THE GREENWAY BENEFICE in the Severn Vale Deanery, Diocese of Gloucester: The parishes of Holy Trinity, Badgeworth St. Paul’s St . Mary the Virgin, Shurdington Witcombe with Bentham Our Benefice Profile January 2017 MAP SHOWING THE THREE CHURCHES Our Vacancy Prayer Heavenly Father, during this time we pray for a new vicar who is a person of prayer inspired by the Holy Spirit with a prophetic vision for God’s mission of our benefice churches. We welcome a priest unknown to us, whose pastoral heart will kindle God’s loving kind- ness amongst us, beyond us, and through us, as we reach out to those in need. We welcome a priest known to God, praying that the light of God’s love may grow in the hearts of the congregation and that its warmth may be felt in our communities transforming lives as the gospel of Christ breaks new boundaries. So we pray for our new vicar to be called to our churches and local communities, to be stirred by God during this time as we wait with patience and excitement. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 2 CONTENTS Map of the Benefice …….…………………… page 2 Our Vacancy Prayer ….……………………… page 2 Where we are and Our Vision …….………… page 5 Present development Plan ………………….. page 7 Benefice Structure ……….…….…………….. page 8 Present Pattern of Worship ……….………… page 9 Benefice-wide groups & organisations …….. page 10 Working with Children ….……….…….…….. page 12 The Parishes Badgeworth …………………….…………….. page 14 Shurdington ….………………….……………. page 16 Witcombe with Bentham ….…….….….……. page 18 The Vicarage ………….……….……….…….. page 20 The Area ….…….….….….….….….………… page 20 Website Links …….….….….…….….………. page 20 Appendix 1 - Person Specification…….….… page 21 Appendix 2 - Annual Report Finance……….. pages 22 -28 3 INTRODUCTION The Greenway Benefice, comprising Holy Trinity Church, Badgeworth, the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Witcombe with Bentham, and St Paul's Church, Shurdington, lies to the south-west of Cheltenham, close to J11A of the M5, with the A46 passing through Shurdington and the A417 dividing Witcombe and Bentham (See map). The Benefice takes its name from The Greenway, the ancient drovers' road by which the sheep of Saint Peter’s Abbey, now Gloucester Cathedral, were driven from their winter quarters at Badgeworth to their summer pastures at Coberly and Cowley on the escarpment. The track goes up the slopes of Shurdington Hill from the A46 opposite the junction with Badgeworth Lane to the edge of the Barrow Piece Plantation and on towards Ullenwood. Most of The Greenway lies in the Parish of Witcombe with Bentham, but its lower reaches are in what most people would naturally think of as Shurdington, whilst its north-westerly continuation is Badgeworth Lane. Ancient history is revealed in the fort and a number of iron age sites on Crickley Hill and the occupation of the Romans by part of the important Ermin Street from Cirencester to Gloucester and remains of villas. The limestone escarpment and its lower slopes form part of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and land surrounding the villages is mainly Green Belt. As a result there has been little development in the Benefice in recent years, although this is looking to be changed in the near future to meet some of the county's present housing needs. The Benefice is within the Severn Vale Deanery, formed in 2009 from the former Gloucester North and most of Forest North, and is prayer linked with the Benefice of Westbury-on-Severn with Flaxley, Blaisdon and Minsterworth. The Deanery is within the Archdeaconry of Gloucester. There is a great variety of life in our parishes but a strong sense of unity and common purpose in the Benefice. Shared leadership is exercised by the Local Ministry Team and Benefice Council. 4 WHERE WE ARE AND OUR VISION Collected thoughts from members of congregations and parishes Our Thanksgiving for the past Building on solid foundations We are grateful for: We seek to maintain: our previous incumbents who a welcome for all, places of have been “people-people” rest, solace and refreshment and provided stability and and a centre of the community strong leadership; for all our villages; our churches being there for a full interpretation of the their communities; phrase “cure of souls”, fellowship and support during particularly appreciated in times of crisis; uplifting and personal funerals our variety of worship, music broad, middle-of-the-road and the Benefice Choir; churchmanship with a variety our church buildings and a of services; legacy of good maintenance; traditional services, especially involvement and interest of at Christmas; many parishioners, not all a variety of music and regular church-goers; musicians; the partnership with the links with the school; school; lay leadership; lay ministry; the ecumenical partnership of church-community events; Christians Together. growing unity – seen in benefice-wide groups, such as the Mothers' Union. 5 WHERE WE ARE AND OUR VISION cont’d Vision for the future, linking with LIFE, the Diocese's Vision, we seek: to maintain the traditional, but be open to the need for change so as to encourage new membership, particularly via the links with the Primary School; to develop outreach to the elderly, particularly provision for those with dementia, via the care homes; to enable young people to hear the Gospel and to find a place of faith to belong and then believe; to encourage belonging with local Baptismal families and wedding couples; to find and encourage good leadership in both ordained and lay; to find the energy and inspiration, the human and financial resources to both maintain and develop our ministry, particularly to be able to take the church to the people. What we offer Three welcoming, loving and loyal congregations; A benefice in which many, but not all, see its unity as important and needing to be developed; The opportunity, particularly in Shurdington, to minister in some needy situations and among vulnerable families; A flourishing, distinctively Christian C of E Primary School with strong links and outreach opportunities; Three ancient, beautiful and well-cared-for churches; A largely rural setting, but in close proximity to Gloucester and Cheltenham. 6 GREENWAY BENEFICE DEVELOPMENT AREAS 2015-16 Linked to Diocesan “JOURNEYING TOGETHER” scheme WORSHIPS TOGETHER SHARES OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH AND VALUES Development of Music Developing Relationship with Primary ▪ Benefice Choir School families ▪ New songs/hymns ▪ Pre-school at Shurdington ▪ Collective worship and Prayer Days Variety of Worship ▪ Governors’ Ethos committee ▪ Monthly informal/themed/all age ▪ All Stars (After school Christian Club) services (Badgeworth 4th Sunday) ▪ Open the Book ▪ 5th Sunday Benefice services ▪ Morning parents’ gathering ▪ Food with worship events ▪ Leading intercessions and readings Baptism and Wedding gatherings ▪ Additional/enhanced music (W) ▪ Invitations 3 times a year Enabling people to belong and then believe ▪ MU Young ‘n Fun and Table Talk ▪ Men’s Breakfast and Table Talk PROVIDES A VISIBLE PRESENCE IN EVERY SERVES THE WIDER WORLD COMMUNITY AND PARISH Using community buildings/areas Maintain annual level of Charitable giving ▪ Coffee mornings (B) ▪ PCC annual allocation ▪ Coffee mornings (S) ▪ Fêtes Individual congregation members’ work for common good affirmed and Christians Together Worship and Ministry encouraged ▪ Sept to May monthly and Carols ▪ 3-in-1 articles ▪ “This time tomorrow” in worship Ministry of Pastoral group ▪ Coordination of visiting sick & bereaved Inviting Speakers ▪ Individual visiting ▪ 3 churches and Benefice services ▪ Benefice teas Maintain link with Rättvik in Sweden 7 THE BENEFICE STRUCTURE, MINISTRY AND ADMINISTRATION MINISTERS Together with our Vicar, our ministry team comprises: Associate Priest: The Revd April Jones, SSM, who lives in Witcombe. Retired Priest: The Revd Ian Gobey, who lives in Shurdington. Reader: Robert Poole, who lives in Churchdown but officiates in the Benefice. In addition 5 people hold the Bishop's Lay Worship Leaders' Certificate. ADMINISTRATION Benefice Administrator: Robert Poole, based at the Office at St Paul's Church Hall in Shurdington, hours 9 am - midday on Thursdays. Benefice Children’s Work Co-ordinator and Safeguarding Officer: Rachel Cottell. LOCAL MINISTRY The Benefice has had a Local Ministry Team since 1997 when it was initially formed and underwent the Diocesan Training. It has evolved over the years and at present comprises the Associate Priest and Reader and lay representatives from the parishes: Badgeworth (3), Shurdington (1), Witcombe (2). Its formal meetings every two months are chaired, minuted and have worship led by the members in rotation. Lay Ministry is warmly supported in the Diocese and is affirmed in the new Diocesan Vision, but not entirely understood by all in our parishes, although its value has been appreciated during this vacancy. BENEFICE COUNCIL The Benefice Council comprises the Vicar and 2 representatives from each parish, nominated at the APCM, usually the Churchwardens; others, such as the PCC Treasurers, are invited to attend appropriately. It normally meets twice a year. PCCs Each parish has its own PCC at present, usually chaired by the Vicar, which ordinarily meet three times a year plus the APCMs. There are occasional Joint PCC meetings and the possibility of moving to a United parish has been discussed. 8 WORSHIP PRESENT PATTERN of SUNDAY SERVICES The normal monthly pattern up to July is shown below; during the Vacancy it has been slightly reduced. SUNDAY HOLY TRINITY ST. PAUL’S ST. MARY’S 1st 11 Parish Communion 9.30 Parish Communion 8 am Holy Communion BCP 11 Morning Prayer 2nd 11 Morning Prayer 9.30 Parish Communion 8 am Holy Communion BCP 11 Parish Communion 3rd 11 Parish Communion 9.30 Parish Communion 8 am Holy Communion BCP 11 Family (all-age) service 4th 11 Morning Prayer 8 am Holy Communion BCP 11 Parish Communion 9.30 Morning Praise & Prayer On 5th Sundays, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Ascension Day, Benefice Eucharists are held in one of the three churches in rotation.