welcome were mentioned by around two thirds of respondents, with comments such as:- ‘a sense of family with a common goal’; ‘Christian fellowship and community’; ‘friendship and support’; ‘lovely welcoming church’; ‘friendship, community and a lovely church spirit’.

Music was talked about by around half the respondents, with comments such as: – ‘fabulous music’; ‘the music - singing and organ, a joy!’; ‘diversity of musical styles’, ‘evensong’; ‘musical tradition – music of all kinds – adds to the services’; ‘wonderful choir and organist’.

The building was clearly important and hugely valued by many, with comments such as:- ‘a calm and beautiful church’; ‘the beauty and the peace’; ‘peace & tranquillity of a lovely building’; ‘a place to be with God in peace’; ‘The splendour of the building’; ‘the place where the door is always open for prayer’.

In relation to the future, the major themes were of stability, growth and outreach

One clear message was the need for some stability and continuity, with comments such as:- ‘growth, stability, leadership’; ‘ a vicar and family who will stay longer than a few years’; a long term committed incumbent'; ‘ a minister we can bond with and get to know’; a vicar in residence in the old Vicarage’; less ‘chop and change’ in services.

Many people mentioned growth and relationships with the wider community:- ‘a growing flourishing church to praise our Lord God for all he gives us’; ‘hope we can bring in more people – we seem to have been in a bubble for years’; ‘more people coming to church and spreading the workload’; ‘we must all spread the word so that more people can benefit’; ‘we need more engagement with youth and wider community in Deeping’:

Most comments on growth specifically related to how we increase the number of younger people:- we need ‘good well attended youth / children’s groups’; ‘more family occasions and activities for children’; weekly children’s church’; ‘an increase in the number of young attendees and communicants’.

Some people talked about the need for change:- ‘success in outreach’; ‘closer links with schools’; ‘a forward looking church that embraces change and innovation’; ‘move on from tradition’; In addition there were one or two comments on spiritual development:- ‘a commitment to daily prayer and worship’; ‘would like to see meditation, contemplation and quiet days as part of our spiritual growth’; ‘

Our youth group also considered the same questions, and their video ‘Friday Knights’ Voice’ can be viewed on the church website.

Community Feedback Heads of local schools, representatives of the parish council, Deeping United Charities, the foodbank, the local funeral directors and other local groups including Priory Players, met to discuss the same questions.

Some of the themes emerging from these conversations mirrored some of our internal feedback:- ‘A supportive church with many compassionate and caring people’; ‘many church people involved individually in community and charitable activities’; ‘a place of welcome for many groups’

However many comments were made about the lack of ‘visual presence’ of the Church in the community and the lack of awareness of what is going on, as well as the Church’s reticence for taking credit for what it is and does.

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In relation to the future, it was agreed that there was a need to create more and stronger networks and partnerships with schools, the parish council and other groups. Building personal connections and better communication of events and possibilities were seen as key to success and a number of positive suggestions about how this might happen were discussed. It was also suggested that a wider understanding of what the church is and stands for might inspire more people to engage or investigate.

The possibility of increased contact with older people through connections with the local funeral directors was raised. Concerns were also voiced about reaching out to people living in the estates north of the Spalding Road, away from the old village centre, particularly in view of the increase in house building there over the next few years.

At the event some initial contacts and suggestions were made, but a number of attendees also suggested that they would welcome the opportunity to come together in future - an unexpected but very welcome result.

15. Moving Forward

Growth and outreach The current congregation is a mixture of old and new – people from the old village as well as new residential areas, older residents and younger people. It is a sociable church with much potential and over the years a good fellowship has grown up, as can be seen from the responses to our recent survey. However, our congregational numbers have been gradually falling, particularly among young families, and although in the past months there has been a heartening rise in the number of newcomers and people returning to our church, we recognise that we need to do more in understanding and engaging with the needs and concerns of the wider community beyond the immediate fellowship of the church.

The decrease in numbers and the difficulty of taking the gospel out into the community is clearly not unique to Deeping St James, but is a significant challenge which must be addressed if we are to grow and thrive as a Christian community. We need help in developing a direction and strategy for the future and a leader to provide support, challenge and focus for our initiatives.

Spiritual Development In order for church members to be able to be confident and effective Christian witnesses we recognise that it is important that there is strong spiritual development within the church community. Over the past few years there has been a decrease in attendance at all weekday Festivals, fewer people are signing up for Lent and other such courses and there is a lack of confidence in people talking about their faith. A number of Alpha courses were run in the early 2000s, and more recently one or two other initiatives have been started but have not really taken root in the life of the parish.

Active involvement in teaching, the leadership of small groups or one-to one direction, as well as down to earth preaching will be crucial in developing and deepening discipleship and the growth of lay ministries.

16. What we can offer you - and what we are looking for

What we can offer you • a commitment to support our new vicar in prayer and practical action • an active NSM priest sharing worship and pastoral tasks • a dedicated choir, experienced organist and music group 17

• established groups of committed parishioners • a positive desire to grow • affection for this church from the community • a beautiful newly refurbished Victorian vicarage • commitment to time off for an annual retreat and full parish expenses • support from an active clergy chapter

We are seeking someone who will.... • Have spiritual depth, vision and the ability to help us develop a coherent strategy for the parish, building on our existing strengths • Be approachable, a good listener and committed to working collaboratively • Be able to network across the community and encourage more people of all ages to engage with the church • Be committed to growing the congregation • Lead worship in the parish of Deeping St James with a willingness to work with both traditional and more informal styles of worship • Be sympathetic to the parish’s musical strengths and have a willingness to encourage its development as a vehicle for the parish’s mission • Be an able leader with strong management, organisational and communication skills • Develop work with children and young families collaborating with other stakeholders in the area such as schools, Guides and Scouts and other youth groups • Encourage the widening of participation amongst existing groups, build up lay ministry and deepen discipleship • Develop new ways of working and collaboration across the Deepings Cluster • Not be afraid to talk about money and stewardship

September 2018

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Appendix 1 - Parish statistics

Population 7232 Latest estimate – Dec 2016 Electoral roll 99 At April 2018 Average Sunday attendance 9 am Communion 15 First Sunday Praise 50 Sung Eucharist 54 Family communion 49 Average weekday Eucharist 10 Christmas services 281 Total for 2017 Christmas Eve Crib service, Midnight Mass and Christmas morning family communion. Easter 99 Baptisms 15 Weddings 11 Funerals 14

Appendix 2 - Local statistics

(Source: UK National Statistics) Population growth Census 2001 Census 2011 Estimate 2016 Deeping St 6923 7051 7232 James

It is estimated that by 2036 there will be further housing growth of 1,571 new homes across the Deepings as a whole

Gender

Number Percentage Male 3420 47.3 Female 3812 52.7

Age distribution

Age range Number Percentage 0-9 808 11.1 10-19 841 11.6 20-29 614 8.5 30-39 812 11.2 40-49 1061 14.7 50-59 1080 14.9 60-69 1112 15.4 70-79 606 8.4 80+ 298 4.1

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Appendix 3 – Bishops Mission Initiative

The Vision: Making disciples across South Lincolnshire.

The Bishop’s Mission Order (dated 2015) gives permission for work in partnership with the inherited forms of church in South Lincolnshire. The aim is to build mid-week communities who have a heart to reach out and grow disciples in their local networks and community. St George’s Church Stamford will act as a resource church to encourage these new communities to grow locally, build good relationships with inherited forms of church, with the possibility of joining in monthly local worship at the welcome of the local parish.

Mission Initiative Area

The mission initiative area is based in the Stamford, Bourne and Deepings areas, and will include the deaneries of Stamford, Beltisloe and Elloe West in the and all of the benefices (and parishes) therein as from time to time named or organised, being, as at the date of this Order:-

Stamford All Saints with St John; Stamford Christ Church; St George with St Paul Stamford; Stamford St Mary and St Martin; The Uffington Group; Bourne; Castle Bytham with Creeton; The Colsterworth Group; Corby Glen; Edenham with Witham on the Hill and Swinstead; The North Beltisloe Group; The Ringstone in Aveland Group; The Witham Group; Cowbit; ; Deeping St James; The Glen Group; Gosberton, Gosberton Clough and Quadring; Market Deeping; The Ness Group; Spalding; Spalding St Paul; and Spalding St John the Baptist with Deeping St Nicholas.

Objectives of the Mission Initiative

1. To allow a mission enabler to recruit and train leaders of missional communities and\or Fresh Expressions and gather groups for the specific task of growing new disciples wherever the new communities are seeded in the surrounding area.

2. To work in partnership with local parishes and incumbents to encourage mutual flourishing through midweek, homebased discipleship.

3. To encourage the missional community\Fresh Expression to worship locally at least once a month at the invitation of the local parish.

Job Description

The Diocese of Lincoln has appointed The Revd Steve Simcox (BMO) to lead this mission initiative. Steve is a member of the staff team at St George’s Church Stamford. Steve will be responsible for good communication and relationships with the incumbents of the surrounding parishes where new Missional Communities or Fresh Expressions might emerge. He is line managed by the Rector of St George’s and for the purposes of the BMO, the Bishop of Lincoln will be the Visitor.

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Appendix 4 – The Vicarage

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