PARISH PROFILES
St. Matthew’s Church &
Morley
St John the Baptist Church
Smalley
Diocese of Derby
Heanor Deanery
(Mission and Ministry Area 47)
Profile Summary
Key information
Parishes: Smalley has a population of 2,270. Morley has a population of 400, but is
situated very close to the extensive Oakwood housing estate.
Location: The nearest cities are Derby (8 miles) and Nottingham (15
miles). The Peak District National Park is also less than 15 miles away.
Churches: St John the Baptist, Smalley is 217 years old, built on a former Christian
medieval site. It has an open and well-kept burial ground. The church has a Bell
Tower housing a chime of five bells, the heaviest in a parish Church in England. St
Matthew’s, Morley is one of the oldest in Derbyshire, being Grade 1 listed and dating
back to 1370. It is noted for its ancient stained glass and memorial brasses, and
features in Simon Jenkins’ book “England’s Thousand Best Churches”. In addition,
the Sacheverell-Bateman Mausoleum located in the churchyard also attracts many
visitors.
Sunday Worship: Smalley Two 8.00 am ‘said’ Holy Communion services plus a
weekly 9.30 am service which alternates between Family Communion and Family
Worship. The tradition of surplice and scarf or stole is the practice. Morley One
weekly service at 11.00 am which is mostly one of Family Communion apart from on
the first Sunday of alternate months when it is a non-Eucharistic Family Service. At
Morley vestments are worn.
Baptism/Marriage Policy: we have an open policy on baptism and the
policy of the previous incumbents has been to accept remarriage of
divorced people, though this decision has never been taken lightly.
Vicarage: a modern brick building, in good order, buil t in 1968. It has four
bedrooms, an integral garage, a large well tended garden and is south
facing.
We are looking for someone who can:





Be a spiritual and pastoral leader.
Be a good communicator.
Reach out and engage lovingly with young people and their parents in the
wider community.
Enrich the work already begun in drawing the two churches closer together,
to bridge the gap between church and community, to appreciate the rich
heritage of the villages’ traditions and values, and to continue to develop
Mission and Ministry within the MMA.
Help to progress the enthusiastic plans highlighted via the MAP process.
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
Draw on the strengths of the laity and to appreciate a shared Ministry.
Introduction to the parishes of Morley
and Smalley
The parishes of Morley and Smalley are located in Derbyshire, just to the north of
Derby.
The parishes
The two parishes straddle the A608 road and between them stretch from the
outskirts of the city of Derby to the boundary of the town of Heanor.
Both parishes are steeped in history with the famous ‘Portway’ running through
Morley where it crosses the Roman Rynield Street.
Smalley has a population of 2,270. Morley is a smaller settlement with a population
of 400, but is situated very close to the extensive Oakwood housing estate on the
boundary of the City of Derby.
The local area
The nearest town to both parishes is Heanor, with Ripley and Ilkeston all within 5-10
miles. Heanor and Ilkeston both have major supermarkets and a good range of
shops and services.
The nearest city is Derby (8 miles from the vicarage), while Nottingham is within a
short car ride (15 miles). Both cities have excellent hospitals, theatres, schools,
universities, shops and other facilities.
Buses run on regular basis to each of these towns/cities, while Derby train station is
located on the East Coast Mainline.
Further afield, Birmingham, Leicester and Sheffield reachable in under one hour (by
car or train), and London is currently reached in 1hr30 minutes from Derby by train.
Local attractions
Both parishes are located within easy reach of major regional and national
attractions. We are located on the doorstep of the Peak District National Park, with
attractions such as the Derwent Mills World Heritage Site, Tissington Trail,
Carsington Water, and the towns of Matlock and Bakewell are all within a 30 minute
drive.
The home of Denby Pottery is a 10 minute drive away, while slightly further afield,
Chatsworth House, Twycross Zoo, National Arboretum, National Forest, National
Space Centre, and the Drayton Manor and Alton Towers theme parks are all within a
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45 minute drive.
Smalley
The village of Smalley is a ribbon development, running between the boundaries
of Morley and Heanor. It begins five miles north of Derby and has a population of
almost 2,270. Of the 1,400 homes, still increasing, most are privately owned. At the
northern (Heanor) end, is a Science College senior school called ‘Heanor Gate’ and a
medium size industrial estate, which leads through into Shipley Country Park.
Towards the opposite (Morley) end of the village lies the parish church of St John
the Baptist, on the site of a former medieval building.
Within the present village there are two inns, a servicing garage, post office, good
general store, primary school, a Baptist Church, cricket field, tennis courts, meeting
rooms, dwellings for the elderly and three recreation grounds. Outside the
immediate centre of the village are green fields, rolling countryside and further
private dwellings. There are farms, kennels, two small residential homes for people
with learning difficulties, and two larger establishments for elderly people who
require support. Medical and veterinary services are also available.
The population of the village is a mixture of all ages and expectations and there has
been a steady growth in the organised activities of the village. These include,
Ramblers, Over Sixties Club, Arts Group, Playgroup, Flower Club, Women’s Institute,
Cricket and Tennis Clubs. There is an enthusiastic Parish Council and despite loose
Neighbourhood Watch interest, there is no active committee at the present time.
Parents of school-age children are highly involved with the PTA both of the primary
school, which has about 160 pupils and the larger Science College which is a major
teaching establishment for the district. All these organisations of the present village
and the people involved are closely interlinked with the work and life of the parish
churches and act as a continuing base for village socialisation.
However, the majority of the working population in both parishes travel to local
towns and cities for employment, entertainment and shopping. It is within these
complex village settings that the parish churches endeavour to serve the residents of
Smalley and Morley and proclaim the Gospel of Christ.
The Church of St John the Baptist in Smalley
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Smalley Church
Smalley School children –
The church is situated in the oldest part of the villagepreparing
and is 217
years old built on a
for ordination?
former Christian medieval site. It has an open and well-kept burial ground. The
church has a Bell Tower housing a chime of five bells, the heaviest in a parish
Church in England and is played by one person. The church is light and airy, well
maintained and houses many visual reminders of its rich history.
It is approached off the main A608 road, which runs through Smalley and entrance
is obtained via a church walk off the road.
Once inside, the church has a relaxed friendliness within a traditional building which
provides comfort and support for its congregation. The internal fixtures, including
some fine stained glass, blend with the history of the church. However the church is
not the building, the church is the people and thus the church is active every day.
At present the congregation divides into two, mostly separate groups, for services.
Two 8.00 am ‘said’ Holy Communion services in the month attended by 6-10 people
and a weekly 9.30 am service which alternates between Family Communion and
Family Worship with attendance of around 25-35 with many more for special
services. After the 9.30 am service coffee or tea is shared in church.
At the services members of the congregation read the lessons and lead the prayers,
prepare the Holy Table, do the flowers, make and serve refreshments and enjoy
both worship and fellowship. At present there are 67 on the electoral roll.
We have an excellent organist, but no choir at present.
The church now has a website: (http://www.smalleychurch.co.uk/).
St John the Baptist church related organisations include, the Events Group which
is a committee of the PCC and the fund raising arm of the church, the Bible
Fellowship Group, Flower Arranging Club, a monthly mid-week Children’s Club and a
thriving Mothers’ Union.
The Church Hall in Smalley is situated next to the Church Walk and is the only
public meeting space in the village. This is a single story, two roomed building with
kitchen and toilet and facilities for the disabled. It is well used by local organisations
and funds itself (with profit).
The Vicarage is also in Smalley and is accessed by a drive off the Main Road. The
south facing dwelling is a modern brick building, in good order, built in 1968. It has
four bedrooms, an integral garage and a large well tended garden. Some gardening
help is available if desired.
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The other local Church is the Baptist Church. This is a dedicated group of people
who play a vital role in the community and with whom we have much in common.
Fellowship between the churches is strong and there are several shared services
throughout the year, at which some members of both churches gather to worship
together.
A Quinquennial Inspection was carried out in 2010 – a very good report and minor
repairs are being addressed.
Church finances are healthy. There is a successful Patronage Scheme which supports
the fabric of the church.
Morley
St Matthew’s Church, Morley is one of the most interesting church buildings in
the County, standing in a very peaceful situation, hard by the ancient Portway. It is
not mentioned in Doomsday, although it is likely that there was a church there, the
oldest part being the Norman South Arcade. There is a lovely chancel arch, south
porch and doorway. The church is one of the oldest in Derbyshire, being Grade 1
listed and dating back to 1370. It is noted for its ancient stained glass and memorial
brasses, and features in Simon Jenkins’ book “England’s Thousand Best Churches”.
For a church of its size, it houses a wealth of ancient artefacts, which attract many
visitors throughout the year and are a constant reminder to present day worshippers
of the faith and commitment of their forebears. In addition, the SacheverellBateman Mausoleum located in the churchyard also attracts many visitors.
SacheverellBateman
Mausoleum
Jazz Evening
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The church has an organist but no choir, a committed team of Sunday School
teachers, bell ringers, flower arrangers and church cleaners, and a small enthusiastic
group of churchgoers maintain the churchyard. There is an active social team which
arranges fund raising activities on behalf of the PCC. Each year the social team run
the Quiz Event, Rummage Sale, Garden Party, Jazz Concert, Harvest Lunch and
Christmas Bazaar which raise £3,000-4,000 annually.
St Matthew’s operates a weekly envelope scheme which helps to guarantee a
regular, steady income and every effort is made to maximise Gift Aid wherever
possible. In 2010 much needed and long-awaited toilet and storage facilities were
provided in the churchyard, which drew heavily on investment funds. In Spring 2012
we are launching our Patronage Scheme which will raise further funds for the
maintenance and improvement of Church facilities and grounds.
The latest Quinquennial Inspection took place in 2010 with the two most urgent
items identified having now been dealt with.
The Church also launched a new website (http://www.morleychurch.co.uk/) in late
2001.
At Morley the congregation is made up of people from several surrounding
villages. There are currently 58 names on the electoral roll, the majority of which are
non-resident in the parish.
St Matthew’s has one weekly service at 11.00 am during which there is full lay
participation, including those who lead intercessions, read the lesson and act as
servers. Average attendance at these services is 25-35 with more on special
occasions. This service is mostly one of Family Communion apart from on the first
Sunday of alternate months when it is a non-Eucharistic Family Service. Baptisms
usually take place within this service since it is more conducive to non-churchgoing
attendees. On the second Sunday of the alternate month our Reader conducts a
non-Eucharistic service of Morning Worship. Several years ago the PCC took the
decision to concentrate on just the one service per Sunday and all our services are
based on Common Worship material.
Children’s Corner
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Sunday School takes place weekly in the within the church where specialised
teaching is led on a rota basis by a small dedicated team of volunteers. The
framework for the Children’s Corner activities comes from the ‘Roots on the Web’
and ‘Common Worship Lectionary’ teachings, with the aim to make the time fun,
interesting, creative and with a strong Christian message. At the end of each service
the children are always invited to come forward to share their work and prayers with
the wider congregation. This is always welcomed and very much appreciated. Last
year our Christingle and Christmas Eve Crib Service were very well attended (60 and
85 people respectively).
Mothering Sunday at Morley 2012
Over the past five years the number of marriages has seen a decline but baptisms
have increased.
The village of Morley with its population of 400 is a scattered community
comprising four distinct areas but also situated very close to the extensive Oakwood
housing estate on the boundary of the City of Derby, [there is an arrangement* (see
Page 8) for weddings of Oakwood residents to take place at Morley]. These four
small areas of population are Almshouses Lane, Brackley Gate, Primrose Drive and
Church Lane, each being about half a mile apart, with the occasional house or farm
in between. Almshouses Lane lies to the West of the parish and takes its name from
the Jacinth Sacheverell Trust Almshouses to be found there. These are a row of very
picturesque cottages built around 1650 and they are surrounded by both old and
new private properties. A long ‘B’ road connects this area to the north of the parish
known as Brackley Gate. Many of the properties here are relatively new being built
in the last 30 years.
The largest area of population with some 40 dwellings is to be found in the centre of
the village on Brickkiln Lane and Primrose Drive. Only a few new houses have been
built in the village for some time because of strict conservation area planning
regulations.
The village church lies in a conservation area in its secluded position on Church Lane
and is adjacent to the former Morley Rectory. This operated as a Retreat and
Conference Centre until its closure in 2009.
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It has now been sold to a local family business from Derby and has recently
undergone a programme of refurbishment. It will open at Easter 2012 and the new
owners are very anxious to work with the church and local community. Whilst it is
still a place of retreat, it does not offer traditional Retreat facilities but these can be
accessed at the nearby Convent of the Holy Name in Oakwood, and the Sozein
Retreat House in Horsley Woodhouse. Worthy of mention in the parish is Derby
College, Broomfield Hall (formerly Derbyshire College of Agriculture) which lies to
the south of the village and covers some 450 acres. Relationships with the college
are good and clergy support is offered on an informal basis.
The parish of Morley covers some 2000 acres of farmland, which is well crossed by
public footpaths to neighbouring villages. Morley has always been a traditional
farming village and there are four active farms today, but other employment is
mainly pursued beyond the village. There are no shops or post office but the village
is served by buses passing through to Derby, Heanor and Ilkeston, all of which are
less than five miles away.
Morley is divided by the busy A608 Heanor to Derby Road, on which is located
Morley Hayes Golf Club, Hotel and Restaurants which is also licensed for weddings.
Weddings at Morley Hayes and other secular places in the area are increasing in
number. Morley has a thriving village school which has been acclaimed for the
quality of its teaching and takes children from five to eleven years mostly from the
nearby Oakwood Estate. Clergy support for the school is again offered on an
informal basis and good relationships have been developed with the school now
using the church for both their Harvest and Christmas celebrations. Further evidence
for a strengthening of this link will see 30 children from Years 3 & 4 come to the
Church in Spring 2012 to take part in a series of activities run by members of the
PCC around the “Easter Experience”.
Morley has a Parish Council which meets in the village school as there is no village or
church hall and a thriving Women’s Institute that meets at Morley Hayes. There is
also an Evergreens Club for the over 60’s. Traditional young people’s organisations
are provided in neighbouring villages.
Common Factors
We have an open policy on baptism and the policy of the previous
incumbents has been to accept remarriage of divorced people, though this
decision has never been taken lightly.
At Morley vestments are worn, whilst at Smalley the tradition of surplice and scarf or
stole is the practice.
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Developments during the ministry of the Revd Canon Mike Alexander:
In 2002 in order to accommodate falling numbers of clergy in the Derby Diocese a
reorganisation took place and in Heanor Deanery the United Benefice of Morley with
Smalley and Horsley Woodhouse was created and this still legally exists. However in
2007 following a further Diocesan reorganisation to create Mission and Ministry
Areas (MMAs) Morley and Smalley became part of the Heanor Group MMA and were
linked with the parish of Loscoe. As a result of this our last incumbent became
responsible for those three parishes from the outset of his appointment. Whilst Mike
encouraged the three parishes to work together this was not easy owing to
geographical location and differing churchmanship.
Following the departure of the Revd Eleanor Berry, our previous curate, Sister
Rosemary, from the neighbouring Convent of the Holy Name at Oakwood, has been
welcomed as Associate Priest.
New service booklets have been developed and printed which cover the whole
church’s year with additional leaflets being produced for special occasions and these
have proved to be very helpful.
Lent meetings are held at Morley Hayes and are well supported.
Over the last five years joint services have rotated around the parishes on Ash
Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Ascension Day.
Children’s summer activities organised by Morley and Smalley members have
continued to include valuable support from both the Anglican and Methodist
churches in Horsley Woodhouse.
Christian Crafts
Holiday Club
Mike, as a strong proponent of order, has used his considerable administrative skills
to help in setting up our MMA, including the formation of its Council and encouraging
the churches to pay their share more promptly. More recently Mission Actions Plans
(MAPs) for the next three years have been drawn up and discussions furthered and
finalised. These are to be found at the end of this document.
Notable innovative outdoor services at Smalley have been a Summer Service and
BBQ for children and young people, and a service of Carols around the lighted
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Christmas tree, followed by seasonal refreshments in the Church Hall.
There are currently three Readers licensed to the Diocese who work mainly in the
local area, Jan Walker, Mary Haywood and Judith Neal. They conduct nonEucharistic services, funerals, take Holy Communion to the nursing homes and make
pastoral visits.
A joint monthly Parish magazine is co-produced by both parishes edited by a
committed volunteer. A circulation of 630 copies is distributed monthly by a team of
faithful helpers.
Both churches support several home and overseas charities, including the
Children’s Society, Leprosy Mission and Mission Uganda, linked in Smalley through Di
Gee. There is a local contact for each charity and these people seek to raise
awareness of the needs of their relevant organisation. In Morley, USPG is supported
through Cynthia Prytherch and there is also a link with Mission Partners, Bishop Mark
and the Revd Helen Van Koevering, in Mozambique.
In 2011 and to date both parishes have paid their parish shares in full and also
the incumbent’s expenses. The total annual share amounts due for 2012 are: Morley
£13,543 and Smalley £16,572.
Worthy of note, our last three incumbents have all come to us in the last phases of
their ministries before moving into retirement. Whilst all have given invaluable
service and both parishes have benefited considerably from their respective gifts and
talents, we do feel that knowing at the outset that they were all to be with us for
only a relatively short time, did have a bearing on the stability of our long term
futures.
Another drawback for the congregations at Smalley has been that the early service
times there allow little or no time afterwards for them to spend any quality time with
the incumbent who has to depart to minister elsewhere.
Currently both parishes have predominantly ageing, if active, congregations and it is
essential for the future that we reach out and engage lovingly with young people
and their parents in the wider community. There is potential for this to be developed
in Smalley and Morley.
On the retirement of our last incumbent, Loscoe Church has now joined the Ripley
Group MMA and responsibility for Morley and Smalley is to be linked with a Diocesan
role.
For the future, the churches are looking for someone who ideally has longer
service to give, is a spiritual and pastoral leader and who is also a good
communicator. He or she would have the ability to:

Continue to enrich the work already begun in drawing the two churches closer
together, to bridge the gap between church and community, to appreciate the
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rich heritage of the villages’ traditions and values and to continue to develop
Mission and Ministry within the MMA.

Help to progress in both parishes the enthusiastic plans highlighted via the
MAP process, particularly in this first, Jubilee year.

Engage positively in both parishes with children, young people and their
parents.

Draw on the strengths of the laity and to appreciate a shared Ministry.

Support our Mothers’ Union Branch which is a real blessing to the church.
* The Church on Oakwood is a Worship Centre and as such is licensed for
weddings. However it is not a parish church and residents can therefore marry in
any of the surrounding parish churches without having to fulfil the requirements of
being on their Electoral Rolls.
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Rural Dean:
Contact Person:
The Revd Terry Williams
Mrs Jan Walker MBE
Horsley Vicarage
Church Street
Horsley
Derby
DE21 5BR
Stainsby Lodge
102 Main Road
Smalley
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE7 6DS
Tel: 01332 880284
Tel: 01332 880530
PCCs’ Elected Representatives
MORLEY:
SMALLEY:
Miss Cynthia Prytherch
70 Morley Road
Chaddesden
Derby
DE21 4QW
Mr Richard Shaw
11 Twyford Close
Heanor
Derbyshire
DE75 7RZ
Te: 01332 672632
Tel: 01773 534291
Miss Sheila Randall
116 Kenilworth Drive
Kirk Hallam
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE7 4EW
Mrs Jan Walker MBE
Stainsby Lodge
102 Main Road
Smalley
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE7 6DS
Tel: 0115 8758393
Tel: 01332 880530
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MAP Summary Form - Morley
Parish : St Matthew’s, Morley
MMA : Heanor and District
Deanery : Heanor
Stage 1 : ‘Where we are starting from’ ~ a summary of our present situation
Census
Mean population: 44 (higher than national average – 38.6)
Population profile:
Morley & Breadsall
Morley Church Attendance
17.1%
6%
18-40
23%
4%
41-60
31.3%
16%
Over 60
18.5%
74%
Under 18
Church Statistics
Average Sunday attendance – 30 (8% of Morley parish compared to 2.22% national average;
however, many of the congregation from beyond the parish).
Electoral roll: 66 (27 from the village; 39 from beyond)
2007-2010/11 Attendance at 9 main services throughout the year: shows a decrease for five
services, static for the rest.
Church Survey (n.b. 21 responses)
The highest score was for ‘nurture and development of children’ (8.95) – considerably
higher than the others churches in the MAA. ‘Caring for the church building’ and ‘budgeting
and finance’ also score highly (8.38/8.00) and was comparable across churches.
The lowest scores were for ‘reaching out to non-attenders’ (4.33) and ‘relate to the local
community’ (5.11) albeit this was comparable with the other churches in the MAA.
SWOT analysis (from MAP events)
Strengths: worship and prayer; care of children; pastoral care; historic building (and care of);
good housekeeping; picturesque setting.
Weaknesses: small parish; scattered parish; lack of central meeting place; lack of young
people in parish; impending interregnum; high maintenance building.
Opportunities: school links; developing open days; wider use of croquet lawn and church
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grounds; weddings/baptisms (website promotion)
Threats: small congregation; ageing congregation; apathy/commitment; finance (shrinking
income, rising expenditure); support of village/organisations; transport (everyone needs it
to get there).
Stage 2: ‘Where are we going’ ~ a description of our destination in three years
Main aspirations:

To embrace our mission statement: “Our Church welcomes all in the love of God,
seeking to be loving, caring, supportive and reaching out to others”

Maintain what we already do well (see SWOT analysis ‘Strengths’)

Short interregnum

Increase regular church attendance and commitment

Open up new income streams (e.g. patronage scheme)

Reach out to older children and families

Be more visible and develop stronger links with the village/community

Reach out to non-attenders

Increase the numbers of wedding couples and baptisms families who become
regular attenders
Stage 3: ‘What’s the best way to get there?’ ~ the main features of our Plan
The main features and priorities are as follows:
Worship, Prayer & Spirituality
 Ability to offer different types of services
 Try Cafe Church
 Continue and develop new ways of providing a warm welcome
 Advertise ourselves, our services, and work
Pastoral Care & Social Concern
 Define what pastoral care is
 Develop pastoral care team
 Develop website
Teaching, Learning & Nurture
 Improve the Children’s Corner
 Improve Provision for Older Children
 Social events to foster relationships
Mission & Evangelism
 Develop Bible Study/House Groups
 Church to initiate village events to celebrate Queen’s Jubilee (60 years)
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
Improve pastoral care – implement ‘training’ and make more use of people who work in
caring situations already.
 Develop links with USPG
Finance & Buildings
 Patronage Scheme
 Churchyard maintenance cost in medium/long-term
 Improve Children’s Corner
Communication & Organisation
 Improve Communication (Church Hierarchy and to the wider community)
 Explore Church Twinning
 Develop Website
Work across the churches (other organisations)
 Best Practice - find out which churches are bucking national trends? What can we learn?
 School – maintain links during interregnum, look to enlarge thereafter.
 Village/community links
 Parish Council – need to be pulling in the same direction
Stage 4: ‘What do we need to do?’ ~ our principal actions for the next 12 months
We have identified principal actions for six of our principal tasks.
1. Website
Aim: To have an operational website to publicise the church and its work (e.g. church
services; who’s who; wedding venue; baptisms; historical groups (windows, brass rubbings);
walkers etc.)
2. Patronage Scheme
Aim: To generate another source of income.
3. Churchyard Maintenance
Aim: To look at new ways of maintaining the church grounds in the medium- to long-term.
4. Provision for older children
Aim: To explore opportunities to entice older children into the Church.
5. Queen’s Jubilee
Aim: To initiate a village event to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee and strengthen links
between the church and the village/community.
6. Cafe Church
Aim: To explore how Cafe Church might attract different groups to the Church.
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Areas where involvement with others beyond our church would be helpful
e.g. training, consultancy, collaboration etc

Organisation of events for social groups (e.g. older children) across churches.

People/Churches with experience of Cafe Church

Best practice – information on which churches are bucking national trends and why?
Diocesan website – maximise potential for promoting events/seminars/training
days/exhibitions etc that they may put on themselves or advertise on behalf of other
Dioceses from time to time. (These include such topics as working with children and young
people, first aid, maintenance of buildings, fundraising etc).
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MAP Summary Form - Smalley
Parish : Smalley
MMA : Heanor & District
Deanery : Heanor
Stage 1 : ‘Where we are starting from’ ~ a summary of our present situation






Sound buildings and healthy finances
Informal pastoral care
Some commitment to charitable giving
Good contact with our 2 local schools
Small nurturing/fellowship group
Small group of workers from a predominantly elderly congregation
Stage 2: ‘Where are we going’ ~ a description of our destination in three years






Maintain state of buildings and finances
Consider potential for increased flexibility within the church building
Build on current work and develop more formal pastoral care scheme
Evaluate charitable giving/review and consider fresh focus
Seek to strengthen interaction with our two schools by developing use of the church
buildings, and outreach work within the schools
Develop and expand the number of nurturing/fellowship groups
Stage 3: ‘What’s the best way to get there?’ ~ the main features of our Plan







Continue with fund raising/social events to ensure financial stability
Reopen discussion on internal alterations to church buildings
Formalise existing arrangements for pastoral care
List the charities we support and consider the most effective use of our giving
Fresh dialogue with school leadership teams re usage of church buildings, and
potential for outreach work within the schools
Consult with MMA and other agencies to consider the employment of a Youth
Worker
PCC to consider who may lead the potential new group
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Stage 4: ‘What do we need to do?’ ~ our principal actions for the next 12 months
Points to consider;
 Interregnum – identify only 1 or possibly 2 priorities for action. Be realistic within
the working group about what we can achieve
 Identify members who are interested in developing or being involved in the chosen
priorities. (Details to be confirmed before sending to the Bishop)
 Given the interregnum, ensure communication is open and transparent, so that
decisions are well informed
Areas where involvement with others beyond our church would be helpful
Explore/investigate resources already available
Find out more information on” Experience Christmas ,Easter etc” for use with primary
school children Send for packs
Explore with other churches availability of youth worker time
(Diocesan website has useful information and list of ideas for links between church and
school)
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