Archdeaconry of Hertford Buntingford Deanery Profile of The United Benefice of Ardeley, Benington, Cottered with Throcking, and Walkern “So, when each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love.” Ephesians 4 v.16 Welcome Do we have the opportunities you are looking for? Do you have the vision to enable us to grow together? The United Benefice of Ardeley, Benington, Cottered, Throcking and Walkern is nestled in rural East Hertfordshire. We are five small village parishes set in idyllic countryside but with excellent links to London and Cambridge. We are a young Benefice, having been created in 2012, and are looking for leadership to develop and grow our passion and commitment together. We are very proud of our beautiful churches and our welcoming congregations, and in the following pages we hope you will find much to interest you in the possibility of becoming our new Priest-In-Charge. Contents Page Our Vision 1 Our Priorities 2 Challenges 2 What We Offer You 3 Our New Priest-in-Charge 3 The Benefice 4 The Rectory 4 Area Map 5 Service Patterns 6 2019 Financial Summary 6 2019 Attendance Statistics 7 Our Parishes St Lawrence Church, Ardeley 8 St Peter’s Church, Benington 10 St John The Baptist Church, Cottered 12 Holy Trinity Church, Throcking 14 The Church of St Mary, Walkern 15 Our Vision Our mission is to share God’s love as we actively reach out to support each of the five village communities that we serve. Our vision is to continue to be a welcoming and diverse group of rural parishes serving local needs, demonstrating both individually and collectively a Christian witness that is relevant for the 21st century. Our aim is for each of our five parishes to maintain their different traditions of worship, while working more closely together. As a Benefice, we have identified the key areas which we wish to maintain, improve or develop and the challenges we face, which together are likely to shape our immediate future. 1 Our Priorities Strategy • To formulate a strategy for all five of our parishes to work together, by developing a Benefice-wide presence on social media, and through sharing newsletters, events and administrative burdens • To grow numerically and financially, and to be encouraged by the stimulation of younger people to ensure our survival • To further strengthen our ecumenical links Worship • To develop our worship to ensure it appeals to the community, whilst maintaining our regular worshipping communities Children • To welcome and encourage the children of our parishes into our churches • To build on the opportunities we have already established for ministry to schools, children and young families • To encourage teenagers in our Benefice to meet together in a Christian context Connectivity • To develop outreach to, and pastoral support for, the lonely and isolated within our community Challenges Relevance • To maintain a visible presence in our communities and for the knowledge and love of God to be seen to be relevant to people today Sustainability • To maintain a continuity, variety and accessibility of worship that will fit into today’s busy lives • To attract worshippers and enquirers of all ages, especially secondary and college age, and to encourage parents to continue to worship with us after children have moved on Succession • Developing current and new ministry teams • Bringing forward new people to be trained Buildings • To ensure our churches are kept in good repair and continue to be fit for purpose Money • To ensure an adequate finance stream to meet all our needs for the future 2 What We Offer You • A very warm welcome from us, as we look forward to helping our next priest to settle happily into their new home and Benefice • A comfortable 4 bedroomed home in a friendly village location • A strong foundation of caring, faithful and dedicated congregations • Enthusiastic and committed Churchwardens, supported by hardworking PCCs • An established lay ministry team and thriving Local Ecumenical partnership • An administrator whose role is being developed to support the priest further • A Benefice which celebrates its differences in worship styles • Vision and hope for the future as we enter a new chapter and grow together • Three primary schools, two of which are church schools • Five well-maintained historic church buildings set in the heart of each village • Financially well managed churches, even if a little short of money • Established local fund-raising organisations • A strong community spirit within each parish • An amazingly beautiful part of rural England to work in and call home Our New Priest-In-Charge We are looking for someone who shares our vision for the future: someone who will join with us in God’s ministry to lead, facilitate and coordinate a living church and can also help us evolve to meet the needs of today’s world. You will be willing to learn about the challenges and joys of rural ministry, and leading a group of parishes, and can creatively encourage and inspire people of all ages and backgrounds with the love of God in Jesus Christ. You will be: • a skilled and sensitive communicator: a good mixer, enabler and listener • an approachable team player: able to lead, delegate, motivate and inspire • able to foster good working relationships with a strong sense of humour • a strategic thinker willing to seek and identify new ideas for development • a leader of collaborative ministry involving Readers and Lay Leaders of Worship, including a Local Ecumenical Partnership • comfortable with upholding several different worship traditions • able to demonstrate strong organisational skills • able to encourage and develop mission within our villages • open and inclusive in your approach • committed to an active role in our church schools and encouraging young people • able to facilitate pastoral care for the elderly, sick and bereaved • actively involved in the wider community as the visible face of the Church • able to embrace technology and social media for its potential to outreach 3 The Benefice Each of our five village parishes has its own sense of community and identity, and its own PCC. However, we all share the aim of making the Gospel of Jesus Christ relevant and accessible to all who live in, work in and visit our villages. Benington and Walkern parishes between them benefit from three Readers, a retired member of the clergy, an active ministry team, membership of a Local Ecumenical Partnership, and a part time administrator. Cottered and Throcking parishes share the services of a Reader, while Ardeley parish is supported by a Reader and a non-resident retired clergyman. There are no retired clergy living in Ardeley, Cottered or Throcking, and all administrative and pastoral support in these parishes is undertaken by volunteers. For specific details about each of our villages and their local amenities, please see Our Parishes section. The Rectory The rectory at 1 Warren Lane, Cottered, SG9 9QA is a well-maintained detached home situated opposite the church, close to the centre of the village. Downstairs, the accommodation comprises an entrance lobby, cloakroom with toilet, hall, study, sitting room, kitchen/dining room and utility room. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, a bathroom with shower, and a separate toilet. The house benefits from oil-fired central heating, a detached single garage, a car port, and further off-street parking for 3 to 4 cars. A pleasant garden faces the church to one side, and overlooks farmland to the rear. 4 Area Map 5 Service Patterns We recognise the importance of work-life balance and have designed a service rota that will enable our new incumbent to conduct just two services each Sunday. The rota enables a Communion Service to take place in at least one church in the Benefice each week. Our Readers and Lay Leaders of Worship will continue to conduct and assist with services. The benefice has been accustomed to using Communion by Extension (also referred to as “Shared Communion”) and our Readers have received training in this ministry. As our patterns of worship develop on the arrival of a new priest, we would expect our practice in this area to be reviewed and developed as necessary. During the pandemic we have embraced regular services by Zoom and, looking ahead, would like to continue this outreach. Our 5th Sunday service is an area for development and opportunity. We would also like to see Baptism services reintegrated into our regular Church worship, to encourage growth and development. The suggested future monthly service pattern is as follows: Wk Walkern Benington Ardeley Cottered Throcking 1 11.00 All Age 11.00 09.30 11.00 - 2 09.30 08.00 BCP, 11.00 Family 09.30 - 11:00 TBA/TBA 3 9.30/09.30 08.00 BCP 09.30 11.00 - 4 09.30 11.00 09.30 Family 11:00 Family - Benefice Service inc. LEP at the time of churches regular service Black Communion or other service, taken by our Incumbent Red Non-communion Service, taken by a Reader/Lay Minister Green Communion by Extension taken by a Reader, or other service taken by another Priest 2019 Financial Summary Income Expenditure Reserves Parish Share £14,426 St Lawrence, Ardeley £44,498 £28,975 £52,242 (paid in full) £17,184 St Peter’s, Benington £56,997 £55,137 £320,495 (paid in full) £11,502 St John the Baptist, Cottered £21,994 £18,105 £4,190 (paid £7,000) £3,376 Holy Trinity, Throcking £1,944 £1,138 £806 (paid £0) £23,295.00 Church of St Mary, Walkern £37,657.36 £37,657.36 £35,301.55 (paid £19,038.58) 6 2019 Attendance Statistics St Lawrence, St Peter’s,