Darent Valley Benefice Profile Three Inclusive Churches, proclaiming the Word and work of God in the Darent Valley

St Mary the Virgin, Horton Kirby

St Margaret of Antioch, Darenth

St John the Baptist, Sutton-at-Hone

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1. Front Cover

2. Index Page

3. Can you help us?

4. Our Benefice

5. Benefice Map

6. St Mary the Virgin, Horton Kirby

7. St Margaret of Antioch, Darenth

8. St John the Baptist, Sutton-at-Hone

9. Worship

10. Music in the Benefice

11. Mission

12. Opportunities and Challenges

13. Local Schools

14. Person Specification

15. Back cover

We are here

Farningham Road Station Horton Kirby Cricket Club Sutton-at-Hone/S.Darenth “The Mill” at S.Darenth Fishing Lakes at Darenth

We can promise:

diverse congregations bringing together worship styles and age profiles

friendship

• respect of family space

• that we will pray with you

• that we will laugh with you

• that we will cry with you

that we will support you

The Vicarage

The vicarage is set back from the main road in Darenth, opposite some local shops. It is a four bedroom detached property, built in the mid 1980’s. It has a good size garden and a garage with a driveway.

Downstairs has an entrance hall with an office to the left and a cloakroom to the right. These amenities can be secured from the main area of the house by a lockable door. Passing through the entrance hall into the main hall and from this is the large lounge, a good-sized dining room and a kitchen/diner with a utility room.

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We believe the person God is calling to lead us will be:

Spirit-led in their ministry and committed to spreading the gospel and growing the church

enthusiastic to embrace and nurture the diversity of our churchmanship and worship styles

willing to work with and through our established lay ministry team

a gifted preacher, able to teach and relate the Bible in a compelling and intelligent fashion to contemporary life

able to satisfy many of the requirements of our Person Specification at page 14. Click here to go there now.

Members of our congregation were asked for one word to describe the quality they would like to see in their next vicar, and these are the words they used.

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The Area - We are in the Dartford Deanery of the Diocese of Rochester. Our Benefice is geographically dominated by the Darent Valley, with the River Darent running south to north through its centre. As one follows the river, the area reveals a rich history dating from Roman times. The river is a location for school field trips and feeds the many lakes in the area, created by gravel extraction and which are now used for fishing, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The river runs past St John’s Jerusalem, once a preceptory of the Knights of St John’s, Jerusalem dating back to the 13th Century, and which is now a National Trust property open to the public during the summer months. There is a population of some 11,700.

Dartford Deanery - comprises 12 parishes stretching along the valley of the River Darent, from the town of Swanley in the south to Dartford itself at its most northerly point, where the Darent joins the Thames just above the Dartford Crossing. At full strength the clergy chapter would number about 10, although there are a number of vacancies at present. Chapter cohesion is reasonable with most participating in an annual retreat despite some differences in tradition. Clergy often assist their neighbours, and a small number of lay ministers plus a larger number of number of retired Readers with PTO assist in the conduct of funerals. Of late the clergy have supported a Sunday morning service as part of the Dartford Festival during the summer.

The History of the Benefice - St John the Baptist, Sutton at Hone, St Margaret of Antioch, Darenth and St Mary the Virgin, Horton Kirby have served their parishioners across the centuries. In 2000 St John’s and St Mary’s became a joint Benefice and then in 2012, following the retirement of the vicar and after much discussion, it was agreed that the best way forward was to unite the three churches forming the Darent Valley Benefice which came into being in January 2013. In October 2016 we established a Benefice Council to deal with all matters except Church fabric and finance, for which the three PCCs continue to meet separately. We look forward to the new incumbent taking the Benefice Council forward and further establishing our joint ministry.

The Benefice Council - meets every six weeks. We were trail blazers in the Rochester Diocese using the Diocesan 10 indicators to evidence our viability as a Benefice and our efforts have been held up as a model across the Diocese. Each PCC meets at least four times a year and we have teams of people involved in the planning for All Age Worship, Messy Church, Baptism, social activities with support from our team of six Lay Ministers - an Evangelist, a Pastoral Assistant and 4 Readers (3 PTO). We have a representative on Rochester Diocesan Synod, representation from each parish on the Deanery Synod and others serve as Governors at the three local primary schools.

St John’s Jerusalem

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Darent Valley Benefice is predominantly farmland, with some light industry, a garden centre, and a range of local shops including Co-ops, hairdressers, newsagents, pharmacy, DIY stores, estate agents and dry cleaners. The Benefice is served by bus routes to Dartford and rail connections to London and the Kent coast from Farningham Road Station, with more frequent rail connections from Dartford. Retail therapy is only a few miles away at Bluewater and if the continent is your weakness, Ebbsfleet International Station is only 5 miles away providing high speed access to mainland Europe, as well as London and Kent.

The Benefice is crossed by the M25 in the west, bordered to the south by the M20 and crossed by the A2 in the north. There is good access to London and the coast via the M20 and the A2 and to the north via the Dartford Crossing.

With such good transport links a fair number of our residents commute, particularly from the newest large development in the Benefice, The Mill in South Darenth which is predominantly flats.

The impressive Victorian viaduct at South Darenth, with the chimney from ‘The Mill’ development.

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y The parish church of St Mary the Virgin is situated in Horton Kirby and serves the villages of South Darenth and Horton Kirby with a population of some 3,350. It is a Grade II* listed building, completed circa 1225 in a larger form than we see today. The church was built at the same time as Rochester Cathedral as both buildings share a stonemason’s benchmark. In the 1970s the pews at the rear of the church were removed and replaced with chairs providing a flexible space which is normally set out in a café style, unless all 120 seats are needed for occasional services. In recent years we have provided tea and cake on Tuesday afternoons and in July and August we have served cream teas to raise funds and provide fellowship for the community.

We have a very small Mothers’ Union branch which meets regularly and contributes to the work of Mothers’ Union worldwide. We look forward to welcoming the new incumbent.

Following an electrical inspection at the request of Ecclesiastical Insurance we have raised the funds to rewire St Mary’s and provide new heating and lighting. We are planning to launch the Friends of St Mary’s during 2017 with the vision of providing funds for the upkeep of the fabric of the church.

We are very proud of the recently reinstated Ascension West Window. It was removed in 1938 as there were no funds to repair it and stored in the tower for 70 years. In 2011 a group of villagers decided to raise funds to reinstate it. The window also bears a dedication to Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee in 2012, an example of how the villagers value the building.

There are 8 lovely bells at St Mary's and we ring for Sunday services and weddings and occasionally for funerals too. We are a happy band of ringers and after practice on a Thursday evening we adjourn to the Bull, our local hostelry. The ringers feel very much a

part of the church community with members of the band being part of church projects. We look forward to meeting the new incumbent and welcoming them to visit the tower; although we'll admit the spiral staircase is a bit of a challenge.

Flowers play an important role in helping to make the interior of St Mary's vibrant and attractive to congregations and visitors. They are arranged weekly, where possible reflecting the seasons of the year. We hold a triennial, themed flower festival. All the arrangements are created by local volunteers and sponsored by local businesses and individuals.

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The Parish of Darenth has a ten mile boundary and lies within the Borough Council of Dartford in North West Kent, with a population of 4,100.

Darenth is a semi-rural village which lies in the beautiful Darent valley, comprising a mixture of old and new properties. The population range from young families, single parent families, settled travellers and older folk some of whom have lived here for over 50 years. Darenth has

become a ‘commuter village’ for London with some people leaving early in the morning and not returning until late at night. Darent Valley Hospital is within our parish boundary and Bluewater shopping centre is just outside the parish. There is also the Darenth Country Park.

The church is dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch. It is a beautiful old church which is over 1,000 years old. The church is situated to one side of the parish, over the hill from the main part of the village. It is peaceful and tranquil, and as a visitor enters

the walls give out the prayers of the faithful across the centuries. The church has some magnificent attributes built to the glory of God. As you walk in the first thing you notice is the beautiful medieval stone font carved from ‘Caen’ stone. There is also an extension to the church which houses a kitchen, toilets and a meeting room dedicated to St Luke. There is also wheelchair access into the church as well as the facilities in St Luke’s room.

We hold a mid week service on a Wednesday morning and during the Interregnum we have had BCP Morning Prayer and once a month been able to have Communion. Once a month we use St Luke’s Room to hold our Friendship Group, when we have light lunch and usually have a speaker. St Luke’s Room is also used for PCC and Benefice Council meetings but is good for Beetle Drives and Quiz Nights!

The church is structurally sound but we would like to decorate the interior of the church so will be starting a fundraising campaign in the coming months.

4:45@10am Service at St Margaret’s

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Our parish lies mainly on the west side of the river Darent, with some 4,250 residents. The first church was erected pre-1066 and was rebuilt in the early 14th Century. After a fire in the thatched roof in 1615, the building was restored. Much of the present day woodwork, including the pulpit, dates from that time. Charred timbers still remain in the old floor of the bell ringers’ chamber. The stained glass windows were installed in 1862. The east window was damaged in the Second World War and restored using the original glass. The church has twelve hatchments (diamond shaped funeral panels) dating back to 1760, which are among the finest in this part of the country.

Within the church there is an impressive monument to a 16th Century resident and local benefactor Sir Thomas Smythe. The monument was recently refurbished and the Skinners Company were most helpful in obtaining funding for this. The monument was rededicated on Advent Sunday 2014 by the Bishop of Rochester, The Right Reverend James Langstaff.

St John’s is large enough to accommodate the School’s 400 children and can be reconfigured to host local choirs and other performers. We have also hosted Dartford Concert Band, Jazz evenings and “The Benefice Has Talent”.

The church owns Sutton Court, a large house with meeting rooms, a hall, a small chapel, and a residential flat, set in extensive grounds, with parking. This plays a vital part in our village community life. It is home to Messy Church which meets once a month and our weekly Carer and Toddler group. It is also used by a Senior’s Tea and Chat Club, Slimming World, Yoga Club and Model Railway enthusiasts. It is often used for birthday parties, quiz nights and even wedding receptions with a marquee in its splendid grounds.

Sutton-at-Hone has a small library with a café which is a meeting point for all ages. There is an active Scout and Guide Troop and activities exist for older people with an Active Retirement Group and a Seniors Club. Messy Church activities in the

grounds of Sutton Court

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Diversity of worship

We aspire to provide worship at times and in styles which will continue to attract our existing church community but will also attract the under 30s and seek an incumbent who can take this aspiration forward. When we first became a single Benefice, we had three services each Sunday at 8am, 9:30am and 11am - one at each Church - with occasional joint services. This was changed in September 2015 reflecting our coming together permanently as one church family.

Service Pattern

Sunday services in the Benefice are currently as follows:

Week 1 St Mary’s 10.00am Holy Communion (Common Worship) Week 2 St Margaret’s 10.00am Holy Communion (Common Worship) Week 3 St John’s 10.00 am Holy Communion (Common Worship) Week 4/5 (venue rotates) 8.30am Holy Communion (1662) 10.00am ‘4:45@10am service’ (see below)

Venues for Weeks 4 and 5 are advertised on the Darent Valley Benefice website and in the pew sheets. Variations may occur at Christmas, Easter, Harvest or Remembrance and other special occasions; these are advertised on the Churches’ notice boards, on the pew sheets and on the Darent Valley Benefice website and Facebook pages.

4:45@10am Services

Our 4:45@10am services are held at 10am on the 4th Sunday of each month and last 45 minutes. These services are rotated around our three churches. We have a worship group who put together and lead the services, with feedback from all parts of the congregation. We lay out café style seating and serve drinks and pastries/cakes throughout the service. There are songs and choruses, supported by our music group, activities, a bible reading and a brief message, with everything projected onto a screen. The services are mainly tailored to the needs of young families, and are well supported by all members of our church family.

Members of the Ministry Team with the Archdeacon.

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Music forms an important part of worship in the Benefice and our diversity of worship styles is reflected in the diversity of our musical offering. From the most traditional of hymns to choruses for infants, we try to reflect musical styles that will help lead people into the presence of God and free the Holy Spirit to work in our services.

Choir

At full strength the Benefice Choir now numbers 16, with members from all three churches, with an average of 10-12 singers at Sunday services. We have an open door policy, but do expect singers to attend fortnightly practices. The Choir leads the congregation in the singing of the Psalm, Gloria, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, sings appropriate items during Communion and helps lead the singing at the monthly 4:45@10am service. We use the RSCM thematic Worship Guide to choose the music using New Psalms for Common Worship, Complete Anglican Hymns or Songs of Fellowship depending on which church we are worshipping in. Requests are always welcome!

We have two organists across the Benefice. One is choir master and plays at St. Mary's, the other plays at St. Margaret's and for most services at St. John's.

Music Group

The Music Group, which provides the music for our monthly 4:45@10am service, comprises four musicians and members of the Benefice Choir. They cover keyboard, saxophone, clarinet, recorder, guitar, drums/percussion and voice which gives a different tone to our worship.

Members of the Group also lead carols in residential homes, pubs and outdoor venues in the Benefice. Three of our musicians are shown here playing jazz at the Vicarage Garden party in 2016.

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Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals - The Benefice operates an open baptism policy with most taking place on Sunday at noon. We welcome those in our Parish who come to us for baptism of their children, and we encourage families to attend our monthly 4:45@10am service or Messy Church if they are not in the habit of regular church attendance. Marriage services for persons who are divorced and whose former spouse is still alive are part of the Benefice ministry. Requests for such services are received sympathetically and sensitively and offered within the House of Bishops Guidelines. The ministry of taking funerals is shared between the incumbent and trained lay readers with the support of the Choir and/or bells if requested. In 2016 across the Benefice there were 39 baptisms, 8 marriages, and 46 funerals in church and at the crematorium.

Messy Church - Messy Church meets on the second Saturday afternoon each month excluding August, with some 20 children attending. We explore a theme relating it to Christian values and then the families share in craft activities, food and fun together with the support of the Benefice Messy Church team. www.facebook.com/MessyChurchMJM/

Confirmation - There are two confirmation services each year across the Deanery. The preparation classes are run by members of the Deanery Chapter and the service is held in a different Deanery church each time.

The Church in the community – Each church has its own Remembrance Service with involvement from the local uniformed organisations. Renewal of promises has proved a popular part of these services. We have a number of Home/Prayer groups and also a Friendship group. We also support Love in a Box and at Harvest we have donated to local food banks. On Wednesday mornings we offer Communion or Morning Prayer

and, in times of need, prayer groups. We have a small Mothers’ Union branch, and we are welcomed into the local residential homes to offer communion and other ministry as needed. We take part in Women’s World Day of Prayer with other local churches, attend a carol service in St George’s Catholic Church, have contact with the local Methodist Church and South Darenth Village Church, and we sing Christmas Carols in the residential homes and pubs across the Benefice. Each year we run at least one Lent course, using the Diocesan and other resources. Some of our leaders are also involved with the Acorn Christian Healing Organisation.

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s Our Benefice is rich in resources and opportunities and, as you might expect, has its fair share of challenges. The main issues as we see them are set out below:

Horton Kirby village

Challenges

Aside from football and Scouts/Guides, there are few organised activities for young people in the area, so links are more difficult to establish. The average age of attendees at most of our communion services is over 60, with young families attending only occasionally. Thus, we need to find a way forward that will attract younger congregations, while being sensitive to the needs of those who prefer more traditional styles of worship.

We have many families who commute to work from the villages, so time pressures often mean they have limited space in their lives for church-related activities.

As a community, we have three ancient buildings to sustain with limited funds and a long term strategy needs to be developed to meet the rising costs of their maintenance.

Opportunities

We have links into many parts of our local community from the youngest to the oldest of our residents. There are many opportunities to extend and develop our ministry in the community. Our Messy Church Team is well established and provides a sound basis for working with young families. Two of our three local primary schools are Church schools and the third is open to contact with the Church. The local scouts and brownies organisations attend Church from time to time and especially for our Remembrance Service. At the other end of the age range we have links with the Hawley and Sutton Active Retirement Association (HASARA). There is a warm welcome in the Churches, and a very able team of workers who are willing to take initiatives forward.

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There are 3 primary schools in the Benefice, 2 Church of England primaries and a county primary. All 3 welcome contact and value the presence of the incumbent or ministry team to share in school life. Each parish has at least one pre-school and we have 2 field study centres, one linked to Lewisham and the other to Kent County Council.

Darenth Primary School www.darenthcpschool.org.uk/index.asp

Darenth Community Primary School currently has 180 children on roll in 7 single year classes serving a diverse community. In June 2015 we were graded ‘Good’ by OfSTED. We pride ourselves on being fully inclusive with everything we do being underpinned by our Values of Creativity, Responsibility, Respect, Resilience, Community and Aspiration.

Horton Kirby Church of England Primary School www.hortonkirbycesch.org

Horton Kirby Church of England Primary School currently has 280 pupils on roll aged 5-11 and was graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in February 2015. Our school has a stimulating and varied programme of education that encourages high expectations for success and its values are respect, responsibility and perseverance. Sutton at Hone CE VA Primary School www.sutton-at-hone.kent.sch.uk/

Sutton-at-Hone CE Primary School currently has 396 pupils on roll, with 2 classes per year group and is rated as a ‘Good’ school by Ofsted and SIAMs. Our school ethos of ‘ASPIRE’ - Achievement, Strong Christian Values, Politeness, Inspiration, Respect and Enthusiasm, is part of what makes us unique. Secondary and Tertiary Education

Kent operates a selective system of education and there is a range of good and excellent secondary education in the surrounding area, including Grammar Schools and Academies. North Kent College is nearby and London and Canterbury offer excellent tertiary education opportunities within reasonable reach.

Personal Qualities and Skills

Qualities

1. Dynamic and enthusiastic with a strong personal faith.

2. A visible and practical Benefice leader, keen to strengthen relationships with local families and the wider community.

3. Sociable and able to relate to all ages in a prayerful, caring and compassionate way.

4. A collaborative team leader able to nurture, motivate and affirm the talents and contributions of others.

5. Able to combine strategic vision and leadership with pastoral warmth and sensitivity.

Skills

1. Ability to provide clear strategic leadership while working as part of a team.

2. Articulate and able to communicate and teach in a wide range of settings and to a wide age range including young people.

3. Gift for biblically-focused preaching, with an ability to relate the scriptures to contemporary life.

4. Efficient and organised, with a good working knowledge of IT.

Proven Experience and Competencies

1. Ability to listen to and respect the voice of the congregation, the Benefice Council and PCCs in the formation, development and implementation of vision, policy and strategy.

2. Ability to facilitate change where necessary and growing our church and its impact in the community.

3. Ability to Identify, encourage and develop gifts for ministry in the Benefice.

4. Ability to facilitate lay involvement and responsibility in worship pastoral care.

5. Ability to relate to a diverse community.

6. Ability to develop a vision for church growth and a plan to implement it.

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Darent Valley Benefice Profile Three Inclusive Churches, proclaiming the Word and work of God in the Darent Valley

http://www.darentvalleybenefice.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/darentvalleybenefice/?fref=ts Horton Kirby and South Darenth Parish Council http://www.hortonkirbyandsouthdarenthpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/ Sutton at Hone with Hawley Parish Council http://www.sahparishcouncil.uk/community/sutton-at-hone-hawley-parish-council-13251/about-us Darenth Parish Council http://www.darenthpc.kentparishes.gov.uk/