The United Benefice of Stafford St John the Baptist and … and Tixall with Ingestre Benefice Profile 2017 Stafford St John the Baptist Littleworth Stafford ST16 3RP St John the Baptist
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The United Benefice of Stafford St John the
Baptist and Tixall with Ingestre
Benefice Profile 2017
Stafford St John the Baptist
Littleworth
Stafford
ST16 3RP
St John the Baptist
Tixall
ST18 0XT
St Mary the Virgin
Ingestre
ST18 0RF
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Contents:
1. Our New Rector p 3
2. Children’s Wish List p 4
3. Benefice Area Map p 5
4. Staff p 6
5. The Rectory p 7
6. St John the Baptist Littleworth p 9
7. St John the Baptist Tixall p 16
8. St Mary the Virgin Ingestre p 22
9. Stafford Deanery Profile p 28
10. Diocesan Themes p 29
11. MAP and conclusion p 33
Finances in Appendix
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1. Our New Rector
Could this be you?
We are praying for a person of prayer who has God at the centre of their ministry and who will continue to grow in their personal faith and discipleship.
Loves the Bible and uses it for preaching and teaching.
Is sensitive to the guiding and enabling of the Holy Spirit
Has a sense of the sacred and leads worship that lifts, inspires and takes people into the heart of God.
Supports the vision and needs of individual churches, including use of appropriate music and resources, to encourage the building of communities of faith.
Leads the churches in Mission Action Planning.
Has a heart for work with all ages and lifestyles within the churches and wider communities including returning and new Christians.
Identifies and works towards meeting pastoral needs.
Is organised in the management of people, information and time, and has the ability to delegate.
Works with PCCs and their officers to ensure that decisions are properly made and acted upon.
Can ensure that policies and processes in relation to occasional offices including health, safety, finance and staff management meet Diocesan and legal requirements.
Has good interpersonal skills and can empathise with people in their personal situations.
Discerns, encourages and enables other people’s gifts and ministries.
Has the imagination, vision and enthusiasm to take our churches forward.
Is flexible and has a sense of humour! We realise this is asking a lot, but equally we
want you to have high expectations of us.
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2. Children’s Wish List
“To have parties about Jesus”
“Love, compassion and perseverance”
“Really needs to love God and pray”
“Have good ideas to make Church better”
“Be good at praying so that it reminds us of God”
“Be happy, kind, generous, joyful,
confident and cheerful”
“Be able to sing
because we sing
lots of songs”
“To make us excited
because we like
exciting worship”
“To use water pistols to
baptise people”
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3. Benefice Area Map:
The Benefice has an urban area and two villages and is well placed, being sited
alongside the M6 motorway and having excellent rail links with Birmingham to
the South and Manchester to the North, as well as local bus routes.
Nearby is Cannock Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Peak
District is within an hour’s drive.
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4. Staff
This currently comprises:
A Curate (in her third year)
Two Associate Ministers
A Youth and Children’s Minister (Littleworth)
A Lay Reader
Two Trainee Lay Readers (one in first and one in second year)
A Benefice Administrator
A Cleaner (Littleworth)
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5. The Rectory
The Rectory, adjacent to the rear door of St John’s Church Littleworth, is a
modern four-bedroomed property, with the usual separate WC and study at
the front, ensuring the family are not overly disturbed by church business.
There is a large lounge, separate dining room (with patio doors to rear garden)
and a good-sized kitchen. Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms and a
smaller single one, plus a family bathroom and separate WC.
Dimensions (approximate) are:
Ground Floor:
Study 12’ 4” x 15’
Hall 20’ 6” x 8’
Kitchen 11’ 10” x 9’ 6”
Dining Room 11’ 10” x 11’ 10”
Lounge 13’ x 7’ 8”
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First Floor:
Landing 17’ x 8’
Bedroom 1 13’ 4” x 12’ 4”
Bedroom 2 12’ 4” x 13’ 2”
Bedroom 3 12’ 4” x 15’ 2”
Bedroom 4 8’ x 9’ 7”
Bathroom 9’ 8” x 7’ 3”
The front entrance has a garage and a grassed area, plus parking for several
cars. The rear garden is a large private area of lawn, surrounded by mature
trees and high wooden fencing.
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6. Littleworth St John
“Open Doors, Deep Wells”
Worship at St John’s centres round prayer and the Holy Communion services
on Sunday at 9.30am and Wednesday at 2pm, and there are many activities
throughout the week too. We have some wonderful singers and musicians to
enhance and lead worship.
Our usual Sunday attendance is between 65 and 80.
The newly introduced church@four on Sunday is taking shape with worship,
music and a talk, culminating with bring and share food. On two Sundays each
month this incorporates Messy Church or Hot Potatoes. The latter includes
worship and separate discussions on a current topic finishing with a hot potato
meal.
Children’s Church and Praise and Play, involving between two and twelve
children, take place during Sunday morning services and we hold regular
services each term with children from St John’s Primary Academy.
In 2015 we began working with the Diocese alongside Rev George Fisher on a
Five Year Plan for Growth. We have already made changes to services to
accommodate families with young children with different and sometimes more
difficult lifestyles. We look forward to encouraging more involvement in the
wider church family.
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We have prayer times at 7.30am on Monday and midday prayer on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursdays in church, and we have an extensive prayer chain
via mobile phone and e-mail.
We have a thriving Youth and Children’s ministry serving all ages from birth to
eighteen years old. Activities are many and varied dependent on age group:
Key stage one and two enjoy Praise and Play sessions and Children’s Church.
Key stage three and four take part in Sunday Noon Project (SNP), meeting
together following the Sunday morning Communion service.
Zone is our outreach group for young people transitioning from St John’s
Primary Academy to Weston Road Academy in the Parish.
We operate Open Doors on Tuesday and Wednesday morning for a drop in
coffee and chat where someone is always available for prayer. We have a Soup
Lunch at one pm on the first Wednesday of the month. M&M’s (Martha &
Mary) meet each Tuesday morning, with up to twenty people, in the church
hall for fellowship whilst enjoying crafts of many descriptions along with bible
study and worship.
We have house groups meeting regularly in the Parish sometimes joining
together for courses i.e. Lent or Advent.
Links with St John’s Primary Academy are excellent. The Principal writes: “The
Academy is a two-form entry school with over 400 wonderful pupils on roll. We
are an academy within the Church of England Central Education Trust
(CECET). Our links with St John's Church play an important role within our
Other activities include Sunbeams on
Monday morning (pictured) with
Praise and Play on Tuesday afternoon
for Pre-schoolers and their carers’,
preceded once a month by Pit Stop
soup lunch.
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school. From shaping the future direction of our school to supporting our
Christian ethos, our links with the church are vital.
Our Rector needs to be a visible presence within school. This is not only for our
wonderful pupils but for our parents and staff. Our Rector needs to be proactive
in playing a very important role in our school and they will need to be fully
committed in serving our school community.”
The Rector is automatically a member of the Local Governing Body and various
members of the church lead Worship in school weekly, Messy Church monthly
and take part in other activities at school. The pupils also come to the church
regularly, to mark major festivals and to end each term. The most recent
OFSTED rating was “Good”, with an “Outstanding” in the SIAMS Report.
Contact is maintained with both Weston Road Academy and the newly built
Veritas Academy (a primary which serves the needs of the Ministry of Defence
families).
The former Stafford campus of Staffordshire University is due to be converted
into an international school and specialist university. The Sports Centre is to be
re-opened after refurbishment in the summer.
We benefit from being part of both the ‘Love Stafford’ and ‘Love Littleworth’
organisations. Events have included hosting a Restoration and Repair Day, as
well as a Repair Café; the latter had experts available to do small repairs of
every description.
St John’s was originally a daughter church of St Mary’s in Stafford. Services
were held in Tithe Barn Road, at what is now the Sikh Temple. Thanks to
donations from local residents, the present church building was begun in 1926,
but ran out of steam after the stone front end was built. The rest of the church
was finished as a temporary building and, thanks to generous donations from
local residents, work was restarted in the 1960s. The present church was
finished and decorated throughout in 1972.
We pay our Parish Share in full every year.
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We use a portable altar for most services, allowing the celebrant to face the
congregation. The West Window has a stunning stained glass design which
was installed in 1972. The current pulpit, from St Chad’s in Stafford town does
not quite face forward as can be seen on closer inspection.
The church is set in pleasant grounds and includes a newly refurbished car
park. We have conveniently situated shops including a Co-op, a fish and chip
shop and a Post Office, as well as Chinese and Pizza take-away establishments.
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Two public houses, a launderette and a hairdresser’s are close by on the main
A518 Weston Road running through Littleworth. From St John’s Church it is a
short walk to the town centre and the recently opened shopping mall of major
retail outlets. Stafford is well served by all the major supermarkets and
Littleworth is expanding with new house-building in many areas alongside
existing mixed housing and rental accommodation.
The County Hospital, also in the parish, gives excellent care with wonderful
staff. Katharine House Hospice, Salvation Army Citadel, Littleworth
Community Church, Beacon Baptist Church and a Sikh Gurdwara are in the
parish.
We have a major Ministry of Defence establishment including 22 Signals
Regiment, Ghurkhas and a small Royal Air Force contingent, on the edge of the
parish. Staffordshire County Council is a large employer in the town, along
with Alstom Power and Perkins Engines, both internationally renowned
engineering companies.
There are numerous restaurants, cafés and bars within easy reach. The leisure
centre, complete with swimming pool, is nearby. We have a cinema, with a
new multi-screen planned, main theatre and small studio theatre which attract
well-known actors, musicians and shows to suit every taste. Stafford boasts
excellent Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Societies. The annual open-air
Shakespeare production held at the ruins of Stafford Castle, situated on the
outskirts of the town, is known nationally and has included TV and West End
renowned stars in the cast.
The church hall has recently been upgraded by:
The building of a stud wall to create a secure storage area
Provision of a projector and screen for meetings
WiFi Internet connectivity
It is well used by groups from the church and the community. A typical week’s
activities at St John’s looks something like this:
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Monday am Sunbeams for pre-schoolers
Tuesday am Open Doors to drop in for tea/coffee and a chat, incorporating: Martha & Mary (M&Ms) for craft activities, a Bible Talk and prayers
Tuesday pm Praise and Play for pre-schoolers Wednesday STARS (Second Time Around) Singers
Open Doors, ending at 2.00pm with a Communion Service Soup Lunch on first Wednesday of the month
Wednesday eve “Zone”, Youth Club for School Years 5-7 Music Group Practice
Thursday eve Dance Group Exercise Class
The hall is also hired by families for birthday parties and is well used by the
Diocese for meetings and conferences.
Various social events are held, including an over 60s Christmas Party, Meals
(themed and/or fund-raising), Cheese and Wine Quizzes, Coffee Mornings for
Christian Aid and other good causes.
The PCC and the Standing Committee meet monthly. The PCC is a strong and
supportive group and has completed several fabric matters recently, including
the demolition of two old classrooms and the laying of a new car park.
Plans for a faculty to re-order the church seating are currently being prepared.
The intention is to replace the wooden pews with chairs to provide more
flexibility for worship and other church and community uses, including our
mission of Open Doors.
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“What makes St John’s a special place for you?”
“A friendly, welcoming church, with good musical talent, committed clergy and an excellent car park”
“The companionship of others, as we walk through this life together; whether we stumble or celebrate, we are sustained and elevated by other people, particularly in our house groups”
“The generosity
of giving to those
less fortunate”
“I am welcomed and meet with Jesus and I have the
freedom to worship in the way that is right for me:
whether I want to genuflect, lift up my hands or
jump up and down and dance”
“Coming before God and being surrounded by love and prayers and friends”
“The presence of the Lord is always outstanding and the peace and fellowship is just wonderful”
“We are a praying church and always seek God’s guidance for what we should do”
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7. Tixall
HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF TIXALL CHURCH
There has been a church at Tixall since at least the 12th century, when it was a
free chapel under the jurisdiction of the Dean of the Collegiate Church of St
Mary, Stafford. In 1772 an earlier small stone church was rebuilt “in a very
plain style, and of less than its former dimensions.” The new church was “a
small neat edifice calculated to contain about 80.” It had box pews. The
present church was built in 1848 by the Hon. John Chetwynd Talbot, 3rd son of
Charles Chetwynd, 2nd Earl Talbot of Ingestre, as an act of piety and to be his
mausoleum, and was consecrated on Whit-Tuesday 1849.
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Simon Wakelin provides the earliest physical link with
the present church, although in fact the building he
knew was two rebuilds before the present one. The
white marble oval memorial, in the north aisle, is no
doubt the result of the £50 left in his will for a
memorial, although he had asked to be buried near
the altar. Translated it reads:-- To the memory of
Simon Wakelin, only son of William Wakelin of
Uttoxeter and Dorothy his wife, the Rector of this
church, to which, besides other benefactions in his
lifetime, he left at his death a paten and a chalice of
silver. Died 23rd March 1697 aged 38. In 1817, Clifford records “Against one
side of the chancel is an oval monument of white marble ...” The memorial was
probably moved to the north aisle when the church was rebuilt in 1848. We
still use the small Communion Cup inscribed “The gift of Dorothy Wakelin
mother of Simon Wakelin Rector to the Church of Tixall May 24th 1690”. The
large paten and chalice donated at his death are kept at the Lichfield Heritage
Centre Treasury.
TIXALL CHURCH LIFE IN 2017
Services from the Book of Common Prayer are held at 11.15am on the first and
third Sundays of every month, with Holy Communion on the 1st Sunday and
Matins on the 3rd. Matins includes a spoken psalm and some of the 1662
Canticles are sung. There is an additional 9am Holy Communion at Christmas
and Easter. We are lucky to have a regular organist.
Members of the church at Tixall look outwards and pray for local people who
are going through difficult times. Consequently we have a page of local prayers
compiled by a churchwarden and included in the prayer section of services. In
addition we have a small group from both Ingestre and Tixall who meet about
once a month in private houses to share Christian Fellowship and pray for
those in need.
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The Carol Service involves local children, and is followed by refreshments in
the Village Hall. Harvest Festival is also followed by refreshments in the Hall.
We have been delighted to welcome the Andante choir on occasional visits.
Local children read most of the lessons at the Carol Service which is well
attended. The special services attract a good congregation, including people
who attend other churches, or none at all. The average church attendance is
around ten and includes people who come from outside the parishes for the
“old prayer book” services.
Refreshments in the
Village Hall after
Harvest Festival
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A member of the congregation takes Communion to those who are unable to
attend church.
The church is open during daylight so that it is available for quiet prayer and
contemplation. There are many favourable comments in the visitors’ book to
show their appreciation of an open church.
It is interesting that we have three church families who have been actively
involved with Tixall Church for four generations.
We have recently started Messy Church sessions with
Ingestre. Members from both congregations working
well together to plan and deliver the activities and
worship. Although only a small number of children
attend Messy Church at present it is a good opportunity
for interaction between the villages and also allows
church goers and non-church goers to socialise, many
of the children are from outside our parishes. Children
from Ingestre and Tixall attend different schools in Haywood, Colwich, Stafford
and elsewhere.
The Village News Sheet is delivered free of charge to every household and
includes Church News for both Tixall and Ingestre.
A new heating system was installed in 1979, and the wooden flooring was
replaced over concrete sub-floors in 1990. The church roof was repaired with
the help of various grants in 1998 and the rest of the fabric is now in good
order.
The churchyard is still open for burials and has an area set aside for cremation
ashes. We benefit from a bequest for churchyard upkeep from the Nesbitt
family many years ago, which is topped up with a grant from the Parish Council
and pays for mowing.
The old Church School was built in 1850, but ceased to be used as a school in
1901 and was extended in the 1950s. In 2003 Lichfield Diocese and Lord
Shrewsbury, gave up any future claim they might have, to enable a new
Charitable Scheme to be set up for the building to become a village hall for
Tixall and Ingestre.
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There are eight Trustees, two from Tixall PCC, two from Ingestre PCC and two
from the Parish Council, plus two others. The Hall has helped provide a focus
and renewed community spirit in the area, e.g. via the monthly Produce Sales
which include sales of home-made soup and Guinness cake.
CHALLENGES WE FACE
In common with many other small communities we have a small
congregation. The parish is very spread out with some houses 3½ miles
apart by road. Most of the residents are area commuters or retired.
There are currently 188 local electors in Tixall. (cf 166 in Ingestre).
It is especially important that new residents are made welcome, and a
Welcome pack prepared by the Parish Council includes church contacts
and a message from our Rector. There is no doubt that the rural
residents set considerable store on being visited by the clergy, especially
when they first arrive and at times of special stress or importance.
Because the regular congregation is small, the normal collections and
church fees have been insufficient to service the annual running costs of
the church, especially the parish share. We have had to rely on regular
fund raising events, supported by non-church members in order to meet
these costs. Although this is a challenge it is also a great opportunity as it
allows non-church goers to meet with the congregation outside church.
Apart from the church and the village hall, there is nowhere residents
can regularly meet. New activities at the village hall have provided more
opportunities for social interaction.
We need to establish a more effective means of communication
between the Rector and Tixall and Ingestre.
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RESPONSES FROM MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION TO: "WHAT MAKES ST
JOHN'S CHURCH AND COMMUNITY SPECIAL FOR YOU?”
“The kindness of the congregation. The dignity of the services and their
simplicity. The quality of the preaching; the Welcome given to strangers; the
use of the church for Messy Church (and Hall!) and other events such as
concerts – a lovely acoustic.”
.
The Tixall and Ingestre website is www.tixall-ingestre-andrews.me.uk
“Friendly Congregation. Small pretty
church. Welcomes all ages and new people.
Traditional services encourage people from
other areas who enjoy this service. Many
people have helped St John’s for very many
years and continue in this service. We are
willing to embrace new ideas, such as
Messy Church, and support this work.”
“Small, homely church with
a friendly congregation
welcoming new and
younger members to the
congregation.”
“St John’s is an interment
and peacefull place to
worship. The
congregation of St John’s
are very welcoming and
friendly.”
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8. Ingestre
ST MARY THE VIRGIN INGESTRE
INTRODUCTION We seek a new Rector to encourage and teach us as we all grow in faith.
Ingestre is a small village five miles east of St John’s Church Littleworth. It has a
population of nearly 200 people. There is a true sense of community in Ingestre
which encompasses the village, the church congregation and our visitors. We
offer friendship and care to all; many come to see our church as a place of
peace and worship, as well as an architectural gem.
HISTORY
St Mary’s Church is the only parochial church in England attributed to Sir
Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul’s in London. It is listed as Grade I and
is of national importance. Although it only has a capacity of 120 people it
mirrors exactly his magnificent London churches.
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The building is in excellent repair and underwent a major restoration in 2005.
The last quinquennial inspection was completed in July 2016 when no
significant problems were discovered. The building is administered by a Fabric
Committee which is responsible to the Rector.
Ingestre Hall is the former seat of the Earls of Shrewsbury and the present Earl
is the patron of the living. The hall is currently run as a Residential Arts Centre
by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.
The church has a parish share of £5616 per annum and this is paid up to date.
Our sources of income are planned giving, wedding fees, collections at services,
fund raising events and visitors' donations. We practise regular charitable
giving.
The building is open all daylight hours for the benefit of parishioners and
visitors seeking peace and quiet. We give many talks to groups of all ages -
children attending Ingestre Hall Arts Centre, history groups etc. We are a
popular venue for weddings, particularly in conjunction with the adjacent
Ingestre Hall. The church is our polling station for elections.
We have our own website www.stmaryschurch-ingestre.co.uk
FACILITIES
Although the church has the outward appearance of a 17th century building
we have the amenities expected of a modern one.
The building has superb acoustics for services and concerts. The restored 1876
Banfield organ is used at all our services.
There is a ramp to assist wheelchair access, and adapted toilet facilities, from a
generous restoration grant. We have a modern sound broadcast system
complete with a hearing loop. We have facilities for hot and cold drinks, so that
at the end of every service we offer tea, coffee and biscuits to all. Strangers are
warmly welcomed and encouraged to return, which they do.
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We have a group of bell ringers for our six bells and they practice each Tuesday,
ring for services, at weddings and funerals. They are affiliated to the North
Staffs Association of Change Ringers.
We are an enthusiastic and active PCC which is involved with all church and
village activities.
SERVICES
Services are held twice a month on second and fourth Sundays, alternating
with Tixall. On the second Sunday, we have Morning Prayer, and on the fourth
Holy Communion. We use a service card based on the 1662 Book of Common
Prayer. We sincerely hope that a new Rector would continue this practice. Our
services conclude with the greeting “Peace be with you” and the shaking of
hands.
On the Mondays when we have not had a service the preceding day we have a
short midday service. During Lent we have held a weekly series of prayer
meetings.
We have an attendance of 25 to 30 at our regular services, people coming from
locally and far afield, including for years after their weddings, and returning for
baptisms. Our attendance figures are growing as ten years ago the average
congregation was ten people. On Easter Day we had more than 50 and at
Christmas Midnight service the church is full. At Christmas time we hold a
service of nine lessons and carols, and sing carols round the village and in one
another’s houses, sharing food and hospitality, as Jesus did. We have
demonstrated that a warm and welcoming attitude is a key ingredient to
increasing attendances.
Ingestre and Tixall recently introduced Messy Church, Christingle and Posada
which have proved very popular particularly with small children. At the last
service there were about ten adults and fifteen children, as increasing numbers
of families are moving into the village.
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We value collaborative ministry by ordained and lay leaders, and appreciate the
advantages of being part of this three parish benefice.
In the last year we have had nine weddings, two blessings, five baptisms and
two funerals.
MUSIC
'Concert Ingestre' present a diversity of music in church – choral, classical, jazz,
operatic and folk. We support and provide rehearsal space for 'Andante' and
'Chetwynd', local choirs who give concerts and contribute to services. We are
part of the Stafford and Lichfield Summer Musical Festivals and present
concerts on their behalf. This year we shall be presenting the third
performance here by Catrin Finch, lately harpist to the Prince of Wales.
Each summer the courtyard at Ingestre Stables is transformed for musical
theatre shows, where the church is represented. The current Rector's
performance in Jesus Christ Super Star is well remembered; this show also
toured to Littleworth.
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VILLAGE FEATURES
Ingestre is a small and vibrant village, all in the Conservation Area, with many
listed buildings - the church, Ingestre Hall, the Orangery, the Old and New
Stables.
Activities here - traditional and modern - include:
Ingestre Stables, the world class equestrian teaching establishment.
Riding for the Disabled Centre at stables.
Ingestre Orangery restoration project.
Ingestre with Tixall Parish Council
Ingestre Festival (next 23 September 2017)
Ingestre Park Golf Club
Ingestre Community Garden
Little Ingestre Residential Care Home
Two farms
Our nearest shops, schools and doctors are two miles away in Great Haywood.
CHALLENGES
Like many villages we have a disproportionate aging population, some of whom
need increasing pastoral care, which we aim to provide.
We are very concerned about access to our church and villages during
construction and operation of the planned HS2 railway, so monitor this very
carefully.
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CONCLUSION
We dearly love our church both for what it is, for what it represents and what it
can become. We take comfort in the knowledge that we are continuing a
tradition inherited from our predecessors.
We make a positive point of welcoming all; we hope we have set an example of
love and faith to our successors. We are all God's children and we should all
feel equally loved.
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9. Stafford Deanery and Ecumenical Links
The Deanery Chapter and Synod meet regularly for support and sharing of
ideas. The Rural Dean is Revd Philip Daniel and the Lay Chair is Mr John Clark.
Ecumenically, “Love Stafford” is the branding for Churches Together in Stafford
and District. They hold a joint service in January to mark the Week of Prayer
for Christian Unity, a Walk of Witness on Good Friday in the town, a Sonrise
Service on Easter Sunday at Stafford Castle and Forums through the year, as
the need arises (e.g. at General Elections or times of particular local need).
“Soul Survivor” Week A is currently held in the Parish, at the County
Showground, annually.
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10. Diocesan Themes
With the new Diocesan Strapline (above), come three points of focus
• Discipleship:
o Being a disciple is a choice to continually learn about Jesus and what
it means to take his teaching seriously and to follow his example
• Evangelism
o The Good News of Jesus is meant to be shared! We are all invited
through our words, actions and lives to tell others about Christ’s
invitation to follow him and to be part of the growing kingdom
of God.
• Vocation
o Every person is called by God. Individually and together, we are given
gifts and opportunities to serve God and grow the kingdom. Vocation
is knowing who God calls us to be and living the life God invites us to
live.
The marks of our desired culture are:
• Warm
• Relational
• Prayerful
• Humble
• Willing to transcend traditional boundaries
• Everyone committed to life-long learning
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11. Mission Action Plan Littleworth St John
Last year was a year of reflection for the PCC with opportunities to consider
where we are as a church and where there are opportunities for growth and
development. Alongside this the teaching program last year called us to take
our discipleship seriously and be grown through our life experiences, work,
church and family life to be more like Jesus. If we are serious about growing as
a church then we need to have our own personal growth, and the growth of
our church family as a priority that:
God’s vision of ‘Open Doors...Deep Wells’ may go ‘Wider… Deeper…’
Let us Welcome Everyone as if we are entertaining angels (Hebrews
13:2)
Grow in encouraging more people to get involved in one group within
church life
Creative Café / Soul Survivor Church Family List Holiday club?
Back of church Repair Cafés
Let us Go out to those who God leads us to and love them as God loves us
(Mark 16:15)
Grow in strength of connections with others in our town and community
Pastoral Care for church family—who is missing from church? Are they
ok?
Hospital—At this difficult time will need support in pastoral care
Schools—Hold their doors open to us Pastoral Care
Prayer walk directory Baptism team
Let us lean on God’s word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths—
allowing the living word to challenge and direct us (Psalm 119:105)
Grow in knowledge and understanding of the Bible
Encourage more people to be part of a Growth group
Growth Useful to have notes Healing service
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Let us Be open to God’s Holy Spirit—working on us all from the inside out,
speaking to us through scripture and through others in this world. (1
Thessalonians 5:23)
Grow space in services and groups to allow God’s spirit to renew us
Encourage people to receive prayer ministry
Renewal Event
Let us Pray without ceasing for our community and one another—listening to
the whispers and leading of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 5:17, Mark 11:24-5)
Encourage people to take advantage of the opportunities for prayer.
Prayer is a place for personal growth and growing together in unity in
God’s will.
Prayer focus to be agreed Persecuted church outreach
Let us Continue on the Building plan trusting God for the resources and
offering ourselves to be part of the solution. (Ephesians 2:22)
Sound system – internet Blinds Exterior maintenance Lawns
Organ loft Assess kitchen needs Back of church fences
Continue working on 3yr plan
Having reached the end of our Benefice Profile we pray that you will see that
we are three communities of faith who are seeking to follow in Christ’s
footsteps.
We pray that God will lead to us a Rector whom we can worship with, learn
from, pray with and pray for, and with whom we can work to further God’s
kingdom.
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