The Rutland Water Benefice

The Rutland Water Benefice

Empingham, Edith Weston, Lyndon, Manton, North Luffenham, Pilton, Preston, Ridlington, Whitwell & Wing

Edith Weston Lyndon

Empingham

MantonNorth Luffenham Pilton

PrestonRidlingtonWhitwellWing

Working together to share the love of God with all

Life and Ministry in Rutland: An Introduction by the Rural Dean

Rutland takes great pride in being the smallest county in England and is a most attractive and vibrant place to live. It offers excellent schools, music, sporting and leisure facilities. The two towns of Oakham and Uppingham are complemented by many traditional village communities. The villages in this benefice are some of the most beautiful and include the smallest. Rutland Water, around which the villages are clustered, draws large numbers of tourists throughout the year. There is still a farming tradition in the county. There are good rail linksfrom Oakham to Birmingham, Peterborough, and onwards to London. Its central location and proximity to the A1 means many people choose to retire here, whilst the towns remain socially mixed. Kendrew Barracks in Cottesmore, St George’s Barracks in North Luffenham and HMP Stocken are all located in the County.

The Deanery of Rutland is roughly coterminous with the County boundaries, which brings a coherence and clarity to our church structures. Clergy Chapter is a united and cooperative body currently made up of 11 clergy of incumbent status, three Assistant priests, two stipendiary and one SSM curate and two school chaplains. We have a well-established mixed economy of clergy deployment with a mixture of part-time, house for duty and SSM posts. All Deanery parishes welcome the priestly ministry of women. Chapter is a place of mutual support and encouragement and attendance is high. Each year we hold a Quiet Day at our local Retreat House, Launde Abbey.

In 2014 we produced our latest Deanery Mission Plan which seeks to draw together the strengths and challenges of working in our context. We have used it as a basis for all our Deanery Synods in 2015. It is available from the Archdeacon.

It is clear that the advertised post, like all multi-parish benefice posts, is demanding in many ways. We wish to support a new incumbent as actively as possible and in turn look forward to the gifts they would bring to the Deanery.

Our Location

Our benefice lies in the centre of Rutland in a tranquil area of outstanding beauty. It was declared the best ruralplace to live in England in 2015 in the annual Rural Areas Quality of Life Survey – see:

All the parishes border or are close to Rutland Water, offering popular leisure pursuits such as walking, cycling, sailing and riding. It is famous for the Ospreys at the Bird Reserve. The iconic photograph above shows Normanton church. The remaining village lies within the benefice.

We are close to the historic market towns of Oakham, with its interesting castle and museum, and Uppingham. There are good rail and road links, with a station in Oakham and a bus service through most of the villages.

The Benefice

The benefice was created in 2007 when two groups of four parishes, with already strong links within them, were put together and joined with two further linked parishes to the east.

The current additional ministry team consists of an experienced house-for-duty priest, a lay reader and a licensed lay worship leader.

The churchmanship is central with traditions varying slightly across the benefice. Both Common Worship and the Book of Common Prayer are familiar to congregations.

The 10 parishes making up the benefice have a total population of approximately 3000 and there is also an army base at Edith Weston with its own chaplain.

There are three primary schools in the benefice. The Rector will become a governor of St Mary and St John CEVA Primary School in North Luffenham, which is adjacent to the church. This has a reputation for happy and close relations with the church and over the last two years 9 children have been confirmed. The present head is especially keen that pastoral oversight and collective weekly worship in church is maintained. A community centre, closely integrated with the school, is a very valuable asset, providing a venue free of charge for a wide range of church-related and village activities.

Empingham CEVC Primary School has a roll of 75 and shares a head and Board of Governors with the school at Great Casterton. Our Associate Minister conducts assembly every fortnight and the children come into St Peter’s Church each term for a service, which is also attended by parents.

The primary school in Edith Weston has 100 pupils and shares a head with Brooke Hill School in Oakham. The army chaplain goes in to see the pupils once a fortnight.

In addition the rector will become a trustee of the Hospital of St John and St Anne. This is an almshouse charity which is responsible for the running of 102 sheltered flats and bungalows in Oakham and Uppingham for the benefit of elderly people.

Accommodation

A spacious new rectory has been purchased in North Luffenham, which is central to the benefice, and is ready for the new incumbent. The address is19 Digby DriveLE15 8JS.

There is also an attractive 4-bedroomed house in Wing available for the house-for-duty priest. This is currently let because the present associate priest is living in his own property in Empingham.

How we will help you

Although the grouping is large we have been working hard to build good links across the benefice. People support events in other parishes and a good proportion are willing to travel to other churches for services. In the vacancy all parishes have been willing to have just one communion service a month. This is usually Common Worship using contemporary language. Some churchwardenshave been taking services of Morning Prayerand the lay worship leader and other church membershave been active in organising family and children’s services.

The 5th Sunday has traditionally been a benefice service day and under the previous incumbent we have become accustomed to having a benefice communion every 3rd Sunday as well, using each church in rotation. This has usually been followed by refreshments, giving an opportunity to meet people from different villages.

The benefice pays its parish share in full and all expenses are covered by the parishes through the management of the benefice treasurer. There is currently a benefice administrator and we are keen to support you with help if required.

From the inception of the benefice, there has been a benefice magazine delivered monthly, free of charge to all households. This is funded from advertisements. Each village puts in its own news and announcements and the Rector’s letter enables the whole community to be addressed and services to be advertised. A weekly pew sheet is also produced, giving details of services for that week.

We have a Benefice website which also gives information about services and other things. Each village is responsible for putting in its own content.

All parishes have at least one representative on the Deanery Synod and one churchwarden is a member of the Diocesan Synod.

Each parish has a listed, medieval church and they are all cared for and well-maintained.

There is a group of benefice bell ringers and an informal benefice choir.

How we would like you to help us

By encouraging us all in our faith through your preaching and teaching.

To lead us in different forms of ministry to our communities, helping us to see how to serve them best.

By engaging with both churchgoers and others when the opportunity arises, for example at village events, to help build connections and exercise good pastoral care.

By getting to know us and by your pastoral concern for us all, from young to old.

By helping us in our task of sharing the love of God with all.

Statistics

Population / Electoral Roll
Empingham / 880 / 52
Edith Weston / 380* / 16
Lyndon / 71 / 8
North Luffenham / 680 / 35
Pilton / 30 / 10
Manton / 299 / 32
Preston / 173 / 31
Wing / 314 / 48
Ridlington / 260 / 38
Whitwell / 51 / 14

*There are also approximately 1000 people living on the Army Base

who are the responsibility of the Army Chaplains

The average Sunday attendance for the whole Benefice is about 115

Around Rutland Water clockwise:

Whitwell(yellow), Empingham(green), Edith Weston(red), NorthLuffenham(blue), Lyndon(green), Pilton(yellow), Wing(red), Manton(blue), Preston(yellow),

Ridlington(green)

We all enjoy living in this lovely area and are sure you would too. There is further information about the parishes individually on the following pages.

If you feel this might be a fun and challenging place to be for the next stage of your ministry please obtain an application form from our Archdeacon:

The Archdeacon of Oakham

The Venerable Gordon Steele

The Palace

Peterborough

PE1 1YB

St Peter, Empingham

Empingham is the largest village in the benefice, lying on the main road between Stamford and Oakham. There isa doctor’s surgery, general store and hairdresser, together with a successful public house/hotel. The Post Office sets up every Monday in the Methodist Church. There are currently flats for the elderly but these, together with houses around, are the subject of a planning application to build 42 “affordable” homes in their place. An ancient ‘Audit Hall’ is used as the village hall andthe new Rector will become one of the Trustees. Eight farms situated around the village provide some local employment.

The Royal British Legion Branch in Empingham is particularly well supported with over 50 members, and there are many active clubs and facilities in the village, including a cricket and social club with its own hall.

The parish church is one of the largest churches in Rutland, dating mainly from the 14th century. It is in very good condition, as recorded in a quinquennial inspection carried out in 2015. There is an active fabric committee and fundraising for the church invariably meets with a good response. The building is warmed by gas convectors and underfloor heating, thus maintaining a reasonable temperature at services and events. There is a good pipe organ.

In December 2003 the then unused south porch was converted into a toilet and servery, facilitating the provision of hospitality. 200 new chairs were bought in 2014. Concerts and festivals have become a regular feature in the church’s calendar, and provide an opportunity to reach all members of the community.

There is a peal of 6 bells regularly rung for services. Expenses have been met from income in recent years. Regular stewardship renewal campaigns have been held, the last in 2015, when pledged giving increased by £5,000. The church’s share of the annual village fête also provides income.

The Methodist Church in the village, besides its regular services, holds occasional youth services and events. There is a joint service each year on Remembrance Sunday, alternating between the two churches. We think that working with the Methodist congregation in Empingham is important. Joint functions include Lent lunches, Christian Aid collecting and delivering a card to every home with details of the Christmas period services.

St Mary the Virgin, Edith Weston

Edith Weston lies on the south side of Rutland Water. The parish includes the adjacent small community of Normanton.

St George's Army Barracks, together with its married quarters, and a major portion of the ex-RAF airfield of North Luffenham also lie within the parish. St George's Barracks is home to the recently arrived 1st Military Working Dogs Regiment and 2 Medical Regiment. Social concerns amongst army personnel and families are the responsibility of the chaplains who provide for their spiritual and pastoral care. As the Barracks does not have a chapel, regiments have been welcomed to make use of our church for special services including carol services, Regimental commemorations, and, during the Iraq and Afghan conflicts, pre-deployment and welcome home services and, sadly, memorial services for casualties.

There are 185 civilian houses with a population of approximately 380 adults and 30 children. The village possesses a thriving village shop and Post Office facilities. There is a public house which serves meals and has a good reputation.

The village hall is used for a wide variety of regular and social events and for hire for private functions. Rutland Sailing Club is adjacent to the village. It has the country's finest disabled sailing facilities and hosts international disabled sailing events. Rutland Water's fishing activities are centred on the Fishing Lodge which is also adjacent to the village, as is a thriving cycle hire business. There are two very popular golf courses within the parish.

The church dates from c.1170. It has a Samuel Green organ, built in 1787, of interest to organ enthusiasts. There is a set of six bells which are rung regularly. The church is in a good state of repair, although the quinquennial inspection carried out recently has identified the need for some stonework repair and re-pointing. An air-source heating system was installed two years ago and has proved to be very successful and efficient.

The church is open every day and, being on the tourist route around Rutland Water, attracts many visitors, including families of personnel based here during World War II. The “Holy Dusters” and “Holy Weeders” maintain its well-kept appearance. Non-churchgoers support functions to raise funds for the church. The main annual fund raising functions are the Harvest Supper, Safari Supper and Village Barbecue.

St Martin of Tours,Lyndon

Our village is unusual in being mostly an Estate Village. The two Halls, surrounding land and all the older properties belong to the Conant family; the Halls having been built by the Barker brothers in the 17th century. Thomas Barker, the meteorologist, is buried in the churchyard. Sir John Conant, who lives in the village, is a patron of the living.

There are 41 dwellings with approximately three quarters of these on short hold tenancies. Because of thisthe population of the village changes, although there are usually about 75 people. The age range of the villagers is wide and the number of children very variable. Residents often work from home or have their own businesses, but some travel large distances.

The church dates back to the 14th century, but there is an even older font which was discovered buried in the churchyard. The building is listed as Grade 2*. The church was greatly restored in the 19th century and the Henry Willis organ was installed at the same time. Following an appeal launched in 2000 a considerable amount of restoration work was done on the tower and a new east window was installed. In the last phase of the work a new Clipsham stone floor was laid in 2005. New electrical heating was also installed at this time.

Although the church is aisled, it is fairly small and, as far as we know, is currently in good order with no important work outstanding. We are due for a quinquennial inspection in 2016.

In recent years the church has had one service of Holy Communion a month and also a service of Morning Prayer, taken by the churchwardens, on one of the other Sundays. We have traditionally had a candlelit Carol Service on Christmas Eve which attracts large congregations of over 80 people, but currently the attendance at regular services is in single figures.

Our major fund raising event is our annual Harvest Service and Supper followed by a Harvest Auction. This is also well attended and is an opportunity for the clergy to meet parishioners.

Because of its location there are many visitors to the church and we consider it an important part of our mission to keep it tidy and unlocked every day in order to welcome people. Our mission statement would be that we are here to serve the community in any way we can.

St Mary the Virgin, Manton

The village of Manton sits on the south shore of Rutland Water close to the nature reserves, making this a popular tourist destination, and the Rutland Water cycle route passes through the village as does an hourly bus service. As well as the church, the village amenities include an active village hall, a village gym, children's play area, allotments and public house. There is a residential care home in the village for up to 25 residents and regular short acts of worship are taken there by local parishioners for the residents.