Issue No. 3 May to July 2013 Welcome to the third edion of the Newark and Southwell Deanery Newsleer. Dear All, The Easter season is almost at an end and soon we will be celebrang Ascension and Pentecost, respecvely on the 9th and 19th of May. A.G.M’s have been held and officers appointed. It seems like a good me for a rest. The liturgical calendar, the coming season of fairs, fates, cream teas garden pares and for some weddings mean that our church communies are consistently busy. Far from being able to sit back and enjoy the fine weather! and the rhythm of church life goes on a pace. This is also true for the Deanery leadership. A working party, set up in the light of input from Bishops Council, connues to work on the 2020 Deanery Plan. Later in the year the plan will be brought to Synod for formal approval. As with all plans it will connue to evolve over me. Once in place it will be a now point from which we will all set out. All Deaneries in the Diocese are producing similar plans, whilst there are variaons they all recognise that there will be a reducing number of spendiary clergy over the next six years and the reality that due to a reducing number of women and men being called to the vocaonal life news ways of growing and sustaining church communies’ have to be found. The coming months will therefore be a period of parcular reflecon and discernment for the Deanery Leadership as our plans are formalised. Since I wrote my last arcle Rev. Chrisne French has taken up her post in the Beck and Trent Group and Rev. David Yabbacome in the East Trent Group. It is great to welcome new colleagues to the Deanery. I’m sure they will become familiar faces around the Deanery and Deanery Synod over me. They filled appointments that had been vacant for some long while. Sadly we sll have a number of vacant groups and parishes, in some cases they have been without a resident priest for many years. Filling posts is not an easy business, as those who have gone through the process will know. To misquote Mrs Beaton’s household management “first catch your priest.” Even at the end of interviews the parish may not wish to appoint and, importantly, the candidate can say no, and from me to me they do. I would ask for your prayers for all our parishes and groups currently in vacancy. North and South Muskham, Kelham, Averham, Elston, East Stoke, Shelton, Sibthorpe, Kilvington, Syerston, Staunton, Ollerton, Boughton, Southwell, Holy Trinity, St Mary’s, Newark Summer Garden Party On Thursday the 27th June from 7.30 to 9.00pm an event is being held at Bishops Manor. It will be an opportunity for folks to mix and meet in an informal context. Most of all it is intended to be an enjoyable me to share news and views. Light refreshments will be provided. Please contact the deanery office if you intend coming by the 20th June. We have been very heartened by the response to this magazine; we are always on the lookout for more informaon, comments and arcles. The aim of this publicaon is to provide a greater insight into the life and mission of our deanery. Yours in Christ Revd David Milner www.nandsdeanery.org.uk Area Dean of Newark & Southwell Deanery 2020 - Your Archdeacon's view Last October I attended a training session for archdeacons. We were asked to reflect on our ministry to date and to say what figure or image we would have for our role. Some talked of a rudder on a boat, otherwise a key component in an engine. I thought of Bob the Builder, for he, not Barack Obama, inspired the phrase, "Can we do it? Yes we can!" I was drawn to serving in this diocese by the vision we have for being engaged in God's mission. Naturally, this vision is worked out in parishes and sector ministries across the diocese but without an overall vision a diocese lacks focus. 2020 is an integral part of 'Joining in the Transforming Mission of God'. I would like to take a few lines to say what it means to me and why I believe we can do it! Those of us involved in appointments know there are fewer clergy available in what are known as deployable ministries. It is a slightly harsh phrase but, whilst our locally based ministers are invaluable, it is the clergy like myself who can move anywhere (in theory) that are usually the incumbent-focus leaders in a diocesan ministry. Fewer priests mean we have to think creatively about sustaining ministry in our diocese. More lay appointments means expanding our horizons and not being tied to a potentially morale-sapping cycle of not making appointments to key posts because we do not have the clergy available. Some of the best appointments I made in parish and deanery ministry was of a Church Army Officer, a Children’s Minister and a Director of Music so I can speak of the value of a paid lay ministry, having seen these ministers transform a church’s life under God. 2020 is about expanding the vision we have of ministry. Our call to deanery leaders has been to think creatively about how ministry can open up possibilities. Linked to this is the commitment to develop what are known as Fresh Expressions of Church, which can be summarised as gatherings which open the possibility of church belonging to those who do not normally come to traditional style worship. Deaneries are a fundamental part of how we work this out, as are parishes. I appreciated as an Area Dean having the freedom to develop ministry across this area and I believe that it is right to encourage such thinking. Deanery leaders should be best placed to know how to shape ministerial resources for the future in their area. Please continue to pray for those charged with this responsibility in your own deanery and do not be shy in offering your reflections. I know they will not mind. Among other factors in the 2020 equation are church buildings. Too many generations lost a vision for the church building as a community hub. Most were not built just to house acts of worship. Do try and be represented from your parish at a Vision Day on Church buildings on June 15th at Kneesall. We will have people from various disciplines helping us to think about how buildings can be used more creatively and I do not shy away from saying efficiently. This will be essential for the working out of 2020 vision. Ask yourself now, 'What is our church for?' and how often is it used creatively during any given week. There is no widespread policy to close many churches but we have to be realistic that they need to serve an active purpose. Finally, a bit about process. Deaneries have submitted their plans and have had them commented on at diocesan level by Bishops Staff and Council. They are now in the next revision stage and the plan is that we are taking them into account now as we consider vacancies as they arise. A small group called Design Team are overseeing this process. This is made up of diocesan officers, deanery leaders and parish clergy. There are some excellent downloads with more detail for those who wish to see it on our diocesan website. 2020 could sound a long way off. That is why I emphasise we are beginning to implement thinking now. Remember Bob the Builder. I am positive about our outline plans for 2020. What we now need is the creative and missional thinking which will enable this to be birthed in reality. Pray for us all and especially for those most engaged in delivering this vision and remember ‘He who began a good work in you, will, be faithful to repeat it.’ (Philippians 1.6) David Picken Delayed move to Jubilee House - Watch this space ! Chief Execuve, Nigel Spraggins said: “Our move into the new premises has unfortunately been delayed due to the construcon company, Baggaley going into administraon in February. We’re in the process of negoang for another contractor to complete the work and hope to move in during the summer.” NEW RECTOR OF THE EAST TRENT GROUP OF CHURCHES A new Pope inaugurated, a new Archbishop of Canterbury enthroned, and now a new Rector for the East Trent Group of Churches is inducted! So much going on, and here I am in Collingham writing this during the moving in process. It is good to have found pen and paper, not to say laptop, too, so that I can accept the invitation to offer words of introduction. Easter Day marked my departure from the parish of St Nicholas, Newport, Lincoln where I was Vicar for nearly thirteen years. April 20th and I become Rector of the East Trent Group of Churches. For me, it is a time of exciting change in life as I begin to learn to live with you being the Church in these communities. A little personal information. I am nearly 58, married to Esther, we have three sons, two daughters and one daughter-in-law. The name is from Devon, but my branch of the family, the only surviving branch, went to London in Victorian times. I was born and brought up in south east London and trained to teach in Sussex.