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THE PARISH SETTING

The town of Scunthorpe developed from the five separate small villages of Ashby, Brumby, Crosby, Frodingham and Scunthorpe, brought together from the mid-nineteenth century when ironstone was discovered locally. Development of the ironworks, and later steelworks, led to a mushrooming of the population, bringing in first local agricultural workers, and later, workers from Poland, the Ukraine, Italy, India, Bangladesh, Scotland and elsewhere. The town gained urban status in 1919 and a Borough charter in 1936. Since 1996 Scunthorpe has been the largest town in the North Lincolnshire Council unitary authority.

Today Scunthorpe is known as the Industrial Garden Town, with acres of attractive parks and open spaces. The town houses the regional museum for North Lincolnshire with its archaeology and geology collections of national importance and there is easy access to the local authority-run Normanby Hall Country Park with its farming museum and award winning Victorian walled garden. There is an excellent Vue cinema and the vibrant 20/21 Arts Centre has a constantly changing exhibition programme. The Plowright Theatre hosts a varied programme of professional and local productions. There are a variety of local theatrical, choral and historical groups in

the town. Sporting interests are well catered for by local pitches, a velodrome, running track, swimming pools and leisure centres. A new leisure centre is due to open in the parish in summer 2011.

‘The town has excellent communications with the rest of the country …’ There is an excellent modern hospital and modern town centre shopping. The local authority has achieved an ‘excellent’ rating from the Audit Commission for its services, and pioneering work has been done in the education service in particular. Many refurbished or replacement primary and specialist secondary schools have been built and there is excellent provision for special needs pupils. There are two new Lifelong Learning Centres in the town and a WEA Centre. The John Leggott Sixth Form College and the North Lindsey Further Education College have both achieved beacon status.

The town has excellent communications with the rest of the country via the M180 motorway and the Humber Bridge, and

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rail links to Doncaster and beyond. Two major regional airports, Humberside and Robin Hood, are situated within a 25 mile radius of the town. Its compact boundaries allow rapid access to the surrounding, largely rural area with its attractive market towns, unspoilt villages and open countryside.

At its height in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the population of Scunthorpe was 70,000, of whom some 20,000 were employed in the steelworks. Today something in the region of 4,000 are directly employed in the works but the plant has been modernised and rationalised and Tata remains one of the major UK producers of steel and steel products. Due to the efforts of a go-ahead local authority, industry and employment in the town has diversified and a buoyant manufacturing, servicing and distribution sector has been created. Unemployment for both men and women has been low recently, but in May 2011 significant job cuts were announced at the steelworks (to affect a quarter of the workforce). There have also been significant cuts in the local authority which is a significant employer in the parish. The full effects of these losses are yet to be known, but will mean an significant increase in unemployment over the next few years. The population of the town currently stands at 72,500 (2010 figure) and is once again rising as people working in the major conurbations such as Sheffield and Leeds choose to commute to work from

Scunthorpe where attractive new housing is being built and house prices remain below the national average. Much of what makes North Lincolnshire tick as a county is based in the Parish. Hence there are many opportunities to collaborate with businesses and organisations in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Because of this St Lawrence’s often plays a civic role within the Scunthorpe area. The Parish of Frodingham is best described as Town Centre and Urban and has a population of some 8,500. The Parish is a member of the North Scunthorpe Group of Parishes which formally came into being on 1st January, 2001. The Group Council meets once a quarter and the clergy hold a staff meeting every month. Currently there are two incumbents in the Group, and two curates who are supervised from St Lawrence’s. There are five parishes within the Group – Frodingham, Crosby (a neighbouring town centre parish with a multi-cultural population), Berkeley and New Brumby (situated on housing estates), and Gunness (a village about 2 miles outside Scunthorpe). The Group has organised joint services and study days. The Group is becoming increasingly significant since the number of incumbents in the north of the town has been reduced. Joint activities and ecumenical services are also held with other local churches who are members of Churches in North Scunthorpe. The Multi Faith Partnership, which meets under the auspices of North Lincolnshire Council, is an important forum for discussion and social action. ‘Much of what makes North Lincolnshire tick as a county is based in the Parish… Because of this St Lawrence’s often plays a civic role within the Scunthorpe area.’

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THE CHURCH

St Lawrence’s is the oldest Christian foundation in Scunthorpe. The earliest part of the present church building dates from the later part of the 12th century and there has undoubtedly been a Christian presence in this place long before that time. The earliest known Rector of Frodingham was instituted in 1236. The church was extensively rebuilt in Victorian times and considerably extended to its present size in 1913. ‘The tradition at St Lawrence’s is probably best described as ‘central’ with reservation and vestments.’

St Lawrence's seeks to be an inclusive church offering a warm welcome to all those who are looking in some way to

journey with God. It is a church which values faith, love, integrity, forgiveness and joy. The church community seeks to offer friendship and support to its members, has a willingness to respond to good causes and seeks to reach out in service to the wider community. The tradition at St Lawrence’s is probably best described as ‘central’ with reservation and vestments.

While the church is not kept permanently open, the people of St Lawrence’s try to ensure that it is available to anyone who wishes to use it as a place for quiet reflection and prayer. The building is wheelchair friendly, has a toilet, hospitality area and children’s corner. A regular pattern of Sunday and weekday worship is maintained. As would be expected, the church includes in its prayers those who are sick or housebound and the recently departed as well as matters of local, national and international concern. Individual church members are involved in many charities and voluntary groups. There is a dedicated team of lay people who share responsibility in helping with worship and pastoral care, and this is an area for ongoing development. There has been a long tradition in the Parish of Study Groups being held during Advent and Lent – in recent years the Lent groups have been organised ecumenically.

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Worship on Sunday and

during the Week Sunday 0800 Eucharist (CW) 1030 Parish Eucharist (CW) (3rd Sunday Informal All Age Service) 1230 Holy Baptism (CW) 1830 Evening Prayer (BCP) (3rd Sunday Eucharist CW) Monday to Friday 0830 Morning Prayer (CW) 1700 Evening Prayer (CW) Monday 1900 Informal Prayer Thursday 0930 Eucharist (CW) Throughout the year a number of special services are held and these are well supported. These include Mothering Sunday, the Harvest Festival, the Memorial Service for bereaved families at All Souls and Remembrance Sunday. At Christmas, the Midnight Mass, the Parish Carol Service and the Christingle Service are extremely popular. During Holy Week and Easter the Parish celebrates the traditional round of services, particularly during the Triduum, and use the liturgical material in CW Times and Seasons. A healing service is held about once a quarter. The worship of God lies at the heart of the life of the Parish and there is a strong sense of the importance of offering the very best liturgy possible which has been prepared with thought and care.

In 2010 there were 92 baptisms and 29 weddings celebrated in the church. In addition, the clergy conducted 61 funerals, most of which were held at the nearby Woodlands Crematorium. The clergy say the Daily Office together and are regularly joined by others from the parish in the evening. There is a wide range of activities associated with the Parish, including a very active Mothers Union, a new Men’s Fellowship (which meets for cooked breakfast on Saturdays), Girls’ Friendly Society (aged 7-14), Parents and Toddlers, Floral Group and a Luncheon Club.

In 2009 St Lawrence’s started Messy Church in partnership with the Scunthorpe Methodist Circuit. This meets fortnightly on a Sunday afternoon, and aims to serve the practical and spiritual needs of a deprived area in the parish. Brownies, Guides and Explorer Scouts meet in the parish and come to church for special services.

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There are a number of retirement and nursing homes in the Parish and this is an area of ministry that is developing. Scunthorpe General Hospital is also situated in the Parish and although there is a full-time hospital chaplain, clergy from St Lawrence’s do occasionally get called to assist in an emergency when the Hospital Chaplain cannot be contacted.

In September 2008 a local comprehensive school became the St Lawrence Academy, with the Diocese of Lincoln as its sponsor. This is an exciting project and presents a range of opportunities, including youth work and chaplaincy, as the Church seeks to serve the educational needs of young people in Scunthorpe. The Academy serves a diverse community, and has a significant proportion of students from immigrant families and asylum seekers. Clergy also take assemblies and special services for the two infant schools in the parish, and have a good relationship with the local specialist communications college. The parish is fully supportive of the ordination of women, is committed to inclusive ministry in its corporate life and would welcome interest from women or men looking to share this vision at the start of their ordained ministry.

The PCC has identified its priorities. It was agreed that the areas of Pastoral Care, Worship & Liturgy and Children and Youth together with Mission and Outreach, Social and Fellowship, Faith Development and Communications should become the focus of the Parish Vision. The aim is for each of these areas of activity to be overseen by a coordinator who would act as ‘enabler’ to a small group of people who have an interest and commitment to working in that particular area. The coordinators meet regularly with the Parish Priest to help co-ordinate activities.

Possible Areas of Responsibility

Development of work with children Development of work with youth Communications Faith Development Community Development Mission and Outreach Ministry to Residential and Nursing Homes Whoever is appointed as Assistant Curate at St Lawrence’s will be joining a committed group of Christians who take their faith and ministry seriously. This person will come with his or her own gifts and particular experience. Our priority as a parish will be to try and utilise and help develop these gifts within our overall vision but also to give the newly appointed curate the opportunity to experiment and try new things. While it is expected that the diaconal year will be spent centred on Frodingham, neighbouring areas in the ensuing years will provide an extended variety of contexts and experiences upon which the curate can draw.

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The Purpose of a Curacy

To share in the mission and ministry of the People of God in a particular place and to establish patterns of prayer which will shape and sustain ministry, in order to acquire the knowledge, skills and expertise in ministerial, representative and sacramental leadership in the local church and the Church of England; to reflect, in supervision, upon a wide range of experiences, in order to develop ministry in the curacy and for the future. Participating fully in IME will also be part of this; to encourage personal development through integrating past experience, spirituality, and theology with the practice and understanding of ministry.

Bishop’s Notes for Training Incumbents and

Curates

ACCOMMODATION

Housing is provided for whoever is appointed. The Diocese of Lincoln is aware that this is an issue of major importance to prospective candidates and is committed to providing a high standard of housing for all clergy.

‘Whoever is appointed as Assistant Curate at St Lawrence’s will be joining a committed group of Christians who take their faith and ministry seriously. This person will come with his or her own gifts and particular experience. Our priority as a parish will be to try and utilise and help develop these gifts within our overall vision…’