The Denby Group of Churches
An Introduction to the post of
Pioneer Priest
Seeking to discover what God is doing…
and joining in
What brought us to this point…
Over the past decade, Derby Diocese has helped churches to look at ways of sharing its
resources. Each deanery was split into clusters called Mission and Ministry Areas. From there a
dedicated group from within each MMA, along with the Renewing Ministry team within the diocese
embarked on a journey to find out what God was doing in the area and ultimately join in.
The leaders, church councils and congregations of the local churches around Denby were keen to
promote Gods presence and work in the communities and found out that the best way of doing this
was by sharing existing gifts and talents and so in 2010 the Denby Group of Churches was
formed.
A Core Leadership Team was created to lead the way and share God’s love with all they meet.
This committed team consist of church wardens, readers, retired clergy and the children’s worker,
as well as group secretary and treasurer.
In the past few years a key word within the church has been ‘fresh expressions’ and as such we
have recognised the need to look at new ways of being church within our communities. There are
several areas where the church ‘presence’ isn’t reaching and fresh expressions could be the
answer.
The Church Councils from each church have met and agreed that we should appoint a full time
Pioneer Priest to help us on the next part of this exciting journey.
Revd Terry Williams
Priest in Charge
 A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing culture established primarily
for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church.
The Core Leadership Team 2011
Priest in charge:
Revd Terry Williams
Pioneer Priest:
Ordained Local Minister:
Revd Christopher Holden (starts July 2011)
Licensed Readers:
Steve Bridges
Margaret Gwilliam
Margaret Gwilliam
Terrry Welch
Margaret Tadman (Emeritus)
David Harris
Jane Holden
Retired Clergy:
Revd Graham Smith & Revd Peter Swales
Childrens Worker:
Sarah Holden (until July 2013)
Group Treasurer:
Group Secretary:
Group Administrator:
Josie Vallance
Sandra Curtis
Judith Holland
Martin Jones
Ann Swales
Also churchwardens from each parish within the group.
The type of person we are looking for
It is hoped that our new Pioneer Priest will be someone who:
 has some working knowledge of fresh expressions.
 has a passion for mission and new ways of being church.
 can use their own gifts to complement those of the other staff.
 can inspire and encourage others to use their gifts, both within their everyday life and within
the worship and ministry of the church.
 Will be passionate about community work and willing to be a visible presence.
 will be keen to engage ecumenically.
 is self-motivated, but able to operate in a team and to envision others.
 can minister in all styles of worship, be Holy Spirit led, and have a prayerful and pastoral
heart.
 is able to work within the open baptism and marriage policies.
 will lead projects with vision but also as a team player. Must possess delegation skills.
 is computer literate and understands new methods of technology and communication.
(Facebook, Twitter, You Tube etc)
The post is open to both men and women.
The New Pioneer Priest
As this is a new role and designed to be responsive to those encounters that happen along the
way, the job description is deliberately open but it is anticipated that the following elements will be
part of the mix:
 The Pioneer Priest will be a member of the Core Leadership Team with other Clergy, Readers
and Wardens and is responsible to the Priest in Charge.
 They will have responsibility for developing relationships and encouraging new ways of
working collaboratively within the group. They will be able to use fresh expressions of church
to grow the communities and be able to make links within the parishes. (There will be some
freedom from traditional parochial structure)
 To help educate the fellowships in the understanding that church isn’t just Sundays. Look at
new ways of being church.
 Should contribute to all aspects of church life within the group and although not attached to a
single church will have special responsibility for Pastoral Care, Mission and Ministry in Kilburn,
Coxbench and Waingroves.
 Will make links between church, local organisations and businesses (Denby Pottery,
uniformed organisations, etc)
 Will support mission opportunities within the group, such as schools work, initiatives like Alpha
and Emmaus as well as home groups. They will share responsibility for representing the group
on the governing bodies of the local primary schools and involvement in the secondary
schools.
 Will be an ‘untapped talent opener’ helping people use their gifts.
 Will be responsible for the links with ecumenical organisations of the area.
 Should take their share of Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals along with other clergy in the
group, and to meet with colleagues for Daily Office.
 Will attend staff meetings, committee meetings as well as Deanery Chapter and Synod.
 will be an ex-officio member of each PCC.
There needs to be an understanding and flexibility that at times the traditional may need more
focus than the pioneering and at others the opposite will be the case.
It is hoped that for a period of time the Pioneer Priest will join the other clergy on the rota after
which they will be released for two Sundays per month to explore pioneering opportunities.
Working with the Priest in Charge
Revd Terry Williams was appointed as Priest in Charge in March 2011 and has oversight of the
church communities that make up the Denby Group of Churches.
It is pivotally important that the Priest in Charge and the Pioneer Priest can work together. Their
own gifts should compliment each other.
The Priest in Charge is the person who brings the traditional side of ‘church’ into the mix and along
with the pioneering side will work to further Gods Kingdom for this area.
The group office is based at the vicarage of the Priest in Charge (as a central base for all group
matters). He leads the administration for the churches along with the group administrator.
Revd Terry Williams has a natural talent for working with young people and will, along with others,
lead our young person’s work, child protection and schools initiatives. (This is not to say that the
Pioneer will not be involved at all levels)
The Priest in Charge leads staff meetings, committee meetings and is the chair of all four PCCs.
It is understood that the Priest in Charge will be responsible for developing the working
relationships within the Denby Group of Churches and will build strength and sustainability to move
forward and deliver the vision. It is hoped that the Pioneer will support him in this role.
The Parish Profile for St. James Church
Serving Codnor, Waingroves and Crosshill
The Parish
The Parish of Codnor has a population of 6,500 and incorporates the villages of Codnor and
Waingroves, the area immediately around the church, known locally as Crosshill, and Woodlinkin.
The two villages have many similarities, as they were both mining communities. The villages are
very close, separated by a small common. They are thriving communities, each with a Methodist
Chapel in the centre. They are both served by the same Amber Valley Borough Councillors. The
village of Codnor has its own [Civic] Parish Council, and Waingroves is part of Ripley Town. The
area is largely surrounded by grazing land and there is a local Industrial Estate within the parish.
However, most people commute to work in Ripley, Heanor and the larger neighbouring towns and
cities. There is good public transport, and easy access to major roads, i.e. A38, A610, and M1.
Information from 2001 Census
The average age of the population in Codnor and Waingroves is 40, with 18.9% aged 16 or under
and 13.6% aged 60 – 74 years. 56.4% are either married or remarried and 24% of over 16 year
olds are single. The area is predominantly white [99.1%] 77.3% of the population describe
themselves as Christian, but attendance at church or chapel would not support this. 15.1% claim to
have no religion. 63.9% of the population describe their health as good, 25.4% as fairly good and
10.6% as not good. 19.5% admit to having a limiting long-term illness. Employment in the area is
quite high, at 64%, with only 3.5% unemployed, and 13.5% retired.
Housing
In 2001 there were 2,044 households in Codnor and Waingroves, with 1% of the population living
in communal establishments. There is a fair mix of housing, including well-kept miners cottages,
some council housing and a large proportion of owner occupation. 36% of the properties are
detached, 37.2% semi-detached, 20.6%terraced and 5.9% are flats.
Education
There are local playgroups in Codnor and Waingroves, with a nursery class at Codnor School.
Codnor School is a Church of England Controlled Primary School, of which the Priest in Charge is
a Foundation Governor. The PCC appoints two governors; both of these are active members of
the congregation. There are no Secondary Schools in the parish, but there is easy access to
schools in Ripley, Heanor and Aldercar. All the schools have sixth forms. Full and part-time Further
Education is available at S.E. Derbyshire College. Day and evening Adult Education is available at
Peveril House Community Centre in Codnor and some local schools.
Health Care and Hospitals
There is a satellite Doctor's Surgery in Codnor and several Practices in Heanor and Ripley. There
are Dental Surgeries in Heanor and Ripley. There is an excellent chemist shop in Codnor village.
There are short-stay Community Hospitals in Ripley, Heanor and Ilkeston. There are two large
hospitals in Derby and a world renowned teaching hospital in Nottingham.
Public Transport
There are regular bus services to local towns and to Nottingham, Derby and Manchester. The
nearest railway stations are at Langley Mill and Alfreton. East Midlands Airport is 40 minutes’ drive
away. Amber Valley Community Transport provides transport for elderly and disabled people for
local shopping.
Social facilities
Codnor has thriving football, cricket and bowls clubs, the boys‟ football is particularly successful - it
runs 12 teams. There is also a golf club and a martial arts club. The old school building in
Waingroves is now run by Waingroves Community Association and is used by a variety of groups.
They run a very popular village show. There are Cubs, Scouts, Rainbows, and Guides in one or
other village, or even both!
HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The parish of Codnor was created under an order in Council on 3rd September 1844. In a letter
from the Crown Ecclesiastical Office dated 1994, it confirms that:
“It was known as a Peel Living‟ because it came into being following an Act of Parliament
dated 1844 when Sir Robert Peel was Home Secretary”.
The church was built in 1844 to serve the Codnor and Loscoe areas, which were previously part of
the Parishes of Denby, Heanor and Pentrich. In his “History of St James‟ Church” Fred S Thorpe
says:
“The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Lichfield on the 10th day of October 1844,
and was built by public subscriptions and grants for £2,000. Some of the original stone used
was quarried in Codnor Denby Lane and given by a Mr Wood. Other stone used in the
building came from Little Eaton and was carted free of charge to Codnor by Mr Joseph
Woolley of Home Farm, Alfreton Rd, Codnor, as his contribution towards the cost of the
church”
As the villages of Codnor and Loscoe developed it became increasingly obvious that the present
church was inadequate to meet the needs of the growing community. Hence, in 1927, Loscoe
became a parish in its own right and the Church of St Lukes was built at the corner of Taylor Lane.
The division of the parishes in 1927 has left Codnor with the problem of having a church building
on the very edge of the parish. This is still a very real issue for the parish today, and will need to be
addressed at some stage in the future.
ST JAMES CHURCH
We are the Parish Church of Codnor and Waingroves. Our programme of worship has been
developed over several years and works well to meet the needs of our varied congregations.
There are three licensed lay assistants. Several members of the congregation are prepared to lead
some services. The Church has a working Covenant relationship with both Methodist chapels,
known as “The Three Churches of Codnor and Waingroves”.
There are currently 64 on the electoral roll, of which the majority live in the parish. Typical numbers
attending services are listed below; about 50% are elderly, 30% families with children under 8 and
their parents, and 20% the remainder.
Vestments are worn at Holy Communion, and robes by Clergy and Readers at other services.
Coffee is served after the 10.00am services.
At Christmas the church is full for the Carols by Candlelight service and for a Crib Service for
children on Christmas Eve. Codnor Community Primary School comes to Church for its annual
Carol Service. We hold an annual memorial service for the bereaved. We host and lead an
annual Civic Service. The [Civic] Parish Council organises a Carol Service on the Market Place
each year, in which we and the Methodists take part.
The Three Churches hold a Service for Christian Unity, a Walk of Witness on Good Friday, joint
Christmas Eve Midnight Communion at St. James’, and one joint Sunday morning service at each
church. We work with Codnor Methodists to provide services at the care home in the village. We
alternate with them in holding a simple service one Sunday a month for up to about 10 residents.
Between us we also provide Home Communion for a group of about four people once a month - at
the moment this is entirely lay led.
Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
The church has an open Baptism Policy. Baptisms take place on the 1st Sunday of the month at
noon. The family are then invited to attend the Family Service on the following Sunday, where they
are welcomed into the Church family, meet the congregation and receive the baptism certificate.
This is a practice that works well at St James’.
The PCC are happy to for the marriage of divorced couples.
In 2009 there were 9 baptisms, 7 weddings and 7 funerals in church.
Work in the schools
The Three Churches Assembly Team visits Codnor and Waingroves primary schools twice a term
to lead assemblies. It is involved in Carol services for both schools at St James and Waingroves
Chapel. Just before Easter they spend a whole day in Waingroves School, helping year five
prepare a dramatic presentation telling the story of Easter, which they then perform for the whole
school. The Priest in Charge currently attends the school weekly for assemblies. We operate a
Messy Church initiative in Codnor.
Other activities include:
 Open Door on the 2nd Saturday of each month when all are welcome for coffee a chat, or
private prayer in the chapel. This is useful for meeting wedding couples, discussing Church
matters, or even polishing the brass!
 Mothers' Union.
 Knitting Group, monthly meetings to knit clothes for Romanian Gypsy children.
 The Sanctuary Guild arranges flowers.
 A church magazine is produced nine times a year.
 Easter and Advent ecumenical children’s workshops.
 A weeklong holiday club in the summer organised jointly with Waingroves Methodists.
 An active and enthusiastic music group.

Charities we support regularly include:Christian Aid, especially at Harvest and Lent. The Childrens Society, including a Christingle
service. The Padley Centre in Derby at Christmas and Harvest
The Church Building
The church is a small, simple, Grade II listed building built in 1846 with an enclosed but "closed"
churchyard. There is no Church Hall but the church is used imaginatively and respectfully for many
social events. The building is of Gothic style with a nave, chancel, west tower and bell. A gallery
was installed in 1890. A small chapel of St Nicholas is at the north-west corner of the church, with
access from the porch. It contains a font the age of which suggests that it was originally in the
Chapel of St Nicholas at Codnor Castle. It is used for small services. The reserved Sacrament for
the sick is kept in the chapel, and it is an area within the church for quiet and personal prayer.
We have a sound system with loop, and disabled access to the building. The PCC is working
through their plan to comply with the Disability Disabled Act as funds permit. There is a small
attached vestry block which contains a tea-point and toilet. The quinquennial report we received in
2007 showed no major problems apart from the roof and the top of the tower. This has now been
completed with local funding as well as funds from English Heritage and other bodies.
The Vicarage
The Vicarage is on Codnor Denby Lane, immediately opposite the church. It is about a mile to the
centre of Codnor and the school, slightly further to Waingroves school. The house was built in the
1970s. This will be the home of the Pioneer Priest.
Parish Finances
We struggle to pay the parish share, but each year we endeavour to pay as much as possible.
THE FUTURE
Parish strengths
 The fellowship of St James' - a welcoming and supporting Church where each member is
valued
 Variety of services to meet the range of interest/theological stance
 Reader & lay leadership of services in church and community
 Strong working relationship with the local Methodists [covenant]
 PCC who work well together and are able to make decisions
 Worship planning group
 Small, active and effective social committee
 Music group of pianist, guitars and singers
 Majority of age groups represented
Parish weaknesses
 Absence of people aged 8 to 25
 We are aware that we need to encourage more people from St. James to take part in the
ecumenical childrens work
 Position of the church on edge of parish
The way ahead – our vision
To share the love of God throughout the parish of Codnor by:

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

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encouraging people to experience the presence of God in their lives
offering inclusive and varied styles of worship to allow all ages an opportunity to grow in
faith
raising the profile of the church in the wider community and being a spiritual resource
developing our ecumenical links and strengthening the work we do together
developing and drawing strength from our relationships with the churches in our group.
The Parish Profile
for
St Mary the Virgin, Denby
Website: www.denbychurch.org
The beautiful old Grade I listed church of St Mary the Virgin sits at the heart of the Parish and
offers a very warm welcome and Christian friendship to everyone who comes through the door.
We worship as one family, love and support one another and value working together to praise God
and take the message out into the community.
The Parish:
Geography:
The Parish of St Mary the Virgin is situated 10 miles north of Derby, adjacent to the main A38, and
within easy access of the Peak District. It is within a few miles of the small towns of Belper to the
West, Heanor and Ilkeston to the East and Ripley to the North. This rural Parish covers
approximately 6 square miles.
The Parish is predominantly rural with the population widely spread between the area around the
church to the east (Denby Village) and an area in the west of the Parish nearer the B6179. This
area to the west contains more housing than the Denby Village area.
Denby Pottery and DEB are the main employers but a new industrial estate, in the north of the
Parish, has recently opened and this should bring more people in on a daily basis.
There are several farms and open countryside within the Parish.
Housing:
The Parish consists of a mix of housing, mainly privately owned but with a couple of small areas of
social housing and bungalows. There is a new housing development comprising 68 dwellings
which was built 8 years ago and lies near to the B6179.. This new development houses mainly
younger families.
The People:
All data is taken from the latest census in 2001, which excludes the 68 new dwellings. The parish
had a population of 1,827 in 738 households, 901 of which were married people.
Age profile of Parish in 2001:
0-15
16-24
25-44
45-64
65-74
75+
359
151
502
520
153
142
20%
8%
28%
28%
8%
8%
The ethnicity remains predominantly White British.
Schools:
There are two schools in the Parish. The John Flamsteed Community School, which caters for
around 600 secondary school pupils and the Denby Free CE Voluntary Aided Primary School
which is sited next to the Church. This currently has 116 pupils. The Denby Free school has a
strong Christian ethos and the majority of the Governing Body are nominated by the PCC.
Local Facilities:
There is the Denby Institute Hall available for use by the Community and this runs a Bowling Club,
Football and Sequence Dancing. There is only one general shop remaining in the Parish. The
Denby Cricket Club is also very active. There are two public houses within the Parish. There are
good recreational facilities within the locality including several Golf Clubs.
Other Churches:
As well as links with the group there is a Methodist Church within Denby Parish.
The Church:
Context:
In September 2008 the vicar unfortunately became ill and retired at the end of July 201 on grounds
of ill health. The church has continued to function mainly due to the Churchwardens, PCC
members, the Interim Minister Responsible, Readers from the United Benefice, retired clergy and
the members of the congregation who have all worked together. The loss of leadership for
outreach, pastoral care and mission has certainly been felt. In march 2011 Revd Terry Williams
was appointed Priest in charge.
The Patrons of St Mary’s are Mrs Lucy Palmer of Locko Park, Spondon and the Bishop (held
jointly). Mrs Palmer is the daughter of the late Captain Drury-Lowe who, along with his ancestors,
have been patrons of the church for several centuries.
Congregation:
The number on the Electoral Roll at 31 March 2010 was 52, of which 19 live outside the parish.
The age profile of the congregation spans mainly from 40 to 90+, with only one or two young
people. There is one licensed reader (although we have the benefit of the readers from the United
Benefice) and there is a retired clergyperson living in the parish.
One of the strengths of our
church is that everyone in the congregation feels part of the “church family” and visitors often
comment on the warm welcoming atmosphere. Pastoral care to individual members of the
congregation is given by others in the church family. Coffee is served after every service and this
allows time to socialise.
Worship:
There is only one service held on Sundays at 10.00 a.m. The worship of the church follows a
monthly pattern with a service of Holy Communion, using Common Worship, held on the 1 st and 4th
Sundays of the month. The services held on the 2 nd and 3rd Sundays often follow the Common
Worship Morning Prayer but are more informal, occasionally with a small music group. When
there is a 5th Sunday a joint service with The Denby Group of Churches is held. Average weekly
attendance over the last year is 35-40.
Lay involvement during the services is through bell-ringers, sidespeople, reading of lessons,
preparing and reading of intercessions and helping to chalice. There is no choir at the present
time but we have two excellent organists and an occasional organist who ensures that music is
played at every service.
The Denby Free School pupils hold a weekly assembly in the Church and the Chair of Governors,
who is a member of the Church, attends this service. Both the local schools use the Church at
Christmas for their Carol Services and the primary school perform their Christmas plays for
parents in the Church during the last week of the term.
Throughout the year all the principal religious festivals are celebrated and the services shared
between the three parishes of St Mary’s, St Clements & St Susannas in rotation. Traditionally
there has been an Easter Day Communion at each church. Harvest Festivals are held by the
church and the Denby Free School and all the gifts are donated to the Padley Homeless Centre in
Derby.
An annual Christingle service has alternated in recent years between St Clements and St Mary’s.
A Memorial Service has been held for the last few years. A candlelit Nine Lessons and Carols
service is held every year.
Baptisms are currently held on one Sunday a month at 12 noon and there have been 16 over the
past 12 months.
There were 11 funerals during 2009 and these are served by a verger, who is a member of the
congregation.
There is an average of 2/3 weddings per year but unfortunately none during 2009 but 4 have been
booked for 2010 and 4 for 2011.
An annual Flower Festival is held in the church to celebrate the patronal festival of St Mary. This
takes place on the weekend closest to the 8th September. All the flower arrangements are done by
people within the church and their friends, including a display by the children of Denby Free
School. The Flower Festival is celebrated with a special Holy Communion Service on the Sunday
morning and a Songs of Praise service in the evening.
The Women’s World Day of Prayer Service rotates around all the different ecumenical churches in
the United Benefice.
Mission:
A very good relationship between the Denby Free School and the Church has been developed
over the last ten years. A joint Summer Fayre has been held for the last few years and the
children come into the Church every Friday morning for assembly. Annually a special event
explaining the Easter story takes place in Church. This is led by members of the congregation for
groups of children from the school; this is always a wonderful experience for everyone involved.
A new initiative being developed is an after school club to be held in Denby Free School. This
would be led by a worker from Valley CIDs which is a local Christian Charity supporting children
and families, with help from church members.
Until 2008 within the United Benefice there was active children’s work on Sunday mornings, but
this has been closed due to lack of helpers and the Vicar’s illness. The only children’s work at
present is a thriving JFC – Jesus Foundation Club – which meets once a month on a Friday
evening in a local hall and is aimed to attract children from non-church families. This is run with
leaders from both St Mary’s and St Clements.
We look forward to extending this outreach to children, young people and their families which we
feel are extremely important for the future of St Mary’s.
Alpha Courses have been held over the last few years and as mentioned above, it is hoped that
these will continue through the Denby Group of Churches in the future.
In 2010 a Lent Course was organised through the MMA and took place within the already
established House Groups with an invitation being extended to everyone within the Denby Group.
Two ladies within the congregation organise and run a monthly Ladies Night within the MMA area.
This has an average attendance of 25+ including several non-church people.
Discipleship and Nurture:
Regular Home Groups take place within the parish and these comprise members of both parishes
within the United Benefice. Most of them meet on a fortnightly basis.
There are two Prayer Groups that meet every Monday evening, where people pray for the needs
of anyone within the parish. Other members who cannot attend this group also pray at the same
time every week.
The Way Ahead:
Over the last ten years at St Mary’s there has been a slow growth in the numbers attending the
Sunday services and we need to build on this, encouraging young families. Links have been
growing stronger with the Denby Free School and this would seem to be an ideal starting place to
nurture the friendships that have already been formed. Without young people and families within
the church congregation there cannot be continuity in the worship, growth and outreach of St
Mary’s.
Taking the Church out into the Community is something that needs to happen within the Parish.
The Denby Group is beginning to make things happen but this needs to be expanded.
Communication:
There is a weekly sheet handed out at the services called the Link. This is prepared jointly for the
four churches. There is a parish newsletter, the Vision, which is distributed to over 600 homes four
times a year. (Christmas, Easter, June and late August) Church events are advertised by posters
and in the local media. The Denby Free School will also accept publicity handouts for the children
to take home.
Groups & Activities:
 Concerts of various kinds have been held in the Church, the most recent being a Christmas
Celebration by Stephen Foulkes, who is one of our organists.
 The local Footpaths Group hold meetings in the Church building.
 The Bellringers meet regularly for practice and have also opened the tower for competitions.
 There is a group of volunteers who clean the church each Friday or Saturday and we have
a couple of dedicated flower arrangers.
 Trustees are provided for the Denby Free School Foundation, as are School Governors
from amongst the Church members.
 A Summer Holiday Club for the children has been run every year until 2009.
 The Patron, Mrs Lucy Palmer, allows St Mary’s to hold an Open Afternoon every year in the
gardens of the Locko Park Estate in Spondon.
Resources:
The share is paid in full.
Monies are given to charity on an annual basis.
Equipment:
The church owns an overhead projector and screen. Currently there is a church photocopier,
laptop and projector available within the Group.
Building:
The church is a Grade I listed building and dates from the 12 th century. It holds up to 100 people.
There has been some re-ordering at the back to increase the amount of “free space”. The pews
date from the 1950s. The church houses a Harrison and Harrison pipe organ and beautiful stained
glass windows.
information).
(See the web site: www.denbychurch.org.uk
for photographs and further
Some re-wiring work has recently been done and in the future the radiators will need to be
replaced.
As mentioned above a small extension was constructed recently and this provides a tea-point and
disabled toilet facilities. The opportunity was also taken to replace the heating boiler.
Over the last nine months the church roof, including the extension, has been subject to thefts of
lead and has been temporarily recovered. The PCC are currently looking at a permanent repair
with an alternative to lead. This is supported by the Diocese and the Architect.
Churchyard:
Burials continue to take place in the churchyard with approximately 40 plots remaining.
There is a memorial garden for the internment of ashes, with a Book of Remembrance kept in the
church.
The grass is regularly mowed by a local contractor. The cost of this is shared between the church
and the Parish Council.
The churchyard contains the Drury-Lowe family vault and is maintained by the Drury-Lowe estate
in Spondon.
Horsley St Clement’s Church
serving
Horsley, Kilburn and Coxbench
Parish Profile
Introduction
St Clement’s Parish Church is located in the village of Horsley about 5½ miles north of Derby, in a
predominantly rural area, and serves the villages of Kilburn, Horsley and Coxbench.
The Church building and hall.
The church is grade 1 listed. The original church building was erected at some time prior to 1300
and altered extensively between 1310 and 1350 with the addition of side aisles and a tower with
spire at the west end. During the early 1400s the side aisle walls were raised to take a flat roof
with battlements, gargoyles were added, chapels were built at the east end of both aisles, the
chancel was enlarged and divided from the nave by a finely carved oak rood screen, the font was
replaced, and a south facing porch was built.
Whilst the exterior of the church has remained virtually unchanged since this time, the interior has
undergone frequent changes; for instance it once had a musicians’ gallery, a high door in the tower
for the Sanctus bell ringer to see the altar, a north door, and in the 18 th century plastered and
whitewashed walls (since restored to natural stone). The rood screen was removed in the 17 th
century and chopped up for floor joists. More recently, the pipe organ has been replaced with an
Ahlborn-Galanti electronic church organ. The spire has been restored (the tower contains six bells
dating from the 17th century).
The last quinquennial was carried out in March 2005 and all short-to-medium term work has been
completed, including in 2007 the renewal of the lead roof aided by a grant from English Heritage
and extensive fundraising by the congregation and the community. At the same time some of the
Victorian pews were removed to create circulation space incorporating a resource area, children's
corner and a tea point. The church now seats 170 people, 70 in the remaining pews and 100
chairs. The next quinquennial is scheduled for April 22nd 2010.
The church has a hall in Kilburn, leased to the Kilburn Community Association (K.C.A.), The
church has first call on the hall for Sunday mornings without fee, and also uses it one Friday per
month for children’s work. Chatterbox Cafe was initiated by St Clement’s Church but is now run by
KCA.
Our Mission
We are called to be a Spirit filled people telling the "Good News" of Jesus Christ to all people in
our parish, workplace and social settings.
We are called to live out the love of God as a
redeemed and holy people, under the authority of God's word and in the power of His Holy Spirit.
We know the power of prayer and how necessary it is to talk to God about everything. We take
our needs to Him in prayer and have confidence that "in all things He will work for the good of
those who love Him" (Rom 8:28).
We believe that everyone who has accepted Jesus as Saviour has an important part to play in the
ministry of the church and that the purpose of leadership is to help each member of the church to
identify, release and use the gifts God has given. We aim to be a community in which everyone is
valued and allowed/helped to take their part in ministry.
We want our church to grow in the number of committed disciples and to make an ever-increasing
impact on our local community, deanery and MMA. We aim to offer ministry, which meets our
parishioners' needs, is meaningful to them and relevant to their daily lives:
to communicate the "Good News" in ways which people can understand;
being there for those in distress or in trouble;
offering friendship;
offering meaningful opportunities for worship and spiritual growth.
We recognise that we are part of a world-wide church and have much to learn from, as well as give
to, those in other countries. We believe that we should give our time, gifts and money to mission.
We are praying for God’s plans for our future.
The Community
The parochial parish contains a population of approximately 4,500 and encompasses two civil
parish councils; Kilburn, with about 88% of
the parochial parish population, and Horsley/Coxbench, with about 12% of the parochial parish
population.
The Parish church is situated in Horsley village, with a hall (currently leased to the Kilburn
Community Association - KCA) which is located on the edge of the larger concentration of
population in Kilburn.
According to the 2001 Census, Kilburn has higher proportions than
Horsley/Coxbench of: families with young children; families with three or more children; families
with only one parent; single person dwellings; and tenants of housing associations. Kilburn also
has greater proportions of economically active men and women as well as unemployed.
Horsley/Coxbench has higher proportions than Kilburn of numbers of cars per household, owneroccupiers, and private renters. Its economically active population contains a greater proportion of
women working part time, as well as people who are self employed, working in
service industries, or engaged in managerial and or professional occupations.
significant multi-racial population in the parish.
There is no
Horsley and Coxbench are small villages with mainly owner-occupied and more expensive housing
stock (however Horsley does have a small ex-council housing estate). Kilburn was founded on
brick making and then coal mining, but has been greatly enlarged in the last century by a mixture
of estate council housing, housing association development, and private housing developments.
A very good health centre is located just on the edge of the parish boundary at Horsley
Woodhouse. Kilburn has a Care Centre combining residential and nursing care as well as a
sheltered housing development and warden controlled Housing.
Horsley has a few houses specifically built for the elderly.
networks.
Both villages have strong community
Horsley, Kilburn and Coxbench are almost entirely residential, with a few small businesses, but no
industry of any significance. Most residents go out of the parish for work, shops and leisure, mainly
to Ripley, Belper, Derby and the Nottingham area.
The parish is served by four schools: Horsley (C of E) Controlled Primary School with about 80
places; Kilburn Infant and Nursery School with about 130 places; Kilburn Junior School with about
160 places; and John Flamsteed Community School (secondary level and just outside the parish)
with about 600 places. There are a number of colleges offering further and higher education in the
area. The church has close links with Horsley Primary School. There are two representatives of
the church on the board of Governors; one being the Vicar who is ex-officio.
There are baby and toddler groups at both Horsley and Kilburn. Horsley has a golf course, a
bowls club, yoga class, a W.I., an over 60's club, and an MMA Ladies Group which is church led.
Kilburn has Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, an historical society, an amateur
dramatics company, a social club, a W.I., a Wine Circle, Chatterbox Cafe, dancing classes and a
luncheon club for the elderly. The Kilburn Community Association hosts other events at the
village hall.
Style of worship
We are broadly Evangelical and embrace a range of worship styles from formal with organ and
choir to informal with worship group. Parish Communion Services and Morning Worship are taken
from Common Worship order one.
Readings are taken from the New Common Worship Lectionary using the Good News Bible.
Readings and intercessions are led by members of the congregation. The usual vesture for the
priest at Holy Communion is cassock alb or surplice and stole.
Patterns of worship
Week
Day
1
Sunday
2
3
4
5
Sunday
Wednesday
Sunday
Sunday
Wednesday
Time
08.30
10.15
10.15
10.00
10.15
10.15
10.00
Service
Holy Communion (BCP)
Morning Worship
Parish Communion
Holy Communion
Parish Communion
Morning Worship
Holy Communion
Sunday
Combined morning service with the Denby Group of Churches.
Occasional seasonal evening services are held throughout the year.
Numbers at services currently average between 35 - 40.
The electoral role at April 2009 stands at 70: 19 live outside the parish boundary.
Church Activities
The church currently has four home groups, a prayer group and a telephone-contact prayer
wheel.
Social activities, organised throughout the year, are now mostly held in church. During the
annual Summer Festival there are displays in church with stalls on the village green, concerts in
church and an open air service on Sunday morning. On the first Saturday of each month the
church is open and manned from 0930 to 1530, light refreshments are served to visitors, records
and memorabilia of the parish are on display, and there is a popular cake stall. The bell ringing
team ring for family celebrations etc.
These mornings are popular and well supported by
members of the community and are facilitated by the space made available by the removal of
pews. The church is also open on Wednesdays during the summer.
Christmas celebrations are started off by a brass band concert and last year a Christmas Market
held in church was an enormous success, enjoyed equally by church and community.
Our church is now seen as a welcoming place and is beginning to be used by the community.
Children’s work is currently shared with St Mary’s with a JFC Club (age range from 5 to 13 years)
which meets monthly in Kilburn Village Hall. The aim is to reach out to children from all families in
the community and in a fun way introduce Jesus as their friend, Saviour and Lord. The three
leaders attend churches across the benefice.
Music. The church has a strong musical tradition with organist and choir and a music group, who
all share in the leading of worship. The choir also sing at weddings and at special events in the
church calendar, and at the summer festival, tackling both religious and secular music.
Bell ringing: a thriving team ring for services, occasional offices and other occasions throughout
the year. The tower has six bells.
Support for home/overseas missions and charities.
The Church is actively involved in working with two overseas projects, both in Kenya, the Mercy
Care Centre School, Mathare, Nairobi, and Happy Home Orphanage, Kopere - a team visited both
centres in February 2008 and Easter 2009. The church also supports the Padley Centre in Derby
and Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness. Collections are made for Save the
Children, Children’s Society, Christian Aid and various other charities. An emergency basket in
church ensures that we can support other appeals as and when they arise.
Baptism, Communion and Confirmation
We have an open baptism policy.
The Church has a good number of occasional offices throughout the year: last year 17 baptisms
and 11 weddings. In 2008 nine candidates were confirmed.
Other churches
There is a Methodist Church and a Baptist Church in Kilburn. We have occasional joint services
with the Methodist Church, and join with both for Remembrance and during the week of prayer for
Christian Unity.
The church has a representative on the Kilburn Community Association, which is the umbrella
group for many activities in Kilburn, and enjoys good relationships with both parish councils.
Horsley Primary School is a Church of England voluntary controlled school. The Vicar and a
foundation governor serve on the board of governors. The school visit the church as part of their
curriculum (as does the Primary School at Kilburn) as well as using the church for their Harvest
and Christmas celebrations. The church present Bibles to year 5 pupils annually at a special
assembly held in church. The wardens have led a Christingle service for the school in December
for the last three years. The report from the Church Inspection of the school was very positive.
The relationship between church and school is positive and supportive in both directions and there
is scope for building on links already existing.
For many years now the church choir has been invited to lead carol singing at the local golf club
and more recently in the local pub.
Parish Finance
Parish share is paid in full.
Parish Strengths
Home groups, prayer group, prayer wheel, music/worship, bell ringing, covenanting, involvement in
mission locally and overseas, commitment and involvement of many people. Strong fellowship at
morning service with welcome ministry and tea and coffee: (visitors have confirmed the
friendliness of their welcome).
The church has a strong pastoral ethos.
Good communication with our weekly Parish Link news sheet and our monthly Parish Magazine.
Saturday opening is greatly enjoyed by all. The church is open some Wednesdays during the
summer.
Proactive approach to maintenance of buildings: annual maintenance plan.
Good project management.
St. Clement’s is a popular venue for weddings and funerals.
Parish Weaknesses
Lack of Children’s work and low impact in Kilburn.
Lack of toilet and kitchen.
Lack of disabled access.
Future Plans and Ministry
To review the pattern of services including services in Kilburn once again when there is a new
incumbent.
We intend to continue working towards achieving a greater impact in the community, particularly in
Kilburn, especially with children and young people.
We will continue to support the Mercy Care Centre School in Mathare, Nairobi and Happy Home
Orphanage, Kenya, Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre, Skegness and the Padley Centre in
Derby.
In conclusion
This is the kind of Church we aspire to be!!
A Christ centred/Bible based church.
A visionary/ prophetic church.
A growing church – numerically and spiritually.
A participating church – every member ministry.
A generous church – time, talents and resources. (2 Cor.8:1-4)
A Spirit filled and Spirit led church.
A caring and unified church.
An affirming, accepting and welcoming church.
A prayerful church – a place of healing.
The Parish Profile for St. Susanna’s
In the Parish of Horsley Woodhouse
The Population
The population of the parish of Horsley Woodhouse is around 1300, overwhelmingly of White
British descent.
Horsley Woodhouse is a former mining community situated in a rural location to the north-east of
Derby in the Amber Valley district. There are around 600 dwellings, predominantly privately-owned
but also with some rented accommodation and sheltered and older persons’ housing. It is a linear
village with Church Lane and Main Street providing the spine with Stainsby Avenue, Wood Lane,
Fairfield Road, The Crescent and Golden Valley leading from it. The village lies on the A609, a
trunk road providing links to the cities of Derby and Nottingham and the towns of Ilkeston and
Heanor in one direction and the towns of Belper, Matlock and Ashbourne in the other.
The city of Derby and the neighbouring towns of Heanor, Ripley, Belper and Ilkeston are the
greatest providers of employment but more local employers include the nearby Denby Pottery
along with a number of small companies and businesses and the Primary School and Medical
Centre in the village itself. The unemployment rate [Derbyshire CC Website, August 2010] for the
local ward is 2% and for Amber Valley as a whole, 3.1%.
Primary education is provided at the Horsley Woodhouse Primary School with pupils moving on to
either Heanor Gate Science College or John Flamstead Community School, Denby at the age of
11.
The village hosts the Arthur Medical Centre with community hospitals at Ilkeston, Heanor and
Ripley providing a range of differing services and the new Derby Royal Hospital being the area’s
main hospital.
The village has a full range of clubs, societies and other organisations with programmes and
activities meeting the needs of different age groups and interests. These include
o The Pre-school Playgroup and Toddler Group and the 1 st Sitwell Scout Group for young
people
o Sporting interests met by the weekly Tae Kwan Do and Karate classes, the Stainsby Cricket
Club, the Smalley Tennis Club and the Sitwell Arms Bowls Club.
o The Royal British Legion Memorial Hall plays host to the Over-60s Club, the Ladies Group,
the Local and Family History Group and weekly whist drives.
o St Susanna’s Church Hall is another well-used venue with weekly Line and Sequence
Dance classes, a band practice and our fortnightly Church and Community Coffee Morning
o The Ex-service and Working Men’s Club also provides good social facilities.
o The Annual Carnival, run by the village Community Association, is a very popular and longlived event.
There are quite good public transport links with an hourly bus service to Derby in one direction
and Heanor and Hucknall in the other.
Church Life
The weekly pattern of worship is as follows:
1st, 3rd and 4th Sundays in the month, Evensong [BCP] at 6.30 p.m.
2nd and 5th Sunday in the month Holy Communion [CW] at 6.30 p.m.
5th Sunday in the month Denby Group joint morning service
General statistics as published in the last Annual Report are as follows
Item
Funerals
Detail
In Church followed by burial in churchyard
In Church followed by cremation
At a Crematorium followed by burial of ashes in
the churchyard
At a Crematorium followed by burial of ashes in
the Garden of Remembrance
In the Methodist Church followed by burial in the
Churchyard
In Church followed by burial in Denby churchyard
Other funerals for parishioners at a crematorium
Funeral at Smalley followed by burial of ashes in
Horsley Woodhouse churchyard
No service in Church, burial in Churchyard
In Church followed by burial of ashes in the
Garden of Remembrance
Baptism
Thanksgiving for the
Gift of a Child
Marriage
Blessing of Marriage
Communicants
Easter Day
Christmas Day
2008
Two
Four
None
2009
Seven
Two
None
None
None
One
None
None
One
None
None
None
None
None
None
None
Two
Two
None
None
None
None
None
Nineteen
One
None
Twentynine
Twentyfive
Nineteen
The average number of communicants on a normal Sunday is eighteen and the average
attendance at Evensong is twenty. There are 27 on the Electoral Roll, 19 being resident in the
parish.
The church choir provides musical leadership at all services which are led by the Interim Minister
and other local clergy [communion services] and Lay Readers from other Group parishes
[Evensong].
The pattern of services has been worked out by the last incumbent priest working with the PCC.
There are special services for Mothering Sunday, Summer Festival Celebration, Harvest Festival,
Remembrance Sunday, Christmas [9 Lessons and Carols, Christingle, a Christmas Eve Children’s
Service and Christmas Day Communion] and Easter [joint services on Maundy Thursday and
Good Friday and Easter Day Communion]
Church activities follow a traditional pattern and include:
o An MMA Ladies Group meeting monthly with an interesting and varied programme
o Activities for children – the Activity and Holiday Clubs run jointly with Smalley and Morley
parishes and the Discovery Club run as an after-school activity at the primary school by
CIDS, supported by ourselves and the Methodist church.
o The Summer Festival is a traditional event held in June involving a procession of witness
through the village followed by a special evening service.
o An annual Choir Concert on the last Sunday in Trinity
o Social events including quiz nights, the regular church and community coffee morning and
seasonal events marking Harvest and Christmas.
o Mini, summer and autumn markets involving stalls, games and refreshments focussing on
fund-raising for either the church or a nominated charity
o Increasing involvement in a growing number of Denby Group activities.
Other Ministries include a monthly ‘Home Communion’ for disabled and sick parishioners and
support for the Rural Dean taking communion to parishioners in a local nursing home.
A number of Home and Overseas missions and other charities are supported, most notably the
Children’s Society and Christian Aid where fund-raising is an integral part of church life. Support
has also been given to CMS, TEAR Fund, St Luke’s Trust Fund, the Historic Churches
Preservation Trust, C of E Pension Board, MENCAP and the British Legion [Remembrance Day].
The Methodist Church is the only other church within the parish and we maintain excellent
relations with members supporting their activities and joining them in worship on special
occasions. The old vicarage is home to Sozein, a ministry of healing trust. We support its fundraising events and advertise its programme of work.
The parish has no formal partnerships with local organisations, businesses etc. but as detailed
elsewhere we work with others in the community to promote and witness our faith.
Decisions on the re-marriage of the divorced has been left to the discretion of previous
incumbents.
The Church, dedicated to St Susanna, was built in 1882 and is of a relatively small size, just 89
feet in length and 29 in width. It is of a plain gothic structure comprising nave, chancel, north porch
and a bell turret containing a single bell. There is seating for 200. The last quinquennial inspection
was carried out in June 2006 and found the general condition of the building to be satisfactory. All
urgent and essential maintenance work has been completed primarily involving the lowering of the
ground level at the west end and the rebuilding of the west boundary wall. A disabled access has
recently been constructed along with related landscaping work. Internal lighting has also been
significantly improved.
The Church Hall, standing on the junction between Main Street and Wood Lane is a great asset
to the parish. Built originally as the second school, it was purchased by the PCC in 1937.
Significant refurbishment work, supported by a grant from the National Charities Board, was
completed 10 years ago. This has provided the parish with an excellent facility with
o a large function room/performance hall, with a stage and lighting and audio facilities,
suitable for large social events and performances
o a separate meeting room also capable of hosting smaller social events
o a good-sized kitchen equipped for both the preparation and serving of refreshments
o good toilet and cloakroom facilities with disabled access
The Hall is already well used for both church and private activities but possesses considerable
potential for even greater use in the future.
Parish Finances
The 2009 parish share of £9,440 was paid in full. The parish share for 2010 is £9,568.
The Parsonage
The parsonage house in the parish is no longer available. It is the home of the Sozein Trust.
The Parish’s Strengths
The strengths of the parish can be summarised as follows
i.
A dedicated, committed, enthusiastic and very hardworking lay team and PCC
ii.
A Church building which is well-maintained, welcoming, and accessible to all
iii.
A good level of lay involvement in services
iv.
A full social and fund-raising programme
v.
A well-equipped and well-maintained Hall which is an asset to both the Church and the local
community
The Parish’s Weaknesses
The weaknesses of the parish can be summarised as follows
i.
The age profile of parishioners is a great cause for concern when planning for the future
ii.
The absence of any formal planning and review process at PCC level which potentially
inhibits growth and development
iii.
We have been unable to consistently attract children, young and middle-aged people to join
the Church
iv.
Funding is an issue and we have great difficulty in just raising money to cover day-to-day
running costs let alone fund desired projects
The Way Ahead – Vision, Aims and Plans
This is a challenging section as we have not recently discussed such things as our vision for the
future or our aims. Similarly we do not have a development plan into which our desired projects
etc. fit.
However the following is a fair reflection of where we currently stand
i.
Our overall aim is to ensure the continued propagation of and witness to the Christian faith
in our community through church services, social events, fund-raising and community
service.
ii.
We wish to work with and learn from others, especially our partner churches, in order to
support our overall aim and better equip ourselves to realise it.
iii.
We wish to make the fullest use of our resources [and those of our partner churches], both
people and material, to realise our aim