The Kingsdown, Creekside and High Downs Benefice

Associate Priest for the Benefice of Kingsdown, Creekside and High Downs 1

The Kingsdown, Creekside and High Downs Benefice

Bringing together

The Parish of Kingsdown & Creekside

and

The Parish of High Downs

The Post of Associate Priest


of the Benefice Contents

Who are we? page 3

Who are we looking for?

The Rector

The Parish of Kingsdown & Creekside page 4

The Parish of High Downs page 7

The House page 9

Our Churches:

St John the Baptist, Doddington page 10

St Peter & St Paul, Lynsted page 11

St Peter & St Paul, Newnham page 12

St Mary, Norton page 13

St Peter, Oare page 14

St Mary, Teynham page 15

St Margaret, Wychling page 16

St Mary, Eastling page 17

St Mary, Stalisfield page 18

St Michael & All Angels, Throwley page 19

The Deanery of Ospringe page 20

The Diocese of Canterbury page 21


Who are we? We are a recently formed Benefice of the two Parishes of Kingsdown & Creekside and High Downs, both of which were formed in 2014. We are 10 main rural communities with our Parish Churches. 10 different Churches with 13 differing worshipping Communities We seek to make Jesus the Centre of all we are as His Church in our communities, seeking to make Him known through our lives as His Church. We place an importance of our relationship with God through Jesus, our relationships with each other and our relationships with those who are not yet part of the Church Communities.

Who are we looking for? A Part-time (20% Stipendiary = Sundays + 2 days) Priest to join the team across the Benefice. A Praying Priest with a heart for the Good News of Jesus Christ A Priest who will encourage us, and take a lead, in our journey of Discipleship and in doing so encourage us in reaching out to those around us. A Priest who is able to encompass a wide range of different worshipping styles. A Priest who will work as part of and contribute to the teams of Lay and Ordained leaders across the Benefice, valuing the ministry of the laity across the Benefice. We are not expecting our new colleague at lots of meetings as we are conscious this post is part-time and we want to make the best use of a priestly ministry in the time available. Team Leader and Rector:

Rev Canon Dr Steve Lillicrap Steve is the Rector of the New Benefice but has been part of Kingsdown & Creekside for over 11 years, and High Downs since March 2019. Steve has also been Area Dean of the Ospringe Deanery (of which we are a part) for the past 8 years and was very much involved with the Parish of High Downs for the 20 months of the Interregnum prior to his appointment as Priest-in-Charge in March 2019. Steve sees his role as Epsicope in terms of his relationship with the differing worshipping communities, encouraging each to be Church in their context, embracing the values of the Benefice/Parish and outworking those in their communities. Steve is a Training Incumbent and we have a Curate joining us in the summer of 2021.


The Parish of Kingsdown & Creekside

We are a Parish of 7 Parish Churches who came together as a single Parish in 2014. Prior to that we had been developing our relationships with one another for a period of 5 years. We appreciate our Interdependence on one another. Our Values:

1. Jesus is the centre of all we are. 2. Relationship with God, each other and those not yet part of the church family. 3. Mission - the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Our Team:

• The Rector • One Reader and one Reader Emeritus (active in Ministry) • 10 ALMs (Authorised Lay Ministers) • 5 other Lay Service leaders • 7 regular Speakers at Breakthrough (see below) • 8 Healing & Wholeness Prayer Ministers • 7 Church wardens and 7 Assistant Wardens

Our Churches:

The Beheading of St John the Baptist, Doddington St Peter & St Paul, Lynsted St Peter & St Paul, Newnham, St Mary, Norton, St Peter, Oare St Mary, Teynham St Margaret, Wychling There is also: Breakthrough @ Lynsted Messy Church @ Teynham Church of England Primary School

Our Structure: We have a single PCC that meets 4 or 5 times a year, chaired by the Rector. Each Parish Church has a PCC Sub-Committee, known as a Steering Group, chaired, by the Churchwarden, or by another Lay Member of the group. Clergy do not normally attend the Steering Groups. We have a Ministry Leadership Team that includes the Clergy, the Readers and the ALMs which meets 3 times a year to review and to plan together. Both Breakthrough and Messy Church have their own leadership teams.


Patterns of Services: (pre-Covid 19)

9.00am 10.30am 3.30pm 5.30 pm 6.00pm

Doddington (Sundays Month)

HC BCP 4th

HC CW, MW 1st 3rd

Lynsted (Sundays Month)

HC BCP 1st

MW. HC CW 2nd. 4th

Breakthrough Every Sunday

Newnham (Sundays Month)

HC BCP 3rd

HC CW MW 2nd 4th

Norton (Sundays Month)

HC CWtr 2nd

MW HC CWtr 1st 3rd

Oare (Sundays Month)

HC CW 1st, 2nd ,3rd

MW 4th

Teynham (Sundays Month)

MW MW č HC 1st&3rd 2nd&4th

HC BCP ES 2nd 4th

Wychling (Sundays Month)

Evensong 1st May-October

HC BCP - Holy Communion using The Book of Common Prayer HC CW - Using Holy Communion Order 1 from Common Worship MW - Morning Worship, a Service of the Word MW č HC - A Pattern of service the includes Holy Communion HC CWtr - Using Holy Communion Order 1, in traditional language, Common Worship ES - Said Evensong from the Book of Common Prayer Breakthrough - Modern Informal Worship Messy Church is held at Teynham School on a Saturday Afternoon. It has just moved to a pattern of special occasions e.g. Advent, New Year, Easter etc. The Bishop of Dover has given us permission to use Communion by Extension led by our lay team. Since the first lockdown we have been live-streaming Morning Prayer at 9am each day, on Facebook @kingsdowncreekside. We have been producing a weekly audio service and posting it on the website (www.kingsdowncreekside.co.uk) and a weekly Breakthrough video service on our YouTube channel ‘Breakthrough at Lynsted’. Mid-Week: (pre-Covid 19) There are 4 different House Groups within the Parish Recent Alpha Course Midday Prayer at Norton on Mondays, Oare Tuesdays Morning Prayer at Lynsted on Tuesdays, Doddington on Fridays Prayers at Teynham on Saturday Morning Monthly ‘Breakthrough’ Prayer Meeting Monthly Café at Lynsted Monthly Craft Club in Teynham Monthly Evening Ladies Fellowship in Teynham

http://www.kingsdowncreekside.co.uk/


We have run a number of Zoom based mid-week groups since the first lockdown.


Schools: We have 4 Schools in the Parish:

Teynham Church of England Primary School We lead Collective Worship on a weekly basis Steve is Chair Of Governors There are 2 further Foundation Governors The School comes to the Church up to 3 times a year (weather Permitting) and other services take place in the School which is a mile away from the Church.

Lynsted & Norton Primary School We lead Assemblies on a weekly basis. The School is part of The Village Academy where Steve is a foundation Member There are 2 Church representatives on the Local Governing Body The School comes to the Church 4 times a year and the Annual Nativity is held in the Church.

Luddenham Primary School We lead Assemblies in a termly basis (6 a year).

ISP(Integrated Services Programme) School, Teynham A through school from primary to secondary for children in care. We lead Assemblies on a termly basis and the school come to the Chirh for Christmas and End of Year services.


Parish Map: Website: www.kingsdowncreekside.co.uk (in the process of being renewed)

http://www.kingsdowncreekside.co.uk/


The Parish of High Downs

We are a Parish of 3 Parish Churches, made up of the 3 former Parishes of Eastling, Stalisfield and Otterden, and Throwley. The single Parish was formed in 2014 although it is only in the last 2 years that we have been working with the new structure. Our Values:

1. In Christ all things are made new 2. Being Church in & for our Communities

Our team:

• The Rector • One Reader • One Reader with PTO • Leaders of Café Style • 3 Churchwardens

Our Churches:

St Mary Eastling St Mary Stalisfield St Michael and All Angels Throwley There is also a Chapel on the Private Estate in Otterden at which in the past Services have been held.

Our Structure: We have the one PCC that meets at least 4 times a year, which is chaired by our Rector (designate). Each of the 3 Churches has a District Church Council with a Lay Chair. Clergy do not normally attend the DCCs. Patterns of Services: (pre Covid-19)

8.00am 10.30am

Eastling Sunday of the month

HC BCP 4th

MP or HC CW Café Style 1st 2nd

Stalisfield Sunday of the month

HC CW 3rd

Throwley Sunday of the month

MP HC CW 2nd 4th


8.00am 10.30am

Since the first lockdown we have been providing virtual worship as a Benefice as above in the Kingsdown and Creekside Parish notes. Mid-Week:

2 Study Groups - one morning and one evening 1 Prayer Group (morning) School: There is one Primary School in the Parish at which we take monthly Assemblies The School comes to the Church in Eastling for services at Harvest, Christmas, Easter and the End of the School Year. Parish Map: Website: Eastling uses ‘A Church Near You’. Facebook Page: High Downs Benefice


The House:

The Rectory is in Eastling and is a 1970’s detached house with a large garden. There is a single detached garage. On the ground floor there is a large lounge, a dining room, study, kitchen and cloakroom. Upstairs are 4 bedrooms, a bathroom and separate toilet.


The Beheading of St John the Baptist Doddington

The church, with its unusual dedication, sits in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The building holds up to 200 people; as well as church services it hosts concerts due to the excellent acoustics. There is a composting toilet and kitchen area. The churchyard is managed by volunteers to encourage flora and fauna. Several conservation awards have been received. A weekly house prayer group is led and hosted by members of the MLT.

The population of Doddington is approximately 500. With a variety of housing, a large percentage privately owned with some Housing Association properties.

There is a much used Village Hall. Used by the Church family for worship when the church is inaccessible due to inclement weather! Weekly groups: Mens Club, Pilates, Medau, Mother & Toddlers, Craft Group, Ukulele group and Valley Players (am dram). The History group meet once a month. A guitar group meets weekly in the pub. An annual Fun Day is held in the village playing field.

There is an award winning family butchers, a service station and a pub. A b&b hostel and campsite at Palace Farm, an AA approved b&b at the Old Vicarage opposite the church. There are other holiday cottages in the vicinity. Other local attractions include a Gift Shop with Tea Room and Doddington Place Gardens.

Further details on village life can be found on the village website: www.doddingtonkent.btck.co.uk

and Doddington Village facebook page.

The church is open daily and the visitors comments

reflect the appreciation of the peace that can be found.

Doddington shares a monthly printed

newsletter with Newnham & Wychling, this

provides information on local groups and

events, including a church page and service

details.


St Peter’s and St Paul’s

Lynsted

Situated at the heart of the

old village, St Peter and St

Paul’s Lynsted has seen

considerable modernisation in

recent years, both in the

building physically, and in the

worship.

The physical changes have

provided a small community

room with facilities, a youth

room with a separate office

and internet/phone

connection. The youth club

meets fortnightly with about

12 local teenagers.

There is a long-standing, but numerically small (approx. 12) morning congregation who enjoy the

traditional BCP and Holy Communion services twice-monthly, along with a monthly informal lay-led

morning worship.

In 2010 a new style service was established, known as ‘Breakthrough!’. This is a weekly Sunday

evening gathering, team-led and fully supported by a worship band and prayer ministry team. A

time of warm hospitality follows the service including soup and bread on the last Sunday of the

month. The service is informal, with a talk utilising the overhead screen, and an open-forum slot

allowing people to share testimony of their faith and life with those present. The worship is full-

bodied and uplifting encompassing older and up-to- the-minute songs, with all words and

scriptures shown on power point -making good use of the multi-media audio/visual equipment

available in the church. Numbers average about 45 and include people of all ages, with a healthy

proportion of under 50’s, and some teenagers.

Outreach projects include The Gatehouse Café, established a year ago – opening the church on

the last Wednesday of each month serving full English breakfasts, fresh coffee and home-made

cakes. This has attracted non-church goers into the church building for the first time and is growing

in strength.

St Peter & St Paul’s is blessed with a passionate leadership team, an inviting sense of family and

friendship, and an exciting Holy Spirit presence.


St Peter & St Paul, Newnham Newnham is a small village of around 350 souls in the Syndale valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty approximately 6 miles from the picturesque town of Faversham. Dating from the 12th century, the modest church of S/S Peter & Paul is located in the centre of the village adjacent to the village hall and The George pub. Its simple interior has an intimate and restful feel. USA is 23 with the regular congregation, mostly aged 50+, drawn from Newnham, Doddington and Wychling churches along the Syndale valley. Attendance at services such as Easter and Harvest Festival is significantly higher. Newnham has a Brownies group who occasionally participate in services. The worship style is traditional with many members of the laity from Newnham and elsewhere leading, intercessing and otherwise participating in the running of services. However, there is insufficient human resource or expertise available to develop new expressions of faith. There is an active bell tower and bells are rung for 10:30 services and special occasions. The wider village community is engaged through concerts and other events held in the church, and through fund raising activities such as the biennial open gardens, quiz nights, summer fete and the Christmas Mingle. The community is supportive of the church; assisting at events, with cleaning, churchyard maintenance and flowers. The annual church “thank you” lunch is regularly oversubscribed. Over a 2- year cycle Newnham is currently cash flow neutral with parish share being more than covered by regular giving, plate collections and recovered tax. Fabric maintenance and operating expenses depend on fund raising activities. The fabric is thought to be in good condition and the Steering Group is not aware of the need for any major works. Planning for accessibility improvements is currently in progress.


St Mary’s Norton.

St Mary’s is known as the Church in the orchards, it is a Norman Church founded around the12th to 13th century. In essence the church then consisted of a nave and a narrow chancel, the tower was begun in the 14th century and the modern porch was added in the 1870s.

We have 30 on our Church Electoral Roll. We have 3 services a month, the first Sunday is a family service at 10.30am, the second Sunday is 9am Holy Communion and the third Sunday is Holy Communion at 10.30am. The average number at the services is about 15. The hymn book we use is Anglican Hymns Old & New and we have printed pamphlets for the liturgy, at the Communion Services the priest usually wears vestments. There is also midday prayers at noon on Monday of each week. One of the members of St Mary’s Norton is part of the MLT for The Kingsdown and Creekside Benefice.

We join with other churches in the Benefice for services on the fifth Sunday of the month, also for joint Carol Services and remembrance services. There are various other things that occur in the Benefice including bible study groups, Lent courses etc.

We also have a group known as the Friends of St Mary, who raise funds for the Church, they have a Christmas fair each year, also an Open Gardens every other year, and each year run the Harvest Lunch, also various other activities including a quiz night 3 times a year.

Norton is inhabited by about 350 people in a scattered rural area, with the community predominantly middle aged/retired, on average 90% of the properties are owner occupied. There is a fairly new Village Hall, which is used for various activities. There is also a recreation area, with a pavilion, and the grounds are used for football, cricket and general activities.


St Peter’s Oare

St. Peter’s Oare is a 13th Century Church, it stands at the northern edge of the village overlooking

Oare Creek and the North Kent marshes going towards Harty Ferry with its well known and very

popular Nature Reserve. The view overlooking Oare Creek is stunning and well known by many.

St. Peter’s is one of the loveliest yet simplest of churches and remains in regular use as a place of

worship.

The Churchyard is substantial in size, the top part round church has cremated remains and then

the lower part which slopes down towards the creek is used for burials.

Also in the parish, the church of St. Mary’s Luddenham which is now under the care of The

Churches Conservation Trust is used for services very occasionally but it is kept open

on a daily basis for visitors.

Oare has a population of 513 (2011 Census) is a village which could also be classed as scattered,

partly rural with a fairly settled community and a static population.

Church Life

St. Peter’s is lucky enough to

have a service every Sunday,

first 3 Sundays of the month

Holy Communion service at

9am, 4th Sunday Morning

Prayer at 10.30am. Holy

Communion services are taken

by The Reverend Canon Steve

Lillicrap and Morning Prayer by a

member of the Ministry

Leadership Team who also now

lead Communion by Extension

services.

After every service we always

have tea/coffee and cake which we love, it allows us to chat and socialise with everyone there, we

are a very friendly and welcoming congregation with an age range of 9 – 90.

Our main fundraiser is our annual flower festival held in September and a few other fundraising

events throughout the year.

There is a Village Hall which is owned by the Steering Group and leased to Oare Parish Council.


St Mary’s Teynham Teynham Church building is a Grade 1 listed church located, behind a farm, one mile to the north of the village of Teynham. During the past two years the fabric of the building has been improved thanks, in part, to a legacy. It enjoys an informal style of worship which is predominantly Lay led. Prayers and readings are led from the congregation which normally averages thirty. During term time a Sunday School

called “ God’s Detectives “ is run

concurrent with the morning worship service. An Evening Prayer or traditional Communion Service takes place every Sunday afternoon to ensure we cater for all our worshippers . To help with outreach the following activities take place in the village: 1. Messy Church. On the first Saturday of each month Teynham Primary School hosts our Messy Church fellowship meeting. Activities and worship followed with a meal. Attendance normally averages thirty five. 2. Ladies Fellowship. One Wednesday evening each month our Deputy Churchwarden hosts and organises a fellowship evening meal. 3. Caring Hands . A monthly craft club held at the Scout Hut. The following organisations have links to the church:

1. Teynham Primary School . This school centred at the heart of the village has over 200 students . It is a C of E School. The Rector chairs the

Governors ’meeting and there are two other

governors representing the church. Dependent on the weather up to three whole school services are held at the church each academic year. 2. Youth Organisations. The Scouts, Cubs and Beavers help run two services at the Church each year. Mothering Sunday and Harvest Festival. 3. Royal Society of St George. This society holds its annual service at the church each April. Civic representatives attend .

The church congregation is a diverse and friendly group who make everyone welcome and always sing their praises to the Lord with the help of a pianist or the use of electronic music.


St Margaret’s Wychling

Our church is St Margaret’s and has in recent years seen a revival of worship and outreach. Our Electoral Roll is 7, though the entire village does not number more than about 150 people. Wychling itself is very spread out with isolated farmsteads and pockets of farm cottages and other houses. The main area near to the church is Wychling Green, though the nearest house is 1⁄4 mile away.

The church is designated as one of the most isolated in the Canterbury Diocese and is accessed over a grassed field. It is bounded on two sides by managed woodland, on one side arable fields and the other the grass access field. The nature of the access and position means that it is really only a summer church and we officially start our season of opening everyday, on Easter morning at our sunrise service. We then enjoy a monthly BCP Evensong through until October, ending with our Harvest service. At Christmas we have carols, which sits well in the lovely atmosphere of the church as we have no

electricity or water and rely on gas lights and candles.

The church is generally open at least one day a week throughout the winter months, though occasional closures are seen due to bad weather. We see a number of visitors to the church who feel a sense of sanctuary and rest. We have a prayer pebble bowl, which always has pebbles placed within during the week. We pray for these concerns weekly together with any prayer requests that are written in the book. We have a small contemplative group called the Community of St Margaret, who meet about four times a year, sometimes camping in the grounds. This group bases its theology and mission on the ‘Care for

God’s Creation’. Eco theology is dear to us at Wychling and we have worked to attain a Silver Eco Church award; we were the first in the entire Diocese to do so. We are anticipating achieving our Gold award in the very near future. Our churchyard is managed for wildlife and wildflowers and we have annual surveys for both of them, plus a moth and bat evening survey. Additionally we have further specialists who come to monitor birds throughout the year.

We have also run a successful Wild Church for the younger members of the wider community, which engages with Eco issues alongside biblical references, sustainable craft and outdoor campfire cooking. With the same focus we usually host the local Brownies twice a year. Our giving is to a mixture Christian environmental charities and other charities that we feel a call to help with. Our fundraising comes through our St Margaret Day Picnic, Pageant and Praise, where we have a picnic in the grounds or in the church if it’s too wet, we then have a play about the life of St Margaret and then we finish with a short service relating to our Patron Saint. We also run an annual Barn Dance and also a tea party as further fundraisers. We love our church in its setting – and we hope you will too.


St Mary’s Eastling Eastling patterns of worship and attendance

The Church is located near the centre of the village, set away from the road. Eastling enjoys varied patterns of worship, including traditional and modern, and is blessed with several lay ministries. Currently there is a service of worship on the first, second and fourth Sundays each month, being Reader led Communion by Extension, CafeStyle in the Village Hall (lay lead informal all age worship with contemporary music)and said 8am BCP Communion Service respectively. Three bible study house groups meet regularly and there is also a weekly prayer group meeting. We have an excellent relationship with Eastling Primary school, and they use the church three times a year for their Harvest, Christingle and Leavers services. We also produce an excellent monthly magazine for High Downs Parish, which goes to every home in the Parish and covers community as well as church information. Eastling – St Mary is an 11th century flint built church, with Victorian modifications and enhancements, and the fabric is basically sound. The churchyard is populated by several mature yew trees, one of which is over 2000 years old. There is electricity and Calor Gas heating. There is a composting toilet which was installed in the base of the Bell Tower in the summer of 2010. There is a set of 6 bells which have not been pealed for over 75 years and are in a very poor state of repair. Eastling Church is looking to build on its existing strengths and to increase its outreach, especially to the young families in the village and their needs. We are eager to further develop the youth work, as we consider that our young people are vital for the future of the Church, and that we have a lot to contribute to the development and support of appropriate worship and lay ministries for rural churches. We hope to extend further the involvement of members of the church community in the House Groups for study and prayer.


St Mary’s Stalisfield

St Mary’s Stalisfield is an old flint built Church located a

mile and a half east of Stalisfield Village in an isolated

setting. There was a church on the site in 1086

(Doomsday), although it is understood there has been a

church on the site for much longer. A lych gate was

built from local oak to celebrate the Millenium and to

show commitment to the continuing use of the church.

The church has been kept in good order and is in good

repair. The churchyard is managed to encourage

wildlife.

The parish also contains the Chapel of St Lawrence,

Otterden in the grounds of Otterden Place and is a brick

building dating from 1753 which replaced an earlier building. It is now a private chapel and part of

the Wheler Foundation. The Chapel is very occasionally used for Baptisms, Weddings (by

Archbishop’s licence) Funerals and Burials.

Stalisfield patterns of worship and attendance

A monthly Communion Service is held and, when possible, additional Services at Easter and

Christmas. Regular attendance is around 12-16 attendees. Attendance for the Christmas Carol

Service is around 80 and numbers for the Easter Service are around 40.

Statistics for the last 12 months: Baptisms 2; Confirmees 0; Weddings 0; Funerals 2

The Community

Stalisfield Village has a new Village Hall which holds functions throughout the year which are all

very well supported and enjoyed by the Village and promoted on the Village Hall website.

Members of the Church Council assist with Village Hall events and members of the Village assist

with the organisation of the Christmas Carol Service and tasks associated with the maintenance of

the Church and Churchyard. An Annual Fete is held on the Village Green which is very popular.

There is a Pub on the Village Green. There are no schools or shops.

The Future

We look forward to being part of the newly enlarged Benefice of High Downs and to building on our

relationship with the Village by involving more members of the Community in the local running of

the Church.


St Michael & All Angels Throwley

St Michael and All Angels dates from soon after the Norman conquest and is a Romanesque flint and stone structure, replacing what probably was a small wooden structure built between 800 and 825 AD. The present church is in a good state of repair with historic connections and

artefacts. Not for nothing is it called ‘The

Cathedral of the North Downs. There is a working set of 8 bells which are regularly

pealed. The ’Friends of Throwley Church ’

has been instrumental in funding key maintenance work. A detailed history of Throwley Church has been produced by a local historian and member of the DCC. Copies are available in the church.

Throwley is 3 miles east of Eastling in an idyllic rural setting. Services are traditional with a leaning towards high church.

Regular attendance is around a dozen. Currently there are 2 services per month as follows:

2nd Sunday 10.30 Morning Prayer

4th Sunday 10.30 alternating CW and BCP Communion.

Popular highlights annually are; the Ecumenical service jointly led by Father Brendan Grady, a Carmelite priest from the Catholic Church in Faversham, and our officiating priest; the lay-led Remembrance Service; Harvest Festival followed by lunch; and our Christmas Carols Service with mulled wine and mince pies. These Services regularly attract numbers up to 50.

Statistics for the last 12 months

Baptisms 2 Confirmees 0 Weddings 0 Funeral/Memorial services 4

The Community

Throwley has no village hall and the pub in Throwley Forstal closed in 1991. However, there is a

much-loved village fete where the church is the main beneficiary. ‘The Friends of Throwley Church ’

is active and has made a fantastic contribution in supporting the maintenance of the Church’s fabric.

Plans are being formulated to create a kitchen and toilet at the rear of the of the church which will

enable use by the wider community and maintain the Church’s focal point for the village. The Friends

have agreed to support this. Separately, land behind the church was purchased to create a car park and access driveway. This has proved invaluable for recent Services involving large congregations as there is limited roadside parking. Our organ, silent for several years, is once again being played.


We are very fortunate to have a parishioner who can and is willing to play it and has been instrumental in forming a village choir.

The future

Having had two periods of interregnum in the past 10 years, the community spirit in the parish exists as strongly as ever and we look forward to the future within High Downs with confidence.

The Deanery of Ospringe

The Deanery is one of five within the Archdeaconry of Maidstone, (This Archdeaconry is led by Archdeacon - The Venerable Andrew Sewell). The main town in the Deanery is Faversham and the Deanery spreads out to he rural communities to its south, west and east.

Ospringe is a Deanery of 4 benefices, 12 Parishes and 21 Parish Churches. When fully staffed enjoying the ministry of 4.4 full time equivalent ministers. The Area Dean is Revd. Canon. Dr. Steve Lillicrap and Lay Chair, Miranda Ford.

The Deanery has been prayerfully considering what it is about and has come up with three words: Support, Equip, Serve.

As a Deanery we have learnt to share better with one another and to listen to one another at our Synod Meetings which are always interactive.

The Chapter meets weekly, on a Wednesday Morning for prayer and mutual support, and then meets over lunch on about a two monthly basis.

On Sunday 27th November 2016, all 21 Churches in Ospringe Deanery closed for the day and a Deanery Day took place at West Faversham Community Centre. Since then we have started having an Annual Deanery Service in July, when all the Churches in the Deanery gather to worship together on a Sunday Morning, usually in July.


The Diocese of Canterbury

Canterbury Diocese, the oldest diocese in England, stretches from Maidstone to Thanet, the Isle of Sheppey to the Romney Marsh and includes 327 churches in 222 parishes, along with 103 church schools and a University with a Church of England foundation. Whilst our Diocesan Bishop is The Archbishop of Canterbury he delegates day to day responsibility for the Diocese to the Bishop of Dover, Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkins. Objectives Encompassed by the statement: Changed Lives → Changing Lives, the Diocese of Canterbury is committed to the following three objectives: • To grow the church numerically and spiritually • To re-imagine ministry • To build partnerships that enrich communities

Our goals (2018-2023) Over the next five years as a diocesan family, we choose to: • become more connected and mission-focused in prayer • become more diverse: with more people from more communities in our congregations –

especially young people and those from areas of deprivation • offer more courageous leadership: calling, equipping and supporting lay and ordained

people to lead the Church in mission in a rapidly changing culture. Our values • Listening: to God and one another

Trusting that God guides us and that to do his work we need each other • Celebrating what is good

Sharing stories of how God has been at work, in big and small ways, and investing in ‘cross pollinating’ what we’re already learning across the Diocese

• Risk-taking Valuing creativity and trying new approaches, even when we’re not sure it’ll work. Encouraging supportive accountability with a focus on learning, rather than blame

• Every-member ministry Encouraging and supporting each to discern their calling and play their part, sharing leadership and working together at all levels

• Letting the edge shape the centre Being attentive to the voices of those on the edge of our communities, being ready to learn from them and letting their needs and insights shape our mission

Projects: What we’re doing Our strategy is a ‘living document’ – as we listen to God and one another, as we seek his will for us and our communities – the shape of our work will undoubtedly change. As that work evolves, our


projects will develop and new areas of work will be identified. These documents and webpages will

be

regularly updated to reflect the changing shape of our work. Frameworks The structures of the diocese have been re-worked in order to facilitate the achievement of these objectives into key ‘frameworks’: • Children, Schools and Young People • Local Church Development • Licensed Ministries • Communities and Partnerships

These frameworks replaced the traditional concept of Boards and Committees and represent a flexible way of working for the Diocese with communication and collaboration at its heart. Frameworks work together to support churches, schools and deaneries as they work towards the Diocese’s objectives.

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The Kingsdown, Creekside and High Downs Benefice

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