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THE DIOCESE OF SOUTHWELL & NOTTINGHAM

GROWING DISCIPLES WIDER, YOUNGER AND DEEPER

A statement from the Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd Paul Williams

and the Archdeacon of Nottingham, the Venerable Sarah Clark

The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham incorporates the City of Nottingham, the whole County of Nottinghamshire

and five parishes in South Yorkshire. The population is 1.15 million – 51% live in the greater Nottingham conurbation,

31% in ex-mining areas and 18% in rural. There are 305 churches (252 parishes), served by 142 stipendiary clergy and

licensed lay workers.

In 2016 a refreshed diocesan vision was embraced across the diocese, recognising the imperative for ‘Growing

Disciples: Wider, Younger, Deeper’.

‘Wider’ in that we will seek to grow disciples in every part of the diocese, with no retreat from any community: urban centre; outer estates; rural villages; or market towns.

‘Younger’ in that we will seek fresh ways to harness the boldness and creativity of children, students and young people across the diocese, not least in Nottingham which is the 4th youngest city outside London.

‘Deeper’ as we grow in knowing Christ, so that as his disciples we can be an increasing blessing to the people among whom we live and serve in the workplace, family and community.

The Bishop’s Senior Staff, Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod have demonstrated their clear commitment to sharing

in all aspects of this vision and strategy. In autumn 2016 more than 1 000 PCC members attended 5 vision evenings

around the diocese. We have discerned a series of emerging priorities that will facilitate growing new disciples in

every parish across the diocese. Compelled by the love of Christ by 2023 we will seek to:

Welcome 7000 new disciples into the fellowship of Christ and his church

Commission 1000 younger leaders (especially 15-30 year olds) equipped and inspired to serve the purposes of God in the Church and society.

Plant or graft 75 New Worshipping Communities (NWCs) across the diocese to increase our reach in telling the story of Jesus to all.

Grow 25 larger Resource Churches with clear commitment to develop leaders, plant New Worshipping Communities, and disciple the young.

Serve and pray together as 1 Church contending for the gospel in every community and sphere of public life in our city, county and region.

In this new chapter every parish has an opportunity to review its role within the diocesan mission, so that it can play a significant part in the strategic commitment to ‘Growing Disciples wider, younger and deeper.’ It is in the context of this vision that the Bishop together with the Team Rector of the Parish of Clifton seek to appoint a Team Vicar. A collegiate, mission focused priest with an evangelistic gift and a desire to enable discipleship and numerical growth will flourish in this setting. It is a parish where opportunities for the establishment of new worshiping communities that welcome and nurture faith in a way appropriate to Clifton, complimenting the present ministry, are clearly present. Bishop Paul has said: “It is my hope that each worshipping community will develop a compelling picture of its own

future in God’s purposes with an expectation of growing numerically and in the scope of its mission. It is my prayer

that the new Team Vicar in Clifton will have the creative leadership and imagination to work with the Team Rector to

develop discipleship, plan for growth and reach out to the unchurched of all ages in its locality.” December 2017

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West Bingham Deanery

The West Bingham Deanery is made up of 23 parishes situated to the

south of Nottingham. They comprise a range of diverse contexts

including the suburban areas of West Bridgford to the North, the urban

development of Clifton and village of Ruddington across the centre and

the more rural villages around Gotham and East Leake to the South.

This is a great time to be joining the Deanery as we discern how we can

work together more effectively to grow disciples “Wider, younger and

deeper”. On appointing the Team Vicar we will then have a full

complement of clergy within the Deanery along with many gifted and

experienced lay ministers in all sorts of different roles.

Deanery Synod meets at least three times a year to focus on a different

aspect of our Diocesan Vision. These are opportunities to learn from each

other, to share resources and ideas, to be encouraged by what God is

already doing amongst us and dare to pray for new growth. Clergy meet

as chapter on a regular basis for mutual support, prayer and friendship.

In the coming years in our Deanery we want to see:-

A deepening heart for prayer seeking God’s kingdom and God’s will to be done across all our parishes

A few churches growing in generosity as ‘resource churches’ prepared to serve and support other churches across the Deanery and beyond

A number of new worshipping communities established within the Deanery that serve communities and networks of people that we are not currently engaging with.

Every parish working in collaboration with at least one other parish in a way that benefits and challenges all parties.

A growth in lay ministry across the Deanery with a particular focus on encouraging younger leaders.

We would love the new team vicar to share

something of this shared vision for the Deanery

as well as making an exciting contribution to

mission and ministry in the parish of Clifton. Mark Fraser

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Relationship of the parish to the Deanery

We enjoy a very healthy and strong relationship with the churches

in our Deanery. We experience a high level of support from clergy

colleagues by way of cover for holidays having a particularly close

relationship with the neighbouring parish of St. Peter, Ruddington.

A number of their congregation helps us in our music group and

one of the Readers is on our rotas for leading and preaching at our

services. It is hoped that she will soon be licensed to both parishes

as a Lay Pioneer Minister.

The relationship is ‘two way’ as we too offer support and ministry

to Ruddington. It is hoped that we might form a covenant

relationship with each parish. This is still to be fully discussed and

would need be formalised and celebrated.

Introductions and welcomes from the Team Rector,

Associate priest and the Wardens

Team Rector

Our new Team Vicar will find a warm and friendly welcome in

Clifton and will find it a good place in which to be a priest.

Owen Page

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S/he will be joining a gifted, experienced and friendly ministry

team comprising:

1 Team Rector

1 Associate priest (Self-supporting)

2 licensed Readers

1 Reader with ‘permission to officiate’

1 Reader who is on long term sick

1 lay pioneer minister (to be confirmed)

We are all passionate about serving the community of Clifton;

both the worshipping and wider community. We are a mixed

bunch who all contribute our gifts in differing ways.

Associate Priest

We look forward to a new colleague joining our happy ministry

team and community. People in our churches care for and look out

for each other and also share the love of God with those around our

parish. Clifton is an exciting place to be and has a strong sense of

identity. Many people have lived here since the estate was built and

it has also become home for a succession of young families.

Clifton is a place where it is easy to develop your unique ministry

style, it can be challenging at times and also extremely rewarding.

Come and share our vision. Learn and laugh with us and be part of

this special and dynamic parish.

Gill Page

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Wardens of Holy Trinity with St. Francis

The Parish of Clifton now has 2 churches – Holy Trinity with

St Francis and St Mary’s. There were 3 churches – 2 on the estate

and 1 in the village. Holy Trinity and St Francis were built in the

1950s to serve the residents of the newly built housing estate on

the outskirts of Nottingham. When the church of St Francis closed

in September 2016 the congregation transferred to Holy Trinity.

We are a small, faithful and sociable congregation that is adaptable

to change. We have plans to refurbish the building to include extra

toilets with disabled access and baby changing facilities and to fit a

kitchen, so enabling us to reach out to the wider community as part

of our mission.

Joanne Naaktgeboren

Kevin Lancashire

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Warden of St. Mary’s

Welcome to St Mary’s Church. It is a beautiful and historic Grade 1

listed building situated in the old Clifton Village and is referred to in

the Domesday Book and Simon Jenkins’ 1,000 best churches.

It is a place of peace and tranquillity, where you can feel the

presence of God. It is much loved by all the Clifton community, who

often use it for weddings, baptisms & funerals and in times of need.

It is also blessed with wonderful acoustics providing a focus for a

wide range of musical events.

We have a fairly small but welcoming and faithful congregation with

a range of ages. We are aiming to make the church more appealing

to the young and to build on our historic and musical heritage to

reach out to the wider community.

Clare Ashton

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A recent Ceilidh at St. Mary’s

Mission

The parish mission statement is “Building church and community”

We have a strong desire to build on what is already being done in

our churches but also to seek new partnerships and ways to do

church in our local communities. We are on a progressive process

known as partnership for Missional Church.

(PMC):http://www.churchinnovations.org/what-we-

do/consulting/partnership-for-missional-church/overview-of-the-

partnership-for-missional-church-process/

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Through this we have begun to build some strong partnerships

within our community and have started to engage with new groups

of people.

We are keen to follow the Diocesan vision of “growing disciples

wider, younger and deeper” and hold this as our frame work in our

entire mission. We have a Missional group that works to achieve

all of the above by meeting regularly, praying together, reading the

word of God and working out how to apply all that we do in a

practical way. Our parish is in the genesis of an exciting time of

practical application, exploration and discovery of God’s ‘preferred

and promised future’.

So what is our story?

A: Saturday breakfast: we meet once a month at the church of

Holy Trinity with St. Francis (HTC/SF) for prayer, dwelling in the

word of God, sharing experiences and offering hospitality to others

outside of church life as well as those within.

Growing disciples deeper.

B: Toddlers & Toast: This is a new group which meets every

Monday morning in school term time at Holy Trinity with St. Francis

(HTC/SF), delivering a simplified Gospel message to our young

families, offering ‘Messy Church’ and family services in a friendly

and informal way.

Growing disciples younger.

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C: Highbank community centre: Seeking and encouraging a new

worshiping community, meeting people where they are and working

out what the Gospel might mean to them. We work in partnership

with them in the lead of a community choir which now stands at 14

members.

These members participate with the Church worship band in some

of our services and participate in many community events. We join

them with their Thursday night jamming sessions, building on a

social level to strengthen relationships. We are looking to

encourage a ‘START course’ with this group in the near future.

Growing disciples wider.

D: To encourage social nights both for existing worshipping

community and for those on the periphery, to strengthen

relationships and build community, growing disciples both wider

and deeper. We do this through many different social opportunities:

Dog racing

Liverpool trip

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Cocktail & quiz nights

Bingo nights

Skate Board Park

Jamming/open mike nights

Clifton’s got talent

Community choir events

Worship bands from across neighbouring parishes and the

community choir performing together.

E: Breakfast walk: This takes place 4 times a year by meeting at

St. Mary’s church for a bible reading and then a walk along the

river with prayer stops and finally resting at the pub for breakfast.

This walk includes our Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association families,

friends of regular church goers, dog walkers, Toddlers & Toast

families and people on the fringe of Church life. This walk can

attract 40+ people with the majority of them being on the fringe of

Church life.

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We feel that our church and the wider community offer lots of

freedom to explore and to build friendships. Clifton is an extremely

exciting place to be, in terms of mission. We have found that the

local people are very welcoming to us as Church and they have

shown they are true ‘people of peace’. The ‘dwelling in the word’

passage we have used was Luke 10 1-12. This passage has

inspired us to be daring in our witness.

The PCC recently had a day of prayer, reflection, discussion and

worship to agree some mission priorities in the light of the

appointment of a Team Vicar. These were the agreed areas:

1. We aspire to develop closer relationships with our children

and young families, especially by working with the Boys’ and

Girls’ Brigade, the newly formed Toddlers group and with our

schools to help us grow disciples younger

2. To seek help in further growing disciples wider and to build

upon the excellent work of our Missional (PMC) group (see

above)

3. We want to deepen our faith together by way of developing

further the ongoing work of our home and prayer groups

4. Many of us value the centrality of Holy Communion in our

worship and we would love to work alongside someone who

respects this sacramental emphasis - even if it might not

necessarily be their personal background

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The PCC is aware these priorities for mission should be

reviewed and is open to fresh perspectives and suggestions.

We are in the middle of exciting times in Clifton and we are

convinced that God has great plans for us. As we seek to grow

our church and communities we are aware that we also need to

support and encourage our longer standing folk.

Our new Team Vicar

We seek a priest who:

….is an evangelist who will help us grow in number, making

disciples and seeing new worshipping communities established

….will take over from the Team Rector as ‘Spiritual leader’

of our Missional group

….will serve among us in being a pastor to God’s people and

have a particular responsibility for our newly formed 4 O’clock

Sunday congregation - a congregation that enjoys a more

informal, innovative and contemporary style of worship

….will develop existing links with our 7 schools and explore

setting up a chaplaincy team at our secondary school

AND

….will help to undertake and develop worship, conduct

services on a rostered basis, and to share in the occasional

offices

….who will build on existing foundations to help develop the

vision and strategy for the ministry and mission of the Parish

….will work ecumenically in the parish and within the Deanery

and Diocesan family

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Personal Profile

Essential Desirable

Experience At least 3 years of a

broad range of

practical experience

as an ordained

member of the

clergy within the

Anglican Communion

Working with

families.

Working in

schools with

children and

young people.

Experience of

the ‘Partnership

in Missional

Church’ (PMC)

programme

Skills and

Knowledge

Able to make and

take opportunities to

communicate and

teach the gospel to a

wide range of

audiences

An ability to link

the ordinariness

of life to the

Gospel

Broad theological

outlook; a respect

for a sacramental

ministry, at home

with PCC policies

(see appendix)

within a welcoming

and affirming

tradition and willing

to explore

alternative forms of

worship

Good at building

relationships

within the

Church and in

the wider

community

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Willing to step out

into the unknown

and take risks

Proven experience of

collaborative working

in a team

Committed to

community outreach

and ecumenical work

Able to see things

through to the end

Good influencing and

conflict resolution

skills and a good

listener

Effective

instigator and

leader of

change.

Basic email and word

processing skills

Personal

Qualities

An approachable

pastor and confidant

for a wide range of

people; A person

who encourages

involvement &

development of skills

Wisdom &

discernment in

dealing with people

Appropriate personal

and spiritual

resources and

resilience

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The Parish of Clifton

Brief history and description

The village of Clifton is situated three miles west of the city of

Nottingham on the southern side of the River Trent. In order to

meet the housing demands of Nottingham City after the Second

World War, the City Council purchased the land around the village

of Clifton. Construction of the Clifton Estate started in the early

1950s and there have been various stages of development over the

decades since it was originally conceived. This has led to a variety

of housing and accommodation within the parish, which includes

semi-detached and detached houses with gardens, high-rise flats

and maisonettes. The parish has a population of 23,000 and rising

(2011 census). Clifton has a variety of shops clustered in small

groups around the estate, with the largest concentration at the

Clifton Town Centre – often referred to as ‘The Top Shops’.

These include a large Morrison’s, Wilkinson, Boots and Iceland with

other small shops and businesses, bank and Post Office facilities.

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The estate also has three GP surgeries, two dental surgeries, a

leisure centre with swimming pool, 3 community centres, the

Cornerstone building which houses two of the GP surgeries and

local council and community facilities. Clifton also has a library,

various playing fields including a skateboard park, a police station

which is no longer open to the public, a Royal British Legion club

and three Public houses. The Nottingham Trent University campus

is situated between Clifton Village and the Fabis Drive area. A new

development is due to be completed in summer 2018 known as

‘The Clifton Triangle’. This will include another supermarket, shops,

restaurants and residential properties.

In addition to this new development there are to be 3000 more

homes built at ‘Clifton Pastures’ on the Clifton boundary with

Rushcliffe.

Clifton is only three miles from Nottingham City Centre with good

public transport links. The A453 runs through Clifton providing good

access to the M1 junction 24, the East Midlands Airport and the

East Midlands Parkway train station to the west, and the

Nottingham Ring Road and A52 to the east. The new tram network

(2015) runs through Clifton providing excellent communications to

Nottingham Train station, the City centre and beyond.

Clifton has several places of worship which include, St Mary’s, Holy

Trinity with St. Francis (both C of E churches), a Roman Catholic

Church, Methodist and URC churches and Hope (AOG) church which

meets at the new ‘Hope Centre’. There is also an AOG plant on the

Nobel Road estate.

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The Parish

The parish is within the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham and is

part of the West Bingham Deanery. It is a team Ministry and covers

the Clifton Estate, Clifton Village and the Barton Green, Nobel Road

and Fabis Drive (locally known as the Clifton Grove) areas. These

areas are collectively referred to as ‘Clifton’. It incorporates the two

parish churches of St Mary’s dating from late 11th century and

situated in the historic village of Clifton and Holy Trinity with St

Francis dating from the late 1950s and situated within the Clifton

Estate. The two churches have a total of 134 people on the electoral

roll. A few years ago the parish dismantled the three former District

Church Councils (DCC) and streamlined the management,

administration and representation apparatus by forming a

reorganised Parochial Church Council (PCC), whilst endeavouring to

maintain the use of the two churches, all of which continue to have

modest and loyal congregations.

Services are held in both churches on Sundays. These services

range from a Common Worship Eucharist Rite 1, with Morning

Worship and less formal ‘Worship for All’ services held once a

month. On a 5th Sunday we have a well attended joint Sunday

service which moves around the churches. The St. Mary’s singers

provide a choir at St. Mary’s on the first Sunday of the month.

A dedicated team of licensed lay people helps lead and preach at

services and together with our Wardens and deputy Wardens

participate in the ‘Mission and Ministry team’.

Service day & time Usual Sunday attendance 2016

Usual Sunday attendance 2015

HTC/SF Sunday 9.30am

22 adults 3 children

21 adults 2 children

St. Mary’s Sunday 10.45am

32 adults 4 children

29 adults 3 children

HTC/SF Sunday 4pm 23 adults 4 children

18 adult 4 children

Total 77 adults 11 children

68 adults 9 children

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The Team currently provides support and input to five primary

schools, one special needs school and a secondary school. There is

potential for future development in these areas. There are four

senior citizen residential homes and five independent living

schemes for the elderly. The parish works in partnership with Hope

Church to give support to the NG11 Food Bank and an after school

club on Thursday afternoons. ‘RISE’ (Reaching the ISolated

Elderly) is a senior citizens charity that meets for meals and

activities on Fridays. The Team Rector is on the management

committee of this valuable venture.

Our Easter and Christmas Experiences in the church attract groups

of children and staff from most of the Clifton schools.

The parish office is situated in Holy Trinity with St. Francis and is

open one evening a week from 6pm -7pm. A communion service is

also held in Holy Trinity with St. Francis on Tuesday 10am and is

followed by a newly formed ‘Chat N That’ craft and coffee morning

group. The Boys’ Brigade & Girls’ Association meets in the church

on a Tuesday evening.

Our newly formed Community choir meets in HTC/SF every Monday

evening followed by a prayer group and music group practice.

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The newly formed Toddlers group meets each Monday morning in

HTC/SF in term time.

A bell ringing team practices once a week at St. Mary’s and rings at

both Holy Trinity with St. Francis and St. Mary’s on Sunday

mornings as well as at weddings and funerals. Both churches

regularly host visiting ringing teams.

The Team Vicar’s house is situated in Clifton village and it is a

modern four bedroom detached property, with a garage and off

street parking. There is a garden to the front, and a medium sized

mature garden to the rear.

Please note the lamp post no longer exists ..... as a result of

some ‘near misses’ with cars!!!!

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Finances

We have just completed a most successful ‘promises and giving

programme’. This has resulted in an increase in regular and

planned giving of some £8000 per annum. The full accounts are

available on our website:

http://cliftonchurchofengland.weebly.com/pcc.html

Unrestricted

Designated Restricted Total

Total

Funds Funds

Funds Funds

Funds

2016 2015

£ £ £ £ £

INCOME

Donations 50,752 - 963 51,715 53,001

Events 20,760 - 25,000 45,760 33,475

Investments 1,249 - 212 1,461 1,723

Total 72,762 - 26,175 98,936 88,199

EXPENDITURE

Fundraising cost 1,862 - - 1,862 2,343

Charitable

activities 64,636

-

1,033

65,669

88,206

Total 66,499 - 1,033 67,532 90,549

Transfer between

funds 6,263

- 25,142 31,404 (2,350)

Net gains/losses 1,025 - (1,025) - -

Net movement

funds 4,102

-

-

4,102

496

Reconciliation of

funds 11,390

-

24,117

35,507

(1,854)

Total funds B/F 67,812 4,798 5,619 78,229 80,083

To 79,201 4,798

29,736

113,735

78,229

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Clifton Parish

Clifton

Community Challenges1

Clifton has areas of high social deprivation.

The 2015 Parish deprivation ranking for Clifton is 757 cf 12,599

parishes (where 1 is most deprived)

Low educational achievement within the community. (42% of

working age adults with no qualifications)

Low educational and career aspirations among young people.

Lone parenthood (33%)

Unemployment is around the national average, however many

people are employed on low wages. Working age poverty is at 21%.

There are high rates of ill health including cancer, heart disease,

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) diabetes and mental

health issues as well as significant issues associated with smoking,

obesity and domestic violence.

1 Statistics taken from the CUF - http://www.cuf.org.uk/parish/380219

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Strengths/opportunities

Clifton has a strong sense of community.

The Parish is now in its 4th year of the missional PMC process.

The two/three congregations are commited to building a sustainable

and exciting future together.

There is the potential and desire further to develop and to deepen

links with the local schools, local groups and organisations.

A core of commited lay people.

Progress is being made with home groups. We are beginning a

START group for ‘explorers’ of the Christian faith.

Mission opportunities due to the relatively high number of occasional

offices.

Weddings/blessings

2017 to date 2016 2015

16 9 9

Baptisms

2017 to date 2016 2015

32 21 17

Funerals to date

2017 2016 2015

33 51 50

We are intentional about encouraging ministerial vocations and have

fostered 3 candidates to ordination. The Team Rector is an assistant

DDO.

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Challenges for the Parish

St Francis church is now unofficially closed. We await full

authorisation for the effects of consecration to be removed and for

the site to be sold.

Holy Trinity with St. Francis church is in need of a full refurbishment

to make the building ‘fit for purpose’. It is hoped that the 1st phase

of this refurbishment will commence in 2017/8 providing a fully

fitted kitchen, disabled toilet facilities, general re-decorating and

repairs as well as a fully refurbished Lady chapel for general

community and church use.

St Mary’s requires restoration work to drains, floor, wall and the

tower. These are also planned for 2017-2020.

Ageing congregations.

Apathetic attitude toward organised religion within the community at

large.

The A453 is a physical and in some regards a psychological barrier

within the area.

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Appendices

A Terms of Appointment

The appointment is made jointly by the Team Rector and the

Bishop and is to the benefice of Clifton.

A comfortable, well located house is provided in accordance with

Diocesan guidelines.

Expenses of office will be met in full by the Parochial Church

Council in accordance with agreed Diocesan scale of

reimbursement for car mileage, telephone, postage, home

entertainment and other approved expenses of office agreed by the

PCC.

B Ordination of women

The parish enjoys and welcomes the ordained ministry of both

women and men

The parish currently has a female Associate Priest

The PCC affirms the ordination of both women and men as

bishops

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C Baptism policy

We maintain an ‘open’ policy on Baptism and we also recognise the

need to respect the nature and importance of this sacrament

We are also mindful of the provisions of Canon Law and the rubrics

of the Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship Prayer Book

Baptism will normally take place on a Sunday at one of our main

services

A member of the Clergy may for good and valid pastoral reasons

and at her/his sole discretion celebrate a Baptism at another time

Parent(s) and/or adult candidates will receive preparation prior to

the baptism

Godparents and parents acting as sponsors for a child will normally

need to be:

a. Baptised themselves

b. Sixteen years of age or over

The Baptism of those who live outside of the parish (who are not

on the Electoral roll in Clifton) will only take place having sought

the permission of the priest of their parish of residence.

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D Marriage after divorce

The practice of welcoming marriage after divorce has been in

existence for many years in the parish. This is the practice of the

current Team Rector and Associate priest

The Team Rector follows the guidelines as set out in ‘The

Winchester report’ with particular reference to paragraph 3

entitled: Issues and questions you may wish to consider in the

light of the Church’s doctrine of marriage.

(https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1273420/gs1449.pdf)

E Reception of Holy Communion prior to Confirmation

The PCC welcomes all the baptized people of God to receive the

sacrament of Holy Communion and we use the Diocesan

guidelines and the following as guiding principles:

They must be baptized

Preparation must take place

For a child under 16 years of age parental/guardian’s consent

must be obtained

The child will normally be of school age

In the case of those 16 years of age or over the candidate would

normally be ‘desirous of confirmation’

The candidates (both children and adults) will be encouraged to

come to Confirmation in line with the Diocesan guidelines