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The Parish Profile of St John the Evangelist Walmley Associate Vicar (With responsibility for Minworth Congregational Plant)
The Parish Profile of St John the Evangelist
Walmley
Associate Vicar (With responsibility for Minworth
Congregational Plant)
St John's has a
positive atmosphere
and sense of
fellowship.
I have learnt such a lot through
attending my group, which has given
me great thought and also
encouraged me to read more and
gain more understanding of Jesus'
life and what he has done for all of
us. The group has certainly brought
me closer to God and to St John's.
There is good sound
Biblical teaching with
teaching and preaching
at a variety of services
that cater for different
needs.
There is great
community spirit
within the
congregation.
There is very
positive children's
and young people's
work.
Very few churches have the same number of young people as St John's.
A prayerful
church of
faithful people. A good team of
experienced leaders
and a history of
excellent teaching.
Consistent gospel-based preaching.
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Welcome to our Parish Profile Thank you for expressing an interest in the post of Associate Vicar at St John the Evangelist, Walmley, with oversight of the Minworth Congregation Plant. We pray that this Profile will give you a taste of the life of the church community and encourage you to seek God's will as you consider applying for the position. We will be working with Church of England Birmingham in the appointment process - but above all we seek the person God is leading to us. Maybe you are that person!
Contents Page Welcome and Contents 1 About our Church 2 Our Values and Vision 3 What is Working Well 4 What Needs Improving 5 Our New Associate Vicar 6 Our Leadership and Staff 11 Church Gathering 14 Children and Young People 19 Community Engagement and Outreach 21 Praying and Caring 27 Our Buildings 28 The Parish and Local Area 30
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About our Church
St John's is situated in a suburb of Sutton Coldfield to the North of Birmingham and on the edge of countryside. Our church was founded in 1845 and for the last 100 years has been part of Church of England Birmingham, in the Sutton Deanery.
Since the start we have been fully rooted in an orthodox, evangelical tradition which continues to this day. Our passion is to grow and build community in and beyond the church based on the life-changing good news of Jesus. We are an evangelical church with a charismatic leaning, with an emphasis on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and are particularly nourished by clear, thoughtful Bible teaching. Church members have a broad range of Christian experience and conviction from conservative to charismatic and we seek to respect each other's views, working for unity, evangelism and outreach based on the authority of the Scripture.
Our congregation includes people of all ages, including many families with young children, right through to strong numbers at the more mature end of the spectrum. Our vision is for continued growth across all ages and stages of faith.
We have around 300 members on our electoral roll and, although the majority are White British, a significant number of members are from other cultural ethnic backgrounds. The next few years will see a large new residential development at Langley within our parish, which will provide a wonderful opportunity for future outreach and growth.
With this in mind, we planted a new afternoon congregation on the edge of the new development in 2017. There is a core team of 16 adults and their families. The new Associate Vicar will have oversight for this congregation, and for outreach and vision in the area of Minworth.
We have an excellent staff team who all work together from the church building, which enables them to be engaged in all aspects of church life and to work collaboratively. It is expected that the new Associate Vicar will work mainly from the church building as part of this supportive team.
We have strong links to the local Deanery Primary School, where the Vicar of St John's is an ex-officio governor. Many families come to church initially as a result of this relationship. Over the last few years we have built stronger links with the other local schools too, including Minworth Junior and Infant School where the Minworth congregation worship regularly.
At St John's we have a heart for evangelism and the community; we are a very active church with a large number of groups and activities to encourage our members to become better disciples of Christ. We are expectantly looking forward to the appointment of the person of God's choosing to be our new Associate Vicar.
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Our Vision Our vision was developed a few years ago and is that we seek to be:
"God's Community, in the Community, for the Community" Our vision connects strongly with that of the Bishop of Birmingham to see "more and more confident Christians" across Church of England Birmingham. Across the life of St John's we are glad to work out the ministry and mission priorities of the Transforming Church Programme expressed in our own ways and emphasis. We share the Bishop's passion to see churches grow in every way and have been glad for the Bishop's support for our vision and partnership in future ministry.
We are passionate that all that we do as a church supports and reinforces this vision and, out of this vision, we have developed our Double and Plant initiative. This initiative reflects our vision, values and our commitment to outreach and growth and has two key foci:
❖ To increase the size and maturity of the congregations worshipping at St John's.
❖ To grow a congregation at St John's in Minworth in anticipation of the development of 6,000 new homes, largely in our parish.
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What is Working Well
As a church, we asked our members what they think is working well in our church. The main areas identified were: ❖ Youth and Children's work is thriving at St John's. The children and
youth are very much part of the congregation and are involved in services and events, such as serving the congregation breakfast in between the services at Walmley once a month, being part of the Welcome Team and assisting with Communion. There is a large Sunday School ministry and Youth ministry, a good team of experienced leaders as well as a Children’s and Youth Minister.
❖ For many years there has been good sound Biblical teaching and preaching. The teaching series is put together by the Ministry Team led by the Vicar.
❖ St John's is a friendly, welcoming Church with a positive atmosphere of fellowship and friendship.
❖ The weekly lunches provided by St John's Pantry and the Saturday Coffee Shop are a thriving outreach to the community. The Pantry is well attended and enjoyed by all. It provides time and space for conversation and fellowship and is an effective outreach to the elderly and disabled.
❖ The Alpha Course is seen as a really positive outreach and is usually well attended. Youth Alpha has also been very successful, with all ages sharing a meal together before dividing into the different groups.
❖ The Staff Team work together well and are experienced leaders. They are approachable, hard-working and well-loved by the congregation. The whole team is based in offices within the church building, which adds to the sense of presence and availability during the whole week.
❖ The Minworth Congregational Plant has been an encouragement to the whole church and, even though it is in its early stages, holds much promise.
❖ Communication within the church is good. St John's has a weekly bulletin and uses ChurchSuite to communicate with the congregation, as well as overhead screens and announcements within the services.
❖ A wide range of social events attracts many friends, family and neighbours from outside the church and provides a way into church life.
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What Needs Improving We also asked about areas that needed improving and some key themes emerged, which are as follows: Community Involvement ❖ As the new development at Langley is established we have a role to
play in helping to build a sense of community and God's place within that area.
❖ The church recently conducted research in the Walmley community, taking in the view of a range of local people, including businesses, external users and local councillors. The result of this also shows that we need to improve outreach to our community.
Discipleship ❖ We need to develop better ways of growing disciples, establishing
people in their faith and helping them to belong and grow. ❖ We need to enable our congregations to be passionate about sharing
their faith and put evangelism at the heart of everything we do. ❖ We have a relatively low number of people in small groups, so
encouraging people, particularly those who have recently come to faith, to join one, is one aspect of the Double and Plant Strategy.
❖ We have many active lay people throughout the work of the church and there is a need for supporting and growing those leaders further.
Music in Worship ❖ Music in worship is rather varied in quality. ❖ There are not enough musicians to cover the services. Development of Buildings ❖ We have good church buildings that enable us to serve God in the
community, but there is scope to develop our older buildings and we need to develop a clear vision of the best way to do this.
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Our New Associate Vicar – Job Description
Vision and Purpose: Our key goals over the next few years are:
To continue to develop the Minworth Congregational Plant which began in 2017.
• To grow all our congregations in number, diversity, and spiritual depth.
• To develop discipleship and evangelistic confidence among the people who belong to our various
congregations.
The purpose of the post of Associate Vicar is (1) to have oversight of the Church Plant in Minworth. (2) to
participate, along with other staff and volunteers, in the wider ministry of St John’s with a particular focus on
discipleship.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. To lead, grow, and nurture the Congregation Plant in Minworth
• To meet regularly with the “Core Leadership Team” to oversee the life and worship of the
Congregation Plant.
• To grow the congregation meeting on Sunday afternoons (currently 3 Sundays a month). To ensure
that this afternoon service is in keeping with Anglican tradition and practice.
• To engage in mission within the parish of Minworth, including our ‘Place of Welcome’ with a view to
growing the worshipping community.
• To ensure that members of the Congregation Plant receive appropriate pastoral care.
• To relate to the incumbent of Castle Vale & Minworth, the leadership teams and congregations of the
parishes.
• To ensure the Safeguarding Policy of Walmley parish is implemented and followed in respect of the
Congregation Plant.
• To provide regular feedback to the Church of England. Birmingham’s programme manager during the
funding period
• With the Vicar continue to develop strategies, monitor and contribute where necessary to the
proposed new developments of Peddimore and Langley and our vision to plant there.
2. To participate in the wider ministry of St John’s (with a particular oversight on Discipleship)
• To give vision and leadership to developing and nurturing a network of Small Groups with members
drawn from across the various congregations of St John’s, including the Congregation Plant.
• To help promote, oversee and run our Alpha Course, as well as develop new ways to encourage our
congregation to be open about their faith and confident in sharing the Gospel.
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• Participate in preaching, teaching, leading services and pastoral care, including taking Occasional
Offices as required as part of the clergy team.
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To attend appropriate meetings, including staff meetings, Standing Committee, New Development Sub-
committee, and PCC.
In collaboration with the Vicar develop a new leadership program by growing and maturing leaders for mission
and ministry across all aspects of Church ministry and beyond
Lines of Responsibility
The Associate Vicar will work within the following structures:
• Will be lined managed by the Vicar
• The Associate Vicar will work alongside the Incumbent, other clergy, the churchwardens, other church
staff and lay readers
• The Associate Vicar will be a member of St. John’s PCC, its Standing Committee, and its Double &
Plant committee.
• The Associate Vicar will chair 2 or 3 of the PCC meetings each year.
• The Associate Vicar will lead and chair the ‘Core Leadership Team’ of the Congregation Plant
Terms of Service
This role is a senior position within St John’s leadership and in CofE Birmingham Associate Ministers are ‘of incumbent status’. The licence will use the term ‘Interim Minister’ as that is the category (Regulation 29(i)) that allows the church to offer this role for an initial fixed term. This has to be done in three year terms. The parish and diocese are committed with confirmed funding for two 3 year terms, and our hope is that the kingdom growth seen over that time will enable the longer term sustainability of the role. At this stage we cannot guarantee the long term (i.e. beyond year 6) but move forward in faith, as is the case with every pioneering ministry.
Stipend and Expenses
The Associate Vicar will be paid according to the appropriate pay scale for stipendiary clergy within the Church of England, Birmingham. All reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of this post (including any relevant training courses previously agreed by the PCC) will be met. It is expected that all such expenses will be claimed.
Review
This Role Description will be reviewed annually by the Standing Committee of the PCC, along with the nature of the Congregation Plant as a satellite congregation of Walmley Parish. Any proposed changes will be brought to the PCC of Walmley parish. This post requires an enhanced DBS disclosure.
Our New Associate Vicar – Person Specification
Qualifications
An ordained priest within the Church of England, or a church in communion with it, or a church whose orders it recognises
Satisfactory completion of Initial Ministerial Education
Designated at selection of Candidates’ Panel as Incumbent Status (post 2009) or Stipendiary Ministry.
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Personal Qualities This is a full-time, incumbent-level position requiring a person of considerable enthusiasm, energy and wisdom, as well as a significant ‘pioneering spirit’. We are looking for someone who is/has:
• A passionate disciple of Jesus, led by the Spirit, who prayerfully listens to the Father’s heart
• Someone open to re-imagine what church could look like in a particular context
• Committed to seeing people come to faith and become disciples of Jesus Christ
• A heart for discerning, nurturing and releasing the gifts of others
• A pastoral heart, ministering out of a deep love of God
• A team player and able to work as a team leader
• A convinced evangelical, committed to the Bible as his or her authority, and holding to orthodox church beliefs and teaching in matters of faith and conduct
• A playful person with an active spiritual life and the faith to take risks Skills
• Creative approach to integrating people into a church community
• A natural team builder with a proven track record in building healthy teams
• Effective in public speaking to inspire, encourage and empower others
• Ability to adapt and change
• Ability to grow and build teams
• Ability to set strategic vision across areas of the church’s life
Proven Experiences and Competencies Essential (E) or Desirable (D) Ministry and work background Identifying, developing, empowering and equipping teams E Effective communicator E Experience of ‘Fresh Expressions’ of church D Developing Small Groups or equivalent D Leadership and management of others Leadership and management of a team of lay people/staff, E including the ability to delegate Leadership as part of a team, sharing responsibility with others D Formation of others Able to identify, encourage and develop other people’s gifts E Leading and structuring a local church in a way that resources individuals to take responsibility for the development of their faith and ministry D Management of resources and structures Effective management of budgets and projects E Able to record statistics necessary for Strategic Development Funding D Encouraging and teaching stewardship and generosity in line with biblical principles D
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Engagement in community life and public issues Engagement and partnership with community leaders D Enabling partnerships in local schools D Other Good IT Skills, including the use of social media E Experience of Church Planting D
Knowledge and own development
• Willingness to take responsibility for, and commitment to, own personal and professional development
through regular study and learning
• Willingness to have a mentor, coach or spiritual director
Notes
The post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure. The job description is an outline and may be altered in consultation with the Associate Minister as the post develops.
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Our Leadership and Staff O
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Revd Adrian Evans Vicar
Hi, I'm Adrian (but everyone calls me Ade) and I'm the Vicar of St John's
I'm married to Emma and we have three children, aged 11, 7 and 3. I have been at St John's for six years (four as Curate, one as Associate, and one as Vicar !).
I love growing leaders and am passionate about seeing people grow and released in their gifts. In my spare time I love playing football, supporting the mighty AFC, Wimbledon and relaxing with my family.
Revd Ben Cook Curate
Hello, I'm Ben. I'm the Curate at St John's and have been here for nearly two years.
I'm married to Hannah and we have two children, Jacob aged 4 and Rupert aged 7 months.
Some of my key responsibilities, alongside preaching and leading) have involved music worship development, work with the older generation and setting up a monthly board-game cafe.
My passions include board games, golf, family days out and supporting Aston Villa.
Kat Turner Children’s &
Youth Minister
I am the full-time Children’s &Youth Minister. I started my role in January 2020 so I’ve been creatively connecting with the children and young people online for quite a bit of my time so far! I work with a great Team where we are able to put on an engaging and varied programme for our children’s and youth work. I love teaching the bible and seeing children and young people grow in their faith.
Matt Mason Ordinand Student
I’m currently training as an Ordinand at St mellitus College East Midlands. I’m married to Beth. We have two daughters, Grace who’s 7 and Faith who’s 4. My work in the community includes working with our Worship Teams and our Church Congregation Plant in Minworth. When I’m not at church I love spending time with my family or enjoying the great outdoors, camping, mountain biking & road cycling.
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Cathryn Hewitt Parish Administrator
Part-Time Monday - Weds
Cathryn has just been appointed and starts work in Sept 2020.
Franci Ball Technical Support
Officer Part-Time
Weds - Friday
My role at St John's is that of the Technical Services Officer. I prepare and input the services into the AV system, liaise with relevant people for that and distribute service documents. I manage the church website's data, calendar, sermon and weekly bulletin uploading, manage rotas for the AV Team and Intercessors and I am also the main administrator for ChurchSuite.
Paul Saunders Verger
My name is Paul Saunders and I have been the Verger for eight years. I deal with the routine maintenance of the buildings and grounds, represent the church for weddings, funerals and many social events. I am responsible for security and first responder to alarm call 24/7. I support and assist church groups and individual parishioners when needed.
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Leadership Churchwardens and PCC Our Churchwardens, Adele Bright and Phil Craddock work closely with our Vicar and other staff in the leadership of our church. Similarly, our Parochial Church Council is supportive and seeks to be fully involved in the significant decisions of the church. The PCC currently meets six times a year and has seven teams which undertake responsibility on behalf of the PCC for specific areas of our church life. These are detailed below:
❖ The Standing Committee consists of the clergy, churchwardens, PCC
secretary and chair of the Finance Team and meets between PCC meetings to transact any necessary business and produce the agendas for the PCC meetings.
❖ The Minworth Core Team is responsible for the vision and direction of the Minworth Congregation Plant.
❖ The Children's Ministry Team and Youth Ministry Team meet to coordinate the children and young people's work in the church.
❖ The Finance Team is responsible for overseeing our finances.
❖ The Facilities Team is responsible for arranging the maintenance and repair of our buildings and churchyard.
❖ The Langley Development Team is responsible for monitoring and coordinating all aspects of the church’s response to the Langley development.
Ministry Team Our Ministry Team meets to discuss issues affecting ministry in the church and plan the teaching programme throughout the year. As well as the ordained clergy on the staff team. These, together with the Children’s and Youth Minister and Readers form the Ministry Team. There are six readers, four of whom are active in leading and preaching.
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Church Gathering
Worship at St John's Sunday Worship is at the heart of the weekly life of our church community. As well as worshipping in song, our main services have a focus on preaching from God's Word, together with prayer and fellowship. We regularly attract visitors and so we
have a Welcome Team who aim to make sure everyone is made to feel welcome and know what to expect when they come to one of our services. Two or three times a year, newcomers are invited to a Welcome Lunch, so that they can begin to get to know a wider range of people in the congregation. The Welcome Team is drawn from a wide range of the congregation from 14 - 87 years of age. Our services are explained below in more detail:
9:15 A.M. Morning Worship/Holy Communion This service is a quieter, more meditative service, lasting for around one hour. Traditional and modern hymns and songs are sung from CDs. Twice each month we celebrate Holy Communion. There are no groups for children at this service, but they are, of course welcome. Average attendance is up to 60 at each service.
10:45 A.M. Service The 10:45 a.m. service is a more contemporary, family orientated service, which has provision for children. This service usually has lively worship, with a band and music group. On the first Sunday of the month, there is a special "Explore Together" service which seeks to engage all learning types and is for all ages. This service usually lasts for just under an hour. On the other Sundays in the month the 10:45 a.m. service has children and young people in the service to begin with and then part way through there are groups for them, while the adults remain to engage with a Bible reading, sermon and prayers for the world. On the third Sunday we celebrate Holy Communion where, following prior discussion with the Vicar, children are invited to share in Communion at the discretion of their parents and carers. The attendance at this service averages 50 for under 16s and 140 for over 16s.
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4:00 P.M. Service in Minworth The Congregational Plant was started in October 2017 as an expression of the Double and Plant desire to reach out to the community of Minworth with the love of Jesus. The work is rather unusual as it has not "taken the place" of the Parish Church in Minworth (which still meets on Sunday mornings) but rather works alongside to reach out into Minworth and grow a new, younger and vibrant church community. The Associate Vicar (along with a fantastic team) leads the plant and outreach in that area. Time has been spent building up relationships (particularly with the local Primary School), trying new things and praying for that community. St John's Minworth meets at 4:00 p.m. on Sundays, with Holy Communion at St George's Minworth on the first Sunday of the month, Messy Church (which meets at Minworth Junior and Infant School) on the second Sunday, no formal service on the third Sunday and Café Church on the fourth Sunday. Messy Church has an average attendance of 50, and has been as high as 70. Café Church has an average attendance of 30 – 40, and Holy Communion has an average attendance of 20. We are blessed to have a large number of children.
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6:00 P.M. Sunday Evening Fellowship This lay-led meeting is held in the church lounge with typical attendance of around 20 - 25 people. The Evening Fellowship was commenced five years ago to take the place of a formal evening service. The first Sunday of the month is a Holy Communion service and on the other Sunday nights people gather to worship, hear a speaker or share testimonies together.
Midweek Communion Service A midweek Holy Communion service is held in church on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. This is usually led by a member of the ordained staff. Typically there are about 20 communicants. During term-time this service is followed by Bible Chat, a lay-led informal Bible study where the background and context of a Bible passage is discussed as well as its content.
Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals During 2018 the church clergy undertook 12 baptisms, two thanksgivings, three marriages and 19 funerals. All baptisms are preceded by a planned conversation and short course about the meaning and significance of baptism to the child and family. There is a baptismal pool in the church and baptism by immersion is offered once or twice a year.
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Music Ministry At our 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services there are a number of musicians who lead the sung worship, mostly from the piano and guitar, but also including flute, violin and drums. In recent years, the worship team has grown and also includes members of our youth group. There is also live worship at our services in Minworth. The 6:00 p.m. fellowship mostly uses CDs, but on occasions it is led by a guitarist.
Other Church Gatherings Small Groups We currently have 12 small groups running at various days and times in the week. Each group consists of around 6 - 12 people gathering to pray, study the Bible, support one another, discover their gifts and to feel increasingly connected to the larger body of believers here at St John's. We recognise that, for us to double as a church, small groups play a key role in providing a place to build relationships and grow in relationship with God. There is an openness to explore new ways to run small groups as we acknowledge that more needs to be done in this area of the life of the church, in particular reaching those in the congregation aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
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Ladies' Weekend Away These were started in 2017 and run under the title "Time with God". The aim is to provide some space away from the normal business of day to day life to provide an opportunity for reflection and ministry focused on all the ladies in the church, whatever their age. They are usually held in January or February each year.
Ladies' Breakfasts These complement the Weekend Away and are held on Saturday mornings twice a year. As well as enjoying the fellowship of sharing breakfast, there is a speaker who provides a focus for the event.
Social Team We have an active Social Team, which organises activities to develop fellowship among our church members. Typically, these include Harvest Supper, Quiz Night, Skittles Evenings and Musical Events. Members are encouraged to bring their friends to these events as a form of outreach.
Afternoon Fellowship We have an Afternoon Fellowship on a Tuesday that is open to anyone. As well as providing an opportunity to praise and worship God, we also pray and study the Bible. We also hear from Christian speakers and encourage one another's walk of faith. Three times a year there is an opportunity to join an outing to venues accessible by coach. Currently there are about 15 members.
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Children and Young People in the Church We are proud of our thriving community of children and young people and, although they don't all attend each week, we have over 100 children and young people on our register. Typical numbers are included in the detail below: Crèche (Under 2 Years) There is a self-service Crèche for babies and toddlers during the 10:45 a.m. service, which is located on the stage area of the Coffee Lounge.
Little Wrigglers and Bigger Wrigglers Little Wrigglers is for children aged two and three, who are not yet old enough for Foundation Stage 1 (School Nursery). They then move to Bigger Wrigglers (3 - 4 years) until they enter Reception Year. Both groups take place in the Upstairs Lounge so that parents or carers who don't want to be too far away from their children can join the church service by sitting on the balcony just outside. Typically there are 10 in each group.
Scramblers (4 - 5 Years) This is the group for those children in the Reception Year and takes place in the Coffee Lounge linked to the church. Numbers for the group average around seven.
Climbers (5 - 7 Years) Climbers is for children in Year 1 and Year 2 and takes place in the Church Hall. They meet and register in the Coffee Lounge before walking round under supervision to the Hall together. Typical numbers each week are about seven.
Explorers (7 - 10 Years) Explorers takes place in the Church Hall. They meet and register before walking round under supervision to the Hall together. Group numbers are around 13 each week.
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Squelch! Once a month, usually the third Sunday, Scramblers, Climbers and Explorers (R to Y6) meet together in the Church Hall. Typical numbers are around 20. Crèche, Little Wrigglers and Bigger Wrigglers continue to meet in their usual groups. Pathfinders (Secondary Age) Young people who are in Secondary School meet together as Pathfinders. They have a dedicated meeting place in the Albert Jones Hall in the churchyard. They also have the opportunity to be part of mid-week discipleship groups to dig deeper into matters of faith. On Thursdays there is a Supper Club, which is open to anyone in Secondary School. Often it is a night of games and food, but sometimes it may be a course running for a few weeks. Vision Youth Group Vision is our Youth Group Meeting for those young people in Year 9 in school and older. They meet on a Sunday night from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. This group seeks to have a balance of fun relaxing meetings, as well as topics relating to young people's lives with a "What would Jesus do or say about this?" aspect to it. Regular Bible studies and time for praying for each other is part of the culture we set in this group. What makes this group different from Pathfinders is that it takes on "older" issues and topics and can wrestle with all of this in a more mature way. Helping the young people to exercise their gifts and leadership capabilities is part of the ambition of the group.
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Community Engagement and Outreach
Deanery School The Deanery Church of England Primary School serves the Deanery of Sutton Coldfield and is located in the parish. The PCC appoint a Governor to the school and the Vicar is an ex-officio Governor. Rated as Outstanding by Ofsted, the Deanery has an excellent reputation and, as such is over-subscribed. Entrance criteria for the school requires a pattern of church attendance over two years, generating a large demand on our Sunday Groups and fantastic opportunity for outreach. This church building is used by the Deanery and other schools for Easter Services, Leavers' Communion Service, Harvest Service and Christmas Service.
Schools' Work We also have healthy relationships with the other Primary Schools in our parish, where we regularly take assemblies and help with RE lessons. Christmas through the Keyhole and Experience Easter are two exciting ways we engage with our local schools to explore what these important festivals mean to Christians. Christmas Through the Keyhole is a multi-sensory interactive trail for Primary children that gives them a unique experience of the Christmas story. Experience Easter is aimed at upper KS2 pupils and allows them to reflect on the Easter story in creative ways. At St John's@Minworth we have built up a strong relationship with the school in Minworth, which has led to the congregation meeting twice a month in the school hall.
Tiddlywinks Tiddlywinks is our carers' and toddlers' group which meets on Monday mornings during term time, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. It is open to all in the community who are looking for something to do with their pre-school children at the start of the week and is extremely popular in our community. A typical morning at Tiddlywinks involves up to 80 children and includes free-play from 10:00 a.m. story time and singing at 10:50 a.m. and craft time at 11:10 a.m.
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Boys' Brigade The 2nd Sutton Coldfield Company is linked to our church and includes an Anchor Boys' Company and Senior Section, covering ages 5 - 18. Over recent years the boys have won a number of presitigous awards in the Birmingham Battalion. The
Company meets on Friday evenings and plays an important role in the church , including the annual Service of Remembrance, which attracts an increasing number of people from the community each year.
St John's Pantry Every Tuesday in the Church Lounge, St John's Pantry serves affordable lunches. The majority are retired people, although some who work locally also come along and, on occasions children come along with a parent or grandparent. About 40% of those that come regularly are from outside the church and we see sharing the love of Jesus with them as an important part of our ministry with lots of potential for growth. Place of Welcome On Friday mornings we run our ‘Place of Welcome’ in a sheltered housing community hall in Minworth. Drinks and sausage and bacon baps are provided!
Coffee Shop On Saturday mornings we open a Coffee Shop in the Church Lounge serving snacks and drinks which provides a welcome to those from the local community who drop in.
Alpha and Youth Alpha Course
In the last 10 years we have welcomed over 180 adult and youth guests on our courses. Most guests are introduced by church members, but there are often guests who join from the National Alpha website or our own website. Typically we have run two courses a year, but due to a reduction in demand, in the last year we only ran one course.
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Mission Partners
We have a long tradition of Mission Support, both at home and abroad. Our current partners have all grown up in St John's. We also financially support a number of other smaller charities with links to the church, such as Kids Klub Kampala, UCCF, Kids Klub Leeds, Rwanda Restored, Birmingham City Mission and Growing Through.
Chris and Ros Howles (BCMS Crosslink)
Chris and Ros are helping to train ministers at Uganda Martyrs' Seminary Bible College on the outskirts of Kampala. Chris lectures, runs the college Bible study programme and mentors students. Ros home-schools the children and leads Bible studies for female students, gives medical advice to students and oversees development projects. They both help lead the local church Sunday School.
Alex and Mari Walker (Reach Beyond)
Alex helps local church groups with the technical set up of radio broadcast stations across the Southern African region. The groups are responsible for the broadcasting spreading of the Gospel message. Radio is often the first choice of media in many African countries and broadcasts can reach over into neighbouring countries.
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Soup Run and Food Bank Our monthly Soup Run is church-led and runs alongside other churches and organisations to reach out and provide care for the homeless in Birmingham City Centre. We have recently partnered with the Erdington Food Bank and act as a collection point for provisions.
Remembrance Day On Remembrance Sunday each year we hold an outdoor serves at Walmley War Memorial. The service begins at 10:45 a.m. with a procession including the uniformed organisations. After a hymn, some readings and a short address we observe the two minutes of silence at 11:00 a.m. After the service everyone is welcome to come back to the church for soup and a hot drink. Attendance has grown to more than 500 people.
St John's Walking Group Once a month we meet up for a planned walk somewhere in the Midlands where there is greenery, scenery and a good footpath.
Pot of Gold The aim of this group is to help children during a time of grieving or family separation in their lives. The children meet as a group and follow a 12 week programme developed by former church members. The format provides the opportunity for them to share and support each other through the help of facilitators who organise and run the group.
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Gardening Team Every Tuesday our Gardening Team meets to look after our church grounds. Over the 16 years since it was started the group has grown, not only in numbers, but also in depth of friendship and pastoral care. It also provides an outreach to those with no other links to the church and this offer of friendship is an important part of their work. The only criteria for joining is that you must enjoy tea/coffee and biscuits.
Games Cafe
Games Cafe, Walmley is a monthly afternoon of family friendly fun. Around 30 - 40 people come to the cafe with their games from home or they choose one to play from our library. We have built up a lovely community of people at the cafe and we are very welcoming.
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Friday Football This takes place every Friday evening and provides a chance to build relationships amongst the men in the church, as well as a place to which they can invite their friends. Football is normally followed by a trip to the pub for a chance to discuss the game and chat further. We get on average around 14 - 18 players per week from a pool of around 40. In the past we have seen some of the men attend Alpha, a sports quiz at church and a curry night. We continue to seek and pray how to build relationships between the men that come and the life of the church.
Acacia Family Support The project was established by church members some years ago and is now independent. It focuses on the care of families experiencing the effects of pre- or post-natal depression. It holds its support sessions in the church and by working with the NHS, has expanded, setting up similar activities at other locations across Birmingham. Several church members work for Acacia as employees or volunteers.
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Pastoral Work and Prayer Ministry We firmly believe in the ministry of all believers and that the care of our brothers and sisters in Christ should be a priority for every member of St John's Church. Over the last 15 years or so we have developed our approach to involve every individual in the care of their fellow members in Christ. Through a "Care and Prayer" hotline (the church office) we endeavour to link anyone in need to another Christian or group who can ensure that their name is included in our published prayer list (with their permission) and who will be their main contact with the church. We encourage all members of the church to be part of a small group - either House Group or Working Group such as the Pantry or Gardeners' Team - and these groups will have prime responsibility for care of their members. There are three Prayer and Care coordinators who are informed of every contact and will attempt to arrange additional help where necessary.
After the main church service on Sundays there is a small team available to address prayer needs. Intercessory prayer is generally provided by lay members of the church on a rota basis.
There is a team organised to provide Home Communion where needed and regular services are taken at two Care Homes within the Parish. About three times a year an Open Meeting is convened by the coordinators to review the Church Family List to try and identify anyone who may have been missed, so that the appropriate action can be taken. About 25 - 30 individuals generally attend. We would like to encourage more members to seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that they can take a more active part in Pastoral Ministry and Prayer.
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Our Buildings
We are very blessed with our facilities, including a large warm worship space, three halls, office space and a lounge with a fully fitted kitchen as well as living accommodation for the Vicar, Curate and Children’s and Youth Minister. We recognise that some of our facilities are starting to show their age and a strategy of refurbishment and/or replacement is needed to align with the Double and Plant Strategy and anticipated church growth and engagement with the community.
The Church and Lounge The new church building was dedicated in 1987 and can seat 350 persons. The inside of the church is light and airy and is equipped with a comprehensive Audio Visual System, including access to the Internet. The church incorporates a baptismal pool and the loose standing chairs allow flexibility in the layout. As well as being used for our Sunday services, the church is also used for Tiddlywinks, residents' meetings and church social activities. This worship area is joined to the original 1845 Grade II listed church, the ground floor of which has been converted in to the Church Lounge with a fully established kitchen. Upstairs there is an Upper Hall and Staff Offices. The Parish Office is downstairs near the main entrance.
The Church Hall The Church Hall was built in 1904 and is about 100 metres away from the church, directly opposite the shops and library. Within the last year it has had a new floor covering and has been redecorated internally. The Hall is used by the Sunday School and 2nd Boys' Brigade Company as well as being used for some of the other church youth activities. The Hall is let to many community groups, including Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, several Toddler groups, Dancing, Slimming and Exercise Groups and for private bookings, including children's parties.
The Thomas Law Hall There is a wooden hall built by Thomas Law in 1934 located immediately behind the Church Hall. Until a year ago this was owned by a Women's Institute Group on land leased from the church. When this group closed the hall was gifted to the church. It is in good condition, but has limited facilities. It is still used by two other WI Groups, but its use is being developed for suitable groups and church events.
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The Albert Jones Hall The Albert Jones Hall is a wooden building which was second-hand when erected by church members in 1982 to provide accommodation whilst the new church was being built. There are two meeting rooms, a kitchen and toilets. For a number of years it was used for storage, but in 2009 our Pathfinder Group raised £2,000 to refurbish it for their use. In the longer term more substantial improvement or rebuilding will be required.
Accommodation for the Associate Vicar This accommodation is provided by the dicese and is located within the parish, in close proximity to the proposed new development. It is link-detached on a quiet cul-de-sac with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It has a large open plan living area, a good sized garden and also has a small study.
The church owns the Curatage and Children’s and Minister’s flat, which are both situated on Walmey Ash Road. The Vicar resides in the Vicariage next door to St John’s Walmley.
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Parish and Local Area: Present and Future
There are 16 parishes and 24 churches in the Deanery of Aston & Sutton Coldfield, which covers a ‘slice’ of the city region from one of the most deprived and industrial/post-industrial areas to the direct north of the city centre at the end of the A38M, where it meets the M6 expressway, an elevated stretch of motorway running across north-Birmingham. Moving further out it embraces the former Warwickshire Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield and some bordering rural and urban communities
Deanery Synod meets three times a year and has been involved in passing a motion that was taken on to Birmingham Diocesan Synod and General Synod. Chapter meets monthly for both business and social meetings, including a 24 hour Residential Chapter in the autumn and an Extended Chapter that includes all involved in licensed ministry. It is a supportive group and is often the first port of call when help is needed.
Walmley Walmley parish has a population of about 13,400 and functions as a commuter area eight miles North East of the centre of Birmingham. The church is set at the heart of the community near a small shopping centre with a Post Office, library and a pub.
A busy GP partnership lies adjacent to the church and there are two dental practices in the village. There is a hospital about four miles away, which is part of the University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust, serving Sutton Coldfield.
Most of Walmley's housing is owner occupied homes of varying sizes built for professional and skilled manual families with a growing proportion of private rented accommodation and a limited amount of social housing.
There are Primary and Secondary Schools serving the area. Within the parish there are four Primary Schools, two Church Schools - (the Deanery School and Holy Cross), Walmley Junior & Infant School and the private Shrubbery School. There are a number of Secondary Schools close to the parish boundaries, including two Comprehensives, a Roman Catholic School and two Grammar Schools.
Within the parish there are a number of churches, including the Roman Catholic Church, an independent evangelical church, a Darby Brethren Chapel and a Mormon Church.
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Minworth Minworth is located in the adjacent parish to Walmley, and is a small village somewhat separated from the rest of Sutton Coldfield by the road network and industrial units. It has a population of approximately 2,500 and is part of the parish of Minworth and Castle Vale, where Father James Cope is the incumbent. Minworth is in close proximity to the new housing development at Langley, and borders the new industrial development. Minworth has a primary school, two pubs and a large Asda Supercentre lies on the border of Minworth and Walmley. There is a higher than average proportion of social housing in Minworth. Members of the core team and others run a Place of Welcome on Fridays in the community room at Arbury Walk. Langley In the recently adopted Birmingham Development Plan 2031 there is a plan to build a sustainable urban extension of 6,000 new homes (circa 15,000 people) most of which will fall within the parish. The area earmarked for the development is known as Langley and this is the size of a small new town. Physical construction is expected to begin later in 2019 and will take 10 - 15 years to complete. The development is based around a series of new neighbourhoods, which will be serviced by new shopping and other community facilities and will include three new Primary Schools and a Secondary School. We are in the process of identifying our spiritual and statutory responsibilities for this development and in line with the Double and Plant Vision are seeking to be at the centre of a new worshipping community in Langley. We have contributed to the City Council Langley Supplementary Planning guidance by highlighting the need for a place of worship to be included in the centre of Langley. There is Diocesan support for the Secondary School to be a Church of England School, though discussion is at a very early stage. The Northern most part of the development area is in the neighbouring parish of St Chad's and we are engaging with the Vicar and other key bodies shaping this new community. As part of our Double and Plant Vision a new congregation has been established in the adjacent village of Minworth, to the South of the Langley development area. The City Council has a further plan to develop a large modern industrial estate on land at Peddimore, next to Minworth and Langley and it is expected to result in up to 10,000 new jobs, attracting many new residents into the parish and surrounding areas. The development will generate additional missional opportunities for St John's in Walmley and Minworth.
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The growth in population and our missional response to it fits within the People and Places Framework as the deployment of the Transforming Church Vision. People and Places encourages parishes and congregations to refocus on the wider population for kingdom ministry. Thus the Double and Plant Strategy, our schools work and our focus on mission and evangelism are well supported within vision and planning of Church of England Birmingham. More information can be found by searching the Internet for: Birmingham Development Plan 2031 The PCC response to the consultation is available.
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St John's Church 4 Walmley Road, Sutton Coldfield
B76 1QN Tel: 0121 313 0413
Email: [email protected]
