Mease Valley Benefice Profile 2016

Mease Valley Benefice Profile 2016
Contents
1.
Context
2.
The Challenge
3.
The Person
 We are praying for a Rector who will…
 We offer…
4.
Mission Action Plan
5.
Benefice finances
6.
Description of the Benefice
Location

The Benefice

Description of the Mease Valley area

Communication

Population

Rectory

Ministry team

Benefice structure

Grouping

Worship

Church Groups

Deanery

Tamworth Covenanting churches

Appendices
1.
Benefice Mission Action Plan
2.
Individual Church Profiles
1.
2.
3.
The Context

The Mease Valley Benefice was formally constituted in 2015 after a number of years in
which these rural parishes worked well together as an informal arrangement.

The Benefice is located to the North of Tamworth and the East of Lichfield.

Its churches are the parish church of St Andrew, Clifton Campville, with its small chapelof-ease of St Matthew, Chilcote: the parish church of St Matthew Harlaston: the parish
church of Holy Trinity Edingale, and the parish church of St Peter, Elford.

The ministry team comprises the Rector, an OLM curate who will continue to serve in the
benefice when his curacy ends, an OLM in training and a Reader.

The Benefice has recently become part of a Group Ministry with the neighbouring parish
of St Leonard, Wigginton. This parish has one main church and a tiny chapel. The
ministry team there comprises the Vicar, an NSM, an OLM and a Reader.

The ministers at Mease Valley and Wigginton are licensed to serve across both
benefices and so create a larger collaborative ministry team. Both incumbents will retain
their incumbent status and will be equal colleagues responsible primarily for their own
benefice. The aim of the group ministry is to ensure that there is adequate ministry and
leadership in all the churches and communities of both benefices. The details of how this
is to be done and who might take lead responsibility for a community or area of mission
is yet to be worked out and awaits the appointment of the Rector of Mease ValIey. The
Group Ministry project is fully supported by the churches and forms part of the Deanery
plan. Group ministries are not very common so if you would like to find out more about
how a Group Ministry works please contact the Archdeacon of Lichfield who would be
happy to explain this further and share the vision for ministry in these benefices.
The Challenge

To join us in expressing the joy of the Christian faith, making it relevant and attractive to
those who live in our villages, which increasingly are ‘dormitories’.

To lead the ministry team as a friend and pastoral companion.

To work collaboratively with other ministers across the Group to ensure ministry for all.

To join us in building on the good relationships held with the three primary schools and
to translate them into growth of our ministry to children and young people.

To help us encourage and develop church members to take offices and lead.

To create opportunities for those who may feel a calling to ministry, increasingly
important for the future of the church in small rural communities.

To help us develop and grow Christian fellowship in our villages.
The Person
We are praying for a Rector who will….

.. minister openly and collaboratively with us.

.. relish being involved with further developing our work with children, a key aspect of
our MAP.
…….a Rector who will …. (the following headings reflect our MAP)
Mission and Outreach

Support us in showing God’s love in action and encouraging new people to faith in
Christ.

Willing to engage with our two church schools, leading school worship and working with
the staff to help the children grow in understanding the Christian faith.(There is also an
opportunity for the Rector to be a foundation governor)
Leadership

Be committed to collaboration and talent spotting and willing to give oversight and
encouragement.

Be a good and clear communicator, able to share our common vision with others.
Pastoral Care

Be active in pastoral care across the benefice.

Develop a shared pastoral ministry, identifying where skills are lacking and promoting
appropriate training.

Be seen out and about in the villages and at village events.
Worship and Teaching

Encourage and develop a variety of styles of worship.

Preach and teach the gospel in a variety of ways to different congregations.

Encourage all of us to share our faith in the communities in which we live.

Work with colleagues to develop worship that will include young people.
Stewardship and Parish Organisation

Help us work towards an integrated Benefice structure.

Ensure compliance with diocesan and statutory requirements in relation to services,
weddings, baptisms and funerals, health and safety, safeguarding, fabric and financial
matters.
Personal Development and Spirituality

Continually develop personal ministry skills and knowledge.

Maintain a prayerful spiritual life with appropriate support networks.

Follow a work pattern which nurtures your ministry, yourself and your personal
relationships.
We Offer….

.. a committed ministry team for whom the Mease Valley is home.

.. enthusiastic lay support.

.. an eagerness to develop our ministry.

.. a lovely environment

.. a fine modern home to live in. (see photograph)

4.
5.
6.
..an outstanding CofE primary school next door.
Mission Action Plan

The 2016 Benefice Mission Action plan was generated by two workshops held late in
late 2015 and attended by members drawn from each church.

A copy of this MAP is attached as an appendix.

Each PCC has its own current MAP which is based on the benefice MAP but has more
specific activities related to the particular needs of that parish.
Benefice Finances
 The central ‘Mission Fund’ is controlled by the Benefice Treasurer who is responsible
for paying bills and expenses which are not specific to any church or to apportion and
allocate those which are specific.
Description of the Benefice
Location
The Mease Valley Benefice lies largely in Staffordshire, adjacent to its borders with
Warwickshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Clifton Campville, where the Rectory is situated, is four miles from Junction 11 of the M42,
providing excellent transport links to Birmingham, Leicester, Coventry, Derby, Nottingham
and many other Midland urban centres. The A38 lies just to the north, within three miles of
Elford and Edingale.
The benefice is around five miles from Tamworth where there are frequent rail services to
London, Birmingham and other Midlands cities. Both East Midlands and Birmingham
International airports are within a thirty-minute drive.
The benefice lies largely within the jurisdiction of Lichfield District Council.
The Benefice
The benefice comprises the four parishes of St Andrew’s Clifton Campville, with St
Matthew’s Chilcote, (which is in Leicestershire), St Matthew’s Harlaston, Holy Trinity
Edingale, and St Peter’s Elford.
The parish of St Andrew’s Clifton Campville also includes the estate hamlets of Statfold and
Thorpe Constantine, where occasional services are held in the privately held chapels, and
the hamlet of Haunton, which has a thriving Roman Catholic Church.
It is around eight miles from Chilcote at the eastern end of the benefice to Elford at its
western end.
Description of the Mease Valley area
The Mease Valley area is one of a gently rolling rural landscape, almost exclusively arable
land with some dairy. The river from which the benefice takes its name is small and
meanders near to the villages before swinging north to enter the Trent near to the National
Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas.
The larger River Tame forms the Western boundary of the parish of St Peter’s as it also
flows north into the Trent.
Communication
The benefice website, www.measevalleychurches.com provides regularly updated
information and news on services and church events.
The Mease Valley Parish News is a 50+ page monthly magazine with a separate section
for each parish, covering both church and other community events and organisations. The
lead article is always written by a member of the leadership team. The magazine is
produced and edited by volunteers and 800 copies are professionally printed each month.
The magazine costs an annual subscription of £8 and is subsidised by paid advertising.
Pews News is a weekly bulletin of the following week’s events and on the reverse has the
lectionary readings for the principal service on that particular Sunday. It is given to
everyone attending a service on Sunday.
Population
The overall population of the benefice is around 2600, with the five villages and three
hamlets having populations varying between 120 and 600.
Rectory
The rectory is located in Clifton Campville, adjacent to St Andrew’s church. It is an
attractive modern four bedroom detached house in an extensive and well laid out garden,
partly maintained at the benefice’s expense.
Ministry team
In addition to the currently vacant position of Rector the ministry team comprises
 Assistant Curate - Ordained local minister, Rev Stewart Tyler, ordained in 2014
 Licensed Reader - Mrs Jackie Tyler
 Trainee - First year Ordinand - Mrs Nicky Busby
Benefice Structure
The Benefice Council, chaired by the Rector, comprises the ministry team plus a warden
and an elected member from each of the four parishes. For several years prior to the
benefice being formally constituted, the Council functioned as a Joint Leadership Team
with similar makeup.
The Council’s role is principally to do with the mission of the benefice, the strategy, the
outreach, relationship with schools, prayer ministry, spiritual leadership and pastoral care.
The Council holds a central mission budget to which each parish contributes, so that
decisions about mission initiatives are not held up.
Council meetings are scheduled in order to allow feedback to the Parochial Church Council
meetings during the year.
Each parish continues to operate through a Parochial Church Council, chaired by the
Rector or delegated ministry team member. Each PCC has its own accounts and is
responsible for paying its own parish share, which has always been met in full.
Grouping
The benefice is now part of a Group Ministry with the adjacent parish of St Leonard,
Wigginton. (see ‘Context’ section)
Worship
A range of worship styles is offered across the benefice from Holy Communion using the
Book of Common Prayer, Holy Communion using Common Worship, creative Praise and
Worship Services of the Word, to informal ‘café church’ held in a village hall.
Music appropriate to the style of worship, is provided either by the pipe organ/keyboard we have six organists - or by a small music group. Occasionally, when necessary, Cds are
used.
Sunday services are mainly held in the morning with twice monthly services at 4pm at
Edingale.
Morning Prayer is held weekly at Chilcote, Elford and at Clifton Campville.
We also hold quiet days, services of prayer and meditation, Patronal festivals and other
special festival-related services. The new kitchen in St Andrew’s church, Clifton Campville
has enabled the provision of lunch or supper in connection with such services.
Holy Communion is held monthly at Haunton Hall, a local residential and nursing home for
the elderly.
Children are encouraged to participate in services and a group of young mothers is
currently exploring how a more regular and structured provision could be made for children
of primary school age. Their 2016 Good Friday event attracted twenty children.
Audio loops are installed in the four main churches and a screen and projector are
available for use by each of the churches.
Church Groups
Small Groups, church at home - four groups meet weekly during school term times at
different locations and times. Each group follows a prepared course of material lasting from
four to six weeks. Each session lasts around one and a half hours and has the worship
elements of music, prayer, scripture and teaching (through discussion).
The group leaders, both lay and ministry team members, undergo a short training course
and take it in turns to prepare material.
Men’s Group - Men from Mease Valley and St Leonard’s meet monthly on a Saturday
morning at a local pub for a short act of worship, ‘full English’ and a discussion on a topic
chosen and led by one of the members.
Knit and Natter Group - meets monthly, but knits constantly, supporting another local
church group which sends necessary knitted items for mothers and new babies in a
deprived township in South Africa.
Messy Mice - This meets monthly after classes in the primary school at Elford and
provides ‘church with a difference’ for primary school children.
Prayer Group - Meets monthly as a focus for the prayer needs of the benefice and
elsewhere.
Schools
Within the benefice the Mary Howard School at Edingale is a Church of England Voluntarily
Controlled Primary School which is federated with the St Andrew’s Church of England
Controlled Primary School at Clifton. We also have Howard Primary School at Elford which
is federated with another local school.
There are two posts of Foundation Governor, one of which is held by the Licensed Reader.
The other is vacant.
Relationships between the church and the schools are very strong. Ministry Team
members take a weekly Christian assembly in each of the C of E schools and each school
comes to church each half-term for collective worship. Mary Howard school has in June ‘16
been rated ‘outstanding’ by SIAM.
The schools recently came to St Andrew’s for ‘Experience Easter’, from the ‘Experience
Easter, Pentecost, Harvest and Christmas’ series. The enthusiastic response and retained
knowledge from the ‘Experience’ was most pleasing. Experience Harvest is scheduled for
Oct 16.
Deanery
The benefice is part of The Tamworth Deanery of which Rev Debra Dyson, Vicar of St
Leonard’s Wigginton, is also the Rural Dean.
The benefice has three active members of Deanery Synod.
Tamworth Covenanting Churches
Members of the Ministry Team attend TCC monthly meetings which are well attended by
leaders of all the Christian churches in Tamworth. The Good Friday walk of witness and the
Christmas carols at the Snowdome, both organised by TCC and supported by the benefice
attracted around three hundred people.
Appendix 1
Benefice Mission Action Plan
Mease Valley Benefice - MAP 2016
This MAP is the outcome of two planning workshops held in late 2015 and attended by members from each
parish.
Each Parish has a MAP which takes the topics from this MAP and identifies tasks specific for that parish.
0= immediate, 1= within 1 year, 2 = within 2 year3, etc
MAP TOPIC Sub-topic ACTION REQUIRED
Leadership Develop
PCC
Mission/
Outreach
Encourage younger people to join PCC's
BY WHOM
BY WHEN REVIEW
DATE
COMPLETION
PCC's
0
2
continues
Provide Training for new PCC and BC
members
PCC's
1
2
continues
Break down roles e.g. Warden, to share the
load
PCC's
1
2
continues
Use Deputy Warden role for people to learn
Warden role
PCC's
1
2
continues
Arrange meetings to allow those who work to
attend
PCC's
1
continues
continues
Vocation Actively encourage and support vocation
PCC's/Min Team
1
continues
continues
Young
People
PCC's/Min Team
1
2
continues
Further develop ministry to the three local
schools
PCC's/Min Team
1
2
continues
Arrange events and visits e.g. to local farms
PCC's/Min Team
1
2
continues
Min Team
1
2
continues
Develop Sunday/ weektime group for
youngsters
Min Team/others
1
2
continues
Make use of Deanery Youth worker
Min Team/others
PCC's
1
2
continues
PCC's
1
continues
continues
BC
1
2
continues
Review and improve notice boards
PCC's
1
2
2
Review church signage
PCC's
1
2
2
Min team
1
2
continues
BC
2
3
continues
Create and maintain a Benefice Events diary
BC/PCC's
0
1
continues
Promote Men's Breakfast
Min team
1
2
continues
Focus on children and young teenagers
Make specific provision for children during
services
WelcomActivate the 'Everyone welcome' proposals
ing
Maintain open church policy
CommunArrange for website to be frequently updated
ication
Review Mease Valley magazine editorial
policy
Develop parish use of social media
Events
MAP TOPIC Sub-topic ACTION REQUIRED
BY WHOM
Worship/
Teaching
Create a worship team to work with ministry
team
Min Team
Re-title services to clearly indicate the style
of worship
Min/Wor Team
Develop a structured range of diverse styles
of worship
Min/Wor Team
Develop a young people's family service
Min/Wor Team
Develop the music group capability to
provide diversity
Min/Wor Team
Pastoral
Care
Worship
Visiting
Prayer
2
1
2
continues
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
continues
0
1
2
0
1
2
1
2
continues
0
1
2
1
2
continues
0
1
2
0
1
continuing
1
2
continuing
PCC's
0
1
continuing
Min Team/PCC's
0
1
continuing
1
2
continuing
1
2
3
0
1
continuing
0
1
2
0
1
1
2
3
3
2
3
4
2
4
10
Create a visiting team in each church
Min Team
Min Team/Gp L'ds
Promote / increase circulation of Mease
Valley magazine
BC/PCC's
Identify those who would welcome home
communion
Vis /Min Teams
Promote the work of the prayer group
CommunDevelop assistance for lifts, shopping
ity
Promote involvement with community groups
Encourage attendance at men's breakfast
Stewardship
Financial Invite members to review/increase their
/ Parish
Giving
regular giving
Organis’n
Invite non-members to contribute e.g. Gift
Day
Other
2
Min Team
Reactivate the prayer chain
Encourage non-members to be more
involved
Min T'm/Prayer Gp
Min Team/PCC's
PCC's/Vis Team
PCC's
PCC's
PCC's/Min Team
Contribut- Divide duties/tasks to create opportunities for
ions
others
PCC's
External
giving
PCC's
Each church to aim to give 10% of income to
ext causes
ReorganiCentralise purchasing e.g. insurances
sation
COMPLETION
1
Appoint someone responsible in each village
for this
Use small group members for local
knowledge
BY WHEN REVIEW
DATE
PCC's
Create plan for convergence towards parish
merger
PCC's
Work towards merging the parish
organisations
PCC's
Appendix 2
Individual church profiles

St Andrew’s, Clifton Campville with St Matthew’s, Chilcote

Holy Trinity, Edingale

St Peter’s, Elford

St Matthew’s, Harlaston
St Andrew’s Clifton Campville with St. Matthew’s Chilcote
The parish of St Andrew with St Matthew Chilcote is still a farming community, although
increased mechanisation means that few residents now work on the farms. Recent small housing
developments, mostly infill, are proving attractive to young families, as is our thriving village church
primary school of St Andrew’s that has an outstanding OFSTED rating.
St Matthew’s Chilcote
St Andrew’s Church Clifton Campville
The mediaeval church of St Andrew, which is
open 365 days a year, is Grade 1 listed and boasts a number of nationally recognised special
features which include fine parclose screens and a Priest’s room with Garderobe and fireplace
above a very special Chantry Chapel that is used for private prayer and small weekday services.
St Andrew’s also has a splendid 201ft spire that is a landmark for many miles around. Recently the
space under the tower has been converted and developed to provide the church with a very wellequipped kitchen and toilet facility. A vestry has also been created in the disused mediaeval South
porch.
People and activities
Our regular congregations, though small in number, are
mostly older parishioners but there is a group of enthusiastic
younger members who come with their families and are
prepared to offer their skills and support to the church
community. As a result we have church cafes during the
summer months, occasional café churches where worship is
led by the parents, and regular school assemblies and special
occasions, such as Christingle, Nativity, St Andrew’s Day and
Leavers’ service held in church, all of which are followed by
refreshments and fellowship.
During 2015 the three
Mease Valley Primary schools attended a very successful
Benefice Pentecost Experience Day in St Andrew’s and as
a result a very well received Experience Easter day has
been held in church this year.
There is a monthly pattern of Morning Praise and
Communion Services
with the third Sunday
being a Benefice Service that rotates between each of the
Churches. St Matthew’s has a regular Morning Prayer Service
on Mondays and St Andrew’s is planning to hold one on
Thursdays commencing after Easter.
During 2015 there were three Baptisms, three weddings and
three funerals.
Our PCC has 14 members who represent Clifton and Chilcote and there are four meetings per
year. There is also a Standing Committee that meets to prepare agendas and attend to other
urgent and relevant business. A group of PCC members forms the nucleus of a Fund-raising group
that meets to plan and organise a programme of events for the year. During 2015, £6,000 was
raised and the events included 3 concerts, a Spring Festival, an antiques evening with Charles
Hanson, prefaced by a gourmet two course meal, regular church cafes, and refreshments for each
service and event held in church. A full programme of events has been established for 2016. Our
church is committed to reaching out to the community that we serve and regular shared fund
raising events are held during the year.
Mission Action Plan. Our MAP has recently been revised to
reflect developments in our own parish and the Benefice. There
are plans to develop our work amongst young people and
extend our welcome and hospitality to ensure that worshippers
and visitors of all ages are able to grow in body, mind and spirit
in the shared love of God. A small group of mums is presently
meeting to plan regular activities for our young families. Weekly
Morning Prayer has been re-established.
Finance. The PCC meets its Annual Parish Share for both churches
which is presently £14,728, and other necessities such as insurance,
heating, lighting and our contribution towards the running of the
Benefice. The annual fundraising programme makes an important
contribution toward the stability of our church finances but we
recognise the need to increase the number of people giving regularly
and foster growth in the level of their generosity. St Matthew’s has
separate accounts and is currently using its reserve resources,
supplemented by fund-raising activities, to finance the re-roofing of
the church. The PCC is committed to a policy of regular external
giving to a number of chosen causes. In 2016 the PCC has put in a
bid for monies from the Listed Places of Worship Roof Repair Fund,
the Wolfson Foundation, the Jill Franklin Trust and the Staffordshire
Historic Churches Trust for urgent roof repairs at St. Andrew’s as
identified in the 2013 Quinquennial Report. The Parish Council
contributes toward the maintenance of our large churchyard and is
responsible for the church clock.
Our community. Clifton supports a thriving sensibly-sized Village Hall housed in the former
Victorian Village School. The Trustees hold a series of events throughout the year that are well
supported and relationships with the church are cordial, with most meetings, such as PCC
Meetings and Benefice Council Meetings held free of charge in
the Hall. Chilcote has a well-utilised Village Hall which is
available for church events.
To celebrate the Millennium the Parish Council bought 8 acres of
Glebe and pastureland in the heart of the village to create a
public open space. The Coneyberry Millennium Green boasts a
wild flower meadow, a woodland area, an historic pond and well,
and a large open recreational area where the popular annual
Country Fayre is held in June, raising much needed monies for
the volunteer Trustees to maintain and improve facilities. The church hosts the Country Fayre
competitions, offers alternative light healthy lunches and a place of peace and quiet for the many
hundreds of visitors to the village. Since 2000, an energetic group of local mums has raised over
£30,000 to help provide a super play area on the green for children.
Our excellent village website – www.cliftoncampville.com – gives further information and is well
worth a visit.
Recent entries in our visitors’ book include: ‘A most beautiful ‘House of
God’ – Awesome, ‘Very warm welcome, beautiful and peaceful’, ‘What a
treasure this place is, away from the hustle and bustle of life, feel really
close to God’.
Our challenge: We pray for a person to lead us who has a clear vision of
how to grow our church, can relate well with all ages and encourage us all
to use our talents in developing our individual and corporate spiritual life
and worship.
Holy Trinity Church Edingale
The Parish
We currently share one service per month with the
adjacent Elford parish and have a combined benefice
service each month in rotation with the other
churches. Our mission statement is “Opening the
door to all and growing together to serve God in our
community”.
The Parish Council is supportive of the work of the
church and has made an annual grant for several
years.
The Challenge
Our biggest challenge is attracting a younger congregation. Recent initiatives to promote wider
engagement are showing signs of success with a younger age group. Young families are more
difficult to attract. We are currently actioning plans to make our church building more user-friendly.
The Village
Edingale lies alongside the river Mease, within the National Forest, at the eastern edge of
Staffordshire. Of the 600 inhabitants, many commute, a few work from home, which may increase
due to recently improved broadband and phone connections, and a sizeable percentage are
retired.
We are surrounded by large farms, mainly
arable, a few small-holdings and small
commercial units.
We are well positioned close to the A38, and
M42 mid-way between Lichfield, Tamworth and
Burton on Trent, where there are excellent
facilities and transport links. The village of
Alrewas, three miles distant, has good local
amenities. We have an outstanding Church of
England Voluntarily Controlled Primary School,
which is federated with a similar school at
Clifton.
The village pub, the Black Horse, holds regular Quiz and Music evenings. The Village Hall is used
by the school for PE classes, weekly by a mother and toddler group, for badminton and karate and
by a school for performing arts. It is also used for Parish Council and other community events. It
has been hired by the church for meetings, informal services and quiz evenings. There is a large
village green with three well-appointed children’s play areas.
Attractions in the area include The National Memorial Arboretum and Whitemoor Lakes Youth
Activity Centre.
Church Building
The current building was built in 1880 and is Grade 2 listed. It replaced a smaller Georgian
structure. It retains elements of at least two previous Church buildings which existed on the same
site. The first documented record of a church in Edingale is 1191.
Over the last 10 years we have completed major roof repairs, installed better lighting and sound
equipment and a new surface water drainage scheme. A few small issues remain to be addressed
or completed from our last Quinquennial inspection. We are in the process of sympathetically
modernising and upgrading the church to ensure that it remains accessible, relevant and attractive
to local people and visitors. Current plans are for an internal re-ordering to install a much needed
toilet and a small refreshment provision.
The church is open during daylight hours for visits and quiet prayer and meditation.
Churchyard
This covers approx. 2 acres divided by a tree
lined public footpath. There is ample space for
future burials /cremated remains. The whole
area is well maintained, partly funded by the
Parish Council.
We maintain a current database of Baptisms,
Weddings and Funerals from 1813 which
assists family research
Finances
Income is from collections, gift aid and fund
raising, fees etc. Our outgoings currently
exceed our income and are reliant on support
from reserves. Our Parish share and the Benefice mission fund are up to date. Our Charitable
giving has been in excess of 10% of income and has supported local, UK and international causes.
Fellowship
Our Electoral Roll currently has 21 members, 8 Male, 13 Female. Ages range from 40 to 80+, 17 of
whom are retired. Those in paid work are employed in Managerial, Clerical and Teaching posts.
Attendances are usually 10-15, but we often fill the church for festival services and School
collective worship with parents. Communion services are BCP or Order 1; other services are more
charismatic in style. Our services are generally at 4pm. Joint and benefice services are currently at
10.15am.
Parish Activities
We have recently started Coffee mornings in church during the week to attract a younger group
into our church community.
We have also introduced Village Quiz evenings, currently quarterly as both outreach and also for
additional fund raising.
We also have an annual Christmas Bazaar which is held in the village hall.
Occasional Offices
Baptism. These are usually conducted
during normal Sunday service. We held
one Baptism during 2015.
Marriage. There was one wedding in the
last twelve months.
Funerals. There were two funerals in the
same period.
Supporting Community activities
Members of our church community are
active in the organisation and in the
running of a number of Village events and activities to help foster a sense of community and
encourage social interaction and participation.
The Village Walking Group meets every Thursday and the over 50's coffee morning is held biweekly in the Village hall.
We will be celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday on 11th June, with a family event on the Village
green.
A village highlight is the biennial Open
Gardens Weekend, including a display
in the Church, which benefits the
Village and Church and other charities.
We compete in the Staffordshire Best
Kept Village Competition, with some
excellent results in recent years, and
also the Best Kept Churchyard.
The annual Village show is held each
September.
The Edingale Parish Council website
has an excellent village history, written
in 2002 as a commemoration of the
Queens 50 years on the throne.
St Peter’s Church Elford
Church Building
There has been a church building at
Elford since the 11 th century.
It stands at the end of the longest
avenue in the county and in the
middle of its award-winning churchyard (don’t worry about the picture –
we also do Summer in Elford!).
The Church was almost totally rebuilt during the 19th
century in the highly decorated style characteristic of
the Oxford Movement. Most of its internal decorations
date from this period but survivors from the previous
churches include the marvellous 14th century alabaster
tombs and two windows, one of Mediaeval German
glass and the other of 16th century English glass. Our
visitors’ book contains many compliments on the
church’s beauty and serenity.
Elford Village
Elford lies on the western edge of the Benefice by the River Tame. It has a friendly village pub
used by most of the village which, together with an excellent primary school, reinforces the strong
sense of caring community that
exists. There is also great energy
and enthusiasm in the village,
which has led to the completion
of such projects as the rebuilding
of the Village Hall, the building of
a playground for the village
children and the rescue and
restoration of the former Elford
Hall’s Walled Garden, now a
splendid village asset created
and run by the community.
The village is very well disposed towards the church. Well over half of the regular contributions to
church finances and voluntary duties come from
villagers who are not regular members of the
congregation. We are very fortunate to have so many
volunteers to carry out the various tasks needed to run
the church. These tasks range from unlocking and
locking the church door so that the building is open to
visitors during the day, to caring for the church fabric or
the churchyard.
Because of this support from the village, many of the
village and church activities are interlinked. The fact
that there is no church hall reinforces positive relations
between the church and other organizations in the
village. Many church events take place in the Village Hall along side other non-church activities;
there are shared events with the Walled Garden and Playground; the Ministry Team is regularly
invited to take assemblies in the school and the school holds a service in the church at least once
a term.
The Church in Elford
We have a diversity of people making up the church in Elford, ranging from traditional worshippers
to those with more evangelical tastes and this is reflected in the differing styles of services held in
church. Because of this, all members of the church work well together. Our Mission Statement is
‘Bringing the love of God to our village’; we believe that St Peter’s Elford is a church in the
community and our efforts are directed towards strengthening the church’s position in the
community. Some of the church-led community activities that we are involved with include:
1. The Scarecrow Festival, a major village event held
over two days during August bank holiday to raise
funds for the church and various village
organizations.
2. Church Café, a quarterly more informal church
service with breakfast held in the Village Hall which
is intended to provide a less daunting means of
entry for those who would like to join the church
community.
3. House Groups, weekly meetings for prayer, bible reading,
discussion and fellowship, open to anyone in the Parish,
which originated in Elford and are now held throughout the
Mease Valley Benefice.
4. Messy Mice, a developinging monthly children’s activity
group which seeks to introduce children to Christian
values.
5. Not for Profit Community Coffee Morning, a very popular
weekly activity that complements the community Post
Office held in the Village Hall on Tuesdays.
6. Live Nativity Service. With the help of a donkey,
parishioners recreate the Nativity story with a journey from
the church to a stable in the Walled Garden.
7. Village Carol Service, in which village organizations are
invited to participate.
8. Christmas Shoe Boxes, the Samaritan’s Purse scheme to
provide Christmas presents for deprived children,
organized and run from Elford for the whole of the Mease Valley. Over 60 boxes were sent
abroad last year.
Church Finances
The strong financial support we receive from the village has enabled the PCC to meet its outgoings
in full consistently without recourse to reserves. There are sufficient reserves to meet most
unplanned urgent expenditure, though the last Quinquenniel Report indicated that the church
building was generally in good repair.
Charities Policy
We give 40% of our set charity giving to UK church-based charities, 40% to overseas charities and
20% to secular UK-based charities. Additionally, we set aside an extra amount to be used to make
ad hoc payments in response to international emergency situations as and when they arise and we
also donate specific collections at services such as Café Church and the Village Carol Service to
local charities in the Lichfield and Tamworth area. We use the proceeds of the Harvest Supper to
give every older parishioner in Elford a Christmas present of £10. We support the local Food Bank
with gifts of food from the Elford community.
Other Amenities in Elford
There is always something going on in Elford! Below is a list of the sort of things available:
1. Lots of clubs and activities including Art
Group, French conversation, martial arts,
Pilates, whist drive and drum lessons.
2. Sports & Social club (dances).
3. Bell ringing.
4. Long established and thriving cricket club
catering for all ages.
5. Successful junior football club running no
fewer than 20 teams for children from the
Mease Valley parishes.
The Challenge
Elford fully endorses the desire for a Rector who is seen, known and involved in each of our
villages both as a priest and a friend. We believe that this may prove to be one of the more
important and challenging aspects of the ministry in the Mease Valley Benefice.
St Matthew’s Church Harlaston
The Parish
We enjoy a variety of styles of worship, although our
approach is conservative with a preference for the
traditional, we enjoy our regular Joint Benefice
services which are uplifting and popular with our
congregation.
The Village
Harlaston is a small (pop 390), picturesque village
on the south side of the Mease valley. The village
has a thriving, popular pub and a store & post office
(serving the wider area), a very active village hall
committee, yoga and an indoor bowls club WI and a
walking group.
Harlaston has long been a farming village, recorded
in the Doomsday Book probably because of the corn
mill. An archaeological dig twenty years ago on the
land behind the church identified the remains of a
12-13th century moated manor house; parts of the
tower of the church are thought to date from that
period. Dairy farming was the main occupation in the
village forty years ago, when there were five dairy
farms; now there are only two. These days most
village residents are retired or commuters.
The Challenge
There are many challenges. The PCC is active in
managing the parish and is wholly supportive within
the Benefice. Members of the PCC and congregation
are supporting activities such as the Easter experience
and the children’s group; engaging with the children in
the village needs addressing, especially as we do not
have a school. It is evident from our festival services,
when the congregations are larger, there are a number
who might return to God. The PCC are looking at ways
of encouraging this.
The PCC is also actively aiming to recruit younger
members.
Mission Action Plan
A key part of our Mission Action Plan has been to make the church building more accessible and
welcoming by improving the old tower room, installing a toilet and modernising the kitchenette.
This work has recently been completed and has been paid for from parish resources.
With the new facilities in place we shall be able to start ‘café church’.
Over this last year we have also replaced the old fashioned lights and fitted a sound system with a
hearing loop.
Finances
Harlaston parish annual income has averaged
£17,816.00 over the last 4 years while annual
expenses have averaged £20,921.00. The 4-year
deficit of £12,420 has been taken out of reserves.
The expenditure figure does include £5,425 spent
on a sound system and replacement of most of the
old lighting with LED electric lights.
We pay over £10,000 each year to the Diocese as
Parish Share and another £1,270 for Church
Insurance.
The cost of the tower room improvements will be met from donations and grants.
Services and Style of Worship
At St Matthews we are fairly conservative. We hold
a BCP Holy Communion service at 8.45am the first
and third Sunday of the month (a few worshippers
from other parishes attend), a family service, where
children participate, at 10.15am on the second
Sunday, and when it is our turn, a Combined
Benefice service on the fourth Sunday.
Two small groups meet regularly once a month - a
Knit and Natter group and a prayer meeting.
Music
There are a number of organists in the Mease Valley so the cover is quite good. We do not have
music at the service on the third Sunday. We do have a music system which is used occasionally.
The Congregation
The electoral role membership is 21. Apart from
five children, of whom three are regular attenders,
the age of the congregation varies between thirtyfive and eighty plus, with most over sixty-five.
The Church
The church is on elevated ground overlooking the
centre of the village. The oldest part is the base of
the tower, and with the north and south wall, dates back to 12th century. The church was extended
later but by the early 19th century was so dilapidated that consideration was given to demolish it.
Restoration was completed in 1883 and it has altered little since. There are no other church
buildings.
The Churchyard
The churchyard surrounds the church. It is open
but space is limited. The largely grassed
churchyard is maintained by volunteers.
Pastoral Offices
During the last year there were two funerals only,
over the last three years we have had nine
funerals, five baptisms and one wedding. Funerals
are taken by ordained members of the ministry
team; there is no bereavement visiting team as
such but the bereaved are visited on an informal
basis by members of the congregation.