The United Parish of Whitby with Ruswarp Thank you for your interest in the post of Rector of Whitby with Ruswarp. Whitby is a place with a wonderful Christian history, and at first sight it can seem quaint with its Abbey ruins, quaysides and alleyways. There are reminders of Whitby’s heritage everywhere. If you are called to be the next Rector of Whitby with Ruswarp, you will need to appreciate the best of what former generations have handed to us: but your task will not be to let the church live in the past, or trade on it. It will be your responsibility to help your parishioners see that the Good News of Jesus Christ can constantly re-shape their lives, and the love of Christ can reach them in times of joy and sorrow. You will need to be able to recognise the parish’s opportunities and challenges, devote time and energy into knowing its folk and being known by them, discern appropriate ways of ministering to visitors, be ready to take a key part in inspiring young people to reach their potential, and lead people creatively into the future. It will be important to take account of the changing economic and social context that Whitby shares with other northern coastal towns that are situated some distance from any big city. In order to do this, you must be a person for whom prayer and worship are central to your whole being: a priest who is excited by our shared aspiration in the Diocese of York to see growth in Christlikeness, commitment, partnership, influence and numbers. If you come to serve in Whitby with Ruswarp, you will have the privilege of ministering in a wonderful community, with areas of stunning natural beauty all around. The following pages have been compiled by the Parochial Church Council. If you would like to have an informal conversation about the post, please feel welcome to contact me or either of my colleagues, the Archdeacon of Cleveland (the Venerable Samantha Rushton) on 01642 706095 / [email protected], or the Rural Dean (the Revd Barry Pyke, Rector of Hinderwell) 01947 840249. The closing date for applications is 7th January 2016 and interviews will be held on 1st February 2016. The Archbishop of York is patron and I represent him in this process. Appointment is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS disclosure. Paul Whitby The Rt Revd Paul Ferguson, Bishop of Whitby PA: Mrs Julie Elphee [email protected] 01642 593273 Parish Profile This document gives a true account of the United Parish of Whitby with Ruswarp as agreed by the PCC representatives who produced it. WHITBY WITH RUSWARP A brief history of Whitby Abbey and the town Whitby Abbey was founded in 657 AD by the King of Northumbria, Oswy and dedicated to St Peter. It was a double monastery of Benedictine Monks and nuns run in the Celtic or Ionan tradition and Lady Hild (later known as St Hilda) was appointed as abbess. In 664 AD, the abbey hosted the Synod of Whitby at which it was decided to adopt the Roman calendar. Whitby Abbey was home to the great Saxon poet and father of English sacred song Caedmon, whose 7th century poem, The Song of Creation is the earliest known poem in English. In 867 AD Whitby fell to Viking attack and the Saxon monastery was abandoned and destroyed. When the Normans arrived in 1078 the Benedictine monastery was re-founded and the current ruins are the remains of the Abbey which was begun around 1220. In December 1539 the monastery was dissolved and destroyed following the Second Suppression Act of Henry VIII. Whitby Abbey was further damaged in 1914 when the west front was hit by shells from a German warship. In the reign of Elizabeth I, Whitby was a small fishing port. At the end of the 16th century Whitby grew significantly as a port as a result of the alum trade and by importing coal from the Durham coalfield to process it. Whitby grew in size and wealth, extending its activities to include shipbuilding using local oak timber. In 1753 the first whaling ship set sail to Greenland and by 1795 Whitby had become a major whaling port. In his youth the explorer James Cook learned his trade on colliers, shipping coal from the port. HMS Endeavour, the ship commanded by Cook on his voyage to Australia and New Zealand, was built in Whitby in 1764. Whitby developed as a spa town in Georgian times. In 1839, the Whitby and Pickering Railway connecting Whitby to Pickering and eventually to York was built, and played a part in the town's development as a tourism destination. During the early 20th century the fishing fleet kept the harbour busy and a few cargo boats used the port. A marina was started in 1979. Today, there is limited fishing and tourism is the main industry in the town. Demography Current data indicates that Whitby has a resident population of 13,110 and there is a mix of owner occupied and rented homes in the town. The majority of people in employment work in the service industries. Unemployment in the town is approximately 8%. The average age of the population is 41.8 years and hence there is a significant number of older age residents. Transport in the Whitby area can be an issue and although there are bus and train services to other towns and villages, the services can be infrequent. In the three wards that make up the Whitby district of North Yorkshire, out of a population of 13,110 there are 10,286 who stated that their religion was Christian in the 2001 UK census. There were 19 Muslims, 17 Buddhists, 12 Jews, 3 Sikhs and 499 people had no religious affiliations. Tourism Whitby is an important tourist destination in the North Yorkshire region. It is described by Scarborough Council as having national and international acclaim for its maritime, literary and geological heritage as well as providing cultural opportunities, excellent dining experiences and interesting and unique shopping. Tourism is of vital importance to the local economy and employs 32% of the total workforce. Whitby has ‘bucked the trend’ of declining seaside tourism which has contracted in recent years: in the 10 years from 2001 to 2011, employment in tourism increased by 40%, a much greater increase than in the rest of England. During the summer season, the population of the town grows from approximately 13,000 to 40,000+ on busy days. Activities in the town Twice a year Goths and steampunks gather in the port in the spring and around Hallowe’en for the Goth Festival which attracts a vast number of visitors. Just before the autumn event, the International Bram Stoker Film Festival, paying tribute to the creator of Dracula, takes place. Whitby also offers music – Whitby Folk Week in August and Musicport have loyal followings, and are growing ever year. There are regular music weekends covering everything from rock and soul to jazz and 60s music at the Whitby Pavilion. The annual Whitby Regatta takes place in August and is the oldest sea regatta on the North East Coast. There are sea-angling festivals throughout the year. Whitby offers a diverse range of attractions and activities including the Captain Cook Memorial Museum and Pannett Park Museum and Art Gallery. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway serves the town and has steam engines running through spectacular National Park countryside. Whitby Deanery The Deanery of Whitby is geographically large and with challenging terrain. It covers the North Yorkshire Jurassic Coast from Robin Hood’s Bay to Staithes and a large part of the North York Moors. The largest centre of population is Whitby with the rest of the Deanery being composed of coastal and moorland communities. Currently the deanery is composed of six groups of parishes, which at full strength have 6.5 full time equivalent stipendiary posts, plus a number of retired clergy and readers who actively support ministry and mission. Chapter is an important source of mutual support and encouragement and aims to meet monthly. Once a year we have a Chapter retreat overnight, (usually at Wydale Hall, the Diocese’s retreat and conference centre on the southern edge of the North York Moors), which has proved both popular and valuable in terms of support and encouragement. The clergy of the deanery recognise the need to work collaboratively and there is an expectation that the successful applicant will be a ‘team player’ in the deanery. Anyone who comes to Whitby Deanery will find welcoming and supportive colleagues. Collaborative ministry working across parish boundaries is key to the development of a mission focussed deanery. The united parish of Whitby with Ruswarp has a significant part to play in the development and outworking of our deanery vision because of its size and potential. The first priority is to build a strong and vibrant Christian presence in Whitby which has mission and outreach as a priority and which will inspire and encourage the other parishes of the Deanery to participate. The parish of Whitby with Ruswarp has great potential to be the beating heart of the Deanery. 11 + education in the Whitby area There are 2 secondary schools which serve Whitby and its surrounding villages. Caedmon College is an 11-18 school on 2 sites close to the town centre. The school delivers pre- and post-16 qualifications. Eskdale School is currently an 11-14 (Key Stage 3) school but plans to become an 11- 16 secondary in September 2016.