RECTOR OF THE COTTESMORE BENEFICE www.northrutlandchurches.org.uk May 2018 1 | P a g e Contents Rector of the Cottesmore Benefice…………………………………..………….…1 Contents………………………………………………………………………….……2 The Cottesmore Benefice…………………………………………………………3-6 The Area Demographic Schools Organisation Youth and Children’s Work Discipleship Mission and Outreach The Deanery of Rutland…………………………………………………..…………..7 The Rectory…………………………………………………………………………... 8 The Parishes: St Nicholas’ Church,Cottesmore……..……………………………………..9-10 St Mary’s Church, Greetham…………………………………………………..11 St Peter & St Paul Church, Exton……………………………………………..12 St Mary’s Church, Clipsham…………………………………………………...13 St Nicholas’ Church, Stretton………………………………………………….14 Sunday Services…………………........................................................................15 Weekday Activities and Other Services……………….………………………..…..16 Person Specification…………………………………………………………………..17 A position for you?...............................................................................................18 2 | P a g e The Cottesmore Benefice The Area Cottesmore Benefice is in Rutland, in the north of the Diocese of Peterborough. The Benefice consists of Cottesmore (with Barrow, Burley and Thistleton), Greetham, Exton, Stretton and Clipsham. Rutland takes great pride in being the smallest county in England, with the motto Multum in Parvo – much in little - and is an attractive and vibrant place to live; it has recently been voted third in a UK survey looking at ‘the best place to live in the UK’. The county status was restored in 1997 under the Unitary Authority of Rutland County Council. Maps to show the diocese of Peterborough, the county of Rutland the parishes in the Cottesmore benefice. There are doctors’ surgeries in Empingham, Market Overton and Oakham. Rutland Memorial Hospital has a minor injuries unit: many referrals are to Leicester or Peterborough. There are dental surgeries in Oakham. 3 | P a g e Rutland Water draws large numbers of tourists throughout the year and hosts an annual Bird Fair. The beautiful reservoir and its surroundings provide wonderful facilities for sailing, cycling and walking. Although a rural area, the Benefice is not far from the cities of Leicester, Peterborough, Nottingham and Derby, and has good access to the A1. The county town of Rutland is the attractive market town of Oakham, complemented by the neighbouring historic market town of Uppingham. Oakham has a railway station with regular services to Leicester, Birmingham, Stamford, Peterborough and London. There are regular bus services across Rutland but the use of a car is essential. Both Oakham and Uppingham contain reputable public schools offering facilities and employment to each town. Demographic Cottesmore and Greetham each have their own village shop combined with Post Office. A new housing development is currently being built in Greetham with a further development planned within the next few years. All the villages in the Benefice have their own pubs, with Greetham boasting two, as well as a popular golf course with hotel and restaurant. Kendrew Army Barracks is based at Cottesmore. There have been links with the chaplaincy at the barracks but these links are often interrupted by regular changes in personnel. Cottesmore and Greetham churches are attended by a few soldiers from the barracks. Within the Benefice is HMP Stocken, a Category C prison located in the parish of Stretton. There is also a fairground travellers site inside the Greetham parish boundary. The main industries in the area are quarrying, farming and tourism. Rural poverty is largely hidden but is nevertheless a significant factor across the county. Churches across Rutland are involved in providing volunteers working in the Rutland Food bank and all clergy are voucher holders, able to refer potential clients to Foodbanks for support. In 2015 the Department for Communities and Local Government identified the Greetham ward as having the highest level of multiple deprivation in Rutland, manifesting itself in low levels of employment and income. Schools There are two church primary schools in the Benefice: Exton and Greetham CE Primary, located at Exton, and Cottesmore St Nicholas CE Primary. Weekly assemblies are led either by the Vicar or a Reader. There have been Prayer Space projects held in each school during the last two years and Exton now has its own Prayer Garden opened last year. Easter and Christmas services are held in church and there is an annual leavers’ workshop run again by the Vicar and Reader for Year 6 pupils transferring to secondary school. There are three secondary (11-16) schools serving Rutland: Catmos College in Oakham, Uppingham Community College and Casterton College near Stamford. The nearest church schools are Kings School in Peterborough and Bishops Stopford School in Kettering. Post 16 young people transfer to a free school in Oakham or to a variety of schools or colleges outside Rutland. Some students go on to study A levels or the equivalent at either Oakham or Uppingham Schools. Kendrew Barracks also has its own primary school, the Millfield Academy, which is one of only five schools in the country situated “behind the wire” of a Ministry of Defence (MOD) base. 4 | P a g e Organisation The Ministry Team consists of the incumbent and five Readers. The Readers on the Ministry Team have taken responsibility for the day to day running of the Benefice during the vacancy and four of the Readers are on two PCC’s each. Each Parish has its own PCC – some with subcommittees. The Benefice maintains a paid administrator who attends Ministry Team meetings and takes the minutes and has the total overview of what is happening in the Benefice churches. There is an overall Benefice Safeguarding Officer as well as a safeguarding person in each parish. The Benefice has its own website: northrutlandchurches.org.uk. There is a Benefice Web coordinator who lists online what is happening on the web calendar and who is responsible for updating the website. There is a Benefice choir which is open to all and the Benefice celebrates Holy Communion on the fifth Sunday of the month in different Parishes at which the choir usually takes part. Parishes in the Benefice: Cottesmore which includes Barrow (no Church), Burley (Church closed) and Thistleton (Chapel of Ease), Greetham, Exton, Clipsham and Stretton. St Nicholas’ Church at Cottesmore has one Churchwarden. St Mary the Virgin Church at Greetham has two Churchwardens. St Peter and St Paul Church at Exton has one Churchwarden. St Mary’s Church at Clipsham has two Churchwardens. St Nicholas’ Church at Stretton has one Churchwarden. Finance There is a Treasurer appointed in each Parish responsible for finance. Last year, the parish share was paid in full, excluding Clipsham and Stretton due to a lack of funds and roof repairs. This year all parishes are doing their best to meet the parish share. Clergy expenses are paid in full. There are various planned giving schemes and missionary giving across all Churches. Greetham gives to a selected charity each quarter and there is a Cottesmore Benefice Discretionary Fund which supports outreach. There are four major projects underway across the Benefice: 1. The replacement of the nave roof at St Mary’s Church, Greetham. 2. Building a servery and toilet in the grounds of the churchyard at St Peter & St Paul Church, Exton. 3. The replacement of lead stolen from the nave at St Mary’s Church, Clipsham. 4. Repair of a leaking roof, installation of a heating system, toilet and servery area at St Nicholas’ Church, Stretton. 5 | P a g e Youth and Children’s Work A weekly session of Sparklers (birth to pre-school age children with parents/grandparents/ carers) is held in Cottesmore Church, during term time. Messy Church takes place at Christmas and Easter in Cottesmore or Greetham Church. Themed activities are available for children at Cottesmore Church and services at Greetham Church on the first two Sundays of the month include focussed teaching and discipleship for children. These services are more informal and ‘New Wine’ in style and are attended by people who are happy to lead children’s work. Until last year there was a group of young people meeting every fortnight to explore faith. Most of the group were confirmed last year before the group leaders moved away and a new group has yet to be formed. It is hoped that this work can be restarted under new leadership. Discipleship The Benefice is committed to developing a culture of spiritual growth and discipleship. There are 5 House Groups meeting each week in term time in Greetham and Cottesmore. An Alpha Course runs at least every two years in Greetham with the current course hosting 7 guests. Prayer Breakfasts and Discipleship Days have been held in the past and last year we linked into the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ initiative by having 24 hours continuous prayer in Greetham, ending in a prayer breakfast. In Greetham there is a daily gathering at 8am for Bible reading and prayer and in Cottesmore prayers are said on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Morning Prayer is said each week in Exton Church. There is a men’s ‘Beer and Bible’ group who meet regularly to share faith and fellowship. An informal but committed network of pastoral care and discipleship is offered by all the church communities, with home Communion available through lay ministers on request. Holy Communion is given once a week at Gainsborough Court (warden assisted housing for the elderly) in Cottesmore and at Oak House Care Home in Greetham once a month. Mission and Outreach There is a monthly lunch offered in Cottesmore Church and a weekly community café held in Greetham; both these activities provide opportunities for outreach and gentle evangelism. For the last two years Kairos Prison Mission has led a mission into HMP Stocken which is located within the Benefice. One of the Readers has been on the team going into Stocken Prison and many people from the local community, both church members and non church members, have been involved in providing hospitality for the team, baking biscuits to take into prison, prayer and generally supporting the mission.