STANTONBURY ECUMENICAL PARTNERSHIP Milton Keynes Diocese of Oxford INTERIM MINISTER APPOINTMENT Pastor of Bradwell and Leader of Partnership Review (The Bradwell Church congregation) MINISTRY DESCRIPTION and PARTNERSHIP PROFILE APRIL 2018 1 Welcome to the Stantonbury Team! Dear Prospective Colleague, We are delighted that you have decided to look at the Interim Minister’s post with us. We hope you’ll find the details in this profile helpful, informative and sufficient to whet your appetite to find out more either on the internet, in a phone call, or by deciding to pay us a visit. Our Local Ecumenical Partnership (LEP) consists of six congregations situated across much of the northern part of Milton Keynes. There is a wide range of different socio-economic groups that make up the population we serve and from whom we draw our membership. As throughout our carefully planned city, industry, offices, retail and other workplaces are disbursed throughout the different ‘grid squares’ along with primary and secondary schools and residential areas. There are also some large areas of recreational parkland, and a number of lakes, historic buildings and ancient villages, as well as much 20th century housing in a kind of mixed economy. So, it is a stimulating and interesting place to pursue mission and ministry in the name of Christ. However, these opportunities also present us with considerable challenges, and it is through the idea of an Interim Minister that we hope to address the issues that face us with courage, imagination and faithfulness to our calling to be Christ’s people in this place. Although there are a number of other congregations and churches in our area, a relatively small proportion of the local population attend worship. We have resources in terms of buildings and people who minister in different ways, but we sense that new ways of putting these to the service of the Kingdom are needed as the 21st century unfolds. The suggestion of an Interim Minister came from the Bishop and the Archdeacon of Buckingham. The role is intended to combine pastoring Bradwell Church, one of our two larger congregations, with leading an LEP review in a roughly 2/3 to 1/3 division of time respectively. Apart from the normal Anglican accountability, the Interim Minister will also be a colleague within an interdenominational team of authorised Ministers, who also accept accountability to the Ecumenical Council of the Partnership. Clearly recognised areas of responsibility are combined with collegiality and collaboration between lay and ordained leaders. Please do not hesitate to let your curiosity lead you to contacting one of us, having a conversation and paying us a visit to get a feel of the place and whether you might be called here! Rev David Lewis Rev Paul Smith Baptist Minister and Team Leader Team Rector 01908 313059 01908 606689 [email protected] [email protected] 2 Appointment of an Interim Minister The context The Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership (SEP) is a local ecumenical partnership of the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church and the Baptist Union, set in part of the growing ‘city’ of Milton Keynes. It includes six local churches in the communities of Stantonbury, Bradwell, New Bradwell, Willen, Great Linford and Downs Barn. The SEP has an ecumenical ministry team. The SEP is a large parish with a population of around 50,000. The parish is a varied one, with some areas of affluence, some of significant deprivation, and some new housing estates Who are we looking for? We are looking for an ordained Anglican minister to be an Interim Minister in the SEP, who would support and develop mission and ministry in the Bradwell Church, and lead a review into the future development of the SEP as a whole. The Interim Minister would be a full member of the SEP ministry team. The background The SEP has been stable for a number of years, but it faces challenges linked to a desire to understand and grasp the mission opportunities with which it is presented; the number and deployment of stipendiary ministers in the partnership; an on-going financial shortfall; and the need to update governance structures. At the same time, the SEP is due an ecumenical review: each of the LEPs in Milton Keynes is reviewed every five or six years by representatives appointed by the Milton Keynes Ecumenical Oversight Group (EOG). These review groups normally include representatives from both within and outside the LEP under review. So the current vacancy gives the opportunity for such a review to take place, led by the newly appointed Interim Minister, working with others appointed by the EOG. It is hoped that this review will enable the SEP to consider the challenges it faces, the needs of the churches and the communities served by those churches to be assessed, and the structure of mission and ministry within the partnership to be reviewed, before any permanent appointment is made. The role The Interim Minister would have responsibility for • leading collaborative ministry in Bradwell Church, and mission in its pastoral area, and • leading a review of the SEP, together with representatives appointed by the EOG, which will address the challenges noted above, and any other issues which may be raised during the course of the review. Timescale The timescale for the appointment is a period of two years. It is hoped that the review report will be delivered before that, which will give the SEP the opportunity to begin to implement recommendations arising from the review and also commence the process of looking for a suitable permanent appointment. One possible outcome might be that the Interim Minister considers staying on and taking up the permanent post in the SEP. 3 The Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership Our Vision and Mission The SEP has a vision of ‘Six thriving and growing churches, making Christ known in our area of Milton Keynes.’ As a partnership we seek to help and encourage the six churches as they engage with the needs and opportunities for mission in their local areas and through their congregational life, supporting one another where we can. We also work together in partnership in the parish in ministry and in mission. Membership Each of these churches has its own membership list. There are currently approximately 400 members in the SEP as a whole. Ministry and Governance Each of the churches has its own decision-making bodies (church council or church meeting, or a combination of both). Each church nominates representatives to the ‘Stantonbury Ecumenical Council’. The SEC meetings are combined with PCC meetings, and most of the PCC business is delegated to the SEC. The SEC is chaired by an elected Lay Chair, supported by the ministerial team leader and a Standing Committee. Each church manages its local financial responsibilities and contributes a ‘share’ to the Partnership. The amount is agreed by each church according to their capacity, after discussions between church treasurers and the partnership treasurer. The SEP employs the Baptist minister and pays other ministry costs through denominational payments. Ministers’ expenses are also paid through the SEP. We benefit greatly from lay preachers/ministers and retired ministers who are willing to serve in our churches. For some, their ministry is focused mainly on one particular church, but others are able to help more widely across the partnership. The SEP website is: www.stantonbury.net The Community The SEP area is a segment of Milton Keynes to the north and north-east of the city centre (see the map on page 12). The population is roughly 50,000 and has become increasingly multi-cultural. Within the area are a mosque, a Buddhist temple, a synagogue and a Kingdom Hall as well as a large Roman Catholic church and a Salvation Army citadel, and a large number of independent, often ethnically-based Christian congregations meetings in various venues. The housing is diverse. There are some areas of housing which pre-date Milton Keynes, but the majority is part of the development of the new city and is very varied, ranging from social housing to the more up-market. Residential areas are balanced by areas of light industry, shops, parkland and green space. 4 Bradwell Church In this document we set out a description of Bradwell but do visit our website http://bradwellchurch.com/ to discover more of our activities and vision. Who are we? We are a fusion of church traditions, with an evangelical emphasis. Over the years we have enjoyed strong bible-based teaching and preaching from our clergy and local preachers. We are currently reviewing how we organise ourselves and are building some new teams to encourage every member, collaborative ministry. We have seen some growth recently with newcomers coming from a range of ages and backgrounds. What are our greatest challenges? We are a committed, welcoming and capable congregation, sometimes trusting too much in our own strength rather than leaning on God. We need corporately and individually to step out further in faith and commit wholeheartedly to our vision of “Following Jesus, sharing His love”. We need encouragement, teaching, practical guidance and leadership to achieve this. Where do we need to go from here? We are keen, and expect, to see further growth. We want to grow numerically as well as in depth of personal discipleship. We want to achieve this while maintaining our strong sense of family and contribution to the local community. What do we need from our new interim minister? We are looking someone who will build on what we have already achieved. You need to be a person of strong personal faith and leadership skills.