A Hard copy of the Benefice Profile (with photos) can be found in the three churches

 

Benefice of West Purbeck Profile for the appointment of Incumbent

We long to see God grow His church in West Purbeck, and to help increasing numbers of local people to come to faith in Him.

 

We hope to work both with our schools, and within our local area,to educate and inspire children and their parents with the Christian message.

 

We wish to deepen our own relationship with,and confidence in,God,based on sound and effective preaching and bible teaching.

 

We want to be “Church Without Walls” –for us to be a blessing to the whole community and to see people's lives flourish.To have a visible presence across the benefice,outside simply church based activities;and accompanied by our clergy, show that God is relevant to all areas of people’s lives.

 

We should seek to offer a range of worship styles aimed at satisfying not just our traditional members but also at reaching out to all ages and cultures across the community.

 

Who are we looking for?

In our benefice of rural parishes, we pray for a new Incumbent who is rooted and grounded in the love of God, who will wholeheartedly preach the Gospel and will make God’s love known to all.

What can we offer you?•

We are at the beginning of a new chapter as churches in a newly formed benefice.We offer full support and would want to enable you to lead us well, and to succeed, in order to develop a thriving benefice.

 

Strong ties to the wider community in our parishes including links to schools.

 

An active and developing children’s ministry that includes two Open The Book teams.

 

Ministries to older people that are well received and much enjoyed.

 

We share good relations with other local churches.

 

During the vacancy we have been blessed with our gifted associate priests, Revds. Sandra and Jenny, who have supported us spiritually and practically through this difficult time.

One of our Licensed Local Ministers (LLMs) takes funerals and the LLMs preach regularly on Sundaysor at Midweek Holy Communion.

 

Dedicated lay worship leaders(LWLs), very recently commissioned,are trained in leading our future congregations in worship.

 

Lay pastoral assistants assist with Home Communion to the sickand ministry to the elderly/vulnerable.A number of home groups meet for fellowship and bible study.

 

An excellent part time benefice administratorbased in theoff-sitebenefice office in Wool. (And various volunteers regularly give much other assistance.)

 

A centrally located modern vicarage(with an integral office)in the rapidly growing village of Wool.

 

Many people keen to see continued use of online worship that has enabled us to grow together as one benefice meeting as one congregation.

Wool Vicarage

The vicarage is a purpose built 1970’s, 4-bedroom property in a small quiet close without any through traffic. There is a study, dining room, utility room, and single (but double length) garage. Bedrooms have washbasins but not ensuite bathrooms. It is in a good state of decoration. The study may be accessed from the hall, without admitting callers to the residential area.

 

The Wool area as a place to live

 

Wool is the largest of the benefice villages. It has:a mainline railway station, limited bus services, doctors’ surgery, dental surgery, village hall (wheelchair accessible), and a library. The modern youth centre hosts a range of uniformed associations. It also has:chemist, hairdressers, bakery, butcher, convenience shops, garages, Post Office, hardware shop, café,t akeaways, pubs and a Royal British Legion Club.

There are supermarkets and more shops in Wareham(6 miles)and a choice of bigger supermarkets and chain stores in Dorchester, Poole and Weymouth(12-15 miles).

The oldest part of the village, with its thatched cottages and clear stream running along their front gardens, is on the eastern edge, along with the 14thcentury church.The village, however, developed to the west. The parish population is about,6,100.Currently there are plans to build up to 800 new homes in Wool. A short car journey reaches Lulworth Cove, Durdle Door,Old Harry Rocks, and sandy beaches at Swanage, Weymouth and Studland. Also nearby is beautiful Hardy country, the Dorset cycleway, footpaths, and some excellent coastal walking. The Jurassic Coast, Monkey World and the Tank Museum are internationally known, and the National Trust has several properties such as Kingston Lacy and Corfe Castle within easy range of a car. The New Forest is an hour’s drive away, M25 two hours’ drive, and London Waterloo three hours on the train.

 

What are the challenges?

Whilst growth in the older community is welcome and worthwhile, we are conscious that some children and many parents are becoming a lost generation with no knowledge of the gospel or how much God loves them.

We have seen many benefits from the online services. We would like to retain all the good that has come out of this means of accessing worship.Moving some services from a church building to the village hall has been a benefit (especially in Wool where the church is not very accessible). People who are disabled,and many others,attend hall services.

Some only rarely came before.Some areas represent an ongoing challenge to our ingenuity and creativity. For example,connecting with the rather isolated areas of Bovington;and the many visitors—in camp sites, cottages,and B&Bs—as well as those coming to huge festivals held in Lulworth Castle grounds.

Current Worship Pattern 

In brief, within the benefice, currently we offer:

Daily morning prayer*;

Weekly Holy Communion using BCP and CW*;

Fortnightly,midweek Holy Communion*;

Monthly,All Age Worship*,

Supper Church†,

Café Church*,

and Evensong‡.(*=Currently held online;‡ =In church,† = In Village Hall-

Each Covid-19 permitting,) Lent Lunches take place when allowed. In Wool preparation is shared among denominations. Winfrith undertake a Walk of Witness carrying a cross.

In Bere Regis church, HolyCommunion weekly, and a soup lunch;

a Walk of Witness with Affpuddle on Good Friday. (They carry and assemble the cross at the top of nearby Black Hill.)

Café Church (monthly) Began in October 2018 in Winfrith Newburgh Village Hall and grew rapidly (numbers in the mid 40’s). It is a different expression of church, where worship and fellowship are equally important.  Pre lockdown coffee, tea and croissants were served from 10.30, creating a chance to chat and meet the friendly team. There are songs/hymns, prayers, and ‘Table Talk’—encouraging people to discuss their beliefs, thoughts and experiences related to the theme of the service. There is always something exciting for the children to do. Café Church continues online, where numbers have grown further—51 screens in March 2021.

Supper Church (monthly)

Held for the whole benefice,Supper Church was launched inJan 2020. At 5pm on Sundays we encourage families to come along to a lively service in the Wool Village Hall.A large team co-ordinates catering, drama and activities. Having decided to cater for 50 people the first time, we were surprised and delighted when over 80 people including families attended from the benefice. God answered our urgent prayer over the food and everyone was fed. We managed two further sessions in February and March before lockdown began.

 

Covid-19 changes

Our average online Sunday attendance in 2020, which takes into account all services celebrated on Sundays across the benefice,was 77. We have had online congregations of over 100 for seasonal special services at Easter and Christmas.Since the start of the pandemic, the whole Christian Church has had to become a “Church Without Walls”. Services and activities have often moved online and in our benefice they started early on and have been really well attended. Benefits to this new way of working have included:A huge rise in numbers accessing church activities onlineServices and events increasingly accessible to people within their homeOutdoor services created and some other additional activities developedDeveloping the home delivery of door-to-door activities such as Easter bags for Holy Week and for Messy Church events.  There are some who struggle to access such new events.And some activities connect with others best, when face-to-face.Overall numerically, the number disadvantaged by moving online was probably balanced by the number newly able to take part. Obviously we would love to include both but constraints remain.  For people who are unable to access technology, isolated, or on the fringes of church life, we have various locally based schemes to give them small gifts from the churches at festivals (e.g.Lent or Holy Week thoughts and activities each day–and a small Easter treat). Copies of readings and sermons have also been distributed to those who cannot access online worship.What have we as a benefice learned from Covid? (and what might we consider to take forward?)A surprising number of people have newly learned how to use Zoom and mostly have enjoyed the opportunities it gives us.We have become accustomed to seeing one another frequently, even when scattered across the many different areas in the benefice, atonline services. We would not have,if we had stayed exclusively in our own parish churches.Even closing all the churches did not prevent Christians meeting together –the total worshippers on Zoom have typically now settled around the 70-80 mark.Some groups (e.g. disabled, unwell, people with care needs for children or adults) have been able to take part in online services, in all weathers. They would otherwise have been excluded.We have had the benefit of different and varied high quality teaching from our ministry team, and have shared in different traditions.Less happily Zoom does exclude people with no access to the internet or the right technology; and the technophobic.

 

Younger, Older –and in between

Church Groups (Some activities are currently suspended due to Covid-19 measures but have plans to resume.)

Home Groups

There are thriving home and study groups in each of our parishes. All are led by laity and are self supporting.

Affpuddle: Pre-Covid, a LLM organised Advent and Lent courses which met in the home of church members.

Bere Regis: Pre-Covid, a Bible Study Group met at the home of a LLM weekly throughout the year. (Sadly the LLM died this year.)

Wool: Pre-Covid there were 3 home study groups that met regularly. Each group has one or two appointed leaders and gets other leadership help from amongst its members. The groups sometimes led worship on Sunday evenings and at festivals.  Post-Covid two of the groups have continued in an online format using Zoom.

Winfrith:The Prayer Group (about 10 people) meets weekly in a member’s home. 

 

Lent Groups  During Lent everyone in the benefice is encouraged to use the Diocesan Lent Book. There are different groups and activities. Before Covid there were four Lent study groups held weekly in the then three churches. One of the two courses in Wool was ecumenical and held at the then Cornerstone Church in East Burton (since closed).

Alpha  In Lent 2021 the seven benefice churches have undertaken an online Alpha course led by Revd Jenny with lay assistance. Currently (March 2021) about 58 people from every corner of the benefice have beentaking part every Wednesday evening.

Younger, Older – and in between

Working with Schools

Apart from several pre-schools,there are six schools in our benefice, including two CE schools:

Bere Regis Primary School 

At new premises since 2017,the school has an excellent relationship with the church. As well as the ‘Open The Book’ team,clergy (or Rev Sandra) alternate by taking assembly every other week.  

During Covid, the two church schools and Bere Regis have received weekly recorded assemblies for their learning platforms.Bovington Academy (ages 4-11)‘ Open The Book’ team lead worship twice each month.St George’s, the Garrison Church, is used for major services at festivals and at the end of term but the school and staff are keen to be more involved in the local community.

 

Lulworth and Winfrith CE VC Primary School (on two sites)

The new House for Duty Priest at West Lulworth will be an ex-officio Governor. A new Foundation Governor has been nominated following the decease of the existing one. ‘Open the Book’ is held in the school weekly.

Wool CE VA Primary School (pre-Covid description)There is a strong,happy church/school relationship. ‘Open The Book’ was held in the school fortnightly. The Rector (ex-officio Governor and vice chair) and team were active in Collective Worship every week. Some church members played vintage board games with the children,also doing craftwork with them based on a Bible story that they heard read.

St Josephs RC VA Primary School (in Wool).After age 11 After primary school the majority of our children go to school in the neighbouring towns. (There are no mainstream secondary schools within the benefice.)A new secondary school is being built on Bovington’sold Middle School site, for up to180 children aged 10 to 19 with S.E.N.(High-functioning autism in this case.)Currently in its first year,it has opened(in temporary buildings) to ages 10-14.

 

Working with Children and Families

GIFT (Girls in Fellowship Together) A group of mums meets fortnightly at the home of a Wool LPA for support, chat and refreshments. (In school holidays there are events for the whole family.) All meetings end with a thought for the day and a prayer.

Bere Regis Junior Church Currently 10 members of all ages. The Puppet ministry is part of Junior Church, which meets in the Church monthly, followed by a Family Service. The children make decorate and deliver 100 cakes to the elderly at Christmas. 

Messy Church 

Messy Church, since October 2020, has become West Purbeck Benefice MessyChurch, meeting monthly online. Craft/activity bags are prepared and delivered around the benefice, with increasing participation from families, and a regular core of 30 members has increased to 40. (Pre-Covid, Messy Church was held in both Wool and Winfrith Churches every month, Many non-churched see Messy Church as ‘their church’.

A Light Party event for children was held in Wool village hall, supported by other local churches and focussing on Christian light in the darkness on 31stOctober.

 

Working with Older People

Pastoral Care and Visiting

The LPAs in the benefice are all involved in working with older people and visit on a regular basis. Home Communion, usually administered approximately monthly by an LLM (Affpuddle) or the LPAs (Wool and Bere Regis),is a much appreciated ministry among the sick. Members of churches and LPAs form prayer chains for specific requests for prayer.

 

Teapot Club

Pre-Covid, this non-denominational fortnightly group for about 20 older people met in Wool Methodist Church. It was started by a Wool LPA in July 2004. The emphasis is on informal fun, with conversation, jokes,quizzes, tea and cake –but always including a serious 10-minute LPA-led “Thought for the Day”. A short simple service led by an LLM is held at Christmas and Easter.Coffee and Cake‘

 

Coffee and Cake’began in September 2017. Before Covid it met twice each month on Wednesday mornings at the D’Urberville Centre(village hall buildings) in Wool which has good car parking and disabled access. Each session follows the mid-week Communion Service. ‘Coffee and Cake’has enabled many more people to come to worship (attendance at our Ash Wednesday Service increased by 100%) including some people who would not otherwise come to church.

 

Staycations 

The summer ‘Staycation’ for Older People has been popular. Themes have included ‘A 1950’s Day at the Seaside’ and ‘An Open-Top Tour of London with Tea at the Ritz’.(Open to all, not just churchgoers.)

Benefice Community Involvement – a selection

Lunch Clubs

There are two established monthly Lunch Clubs for older people, at Bere Regis and Briantspuddle. Work was underway to introduce a church led Lunch Club for older people in Wool but Covid temporarily halted this after the first session.Pre-Covid, a group working in Winfrith with the Village Hall had been providing community meals (“Let’s do Lunch” alternating with a simpler “Soup and Pud”). These have been very popular, particularly with older residents.The current offer is “Afternoon Tea” (to take away).

Foodbanks

All of our churches have a food collection point in support of our local foodbanks in Wareham and Dorchester. The response to Covid from the local community was huge and food arrived in unprecedented amounts.Other Community Involvement

Many church members actively support their local community in schemes such as ‘Share and Care’ (driving people to hospital and other appointments). Others are engaged in local services such as running the Wool library, a sewing group in Bovington, or the Bovington Community Room.In the early days of Covid,local churches took part both as a contact point,and in supplying practical help,for people self-isolating

 

For the description of the 7 Churches and appendices see hard copy