Team Parish of Bottesford-with-Ashby , North

Parish Profile

St. Peter ad Vincula, Bottesford

St. Paul the Apostle, Ashby Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

Welcome to the Team Parish of Bottesford-with-Ashby, where

Christians have worshipped God for hundreds of years

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Welcome

……to the Parish of Bottesford with Ashby in the town of Scunthorpe, .

Thank you for showing an interest in the vacancy for the position of Priest Missioner within this Parish. The Parish has a long history of witness to our Lord Jesus Christ and the worship of God through the development of our own community life and by reaching out into the wider community which we serve.

St. Peter ad Vincula, Bottesford

St. Paul the Apostle , Ashby Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

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The Priest Missioner

We are seeking a Priest Missioner who will

 have particular ministerial responsibility for St Peter’s Church, Bottesford, its traditions and the cure of souls for the district of that church.

 share in the leading of worship at St Peter’s Church and across the Team Parish with the Team Rector, Ministry Team and Lay members.

 be willing to work collaboratively with the Team Rector and all the people of the Team Parish to further God’s mission in the community we serve and having particular responsibility for the development of work with children and families.

 bring energy, gifts and abilities which can be used not only at St Peter’s Church but also across the wider Team Parish.

 work with the Team Rector and ministerial colleagues to assess the longer term needs of the Team Parish, plan for the future and help lead the renewal and expansion of God’s work in this community.

 engage in a worshipping, pastoral and teaching ministry which is inclusive of all God’s people, helping to deepen their faith and bringing confidence to their discipleship.

 Use the opportunities of occasional offices to build ongoing relationships with those who do not otherwise attend church.

 build on existing links with local schools in Bottesford.

 seek opportunities for engaging and collaborating with other churches and be willing to promote outreach into the wider community, build relationships and raise the profile of the church with local organisations, councils, voluntary groups etc.

 respect the existing worship traditions while seeking new ways of being Church by experimenting creatively and imaginatively with appropriate opportunities for worship and mission at different times, different places or different styles from Sunday mornings.

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To do this, we are seeking a person who

 has a personal ministry founded on prayer, with a heart for teaching, pastoral care and the enabling of others to find faith and realise their gifts and sense of calling.

 recognises the importance of good team working and who is a good communicator.

 can help bring a shared sense of God’s vision and purpose to a parish which is looking to the future and which wants to engage more openly and relevantly with its wider community.

This is a role for a person with energy and initiative who has excellent people skills, a friendly and approachable manner, a deep love of Christ and a desire to transform people’s lives.

In return, we can offer you

 the support and encouragement of a committed group of Christians who share a deep desire to see our churches grow, to be at the centre of their communities and active in mission and outreach to the people of Bottesford and the wider Team Parish.

 people willing to deepen their faith and spiritual life and to grow in their understanding of true discipleship.

 people who want to work together and, with the clergy, open up our churches and our worship to all comers and share the transforming message of the gospel with all people.

 the practical and prayerful support of the Team Rector.

 the opportunity to play an influential role in the renewal and expansion of the Church’s ministry here in Bottesford, Ashby and Riddings.

 the opportunity to serve in a large and diversely challenging Team Parish in the .

Are you this person?

Are you seeking to serve God and his people in a setting rich with potential?

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Contents

The Local Area…………………………………………………………………………….……………...... 6

Overview of the Team Parish of Bottesford with Ashby…………………………....…...... ….…12

St. Peter’s Church, Bottesford…………………………………………….………………………….....…18

St. Paul’s Church, Ashby…………………………………………………………………………….….….…21

Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings………………………………………………….…………...…….…22

The Parish Hall………………………………………………………………………………………….….….…24

The Vicarage………………………………………………………………………….………………....…...…25

Parish Finances…………………………………………………………………………………………….....…26

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The Local Area

Bottesford, Ashby and Riddings lie to the south of the town centre of Scunthorpe which is situated in the unitary authority of North Lincolnshire, a predominantly rural area, characterised by a variety of natural landscapes, including sites of significant scientific, historic, and wildlife interest. North Lincolnshire is geographically large, although the population is small in comparison with some neighbouring unitary authorities. Sitting on the south side of the Humber estuary, it covers an area of 85,000 hectares, encompassing the major population centre of Scunthorpe, where some 72,500 people live [2011 census].

Until 150 years ago, the present town of Scunthorpe was a collection of five villages – Scunthorpe, Crosby, Frodingham, Brumby and Ashby. The rediscovery of iron ore in 1859 led to rapid expansion and development of an iron and steel industry, giving the town its present shape. This relative late development as an urban area was accompanied by foresight in the planning, with the result that the town is attractive in layout, with many open spaces and a low population density.

One of many pleasant walks in the area

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Bottesford (which lies outside the Scunthorpe town boundary) was originally an Anglo-Saxon village, mentioned in the Domesday Book. Having small town status and with a population of approximately 12,000 it has its own council and mayor. Once mainly farmland, it is now given over to large areas of housing, but still retains a rural feel, particularly in the pocket around St Peter’s Church.

A path behind the church joins the 3 mile linear walk along the beck to Ashby Ville Ponds, a nature reserve and lake with ‘beach’ area.

Bottesford Beck A large undulating green known locally as Bulls’ Field links the old and new areas of Bottesford. The nearby hamlet of Holme is the setting for an award-winning Pink Pig farm park (farm shop, restaurant and children’s play areas) and a golf course. Two miles distant lies Twigmoor Woods, 130 acres of private woodland, open to the public, with beautiful walks.

The whole area is surrounded by many interesting towns and villages, including the historic market town of which has 150 specialist shops centred around a largely pedestrianised town centre, a twice weekly street market, and a monthly farmers’ market.

Cultural Pursuits Brigg Town Centre

Scunthorpe houses the regional museum for North Lincolnshire with its archaeology and geology collections of national importance as well as a wide range of events running throughout the year, including changing exhibitions, family activities and organised sessions. The former St John’s Church in the town centre has been developed into the vibrant 20/21 Arts Centre which has a constantly changing exhibition programme.

There is easy access to the local authority run Normanby Hall Country Park with its farming museum and award winning Victorian walled garden.

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Normanby Hall The Plowright Theatre hosts a varied programme of professional and local productions including music, ballet, opera and comedy as well as drama.

The Baths Hall re-opened in 2011, as a state of the art, multi-purpose entertainment venue, and hosts live performances from top class entertainment acts.

There is also a variety of local theatrical, choral and historical groups in the town and for film lovers there is an excellent seven-screen Vue cinema. The Baths Hall

Sport

For those interested in sport the area offers a wide range of opportunities for both spectating and participating.

Scunthorpe United play in League One of the Football League and Bottesford Town in the Northern Counties East Premier Division while Scunthorpe Club play in the Premier League.

For those who enjoy a more active participation in sport there are plenty of local pitches, sports halls, golf courses, gyms, a running track, velodrome and swimming pools including a new leisure centre (The Pods) which was opened in 2012 and is sited adjacent to Central Park, the main municipal park in the area. “The Pods” Leisure Centre

Another pool with gym and squash courts is conveniently situated on the Riddings Estate.

Two of Scunthorpe’s parks (including the Memorial Park at the crematorium) have been awarded the Green Flag award for the 9th year in a row reflecting the efforts put into its green spaces. Central Park

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Education

The area is well served with educational establishments. There are 9 primary schools within the Parish, including St. Peter and St. Paul’s Church of School which opened in 2013 to serve the new housing which has been created on the south-easterly edge of the town.

St. Peter and St. Paul C of E Primary School

At secondary level within the Scunthorpe area there is a mixture of local authority controlled schools and academies. One of the latter is St. Lawrence’s Academy, sponsored by the Lincoln Diocese, and located near to Scunthorpe town centre. Within the Parish, there is a thriving comprehensive establishment, Frederick Gough School, and a Roman Catholic academy, St. Bede’s, which is situated close to St. Paul’s Church in Ashby.

Post-16 education is provided by an excellent sixth form college (), serving around 1,900 students, which has a good track record of producing Oxbridge entrants, and by North Lindsey College (2,000 students plus 11,000 part-time), which offers a wide range of further education programmes, both vocational and academic, and apprenticeship courses at a range of levels. The latter also provides higher education opportunities for around 1,000 learners at its University Centre. There are two Grammar Schools within a 20 mile radius - at Gainsborough and .

A new £12m University Technical College (under the umbrella of the University of Hull) opened towards the end of 2015 in Scunthorpe town centre. It provides academic education and technical training for 14 to 19-year-olds, with a focus on engineering and renewable energy. The project also forms part of a wider North Lincolnshire Council scheme to regenerate the town centre.

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Retail The area has a number of major national shopping chains, in either Scunthorpe town centre or on the three retail parks which are situated on the outskirts of the town (one being a five minute drive from St Peter’s Vicarage), along with other local specialist shops and markets. New North Lincolnshire Shopping Park

The main town centre shopping area is pedestrianised and a covered shopping mall links to the Parishes shopping and leisure complex which has expanded and improved the facilities in the town centre.

The Parishes shopping precinct

There is also a good selection of shops (including a Thursday market) in nearby Ashby, a five minute drive from the vicarage.

Ashby High Street

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Following recent approval, the next few years will see the local area developed further with the Lakeside Villages project on the west side of the town which will create a number of high quality, sustainable village communities set within a waterside environment giving major opportunities for leisure, sport and recreation as well as new businesses. Communication links

The area has excellent road links with the rest of the country via the M180/M18 (connecting to the M62, A1 and M1) and the Humber Bridge. This provides rapid access to the neighbouring towns/cities of , Hull, , and beyond. Scunthorpe is only 28 miles from the historic city of Lincoln, and 48 miles from York. There are regular trains to Doncaster, which connect with frequent services to and Edinburgh on the east coast main line.

Two major regional airports, Humberside, and Robin Hood (serving Doncaster and Sheffield), are situated within a 25 mile radius of the town. The River Trent runs to the west of the town. These links mean that Scunthorpe is an excellent location for attracting businesses and companies. Its compact boundaries allow rapid access to the surrounding, largely rural area with its attractive market towns, unspoilt villages and open countryside.

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Overview of the Team Parish

The Parish falls within the Manlake Deanery, one of 23 deaneries in the Lincoln Diocese, and comprises three districts, each with its own church – St. Peter ad Vincula (Bottesford), St. Paul (Ashby) and the Church of the Holy Spirit (Riddings).

The Parish occupies a swathe across the southern side of the Scunthorpe conurbation, with a population of 32,500. This represents a 13% increase over the 2001 census, largely due to a number of private housing developments, and an influx of young families. The Parish is the most populous in the Lincoln Diocese. Socially and economically it covers a wide spectrum from affluent suburbia to deep urban deprivation.

People

Of 136 on the electoral roll, around 85-100 people attend regular Sunday worship – 35-40 at St. Paul’s, 35-40 at St. Peter’s, and 12-20 at the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The congregations are predominantly elderly, which means that there is a finite number of able-bodied people who are able to share in the work of the running of the Parish. However, there is a committed core of people in each church who take on the responsibility for dealing with practical matters in the individual churches, and maintenance of the buildings, and we are confident that, as we grow, others will come forward to help share the load.

There is also a good core of people who work for the Parish as well as their own church, and one of the tasks for the future is to help more people recognise the contribution which they can make to Parish life, whilst still retaining the security of, and loyalty to, their own church.

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Structure and Staffing

The Parish is designated as a Team Ministry, with two full time stipendiary ministers. The current Team Rector took up his post in April 2016 and the new Parish Missioner will be the other full time post. A non-stipendiary minister acts as Associate Priest to the parish and her licence is to be made permanent in the near future.

Two Church Army Evangelists have recently been appointed to a new joint Diocesan and Church Army “Centre of Mission” project which operates across three key areas of the town one of which is the Riddings Estate where one of the Evangelists is based.

There are currently two Readers licensed to the Parish and they participate regularly in the delivery of Sunday services (Morning Worship) and midweek services.

There are two Parish Wardens, and each church has positions for two Deputy Wardens, with only one vacancy existing (at the Church of the Holy Spirit).

There are lay ministers at St Peter’s who participate in pastoral visiting and the administration of home communion. A group of lay people plan and lead the monthly informal service – “Second Sunday Worship for All” - at St Paul’s.

Worship

At present, the Parish offers a range of worship styles, based on Common Worship, and is broadly central in its churchmanship. All three churches have morning Sunday services, and a Eucharist every third Sunday with organists usually available to play at St Peter’s and St Paul’s. At other times CDs are used.

The current Sunday service pattern over the 3-week cycle might look like this :

St. Paul, Ashby (9.30am) St. Peter, Bottesford (10am) Holy Spirit, Riddings (10am) Week 1 Holy Communion Morning Worship Morning Worship Week 2 Informal Worship * Holy Communion Morning Worship Week 3 Morning Worship Morning Worship Holy Communion

* The Informal Worship is monthly, on the second Sunday and is called Second Sunday Worship for All. The Church of the Holy Spirit has an Informal service on the fourth Sunday of the month, currently called the Morning Service.

Baptism services are currently offered on three Sundays each month at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s, and twice at the Church of the Holy Spirit, following the Sunday services. 13

There are midweek communion services at St. Peter’s (Wednesday, 10.00 a.m.), and St. Paul’s (Thursday, 9.30 a.m.).

Joint Parish Eucharists are held on the occasions of the Patronal services of each of the three Churches – late January (St. Paul), Pentecost (Holy Spirit) and Petertide (St. Peter) – and are normally followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Other opportunities to worship together across the parish are currently being explored. There are also “special” services – Mothering Sunday, Harvest, Memorial Service for the recently bereaved, Remembrance Sunday, Carol Services, Crib and Christingle Services.

Lay people currently read the lessons, lead intercessions and administer the chalice at all three churches. Occasional Offices

During 2017 there were

 26 weddings, of which 24 were at St. Peter’s Church and 2 at St. Paul’s (in 2018, 32 weddings have been booked)  68 funerals either conducted in one of our churches or by parish ministers at the local crematorium.  121 Baptisms spread across the 3 churches Administration

The business of the Parish is conducted by a Parochial Church Council (PCC), which meets six times a year; each church has its own District Church Council (DCC) which acts as a channel for the flow of information to and from the PCC, and has certain decision-making powers on matters relevant to each church. A Finance and Standing Committee deals with any important issues which arise in between PCC meetings. The Rector holds regular meetings with the wardens who have also begun to meet together.

A Parish Office, located in St. Paul’s vestry, opens for six hours per week to deal with bookings for baptisms and weddings, general enquiries, and various administrative tasks. Staff Meetings

Currently the Rector, the Associate Priest and the two Readers meet fortnightly to discuss worship, pastoral matters and generally to offer support to each other.

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The Social and Fund-raising life of the Parish

There is a healthy and well-supported annual programme of social and fund-raising events, organised by a Social Committee and other individuals/groups, which serve to bond people from all three Churches, and provide outreach into the local community. Regular events include a Plant Sale (May), Garden Party (July), Christmas Fair (November) and a Candlelight Supper (December), plus other ad hoc fund-raising events.

Annual Garden Party

A Thursday drop-in Café, based in the Parish Hall and staffed by volunteers from across the Parish, working on a rota basis, attracts many local people and offers a point of welcome and a chance for conversation and pastoral support.

Thursday Cafe

A recreational group (Parish Social Pastimes) meets monthly in the Parish Hall for indoor games – table tennis, darts, board games, etc.

Men’s Breakfast

A Saturday morning ‘Men’s Breakfast’ was started a year ago meeting once a month for fellowship and to provide an occasion to which friends and neighbours can be invited.

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Wednesday Welcome

The Church of the Holy Spirit has opened its doors on a Wednesday afternoon, in an effort to re-establish closer links with people in the community it serves. The church is open to all as a prayerful space, a place to play and to share tea, coffee, cake and conversation.

Working with Young People

The Parish has links with many local schools, with the clergy conducting assemblies at a number of them, many of whom also visit one of the three churches for their own services at times of major festivals and at the end of the school year. We are currently in the process of establishing an ‘Open the Book’ team who will take bible stories into our schools.

Some members of the congregation assist with the running of the local Church Lads and Church Girl’s Brigade, located in the Community Youth Centre near to the Church of the Holy Spirit. There are also developing relationships between the parish and a Seniors Youth Group, called “Reaching Riddings”, which is currently sponsored by the Diocese of Lincoln.

St. Peter’s hosts “Church Rocks” once a month for younger children and their families.

A lay-led service at St. Paul’s Church has been established for a number of years and continues to evolve, welcoming the Brownie and Rainbow groups, who use the Parish Hall, and their parents to Harvest, Remembrance Sunday, Christmas and Mothering Sunday Services. The youngsters are usually encouraged to play an active part in these services.

Parish Organisations

. There is an active branch of the Mothers’ Union, attached to St. Peter’s Church, currently with 15 members from across the Parish and a neighbouring parish. . A Sewing Circle (approximately a dozen members) meets fortnightly. . There is a group of bell-ringers at St. Peter’s Church.

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Communications

The Parish has its own web site (http://lincoln.ourchurchweb.org.uk/bwa) which is currently being updated. There is a monthly “Parish News” which contains details of all forthcoming events, and this is supplemented by a weekly news sheet which gives the latest information on events and pastoral issues.

Ecumenical Links

The Parish has very good relationships with the other local churches (Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Salvation Army) and plays an active part in ecumenical activities under the auspices of the Ashby, Bottesford and Riddings (ABR) Ecumenical Group, which meets every 3 months. Church members, as well as the clergy, sit on this group, currently chaired by the local Baptist minister. Remembrance Day Service at the Ashby War Memorial

Joint events currently include the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Lent activities, a Good Friday Walk of Witness and a Remembrance Day Service, Community Carol singing outside the shops at Christmas as well as more informal occasions such as the very popular annual Quiz Night, and a Christmas Concert.

The ministers meet weekly for prayer, Ecumenical Quiz night support and fellowship.

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St. Peter’s Church, Bottesford

St. Peter’s is a 13th century Grade 1 listed building, dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula. The church is early English style and cruciform in plan, built on the site of an earlier Saxon church. There are very few alterations to the original design with its splayed lancet windows, Gothic aumbreys, sedilla, piscina and font. Major restorations have taken place in 1870 and the 1950s. More recently (2012) significant repair work was carried out on the tower. All of this makes St Peter’s a very popular wedding venue due to the beauty of its setting.

The bells are a significant feature of the church. Until 1995 there were 3 bells, dating from the 18th century, that were chimed from the ground floor. As a consequence of a major fund-raising exercise, including donations from local industry, three more bells were added, together with a new bell frame and a ringing platform. The training of new bell- ringers followed, and there is now a dedicated group of ringers who practise each Tuesday evening and ring at Sunday services, weddings and other special services.

The bench pews date from the 1870s and can be moved to provide a variety of seating arrangements for social events such as concerts, dramatic productions and Harvest suppers.

There is a kitchen area in the base of the tower, below the bell-ringing chamber. The building has a sound amplification system and hearing loop and a facility to play CDs. There is also a Children’s Corner.

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Generally the building has been well maintained, but there is a need for the nave floor to be refurbished, disabled access to be improved and for the provision of a toilet. These improvements would greatly increase the attraction of the building for wider social and community use, in addition to worship, especially as there is no hall adjacent to the Church. Various fundraising activities take place throughout the year to help with the maintenance An “Open Weekend” of the building including a monthly “200 Club” The churchyard and the extension of the 1930s are both closed but there is a Garden of Remembrance where cremated remains are buried. A piece of land (about one acre), adjoining the churchyard, was bequeathed to the Parish a few years ago and is the subject of discussion for use as an accessible community area which would also provide additional car parking for the church. The Bottesford Beck Association, an organisation independent of the church, works hard to promote the beauty of the local area and is keen to help the church in its thinking about ideas for the use of this land.

The Church is always happy to welcome groups wishing to visit and has previously played host to the Camera Club and Walking for Health. Sheltered accommodation for the elderly, near to the medical centre has in the past benefitted from input by the church.

Common Worship Holy Communion is celebrated every third Sunday, with Morning Worship on the other two Sundays. A midweek Holy Communion takes place on a Wednesday morning. Every Maundy Thursday there is an Agape meal and at Christmas there is a candlelit Carol Service, Christingle and Crib Services and Midnight Eucharist. Agape meal on Maundy Thursday Other special services include a service in the autumn for the Recently Bereaved to which all the bereaved in the past year are invited. On Remembrance Sunday there is a service for the wider community attended by

Maundy Thursday representatives of Bottesford Town Council followed by the laying of wreaths at the Bottesford War Memorial. St. Peter’s

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Activities at St. Peter’s include

 “Church Rocks” - held on the 1st Sunday afternoon of each month, and consisting of activities and worship designed for young people and their families.  Hand Bell ringing. A group from St. Peter’s have joined with an adjoining village group, Messingham Hand Bell Ringers. “Church Rocks”

 St Peter’s Mothers’ Union - meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month at the Church of the Holy Spirit. There are currently 15 members. This number includes 5 members from the neighbouring Messingham Branch which closed in 2015.

Members of the Mothers’ Union enjoying lunch together

The vision of the St. Peter’s congregation is to

 grow the church community both numerically and spiritually  develop our church for more effective community engagement  preserve the warmth of our welcome to all comers  engage with local schools and organisations to develop closer links

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St. Paul’s Church, Ashby

St. Paul’s Church was consecrated in 1925, built to meet the rapid growth in population in parallel with the expansion of the town’s major steel industry. Its somewhat unprepossessing brick exterior belies a lofty interior which many people find uplifting. The vestry area was modified several years ago to create a Parish Office, leaving a Priest’s vestry, a smaller (originally choir) vestry which now serves as a meeting room with a small kitchen area and an adjacent toilet.

The church was originally built with the intention of extending the nave when demand required it. This is now unlikely to happen, but in its present form it comfortably seats 150 people. The interior is laid out in traditional style with movable pews. The raised chancel area allows for flexible worship. The high altar, immediately below the east window is used infrequently at present; instead, a smaller altar, closer to the congregation, is used for the celebration of Holy Communion.

Of the 52 people on the electoral roll, some 35-40 are regular attenders at the weekly 9.30 a.m. Sunday Service. This number swells (sometimes to as many as 100) at seasonal special services and at some Informal Services. The Informal Service held on the second Sunday of each month, is generally lay-led. A Worship group meets each month to plan for this service.

St Paul’s during Ecumenical Walk of Witness – Good Friday 2018

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A Pastoral Care scheme is in operation at St. Paul’s, providing a valuable network of care and “keeping in touch” if members are ill or in need of help.

There are strong links with local schools. Two of the nearby junior schools visit the Church three times a year (Christmas, Easter and Harvest) for special services, filling the Church on each occasion. Parish clergy also visit the schools for morning assemblies.

The vision of the St. Paul’s congregation is to

 increase membership across all age groups and particularly through engagement with young families.  increase lay participation in the life of the church.  strengthen links with young people via schools and uniformed organisations  have more involvement with the local community  deepen our faith through Bible study , prayer and mutual encouragement .  explore new forms of worship.  re-imagine our church interior (replacement of pews with flexible seating arrangement and provision for multi-functional use) to provide a warm, welcoming and inspiring worship space.

Church of the Holy Spirit, Riddings

The Church of the Holy Spirit celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 at Pentecost. It was built to serve the growing housing development of the Riddings estate and housing in north Yaddlethorpe (part of Bottesford). The housing estate known as ‘The Riddings’ started development in 1951 and houses are still being added today resulting in an excess of 2000 homes on the estate. Originally built as a progressive council estate, nowadays most properties are privately owned. Open spaces and parks were included in the planning. Today Riddings is deemed to be an area of urban deprivation.

In the early 1960s it was decided that the area needed a church, so services were initially held in the local primary school hall while funding was acquired. The distinctive blue spire, made from local steel, was raised in 1962, and the church completed and opened for worship in 1965. The original plan for the building was to include a hall, and the foundations were put in.

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The church has a separate baptistry with a font of local ironstone.

The church rooms, kitchen and toilet were renewed in 2003 when the rooms were provided to a SureStart project. The rooms are currently let to a charity, New Horizons, which continues to support families on behalf of North Lincolnshire Council and the NHS. The The font church is about to become involved with this work by sharing in the running of their fortnightly coffee morning which is held for the families.

Both church and rooms are warm, and host PCC and other Parish meetings. The St Peter’s Mother’s Union (now the MU branch for both Bottesford with Ashby Parish and Messingham) meets here.

A group of the Church Lads and Girls Brigade was established in 2012, and meets in the Riddings Youth Centre, providing weekly activities including some Christian teaching for 8-11 year olds.

Relations with the local schools are good, with both Enderby Road Infants, and our neighbours Willoughby Road Primary, coming in to church each term for services.

Clergy go regularly into schools for Church Lads and Church Girls Brigade assemblies and other school activities.

The congregation meeting on a Sunday morning is currently small and mainly elderly, but with spirits that are strong and healthy, and with a desire for renewal of the church.

The priority for the Church of the Holy Spirit congregation is

 to seek to grow the church by strengthening links with our local community and making our worship more relevant and accessible, while maintaining a pastoral heart for existing churchgoers, some of whom have worshipped here since the church opened. 23

The Parish Hall

The Parish Hall (located next to St. Paul’s Church) is widely used by local community Groups as well as providing a venue for Parish events. Built in 1939, it underwent a major refurbishment in 2008 to provide new toilets, disabled access and a general improvement in services. As a consequence, the Hall is very popular among the local Ashby, Bottesford and Riddings communities and provides a venue for a privately run Pre-School (4 mornings per week), an Aerobics group (2 sessions per week), two martial arts groups (4 sessions per week), Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations and weekly/monthly sessions for several other groups (Brownies, Rainbows, Yoga, Line Dancing, Embroiderer’s Guild and badminton) as well as the Parish-run Café St. Paul. There is also a regular demand from occasional users, from the wider area, mainly for children’s parties. The subsequent growth in income in Fund raising concert featuring recent years, has moved the Hall from a position Parish musical talent where it was a drain on Parish resources to one where it is now a significant earner for the Parish, with annual income from external lettings around the £20,000 mark. In the recent past, the Hall has benefitted from grant income to fund internal modifications, new kitchen equipment, and maintenance work (external repainting). The Parish recognises the need to continually invest in the Hall to keep it attractive, because there is Pantomime in full swing at the Candlelight Supper competition from other halls and community centres in the area.

There is the potential for the Parish to develop stronger links with some of the hall user groups, particularly with the young people, for example the Pre-School.

The Hall is run by a Management Committee, answerable to the PCC.

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The Vicarage

The Vicarage is a modern detached property, with enclosed gardens and detached garage, situated next to the closed churchyard that surrounds St Peter’s Church. The Vicarage, which has its own driveway giving access to the house and garage, sits on Old School Lane, a small road that provides access to the church and the neighbouring residential houses.

The ground floor comprises an entrance area and inner hallway, a large sitting room, dining room, cloakroom, study and kitchen/utility. Upstairs is a master bedroom, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The property is currently occupied but prior to any new appointment taking up their post, the house will be refurbished and modernised to required standards and redecorated and re-carpeted by the Diocese of Lincoln.

Old School Lane on which the church and vicarage are situated 25

Bottesford, the area around the Vicarage, is well served by a number of facilities including Post Office, Medical Centre and Library. A selection of newsagents and small shops are situated in different areas around the area. There is also a small private nursery. The village and civic halls play host to various activities for all ages throughout the week and may be hired for private events. Tea Pot Hall is a drop in centre providing a daily welcome and activities for senior citizens. There are also tennis courts, a bowling green and multi-use games area in the same vicinity. A variety of public houses provide pleasant facilities for eating out and a frequent bus service connects Bottesford to both Ashby and Scunthorpe with a further service giving access to Gainsborough and Lincoln.

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Parish Finances

The Parish has its own Hall, a fixed asset currently valued at £473K, subject to imminent revaluation.

Following the sale of St Catherine’s Hall and parcels of land at St Paul’s Church, the parish found itself with reserves in excess of £313K at the end of 2008. Following the identification of the need for urgent repairs to the tower and roof of St Peter’s Church, some £105K was spent on this project. Replacement of lead roofing at St Peter’s Church (with stainless steel) and copper roofing at Holy Spirit Church, following a series of thefts, further depleted reserves as the full replacement could not be covered by our insurers.

Our parish attracts an annual Parish Share request in excess of £40K based on the current diocesan formula. The parish has managed to pay Share in full for all but one year. Despite a number of very generous individual donations, this has only been achieved in the past by a further reduction of reserves.

As a consequence, reserves stood at £128K at the end of 2017, of which £27K relates to Restricted Funds.

Income from Planned Giving is around £26.5K and is currently increasing. We receive substantial Fee Income - around £12.5K (net) in 2017 - mainly due to the large number of weddings in the Parish – although this did reduce slightly in 2017. Café St Paul generates around £4k of funds for the Parish. The Parish Hall operates with its own Management Committee, and is successful in being a net generator of funds for the Parish – around £8.3K in 2017.

In addition to separate fund-raising events the PCC currently allocates 5% of the annual income from planned giving to local and national charities.

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Income 2017 £104,288 Planned Giving 4% 0% 26,487 2% Tax Recovery 25% 13,380 17% Collections at Services 9,148 Donations 3,905 PCC Fees (net) 12,316 6% Events and Fund Raising 4,332 4% 13% Café St Paul 4,122 4% Restricted Fund Income 6,746 12% 9% Church Hall Income 4% 17,929

Expenditure 2017 £97,839 Parish Share 0% 41,186 8% Charitable Giving 1,260 10% Parish Utilities 5,804 Maintenance 3% 4,145 42% Upkeep of Services 2,584 7% Office Expenses 7,995 Insurance 7,536 8% Major Projects & Repairs 6,840 CLCGB 8% 2,589 1% Church Hall Expenses 3% 4% 6% 9,687

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