Idle & Sands, Retford Benefice - Parish Profile Vicar February 2021 For the post of - Diocese ...
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Idle & Sands, Retford
Benefice
(includes the churches at Babworth and Ranby, Bothamsall, Eaton and Gamston,
Elkesley, Scofton with Osberton, Sutton cum Lound & West Drayton)
Parish Profile
For the post of
Vicar
February 2021
Welcome
We hope that you will enjoy reading though this profile. We love this part of North
Nottinghamshire and the people of its village communities. We believe God is at
work in our churches and we long that other people might come to faith in Jesus
Christ and be a blessing where they live and work. We hope that as you read this
profile you will capture something of our hopes and dreams for the future and
discern whether you might be our new vicar.
CONTENTS
Our Diocese Page 2
Our Deanery Page 4
Our New Vicar Page 5
Our Ministry Team Page 6
Our Area Page 6
Our Schools Page 8
Our Vicarage Page 8
Our Churches Page 8
Our Current Worship Pattern Page 13
Our Finances Page 13
Our Mission Statistics Page 14
For more information, please see various relevant links on our Facebook pages.
Idle & Sands parish www.facebook.com/Parish-of-Idle-and-Sands-Retford-103196687863553
Eaton & Gamston: www.facebook.com/allsaintseatonandgamston
Elkesley: www.facebook.com/ElkesleyStGiles
Scofton: www.facebook.com/Scofton-Parish-Church-434076296687730
Sutton-cum-Lound: www.facebook.com/St-Bartholomews-Church-Sutton-cum-Lound-973862712656862
1
Our Diocese
THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM
GROWING DISCIPLES WIDER, YOUNGER AND DEEPER
A statement from
the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Williams
and Archdeacon of Nottingham, the Ven Phil Williams (covering the Archdeaconry of Newark)
The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of
Nottinghamshire and five parishes in South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million – 51% live in the
greater Nottingham conurbation, 31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252
parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and licensed lay workers.
In 2016 a refreshed diocesan vision was embraced across the diocese, recognising the imperative for
‘Growing Disciples: wider, younger, deeper’. (see https://www.growingdisciples.co.uk/)
• ‘Wider’ in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any
community: urban centre; outer estates; rural villages; or market towns.
• ‘Younger’ in that we will seek fresh ways to harness the boldness and creativity of children,
students and young people across the diocese, not least in Nottingham which is the 4 th youngest
city outside London.
• ‘Deeper’ as we grow in knowing Christ, so that as his disciples we can be an increasing blessing to
the people among whom we live and serve in the workplace, family and community.
Compelled by the love of Christ by 2023 we are seeking to:
o Welcome 7000 new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church
o Commission 1000 younger leaders (especially 15-30 year olds) equipped and inspired to serve the
purposes of God in the Church and society.
o Plant or graft 75 New Worshipping Communities (NWCs) across the diocese to increase our reach in
telling the story of Jesus to all.
o Grow 25 larger Resource Churches with clear commitment to develop leaders, plant New
Worshipping Communities, and disciple the young.
o Serve and pray together as 1 Church contending for the gospel in every community and sphere of
public life in our city, county and region.
If you would like to understand our approach to new worshipping communities, please visit
https://southwell.anglican.org/new-worshipping-communities-a-vision-for-growth/ where we share some
of our stories). It is possible to apply for a grant to assist the costs of setting up a new worshipping
community.
Every parish is encouraged to create its own ‘Growing Disciples Plan’ so that it can play a significant part in
the strategic commitment to ‘Growing Disciples wider, younger and deeper.’ This may include identifying
the opportunities to reach new people within the parish through a new worshipping community. The
2
diocese has a ‘Growing Disciples Fund’ so that each parish can apply for up to £2000 per year to support its
Growing Disciples Plan.
As a diocese we are seeking to invest in the post at Idle and Sands, Retford with the expectation that the
following three objectives set around three core values will be met.
Grace (local ministry team equipped and inspired, not dependent on stipendiary leadership)
Growth (clear numerical growth)
Generosity (financial sustainability, at least meeting direct ministry costs)
The Archdeacon writes, “The benefice of Idle and Sands, Retford is on a journey as a single parish that
started with the previous vicar. The next incumbent will be building on all that is good and valued, but with
a renewed focus to expand and develop the evangelism and discipleship–making with those who are not
currently connected to the church communities, especially younger families.”
Bishop Paul has said: “It is my hope that each worshipping community will develop a compelling picture of
its own future in God’s purposes with an expectation of growing numerically and in the scope of its mission.
It is my prayer that the new vicar of Idle and Sands, Retford will have the creative leadership and
imagination to develop discipleship, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in its
locality.”
Clumber Park
3
Our Deanery
The furthest north in the Diocese, the Bassetlaw and Bawtry deanery is made up of 46 parishes,
working together as 15 benefices, with both rural and town locations. In the main, the deanery
matches the local government district of Bassetlaw, North Nottinghamshire but also includes one
part of South Yorkshire in the benefice of Bawtry with Austerfield. There are three MPs: Brendan
Clarke-Smith (Bassetlaw), Nick Fletcher (Don Valley), and
Robert Jenrick (Newark).
Our deanery serves a population of approximately
120,000 people, with a variety of backgrounds including
farming, mining (in the West), and industry. Located
adjacent to the Sheffield City Region and Doncaster,
these conurbations provide the main employment
opportunities. Connected by the A1 road, the East Coast
Mainline and Lincoln/Sheffield railway lines, and nearby
Doncaster/Sheffield Airport, the Deanery has ready
access to London in just an hour and a half, alongside
various local and international destinations.
The deanery has churches with larger and smaller
numbers of attendees, vibrant market town churches, estate ministries, with many commuters
working in the surrounding cities, and rural contexts. All, though, are well connected to their local
communities through schools, occasional offices, community projects and a growing number of
New Worshipping Communities, as well as many iconic church buildings. The churches in our
deanery cover all traditions and the area is rich in Christian history with a number of churches
boasting links to the Mayflower Pilgrims. This Christian heritage with the Separatists that formed
the Mayflower Pilgrims, originated in the local villages of Austerfield, Scrooby, Babworth and
Sturton-le-Steeple. With Worksop, being the Gateway to the Dukeries, the four historic ducal seats
of Worksop Manor, Welbeck Abbey, Thoresby Hall and Clumber House are all close by and provide
ample space for walks, days out and historical fact finding.
The clergy of the chapter work closely together and offer support to each other through regular
meetings, praying together, socials and fellowship, and encourages input from the wider Diocesan
leadership team with regular speakers. Deanery Synod meets three times a year with lively
discussion and information sharing. All parishes within the deanery have embraced the Diocesan
vision of creating disciples, wider, younger and deeper and fully engaged with our objective of
achieving an extra 7000 disciples by 2025. To this end a number of New Worshipping Communities
have begun in the deanery as well as ongoing local activities and innovation.
The Deanery has an administrator, who is employed by the Diocese, and, together with Area Dean
and the Lay Chair, they provide incumbents and parishes with practical and pastoral support. We
would encourage you to consider our deanery as a great place to work and further your ministry.
For further information about the deanery and parishes please contact our Area Dean, Dave
Gough,
Tel: 01909 570434 or e-mail: stannesvicar@hotmail.com
4
Our New Vicar
Person Specification for the Transformation Change Post as the incumbent
of the Idle & Sands, Retford parish.
The parishes, deanery and diocese are looking to appoint a person who has
• A personal devotion to the Lord reflected and rooted in prayer
• A vision for, commitment to, and experience of, evangelism and church growth across all ages,
• An aptitude, experience and gifts in exercising strategic leadership, especially towards vision and
implementing plans for growth
• Excellent relational gifts, emotional intelligence, tenacity and resilience,
• The ability to discern, develop and deploy the gifts of others in mission and ministry
• The willingness to work with the existing team of clergy and laity to build and sustain life-giving
teams
• The ability to lead and enjoy a variety of worship and musical styles, including contemporary
expressions and the Book of Common Prayer
• A commitment to, and expertise for, engaging biblical teaching and whole-life discipleship
• The ability to relate to, and inspire, children, young people and young families
• The capacity to see new missional opportunities and implement them
The post holder will be
• A visionary leader able to motivate and foster a pattern of shared leadership
• Humble and hopeful,
• Eager to learn and grow in faith and ministry, naturally welcome coaching and mentoring
• At ease relating to all people in the community including those with significant responsibilities in
the city and county
The priorities of the role will be:
• To grow the church numerically so that it reflects the age profile of the parish population, in
particular growing significantly the ministry amongst young families, their children and young
adults
• To engage with the three Church of England schools at Gamston, Ranby, and Sutton-cum-Lound (as
well as the community school at Elkesley) and to explore the possibility of midweek new
worshipping communities based in one or more of the schools
• To explore how best to resource the spiritual needs of all members - those new to faith as well as
the current congregational members
• To enable and oversee the lay leadership across the benefice including the identification and
deployment of Licensed Lay Ministers, Local Missional Leaders and collaboration with
churchwardens
• To create a sustainable pattern of services (both traditional and new contemporary styles) that will
focus on growing disciples and will be delivered by the ordained and lay resource available.
• To develop and implement the Growing Disciples Plan in collaboration with the lay leadership
across the benefice
• To create a strategy to develop the stages from first enquiry through to full participation and
integration in the church.
This post is an interim incumbency post offered as a five-year appointment. It is made according to section
29 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of service) Regulations 2009 as amended. As a result, after the initial
three years there would be a review in consultation with the churchwardens with the expectation that, if the
postholder and the diocese were content, there would be a further extension of between two and three
years maximum. It is possible that the post could be made permanent after the six-year period.
5
Our Ministry Team
We have one reader in our churches, who frequently takes morning worship services at Sutton-cum-Lound.
The churchwardens often take an active role in the liturgical life of the churches in the benefice, supported
mostly by retired clergy. There are also further congregants who have taken part in training for leading
worship who make up the diverse ministry team.
This combination provides the benefice with a wealth of knowledge and support. In addition to services in
church there are other areas where our ministry flows out into our communities. There are numerous
opportunities for families across the benefice including messy church, school collective worship, school
choirs and Forest Church.
Pastoral care is well supported throughout the benefice with close knit rural village communities. This
extends to the churchwardens and the wider PCC who meet regularly as a whole or in smaller church
teams.
There are a number of house groups that are held across the benefice which are lay led and in 2019 we put
forward four candidates for Confirmation following a successful confirmation course much of which was
supported by the benefice ministry team.
The Churchwardens have become a close group keeping in regular contact with each other via means such
as WhatsApp. There is also a standing committee which includes the Vicar, Jane Turner as Lay Chair of the
PCC, Jonathan Peto as Treasurer and Adrian Argent-Cook (Eaton) and Peter Swinscoe (Babworth with
Ranby) representing the churchwardens. The team is supported by a Parish Administrator.
Our Area
The united benefice and united PCC was formed in 2019 and contains the parishes of Bothamsall, Eaton &
Gamston, Elkesley and West Drayton which have been linked together since 1992 and Sutton-cum-Lound,
Babworth and Ranby, and Scofton who have historically been linked. The parishes are all situated close to
the pleasant market town of Retford, in rural surroundings. All villages have active farms within them. The
land rises and falls gently with the rivers Maun, Meden, Poulter and Ryton flowing into the River Idle, which
runs through Retford and eventually into the River Trent.
Retford has a fast, direct rail link to London, Leeds and Edinburgh on the East Coast Main line. Another rail
link serves Sheffield and Manchester to the west and Lincoln to the east. Road links are good too, with the
A1 running through the group and the M1 about fifteen miles away.
Elkesley lies alongside the A1. A bridge across the A1 provides easy access to Eaton; Bothamsall, Gamston
and West Drayton are reached from the A1 southbound. The other villages in the benefice can be reached
from the A1 northbound.
There are international airports at East Midlands, Doncaster-Sheffield (Robin Hood), Humberside, Leeds-
Bradford and Manchester. Gamston airport serves light aviation needs. Elkesley has a daily local bus
service, with the exception of Sunday to Retford and Ollerton, whilst Eaton and Gamston have a similar
service to Retford, Tuxford and Newark. Retford Bus Station provides access to some national coach
services and there is even water access to Retford via the Chesterfield canal!
6
Local Amenities
The provision of amenities for day-to-day life is good. Retford has Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl
supermarkets as well as independent butchers and bakers and a variety of local shops. Markets are held
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a monthly farmers’ market and an occasional continental market.
There is also a farm shop at nearby Welbeck. Apart from Retford, Ollerton, Mansfield, Newark, Worksop
and Doncaster are all easily available for social and shopping purposes as well as Sheffield (Meadowhall),
Nottingham and Lincoln, which are all less than one hour’s drive away.
Local education
There are three CofE primary schools in the parish located in Gamston, Ranby and Sutton-cum-Lound.
Elkesley has a community primary school with pre-school facilities. There are two secondary academies in
Retford and one in Tuxford. There is also a state grammar school at Gainsborough and North Notts College
of Further Education at Worksop. The Islamic Study Centre is located in the former Eaton Hall. It offers
opportunities for better understanding and dialogue with Muslims.
Healthcare
There is good medical and dental provision in Retford, Ollerton and Tuxford with major hospital care at
Worksop and Doncaster. The Retford Primary Care Centre consists of three separate doctors’ practices,
clinics, physiotherapy and X-ray facilities. There is also an established hospice.
Recreation
Retford has a leisure centre, two theatres, a public library, choirs, a museum, an archaeological and
historical society and many other social opportunities. In the area around there is a range of restaurants,
public houses and hotels, which have deservedly good reputations for eating out at no great cost. Worksop
has a 10-screen cinema, the Harley Gallery and artisan studios while other cultural amenities at Welbeck
Abbey are only a couple of miles further down the A60, as is the prehistoric site and visitor centre at
Creswell Crags.
To the west of the A614 is the large Clumber Park, a National Trust property. This is a popular recreational
facility for the larger towns around the area, having camping and caravan facilities as well as access to the
National Cycle Network. Clumber Park is part of ‘The Dukeries’, an area so named as it is composed of the
villages and parklands, once held by the Dukes of Newcastle, Portland and other aristocrats. The legend of
Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest is alive and well, with numerous attractions based on them. Other
attractions, such as Rufford Park, are based on the monasteries and abbeys that were once a feature of the
region. For young children, Sundown Adventure Centre, Wheelgate Farm and White Post Farm provide a
day’s entertainment and are all within a short drive.
This area is a pleasant place to live, reflected perhaps in the number of retired people and commuters who
choose to live here. It was the birthplace for the Separatist movement and the three main denominations
founded from it were formed within 30 miles of Retford. It is a place of independent thinking and
approaches to worship.
7
Our Schools
There are four primary schools in the benefice: Gamston, Ranby and Sutton-cum-Lound are Church of
England schools, and Elkesley is a community school.
Ranby CofE Primary: A Voluntary Controlled school with 119 pupils on roll. Ofsted Good, SIAMS
Outstanding. The school has a strong worshipping community both at its term-time Messy Church and
services at the village church, St Martin’s.
Sutton-cum-Lound CofE Primary: A Voluntary Aided school with 59 pupils on roll. Ofsted Good, SIAMS
Outstanding. The school engages well with its village church, with the children in the choir singing
frequently in church and also involved with doing readings and prayers. It offers a term-time Messy Church
in school supported by the members of the church.
Gamston CofE Primary: A Voluntary Aided school with 112 pupils on roll. Ofsted Good, SIAMS Good. Many
of the children of the staff at the Jamia Al Karam Islamic Studies College at Eaton Hall attend the school
adding a multi-cultural dimension to the school. Following the closure of St Peter’s Gamston in 2015, the
school’s parish church is now All Saints at nearby Eaton. Although children attend All Saints for festival
services such as Christingle, the lack of a church within walking distance of the school has meant that there
has been less engagement by families. The head is however is keen to start a term-time Messy Church and
build stronger links with the church at Eaton.
Elkesley Primary: A community school with 78 pupils on roll. Ofsted Good. The school engages mainly with
its village church through festival services and class visits to St Giles. Families in the village are also starting
to become connected with church through the monthly Messy Church which takes place on Saturdays in
the village hall and through the newly launched Forest Church.
Our Vicarage
The modern four-bedroomed vicarage is situated in a quiet residential cul-de-sac in the centre of Elkesley.
The kitchen has recently been modernised and there are gardens to the front and rear. Elkesley has a shop,
village hall and playing field. The village borders ancient woodland that once formed part of Sherwood
Forest, and through which the Robin Hood Way passes. It is close to the A1 junction for easy access to
North and South.
Our Churches
Babworth, All Saints and Ranby, St. Martin’s
Babworth and Ranby have two churches; the nine
hundred year old parish church of All Saints at
Babworth, the birthplace of the Pilgrim Fathers
movement, and the modern chapel of ease in the village
of Ranby, St. Martin’s.
8
All Saints has hosted a dance festival and art exhibitions
to celebrate the Mayflower sailing. As a Pilgrim Church,
Babworth expects these celebrations to continue year
after year. The church is also popular for weddings with
six booked already in 2021. Babworth has well-
established services such as Songs of Praise Evensong,
Christmas Eve Nine Lessons and Carols and Christmas Day
Holy Communion which fill the church with visitors as
well as its loyal congregation. A parish supper, a rogation
walk and many visiting choirs and performers all add to
the community spirit of the church. Replacing a tin tabernacle that had served Ranby since 1926, St.
Martin’s is now over 50 years old. Coffee mornings regularly
take place in the church. Both churches are well looked after
and carefully maintained. A large proportion of worshippers at
both churches live outside the parish and are attracted by the
continued use of the Book of Common Prayer.
Bothamsall, Our Lady and St Peter, Our Lady and St Peter
Bothamsall offers worship both through its Victorian church, built in
1844 to replace an earlier building, and its nearby Parish Hall. To
complement Sunday worship in church, a monthly
informal/contemporary evening service is held in the Parish Hall. Also
held in the Hall are Alpha and Lent courses. The aim of these courses is
to provide an opportunity for those who wish to explore as well as
those seeking to go deeper in the Christian faith. The church has also
been very proactively involved in raising donations for the local
Foodbank and other local charities that meet the needs of families
struggling. Recently, open air drive in services at a local memorial
garden have been held, as well as open air street services for a group of
a dozen neighbouring houses in the village, where neighbours
worshipped across hedges and fences. The Parish Hall provides a central
meeting place for events organised by both the church and the village social club. The strong sense of
village identity is evidenced by attendances at the various social functions held throughout the year.
9Eaton, All Saints and Gamston, St Peter
Eaton, All Saints
The village of Eaton is located 2 miles from Retford
town centre. It has a small but active community,
and residents meet regularly to organise events
such as Open Gardens weekends and village fetes
which run alongside activities organised by the
church including harvest suppers and carol singing.
With no other public building in the village, a
fundraising campaign is currently underway to add
toilet and kitchen facilities to the church building to
enable it to be used as a community hub as well as
being more accommodating for worshippers. It has
recently secured a £10,000 National Churches Trust
Cornerstones grant and is hoping to have the funding in place to start the re-ordering project in Autumn
2021. Once completed, the church will be able to accommodate a wider variety of worshipping styles
beyond its Sunday services such as cafe church and nurture groups. It will also be more accessible for young
families, with the potential to grow its congregation amongst the families of Gamston CofE Primary beyond
the current festival services. The population of Eaton is boosted by the staff and students at Jamia Al-
Karam, an Islamic Studies college located in Eaton Hall on the outskirts of the village with which the church
enjoys a good relationship.
Gamston, St Peter, St Peter
St Peter’s closed for worship in November 2015, and the
former parishes of Eaton & Gamston merged to form a
single parish. The medieval building has now been taken
over by the Churches Conservation Trust which launched a
£1.3 million conservation and restoration project in March
2018. Once completed the building will be opened for
visitors.
Elkesley, St Giles
Elkesley has a population that traditionally
centred around farming and mining (at the
former Bevercotes colliery). The well-
equipped Memorial Hall hosts a part-time
Post Office, a Friday pub night, a weekly pre-
school play group (Little Monkeys), regular
seniors lunches, as well as Rainbows,
Brownies and Guides and other regular
classes and events. The neighbouring playing
10fields have recently been re-developed with a new children’s playground and BMX track. There is also a
village shop. In addition to its Sunday services, Elkesley church runs a monthly Saturday Messy Church in
the Memorial Hall and has recently launched Forest Church. Both are proving popular with the many young
families in the village. There are also good links between the church and the village’s community school.
St. John, Scofton with Osberton
Situated in a beautiful rural setting between Retford and
Worksop, St. John’s church is a peaceful place
surrounded by ancient parkland with grazing cattle and
sheep. Built as an estate church, it serves a population
which is spread over a wide area of tenanted farms.
Members of the congregation also join from
neighbouring villages and towns, many attracted by
services which use the Book of Common Prayer.
Alongside its regular Sunday services, the church hosts
the only annual Remembrance Service for Road Crash
Victims in the diocese. A pet service has recently been
introduced alongside its popular Harvest Service with donations to the FoodBank and Christmas carol
service. With a professional organist, Scofton has also recently been the base for newly formed community
choir which attracts singers from throughout the benefice and beyond. The church also hosts summer
concerts, raising funds for various charities. Church members organise a Rogation Walk each May which
includes a service in St John’s and tea in the village hall. This attracts people of all ages from a wide area.
Members of the community also join with Babworth and Ranby for a Harvest Supper. The international
Osberton Horse Trials take place every September in the park which attracts many visitors.
St Bartholomew, Sutton-cum-Lound
Sutton, Lound and Barnby Moor are three villages
served by one church in Sutton. The villages are
situated three miles north west of Retford set in
rural countryside. The Church is 13th century and
well maintained. The church has strong links with
the church school in the village and church
members are involved in Messy Church and
Christingle. The church has a talented organist
and a choir that is supplemented by members of
the congregation at some services. St
Bartholomew’s has a peal of eight bells and welcomes visiting teams of ringers. Alongside its Sunday
services, the church organises regular faith lunches and a yearly Lent course. Church members are currently
working to make the church into a more multi-use building by adding kitchen and toilet facilities to support
greater outreach in the local and wider community.
11West Drayton, St Paul
This small church serves the hamlet of Rockley
and the villages of Markham Moor and West
Drayton. The local population represents a
fairly even split of retired people and young
families. Within West Drayton is ‘The Farthings’
Residential Care Home, and some of the
residents come to church services. Alongside
its Sunday services in church, Holy Communion
is also held at ‘The Farthings’ on a monthly
basis.
Many of the churches in the Benefice participate in the
Diocese’s Open Churches weekends as well as Ride &
Stride, with Eaton’s churchwarden visiting all of the
benefice churches in 2019.
12Our Current Worship Pattern
Parish Church 1st Sunday 2nd Sunday 3r Sunday 4th Sunday 5th Sunday
Matins Matins Matins
All Saints Holy Communion
11:00 11:00 11:00
Babworth 11:00
Lay Led Lay Led Lay Led
St Martins
Ranby
Holy Communion Evening Worship
Our Lady & St Peter
9.15am 4:00pm
Bothamsall
Lay Led
Evening Worship
All Saints Holy Communion
6:30pm
Eaton & Gamston 9:15am
Lay Led
Benefice Service
Group Holy
Communion
Morning Prayer
St Giles Holy Communion
11:00am
Elkesley 11:00
Lay Led
St John Holy Communion
Scofton with Osberton 09:00
Morning Worship Morning Worship Morning Worship
St Bartholomew Holy Communion
9:30am 9:30am 9:30am
Sutton cum Lound 9.30am
Lay Led Lay Led Lay Led
Morning Worship
St. Paul Holy Communion
10:30am
West Drayton 9:15am
Lay Led
Our Finances (see last years’ accounts for more information)
Parish share
Parish share request in 2020 £49,990
Parish share paid in 2020 £28,363
13Our Mission Statistics (see parish dashboard below)
14You can also read
