Pilgrims Way Ministry Area Profile for the Parishes of Boxley Detling - Hollingbourne with Hucking - Thurnham

Transcription

1 Pilgrims Way Ministry Area Profile for the Parishes of Boxley Detling - Hollingbourne with Hucking - Thurnham

2 Introduction This is an exciting time for our parishes. Following the creation of the new Benefice of North Downs, the parishes of Boxley, Detling and Hollingbourne, Hucking and Thurnham will be uniting, becoming the newly formed Pilgrims Way Ministry Area. Our Churches represent one of three areas in the newly created Benefice, The North Downs Ministry Team. For the purposes of the reorganisation, the areas are named Ministry Areas, ours being The Pilgrims Way Ministry Area. In the Benefice, each of our churches has a long history and great traditions and will look to build on past achievements, as well as facing up to challenges the future may hold. Each parish is aware that, by joining together, we create an opportunity for joint prayer and action to spread the word of the Lord. We have been in the same Deanery for many years and, as a result, there is a good level of personal relationships among the various parishes. Our churches are set in the beautiful surroundings of the North Downs close to the historic Pilgrims Way. The Churches of Boxley, Detling and St John s (a congregation within Boxley parish) enjoy a close working relationship. The congregation of St John s takes advantage of the facilities offered by St John s School. Hollingbourne and Hucking Churches have operated in partnership for many years. The possibility of Hucking becoming a Chapel of Ease presents both Churches with the opportunity of continuing an excellent relationship. Thurnham was joined in a Benefice with Bearsted Parish. It is possible that the Thurnham Church will be designated as a Chapel of Ease and therefore it is planned that Thurnham Parish will be joined with another Ministry Area 2 within the new Ministry Area. With a specific focus on growth, the introduction of a Benefice wide Missioner post is an important factor which will enable one individual to concentrate on the spiritual and numerical growth of our churches. This person will be primarily assigned to the areas that have experienced and are presently experiencing significant housing development. Bearsted Ministry Area1 Thurnham Ministry Area 3

3 Index Our Vision 1 Our future Priest 1 Our Churches Boxley 2 Detling 3 Grove Green 5 Hollingbourne 6 Hucking 7 Thurnham 8 The Vicarage 9 Considerations for the future 9 The Maidstone Area 10 Appendix A Letter from Team Rector 11 Appendix B Parish population and electoral roll data 13

4 Our Vision To share God's love and proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord Have congregations in which every member discovers and uses their gifts, abilities and resources. Ensure our churches have worship and prayer at the centre of their lives, communally, in small groups and individually. Increase the Church buildings potential for mission and community resource. To grow our Churches, for example, by engaging with those who attend for marriage, baptism, social functions etc. but do not sustain this affiliation. We are seeking a Vicar who will: Support our congregations through the development of the newly formed Pilgrims Way Area and North Downs Team. Have the enthusiasm to help us build and develop on the good foundations we have developed over many years including Junior and Messy Church, Church Companions for the elderly and sick, Bible Study, Prayer, Discussion Groups etc. Work with the congregations to develop a sustainable pattern of services. Encourage the development of Lay ministry and support those who are called to enhance their skills and enthusiasm. Lead the congregations of the six Churches in our area thus embracing various forms of worship. Have the energy and drive to embrace the demands of a wide rural group of parishes. Develop strong relationships with schools and young people. Personal qualities: The ability to help people embrace change for the common good. An excellent communicator who conveys the Christian message with joy and enthusiasm. Awareness to recognise the talents of those who may help us to meet our Vision. A desire to engage with both ordained and lay members of the newly formed Team. 1

5 Our Churches Boxley - St Mary and All Saints This Parish of two churches is situated between the renowned and beautiful North Downs and the town of Maidstone. St Mary and All Saints is at the centre of Boxley village in a rural setting. St John s is within a large development of mainly modern dwellings. Organisation We have enjoyed many fruitful years in a Benefice including St Martin of Tours Church, Detling. As a result our strong congregations have had a range of worship patterns and varied service times from which to choose. For many years the Greek Orthodox community of Kent have held their fortnightly services, celebrations, weddings and Christenings at Boxley Church. We have an experienced Parish Administrator who also undertakes some of the administration of Detling Church. The Parish St Mary and All Saints is popular for weddings. Some married couples continue to worship with us and have brought their children for baptism. There is a joint Boxley and Detling Wedding Preparation event each year which has proved most popular and beneficial to all. Boxley is proud of its musical tradition and boasts a fine and recently renovated organ. The choirs of Detling and Boxley practice together under the leadership of Detling s Choir Master and organist who also occasionally plays at our services. Our Bell ringing Team rings regularly each week before the morning service. Lay involvement We have an excellent team who ensure that the many functions at the Church and services are supported as required. Since the interregnum began we have introduced a Prayer Group and a Discussion Group which meet on a monthly basis. We have a number of people who have experience in leading services. A recently retired Priest supports us as a Priest with PTO. Friends of Boxley Church The Friends of Boxley Church are a strong team of dedicated supporters, who have raised thousands of pounds over many years for the maintenance of our lovely 2

6 Church. Their success in organising and promoting social events that unite our Church community as well as drawing in those on the periphery, adds significantly to any financial advantage. Community Links The Church supports a wide range of local, national and international charities by regular giving, as well as by special retiring collections at times of need. Parish Magazine and Website The 'Pilgrims Way' is produced monthly with 250 subscribers. There are regular contributions of news items, information on future activities and reports on past events. The Website jointly represents Detling, Grove Green and Boxley Churches. The Church building The oldest part of our Church building shows evidence of Norman times and the earliest part of the nave was added in the thirteenth century. The church has good modern facilities, is well maintained and is in a good state of repair. Recent Quinquennial work has enabled the restoration of stonework and the ancient tower clock face. Finance The churchyard is divided into three sections of which one is open for burials and there is a garden of remembrance. Next to the church is The European School of Osteopathy. We are permitted to use their parking facilities on a regular basis and, on occasions, their facilities for meetings and social activities. The Church is financially strong with investments that provide income and a level of security for the future. The Parish Share is consistently met and contributions from members of the congregation produce valuable income as does fund raising activities, mainly organised by The Friends of Boxley Church. Detling - St Martin of Tours The Parish St Martin of Tours - Detling is situated at the foot of the North Downs near the town of Maidstone. Prior to the recent reorganisation we enjoyed happy years in a Benefice including the Church of St Mary and all Saints, Boxley. As a result our strong congregations have had a range of worship patterns and varied service times from which to choose. Organisation We have an experienced Parish Administrator, shared with Boxley Church. Lay Involvement We have a willing experienced Team of lay people who undertake many duties in the smooth running of our Church. 3

7 Outreach and Community Links Groups within the church The Detling Companions, a mixed group, led by church members, visit and help the sick or elderly. A Tea Party with entertainment is held once a quarter for the over 60's in the community. They run a Coffee Morning twice a month. A Bible Study/Prayer group meets once a month. The Friends of Detling Church raise funds for the fabric of the church. Since their inception thousands of pounds has been raised. They also organise social events. Social events are organised throughout the year including quiz nights, cream teas, concerts, meals, garden safaris and Christmas sales to name a few. Members of the congregation play a significant role in many village activities. We support several charities and have visiting speakers to talk about to talk about their work. Our Church St Martins is a small well maintained village Church dating from the 14th Century. Rebuilding and extensive repairs were undertaken in 1861, providing an enlarged North Aisle and installation of traditional box pews. The church has one bell, the others having been sold to finance some of the Victorian improvements. Improvements were made in 2008 which included the provision of a kitchen, a toilet, new storage in the vestry and an open carpeted area for meetings and other activities. We have a facuhty to renovate a window and to remove the choir pews on either side of the aisle in the chancel. The church is surrounded by a churchyard with older graves and there is an area reserved for the burial of ashes. It is managed in accordance with the principles of the God's Acre Project. Our organist has built up a choir which sings for special services. In the absence of an organist at Boxley he has undertaken to play there on a part time basis. The two church choirs now practice together and combine to sing on special occasions. 4

8 We have volunteers who undertake Baptism preparation The Detling News, a free parish magazine, funded by the PCC and the Parish Council is delivered to every house in the village. It contains service times and other information relative to the church and village activities. Our financial position is strong and we have consistently paid our Parish share. Grove Green - St John s St John s Church is part of the Parish of Boxley and for which the Parish churchwardens have responsibility. The Church at Grove Green holds services in the hall of St John s Church of England School. There is a committed congregation enjoying a mix of adults and children. The Church has a committee and three of the volunteers sit on the Boxley Parish PCC. The junior church is active, and popular, those attending being mainly children of members of the congregation. During the interregnum volunteer input has been at the centre of services. It is anticipated that the Missioner, to be recruited as part of the reorganisation will play a key role at St John s Church. Recently we have concentrated on being more proactive by engaging more with the school by running a Messy Church twice a month after school. Grove Green is an area of private housing with a population of over 5000 which is made up of a mixed range of ages and occupations. In many families, both parents work. A sizable number of individuals commute due to the close proximity of the M20 and train/coach links. There is a community centre, large Tesco store, doctors surgery, chemist, Post Office and a few other shops and two public houses in the area. The School St John's CE Primary School Academy, which in 2015 achieved an outstanding Ofsted Report, primarily serves the Grove Green community; the second criterion on the admissions policy is that of affiliation to either Boxley Church or St John's Church take priority. Boxley PCC are responsible for appointing four Foundation Governors, one of whom is presently the Chair. It is expected that a member of the Team staff will fill the post currently occupied by the Archdeacon s nominee. At present Boxley PCC has three people as governors and one from Detling PCC. 5

9 Hollingbourne - All Saints The historic village of Hollingbourne is situated at the foot of the North Downs in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The village is renowned for its large array of listed houses. The population is around 900. The village has a shop and three public houses which serve good food. There is a primary school (recently rated as outstanding) and an Early Years Group. There is a recently refurbished Village Hall, which is used for a variety of village activities and a village playing field with a Pavilion attached. Hollingbourne is a village which caters for most tastes - for example, the Women s Institute, the Garden Society, Reading Group, Pantomime Group, football and cricket clubs and many others. Ministry We are fortunate that a retired Priest spends a few months of the year in the parish during which time he is available to officiate Prayer Meetings These take place at the house of one of the members on alternate Wednesday evenings and are well supported. Messy Church Younger members of the village and their parents are invited to attend Messy Church which is held at various venues. It follows a well-established pattern of worship, arts and crafts and entertainment. Hollingbourne Primary School There is a weekly church led assembly in term time, while the school attends All Saints Church for services at the beginning and end of each term. Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms We have 3-6 weddings most years. Funerals are typically at a similar level. Baptisms normally take place, if possible, as part of our Family Service. Organists, Choir and Bell Ringing The church has a regular organist, but if she is unavailable we have two others who help out. There is a choir of up to 10 people, who lead the singing at our services. A peal of six bells installed in 1723 has been augmented by two new bells in The bell ringers play regularly each Sunday and for special services. Church Fabric The fabric of the Church is in good repair. The only outstanding matter from the last quinquennial report involves some repair work to the roof, which is currently out to tender. This cost will be easily manageable from our resources. The inside of the church has recently been redecorated by external contractors. 6

10 The Friends of Hollingbourne s Historic Church The Friends of Hollingbourne s Historic Church is a charity supported by local people. The Friends have supported the fabric of the church extensively for well over a decade and support additional work in the closed churchyard, which is largely maintained by the local authority. Social Events An active Social Committee organises a range of social events and makes an important contribution to our finances. Parish Magazine The magazine is published monthly and includes village information and articles of general interest, as well as church news, including service times and has a wide readership. PCC There is, at present, one Churchwarden and two Deputy Churchwardens and a total of 12 members of the PCC who meet, on average, five times a year. Finance The Parish is financially strong. The Parish share has always been paid in full, as are the expense claims of the priest. The Church The Grade 1 listed church is believed to be of Saxon origin and was part of the monastic estate belonging to Christ Church Priory, Canterbury. The most spectacular event in Hollingbourne s history was the great earthquake of Much rebuilding has taken place over the subsequent centuries and, in particular, in Victorian days. Hucking - St Margarets Hucking cannot really be referred to as a village but more realistically a parish with a small hamlet of five dwellings, adjacent to the Church and is sparsely populated with just over 40 adults. Our aim is to use a variety church events to bring together an otherwise widely dispersed and somewhat remote community. This is achieved through fund raising activities such as summer Barbeques/Garden Supper as well as our Harvest Songs of Praise/Buffet Supper and our annual Carol Service. 7

11 Services For well over fifty years services have only been held once per month. Tis is currently evensong held at 3.30 pm and using the Book of Common Prayer. In addition there is a Benefice Eucharist service held once a year. Festival services are held at Christmas, Easter and Harvest. People There is an independent Hucking Parochial Church Council. The PCC distributes some free copies of the Hollingbourne & Hucking magazine around the Parish. Finance Hucking PCC is independently financed, outgoings include heating, lighting and insurance. Most years the PCC has a small surplus and income is from regular charitable giving, fund raising and plate collections as well as occasional fees from weddings and funerals. These occur on average once every other year. Fund Raising Fund Raising events include the Harvest Songs of Praise and Buffet Supper, a Stall at the Hollingbourne Christmas Fair and when possible a summer Barbeque/Garden Supper, although this puts considerable pressure on the limited people/resources available and is not always held every year. Future Plans The future status of the parish is under consideration. It is possible that it will be incorporated into Hollingbourne parish with the church becoming a chapel of ease with a reduced pattern of services. Thurnham - St Mary the Virgin Thurnham ecclesiastical Parish is best described as a dispersed rural area. There are some 60 homes in the parish and some 250 residents. For about forty years Thurnham has been in a benefice with Bearsted. Services Currently two services a month are held, however in view of the future status of the church a revised pattern will be required Parish Organisation Discussions are currently taking place, under the auspices of the Archdeacon, with a small group of local individuals who have expressed an interest in managing the church buildings. They hope to hold infrequent concerts in the church as well as occasional services. 8

12 Finance The vicar has traditionally managed parish finances. however in view of the panned changes this will be revised. An historic trust which owns four local cottages and some allotments provides the majority of parish income. The trust is administered by the Diocesan Board of Finance. The Church St Mary s Church has been well maintained although the roof needs to be renewed. The existence of the historic Trust could be a way that a solution can be reached over time. Future Plans The future status of the Parish is under consideration. It is possible that it will be incorporated into another parish with the church becoming a chapel of ease with a reduced pattern of services. The Vicarage The vicarage, which was purpose built in the 1970 s, is situated opposite Hollingbourne Church and is in good condition. It contains four bedrooms, two reception rooms and a study. It has a well maintained garden to the rear and the old stables provide ample storage. It is set back from the road and has a short drive and an integral garage. The Future Generally our congregations are made up of an aging population. There is a need to attract younger people to become regular members of the congregations. More needs to be done to encourage the growth of work with children within our area. People still come to our Churches for weddings, baptisms and funerals and we need to make more effective use of the opportunities this provides. St John s Church meets in the School hall. This provides an opportunity to reach out to school families. The introduction of the Missioner post will aid this process. To welcome the formation of The North Downs Ministry Team and develop meaningful and close relationships within the Pilgrims Way Ministry Area. 9

13 The Maidstone Area Shopping and Leisure Maidstone is the County town of Kent and offers an exceptional range of shops and leisure facilities, all within easy reach of the Benefice by car, foot or public transport. See Maidstone Borough Council Websites - / Education There are a number of primary schools within the area. KCC operates a selective process at 11 years and there are single sex Grammar Schools and co-educational High Schools in the area. The university of Kent is at Canterbury and Greenwich as well as Christchurch universities have campuses in the nearby Medway Towns. Transport Links Good access to the national motorway system, with links to the M20, M2 and M25. Maidstone has regular and high speed direct train services to London and to east of the county, which provides access to the Eurotunnel service to mainland Europe. Gatwick Airport, with its multiple international and domestic destinations, is around 45 minutes drive away. Heathrow is a journey of 1 hour 30 minutes. The Port of Dover, at the end of the M20, is an hour s travelling time. Attractions Leeds Castle 'The most beautiful castle in the world'. In addition to its spectacular grounds and historic castle, there is an abundance of attractions which attract people from around the world. Canterbury The centre of the Anglican church worldwide and home to the magnificent Cathedral is a vibrant city with two major universities and a strong artistic culture. It can easily be reached in well under an hour. Places of Interest There are numerous National Trust and English Heritage Properties and a wealth of Gardens that are a pleasure to visit. 10

14 Canon John Corbyn, Team Rector, writes: Appendix A Dear Colleague, Thank you for looking at the details of the post of Team Vicar in the North Downs Team Ministry. Canterbury Diocese Canterbury is the premier Diocese of the Communion. In the light of their national and international roles, recent Archbishops have effectively delegated their diocesan responsibilities to the Bishop of Dover, who effectively acts as Diocesan Bishop. The Archbishop continues to maintain close links with the Diocese. He is in residence for Christmas, Easter and the Petertide ordination season and makes parish visits. In turn, the Diocese seeks to support the Archbishop in his ministry especially in prayer. The Bishop of Dover is assisted by three archdeacons (one of whom is effectively half time in this role). The suffragan bishopric of Maidstone was suspended a few years ago when it was decided to appoint a third archdeacon. The current occupant of the bishopric of Maidstone is a flying bishop. The current priorities of the Diocese are: To grow the church numerically and spiritually To re-imagine ministry To build partnerships that enrich communities To this end, designated diocesan officers are linked to the deaneries to help them pursue these priorities. North Downs Deanery As the name suggests, the deanery is in the shadow of the North Downs to the south and the east of Maidstone. Ours is a small deanery of, until re-organisation, six benefices with 18 regularly used places of worship with an establishment of 5.5 incumbents. Clergy vacancies prompted a deanery led and diocesan supported review of parish re-organisation resulting in the new team. There are six places of worship in new Team of which two are considering becoming chapels of ease. A third meets in a school and is in an area in which the new Missioner is expected to be active. Two parishes remain outside of the new team, not least because it was felt that to go to a whole deanery team in one step would create too large a challenge of integration. The chapter meets regularly for mutual support and includes a number of active PTO clergy of retirement age. It is yet to be seen what effect most of the deanery coming together as a team has on the deanery. 11

15 Maidstone Church Life There is a Maidstone Deanery which includes all of the town parishes and one or two on its edge. In recent years, it became a group ministry. Ecumenically there is a small Maidstone Churches Together for town churches. There is a larger regular church leaders breakfast which draws together a broader range of churches from a wider geographical area. There is some overlapping membership and the Area Dean of Maidstone (unusually, a part time post) takes a leading part in both and has played a useful co-ordinating role. The two groups have jointly initiated a borough wide mission initiative for The North Downs Team Ministry The team came into being legally on October 5 th with an inaugural service on October 30 th. The two existing incumbents, Rev Steve Hughes and I, have each been ordained for some thirty years. He has been in post for four years and I for 15. Our initial establishment of incumbent status/lay equivalent will be three Team Vicars (one of whom is Rector) and a Team Missioner (clergy or lay). The Team Missioner will be appointed after the third Team Vicar. In addition, there is a stipendiary curate and full-time Youth Minister at Bearsted. There are four active retired clergy attached to the team (one is only resident for part of the year) and other retired clergy who give varying degrees of assistance. There are two Readers (both at Bearsted) and 10 Authorised Lay Ministers, mostly in pastoral ministry, two are Bereavement/Funeral Ministers (one of these also leads Sunday services). The Archdeacon and I are happy to have informal conversations with colleagues interested in this post. Yours John The Rev Canon John Corbyn Tel: Mobile: vicar@holycrosschurch.co.uk 12

16 Parish population and electoral roll data Benefice Parish Population Electoral Roll Total Attendance Jan 2015 Weekly attendance Jan 2015 Bearsted Ministry Area (1) Bearsted Pilgrim s Way Ministry Area(2) Boxley Detling Hollingbourne Hucking Thurnham Ministry Area 3 Otham with Langley Leeds and Broomfield Weekly attendance Jan 2015 as a percentage of population 13