St. Mary the Virgin and All Souls, Bulwell, Nottingham PARISH PROFILE 2017
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St. Mary the Virgin and All Souls, Bulwell, Nottingham PATRON: BISHOP OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM PARISH PROFILE 2017 CONTENTS Interior shot of our church, a INTRODUCTION & WELCOME 1 Grade II listed building MISSION 2 OUR NEW PRIEST 3 WHY JOIN US? 4 LOCATION & COMMUNITY 5 THE CHURCH AND ITS PEOPLE 7 ST. MARY’S CofE PRIMARY SCHOOL 9 THE CHURCH & THE COMMUNITY 11 FINANCES 14 APPENDICES 16 i STATEMENT FROM The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of Nottinghamshire and five parishes in The Bishop of South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million – 51% live in the greater Southwell & Nottingham conurbation, 31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252 parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and Nottingham, the Rt licensed lay workers. In 2016 a refreshed diocesan vision was embraced Revd Paul Williams across the diocese, recognising the imperative for ‘Growing Disciples: Wider, Younger, Deeper’. and the Archdeacon of Nottingham, the • ‘Wider’ in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any community: urban centre; outer Venerable Sarah estates; rural villages; or market towns. Clark • ‘Younger’ in that we will seek fresh ways to harness the boldness and creativity of children, students and young people across the diocese, not least in Nottingham which is the 4th youngest city outside London. • ‘Deeper’ as we grow in knowing Christ, so that as his disciples we can be an increasing blessing to the people among whom we live and serve in the workplace, family and community. The Bishops Senior Staff, Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod have demonstrated their clear commitment to sharing in all aspects of this vision and strategy. In autumn 2016 more than 1000 PCC members attended 5 vision evenings around the diocese. We have discerned a series of emerging priorities that will facilitate growing new disciples in every parish across the diocese. Compelled by the love of Christ by 2023 we will seek to: • Welcome 7000 new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church. • Commission 1000 younger leaders (especially 15-30 year olds) equipped and inspired to serve the purposes of God in the Church and society. • Plant or graft 75 New Worshipping Communities (NWCs) across the diocese to increase our reach in telling the story of Jesus to all. • Grow 25 larger Resource Churches with clear commitment to develop leaders, plant New Worshipping Communities, and disciple the young. • Serve and pray together as 1 Church contending for the gospel in every community and sphere of public life in our city, county and region. ii STATEMENT (Cont’d) In this new chapter every parish has an opportunity to review its role within the diocesan mission, so that it can play a significant part in the strategic commitment to ‘Growing Disciples wider, younger and deeper.’ It is in the context of this vision that the appointment of a Vicar to Bulwell takes place. This is an excellent opportunity for an inspiring and engaging priest to lead St Mary’s into growth, engaging with the local community who value and respect their parish church. Within St Mary’s there is a strong committed lay leadership who will play their part in the journey that lies ahead. Bishop Paul has said: “It is my hope that each worshipping community will develop a compelling picture of its own future in God’s purposes with an expectation of growing numerically and in the scope of its mission. It is my prayer that the new Vicar of Bulwell will have the creative leadership and imagination to develop discipleship, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in its locality.” iii STATEMENT FROM Called to serve in Nottingham? It is an exciting and challenging time to be joining in God’s mission in PETER HUXTABLE, Nottingham. Nottingham North Deanery, despite it’s name, actually AREA DEAN takes in parishes from the South-West (Stapleford and Wollaton), and also parishes up the M1 corridor to the west of Junction 26 up to Kimberley, as well as the areas of Nottingham to the north and west (Bulwell and Bestwood), before curving around to Sherwood, heading out of the city to the north-east. The Deanery is highly populated and full of the challenges of bringing the gospel to generations who have mostly had little to do with church. As well as Bulwell, there are currently a number of other vacancies, and our desire is to bring new leaders into the Deanery who have a deep compassion for ordinary people coupled with a joy and hope that, under God, he will open the door to new possibilities of growth for all the churches. Poor in pocket, rich in spirit The churches in Nottingham North serve many of the poorer areas of the City of Nottingham, with several large outer estates on the western and northern side of the city. Over 50% of churches are in the bottom 15% of the CUF deprivation figures; and 30% in the bottom 4%. It is a “ very challenging area for mission and growth, with some of the lowest There is a lovely attendances of any deanery in the country despite the healthy range of good initiatives. Despite this, there is a lovely sense of hope and prayer sense of hope and generosity springing up from the people and a dependency on God and prayer and for him to ‘do a new thing’ across the area. We would love the new incumbent of Bulwell to share some of this sense of vision and hope for generosity springing the wider area. up from the people Growth plans and a dependency • Regular monthly prayer times calling on God to breathe his life into on God for him to our churches and communities • Larger churches to become resource churches for others ‘do a new thing’ • Curates trained, and then to plant or graft new congregations in across the area smaller, struggling churches, bringing a team with them from their sending church. • A range of ministry from ordained to lay evangelists working as a team across parishes ” • Younger leaders trained to enable the church to grow younger once more. iv STATEMENT (Cont’d) Bulwell Bulwell, as an established and bustling community with an attractive town centre and the church on the doorstep, has huge mission potential. Not only is there the opportunity to lead St Mary’s into growth, but with such a large parish population, the possibilities are there for the new priest to help discern where new worshipping communities might come into being in the future. We look forward to the postholder playing an active part in the sharing of resources and ideas for the growth of the churches across the Deanery, as well as the task of growing disciples in its own setting. What an opportunity for someone to use their creativity and collaborative skills to help the church make fresh connections into the community, building on the faith, enthusiasm and wisdom of the congregation, to develop what is possible under God. v INTRODUCTION & WELCOME We welcome any questions Welcome and thank you for you may have or if you would showing an interest in our like to arrange a visit prior to vacancy your application please contact one of our church wardens: Our church is a beautiful and The new incumbent will find Martin Walton historic Grade II listed building a very supportive and active Tel: 0115 9136896 which stands in a commanding PCC looking for clear direction position overlooking Bulwell. The and guidance, having been in Elizabeth Dyer community recognise it as ‘their’ interregnum for the past eighteen Tel: 0115 9753746 church and often turn to it in months. We are aiming to make Mob: 07763034700 times of need or for occasional the church more appealing to the offices. There is a long standing young and those looking for help Email: congregation who have been to find God. St Mary’s Church [email protected] supportive of change and excellent wishes to serve not only its own links with St Mary’s Church of congregation but also those within England Primary School. There are the parish seeking support, help also a large number of uniformed and inspiration which God can organisation groups who use the provide to those who are open to church facilities. Bulwell is a suburb him. of Nottingham and within a short drive from Derbyshire countryside and Sherwood Forest. 1 MISSION As a church we embrace the diocesan strategic focus of ‘Growing disciples, wider, younger, deeper ‘ and have reprioritised our three local mission strands. These are: 1 2 3 We aspire to develop Support Bestwood & Aim to pay our full closer relationships Bulwell foodbank and Parish share with younger people in so doing help local by working with people in crisis our uniformed organisations The PCC are aware that these should be reviewed and are open to fresh perspectives and suggestions. This is an exciting time at St. Marys and one which we feel God has great plans, especially in building links with children, schools and family members to help grow the church and its discipleship. While we are growing the church, we still need to support our longstanding members of our congregation. 2 OUR NEW PRIEST In support of the Diocesan • Engage and enjoy working with • Inspire and encourage others vision of growing faith amongst children, young people, parents, to grow in discipleship and the younger generations, being teachers and uniformed deepen their faith. prepared to nurture and inspire organisations • Be a strong, enthusiastic and those around them to a growing • Be comfortable with and resilient leader who can Christian discipleship, our supportive of all types of empathetically