The Quantock Deanery Mission Action Plan 2017-2020The Diocese has set the task for each of its nineteen deaneries to produce a Deanery Plan for submission to the Bishop’s Council by September/October 2017 for an autumn review. By the end of January 2018, the Bishop’s Council will have reviewed each of the nineteen deanery plans to identify implications at a Diocesan level. Deanery plans are being asked to state their priorities, actions and timescales in response to each of the three Diocesan strategic priorities:

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do; To realign our ministry resources towards mission; and To identify, develop and use the gifts of all our people.

With grateful thanks to the Christchurch Deanery in the Diocese of Winchester we will use the following prayer for our journey:

Glorious God, you have taken hold of us and made us your own. In the power of your Spirit, give us grace to press on in your purposes, loving one another, learning together, and living the mission of him who calls us onwards, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

1. IntroductionThe Quantock Deanery falls geographically for the most part within the West Somerset Council (WSC) geographical area – and includes the four benefices situated in the WSC sub-areas of Mid-West Somerset, the Quantock Hills and Watchet and Williton. The WSC sub-areas of Exmoor and Minehead form the Exmoor Deanery. The Benefice of Cannington, Stockland with Steart, Combwich and Otterhampton is also included in the Quantock Deanery. However, for local government administrative purposes the Benefice comes under the jurisdiction of the Sedgemoor District Council.

Taking the WSC areas as a whole (2010/2011):West Somerset Council covers 280 square miles of coast and countryside. The population of the district is approximately 35,300 and it is estimated that 32.1 per cent of this population are at retirement age. The figure is above the national and regional average.It is predicted that the population in West Somerset will increase by 15.86 per cent over the next twenty five years (2006 – 2031) with the largest

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increase expected in the 85+ age group which will increase by approximately 140 per cent.In contrast, it is predicted that there will be decreases in the working age population within the area.Around 4.25 per cent of the population is from a BME background compared to 4.92 per cent in Somerset, 6.86 per cent regionally and 15.3 per cent nationally.Additionally: in 2011 census the population of Cannington and Wembdon was 4,507 and was made up of approximately 49% females and 51% males.The average age of people in Cannington and Wembdon is 44, while the median age is higher at 46. Note: Watchet and Williton may bear some resemblance to this – but further research is needed.In establishing a demographic profile for the Deanery, sites of residential development for Church ministry within the Deanery should also be considered for the next 10-15 years – for example new housing projects of say up to 500 homes or more and the implications this may have also for the schooling of the young. It is uncertain presently how much the Hinkley Point project will impact residentially on the Deanery but chaplaincy considerations there may need to be incorporated into plan during 2018/19.

2. Church MembershipAn approximate total population for the Quantock and Exmoor Deaneries is around 38,000. This contrasts with the 2015 adult total membership of our churches in both deaneries of around 1500. Church of England membership in this regard is at roughly 4%.Hence the urgency of embracing the Diocesan strategy of ‘Living and telling the Story of Jesus’……

The Quantock Deanery Mission Action Plan under the three headings of the Diocesan Strategic priorities:

3.1To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do

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In early 2018 the Quantock Deanery Mission Group will revisit the Deanery Parish Spotlights and other available public data to become clearer about those people or groups within our parishes and communities with specific needs, mostly at this time away from our churches, for whom we might be able to offer friendship and support. Peoples with whom we would seek also to develop the skills and insights required to share confidently with them the Gospel of Christ.

As an outcome of the research, each of the five Quantock Deanery Benefices in each year 2018, 2019 and 2020 will identify and commit to such people or groups, pray for them, conduct research into their needs and discover whether or not they would wish to worship with us. As churches we would recognise and accept the adjustments that may have to be made to accommodate their particular needs. Examples of such people or groups might be those with the challenge of poor mental health, incurable illness, homelessness, dementia, deafness, partial-sight, struggling families and their young, single-parent families, isolated elderly, etc.

Specifically, however, for 2017-2020 the Quantock Deanery will: encourage all of our parish churches to become Dementia–friendly

churches; enable our church buildings to be open for prayer and a haven for all,

and especially welcoming for rural and urban community use outside the times of regular worship;

review and continue to build solidly on the work undertaken with the young and their families through the Messy Church, holiday clubs, pram services and school linked activity including ‘Open the Book’; and

seek to ensure that the significant number of couples married in our Deanery churches are encouraged to worship with us, contact be maintained and their offspring brought for baptism and confirmation.

3.2To realign our ministry resources towards mission

Each year in 2018, 2019 and 2020 we will identify as a Deanery and/or Benefice a specific lay training need and course provision to enable our laity become more confident in particular expressions of ministry. The training to be either specific to a Benefice or a grouping of Benefices or as a Deanery programme.

Examples are leading home groups, pastoral visiting, children and youth work training, new expressions of worship or gatherings,

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ministry to older people, visiting/or task leadership in relation to the occasional pastoral offices (baptism, weddings and funerals).

Specifically for 2017-2020 the Quantock Deanery will: provide in 2018 a Deanery led course for the training of lay

pastoral assistants (to note that in 2019 and 2020 further Deanery/Benefice led courses will be provided specifically for lay training identified in areas of ministry and outreach, for example: bereavement, worship, stewardship, work with the young, etc)

increase the present number of home groups meeting beyond the seasons of Lent and/or Advent;

undertake an audit of prayer groups meeting currently across the Deanery with a view to their increase for the enhancement of both personal discipleship and confident lay ministry;

endeavour to involve Church members in the wider non Church-led communal activities of our parishes, linking especially with Parish Councils and Somerset Village Agents, as an expression of outreach, Christian giving and active discipleship; and

aim to recruit a Deanery publicity officer to edit a quarterly Deanery newsletter liaising with the local printed and radio media, and encourage the regular updating of benefice and/or parish websites.

3.3To identify, develop and use the gifts of all our people

As a Deanery we will undertake to continue with our successful annual commitment to a Deanery Mission project supporting Christian social and charitable programmes worldwide through generous giving via group activity and/or individual donations.

By 2018/19, each Deanery Parish will aim to have reviewed its current stewardship programme encouraging generous parish giving for the work of mission locally as well as the Diocese more generally. A subsidiary aim being for all Deanery parishes to meet their common fund/parish share requirements in full. (NB. The Quantock Deanery has been largely effective in this regard in recent years despite rising financial demands generally).

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As Deanery Benefices, we will identify each year over the next three years 2018, 2019, 2020 a specific focus where we can make a significant difference as churches to the communities and peoples where we serve: to achieve this each Deanery Benefice would be encouraged to establish an advisory community/voluntary/professional agency forum in order to identify local needs and possibilities where we might contribute or lead.

As a Deanery we will endeavour vocationally to discern and encourage those in our churches for whom reader ministry training may provide a suitable way forward.

All our Deanery Churches would be encouraged to review their own social and environmental circumstances and settings giving attention to, for example: churchyard conservation plans, Fairtrade dealing, committing to buying and using locally produced products, supporting Christian-Aid week, greener heating, etc.

Revd Ben Flenley (Rural Dean) Mrs Sally Bult (Lay Chair of the Quantock Deanery Synod)

September 2017

The following pages set out the individual Quantock Deanery Benefice and Parish Plans (where available presently):

The Quantock Coast Benefice, Watchet and Williton Benefice, Quantock Towers BeneficeQuantock Villages Benefice and Cannington, Combwich and Stockland Benefice.

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Mission Action Plan 2017

Our Mission Action Plan is rooted in Jesus’s ‘Great Commission’ to the disciples at the end of St Matthew’s Gospel

(Matthew 28: 16 – 20)

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to meet him. When they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.

And remember, I will be with you always, to the end of time.’

This scripture acknowledges the important points that:

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1. The disciples were a flawed group (11 not 12)

2. The disciples were a mixed group and different degrees of faith.

(Continued on page 9)

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3. They responded to Jesus’ command to meet him in Galilee, but when he appeared, although some worshipped, some also doubted.

4. They were given what seemed to them an impossible commission: ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.’

5. They were assured of the presence of the risen Christ to empower them in all that they were called to do.

The Mission Action Plan acknowledges and works with the strategic aims of the Diocese of Bath and Wells to:

1. To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by realigning our regular activities to be focused on sharing the Gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs, and increasing the church’s profile in our villages.

2. To identify, develop and use the gifts of the people by supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident talking about their faith, and be able to offer an authentic welcome to the local community.

3. To realign our ministry resources towards mission by repairing, Refurbishing and reimagining our church buildings to better serve the wider community, ensuring that we encourage regular and efficient giving.

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The Mission Action Plan also defines five key areas where it understands engagement with those beyond

the bounds of the Sunday congregation to be important:

1. Ministry to Wedding couples

2. Ministry to those at the end of their life and to families in their loss

3. Ministry to children and young people

4. Engagement in our local communities.

5. Special occasions and the ritual year asopportunities for mission.

This is a living document and we will return to it annually as a means of reflecting on our practice and engagement with

our local communities, adding to it and amending it, as appropriate, in the light of our experience, as we live and

serve in the villages of which we are a part.

We will also work closely with the Quantock Deanery, and with Diocesan support, learning and growing together

with other parishes.

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Benefice Objectives:

1. Ministry to Wedding Couples

To continue to support all churches in their wedding ministry and especially St Etheldreda’s, WQH, in the important ministry that they exercise as a church with couples who come to St Audries’s Park as the venue for their wedding receptions.

To continue to offer a warm welcome to those who attend services in order to qualify for marriage in the Benefice; to those who return on their wedding anniversaries, and to those who bring their children for baptism

To continue to send a card on the first anniversary of a couple’s wedding.

To consider sending cards at Christmas for those married in the year.

To consider developing a cross benefice wedding team to offer support at weddings in the way that bell ringers and organists already do work across the benefice for weddings.

To consider organising a special marriage celebration service at specified intervals to which couples who have been married in the benefice can be invited back.

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2. Ministry to those at the end of their life and to families in their loss.

To continue to respond promptly to needs as they arise and to offer caring and compassionate support as appropriate.To continue to hold an annual service in late autumn to which all those who have been bereaved in the past year are invited by letter.

To continue to send a card on the first anniversary of death.

To consider developing a small team of pastoral visitors to assist with post-bereavement contact where appropriate.

3. Ministry to children and young people

To continue the excellent work of the ‘Open the Book’ Team in Stogursey Cof E Primary School and to develop the group and its resources.

To continue a weekly whole school assembly in Stogursey School and a story and singing session with the pre-school.

To continue to encourage and support Stogursey School visits to St Andrew’s Church for important festivals and end of term services.

To continue to run an annual four day summer holiday club for five to eleven year olds.

To consider developing a ‘once a term’ Eucharist Service for the school alternating between school and church as a venue.

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To consider restarting some kind of activity for junior school age children, whether that be Junior Youth Club for children alone, or Messy Church for families.

4. Engagement in our local communities.

To acknowledge that many of the social activities within our small village communities are either run by members of our church congregations or heavily supported by them in terms of organisation. Therefore to acknowledge and support this work as part of our important outreach and engagement and to hold it in prayer.

To consider producing a local calendar of prayer as existed once before.

5. Special Occasions and the Ritual Year as Opportunities for Mission.

To continue to support each parish in having, as far as possible, services at the time they feel appropriate for their at key festivals in the year (Christmas, Easter, Harvest, Remembrance)

To continue the alternative, informal Easter Sunrise service on a local beach on Easter morning.

To continue to celebrate a traditional carol service together as a benefice at Christmas, thus providing a substantial service into which villagers and visitors can come.

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To continue to celebrate 4th and 5th Sundays together as a benefice, likewise providing a larger, more vibrant service into which visitors can slot.

To continue to use opportunities to engage the community as they arise – ie preparation for Armistice Day 2018.

Prayer and Worship Together as a Benefice.

Our life and worship together and as churches of the benefice should be rooted and grounded in prayer. To this end we worship together as a benefice on the 4th and 5th Sundays of each month.Morning Prayer is said at 8.30am in every church in the benefice on a seven week cycle, to which all are welcome. Lent Groups take place each year. House Groups organised by two churches meet in two villages, a contemplative prayer group is offered in another village and the monthly mid-week Eucharist at St Andrew’s is dedicated to prayer for healing. In addition we will continue to develop our life together through sharing and working together whenever possible: ie the Joining together for our Annual Parochial Church Meetings. Possibilities to consider further are:

A local prayer calendar (as already mentioned)

A monthly group to meet and pray the Bible together in the style of Lectio Divina.

To develop the links that we have establishes as a benefice with sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete in Whitby

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St Mary’s, East Quantoxhead

To place mission at the heart of everything we do by realigning our regular activities to be focused on sharing the gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs. Increasing the Church’s profile in our villages.

Action points:

Continue with the Harvest Supper. Continue with the nativity and Christian outreach at the

EQH light switch on.

Make sure we are listed in ‘A Church near You’ website. Devise a reflective information booklet to be available in

the church (based on the booklet from Kirkdale church). Also get more copies of the church history information booklet printed and a general information booklet which would be suitable for younger age groups. All of these could also be distributed door to door in the village.

Provide self -service refreshments in the church for visitors at any time.

Ensure the Parish magazine is offered to all new residents. Have a church presence at the village market e.g. by having

a stall selling Christian literature, book marks etc. Invites to be sent out from Nicky for all residents to ‘special

event’ Sunday @ 3 services (eg. pet service, Christingle etc). Include service programme for Christmas with Mary and

Joseph as they go on their advent journey around the village.

Plan a village service or event for Easter in an attempt to include those who already come to the Christingle.

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Introduce prayer cards, to be put door to door and then can be placed on the cross in the church at any time, for pray during the Sunday @3 service.

Send flowers to those in and connected to the village in times of need.

Ask others who may not be connected to the church if they would be willing to go on the flower rota.

To identify, develop and use the gifts of people by supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident talking about their faith, and be able to offer an authentic welcome to the local community.

Action Points:

Continue to adapt our home group to changing needs. Support benefice initiatives and encourage attendance at

services Introduce a prayer chain and prayer meetings.

To realign our ministry towards mission by repairing, refurbishing and reimagining our church building to better serve the wider community.

Action Points:

To create a new area in the church which is inviting to people; a welcoming area for the community, which can be more flexible in use of space thereby increasing the range of activities which can be carried out.

Continue with plans to move the Altar15

St Martin of Tours, Fiddington

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do

a) Try to involve non or irregular church attendees in services– not just the carol service.

b) Have a Christingle Service in place if the Carol Service

To realign ministry resources towards mission

c) Identify training needs. Consider someone from Fiddington attending a Pastoral Assistants Course.

d) Have an event which will explain the work of the church and encourage villagers to meet the vicar.

e) Continue with the successful type of events that we already do and encourage community participation.

f) Set up a house prayer and Bible study group.

g) Make the community more aware of the food bank box in the church.

h) Encourage villagers to come for coffee on Sunday after the service.

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To identify, develop and use gifts of all people

i) Create a welcome information pack for new arrivals in the village.

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St Mary’s, Holford with All Saints, Dodington

To place Mission and Evangelism at the heart of all we do

To develop opportunities for less formal worship both inside and outside the Church which will appeal to the harder to reach wider community and provide opportunities for informal evangelism and social engagement. For Example:

Continue Christmas Carol Singing

Continue Harvest Thanksgiving Supper

Continue Holford Lent Lunch

Consider an Easter Praise occasion with chocolate refreshment

Consider a Summer open-air occasion on the Bowling Green with animals welcome.

Continue to support and participate in local community- organised activities

To maintain and support appropriate patterns of worship within our Church.

To consider establishing a regular evening service of Compline with prayers for the villages and communities within our Benefice

To continue to offer support to those within our community who are sick, alone or bereaved

To continue to offer articles for local publications giving a Christian perspective on current issues and which promote the views and news of our Archbishops and Bishops, and of our Diocese and Deanery

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To Identify, Develop and Use the gifts of all our people

Aiming to cover all that we seek to achieve in Prayer:

To provide a welcoming information pack for newcomers to Holford and Dodington

To continue to build strong relationships of faith and friendship between Holford and Dodington

To consider encouraging the sharing and development of faith through the provision of opportunities such as a regular House Group and to take advantage of other learning opportunities within the Benefice and the Deanery

To seek to identify, encourage and train people with a gift and vocation to be Lay Pastoral Assistants

To Re-align our Ministry Resources towards Mission

To continue to maintain the Church buildings, fabric and surroundings in good condition as a Beacon proclaiming the presence of God in our community, and to encourage the use of the Church for Baptisms, Marriages and the celebration of Anniversaries and for funerals.

To continue to organise an Annual Gift Day Appeal in Holford and Dodington to secure additional funding for special projects and as a means of communicating with every household in the Parish

To continue to support Deanery Mission Projects in every way possible through financial and human resources

To continue to give a proportion of our income to charitable causes, particularly to assist third world and worldwide needs

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St Andrew’s, Stogursey with St Peter, Stolford

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do:

by realigning our regular activities to be focussed on sharing the Gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs; increasing the church's profile in our villages.

To continue :

the Friday Cafe;

community commemorations including Remembrance Sunday

To consider :

Co-ordinating the Sunday intercessions to include a focus on the different parts of the parish, and on different organisations within the parish;

Working with the Stolford Team to reinvigorate the community life of Stolford and Wick around St Peter's Church;

Starting a lunch club;

Establishing a pastoral care team.

To identify, develop and use the gifts of the people:

By supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident talking about their faith, and be able to offer an authentic welcome to the local community.

To continue :

The twice monthly prayer and study group;

The monthly midweek Eucharist;

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The maintenance of the prayer list; and

To consider :

Establishing a regular cafe worship at St Peter's

Holding a Bible Study group, perhaps in Burton or Shurton

Running an Alpha Course

To realign our ministry resources towards mission :

By repairing, refurbishing and reimagining our church buildings to better serve the wider community, ensuring that we encourage regular and efficient giving.

To continue :

To review our commitments to good stewardship through the 'Giving for life' scheme;

To improve the facilities at St Andrews and to make it available for community events, such as concerts;

To encourage community use of the Church Rooms in Stogursey and of St Peter's;

To support the Stogursey Arts Festival

To consider :

Encouraging the Stolford community in reimagining St Peter's as a' church and community centre';

Assisting the Stolford Team in working up an achievable restoration and development plan;

Whether there are other points in the church or agricultural 21

calendar which could be celebrated in and around the parishes.

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St Mary The Virgin, Stringston

Objective 1.

To reach out and engage the wider community, including the elderly and isolated, as well as any young families, and make church worship more relevant to them by:

Continuing with the ‘Ladies Luncheon’ Introducing a quarterly ‘Men’s’ Breakfast’ Introducing a relaxed, more informal Harvest Festival for 2017

Objective 2.

To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people to become confident Christians

Ensure church members are made more aware of any events that may enhance and /or deepen their own personal faith.

Objective 3.

To repair and refurbish our church building in line with the Quinquennial report recommendations

Continue fund raising efforts, including grant applications, to build funds to be able to employ specialist contractors for repair works

The above actions were agreed for 2017/18 as a potential means of achieving these objectives.

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St Etheldreda’s, West Quantoxhead

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do:

to organise a drop in coffee morning, towards the end of the week, frequency and details to be discussed at PCC. hopefully this could happen whilst people are doing church flowers or being "Holy Dusters"

to find a venue for the Christmas stable service and host this well appreciated benefice event.

to liaise with WI re a joint social event to be held in the church for the village, and also to enhance the current welcome pack for newcomers to the village.

to organise wine and cheese in church, twice a year to welcome all especially any newcomers to the village

To identify, develop and use gifts of all people:

to continue to maintain the church so that it is open and accessible at all times and look at creating a prayer and resource corner.

to support lent courses and other learning opportunities that are arranged with in the benefice/deanery etc.

To realign ministry resources towards mission:

following completion of toilet to explore other activities that can take place in church

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Benefice of Watchet & Williton

Mission Action Plan 2017 -2020

Using the Diocesan Strategic Aims as our guide, the PCCs of our Benefice have prepared this MAP to help focus our ministry towards better sharing of the Gospel in action and words with our local communities. In response to God’s immense love for us we seek to be God’s people living and telling the story of Jesus.

This is a living document that will be regularly reviewed and amended as experience and circumstances demand.

We will also work closely with the Quantock Deanery, and with Diocesan support, learning and growing together with other parishes.

Prayer

Our Mission is in 3 parts:

WorshipUp to God

in communion with God

Nurture Outreachin community with Out to all around us

one another in communication with the world

Mission

Evangelism Discipleship

Our Aspirations are:

To broaden our understanding of Welcome To recognise the need for extra times, places and styles of worship To identify groups of people in the community to whom to take church

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Community Audit: Organisations and services who attended the Community Forum we held in August 2016 identified these areas of need in our communities that are not met by current provision: and that the church might be able to help with:

Pastoral care, Children's Clubs and activities, music tuition available to all at reasonable cost .

Volunteer drivers & co-ordinators, dog walkers, voluntary mental health support,

Isolation, vulnerable and isolated individuals & families. Lack of meeting places for parents and children.

Other sources of information are The Children's Society and Social Deprivation statistics from the Diocesan

website.

OUTREACH

Our desire is:To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by realigning our regular activities to be focused on sharing the gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs, increasing the churches’ profile in our villages.

We aim to do this through our WORSHIP :

Developing inclusive and welcoming Worship, accessible to young people and those new to the church

Providing pram services

Starting Cafe services

Creating alternative worship services (e.g. Celtic, Taize, BCP Evensong, Creative Worship)

Celebrating Rural and Coastal Festivals e.g. Harvest, Plough Sunday, Rogation

Developing worship beyond the church buildings – Croft House, Danesborough View, Maglands etc.

Renewing printed worship booklets

and in the COMMUNITY by:

Holding Kid’s clubs

Organising Community forums

Feeding 5,000

Using social priority statistics to inform outreach projects

Setting up a staff and Benefice office

At St Peter’s Williton: we will develop CAMEO, develop mission at Danesborough View, provide Cafe Church in the Benefice Meeting room and Increase the number of outreach events in Williton

At St Decuman’s Watchet: we will develop the links with the Sea Scouts, build upon the success of the Hospice Service of Light, hold monthly Wednesday Communion Services at the Sanctuary and open Holy Cross for a CAMEO group.

NURTURE

Our desire is:

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To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident to talk about their faith and to be able to offer an authentic welcome to the wider community.

We aim to do this as a Benefice by:

Running a Pilgrim course

Engaging with a Listening course

Empowering lay worship leaders

Creating a rota of volunteers to give lifts to church

Increasing the number of House Groups

Encouraging new vocations – lay and ordained

Encouraging attendance at Christian Foundation courses

growing: Welcomers, Shepherds (to keep a pastoral eye on small groups) and a team of Pastoral Visitors

At St. Decuman's we will extend the age groups for which Sunday School provides

St Peter’s Williton we will increase our provision for children on Sundays and midweek

Our desire is:

To realign our ministry resources towards mission by repairing, refurbishing and reimagining our church buildings to better serve and welcome the wider community; to ensure that we encourage regular and efficient giving

We aim to do this by as a Benefice by:

Moving some pews to make room for activities

Supporting Christian Aid week

Supporting the Deanery Mission Project

Buying and using locally produced produce

Supporting Fairtrade

Developing a link with a Parish in another part of the world.

The church is not a building.....

but we do have to look after it...

so at St. Peter's we will consider moving some pews to make room for a variety of activities and to provide a more flexible space in which to worship

and at St. Decuman's27

moving pews to provide toilet & kitchen facilities

and across the Benefice

Consider how we can better use and develop our buildings to make them more welcoming and open to community use.

Our priorities........

To create and empower a strong team to enable effective Mission and Evangelism to take place in the communities of Watchet & Williton.

Review & Evaluation.

This is a living document that will be revised as our situation develops.

We are on our way to achieving some of the above and the staff team will review the plan in 2020 and then report to the Benefice PCC's

Resources

Vicar

Associate Vicar

1 PTO

2 Readers

Lay Worship Assistants

Deanery Youth Advisor

4 Church Wardens

2 parishes

A developing Benefice Office

2 churches

1 chapel

Benefice meeting room and office

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Quantock Towers Benefice

Mission Action Plan 2017 – 2020

Using the Diocesan Strategic Aims as our guide, the PCC’s of our 6 Benefice

parishes have prepared this Mission Action Plan to help focus our ministry

towards better sharing the Gospel in action and words with our local communities.

In response to God’s immense love for us we seek to be God’s people

living and telling the story of Jesus.

This is a living document that will regularly reviewed and amended

as experience and circumstances demand.

We will also work closely with the Quantock Deanery,

and with Diocesan support,

learning and growing together with other parishes.

Gracious God, may your Holy Spirit guide us into the future.

Help us to show uninhibited reliance on your grace and power

as we seek the renewal of our lives.

Give us courage, rigour, imagination and generosity

in order that your kingdom may come

and your abundant life be known by all.

Amen

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To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by realigning our regular activities to be focused on sharing the gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs, increasing the churches’ profile in our villages.

Benefice

Enable church buildings to be open, available and welcoming to the community beyond regular services.

Improve publicity of services and events. Maintain and regularly update the Quantock Towers Benefice website. Review special service to better reflect the needs and interests of the community

eg: Songs of Praise; Harvest; Plough Sunday.

Individual Parishes

Bicknoller Reaching out to and engaging the wider community, including the elderly and isolated as well as young families and make the church worship more relevant to them.

Crowcombe Reaching out to and engaging the wider community, including the elderly and isolated as well as young families and make the church worship more relevant to them.

Monksilver It was agreed that we should plan to hold a Songs of Praise service in 2018, followed by refreshments (perhaps Pimms and strawberries)We have a monthly coffee morning, just launched, in the local pub, sponsored by a member of the PCC who is the Landlord, which she and the village agent Izzy are running on the last Tuesday of each month noon for lonely and isolated people in the village who would enjoy the chance to socialize. All welcome.

Nettelcombe The PCC interact with all on the E.R. Annual thank you party in Church for all who help in any way – flowers, cleaning, lawn mowing etc, followed by service in church. The Church is engaged with the secular Parish hosting an annual supper.

Sampford Brett Outreach – to touch people’s lives with the love of God

Stogumber Improve church attendance. Increase involvement in local community.

Reduce social isolation - Involve village in practical help.

Promote Youth Activity. Improve transport

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To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident talking about their faith, and be able to offer an authentic welcome to the wider community.

Benefice

Indentify and involve members in the preparation of wedding couples. Identify potential lay worship leaders and provide training as necessary.

Individual parishes

Bicknoller Maintaining our current congregation, introducing and engaging new members of all ages groups to be active participants and contributors to our service and mission.

Crowcombe Maintaining our current congregation and introducing new members, especially from generations who are younger than the majority of the congregation, through the worshipping community moving more into the village community.

Monksilver The new bell-ringing team and the village choir were successful aspects of our mission.

Nettlecombe 1 church member has just completed the Exploring Christianity course and is considering whether to offer for Lay Readership or as a Worship Leader

Sampford Brett Community involvement – to show God’s love and care for all

Stogumber We have identified 3 people to do a pastoral care training

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To realign our ministry resources towards mission by repairing, refurbishing and reimagining our church buildings to better service and welcome the wider community , ensuring that we encourage regular and efficient giving.

Benefice

Annually review stewardship Meet Parish Share requirements in full.

Individual parishes

Bicknoller Repairing our wall to ensure we create a safe environment for all

Crowcombe Repairing and refurbishing our church building and graveyard in line with the Quinquennial report recommendations.

Monksilver New cupboards under the tower means that the Lady Chapel is no longer used as a vestry! Clergy robe at back of the church now.

Nettlecombe Looking to improve disabled access, and possibly remove some pews at the west end of Church to make a larger open area.

Sampford Brett Building – to make the building as ‘user friendly’ as possible

Stogumber Re-ordering of Church has now taken place with a good open area at the back to allow more flexibility for events/messy church/catering

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Mission Plan: Crowcombe Church PCC’s Aspirations: February 2017 - 2018Aim: To be a visible and active Christian presence in the community

PLANNED MONITORING BY CROWCOMBE PCC: Discussion at each quarterly PCC meeting and formally in August 2017 (6 months) and February 2018 (12 months)

Diocesan Strategic Aims and linked Crowcombe Objectives

Resources Measurable actions to achieve aims and objectives(and key lead)

Keylead

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by:

reaching out to and engaging the wider community, including the elderly and isolated as well as young families and make the church worship more relevant to them.

Transport to bring vulnerable people to church and related events.

Coffee and display mornings, to make the Christian faith more known.

Targeted time with children, to work in particular on engaging parents.

Members present at community events (e.g. soup kitchen, films, celebrations, clubs, and parish council meetings) and to be more explicit about our Christian presence.

Target the lonely, to support/encourage them to attend the village events and services; and the local school initiative, transporting them if necessary.

Coffee morning and a market in Church House May - September. Support school related activities and the pre-school, and attend events such

as the Christmas fair, Play Day, services and special services where the school and pre-school children and their families are involved.

Hold songs of praise event in the church on June 25th at 4:00pm, followed by strawberry tea, where the community (all ages) chooses favourite hymns/songs.

Hold a special thank-you service on 1st October for those who care for our church as part of a Harvest service– with refreshments after. Make child and community friendly, using the Music Group, targeting farmers and gardeners, encouraging bringing of produce to celebrate the local community. Celebrate through the media.

PCC

PCC

LR

PCC

LR/MR

PCC

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To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by:

maintaining our current congregation and introducing new members, especially from generations who are younger than the majority of the congregation, through the worshipping community moving more into the village community.

Inspirational ministry team.

Time to develop a programme of activities to encourage an increasing move into the village community, by worshippers.

Time to befriend couples intending to marry locally – develop cards and special services post-wedding and baptism.

Develop a church trail for children + update and print the church guide.

Build on Sampford Brett’s questionnaire, designing one for Crowcombe, to inform and consult the community about our church activities.

Maintain information about service each week, on the church and the shop notice boards (building on CAW, Pathways and Crowcombe web-site).

Following Angela’s attendance at Dementia Friendly training in May 2017 and feedback, consider how we can make some services more dementia friendly.

Through Angela, further encourage service participation - offer training/practice for reading, being a sides-person, etc.

Encourage take up of ‘trying out’ and lessons/rehearsals for playing the organ, piano and instruments for the music group.

Set up a small folding table and chairs for children to draw and colour pictures, which are part of the service.

Support Patrick in engaging local young people in our Deanery Mission project, food bank collections, fund-raising – linked where possible to D of E opportunities; with reports to Benefice services.

Encourage joining the new Stogumber choir and continue to support the Crowcombe Christmas choir, through membership of at least 2 PCC members.

Befriend local wedding couples / baptism families; and invite all (including non-local) to a special annual service for them; celebrate baptisms on Cradle Roll display.

Celebrate year 6 pupils making of a children’s trail in February 2017 for the church.

Update current church guide for visitors.

MR

LR/MR

AB-W

AB-W

MR

LR

PCC

PCC + clergyClergy + GB/MR

PCCPB

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Mission Plan: Bicknoller Church PCC’s Aspirations: February 2017 - 2018

Aim: To be a visible and active Christian presence in the community

PLANNED MONITORING BY BICKNOLLER PCC: Discussion at each quarterly PCC meeting and formally in November 2017 and January 2018

Diocesan Strategic Aims and linked Bicknoller Objectives

Resources Measurable actions to achieve aims and objectives(and key lead)

Keylead

To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by:

Maintaining our current congregation, introducing and engaging new members of all ages groups to be active participants and contributors to our service and mission.

Inspirational ministry team who actively with all of the congregation but who especially engage children and young people attending our services.

Maintain information about service each week on the church notice boards (building on Pathways and Bicknoller web-site).

Following Angela’s attendance at Dementia Friendly training and that which it to be given at September’s joint PCC, consider how we can make some services more dementia friendly.

Through Angela, further encourage service participation - offer training/practice for reading, being a sides-person, etc.

Support Patrick in engaging local young people in our Deanery Mission project, food bank collections, and fund-raising – linked where possible to D of E opportunities; with reports to Benefice services.

Make copies of the prayer leaflet introduced by Gill Southwood available to all to take as they enter or leave our Church.

MS/JHW

AB-W

AB-W

PCC

GS

To realign our ministry resources towards mission by:

Repairing our wall to ensure we create a safe environment for all

Local awareness raising to support any essential fund-raising activity.

Increase planned giving.

Re-visit and seek to raise our income through Planned Giving and Gift Aid. Initially this will be targeted towards our regular Church community and those on the Church Electoral Role. Advice will be secured from the relevant Diocesan Advisor to assist us to secure improvement.

If circumstances dictate a need to do so, undertake a fund raising campaign targeted at funding the essential repairs to the Church wall.

Advertise and celebrate services and events through the Bicknoller web-site, Pathways and signing within the village.

DG

DG

PCC (LEAD DEPENDANT UPON

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Ensure that we spread the word that with effective heating, toilet facilities and the servery, our Church now has the basis for wider use, spiritual or otherwise.

Repairing, refurbishing and maintaining our church building and graveyard in line with the Quinquennial report recommendations.

ACTIVITY)

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Quantock Villages Benefice – Initial Plan 2015-2016

"Rejoice in the diversity of our six parishes and strengthen thebonds of unity between us"

(1) WORSHIP: One of the ways we can begin to achieve this is through the Benefice service. Once a month, we come together to worship; it is not uncommon for us to have 150 worshippers across the Benefice in smaller groups, if we can come together once a month, our spiritswill be further lifted, we will have the opportunity for fellowship and mutual support from a wider catchment area. If this is achieved, then when we worship in smaller groups, we will find it easier to truly feel part of something bigger. In addition to this, each individual church has three, sometimes four Sunday service a month to depend their individual style, reaching out to the rich diversity of spiritualities that we celebrate within our boundaries.

"Be creative and encourage new ways to reach out to all age groups in our communities"

(2) HERITAGE: Alongside the development of Sunday services, I would like to anchor our communities in the agricultural year. Although not out in the sticks as such, we are rural parishes, and many people on the fringes of the church can relate to the country seasons.

Plough Sunday (1st Sunday of Epiphany)Rogation (3 week days before Ascension)Lammas (1st August)Harvest (lst Sunday in October)

If we take these 4 festivals as our anchor in bringing together the wider communities forfellowship and praise, not necessarily on a Sunday, but celebrate with a picnic/walk and BBQ etc.

‘Help us develop a pattern of ministry where parishioners in each parish instinctively know where to turn to for pastoral support _ _ without being solely dependent on the Rector"

(3) COMMUNITY: When our Lord came to earth, his vision of 'church' was community. Our communities are strong, and they work well supporting each other. What we need to recognise with our hearts is that the acts of kindness and support in our communities are 'church'. The neighbour who shops for the housebound, the mum who on the way through the village stops to chat to an elderly man on his mobility scooter, the residences which allow parents to park in their drive whilst doing the school run. All of these acts are Christian acts, and exactly what Christ wanted from his Church.Pastorally, we do so much for each other that is often unrecognised; our pastoral net needs to be pulled tighter together so that those who need our support get it. As a chaplain, one of the things which I see time and time again, is someone desperately worried because e.g. there is no-one at home to feed the cat while they are ill, or people who cannot begin physiotherapy because they

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have no day clothes to change into. Such small things to repair, such a big worry to those facing them. What if in our Benefice, no-one was ever again in that position because we, in our Christian communities cared enough.

"Opening our hearts and minds to Jesus"

(3) PRAYER: Often when in a situation where nothing seemingly practical can be done, I hear myself saying 'we can pray' .Our Benefice needs to be completely and utterly underpinned by prayer. In each church I would like prayer leaflets for people to use when in the buildings for quiet reflection. I want to produce amonthly prayer diary which is used throughout the Benefice, so there is unified focused prayer each day. In addition, Monday morning daily offices continue to pray for each parish, and there will be Holy Communions offered at several of the key feast days throughout the year. All of this will immerse our communal prayer life in the needs of the community, the worldwide church, and our allegiance and support for the Church of England's liturgical devotions.

An image: Anchors take a long time to reach the bottom of the sea, needing three times as much rope or chain as the depth of water to take hold. Ours is a big ship, and we must not expect of this to happen quickly or lightly, even when the anchor is down, one has to wait and see whether the anchor is holding before being securely moored.

St Paul said to the Ephesians: (4.15-16) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, Grows and builds itself-up in love , as each part does its work.

If as a Benefice we can corporately share and uphold this vision, then whatever the future of the rural church brings, we will be a surviving church, underpinned by prayer, focused on the needs of the community and anchored by our agricultural and Anglican roots.

Therefore we will truly represent our 'mission statement'

‘Not just going to Church, but being the Church’

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Re: Quantock Deanery Mission Action Plan – 2017. Quantock Villages Benefice

Parish Mission Action Plan: St Mary’s Church, Nether Stowey PCC: Aug 2017-18 Aim: To be a visible and active Christian presence in the community:

Living and telling the story of Jesus….

PLANNED MONITORING BY St MARY’S PCC: Discussion at each PCC meeting and formally in (6 months) and (12 months)

Diocesan Strategic Aims and linked Nether Stowey Objectives:

Measurable actions to achieve aims and objectives(and key lead)

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by:

Reaching out to and engaging the wider community, including the young families as well as the elderly and isolated and to keep the church worship accessible to

Continue coffee mornings, social events and home groups, staff teams to draw alongside non-believers

Complete Safeguarding PolicyComplete Disability AuditTrain a new visiting team and keep a record of actual visits across the congregation

Reach out to the lonely, to support/encourage them to attend the village events and services; transporting them if necessary.Endeavour to support the Stowey shuffle.

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them.Expand the ethos of the Coffee mornings, Home Groups and Music evenings with specific activities for the lonely – to complement the care group in due course (tea and cakes, scrabble, music etc)

Re-instate Songs of Praise event in the church centre quarterly 4:00pm, followed by tea and cake, where the community (all ages) chooses favourite hymns/songs.

Hold Harvest lunch inviting farming community.

Continue to hold Remembrance Sunday service at the Cross involving the Royal British Legion and encouraging wider community participation

Continue to hold Carols on the Cross with the nativity story involving a new mother and baby from the community.

Bring the Gospel to life, opening our hearts and minds to Jesus and inspiring the growth of discipleship and lay ministry.

To encourage young families and engage with parents.

To work with the Benefice on Mission

Re-instate regular Messy Church and encourage families as well as members of regular congregations to join in with activities and meal.

Continue to support school related activities and attend events such as the Christmas fair and the monthly church services where the school

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children and their families are involved.

Continue with Open the Book in school

Continue to ensure each child leaves school with his or her own bible.

Continue to support the annual visit to Wells by covering expenses of bus etc.

Re-instate All Soul’s Day service for the year’s bereaved

To follow up upon Mission Talk with workshops with the benefice leading to a decision upon how we move forward with Talents’ Challenge proceeds.

To support benefice activities, four times a year, celebrating the rural seasons and involving the farming community where possible (Plough Sunday, Rogation Sunday, Lammas and Harvest).

To prepare to hold another Benefice Weekend within 2 years.

To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by:Developing a pattern of ministry where parishioners in each parish instinctively know where to turn for

Be creative and encourage new ways to reach out to all age groups in our community

To inform and consult the church community about our activities quarterly to encourage their involvement.

Regular reports of activities, events and achievements in the Quantock Messenger.

Maintain information about services

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pastoral support without being solely dependent on the Rector.

each week, on the church notice boards and Quantock Messenger, Benefice News, ACNY plus website, once up and running.

Consider how we can make some services friendlier for those suffering from dementia and isolation; through shyness, grief, disability, the newly moved or new parents etc.

Continue to support food bank and regularly remind the congregation of its needs.

Further encourage service participation - offer training/practice for reading and interceding

Training for sides-people, vergers etc.

Create cards for wedding couples and baptism families and maintain contact on anniversaries.

Support Patrick in engaging local young people across our Deanery and schools, and invite him to help with Messy Church from time to time.

To underpin all we do with prayer Keep under review policy re: children in church, play area and involvement in services.

Make a children’s trail for the church, perhaps with the help of Year 6

Follow the update of the history leaflet with one about activities in both church and church

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centre with guide to services included.

Continue with prayer groups for the needs of the community and a prayer chain for the sick.

Add an additional prayer group for anyone to attend for the spiritual health of the church and the selection of a new incumbent.

To realign our ministry resources towards mission by:repairing and refurbishing our church building and graveyard in line with our mission and the recent Quinquennial report recommendations.

To enhance local awareness

To encourage the disabled to come to church

To increase planned giving.

Advertise and celebrate services and events in Free Press, Quantocks web-site, posters, benefice News, Quantock Messenger.

Complete own website and update ACNY

Continue to hold and expand Friday Music evenings, Art Exhibition, Quiz and Christmas Coffee morning.

Continue with, and enhance, 3 outdoor services: Good Friday on the Mount, Remembrance Day at the Cross and Carols on the Cross on Christmas Eve.

To look into the possibility of Just10 for Christians and re-consider Alpha once more while looking at alternative courses.

To re-instate the Lent Course.

Install Disability toilet with nappy changing facilitiesCreate Disability parking area with grassed area, after the new soakaways are completed.

Re-create leaflet explaining expenses.

Annual highlight of Stewardship, Planned Giving

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and Gift Aid – explain the benefits and make it as easy as possible for people to give. Needs to be repeated (perhaps with updates on amounts and uses) as people’s ability to give changes.

Benefice of Cannington, Combwich, Stockland and Steart Bay

Mission Action Plan 2017-2020 Using the Diocesan Strategic Aims as our guide, the PCCs of our Benefice parishes have prepared this Mission Action Plan to help focus our ministry towards better sharing the Gospel in action and words with our local communities. In response to God’s immense love for us we seek to be God’s people living and telling the story of Jesus. This is a living document that will be regularly reviewed and amended as experience and circumstances demand. We will also work closely with the Quantock Deanery, and with Diocesan support, learning and growing together with other parishes. Gracious God, may your Holy Spirit guide us into the future. Help us to show uninhibited reliance on your grace and power as we seek the renewal of our lives.

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Give us courage, rigour, imagination and generosity in order that your kingdom may come and your abundant life be known by all. Amen

To place mission and evangelism at the heart of everything we do by realigning our regular activities to be focused on sharing the gospel, better engaging with our local communities and serving their needs, increasing the churches’ profile in our villages.

Benefice Enable our church buildings to be open, available and welcoming to the community beyond regular services

Hold an annual week-long Holiday Club during Easter break, encouraging attendance from Cannington and Otterhampton schools

Improve publicity of services and events

Build and maintain a website, and maintain each parish’s profile on other social media

Review special services to better reflect the needs and interests of the community

Individual Parishes

Cannington Establish a Children’s Choir

Run a monthly event (breakfast or lunch) in Cannington with speaker

Stockland and Combwich

Re-establish events involving wider community including annual fete or similar

Build closer links between the two parishes, including joint events which allow sharing the gospel

Review liturgy and worship to ensure some services focused on outreach

To identify, develop and use the gifts of our people by supporting and equipping members to deepen their prayer lives, feel confident talking about their faith, and be able to offer an authentic welcome to the wider community.

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Benefice Undertake a skills audit amongst church members to identify areas of interest and experience

Run a regular discipleship course for existing congregations, initially focussing on evangelism and prayer

Identify potential house group leaders and provide training as necessary

Establish house groups (at least 4 in Benefice)

Establish and encourage participation in new monthly prayer meeting for the benefice area (with Cannington United Reformed Church)

Identify and involve members in the preparation of wedding couples and baptism families

Identify potential lay worship leaders and provide training as necessary Individual Parishes

Cannington Build on Holiday Club support to increase and develop Sunday Club leaders and helpers

Review arrangements at the start and end of Sunday worship to provide a more effective welcome to newcomers and less regular worshippers

Stockland and Combwich Identify and nurture potential future wardens and other officers.

To realign our ministry resources towards mission by repairing, refurbishing and reimagining our church buildings to better serve and welcome the wider community, ensuring that we encourage regular and efficient giving.

Benefice Annually review stewardship

Meet Parish Share requirements in full

Individual Parishes

Cannington Recruit new Director of Music whose role will include setting up Children’s Choir

Undertake all repairs highlighted in 2016 Quinquennial Report

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Explore reordering options to increase disability access and expand Sunday Club area

5% of general church income to support external charities by 2022

Combwich

Review and maximize tax-efficient planned giving

Consult, plan and raise funds for reordering of interior of St Peter’s

Stockland

Review and maximize tax-efficient planned giving

Explore options arising out of the extensive repairs required to St Mary Magdalene’

NB. For several of the parish level plans PCC members and others have been identified to lead/coordinate plan components

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