Download - Parish Profile COMBE TO COMBE BENEFICE 2021
Parish Profile COMBE TO COMBE BENEFICE 2021
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CONTENTS
A MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHDEACON OF BARNSTAPLE -
INTRODUCING OUR PARISHES -
ROLE DESCRIPTION -
PERSON SPECIFICATION -
ST PHILIP & ST JAMES (PIP & JIM'S) ILFRACOMBE -
PIP & JIM’S - WHO WE ARE -
TOWN & COMMUNITY / PHOTOS -
PIP & JIM’S - WHAT WE DO -
COMMUNITY, NEIGHBOURS & US / PHOTOS -
PIP & JIM’S - WHERE WE ARE GOING -
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
OUR BUILDINGS / PHOTOS -
ST PETER AD VINCULA, COMBE MARTIN -
ABOUT US -
OUR LOCATION -
COMBE MARTIN COMMUNITY EVENTS / PHOTOS
ST PETER’S, BERRYNARBOR -
OUR CHURCH -
OUR VILLAGE -
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A MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHDEACON OF BARNSTAPLE
This post presents a fantastic opportunity for an imaginative and creative
priest to work with a committed group of parishes seeking to deepen their
working together as a Mission Community, to bring together church and
community, and to grow in faith and discipleship. We would hope that the
right candidate will bring experience, energy and innovation to this role of
Vicar, as part of a committed ministry team, lay and ordained.
OUR DIOCESAN VISION
We seek to be people who together are:
Growing in Prayer
Prayer is conversation with God and is part of a healthy Christian
life. Prayer is a life-giving activity that opens up deep places within
us to God’s transforming grace. It is essential if we are to become the people and the Church God calls us to be:
Making new disciples
As the Christian story is less and less known, we must find new
ways of telling the story, of explaining the faith and giving a reason
for the hope that is in us. With Jesus Christ as our companion and
guide, we can travel through life differently.
Serving the people of Devon with joy
As followers of Jesus Christ, we want to make a difference in the
world and make God’s love and justice known. In our church life, we
seek to be local, participatory, and outward-looking.
Further information regarding our Diocesan Vision can be found in our
Next Steps document at
www.exeter.anglican.org/who-we-are/vision-strategy
LIVING IN MISSION COMMUNITIES
Our strategy centres on Mission Communities - parishes working together
to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively in Devon. The phrase
Mission Communities sums up what we need to be as a Church in the 21st
century: mission-orientated, community-focused, and locally-rooted.
Mission Communities help us to work together and support one another
better. They enable us to be more flexible in our mission and more
responsive to the different contexts and cultures of Devon.
A Mission Community aims to express the fullness of the life of the Church
locally. This will include:
regular prayer and worship pastoral care
evangelism and mission, often in collaboration with ecumenical
partners
opportunities for learning, teaching, nurture and growth for disciples of
all ages
youth and children’s work and worship
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equipping members for ministry in the community and the local Church
connecting with the local community, especially in service to the poor
good administration and stewardship of time, resources and buildings
If our Mission Communities are to flourish, they need to be more than just
a structure. They need to live and embody the life of Jesus Christ and to
share that life with others. Jesus came so that we can have life in all its
fullness. That is our vision and our hope for the Church in Devon.
In this Profile, you will find something of the vision and challenges of this Mission Community. I commend it to your study and prayer as you seek
to discern your next step in ministry.
DEANERY AND DIOCESE
The Mission Community falls within the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple, and
so under the care of the Bishop of Crediton. The Mission Community is in
the Shirwell Deanery whose Rural Dean is The Rev’d Rosie Austin. Rosie
is a member of the Shirwell Ministry Team.
In the Diocese of Exeter, we are working together to live out our three
diocesan priorities - to grow in prayer, to make new disciples and to serve the people of Devon with joy. We aim to be a diverse and truly
representative diocese, and particularly welcome applications from
women and those from black and minority ethnic groups. Not only is
Devon a beautiful place to call home, but we believe the Diocese of Exeter
is a great community of which to be a part.
You are warmly invited to contact me directly if you would like a
confidential conversation about the post.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Diocese.
The Venerable Verena Breed
Archdeacon of Barnstaple
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INTRODUCING OUR PARISHES
Thank you for showing an interest in the position of vicar for the Combe
to Combe Benefice: St Philip and St James, llfracombe (Pip and Jim’s),
St Peter ad Vincula, Combe Martin and St Peter, Berrynarbor. We have
been a benefice for the last three years, and are looking forward to a new
season as a community of three churches.
St Philip and St James, Ilfracombe (known locally as Pip and Jim’s) is a
dramatic Victorian landmark in the harbour area of Ilfracombe; while the
medieval St Peter ad Vincula nestles at the top of the large coastal village
of Combe Martin, on the edge of Exmoor. St Peter, Berrynarbor is the
beautiful and historic focal point of this pretty village lying between
Combe Martin and Ilfracombe. Situated in this stunningly scenic part of North Devon, we belong to the
Coast and Combe Mission Community, which consists of nine churches
working together in the Shirwell Deanery: Pip and Jim’s, Holy Trinity and
St Peter in Ilfracombe; St Peter ad Vincula, Combe Martin, St Peter,
Berrynarbor, and St Peter, Bittadon; St Sabinus, Woolacombe, St
Matthew, Lee and St Mary, Mortehoe.
The Mission Community has a team of 2.5 full time clergy, one self
supporting associate priest, three retired clergy, and four readers. There
is a good relationship between the Anglican churches and clergy in the
area, and working with other clergy is a key part of our post. Within the
Mission Community our Combe to Combe Benefice has one full time vicar,
two retired clergy, one reader, a mental health lay worker and a number of people in lay ministry.
The creation of this profile has been a collaboration of the three Combe to
Combe Benefice PCCs. As congregations we have been praying that God
is already preparing the way for exactly the right woman or man to be
interested and available to come and lead us.
We are thankful to God for all that He has done in and through our
churches over recent years. We are optimistic and hopeful about the
possibilities that lie ahead. We recognise that this new chapter in the
lives of the three churches will mean transition and change. We wait
expectantly for the arrival of the individual whom God has led to help
move us forward.
Ephesians 3 v 20 ‘Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably
more than all we can ask or imagine …’
As a group of churches we hope most of all that you can sense the heart
of a people who dare to ask, dare to imagine and dare to believe.
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ROLE DESCRIPTION
The core tasks we have identified for the immediate future across the
three parishes are as follows:
Be an inspirational lead for our worship, preaching and
teaching. Help us to meet Jesus, providing space and opportunity for worship that is transformative and engaging of whatever style,
informal, contemporary or liturgical. Be open to Fresh Expressions.
Be a visible and active presence in each of our parish communities,
including the schools.
Provide strategic leadership and planning for the three
congregations.
Discern the gifts of church members, training and releasing them
for the various ministries, including through small groups.
Encourage ministry to children and young people and engage
with their parents. Train, support and release church members into
this work.
Enable and support teams to share pastoral care in each parish.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
We are looking for a leader who is aligned with the vision of each
congregation, who can demonstrate the following characteristics:
Passionate spirituality Is a prayerful and Spirit-led lover of Jesus,
who moves actively in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and who will inspire
others to be the same.
Empowering Leads and empowers church members to identify their
gifts through mentoring and training, so that the responsibility for
ministry is shared. Recognises that every ministry can be performed by
every member regardless of gender.
Evangelistic Creates opportunities for people to hear the gospel,
explore the Christian faith and become disciples.
Has good people skills Is an approachable people person,
comfortable building relationships in the community and recognised as
the ambassador for the three churches. Able to maintain and build
relationships with neighbouring congregations of all denominations.
Strategic thinker with good organisational skills Experienced in a leadership role and not afraid of dealing with challenging situations.
Can guide the leadership teams within each congregation in developing
effective strategies and structures to further their vision and mission.
Is prepared to delegate and use fully the gifts and ministries of non-
ordained leaders.
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ST PHILIP & ST JAMES, ILFRACOMBE
PARISH DESCRIPTION
PIP & JIM’S – WHO WE ARE
St Philip and St James Church is known by everyone in Ilfracombe as Pip
and Jim’s. We are in the Diocese of Exeter and the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS) is our patron. We share our vicar with St Peter ad Vincula,
Combe Martin and St Peter, Berrynarbor.
OUR PURPOSE
Recently, the church members were called to prayer for God’s vision for
the congregation. In many ways it seemed like the opening of a new
chapter in the life of the community of Pip and Jim’s. We see the vision as
four themes, which we are continuing to unpack and embed during the
vacancy:
Building bridges
Changing culture
Finding faith
Growing community
..... together, because of Jesus.
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OUR CONGREGATION
We are an Anglican congregation in the evangelical tradition made up of
families with young children through all ages to retired people. We have
66 on the electoral roll. We are joined during the summer months by
numbers of visitors, many of whom holiday in Ilfracombe regularly and
return to worship with us whenever they stay here.
Our congregation is mainly resident within the town of Ilfracombe and
reflects the population of the town, with those who are from local families
joined by newly retired people who have chosen to settle in Ilfracombe
and a number who have moved to the area to work.
We come from a variety of worshipping traditions as well as Anglican, and
this brings a diversity of understanding and experience which is valued.
We have strong participation from the congregation in all our activities
including the PCC and committees, Sunday worship, children’s activities,
community outreach and small groups. The vicar is actively supported by
the churchwardens. There is also a part time parish administrator.
A wider group of local people in the town and parish look to Pip and Jim’s as their local parish church for their baptisms, weddings and funerals, and
attend Pip and Jim’s for the major festivals and particularly our popular
Christingle service. These longstanding links have been built up over
many years through the schools and our various community groups and
events.
The congregation is friendly and welcoming, and we place great
importance on ensuring that visitors feel comfortable and valued when they join us for worship.
OUR PARISH
Our vibrant and diverse parish sits within a coastal conservation area of
outstanding natural beauty, encompassing Ilfracombe’s working and
leisure harbour and quayside with its unique coastal charm. The parish
spans over the historic hill of Hillsborough to Hele, Chambercombe and
our rural areas. Situated on the pier you will find Damien Hirst’s statue of
Verity, along with a number of excellent restaurants and shops serving
our holidaymakers and locals alike. Within the area are the many local
organisations that we are connected with such as the RNLI, Sea Cadets,
Yacht, Gig, Dive and Sailing Clubs.
Our resident parish population of approximately 3000, sits within
Ilfracombe’s population of 11,184 (2011 parish census), rising
significantly in the tourist season. The town has a very strong community
feel with numerous clubs, associations and town events happening
throughout the year, giving our church many opportunities to join in.
In addition to our sister Anglican parish of Holy Trinity and St Peter’s,
Ilfracombe is home to Baptist, Roman Catholic, Methodist/United Reform,
Salvation Army, and two Independent Evangelical Churches. Members of
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Pip and Jim’s participate in various collaborative church activities including
Remembrance Day Service, Good Friday Walk of Witness, Befrienders and
Joint Churches Prayer.
OUR TOWN
Ilfracombe is a working commercial harbour and also has moorings for
local and visiting boats. In the summer, popular boat trips take visitors
along the coast and across the Bristol Channel to Lundy Island and South
Wales. Pip and Jim’s is situated in the midst of the holiday area between
the harbour and seafront, and is a familiar sight in the town. Besides
Ilfracombe’s many beaches, attractions include the Landmark Theatre,
Jubilee Gardens and bandstand, the museum and aquarium, with
wonderful walks in stunning scenery, including the South West coast path.
Ilfracombe also enjoys North Devon's only Green Flag award winning
park, Bicclescombe Park.
The town is gaining an increasing reputation for great food, and has two
Michelin starred restaurants. The Michelin inspector who visited the town’s
restaurants recently compared the town to Padstow - made famous by
celebrity chef Rick Stein - saying Ilfracombe looked set to give the
Cornish town ‘a run for its money’.
Ilfracombe has a good range of sporting facilities with all weather tennis
courts, a swimming pool, diving, gig racing, golf, football and rugby clubs.
Work has begun on a new Watersports Centre, due to be completed in
2022. This is an Arts-rich community with many galleries and creative
projects. There are three very active local amateur dramatic societies, a
community choir and many more clubs for both youth and adults.
Ilfracombe has a mixed economy and employment opportunities that
mainly centre around tourism. It is one of the more successful seaside
towns in helping itself regenerate. Evidence of this can be seen in the
reinvestment occurring in the town’s properties and the style of new
businesses working from home. However, there are pockets of severe
deprivation where there is a high dependence on benefits.
Ilfracombe Church of England Academy (11-18) serves a large catchment area from Woolacombe to Lynmouth and engages well with the
community, as do the Junior (CofE) and Infant Schools. Both Ilfracombe
parishes work with the schools. The local clergy attend assemblies in all
three schools.
The vicar of Pip & Jim’s is an ex officio trustee for ICE Ilfracombe
(Initiatives in Christian Education), a youth work charity jointly funded
and managed by the Academy and Ilfracombe churches. The project was initially set up in September 2014 through the school, Ilfracombe Anglican
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churches and the Diocese of Exeter. It is now supported by all nine
Ilfracombe churches and jointly funds a full time youth worker based at
the Academy, and also runs Delta, a youth drop in cafe in Ilfracombe High
Street. It has a number of trained volunteer team members who work
directly with young people at Delta and in the school, helping with
lunchtime Christian clubs and individual mentoring. Several members of
the congregation support ICE Ilfracombe as trustees, mentors to students
at the Academy or volunteer helpers at various youth events and groups.
OUR BUILDINGS
The Church was built in the 19th century and consecrated in 1854 and its
purpose was to serve the area of the quay and the crew of visiting boats,
along with the visitors. From the outset it has had a strong evangelical
tradition. It is a landmark within the town with its signature text
positioned on the spire beneath the clock, ‘It is time to seek the Lord’. The curtilege is also consecrated but does not have a churchyard. The
main area is used as a car park and also for various church events during
the summer months. It has a flower border and a shelter planting of holm
oaks. The imposing church building is in the Early English style and is
Grade 2* listed.
During recent years there has been some internal re-ordering to create
some more modern facilities at the west end. Currently this includes an
informal area with sofas, cafe style tables where we serve refreshments, a children’s play area and a disabled toilet. The recent staging at the front
of the nave has opened up many opportunities to use this area more
freely during services, and also for community events such as the annual
Academy concert. Our Flower Festival and Christmas Tree Festival make
wonderful use of the church’s spacious and inspiring interior.
The Pip and Jim’s Community Centre is situated alongside the church in St
James Place and is very important as a facility and venue for church activities, including the children’s work. It is hired out for numerous clubs
and events and is a key community venue in the vicinity.
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ILFRACOMBE - TOWN AND COMMUNITY
Bicclescombe Park – acres of beautiful
recreation spaces
Surveying our parish - looking West from Hele Bay along the
coast to Ilfracombe harbour and
Pip and Jim’s Church
Ilfracombe’s High Street on
a pre-Christmas afternoon
The lifeboat and harbour
with The Harbour Church
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PIP & JIM’S – WHAT WE DO
SUNDAY SERVICES
Sunday services start at 10.30am. The style is informal and robes are not usually worn. Most services have a high contribution from the
congregation through eg, leading, intercessions, readings. In addition to
our vicar we have a small team from the congregation who preach. Space
is provided at most services for testimony and stories of what God is
doing in the lives of the congregation. Prayer ministry is always available
each week by the small prayer team and this is an area of ministry that
we would like to expand. The service typically ends at around 12.00pm
and is followed by coffee and biscuits and a chance to chat and share.
Music is usually led by the sung worship team (guitars, keyboard, drums)
drawing on a wide repertoire of modern songs alongside traditional
hymns. Words and images for the service are projected onto a large
screen. When an organist is available the pipe organ makes a welcome
contribution to our music.
Holy Communion, on the first and third Sunday of the month, is often led
by one of the group of lay leaders, leaving the minister to celebrate the
Eucharist. We use a variety of versions of the Eucharist sourced from Common Worship and the Anglican website.
Morning Worship is frequently led by a member of the congregation.
Where a month contains a fifth Sunday, we meet with our partner
congregations at one of the three churches in the benefice.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH
We care passionately about children at Pip and Jim’s and want them to
have fun, be safe and grow up knowing God loves them and that Jesus is
their friend.
Children’s church
At our Sunday worship services small children enjoy a variety of toys and
activities in their own attractive area at the back of the church, so their
parents are still able to participate in the service.
We are currently running sessions for the children each first and third
Sunday of the month. The children leave after the first few minutes for
their own activities in the well equipped and attractive children’s room in
the Community Centre, returning in time for Holy Communion with their
parents. Our children’s coordinator and helpers are committed to
presenting the Bible and Christian faith in an age-appropriate way.
Youth The youth work at Pip and Jim's is fairly new, and we are starting up
sessions for the young people, every first and third Sunday of the month.
Our aim is to encourage our young people to engage with the Bible, and
apply this to their lives. We want our young people to feel like they have
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a safe space to ask questions, to use these questions to lead our sessions
and help them grow in their own faith.
Parent & Toddler Group
Up until the Covid pandemic this group was a long serving, popular and
flourishing outreach attended by over 50 parents plus their children,
spread over two sessions once a week on a Monday in the Community
Centre during term time. This was overseen by a leader and a team of
committed helpers and much enjoyed by parents and children alike. Since Covid this work has been suspended, like many other activities, and
its future is uncertain. Time has moved on and the circumstances of our
leader and some of the team have changed. Coupled with the new
demands of safety and risk factors with regard to Covid we are having to
assess the situation. Parent and Toddler Group is something we have
valued over time and it would be sad not to resume it. However we have
to consider all aspects. We will be seeking God’s guidance as we consider
what the future may hold and what this group might look like should it
resume.
DISCIPLESHIP AND EVANGELISM
Home groups
Currently there are three home groups, which meet in homes in and
around the parish for Bible study and fellowship. The character of each
group is different although all share the aims of building friendships, deepening faith through Bible study, prayer and by sharing stories. At
times all the groups study the same material or theme eg, during Advent
or Lent. We believe small groups are a key way that the congregation can
‘make disciples’.
Pastoral team
The pastoral team is a small group of people who visit and support those
of the congregation who are in need. This includes the elderly who can’t get to church regularly and also those with particular needs, including by
providing meals after surgery or childbirth. Some of the team are able to
deliver Holy Communion at home to those who need it.
Prayer meetings
Monthly whole church prayer meetings are held on the first Wednesday
evening in the month. The style is varied and aims to allow space for
members with different approaches to prayer to come together to hear
from God and to intercede on behalf of others.
Other connect groups
Pip and Jim’s hosts a weekly lunch club as part of our reaching into the
community. We have a seasonal women’s walking group, which has fun
combining healthy activity with friendship building. There is a newly
purposed men’s group aimed at developing meaningful accountable
relationships between men.
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There are a number of people who work together on social events such as
quizzes, meals, coffee mornings, a 60's Night etc, and we wish to have
more of these, both for us at Pip & Jim's but also as opportunities to invite
folk to a 'not church' event.
In recent years, the church has hosted a weekend away for Pip and Jim’s,
Combe Martin and Berrynarbour congregations at Lee Abbey near Lynton.
Annual community events
We have a dedicated and talented team who put on our Pip and Jim’s
Flower Festival each August. It draws many people into the church
building and is a regular favourite with locals and tourists alike. There are
special church links with the RNLI and Ilfracombe’s Maritime Festival and
there is a Civic Service each year. Our very popular Pip and Jim’s
Christmas Tree Festival is part of the town’s lead up to Christmas, with
local traders and church members decorating trees, bringing large
numbers of people into our church and raising funds for local charities.
The year culminates with our own church Christmas services, including our traditional Christingle when the church is always packed! Ilfracombe
Academy holds its Christmas concert at Pip and Jim’s, along with music
and drama presentations through the year.
Car parking
The Church offers its car park for use by visitors (for payment) during the
summer. This unlikely outreach offers opportunities to share the love of
Jesus and to pray with visitors, in addition to being a welcome income stream. The car park also hosts a book exchange library.
Mission
10% of the general giving is contributed to a number of local and
international Christian based activities and charities to help alleviate
poverty and suffering. These are agreed annually and include workers
who are closely associated with the congregation, local mission
opportunities and those wider afield. In addition, the Church is committed
to making a substantial contribution towards ICE Ilfracombe. Further fundraising activities enable support to local and youth activities, along
with help towards disaster appeals.
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COMMUNITY, NEIGHBOURS AND US
Christmas Tree
Festival with 100+
local groups, and
raising money for
local charities such
as On the Doorstep
Worshipping on Weatherspoon’s roof!
Fellowship
weekend at
nearby
Lee Abbey
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PIP & JIM’S – WHERE WE ARE GOING
We are embedding our church vision into the life of Pip & Jim’s using the
four themes Building bridges, Changing culture, Finding faith and Growing
community..... together, because of Jesus. These themes have become
the lens through which we view everything we do or plan to do, enabling
us to develop, measure and prioritise all in-church and in-community
activities and projects. HOME GROUPS
We consider our home groups to be the heartbeat of our growing together
as family; places where we can share openly and honestly, find
encouragement and support, and also pray and study together.
About half of the congregation are part of one of these groups and we are
hoping to promote and prioritise them as we aim to encourage a much
greater proportion of the church to become involved. This would create a
more cohesive approach to caring for one another as everybody would
belong to somebody, which would underpin and help the work of our
excellent pastoral team.
TEAMS
Identifying and affirming the gifts of others is fundamental to the spiritual
health of the church and the functioning of the body as a whole. During
2021 we have identified nine Teams to cover all areas of our work and mission at Pip and Jim’s. Each team is made up of volunteers from the
congregation, with a dedicated PCC link person to allow a flow of
communication and to provide encouragement and support. While giving
people freedom to use their gifts can be messy, we want to use the teams
to help us learn to work together, get connected, reach out, make Jesus
known and shape lives.
GROWING LEADERS – THE NEXT GENERATION
Identifying and affirming the gifts of others is fundamental to the spiritual
health of the church and the functioning of the body as a whole. At Pip
and Jim’s we would not want to suffocate or neglect the growth and
empowering of others as they seek to discover their God given gifts and
hopefully this ‘vacancy’ may become an exciting breeding ground for lay
ministries.
We also see this approach as an opportunity to encourage, not just our
own generation but also those that are to come; that a future generation
may stand on our shoulders, as we have stood on the shoulders of others,
a vital and important principle which we would want to encourage and
develop.
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DEVELOPING CONTINUITY
We recognise that there are gaps within the demographic of the
congregation and understand the difficulties churches face in attracting
and keeping young families, as we have experienced in the recent past.
This is equally true for our young teenagers, who often find that the
structure of ‘Church On Sunday’ doesn’t really excite or appeal to them and despite trying different approaches, a longterm solution, if this exists,
has yet to be found. However, by its very nature, it is a changeable
situation and therefore would need a continual process of review.
We hope that our support of an ICE youth worker within the Ilfracombe
Academy and the new Delta youth cafe will play a major part in changing
this culture, as we learn more from one another, find areas of compromise, and breakdown the stereotypes that exist. We pray for a
major revival and the finding of faith for many children and young people
throughout Ilfracombe. This will have to become and remain a high
priority if we are to find a greater measure of continuity at Pip and Jim’s.
MOVING IN MISSION
We currently participate in or host a variety of community activities and
are beginning to find our place in the community. We regularly commit to praying for all the streets and businesses in our parish and the feedback
has been overwhelmingly positive, with many people being grateful for
our input and ‘surprised’ that the church still does this!
Our study of Fruitfulness On The Frontline has elevated the profile of
personal evangelism within Pip and Jim’s and engaging our frontline from
a needs based perspective rather than ‘just preaching’ has been a
welcome revelation to many in the congregation. Finding more innovative and authentic ways of engaging and meeting the needs of our community
will certainly be our basis for mission in the future.
SUMMARY
There is definitely work to be done, but there is also the feeling that we
are ‘catching the wave after many years of paddling’ and there is certainly
a sense of momentum being built in all areas of church life. We want to
more accurately represent Jesus to our community and base our mission
on developing treasured frontline relationships that open opportunities for
true needs based evangelism. Long term we would love to see Pip and
Jim’s become the hub of our community, a place of warmth and a place of
acceptance and safety, where voices can be heard, troubles shared and
needs met ... A place where people can experience and know the
transforming power of God in their lives.
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£-
£20,000
£40,000
£60,000
£80,000
£100,000
£120,000
Yr 2016 Yr 2017 Yr 2018 Yr 2019 Yr 2020
Pip & Jim's Financial 2016-2020
Receipts Expenditure
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
VICARAGE
The vicarage is in a quiet area about a mile outside the parish overlooking
the beautiful Bicclescombe Park, with a private gate leading directly to the
park. Situated in extensive grounds it is an attractive large and modern
five bedroom house with ample car parking and a double garage.
GOVERNANCE
The PCC meets once a month and at present consists of 13 members plus
the vicar.
COMMUNITY CENTRE
We are fortunate to have use of our Church Centre which is owned and
run by a separate Trust. This multi-functional space, of a hall and four separate rooms along with a kitchen, has served the community for many
years and has been subject to major renovations during the Covid-19
lockdown periods. It is rented out to a wide range of community usages
from health projects, AA, fitness clubs, table top sales and children’s clubs
and parties to name but a few.
FINANCE
The Lord has truly blessed us over the years to be able to have balanced
the books and paid our common share. Our challenges are similar to
many churches today in that are giving is not sufficient, though our
income from the seasonal car park assisted considerably. It is also a
major mission and outreach opportunity to our locals and tourist. As we
look to the future, 2021 is forecasting a deficit and with the major costs
of our critical renovations, mentioned in the fabric report, we will be using up much of our limited reserves.
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OUR BUILDINGS
Building bridges in the car park
– just a stone’s throw from the
harbour, seafront and High St
St James Vicarage, next
to Bicclescombe Park
Our Community Centre across
the road from the Church
Ilfracombe
parishioners celebrating in
our beautiful
church
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FABRIC
Our historical church is grade II* listed, dating from 1854. Regular
maintenance is undertaken to keep the building in a safe and operational
way.
We are undertaking a major six phase Heritage Restoration Project aiming
to ensure the church is future proofed structurally, and to be fit and safe
to open for multiple uses helping to serve our community. The first two
phases ensure the safety of the tower and the bells, followed by phase 3
which involves major works to the West wall and windows. Phases four
and five will see better disabled access and catering provisions, along with
scheme to enable a historical interpretation of the church internally and
externally. Then finally, phase six will look at a new, environmentally
better way to heat the church.
USEFUL WEBSITES
Combe to Combe Benefice combetocombechurches.co.uk
Find us on Facebook Pip and Jims Church - Ilfracombe
Diocese of Exeter exeter.anglican.org
ICE Ilfracombe iceilfracombe.org.uk
Ilfracombe visitilfracombe.co.uk and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilfracombe
CPAS cpas.org.uk
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ST PETER AD VINCULA, COMBE MARTIN
PARISH DESCRIPTION
We are looking for a vicar to help us develop a vision of where God is
leading us as a church and draw up a mission action plan for its
implementation. Areas we have been considering include developing
pastoral care, particularly through lay ministry; creating more
contemporary and inclusive styles of worship: encouraging us to find our
gifts and use them; and reaching out to families and young people.
ABOUT US
We are a congregation of 20-25, mostly retired, and most of us are active
in the life of the church in some way. There are currently 33 on the
electoral roll. We are fairly traditional but open to new ways and ideas.
We have a PTO priest, a PTO lay reader and three lay people who have
been trained to lead worship.
OUR WORSHIP PATTERN
Holy Communion (CW) on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, with Parish Worship
(variety of styles and services) on 2nd and 4th Sundays. On the 5th Sunday
we share worship with Pip and Jim’s, Ilfracombe and St Peter,
Berrynarbor at one of our three churches. Before lockdown we had a
midweek communion service on a Wednesday morning, preceded by an
ecumenical prayer meeting. This has not restarted so far.
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At festivals and village events (eg, Carnival Week) we hold special
services. Remembrance Sunday is especially significant to the village and
the church is full at this service.
LAY MENTAL HEALTH WORKER
Out of a desire to share God’s love in the community, a grant from the
Diocese in 2020 enabled Combe Martin and Berrynarbor churches to
employ a lay mental health worker for 20 hrs a week on a two year
contract, with the option to extend a further year. Over this period it is
hoped this person will help train the churches in mental health first aid, as
well as be a mental health advocate in the community, and support
people in accessing longer-term services.
HOME GROUPS
We used to have two home groups that met weekly and during lockdown
we held a weekly zoom bible study. We are hoping to restart a group in
the autumn of 2021.
MESSY CHURCH
For a number of years we held a Messy Church on a Saturday morning at
the village hall supported by other churches in the village. This was well
attended by families, many of whom with no association with any church,
but stopped with lockdown and we are reviewing the way forward.
However, we are holding our annual Teddies from the Tower event in
September as a fun afternoon for families in the community.
We no longer have an organist,
although we have an organ and
grand piano which are used
occasionally. Music for worship is
provided by Hymn Technology’s
Hymnal-Plus through our new
sound system. We had a music group in the recent past but some
members have moved away and
fresh blood is needed.
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BELL RINGERS
We have a proficient band of bell ringers who are hoping to restart ringing
for services and weddings soon.
ECUMENICAL LINKS
We are part of Christians Together in Combe Martin and Berrynarbor,
along with the Baptists and the Methodists. This has held a variety of
mostly monthly events, welcoming both village and church members. We have had cream teas, walks, family board games in a pub, games on the
beach, film afternoons, and also shared worship on the beach, café
church, carol singing etc. As a church we also support the World Day of
Prayer and Thy Kingdom Come with the other churches in Combe Martin
and Berrynarbor.
OUR BUILDINGS
St Peter ad Vincula is a Grade 1 listed medieval church noted for its lofty
tower and its rood screen. The rood screen is considered to be of national importance and was restored and conserved in 2012. This was financed
by the Heritage Lottery Fund (80%) grants and the village community,
and there is a commitment to undertake educational and other activities
in response.
We have made some limited changes to the layout of the church by
removing some pews both at the front of the nave and by the font. The
former gives more flexibility of use in worship and the latter gives more
space both for baptisms and for children.
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We are in the final stages of installing a new sound system and loop. As
well as improving the sound quality for worship, this will provide
opportunities for holding church and village concerts.
The building is, on the whole, in a good state of repair and we have been
able to deal with the major items identified in recent quinquennial
inspections. We have just had our most recent inspection and are
awaiting the report. However in conversation with the architect we feel we
will be able to deal with the issues he identified.
There is a church hall with parking for about 30 cars next to the church.
The hall is available for community use and is used by the art club,
gardening club, Women’s Institute, as well as occasional children’s parties.
Friends of St Peter’s
For the last 15 years this independent registered charity has provided
financial support to maintain the fabric of the church and churchyard.
They have enabled us to carry out repairs to the church and church hall;
most recently they donated £5,000 towards the repair and painting of the
church tower clock.
Sadly, they have just decided they can no longer continue as finding new
committee members to carry on the work has proved impossible. We will
miss both their fundraising and the social events they organised which
were enjoyed by church and community.
FINANCE
Our regular giving is mainly through the Parish Giving Scheme with a few
still giving by weekly cash collections. The church is committed to making
our Common Fund contribution in full, which was £14,710 in 2020.
A number of years ago the sale of a former glebe property realised a sum
of money for mission at home and overseas, and a fund still remains for
the work of the church in the village.
We will miss the financial support of the Friends, but in the past the
Coffee after
the morning
service
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community has responded well to specific appeals, eg rebuilding the
churchyard wall, and individual members of the Friends have offered their
support and expertise for any fundraising we might do.
OUR LOCATION
Combe Martin is a rural parish with a population of 3,941 (2011 Census).
It is built along a valley that runs down to a small harbour and beach. The
village is a mini seaside resort amid the spectacular coastal and moorland
scenery. It is popular with families, who can enjoy kayaking and water-
sports, and explore the rock-pools and caves.
GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY
Our South facing slopes are steep but fertile and used to be significant for
the growing of strawberries. Combe Martin was also famous for its silver
mines, and the surface workings and some of the tunnels of one these are
being carefully restored. The steep valley slopes have an impact upon the
availability of the number and variety of housing.
ECONOMY AND DEMOGRAPHY
Permanent employment is based on small tradesman, farming, some light
industry and commuting to Barnstaple. In summer there is also a
significant amount of seasonal employment with the influx of holiday makers. Income from fulltime and seasonal employment tends to be less
compared to regional and national averages. We are in an area with a
significant number of people coming to retire. This together with the
growth of holiday and second homes has distorted the housing market
and many local people are unable to find housing. Combe Martin has a
high proportion of private rented housing.
There is a primary school with a preschool and nursery. Secondary and further education takes place in Ilfracombe and Barnstaple. There is a
Medical Centre which is part of Combe Coastal Practice based in
Ilfracombe.
We have four convenience stores distributed through the village; also two
bakeries, a butcher, a pharmacy, two car repair garages and one petrol
station. There are five public houses and a variety of food outlets, several
of which are open throughout the year. There are a number of caravan
and campsites both in the village and on its surrounding hills.
Public transport is limited, although there are regular bus services to
Ilfracombe and Barnstaple, the major town in north Devon. There is a
weekly free bus service provided by Tesco to its Barnstaple store. The
lack of private transport can be a serious limitation, especially for the
elderly and infirm, and the villages of Combe Martin and Berrynarbor have
established a community car service to help out. There is a community
shop run by volunteers which is a source of funding for many village
organisations.
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ACTIVITIES
Combe Martin has a range of activities and clubs for all ages. They include
kayaking, judo, badminton, football, lawn bowls, darts and skittle
leagues, gardening and women’s institute. There is a public sports field
and two children’s playparks. The village hall is the main indoor public
space, where a monthly farmers’ and craft market is held. The tourist
information centre and village museum are run by volunteers from the
village and offers a range of activities throughout the year.
Local festivals in normal years draw in lots of visitors, such as the Hunting of the Earl of Rone, at the late spring bank holiday weekend; a strawberry
fair in June; and a week-long carnival during the second week of August
with processions, raft races, a flower festival.
In summary, Combe Martin is a mix of local, long-established families and
newcomers, many of whom fell in love with the village and surrounding
area while on holiday and have taken the opportunity to move to work or
retire in the area.
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COMBE MARTIN COMMUNITY EVENTS
Earl of
Rone
Christians
Together
Raft Race
Village
Farmers’
Market
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ST PETER’S, BERRYNARBOR
PARISH DESCRIPTION
OUR CHURCH
St Peter’s is the only religious building in this rural parish of about 750
people. The church is a grade 2 listed building in the centre of the
conservation area and an area of outstanding natural beauty. The bell
tower was restored in 2001, and the church’s twin roofs together with
major repairs to the roof gulleys, external masonry and stained glass
windows were finally completed in September 2021 at great cost. All this
work was funded by Berrynarbor PCC’s prudent investments spanning
many years.
The churchyards are maintained to a very high standard by our gardener
and villagers and visitors have remarked on their beautiful condition. The
Village War Memorial (situated in the old churchyard) has recently
received Grade 2 listing from Historic England.
Worship at St. Peter’s is at 11am on Sundays, with the Village Service on
the 1st Sunday, Holy Communion on 2nd and 4th Sundays, and a Songs of
Praise held on the 3rd Sunday. A joint service with Combe Martin and Pip
and Jim’s churches is held on the 5th Sunday when that falls within the
calendar month. Intercessions and the first reading are led by a member
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of the congregation. Worship is spiritual and traditional - but informal with
gentle humour. Church members are actively involved with the
community and offer pastoral care to many who are confined to their
home due to illness or disability.
As with many churches throughout the land, church choirs have suffered
during the Covid pandemic and resultant lockdowns. Our choir has not
sung for the last 18 months, but hope to restart practice in the months
ahead. The choir is of a high standard and sang with the Chivenor Military Wives Choir at two special concerts held in Berrynarbor church in 2016
and 2018.
Berrynarbor also prides itself with six expert bell ringers and yet another
six ringers (including several ladies), who train and practice regularly.
Our strength in Berrynarbor is the wonderful friendship that is ever
present between members of the congregation and the village as a whole,
and the willingness to help one another when necessary.
Berrynarbor has been ably supported by the Priest in Charge and a retired
rector who lives within the village, who together cover most church
services. We are also grateful to a lay preacher from nearby Combe
Martin Church and also from Pip and Jim’s Church in Ilfracombe. We
currently do not have a churchwarden, but this role is shared by all PCC
members until this position can be filled.
Berrynarbor’s main requirements for the new candidate are to be a
bridgebuilder with vision within our community, and to stimulate the link
between our church and church school; to reintroduce Messy Church and
stimulating projects to encourage the children to engage in new exiting activities. In addition we would like the candidate to actively involve
him/herself in the role of pastoral care within the village.
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OUR VILLAGE
Berrynarbor has a core indigenous population mostly engaged in
agriculture, tourism or are those that have retired. In summer, local
tenting and caravan sites increase the population by several thousands.
There is a modern community run Post Office and shop which is
celebrating its 13th anniversary! The three ladies employed to run the Post
Office are ably assisted on a daily basis by many local volunteers. The
establishment has its own large free Car Park which is beneficial for
visitors and others who reside in nearby villages. This Community Shop
has won several nationwide awards for its wide range of products and operating efficiency.
Berrynarbor has an excellent village hall, The Manor Hall, which is held in
trust for the village. Activities include badminton, keep fit classes, a pre-
school group, a wine circle group and a snooker club. The horticulture
show is one of the highlights of the year, and the hall is regularly booked
for wedding receptions throughout the year.
We are blessed with an excellent voluntary controlled primary school
which serves a wider catchment area. The school’s board of governors
includes church representation from our Priest in Charge, and one
governor appointed by the Berrynarbor Parish Council.
Our village regularly wins awards for Best Kept Village and Britain in
Bloom. The parish includes National Trust footpaths, and access to nearby
beaches with magnificent cliff views across the Bristol Channel to South
Wales.
Berrynarbor has a strong independent community and a tradition of support for neighbours in need. There are many flourishing local
organisations which strengthen the life of this vibrant community,
including a bi-monthly village newsletter which is published
on www.berrynarbor-news.co uk .