DEANERY OF EPSOM - All Saints Banstead
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DEANERY OF EPSOM
Contents
A letter from Bishop Andrew 1
A letter from the Archdeacon 2
Introduction for 2021 by the Churchwardens 3
Our Vision 4
The Place 5
The area 5
The figures 5
Banstead Village 5
The people 5
The institutions 6
The Church Buildings 7
Our Staff 8
Mission Development Plan 9
Our Worship 10
Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Funerals 11
Activities for the Young 11
Activities for All 12
Within the building 12
Outside the building 12
In the local community 13
Community partnerships 14
Further afield 14
Finance 14
Communications 14
The Wider Context 15
Our ecumenical life with the Banstead Five Churches 15
Epsom Deanery 16
Guildford Diocese 16
What We Offer 17
The Person We Need 18
Appendix A - Mission Statistics 19
Appendix B - Extracted from Annual Accounts 2019 21
Appendix C - The Banstead Five Churches Covenant 23
1
A letter from Bishop Andrew
The Rt Revd Andrew Watson, Bishop of
Guildford
I moved to the Diocese of Guildford in early 2015, and
have found it a warm and friendly place to be, with a
strong cohort of gifted and passionate laity and clergy, and
a growing commitment to building on the old and
releasing the new, as we seek to ‘proclaim the Gospel
afresh in this generation’.
In the Autumn of 2016 we launched our diocesan vision,
Transforming Church, Transforming Lives, encouraging a
deeper dependence on God in prayer, a focused attention
to Parish Development planning and 12 Diocesan Goals as
a framework for all of our mission here in Guildford. This
has been well-owned from the start, not least because
around 2000 people fed into the process through a
SurveyMonkey and a series of clergy meetings and
deanery prayer events; and at the heart of it is a commitment to growing ‘prayerful, confident
disciples in daily life’, as expressed in the first and most important of the Diocesan Goals. Do check
out the details at: https://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/about/transforming-church-transforming-lives
We recognise and celebrate the diversity of Church traditions in the diocese, and the range of
contexts in which the Church is called to serve; and Transforming Church, Transforming Lives has
proved remarkably adaptable, from catholic to evangelical, from the poorest communities to the
richest, and from the smallest of villages to the largest of conurbations. If you share our excitement
for this vision, along with the values that under-gird our Diocesan goals, we would love you to
apply!
+ Andrew
2
A letter from the Archdeacon
Venerable Martin Breadmore, Archdeacon of Dorking
The village of Banstead, which is a popular place to live, is situated
in the borough of Reigate and Banstead in Surrey, lying 2.5 miles
south of Sutton. It has a thriving high street with some good local
amenities and although close to the M25, has a village feel.
I sense that there is huge missional potential in this parish. Over
the years strong links have been built with the community,
exemplified by the good relationship that All Saints has with its
four local schools. The Parish has been actively involved in the Epsom deanery through synod
and chapter and plays an active role in the wider Banstead Five, a group of five churches of
different denominations.
The previous incumbent has worked hard to develop collaborative ministry and to empower lay
teams to be involved in the different areas of church life. This has led to the formation of a
pastoral visitors’ team as well as encouraging the ministry of others such as occasional
preachers and worship leaders. A greater degree of visibility and engagement in the wider
community has resulted in the creation of a Foodbank, ‘Sing for Joy’ and Family Flicks. There
is a significant ministry to the elderly, however there is a large fringe which has meant that the
age profile has been gradually coming down.
There is a clear need in the next incumbent to be able to build evangelistically on the strong
community links, growing church fringe and contacts that have been nurtured so well over
recent years. The next incumbent must value lay ministry and be able to manage large numbers
of volunteers as well as raise up and grow new leaders. I believe there is real opportunity to
build on the existing work amongst children and young people. Covid-19 has clearly affected
the worshipping life of this parish and the new incumbent will need to identify ways to enable
on-line and church-based worship to co-exist.
This appointment is perfect timing for receiving resource and support from the wider diocese.
2021 marks the launch of our new Parish Needs Process. This marks a brand-new way of
working whereby the diocese will seek to walk alongside each parish to help them with vision
and whatever needs they might have arising out of this.
I am very enthusiastic about this post. For the person that God calls, there is so much to offer
here: the warmth of a great church family and wider community; the opportunity of leadership
in a parish, deanery and diocese which offers considerable support and resources; the challenge
of discerning with this community what God is doing and how we might join in; the privilege of
living and working in a beautiful part of the country with so many opportunities for clergy and
families; and there’s a very lovely vicarage!
If you’d value an informal conversation about this post, please do not hesitate to be in touch
with me via Ruth Burns, my PA, who will be pleased to arrange a time for us to speak
(ruth.burns@cofeguildford.org.uk or 01483 790366)
Venerable Martin Breadmore
3
Introduction for 2021 by the Churchwardens
This Profile was originally compiled in the early summer of 2020. We were still hopeful then that
the pandemic ‘would all be over by Christmas’, and life would revert to what we still thought of as
‘normal’.
We were wrong. But the Profile reflects the character and pattern of All Saints’ worship and activities
as they were at the beginning of 2020, and indicates what we perceived, and still perceive, to be our
church’s essential character.
Some of the activities described we may be able to resume one day; others, as we recognise, may
have gone for ever. But we have been exploring different ways to do things.
For worship:
• Morning Prayer on Zoom has proved particularly successful, developing a larger and more diverse
congregation.
• With a camera and wifi now installed in church we are live-streaming Sunday services to YouTube,
and we’ve been blessed with willing volunteers to help. On this platform our services are available
to anyone and everyone with an internet connection, though measuring engagement is difficult.
• When singing was banned the choir developed ways of recording individually, with contributions
then stitched seamlessly by the Director of Music - results can be heard on our website at All Saints
Church Banstead » CHOIR RECORDINGS (bansteadallsaints.com).
• Our Children’s Worker Sofia runs a Sunday morning Facebook time of activities, Bible stories and
more for children.
For pastoral support:
• The Mothers’ Union, with some others, has established a telephone network for support particularly
(but not solely) to elderly people and those on their own;
• Since the first lockdown volunteers have been helping the vulnerable and sheltering with shopping
and other errands;
• Zoom ‘coffee mornings’ keep some people in touch.
For Christian development:
• The Bible study and Celtic Christianity house groups have successfully transferred from house
groups to Zoom groups, and meet regularly.
• Our monthly magazine (no longer available in church or coffee shop) is delivered to over 140
subscribers by a few loyal volunteers, and a PDF version emailed to people living out of range.
Covid may have destroyed much, yet we are confident that with the right leadership we can build
again, and with God’s help build better. It’s an exciting prospect.
So we are hoping now for a Vicar who can enthusiastically embrace our efforts to develop new forms
of communication, and thoughtfully help us to reflect on what we have learnt and what works well
here. We want someone with whom we can build on the best of our past work, but also a creative
person with whom we can also find a new vision, new strategies and new hope.
Susan and Geoff
4 This Profile originated before the arrival of Covid-19 and the national lockdown. This disruption challenged us all to develop new ways both of worship and relationship in the community. To prepare for this Profile a simple questionnaire was circulated to all who come to All Saints’, old and young, following a Vision day for the PCC. What follows takes account of their answers. In the main, the Profile reflects where we were in 2019, though we have tried to indicate how we responded to a testing time. Now we’re eager to work with our new Vicar to meet the challenges of 2021. Our Vision Five years ago the PCC forged a vision. We summed it up as ‘SEEK, LOVE AND SERVE GOD AND OTHERS’. We strive to achieve it by: • Maintaining a main service in which music, ceremony, reverent preparation and sound teaching raise our hearts and minds to encounter the divine - people say they treasure our ‘God-centred worship’, seeing it as ‘a place to pause, pray, learn and grow in faith’. • Seeking to explore and evangelise by varied forms of worship at other times, speaking to varied needs, so that we can truly extend God’s welcome to all. • Enacting love of our neighbours by the genuine but not smothering welcome we extend to all who come, and our progress towards being an Inclusive church. • Enjoying all-age church fellowship and maintaining supportive and caring networks within the church which provide a firm base for outreach to and service in the community. • Communicating effectively so as to reach unfamiliar parts of our community and discover needs. • Enriching our worship with music that is theologically rich and grounded in tradition. The PCC’s Mission Development Plan responding to this vision is outlined on page 9.
5 The Place The area Once the Surrey parish of Banstead stretched over miles of downland and fields. Now it is much smaller and more compact, centred on ‘Banstead Village’, in a network of communities which developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Then Banstead was famous for sheep and healthy air, but now the sheep have gone and traffic has grown. About 5 miles to the south is the M25. Green Belt policies have kept some lovely bluebell-filled woods and downs around us but many residents commute to work, especially to London: Greater London starts at the northern edge of our parish, and our most convenient railway station is Sutton. Banstead Station serves a slow meandering line. The Parish boundary The figures We’re at the north end of the Borough of Reigate & Banstead, and east of Epsom. Banstead is a relatively large parish of almost 10,000 souls. The 2011 census showed about 30% to be aged 30 and under, with 23.3% aged over 65. Overall 91.2% were of White ethnicity, and 65.8% claimed to be Christian (29.8% were either ‘no religion’ or ‘unstated’). Banstead Village Though the village dates back to the Saxons, few houses from before the 1920s now remain and new housing continues to develop to meet demand in this popular area; house prices reflect the high demand. Most houses are not only owner- occupied but often by the same owner over many years. The High Street is the commercial focus, with supermarkets, a PO, banks, pharmacies, but more service-based businesses than retail nowadays. But the independent shops maintain a business guild, which is involved in local events. At one end of the High Street is Banstead Library, a day centre and the Infant and Junior Schools; at the other our local pub, the Woolpack, and the War Memorial where many organisations gather on Remembrance Day, led by the Vicar and an ecumenical group Remembrance Sunday of clergy. In the centre is All Saints’ Church, fronted by the green space of the Church Orchard. The people Community loyalty is strong, evidenced in numerous local organisations, in most of which members of All Saints’ have a role. Banstead Arts Festival Society runs a fortnight of varied arts events in May (including two recitals in the church), and occasional other concerts; Banstead Village in Bloom works hard to beautify the area; the Arts Society puts on lectures at the Community Hall; the Cricket Club, Bowls Club and Tennis Club are all active; Banstead Musical
6 Society, the History Research Group, the Flower Club, Rotary, Probus and many others form overlapping circles of friendships - Banstead is an easy place to share interests and find friends. In its 30 years the ‘May Fayre’ in the Church Orchard has become the biggest Banstead event of the year. There is, however, much less for children and young people to do in their spare time. Everything stopped for Covid-19, of course, but numerous local people came forward as good neighbours to volunteer Banstead May Fayre help where it might be needed. The institutions Besides the local authority’s Junior and Infant schools a new private prep school was recently formed when some older ones amalgamated. All Saints’ had some links with the predecessor schools but has yet to establish any with the new one. The only church school is a Roman Catholic primary, but the current headmaster welcomed our previous Vicar to occasional assemblies. There is no secondary provision now in Banstead parish. There are, however, two prisons - HMP High Down (Cat. B) for men and HMP Downview for women. Our pastoral links with the prisons (chaplaincy assistance, Mothers’ Union and volunteer support in the Visitor Centre) have, to our regret, dwindled in recent years thanks to changes to the prison system. Our ministry team and others often visit residents in the seven care homes in the parish. To all the homes we take holy communion for residents who wish it, and in some we hold regular monthly services, as well as special seasonal ones. Of the churches in the parish area All Saints’ is linked with Banstead URC in the local ecumenical partnership of the Banstead Five Churches (see page 15). Also in the High Street are the independent evangelical church Christchurch, the Community Church, and the new Crown Church; members of non-Christian faiths must go further afield for worship. The Church Buildings For 800 years our Grade 2* listed flint-faced church has stood in Banstead, while the village grew around it and it became the central point. Our policy of keeping the building open on weekdays is justified by the number who drop in briefly, perhaps to pray, light a candle or feel God’s presence? It’s small, accommodating 200 at a squeeze. The Crib Service welcomes more people but many are very small. The nave piers remain from the 12th century but every age has made changes, the 19th century most of all, giving us lively stained-glass windows and
7 cumbersome wooden screens to close off the side chapels. One of the side chapels is now the choir vestry, with the organ console, the music books and the robes. The clergy vestry at the west end is on two floors, with a toilet. In the Tower hang eight bells. Recent efforts have focused on making the building fit for the future in a sustainable way, compatible with Eco-Church: rewiring in 2019 greatly improved the lighting and sound (and safety), a discreet kitchenette was fitted in a corner, and a great glass panel (with doors) keeps the peace in the Tower - or from it: that’s where the children meet when the Ringers have finished the call to worship. Now we plan to install a new boiler to improve heating. To south, east and west lies the sprawling churchyard, criss-crossed by well-used public footpaths. It was closed to new burials in 2006, though ashes may still be interred and many graves are regularly adorned with flowers. Recently the local group Banstead Village in Bloom has helped keep the churchyard in order, and we’re grateful. We’d like to develop more eco-friendly upkeep but must take local people with us here. To the north of the church is the Church From the South-West Orchard, a green expanse now devoid of fruit trees but much loved and used by local people, and to one side of this stands the Church Institute, built in 1906, which includes a hall and meeting rooms, mainly used by hirers, including a pre- school. An ecumenical volunteer-run café also has a home here - or had, before lockdown for Covid-19. Post-lockdown we hope all these may be revived. The Parish Office in the same building is the church’s busy administrative centre. For the church, churchyard and Institute maintenance expenditure can be heavy, and it won’t go away (see note on finance, page 14), though Institute upkeep has usually been funded The Church Institute by the hire receipts. But all are also assets integral to the Church’s work, providing a focus and a base which local people recognise, and many who don’t come to services find spiritual refreshment in the church. The Vicarage, purpose-built in 1974, is on the south side of the churchyard. With five bedrooms, good-sized reception rooms, an office, large kitchen, double garage and private garden, it’s got space enough to be adaptable to your needs, and it’s modern enough to run easily. A pleasant garden with fruit trees surrounds the house to the west and north; the garage and hard standing is on the east side. We (or rather the DBF) also own a three bedroom semi-detached house in a nearby road designated for a curate. The Vicarage
8
Our Staff
Our two Licensed Lay Ministers have worked in the parish for many years, taking part in services,
providing pastoral support to the housebound and those in care homes, organising baptisms, leading
Lent and other house groups, taking funerals. George H.-V. is also our Parish Clerk and Verger.
There are two voluntary Pastoral Assistants, two Worship Leaders and three Occasional Preachers.
The responsible lay officers are the two Churchwardens and the PCC, which has 12 elected
members in addition to two ex-officio Deanery Synod members. Our Safeguarding Officer, who
has a legal background, is a key member of the team, as are the members of the Finance committee
(see page 20). Our Electoral Roll stood at 151 in March 2020.
We employ three lay staff - our Children’s Worker, our Organist and Director of Music, and our
Office Administrator.
Susan Major & Geoff Chant Rosemary Whipp & George Harcourt-Vernon
Churchwardens Licensed Lay Ministers
Donna Taylor & Dennis Brown Janice Povey
Pastoral Assistants Administrator
Jan Pringle Sofia Welsby Sue Hassanein
Director of Music Children’s Worker Institute & Churchyard Manager
Tina Douglas Alan Clarke Dennis Fox
Safeguarding Officer Chair of Premises Committee Chair of Finance Committee9
Mission Development Plan
Our most recent review of our Mission Development Plan focused on four main aims, answering to
several of the 12 Diocesan goals for Transforming Church, Transforming Lives. A fifth aim has
since been added. Here’s how they look in tabular form:
AIM MEANS
1. Encourage and deepen the faith of - Courses, e.g. Pilgrim course
those on the fringe of church life - House groups with varied themes and styles
- Expanding Sunday T Time as family hub (p. 11)
- Ensuring our welcome at services is warm and friendly
but not strident
2. Develop community and personal - Expand opportunities for study / devotional visits away
prayer life - Explore modes of prayer e.g. labyrinth, Quiet Days
- Daily prayer focus distributed via leaflets and website
3. Expand participation in and service - Develop drop-in afternoons for lonely: see Banstead
to the local community Friends (p. 13)
- Expand links with local schools
- Cultivate partnerships, e.g. with Princess Alice
Hospice (p. 14)
4. Continue to grow a young people’s - Encourage parents to become more involved
ministry that is relevant, attractive and - Widen range of activities available for young through
transformative given contemporary ASY (p. 11)
youth culture - Support Children’s Worker with training courses, etc.
5. Pursue further the goal of becoming - Management of land and buildings
an Eco-Church - Teaching
- Lifestyles
6. Continue to reach out to all, without - As members of Inclusive Church, celebrate and affirm
exception every person
We had been making good progress in most areas but Covid-19 has disrupted much. Yet thanks to
the virus we’ve expanded our social media presence, perhaps reaching new areas and communicating
more effectively. We pray now for a new Vicar who can guide and inspire us as we rebuild.
The Epiphany window10
Our Worship
Our regular services use the Church of England Common Worship with
robed clergy, and the ethos is liberal Anglo-Catholic. The aim is to keep
God at the very heart and help us feel the presence of the Holy Spirit.
On Sundays there is an early morning said service, using the BCP once a
month. The 9.30am service is a sung service with sermon, supported by Christ painted
servers, the choir and organist. The congregation joins in various sung above the
responses and hymns. Many feel God’s presence in this use of a variety chancel arch
of senses that occur in the traditional pattern of worship. Others feel the
need to hear the word in a more relaxed service, so the new Vicar must
appreciate the needs of both.
During the recent lockdown the Sunday Eucharist was first presented on Facebook in the form of a
Contemplative Eucharist led by Ian, our curate, and then services in our usual style were live-
streamed from the church to YouTube. Also the choir members have been recording parts at home,
which are mixed to produce an anthem to follow the online Eucharistic service.
On weekdays Morning and Evening Prayers are said in church, which have now moved online.
These have been extended to include the weekends and are attracting larger numbers than before.
Other weekday services include a Christian Meditation session and a said Eucharist with sermon
and the opportunity to receive prayer for healing. On special occasions such as Ash Wednesday and
during Holy Week the choir supports the services. Recently a new tradition has started to perform
longer works such as Fauré’s Requiem on Palm Sunday.
Once a month full Choral Evensong is offered, including singers from other choirs. Occasionally
we try a different kind of evening service. Since 2012 a regular lay-led service, which sprang out of
house groups studying Celtic Christianity, has been held. Both services consistently attract people
from a mixture of local churches.
We are fortunate to have such a wide variety of services available to us, speaking to individual
preferences of style and timing. We hope the cliché ‘something for everyone’ to be true among us,
and that a sense of the divine shines through all.
Worship support has long been provided by the serving team and the
choir. An enthusiastic team of servers provides an MC/eucharistic
assistant to assist the clergy at the Sunday 8.00am and Wednesday
10.00am services. An MC/crucifer with two acolytes assist at Sunday
9.30am services and all festival services,
and for the dawn service at Easter and at
Corpus Christi they provide a thurifer.
Some younger members have used it as
part of the Duke of Edinburgh award
scheme.
All Saints’ has a strong choral tradition.
Our four-part choir gives a key lead in
raising worshippers’ hearts to God. Unlike
most church groups the ‘choir family’
covers a very wide age range, so we are
very aware of safeguarding measures. Older Juniors ‘buddy’ new
recruits, learning responsibility. Choristers take pride in earning their
RSCM ribbons. Our Director has encouraged the Juniors to sing solos,
Remembrance Sunday
inspiring in them a confidence that impresses us all. One chorister has
written a Christmas carol and all combined to write their own psalm words, set to a familiar chant.11 Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages and Funerals We have an open policy on baptisms, welcoming anyone living in the parish or with connections here. Our LLM Rosemary Whipp prepares families, and last year we welcomed 16 children and one adult to baptism. Three of our young people and one adult were confirmed. Parish residents and others with a qualifying connection are welcome to marry in the church, though if one or both of the couple has been divorced, and the ex-partner is still alive this is at the discretion of the Vicar. In 2019 only four couples were married, and one civil marriage blessed; in 2018 seven weddings were held. All Saints’ ministers presided at 19 funerals in 2019 (nine of them in church), fewer than in previous years, and prayed with families at 20 interments of ashes in the churchyard. Activities for the Young All Saints’ Church aims to create an environment which helps children learn about God and take part in church life. The clergy, our children’s worker and volunteers support several current initiatives. Teddies’ 10 Minutes: Little ones, babes in arms as well as toddlers, have a chance to come into church on a Wednesday afternoon, sing songs, hear Bible-based stories and share time with others. Numbers have fluctuated over its 28 years, but not the warmth of God’s love shared. Family Flicks is a recent initiative of the Children’s Worker, welcoming families to Saturday showings of films suitable for the very young. Big Teds: This after-school club is based at the local Infant School. On every fourth session the children make a pilgrimage to church for worship and a chance to feel the presence of God in church surroundings. Family and friends are invited to come so that they may hear about what has been going on. On Sundays during the 9.30am service our children’s worker takes any willing youngster to the bell tower to spend time learning about Jesus and exploring ways to worship. This is now going online. Sunday T Time: Established a few years ago STT has grown monthly. Here families are welcomed to Sunday T Time the church and have fun learning about God and worship. Several of our teenagers are volunteers. We are delighted that STT’s development over time has reached new families and helped us towards the goal of growing youth and children’s ministry. At present it is available via Zoom. All Saints Youth: ASY welcomes young people from the end of year 6 and throughout their teenage years. Twice a month they meet on a Sunday evening to enjoy fellowship and an opportunity to explore their faith through activities including team building games, discussing
12 contemporary issues that are age appropriate, and exploring spiritual themes. Cooking together and sharing food promote friendship. They aim to make an annual pilgrimage. Activities for All One of our strengths has always been the fellowship born of our various church groups and activities. Happily during Covid-19 lockdown much of this has been maintained via telephone calls and Zoom meetings, in addition to providing volunteers to help people in need. Looking forward we’d like to develop more house groups as good bases for spiritual exploration and mutual support, and to lower the age profile of some. Within the building Bell Ringers: An enthusiastic band of bell ringers sounds the call to worship on eight bells. Unusually these are rung from the floor of the Tower enabling the congregation to watch through the glass screen. Flower Arrangers: Our Flower Arrangers delight our eyes with their displays reminding us that ‘flowers are peculiarly the poetry of Christ’. They also attract visitors for special events such as last year’s Christmas Tree Festival which involved local organisations outside the church as well as church groups. Outside the building The Mothers’ Union has been an active pastoral force for many years, with 35 current members. In addition to the monthly Corporate Communion they meet every month, and are also involved in much supportive work for families, often directly as in helping with Teddies’ 10 Minutes but also indirectly in helping local welfare work for women (examples include Women’s Refuges, work in prisons, and the Relief Fund following natural disasters) and supporting the worldwide projects sponsored by the Mothers’ Union. In short, they help keep our social consciences alive! During the lockdown MU members have set up a phone network to keep in touch regularly for mutual support. At present the Bible study group has nine regular members. It’s a happy family, meeting fortnightly with most members able and willing to take part by Zoom during lockdown. How to make Bible study appeal to more of our people is a particular challenge.
13
Exploring the Faith is another small house group which reads and talks (and laughs and argues),
guided by our LLM Rosemary Whipp. We prize our ecumenism - of the 7-8 regulars two are
Roman Catholic and one a Methodist. But none is young.
Another group who’ve built trust and loyalty over years meets monthly to read and explore Celtic
Christianity in the light of values inherited from the early Christians of Britain. Members of three
churches enjoy this time together.
Tranquility Base is a newer house group, born in 2019, also dedicated to discussing Christian ideas
with a fresh and lively approach.
In the local community
We’re keen to reach out to the
community, developing a variety of
ways, all hoping to enact the love of
God.
Every month since 2015 Sing for Joy
has aimed to ‘revive the memories and
lift the spirits’, with secular songs and
hymns, appealing especially to people
with dementia and their carers who
feel at ease in the relaxed and chatty
atmosphere. Last year about 35-40
people, few of them churchgoers
otherwise, came regularly.
Sing for Joy
Banstead Friends meets monthly in
the Institute and is also popular with
older non-churchgoers, who enjoy the friendly chat and tea with home-made cake, and some
appreciate hand massage and puzzles too, as well as help cleaning hearing aids. It’s not suited to
remote meetings, but we hope it can be brought back as soon as possible.
The discussion group Beer & Banter has survived transition to Zoom but participants prefer
meeting as they used to, in the Woolpack, the local pub, where their lively talk on spiritual matters
is open to new voices. Beer is not compulsory.
For nearly two years the Deep Well Community has been taking shape as a New Monastic
Community based in Banstead, locally dispersed but meeting to eat together, pray together, and
work together for social betterment. Its more formal meetings centre on silent contemplative prayer,
but prayer that flows into action based on love of neighbour.
For several years now we’ve run a Foodbank weekly in the Institute, in partnership with Epsom &
Ewell Foodbank. Covid-19 closed its normal operations but we hope to revive the service here. At
present the congregation still contributes enthusiastically via either Epsom Foodbank directly or via
various doorstep boxes.
We have a presence at local events such as the May Fayre where it’s the Vicar’s privilege to crown
the May Queen, the Village Fair in July and the Christmas Community Event in November, and
usually we run a Heritage Open Day in the church in September with talks, displays, music and
children’s crafts. But one of our aims is to develop a higher profile locally, building both on our
concerns for well-being and on the involvement of many members in local activities.14 Community partnerships Recently All Saints’ has also worked closely with the Mary Frances Trust supporting people’s mental health and with the Princess Alice Hospice. With the Hospice we have jointly facilitated events aimed at discussing grief and loss, including a series of ‘Death Cafés’ at various locations around Banstead. This is a chance to chat about death over coffee and cake. In the words of one attender: ‘It is good to talk freely about death.’ Further afield For over 25 years All Saints’ has been donating to St James’ Mission Hospital in Mantšonyane, a remote mountainous area some five hours from the capital of Lesotho in Maseru. We’ve helped with medical equipment, a new generator and money for improvements to the hospital buildings as well as running costs. Volunteers have also knitted hats and blankets for the newborn children, very necessary when winter temperatures plummet. St James’ has a special place in our hearts. Finance Our Treasurer, Roger Fairhead, does not live locally and has a demanding job, so his role is generally to advise and to draw up the annual accounts. Everyday care of income and expenditure, Gift Aid and payroll are dealt with by a small finance team. We pay our parish share, over £100,000 for 2020, in full. This represents more than half our income. Salaries for the employees, maintenance of the church, churchyard and the Glenfield Road house, and clergy expenses (we’re punctilious in paying these) account for a good proportion of funds. But expenditure regularly exceeds income and we are drawing down reserve funds, the result of some generous legacies (see pages 21-22 for the figures for 2019). The planned stewardship drive in the autumn of 2020 now looks doubtful, but certainly efforts to increase income are needed soon, and we are mindful of the Diocesan goal of encouraging generous giving. Current projections show an income reduction of some £24,000 in the months April-December: this is guesswork, and the true impact of Covid-19 cannot yet be known. Happily, most of our regular congregation give by standing orders and other forms of planned giving. Communications We are conscious of the need to communicate regularly in a wide variety of ways, and are working towards the Diocesan goal of communicating effectively. Formally, information is passed on through notices in services, the short weekly listing distributed in church, the monthly magazine The Steeple (which goes to many non-churchgoers), and the website www.bansteadallsaints.com. Recently we’ve added a Facebook page and a Facebook group, and have put some services on YouTube. We feed short articles to local free magazines, and informally, as in any community of friends, there’s a grapevine. We realise a presence on a wider range of social media would be helpful, if safeguarding and privacy issues can be responsibly handled, and more input to local online groups might help raise our profile. It is also probably time to redesign the website.
15 The Wider Context Our ecumenical life with the Banstead Five Churches After many years of working together with other Banstead churches, in 1991 All Saints’ formally joined hands with four others in a Covenant (see page 23). Of our partners Banstead URC is within the parish, St Ann’s Roman Catholic Church and the Methodist Church are just across the A217, and St Paul’s is the Anglican parish church of neighbouring Nork. This was recently united with St Mary’s in Burgh Heath to form the Parish of Nork with Burgh Heath. As a Covenanted Partnership we therefore fit into Category 2 in the Churches Together analysis of LEPs. But shared worship, prayer, study and mission has declined in Good Friday Procession recent years and nowadays we operate more as a local Churches Together group. Sturdy survivors are listed below, all encouraging friendship among the many volunteers. On Good Friday we’ve processed and prayed at ‘Stations of the Cross’ along the High Street since the 1970s - until Covid-19. Holiday Fun Week is a week of summer activity based at the Methodist Church, led by each church in turn. The year’s theme is developed by prayers, worship, drama, art and craft, music and cooking. Always over-subscribed, it appeals to children from families with strong faith and none, and to teenage helpers whose care for the little ones is a joy to behold. The Pilgrim Pantomime Company is made up of young people and adults from the Banstead Five Churches and based in the Church Institute where there is a purpose built stage. Every year they produce a pantomime with all the traditional jokes, music and funny sketches, and then some. Here adults and young people work as a team together, and the audiences love it. The Open Door Café has been functioning now for 30 years, offering light lunches and snacks with friendly hospitality, as a place where people of all backgrounds can feel comfortable. It is run by volunteers from the churches and profits go to support Christian work in the community. We hope that after Covid-19 it may be able to open its doors again. The Open Door Cafe A relative newcomer is Praise in the Park, an outdoor worship event in June.
16
Epsom Deanery
We are part of the Epsom Deanery which consists of 15 parishes. Within that we are part of a
cluster of four parishes in the eastern edge of the Deanery, and in fact the Diocese. The primary role
of the Deanery is to listen to its parishes and respond to their needs.
There are two main objectives within this. First, collaborating in mission, examining the missional
opportunities where individual parishes within the deanery can partner each other in mission by, for
example, large parishes supporting and resourcing smaller neighbours with mission within an
individual parish’s boundary. There are cross border opportunities, for instance at Nescot College in
Ewell, attended for further education by young people from across the deanery but currently
without faith provision from the deanery. One of the key outcomes of the new Needs Based
Process in Church House Guildford will be to
help deaneries, through the lens of the Church
Development plan process, to look at the
synergies between parishes and to identify
where there may be potential for such fruitful Deaneries
Epsom
partnerships.
The second area is supporting ministry. The
Epsom Deanery Chapter is an excellent space
for mutual support and fellowship which has
been especially crucial during the Covid-19
lockdown. There is always work to do in this
regard as it is easy for parishes or clergy to feel
competitive. Epsom Deanery is committed to
fostering an ethos where clergy can be
vulnerable with each other and where prayer
and honest conversation can stimulate the
missional goals of the deanery and the wider
church. Banstead is ‘clustered’ with Tattenham
Corner and Nork with Burgh Heath, and the
cluster arrangement plays a vital role in both aims.
Guildford Diocese
The Diocese of Guildford's shared vision is to be a Transforming Church, Transforming
Lives. This is our Mission Strategy which works through twelve ‘transformation goals’.
The main resourcing of this will be the new Parish Needs process that will be phased in over the
next two years. Each parish will be visited in turn, on a deanery by deanery basis. The visits focus
on a listening process; where we are seeking to listen to God, through the church, the schools, and
the wider community of the parish. What this looks like will vary from parish to parish. This will be
overseen by two newly formed teams, the Mission Enabler Team and the Parish Co-ordination
Team. It is too early to say how this will work as it is hot off the press, with the two teams only
really being formed just before the Covid-19 crisis.
Two of the areas where All Saints’ actively relates to the transformation goals are making disciples
and cultivating community partnerships. For making disciples All Saints’ has a growing small/home
group setup where people can explore their faith and spirituality in a safe way. Many of our
outreach efforts have been mentioned earlier (see pages 12-14) We are also active in many of the
transformation goals and the recent Covid-19 crisis has led us to be more active in the goal of
communicating effectively as we have grown our on-line/social media presence.17
“Our ancient but lovely church is a
welcoming presence in the High Street”
- a member of the congregation
What We Offer
• A welcoming, friendly and loyal congregation with a can-do spirit evident in its response to
the challenges of Covid-19.
• A culture of hospitality and care for the community.
• A range of worship styles, answering to the needs of a varied congregation.
• A developing prayer life with support for Daily Offices.
• Excellent professional support from our Administrator, Music Director and Children’s
Worker.
• Experienced pastoral support from two LLMs and two Pastoral Assistants.
• A still limited ethos of spiritual exploration realised in house groups.
• Many activities led by church groups.
• A Grade 2* historic church building, with some tactful modernisation, in the centre of the
village.
• A busy (before Covid-19) Church Institute, well placed for village activities.
• A modern and comfortable Vicarage.
• A reasonable financial base before the pandemic, but needing careful use of resources and
efforts to increase regular giving.
• A location accessible to towns such as Epsom, Leatherhead, Sutton and Croydon, but
surrounded by some lovely woods and downs.
• A parish with numerous local organisations but little for teenagers and children.
• Local primary schools in Banstead with a range of good secondary schools in nearby towns.18
The Person We Need
At a Vision day just before lockdown we
reflected and prayed about who God might
call to us. The qualities and abilities
described below reflect this vision.
But the 2020 pandemic has introduced
special challenges and has greatly changed
the way in which we operate and serve our
community. Therefore the new Vicar will
also need to develop an understanding of the
functioning of All Saints’ both before and
during the pandemic.
You are welcome here
We are looking for: -
• A prayerful person and a good theologian – who will teach the Faith positively and thoughtfully,
and develop our spiritual understanding
• Adaptable and effective – able to work with church-going and non-church-going alike
• Supportive - of what we have achieved to-date and to inspire us to take on even more challenges
• A guiding spirit - who can lead and inspire us in discerning our vision for the future
• A good listener – willing to consider and share the ideas of others
• A team player willing to delegate – to develop the significant abilities and talents within the
existing congregation
Helpful would be:-
• Experience and enthusiasm - to guide the congregation’s reconstruction after lockdown, and to
introduce and embrace new ways of operating in future
• Resilience - to pull the Church together and develop its role in the wider community
• Initiative - to find creative ways to meet social needs
• Influencing/negotiating skills - to encourage parish harmony
• Strong communication skills - displaying sensitivity to and awareness of the needs of others
• Drive and commitment - to increase the age range of the Church
• Experience of developing a young community within a congregation
In summary - to quote the words of our Vacancy Prayer:
A wise and gentle shepherd19
APPENDIX A - Mission Statistics
Attendance summary
Worshipping community20
Usual Sunday Attendance Average weekly attendance (October count - includes Priory
School Harvest Services 2015-2017)
Percentage childrenAppendix B - Extracted from Annual Accounts for 2019
INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds 2019 2018
2a DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
Planned Giving
- Regular giving by banker’s order 47,270 47,270 43,870
- Envelope Scheme 12,650 12,650 15,836
59,920 - - 59,920 59,706
Single donations 16,276 1,732 18,008 5,459
Income tax recoverable 18,404 18,404 19,373
Collections for general purposes 12,011 12,011 14,341
Legacies - - 24,354
Votive stand 1,575 1,575 875
Fabric Fund 280 280 1,387
£ 108,466 £ 1,732 - £ 110,198 £ 125,495
2b CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Church Institute 38,684 38,684 38,506
Open door 7,168 7,168 7,014
Magazine 1,561 1,561 2,564
Fees 5,693 5,693 8,875
Ground maintenance subsidy 4,500 4,500 4,500
Other 1,051 1,051 683
£ 58,657 - - £ 58,657 £ 62,142
2c INVESTMENTS
Dividend income 1,503 1,733 3,236 3,157
Interest income 3,298 3,298 2,387
£ 4,801 £ 1,733 £ 6,534 £ 5,544
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES £ 171,924 £3,465 - £ 175,389 £ 193,181
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds 2019 2018
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
Clergy travel, training, meetings, resources 3,621 3,621 3,660
Curate housing and repairs 911 911 4,482
4,532 4,532 8,142
Church heating, insurance, repairs 15,948 15,948 10,821
Services, music, salaries, candles 14,304 14,304 11,081
Admin salaries and office costs 15,818 15,818 17,186
Depreciation of fixed assets 228 18,397 18,625 1,282
Churchyard maintenance 16,287 16,287 8,324
Other costs 257 257 136
Youth work salaries, resources 5,564 5,564 2,252
Parish magazine 1,980 1,980 1,440
Fabric repairs - - 738
£ 74,918 £ 18,397 - £ 93,315 £ 61,402
DONATIONS
St James Hospital, Lesotho 1,650 1,650 3,000
Charities 1,388 1,388 -
£ 1,388 £ 1,650 - £ 3,038 £ 3,00022
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
funds funds funds 2019 2018
CHURCH INSTITUTE
Depreciation of improvements 2,659 2,659 2,659
Depreciation of fixtures and fittings 1,766 1,766 1,768
Redecoration and maintenance 8,839 8,839 15,870
Lighting and heating 2,864 2,864 2,307
Insurance 1,609 1,609 1,650
Rates 1,946 1,946 497
Cleaning 9,178 9,178 8,657
Licences - - 452
Sundry expenses 149 149 490
£ 26,351 £ 2,659 - £ 29,010 £ 34,350
PARISH SHARE / (DIOCESAN QUOTA) £ 97,804 - - £ 97,804 £ 95,604
TOTAL EXPENDED £ 200,461 £ 22,706 - £ 223,167 £ 194,35623
Appendix C - The Banstead Five Churches Covenant
We, the Ministers and Congregations of these churches in Banstead and Nork:
St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church
The United Reformed Church of Banstead
All Saints’ Church of England (Banstead)
St. Paul’s Church of England (Nork)
Banstead Methodist Church
confess to our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour according to the Scriptures,
and acknowledge our calling to serve him in the world.
We give thanks for all that we have in common; but recognise that our lack of unity is a hindrance to that
calling. We repent of all that has been sinful in our divisions.
Since we recognise in one another the faith in one Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed in Scripture, and in
the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds; and since we recognise one another as within the one Body of Jesus
Christ, pledged to serve his kingdom, and sharing the unity of the Spirit,
We therefore covenant together to make visible the unity of Christ’s people in our neighbourhood, not
yet knowing what form that unity may eventually take, but believing that, by taking the steps to which
we now commit ourselves, we shall be led to a fuller understanding of that unity which is Christ’s will
for all his people.
We pray for the divine gifts of love and grace to enable us to work together and therefore we pledge
ourselves:
• to foster a growing unity in prayer, worship and fellowship;
• to learn to value the spiritual traditions of all Churches for the glory of the Father;
• to support each other in deepening and renewing our several traditions for the enrichment
of all members;
• to explore our Christian convictions and their practical application;
• to co-operate as Churches in ministry and pastoral care;
• to work as a team in caring for the community;
• to co-operate in Christian witness;
• to develop and extend our activities in Christian education and training.
We would hope that when new ministers are appointed it will be acknowledged that the special needs of
the covenanted churches should be borne in mind by the church authorities, which should involve prior
consultation.
The operation of this project shall be reviewed from time to time and at least after every period of five
years.
To this end we place ourselves in the hands of God that he may use our endeavours to achieve his
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