Churches across the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership have been asked to hold congregational meetings to discuss the future ministerial staffing of the SEP.

Some churches are holding meetings on Sunday October 16 to allow church members to consider the options, bearing in mind the limited finances for staffing in the Partnership.

The retirement of the Rev David Lewis, following the departure of the Rev Neil Popham late last year, has prompted the Stantonbury Ecumenical Council to consider how our future resources are allocated.

SEC is asking Church Councils to discuss the possibilities, listed below, with their congregation and give responses about their preferences to a Church Meeting, on Sunday 23 October at 12.30, so that SEC Standing Committee can discuss these on 3^rd November and SEC on 17^th November, when Reps will consider the way forward.

Current Ministry

1 full time, permanent Anglican Minister, living in Willen Vicarage

1 Full time permanent Baptist Minister, living in the Manse Stantonbury

1 .5 temporary Anglican Vision Enabler with provision of Church House Bradwell (not in place yet)

1 .4 permanent Anglican Minister HfD St Andrew’s Vicarage

1 .25 Methodist Minister

1 non stipendiary Anglican Minister

Known Future Ministry

1)         The advert for a half time Vision Enabler drew no applicants.

2)         The Baptist Minister, Rev David Lewis, is retiring on October 4.

3)         The Anglican Minister, Rev Paul Smith’s term of office as Team Leader has ended. There are no clear successors to the post.

4)         Rev Paul Smith has indicated that he will be retiring in 2024.

The LEP review led by Neil Popham suggested we review our whole structure when positions become empty, rather than continuing with a like for like appointment. This is what St Andrew’s requested.

Possibilities

Possibility A is to advertise the combined role of Vision Enabler and Team Leader as a full time Anglican post under Common Tenure (permanent, not three year post) with Church House as their home. The role holder would also take services across the SEP. This would require agreement by the Deanery. The replacement Baptist Minister post would be advertised as a half time post with the use of the Manse at Stantonbury as their home.

Possibility B is to advertise the role of Vision Enabler as a half time role under Anglican Common Tenure. The replacement Baptist Minister post would be full time and be combined with the role of Team Leader. The role holder would be required to take services across the SEP – suitable cover would be required at Christ Church. Both living in accommodation as above.

Possibility C is to abandon the concept of a Vision Enabler and instead advertise for a full time Anglican Team Minister, under Common Tenure with the additional role of Team Leader. He/she would be required to take services across the Partnership. The Baptist Minister role would be half time. Both living in accommodation as above.

Current Partnership Structure pairings

1. Churches have evolved recently into churches working in pairs, but not necessarily in paired community events.
   • St Andrew’s and Christ Church with Chucks and David
   • Willen Church and Cross and Stable with Sam
   • Bradwell Church and St James Church with Paul, Nicola and Esther

2. Forming two groups or mini-teams of the six congregations is the SEP Ministers’ preferred option.

There would be 2 full time, 2 part time and 1 non stipendiary ministers, with the full-time ministers leading.

• “Western” group: Bradwell Church and St James Church
• “Eastern” group: St Andrews, Christ Church, Cross & Stable and Mary Magdalene

Although some volunteer ministers may be associated with one congregation more than others, there is some flexibility in their movement across each of the congregations in terms of providing pastoral care and leading worship. Paul Smith gave the groups below as an example.

Western”: Bradwell and New Bradwell

Ministerial lead: Anglican Team Rector

Team members: Helen Rouse, Duncan Barnes, Esther Squire, Mike Morris, Mary Cotes, Steve Barnes, Susan Jackson.

“Eastern”: Gt Linford, Stantonbury, Downs Barn and Willen

Ministerial lead: Baptist Minister

Team members: Nicola Martin-Becks, Chuks Iwuagwu (at St Andrew’s), Sam Muthuveloe (at Cross & Stable), John Beazley, Peter Dudeney, Stephen Fletcher, Peter Green,

As winter approaches and the need for heating our churches arises, many will be worrying about the recent big hike in energy prices.

Well there is some good news with the announcement of an energy bill relief scheme for churches.

This week, the government announced a package of support to help with rising energy bills this winter. Under the Energy Bill Relief Scheme wholesale prices are expected to be fixed for all non-domestic energy customers, including churches.

Energy prices will be capped at £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas for six months from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023 – the crucial period for heating our churches. Churches do not need to contact their suppliers or apply to the government scheme; the support will automatically be applied to bills.

This is one of the items reported in the October edition of the Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership’s newsletter, issued this week.

Later in October – on Sunday 23^rd – one of the most important meetings in the history of the SEP will take place at Christ Church, Stantonbury, at 12.30pm.

The six church newsletter editors and all the attendees of the SEP Council have received a document showing a draft of what future ministry in the partnership could look like. All congregations are asked please look at this and then make your opinions known to your church council. If you can make it, please come along to the SEP Church (all six of them) meeting to discuss the future of our ministry in SEP.

The full SEP newsletter can be seen here.

The induction of four new Central Baptist Association Regional Ministers will take place on Saturday October 1 at 2.30pm at Christ The King Church, Kents Hill.

The Rev Andrew Openshaw of Homelands Baptist Church, Frinton-On-Sea will be a full-time Operations Manager/ Regional Minister and the Rev Nathan Toseland of Long Buckby Baptist Church takes the role of a full time Regional Minister serving the churches of Central Baptist Association.

Andrew, pictured left, will start in January 2023, and Nathan in December 2022, when they will join with team leader Rev Lisa Kerry, and Regional Minister Mary Moody to complete the new team.

Lisa commented:” We are so thrilled and excited to welcome Nathan and Andrew to the team. Along with Mary and myself we cover a range of personalities, gifts and experience which I know will be a real blessing to the CBA.

“God has been so good to us and we look forward to all that he will do in us and through us in the CBA, as we walk together in ministry and mission “