BRAILES AND SUTTON UNDER BRAILES; TYSOE, OXHILL AND WHATCOTE
St. George’s Church, Brailes St. Thomas à Becket’s Church, Sutton under Brailes Parish Profile
St. Mary’s Church, Tysoe
St. Lawrence’s Church, Oxhill St. Peter’s Church, Whatcote 1 | P a g e
CONTENTS Page 3 Bishop’s Introduction Page 4 Deanery Summary Page 5 Background to Post & Role Description Page 6 Person Specification Page 7 St. George’s, Brailes Page 11 St. Thomas à Becket’s, Sutton under Brailes Page 14 St. Mary’s, Tysoe Page 17 St. Lawrence’s, Oxhill Page 20 St. Peter’s Whatcote Page 23 Vicarage Information Page 24 Current Pattern of Church Services Page 25 Finance and Stewardship
Cover photographs from shipstondeanery.co.uk
2 | P a g e
BISHOP’S INTRODUCTION
These beautiful parishes, set in the centre of England, with their cherished rural environment, their strong commitment to the well being of their villages and their support for the life of the Church, provide a very attractive place in which to live and minister.
George Heighton was licensed as their new incumbent in July: he was charged with the task of following a dedicated parish priest who nurtured these communities over long years of loving service, and gave himself very fully to the lives of their parishioners, especially in Brailes and Sutton under Brailes.
George’s challenge – a deeply exciting one – is to build upon this firm basis, grow the spiritual life of the people, release more of the gifts of the people of God, reach out to those distanced in any way from the Church and lead the different church communities into a more integrated, common mission.
This appointment of a new Associate (House for Duty) Minister, replacing another faithful priest, along with the involvement of able retired clergy living in the Benefices, means that there is now a wonderful chance to build a clergy team across the group and, together, to develop an active lay ministry.
When I came to the Diocese in 2008, I was charged by the then Archbishop of Canterbury to ‘release the missionary energies of the Diocese of Coventry’. That is what we have been doing over the last years, helped by our clear Mission Purpose and supported by our strategic emphasis on growing healthy church communities. That is the work to be done in these Benefices and I gladly commend it to you.
With my prayers
3 | P a g e
DEANERY SUMMARY
This group of churches is part of the Deanery of Shipston, the southernmost tip of the Diocese of Coventry. Shipston Deanery includes this group and four Benefices containing 26 parishes, with 28 churches: apart from the market town of Shipston (sadly without an actual market nowadays), each is a small rural community with its own identity – just like those in this group. The Deanery is geographically quite spread out, but with a total population of just 15,500 or so – smaller than many single urban parishes. It is an area with far more sheep than people, where the farming year is critically important, and which comes with all the privileges, responsibilities and challenges of rural life.
When I look at Brailes, Sutton-under-Brailes, Tysoe, Oxhill and Whatcote, I see five welcoming church communities, each trying to be faithful both to God and their churches. I see individuals trying to serve God, each other and the communities in which they are rooted; and each open to learning more about Jesus and their journey of discipleship with him.
I see five village communities, in each of which there is a strong place for the church at its heart, and characterised by deep relationships which interweave church and village life. I see five churches each concerned to rise to the challenge of making God’s love known and real, and of seeing lives transformed, in a rapidly changing world. I also see five churches becoming increasing open to and aware of their lives together as part of the body of Christ. In terms of attendance, several of these parishes tend to punch well above their weight: Sutton, the smallest often has a quarter or more of the village population in church on a normal Sunday.
Our aim as a Deanery is to celebrate our lives together as the family of God; to learn together, and to speak together of what we have seen and heard. As a Diocese we have spent much time in consultation with those involved in multi-parish benefices in our rural communities, and are actively committed to supporting them. Our small numbers here mean that Shipston Deanery has a vital role in resourcing, supporting and enabling those in the small churches who find some tasks beyond their capabilities. Deanery Synod and Lent and Ascension Services have long formed the backbone of this: increasingly we are running teaching courses, music workshops and social events to enable us to be more fully the body of Christ.
Rev Canon Dr. Jill Tucker Area Dean of Shipston
4 | P a g e
BACKGROUND TO POST
The Benefices of Brailes, Sutton under Brailes and the Benefice of Tysoe, Oxhill and Whatcote (TOW) are situated in lovely rural southern Warwickshire approximately 10 miles from Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire and a similar distance from Banbury in Oxfordshire.
Revd George Heighton was licensed as the incumbent on 27th June 2017. The benefices are blessed by the presence of the Area Dean, the Reverend Canon Jill Tucker, who lives in Oxhill, and two retired priests, the Reverend Canon Tom Moffatt, who lives in Tysoe, and the Reverend Canon George Warner, who lives in Brailes, also Mrs. Jennie Rake, Reader, who lives in Tysoe, all of whom have continued to be part of the ministry team.
The five Parishes had previously operated as separate worshipping communities and during the vacancy a great deal has been achieved by merging the organisation leadership and worship across the whole group, and the five churches are increasingly working together. The new incumbent has built on this and this has continued to encourage fellowship across the group and to make the running of the parishes more manageable.
Administration is currently carried out by the clergy themselves but we envisage a future situation where a new Priest-in-Charge would benefit from a part time administrator for the five churches working more closely together.
This post provides an interesting challenge for a priest who wishes to working with the newly appointed incumbent, to help these five rural Parishes build on good relationships with their communities, inspiring people ‘on the fringes’, including in our 2 church schools, to make appropriate steps towards becoming disciples of Jesus encouraging hitherto diverse group of rural churches into greater unity and effectiveness together for the Kingdom of God.
ROLE DESCRIPTION
The role of this post is to work alongside the new incumbent in leading the Churches in fulfilling the diocesan mission purpose of:
Worshipping God Making new disciples Transforming communities
5 | P a g e
This will be achieved by developing 8 essential qualities in the life of the Church:
Empowering Leadership Gift-oriented Ministry Passionate Spirituality Inspiring Worship Holistic Small Groups Need-oriented Outreach Loving Relationships Functional Structures
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Post of associate Minister working with the newly appointed incumbent of the five parishes. We welcome someone with experience of inspiring people on the fringes to become part of the worshipping community with a knowledge of:-
Developing excellent relationships with young people and families in Parishes especially through the two Church Schools. Stimulating different worship styles e.g. Messy Church, Café Church to attract those who are not familiar with the current worship pattern. Inspiring members of the communities to grow to know and love Jesus especially where people are not part of the worshipping community. Encouraging and empowering all people to become active members of the worshipping community. This will include not only working together as part of a team, but also recognising and encouraging others to use their gifts, and have experience of developing potential members of the Churches in Christian discipleship and leadership. Building relationships within the community, between existing community groups and the churches that support them.
6 | P a g e
A DESCRIPTION OF THE BENEFICES
As the churches have operated as 5 independent units it would be unrealistic to attempt to give a co-ordinated view of them all. We have therefore chosen to describe each parish separately.
St. George’s – Brailes
St George’s is popularly known as the “Cathedral of the Feldon” being the grandest church in the Warwickshire “field land” south of the River Avon. The church today stands as a reminder of Brailes’ past and its continuing role as a Christian beacon.
Brailes in fact comprises two halves - Upper Brailes and Lower Brailes - but is commonly known to all as “Brailes”. It is a sought-after village known for its strong community spirit and activities. There are many groups and clubs which meet regularly from a children’s drama club to the Mechanical Society. Each August it hosts the Brailes Show which includes show-jumping, a flower and produce show as well as side attractions and displays. There are 5 shops (hairdresser, general store, butcher, newsagent and French baker), 2 pubs, a garage/petrol station, Interior Design Company, blacksmith, a business park, a number of sole traders working from home and a Church of England Primary School, all of which helps to create a very dynamic village for its size (population c 1000).
The present church structure dates mainly from the 14th century being of the decorated style but like many ancient churches it has undergone a series of alterations, enlargements and restorations. The church is generally in a good state of repair. Work has been undertaken over the years as necessary and as part of the ongoing maintenance programme a major project for the repair of the South Aisle roof at a cost of £55,000 started in March and was completed in July 2016. There is a bell tower with 6 bells comprising the third heaviest ring in England. Over recent years improvements have been made, such as plumbing water into the tower, the introduction of a sound-system for services and a bespoke electrical operating system for the carillon and clock. Adjacent to the church, at the bottom of the churchyard, is the “Free-School” building which is where the toilet facilities are to be found. This small meeting room is available for community use and includes a small kitchen.
Our loving community meets each Sunday for two or three services at St Georges including a monthly Family Service and Sung Eucharist (vestments are worn). Music forms an important part of our worship and we are fortunate to have a talented professional musician as our organist and choir leader who is able to direct and encourage our choir which has up to 20 members of all ages singing a wide variety of music. The congregation like a mix of traditional hymns and modern songs.
The monthly family service is of a more informal style and is aimed at families and younger children. Participation is encouraged in reading prayers, playing instruments and accompanying songs with percussion instruments. Families with older children are harder to attract mainly because of other commitments at this time or because they do not feel that church is relevant to them. Bells are rung for most services and there is a vibrant ringing community which welcomes new members and visitors.
7 | P a g e
There are 15 members of the PCC and two Church Wardens. Some members of the PCC have been involved in the life of the church for many years. Although continuity is an asset the PCC is also open to new ideas and ways of doing things. Many aspects of community events and fundraisers include helpers and supporters from the wider church community and from the village. The large churchyard is well maintained on a voluntary basis by a team of parishioners and villagers. The choir comprises singers from Brailes and the surrounding villages and welcomes people who just want to join in occasionally. A Ladies Guild meets each month and a Bible Study group meets regularly in the Free School. Local artists have generously donated items to enhance the church including two very fine altar frontals, one of which was produced for the Millennium and depicts the changing times in the life of Brailes and St Georges over the ages. The tapestry in the Tower screen has been visited by many groups since it was placed there. There are 94 on the Church Electoral Roll in a village population of approximately 1,000.
There are strong connections with Brailes C of E Primary School (VC). The Clergy lead assembly each week and support the development of the school, particularly in religious and spiritual matters. The incumbent is an ex-officio member of the Governing Body, attending full Governing Body Meetings and also committee meetings as necessary. The school entered into a formal partnership with the Stour Federation Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) from September 2016 and shares the Executive Head with the MAT and has a new Associate Head-Teacher based at Brailes. Although the schools in the MAT are not Church Schools there is a broad Christian ethos and a strong commitment to retaining and developing further the Christian ethos at Brailes School. The Head Teachers are very enthusiastic about deepening the children’s experience in relation to faith, and building strong links with the Church and community, and this has resulted in an even more active involvement with the Church. The Chair of Governors is a Foundation Governor and member of the PCC and another member of the PCC volunteers her time at the new breakfast club at school.
The local Brownies and Girl Guides Groups regularly attend family and other important services at the Church throughout the year, particularly the Remembrance Service where they play a major part. Although these various groups meet in Brailes it should be noted that they comprise of girls from the surrounding villages.
There is a Roman Catholic Chapel in the village which is of historical significance. There are very positive relationships with the Priest, Father Brian Doolan, who lives in Brailes and who participates in ecumenical services held in St Georges. Until recently there was a Methodist Chapel and there are strong links with this community. An annual evensong is held at the former chapel of St Peter and Paul at Winderton but otherwise the building, which was made redundant in 1976, is used for community events.
Members of the PCC organise many village events. Burns Night and the Harvest Supper are always very well attended. Over the August Bank Holiday in 2015 a 4 day Flower Festival was arranged in the Church with over 2000 people attending. Organised by a small dedicated team it showcased the talent an imagination of many different people from miles around. The grand sum of £25,000 was raised in donations towards the repair of the South Aisle roof!
8 | P a g e
St. George’s, Brailes and the 8 Essential Qualities
EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP We are an active congregation. Community groups are often included in part of the social and worshipping life of the church. Our church has a number of members who take various lead roles and we actively encourage everyone within the congregation to take an active role. However, we need to encourage more young people and families to join in the church services and its activities. When new people join the church it is important to identify those who want to make an active contribution to the life of the church. There are currently no specific processes for identifying or training potential leaders.
GIFT-ORIENTATED MINISTRY We have identified the gifts of many people who are actively involved in the life of our church. These tend to be in the areas already identified by the PCC as requiring help and many are practical in nature. Hence there is no formal process for identifying the gifts people have. We have found however that the personal approach is effective in getting to know individuals and encouraging them to work to their particular strengths. We continue to seek more people who have a gift for ministry and need help to achieve this ambition.
PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY We are deeply passionate about our church, though do not always feel able or comfortable to talk about our faith. Like many church congregations in the Diocese, we lack confidence in our spiritual knowledge and in discussing our faith. Some of us will admit privately that our own faith is not actually very strong, and many are aware that we fall short of the relationship we would actually like to have with Jesus. We would welcome a priest who could identify with our insecurities in this area, and gently build up our confidence and relationship with Jesus Christ.
INSPIRING WORSHIP Our styles of worship at St George’s tend to be traditional (using both BCP and CW, Order 1 Traditional) with clergy and choir wearing robes and vestments. While this and Sung Eucharist attracts local people and those from nearby parishes both as visitors and new members, we are acutely conscious that the age profile of our congregation shows that we are not serving a younger generation well. Traditional services and times can make it hard for newcomers to engage with our faith, so we would value assistance from our Vicar to explore ways to address this.
HOLISTIC SMALL GROUPS Small Groups in the holistic sense have not been a feature of the life of our church. However, we do have small groups, which although are task-based have developed a sense of bonding and some include prayer and worship, such as the Ladies Guild which includes: prayer, a speaker, coffee and fellowship and the choir which practices weekly in an environment of prayer and music. The development of small groups is one of the concepts we will need some nurturing in.
9 | P a g e
NEED-ORIENTATED OUTREACH Brailes is characterised well-off, middle-class village. The village has some individuals and families with limited incomes, but it would be hard to identify anyone at our church services who lives in poverty. The demographic of the congregation does not fully reflect the complete social diversity of the parish. The church can provide financial assistance for some from its charities, mainly in terms of support for education. We also have a policy for donating the collection from some services to local and national charities. There is scope for developing a visiting team from St George’s to go out and visit members of the community who may find themselves isolated by their situation, whether the elderly who may be lonely or new mums and those who find it difficult to get out and for whom public transport is the only, limited option.
At Brailes our ambition is to be fully inclusive, offering a sincere welcome to everyone who visits our church but in terms of sharing our faith with others, we are nervous. As mentioned under Passionate Spirituality, many of us are actually unsure of our own faith so the idea of having the courage to share it with others is very daunting. However, we recognise that we need to reach out, and that for the growth of the church it would be good to be nurtured towards this.
LOVING RELATIONSHIPS Brailes is a very happy parish with a generous community spirit and an energetic and socially inclusive environment. As a church family, we regard ourselves as caring, respecting and valuing everyone’s positive qualities, sharing each other’s problems and holding together through difficult times. Our congregations and newcomers appreciate the warm welcome when they enter the church. After the service we have tea and coffee and we mix very well in our friendly environment. People support the church in the community and they like it to be available for baptisms, weddings, blessings and funerals. They are proud of the historic building and feel that they have a relationship with the vicar even if they do not attend many services.
FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES The PCC leads the ongoing development and wellbeing of the church. There are four meetings each year, and these were chaired by the vicar. There is an ad-hoc sub Committee which can meet as and when decisions are required. PCC meetings are generally well-attended, business-like, and friendly. The membership of the PCC is currently 15.
There are 4 sub-committees of the PCC. These deal with practical matters. Individual PCC members volunteer to take the lead and to engage helpers for other matters. Individuals also volunteer to perform additional tasks required by the Parish e.g. treasurer, safeguarding etc. It would be true to say that there is limited awareness within the general congregation of the activities of the PCC or the identity of all the members of the PCC. Major decisions have centred on financing fabric and functional matters. The responsibility of maintaining an ancient and prominent local building has been of paramount concern and effort.
10 | P a g e
St. Thomas à Becket’s - Sutton under Brailes
Location: After many years with Cherington, Sutton under Brailes was linked with Brailes in 1976 and then in 2006 with Tysoe, Oxhill and Whatcote, all within the Deanery of Shipston and Diocese of Coventry. The parish area is south and east of Brailes Hill, which forms part of the NW Cotswold escarpment. It is drained principally by Sutton Brook, which flows into the River Stour at Stourton Mill, just outside the parish boundary. History: The Manor of Sutton belonged originally to the Saxon Priory of Deerhurst in Gloucestershire, but after the Dissolution passed into secular hands, much of it to Oxford colleges or more local landowners. For centuries the parish land has been used for farming. At the heart of the present village there is a large, undulating green once used for common pasture, and there still remain several stone houses formerly inhabited by farmers and their workers, but today just one large working farm and a few smallholdings survive. Demography: The current population of the parish fluctuates between 61 and 80 (as not all of its houses are permanently occupied). 53% of its permanent residents are aged 65 or over, 26% of all residents work full- or part-time and only 3% of all residents are children under 16. Community: There being no village hall, shop, post office or pub, the church is the chief meeting-place of the parish, for both religious and secular occasions. However, social gatherings take place frequently in people’s homes, big or small. In winter there are fortnightly ‘village get-togethers’ (Kath’s Café, in memory of Kathleen Bird). National events (royal jubilees, weddings etc.) are celebrated collectively and the tradition of an annual Carol Evening in one of the homes (as well as a Festival of Six Lessons in church) is particularly popular. The Church:
A delightful Grade 1 building (mainly 12th/13th century) St. Thomas à Becket’s is well cared for and in excellent condition. It is a friendly and welcoming church for all who visit, whatever their age. The Electoral Roll presently stands at 26 names, and the congregations vary from a ‘weekly’ range of 10-20 to a ‘festival’ range of 35-45 or more The PCC currently consists of 13 members, including two churchwardens, a secretary and a treasurer. It meets four times a year and is chaired by the rector. One member of the PCC is Deanery Lay Chair. The diocesan Parish Share for 2015 amounted to £4,316 and each year it is paid in full. The parish organizes two major events annually to augment the church’s funds – the first a coffee morning with a raffle and stalls in March in someone’s house, the second a summer fête on the green, under tents belonging to the church. In 2014 a Friends of Sutton Church group was set up to raise money for the Fabric Fund. The tower has a fine peal of 5 bells. The church clock is looked after by two volunteers in the village, with occasional help from a Professional. The churchyard is regularly mown and tended by a volunteer workforce of parishioners.
11 | P a g e
In a typical 4-Sunday month, St. Thomas’s has one service every Sunday, an Evensong (BCP), two Holy Communions (BCP or Order 1) and a Family Service. New orders of service are being designed and reviewed with the new rector to appreciate the full beauty of Common Worship. There is a regular morning worship service each Tuesday at 08:30 and a “Time for Prayer” meeting in the church at 1.30 pm every Friday. Apart from the normal collections for church funds, parishioners make special contributions to charities further afield, in Lent (this year Tools with a Mission), at Harvest (last year a food collection to Coventry Food Bank and money to Nepal Relief Fund) and at Christmas (last year Médecins Sans Frontières) St. Thomas’s principal organist is Helen Porter of Brailes, but there are two ‘semi-retired’ players in Sutton willing to stand in if required.
St. Thomas à Becket and the 8 Essential Qualities
Our church is the principal evidence of community in Sutton: it draws us together and attracts newcomers because it is the focus of our village. We have found the recently-introduced NCD process challenging for a number of reasons, but we are comfortable in holding a mirror to ourselves and are not averse to well-reasoned change. We look forward to having our new incumbent with us.
EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP The congregation enjoy the kind of leadership that gives them the opportunity to share and participate in the work of the church.
GIFT-ORIENTED MINISTRY Despite the small numbers, there are gifted people in the congregation who are prepared to respond positively to good leadership.
PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY This quality is addressed by each one of us individually, but we have so far not adopted a common approach to it.
INSPIRING WORSHIP There is much in the present pattern of worship that is inspiring, yet there is a feeling that it is not always attractive and meaningful. New ideas will be welcomed and adopted if suitable.
HOLISTIC SMALL GROUPS The small numbers of people in the church mean that they act together as a small group and enjoy the confidence of mutual support. Newcomers do find it easy to be integrated into the church community.
12 | P a g e
NEED-ORIENTED OUTREACH Overt evangelism is not currently practised by the congregation, its members preferring to manifest their beliefs by example and by their practical support of Urban Hope, St. Catherine’s Stoke Aldermoor, Traidcraft, TWAM and many other charities.
LOVING RELATIONSHIPS We believe that we are a strong, loving and caring community, with a congregation that is appreciative of each other and enjoys their friendship and fellowship.
FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES Today’s world seems to believe that all change is per se beneficial. We do not subscribe to this, though we do know that lasting and beneficial, change can be achieved if those who are most affected by it fully understand the reasons for what is being proposed. Deciding what will be the most effective structures to achieve the mutually- agreed beneficial change should be part of an ongoing dialogue between the proposers and intended beneficiaries, and we very much hope this will take place.
13 | P a g e
St. Mary’s – Tysoe
Tysoe hosts a very active and interested community and this is reflected in the church congregation. We have recently set up a group to work with the priest in charge to revamp the first Sunday children’s service building upon the relationship with our local school located right next to the church. Keen to reach out beyond normal activities, we are currently working with the pre-school to develop a forest school to build stronger links with the children and families. We have the valuable help of a retired priest living in the village, the Area Dean, also resident in the group, and a Reader. The Church is grade one listed and in good repair. We offer a thriving community with increasing lay involvement in our life together.
The escarpment of Edgehill lies to the east and the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the south. The area is traditionally agricultural but this is changing with the decline in the number involved in farming and the ease of access for a more mobile population, many of whom work from home and are involved in a wide variety of professions. There is easy access to the motorway network and a fast train to London at Banbury (10m). Stratford upon Avon with it strong Shakespeare tradition and theatre is 12m away. Oxford and Birmingham are within commutable distance.
Tysoe has a population similar to the size of Brailes, of c 1100, within c 400 homes. It is a busy friendly place with lots of activity and is good at welcoming and integrating newcomers. In the parish there is a funeral director, convenience store, tea room, public house, hairdresser, post office, florist and health centre. The C of E school draws from surrounding villages and has recently federated with Wellesbourne and achieved a “good” Ofsted.
Other interests are covered by W.I, Social Club, Football and Tennis clubs and a Pre-School and Youth Group at the Old Fire Station.
The Record is our monthly village magazine. The large village hall is being refurbished and hosts a wide variety of events. There is a Natural Burial Ground within the parish but the churchyard is still open. Currently there are unpopular plans to enlarge the village and this and the parish plan are under review by the Parish Council. The village this year held a very successful open gardens weekend and has a very well supported annual flower show and fete.
St. Mary’s is sited in a highly visual part of the village and is not only loved by its church members but by many others in the village for whom the building is important. It is open 9am to 5pm every day. Everyone has worked hard for years to raise funds for its upkeep. Stonework and windows have been restored recently and a kitchen and toilet provided for the disabled. A popular, modern air-to-air new heating system has been installed so we are now warm all the year round. This enables greater use of the church for social events and concerts in the winter. Other improvements include a roof alarm, sound system with loop, new lights and the electric winding of the clock. Much of this has been possible due to a generous legacy. There is “Rainbow corner” for children with books and toys. Additional space created recently at the back of church (see picture) enables us to have an area for Harvest Lunch for 50 people and for refreshments and meeting together after services and events.
14 | P a g e
We have fine set of bells (and hand-bells) and an active group of ringers who ring most Sundays. The churchyard is open with an extension further up the village now closed. We receive a grant from the parish council for maintenance of these.
Tysoe School is C.E (Controlled) and federated with Wellesbourne C of E Primary School, sharing a Head- Teacher. The Tysoe Minister coordinates the weekly Church Visitor’s collective worship and is school Chaplain. There is one Foundation Governor who may be the Minister.
There is a Methodist Church in Tysoe. The Minister lives in Kineton. We share four services a year.
St. Mary’s and the 8 Essential Qualities
The parish has done two 8 Essential Qualities surveys in the last three years. Comparison between the two surveys shows growth in seven of the eight qualities, which has been very encouraging! Functional Structures is the exception, which may be partly due to the uncertainty of our structure within the 5 parishes.
EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP There is a strong recognition in the parish of the importance of lay leadership. As an indication of that, one of the strongest answers in the survey was that “the leaders seek to remove barriers that limit my ministry”. However, there is more that can be done to identify, train and empower people into leadership roles.
GIFT-ORIENTED MINISTRY The survey indicates that as a congregation we have gifts and passions but they have not been fully recognised. It would be helpful to us for the new Priest to help us identify and flourish in the various gifts and skills God has given us.
PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY This quality has remained our weakest in both surveys, though it has improved! People however still people need to be helped to have more confidence in their faith, and want to share this with others both within and outside the church. There is a genuine desire in the congregation for this to happen, and we look forward to it being nurtured.
INSPIRING WORSHIP The main act of worship is Parish Communion. The services are traditional (CW) and reflect the more conservative nature of the congregation. However, some recent changes and experiments have been welcomed and there is a genuine willingness in the congregation to make worship livelier.
HOLISTIC SMALL GROUPS There are a number of task-oriented small groups in the church community. These are mostly lay-led groups concerned with the maintenance and care of the church and the normal everyday life of the parish; e.g. flower arranging, bell-ringing, social activities. A fellowship study group has been formed and continues to grow in numbers. 15 | P a g e
Most of the able-bodied members of the congregation would be involved in one group or another, though more could be done in the various groups to ensure that they are ‘holistic’ (e.g. by praying with each other, having some worship, etc.).
NEED-ORIENTED OUTREACH The church is very active in the community with individuals taking leading roles in many of the village organisations. A recent substantial legacy has meant that the church community has the chance of looking outside its own needs to those of others both locally and world-wide and to change from an emphasis on maintenance to that of mission.
In terms of sharing our faith, we need building up as explained under Passionate Spirituality. There are currently no exploring faith courses running: although this is something we are hoping to do next year. This may also be something the new Priest can help us with.
LOVING RELATIONSHIPS It is fun to belong to the St. Mary’s community. New people comment on the warmth of the welcome and the numbers coming to church has risen because of these newcomers staying and being quickly integrated into church life. The results of the survey reflect this positivity. There is much care and concern for each other and no residual animosity. There is concern however that the average age of the congregation is over 6o so we need to learn how to attract a younger generation.
FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES The PCC meets 6 times a year in a very happy atmosphere. Most members have a specific role so it functions as the leadership team for the church. Between meetings business is progressed by the Minister with the Churchwardens and the relevant members e.g. Fabric officer, Treasurer. There are no formal sub- committees but ad hoc groups are formed for specific tasks when necessary.
16 | P a g e
St. Lawrence’s – Oxhill
Oxhill is a small, but very attractive, village of approximately 330 inhabitants, set in beautiful countryside, approximately 10 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and a similar distance from Banbury in Oxfordshire. It is about 1 ½ miles from Whatcote and 2 miles from Tysoe. All three parishes make up the Benefice of Tysoe, Oxhill and Whatcote, which is now linked with the Benefices of Brailes and Sutton- under-Brailes.
The village has its church, St. Lawrence, and its pub, The Peacock. The Old School was converted into the village hall some time ago, and more recently the former Methodist Chapel was refurbished as ‘The Old Chapel’ to provide another meeting place with a spiritual emphasis.
Oxhill has its own monthly magazine, website and emails, and a good number of active groups based around church, village hall, pub and Parish Council. It is a welcoming, friendly and supportive community.
Employment is varied: the village is still a hub of the farming community, and locally employment is provided by a transport business, Red Horse Fuels, the Horse and Donkey Sanctuary and, of course, the pub. Many people commute to work elsewhere. The range of population is diverse, spread across the entire age range. There are a growing number of young families (there is something of a baby boom) as well as a number of growing younger retired folk!
Life of the Church Family
Our life is substantially centred on Sunday worship: 9.30am every Sunday morning, with a united service on the 5th Sunday in one of the churches of the Benefice. The nature of the service varies: BCP, Common Worship, Family Holy Communion and contemporary Morning Worship, often followed by coffee. Members of the congregation help to plan the Morning Worship, and take part in the services as readers, intercessors or musicians, and lay assistance at Communion. During the week the “Rhythm of Prayer” within the Benefice means that there is a monthly informal Holy Communion at someone’s home, and an occasional Fellowship meeting. To reach out to the children we have occasional Messy Church to complement the Family Service, and other special events.
Social events, which are aimed to be both social events and fund raisers, include special lunches, Auctions of Promises, concerts and a Barn Dance. The church is well cared for by villagers on a regular basis, and the PCC employs a local contractor to keep the churchyard tidy. The churchyard has a conservation area looked after by a village group called OWLS (Oxhill Wild Life Society).
Challenges facing us are that we wish to come away spiritually enlightened: we want to grow spiritually, grow the congregation and encourage children and young people, especially teenagers.
We are enjoying working with our new Priest-in-Charge, and look forward to working with a new Associate Minister, and our growing links with neighbouring Benefices of Brailes and Sutton-under-Brailes.
17 | P a g e
St. Laurence’s and the 8 Essential Qualities
EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP. It surprised us that this was one of our lower qualities, because we do feel able to get on and do ‘stuff’. We in the Oxhill congregation enjoy getting on with things, and would like to be trained, empowered and released to do more, in all aspects of our church family life.
GIFT BASED MINISTRY We do feel valued and our skills used. We know that we need to talk to each other to really discover each other’s gifts. Interestingly, a simple thing like doing coffee more often after services has made a big difference.
PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY Like many other churches in the Diocese, this is our biggest challenge. We are looking for a leader who will definitely help us in this. We want help in opening up the scriptures. It is harder when one lives alone, or is not able to do very much (especially creatively), and we would like someone who understands this and will come alongside us. We would like to be spiritually enlightened and we want to be taught and to grow spiritually.
INSPIRING WORSHIP Our strengths are music, connection with God and each other, and the fact people come prepared to worship, and we want to build on this. The music is particularly important: The Three Churches Choir is an important form of mission. Special services that deliberately reach out are good, and we want to build on those as well.
We enjoy those sermons which are relevant to current life or events. We also want to include children and young people, especially teenagers and to “grow” the congregation.
HOLISTIC SMALL GROUPS The church is a small group, and we don’t really have sub-groups within that. We all know and care for each other. Across the Benefice as a whole, the “Rhythm of Prayer” with its Fellowship Groups and Mid-Week Communion service is growing. In Oxhill the mid-week service is held in a private house, and is well attended, as is the Fellowship Group which meets in The Old Chapel. We want to develop that and to work with each other.
NEED-ORIENTATED EVANGELISM We think we do our best to reach out and welcome, and we hear positive feedback about that. In our little village we meet each other’s needs as and when, but we also support specific projects across the world. We are becoming increasingly involved in events across the whole village: the recent collaboration between church, Parish Council, Village Hall and pub for the Queens’s 90th Birthday has been tremendous, and very powerful, and will continue.
18 | P a g e
We want to do more in the way of publicity and make use of an “A” board and maybe develop Parish use of social media.
We could do more in terms of sharing faith with people, and in this respect reflect many of the other churches combination of nervousness and desire in doing this.
LOVING RELATIONSHIPS As a church we are supportive of each other, with lots of praise and compliments. As in every small community, we constantly have to learn lessons of forgiveness!
EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES We are good at meeting! We are a little church – everybody is involved and works together, mentoring each other. We probably could be more effective, but we are not quite sure how!
19 | P a g e
St. Peter’s - Whatcote
Whatcote is a small village in South Warwickshire, approximately 4 miles from Shipston-on-Stour and 10 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon. The population of the parish is about 140. There is no industry in the village except for working farms, a farrier’s and a small training stable. Like many small villages now the majority of the working population commute out of the village to work. Several people work from home and there is a quite a large percentage of retired people.
The only public facilities in the village are the church, which has been adapted for use by the community, and the pub – ‘The Royal Oak’, with its associations with Oliver Cromwell and the Battle of Edgehill which has just re-opened after a major refurbishment. We have a Village News published bi-monthly. The local junior school is at Tysoe and secondary education is provided at Kineton, Stratford-upon-Avon and Shipston-on- Stour.
The church of St Peter is in the centre of the village with access from the two lanes. It dates from the C12th and is in good repair for its age. (It was hit by a stray bomb in 1940!) We had major repair work done to the tower stonework in 2002-3 but, as with all very old buildings, there is always something needing to be done. At the same time as the tower repairs, we carried out a re-ordering inside and it is now equipped with a small kitchen and a toilet, suitable for the disabled, to enable it be used more easily for the village community, (we have no Village Hall).
As a result of the re-ordering we entered St Peter’s in the Country Life ‘Village Church for Village Life Award’ in 2008 and were delighted to be awarded second prize. We have held Harvest lunches/suppers, Senior Citizens’ lunches, Concerts, a First-aid course, a Christening reception and a ‘Friendly-cuppa-drop- in-club’, Coffee mornings, Village breakfasts, etc. It is also used for Parish meetings and as a polling station for local and national elections. It has a flexible seating capacity for about 100 people.
Services are held every Sunday. The time varies each week as does the type of service. The congregation numbers between 5 and 12. The Village Candle-lit Carol Service is always well attended. On the fifth Sunday in the month there is a United Service in one of the three churches in the Benefice of Tysoe, Oxhill & Whatcote.
20 | P a g e
At the moment there are not many children in the village but this does fluctuate and we hope that we will have more families moving in, in the future. Worship is mainly traditional, although we have introduced a more modern form of Holy Communion for some services. Members of the congregation take part in services as lesson readers. There are two Churchwardens and the P.C.C has 5 other members.
Harvest The church and churchyard are looked after by a small dedicated group of people, some regular church-goers, some not, and the general support in the village for the church building is very good.
Some of the churchyard is mown when the spring flowers are over but on the north side the grass is left until later in the year before being mown to allow the flowers to seed and to encourage wildlife. It is a beautiful place and is often used for outdoor services. We have held a very successful Bluebell Walk most years since 1990 to raise funds for St Peter’s with tea in the churchyard afterwards. We have an extremely accurate graveyard plan, and all Parish and Church records are up to date.
We look forward to working with the new Associate Minister and with our partners in the Benefice and at Brailes and Sutton under Brailes to continue to provide a caring and challenging ministry at Whatcote for the whole community.
St. Peter’s Whatcote and the 8 Essential Qualities
EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP Within our small community we are all equal in empowering and encourage each other to lead. Everyone has a job, and participation is part of our identity. We all take part in services, and are involved in the building/structure, because in our village the building itself is very important (having a dual church and community role).
GIFT ORIENTATED MINISTRY This was our highest quality because, in our small community, gifts of individuals are highly valued in maintaining the soul and body of the church.
21 | P a g e
PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY Passionate spirituality and inspiring worship hopefully combine in our services which are meaningful, warm, welcoming and inclusive to all. We want to develop a spiritual awareness in our lives, and realise that we may be slightly remiss in this: we want our church to be a place where people can meet God in the peace.
INSPIRING WORSHIP Our services are meaningful, warm, welcoming and inclusive to all. We want our church to be a place where people can meet God in the peace. As far as worship is concerned, we do struggle occasionally with the music! We can’t always have an organist, and we don’t work so well with CDs! Our services are mainly BCP, but we are using CW and more informal services.
HOLISTIC SMALL GROUPS We ARE a small group: we look out for each other and welcome new faces.
NEED ORIENTED OUTREACH We all, in our different ways, support our church and community, both immediate and further afield. We are not good at intense personal outreach – this does not come easily.
LOVING RELATIONSHIPS As above, in inspiring worship, all are warmly welcomed into our church community.
FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES Our church community, being so small, must naturally be flexible in structure. Almost everyone is on the PCC or is involved somehow, alongside many non-church goers.
Concert in Church
22 | P a g e
VICARAGE INFORMATION
The vicarage is in Brailes: house details follow below:
Brailes Vicarage The Vicarage was built in 1981/2 in the garden of the old house, with a new entrance from Friars Lane, Lower Brailes, within the local conservation area. Constructed of Ibstock brick, it is a lovely family home with gardens front and rear, off-road parking for several cars and rural views, particularly from the upper windows. There is oil-fired central heating and an open fire in the lounge.
Downstairs: lounge, separate dining room, kitchen, utility room, cloakroom, porch and a particularly well- fitted study. Upstairs: 4 good sized bedrooms (one with a washbasin), family bathroom and separate w.c. The total floor area is about 2,000 sq.ft.
The single garage block has 2 store rooms and there is direct access to the churchyard through a courtyard with 2 old sheds.
The Vicarage has been well maintained over the years and updates include: 2015 – Bathroom retiled, drive re-surfaced, external re-decoration and general maintenance 2011 - New bath and shower, additional washbasin in upstairs w.c. 2010 – Kitchen and utility room re-designed and fitted with cream shaker style units 2007 – New UPVC double glazing fitted 2005 – New Worcester boiler fitted
Small meetings have taken place in the study in recent years, but PCCs and other gatherings have used “The Free School”, the nearby church room adjoining the churchyard.
23 | P a g e
Current Pattern of Church Services
Date Brailes Sutton Tysoe Oxhill Whatcote Sunday 1 8.30 HC 6.30 ES 8.30 HC 9.30 HC 9.30 HC 11.00 FS 11.00 FS Sunday 2 8.30 HC 9.30 HC 11.00 PC 9.30 MW 9.30 MW 11.00 PC 6.30 ES Sunday 3 8.30 HC 9.00 FS 11.00 PC 9.30 PC 6.30 ES 11.00 MW Sunday 4 8.30 HC 9.30 HC 11.00 HC 9.30 FHC 8.30 HC 11.00 PC 6.30 ES Sunday 5 8.30 HC 6.30 ES 11.00 UBS at 9.30 UBS at 9.30 UBS 11.00 PC either Tysoe or Oxhill or Whatcote
PC = Parish Communion FS = Family Service HC = Holy Communion FHC = Family Holy Communion ES = Evensong UBS = United Benefice Service MW = Morning Worship
24 | P a g e
Finance and Stewardship
Revised final figures 20-8-2017
The table below summarises our financial situation for the year ended 31 December 2016. Full sets of accounts for the last 3 years are available on request.
St. Thos. St. George a Beckett St Lawrence St. Mary St Peter Total Brailes Sutton Oxhill Tysoe Whatcote under Brailes £ £ £ £ £ £ General Income (cash collections,box, sundry 5,913 4,950 3,355 3,207 837 18,262 donations etc) Planned Giving 15,275 6,393 8,289 8,344 2,866 41,167 Gift-Aid 5,974 1,728 2,523 3,346 631 14,202 Fees 4,249 - 3,782 3,481 - 11,512 Total planned and 31,411 13,071 17,949 18,378 4,334 85,143 other giving Fundraising (eg fetes) 5,978 3,384 2,932 6,629 2,482 21,405 Grants and bequests 35,101 2,000 600 1,919 - 39,620 Investment income 4,013 1,342 224 10,615 32 16,226 Total income 76,503 19,797 21,705 37,541 6,848 162,394
General Expenditure 14,227 3,433 6,631 13,925 3,062 41,278 (excluding repairs) Repairs (see Note 1) 51,522 1,213 1,910 8,081 136 62,862
Donations (see Note 2) 1,750 579 697 4,387 317 7,730
Total expenditure 67,499 5,225 9,238 26,393 3,515 111,870
Net surplus before 9,004 14,572 12,467 11,148 3,333 50,524 Parish share Parish Share 25,640 4,410 8,465 13,850 3,590 55,955 Contribution Net surplus / (deficit) (16,636) 10,162 4,002 (2,702) (257) (5,431) after parish share
Represented by: Unrestricted Reserves 94,320 32,147 31,544 374,503 20,068 552,582
Restricted Reserves 110,993 43,025 5,000 15,159 792 174,969
Total reserves at 205,313 75,172 36,544 389,662 20,860 727,551 market value
25 | P a g e
Further Details:
For further information about the post please contact the incumbent Revd George Heighton on 01295 680201(E-mail [email protected]); or
The Area Dean, Revd. Dr. Jill Tucker on tel: 01295 688193 (E-mail: [email protected]), or;
The Archdeacon Missioner on 07506 731892 ([email protected]).
An application form can be downloaded from the Diocesan Website: http://www.dioceseofcoventry.org/vacancies/current
Applications to be submitted by noon Friday 27TH October. Interviews to be held over two days on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th November.
Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for this post.
On the way to Church…
26 | P a g e