Growing Disciples Priest Wider, Younger, Deeper June 2016 1 THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM GROWING THE CHURCH WIDER, YOUNGER AND DEEPER A statement from the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Williams and the Archdeacon of Newark, the Venerable David Picken The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of Nottinghamshire and five parishes in South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million – 51% live in the greater Nottingham conurbation, 31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252 parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and licensed lay workers. In 2011 the Diocese reaffirmed its commitment to Joining Together in the Transforming Mission of God with a focus on three core strands: Living Worship, Growing Disciples and Seeking Justice. A deployment plan for 2020 ensures that overall levels of stipendiary ministry are maintained at 2012 levels. The process involved wide engagement from clergy and laity, refocusing parishes on growth. Following the arrival of a new diocesan bishop in June 2015 we are now looking beyond 2020 at what kind of church we would like to be in 2025 and 2030. As a diocese we have made a refreshed commitment to care for every soul in the diocese with an increased focus on growing disciples. The Senior Staff team has established the first stage of a vision to grow the church ‘wider, younger and deeper’. ‘Wider’ in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any community: urban centre, outer estates, rural villages or market towns. ‘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. As part of a renewed strategy for growth we aspire to be purposeful and imaginative in: welcoming new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church; commissioning younger leaders (16-30) inspired and equipped to serve God’s purposes in the world; and serving as 1 church united in contending for the gospel. We long to welcome new and younger disciples in every community across the diocese, aligning our energies and resources around this quest. 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 the church ‘wider, younger and deeper.’ 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 Growing Disciples Priest in this cluster of parishes will have the creative leadership and imagination to develop discipleship, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in the locality.” 2 Growing Disciples – Wider Younger Deeper You will see in the attached paper and outline from Bishop Paul and myself a description of the vision which is behind the way in which this diocese is developing ministry. This Growing Disciples Priest post is a direct result of that development. Following the retirement of a priest from a longstanding ministry and an existing vacancy elsewhere, we have reconsidered the best shape of ministry for this area. Ollerton is a major centre and focus for local civic life and is a substantial community. The Church there has a vibrant presence and is a demanding, yet developing community. In making the incumbent ministry there a significant oversight role we are seeking to free up possibilities for ministry across a wider area. In our original planning the retirement of the priest from the northern parishes of this grouping would have seen a replacement on a 0.5 basis. In introducing Bilsthorpe and Eakring in the south from a former, informal grouping we are allocating a 1.0 Growing Disciples post. The intention is that the person appointed will exercise elements of traditional parish ministry (Sunday worship and occasional offices). However, a significant part of their time will be spent across the grouping, leading on the Growing Disciples element of our diocesan vision. This means working with existing congregations but also leading on the local response to our diocesan vision to welcome 7000 new disciples into our churches in the years ahead. The priest appointed will have a base in Bilsthorpe whilst working across the parishes. It is envisaged that the new cluster of parishes will consist of Ollerton and Boughton and villages to the south (Eakring Bilsthorpe) and east (Kneesall et al). The Growing Disciples Priest will be of incumbent status but will relate directly to The Revd. Zoe Burton, the priest in Ollerton. The ministerial team in due course will help the diocese to reflect on the best form of pastoral reorganisation to aid the growth of the church in these communities. The priest will be joining a significant and growing ministerial team. By the summer there will be a deacon joining the Ollerton with Boughton parish. Already there are four Readers and an active SSM, as well as an engaged laity. This post represents an exciting opportunity to work with inherited church structures but to develop new ways of being church. The high levels of occasional offices and a general goodwill to the church that exists needs to be consolidated into a more embedded numerical growth in church life and, it is anticipated, in new worshipping communities. Inevitably, the information in this pack gives factual details. The real excitement here is that the post opens up a new future which it is difficult to define or describe at present but which we believe will see existing potential turned into new life as we continue to Join in the Transforming Mission of God in this diocese. David Picken, Archdeacon of Newark June 2016 3 Job Specification Key features of the role are: - Lead on establishing and developing existing nurture and study groups across the parishes - Nurture disciples within existing congregations and new Christians - Develop new forms of outreach in Bilsthorpe and advise other communities on mission - Work collaboratively with the other members of the ministerial team to enable church growth. - Play your part in leading worship in the churches of the cluster on Sundays. - Play a lead role in Growing Disciples in the schools of the cluster - Support and encourage the parishes engagement with the desire to Grow Disciples Wider, Younger, Deeper in accordance with the diocesan vision. Housing & Expenses We are currently exploring the best option for housing for this post from several options available to us but our preferred option is that you would be based in a new home in the centre of Bilsthorpe Village. Expenses of office will be met in full and you will be paid at the Incumbent stipend rate in the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. 4 The Parish of Ollerton with Boughton - Population: approx. 14,000 The Parish of Ollerton with Boughton is a rural town composed of an ex-mining village (New Ollerton) situated between 2 rural villages: Ollerton Village and Boughton. The Parish is working class with an IMD ranking in parts of the Parish placing it in the bottom 10% for multiple deprivation nationally: of those of working age, 20% receive out of work benefits and 40% have no qualifications. A quarter of all families with children are lone parent families. There is a mixture of owner-occupied, private, rented and council accommodation including a Housing Association for the over 55’s. A quarter of all households live in social rented housing. A traveller community also resides within the Parish. There are 3 Church of England churches in this Parish: St Giles, Ollerton Village, St Paulinus, New Ollerton and St Matthews, Boughton as well as a Roman Catholic Church, Methodist Church and Lifespring Pentecostal Church. Churches Together partner together on some social action projects, including a Food Bank. The 'community garden' and 'wildlife garden' are partnership projects with other local organisations. Adjacent to St Paulinus, is the St Paulinus Community and Church Hall which is a managed independently of the Church and leases the hall from the church. It has full kitchen and toilet facilities and is available for use by the Church and community groups in addition to private hire. We use the hall for the Little Angels Parent and Toddler group, Messy Church, Young Followers ('Sunday school') and Mothers' Union. Other Church groups include a home group, a discussion group on Christian basics, Parish Prayers and a bereavement support/friendship group. There are five schools in the parish – one primary school, one junior, one infant, one Roman Catholic primary school and one secondary (The Dukeries Academy). We have good links with the community primary school, junior and infant school. We have tentative links with The Dukeries which could be built upon. The Dukeries site is also home to the Leisure Centre, Further Education, Surestart Centre, Dukeries Young People’s Centre and the Newark and Sherwood (Whitewater) Day Centre for adults with learning disabilities. The Parish is home to 5 pubs, several social clubs and sports clubs, uniformed organisations and the Royal British Legion. Health and social services include: the Rosewood Involvement Centre, Health Centre, the Whitewater Day Centre, Surestart and four care homes. The Sherwood Forest Crematorium is also found within the Parish.