Church of St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury

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Parish
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Profile
Church of St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury
Seeking to be a vibrant Christian community: A symbol and focus for the presence of God in our area.
The Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott
Contents:
Introduction3
Message from the Area Dean4
The Oxford Diocese5
Aylesbury6
Our Vision and Mission8
Our new Rector10
Our Church Family and Services
11
Children and Young People12
Groups13
Ministry Team, staff and volunteers
14
Music15
Community16
Finance18
St Mary’s Church19
The Rectory20
Schools21
Appendix A: Proposed strategic mission partnerships
22
Appendix B: Church on Fairford Leys Statement
23
Appendix C: PCC and DCC Resolutions
24
Appendix D: St Mary’s Financial Position
25
Appendix E: Full Role Description
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Find out more...31
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Introduction
Welcome to St Mary the Virgin Aylesbury’s parish profile which has been prepared after extensive
consultation with our congregation, community, deanery and diocese. St Mary’s is a prayerful and
inspiring place which provides a rich Christian focus for the presence of God in our area. It is a place
of warmth, creativity, music and diversity incuding a busy refectory cafe. It is a place loved by a
dedicated and gradually growing community in faith who share in the catholic tradition of the Church of
England.
As for many similar churches, St Mary’s is having to re-imagine its role and mission in the civic,
commercial and public community life of a rapidly changing town centre context. We recognise that
developing strategic partnerships with neighbouring parishes is now key to meeting the needs of some
parts of our current parish so that we can focus on the core mission of this church. The interregnum
is viewed by the worshipping community as having given us the opportunity to renew this sense of
purpose and to prepare the ground for a new Rector to prayerfully lead us in the journey of exploration
and service over the next few years.
Finances have been a particular challenge in recent years and allied to that a fragility in consistently
sustaining the size of the church family. However in the past year, changes have led to a new young
families as well as local residents not only joining us but becoming actively committed in many ways.
As a result the sense of fragility has gone and the church family has begun to grow gently. However
significant financial and other challenges remain and we are committed to addressing and responding
to these in the coming years.
St Mary the Virgin is currently part of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott. The parish is
undergoing a pastoral reorganisation, one of the main aspects of which is the creation of a new parish
of Bierton and Hulcott. This will enable St Mary’s to refocus on the town centre area and our core
mission and vision.
The parish is located in Aylesbury Vale and encompasses most of the wider Aylesbury area. It falls
within the Aylesbury Deanery and the Reverend Canon Andrew Blyth is the Area Dean. The Deanery
falls within the Buckingham area team, led by Bishop Alan Wilson. The Venerable Karen Gorham is
the Archdeacon of Buckingham.
We trust in God to draw to us a person of great faith, leadership, energy and passion for sharing and
teaching, allowing us to grow in the love and peace of Christ and to make a difference in our local
community and the wider world.
In this profile you will find a combination of practical information about our church, the local area, our
congregation and local community. You will also find our mission focus and how we are responding to
the Oxford Diocese Living Faith initiative to sustain the sacred centre.
If you read this profile and feel drawn to St Mary’s then there are details of how to find out more at the
end of the profile and we very much look forward to meeting you.
Simon Weaver
and Churchwarden
Michael Sharp
Churchwarden
3
Message from the Area Dean
Thank you for your interest in this highly challenging but also potentially enormously rewarding post.
The interregnum at St Mary’s Aylesbury has given opportunity for a full and careful review of its
life and mission and the many demands placed on its Rector. The Bishop shares with the church
community and the wider deanery, the need for clear priority to be given to mission and service
in the heart of Aylesbury town centre and to the wider civic life of Buckinghamshire. Together we
have concluded that to create the capacity and opportunities for a clear focus, mission in the other
districts of the current team ministry will be best served through the Deanery enabling a number of
partnerships with other churches.
The district of Bierton & Hulcott is to become a Parish in its own right and will formally leave the
Aylesbury team to forge a partnership with Broughton Parish. Quarrendon district, served by St
Peter’s church, and Fairford Leys district, served by an ecumenical church project, will remain in
the team but will partner with the Parish of Southcourt. The Berryfields housing development will
also remain in the team but the newly appointed pioneer minister is being supported and supervised
directly by the Deanery. The diagram in Appendix A gives an overview of these partnerships. While
the new Rector of St Mary’s will need to be someone able to fully embrace and encourage these
partnerships, they will not have to give their energy to day-to-day oversight or responsibilities.
This leaves the St Mary’s church community looking forward with great enthusiasm to welcoming a
collaborative Priest with the vision and skills to nurture many shoots of new growth and to deepen
their discipleship. A leader able to help the community generate the energy and resources needed
for the scale of mission opportunities on offer. A leader able to help the community develop its own
mission partnerships, especially with the Parish of Holy Trinity located at the opposite end of the town
centre.
Please do not hesitate to ring for an informal conversation to share more about the vision and the
wonderful opportunities of this role.
Revd Canon Andrew Blyth
Area Dean of Aylesbury
4
The Diocese of Oxford
The Diocese of Oxford serves the mission of the Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and
Oxfordshire. The Diocese comprises more than 600 parishes, with over 800 churches, serving a
diverse population of more than 2 million people located in all types of settings.
Our Diocesan Bishop is the Rt Revd John Pritchard. Due to the size and complexity of the Diocese,
we also have three Area Bishops who exercise considerable strategic & pastoral oversight for their
Episcopal areas. The Bishop of Buckingham is the Rt Rev’d Alan Wilson who has been the Area
Bishop since 2004.
“Living Faith” is our Diocesan vision and values statement and promotes holistic mission and
spirituality at the heart of daily life. It contains five key values which inform our strategic directions:
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sustaining the sacred centre
creating vibrant Christian communities
making disciples;
making a difference in the world;
shaping confident collaborative leaders.
These values are built on the principles of not neglecting the past but building on it; not so much
about strategy but culture; not top down but liberating the local; not targets but directions; not about
structures but about relationships; not one size fits all but flexibility and not about complexity but
elegance.
From 2010, each year has seen an encouragement to explore one of the key strands and in 2014, the
emphasis across the Diocese is on Shaping confident collaborative leadership.
Full information on Living Faith for the future can be found at
http://www.oxford.anglican.org/mission-ministry/projects/living-faith/
It is expected that all clergy appointed into the Archdeaconry of Buckingham will want to commit
themselves to this Diocesan vision and its strategic directions.
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Aylesbury
The Church of St Mary the Virgin stands in the centre of Aylesbury, in the heart of the old town area,
just near the edge of the newer shopping areas and close to the Oxford Road. Aylesbury is rapidly
growing, attracting new developments in the town centre area and new retailers and restaurants as
well as a redevelopment of the canal basin which will create a cosmopolitan cafe and shopping area.
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire, lying in the Aylesbury Vale and sheltered by the
Ridgeway and the Chiltern Hills. The town was founded in Saxon times and has been the county town
since the reign of Henry VIII. The most picturesque part of the town is in the mostly Georgian old town
area around St Mary’s Church. The old town also includes the County Museum and Art Gallery, and
the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery. At present the main shopping centres are in Friars Square, Hale
Leys and the High Street.
The town centre is the Market Square, with its County Hall of 1740 and, hidden behind shops, the
magnificent frontage of the King’s Head Hotel. Dating from about 1450, its windows include stainedglass commemorating the marriage of Henry VI to Margaret of Anjou in 1445, who are said to have
stayed there on their honeymoon. The Market Square also contains statues of Benjamin Disraeli and
John Hampden. Next to St Mary’s church is Prebendal House, once the home of the radical John
Wilkes, MP for Aylesbury from 1757-1760.
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Inspired by the rolling Chiltern Hills, the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre can be
found in the heart of Aylesbury, on Exchange Street and about 5 minutes walk
from St Mary’s Church.
In a town with a long history of theatre at its roots, Aylesbury Waterside
delivers a programme of diverse live entertainment and has marked the start
of the town’s regeneration. The theatre has attracted international interest
in the world of construction
and architecture as a
landmark building, and
boasting a dynamic and
diverse programme of live
performances, visitors
can enjoy world-class
entertainment including
electrifying West End
productions, unparalleled
comedy, stunning dance and
the best children’s shows.
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Aquavale Swimming and Fitness Centre
The Aquavale swimming and fitness
centre, located a short walk south
of St Mary’s Church includes a 25
metre indoor swimming pool and a
leisure pool with lazy river and fun
water features. It also includes a
large gym with free weights
and strength machines, and
a multi-function studio. It has
been significantly refurbished
very recently with a £5m
investment.
Markets
There is a market in the Market Square three
times a week as well as a farmers market
once a month and continental markets
periodically. The farmers market has stalls
selling ostrich, pies, cakes, bread as well as
the main farm products. In school holidays,
there are free children’s activities including
face painting, pottery painting and badge
making.
By Road – approximately 40 minutes by car, to the east of Oxford. 30 minutes south of Milton
Keynes and about 1-1.5hrs drive from Central London and the West End. Aylesbury lies at the
intersection of the A41 and the A418. The M40 is the nearest motorway, to the west of the town and
the M1 and M25 are not much further away.
By Rail – approximately 1hr from London Marylebone Station. There is no railway line north
from Aylesbury at present but it is possible to get connections to Oxford, Princes Risborough, High
Wycombe and Birmingham.
By Air – Luton Airport is approximately 45 minutes drive to the west and Heathrow is about 45
minutes drive to the south.
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St Mary’s Vision and Mission
St Mary’s has responded to the interregnum by embarking on a series of consultation events within
the church community, defining our mission priorities, strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. In
particular we have used the Diocese of Oxford Living Faith initiative as a structure to work from. The
consultations have included members of the church community, local residents and representatives
from the Friends of St Mary’s, Buckinghamshire County Council, St Mary’s School and the Church on
Fairford Leys. There has also been consultation separately with Aylesbury Vale District Council and
Aylesbury Town Council.
A number of substantial challenges have been identified through the process, providing an opportunity
for the community to rise to the challenge and identify a programme of action:
Better meeting the mission needs of a rapidly growing town
The parish is extensive and St Mary’s is charged with a large number and diversity of roles within it.
Extensive growth in the town is on going and a new Church of England Academy has been created.
To support this growth and enable mission more effectively across the parish, a number of strategic
partnerships have been identified and are in the process of being formalised, though this is just the
beginning of a long process of transition that will need strong visionary leadership. A key component of
the process will be developing and reimagining the civic role of St Mary’s as the County Church.
A numerically small church family
Whilst we have gradual but slow growth and wide diversity, in a geographically large parish we have
a regular Sunday congregation of only about 100 people. A far larger number use the Church overall,
whether attending other small services in the week, being part of the thriving Tots group, using
the Refectory Cafe or attending sessions run by the charity SPACE. Beyond that, there is a small
population around the church, led by the old town residents association. There is therefore potential to
grow and the need to identify initiatives to achieve that.
The empowerment of lay people
The laity have felt unempowered in the past, however since the start of the interregnum there is
a sense of renewed energy and understanding of the need and potential for the church family to
proactively play a full part in mission and ministry. Some initial steps have been made, with the
formation of a Pastoral Team and with improving relationships and understanding between different
groups within the church family. The empowerment of lay people to play that significant role in mission
and ministry is recognised as a significant area for support and development going forward.
A more sustainable approach to funding ministry
The financial structures in place had not helped us in the funding of ministry costs and in particular
there has been substantial under payment of parish share. Taking a fresh look at this at the start of the
interregnum, we have taken a number of decisive steps to improve the financial position and these are
starting to show the beginnings of progress. However there is still a long journey ahead. Appendix D
sets out the financial challenges and some of the steps being taken.
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St Mary the Virgin together with St Peters Quarrendon and the Church on Fairford
Leys are a symbol and focus for the presence of God in our area and are served by
a community of people who worship and work in the churches. Using our diverse
skills we work together to cherish for future generations the inheritance of the
church buildings, the worship that takes place, the teaching, music making, arts
and creativity. We commit to the cultural diversity, equal opportunities and personal
development of all who work an worship with us.
The results of the consultation sessions held to date have been comprehensively documented and
shared with the PCC, the Vacancy Steering Group and other interested parties as appropriate. From
this we are developing a mission action plan which will encompass the following:
Embracing a Eucharisticaly focussed Catholic tradition within the Church of
England
Worship which is well prepared and prayerful, including traditional music
sung by our choir and a breadth of other styles inspired by our Church
community
The opportunity for silence, prayer and contemplation including regular
meditation, Julian and healing services
Further develop and foster our ministry and mission to visitors, local
residents and the wider community
A church which is open and welcoming seven days per week
To maintain pastoral visiting, home communion and ministry to the elderly,
sick and infirm
To nurture our growing children and young people’s groups and ministry and
to develop youth work from them
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Our new Rector
We are seeking a prayerful person of God to
support us in achieving the vision above for an
open town-centre Church which provides a haven
of peace and prayer in a busy world.
Key characteristics we are looking for:
• Strong leadership with good communication skills and the ability to relate to a wide range of people
• The ability to encourage and support the church family to build up the body of Christ in our church.
• The ability to respond to the creative possibilities of being a civic church today
• A Commitment to our style of sacramental worship, including support for music ministry
• Enthusiasm for continuing and supporting the development of our work with children and young people
• Ability to develop others and entrust them with roles within the parish
• Appropriately responsive to the varied demographic of our church family
• Confident in creating and delivering liturgy
• Enthusiasm for an exciting and challenging opportunity for ministry
• The imagination to cherish the traditions of the past while embracing the future potential of our church
Please also see the full role description in Appendix E
The church family will be welcoming and very supportive of your ministry encompassing these
characteristics.
The Diocese has a policy of offering good training incumbents the opportunity of having a curate in the
parish.
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The Church Family and Services
In 2013 there were..
24 Baptisms - 8 Weddings - 7 Wedding Blessings - 7 Funerals and 7 Cremations
St Mary’s enjoys a rich liturgical tradition within the catholic wing of the Church of England. As the
county church, St Mary’s enjoys good and strong links with the County, District and Town Councils and
business. As well as civic services the church acts as host to special services organised by Scouts,
Guides and local schools.
Our church family is a wonderfully diverse racial and social mix encompassing all ages from
the smallest toddler to the elderly yet young at heart. With this comes a broad mix of talents, a
willingness to contribute and an enthusiasm for participation, underpinned by an inspiring warmth and
generosity. Recent growth has been driven through our thriving Sunday School which is now split
into a number of age groups and led by a dedicated team of leaders. An area for development for
the future is to provide more for our young people of 15+ and this is very much something we would
hope our new Rector will help us to achieve. Many of our young people also become members of
the choir, some starting as early as 8 years old and some also join the serving team. In recent years
we have welcomed members of the local Zimbabwean community into our church family, including
the Zimbabwean Mothers Union who enrich our worship through singing Shona hymns with great
style and rhythm, periodically. Of course we also have a rich musical tradition at St Mary’s with Sung
Eucharist at the main services and a full SATB robed choir.
Sunday Services
8am Holy Communion (BCP)
10am Sung Eucharist (CW)
All Age Service 1st Sunday of the month
Meditation monthly on afternoon of 3rd
Sunday
Midweek services
Monday to Friday 9.15 am Morning Prayer.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday Friday Meditation
Said Eucharist (CW)
Prayers
Said Eucharist (CW)
Healing service
All at 12 midday
Julian Meetings monthly on 3rd Thursday
We have sung services for the Easter Triduum,
observing the liturgy of Holy Week in full. There
is a rota of readers to read the Lessons and to
intercede. New English Hymnal is mainly used.
The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the Lady
Chapel Aumbry. The Holy Oils are kept in the
church safe. Vestments are worn at all services
and incense is used occasionally.
The average attendance at the 10 am Sunday
Sung Eucharist is 80-90.Baptism is normally at 12
midday after the main service when there is an
average of 40 in the congregation.
We are a town centre church and our church
family is taken not only from there, but also from
the surrounding area. The Parish of St Mary
the Virgin consists of the central, northern and
western areas of Aylesbury. There is in the region
of 18,000 people living within the parish. The
Electoral Roll for 2013 stands at 105.
Healing, Meditation and Julian meetings are lay-led
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Children and Young People
During the Sunday morning Eucharist, there are thriving tots and Sunday School groups using the
Living Stones scheme of work for the Sunday School. The Children from both groups come to the front
of the Church for a prayer during the welcome at the start of the service. They also return during the
notices before the final hymn, to show the congregation the work they have been doing. During the
procession at the end of the service, the children lead the procession, following behind the cross and
before the choir, servers and clergy.
Also during the Sunday morning service a youth group goes out of the service for teaching and
fellowship during the sermon, returning at the Peace. They also follow the Living Stones scheme of
work, which also helps to prepare them for confirmation.
The choir admits juniors from about age 8 years and we encourage young people to become servers
and participate in other roles during the service. RCSM chorister training is provided free of charge to
our young choristers on Monday evenings.
There is a thriving tots group called St Mary’s Tots on Friday mornings in the Church.
Crib Service, Christmas 2013
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Groups
An essential part of the running and ministry of
St Mary’s.....
Outreach Group
The Outreach Group organises quarterly lay-led, Iona style services for Peace and Justice. Focus for
these services has included Zimbabwe, Syria and the Middle East. The group also arranges a monthly
evening meditation on the 1st Sunday of every month and has driven the recent revitalisation of our
house groups within the church.
Fundraising Group
The Fundraising Group coordinates the organisation of fundraising events at St Mary’s. Events include
afternoon cream teas on bank holidays, barn dances, raffles and the annual Gift Day.
Pastoral Team
The Pastoral Team has recently been formed as part of our evolving development plan coming out
of the community consultations during the interregnum. A core group with training in counselling and
pastoral work lead a wider group of those who regularly visit the sick and elderly.
Zimbabwean Prayer Group
The Zimbabwean Prayer Group meets on Wednesday evenings and has a more evangelical style than
other forms of worship at St Mary’s.
Bell Ringers
St. Mary’s is the proud home to a gifted and much-awarded team of bell ringers, who offer bells for all
major services.
St Mary’s Bloomers
A dedicated team of talented flower arrangers who maintain flowers in the church every week, provide
wedding flowers and wonderful arrangements for high services.
House Groups
We have recently revitalised and relaunched our house groups and there are three running at
present.. The groups are a mixture of social fellowship, prayer and study, with each group having its
own distinctive character. We need to work on developing these and encouraging new members of the
church to find a house group.
Zimbabwean Mothers
Union
About a quarter of our congregation
are Zimbabwean and the women from
the Zimbabwean community form the
Zimbabwean Mothers Union, affiliated to
the national organisation. The Mothers
Union often perform vibrant hymns and
worship songs to enhance our worship.
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Ministry Team, Staff and
Volunteers
A dedicated team that are passionate about
St Mary’s.....
St Mary’s is very fortunate to have the support of a number of retired clergy including Father Luke Lee,
Father Donald Rydings, the Reverend Tony Willis and Father Ian Ogilvie. At present St James the
Great at Bierton falls within the team and so the Reverend Mark Ackford from St James also supports
St Mary’s, although changes to the parish that are being worked through at the moment will see St
James the Great and All Saints Hulcott move away to form a separate parish, reflecting recent growth
in the town.
The Deanery also has three Licensed Lay Ministers who work within the parish, Suzanne Ackford,
Julie Willis and Hazel Butland. In addition John Bush, who leads the serving team at St Mary’s, is
licensed to preach in the parish.
There is a full time Parish Administrator based at St Mary’s, Karen Baker. Kim Hopping is also
employed as a book keeper, managing accounts and payroll, and as the events coordinator for the
church. The Refectory Café employs three part time members of staff, and three teenagers who staff
the café and kitchen on Saturdays. The church also has a part time caretaker, Colin Alexander.
The choir is lead by Mrs Christine Beatie, who is employed part time to arrange the music, rehearse
the choir and tutor the RCSM Voice for Life scheme for both adult and junior choir members.
St Mary’s has a large number of volunteers, working in the café, in the office, arranging flowers,
carrying out smaller maintenance tasks, polishing brass, collating service sheets and organising
events. There is an established fundraising group, an outreach group and a finance group all of which
support the District Church Council and employed staff.
It is an indication of the affection and support for St Mary’s in the area that we have been so well
supported by retired clergy during the interregnum.
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Music
Music plays a significant role in the life of St Mary’s
Church, both liturgically and non-liturgically...
A large ceremonial choir is open to adults and juniors. The choir sings at the main sung Eucharist
service on Sundays and at all special services during the year.
As well as singing hymns and psalms
the choir sings an extensive repertoire
of settings, canticles and anthems,
thus enhancing the worship. To
achieve this, the choir rehearses once
a week under the leadership of a choir
leader. The choir does not sing during
the school summer holiday.
St Mary’s Choir We would like to develop recruitment
to the choir, visiting and working with local schools in the Aylesbury area.
The Zimbabwean Mothers union is a very active group within our congregation and regularly perform
vibrant hymns and songs in Shona to enhance our worship.
The Friends of St Mary’s organise excellent
classical music concerts at lunchtime
on Thursday every week, which are
well attended and continue to grow in
popularity. They also organise periodic
evening concerts. The funds raised have
recently allowed the Friends to fund new
noticeboards for the Churchyard, a new light
at the Church entrance and replacement
blinds for the interior doors in the Church.
Friends of St Mary’s Serenade and Songs evening
Currently the costs of cleaning and repairing stonework
at the main entrance to the church as well as repairing the Lady chapel external door are being
investigated with a view to the Friends helping to fund the work required. These are the next highest
priority items identified on the last quinquennial. A faculty is currently also being sought for repairs to
medieval choir stalls in the Chancel and the Friends will be funding those repairs as well.
Aylesbury Choral Society hold concerts periodically at the Church, as do other local choirs and
orchestras. A number of local secondary schools also hold classical concerts at St Mary’s.
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Community
St Mary’s at the heart of the community
Every Christmas day a free community Christmas meal is available in St Mary’s Church, open to
anyone who is homeless or would otherwise be on their own on Christmas Day. This is arranged by
a separate charity with members from inside
and beyond St Mary’s and uses the church
building and kitchen.
Local secondary schools hold concerts and
services at the Church and local primary
schools visit to engage children in the
historical and religious education elements of
the curriculum. St Mary’s school also have a
year six leavers service at the church annually.
St Marys and St Edwards Catholic Junior
School have participated in a lay-led service
for peace and justice in the middle east in
December 2013. We are keen to develop
further links with local schools.
A charity called Space is based at the church
and holds drop-ins and coffee mornings
during the week as well as offering massage
and counselling for those in need due to
relationship breakdown, redundancy and
mental health issues.
Community Christmas Meal
A number of local choral groups, wind bands and orchestras use the church for concerts throughout
the year, including Aylesbury Choral Society, Aylesbury Festival Choir and Aylesbury Symphony
Orchestra. In addition there was a production of HMS Pinafore staged at St Mary’s in a joint venture
between Aylesbury Music Centre and St Mary’s Church and incorporating contributions from members
of the local community. This is likely to become an annual collaboration and was a powerful example
of the community coming together and creating something very special.
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St Mary’s has a thriving Refectory Café in which local people and those that work locally can have
anything from a speciality coffee to soup or
a full hot meal.
Recently a new initiative has seen the
development of a church shop with a range
of merchandise from cards, to CDs, books,
gifts, crosses and even holy socks!
Roald Dahl Day is a very significant date
in the local calendar. A carnival-style
procession incorporating local schools
and community groups parades through
Aylesbury Town Centre, starting and ending
at St Mary’s Church. The church community
The Refectory Café
provides a bar-b-que, stalls, games and activities for the local community to enjoy after the parade
and the church café is very busy on
that day.
Aylesbury Vale District Council
arranges themed events in the
town centre periodically through the
year and the St Mary’s often has a
presence. Events and activities are
arranged at the church to complement
the events in the town.
St Mary’s Gift Shop
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Finance
Emerging from a significant period of transition
and needing to return to paying our full share...
The parish accounts are presented in accordance with charity commission legislation and
independently examined annually. St Mary’s is designated a recovering parish within the Deanery and
we are working hard with new initiatives to return to paying our full Parish Share.
St Mary’s has a newly formed finance group which meets monthly to examine the accounts in the form
of a cost centre summary and to consider ways of reducing costs and increasing income, ultimately
providing advice and recommendations to the District Church Council.
There is no treasurer at present but St Mary’s employs a part time book keeper to run the accounts,
fees and payroll day to day, including the fees for weddings and funerals for the wider parish. The
book keeper reports to the Churchwardens at St Mary’s, who have the acting treasurer role.
There is a significant restricted fund for the development and provision of church music at St Mary’s,
which finances the employment of the Choir Leader and Organist as well as the provision of RCSM
chorister training for juniors and adults.
The Rector and Churchwardens of St Mary’s Church are also trustees of the oldest charity in
Aylesbury, the Clock and Chimes charity. This exists to fund the maintenance of the clock and bells at
St Mary’s Church and has substantial funds invested as well as a commercial building to let in the old
town, currently used by Aylesbury Homeless Action Group and the Town Centre Chaplaincy project.
The other major fund is restricted for the funding of administration of St Mary’s parish, again the
Rector and Churchwardens at St Mary’s are trustees of this fund.
There is a curate’s house about 5 minutes drive from the Church or 10 minutes walk. The curate’s
house is owned jointly by St Mary’s Church and the Diocese of Oxford. As there is no curate at
St Mary’s, the house is rented out by the Diocese with the rent shared between St Mary’s and the
Diocese. At present St Mary’s share of the rent is paid over to the Diocese as part of our parish share
payment annually.
In view of our recovering status, significant efforts are being made to create new revenue streams,
including a revitalisation of Christian giving, new ways to give being introduced, the establishment of
the finance group and reduction of costs through using the parish-buying scheme and operating more
efficiently.
St Mary’s is also supported by the Friends of St Mary’s who focus on raising funds for the fabric of the
building. The main fundraising activity is running excellent and locally renowned classical concerts
held in the church at lunchtimes and in the evenings.
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A detailed breakdown of the financial position and challenges is given in
Appendix D
St Mary the Virgin
St. Mary’s Church, Aylesbury, is the county church for Buckinghamshire, located in a cathedral-like
close set in the heart of the old town. Construction of the present building was begun on the site of
former Saxon and Norman churches in the thirteenth century, with additions in the form of chapels,
including a Lady Chapel to the south-east, built during the fourteenth century. Further enlargements
and modifications were made in the fifteenth century, and in the seventeenth century, a clock and
spirelet were added above the existing tower. The church was extensively restored during the
eighteenth century and was Grade I listed in 1952. The church continues to play an important role in
the spiritual, community and cultural life of the town, and maintains various facilities, including an office
and a large kitchen, as well as a small café and toilets, for the use of visitors.
The walls of the church are generally constructed in random-coursed rough-faced limestone, with
dressed Bath Stone quoins and mouldings. The majority of the roofs have lead coverings, including
the spirelet to the central tower.
The fabric of the building is generally sound, with recent work having been done to replace the roof
of the Lady Chapel and repair leaks in the Chapter House. The Quinquennial from 2010 identifies
a number of items to be addressed and in particular at present cleaning of the stonework around
the doorway to the South Transept (the main entrance) and repairs to the external door of the Lady
Chapel are being planned.
The interior of the Church includes a large, richly presented Chancel with a High Altar above which is
a large triptych designed by noted architect J.L.Pearson. A unique feature is the Aylesbury font, set in
the west end of the church. The font dates from 1180 and was
found buried in the debris beneath the church. It is possible to
explore inside the church online through Google+.
The churchyard is maintained by the local authority and the
old town residents association also joins with the church
community for a churchyard tidy-up once a year.
A combination of staff and volunteers allow the Church
to be open daily from 10:30am until 3pm weekdays, and
10:30 to 2pm on Saturdays in addition to Sundays for the
main services. A wide range of visitors come in during the
week, looking for a quiet place to pray, to light a candle for a
The Aylesbury Font
loved one, to explore the historic building, to seek help with
difficulties in their lives and to enjoy a coffee or meal in the Refectory Café. Visitors include local
residents, workers from local businesses, residents of the Hickmans Alms houses near the Church,
local schools, families, coach parties and many from far afield – often recalling a distant familial
connection with St Mary’s. On Fridays there is a thriving toddler group which is continually growing in
popularity and attracting new families to join the church community.
19
Rectory
A substantial house set in the Aylesbury old town
conservation area...
The Rectory is within a few yards of the Church, on a cobbled street called Parsons Fee. Prebendal
House across the road is now residential flats after a long period as a commercial property.
The Rectory comprises: lobby with
cloakroom and downstairs toilet, sitting
room with working fireplace, dining room,
extensive study, kitchen/breakfast room
and utility room, bathroom, shower room
and 5 double bedrooms. There is a double
garage with an extensive off road gated
courtyard and a large walled garden.
Rear view from garden
The house has recently been thoroughly
refurbished, including fitting a new kitchen
floor, installing a new bathroom and shower
room, as well as work to the roof and
ceilings.
Large kitchen
The house has gas central heating and has
recently had a new boiler fitted. It is in good
decorative order throughout and has recently
been redecorated to a high standard.
.
Newly refitted bathroom
20
Schools
A historic link with St Mary’s CE School. A range of
grammar and Church schools in the area...
St Mary’s CE School has a historic link with St Mary’s Church dating back to the school originally
being located close to the Church. The foundation governors of the school are appointed by the
Diocese on the recommendation of the Rector of the Church and the Rector is normally a member of
the governing body. The school achieved a rating of ‘good’ in a recent SIAS inspection.
While St Mary’s CE Combined School is the nearest Church of England School, since the school
moved to Fairford Leys the catchment falls well outside the area where the Rectory is located and
there is no selective admission to the school. Therefore the children of the Rector at St Mary’s Church
cannot attend the school.
However there are a number of primary schools close by – in particular Bearbrook combined school
was recently rated ‘good’ by Ofsted and has had significant investment in new buildings.
There are also Church of England primary schools in Stone, Bierton, Aston Clinton, Buckingham Park
and within the Church of England Academy at Berryfields.
There are three grammar schools within a short distance of the Rectory: Aylesbury Grammar School
is a boy’s school, Aylesbury High School is a girls school. The Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School is a
mixed school. Entry to grammar schools is selective based on the 11+ or 12+ verbal reasoning test
used in Buckinghamshire.
Secondary schools include The Aylesbury Vale Church of England Academy, The Mandeville School,
the Grange School and Waddesdon Church of England School which is about 20 minutes drive from
Aylesbury and does have selective entry based on Anglican Church commitment.
Annually at Christmas, St Mary’s has a week at the end of term where the church hosts services for
each of the grammar schools and the Mandeville school. Most of the days of that week are filled with
the young people rehearsing musical elements of these services. It is a vibrant and busy week for
the team at St Mary’s. Collections from the services are shared between the school and the church in
each case.
21
Appendix A: proposed
structure and partnerships
22
Appendix B
Church on Fairford Leys
The Church on Fairford Leys has provided this statement supporting the proposed partnership with the
Church of the Good Shepherd and St Peter’s Church Quarrendon:
Although The Church on Fairford Leys (CoFL) is within the Parish of St. Mary’s, the natural pastoral
relationships are with people living on the fringes of Aylesbury, and in the surrounding villages. CoFL is
keen to strengthen the links with its sponsoring denominations, and recently we have been exploring
the best ways to achieve this. As the CoFL has become established it has started working with other
churches, including the Church of the Good Shepherd, with joint ventures such as the Summer
Holiday Club and sharing of facilities for church away days.
With the Fairford Leys community becoming established and the growing congregation gaining in
confidence, the ability to help other Christians, especially partner churches, is now a reality rather
than a wish. The congregation is developing pastoral and leadership skills that we consider we are
now able to offer to others who could benefit from our help. We have considerable experience in
developing collaborative ministry with partner churches, and having an active involvement in the life
of the community. We have also recently focused on the nurture and encouragement of the young
members of the congregation, and on developing imaginative and inspirational worship
The contact with St. Mary’s school is an important part of our ministry, and we wish to continue to work
closely with the incoming Rector, to provide pastoral support to St. Mary’s school. Latterly the number
of governors provided by the CoFL has increased as members of the growing congregation have
filled the posts of parent, community and foundation positions on the Governing Body. The church is
increasingly being used for large-scale festival assemblies, and we hope that our building development
scheme will further enhance these activities.
We note the conversations that have taken place in the vacancy meetings, especially the suggestion
of a new mission partnership between St. Peter’s and Church of the Good Shepherd. Since both of
these churches have a community focus, and are located in close proximity to Fairford Leys, we would
now suggest that CoFL becomes a third partner in this mission partnership.
We would ask the PCC of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott to transfer the Anglican
responsibilities of the LEP to the Church of the Good Shepherd; this would be parallel to the new
arrangements being suggested by St. Peter’s DCC. This would not, for the time being, alter the legal
status of CoFL, but would give a clear message of a new working arrangement within the Aylesbury
team ministry. We feel that this new mission partnership will enhance the life of all three congregations,
and more importantly will be a significant resource for mission in this part of the Deanery.
23
Appendix C
PCC and DCC Resolutions
Resolution by the District Church Council of St Peter’s Church, Quarrendon
Dated: 7th January 2014
We, the District Church Council of St Peter’s Church Quarrendon Aylesbury formally request the
support of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott Parochial Church Council to establish
new mission partnerships with other churches in the Aylesbury Deanery to further community based
mission and ministry in this area of the town.
Dated: 27th February
Resolution by the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott
The Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott agree to support the District Church Council of St
Peter’s Church Quarrendon in their wish to establish new mission partnerships with other Churches in
the Aylesbury Deanery to further community based mission and ministry in this area of the town.
Resolution by the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott
We, the Parochial Church Council of the Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott formally request
the support of the Deanery Pastoral Committee in the dissolution of the said Parish of Aylesbury with
Bierton and Hulcott and the formation of two new parishes namely the Parish of Aylesbury and the
Parish of Bierton and Hulcott. Thus enabling both parishes to establish new mission partnerships
with other churches in the Aylesbury Deanery to further community based mission and ministry in
Aylesbury, Bierton and Hulcott.
24
Appendix D
St Mary’s Financial Position
St Mary’s was only able to pay £19,000 towards the allocated Parish Share of £53,000 in 2013. The church
family recognises this as a significant problem and so, since the start of the interregnum, we have been taking
significant steps to improve the situation in 2014.
Steps that have been taken already include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A significant reduction in the number of staff employed by the Church
Changes in the running of the Refectory Café so that it is contributing up to £500 per month to
Church funds instead of losing nearly £1000 per month
A covenant drive which has encouraged some new standing order giving and stronger more
regular envelope giving
Introducing new ways to give, leading to donations over and above regular giving to cover the
annual cost of palm crosses, candles, tea lights and Hymnquest so far
Writing thank you letters to those who start giving, who already give regularly and those who
make one off donations
Writing to those who give regularly to ask for an additional donation at Christmas, leading to a
number of small additional contributions. This will be repeated at Easter.
Proactively improving relations with the Friends of St Mary’s group and the St Mary’s
Fundraising Group
Established a Finance Group who are scrutinising the accounts and providing advice and
recommendations to the DCC
We have also run a series of ‘Tea at the Church’ congregation and community consultation events which have
helped to develop the sense of community while providing significant mission strategy input to the Parish
Profile. That and other proactive measures have resulted in the congregation remaining consistent and even
rising slightly since the start of the interregnum and in particular to the strongest immediately-post-Christmas
Sunday congregations we can recall for some years.
There are three civic services through the year. The collection from each is shared such that half goes to a
charity selected by the civic body and the remainder comes to St Mary’s. This year the total collection received
by St Mary’s from all three services totalled just under £700. We do also host school’s services annually at
Christmas and with one of those the collection is shared with the school. The total value to St Mary’s this year
was £800 from all of these services. Thus, combining the schools and the civic collections, St Mary’s received
just under £1500 in 2013.
The following helps to explain why it is challenging to pay the appropriate level of Parish Share:
Just to open the doors 7 days a week we must pay:
•
Insurance £ 8,000
•
Gas and Electricity
£22,000
•
Waste collection
£ 766
•
Toilets sanitary collection
£ 1,200
•
Water rates
£ 1,000
•
Cleaning materials
£ 1,000
•
Safety Inspections
£ 1,500
Which is a total of £35,466
This excludes a substantial amount spent on electrical
contractors to keep the lights on and heaters working in 2013
PAT testing, Fire Safety Inspection, Boiler
and Lightning Conductor Inspection
25
In addition we pay a caretaker to clean the Church and carry out basic maintenance, as well as setting
up, and returning the Church back to normal after, the large number of external and internal events in
the Church. The latter very often has to be done late at night – it is simply too much, too often and too
unsociable hours to cover with volunteers. That adds an extra £7,700 per year. To this we should add the
Parish Share which in 2013 was set at £53,000.
Thus just to be open and functioning costs the DCC £43,166 and then to pay the full parish share would
be an additional £53,000, giving £96,166. Obviously in 2013 this does not include the cost of employing a
Parish Administrator or the cost of photocopiers, printing consumables and Hymnquest, plus the cost of the
Refectory operating at a variable loss for much of the year.
Our organist is paid using income from a designated bequest which can only be used for costs relating to
formal church music. We do pay for three hours a week for book keeping, mainly because the accounts are
so complex. The cost of that is relatively minimal and significantly improves the ability of the Finance Group
and DCC to understand the financial position and act appropriately.
The same person is also paid for ten hours a week as an events coordinator. The cost of that time
compared to the additional income generated from events shows a consistent net profit which is available as
general funds for the DCC. For example in previous years the St Mary’s flower arrangers winter fair raised
about £100 or less just for the flowers fund. Last year, with the event coordinator role in place, that event
in itself generated about £300 for the flowers and a further £700 to general Church funds – approximately
£1000 in total.
The 100 or so people in the regular congregation generated Christian Giving totalling £24,000 in 2013.
While we are gradually growing the size of the congregation, instilling a culture of giving and minimising
costs, there is a long way to go to bridge the gap between £24,000 and £96,000. In 2013 the total income
from sources other than legacy investment funds and Christian Giving provided a further £15,700 combining
Fees, Fundraising, Community Centre and Magazine as the main items.
The Church has income from legacy investment funds, however the vast majority is designated and so
cannot be used for general running costs or for paying Parish Share. Fortunately the administration costs
excluded above are covered in part by those that are undesignated with the majority covered by a fund
which is designated for administration.
The Refectory running at a loss hit hard in 2013, which is why we have taken decisive action on that since
the interregnum began. This difficult action, combined with efforts above and beyond from the staff and
volunteers, have turned it around rapidly to become a net contributor as we go into 2014.
26
While our payment of £19,000 is not enough, and we know that we have more very difficult decisions to
make ahead, there is room for optimism in 2014. The Refectory is contributing, Christian Giving is improving
and the Church family is growing gently. We also hope to make headway clearing a major deficit on the gas
bill which will allow us to reduce the £22,000 per year in gas and electricity charges by switching through
the parish buying scheme. A merchandising initiative started in November has already also made a profit of
about £300 and we hope to sustain some further regular income from that through 2014. A re-launch of the
fundraising group, after recent efforts to heal some rifts, should give rise to more fundraising income than
was achieved in 2013. Our Finance Group met early in 2014 and the focus of that meeting was looking at
the financial plan for 2014, with a view to paying a contribution to Parish Share on a monthly basis through
the year.
Appendix E
Job Description
SECTION ONE: DETAILS OF POST
Role title: Team Rector
Type of Role: Full time stipendiary
Name of benefice: The Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott
Episcopal area: Buckingham
Deanery: Aylesbury
Archdeaconry: Buckingham
Conditions of Service: Please refer to Statements of Particulars document issued in conjunction
with this role description
Key contact for
Clergy Terms of Service: Archdeacon of Buckingham, The Venerable Karen Gorham, is the designated person by the Bishop of Buckingham to issue the Statement of Particulars for
the post holder. This role falls within the Clergy Terms formerly known as
Common Tenure.
Accountability: Priests share with the Bishop in the oversight of the Church.
Whilst, as an office holder, the individual is expected to lead and
prioritise work in line with the purpose of the role, they are encouraged
to inform the incumbent (in case of assistant priests) and Archdeacon
and Church Warden/s (in case of incumbents) about any issues
exceptional or otherwise that have the potential to affect ongoing
delivery of ministry
Additional
Responsibility: Chaplain to the Mayor of Aylesbury
St Mary’s School Governor
Ex-officio trustee of the Hickmans Trust
Leading Civic Remembrance Service in Aylesbury Market Square
SECTION TWO: CONTEXT
Wider Context
As a diocese we are committed to holistic mission, working through the framework of ‘Living Faith for
the Future’. We have defined our purpose as ‘to join with God in creating a caring, sustainable and
growing Christian presence in every part of the Diocese of Oxford, enabling every Christian and every
Christian community to live and share the love of God, seen in the life of Jesus Christ.’
Within the Living Faith framework we are inviting every parish, benefice, Board and Committee to paint
their own unique work of art using the colours of:
•
•
•
•
•
Sustaining the Sacred Centre
Making Disciples
Making a Difference in the World
Shaping Confident, Collaborative Leadership
Creating Vibrant Christian Communities
These priorities are supported centrally by resources, training, conferences, workshops, missioners and
much more. We are inviting benefices and their priests to share a vision rather than demanding a response.
27
We encourage a priest to have a ministerial interest beyond the benefice which is a personal specialism
and may be made available to the wider church – a ‘sixth day ministry’. Above all, we want all our priests
to flourish in ministry and to deepen their enjoyment of God.
Local Context
Please refer to the statement from Canon Andrew Blyth, Area Dean, on page 4
SECTION THREE: ROLE PURPOSE AND KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
General:
A. To exercise the cure of souls shared with the bishop in this benefice in collaboration with
colleagues including the praying of the Daily Office, the administration of the sacraments and preaching
B. To have regard to the calling and responsibilities of the clergy (as described in the Canons, the
Ordinal, the Code of Professional Conduct for the Clergy) and other relevant legislation including
• bringing the grace and truth of Christ to this generation and making him known to those in
your care.
• instructing the parishioners in the Christian faith
• preparing candidates for confirmation
• diligently visiting the parishioners of the benefice, particularly those who are sick and infirm
• providing spiritual counsel and advice.
• consulting with the parochial church council on matters of general concern and importance to the benefice
• bringing the needs of the world before God in intercession
• calling your hearers to repentance and declaring in Christ’s name the absolution and forgiveness of their sins
• blessing people in God’s name
• preparing people for their death
• discerning and fostering the gifts of all God’s people
• being faithful in prayer, expectant and watchful for the signs of God’s presence, as he reveals
his kingdom among us
C. 28
To share in the wider work of the deanery and diocese as appropriate, for the building up of the
whole Body Christ
Key responsibilities specific to the local situation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Creative leadership of our civic church in the context of the elements set out on page 7 of the parish profile
Evolving our church into the vibrant christian community we seek to be, by enabling us to rise to the challenges identified on page 6 of the parish profile
Supporting music ministry
Developing and growing ministry for children and young people
Working in partnership with other churches to provide ministry and outreach into the town centre area including the town centre chaplaincy
Growing the regular congregation
Empowering laity through devolved distributed leadership
Supporting the further development of the pastoral team and pastoral care within the church family
Supporting the refectory cafe as a means of outreach and a source of growth
Continuing the development of lay lead worship and prayer groups - in particular the quarterly peace and
justice services
Developing our outward giving, for example through mission partnerships with developing countries, supporting local charities and Christian Aid.
Support us in developments to the building that will be required in the coming years
The key responsibilities listed above may be supported by long and short term objectives to be agreed
between the Archdeacon and Church Wardens (in the case of incumbents)
Other responsibilities
•
•
•
Participate in the Bishop’s Ministerial Development Review scheme and engage in Continuing Ministerial Development
Carry out any other duties and responsibilities as required in line with the benefice needs.
Take care for their wellbeing including health and safety and building a good repertoire of spiritual and psychological strategies
SECTION FOUR: PARISH SUMMARY
Parish:
Patron(s):
DCCs: Churchwardens:
Ministers:
Parish paid staff:
Benefice unpaid
staff/ volunteers:
Buildings:
Churchyard(s):
Resolution A,B,C:
Parish of Aylesbury with Bierton and Hulcott
Team Ministry Patronage Board
All Saints Hulcott, St James the Great Bierton, St Mary the Virgin Aylesbury, St Peters Quarrendon, Church on Fairford Leys
2 Parish Wardens and 6 Churchwardens
3
1 - Parish Administrator
Many
5
3
N/A
29
Church Tradition:
Pastoral
Reorganisation
proposals: Modern Anglo Catholic
please refer to the covering statement by the Area Dean - page 4
SECTION FIVE: KEY CONTACTS FOR THE ROLE
Groups & committees
The PCC(s)
Deanery Chapter
Canon Andrew Blyth, Area Dean
Deanery Synod
Canon Andrew Blyth, Area Dean
Deanery Pastoral Committee Canon Andrew Blyth, Area Dean
In the benefice
Churchwardens
Michael Sharp m.sharp16@btinternet.com
Simon Weaver sweaver@sky.com
Support structures
Area Dean
Canon Andrew Blyth, Area Dean
Archdeacon
The Venerable Karen Gorham
Diocesan Parish
Development Advisor
Andrew Gear
Area Bishop
Bishop Alan Buckingham
SECTION SIX: OTHER
Relevant Documentation
This role description is issued alongside and should be read in conjunction with the following
documents:
•
The Ordinal
•
The Canons of the Church of England
•
Guidance for the Professional Conduct of Clergy
•
Bishop’s Licence
•
Statement of Particulars issued to the office‐holder on successful appointment
•
Diocesan Clergy Handbook
•
Parish Profile
•
Ministry Action Plans (MAPs)
•
Any objectives discussed and agreed between the post holder and the supervising minister
This Role Description will be reviewed and signed off by Archdeacon of Buckingham six months after
licensing.
___________________________________
Date: XX.20XX
30
St Mary the Virgin, Aylesbury - Find out more....
If you feel that our parish might be the place that God is calling you to minister, we encourage you to find out more:
You can visit our website http://www.aylesburychurches.org/st-mary-the-virgin
You can learn about the Diocese of Oxford at: http://www.oxford.anglican.org
Please contact our Area Dean:
The Revd Canon Andrew Blyth tel: 01296 394906