RECTOR OF THE COTTESMORE BENEFICE

www.northrutlandchurches.org.uk

May 2018

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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 …………………………………………………..…………..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

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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 , 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, and Oakham. Rutland Memorial Hospital has a minor injuries unit: many referrals are to Leicester or Peterborough. There are dental surgeries in Oakham.

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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 . 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.

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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.

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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. This has provided a real opportunity for sharing faith and for outreach as we have united in reaching out to the local prison community.

There is a variety of activities and groups which begin at the churches but which are open to all and give opportunities for Christians and non Christians to come together in fellowship. Greetham has a tradition of drama-based activities, usually located in church and focused on war-time history with a local flavour. In 2016 the church interior was transformed into the trenches to stage a play, written by one of the congregation, about the Somme and features villagers who fought in the first World War. This year the plan is to link a Saturday night drama event with the church Remembrance service the following morning. The Benefice hosts civic activities including a Remembrance Day service at Cottesmore and a service for the Cottesmore Hunt. Greetham has also hosted a series of meetings entitled ‘Grave Talk’ which encourage and enable people to talk about death and dying.

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The Deanery of Rutland

There are 53 parishes in the deanery. All except three (Carlby in Lincolnshire, Harringworth and Duddington in Northamptonshire) are in the county of Rutland. Three former parish churches are redundant and Thistleton is now a Chapel of Ease in Cottesmore Parish. In recent years the deanery has undergone organisational changes with the formation of nine benefices: there are some changes still to be made. The deanery has a growth action plan and speakers at deanery synod frequently support actions in the plan. The deanery, one of 12 in the diocese, has a proud record of paying in excess of 95% of its requested parish share, regularly in the top three contributors of all deaneries. Rutland Deanery Synod is active with 55 lay members and 15 clergy. There are four meetings each year plus an annual Deanery Eucharist. All our meetings are ‘open’ and we have a full programme for 2018, set by a small Mission & Pastoral Committee. The deanery also takes an active role at Diocesan Synod through elected members, the Rural Dean and Lay Chair. A quarterly newsletter is sent to all members of synod and PCC secretaries updating on developments within the deanery, synod and the wider diocese. There is a well-attended Clergy Chapter which meets six times a year. Meetings usually start with a Eucharist and include a speaker but occasionally meet away, for instance in a prison or hospital. There is an annual Clergy Quiet Day at Launde Abbey.

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The Rectory

The Rectory for the Benefice is situated adjacent to St Nicholas’ Church on Cottesmore’s main street. It has a south aspect and is a purpose built rectory, having study and cloakroom off the entrance hall immediately inside the front door with spacious kitchen, dining room and a large lounge completing the ground floor. The stairs are situated well away from the front door to ensure family privacy and lead to 4 bedrooms on the first floor together with family bathroom, airing cupboard and a generous storage area over the integral garage. Some of the bedrooms have fitted wash basins. The building has full central heating, currently by oil, although a gas supply is available in the building, at present disconnected. The lounge has a wood burning stove in addition to central heating. The garage can be reached undercover from the rear porch which also has a utility room and boiler room opening from it. The building is reached by a 20 metre driveway so constructed that the front entrance is screened from the road. There is standing room for three cars and space for cars to turn so that they do not have to back onto the main road. The front garden is mainly shrubbery and grass, with an area of “natural woodland” about half way up where it adjoins the churchyard. The rear garden is spacious, mainly lawned and fully fenced. There is a small chicken run in one corner well away from the house. There is access to the church via a gate which leads to the South entrance to the church across the grassed churchyard.

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The Parishes

The Parish of Cottesmore / St Nicholas’ Church

The parish of Cottesmore, which includes the hamlets of Burley and Barrow and the village of Thistleton, has a total population of around 1500 and includes a broad spectrum of age ranges and occupations. There is a further significant population at Kendrew Barracks on the outskirts of the village. Cottesmore is essentially a “complete” English village with a village shop and post office, a school, a public house, a fish and chip shop and a garage, together with some sheltered accommodation and a working farm.

Most houses are owner-occupied, a few are privately rented and there is a small amount of housing association property. There has been significant recent new building and more is planned. The 150-strong primary school is voluntary aided and is now federated with 4 other CE schools, including one in Exton which is within this Benefice. There is also a primary school on the army base. The church has good links with Cottesmore and Exton schools. The benefice produces The Herald, a monthly magazine of articles, dates, special events etc. which goes to some 600 homes. The village magazine, The Link, is delivered free to every house in Cottesmore. Church details are always included and the incumbent has a regular space for a message. There are more than 20 village-based organisations and a well-equipped village hall which includes a social club. The parish church, dedicated to St Nicholas, is a Grade II* listed building seating about 200. Pews were removed many years ago, and the comfortable upholstered chairs allow for different configurations for both worship and community activities. The latter currently include monthly Community Lunches and Sparklers Toddlers Group. The church is also used for concerts and “bring and share” meals on special occasions. It is in generally good order, with a recently installed toilet, and has basic kitchen facilities within a separate heated room which is used for small meetings of up to 20. There are plans to add a servery, for which fundraising is under way. There is a sound amplification system with CD facility and hearing loop, and good heating. The tower has six bells rung regularly before services by a dedicated team, the tower captain being also the church treasurer. There is an area equipped for children at the back of the church. There are a small choir, two prayer groups and two home groups and Alpha courses shared with the benefice as a whole.

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The churchyard surrounding the church is closed and in the care of the local authority. There are two churchyard extensions about half a mile from the church, one of which is full and in process of being closed and transferred to local authority care Sunday worship is normally at 9.30 am and follows the following pattern: first and second Sundays: Morning Service (usually led by readers), third Sunday Holy Communion, fourth Sunday worship sometimes led by members of the congregation. There is provision for primary and younger children at most services. When there is a 5th Sunday in a month a benefice-wide communion service which rotates around the parishes takes place at 10.30. Normal congregations vary between 20 and 40. Large congregations are present for the Christmas Carol and Crib Services, Harvest Festival and Remembrance Services. The church is virtually full for the children's workshop on Good Friday and at Christingle. A weekly Holy Communion service, open to all, is held on Tuesday mornings at Gainsborough Court, the sheltered accommodation. Last year there were 60 communicants on Christmas Day and 47 on Easter Day. With a wide diversity of age and background among the congregation, the worship tradition adopted is middle to low. Three retired clergy live in the village and, while not intrusive, support our church in various ways and make it possible for all the churches within the benefice to be active. The PCC meets regularly on the second Tuesday of alternate months. We strongly desire to make our faith and worship meaningful and accessible to all and are open to new insights. The hamlet of Burley includes Holy Cross Church, declared redundant some years ago and now maintained by the Churches Conservation Trust. A regular carol service is held there. There is no longer a place of worship in Barrow. Thistleton Church - also dedicated to St Nicholas - became a Chapel of Ease in April 2017. It holds a minimum of six services a year, mainly around the festivals. Harvest, Christmas Carol and Patronal Services are particularly well attended by village residents. The building is looked after by an active Friends of Thistleton Church group, which also raises all the funds necessary to cover the running and repair costs.

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The Parish of Greetham / St Mary’s Church

Greetham is a lively village with a strong sense of community and is widely thought of as a good place to live. The population of about 700 contains a good mix of age groups, although younger people tend to move away to find work elsewhere. There are two new housing developments in the village and a further development proposed. Most people own their own houses, although there is some private, some housing association and some local authority housing for rent. There is also a permanent site for fairground travellers situated within the parish and a large camping, caravanning and chalet site for holiday-makers. There is a village shop with Post Office, two public houses, a residential care home and a golf club with adjoining hotel. The parish has a thriving community centre for clubs, leisure and social activities. There is also a Good Neighbour scheme. All activities and community news are featured in the regular village newsletter which also contains the church magazine and on the village website www.greethamrutland.com The parish church, which is grade 1 listed, is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin. It is in part late Norman, though most of the building dates from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. An extensive modernisation in 2000 led to the installation of a kitchen and a toilet. A gas-fired heating system was installed in 2007 and the rear pews were removed at the same time to give space for activities. The 120 year old lead on the nave roof needs replacement for which permission has been given to use steel. The PCC has this in hand as a priority, actively seeking grants and waiting for tenders. The churchyard is closed but there is a parish burial ground in the village. Sundays offer a range of traditional and more contemporary services. Children’s work is offered on the first two Sundays of each month. Easter, Christmas and Harvest services attract a wider range of villagers and some campers. The local primary school holds its Easter service at St Mary’s, drawing in parents and other family members. The church is also used for concerts and some drama productions. The church is open daily from 8am until about 5pm and a group meets every weekday morning from 8am for prayers. The church is also open on Saturday mornings during the summer months offering refreshments, newspapers and chat. There are a number of community initiatives in Greetham run by a mix of Christians and non- Christians; these initiatives provide lots of opportunities for discussion about faith and gentle evangelism. The prevailing culture in the village is one of openness and acceptance, and this culture provides a healthy foundation for mission and outreach.

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The Parish of Exton / St Peter and St Paul

The population, comprising a good mix of age groups, is about 600, and is mainly contained within the village, although there is a tiny separate hamlet called Horn which consists mainly of a couple of farms. Within the village and close to the Parish Church, lies Exton Hall, the seat of the Earl of Gainsborough. Although many of the houses in the village are now owner-occupied the village retains much of its character as an Estate Village, with five residents employed on the Estate and many properties still owned by the Estate.

Village facilities include a public house with accommodation, a Village Hall and a playing field. Outside the village but within the Parish are two large hotels, a bakery and Barnsdale Gardens made famous by the late Geoff Hamilton. A Church of England Primary School (part of the Rutland Learning Trust) currently has fifty pupils coming from Exton and Greetham and from other villages as a school of choice.

Local clubs and societies include a Ladies’ Circle, a Bowls Club, two Reading groups and an annual Produce and Craft Show. Various other activities take place in the Village Hall including yoga and pilates. Extonbury is an annual village rock festival and a major fund-raiser for charities within and without the village. There is a monthly Community Afternoon Tea Party run by 2 church members. A monthly Village newsletter is delivered to every property within the Parish and is also available by email. There is also a Village Website www.exton.org.

The Gainsborough family has been a Roman Catholic family for many generations and there are several families who are nominally Catholic. Adjacent to Exton Hall is a Roman Catholic chapel where Mass is celebrated each Sunday for the public to attend but at all other times is private. There is also a Catholic burial ground on the Estate.

The Parish Church, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, dates originally from the thirteenth century. It was struck by lightning in 1843, at which point the tower and spire were largely rebuilt and the rest of the building underwent an extensive restoration which accounts for the largely Victorian appearance of the exterior. The church is open every day and attracts many visitors, partly because of its inclusion in Simon Jenkins’ book of 1000 Best Churches. We are a small but dedicated congregation with a tradition of ‘middle of the road’ services. There is a wealth of goodwill towards the church in Exton, but it is not reflected in attendance.

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The Parish of Clipsham / St Mary’s Church

The village of Clipsham is 1½ miles east of the A1 and is five miles east of the benefice centre of Cottesmore. The village includes farmhouses and a Hall dating from the 16th century. Until the 1960s it was an estate owned village comprising a number of estate owned farms, farm workers’ cottages and a quarry supplying exceptional quality limestone block which was used for the restoration of the Palace of Westminster during the 1950’s and continues to be used for the restoration of cathedrals and other historic buildings. The Clipsham Quarry Company is still extracting small quantities of fine stone and aggregate and is a significant benefactor to the Church. St. Mary’s Church was built over several centuries of local Clipsham stone. The arcades are Norman, and so is the font. The 13th century tower contains three 17th century bells, now fixed and rung with clappers. Over recent years we have restored a Royal Coat of Arms from the 17th century and also an 18th century Decalogue, to add to other fine ornaments within the church, including one by Pugin. Our longstanding tradition, which we would like to continue, is the use of the Book of Common Prayer for all of our services The unique Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue, which in former times was the main drive to Clipsham Hall. This Topiary Avenue is open to the public and visited by many who visit the Church. With a population of 166 (2011), the village today preserves much of its original character and comprises 52 dwellings; 6 are privately let and the remainder are owner occupied. There is one family with a young child under 5, three families with teenage children at home, perhaps twenty retired couples and the remainder working in various occupations. The village could be said to be a “mature” village (not only in terms of the average age of its residents) but also in other ways. The village is friendly, people respect each other and quietly support each other as and when the need arises. The harmony of the village, both in terms of its people and its environment is highly valued, and we always do our best to nurture that harmony The Village Social Committee produces an annual social programme which includes the Church Festivals of Harvest, Carol Service and Christmas. There is a Village Gardening Club which arranges meetings and outings and which takes care of Church flowers. There is a “Village Directory” so local communication is easy. We welcome new residents and invite them to join in with social and church events. Our village pub, “The Olive Branch” is very supportive of village and church events. We hold our Harvest Supper and Auction of Produce there in September and a village Christmas Dinner in December.

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The Parish of Stretton / St Nicholas’ Church

The parish of Stretton, situated close to the A1 includes the smaller community of Stocken about a mile away. The total population is about 240 across the parish. There are still 4 working farms, however this once agricultural community is now primarily residential. There are a small number of home-based industries, a quarry and a prison. As far as amenities go, there is a village pub, a petrol station on the Great North road and an established horse riding school. We also have a village website. For almost a thousand years, Christians have worshipped in the church building on the hill at the southern end of the village and, there being no parish or other hall, the building has in recent times also been used for Parish Council and local society meetings and occasional fund-raising concerts. However, such utilisation has been severely limited owing to the lack of adequate heating, toilet and catering facilities. The PCC has ambitious plans to make the church available to the wider community by carrying out extensive changes to redress the above mentioned shortfalls. The re-vamped building will offer modern facilities to all ages within our community without affecting the dignity and tradition of our lovely church. Whilst the church as a building is used almost exclusively by Christians for worship the whole village community supports its maintenance through the Friends of St Nicholas, a multi-faith group whose charter is entirely aimed at raising funds to maintain and repair the fabric of the building and its surrounds. This is achieved by holding events throughout the year. We hope to remain a Christian presence in our community and to grow in faith and numbers with our next incumbent, under good strong bible based teaching so that our worship of God can continue and ensure our church remains a place of worship for the next 1000 years. Recently we have not always been able to cover our parish share in full, and recognising this must not continue we have been able to secure help with other expenditure, freeing up funds for use against the share in future.

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Sunday Services

REGULAR MONTHLY SERVICE STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITIES DURING A TYPICAL MONTH (MAY 2018) St Nicholas' St Nicholas' Monthly Pattern for Church St Mary's Church St Peter & St Paul St Mary's Church Church Sunday Services Cottesmore Greetham Church, Exton Clipsham Stretton

First Sunday 9.30am 8.00am 11.15am Morning Service Holy Communion Holy Communion

9.30am Morning Worship 9.30am Morning Worship 11.15am 9.30am with 9.00am 11.15am BCP Holy Second Sunday Morning Service breakfast Morning Service Communion

9.30am 9.30am 11.15am Third Sunday Holy Communion Morning Praise Morning Service

9.30am 9.30am 11.15am 11.15am Fourth Sunday Morning Service Holy Communion Holy Communion BCP Morning Prayer

Fifth Sunday A Benefice Holy Communion Service is held where there is a 5th Sunday in the month

AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AT NORMAL SUNDAY SERVICES Children (0-16) Adults Totals St Nicholas' Church, Cottesmore 3 39 42 St Mary's Church, Greetham 3 23 26 St Peter & St Paul Church, Exton 2 16 18 St Mary's Church, Clipsham 0 9 9 St Nicholas' Church, Stretton 1 9 10

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Weekday Activities and Other Services

8am Morning 10.30 Prayer 14.30 House 14.30 House Bible Study and Meeting –Weeks Groups Groups Prayer 2 & 4 (Greetham – (Cottesmore – Monday (Greetham) (Cottesmore) various homes) various homes) 8am Morning Bible Study and 8.30 Morning 9.30 Sparklers 10.00 HC at Prayer Prayer Toddlers Group Gainsborough Tuesday (Greetham) (Cottesmore) (Cottesmore) Court 19.30 House Groups (Cottesmore – various homes) 13.30 School 8am Morning Assembly Bible Study and 10.00 School Cottesmore Prayer 9.15 Morning Assembly Exton School (1st wk per Wednesday (Greetham) Prayer (Exton) School (weekly) month) 10.30 HC at Oak 8am Morning House 10.00 Community Bible Study and 8.30 Morning Residential Care Café (Greetham Prayer Prayer Home (last Thurs Community Thursday (Greetham) (Cottesmore) every month) Centre) 12.00 Community Café (3rd Thurs every month) 8am Morning 19.45 House Bible Study and Groups Prayer (Greetham – Friday (Greetham) various homes) 10.30am Shattered on Saturdays Saturday (Greetham)

Other Services 31.3.17 – 1.4.18

Total Services Breakdown by Parish St Peter & St Nicholas' St Mary's St Paul St Mary's St Nicholas' Benefice Church Church Church, Church Church Other Services Cottesmore Greetham Exton Clipsham Stretton Weddings 15 5 2 6 1 1 Funerals 19 7 5 3 3 1 Baptisms 14 6 2 4 1 1 Thanksgivings 2 2 0 0 0 0 Confirmations 1 0 1 0 0 0 16 | P a g e

Person Specification

We are a five parish Benefice, united in faith, with each parish retaining its own identity, as demonstrated in this profile. We are seeking an incumbent with experience in and a passion for rural ministry, who understands the joys and challenges of serving in a multi parish Benefice, with diversity of worship styles and liturgy. We currently have a team of five Readers, plus three local retired clergy, supported by our able Benefice Administrator.

We are looking for:

● a friendly, loving person to help all to deepen in faith and develop in discipleship; ● someone with a vibrant personal faith and a passion to share it with others who will help us to make each of our churches an attractive place of worship; ● a strong leader, who is a good communicator, with a sense of humour and spiritual energy; ● someone with a real heart and vision for mission and outreach; ● someone who is prepared to engage with the two local primary schools, with residents in sheltered housing and in the residential care home; ● someone who is willing to enable the gifts and skills of other church members and parishioners; ● someone who will enable each Reader to fulfil his or her individual and corporate ministry and who can lead a team collaboratively; ● someone who is organised and able to delegate.

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Is this a position for you?

If you feel called to apply for this vacancy, please contact the Archdeacon:

The Archdeacon of Oakham’s Office

The Diocesan Office, Peterborough PE1 1YB

01733 887017

[email protected]

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