Welcome to the Benefice of , and

St Lawrence's St John the Baptist's St Dunstan's ME18 5LU ME18 5PA ME18 5JL Welcome!

Thank you for sparing the Our Vision 3 time to find out more about the Benefice and the opportunity to lead us Who will flourish in this role? 4 spiritually. We hope you find much to interest you Our Benefice 5 and please contact the Archdeacon if you would like any further Our support 6 information. Where you will be 7 Contact Julie Conalty Parish profiles Mereworth 8 Archdeacon of Wateringbury 10 [email protected]. org 01732 833840 West Peckham 13 Websites Services 15 Mereworth stlawrencemereworth.org Wateringbury wateringburychurch.org.uk West Peckham kmwchurches.org/west-peckham/ 2 Our vision

Launched in November 2017, Called Together is the strategic vision for the Diocese of Called together - The Rochester. The vision and core themes were discerned following extensive vision for the Diocese of engagement across the Diocese, seeking to hear what God is calling us to in this place Rochester and time. The three themes – Growing Disciples, Enriching our Communities, and Resourcing our Mission and Ministry – seek to give focus and direction to our priorities over the next five years. Every parish in the Diocese is invited to support the shared vision in a way which fits their local context, working towards the same goals.

Called Together marks the beginning of an exciting journey for the . As Bishop James said, “This is a significant moment for us as a Christian community. It has implications not just for how we move forward and connect as a Church family, but how we engage and support people across our communities.”

More information can be found on the Diocesan website at http://www.rochester.anglican.org/called-together

We are a new benefice. We seek a leader of our flocks, to guide us as we follow in the Growing in Christian footsteps of Jesus, as His disciples, faith and sharing it o to be visible and accessible to the wider community o to help us serve our communities' spiritual hunger with fellowship and faith, o to encourage us to show compassion and charity to all who suffer, o to build us up so that we may grow His body in our Churches as worshipping people, o to inspire us to learn to live with His Word in our lives and to reach out to our communities o to encourage us to offer welcome, generosity, forgiveness and fellowship to others. 3 Who will flourish in this role?

The Benefice has an open You are a collaborative leader who You have an open and welcoming Be under no illusion, this mind about who it is looking is not afraid to seek assistance outlook that reflects the diversity is a full-time calling for. Hopefully the following from retired clergy and ministers of the people you will serve and requiring terrific comments will help you outside the Benefice and many work with. reserves of infectious discern whether this role will gifted lay people to grow the enthusiasm and suit you. worshipping community. You will be sensitive to the pragmatism. It is a particular needs and identity of deeply rewarding role You are a prayerful and You engage and inspire a younger each parish but will encourage that offers tremendous inspiring teacher and leader with generation in the faith, building collaboration between them. opportunities for the a firm personal faith and a strong on the existing work of Sunday Rector to develop commitment to pastoral care and Schools, Messy Church, You are IT-literate, comfortable themselves. discipleship. Mereworth Young Singers’ choir, with parish accounts and are uniformed organisations and realistic about time management Your flexibility welcomes a broad other youth activity. and work-life balance. range of worship styles and spirituality. You are comfortable You have a desire to engage with a You are a person who is able to leading a Book of Common Prayer variety of schools by rebuilding encourage many things – such as and Common Worship, Word and and developing the links between choral groups, liturgical tradition Sacrament, a school service or a the Church and Primary Schools. and positive change in our baby and toddler praise. churches. You discern and develop the You are a person who engages gifts, talents and ministries within You are able to find ways to with and encourages the the congregations, teaching and champion stewardship in wider community. Allowing encouraging worshippers of all churches that need to increase the church buildings to be a ages to grow in their spiritual lives levels of regular giving. resource to the villages. You have and developing Christian ministry a place in the life of our among all ages. communities as well as within our 4 congregations. Our Benefice

Our Patrons are the Dean and Chapter of and Viscount Falmouth.

The Benefice of Mereworth, scheme was inaugurated on 1st The cluster clergy collaborate in The Benefice of Wateringbury and West Peckham August 2019. Following the arrangements for service cover Mereworth, was created as part of the Malling incumbent’s appointment to and funerals and weddings (along Wateringbury and West Deanery Ministry and Mission another parish in the Diocese the with retired clergy). There is a Peckham is looking for a Plan. This was adopted to address current vacancy has arisen. shared parish administrator who new Rector; could it be the deployment of stipendiary is also the first point of contact for you? clergy given the likelihood of fewer The Benefice works in an those seeking to arrange funerals, clergy and restricted finances. informal cluster arrangement with baptisms and weddings. There was a need to respond the adjoining parishes of West missionally to areas of new Malling, Offham and St Gabriel’s The Benefice offers a wealth of population growth and to identify created in 2017 by a Bishop’s opportunity for creative and whether there were better ways in Mission Order to serve the housing collegiate working and for which parishes could be organised estate of where further identifying those things on which to enhance ministry and mission. development is taking place. There it would be better for the three is currently no church building on parishes to work together. At the The existing -in-charge of Kings Hill and use is made of moment we are working as three Mereworth with West Peckham school premises. separate parishes that come became the first rector when the together on occasion. In our newly created Benefice we recognise a need to build up a shared sense of purpose between our parishes in working for God’s kingdom, belonging to each other and belonging to God.

5 Our support

The Benefice has no church hall or In addition to each parish’s Our new rector will meeting room other than the APCM, currently each PCC meets be living in a beautiful rectory or the churches. There is, several times a year. The sub- location and well however, a well-appointed village committees meet regularly supported from across hall in each parish. between the PCC meetings and the the Benefice and the rector is not expected to attend all wider Diocese. of these. Minutes and other Benefice Administrator documents are circulated by email. Rectory The Benefice currently has a 39% The rectory at 72 The Street, share of a part-time parish Finances administrator, who also supports Mereworth ME18 5NA was built in The parishes produce separate Mereworth Rectory 1958 and will be the home of the St Mary’s , St Michael’s Offham and St Gabriel’s, accounts and finances are rector of the Benefice. The house managed prudently. is located 400 metres south-west Kings Hill. of Saint Lawrence’s church, on the Safeguarding south side of The Street. At 134 PCCs Deanery square metres on two floors, it Each parish has adopted the comprises sitting-room, dining- Each parish has its own PCC with Our new rector will receive Diocesan Safeguarding policy and room, study, kitchen, ground floor various committees looking after support from the Deanery and will the House of Bishops WC, four bedrooms and one worship and mission in the be expected to play an active role recommendation for safer bathroom. There is a garage for parishes, the fabric of our church in the Deanery, supporting the recruitment. one car and a large garden buildings and organising parish Area Dean and developing the containing mature trees. It is events. Deanery Mission and Ministry surrounded by farmland. Plan.

6 Where you will be

The Benefice is in an excellent location, close to the county town of in . It lies in the Medway Valley and Metropolitan Green Belt, eight miles west of Maidstone and seven miles east of Tonbridge. The M20 and A20 run to the north of the Benefice, linking you to London, the M25, Maidstone, the Medway towns and the Channel ports. The A26 runs to the south, which connects Maidstone to Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. It is a short drive between the three Parishes.

The rectory is in Mereworth, a short drive from mainline stations with services to London in under an hour, Maidstone and the Channel ports. Wateringbury has a station which is on the railway line between the Medway towns and Tonbridge.

The Benefice is close to shopping centres in Maidstone, Bluewater, Tunbridge Wells and London and we have plenty of choice for groceries with Map showing Mereworth, Wateringbury and West Peckham parish boundaries Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco (From the Malling Deanery map with Kings Hill BMO area inset). For further details of the parishes and their and Waitrose all within a short surroundings please see arcGIS drive. The usual provisions for healthcare can be found locally. There are leisure centres with swimming In addition to the local schools, parents in the Benefice The Benefice is home to a variety of pools, gyms and classes in nearby Larkfield send their children to various schools – Church of pubs, restaurants and cafés as well as and Kings Hill and plenty of children’s , Roman Catholic, mainstream state and private ‘working men’s’ clubs and there are indoor play areas locally. – in the communities surrounding the Benefice as well as many other amenities close by in West Maidstone and Tonbridge. Malling, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells We are blessed with nearby castles, abbeys, and country houses as well as the vibrant Kent operates a selective eleven-plus system. and London. 7 cultural life around Kent. St Lawrence's Mereworth In line with its traditional ‘the outstanding approach, the Parochial Church 18th century parish church Council (PCC) supports in the county’ (Pevsner) incumbents in wearing appropriate ecclesiastical vestments. The Church The church has six bells which are St Lawrence’s Church replaced a rung by an enthusiastic team each medieval church in 1744-46. The Sunday morning and on Tuesday unique classical building has an practice nights. It can also call eye-catching baroque steeple. The upon two organists; one leads the Grade I church is open daily and Mereworth Young Singers’ choir, welcomes many visitors from all which practises on Wednesdays in over the world. It has a sound term time. The choir has a five- system and a fully accessible toilet. year mission statement and the The churchyard has the grave of current age range is 7 to 16. The the recipient of the first Victoria children follow the RSCM “Voice Harvest Thanksgiving 2019 Cross. For Life” training scheme. In 2018 the choir was runner up in the The PCC is currently raising A Liturgy Committee meets The annual Rogation Sunday national “Outreach into the money to improve access to the from time to time. service is a walk between Community” award. tower, and this will complete all Mereworth and West Peckham outstanding work from the last In order to foster good churches. Remembrance Sunday Many events take place in the quinquennial inspection in 2015. communication between the attracts adult congregations in church throughout the year, such three PCCs, a monthly One licensed lay minister is based excess of 150, and the annual as concerts, coffee mornings, churchwardens’ meeting has in the parish, serving all three Victoria Cross service and similar fayres, art shows and flower been instituted for the parishes. special Sunday services have adult festivals. During the summer duration of the interregnum. congregations of up to 50. Fourth months cream teas are organised Finances are always a The PCC has nine lay members. It Sundays normally attract about 20 every Sunday in the churchyard. challenge for St Lawrence’s. meets at least quarterly and children; other normal services The PCC supports appropriate delegates day-to-day running of attract up to five children. secular use of the church as the the church to a monthly Standing principal focal point of the village. 8 Committee. St Lawrence's Mereworth The ecclesiastical parish has a population of 3,400, covering Mereworth’s civil parish area (population 1,100) and part of the Kings Hill Mereworth village development. The focus of worship in Mereworth is the civil parish, while in Kings Housing in the parish is largely Hill it is St Gabriel’s church, created by a 20th century, with some 19th Bishop’s Mission Order (BMO) in 2017 (see century and earlier houses. “Where you will be” on page 7). was built in the style of an Italian villa in 1725. Mereworth Community Primary School in There is a small industrial estate The Street, is a popular and successful school to the south of the village at The which holds one or two services in the church Alders and a highly-regarded each year. The incumbent holds regular equestrian hospital in the centre assemblies, and visits the school in an of the parish. A grain store, advisory capacity. serving much of the south-east and a small military training Mereworth Parish Council is very supportive ground are located on the edge of of activities at St. Lawrence’s Church and Mereworth Woods to the north of considers the Church to be an integral part of Mereworth holds a fete every June on the the village. Still largely village life. The Council maintains the Recreation Ground to raise money for the Church, agricultural, soft fruit growing is churchyard and the clock, and supports Sports Pavilion and the Village Hall. A lunch club the largest single industry in the church fund-raising events. for senior residents meets monthly in Mereworth village. During the summer Village Hall, and charity lunches raise money each months the population is The Mereworth & West Peckham Record month. Mereworth is a popular location for increased by several hundred fruit magazine is published every month, and is ramblers, horse riders, country sports and garden pickers from overseas. Viticulture delivered to each household in the two visitors. The Mereworth and Kings Hill Scout and mead making is an increasing villages. It covers topical village matters and Group meets at Kings Hill and comprises Beavers, feature of the village, with the is the main source of information to residents Cubs, Scouts and Explorers. A regular walking long-established Boscawen family about all church activities. group and monthly coffee mornings are based at creating its Marourde brand at the church but are for the whole community. Brewers Hall food centre. Local Other facilities and activities include the businesses provide employment, thriving village hall; the pre-school group; the An independent trust, the Friends of Mereworth but the village is mainly a recreation ground with children’s play area Church, is dedicated to the upkeep, maintenance dormitory settlement for and adjacent allotments; and the Moody and improvement of the village church. commuters. 9 Mare restaurant. St John the Baptist's Wateringbury

There are 78 people on our opportunity for outreach through St John the Baptist is a electoral roll as of 2019. Worship assemblies, meeting parents and vibrant and busy Church, is supported by our ‘robed but not establishing rapport with staff and a part of the life of the rigid’ choir which simply enjoys students. village. singing God’s praises whether from Mission Praise, Ancient and Our local scout leader commented, Modern or Come and Praise. after last year’s Remembrance Service attended by 347 people (including St John the Baptist Church in We are a church on a journey, over 150 uniformed young people), Wateringbury is a vibrant and looking for a spiritual leader to that for the Scout and Guide group mixed church of those new to faith nurture us and to help us re- leaders to have “such amazing and those mature in faith and/or establish connections we have support from our local Church and age. The warmth of our welcome previously had within our community” was "awesome!" and the strength of our community. commitment are the first things Our church building is a traditional you would feel upon entering our St John’s lies within our village of one, details of which can be found on church. All Age worship, Morning over 2,000 people, which has our website. The building has been Praise, Mattins and Messy many sports clubs, arts activities adapted over recent years to suit the Church, as well as a host of and facilities for all ages. For the needs of all and is regularly used for activities, are presently run by our young we have Sunday’s Cool and activities, including fundraising, such capable team of volunteers and lay Secondary Division and we also as the Wateringbury Players’ ministers, who would all value the hope to engage further with the productions, summer cream teas, the active participation of the Rector local Primary Christmas bazaar, community history maintenance and as time permits. Our Communion School and young families. Our exhibitions and flower festivals. improvements. Most recently services are enriched by lay rector will be an ex-officio this has involved the re- participation and are regularly member of the Governing body, The Friends of Wateringbury Church shingling of the spire. Plans for attended by an average of 55 a new audio visual system are along with several members of the are major supporters and their aim is 10 members. Church. This provides a further to raise funds for the building’s under way. St John the Baptist's Wateringbury

Our village magazine, Rostrum, We have a well established prayer We hope and pray for an goes to every home in our village chain and a bi-weekly crafters’ incumbent who would help us ten times a year, is widely read and coffee morning, run by our navigate this path. St John’s has provides an opportunity for evangelist, of which half the amazing opportunities too, outreach to the community directly regular attendees are not church- especially in regard to working from the rector. We sensitively goers. Recent initiatives have within our newly formed benefice consider the less fortunate in our included the training and licensing and the informal cluster with West community through support for of two Anna friends and a new Malling, Offham and Kings Hill. initiatives such as donating food monthly Bible Book Club. There is vision, fellowship, for local families through our passion and hope here for all that village Blessing Bags, Maidstone We are aware of issues that may our church can be. Christian Care who support the arise in terms of our ageing homeless and toys and toiletries for congregation and a need to the local women's refuge. nurture our volunteers and lay ministers.

11 St John the Baptist's Wateringbury

Wateringbury Church of England Aided Primary School The school is at the heart of and we have a particular Wateringbury village, nurturing 250 responsibility in ensuring it has children and as rector you will good governance. automatically be an ex-officio governor. Admissions are We would love families and determined by distance rather than children of the village to know church attendance and pupils the church through the rector’s typically come from Wateringbury, regular presence leading and the neighbouring parish assemblies, chatting in of Nettlestead. the playground and in the staffroom and attending The school recently established a Governors’ meetings. closer link with our church by Our vision is that our church becoming voluntary aided has a life in the school, with the school and for the school.

12 St Dunstan's West Peckham

Our village In the evening after the fete there is a hog roast on the green, with a West Peckham is about one and a band and traditional dancing for quarter miles west of Mereworth, families. and has a population of 364 people in a village situated in The church has strong support in Green Belt and conservation the village, less than optimal areas. spiritually, but a huge generosity of spirit, much manifested in our It is THE archetypal English comfortable financial position for village, having an 11th century such a small population. church, popular pub (The Swan), village hall and village green, all at We have adequate reserves for day the end of a short cul-de-sac, so no to day activities, but are in the through-traffic: idyllic. There is a process of seeking grants for WI branch and also various other shingles replacement and some organisations are valued, along mortar work. We have already with the church, by a significant garnered a grant towards the tower number of villagers and those and mortar repairs and the quest is living in the neighbourhood. restarting in the near future for . funds. There is only a small number Village life of children in the village. The Fete is one of the centre- pieces of the village and enjoys strong support, with its funds, circa £5,000, shared between the church and village hall. The Swan 13 The future St Dunstan's St Dunstan’s has a number of We very much want to see our community life, and has a West Peckham unique features, added by the church thrive and grow, both in readiness to have a profile in the dominant families over the terms of regular congregation and village. Church life centuries and it is in first class its place in our community. repair. Some very pretty stained Discreet pastoral visiting has paid We have a strong core of around glass adds to the attraction. With such a small population, dividends in the past. twenty or so people, and an pastoral visiting and care can electoral roll of about twenty-five, Our services are subject to change make an important impact. We offer full support to our fellow with many others who give time from time to time and it would be Indeed, enabling a few more Christians elsewhere in the and money when needed. They good to introduce Evensong on people to get involved spiritually Benefice, and look forward to the value us, even if not as regulars, so some summer Sundays. would itself make much difference future with optimism. there is untapped growth there to and it is something which is quite build on. Attendance has been We have concentrated on attainable. For more information on the over one hundred people at attracting people to the major village of West Peckham, please see Christmas, with enhanced festivals – in “their” church, and We would ask that our new rector our Facebook page. congregations at Easter and with “their” choir. Normally this appears at fund-raising events, harvest festival. There are guarantees a full or nearly-full which are important to normally between three and six church. These festivals are baptisms, weddings and funerals normally followed by a social each year. Financially, we operate event for the village. at a surplus with adequate reserves for fabric and There is a high level of goodwill maintenance. Our PCC has eight towards the church as an members. important part of the village community, with scope for The Grade I church building was increased use of the building for dedicated in Saxon times and is concerts and other events. A well- mentioned in the Domesday attended and successful folk music Book. event has for example been held over the last few years in March. The font is Norman, and additions were made from the 14th century The church is often visited by to the 19th century. walkers and tourists because of its favourable location. 14 Services

The current service pattern was set before the new benefice was formed. Clearly this will need to change. Typical attendance (outside festivals or civic services) is indicated. Currently, most non-eucharistic services are led by members of our lay ministry and worship teams. Overlapping Eucharistic commitments are managed with the help of retired and other local clergy.

Lay ministries

Mereworth Betty Earl (Licensed Lay Minister)

Wateringbury Barry Fisher (Reader with PTO) Becky Bowie (Pastoral Assistant) Edna Craig (Pastoral Assistant) Alice English (Anna Friend) Pauline Welch (Evangelist and Anna Friend)

15