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Brampton Bierlow Christ Church In the Mission Partnership of Wath, Wombwell and Brampton Bierlow Releasing the Whole People of God for the Whole Mission of God If you have a passion for Setting God’s People Free, then perhaps the Lord is calling you to be the interim priest in charge at Christ Church, Brampton Bierlow. Here in the Diocese of Sheffield, we are currently re-configuring stipendiary incumbency, as the priestly ministry of enabling every member of the people of God to enter the full dignity of their baptism, by playing a full part in the service of God in the whole of life. This ministry is therefore one of nurturing, developing and fostering the gifts and especially the leadership potential of others — it is a ministry of experimentation and risk-taking, of pioneering, and of sharing in the responsibility of the Bishop for the oversight of the body of Christ ‘delighting in its beauty and rejoicing in its wellbeing’. In the Dearne Valley we have a once in a generation opportunity, through a successful Strategic Development Funding bid, to invest in the future of the church as we seek to ‘transform our society and God’s world’. The post of priest of Christ Church, Brampton Bierlow is integral to this challenge and opportunity. We are, therefore, seeking to appoint an able and resourceful priest whose heart will lift at the invitation to support this congregation, and the Mission Partnership generally, through a transition to a greater degree of every-member confidence and competence, so that the whole people of God are released (in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit) for the whole mission of God in that locality. Is the Lord calling you to join us? With every blessing The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox Bishop of Sheffield

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Page 1: Brampton Bierlow Christ Church In the Mission Partnership of … · 2019-10-15 · Brampton Bierlow Christ Church . In the Mission Partnership of Wath, Wombwell and Brampton Bierlow

Brampton Bierlow Christ Church In the Mission Partnership of Wath, Wombwell and Brampton Bierlow

Releasing the Whole People of God for the Whole Mission of God

If you have a passion for Setting God’s People Free, then perhaps the Lord is calling you to be the interim priest in charge at Christ Church, Brampton Bierlow. Here in the Diocese of Sheffield, we are currently re-configuring stipendiary incumbency, as the priestly ministry of enabling every member of the people of God to enter the full dignity of their baptism, by playing a full part in the service of God in the whole of life. This ministry is therefore one of nurturing, developing and fostering the gifts and especially the leadership potential of others — it is a ministry of experimentation and risk-taking, of pioneering, and of sharing in the responsibility of the Bishop for the oversight of the body of Christ ‘delighting in its beauty and rejoicing in its wellbeing’. In the Dearne Valley we have a once in a generation opportunity, through a successful Strategic Development Funding bid, to invest in the future of the church as we seek to ‘transform our society and God’s world’. The post of priest of Christ Church, Brampton Bierlow is integral to this challenge and opportunity. We are, therefore, seeking to appoint an able and resourceful priest whose heart will lift at the invitation to support this congregation, and the Mission Partnership generally, through a transition to a greater degree of every-member confidence and competence, so that the whole people of God are released (in the name of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit) for the whole mission of God in that locality. Is the Lord calling you to join us? With every blessing

The Rt Revd Dr Pete Wilcox Bishop of Sheffield

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Role Description

Details of Post Role Title: Interim Priest-in-Charge (three years, full-time, SDF funded) Name of Benefice: Christ Church, Brampton Bierlow Deanery: Wath Archdeaconry: Doncaster This innovative and exciting post is central to a Strategic Development-Funded “Resourcing Church” initiative. The post will be time-limited under Interim Ministry legislation for a maximum period of three years. The stipend will be funded by means of a Strategic Development Grant from the Church Commissioners, paid as a monthly stipend to the role-holder via the Sheffield Diocese. A “Resourcing Church” grant is enabling a Mission Partnership of the three adjacent parishes of Wath, Wombwell and Brampton Bierlow to assemble a core team of five key workers. This is in addition to two incumbents (already recruited) and one Interim Priest (for Brampton Bierlow). The Resourcing Mission Partnership is led by the Vicar of All Saints’, Wath, whose vicar is also patron of Christ Church Brampton Bierlow. All three parishes are traditionally of “low central” Anglican style. Wath and Wombwell currently have incumbents in the evangelical tradition and it would be vital that the Interim Priest of Brampton Bierlow is sympathetic towards this position. The aim of the (six year) project is to establish a network of newly planted missional communities in the area, nurtured and resourced by the funded posts deployed across the three partner parishes. The Diocese is particularly looking to develop “fresh expressions” of Church among the communities connected with the C. of E. primary school connected to each of the parishes. It is also believed that this outward focus will also enrich and grow “inherited church” in each of the three parishes.

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Role Purpose (applicable to all incumbency posts in the Diocese) 1. To exercise the cure of souls in collaboration with the bishop. 2. “To grow Christ-like, lively and diverse Christian communities in this place which are effective

in making disciples and in seeking to transform our society and God's world” (Diocesan Vision Statement).

3. To represent the Church of England in the wider community. 4. To support, encourage and resource colleagues in the deanery and diocese, as together we

seek to realise our diocesan vision and engage with the emerging Diocesan Growth Strategy. General Responsibilities (applicable to all incumbency posts in the Diocese) 1. To fulfil the responsibilities of clergy as described in the Canons, the Ordinal, the Guidelines for

the Professional Conduct of the Clergy, and other relevant legislation. 2. To watch over yourself, maintaining spiritual, physical and family well-being. 3. To ensure that a high standard of worship, preaching and pastoral care is offered. 4. To work with the PCC in developing and monitoring Mission Action Plans in liaison with the

Diocesan Parish Support Team. 5. To develop the ministry of the laity such that all are using their gifts for the common good and

to develop a ministry team; commitment to the Setting God’s People Free agenda of the Church of England.

6. To offer the gospel in a lively and engaging way to those who are outside the church. 7. To offer a way for people to explore the Christian gospel for the first time leading to baptism

and confirmation. 8. To offer clear pathways for young Christians to grow to maturity as Christian disciples. 9. To lead the church in responding to human need by loving service. 10. To support diocesan, national and international initiatives that address structural injustice. 11. To seek to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth. 12. To encourage Christian stewardship of people’s time, money and abilities. 13. To collaborate with Churchwardens and others to ensure the church building(s) serve the

church’s wider mission in the community. 14. To seek ecumenical cooperation wherever appropriate and possible. 15. To prioritise attending Deanery Chapter and Synod, to collaborate with the deanery in mission

and ministry and deanery planning. 16. To ensure full compliance at all times with the Diocesan Safeguarding Policy. 17. To promote a mixed economy of new and inherited expressions of mission and ministry. 18. To seek professional development through Leading Well, Continuing Ministerial Development

and diocesan events that aim to inspire and equip lay and ordained leaders.

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Specific Responsibilities (relating to this post in particular) This interim post carries the following core priorities particular to the Brampton Bierlow situation at this time:- (a) Approximately 50% of Role – INHERITED MODE

Priest in Charge duties in a developing and fluid situation

I. As Parish Priest, to exercise wise overall pastoral leadership of the “inherited” church congregation that will enable the parish to build on its commitment to united endeavour following the previous incumbent’s illness and premature departure.

II. To encourage the growth and development of the parish Messy Church leadership and congregation, who have seen very encouraging results in reaching young families new to Church.

III. To maintain the strong links forged by the previous Vicar with the C of E Primary School (as well as other schools in the parish as opportunities allow).

IV. Importantly: To work with the Vicar of Wath in leading the two parishes into a Pastoral Scheme, uniting Brampton and Wath into a single entity; and discerning the best use, within the new arrangements, of Christ Church building and the Church Hall (half a mile from Christ Church).

(b) Approximately 50% of Role – CHURCH PLANTING MODE

Helping to build a “Resourcing Church” by leading in raising up and training new leaders of small groups and informal expressions of Church:

I. Working with leaders of the three partner parishes to identify, recruit, train, deploy and

support new leaders for newly-forming missional communities. II. Monitoring the progress of lay leaders, providing mentoring, support and on-going training.

III. Keeping to the fore of strategic planning the reality that these lay-led congregations must achieve high levels of self-sustainability during the six years of Strategic Development Funding.

Key colleagues within the church (local, deanery, diocese and ecumenical)

• The Bishop of Sheffield and the Bishop of Doncaster • The Archdeacon of Doncaster • The Mission Partnership Incumbents of Wombwell and Wath • The Area Dean and Lay Chair of the Deanery • The SDF Project Manager (Alex Shilkoff) • Rev John Marsh, Mission Development Adviser for SDF churches • Canon Mark Wigglesworth, Archdeaconry Mission Development Adviser • The Clergy Chapter, Deanery Synod and Diocesan Synod together with church related groups • The Parish and Mission Partnership Church Wardens • The PCC and its elected/appointed officers • The Mission Partnership Steering Group

Key partners in the wider community (individuals and organisations)

• The Head Teacher and Staff of Brampton ‘The Ellis’ C of E Aided Primary School and other local schools

• The Member of Parliament • Local Councillors

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• Local community action groups Statement by the Archdeacon on behalf of the Bishops and the Diocese:

Brampton Bierlow was at the heart of the unrest associated with the demise of local coal mining in the 1980s. The memory of once being a coal mining community still informs this close-knit parish, although historic resentment at the loss of livelihoods once provided by the pit has diminished as new working patterns have emerged, new residents have moved in, and a post-mining generation has grown up. Even though Sunday attendance in the parish is currently weak, the Church is still felt by many to be at the heart of local life, is seen as having the potential for considerable growth. We believe that “inherited Church” can still thrive here, as well as the emergence of new church communities. The vision of the Diocese is to enable key “Resourcing Churches” to plant new groups of disciples, and enable/equip other local parishes to do the same. The strong Messy Church associated with Christ Church, together with the large number of baptism enquiries and the links with the Church School, justifies expectations of new expressions of Church springing up. The aftermath of the previous Vicar’s illness and premature departure in mid-2018, the Parish suffered from a period of division and rancour. Because there remain unresolved issues, an Episcopal Visitation has been mandated by the Bishop of Sheffield, conducted by an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese. It is firmly intended that this will draw a line under the matter and prepare the way for the Interim Minister to lead the Church forward in greater unity. The new Minister will nevertheless need to be a person who is both empathetic and determined in effecting reconciliation where possible and firm leadership when necessary. It is therefore our prayer that we will see numerous small (and growing) faith communities established, worshipping God and teaching the faith in ways that are culturally accessible to the majority of younger families, especially those who attend Church occasionally or never. This will entail the development of lay leadership and initiative. Crucially, the Interim Priest will be familiar with, and committed to, the principles of the national Setting God’s People Free agenda (incorporated into in the Diocesan Strategy as “Ambassadors for Christ”). We see the opportunity for a relatively “quick win” in the local schools, where there is a ready response to church involvement, welcomed by head teachers and local families are keen to have their children educated within a Christian ethos. Our aim is to plant churches among the fringes of the Church schools, as well as the fringe of the Church itself. Our prayer is that confident disciples will be trained to become effective in helping to grow similar expressions of Church in other neighbourhoods also. We believe that a parish that is thus alive with mission, discipleship and faith will grow its inherited forms of Church also. The Interim Priest-in-Charge will be a key player in training new leaders for this task across the Mission Partnership. Under all foreseeable deployment realities, Brampton Bierlow will not receive any future stipendiary incumbent beyond this Interim post. It is therefore essential for it to form a single parish with Wath (out of which it was original formed) as a united parish streamlined for mission and not hindered by the complexities of remaining separate parishes. This full-time role, resourced by a grant from the national Strategic Development Fund, would suit a priest who has completed a curacy and would like a 3-year creative role in a supportive Mission Partnership before moving on to a longer-term assignment. Alternatively, it would suit a person of some seniority who would like to invest his/her experience for three years in bringing about a new and exciting role for Christ Church. The immaculately-presented Christ Church Vicarage is available to the incoming priest. It is situated in the heart of Christ Church Parish, with ready commutable access around the wider Dearne Valley area, as well as to the large town of Rotherham and the city of Sheffield.

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Review Date: Signature of Office Holder: Date: Signature of Archdeacon: Date:

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DIOCESE OF SHEFFIELD

THE PARISH OF

PERSON SPECIFICATION

CRITERIA ESSENTIAL DESIRABLE

Qualifications/ Training

- Ordained Priest in the Church of England

- Some training in, or evidence of personal study of, pioneer ministry and/or mixed economy models of church life and mission

- Graduate or Post-Graduate level of education

Spirituality and Prayer Life

- A life of discipleship, nourished by Scripture, Prayer, Sacraments, Fellowship

- A pattern of guided and accountable spiritual life and growth

- A rhythm of work and rest, engagement and retreat

- Excellent management of work/life balance

- Valuing a regular rhythm of daily prayers and shared life of faith

Knowledge - Theological reading and reflection

- An understanding of how teams work and flourish

- A missiological approach to understanding contemporary UK culture

- An understanding of how interim ministry can help prepare a parish for the future

- Evidence of reading, reflection and continual learning in servant- leadership, spiritual growth, strategic vision.

- Knowledge of issues affecting pastoral schemes to unite parishes

Experience - Some experience of church planting, mixed economy or similar ways of working

- Experience of developing small groups for evangelism, discipleship, pastoral care, etc.

- Experience of working with schools in helping to form Christian awareness among the young

- Some experience of forming missional worshipping communities in a “frontier” context

- Some experience of conflict resolution

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Skills and Abilities

- An excellent communicator with strong gifts in biblical preaching and teaching

- Able to work constructively and positively with ordained and lay colleagues

- Sympathy with the evangelical tradition of the two other ordained priests in the partnership

- Able to exercise firm leadership if when individuals threaten the unity of the wider parish

- Able to bring about reconciliation wherever needed (and where possible)

- Able to prioritise – “Of all the things we could be doing, what will we do?”

- Able to self-organise logically and to lead/support teams who likewise plan and organise their work effectively

- Able to recruit, build and lead a mission team

- Able to manage a busy diary and to be flexible as well as strategic

- Able to enthuse and inspire others

Personal Attributes

- Humble, servant-hearted, Christ-like, patient with others

- If married, modelling an exemplary home life

- A good listener - Able to build relationships of

trust - Approachable, flexible friendly - A sense of humour

- Able to work well with colleagues of an evangelical persuasion and a parish whose history is of “low-central” tradition

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CHRIST CHURCH

BRAMPTON BIERLOW

Parish Profile

We aim to follow Jesus in every area of our lives. We do this by:

Worshipping God Praying and learning together Looking for and encouraging a growing faith in people of all ages Sharing the Good News of Jesus by serving the community in practical ways.

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The Opportunity This is a time of transition for the Parish of Brampton as the Diocese of Sheffield adjusts to a 21st Century model of ministry with fewer stipendiary clergy and a culture where traditional views of church and Christianity are fading. We need a skilled priest to help us continue our journey of being church in both traditional and new ways as we re-join our church and parish with the mother parish of Wath-upon-Dearne and make the most of Strategic Development Funding (SDF) in the mid Dearne Valley. The funding provides a one-off opportunity to do church differently including building on the work of our previous incumbent who strengthened links with our Church school and helped introduce Open the Book and Messy Church to our missional activities.

We are fully committed to developing our Mission Partnership and working with the churches of Wath and Wombwell and the SDF delivery team to make the most of the SDF funding. We recognise that this will be a challenge to us and that we will need help as we learn to do and be church differently.

Moving forward in Mission As a Church we are committed to moving forward in Mission and reaching out with the good news of Jesus to our community. We have embraced the Diocese’s Mission Action Planning process since it was introduced in 2015 and have recently completed MAP 3 as a part of our commitment to the Diocese’s ongoing mission strategy. The actions we have identified in our MAP will help prepare the way for the arrival of our next priest and our part in the SDF project. They include trying to improve links between our Baptism contacts and Messy Church, revisiting our Vision statement, and creating opportunities for more people to be involved in the life and mission of the church.

Our Messy Church has been so successful that it has outgrown our Church Hall and we have had to move out into a bigger venue. We had 43 adults and 32 children in January 2019.

We have also been building links with two community schools in addition to those we have with our Church school. The Church school, Brampton ‘The Ellis’ C of E Aided Primary School, sends groups of children on a rota each week and a team of 7 adults do Open the Book with them. The team also take Open the Book into West Melton Primary and we are building new links with Cortonwood Infants, we were invited in to their Harvest and the whole school came to church to celebrate Christmas with a Nativity performance.

We have also been strengthening links with the wider community, in particular our Friends of Brampton Graveyard group, set up in 2017 has been instrumental in transforming the graveyard and creating links between the church and those people in our community for whom the church yard is a special place.

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The Parish and the People

The Parish of Brampton Bierlow is in the Dearne Valley area of South Yorkshire, situated between our Mission Partnership parishes of Wath and Wombwell it is made up of three adjoining communities Brampton Bierlow, Cortonwood and West Melton:

There is easy access to a good road network and to the A1M and M1. Brampton is 6 miles from Rotherham, 7 miles from Barnsley, and 12 miles from both Sheffield and Doncaster.

Originally a farming locality, the Brampton developed alongside the opening up of the Dearne Valley coalfield and the building of colliery houses. This was followed by two areas of council housing and four council bungalow estates. More recently, two private housing developments were built on the sites occupied by Cortonwood Colliery and Brampton Ellis Secondary school. Approximately two thirds of homes are in owner occupation; a quarter are

socially rented and the remainder are privately rented.

Coal mining was the principle industry in the area, until the closure of the Dearne Valley coalfield in 1986 following the Miners’ Strike, which had its origins in the parish at Cortonwood. This resulted in massive unemployment and all its associated consequences. There has since been a major regeneration programme throughout the Dearne Valley, with many of the new jobs being in service industries, small businesses and retailing. Within the parish there is a retail park (Cortonwood Retail

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Park) on the former colliery site. Brampton is within easy access to a range of visitor attractions including historic houses, Elsecar Heritage centre, and attractive countryside including locally some significant nature reserves and further the Peak District National.

The total population of between 8,000 and 8,500 is predominantly “White British”, with less than 5% from other ethnic groups. There are higher than average levels of people claiming incapacity benefit and disability allowances and there are pockets of high social deprivation within the parish. Though the regeneration programme including new housing, road links and industry mean that it is less deprived than other areas of the former South Yorkshire Coalfields. Whilst still ranked in the bottom 16% for deprivation nationally it is at about the midpoint (81 out of 145 where 1 is most deprived) when ranked with the other parishes in the Diocese of Sheffield. The levels of educational attainment are higher than those for Rotherham MBC as a whole and the crime rate is lower than the national average.

The Parish Church The church is 165 years old and is still ordered in a traditional manner, with altar, choir pews (and organ) in the chancel, and traditional pews in the nave. We have recently made space at the rear of church by moving a couple of pews but would like to do much more. Our plans include introducing better AV facilities to replace a temporary screen and portable projector, and a better integrated sound system.

We have had initial discussions with our architect about re-ordering the nave to create a more flexible worship space that can also be used for more social events. Unfortunately, the illness and subsequent departure of our incumbent and the consequent pressures on Wardens and PCC has meant these conversations have temporarily had to take a back seat.

A major reordering was undertaken in 1996 when a narthex was created at the west end of the building. This opens onto a ‘friendship area’, with a well-equipped kitchen, a choir vestry and a crèche area. The downstairs area is well soundproofed and the ‘friendship area’ is very well used – e.g. for Sunday Club, refreshments after our main services, meetings and coffee mornings. There are also downstairs toilets, including one for the disabled.

Upstairs there is a large open balcony area which can contain additional seating for services if required, but which is also used as an extended refreshment area, for some activities outside normal service times and for various other activities.

Accessed from the balcony area is St. Cuthbert’s room, a storage space/office/print room in the tower.

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Pattern of Services

Sundays 10 am Holy Communion (Average attendance 35 adults & 5 children) 6pm Monthly, ecumenical, Taize service (Average attendance 12 adults)

Tuesdays (weekly) 9.45 am Holy Communion (Average attendance 11 adults)

Saturdays (monthly) 3pm Messy Church (January 2019 attendance 43 adults 32 children February 2019 attendance 39 Adults 27 children)

Worship We have a recently licensed Reader who assists in the leading of our Messy Church and some of our services. Intercessions and readings (apart from the gospel) are usually led by members of the congregation. For formal liturgical services clergy normally wear either cassock and surplice with stole, or cassock-alb with stole.

Occasional Offices Baptisms: in 2016 we had an unusual peak with 54 Baptisms, the more usual number is around 30

Weddings: numbers have dropped off recently. 3 are booked for 2019

Funerals: in 2017 there were 42. In 2018 this dropped to 27, partly due to interregnum

Confirmation s In 2018 we were delighted to present 1 adult and 3 children for confirmation

Musical Tradition Singing is an important part of congregational worship for many of us. We have an Organist and a Deputy who play for our services using both Organ and Clavinova electric piano/keyboard.

We have a small RSCM affiliated robed choir, which is augmented at Christmas, with additional people taking part. The regular choir members also follow the RSCM ‘Voice for Life’ awards scheme. Music ranges from traditional to modern including Iona and Taizé.

Sunday Club Our Sunday morning children’s ministry is called “Sunday Club” which is held each Sunday in the friendship area during the Communion Service. As in many places Sunday morning is not convenient for many families and numbers vary, our main mission to children and families is through our monthly Messy Church

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Organisations and Activities

We are a friendly and open church, seeking to look out into our wider community. Many of our social events draw in people who would not regularly come to church on a Sunday, but we also arrange events for our immediate church family.

There is an active and committed Mothers’ Union with 14 members. As well as having regular meetings, the members also undertake fund-raising for Mothers’ Union supported charities, undertake some small and low-key fund-raising and support, and arrange displays in church, notably for Mothering Sunday and at Harvest. Since 2010 the Mothers’ Union has co-ordinated and delivered up to 200 shoeboxes annually for the Samaritan’s Purse Christmas appeal.

One of our outreach activities has been setting up Pins and Needles who meet after school on Mondays to introduce children and their parents to creative crafts like knitting, sewing etc.

There is an informal fellowship group which meets weekly, usually in church, for bible study, discussion and prayer, and we have occasional short courses for church members and their friends.

Our Social Committee arranges a range of events through the year. Recent events have included a fashion show and a pea and pie supper.

We have a monthly coffee morning on a Saturday 20-30 people come.

Every Wednesday morning the church is open for visitors and refreshments are provided whilst the Friends of Brampton Graveyard are also working.

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The Church Hall Located next to the vicarage in about half an acre of land our church hall is a well used asset for church and community groups that helps provide income to the church. The Voluntary Manager is answerable directly to the PCC and is also responsible for bookings and the collection of fees.

It is used by the church for a range of activities and events, including parish parties and celebrations, as well as fund-raising and social activities, such as games nights and quiz nights. Occasionally the annual Plant Fair and the Summer and Christmas Fairs which normally take place in the church have been held in the hall.

Amongst the regular users are an early years’ nursery, Brownies and Guides, Dearne Valley Dance club, line dancers, a Karate club and an Over 50’s meet up group. It is also sometimes booked by the local funeral director for after-funeral refreshments. These are served by church members and the food is provided by local suppliers.

The Graveyard There are no new burial plots available in the graveyard, although family members may be buried in existing graves if there is room for another internment. Ashes can also be interred in existing graves and in the small Garden of Remembrance. The church grounds and graveyard cover approximately 3 acres. In 2017 Friends of Brampton Graveyard, a self-funded volunteer charity was established. There are about 30 members, a core group of 4 to 6 meet weekly to do general tidying and considerably more came to a one-off volunteer meeting held recently.

There is a Restricted fund which holds money for the maintenance of the Churchyard and enables us to keep on top of some of the regular tasks such as repairs and tree maintenance. We are hoping to explore closure in order to reduce the burden that responsibility for such a large graveyard places on the church.

The Friends of Brampton Graveyard have also organised events in the churchyard, such as ‘Brampton Graveyard, Alive with Nature!’ and are planning others for later this year. Local schools are encouraged to use the graveyard for educational purposes.

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Schools and Other Institutions Brampton ‘The Ellis’ Church of England (Aided) Primary School Head teacher: Mrs Alison Benbow. Number on roll: 600+ They are part of the James Montgomery Academies Trust (JMAT) a local Multi Academy set up to maintain links between the local cluster of schools in the Wath Area.

There are strong links between church and school, the school visits the church weekly for open the book, the vicar is normally a governor.

Other Schools with which the Parish has close links Brampton Cortonwood Infant School: (JMAT) Head teacher: Mrs Sarah Aston. Number on roll: 116 West Melton Primary School: Head teacher: Mrs Z. Norris. Number on roll: 174

Nursing Homes and Home Communions There are three nursing homes in the parish, West Melton Lodge, Emyvale, and Byron Lodge. A small team take home communions to a few people in the parish.

Places of Worship

Other Places of Worship in the Parish are:

United Reformed Church Princess Street Methodist Church

Pentecostal Church (Father’s House) The Welcome Mission

The Wath Conference of Churches (Churches Together) includes the three Anglican parishes of Brampton Bierlow, Wath-upon-Dearne and Wentworth, two Methodist churches, one Wesleyan Reform Church, one United Reformed Church, one Roman Catholic parish, and the Salvation Army.

A community group, ‘Cortonwood Comeback,’ took over the management of the former Cortonwood Methodist chapel, which it operates as a multi-purpose building. Occasional acts of worship which we support continue to be held there.

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Finances

Current Financial Position Our 2018 Accounts are still being prepared but we are able to report provisional figures here:

2018 2017

Unrestricted Income £63,888 £65,726

Unrestricted Expenditure £58,963 £59,659

Unrestricted balance including designated Funds

£38,128 £33,010

Restricted Funds Includes £41,844 investment fund that can’t be touched till 2025

£69,925 £63,701

There are no major debts, though we will have some major expenditure during 2019 as we need to do some repairs to the roof possibly £20,000 and some work on trees in the church yard.

Stewardship Over half of the parish's regular income is provided by the 35 donors who give through our giving scheme. There hasn’t been a Stewardship campaign for a number of years. Regularly reviewed Christian giving is something we need to do as we move forward with the SDF project and ideally this would be integrated with a new, wider, Stewardship campaign.

Expenses of Office The parish pays the full expenses of the incumbent (£900 in 2017) as well as the vicarage water rates and maintenance costs of the vicarage alarm system.

Common Fund (Parish Share) The parish has met its Common Fund pledges and payments in full for each of the last 5 years £33,521 in 2018. For 2019, in response to an appeal from the Diocese, we have been able to pledge £34,500, slightly more than we were asked for.

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10

The Vicarage The vicarage was built circa 1970. It is detached in its own quite large grounds and is in an excellent state of repair. Downstairs there is a fitted kitchen, utility room and larder, a large lounge, small dining room, a lockable study and a toilet off the hall. Upstairs there are four bedrooms, one with fitted wardrobes, a bathroom and a separate toilet. It has gas central heating and is fully double glazed. There is a detached single garage with additional hard standing for 2 additional vehicles.

There is an established and well maintained large garden stocked with ornamental shrubs and perennials and several productive fruit trees.

Friends of Brampton Graveyard fund-raising Barbeque in the vicarage garden

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Proposed Resource Church Structure for the Dearne Valley South (Wath/Brampton/Wombwell) Mission Partnership

Full details of the Strategic Development Fund Bid can be accessed here:

https://sheffielddiocese-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/alex_shilkoff_sheffield_anglican_org/EUt7-

viNPjFOnFmjCxACh84Bjr35gJ7y6dQLm8SYeJ6ywg?e=Nff7Sg

NB. Of the above posts all are in place except for Centenary Project Workers (CPW) and Priest at Brampton. The CPWs are anticipated to be in place by January 2020 (or just before).

Below is an extract from the Strategic Development Fund Bid.

1. The neighbouring parishes of Wath-upon-Dearne, Brampton Bierlow and Wombwell all have a C.E. Primary School eager to develop greater contact with their Parish. We therefore aim initially to create 3 new school-based congregations. Over time, there is further potential to repeat this strategy in two other church schools the neighbouring parishes of Wentworth (where no stipendiary priest is allocated) and Elsecar (where a new priest takes up post in the Autumn of 2018). All three incumbents in Wath, Brampton and Wombwell are supported by a diocesan stipend.

Mission Partnership

Administrator

CPW (Children)

CPW (Youth)

Curate/ Associate

Lay Ministry Trainer

Resource Mission Partnership in Wath-upon Dearne, Brampton Bierlow Wombwell

Worship Leader/Musician

Mission Development Advisor: Rejuvenated

Parish Support Team

3 STIPENDED INCUMBENTS

3 PCCs

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2. The SDF-funded Curate/Associate role would focus on training lay people to grow as leaders in order to establish long-term sustainability after the funded period is over. Sacramental occasions would be provided in each place by the parish priest on a “chaplaincy” model similar to that developed at Watford Soul Survivor. This would enable lay-led weekly services to develop sustainably, with (e.g.) monthly Eucharists and Baptisms. There is complete flexibility at this stage about the timing and style of these new School Congregations.

3. This strategy would provide a strong focus for the Training Associate, the Centenary Project Workers and the Worship Leader in developing further lay people to assume responsibilities for such areas of work going forward.

4. We believe that these existing Church School contacts offer the quickest and most effective route to engaging with the hundreds of non-Churchgoing families who choose to entrust their children to our care. Lessons learned in this experience can then be offered to Wentworth and Elsecar, who currently lack the resources to engage as fully as they would like with their C.E. Schools.

[Note: Wombwell and Elsecar are both within the Borough of Barnsley, thus extending our reach into that area.]

5. We believe that we will be able relatively quickly to commence appropriate expressions of Church that serve these school communities. However, there are significant new housing areas also to be addressed, most notably in Wath-upon-Dearne and Wombwell, that are currently outside the influence of school and church communities.

7. We therefore intend to encourage and nurture the emergence of Small Missional Communities in these new housing areas. We anticipate that this will be a less “quick-win” than starting up the schools work, but we are committed to an incarnational as well as attractional model of mission. A strong funded team will give us the capacity from an early stage to begin exploring how such Missional Communities can be initiated.

Over the course of the 6 years of SDF funding, the following outputs have been identified:

• 3-5 new school-based Churches created (including a sacramental life) • 160 new or re-engaged adult worshippers (assuming up to 40 adults

associated with each of five school-based congregation • 80 new adult disciples • 60 adult public professions of faith expressed in Baptism, Confirmation,

or completing Christian initiation courses • 12 new Expressions of Worship established that are not yet “fully Church”

(e.g. four in each parish of the MP) • 500 actively engaged Children and Young People

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• 60 pre-school child engagement at any given time • 50 new young disciples • 25 baptisms and/or confirmations of young people • 50% increase in Common Fund by 2024 • 60 new regular givers by 2024

The overall outcomes would be:

• A church that is connected to community life • A more visible, culturally accessible church • A church that is known for its welcome and work in the community • A church that grows younger through its engagement with schools • A more dispersed church that forms active communities of faith in each

locality • A church that is linked to community buildings and homes rather than just

the Parish Churches themselves • Possible exploration of engaging with workplace ministry in the Dearne

Valley • Inherited church congregations more actively engaged in mission and

discipleship