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Diocese of Oxford

Archdeaconry of Buckingham, Newport Deanery

Associate Priest (House for Duty) for the

GATE Group of parishes

with pastoral responsibility for the parishes of

Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst

We are seeking an Associate Priest who has a heart for small, welcoming villages

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Contents Page

Letter from the Incumbent 3

What we can offer and what we are looking for 4

The GATE Group (with map) 5

GATE Group Mission and Outreach 6

The Rectory 8

Appendix 1 – GATE Group Pattern of Services 10

Appendix 2 – Occasional Services 10

Appendix 3 – Newport Deanery Profile 11

Appendix 4 – Diocese of Oxford 12

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Letter from Christa, the Incumbent

As the Rector of two benefices (Lavendon and GATE Group) with the support of a Licenced Lay

Minister, I would very much value sharing God’s mission to the villages with someone else’s gifts

and ideas. There are already many different opportunities and areas of growth happening. In Stoke

Goldington’s Church of England First School weekly assemblies have been greatly appreciated.

The school had in the past an after-school bible club. There is one house group in Stoke Goldington

and several others in a different villages, some lay-led. Members of different congregations have

been encouraged to contribute to services and have attended training sessions on how to lead

worship and intercessions. There are three authorised preachers in the two benefices, one of them

lives in Stoke Goldington. They often lead and preach at ‘Home Team’ non-Eucharistic services

with great enthusiasm and success. Services are mainly traditional; cassock and surplice are worn,

but the atmosphere is prayerful and relaxed. Gayhurst has one service (BCP Communion) per

month which is a ‘group service’ and attracts many people from the other villages. Preaching and

teaching are very important to the congregations. There will be many opportunities for a new

colleague to express their ministry using the new ideas and interests they bring. We can support

each other through regular meetings for prayer, planning and sharing, which have been very

important to me in the past.

The Associate Priest’s responsibility for pastoral care and occasional services i.e. weddings,

funerals and baptisms, will be limited to the villages of Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst, but Sunday

services will be shared by both priests across the GATE Group’s four churches.

I have enjoyed the last 19 years here as a rural parish priest, 11 of them as Rector of the Gate

Group. The congregations and the communities are very welcoming, loving and encouraging. There

is always lots of laughter and joy at meetings. It is a privilege to serve God and proclaim Jesus as

our Lord in this place and I hope and pray that I will soon be able to share this privilege with a new

colleague.

The Revd Canon Christa Pumfrey

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ASSOCIATE PRIEST (HOUSE FOR DUTY)

The Church has always played a central and integral role in the life of our villages, providing both

spiritual and practical support, and bringing the community together in many different ways. We

are looking forward to welcoming a priest who will become part of the fabric of our community.

What we can offer:

• Prayerful, active and supportive congregations

• Opportunities in mission

• Flexibility in using your gifts

• Regular meetings with the Incumbent to pray, plan and share

• A warm welcome and support

• Beautiful churches, villages and countryside

• Close to large town of Milton Keynes with all facilities

• Excellent transport links to London and beyond

• Part time administrative assistance

• Friendly, welcoming PCCs

• A modern four-bedroom house

• Six weeks holiday (including Sundays) and two additional week-ends per year

We will welcome a priest who will:

• Feel that God is calling him/her to this post

• Continues with biblical preaching and teaching

• Nurture Lay participation in the life of the church

• Take two services within the GATE Group’s four parishes on a Sunday, using modern forms

of service as well as the Book of Common Prayer and occasional services i.e. funerals,

baptisms and weddings.

• Be available for a further two full days a week or equivalent

• Have pastoral care for the two parishes of Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst

• Be involved with Stoke Goldington Church of England First School

• Nurture existing house groups and initiate other outreach activities

• Enjoy village life, be sensitive to country traditions, and be happy to join in village activities

as appropriate

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The GATE Group (population about 1200)

GATE Group comprises the four parishes of Stoke Goldington, Gayhurst, Ravenstone and Weston

Underwood which are situated in a delightful rural area at the northern tip of Buckinghamshire. All

are within a three mile radius of the Rectory at Stoke Goldington. Milton Keynes lies seven miles

to the south, with Northampton and Bedford a little further away to the north and east respectively.

Olney, of pancake race fame, with a Thursday market and a monthly Farmers’ Market, is just three

miles from Stoke Goldington. Trains run from Milton Keynes to London every half hour (fast

service approximately 35 minutes), as well as to Birmingham, the North of England and Scotland.

There are good schools in the locality, theatres in both Milton Keynes and Northampton, and a wide

range of leisure facilities and all high street shops can be found in both towns.

The Community

The GATE Group community values the traditional side of country life, including fetes, harvest

suppers, institutes and other village activities. A magazine, ‘The GATE Group News’ is published

bi-monthly, run by volunteers and delivered free of charge to every house in the four villages. Each

village has a correspondent who sends news to the editor, church services are listed, and the

Incumbent writes a brief message for each issue. The parishes are loyal to the Group as a whole,

whilst each proudly retains its own character and activities. Because of its size, however, Stoke

Goldington is the focal point for many more activities and clubs that are well supported by residents

from all the villages.

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GATE Group Mission and Outreach

Every year each PCC within the GATE Group discusses what ‘being church’ means in their setting

and situation. The overall desire in each church family is to be a visible presence of God’s love and

actively take part in community activities. We actively support each other’s fund-raising and House

Group activities. Our coffee mornings are already very successful, and we are planning to extend

and build on this connection with the villages to put on other more faith based events.

Stoke Goldington St Peters Church community is implementing their PCC’s Mission Action Plan

as follows:

• Making the Church more user- friendly by installing servery/kitchen facilities.

• Encouraging more activities/events for outreach

• Fostering and building on close links with Stoke Goldington Church of England First School

and with younger people and their clubs.

• Supporting the bell ringers in their regular practice sessions

• Ensuring the church remains an integral part of the village, regularly used by all

Gayhurst St Peter’s Church

• Holding a Gate Group service on fourth Sundays to encourage and build up the congregation

• Raising funds to do vital repairs to the tower

Stoke Goldington (population about 600)

Situated eleven miles from Northampton, ten miles from Milton Keynes and three miles from

Olney, Stoke Goldington has a fairly compact village setting with a wide range of housing. Besides

a village shop, public house/restaurant and garage there is a Church of England First School with

some thirty pupils. The modern village hall houses a Pre-School Group, as well as being used for

Concerts, Bazaars, Bowls and other social events. A well-kept recreation ground is situated adjacent

to the hall. A smaller venue, the Reading Room, is used by societies such as the Stoke Association,

Bridge Club, Garden Club and Sewing Circle, and it runs a regular Coffee Morning which this

friendly village supports. In 2015 Stoke Goldington received a Best Kept Village award.

Church School

The previous House for Duty minister was very involved with the Church of England First School;

leading weekly assemblies and special services. The school welcomes regular visits from local

clergy and values the input they give to the curriculum and special events. The most recent Ofsted

inspection rated the school as ‘Outstanding’.

The Church

For a 900-year old, historic building, Stoke Goldington Church is in an excellent state of repair and

has a well-cared for churchyard. It has seating for 150 people. Its belfry has six bells that are rung

for special services. The Electoral Roll numbers 21 and congregations for regular worship are

around 20 with many more for major festivals. The Church uses Mission Praise, the NIV Bible,

Holy Communion Order 1 with Traditional Language, and a wide range of printed service leaflets

and booklets. A House Group meets weekly for much of the year. The church has recently installed

a disabled toilet and there are plans to install a servery within the building.

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Gayhurst (population about 110)

As Gayhurst is a small, dispersed village community, St. Peter’s Church is the sole building that can

provide a focus for village life. The PCC usually runs a Harvest Supper and a Lent Lunch, and it

looks to use the church building for other events, such as concerts, in an effort to provide both a

sense of community and to bring people into the Church. It further hopes that by providing a

traditional form of service it can attract like-minded worshippers from all of the GATE Group and

beyond.

Situated 1.5 miles south of Stoke Goldington and about three miles from Newport Pagnell,

Gayhurst is the smallest community of the GATE Group. St Peter’s Church is a classically

beautiful Georgian building. It is set in its own grounds in the environs of the Elizabethan mansion

of Gayhurst which has historical associations both with the Gunpowder Plot, and more recently as

an outstation of the Bletchley Park codebreaking establishment. The church can seat about 120

people. There are seven on the electoral roll, and five members of the PCC. There is a monthly

traditional service with an average congregation of 25 that is attended by parishioners from across

the GATE Group. The church organises several concerts and social events each year.

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The Rectory

Centrally located in an elevated position in the award-winning village of Stoke Goldington, this

refurbished property has well-proportioned, flexible living accommodation:

• South-west facing sitting room.

• Spacious working study with book shelving.

• Dining room, modern kitchen, utility room, cloakroom/WC

• Four double bedrooms with built-in cupboards and family bathroom.

• Floored loft providing a useful storage area.

• Oil fired central heating and solar panels.

• Mature gardens to the front and rear of the property.

• Garage and off-road parking for several cars.

The house enjoys far-reaching views over open countryside to the front.

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All Saints, Ravenstone and St Laurence, Weston Underwood are also part of the

Gate Group and as such the Rector has pastoral care for these two churches.

Ravenstone All Saints Church

The church seats around 100. The PCC has been active in making improvements to the building. In

recent years major works include provision of kitchen and toilet facilities in the church tower, a

well-equipped children’s area, the installation of audio and hearing loop systems and monument

restoration. Currently there are two Holy Communion services and one Evening Family service

each month with a congregation between10-20. Services at Easter, Harvest and Christmas are well

supported- often with a packed church.

Weston Underwood St Laurence Church

There are two services per month, Holy Communion on the first Sunday and Evening Prayer on the

third Sunday. Home Team services are run on the other Sundays when church members take part in

running the worship. Annual events include Harvest Festival, Carol Service and a Rogation Service

at Cowper’s Alcove for all residents and friends from the GATE group. A village Singing Group

joins the congregation for special services. Attendance numbers are about 15 for Holy Communion

but swell to around 70 at Christmas, Easter and Harvest.

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Appendix 1 – Current Pattern of Services for the GATE Group

(Other than Mothering Sunday, Easter Day and Christmas)

1st Sunday 9.30am

11.00am

6.00pm

Holy Communion, CW, traditional

Holy Communion, CW, traditional

Evening Worship

Stoke Goldington

Weston Underwood

Ravenstone

2nd Sunday 9.00am

10.30am

Holy Communion, CW

Family Service (taken by LLM)

Ravenstone

Stoke Goldington

3rd Sunday 9.00am

10.30am

6.00pm

Holy Communion, CW

Holy Communion, CW , traditional

Evening Worship

Ravenstone

Stoke Goldington

Weston Underwood

4th Sunday 11.00am Holy Communion, BCP Gayhurst

5th Sunday 10.00am Combined Service rotating across all

eight churches of the GATE group and

Lavendon Benefice

CW – Common Worship, BCP - Book of Common Prayer

(This pattern of services is open for discussion and possible revision)

Appendix 2 – Occasional Services in Stoke Goldington and Gayhurst

2016 2017 2018

Baptisms 1 Baptisms 0 Baptisms 1

Weddings 1 Weddings 3 Weddings 0

Blessings 1 Blessings 0 Blessings 1

Funerals 2 Funerals 1 Funerals 3

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Appendix 3 – Newport Deanery

The Deanery of Newport sits in the north east corner of the Diocese of Oxford and is bounded by

deaneries in the Dioceses of Peterborough and St Albans. The population of approximately 32,500

is split one third, 10,900 people, across our rural communities with 19 churches, and two thirds,

21,600 people, in our two market towns of Olney and Newport Pagnell with three churches. The

deanery has 5.5 stipendiary clergy covering 7 benefices, two of which are held in plurality.

As part of the Borough of Milton Keynes, there is an increasing demand for the provision of new

housing in an area earmarked for major regional housing and employment growth. ‘PLAN:MK’, a

draft 15 year building programme of 40,000 new homes, contains several proposals which impact

the Newport Deanery, and we are expecting population in the deanery to expand by up to 107%

over the next 20 years.

The deanery is actively working with the neighbouring Milton Keynes Deanery and the

Archdeaconry of Buckingham to consider responses to current and future housing developments

with informal and formal structural changes, in addition to accommodating the evolving nature of

our mission and worshipping communities.

The current challenge remains the balancing of areas and churches that are investing and

maintaining dynamic growth, alongside those which are struggling to sustain their church

communities and attract more lay involvement. As we respond to this, the deanery continues to

explore ways of sharing resources and gifts, with established and new programmes of mission at the

local level.

As a Group Ministry, the deanery is home to diverse traditions, representing almost the full range of

the Anglican spectrum. This is fully respected and reflected in locally held benefice plans for

mission, and supported by a strong commitment to shared deanery working wherever there are

common interests and needs. Deanery Synod is well attended as a result. We believe there is much

to build on here for the future. The deanery encourages shared leadership roles, with deanery-wide

specialisms and/or roles assisting in the day-to-day operations which include a vocations advisor, a

marriage surrogate and an officer for retired clergy from amongst the ranks of the Deanery’s clergy.

Formal and informal support exists between ordained and lay leadership with shared ministry

addressing mission plans, resources and cover for sacramental ministry, holidays and sickness. This

includes support for benefices in terms of filling vacancies and developing sustainable ministry

patterns for the future. These are underpinned thorough the encouraging, enabling and releasing of

our membership and congregations to minister fully to their communities as part of our living faith,

becoming a more Christ-like church, will remain a fundamental and critical element for the future.

We are excited by the opportunities and working relationships are friendly and mutually supportive.

Our Deanery Chapter meets formally ten times a year and also enjoys gathering socially.

Attendance at Chapter is good and it is hoped that whoever is appointed to serve within the Deanery

will take a full part in our shared life. We look forward to working with you.

The Revd Canon Gary Ecclestone SSC

Area Dean

Tim Edwards

Lay Chair

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Appendix 4 – The Diocese of Oxford

The Diocese of Oxford serves the mission of the Church in Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and

Oxfordshire. The Diocese comprises more than 600 parishes, with over 800 churches, serving a

diverse population of more than 2 million people located in all types of settings.

Due to the size and complexity of the Diocese, we have three Are Bishops who exercise

considerable strategic an dpastoral care oversight for their Areas. The Bishop of Buckingham is the

Rt Rev’d Alan Wilson who has been the Area Bishop since 2003.The Archdeacon of Buckingham

is Ven Guy Elsmore who has been in post since 2016.

Since the appointment in 2017 of the Rt Rev’d Dr Steven Croft as Bishop of Oxford, a new

common vision has emerged for the Diocese of Oxford. The vision is based on the qualities

described in the Beatitudes and addresses what kind of churches we are called to be:

a more Chrst-like Church for the sake of God’s world:

contemplative, compassionate, courageous

Together we have identified seven themes for our common life. These are not a description of

everything the Church does, but they do represent the areas God is currently calling us to:

• making a bigger difference in the world

• sharing our faith and growing the local church

• growing new congregations

• serving every school in our communities

• setting the discipleship of all at the heart of our common life

• celebrating and blessing the city of Milton Keynes

• engaging in new ways with young people, families and children

These priorities are being supported centrally by resources, training, conferences, workshops, and

much more. The diocese is inviting benefices and their priests to share a vision rather than

demanding a response. It wants all its clergy to flourish in ministry and to deepen their enjoyment

of God.

It is hoped that all clergy appointed into the Archdeaconry of Buckingham will want to commit to

the Diocesan vision and to encourage their benefices to share I becoming a more Christ-like church

for the sake of God’s work.