the Benefice of Washingborough with Heighington and Canwick

Transcription

Thank you for showing an interest in our
Parish Profile.
Welcome to the
Benefice of
Washingborough
with Heighington
and Canwick
‘A place where everyone matters’
Welcome to the Benefice of Washingborough with Heighington and Canwick
OUR PARISH PROFILE
Contents:
Page 2
Overview of the Benefice
Page 3
Mission Statements
Page 4-6
The Parishes
Page 7-9
The Church Buildings
Page 10-11 The Church as people
Page 12
The Church and the Community
Page 13-14 The context for Ministry
Page 15
The characteristics and qualities of our Rector
APPENDIX
I.
1
ROTA OF SERVICES
Overview of Parish
The Benefice comprises the Parish of Canwick and the Parish of Washingborough with
Heighington, just to the east of the Cathedral city of Lincoln. Lincoln is now a vibrant city
with a University and good transport links by road and rail to both London and the North.
East Midlands and Humberside airports are also within easy reach. The three villages are in
the Local Authority District of North Kesteven.
The three churches within our Benefice each have their own identity, but come together for
a Benefice Service whenever there is a 5th Sunday in a month. They give practical support to
fundraising events and enjoy combined social activities.
2
Mission Statements
Parish of Canwick
MISSION STATEMENT
“We seek to love God and love others as ourselves”




Proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all
Welcome participation in Christian worship
Encourage the children to take an active part in the life of the church
Provide help and guidance for Baptism, Confirmation, Weddings and Funerals and
life situations
 Provide Christian fellowship for all, and help and care for the sick, elderly, bereaved,
lonely and those in need
 Encourage participation with Christian communities in worship and social activities
 Support local and worldwide needs both practically and financially
Parish of Washingborough with Heighington
MISSION STATEMENT
Through our faith in God and his Son Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit we have
been called through our baptism and confirmation to proclaim the Gospel.
This Gospel is one of proclaiming God’s love to everyone in the Parish whether a member of
the Church or not through pastoral care and worship.
St John’s and St Thomas’ church buildings are for the use of everyone in the Parish for
baptism, weddings and funerals and whenever they wish to pray.
No one is excluded from the sacraments of the Church.
The Church will endeavour to give 10% of its annual income to local and national charity. It
will always live within its means from today’s giving, helping poorer parishes as well as our
own within the Diocese.
The clergy will be available for pastoral care to every person within the villages of
Washingborough, Heighington and Canwick.
The Church will endeavour to work closely with other denominations where there is mutual
interest and concern and will work with the statutory authorities.
We believe in the authority of the Bible as the word of God; we affirm our beliefs in the
belief and practice of the Church of England; we bear allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen
as the defender of the faith and to the Bishop of Lincoln.
3
The Parishes
The Parish of Canwick
The Parish of Canwick is smaller than that of Washingborough with Heighington. It is
situated one mile from the centre of the Cathedral City of Lincoln, on the Lincoln edge
overlooking the Witham Valley and the City of Lincoln, with Lincoln Cathedral on the
opposite hill.
Known as the village in the trees,
Canwick was originally an estate
village owned by the Sibthorpe
family. Since the early 1960’s
private housing development has
taken place and the village now
has approximately 155 households and a population of approximately 325 residents who
are partly from a managerial or professional background commuting into Lincoln or further
afield or who are retired.
The Church and the village hall provide the two main
meeting points within the village. The village hall has an
active social club with a bar and is a popular venue for
many organisations. Membership is open to all residents
of the village.
The village has a playing field which includes a tennis and bowls club. Within the village
there is a Residential Care Home.
On the north side of the village is Canwick Park Golf Club and on the south side is a Premier
Inn known as Mill Lodge.
The Parish of Washingborough and Heighington
The Parish of Washingborough with Heighington is approximately 8 square miles in area, of
which approximately 0.7 square miles is residential housing. The remaining area is largely
given over to agricultural land. A cycle path along the side of the River Witham links Lincoln
to Boston and passes through Washingborough
Both villages have good amenities including Doctor’s surgeries, Pharmacy, Dental practice
and Veterinary surgery. Each has a Post Office and mini-supermarket along with Public
Houses, playing fields, tennis courts and bowling greens.
Lincoln has an excellent range of shopping facilities including all major supermarkets.
Both Washingborough and Heighington have pre-school and primary provision, with
outstanding Secondary Education being provided by Branston Community Academy in the
neighbouring village of Branston.
4
Washingborough
At the 2011 census, the population of Washingborough was around
3500 but this is likely to increase in the future with recently proposed
plans to expand the residential area in the direction of Canwick.
Expansion of the eastern area of Lincoln is likely due to the advanced
plans for construction of the Lincoln Eastern bypass.
At present, the village comprises the old centre
Washingborough Precinct
around St John’s with the Methodist church and
Primary Academy school nearby and post-war
residential developments to the east.
An upmarket country house hotel adjoins the church
premises and the river Witham is within easy
walking distance.
The village is well served by a number of small shops
which are mainly centred on the Precinct and there are two Pubs.
The wide-range of village groups have the use of a large
Community centre, village hall, Scout hut and youth centre
Community Centre
Excellent sporting facilities and play area are found on the
playing fields near the Community Centre.
The thriving Primary School, Washingborough Academy is
situated in the heart of the village providing education for 290
children from 3-11 years old. Further information is available at the school's website
http://www.washingboroughacademy.org
Heighington
At the 2011 census the population of
Heighington was 2395. This is almost double the
size of thirty years ago due to the building of
four new private estates of houses and
bungalows.
The old part of the village has attractive
golden limestone houses with a beck
and old water-mill.
The successful and growing primary school, Heighington
Millfield Academy, (http://www.millfield.lincs.sch.uk), is
near the old mill, whilst the shops and both Pubs are
located along the High Street.
5
Heighington High Street
Two village halls, along with the Heritage rooms adjacent to St Thomas’ provide venues for
over twenty village groups catering for all ages. Two playing fields are well used by local
sports teams and clubs.
We think Heighington, Washingborough and Canwick are great places to live as they are
safe, welcoming and surrounded by picturesque countryside. This is a view endorsed by the
Halifax who, in March 2014, rated North Kesteven 11th in its top 50 rural Local Authority
Districts to live. However we realise there are some challenges, especially the potential
influx of new residents if the two proposed estates in Washingborough are approved. Whilst
we are involved with village celebrations and the schools there is great scope for the church
to become more integrated into the parish, so that residents of all ages can come to see the
church as being at the centre of community life.
6
THE CHURCH BUILDINGS
All Saints
All Saints, Canwick, is a Grade I listed
building, the earliest part dating back
to Norman times having a Norman
Chancel Arch. Most of the periods of
Ecclesiastical architecture occur in the
building. The building has no
foundations, the walls resting on a
Roman pavement.
The joint patrons of the church are the Bishop of Lincoln and the Mercers Company, one of
the oldest livery companies in the City of London. The Mercers Company take an active
interest in the Church and provide a grant towards the cost of insuring the church, enabling
the building to be fully insured.
St John’s
The church of St. John the Evangelist, Washingborough is
located centrally in the village just off the High Street. Whilst
there is no dedicated parking for the church, there is
unrestricted parking on the High Street by the church. The
church building has been built and modified over several
centuries. The oldest part of the church is the Norman tower
dating to about 1190. The main building was erected between 1380 and 1450. The church is
in good repair, although at the time of writing the tower roof is in urgent need of
attention. This work is about to commence and will hopefully be completed before a new
incumbent is appointed. The church porch is known to have a bat population. There are two
species of bat, these being the common Pipistrelle and the rarer Long Eared bat. They cause
no problems and happily co-exist with church activities. The church sits in a churchyard of
approximately 1.5 acres in size largely given over to grass. It has a boundary with
Washingborough Hall Hotel and several private residences. The boundary walls are all in a
good state of repair.
The joint patrons of the church are the Bishop of Lincoln and the Mercers Company.
St. John's is blessed with a peal of 8 bells with a tenor bell weight of approximately 12cwt.
They were re-hung in a modern galvanised steel frame in 1998 after the old wooden frame
collapsed. The bells are mounted on low maintenance roller bearings and are arguably one
of the best rings of 8 bells in the county. As such they are much sought after for practices
and ringing outings. There is also an Angelus bell that is separate from the peal of 8 bells. It
is operated from a control box in the vestry. It presently rings the Angelus at 12:00 noon and
6:00pm, but it can also function as a calling bell should no ringers be available.
7
The clock is not the most reliable of timepieces. Built in 1842 by W Thomas it is a good
example of how a clock should not be designed. It is somewhat temperamental and a
complete overhaul and conversion to fully automatic electric wind has frankly not improved
it much. It still stops for no apparent reason and we are pretty sure Smiths of Derby are
wishing someone else would look after it! It uses the tenor bell in the tower as the hour bell.
Both the churches at Washingborough and Heighington are served by modern Eminent DCS
electronic organs. Both have 2 manuals (Great and Swell) and 32 note pedalboard. The
instrument at St. John's is somewhat larger to accommodate the size of the building. Both
instruments are played every Sunday by our capable musicians and an organ rota ensures
that all services are covered. St. John's also has an upright piano which unusually (for a
church piano) is in tune and is also regularly played during services. Hymns are taken from
either "Hymns Ancient and Modern New Standard" or "New Hymns and Worship Songs"
At St. John's there is the Smith-Phillipson room on the north side of the choir. It occupies the
space where the original pipe organ was located. Just off the Smith-Phillipson room is a
toilet and kitchen facilities.
As the largest place of worship in our Benefice, there is plenty of scope to use the building
for new ministry and mission. Fixed pews and uneven floors create a challenge, but with
vision, sensitivity and investment there is the potential to create something very special.
St Thomas’
St Thomas’ is a Chapel of Ease hidden within the middle of
Heighington village with an adjacent large tarmac car park on the
south side and small grassed area at the east end. The
Quinquennial inspection report in 2011 noted that the PCC had
kept the church in good order with recent repair work carried
out to the stonework on the church and boundary walls. In
addition the whole of the interior was redecorated in 2008.
The clock on the West tower was donated in memory of the fallen in the 1914-18 war. An
electronic winding mechanism has newly been installed and the face gilded. St. Thomas’s
has a ring of 4 bells, the heaviest being 4cwt 7lbs. They are hung dead in the tower and
chimed from below by means of an Ellacombe chiming apparatus.
Plans are in hand to modernise the existing toilet, ensuring easy disabled access to both
church and adjacent rooms.
St Thomas is fortunate to have the support of the Garrett Trust. Thomas Garrett, a wealthy
gentleman drained the Fens in the 1600’s. He supported the Church and built a school for
the village boys. It was closed at the beginning of the 1970’s. The school rooms are now
leased to NKDC as a Heritage Centre. The lease expires in 2018 which creates the exciting
prospect of the church having the freedom to utilise these rooms, although the challenge
would be the additional financial costs. The PCC were recently informed that, as the building
8
has not been consecrated, Faculty Jurisdiction rules do not apply to works undertaken in the
church. This also opens up new possibilities when considering how the building might best
serve both the worshipping and local community.
9
THE CHURCH AS PEOPLE
Each congregation within our group have their own identity but the open, inclusive worship
at each includes both traditional and non-traditional Eucharists along with Non-Eucharistic
services which range from traditional Morning Prayer to informal services of the Word.
Other occasional services, often in conjunction with the Methodist congregation in
Washingborough, include ‘Prospects’ for those with learning difficulties, Wholeness services
and Prayer and Praise style services. (See Appendix 1 for pattern of services)
All Saints
All Saints has traditionally had a welcoming open door policy to all of the Christian faith,
with part of the congregation travelling from neighbouring villages. The congregation size
ranges from 7-17 consisting of mainly retired people and has a loyal organist along with a
rota of lay people to read the lesson and lead intercessions.
Church members are involved in most activities which occur within the village.
St John’s and St Thomas’
There are currently 95 names on the Electoral Roll, with the vast majority living in the
Parish. Lesson reading and Intercessory prayer involve many different members of the
congregation and music is led by a small team of organists.
St John’s is the larger building and so is ideal for
large events such as the annual Remembrance
Sunday Parade for the uniformed organisations
who meet in our Parish. As the Parish Church it is
also the focus for formal service such as the All
Souls Service and most of the weddings, baptisms
and funerals. It has an average Sunday attendance
of 62 with 50 communicants, but currently
insufficient young families to have a Sunday School.
A mid-week morning Eucharist at St John’s has an average
attendance of around 12 people, but once a month this
number increases when it is the Mother’s Union corporate
communion. Mother’s Union also use the church for quiet
days.
St. John's has an enthusiastic team of ringers, with close
associations with the ringers at St. Michael's Waddington
and between the two teams they provide cover for ringing at
most services.
Church members are involved in activities which occur within the village.
10
The congregation at St Thomas’ has an average Sunday attendance
of around 35 with the youngest age profile of the Parish. There is a
good gender balance and never a shortage of helpers
when work needs to be done or events
organised.
“I like the
A monthly informal family service
allows for more experimental styles
of worship involving all members of the
congregation whatever their age.
“There is such a
friendly atmosphere”
Cynthia
informal
order” Ted
Many of the parents with school age children meet
monthly for support
and refreshment at a local pub and, in the last couple of
years, a weekend family camp has been a great success.
Retention of young people as they enter secondary school is
an issue which we hope to address as we listen to their
spiritual needs and seek to address them. With more help
and support the youth club could be revived.
Members of our congregations can be found at mid-week Fellowship / Bible study groups
which join together with the Methodist church members for Advent and Lent study courses.
Our strong ecumenical links have led to the running of a weekly coffee shop (held in the
Methodist church hall) along with an annual Good Friday workshop for primary school-aged
children, Good Friday service in St John’s and joint Harvest Festival in Washingborough. A
growing Mother’s Union is willing to get more involved with family issues, and a ‘Knit and
natter’ group helps provide a relaxed environment for friendship and discussion.
A concern is the need for strong leadership and organisation for an effective pastoral team.
This would enable increased contact with Baptism families and follow-up after funerals.
Whilst the church is welcoming and has a good reputation for accepting people on the
fringe of the church it is not seen as being at the heart of our communities. There is great
potential for increased involvement with our local primary schools and the wider
community.
11
The Church and the Community
The churches are a well-used venue for Baptisms, Funerals and Weddings. Last year, at St
John’s, there were 9 weddings, with 15 in the program for 2014.
This gives plenty of outreach
opportunities as do the annual
events such as Charity markets
and Church fairs, organised and
run by members of the
congregation.
St John’s is also a venue for
occasional concerts and art /
flower festivals.
Within our two Parishes we have a Residential home in Canwick and another in Heighington,
along with sheltered housing. Home Communion is available on request, with a monthly
home communion service taken to those in the sheltered housing in their community centre
within Heighington.
Once a month a coffee morning is held at St Thomas’ which attracts members of the
congregation and others from outside the church community.
Assemblies have been taken at our local primary schools, but not as frequently as in the past
due to changes in school leadership teams. However, they do make use of the churches to
supplement their RE curriculum and have done class visits along with ‘mock’ services and
whole school assemblies.
Recently we have revived the annual
Rogation Sunday walk, a reminder of our
rural past and our current place within
the community. It also gives another
opportunity for the congregations to
invite friends and neighbours as we share
time outside the church building.
Many members take on roles within our communities and are
actively involved with other village organisations.
The church supports many charities including UNICEF, Christian Aid and Link Romania with
its annual Christmas shoe-box appeal.
We are fortunate to have a church page in a glossy monthly community magazine which is
distributed free to every house in the Parish. We also have our own weekly newsletter and
website www.washingboroughgroup.org.uk which is managed and updated regularly by a
member of the congregation with details of services, events and links to local organisations.
12
THE CONTEXT FOR MINISTRY
Diocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln is undergoing an exciting and challenging period of change
at the moment. In response to a major review of the life and mission of the Diocese in
2012/13, the Bishop of Lincoln last September gave voice to his vision for the Diocese to
seek to develop its faith, confidence and joy in Christ.
The Diocese is committed to increasing its numbers of stipendiary clergy by 30% over the
next ten years, to welcoming increasing numbers of curates to serve their titles in parishes
across the Diocese, to deepening discipleship and growing numbers of disciples, to
extending the reach and quality of our mission across the widely varied communities of
Lincolnshire.
A recording of the Bishop’s vision for the Diocese of Lincoln may be accessed on
YouTube at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BU524-_nY
Graffoe Deanery
The Benefice is an active member of the Deanery. Regular Chapter meetings are held and
there is a good level of cooperation with other benefices in the Deanery.
Our Benefice
Within the Benefice we will support our new incumbent with a Ministry team consisting of
retired clergy, a retired Deacon, two Readers and a Lay Local Minister.
Lay members will offer support in a number of ways: read lessons, lead intercessions, run
Sunday School, servers, Chalice administrators, Sides people, Church Wardens, Cleaning
staff, Churchyard maintenance team, Flower Arrangers, Service preparation (ensure
ciborium and chalices are ready), Organ rota, bell ringers
Administration support is provided by the PCC and Treasurers with access to the
photocopier currently at the back of St Thomas’.
Accommodation for our new incumbent is in the Rectory.
This is a modern 4 bedroom 2 story family home located on
Church Hill, close to St John’s. Downstairs it has a reception
area, office, WC, Lounge Dining room, Kitchen and Utility
Room and upstairs 4 large bedrooms and WC. There are
lawns to the front and rear of the property, along with a
garage and parking area.
13
Overview of the finances for Washingborough with Heighington
We have a long record of full or substantial payment of Parish Share.
2012 paid 100% (£36142)
2013 paid 85%
Once the tower roof at St Johns is replaced (funding is in place) there is no known major
fabric work necessary.
There is loyal financial support which is regular and Gift Aided. Full advantage taken of Gift
Aid Small Donation scheme.
We receive generous financial support from the Mercers Livery Co. St Johns is insured on a
reinstatement basis.
There is the need to increase regular giving to replicate increase in Parish Share, Outward
Giving and running costs for St Johns which is a Grade 2* listed building.
Overview of the finances for Canwick
All Saints is able to pay the Parish Share in full and keep up to date with repairs as
recommended by the architect in the Quinquennial inspection. The PCC also nominate each
year international, national and local charities to receive donations and a collection around
the village is undertaken each year for Christian Aid.
14
Characteristics and Qualities of our Rector
We are seeking a prayerful, enthusiastic and versatile leader, who can work with us
collaboratively to become a lively, inclusive church able to reach out across the generations
and restore the church to the heart of our communities. We would like you to motivate and
support us in our spiritual development and continue our ecumenical links.
In return we offer you prayerful support, practical help, a diverse congregation, reasonable
clergy expenses, and time off for proper holidays, training, reading, and personal
development.
15
APPENDIX 1
Rota of Sunday Services
All Saints
Canwick
9.30am
Morning Worship
St Thomas’
Heighington
9.30am
Family Communion
St John’s
Washingborough
11.00am
Family Communion
2nd Sunday
Holy Communion
(BCP)
Family Service
Family Communion
3rd Sunday
Morning Worship
Family Communion
Family Communion
4th Sunday
Family Communion
Morning Worship
Morning Worship
1st Sunday
5th Sunday
10.30am Benefice Service rotating between all three churches
Mid-week Services in St John’s, Washingborough
16
Wednesday
9.30am
Friday
9.00am
Holy
Communion
Parish Prayers

the Benefice of Washingborough with Heighington and Canwick

Transcription

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