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Profile of the BeneficeWe are pleased that you have expressed an interest in the full-time post of “Rector of the threeParish Benefice of Woolavington with Cossington and Bawdrip, and Priest-in-Charge (RectorDesignate) of the two Parish Benefice of Puriton and Pawlett”. The combined parisheshereafter for the purpose of this document called “The Benefice”This post is effectively advertised as a Rector/Priest-in-Charge/Rector Designate post becausethe Diocese wishes to combine these two existing benefices into one Benefice The PCCs of allfive Parishes are supportive of the amalgamation. As we write this Profile, the two beneficesare just starting to work together and are enjoying one another’s company.The full time Rector, who will be responsible for the Benefice from his/her appointment, will beassisted by a half-time Associate Vicar. There is currently a half-time Priest-in-Charge of thebenefice of Puriton and Pawlett and the present incumbent has agreed to the post beingchanged to Associate Vicar of the Benefice.We have set out below what we would look for in a new incumbent, a description of ourlocation and of the Rectory. Also in the individual parish profiles we set out our respectivehopes and aspirations and the support that we can offer you.We look forward to receiving your application to join us at this exciting time for our parishes, aswe move forward together.The qualities we are looking for in our new incumbent.We are looking to the new Priest, in partnership with the Associate Vicar, and guided andempowered by the Holy Spirit, to build on the excellent work of the past few years and toactively shape the future ministry, mission and evangelism in the Benefice over, the comingyears and to …a. provide the leadership that brings the parishes of the Benefice into a workable cohesiveunit to develop a fresh vision in order to extend the kingdom of God.b. gain an appreciation and understanding of the different groups within the parishes andencourage all of these to develop their individual strengths and gifts.c. be open to God’s leadership through the Holy Spirit and from the depth of your ownprayer life, teach, nourish, inspire and encourage the spiritual life of the church membersand others in the community.d. support the bereaved, the elderly, the gravely sick and those who are no longer able toattend the church services regularly.e. be a good time manager and be able to delegate to all the talents available including thesix Readers and the Pastoral Assistants, (We support the adage “failure to delegate is adenial of the Holy Spirit working in and through others”)f. work with all age groups, inspiring families and to maintain and develop the close linkswith the village schools and with the children and young people of the community.The location of the ParishesThe villages of Bawdrip, Cossington, Pawlett, Puriton and Woolavington lie on the western partof the ridge of the Polden Hills. These 'hills' are an area of slightly higher ground that dividesthe large area of the Somerset Levels, which lie to the north and south.The Benefice straddles junction 23 of the M5 motorway. The nearest town is Bridgwater, some4 or 5 miles distant and the county town of Taunton is15 miles to the south. Clarks Village atStreet is 10 miles to the East and is a very popular retail outlet.There are local hospitals in Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea (with Minor injuries units).Doctors practices are in Edington (with a local surgery in Woolavington), Bridgwater and- Page 1 - 1

Highbridge. All the villages have a primary school and secondary schools are in Bridgwaterand Street.A new Energy Park is planned for the old industrial land between Woolavington and Puriton,and the population of the area is likely to expand as a result of the construction of the nuclearpower station at Hinkley C.The Rectory in WoolavingtonA family rectory in Woolavington is provided with this post.The Rectory is a 4-bedroom, detached 1950’s house with large gardens in a village location. Ithas two reception rooms, a study, a kitchen, a utility& a downstairs w.c. Three large double bedroomshave built in wardrobes and the 4 th bedroom is asmaller double bedroom. The Bathroom has a bath &power shower, and there is a separate w.c.Oil central heating is available, and uPVC windowsand a new kitchen and bathroom were recentlyinstalled.There is a single garage and Woolavington Church has a large Storage Shed within the southfacing grounds. It is located in Vicarage Road, Woolavington, Somerset, TA7 8DX.• Lounge with open fire• Study• Downstairs WC• Dining room• Kitchen• Utility• 4 double bedrooms• Bathroom and separate W.C• Single garage• GardensThere follows an individual Parish Profile for each of the parishes:St Michael and All Angels Church, Bawdrip............................................................................... 3The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Cossington.......................................................................... 7St John the Baptist, Pawlett ..................................................................................................... 10St Michael And All Angels, Puriton .......................................................................................... 12Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Woolavington................................................................... 14- Page 2 - 2

St Michael and All Angels Church, BawdripWhat we are looking for and what we offerOur focus, and we would look for this quality in any incumbent, is on the fellowship aspects ofour Parish life. Ministry is important and we hope our efforts in this area this will continue to benurtured and supported by any new incumbent. Worship is the third pillar and whilst we havea mix of traditional (BCP Evensong) and ASB Communion we are always open to new forms.The whole PCC and church membership are always fully supportive of any measures that weput in place to provide opportunities for outreach and to welcome new people into church.We are looking for an incumbent who is able to work with the young and relate across all agegroups. Someone who is community orientated, with good interpersonal skills and is anenabler who can work with the doers. To us it is important that the incumbent is not a onemanband and can work with the Readers and lay members who have established networksthroughout the village.As we are part of a Benefice we would expect that the successful applicant would continue tobuild on the work already done that helps to hold the Benefice together. They would providethe thread to draw all the churches together and continue to encourage communality e.g. viaBenefice Fifth Sunday communion and Benefice bar-b-q. As a Benefice we are also verypleased to be able to offer several hours per week of administrative assistance to theincumbent.‘Through our events we can provide opportunities to meetand spend time with villagers’.Church organisationsThe church building is located in the center of the villageand we always aim to ensure the church is also the heart ofthe village. There is widespread support for the churchthroughout the village and this is reflected in the supportthat we get whenever appeals go out.‘Our events get lots of different people involved’ – GJWe have the following committees in place:The PCC, standing committee, Parish Hall Committee and Events Committee.Our PCC is nine strong and drawn from a church electoral role of 15. Due to the smallnumbers on the church electoral role most people are on most committees providing an easyto manage and consistent view across the Parish. It also makes planning of events etc. verystraightforward.The regular church attendance varies from 2 to 10 with 13 regular members. Thechurchwardens have been in post for many years but are always supportive and encouragechange within the church and have always worked well with the incumbent. We have had twonew members join the church in the last year and they are both on the PCC and are making avaluable and appreciated contribution to our church life.There is a small but talented Flower Guild in the village. Inaddition to the weekly flowers and decoration for festivals,in 2010 they put together a very successful FlowerFestival.We have our own pages in the Benefice ‘Link’ magazinethat is published 10 times per year. In it upcoming eventsand reports of events are published along with generalparish news (such as the Parish Council minutes).- Page 3 - 3

Readers and retired ministersThe Benefice is blessed with five readers and one retired minister who are all actively engagedwith the parishes and working hard to make the interregnumrun smoothly. We are particularly fortunate in Bawdrip inhaving Bill Hubbock living here. With his 40+ years ofexperience as a Reader and extraordinary energy he is veryactive within the village and the Benefice as a whole. Since hisarrival in the village we have seen a significant increase in theactivities that we undertake and linked to this the significantimprovement in relationships between the church and thevillage and also amongst the villagers as well.‘The Christmas Fayre is a major fund raiser for us andopportunity to engage with the village’ – SPServicesWe have a regular pattern of Sunday services (1 st + 3 rd Sunday 11am Communion and 2 nd and4 th Sunday BCP Evensong). The fifth Sunday is dedicated to a Benefice Communion. We alsohave two services of Morning Prayer in our church.We are not afraid of trying different styles of worship – thisyear we have held a Taize Worship evening that wasproceeded by a Taize workshop. In previous years wehave held family services and ‘Big Breakfast’ events inplace of the regular services. We are committed to beingas open and inclusive as possible and are therefore alwaysopen to different ideas and styles of worship.‘We know events like the village bar-b-q will be wellattended and people are always so kind in volunteering toprovide food’ - SP.EventsAs part of our vision of improving fellowship within the village we run, for a small church, awide variety of events. In 8 months in 2011 we have had or are planning the following:May: Spring Dinner Dance, Church clean, Rogation WalkJune: Coffee morningJuly: Coffee morning, Cream Teas on the GreenAugust: Coffee morningSeptember: Village Bar-B-QOctober: 10 week dance class re-startsNovember: Coffee morning, Remembrance Service, Autumn DinnerDanceDecember: Christmas Fayre, Carol Singing round the villageIn addition to the above events, we also run a regular monthly Luncheon Club providing mealsfor up to 35 people from across the Benefice. This is now well established having been run fora number of years. We have established a good link with thevillage pub and, in conjunction with the Landlord, we have runseveral well supported games evenings there. The events, inaddition to providing income for the running and maintenance ofthe church fabric, are also aimed at providing fellowshipopportunities within the village. We are also fortunate in having avery contented Benefice and events are always well supported bymembers of the other churches in the Benefice.‘The dance classes led by Bill are great fun and everyone looks forward to the dinners!’- SP- Page 4 - 4

The parishThe current population of Bawdrip is approximately 490 with 195 households and theelectorate is 396 – a recent development in the centre of the village has added 9 households.Bawdrip is located to the east of Bridgwater, and the A39, which follows the Polden Hills toGlastonbury forms the North and West boundaries of the village. To the south there are openviews across the levels towards the neighbouring village of Chedzoy with which Bawdripshares its school. A prominent hill, Peasey Hill, with its farm was a landmark duringMonmouth's Rebellion. Approximately half of the houses in Bawdrip are located in andaround the centre (the Church being the focal point). The remainder are located along theA39. National cycle path 3, part of the Sustrans network passes through the village and linksBawdrip with Cossington via the old railway track. There is a wide spread of age groups withinthe village, with people coming from all walks of life. There are a number of long establishedfamilies in the village and we are now beginning to see a population with a more transientnature. Whilst in general not an affluentstopped off in Bawdrip on their area, Bawdrip could be classified as ‘comfortably off’.Bawdrip currently supports a garage, a touring caravansite, a pub and four farms. Both the garage and thecaravan site sell a range of items. Just outside the parishis an agricultural supplies company that providesanything you need from cheese to railway sleepers!Pilgrims were welcomed to Bawdrip on their journey fromSherbourne to WellsChurchThe Church, dedicated to St. Michael and All Angels, is of 14th century origin. The outstandingfeature of the church is its cruciform, aisle-less structure with a central tower, believed to beone of only seven of its type in the country. The tower houses a peal of four bells and we haveour own bell-ringing group in the village who are completing their training. There is an effigy ofSir Simon de Bradney, knight of the shire, who founded a chantry in the Lady Chapel (northaisle) in 1330. Major restoration work was carried out to the church in 1886 when the floorwas lowered by some two feet to provide a more imposing height to the building. The wallswere left bare, revealing the natural, local blue or white lias stone - a pleasant grey colouredstone, much used locally. The church has a very comfortable atmosphere and visitorsregularly comment on how attractive a building it is. The last Quinquennial survey in November2009 reported that the church is in generally good condition. The seating capacity of theChurch is 140. There are no other churches in the parish.Parish HallThere is a parish hall in the village that was built during the inter-war period on land given inmemory of the Great War. It is of wooden and metalconstruction. It has a small stage and kitchen area. The sizeof the hall (it is licensed for 75 people) means that it has anintimate feel to it and a group of just 30 can fill it. It has beenrecently refurbished and despite its age is in a reasonablygood condition. We use it for our events and there are anumber of external groups that are also using it on a regularbasis.‘When we put out flyers appealing for help, everyone is always very generous with donationstowards events such as the Christmas Fayre’ – JDH- Page 5 - 5

FinanceA copy of the 2010 accounts is available from the Diocese on request. Bawdrip has been ableto pay its common fund in full. There is a good record of stewardship renewals. We haveplaced our parish in the Mid category.Missionary and charity supportPlease see accounts for missions and charities supported.Local SchoolKingsmoor County Primary School is located in the centre of the village. Currently 140children attend the school, of these approx. 33% are from Bawdrip. The remainder are fromChedzoy and from the outer areas of Bridgwater.- Page 6 - 6

The Church of St. Mary the Virgin, CossingtonGreetings from Cossington:Are you ”nice, good and cool”? If so, Katlyn, one of our schoolchildren, is hoping you will beour new vicar. Cossington Primary School is in the forefront of our ministry, and as the futureof our faith may lie in their hands, school visits and pupil participation is actively encouraged.We at Cossington may be regarded as ‘traditional’ in our beliefs. Having a predominately‘retired’ congregation that may have got into a rut, we are keen to be gently eased from that rutand provide a more lively service to attract other parishioners, especially children, whilst stillcatering for our traditionalists. It is also true that we are not demonstrative of our faith, but wewould expect our vicar to be!Cossington appears to be the traditional sleepy English village, which it may be, but there is awealth of love and warmth that is evident in every community event here that needs to benurtured and the church has a major part in this. Please come and visit to experience ourhospitality and love in Christ.As you are considering living and ministering within our local community, please find below abrief outline of our village, its’ history and its’ residents.General DescriptionMentioned in the Domesday Book as having 9 villagers 5 smallholders and 4 slaves,Cossington was then valued at £6. The latest figures give a population of 579. A breakdown ofthese figures is not yet available from the 2011 census but the last census described 235households, including 52 single-person’s households. There have been additions since then,notably a 40-house complex currently under construction that will, it is envisaged, make a bigimpact on the community.Focal points in the village are the Parish Church, the Primary School, the Red Tile Inn, thePlaying Field and the Village Hall. We support a veterinary practice, but sadly lost our postoffice and shop four years ago, though the neighbouring villages of Chilton Polden andWoolavington are reasonably accessible and provide essential shopping and postal facilities.We opened a new, state-of-the-art village hall in November (2011). Standing on formerfarmland, it occupies a prominent position in thenew housing complex. The venue has alreadybeen much sought after by local organisationsand the whole village is looking forward to usingthe exciting new facilities.The village hosts an active and notableprofessional concert series supported by amusic society founded in 2001. CossingtonConcerts are a must for lovers of fine music andhave added much prestige to the village. Theorganisers also give grants and an annual prizeto local young musicians.The Church of St. Mary the Virgin dates from the 13 th century and consists of a two-cellchurch with a south porch and a 15 th century tower. There is a peal of 6 bells, all attached to achiming apparatus. The seating capacity is approx. 110 persons. The building is in anexcellent state of repair and the recent (Sept. 2011) quinquennial inspection report identifiedonly minor defects.- Page 7 - 7

We are currently installing asound system that will include ahearing loop, much of which hasbeen donated by a localparishioner. St Mary’s is our onlychurch.Assistance. The benefice isblessed with five dedicatedreaders, all of whom contributeto our services. We also have atrained Pastoral Assistant whodoes wonderful work in ourvillage.Services1 st Sunday Matins – usually taken by benefice readers2 nd and 4 th Sundays Holy Communion rite A3 rd Sunday Songs of Praise – usually headed by lay church members5 th Sunday is a benefice Holy Communion Service which rotates through the 3 parishesThere is a 1662 Holy Communion Service held every 3 rd Wed.Hymns are shared between A & M New Standard and Mission Praise.The Church Electoral Roll currently stands at 54, a high proportion of which are retiredpeople. Twelve members reside outside the village.Church Organisations. Following an away-day last year (2010), in which the vision for thenext five yrs was discussed, a strategic plan was put in place to form five committees. Theycover areas such as Fabric, Promotion, Pastoral, Events and Community Projects Teams.These work independently of the PCC, reporting back to the PCC regularly. We are rightlyproud of the tremendous effort put in by these teams, which are all proving fruitful, especiallythe events team. We are also blessed with a loyal band of ladies and gentlemen who clean,polish, tidy, arrange flowers and cut grass to keep our beautiful church in the warm loving statevisitors have often commented upon.Finance. A full copy of the latest financial accounts is available from the diocese on request.Our Parish share (scale C) is approx. £8.5k and is paid in full. As mentioned earlier, our activeEvents Committee continues to organise fund-raising events that not only keep us financiallyhealthy, but also help to maintain our community profile.Missionary and Charity Support. We hold a USPG coffee morning each week, the proceedsof which are donated to a babies home in Ghana and the 2 Healthcare Centres in SouthernMalawi. The Christian Aid Collection in Cossington this year realised a wonderful £373.Parish QuestionnaireWe recently circulated a questionnaire to the all of our electoral roll members asking for theirviews on the vision for our church, what they would expect from our new incumbent and whatthey think our role should be. This is a summary of their replies:-.Vision for our church To reach out to the wider community – both spiritually and practically. To have abroader outlook, to encourage all ages and be more visible amongst our community. To continue regular Sunday worship but with more variety. Perhaps special services toencourage new members.- Page 8 - 8

To hold shared events with the other parishes in our benefice, to build a good workingrelationship. To become more multifunctional. We would like to update our facilities: we need akitchen and a toilet. Look at ways to improve access for wheelchairs and people withlimited mobility. To become more child friendly. Perhaps clear an area to include comfortable chairs.New incumbent.He or she should be: a ‘people’ person; friendly and with a sense of humour; forward-looking, trustworthy,understanding, and a good listener; able to relate to all age groups and social situations; willing to get to know and workwith church wardens, PCCs and congregations; a firm believer in the tradition of the church; a good communicator – especially when preaching. committed to building strong relationships with local organisations, especially schools,friends and neighbours, and to providing. effective pastoral care, especially to theelderly, sick and bereaved.Our Role. To support and assist as mutually agreed. To work together on common goals, to the good of our parish and Benefice and to theglory of God.Primary SchoolWe have a thriving primary schoolcurrently with 54 pupils on roll. There are three fully qualified teachers ably supported by welltrainedand experienced teaching assistants. The most regular observation made by visitorsto the school is that the children are well behaved, confident and happy. The most recentOFSTED report reflected this. Academic performance has been consistently good.The school uses the church for regular services and occasional assemblies and invites thevicar to make regular visits and take assemblies. Here are some quotes from the childrenwhen asked what they thought the new vicar should be like.Aleah: “Friendly, smiley, talks to everyone”Savannah: “Trendy and smiley”Willow: “Kind and helpful”Louis: “Funny and happy”Lakiesha: “Kind, sensible, cheerful and fun”Eden: “Handsome and funny”Riley: “Fun and exciting”Molly: “Kind, sensible and appropriate for being a vicar”- Page 9 - 9

St John the Baptist, PawlettStatement of Needs for the New RectorThe current circumstances of the Church of England pose challenging questions. Withpressure of reduced clergy numbers now bearing down even more on us locally, the mostpressing one here has to be, “For what do we require a priest?”.For the Sacraments, clearly; for preaching the Gospel; to be the spiritual heart of the benefice;to be first call in visiting the gravely sick and the bereaved; and to be the standard bearer intaking the Lord’s message to the community.Other and ancillary tasks of the church, including secondary pastoral care and maintaininginitiatives begun by the priest, as well as whatever administration can legitimately bedelegated, can and should be functions of its lay members.Having negotiated two interregnums in six years we are by now well used to being self-reliantand flexible. What we do ask is that the two stipendiary priests and the non-stipendiaryassistant priest, who will work together in the new benefice should continue to make an impactwith the younger community both in the schools, as at present, and with the families andyounger folk in the village to foster the spread of the Christian message and to revive thechurch locally.The VillageSet on a low hill at the southern edge of the Somerset Levels and 4 miles from Bridgwater,Pawlett is a village of 1,200 people, comprising old village families and more recentinhabitants, of mixed age and social class. There is a primary school, of which all three of themost recent incumbents have been governors, a pre-school group, a sports and social club, aBritish Legion club, two shops (one of them the Post Office) and a well appointed village hall,adjacent to and regularly used by the church.The ChurchThe church which holds around 120 people is Norman, Grade I listed and during 2012 willundergo a major external restoration to include rendering, window renovation and re-roofing ofthe tower, in accordance with the Quinquennial Review of August 2008. The interior with itsJacobean woodwork is light, airy and peaceful. There is a well-maintained Hill single manualorgan.There is no separate church room; use is made either of the adjacent Village Hall or thenearby Old Vicarage for meetings and coffee mornings.Finances are sound, Common Fund is paid in full and on time; the accounts are available forinspection on request.The electoral role is 34. As well as the Priest-in-Charge services are also taken by theAssistant Priest who shares her time between this Parish and Puriton. Members of the- Page 10 - 10

congregation regularly assist at the sung Communion with lesson reading, intercessions andadministering the chalice. Vestments are worn by the Priest. On alternate Sundays MorningPrayer is variously conducted by the Assistant Priest, the Reader licensed to the Benefice, orthe Churchwardens.A group of Pastoral Assistants have been trained and are active.Confirmation classes are in progress.There is a regular band of bell ringers and a small experienced group of organist & choir tosupport worship every week.Service booklets based on Common Worship are produced in-house, as well as the weeklyservice sheet/bulletin for the benefice and the Parish Magazine.Flower arranging, church cleaning, and churchyard teams operate regularly.Links with the village’s Methodist Chapel congregation include occasional shared worship anda joint monthly bible study group during the winter months.We have a strong link with the village branch of the Royal British Legion, to which someprevious incumbents have been chaplain. The Remembrance Day service is generally held inthe church.Either the Priest-in-Charge or the Assistant Priest goes into the school at least weekly, andthere is a Family Service every 2 nd SundayServices and Stats November 2010 – October 2011Current service pattern & attendances:1 st & 3 rd Sundays 8.00am Holy Communion BCP: [6 – 8]10.00am Morning Prayer : [16 – 20]2 nd & 4 th Sundays 10/11am Holy Communion [sung]: [20 – 25][2 nd S’day 10 o’clock; 4 th S’day 11 o’clock]on 2 nd Sundays 11.30am Family Service5 th Sundays 10.00am Benefice Communion: [25 – 30][alternately with Puriton church]Wednesdays 10.00am Holy Communion BCP [6]Additionally, in Holy Week we have an evening Choral Communion & Vigil on MaundyThursday, The Last Hour on Good Friday and an Easter Eve Service. On the Sunday nearestto All Souls Day we hold a Service of Light for families bereaved in that or previous years [23],which has met a deeply felt need.The major Church Festivals – particularly Easter Day [28] and Christmas Eve (both CribService [50] and Late Eucharist [23]) – are well attended, as is also the School’s CarolService [80], the Christingle service [36] and the Service of Nine Lessons & Carols [60],attracting many villagers who are not regulars.Baptisms: 5; Weddings: 0; Funerals: 5Parochial Church Council & Congregation,St. John the Baptist, Pawlett.- Page 11 - 11

St Michael And All Angels, PuritonThe VillagePuriton lies on the gentle northern slope of the Polden Ridge at its western end. The region isknown as the Somerset Levels. The levels are an unparalled area of extraordinary beautybounded by the Bristol Channel and the Mendip, Quantock and Blackdown Hills. Puriton is 2.5miles from Bridgwater. The village with its close proximity to the M5 Motorway gives very easyaccess to Taunton and the West Country and also Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare andBristol. Puriton also includes Downend by the M5 and also Dunball with its wharf on the RiverParret.The village has some 830 houses with a population of approximately 2100. There is a widerange of facilities including a primary school, post office and general stores with a newsagent,also a butcher, hairdresser and local pub. There is a sports centre, which includes indoorbowls, plus a football and cricket pitch. There is a very active village hall with a wide range ofactivities taking place every day.The ChurchThe church is a grade 1 listed building with a 13 th century tower and the remainder 14 th and15 th century. A vestry was added in the 19 th century and a large part of the churchyard wallswere rebuilt in 2008. The result of the 2011 Quinquennial reveals that the building andchurchyard are broadly in good condition and the parish are to be congratulated for the evidentcare they give to routine maintenance and the repair of the fabric. The Church is in theprocess of looking for grants to carry out work on the rendering of the Church Tower. Theurgent work required to be done as a result of the Quinquennial inspection has been carriedout. The work required to be done during the next 1 to 5 years will be attended to in duecourse.Church HallThe Church Hall is situated by the outer entrance to the Church. It is used regularly for coffeemornings and other events throughout the year. There is also a small car park forchurchgoers.ServicesFirst Sunday 10.00am Holy Communion11.30am Family ServiceSecond Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion10.00am Morning Prayer6.00pm Holy CommunionThird Sunday 10.00am Holy CommunionFourth Sunday 8.00am Holy Communion9.30am Holy Communion6.00pm EvensongFifth Sunday Benefice service rotating between Puriton and PawlettEvery Thursday 10.00am Holy CommunionBell RingingA team of approximately six ringers usually available for Sunday morning services with bellringing practice on a Monday evening.- Page 12 - 12

Mother’s UnionThere is a very active Mother’s Union who meet every third Wednesday of the month. In theNew Year 2012 all meetings will take place at 2.30 in the afternoon where a very wide varietyof speakers will give talks and demonstrations on a varied selection of topics.Church AttendanceAverage Sunday Attendance 31Easter Day Attendance/Communicants 65Christmas Eve Attendance/Communicants 62Christmas Day Attendance/Communicants 30Electoral Roll 51Lay MinistryOne male reader. Four people licensed to administer the Chalice at Holy Communion. Fourpeople trained to give pastoral care with home visiting. Members of the congregation readlessons in the services.Churchwardens and Parochial Church CouncilThere are two Churchwardens and two Deputy Churchwardens. The PCC has 17 membersincluding the Lay reader and the Non Stipendiary PriestThe Primary SchoolThere are 5 classes that account for 160 children. Although not a Church School strong linkswith the Church are maintained. School end of term and carol services are held in the church.Ideal incumbentA person who is:Friendly and approachable, equally at ease with the young and the oldPrepared to lead, drawing on the skills, knowledge and experience of church officers andchurch members generallyA presence in the village, being a familiar and respected figure to churchgoers and nonchurchgoersalikeSympathetic and caring and sensitive to the needs of a rural communityRooted in the traditions of the Church of England and at ease with both the Book of CommonPrayer and Common WorshipAble to inspire the willing workers and members of the congregationPrepared to give the leadership necessary to bring together all five parishes of the Benefice- Page 13 - 13

Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, WoolavingtonVision, Mission Statement and StrategyWe do not have a written Vision, Mission Statement, or Strategy, although these have beenunder discussion for some considerable time by the Leadership Team and the PCC. We willbe looking for our new incumbent to lead us to bring these about and then start to implementthem.In September 2011 we asked the congregation what their vision for our church was. Theirwritten responses include:A church that is filled with people of all ages - families, singles, couples, that is seen to be relevant to our world.I want to see a church comprising members who can all work together for the glory of God, accepting thedifferent gifts, and personalities people have, and the different preferences for how they worship our Lord andSaviour Jesus Christ. Worship that encourages us for the week ahead. Sermons that provide ‘in-depth’teaching, to stir hearts, minds and wills, and stretch us, and takes us out of our comfort zones. To seemembers equipped spiritually for the work which God has for us to do. To see the development and recognitionof spiritual gifts. To see the people of God faithful in prayer. To receive more, to nourish us spiritually, and seethe church grow spiritually as well as numerically. I want to see the church grow in numbers and in people’slives changed. I want to see the church supporting its own members but more importantly, emphasising missionand evangelism, and serving our village community. A church that cares and is seen to care for the communityand reach out in evangelism, outreach, and challenge. A desire to reach out to the community with a gospelthat challenges and results in people being brought into the Kingdom of God and having lives changed for thebetter by the Holy Spirit of God. For the Church to share ‘the peace of God which passes all understanding’with our local community. A church comprised of those who have a personal knowledge of God through JesusChrist and who are seeking to grow together in love and faith and to reach out to the lost and hurting. I wouldlike to see many younger adults committed to serving our Lord, and worshipping in our church. I would like tosee a vibrant youth work both for Christian young people and also for those who may be seeking God in someway in their lives. I would like to see a resurgence of Brownies, Cubs, Scouts and Guides. I think we need tokeep strong links with the school and youth groups within the village Get more people to attend weekdayactivities, e.g. Bible Study and Prayer, Alpha courses. Home groups. A caring church that will visit (in additionto giving House Communion) members of the congregation who, for whatever reason, rarely attend church.Leadership which has as a prime focus the spiritual upbuilding of the body of Christ in St Mary’s. That it shouldgrow, and have more of the younger generation, and that it should be a joyous ('feel-good') place for all. A moreunified sense of purpose, our ‘vision’ owned by at least most of the congregation.What is important to us?WorshipOur congregation consists of a very broad church of people with differing spiritualities andworship styles, ranging from the traditional village church, to middle of the road Anglican, toevangelical, to charismatic. All these people need to be encouraged to grow in their faith,develop their strengths and to learn from each other and so contribute to the health of thewhole body of the local church. It is a constant task to maintain the unity of such a broadchurch, one example being the range of Sunday services we have in a month.a. In recent years we have tried to tailor services tothe wide variety of preferred worship styles amongthe congregation. The pattern of services inWoolavington has been determined in conjunctionwith the Parishes of Cossington and Bawdrip.b. We have a regular Sunday service pattern eachmonth, with a 9:30 am service each Sunday, withan 8 am Communion on the first Sunday and an11am Celebration service on the 4th Sunday. The5th Sunday services are Benefice communions at10am held in each church in turn. We sing from Songs of Fellowship volumes 1, 2, & 3.Tea, coffee and biscuits are served after the main service each Sunday.- Page 14 - 14

c. However there are a number of almost hidden consequences:i. Children now normally only come to the Family Service and the CelebrationService.ii. A number of people come only to “their service” in the month.iii. Average attendance is slightly down, although the number of the churchmembership has been steady or slightly increasing.iv. Some members of the congregation would still prefer “freer services”.d. Average attendance for a 'Normal Sunday' in 2010 was 34 adults and 3 children, andthe average monthly attendance was 61 adults. Additional weekday services and homecommunions increase this number. The trend of increasing membership numbers withmembers attending Sunday services less frequently appears to have continued.Attendance at services during 2010 was as detailed in the chart below.Sunday in the month Woolavington Services Adult Attendance1 st Sunday 8.00 Communion1 st Sunday9:30 Family Service (usually led bysome members of thecongregation)Average attendance6 members, total 7Average attendance25 members, total 282 nd Sunday 9:30 CommunionAverage attendance33 members, total 372 nd Tuesday 10.00 Church Guild Communion Average attendance 73 rd Sunday 9:30 Family CommunionAverage attendance32 members, total 353rd Wednesday10am Communion (BCP) inBenefice serviceCossington Churchaverage attendance 64 th Sunday 9:30 CommunionAverage attendance33 members, total 364 th Sunday 11.00 Celebration ServiceAverage attendance9 members, total 9Last Thursday11.00 am Communion, in theCommunal Hall5 th Sunday 10.00 Benefice CommunionAverage attendance 8ChildrenAttendanceAverage 0Average 8Average 2Average 3Average 1Average 2Average attendance 30 Woolavingtonmembers, Total 39 including otherBenefice members & visitors.e. Typically there have been about 10 baptisms, 4 weddings, and 12 funerals (includingthose held at the crematorium in Taunton) in recent years.f. For the last full year (2010) we reported a membership of 56 adults attending at least 12times a year, and 50% of these attended more than twice a month.g. A “register” of those attending Sunday services has been maintained for some years toenable accurate assessment of our membership for the Parish Share apportionment andto assist in pastoral care.h. In 2011 the PCC took the decision to raise the Bath and Wells Parish Share Category to“Mid” from “C”.i. A monthly communion service is held in the Communal Hall which is situated in thecentre of the estate, near the shop, and a monthly Church Guild Communion is held inChurch. A monthly 1662 communion service is held in Cossington Church in theBenefice.j. Services are taken by the Incumbent, Readers who live in the Benefice, a Retired Vicarwho lives in the Parish, and members of the congregation.k. Prayer and intercessions are led by members of the congregation at all services, andthere is a small group that meets weekly to pray for the church and the village.Mission, Evangelism, Fellowship and Study/TeachingWe have a number of things that are partly evangelistic – our outreach and mission to thecommunity – and partly designed to provide fellowship and teaching within the churchmembership:- Page 15 - 15

a. We have an Events Committee which is part of the PCC, but including non PCCmembers, that organises about 8 social and fundraising events a year, and these are attended bymany people in the village. In 2010 we held thefollowing events: Quiz Night; Coffee Morning; Artexhibition and Abseil down the church Tower forchildren, young people and adults; SummerGarden Party; Harvest Service and Tea; HarvestReview; Auction of Promises; Christmas Fayre;and we have produced Christmas Cards andCalendars for sale within the village. Clearly these events are intended to raise funds,but it is agreed by all that it is of primary importance to offer events the whole village canenjoy, and have fun at. We have been aware that there is a need to be “distinctivelyChristian” in organising these events, something which we continually strive to achieve.Local facilities available to us for events include the re-ordered church, the village hall,the sports pavilion and the local school. The communal hall can be used on a limitedbasis for older people. The Rectory and other local gardens have been used for outdoorevents.b. Visiting. Many members of the church visit and care for one another and members ofthe village community, to build relationships, share the Gospel, and provide practicalhelp and comfort. In addition we have recently formed a formal, trained, PastoralAssistants group that is now visiting within our village.c. Young people’s work is cyclic in our village. In the past we have run very successfulHoliday Bible clubs; Crusader groups for Primary School age children; a youth choir; andcurrently have a music group catering for adults and children who occasionally play inthe more informal services and at social events; and a Junior church which meets onMonday afternoons. Our Xtreme Youth Group for secondary age children that used tomeet on a Friday evening is in abeyance at the moment, but our young people areattending deanery events.d. The Benefice Church Guild meets monthly and has an average attendance of about 20and caters for more elderly members.e. Our Rector visited the local primary school regularly, and indeed held “educational” andChristian services in the church. The school is very keen that this continues. In theVacancy this is being undertaken by lay members and Readers.f. Church Café meets each Wednesday from 10:30 to noon and has an attendance of 15to 20 people (church members and other members of the village). This is an opportunityto invite people who would otherwise not come into church, and a regular following sharecoffee and cake together.g. Choir - Eight ladies plus the choir mistress /organist sing at Sunday services, and atvarious church events through the year, andalso in the wider village community. Thechoir is occasionally augmented by 4 or 5men for special occasions.h. Bell ringers - 6 regular ringers plus external helpers ring each Sunday except the 2ndSunday in the month when they help to ring the bells at Cossington Church.i. Hand Bell ringers. There were 7 ringers in 2010, but this is increasing, as they practiseweekly and entertain various groups in the area.j. Flower Arrangers/Sanctuary Group – A very dedicated group of 20 members provideand arrange flowers for all occasions in the church.k. Ladies’ Group meets weekly with a membership ofabout 10, to study the bible, pray, grow their faith,support each other, and to reach out to the village.l. We have a “Lads Group” of 20 to 30 men whereinitially men associated with the Church, butlatterly any men in the village can meet mostmonths to chat, undertake an activity and to get toknow each other. This is a major relationship- Page 16 - 16

uilding event and activities have included the following: Barbeques; Skittles evenings; avisit to Cheddar Ales brewery; an evening in Church for a ploughman’s and to learnabout China; a working party to help remove the floors ready for the Church Reordering;a working party in the Churchyard removing trees; Ten Pin Bowling; and anevening of Lawn Bowls;m. Prayer Care Team. This is a group of church members who join together in prayer topray for people in times of need. Members of this group are also available to prayconfidentially with individuals at the end of our 9:30 services.n. Prayer for the Church and the Village. A group meets each Thursday evening in churchto pray informally for the Church and the village.o. Bible Study. A group of Christians in the village (not all attend the village church) meeteach Tuesday evening to study.p. Lent study courses have been held in the past (including Alpha), led by the previousRectors and the Readers. In 2011 we held 5 different series led by the clergy andReaders.q. In addition to all this Church members are involved with a wide variety of localorganisations that run in the village.r. We produce a monthly Benefice wide “Link” magazine with a circulation of about 800.s. We have a Benefice-wide website, www.woolavingtonchurch.org.uk .What we are looking for in a new IncumbentWe asked the congregation what kind of Rector they wanted, what qualities they thought wereimportant, and what they wanted him or her to concentrate on. The formal job description isprovided elsewhere, but this section willgive prospective applicants a good ideaof what individual church members arelooking for. The responses include:The new incumbent needs to have anappreciation and understanding of thedifferent groups within the congregation,ranging from the traditional village church, toevangelical, to nonconformist to charismaticetc; all these need to be encouraged todevelop their strengths and to learn fromeach other and so contribute to the health ofthe whole body. A man or woman of God.The new incumbent needs to be someonewith an experience of ministering within abroad church, and be sympathetic to all itsmembers. A mediator who can unite thebroad church of our membership.I would like to see a new incumbentconcentrate their efforts on the existingchurch membership, getting them to work asa whole and integrating all sections together.If we have a good solid base of peopleacting as one then outreach and mission willhave a sound foundation. Providing theleadership necessary to establish agenerally acceptable ‘vision’. an inspiringvicar, who really leads the congregations.A man or woman who displays andencourages a Christ-centred life, who is ableto visit schools, and be seen about in thecommunity, interacting with people.An organised person, who in turn canorganise and lead us in the way we need togo to achieve our vision. Someone strongin faith (male or female), with a goodpersonality and sense of humour, able torelate to all ages and organised The newincumbent needs to bring fresh ideas on thereorganisation of the parishes, particularlyWoolavington School tells us what theywould like our new vicar to be like and do.6What would I like the new vicar to be likeA good storyteller, sense of humour, interesting and interested.Cheerful, friendly, and kind, Clever and creative and not too strict,smartly dressed, join in with activitiesA man, someone who hands out sweets, spiky hair, happyHappy and very cheerful, smartly dressed, kind person who isgood at listening, laughs a lot, like Rev. Will, helpfulKind person, funny, good sense of humour, say some prayers, notboringFun, cheerful like Mr Partrige, low soft voice, easy to listen to, kindand helpful.How would I like the vicar to help the schoolAssemblies. Get involved in social events and performances puton by the school, “hot seated” Explain things don’t just giveanswers, show pupils around the church.Fun and exciting assemblies in school, be involved in specialschool events – non school uniform sports, Involve children andprops in assemblies, give time for children to ask questions, beinvolved in sports.Visit at playtime to play with children, do assembliesBy doing assemblies, helping with stories, taking part infundraising events, letting us visit the church.Run a club, accepting you don’t have to believe in GodBy teaching us new things – RE and HistoryHow often should the vicar come to SchoolVery often Ideally weekly, maybe into “Sharing-assemblies”,a longer session in the afternoon, rather than squeezing it into 15mins. Everyday Every 2 weeks and special days inschool Every day, once a week, during Thursday’s assembly(the “sharing assembly”) 2 assemblies a weekWould you like the vicar to visit your classYes please –often Yes, come into class during RE lessons,etc, help with creative days, Go into all classes including nursery,use school forest area to read stories/activities etc. Yes, lotsof times Yes definitely. YesThe children liked singing in church with the organ playing, Theyenjoyed the wedding and christening classes the school acted outin the church. Although they were 3 years ago, they were stillremembered by those who were there.- Page 17 - 17

when we combine with the neighbouring parishes of Puriton and Pawlett.Someone who has the experience and organisational ability to re-organise the Benefice (and its structure) into acohesive unity, and enable us – the members of the churches - to agree on a joint vision and mission statementand develop and implement a firm strategy to enable us to realise the vision within 5 years. The newincumbent needs to be able to encourage lay ministry and not to dominate the whole. We believe that the role ofan ordained minister is to be a servant of the servants of God. - a foot washer - while at the same time leading,inspiring and teaching Preach and teach the good news of Jesus Christ in the context of appropriate services,and in the wider community, able to uplift those who hear him / her .Someone with energy and a goodcommunicator. An understanding, relatively youthful family person Experienced but not ancient! Hasexperience of God - someone who can support us objectively in the process of change. Someone who willdo all the legal bits like births/deaths and marriages, confirmation and visiting within the parish. Someone whoreflects the love of God and who is not judgmental or possessing a narrow theological view. Traditional. Not‘happy/clappy’. Someone warm and compassionate, approachable and a sense of fun. Ideally a life of being avicar. Not too traditional. Someone with God’s plan, will and ambitions above his/her own. Someone whowill want to ‘evangelise’; keen to run Alpha and/or equivalent courses. Have a good rapport with youngpeople, and a sympathetic ear for the older generation. Not afraid to make changes in the form of services,and able to carry them through. Someone who can reach the flock and share a “hug”, have an infectious loveof people and of the earth. Someone with deep faith, and the ability to convey this to the people. Thenew vicar/rector needs to be approachable, open minded and sensitive to the needs of all ages/groups. Aspirit-filled born again person who uses their spiritual gifts, and encourages others in theirs. We may not yethave formulated our vision statement but there are people in this church who are ‘dreaming the dream’ andwhose longing for a Spirit-led vicar is almost tangible. We need someone who can minister to those people, aswell as to ‘traditional’ Anglican village folk, someone who will respect all the traditions we represent. Are you thatspecial person? God bless you and lead you to us if you are!What we are offering, how we can help the new IncumbentThere is a warmth and friendliness in the church that is an excellent basis for future ministry.a. Supportive PCCs who will work hard to bring the Lord’s will to the villages.b. A caring community and a vibrant church social scene.c. Prayer support.d. A sense of humour.e. People willing and able to take on responsibility so that your work / life balance can bemaintained.f. We have six Readers who will support your ministry.g. We have a retired Clergy lady who also lives in Woolavington, attends the services andleads our services from time to time.h. We have a congregation who look after each other – visiting and caring for the sick andlonely. We have a team of trained and commissioned Pastoral Assistants who haverecently started to assist in the visiting work of the church.i. There are a number of members of the congregation (including Readers) who lead orhelp to lead various groups and services.j. Church members read the lessons and lead the intercessions for the weekly services.k. A dedicated Events team able to organise successful events for the church and thecommunityl. A good family Rectory – please see above.m. The Benefice employs a Benefice Administrator who currently works a few hours eachweek assisting the Rector.n. Our Treasurer will run the finances, fees and expenses – we do not want to burden theIncumbent with responsibility for fees etc. We have always paid our incumbents’expenses.Our Church BuildingThe inside of our Church building has recently been reorderedand now has comfortable chairs throughout thechurch. It has a toilet and a coffee bar. It is a warm, light,friendly place that is used for a wide variety of purposesvarying from formal worship to youth meetings, to PCCand other meetings, to a church café, candle lit suppers,art exhibitions, formal concerts and almost anything elsethat may be appropriate.- Page 18 - 18

The Tower has a peel of 8 fine bells and has been used for the past 4 years for abseiling. Thechurchyard is “Closed” with a Local Authority cemetery adjacent to and accessed from thechurchyard.The recent Quinquennial survey has highlighted only a few minor repairs, due in no smallmeasure to the diligence of previous churchwardens and treasurers.FinanceA copy of the 2010 accounts is available from the Diocese on request. Woolavington'sparish share of the Diocesan Common Fund has always been met in full. A successful giftaid augmented stewardship scheme is in operation but fund-raising is necessary to help tomeet annual costs. The percentage of our total income from these sources is 60% & 20%respectively. The parochial expenses of the incumbent have been dealt with on a Beneficebasis (Woolavington 45%, Cossington 30%, Bawdrip 25%) and have always been met in full.We have a healthy “restricted” Fabric Fund account which stands at £18,000. The money wegive to charity (£3411 in 2010) is raised separately, mainly by special collections, includingthe village Christian Aid collection run by the church, which raises nearly £1500 a year.General Description of the ParishWoolavington is one of the 'Polden Villages' along the ridge of the Polden Hills and it has apopulation of about 2200 and supports a small Co-op supermarket (with post office), a localshop (general store), hairdressers, public house, and a local school. There is someagricultural and light industry, a communal hall and two playing fields. We have a village hallwhich is used by many organisations which cater for all ages and most interests.There is a mix of housing: some quite large individual properties in the older part of the village;a typical modern private estate and a significant amount of high density, originally localauthority but now partly private housing. The latter estate provides some particularchallenges. The village is expanding with nearly 200 additional houses planned in the village.Within the boundaries of Woolavington (but adjoining Cossington) is a permanent site for‘travellers' which caters for about 20 families, and a smaller site on the border with Puriton. Anew traveller site is being developed on Crancombe Lane which will house about 10 people.Woolavington Nursery and Primary School currently caters for about 200 pupils.Approximately 90% of these children are from Woolavington. There is a good relationshipbetween the school and the church, with Scripture Union books being presented annually toschool leavers by the church. The school also uses the church throughout the year for specialservices and to aid curriculum development in RE, art, geography and history. Overall thevillage ranks highly on the District Council’s Child Deprivation Measure and there is significantsocial and cultural disadvantage. The school population tends to be fluid, with familiesfrequently relocating between Bridgwater and further afield. The school also serves thenearby travellers’ sites.- Page 19 - 19