Offwell Mission Community Profile

St Mary’s Offwell, St Cuthbert’s Widworthy,& St Michael & All Angels Farway.

House for Duty

Priest-in-Charge

Growing in prayer Making new disciples Serving the people of Devon with joy

The Archdeacon’s ForewardThe Ven. Andrew Beane, Archdeacon of Exetere. archdeacon.of.exeter@exeter.anglican.orgt. 01392 425577

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Thank You

Thank you for your interest in the role of House for Duty Priest-in-Charge of the Offwell Mission Community.

Our Diocesan Vision

We seek to be people who together are:

Growing in Prayer Prayer is conversation with God and is part of a healthy Christian life. Prayer is a life giving activity that opens up deep places within us to God’s transforming grace. It is essential if we are to become the people and the Church God calls us to be.

Making new disciplesAs the Christian story is less and less known, we must find new ways of telling the story, of explaining the faith and giving a reason for the hope that is in us. With Jesus Christ as our companion and guide we can travel through life differently.

Serving the people of Devon with joyAs followers of Jesus Christ we want to make a difference in the world and make God’s love and justice known. In our church life we seek to be local, participatory and outward looking.

Further information regarding our Diocesan Vision can be found at:www.exeter.anglican.org/who-we-are/vision-strategy

Living in Mission Communities

Our strategy centres on Mission Communities - parishes working together to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively in Devon. The phrase Mission Communities sums up what we need to be as a Church in the 21st century: mission-orientated, community-focussed, and locally-rooted.

Mission Communities help us to work together and support one another better. They enable us to be more flexible in our mission and more responsive to the different contexts and cultures of Devon.

A Mission Community aims to express the fullness of the life of the Church locally. This will include: • regular prayer and worship • pastoral care• evangelism and mission, often in collaboration with ecumenical partners• opportunities for learning, teaching, nurture and growth for disciples of all ages• youth and children’s work and worship• equipping members for ministry in the community and the local church• connecting with the local community, especially in service to the poor• good administration and stewardship of time, resources and buildings

If our Mission Communities are to flourish they need to be more than just a structure. They need to live and embody the life of Jesus Christ and to share that life with others. Jesus came so that we can have life in all its fullness. That is our vision and our hope for the Church in Devon.

Deanery & Diocese

The Mission Community falls within the Archdeaconry of Exeter, and so under the care of the Bishop of Crediton (The Rt Rev’d Jackie Searle) and the Archdeacon of Exeter (The Venerable Andrew Beane). The Mission Community is in the Honiton Deanery whose Rural Dean is The Rev’d Preb Cate Edmonds. Attendance at Synod and Chapter is an expectation and all diocesan clergy are encouraged to give some part of their time and energies to the wider Diocese.

In the Diocese of Exeter we are working together to live out our three diocesan priorities to grow in prayer, to make new disciples and to serve the people of Devon with joy. We aim to be a diverse and truly representative diocese, and particularly welcome applications from women and those from black and minority ethnic groups. Not only is Devon a beautiful place to call home, but we believe the Diocese of Exeter is a great community to be a part of. We look forward to welcoming you to the family.

The Venerable Andrew BeaneArchdeacon of Exeter

House for Duty

St Cuthberts

Church

Widworthy

St Mary’s Church

Offwell

St Michael & all

Angels Church

Priest-in-Charge The Bishop of Exeter is looking to appoint a House for Duty Priest-in-Charge for the Offwell Mission Community comprising the parishes of Offwell, Widworthy and Farway. We are small group of parishes working together, as part of the Honiton Deanery in the Diocese of Exeter, and located in the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty about 8 miles from the Jurassic Coast. The post is for 2 days per week plus Sunday services. We are looking to appoint a committed and compassionate priest who will:

be community minded and develop networks of relationships in our rural communities; support the church community through change and enable creative thinking about how we

reach out to our communities; nurture individuals in their own ministry and encourage collaborative working across the

PCCs; preach with sensitivity and understanding, communicating the Gospel in a way that will help

us make a difference to the lives of people in this beautiful part of Devon. enable the Church community as we grow in depth and breadth; be resilient, caring and sociable.

Profile and Application Form attached. Please feel free to contact the Ven. Andrew Beane, Archdeacon of Exeter for an informal conversation about this post. Email: archdeacon.of.exeter@exeter.anglican.org - Tel: 01392 425577 Closing date: 5th April 2020 - Current interview date: 22/4This post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.

We aim to be a diverse and truly representative Diocese, and particularly welcome applications from women and those from black and minority ethnic groups. Not only is Devon a beautiful place to call home, but we believe the Diocese of Exeter is a great community to be a part of. We look forward to welcoming you to the family.

Services in the Mission Community

OFFWELL WIDWORTHY FARWAY

1st Sunday 9.30amHoly Communion

9.30amFamily Service

No service

2nd Sunday No service 9.30amFamily Service

11.15amHoly Communion

3rd Sunday 6.00pmEvensong

9.30amHoly Communion

11.15amHoly Communion

4th Sunday 9.45pmAll Age Service

9.30amFamily Service

11.15amHoly Communion

Some of these services are led by retired clergy and some are lay led.

If there is a 5th Sunday there is a United Mission Community Service at one of the churches in rotation. Over the 3 parishes we have on average 2 weddings, 3 funerals and 1 baptism in a year.At present we have no Readers or Retired clergy living within the Mission Community.

The Mission Community and the RoleFocused on the Future, Building upon the Past, Living in the Present.

The three parishes have long been associated, Offwell and Widworthy for a century. All sit within the beautiful Farway-Coly Valley. Offwell is central, Widworthy just over a mile to the east and Farway to the south.

The churches lie south of the A35 from Honiton to Dorchester, The famous Jurassic Coast is nearby, along with the coastal towns of Sidmouth, Beer and Seaton.

The A30/303 to London and Exeter is just a few miles to the north, the M5 20 miles at Taunton and 15 at Exeter.

Mainline rail links to Exeter and London from Honiton, another mainline station at Taunton is 18 miles away.

Exeter airport is a 20 minute drive west on the A30.

Communication links are therefore excellent for such a beautiful and peaceful rural area, the modern family Rectory is located on the edge of Offwell with views to the sea through the ‘Seaton Gap’. There is a garden and garage, no immediate neighbours, and the property backs onto open fields. The village playing fields and hall are nearby, and is only a short walk from St Mary’s Church and school.

Mission and OutreachThe three parishes have been working ever more closely together during the current interregnum, with regular meetings between the churchwardens who have established good relationships, something we hope to continue. We share similar challenges and opportunities, as well as strengths, but each respects the others’ desire to retain its own parish identity.

Among the established and successful Mission Community-wide activities we have the following:

a monthly coffee morning in the Offwell Village Hall, monthly men’s breakfast and ladies lunch clubs, an ‘Open the Book’ group that visits the CoE village schools within the Mission Community to

act out Bible stories for the children, and the ‘Link’ bimonthly Mission Community magazine which is also distributed to the two

neighbouring parishes – Cotleigh and Northleigh with whom we run some joint Services.

Events organised by the churches throughout the year give us opportunity to meet and engage with the wider community.

The head teachers of both our C of E schools are supportive and use the church for regular services for their pupils and join us for some of our services during the year.

We are aware of the challenges we face, for example:

• Encouraging more regular attendance throughout the year, and not just for festivals which are well supported. We would be open to developing new ideas, and more variety of services.

• The search to attract new membership of our P.C.C’s and the running of the church, we need better communication and positive links within the community.

We aim to focus on growth of numbers who attend services and spiritual influence to make a difference to all who want and need the presence of Christ in their lives.

Looking to the future we are open to explore developing links with other mission communities which could lead to pastoral reorganisation. Our mission action plan is to establish our priorities, build on our strengths, to grow in mission and serve with joy.

We have hope, we have faith, we have ambition and are looking for someone to help us grow.

We are looking for someone who will embrace our hopes and ambition for the future. Someone who will bring their own experience and personal vision based on strong biblical teaching.

Finance

Our three parish churches are well maintained.We are committed to paying the Common Fund and contributing to clergy expenses.All 3 churches are on a firm financial footing and at present we have 3 P.C.C’s who do their own administration.

Farway Church is currently undergoing major works.

Offwell Church has recently upgraded its lighting and electrics funded by community donations and is planning further improvements to its interior.

The Mission Community

Green shading represents East Devon and Blackdowns AONB

St Mary’s ChurchOffwell - Parish Profile

The VillageThe parish of Offwell is about 3 miles south east of Honiton and 6 miles north west of Axminster with Lyme Bay just 8 miles away. The population remains constant at around 400. As well as St Mary’s Church there is a VA church primary school with 82 pupils, a village hall with a large car park and playing field, a garage with a small shop and a café with a farm shop. It is also home to Offwell Woodland and Wildlife Trust which provides a valuable educational resource.

The ChurchAs parochial teams, we can draw on a store of goodwill from villagers, churchgoing and non-churchgoing. Standing in the centre of our picturesque village opposite the CoE primary school, the church of St Mary’s is a visible reminder to by-passers and the community of the Christian foundation of our village in the beauty of God’s Creation.

St Mary’s was built in the 12th century with many interesting features. It is well maintained and supported by many people in the wider village. The Electoral role has 22 members with an average congregation of 18. Congregations have been growing and draw from a larger pool of attendees. We are a welcoming and friendly church which is left unlocked during the daytime and is visited by many people, visitors and local. We hold fund raising events during the year. The Rectory is 100m from the church surrounded by fields with spectacular views towards the coast. We have a full set of bells which are rung by both our own team once a month and regularly by visiting teams.

WorshipOur pattern of worship at present is1st Sunday Parish Eucharist2nd Sunday we hold a joint service in another parish3rd Sunday BCP Evensong which is lay led at the present4th Sunday All Age Service of the Word which is also lay ledIf there is a 5th Sunday we join with the rest of the Mission Community

Offwell School also hold a regular act of worship in the church, and participate in special services throughout the year.

Lorna Legg our headteacher has commented below.

Offwell C or E Primary School, as a Voluntary Controlled school, is maintained (in the physical sense) by County, but is sustained (in the spiritual sense) by the Church. In real terms, we are very close to our Church, St Mary’s in Offwell, as we sit opposite each other, in the heart of our village and we share a building: St Mary’s Hall. We feel very close to our Church and visit for our Collective Worship at least once a week. We play a part in services as a school, such as those for Remembrance, and families are actively invited to take part in services, such as Christingle. We also benefit from close links with our Parish Church Committee, as members form part of the Open The Book, which brings Bible stories alive for our children.

We have a team of bell-ringers who support some services.

Community EngagementWe also recently held our first Church Open Day on a Saturday, allowing people to climb to the top of the tower, have a go at bell ringing, with activities for children and refreshments. It was a huge success with over 70 people attending, most new to the church and from the village, including six young families, which confirmed our belief that there is a pool of goodwill and interest towards the church from much of the village.

Our first Christingle last December was also very popular with over 70 people attending, many previously non-churchgoers. Last year’s Harvest Supper and service saw attendance 40% up on the previous year, and we also run regular fundraising and community building events such as Quiz Nights and, this year for the first time, a fun wine tasting.

St Cuthberts ChurchWidworthy - Parish Profile

The Parish and VillageWidworthy Parish covers 606 hectares, all within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and includes the village of Wilmington on the A35. There are 156 houses in the parish and village, and approximately 347 permanent residents. There is a village hall, a pub, hotel and farm shop.

The ChurchSt Cuthbert’s is 14th Century Grade II*, with an extraordinary collection of monuments within so small a church. More important than the special charm of this church is its rare and powerful numinous quality. For its age, it is in remarkably good condition, having been lovingly maintained by a long line of conscientious churchwardens through the centuries. It is set on mound outside the village thought to be a site of worship from earliest Christian times, surrounded by its graveyard with an ancient yew tree.

Worship Our usual pattern of worship:1st Sunday of the month is a lay led family worship service. 2nd and 4th Sundays are a form of Morning Prayer clergy or lay led 3rd Sunday is a service of Holy Communion.

Following the particularly popular fourth Sunday service, we have coffee and biscuits and many stay behind for a chat. On Fifth Sundays we have a Songs of Praise at 6pm, which can be either clergy or lay led, followed by wine and refreshments.On Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest (followed by a cream tea), Christingle, Nine Lessons and Carols (followed by mulled wine and minced pies), and other festival Sundays, the children from the Wilmington Wonders either present something they have done related to the theme of the service or act out the lessons as they are being read. Wilmington Wonders is a lively group for primary school aged children, led by several of the parents, which meets periodically in the Village Hall on a Saturday.

Community Engagement and OutreachThe major fundraising event is the Fete held at Widworthy Barton on the second Saturday in June, involving nearly everyone in the Parish. The proceeds are shared between the Church and the Village Hall.

The congregation supports two families in Pakistan through the Barnabas Fund. The PCC also donates 10% of our gross income annually to three charities, a local, a national and an international organisation.

Our bell tower recently has been re-commissioned and is attracting teams from around the county and farther afield.

St Michael and all Angels Church Farway - Parish Profile

Our VillageFarway is a small village at the head of the beautiful Farway-Colly Valley that leads to the sea.It is three miles from Honiton and Offwell and four miles from Widworthy. The village comprises of a mix of houses including farms, cottages and old traditional Devon houses and some 300 residents. It is an important holiday destination. Farway has a football pitch, football team and club house, village hall and club room hosting community events during the year. These include skittles, flower show and fundraising events.

Farway has a church school which is part of a federation of 5 schools in East Devon. They have one class, a nursery and play group.

There is large family pub close by called The Hare & Hounds, and Devinish Pitt Riding School within the village.

Our ChurchFarway Church has Norman origins with later additions and alterations. The churchyard has two ancient Yew trees and is well maintained. The bells have been restored and there is an enthusiastic team of bell ringers in the valley. Our church is always open and visited by walkers on the Devon way, regular churchgoers, holiday visitors and the school children. Our Community is supportive in organising fundraising events and supporting our church festivals.

WorshipWe have an electoral role of 20, with larger attendances for festivals. We continue to have three communion services a month but have some joint services with our neighbouring parish of Northleigh and the Methodist chapel in Farway. School children join us for festival services and visit the church each Friday. A team of parishioners from our Mission Community visit the school once a month to present a Bible story as part of Open the Book. We have an ageing population and provide services in a traditional style. We use a digital Hymnal at each service although we have an organ in good condition. We are aware there is a mix of different Christian backgrounds and experience within our community, we celebrate these differences and welcome everyone. We are looking for support to reach out to our community, build relationships and grow as a church based in prayer and Christ’s teaching. We would welcome support for lay led services and opportunity to provide different forms of worship.