St. Peter & St. Paul with St. Andrew

Flitwick Parish Profile 2014

Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 2 Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 3

Profile Contents

Preface 4 About Flitwick 5 Churches and Worship 8 Pastoral and Ecumenical 11 Finances 14 Future Priorities 15 The Vicarage 17 Mission Statistics 18

In God’s name, we seek to be a welcoming, loving, active, Christian community who aim through our life and worship together, to love, serve and care for everyone Page 4

Preface Nestled in the heart of Bedfordshire, the congregation with an age profile that Parish of Flitwick is seeking a committed, does not reflect the local demographic. dynamic and energetic minister to take the  With constant financial pressures of lead in reinvigorating the Church within the having to maintain a Grade I listed community. Building on our strengths, our building and the continued need to meet Church needs to tackle the challenges ahead the commitment for our ministry, our and establish itself amongst the people that it budget deficit will see the Church serves. struggling to make ends meet within two Our Strengths years.

 We have an open, friendly and inclusive  Being secluded and away from the town congregation that understands and centre, the Church does not have an accepts the challenges we face, and is obvious presence. Having said that, the willing to embrace change. Throughout Christmas Carol Services are attended the years, Church members have always by over 700 people, demonstrating that risen to address those challenges both its location is not an obstacle.

financially and ecumenically.  Whilst the level of commitment from

 The parish church is steeped in history many within the Church is and being on a secluded road on the commendable, the number of individuals outskirts of town makes it an idyllic that have the capability and capacity to setting for those seeking peace and help the Church develop is very limited. tranquillity, and quiet reflection with God. The Way Ahead The location combines the ancient church, maintained churchyards and Whilst as a Church we have a solid foundation modern Chapter House. on which to build, we need to embrace change whilst supporting our traditional  Whilst the Church may be viewed from values. We see the appointment of a new the outside as traditional, there are incumbent as a catalyst to enable that change worship patterns and activities to suit all and an opportunity for our Church to reflect age groups. and set its future direction. The Challenges We Face This Parish Profile document describes our

 Like many other commuter towns, the parish in more detail for those that are draw on people’s time is immense and interested in the ministry of our Church and as a result, fellowship and worship are may wish to apply for the vacant position of not seen as a priority. Over the years, incumbent. this has resulted in a dwindling Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 5

About Flitwick The Diocese of St. Albans Community The Diocese of St. Albans comprises the There is history of permanent settlement on counties of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, Flitwick Moor as early as 4000 BC, but the the Borough of Luton and part of the village gained importance when the Romans London Borough of Barnet. Within the three built a road through Flitwick linking Ermine Archdeaconries of Bedford, Hertford and Street with Watling Street (now the A5). St. Albans, there are 20 deaneries, more Flitwick is mentioned in the Doomsday Book than 400 churches and more than 330 as a “Hamlet on the River Flitt”. In parishes, of which about a third are rural. 1150 AD, the parish church of St. Peter & There are about a dozen urban priority area St. Paul, together with Flitwick Mill, were parishes, mainly in Luton, Bedford and gifted to Dunstable Priory by the Lord of Watford. The population of the diocese is Flitwick. The Priory held the church until 1.5 million and the parish electoral roll totals the dissolution of the monasteries. approximately 50,000. There are more In the 2011 census, the population of than 250 stipendiary clergy, approximately Flitwick was recorded as being 13,230 – an 100 non-stipendiary and more than 300 lay increase of 2% since 2001 as a result of readers. 350 new homes that were built in Flitwick The Deanery of Ampthill and Shefford during this period. Most households are owner occupied (76%), some are privately The Deanery of Ampthill and Shefford is one rented (13%) and a small amount are social of six contained within the Archdeaconry of housing (11%). There are also three Bedford and comprises over thirty parishes, residential homes for the elderly and some between Woburn Sands in the West and bungalow accommodation. The majority of Shefford in the East. people who live in Flitwick are aged 16 – 64 The Parish of Flitwick Flitwick, pronounced “Flit'ick,” is a small town in Central Bedfordshire situated halfway between Luton and Bedford and is five miles from Junction 12 of the M1 motorway. It shares many services with the neighbouring town of Ampthill to the North. Other villages nearby include Maulden, Greenfield, Steppingley, Westoning, and Millbrook. St. Peter & St. Paul, the main parish church, is in the South-West of the town, with St. Andrew’s, a smaller daughter church, just over a mile away in the North of the town. © 2014 Google — Map data © Google Page 6

for people in Flitwick and to Bedfordshire as a whole. As of February 2013, the St. Andrew’s unemployment rate in Flitwick was lower than in Central Bedfordshire and the rest of England, with an average of 165 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. Facilities Flitwick has a Town Council who own and operate from The Rufus Centre, which is situated on the outskirts of the town. The Town Council is administered by Central Bedfordshire Council. As well as being the St. Peter & St. Paul Town Council offices, it is also a busy conference and special events venue. The

© 2014 Google — Map data © 2014 Google Village Hall Committee is responsible for maintaining and running the Village Hall, (68%). Children aged 0 – 15 make up 19% which is located in the centre of the town. It and elderly people 13% (an increase by 3% is available to hire for private and from 2001). community events or meetings and there is a market held in its car park every Friday Today, Flitwick is seen as a commuter town selling local produce. and is split in two by the Bedford to Brighton mainline railway that runs through At present the town centre has a medium- the centre. Many people commute by train sized Tesco with a petrol station, a Barclays into Bedford, St. Albans or London bank, a library, a small Co-op, a few estate (St. Pancras). Trains to London run every agents and some smaller, independent fifteen minutes with a journey time of forty- businesses including a veterinary surgery, five minutes. Many also commute to Milton retail shops and cafés. Flitwick also has a Keynes, which is 18 miles to the West. number of dentists and a health centre. However, there are numerous places of Despite the expansion in population over work both in Flitwick and the surrounding recent years, retail facilities have not kept towns and villages. up with the growth in the population and the change of demographic. However, the A new addition to the area is the Woburn Town Council has drawn up plans to Forest Center Parcs, which opened in redevelop the town centre and improve its Spring 2014 and is situated to the North- retail offerings. There is an industrial estate West of the town, near Millbrook. Despite in the East of the town with a branch of being a locally controversial project as a Jewson Ltd. and a number of independent result of reduced public access to local retailers. woodland, it has provided numerous jobs Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 7

There are a large number of organisations The Church has good relations with the in the town including the Scouts, Guides, lower and middle schools and members of Brownies, Cubs, a youth club, a Golden Age the Church have often visited to appear in club for the elderly, the Women’s Institute, assemblies. Children are encouraged to the British Legion, Flitwick Vale Rotary join some of the activities held at the Club, the Flitwick Gardeners’ Association church, such as Messy Church through and the Conservative Club. assemblies and notices distributed at The Church tries to make itself as visible as school. possible in the town and uses the Village The Old School, situated near to the church, Hall for its Christmas Bazaar, which is well has been refurbished from its state of attended by members of the Church as well neglect and now serves as another as the residents of Flitwick in order to make community centre, as a youth club and a its presence known in the community. toddler group for the community. There is frequent advertising and promotion Leisure and Recreation of Church events and groups in the local “Flitwick Papers” magazine distributed There is a sports centre located just outside monthly. the town towards the North, which has a 25m swimming pool with a children’s pool Education attached. It also houses a gym, squash Central Bedfordshire education authority courts and tennis courts. The outside maintains the three-tier system. As such, football pitches adjacent to the sports centre Flitwick has three lower schools and one have recently been sold for residential middle school: development and replacement facilities are being developed on an area of land close to  Kingsmoor Lower the upper school where a new leisure centre  Templefield Lower is to be built.  Flitwick Lower School Flitwick has four adult football teams and a  Woodland Middle School number of youth teams. Flitwick also has a cricket club located on the road to The local upper school with a sixth form, Westoning , which has over sixty adult Redborne Upper (Ofsted: Outstanding), is to members. There is a large recreational area the North of the town on the boundary with behind Flitwick Library and a skateboard Ampthill and is attended by children from park has been developed on part of which Ampthill, Flitwick and the surrounding and is extremely popular with teenagers. areas. Children of Flitwick also attend Flitwick has four pubs: the Crown, the Harlington Upper (Ofsted: Good), which is Swan, the Bumble Bee and the Blackbirds, approximately 3 miles to the South of the and a mix of restaurants and takeaway town, as an alternative to Redborne Upper. establishments. There is also a social club situated on the High Street. Page 8

Churches and Worship There are currently ninety-seven names on repointing of all buildings and replacement the Electoral Roll between the two churches, stone work to the tower. with most residing in Flitwick. The current In 2013, two further major restoration works liturgical tradition is a surplice and stole. were commenced. Firstly, the bells were St. Peter & St. Paul retuned and rehung by the bell ringers and the Chapter House and link way were The church and connected buildings are extensively reroofed in order to resolve Grade I listed, with the original church issues with water ingress. building dating back to the Twelfth Century with the chancel and South aisle being Sung Holy Communion from Common added in the Fourteenth Century. The tower Worship is held at 10.30am at St. Peter & was built in 1380 and, approximately a St. Paul every Sunday apart from the first hundred years later, the porch was added. Sunday of the month where there is a thirty Records show little was changed until 1858 minute Sunday Celebration (Family Service) when the North aisle and vestry were built. followed by Said Holy Communion from In 1867, the nave and South aisle were re- Common Worship. The average number of roofed and in 1885, a new roof was put on Communicants is forty-three. There is also the chancel. a smaller mid-week service at St. Peter & St. Paul with said Holy Communion taking The tower has six bells, the oldest of which place in the Chapter House at 10am every dates back to 1608. In 1906, the original Wednesday. ground-floor ring was raised to its current height in order to increase seating capacity For the Sunday Celebration services, the under the tower. In 1982, the Chapter content is led by lay members of the Church House and link way were built. Also in the and a special welcome is extended to the same year, the churchyard was closed for burials. The current cemetery, which is managed by the Town Council, is opposite the church; a new cemetery is being planned and will be located on the outskirts of Flitwick. In the 1990s, a major programme of restoration works was commenced, which included re-roofing of the chancel, nave and tower, as well as major Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 9

families of the newly baptised, who are invited specifically to the first Sunday Celebration service after the baptism. The Music Group, made up of members of the congregation, leads the singing as well as providing musical accompaniment before and after the service. On all other Sundays, the music is led by a unison Choir, accompanied by the organ. The Choir meets each Friday evening during term time and leads the singing of the Weekly pew sheets are available at hymns and psalm at all services, including St. Andrew’s and St. Peter & St. Paul each during school holidays. They also sing an Sunday and include information about the appropriate Choir piece each week after the week’s events and future events. They also Communion hymn. The Choir is affiliated to include a short summary paragraph about the Royal School of Church Music and the day’s readings and Gospel. The Collect, members are encouraged to develop their Post-Communion prayer and Blessing are skills and gain ribbons and medals. printed also. St. Andrew’s St. Andrew’s is located in the North of Flitwick and replaced the original mission church that existed on the site. St. Andrew’s is a prefabricated building with a kitchenette and toilets. The building is used for Said Communion from Common Worship, which takes place every Sunday at 9am. For Festivals, hymns may be sung. The average number of Communicants is sixteen. Special Services Special Services usually take place at St. Peter & St. Paul and are incorporated Page 10

into the Sunday services. The Christingle and Harvest services are usually Sunday Celebration services as these are well attended by families. Mothering Sunday is observed and flowers are given to all ladies in church. Remembrance Sunday is marked by the reading of names from the memorial and a moment of silence to remember the fallen. Each year there is a Memorial Service held for all those who have died in the previous year and those for whom a special request has been made to week basis. Lay people also take Home be remembered. This usually takes place at Communion to various residential homes in 6pm near to All Soul’s Day. Flitwick and the surrounding area. Laity are also involved in baptism preparation and Occasional Offices some general visiting within the community. All Occasional Offices take place at There is currently no formal pastoral team in St. Peter & St. Paul. Baptisms usually take the parish, but this is an area where the place after a Sunday service at 12.30pm parish would like to grow. and a lay assistant helps the incumbent. Documentation Weddings and Blessings are usually held on Fridays or Saturdays and, occasionally, on The day to day running of the Church Sundays. Funerals are booked through the comprises approximately eighty different incumbent. Confirmation Services have roles, most of which are undertaken by been held in the church in the past and members of the Church. In order to ensure when there is a Confirmation Service taking that any member of the Church is able to place in the deanery, candidates do attend perform any of these roles, documented from Flitwick where possible. procedures are available in printed and electronic formats should the need arise. Laity In addition to this, historical documents and Lay people assist in Sunday Services at church guides are available via the church St. Andrew’s and St. Peter & St. Paul as website. readers, intercessors, servers and chalice assistants. There is a rota for these positions, which is distributed on an eight Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 11

Pastoral and Ecumenical Organisations of the congregation during the vacancy. The Church also advertises events and The Church hosts a number of groups that Services through Facebook and Twitter, offer a variety of both religious and secular which serve as a practical mechanism for activities to the people of Flitwick. Aimed members of the congregation and the wider principally at members of the Church, community to receive updated information groups include the Sunday School, Mothers’ regarding events in the parish. Union, the Music Group, Choir and Little Fishes (a mother and toddler group that Magazine meets during the week). A parish magazine is produced ten times a To the wider community, the Church year and includes many articles including a provides a Scrabble group, bell ringing and contribution from the incumbent, puzzles, monthly Messy Church sessions. life stories and recipes, as well as advertisements. This is available to all Website and Social Media Church members and is distributed around The Church receives the majority of its the community to individual subscribers. enquiries for Occasional Offices through the The magazine is also available in a number website, which is maintained by a member of public places, such as the library, dental surgeries and health centres. The current circulation is 350. Churches Together Within Flitwick and nearby Ampthill, there are generally good relationships with other Christian churches and ministers of the churches meet regular, roughly at six week intervals. The ecumenical local forum (Churches Together) meets twice yearly and United Services are held from time to time. However, due to various changes in ministers, links to other Christian churches need reviving as a result of some degree of apathy. Page 12

Historically, the congregation of St. Peter & There are currently no other ministerial St. Paul has welcomed members of the colleagues, but in the past there have been Roman Catholic and Methodist churches. curates, retired ministry and a retired reader. The parish is hoping that, if one is Leadership and Laity needed, it may apply for a curate. There Currently the PCC is made up of twelve members plus the incumbent and meets ten times a year. The members age from mid-twenties to mid-eighties. It has the responsibility of promoting the whole mission of the Church – pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has the responsibility for the maintenance of the church of St. Peter & St. Paul, the Chapter House and for St. Andrew’s. The PCC operates through a number of subcommittees which meet from time to time during the year. These include the Standing Committee and Social Committee. Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 13

are also authorised members of the laity who take Holy Communion to people in residential homes. Laity in the community play a vital role in the maintenance of the church, its buildings and the churchyards. There is a cleaning team that clean the church on a weekly basis. This involves dusting, polishing wood and brass work and vacuuming the carpet runners along the aisles. The Chapter House is also included in this regime as this facility is often let to Church and secular groups alike. The flowers in the church are co-ordinated by a sought from the congregation, should they team who regularly create arrangements wish to sponsor a particular arrangement, appropriate to what is in season and the and details of the arrangement are time of the liturgical year. Donations are published in the parish magazine. The churchyard has traditionally been maintained by the churchyard manager, who oversees the conservation of the wild meadows and co-ordinates the mowing rota, which comprises a team of approximately six individuals who attend to the churchyard grass over the summer months. The church bells that are rung for Sunday services, for weddings and other Occasional Offices on request, are maintained by the bell ringers who practise every Friday evening. Page 14

Finances Present Position In 2013, the PCC decided to reduce the amount donated to mission and charity projects During the course of 2013, the total amount of in proportion to the change in the Church’s money held by the Church fell by £37,239, with budget in order to help reduce the forecasted the greater part of the reduction occurring in deficit in the domestic budget. It is hoped that the Restricted Funds. This was due to the once this deficit has reduced, mission and repairs made to the Chapter House roof. The charitable giving will increase. It should be Church has tried to use up as many Restricted noted that Church members give generously to Funds as possible for these repairs, leaving other charitable causes through the Church, our Unrestricted Funds available for daily such as the Marie Curie Daffodil Appeal, the running costs. Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Historic Due to the repairs, the Church undertook a Churches Trust, Christian Aid, the Children’s large fundraising effort in 2013 and raised Society and the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal. £30,000 for the repairs alone. As well as this, Summary of the financial position as of 31st donations and weekly collections also added December 2013: towards our domestic funds and the Church received a good income from magazine advertising and subscriptions as well as rents 2013 2012 from the hire of the Chapter House and St. Andrew’s. Unrestricted Funds £56,455 £61,867 The Church is continuing to fundraise this year, Restricted Funds £8,150 £39,977 mainly to address the domestic budget, which is currently running at a deficit. Many of the Total £64,605 £101,844 Church’s outgoings are increasing year on year, notably as a result of the Parish Share, insurance and administration, while the The Parish Share for 2014 is £44,866. Church’s income is unfortunately reducing. Expenses of Office In order to reduce the ongoing deficit, the Expenses are currently reimbursed by the PCC Church is encouraging as many people as for travel (45p/mile), administration, worship possible to sign up to the Stewardship scheme supplies, internet and phone usage relating to or to give via Gift Aid envelopes. It is vital that the parish and any other sundry costs. These money given is stewarded in the best possible are paid at the end of each month after an way and those giving are reminded of the invoice is submitted to the Treasurer with importance that Gift Aid makes to their accompanying receipts/paperwork. donation. There are currently seventy-five The PCC is happy to pay for a secretary and people on the Stewardship scheme: thirty-one one has been engaged to assist the retiring give by monthly direct debit and forty-four use incumbent, currently working with him for six the envelope system. hours a week. Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 15

Future Priorities Strengths and Weaknesses Church, visiting local schools and other events, young families attend and enjoy The benefice of Flitwick possesses many Services at Flitwick. Indeed, the Christmas strengths. The church of St. Peter & St. Paul Carol Services are attended by over 700 with St. Andrew is the only Church of England people. The recent refurbishment of the bells church in the town and prides itself on being and Chapter House are seen as major both a welcoming and liberal church that is testaments of the dedication of the accepting and inclusive to all. The two congregation in supporting the continued churches of St. Andrew’s and St. Peter & development of the Church for the immediate St. Paul have viable congregations, the church community and wider area. support from which has meant that the parish has never defaulted on a payment of the The church buildings and churchyard are parish share. Church members support social historic, well kept and cared for with events at the church, such as the Summer conservation forming a central part to the their Fête and the Christmas Bazaar, and create a maintenance. network to other organisations in Flitwick that However, despite the numerous strengths to provide links to the Town Council and the be found in the benefice, there are areas that British Legion to name a few. Through Messy the parish wishes to improve. The main issue that is attributed to having given rise to the problems faced by Flitwick is that the demographic of the congregation does not match that of the community of Flitwick. This may be as a result of the increasing secularisation of society or a sign that the parish is not engaging with the local community in the correct manner. In addition to this, Church groups that aim to engage with the wider community, such as Messy Church and Sunday School, do not seem to result definitively in increased congregation numbers. Also, despite high attendance by the congregation, the two yearly social and fund-raising events of the Summer Fête and Christmas Bazaar are not supported tremendously well by the community. Within the scope of management of the Church, it is acknowledged that readily available manpower is lacking. Often jobs fall on a few committed members of the congregation who have acquired more and Page 16

more responsibility over the years. As a result, the PCC is becoming acutely aware of the need for increased professional assistance in the parish, perhaps in the form of a curate or non-stipendiary ministry. Most concerning of all is the continuing financial deficit that must be addressed quickly before the remaining capital is depleted. Mission Action Plan The parish’s goals for the next twelve months are to:

 Continue to contribute to a local food  To support and promote outreach into bank the local and wider community, particularly seeking contact with schools  Review worship patterns and content in Flitwick  Seek ways to increase our contacts  To assist in redressing the financial through Messy Church issues of the Church  Address the deficit in our domestic  To enrich and revitalise worship patterns, budget particularly during festivals  Meet the challenges and opportunities of To the new incumbent, the benefice is the forthcoming vacancy expecting to provide a great deal of support, The parish hopes that a new incumbent will be not least in ensuring a smooth transition able to address the following priorities that are during the beginning of new ministry. felt important for this exciting and new phase The congregation, although established in its of ministry: traditions, is willing to adapt and support the  To be an unconditional lover of people incumbent when the vision, aim and goal is with the necessary skills to value understood and appreciated. Consequently, everyone’s needs the new incumbent must be able to inspire  To build up the congregation both and communicate well, be energetic and an spiritually and numerically by teaching enabler of change, be a good listener and and evangelism through developing the empathetic to the needs of the congregation faith and community. Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 17

The Vicarage The four bedroomed family vicarage is located The first floor landing leading to: close to the Church on Dew Pond Road. The  Master bedroom with en suite shower original dew pond is still present at the top of room the road and serves as a small duck pond today. The property comprises:  One double bedroom  Two single bedrooms  Entrance hall   Study Family bathroom The property possesses a double garage, part  Cloakroom of which has been incorporated into a study,  Kitchen with utility room to garden and an established garden laid out to lawn  Dining Room with shrubs, vegetable patches and fruit trees.

 Lounge with French doors to patio At the rear of the property, there is a gate to one of the smaller roads out of Flitwick, over which is the Church and Flitwick Manor.

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Mission Statistics The following tables are a summary of the Communicants mission statistics for 2013 provided to the St. Peter diocese for the parish of Flitwick. Service St.. Andrew’s Total & St. Paul

Electoral Roll Easter 79 20 96

Resident Non-Resident Total

Christmas 81 20 101 82 15 97

Weekly 43 16 59 Attendance Average

St. Peter Service St.. Andrew’s Total & St. Paul Occasional Offices

Easter 83 20 103 Baptisms 45

Christmas 702 20 722 Thanksgiving for Gift of Child 2

Confirmations 1 1st Week in 124 15 139 October Marriages 18 2nd Week in 51 11 62 October Blessings 0

3rd Week in Marriage Thanksgivings 1 54 12 66 October Funerals 33 4th Week in 136 16 152 October Total 100

Flitwick Parochial Church Council Page 19 Flitwick Parochial Church Council

Flitwick Parish Church Church Road Flitwick MK45 1AE

Ciaran Diver (Churchwarden) 0798 345 7799 David Watson (Churchwarden) 0775 418 6863 Helen Sims (Treasurer) 0770 101 0196

Email: [email protected] | Website: www.flitwickchurch.org Facebook: Flitwick Parish Church | Twitter: @FlitwickChurch

Date: November 2014 Status: Issue 3.0