Mission Statement In each parish

we proclaim Jesus as Lordin word and deed:

through a sustainable focus of Christian witness and worship served by a faithful and vibrant group of Christians ministered to by a clearly defined and authorised leadership

LOCATIONThe Binsey Team Mission Community is comprised of eleven parish churches and some 40 villages and hamlets on the northern edge of the Lake District in Cumbria. The team is entirely rural, and consists of the area between the towns of Keswick, Cockermouth and Wigton. The area covered is about 250 square miles, about half of which lies within the Lake District National Park (Google map showing location of Church buildings http://bit.ly/j4TFAN) . The main road links are the A595 between Carlisle and Cockermouth, giving access to Workington and Whitehaven on the west coast, and the A591 to Keswick, giving access to the central Lake District and the A66 to Penrith and the M6.

HISTORY OF THE TEAMThe Binsey Team, one of the largest teams in the Diocese, was formed in 2000 by the joining together of four benefices (Allhallows; Bassenthwaite, Isel & Setmurthy; Boltons, Ireby and Uldale; and Torpenhow). However, the parishes had already begun working together as a group six years earlier. Plumbland joined the Team in 2002. Team Rector, Revd Patricia Rogers joined the Team in October 2011; Team Vicar, Revd Peter Streatfeild joined the Team in 2008, Revd Clare Spedding was ordained as SSM Curate in 2010. In 2014 the parishes of Embleton and Wythop also joined, as part of the process of the team being formed into one Parish in October 2015 and a Mission Community at the beginning of 2016. This is an ecumenical venture with the Methodists in Bassenthwaite.

An important feature of the team so far has been the equality and the unique identity of all the parishes – there is no ‘main’ parish in the team, there are no large centres of population which can claim pre-eminence. It was to reflect this that the name of the team was chosen, not from any of the parishes within it, but from a geographical feature in the centre of the team – Binsey Fell. At 447m, Binsey is small compared to Skiddaw on the southern edge of the team, but Binsey represents the centre of the team and the only place where all nine parishes may be viewed from. Ironically, Binsey also divides the

team, since those to the south are linked with Keswick, those to the west with Cockermouth and those to the north with Wigton. This is reflected in where people shop, the schools they go to, and even their postcodes and telephone numbers. This has presented a challenge in bringing the people of the parishes together as a team, but steady progress has been made, with 5th Sundays having just one Team Service and also having one Magazine for the whole Team, the Binsey Link. The editor of this, lives within the Torpenhow parish. We hope to develop the Team website to further this unification.

There are twelve Churches and a Methodist Chapel in the Mission Community in regular use, with a further three redundant Churches where services are held annually.

There is one Parochial Church Council (PCC) but each Parish Church has its own District Church Council (DCC).

THE MINISTRY TEAMThe Ministry Team meets regularly and currently consists of:-

Team Rector

Team Vicar

SSM Assistant Minister (with permission to officiate) up to 12hrs a week

Three Readers

One active Honorary Assistant Clergyman

Methodist Minister

Administrator

There is a growing number of lay people who exercise a variety of gifts including leading worship as well as pastoral visiting. We are seeking to further develop the use of these gifts and encourage the participation of more lay people in all areas of ministry. We are also encouraging people to think about vocations to more formal ministry. A Pastoral Visiting Team has been formed as well as a Leading Worship group. The ministry team meets monthly for prayer and coordination of ministry. The Rector, Vicar and Assistant Minister, meet on a Monday for Prayer and discussion of business and there are midweek prayers held on a Wednesday in one of the Team Churches. Also a prayer Breakfast once a month.There are also meetings of the DCCs and the Team PCC to discuss business of interest to the whole Team.

WHAT THE BINSEY TEAM HAS TO OFFER

A widespread rural ministry with all its joys and challenges

A place to work within a beautiful part of West Cumbria

Colleagues who are open and supportive of one another

Opportunities to work and minister among a wide variety of individuals from different backgrounds

Congregations and communities who are loyal and caring

Opportunities to participate in worship of many styles, from BCP to Café Church, and to help in producing resources for worship throughout the Team

Opportunities to work ecumenically within the area

Opportunities to help develop new worship resources

A part in developing ministry resources for use in the 6 primary Schools

A sharing of the work and outreach with the local communities and community groups.

Importantly, to be part of the development of the Binsey Mission Community strategy within the Diocesan vision of ‘God for All’

Opportunities to try out new ideas

Encouragement to continually develop personal and spiritual life